ASN: Western Convention Preview & Predictions: LAFC & Dallas rank excessive

Predicting MLS is at all times laborious and the West is even more durable. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta offers it his greatest shot as he previews and predicts the Western Convention. LAFC and Dallas look sturdy whereas Seattle ought to return to the playoffs. Here’s a have a look at every workforce.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
February 21, 2023
7:55 PM

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MAKING PRESEASON PREDICTIONS in MLS is at all times laborious. However making preseason predictions within the West is even more durable. As veteran journalist Steve Davis mentioned, the highest 4 groups within the West in 2021 have been Colorado, Seattle, Kansas Metropolis and Portland. In 2022, none of these 4 made the playoffs. That is clear proof that these predictions are unimaginable, however towards our higher judgment, we are going to attempt anyway and possibly appear to be fools on the finish of the season.

I don’t assume the 2023 season will probably be fairly as loopy as 2022. I feel some groups will enhance and a few will worsen, however we are going to see conventional powers like Seattle and Portland return to the postseason. Different groups like LAFC, Dallas, and Austin will proceed to be good. I don’t assume we are going to see a totally sudden workforce like Colorado in 2021 or Austin in 2022 contend for one of many high positions.

With that in thoughts, right here we go.

Los Angeles FC
Prediction: First within the West

The present MLS Cup Champions will return a lot of the workforce’s beginning XI from final yr’s championship however the losses are important. The sale of Cristian Arango to Pachuca is large and shedding Latif Blessing to New England hurts the steadiness of the midfield. Gareth Bale isn’t a fantastic loss as a result of he was by no means utterly wholesome when he arrived final summer season.

On high of that necessary gamers like Carlos Vela is somewhat bit older as is Ryan Hollingshead and Ilie Sánchez. Mixed with new central defender Aaron Lengthy, that may be a substantial a part of their core that’s over 30 years previous. Giorgio Chiellini is now 38.

However being an formidable workforce, LAFC is at all times going to be searching for modifications and upgrades. The workforce wants a No. 9 and they’re going to spend to get one. Stipe Biuk was a really attention-grabbing and probably large improve on the wings. The Croatian youth worldwide from Hajduk Break up ought to ease the burden off Vela. Denis Bouanga was signed final summer season and continues to be but to get going. He must be prepared to provide in 2023.

A part of selecting LAFC to complete first is to be on their entrance workplace and second yr head coach Steve Cherundolo. This workforce received’t look almost the identical within the fall because it does now. However will the modifications be good and can Dolo discover a technique to make it work? For now, we’re optimistic for his or her probabilities. Why guess towards them?

Key Additions: Stipe Biuk, Aaron Lengthy, Timothy Tillman

Key Departures: Cristian Arango, Latif Blessing, Sebastien Ibeagha, Gareth Bale

FC Dallas
Prediction: Second within the West

There’s a lot to love in regards to the route FC Dallas is heading. Head coach Nico Estevez constructed a secure and dependable core in 2022 and made it one of many league’s most improved groups. Now in 2023, he’s holding most of that core collectively. What’s much more necessary to level out is that this core is all on the youthful facet with gamers nonetheless of their early to mid-20’s. After years of growing gamers, Dallas now has a workforce and a coach that would assist them win now.

Paul Arriola and Jesus Ferreira mixed for 28 objectives in 2022. Even when that tapers off somewhat, Alan Velasco ought to produce much more. The extremely proficient Argentine winger is just 20 however now has a full yr of adjusting into the workforce. He has the expertise to be one of many high wingers within the league.

The midfield can also be in good condition. After years of coping with accidents, Paxton Pomykal appeared just like the as soon as promising U.S. youth worldwide he was. Sebastian Lletget is now 30 however he can convey some expertise to the squad.

Defensively, Estevez did nice work with Dallas and that was key to their turnaround. Altering the workforce’s defensive setup noticed it conceded simply 37 objectives in 2022, lowest within the West. Whereas Matt Hedges left the workforce over the winter, I might not anticipate a step again. Sebastien Ibeagha brings some grit to central protection and he did nicely serving to LAFC win MLS Cup. Proper again Geovane Jesus was acquired by Cruzeiro beneath the U-22 initiative and he’ll assist.

Dallas has room to maneuver. With Franco Jara leaving, there may be an open DP spot past Ferreira and Velasco. The entrance workplace has work to do. Brandon Servania’s departure hurts the midfield depth. However it will likely be telling to see if the FC Dallas academy can step up and assist fill voids. Traditionally, that has been a workforce’s power. 

All in all, Dallas is an efficient workforce that would push LAFC for high of the desk within the West.

