MLS Preseason Power Rankings

19 through 15

19. Chicago Fire

Last Season: 8-18-8 — 32 points — 10th Eastern Conference

Incoming: F – Fabian Herbers, D – Marcelo, M – Przemyslaw Frankowski, M – Jeremiah Gutjahr, M – Cristian Martinez, M – Amando Moreno, D – Andre Reynolds II, GK – David Ousted

Departing: F – Alan Gordon, D – Brandon Vincent, D – Christian Dean, D – Jonathan Campbell, M – Drew Conner, F – Michael de Leeuw, M – Daniel Johnson, GK – Patrick McLain, F – Yura Movsisyan, F – Luis Solignac, D – Matt Polster, D – Nicolas Del Grecco

Only some of the off-field issues have been addressed, with most of Section 8 and the Harlem End awaiting the sale of the Fire to a person who cares about growing the team and the sport. Instead, Bridgeview and the Hauptman’s have both spent years treating the stadium as a burden, and one less used the better.

There may be some extra games at Toyota Stadium this season, as Bastian Schweinsteiger finally has support on all sides. Signing Marcelo is an attempt to get Bastian into the midfield engine room instead of on the backline putting out fires. Przemyslaw Frankowski, Cristian Martinez and Amando Moreno will allow for more possession instead of route-one balls to the isolated Aleksandar Katai and Nemanja Nikolic.

Season Expectations: Fans finally have reason to hope for the playoffs, but not much else. The talent drop off on the back half of the roster is too steep for a sustained run at many trophies. If the Fire can play for the fans and give the club back some pride, this season will be fine. If Hauptman picks fights with the fans and leaves the marketing to a Ross clearance rack, fans should revolt. MLS has to take notice eventually.

18. Montreal Impact

Last Season:  14-16-4  — 46 points — 7th Eastern Conference

Incoming: D – Daniel Kinumbe, M/D – Clement Bayiha, F – Harry Novillo, F – Maxi Urruti, D – Zachary Brault-Guillard, F – Orji Okwonkwo

Departing: D – Rod Fanni, D – Kyle Fisher, M – Louis Beland-Goyette, M – David Choiniere, M – Michael Salazar, F – Quincy Amarikwa, F – Matteo Mancosu, GK – Maxime Crepeau, D – Chris Duvall, M/F – Alejandro Silva, D – Michael Petrasso, GK – James Pantemis, D – Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, M – Jeisson Vargas

Ignacio Piatti has been a one-man band with occasional guest stars during his tenure in Montreal. Usually those guest star appearances are few and far between. Jeisson Vargas had two spectacular games and twenty where he was invisible. Now he is gone, so even more responsibility will fall to Saphir Taider.

Remi Garde needs a playing style that gets Piatti into more dangerous positions facing goal. Quincy Amarikwa had shown in flashes, but like most, could not find a link with Piatti frequently enough to draw attention and bend defenses. Another season of lacking a secondary option will likely see Piatti ask for a transfer.

Season Expectations: Ignacio Piatti goes overlooked and under appreciated yet again. Montreal is three games away from a CONCACAF Champions League berth. Winning that spot to use as a carrot for recruiting a new competitive core should be the main focus.

17. Vancouver Whitecaps

Last Season: 13-13-8  — 47 points  — 8th Western Conference

Incoming: F – Theo Bair, GK – Zac MacMath, GK – Maxime Crepeau, D/M – Victor “PC” Giro, M – Andy Rose, D – Derek Cornelius, M – Jon Erice, M – Lass Bangoura, M – Lucas Venuto, D – Scott Sutter, M – Hwang In-beom, D – Jasser Khmiri, D – Erik Godoy, F – Joaquin Ardaiz, F – Fredy Montero

Departing: M – Alphonso Davies, GK – Stefan Marinovic, D – Jose Aja, D – Roberto Dominguez, D – Aaron Maund, M – Marvin Emnes, M – Aly Ghazal, M – Brek Shea, F – Myer Bevan, GK – Brian Rowe, D – Sean Franklin, M – Cristian Techera, F – Kei Kamara, M – Jordon Mutch, GK – Spencer Richey, M – Nicolas Mezquida, D – Kendall Waston, F – Erik Hurtado, F – Anthony Blondell, M – Efrain Juarez, D – Marcel de Jong

The Whitecaps had years of grinding dull tactics under Carl Robinson, though they apparently had some top-end attacking talents. Now that a new regime is in charge and loosening the reins, perhaps Vancouver can get excited about a match instead of just a result. They’ll have to do so with Alphonso Davies now in Germany playing Champions League minutes.

Fredy Montero is back in the Pacific Northwest but much has changed. The names of the departed made up a majority of the minutes for Vancouver in 2018, and many of the goals. The incoming group has the benefit of a fresh start with fans, instead of the established players welcoming a new coach. Nope, this season is completely detached from the failures of last.

Though playing a safe and cautious approach, Vancouver gave up far too many goals. Only three MLS teams gave up more in 2018. Yet the backline remains largely intact, though a new goalkeeper group will compete for the starting job.

Marc dos Santos will keep things simple in the back in hope of freeing up his attackers. Montero is a known commodity, but Joaquin Ardaiz will find MLS a far different style than his previous stops.

Season Expectations: Goals. Attacking play. Playoff games. The Cascadia Cup could even be in play. That’s swell thinking for Whitecaps fans, but to an outside observer, this team leaves betting types tentative to invest in any high hopes. It would surprise no one to find the Whitecaps in the same position at the end of the season as the last.

