[MLS COUNTDOWN] Parity may reign in MLS, at least theoretically, but in the past three seasons D.C. and New England have finished one-two atop the Eastern Conference,
in either order. The Revs have reached MLS Cup in each of those seasons, only to lose each time. D.C. - which finished second to the Crew in 2004 yet prevailed in the playoffs to win its fourth
championship - hasn't returned to the final despite posting the best regular-season record in two of those three seasons.
In its last season as a Western Conference team, Kansas City
finished first and lost to D.C. United, 3-2, in MLS Cup 2004. After two postseason misses, it returned to the playoffs last year and beat Chivas USA in the first round. During the offseason,
Chicago lost head coach
Juan Carlos Osorio to New York; is either team ready to crack the top two?
Here's the predicted order of finish, along with last year's record and playoff
performance - if any - in parentheses.
1. D.C. UNITED (16-7-7, eliminated in first round) Exclamation points: Luciano Emilio can
score goals!
Ben Olsen can run all day!
Marc Burch was a revelation last season at left back!
Clyde Simms is a monster in the middle of midfield!
Question marks: Can
Jaime Moreno stay healthy? Can
Marcelo Gallardo and
Franco Neill stay the course of taxing domestic and international club
competitions? Will newcomers
Gonzalo Peralta and
Gonzalo Martinez solidify the central defense? Is the goalkeeping of
Zach Wells up to snuff?
Quote: "We are very confident that Marcelo will not only maintain that tradition but create a whole new tradition of his own."
-- D.C. United president
Kevin
Payne. 2. NEW ENGLAND (14-8-8, MLS Cup finalist):
Exclamation points: Taylor Twellman has scored 91 goals in six MLS seasons!
Matt
Reis is a wall in goal! Defender of the Year
Michael Parkhurst has no peer!
Adam Cristman and
Wells Thompson had excellent rookie seasons! Newcomer
Chris Albright
has won three titles!
Question marks: Will Twellman be resentful of his move abroad being rejected? Can
Pat Noonan and
James Riley be
replaced? How quickly will Honduran midfielder
Mauricio Castro adapt to MLS? Just how often might Coach
Steve Nicol decide to play four in the back? Who takes over for
Steve
Ralston, who moves into the middle, on the right side of midfield?
Quote: "Steve's great because he can play anywhere. We're comfortable with him
there."
-- Midfielder
Jeff Larentowicz, on Ralston's move to a central role.
3. KANSAS CITY (11-12-7, eliminated in second round) Exclamation points: Carlos Marinelli has been annointed as the playmaker!
Kevin Hartman is slimmer and fitter! The new training facility is drawing rave
reviews!
Question marks: Will
Claudio Lopez light up MLS as a DP should? Can the defense that gave up 45 goals last year be tightened in a new
system? Will playing at cozy CommunityAmerica Ballpark produce a homefield advantage? How will Coach
Curt Onalfo mete out playing time to Lopez,
Ivan Trujillo, Eloy Colombano, Scott
Sealy and
Davy Arnaud?
Quote: "He will make it easy for the next guy just because he's got so much class and experience on and off the
ball."
-- Defender
Jimmy Conrad, on Lopez.
4. CHICAGO (10-10-10, eliminated in second round) Exclamation points: Forward
Andy
Herron is back with the Fire!
Chris Rolfe is one of the most skillful attackers in the league!
Cuauhtemoc Blanco drew 61 fouls in just 14 games!
Question marks: Is
Denis Hamlett suited to be a head coach? Will
Wilman Conde put aside his interest in New York? Can Hamlett marshal the talents and
tirades of Blanco? Is import
Tomaz Frankowski capable of scoring goals consistently in MLS?
Quote: "He is clinical around the box and we feel he
will fit in well with our system."
--
Denis Hamlett, on Frankowski.
5. RED BULL NEW YORK (12-11-7, eliminated in first round) Exclamation
points: The pairing of forwards
Juan Pablo Angel and
Jozy Altidore is the league's best! There's plenty of salary-cap space and allocation money! Coach
Juan Carlos
Osorio turned Chicago around last year and he can do it in New York!
Question marks: How will
Claudio Reyna handle the role of playmaker? Who
can Osorio buy to solidify the shaky back line? How much will the midfield bite of
Dema Kovalenko and
Joe Vide be missed? Who will play right mid until
Dane Richards recovers
from a knee injury?
Quote: "He's a good, honest man for the team. I think the players are going to see that. He's going to treat everybody the
same."
--
Reyna, on Osorio, an assistant coach when they were at Manchester City.
6. TORONTO FC (6-17-7) Exclamation points:
Forwards Danny Dichio and Jeff Cunningham are a handful for any team! Nobody can stop Marvell Wynne! Rookie of the Year Maurice Edu will be even better this year! BMO Field is a madhouse when
TFC plays!
Question marks: How will the sharing of power between manager Mo Johnston and head coach John Carver work out? Is their enough depth to replace
Wynne and Edu when they play for the U.S.? Can keeper Greg Sutton get the job done consistently?
Quote: "The style that Coach John Carver is bringing in,
they understand it, and I think it's going to be a good year for us."
-- Midfielder
Maurice Edu 7. COLUMBUS (9-11-10) Exclamation
points: Brian Carroll brings toughness and experience to the holding midfield position!
Guillermo Barros Schelotto is amazing with the ball and on set plays!
Frankie
Hejduk can still terrorize teams as an attacking right back!
Question marks: Can
Danny O'Rourke make the transition from holding mid to
centerback? Is this the year
Eddie Gaven and
Robbie Rogers break into the elite corps among MLS attackers? Can they and
Alejandro Moreno finish off enough of Schelotto's
serves? Has defender
Chad Marshall regained his confidence after two rough seasons?
Quote: "Brian Carroll has come in and supplied what I was
looking for in midfield. He's been very solid."
-- Coach
Sigi Schmid on the former D.C. United midfielder acquired in a trade.