MLS Preseason Power Rankings

9 through 5

9. Columbus Crew

Last Season: 14-11-9  — 51 points — 5th Eastern Conference

Incoming: GK – Joe Bendik, F – JJ Williams, M – Robinho Barbosa, D – Aboubacar Keita, D – Waylon Francis

Departing: GK – Logan Ketterer, M – Mike Grella, M – Cristian Martinez, F – Adam Jahn

The Crew were saved! The Crew were saved! Rejoice at last! Now what do they do? Gregg Berhalter has left for national team duties; Caleb Porter has arrived. The roster churn could be described as slight if underwhelming.

Zach Steffen will man the nets for the Crew until he joins Manchester City this summer. Joe Bendik was brought over from Orlando City, with the hopes that a competent team and new scenery will lower Bendik’s GAA. Harrison Afful and Jonathan Mensah should be defensive mainstays again this season. New man Waylon Francis is under pressure to play big minutes now that Milton Valenzuela has suffered a season-ending ACL injury.

The midfield rotation of Wil Trapp, Artur, Federico Higuain, Justin Meram and Pedro Santos is one of the best midfield groups in MLS. However, Gyassi Zardes will need to continue a hot streak to remain in the USMNT picture and to keep the Crew on the scoreboard. Patrick Mullens needs a come-good season or risk falling further down the replacement player pecking order.

Season Expectations: The Columbus Crew remain in Columbus. The Crew flirt with the last couple of playoff spots, finishing 4-7th in the East. If there were ever a year to prioritize the U.S. Open Cup and honor the tradition, this is it.

8. New York City FC

Last Season: 16-10-8  — 56  points — 3rd Eastern Conference

Incoming: M – Tony Rocha, M – Keaton Parks, M – Justin Haak, M – Juan Pablo Torres, GK – Luis Barraza, F – Alexandru Mitrita

Departing: F – David Villa, M – Eloi Amagat, M – Kwame Awuah, M – Tommy McNamara, GK – Andre Rawls, M – Rodney Wallace, M – Yangel Herrera, D – Saad Abdul-Salaam, F – Jo Inge Berget, D – Cedric Hountondji

The thrill is gone. David Villa is no longer bagging goals at his Yankee Stadium bodega. The likes of Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard are long gone as well. NYCFC will sell fewer shirts of known international stars this season. However, Domenec Torrent seems confident that some young players will become MLS stars. Jonathan Lewis looked up to the grade with the U.S. National team recently, inspiring some hope that NYCFC has a gem akin to NYRB’s recently sold Tyler Adams.

The biggest names joining New York City are Keaton parks and Alexandru Mitrita. Parks is a hyped U.S. youth product on Liverpool’s books. Mitrita is an up-and-coming star for the Romanian national team.

The MLS head coaching gigs are slowly becoming pressure cookers, just like their NBA and NFL counterparts. Perhaps the hot seat headlines aren’t as salacious as foot fetishes of Jets coaches, but Torrent has to match the success of his predecessor. He was adequate enough to guide NYCFC into a playoff appearance, but much of that work was done before he arrived.

Season Expectations: Beat the Red Bulls all the time. Finish higher than Atlanta United on the table. Avoid any more conspiracies and neo-Nazi headlines written from Yankee Stadium. Torrent needs a top-three finish and a playoff win or two to keep his seat comfortable. Flirt with missing the playoffs and he will need an MLS Cup Finals appearance to avoid the hot seat.

7. D.C. United

Last Season: 14-11-9  — 51 points — 4th Eastern Conference

Incoming: GK – Earl Edwards, Jr. , M – Lucas Rodriguez, GK – Chris Seitz, F/M – Antonio Bustamante, D – Donovan Pines, D – Leonardo Jara, D – Akeem Ward, M/D – Chris McCann

Departing: D – Taylor Kemp, D – Nick DeLeon, D – Vytas, D – Kevin Ellis, M – Ian Harkes, M – Jared Jeffrey, F – Dane Kelly, F – Bruno Miranda, D – Kofi Opare, M – Yamil Asad, F – Darren Mattocks, GK – Travis Worra, GK – David Ousted,

Wayne Rooney will want some postseason revenge but will need some regular season rest. D.C. United and manager Ben Olsen rode Rooney’s quality all the way to the playoffs. Rooney pulled off over 20 games in less than 90 days, but in the fall. The summer heat and travel has taken a toll on everyone except Father Time and Demarcus Beasley.

Rooney will need rotation, but D.C. United shipped out Darren Mattocks. In fact, D.C. had a full expansion team depart their books this offseason. Chris McCann was a utility player for Atlanta last year, and a limited one at that. He is no Julian Gressel, to pick a random example. United are still being mentioned in rumors for impact players, but need to actually sign some minute-eating quality attackers.

In defense, Bill Hamid is back providing solid hands and the occasionally great or occasionally inaccurate outlet-pass. Steve Birnbaum is a quality MLS center-back who must bring along recent University of Maryland star Donovan Pines.

