MLS and Seattle Sounders Preseason Predictions from the Staff

by Dave Clark on Feb 27, 2011 12:16 PM PST in Sounders: MLS Regular Season

Will 2011 see Landon raise an MLS Cup during the David Beckham era, or just another individual award for greatness?

While Roster Compliance Day isn't until Tuesday, when teams will have to have 30 or fewer players under contract for less than their budget limit (that's what the league calls the salary cap) the predictions really can start. For the most part there won't be surprising additions to squads (except for #TheTrialist maybe) and so the staff here has compiled our predictions for how the season should turn out, at least in our humble opinions. We lean Sounders of course.

Here's the league wide chart.

	MLS Cup	Shield	US OC	MVP
Dave	LA Galaxy	Sounders	Sounders	Donovan
Jeremiah	Red Bulls	Salt Lake	Sounders	Morales
Brian	Red Bulls	Sounders	Sounders	Donovan
Dizzo	Red Bulls	Sounders	Sounders	Donovan
Sidereal	LA Galaxy	Sounders	Sounders	Kamara
malcontentjake	Red Bulls	Sounders	DC United	Alonso

Looking at the MLS Cup most of those who picked the New York Red Bulls did so becasue they should have a slightly easier path with their first round match-up against the second worst wild card round winner. A full season of Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez should help them as well. Dizzo changed from the Los Angeles Galaxy when the Playoff format was announced. Sidereal and myself both have went with the Los Angeles Galaxy; with their more experienced defense, Juan Pablo Angel joining David Beckham and Donovan in attack and Juninho playing more forward they should be a threat.

For the Supporters Shield Jeremiah loves Real Salt Lake who made a run last year and has that amazing home-field advantage. The rest of us went Seattle, which may seem a bit homer, but Seattle is seen by much of SBN as a challenger. The Shield is about depth, and last I check Seattle could go 18 deep with starting quality players, maybe more.

The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is the "third major" or "first minor" but Seattle is recognized by many as a team that values the tourney beyond the rest. Last year saw DC United fight hard for the Open Cup as they had been eliminated, jake expects them to follow that path again but with a better team in an effort to be We Win Trophies - again.

Landon Donovan is always a threat to win the MLS MVP (only winning in 2009, but with 1 other appearance as a Finalist) and so most of us went with the chalk. Jeremiah's pick of Javier Morales is likely due to him being the fuel to a run by a great team with a stunningly effective offense. Jake picked Osvaldo Alonso due to "my man crush and homerism" but it is quite rare for MVPs Finalists even to be not-CAM/Forward/Wingers with only 2 of the last 21 Finalists not from prime offense positions.

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Comments

Kamara for mvp?

hahahahaha what a joke

Win or lose, we will always be here for you.

by johnjahafanclub on Feb 27, 2011 4:15 PM PST reply actions

Yes, everything that you disagree with is a joke

Let’s remember that somehow Buddle and Wondo were finalists last year despite being complete one note songs.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Feb 27, 2011 4:24 PM PST up reply actions

Wondo and Buddle

never did this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuEZovwEEbI

On a more serious note though, I get what you are saying and Kamara did have a better year last year than Wondo ever had before his massive 2010 season. However, when I look at KC I expect Bunbury and Bravo to crowd out Kamara for shooting opportunities this season, he’s not going to be the top dog like he was last year.

Win or lose, we will always be here for you.

by johnjahafanclub on Feb 27, 2011 5:28 PM PST up reply actions

Why not add a few categories

to look back at this thread in October and laugh:

rookie of the year – Darlington Nagbe
worst attendance – New England
last place – Vancouver

I’ll say LAG for cup, RSL for shield, Sounders for USOC. Not controversial.

Anyone have a guess for comeback player of the year? Newcomer of the year?

by jelky on Feb 27, 2011 5:09 PM PST reply actions

We actually did this for SSFC

Breakout performance, newcomer, offensive and defensive MVP and point predictions. I think that will be a separate post.

CougCenter, SBNation Seattle, @FloydCoug
Night Editor - SBNation.com

by Brian Floyd on Feb 27, 2011 5:42 PM PST up reply actions

breakout player of the year

Robbie Rogers

by PeterJH on Feb 27, 2011 7:27 PM PST up reply actions

For the third year running... :)

Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, North American soccer editor SB Nation and of course follow me on Twitter

by Jeremiah Oshan on Feb 27, 2011 8:42 PM PST up reply actions

Third time's a charm

by PeterJH on Feb 27, 2011 9:50 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

New York Red Bulls fire assistant coaches Richie Williams and Des McAleenan

This is only a few weeks before the season. I wonder how much of an effect this will have on the Red Bulls and if any of you want to pick another team to win MLS Cup.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2011/02/new_york_red_bulls_fire_assist.html

by Coug1990 on Feb 28, 2011 3:30 PM PST reply actions

Love the MVP nod for Alonso

And I’ll second that it’s for “my man crush and homerism”. I’m a bit tongue in cheek with it: Morales and Donovan are fantastic players and vitally important to their teams—-obvious MVP candidates. Still, it wasn’t coincidence that the the Sounders’ return to winning ways began when Alonso came back from the quad strain.

by Torjazz on Mar 3, 2011 11:34 AM PST reply actions