Key additions: Geovane Jesus, Sebastien Ibeagha

Key departures: Matt Hedges, Franco Jara

Austin FC
Prediction: Third within the West

Austin FC surged in 2022 in simply its second yr within the league. After a studying expertise in an enlargement yr, the workforce completed second within the convention and superior to the Western Convention Closing earlier than being outplayed by LAFC.

The workforce was closely reliant – maybe overly reliant – on all-star Sebastián Driussi. He ought to proceed to be the most effective gamers within the league however the query is whether or not or not Austin has a second level of assault. Diego Fagundez and Maxi Urruti have been productive, and each are returning. However a giant improve must be a wholesome and in-form Emiliano Rigoni. The Argentine winger signed a DP deal final summer season however solely performed seven video games for the membership and didn’t rating. He’s nonetheless an untapped useful resource.

Gyasi Zardes, now 31, ought to assist as a free agent addition. 2022 heart ahead Moussa Djitte solely scored 5 objectives in 2022 and Zardes will probably be an improve.

For head coach Josh Wolff, the problem turns into the workforce’s defensive method. Ruben Gabrielsen was glorious in central protection in 2022 however he needed to return dwelling to Norway. The addition of Finland worldwide Leo Vaisanen will probably be vital.

Total, Austin is somewhat skinny and reliant on one participant, however Rigoni and Zardes will assist ease the burden. It’s all in regards to the protection proper now however Austin ought to nonetheless be good.

Key additions: Leo Vaisanen, Gyasi Zardes,

Key departures: Ruben Gabrielsen, Moussa Djitte

Seattle Sounders FC
Prediction: Fourth within the West
 

It was the very best of instances and the worst of instances for Seattle in 2022. The workforce received the CONCACAF Champions League in 2022 and have become the primary MLS workforce to take action within the fashionable period – rolling via two Liga MX groups and NYCFC within the course of. After that, they crashed and burned – failing to even make the MLS playoffs.

The reality is that Seattle is an older workforce. Nicholas Lodeiro, Joao Paulo, Raul Ruidiaz, and Stefan Frei are all starters over 30 they usually all struggled within the second half of the season.

This core must get replaced prior to later, however for 2023 it must be sufficient to get them again into the playoffs. Not taking part in within the CONCACAF Champions League will assist. Seattle misplaced quite a lot of factors as a result of CCL serving as a distraction. Plus, head coach Brian Schmetzer has a pleasant listing of promising homegrown gamers who will want minutes – gamers like Obed Vargaz, Reed Baker-Whiting, and Danny Leyva.

Seattle will probably be improved in 2023 simply due to a greater give attention to the league video games. However is that this the begining of the top for the most effective core group of gamers the league has ever seen? Possibly

Key Additions: Herber

Key Departures: Will Bruin

Portland Timbers
Prediction: Fifth within the West

After shedding MLS Cup at dwelling in 2021, the Portland Timbers didn’t make the playoffs in 2022 because of a collapse within the last three video games of the season. 

Portland made only one critical improve within the offseason and that’s Evander – the DP No. 10 who was an help machine within the Europa League with FC Midtjylland in Denmark. The Brazilian was the most effective gamers within the Danish Tremendous Liga and he’ll go a protracted technique to serving to Portland get again on its toes.

Portland will probably be hoping for upgrades this yr from inside. Eryk Williamson spent the primary half of 2022 nonetheless getting his legs again from an ACL harm. Jarosaw Niezgoda and Santiago Moreno must be in a greater place to succeed. Jose Carlos Van Rankin left the membership to make approach for younger proper again Juan David Mosquera.

The query will come right down to central protection. With a possible pairing of Zac McGraw and the getting old Larrys Mabiala, there may be concern there. In the event that they battle, Portland can battle. However with the playoffs increasing, they need to be okay. 

Key Additions: Evander

Key Departures: Jose Carlos Van Rankin, Invoice Tuiloma

Sporting Kansas Metropolis
Prediction: Sixth within the West

Coming off a brutal 2022 season the place they completed in twelfth place, Sporting Kansas Metropolis hasn’t made the variety of modifications that you simply’d anticipate from a workforce who completed so low. However nonetheless, they need to be fairly good.

However the addition of Nemanja Radoja, 30, will assist the workforce’s backbone. The defensive midfielder has loads of expertise in La Liga with Celta Vigo and Levante and he’ll assist each offensively and defensively. Sporting KC’s largest weak point was within the backline and Radoja will assist.

However Sporting will probably be improved offensively. Willy Agada was dynamite when he arrived midseason from Israel, and he scored eight objectives in 12 video games. Now you’ve him and Alan Pulido coming back from a season-long ACL harm in 2022. Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russell will proceed to be mainstays on the wings.

