MLS Predictions: Champion, MVP, and More!

The MLS season is about to be (or is depending on when you read this) upon us, and for the fast growing league this season looks to be a great one. So many teams are so close to each other in terms of quality or lack thereof, so the matches are sure to be even more exciting than they were already.

Here are my predictions for the MLS season.

Most Improved Player: DeAndre Yedlin - Seattle's first homegrown player has already earned a cap for the USMNT at the tender age of 20 and looks to be, for the moment, the United States best talent for the future. He had an amazing season for the Sounders last year and earned himself Rookie of the Year honors. I see the 2014 MLS season as his statement season. This is the season he tells the rest of the league (and possibly the world) "Here I am, I'm not going anywhere" and if he can improve on his already great rookie season with an even better sophomore season, Yedlin will start to turn heads for more than his hair.

Flop Player: Jermain Defoe - One of the new "big three" formed in Toronto, Defoe carries the expectation of proven scorer in the Premier League coming to MLS to dominate the league. But Defoe isn't the player he used to be, and his age will catch up to him with the rigorous travel schedule MLS has. Defoe will not get the pass that MLS favorite Dwayne De Rosario and American favorite Michael Bradley will get if he plays bad. I think Defoe knows this, but I still believe he will not live up to the hype.

Surprise Team: Real Salt Lake - Salt Lake had a great season last year, no one can deny that. Coming within a few missed PK's of MLS supremacy. But I for one would not be surprised to see them make it back to the biggest stage in MLS. RSL is the team full of players you can't name, at least I can't, but that doesn't matter. The fight I saw in that RSL team last season was something I hadn't seen in a team in a long time in MLS. They will be hungry to make it back to the final.

MLS MVP: Clint Dempsey - If any of you know me or have watched any of the videos I make on YouTube to talk about soccer (check out the channel) you will know I am a huge critic of Dempsey. In my opinion, he is a bit overrated. Not good enough to be named the "best player on the national team" while I do think he is the best American player out there. Dempsey will come into the season with a point to prove. After this move from Tottenham to Seattle he did virtually nothing. Most games I forgot he was on the field and I think a lot of MLS fans did too. The thing I will say I admire most about Dempsey is the chip on his shoulder he plays with. Just when you think he is "done" he will do something that will make you pause. I will still be a critic, regardless of if he wins MVP or not as I do not judge him on club performances anymore. But I can't see past the best American player making a statement out of this season and winning MVP.

MLS Cup Champion: Portland Timbers - The Timbers come into the season with not TOO much hype. We all know what they are capable of, they were on a tear last season and had a slip up in the playoffs, but this season I think they will refuse to take their foot off the pedal. They have the talent, they have the fan support, and they have the hunger. Portland will bring the MLS Cup to the Pacific Northwest, and they will probably rub it in the faces of the Sounders.

What do you think? Are you excited for this MLS season? What are your predictions for the "big" categories?

Michael Bradley And Jermain Defoe To Toronto FC Could Be The Start Of A New MLS Trend

The news of Michael Bradley and Jermain Defoe reportedly being close to finalizing their moves to Toronto FC from Roma and Tottenham (respectively) has been the top transfer buzz regarding MLS. With both set for "big" money moves from Europe to MLS we could soon see other clubs breaking the bank to bring in some quality talent from Europe.

The Jermain Defoe to Toronto rumors have been going ever since the end of the summer transfer window and really amped up again around October 2013, but with a series cryptic videos released by Toronto FC on their YouTube channel called "It's A Bloody Big Deal" it seems sure that the Englishman will be unveiled as a Toronto FC player on January 13, 2014.

If the news of Jermain Defoe coming to MLS was widely known, the recent breaking news of Michael Bradley being close to a MLS move was the exact opposite. Bradley who has fell out of favor at Roma should complete his move to Toronto any day soon now according to reports. This is a semi big deal for the United States soccer scene. On one hand, one of our best and brightest players is leaving a top european club for MLS, on the other it shows that it's possible our top US players can't handle the biggest stages in Europe. Just recently we have seen Clint Dempsey join Seattle Sounders after an okay season with Tottenham.

What does the potential move of Michael Bradley mean for MLS? Some may argue that it shows that MLS is a destination for players that are in their prime, and maybe the players it attracts aren't "World Class" players, but they are still good players nonetheless. Others may argue that it shows a weakness. If you aren't cutting it at your current club you can run back to MLS and be embraced with open arms because it seems that you are returning home to grow your sport. I honestly believe it is a mistake for Bradley to move to Toronto, and that he should have tried to force a move to another club playing in a top european league.

Regardless, Toronto FC may just be laying the foundation for the future when it relates to MLS clubs. Spend big, bring in talent from overseas, and expand your brand...or at least create a media buzz around you.

Potential 2013/2014 Season Breakout Stars

Great young talent is the key to the development of our sport. While established names are fun to watch and discuss, the young talent of the world can be just as fun to talk about. Everyone knows about the young stars of today that have already made a name for themselves such as Neymar, Mario Gotze, Eden Hazard, and Oscar, but there is a plethora of young talent that you probably wouldn't pay attention to unless they were playing at a big club or on big stages. Here we will highlight a few.