Luciano Acosta has his eyes on a big European dream, and goals have to come from somewhere. Unless Acosta re-ups with D.C. soon, he is likely gone. When Rooney sits, who will take the goalscoring responsibilities? If an individual player cannot be called on to replicate Rooney magic, Olsen will have to tactically conjure up goals with a squad littered with new faces.

Season Expectations: If Olsen can find the right balance and the next personalities fit in quickly, D.C. United can win the Supporters’ Shield and more. Even with some hiccups, a U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup double would only be mildly surprising.

6. Seattle Sounders

Last Season: 18-11-5 — 59 points — 2nd Western Conference

Incoming: D – Jonathan Campbell, GK – Trey Muse

Departed: GK – Calle Brown, D – Tony Alfaro, M – Lamar Neagle, F – Felix Chenkam, M – Osvaldo Alonso, M – Aaron Kovar, D – Waylon Francis

Seattle has made slow starts passe in the Pacific Northwest. For reasons unknown, the Sounders rely on mid-season surges up the table to provide catalyst and momentum into the MLS Cup playoffs. The routine even resulted in an MLS Cup season, but that core group is gone. MLS is now getting a bit too competitive to continue that pattern this season.

The Sounders faithful have reason to expect a better season from Week 1 through the MLS Cup. Last season, injuries and fixture congestion (CCL) took their toll and the team’s cohesion took until July to really find a bonding agent in the pitch. Entering the 2019 MLS season, the Sounders have a full preseason with Raul Ruidiaz and a healthy Jordan Morris. With Victor Rodriguez joining Ruidiaz and Nicolas Lodeiro full time, Seattle scored in bundles to end last season. The offense will have ammunition to run away with the domestic treble.

Chad Marshall has been a top-five MLS defender for the better part of a decade. Seattle gave up only 37 goals last year. Only the Supporters’ Shield-winning Red Bulls conceded less. That sturdy defense is backed by Stephan Frei and shielded by Cristian Roldan. Kim Kee-Hee showed small sample sizes of brilliance last year, and will be given the full season to prove he is a star.

This Sounders squad has the talent to win the West. This squad also closely resembles the team that lost to Portland in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Arguably, the Sounders stood pat while other Western Conference teams made more quality additions. A slow start will mean some roster turnover, but maybe a summer DP signing.

Season Expectations: The defense will take a step back, but the Sounders again finish second in the Western Conference. The best chance for a trophy, that leaves the least amount of fate to chance and luck, is for Seattle to focus on the Supporters’ Shield. Cup runs are great, but Seattle wants to be in the CCL again. A slow start to the season would put more pressure on the team. Sounders fans are so over that grunge anxiety. Seattle needs a season as a points front runner, not a late dark horse.

5. Los Angeles FC

Last Season: 16-9-9 — 57 points — 3rd Western Conference

Incoming: D – Eddie Segura, D – Mohamed El-Munir, F – Rodolfo Zelaya

Departing: GK – Charlie Lyon, GK – Quillan Roberts, M – Nico Czornomaz, M – Calum Mallace, M – James Murphy, F – Steeve Saint-Duc, F – Marco Ureña, M – Benny Feilhaber, GK – Luis Lopez, M – Aaron Kovar, D – Joao Moutinho

The first year was a resounding success to all but the most trophy-hungry of fans. Though Bob Bradley pulled off the double in Chicago’s inaugural season, LAFC must now hope that in year two the Black and Gold newcomers on the west coast can trump Atlanta United. A trophy would be nice. The MLS Cup trophy would at least make sure LAFC had to hear no smack talk from AUFC. A double would give LAFC ultimate bragging rights for a while, in the city and over the league. But how can that be accomplished?

Benny Feilhaber, Aaron Kovar and Joao Moutinho provided quality minutes in some intense matches that LAFC won in 2018. This season, the midfield will be patroled by Andre Horta, last season’s summer Designated Player signing. It took him a while to get acclimated, but now he must earn his wages. Eduard Atuesta and Lee Nguyen will shuttle the ball as well.

Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi, Latif Blessing, Adama Diomande, Cristian Ramirez and Rodolfo Zelaya might be the most talented front six in MLS. Problem is getting them on the field and keeping them happy. There are only so many minutes to go around. Some minutes cannot be sacrificed. Walker Zimmerman will be a defensive mainstay. Will Bob Bradley risk a three-man backline for a season just to add more attackers? Judging by last season’s in-game adjustments, expect everything to be considered.

Season Expectations: Bob Bradley’s second term has a mandate to maintain a top side in the conference. As a young club, fielding a consistent winner is paramount. LAFC has the talent to score in bundles. Last season ending because they couldn’t find a goal when challenged in the playoffs was disappointing. LAFC got by on sheer talent and speed last season at times. This season, with a little more nuance and possession, they could host an MLS Cup final. Either way, this could be the most fun team to watch in MLS for 2019.