Sporting KC’s possibilities of making the playoffs are fairly good however it would come right down to the workforce’s protection. Will probably be a giant take a look at for Peter Vermes to enhance that space. On one other word, look potential U.S. U-20 proper again Kayden Pierre proceed to push the getting old Graham Zusi at proper again for minutes.  

Key Additions: Nemanja Radoja

Key Departures: Nicolas Isimat-Mirin

LA Galaxy
Prediction: Seventh within the West

For the LA Galaxy this yr, it will likely be the Riqui Puig present. Acquired from Barcelona in August, Puig performed 10 video games and added three objectives and 5 assists. He made his workforce higher and carried LA into the postseason with a fourth-place end. Then within the postseason, they have been bounced after a tricky however hard-fought loss to LAFC.

Within the offseason, the Galaxy jettisoned wingers Kevin Cabral (which is addition by subtraction) and Samuel Grandsir who was a extra important loss however must be changed adequately by American winger Tyler Boyd.  The 2019 Gold Cup veteran is coming off a rocky time at Besiktas however nonetheless will be an explosive winger when in type. It’d take Boyd a while to get again into the swing of issues however it might be pickup.

— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) January 25, 2023

Ultimately, the query is whether or not or not the workforce did sufficient to construct round Puig. As of now, it actually doesn’t appear to be it. Nonetheless, it’s adequate to get into the submit season.

Key Additions: Tyler Boyd, Memo Rodríguez, Chris Mavinga

Key Departures: Julian Araujo, Samuel Grandsir, Kevin Cabral

Actual Salt Lake
Prediction: Eighth within the West

Final season, Actual Salt Lake continued to earn outcomes regardless of a wave of accidents. For lengthy stretches, the workforce performed above the sum of its components and that was adequate to see the workforce qualify for the playoffs on the final day of the season.

Pablo Mastroeni has performed job with Actual Salt Lake and he’ll hopefully have some extra consistency in his lineup. The membership has excessive hopes for 20-year-old winger Andres Gomez who was introduced in a club-record switch from Millonarios. Additionally, Brayan Vera will assist at left again. The lack of main scorer Sergio Córdova is hard.

Salt Lake performs a frantic model and the workforce has a pleasant homefield benefit in altitude. They’re missing a real distinction maker and the lack of Cordova hurts – however they’ve quite a lot of intangibles. It’s not unrealistic to assume they may outperform our predictions and be a shock. 

Key Additions: Andres Gomez, Brayan Vera

Key Departures: Sergio Córdova, Aaron Herrera

Colorado Rapids
Prediction: Ninth within the West
 

Colorado Rapids had a critical fall in 2022 ending in tenth – one season after they have been faraway from successful the Western Convention common season title in 2021. Head coach Robin Fraser, nevertheless, has extra to work with this season.

A part of the workforce’s drawback in 2022 was its protection which conceded 57 objectives – second worst within the West behind San Jose. The workforce has introduced in Andreas Maxsø from Brondby to anchor central protection and Alex Gerbach will change Lucas Esteves at left again.

The midfield can even be upgraded. The return of Cole Bassett from a pair of unsuccessful Eredivisie loans helps and Connor Ronan also needs to assist improve the workforce’s backbone. On the wings, Kevin Cabral has been acquired from the LA Galaxy however he has been wildly inconsistent and LA was glad to see him go.

Diego Rubio is constant on this league in scoring however I’m additionally curious to see U.S. youth worldwide Darren Yapi begin to make strides as he appears like a promising younger American ahead.

The Rapids have a deeper squad than final yr however there are bunch of query marks. Maxsø is unproven on this league. Bassett had a tricky 2022. Gyasi Zardes is a loss at ahead. Fraser may need the makings of a greater workforce however he has quite a lot of work to do in an effort to construct up chemistry.

Key Additions: Alex Gerbach, Cole Bassett, Andreas Maxsø, Kevin Cabral, Connor Ronan

Key Departures: Lucas Esteves, Gyasi Zardes

San Jose Earthquakes
Prediction: tenth in West

Solely 12 months in the past, the issue for San Jose was its porous protection and its wild head coach Matias Almeyda. Credit score to the group for figuring out its faults after it conceded a conference-worst 69 objectives and had no teaching stability.

The membership has made clear strikes to repair this. Luchi Gonzalez arrives as the brand new head coach after efficiently operating the FC Dallas academy, having combined outcomes as the primary workforce head coach, after which transferring on to be the U.S. nationwide workforce assistant.

For a membership that has very promising younger gamers like Cade Cowell, Niko Tsakiris, and Cruz Medina, hiring Gonzalez is sensible.