Julian Draxler – Julian Draxler could be the next great German attacking midfielder. This season at Schalke he put up astounding numbers, in 36 appearances for the German club he netted 11 goals and assisted on 3. Now this may not seem like much, but given the fact he is only 19 years old and thrusted himself into the starting line-up for Schalke, he shows lots of promise going forward. Draxler is more than capable of using both feet, is creative on the ball, a great passer (he completed roughly 82% of his passes this season), and is as lethal a finisher as midfielders go. Draxler is one to watch for this upcoming season, and I don't expect him to stay at Schalke for long if he keeps improving his performances.

Raheem Sterling – Outside of England you may not find many people that rate Raheem Sterling very high. Sterling found himself in the Premier League spotlight after he made a move to Liverpool from the QPR youth team at the tender age of 17. Sterling shows lots of promise, a speedy, crafty winger with great agility. The downside to Sterling is that we haven't seen enough of him in the first team for Liverpool, as he usually comes on as a substitute. In 31 matches for Liverpool this season, he only had 2 goals and 2 assists. That isn't that impressive for a player of his potential and its hard to give other stats for him because of his lack of playing time, but what is impressive is how much he improves each and every game. I see Sterling breaking into the starting line-up consistently next season and seeing his output improve in turn.

Deulofeu – His name may be hard to pronounce, but his quality isn't hard to recognize. Deulofeu looks like he could become another one of Barcelona's, La Masia, prodigies. Speed, ball control, vision, great passing. Deulofeu possess all of these qualities, qualities that a winger needs to have to be effective at the top level. His chance to get permanently promoted to Barcelona from Barcelona B seems to have dwindled a bit with the addition of Neymar, but a player with his potential won't be playing in a second tier league for long.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen – A lot of us like to talk about field players as they are usually more exciting to talk about, but we can't forget about the men between the sticks. Ter Stegen is one of the most, if not the most, promising young goal keeper out there today and some in Germany don't think it will be too long before he can find his way to more first team appearances for the National Team. At the age of 21 years old it seems like ter Stegen already has amazing skills that many veteran keepers took years to develop.

DeAndre Yedlin can be the future of United States defending

It's no secret the state of the United States National Team defense is in limbo. Despite some good showings against Costa Rica and Mexico, there is no set back line for Jurgen Klinsmann's side, and it just seems to be who is available at the time that will start in the back for the National Team and the fact that the old guard of the USMNT defense is starting to look, well, old doesn't help.

Enter DeAndre Yedlin, the rookie defender for the Seattle Sounders. Yedlin burst onto the scene during the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League, scoring his first competitive goal as a professional in a 3-1 win over heavily favored Tigres. But followers of United States promising youth will know him for his time spent at the University of Akron and during his time in the Seattle Sounders Youth Squad.

Yedlin brings lots to the table in terms of on field abilities and potential. Only 19 years old it is amazing that Yedlin has solidified his spot in the Sounders starting XI, but it's not surprising. In his final season at the youth level in 2012 he was named to the All-PDL First XI. Yedlin possesses a great top speed, and has shown he an get up the field to attack and be back on defense in time to not have to worry about him playing out of position.

There are still questions surrounding Yedlin, and those are justified by his play. There are times when he pushes up when he should maybe stay back, and times when he tries to do a little too much with the ball at his feet than most would like to see a full back do. But one thing is for certain, the kid has game. Having been recently called up to train with the United States U20 squad at their upcoming camp.

Yedlin is a step in the right direction for the United States and MLS, a homegrown player that is showing his quality now, and his future potential. Yedlin seems set to join an emerging group of young American players that can potentially or have already joined the senior squad. He might not play a flashy attacking position, but Yedlin is a prospect that any fan of United States soccer will want to keep an eye on now, and for years to come.

What do you think? Will Yedlin break into the senior squad and provide a boost to the defense? What other young players should be on the radar?

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Top Rivalries in the MLS

This week the MLS spotlights the rivalries created over the past 18 years. This is the type of week fans of the MLS wish would come around every week. For ESPNFC's take on the rivalry games this weekend click here. Here are my top rivalries in the MLS.

1. Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers - The definitive rivalry in the MLS. These two clubs have arguably the biggest fanbases in the MLS and the atmosphere at a game between Sounders and Timbers rivals most games in Europe. This rivalry has it all: history, geography, passion, and die hard fans. This is one rivalry even MLS haters should watch.

2. Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes - This might not be a rivalry game being played this weekend, but on the west coast only this comes second to Sounders and Timbers. It's a battle for California bragging rights and the games these two teams produce are always exciting and keep you entertained thoroughly.

3. New York Red Bulls and DC United - One of the most known rivalries in the MLS, New York and DC have a history of dislike for one another. DC has been more successful, but New York gets the media coverage and the revenue being in the Big Apple. The addition of Thierry Henry to the rivalry mixed with former MLS MVP Dwayne De Rosario have spiced it up even more than before. A game between these two never disappoints. 

