2012 Season Preview – Chicago Fire Perspective

On the eve of the 2012 MLS season, I thought it fitting to give my predictions for how each conference and the MLS Cup will shake out. Here’s my highly unqualified, likely biased, stab-in-the-dark breakdown of the 2012 season.

Can Chicago’s 2011 momentum continue into 2012?

Eastern Conference

1. Sporting KC- Everything in me hates to admit this, but SKC is a dangerous team. Easily comeback of the year after the horrible 10 game road trip to start the season in 2011, and proved it into the playoffs, before getting ousted by Houston. They’ll be tough again this year.
2. Houston Dynamo- Never, ever count out a Dominic Kinnear squad. The power of Ching compels thee.
3. Chicago Fire- Strong core from the end of 2011 returns. Killed it in the draft with Hunter Jumper and Austin Berry, as well as picking up German international Arne Friedrich. That should help them earn a playoff spot, and improve their Goals Against to double digits this year, while Dom Oduro proves 2011 wasn’t a one-off season.
4. DC United- DeRo and Najar will need some support. It’s just a matter of it they’ll get it, or fall short again this year, with or without a late season dismantling at the hands of the Chicago Fire. They’ve also got a huge lineup turnover working against them, ala 2011 Chicago Fire.
5. New York Red Bulls- No Rodgers for the forseeable future. Henry will continue to try carrying the team on his back, Backe will continue to be a bad coach, and Agudelo will continue to be under-utilized. Who’s their goalkeeper again?
6. Philadelphia Union- The club’s in disarray, regardless of what Nowak tries to tell you. Playing exactly zero MLS clubs in preseason was either the worst decision ever, or the best decision ever. Time will tell.
7. Columbus Crew- The only good yellow and black team in American soccer history was Chicago Sting. Period.
8. Toronto FC- One CCL draw against LA does not a good team make. Aron Winter still leads this team, which tells you all you need to know.
9. New England Revolution- The Jay Heaps experiment. How will NE fair? My guess is “not good.”
10. Montréal Impact- Jesse Marsch will have a good thing going, given a couple years. This is not that year.

Western Conference

1. LA Galaxy- I’d like to predict that another team wins the West. Down the stretch, though, LA is just going to be too tough for most conference opponents…or league opponents for that matter.
2. Real Salt Lake- Morales back and healthy, Espindola is always dangerous, and Beckerman’s dreads had a good offseason. Couple that with one of the best GK’s in the league, and they’ll give LA a run.
3. Seattle Sounders- Their god-awful uniforms are their 12^th man. They’ll make the playoffs again. And choke in the playoffs again. Karma will work its magic on the Sounders, as it always does. Just ask Earl.
4. Portland Timbers- Sleeper team of the West, and perhaps the league. If they put the right run together, Portland could do some damage to other teams. Solid offseason will help position them much better than last year.
5. FC Dallas- Even with the likes of Brek Shea, Kevin Hartman, and Daniel Hernandez, as well as the return of David Ferreira, Dallas will have trouble doing serious damage to conference teams in an unbalanced schedule format.
6. San Jose Earthquakes-Chris Wondolowski will be forced to again carry the Quakes. Lenhart will continue to be the punk of the league. Their place in the standings will reflect that.
7. Colorado Rapids- They could prove everyone wrong who might say 2010 was a fluke. Or they could finish 7^th. I’m guessing the latter.
8. Vancouver Whitecaps- Le Toux was a solid addition, but Vancouver’s achilles heel is its defense, which will continue to struggle if Jay Demerit doesn’t stay healthy.
9. Chivas USA- Familiar territory the Goats aren’t likely to leave anytime in the foreseeable future.

MLS Cup- RSL over Sporting KC

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. Thoughts?