Mirrorball Predicts MLS 2023

Mirrorball Predicts MLS 2023

It is time, comment on twitter who has the worst rankings. List is in alphabetical order.

Eastern Conference

Atlanta United

1. James: 4th

   1. The starting xi is arguably the best in the eastern conference on all levels. Just put it together please. Putting them in a home playoff position to make myself feel better.

2. Xylph: 7th

   1. Has the potential to be a top 4 team but i don't think they will get there

3. Zay: 10th

   1. On paper, Atlanta also have everything they need to be top 4 in the East. Giakoumakis looks like he has no excuse not to be the best striker in MLS, Araujo is having an incredible preseason, the additions of Miguel Berry and Derrick Etienne were some good, savvy moves that should help this team go far, Abram has the tools to be a best XI caliber player and Almada is fresh off a World Cup win. Still, every season Atlanta look good on paper but have no cohesion nor any identity. I have no reason to assume Gonzalo Pineda will all of a sudden know everything he wants to do and implement it and have success with it, and thus I can only really put the Five Stripes this high. I hope he proves me wrong but I don’t see Pineda not disappointing again.

Charlotte FC

1. Xylph: 9th

   1. Signed copetti and westwood but its not gonna be enough

2. Zay: 13th

   1. First off just RIP Anton Walkes, this was a tragic death and it messed with me. Horrible stuff man. Anyways, I don’t really rate Charlotte. They have some good pieces (I really liked the additions of Nuno Santos in the summer and Enzo Copetti in the winter), but also some very mediocre pieces. I will say, I like that center back group of Corujo, Malinda and the new addition of Bill Tuiloma. Westwood should be a really good midfield piece and Bronico was very good last year. I could see them finishing higher but I think a lot of these pieces aren’t up to speed for what it takes. I’d love for them to prove me wrong though.

James: 13th

1. Could be way off, but I think Charlotte will have a horrific season. Either way, they’ll miss out on the playoffs.

Chicago Fire

1. Zay: 12th

   1. I’ve been abnormally high on the Fire for a year now but I don’t know if they’ll put it all together. I really like their roster though. Brady should hopefully be good, Czichos, Teran and Pineda are a strong center back group and the addition of Souquet at right back was a good move, their starting midfielders are a group I like, even if Gimenez isn’t necessarily DP quality, Shaqiri obviously possesses a lot of quality and they have a good group of wingers. I could see the Fire in the playoffs with their roster, but as of right now they haven’t really put it together enough for me to put them higher.

2. Xylph: 14th

   1. Bit of mid i can't lie.

3. James: 15th

   1. Chicago are just not pushing to get better since their 3rd place finish in 2017, and things are only getting worse.

FC Cincinnati

1. Xylph: 3rd

   1. Wonderful window. Would put higher if Brenner wasn't gonna leave in the Summer

2. Zay: 3rd

   1. I think this Cincinnati side is really good. Miazga and Mosquera should be enough next to Hagglund, and Santiago Arias at right back should fix FCC’s weakest point heading into the offseason. I really like Angulo in their midfield and their attacking group is very strong.

3. James: 5th

   1. I wanted to put fcc out of the playoffs out of hatred but they are too good. Still need at least 1 more major addition to be in cup contention.

Columbus Crew

1. Zay: 6th

   1. I’m really torn on the Crew this season. On one hand, they lost Pedro Santos, Jonathan Mensah, Artur and Derrick Ettiene and haven’t really brought in anybody to replace them other than Medranda for Santos, who is frankly not likely to be as good. On the other hand, Aidan Morris isn’t Artur per say but is a damn good player and Bezbatchenko will surely have a good summer window. Besides, I really like their striker group and a midfield of Zelarayan, Nagbe and Aidan Morris should be exciting.

2. Xylph: 6th

   1. Upgraded their manager but lost 3 good players

3. James: 10th

   1. The insane amount of Columbus hype is not moving me. Just because they got a manager does not trump the fact they lost 4 key players this window.

DC United

1. James: 11th

   1. I can see the vision of what DC are trying to build under Rooney, and I can see them getting better every year. What a window they had as well.