What do you think? What are the top MLS rivalries in your opinion? What's your favorite? 

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Why you should stop being a Euro snob and watch the MLS

After reading the ESPNFC article "Can you call yourself a U.S. soccer fan if you don't support MLS?" (read the article here) I decided to give my take on this. And my answer to that question is yes, and no. The MLS is one of the most intriguing leagues in the world. You either think the league is filled with a mixture of over the hill stars and talentless rookies or you think it is a league full of potential and that others should give it a chance.

If you are one of those who thinks the MLS is a wasted league you fall into the Euro snob category. The loose definition of a Euro snob is someone who refuses to give leagues outside of Europe a chance to be a fun and exciting league. This category is filled with about 70% of the people who talk about the MLS. These people feel that the MLS is filled with bad passing, boring goals, and slow pace of play. Now in some instances they are right about all those things, sometimes watching a MLS game can feel like torture, but you could say that about any game where the play is sloppy and unorganized. I'm going to tell you why you need to stop being a Euro snob and give the MLS a chance.

Major League Soccer is only 18 years old. That is younger than most of the people that follow the league. So the fact people want to say MLS doesn't have any real talent in the league can be a valid argument, but not for long. We are slowly seeing more and more talent start to shine through the cracks of the MLS and these players are very promising. Young talent such as Juan Agudelo, Darlington Nagbe, Freddy Montero, and others look to be the next stars of the MLS.

With a young league comes young league mistakes. Many of the players are right either right out of college, have never played overseas, or are aging stars who are past their prime. In theory the mixture of inexperience and experience should produce for more exciting soccer and a better development for those inexperienced players, but as we have seen this isn't always the case. This is why we see bad passes, a lower game IQ, and a slower pace of play. But this can all change once the MLS teams start to adopt a youth system that really teaches their youth players how to play the game properly. The MLS should look to model itself after the Bundesliga, a league where big name stars are there but the focus is really on homegrown talent that starts at clubs youth levels.

The MLS also suffers from having a playoff system as their way of crowning a champion. It seems like they tried to appease the fact the American public wants to see a Super Bowl every time there is a champion crowned. They want to see underdogs win and upset favorites, but that is not the approach the league should have taken. Look at all the major leagues in the world and you will see a model that is proven successful: whoever wins the most games all season and racks up the most points wins the championship. Simple right? It seems like the MLS doesn't want to change for fear of this way of crowning a champion not appealing to the public, but as long as you keep the US Open Cup the way it is you still get your playoffs and a Super Bowl style game to crown a champion.

All that aside the MLS can be one of the most exciting leagues to watch. It seems like a lot of the time that amazing goals are produced out of thin air. Honestly I have seen more overhead kick goals scored in the MLS than in any of the top leagues in the world. Does this mean the MLS is better than any of the top leagues? No of course not, but it doesn't mean the league is in any way terrible. In the past few years the quality of the MLS has started to really rise.

I looked up a lot of responses and discussions about if you can really be a U.S. fan if you don't support MLS and why people say to give the MLS a chance and I agreed with what most people said. Yes, you can be a U.S. soccer fan if you don't support MLS but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a chance. Pick a MLS team, support it, follow it, maybe even go to a game and I swear to you that you will have a change of heart if you think the MLS is a terrible league.

Go watch kicktv's video about why you should watch the MLS, it might give you a little more incentive to give it a chance. (watch the video here)

What do you think? Is the MLS a terrible league? What should the MLS do to improve?

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Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic

Yesterday I had the chance to go and watch a few of the games that were being played at the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic. This even showcases MLS teams as well as local Florida pro teams.

This year MLS teams Sporting Kansas City, DC United, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC, Columbus Crew, and Impact Montreal were paired with Florida teams Orlando City and the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Yesterday's game I saw was Sporting Kansas City v DC United. The game started slow, with both teams having starters out on the field I was expecting a more exciting first half of soccer. What I got was a disappointing exhibition of cautious play. There seemed to be no urgency from the teams with their established players out on the field. It wasn't until the second half when the teams brought on players that were on a trial run and nonestablished players that the game took off. The flow of the game, the creativity, and the fact it started raining made the game much more exciting to watch. I found myself actually getting involved with the game, moaning at misses, getting excited about chances being created, complaining about fouls and calls. For the small turnout because of the weather (hopefully that is why there was a small turnout) it was a great fan atmosphere.

The result of the match was 2-0 to SKC, but that wasn't the real reason I enjoyed yesterdays event. The fact I got to see a competitive match of soccer live for the first time in months.

The event overall was lacking in total support, it seemed a bit thrown together, even for an event that has been going for a few years now. No clear signs directed you to the field, field announcer would randomly just stop announcing for a good while and would only talk when subs came in. As I said, I did enjoy the event for what it was, not so much a pro soccer event, but an event that was trying to get more people in America interested in soccer. And that is something this country really needs, more support for the MLS and other pro soccer leagues.

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