MLS Cup 2014: Preseason Picks

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If you’re a regular reader of MLS Multiplex, you’re probably thinking, “Wait… who is this guy, and why should I care about his predictions?” I’m Adam Golembiewski, and I’m the new kid on the block here at MLSM, and to FanSided in general. It’s been easy getting used to FanSided life, with the staff being nothing short of friendly and helpful thus far, and I look forward to working with every one of them in the future. Just to give everybody an idea of my qualifications, I’m a graduate of Kent State University, spending 5 years there and achieving honors in English and History (so I can write real good). As for my love of soccer, I lived in England for 6 years as a kid, where I found a great appreciation for the beautiful game that I carry with me to this day. I’ve only been watching MLS for a few years now, but I’m absolutely hooked, and I hope to share that passion with you all throughout my stay here at MLSM.

With all that out of the way, time to get into the good stuff: my predictions for who will bring home that beautiful trophy at the end of the season. As we all know, there are many trials and tribulations that all clubs must go through to even quality for the postseason, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. But as always, there’s a select few who stand out before the ball is even kicked, and here is my top 3.

3. New York Red Bulls

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Even after being upset by the Houston Dynamo during the playoffs last year, the Red Bulls are still a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. Their greatest strength is having a solid player at each position, with Jamison Olave at defense, Tim Cahill at midfield, and Thierry Henry at forward, all of which contribute to an attack that yielded a league-high 58 goals. They don’t have too bad of a supporting cast either, with Dax McCarty’s defensive presence in the midfield, and Luis Robles in net, coming off a great season where he started every MLS league match for the reigning Community Shield winners. However, the biggest question mark for the Red Bulls is their defensive situation. With the exception of Olave, the other defensive positions are still up for grabs, and it could take a few weeks until the eventual starters emerge. That rotation of defenders could cause some chemistry problems in front of Robles and make his life much harder. Can they outscore their opponent’s enough to make up for some potential defensive issues?

2. Sporting Kansas City

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The reigning champs have almost everybody returning to defend their title, and considering the club gave up a league-low 30 goals last season, that is incredibly encouraging. SKC is “sporting” (see what I did there?) the best defensive squad in MLS, headlined by the dynamic duo of Matt Besler and Aureleen Collin, the most successful American/French collaboration since Washington and Lafayette. And of course, the mighty Graham Zusi remains one of the most dominant forces in the league, both during play and on set pieces. The boys in light blue aren’t without their share of downsides, though. Even though not many balls will be getting through that stellar defense, there is still a question as to who is going to get a majority of the starts in between the posts. Eric Kronberg seems to be the early favorite, but Andy Gruenebaum is waiting in the wings if Kronberg doesn’t live up to expectations. The bigger concern is scoring, with SKC finishing with a middle-of-the-road 47 total goals last season, and Zusi leaving for World Cup duties won’t help improve on that number. Speaking of which, SKC will be sending a number of players to Brazil later this summer, and while they have decent players that can fill in, it’s doubtful they will play with the same quality.

1. Portland Timbers

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You control the midfield, you control the game. It’s one of the oldest sayings in soccer, and the Timbers basically built their current squad with that mentality. They have the deepest and most talented midfield in MLS: Johnson, Valeri, Nagbe, Zakuani, Wallace, Chara. In that mix, you have playmakers, speedsters, dribblers, defenders, scorers, and various combinations of each. Even though Wallace is still injured, and Zakuani and Valeri are returning from injury, Portland can take their time working these players back into the lineup, since they have such depth at the position. The statistics speak for themselves: 54 goals for third most in the league, and 33 goals allowed for second least in the league, easily the most balanced team all of last season. A lot of the credit for the latter statistic goes to keeper Donovan Ricketts, who, with a great defensive corps, posted a league-best 14 shutouts. And since we’re on the defense, Portland has theirs all set up going into the season. Full back Michael Harrington lead the club in minutes last year, and center back Pa Modou Kah was responsible for many clearances in front Ricketts. But can this group of players keep up with the wear and tear of a long MLS season? Portland has zero bye weeks, and it might catch up with some of the older members of the club, especially those who aren’t part of the midfield (have I mentioned them yet?), who can rotate members out when everybody gets healthy. The club is also starting some newcomers in the Argentinian pair Noberto Papparatto and Gaston Fernandez, both playing important roles on the team’s defense and offense, respectively, and their performances will have a large effect on the club in the early stages of a long, long season.

Those are my thoughts on who’s winning the cup this year, but I’d like to hear yours as well. Drop your opinions in the comments section, or let us know on Twitter at @MLSMultiplex or @MLSMadam.