However the membership has additionally introduced in Brazilian goalkeeper Daniel, former FC Dallas and Augsburg defensive midfielder Carlos Gruezo (as a delegated participant), and high central defender Jonathan Mensah, the membership has introduced in gamers with excessive stage success in MLS into wanted positions. The losses of midfielders Jan Gregus and Eric Remedi usually are not going to harm the membership.

They need to be higher this yr however it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how Gonzalez places youthful gamers into the combo. Plus, Cowell looks like the participant who’s going to need to go away after the U-20 World Cup on condition that he has already been a primary workforce participant for 3 years.

Jackson Yueill will probably have a special function with Gruezo in again of him. Can he be a artistic playmaker? Will Gruezo assist to protect the backline?

The entrance line for the Quakes is nice, however Gonzalez might want to have extra success working to construct a defensive system than he did in Dallas. However this yr, he has an expanded playoff format and that would assist the workforce keep motivated into the autumn.

Key Additions: Daniel, Carlos Gruezo, Jonathan Mensah

Key Departures: Jan Gregus, Shea Salinas, Eric Remedi

Vancouver Whitecaps
Prediction: eleventh in West

Head coach Vanni Sartini has a fairly stable roster within the entrance six of his 4-3-3 system and the additions of Sergio Cordova, RSL’s main scorer, will adequately change the lack of Lucas Cavallini.

The workforce wanted to enhance defensively they usually have added Uruguayan central defender Mathías Laborda and Japanese goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka. However the query shouldn’t be essentially the backline, additionally it is the workforce’s defensive method as a collective unit together with midfielders and forwards.

— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) February 20, 2023

Santini has quite a lot of work to do in an effort to get essentially the most out of this group however an expanded playoff format ought to preserve them within the combine. 

Key Additions: Sergio Córdova, Mathías Laborda, Yohei Takaoka

Key Departures: Lucas Cavallini, Jake Nerwinski

Minnesota United
Prediction: twelfth in West

Just about every thing else doesn’t matter. Sure, the membership added two good central defendersin Miguel Tapias and Mikael Marques whereas struggling no main departures (aside from proper again Romain Métanire who spent nearly all of 2022 injured).

Except Reynoso returns, Minnesota appears like they’ll battle. However that is the value of being so one-dimensional.

Key Additions: Miguel Tapias, Mikael Marques

Key Departures: Romain Métanire

Houston Dynamo
Prediction: thirteenth in West

The Houston Dynamo have been uninspiring for a very long time. It’s been 5 years since they’ve made the playoffs they usually appear to be an afterthought as of late. The Dynamo will now open store beneath new supervisor Ben Olsen – who was up and down for a few years in DC however nonetheless completed with a shedding report.

The issue for Houston is that they haven’t made quite a lot of modifications. Tim Parker, Fafa Picault, and Memo Rodriguez leaving and Ivan Franco, Franco Escobar, and Amine Bassi arriving looks like a push or a modest improve.

Representing Houston on the worldwide stage????????

???????? Juan Castilla and the U-20 Colombian Nationwide Staff certified for the U-20 World Cup!#HoldItDown #ContraTodos

— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) February 14, 2023

In fact there are attention-grabbing gamers like DP’s Hector Herrera and Sebastian Ferreira however these two will should be in high type. Houston additionally want a few of their youthful homegrowns and draft picks to be aggressive. Happily, the academy has been bettering in the course of the membership’s funk lately. Colombia U-20 worldwide Juan Castilla, U.S. U-19 midfielder Brooklyn Rains and draft choose and Iceland native Thorleifur Úlfarsson all are promising.

Certain, the expanded playoffs will assist the underside half of every convention however our guess is that the quagmire continues.

Key Additions: Ivan Franco, Franco Escobar, Amine Bassi

Key Departures: Tim Parker, Fafa Picault, Memo Rodríguez

St. Louis CITY SC
Prediction: 14th in West

St. Louis must be welcome addition to the league. There’s a ton of ardour behind the membership and tickets are promoting quick. Head coach Bradley Carnell was in style among the many gamers whereas as an assistant and interim head coach with the New York Pink Bulls. He’s nicely versed within the system he needs to play – the acquainted urgent system we sometimes see with Pink Bulls groups right here and in Europe.

Our first-ever Captain and Vice Captain in Membership historical past ????

???? https://t.co/NlFTsUCw0F pic.twitter.com/pifWYA9due

— St Louis CITY SC (@stlCITYsc) February 20, 2023

The workforce’s expertise, nevertheless, isn’t nice and there are already accidents to key gamers resembling centerback Joakim Nilsson. Some enlargement groups have performed nicely shortly however St. Louis appears like it’ll have some rising pains in 2023. There simply aren’t sufficient distinction makers or gamers who’ve had quite a lot of success on this league.

Key Additions: N/A

Key Departures: N/A