It is about six weeks later than usual but another season of Major League Soccer gets underway on Friday evening when the MLS returns for possibly its best campaign yet just four months after the Columbus Crew lifted the MLS Cup last term.
Although the teams have been battling in Covid times, there have been some good additions made to the squads, there is a new team to look forward to watching and two extremely competitive Conferences to watch play out.
Recent Winners
2020 – Columbus Crew
2019 – Seattle Sounders
2018 – Atlanta United
2017 – Toronto FC
2016 – Seattle Sounders
2015 – Portland Timbers
2014 – LA Galaxy
2013 – Sporting Kansas City
2012 – LA Galaxy
2011 – LA Galaxy
The Champions
Columbus Crew were our fancied pick to win the MLS Cup last season and they duly obliged with Lucas Zelarayan showcasing his skills throughout the season. Caleb Porter’s side were near impossible to beat at home and despite a little wobble in the middle of the season they peaked in the play-offs and got the job done. They haven’t lost any of their important players which is always a good effort so they will begin as leading contenders in a fairly weak looking Eastern Conference. 6/1 is a justified price.
The Finalists
The Seattle Sounders got within a win of retaining the MLS Cup. They are becoming a side who peak at the business end of the season, which we always say is the way to do it in this league. They didn’t look as strong on paper last term but still made it all the way to the final. One concern for them this season is that Jordan Morris sustained another ACL injury while with Swansea City earlier in the year so he is going to miss the majority of the season, but any team with Nico Lodiero in their ranks shouldn’t be ruled out, especially one who know how to win like these do.
Best of the Rest
Los Angeles FC pretty much knew their race was run at an early stage last term when Carlos Vela went down injured. Keeping him and Diego Rossi fit will be crucial to the chances of Bob Bradley’s side this season but if that happens they have the style to dominate as they showed a couple of years ago. The issue is that you can get at them defensively and in a knockout match that would be a real concern. The Western Conference feels a lot strong now too.
New York City FC are pretty high up in the betting but having lost the likes of Ben Sweat and Alexander Ring, there are a couple of holes to fill in their squad. Consistency was an issue for them under Ronny Deila last season and his coaching credentials were questioned at times last year. The East does look open this term though which is very much the positive and in Heber and Maxi Moralez they have a couple of good attacking options. They look a bit tight in the betting though.
Toronto FC are a single figure price to win MLS Cup. They were battling with Columbus Crew for the Eastern Conference title for much of last season but then came unstuck when they ran into a Nashville SC side who just outsmarted them in the play-offs. They have started their season well though by knocking leading Mexican side Leon out of the North American Champions League and with one of the best players in the league in their ranks in Alejandro Pozuelo they shouldn’t be discounted. Canadian sides can’t play at home at the minute though so that is a big problem.
Philadelphia Union ended up topping the Eastern Conference last season and they have already shown enough in the early stages of the North American Champions League to suggest that they are not going to weaken too much this season. They were another who disappointed when it came to the knockout action, which was a surprise actually given their record in the US Open Cup, but there is every reason to suggest you’ll get a run for your money if you back them this season.
The Contenders
Orlando City were another team who went well last season. They made it all the way to the MLS is Back Final and then built on that for the remainder of the campaign before they went out in the play-offs in one of the most remarkable games of football that you will have ever seen. Since then Daryl Dike has gone off to play for Barnsley in the English Championship and if the Yorkshire side take up their option to sign him that is a huge goal output gone.
Portland Timbers won that MLS is Back Tournament last season which guaranteed their place in the North American Champions League this term. They disappointed in the play-offs last season but know how to go deep in them overall. The worry is that the Western Conference looks pretty good this season but you’ll struggle to believe there are seven sides in it better than the Timbers. If stadiums are full late in the season it would be foolish to write off Portland.
Atlanta United were the MLS Cup champions three years ago but knew their race was run in week two of the main season last year when Josef Martinez did his ACL. He is back this season and they’ve wisely dumped Frank de Boer as coach because they were going nowhere under him. Gabriel Heinze has a decent reputation even this early in his coaching career and if he can get the attacking players back on track around Martinez the Five Stripes could go well once again.
Inter Miami have had some decent backing during the close season and if Phil Neville not only gels them together but hits the ground running in the competition then you would have to think they can build on their opening campaign where they made the play-offs but albeit only because the amount of teams going through in the Eastern Conference was extended. A side with the likes of Gonzalo Higuain, Blaise Matuidi, Rodolfo Pizarro and Ryan Shawcross in it should be in the top seven of the Eastern Conference and from there who knows!
The New Boys
There is just one addition to the Major League Soccer scene this season and that comes in the form of Austin FC. They have a lot to live up to with both new franchises making the postseason last season. Austin have made full use of the drafts and assembled a competitive looking squad with a nice mixture of MLS experience and overseas prospects. One concern would be that they are on the road until June but that isn’t always a bad thing as they can get a good run of form going at the business end of the season. They might make the top seven but winning MLS is a long shot.
Outright Betting
There is a shortage of markets for this MLS season but we can bet on the winner of the MLS Cup and having nailed the Columbus Crew at huge prices last term I’m up for having another go this season. I’m going into battle this season two-handed, one from each Conference and if we happen to get the MLS Cup Final from it then happy days!
In the Western Conference I absolutely love Minnesota United. They were so close to the MLS Cup Final last year when they led Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference Final but they couldn’t hold on under sustained pressure. The longer the season went on though the better they got and with Ramon Abila an eye catching signing while the likes of Juan Agudelo and Will Trapp also decent enough signings there is no doubt they have strengthened. Losing Kevin Molino doesn’t help matters but he has gone to Columbus Crew so he is out of their Conference which is handy. Minnesota have improved season on season and I expect that to continue here.
Nashville SC aren’t the most fluent or entertaining side to watch in the world but they play to their strengths and having taken a while to settle last term they begin this season knowing what MLS is all about. Importantly, they haven’t been switched back to the Western Conference so they are in the more open Eastern Conference. They have the best defender in MLS in Walker Zimmerman and the shield in front of him is very strong too. They have done some good work in their attacking unit in the off-season and look primed to go even better this term. They look a silly price at 50/1.
Tips
Back Minnesota United to win MLS Cup (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 26.00 with Bet365 (1/2 1-2)
Back Nashville SC to win MLS Cup (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 51.00 with Bet365 (1/2 1-2)
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021