2. Xylph: 13th

   1. Rooney will get sacked by the summer

3. Zay: 14th

   1. DC are building something and I honestly don’t think their roster is that bad but the league is getting better and better and to compete you have to have a very good team and DCU just don’t have that. If Pines is given lots of minutes with Williams their center back group might be alright, but Pedro Santos and Ruan as fullbacks on either side was very good business. Durkin and Palsson are alright and Canouse is obviously a good player, but the only elite midfielder I see in this squad other than maybe Canouse if you really stretch that definition is Klich. Fountas and Benteke should be strong going forward but most of the rest of the attack is utterly mediocre.

Inter Miami

1. Zay: 7th

   1. Miami are another team I’m a bit conflicted on. I think they have a solid back line and a good midfield, and Josef Martinez should hopefully help them going forward. Still, I can’t help but feel like Josef will probably be a step down from Higuain’s form last year, and Pizzaro is simply not Alejandro Pozuelo. Still, they have enough pieces that they should at least get top 8.

2. James: 9th

   1. Similar to Nashville, they don’t give me enough confidence to push them into the playoffs.

3. Xylph: 12th

   1. Signed josef but it's not enough.

Montreal

1. James: 14th

   1. Montreal lost everything, and are starting their next rebuild.

2. Xylph: 15th

   1. Lost manager and all of their good players and replaced them with mid or just didn't replace them at all

3. Zay: 15th

   1. Montreal basically lost many of their best players and didn’t replace most of them. Johnston was replaced by Aaron Herrera, which is a move I actually really liked, but Kone, Mihailovic and depth piece Joaquin Torres are all gone and they haven’t been replaced. I really like their center back group and Wanyama and Piette should still be a solid midfield but they aren’t as good and have a lot less depth.

Nashville

1. James: 8th

   1. They are the definition of mid. They aren’t giving me that it-factor for me to push them up into playoffs, THEY NEED MORE.

2. Zay: 8th

   1. Despite Gary Smith’s best efforts, I think the Yotes will be good. Jack Maher is a natural replacement for Dave Romney, Shaq Moore is entering his first full year for Nashville, and the addition of Fafa Picault along with the purchase of the previously on loan Jacob Shaffleburg should reinforce this Nashville side.

3. Xylph: 10th

   1. Gary is mid and they have a mid team (besides Hany)

New England Revolution

1. Zay: 5th

   1. I’m a big fan of what New England’s FO has been doing. The additions of Latif Blessing and Dave Romney in the offseason were very good signings, and previous additions of Cristian Makoun, Dylan Borrero and Djordje Petrovic really make this a strong side. They have a strong center back corps, two of the best fullbacks for their position in MLS, a solid midfield with Matt Polster, Latif Blessing and Tommy MacNamara, a good Tajon replacement in Borrero if he stays healthy, solid strikers and a former MVP, alongside the best goalkeeper in MLS. The Revs have quietly done very good business and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them higher than this.

2. James: 7th

   1. Fantastic window for the revs adding talent on all levels. I think they can sneak right into a playoff spot.

3. Xylph: 8th

   1. Don't think they’ll be that good.

New York City FC

1. Zay: 11th

   1. NYCFC are not in a great place right now… Alexander Callens is gone and Thiago Martins did not really look the part in 2022, Maxi Moralez is gone and, though Santi Rodriguez could be on his way back per Merlo, at the moment there is no starting quality No. 10 on the roster, and the same goes for a No. 9 and a goalkeeper. The Pigeons will clean it up I’m sure, but they will go a while with a poor team and probably not gel for a long time.

2. Xylph: 11th

   1. Lost great players and haven't replaced them. I think they'll do good in the summer window though

3. James: 12th

   1. Maxi Morales, Sean Johnson, and Alexander Callens are all gone. They are screwed and I don’t know why people still rate them highly.