16. Colorado Rapids

Last Season: 8-19-7 — 31 points — 11th Western Conference

Incoming: M – Nicolas Mezquida, F – Kei Kamara, GK – Andre Rawls, GK – Clint Irwin, M – Kelyn Rowe, F – Diego Rubio, D – Keegan Rosenberry, M – Benny Feilhaber, F – Andre Shinyashiki, D – Sam Raben, F – Matt Hundley

Departing: D – Kip Colvey, D – Mike da Fonte, M – Giles Barnes, M – Sam Hamilton, M – Enzo Martinez, M – Ricardo Perez, F – Caleb Calvert, F – Jack McBean,GK – Andrew Dykstra, F – Yannick Boli, GK – Zac MacMath, D – Edgar Castillo, M – Kelyn Rowe, M – Marlon Hairston

Kroenke Sports has shown faith in Padraig Smith, though fans have a litany of complaints through the years. Anthony Hudson has received the same loyalty, though those same fans had a contingent ready to chase Hudson out of town after a single year. There were even rumors of Hudson jumping to England before finishing out the year. The Rapids technical staff as a whole dealt with the noise and quietly had perhaps the best offseason in MLS, if judging solely on the level of improvement of the the team.

Players get fans excited, especially if they can play with swagger and style. Teams cannot attack with abandon unless they are confident of the keeper. The legendary Tim Howard will play out one final season, with Clint Irwin waiting in the wings. Irwin is a proven MLS keeper capable of stepping in should Howard reach his expiration date before MLS Cup.

A strong backline is also paramount, and Kortne Ford provides the Rapids front office with the perfect comeback story. Ford’s local connections and backstory has the whole league rooting for him to win MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Fellow Colorado product Sam Vines needs to step up big to help Axel Sjoberg and Deklan Wynne keep the goals conceded numbers down. The Rapids had the second-worst goal differential (-27) in MLS last year. Cut that in half and they challenge for the playoffs with no extra offensive output.

A team with possession concedes no goals. But they can score them. The Rapids midfield of 2018 held the ball just long enough to lose it, send it long, or try and find a back-pass to Edgar Castillo. Castillo was the creative force for the Rapids last year as a wing-back. This year, Benny Feilhaber will be the Rapids metronome. Kellyn Acosta and Johan Blomberg will serve as conduits, shuttlers, and destroyers, but Feilhaber should be the focal point for finding passes in the final third.

Nicolás Mezquida should be able to find more pockets of space in the opponents half. Jack Price being a solid bench option instead of a midfield necessity will give Hudson options. Shkelzen Gashi will have to step up his game or have his wage bill shipped out in the summer. Dillon Serna and Nana Boateng should find time on the wings.

Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio give the Rapids much need quality on the forward line. Niki Jackson and Andre Shinyashiki will have to fight, but that competition for minutes should lift everyone’s game, and the Rapids out of the standings basement.

Season Expectations: This could be arguably the most exciting Colorado Rapids team assembled. Even though the Rapids have a star above the crest, that was a low seed run through a diluted playoffs. This team has the potential to match Pablo’s 2017 second-place finish. In every position, the Rapids might have the best player ever to man the position, save again for Pablo Mastroeni in his playing days. The biggest question is whether the greater Denver area will notice the Rapids. A hot start will still have to compete with the Nuggets’ splendid year and Rockies team entering a season with the highest payroll ever and expectations to match. The MLS Western Conference will be as crowded as the Colorado sport entertainment market. If the Rapids can reach their full potential and flirt with the top of the table, they could realistically have full crowds come summer.

15. Houston Dynamo

Last Season: 10-16-8 — 38 Points — 9th Western Conference; U.S. Open Cup Champions

Incoming: D – Erik McCue, D – Chris Duvall, M – Matias Vera, D – Aljaz Struna, D – DaMarcus Beasley, M – Tommy McNamara, M – Marlon Hairston, D – Sam Junqua, D – Maynor Figueroa

Departing:D – Conor Donovan, D – Leonardo, D – Adolfo Machado, D – Dylan Remick, D – Jared Watts, F – Mac Steeves, M – Arturo Alvarez, D – DaMarcus Beasley, D – Philippe Senderos, D – Andrew Wenger, M – Luis Gil, M – Eric Alexander, GK – Chris Seitz

DeMarcus Beasley returns, though his years are waning. Enjoy him while you can. MLS fans may not root for Houston, but all are rooting for Beasley to have a great moment in the upcoming CONCACAF Champions League series.

MLS is hoping that Hoston fares well in the CCL. The Dynamo tanked the end of 2018, just as soon as they won the U.S. Open Cup. While the MLS mothership is hyping Houston, there is reason for a bit less optimism. Neither of the Houston keepers Joe WIllis or Micheal Nelson will be on many All -Star ballots this season. As great as Beasley is, if none of the other Dynamo defenders can force him into a super-sub role, this team will allow too many goals to keep pace.

Tomás Martínez and Matías Vera can only do so much. Marlon Hairston is an all-energy spark plug but has yet to show much end product for average MLS sides. Expecting to get major contributions from replacement-level MLS players in the CCL is a risky bet. Wilmer Cabrera will need some sturdy tactical plans to keep the Dynamo in contention for any real glory this season.

Alberth Elis has yet to show the consistency his contract demands. Romell Quioto and Mauro Manotas will join Elis forming the trident frontline. The group will need to be more prolific this season, or just chance success on another fluke U.S. Open Cup run.

Season Expectations: Houston fans, even those dressed as bright orange empty chairs, can only hope the CONCACAF Champions League games are competitive. After winning the U.S. Open Cup last season, Houston tanked their way to an early vacation before the full league schedule was completed. This season, fans want some semblance of the pride and ethic showed by those title-winning teams that came to Houston.