New York Red Bulls

1. James: 3rd

   1. The Red Bulls are always a scary team in the regular season and I don’t think it will change. Great window as well.

2. Xylph: 5th

   1. Dante Vanezir is a great signing but will it be enough to get them far in the playoffs?

3. Zay: 4th

   1. It pains me to but Red Bull this low, even as an Atlanta United supporter, because this squad is looking very strong. Aaron along i’d obviously a big loss but Sean Nealis is good and Andre Reyes has some very good qualities to him. Their midfield looks good, they’re deep in terms of their forwards and Dante Vanzeir is looking like he’s going to be very good.

Orlando City

1. James: 1st

   1. Masterclass of a window sets up Orlando to be the most exciting team in MLS.

2. Zay: 2nd

   1. I really like what Orlando have been doing as of late. They have an alright back line, which, in my opinion, is their weakest point. Their midfield is looking very good, however. I’m high on both Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo, and Juninho will be a good piece of the move is completed. Pereyra is obviously quality and Ojeda looks to be a good No. 10. Their winger corps looks good, and they have two solid striker options. All in all I think this is a very strong Orlando side.

3. Xylph: 2nd

   1. Made several good transfers and replaced people who left with better players

Philadelphia Union

1. Zay: 1st

   1. They were the strongest team in the east last year and haven’t really lost much. Sergio Santos and Cory Burke are both gone and I don’t know that I can say that they were replaced, but Joaquin Torres is a good replacement for Paxton Aaronson and Andres Perreira and Damion Lowe are two really good additions. I don’t know that losing those two strikers will be too detrimental, either, given how little help their attacking line needed last year.

2. Xylph: 1st

   1. didn't lose anyone too strong and upgraded their depth

3. James: 2nd

   1. They are basically the same team that was minutes away from their first title.

Toronto FC

1. Xylph: 4th

   1. Has one of the best attacking cores in the east but midfield and defense could use help

2. James: 6th

   1. Big names on the roster but the defense has to show up this year. Still believe that defense is holding them back from being the best in the east.

3. Zay: 9th

   1. I like TFCs roster for the most part at the moment. Sean Johnson, Matt Hedges and Sigur Rosted were some very good additions, Osorio and Mark Anthony Kaye are two of the best midfielders in MLS and I still rate Bradley, Insigne and Bernadeschi speak for themselves I really like Diamande as an addition and I don’t mind Akinola. On paper this is a very strong side.

Western Conference

Austin

1. Zay: 2nd

   1. The only significant losses were Djitte on loan and Ruben Gabrielsen. Gabrielsen seems to have been replaced by Leo Väisänen, and Djitte was replaced by Will Bruin. They also brought in Gyasi Zardes, who I think was a phenomenal signing. This ATX team is looking strong and if Driussi is as good as last year, they could be as good or better than they were.

2. Xylph: 3rd

   1. Still a great team

3. James: 9th

   1. I want to be laminated.

Colorado Rapids

1. Xylph: 10th

   1. Cabral won’t do enough

2. Zay: 13th

   1. The ‘Pids have some good pieces but just don’t have the quality. Max isn’t there, their back line and Yarbrough aren’t as sharp as they’ve been, they have one left back who’s played MLS minutes (235!), lost Zardes, and to cap it off and truly define their mediocre squad, they brought in Kevin Cabral. Diego Rubio is quality and I rate Rosenberry, Lewis, Barrios and Price, but not as elite players you build a team around. This is just not a good enough team.

3. James: 13th

   1. They spend no money

FC Dallas

1. Xylph: 2nd

   1. Alan Velasco and Jesus Ferreira goes crazy and they overachieve

2. Zay: 3rd

   1. I don’t think FCD are actually that strong but I don’t know if many teams are much stronger. Hedges has left with no real replacement, but Arriola balled out last year, Jesus Ferreira is quality and Jesus Jimenez is a quality backup No. 9. If Quignon has a good year and Tafari is a sufficient Hedges replacement, they could be a good team.

3. James: 4th

   1. Big taco vibes. And Velasco

Houston Dynamo

1. Xylph: 11th

   1. Signed a few good players but that Olsen hire aint it

2. James: 12th

   1. They always stink.

3. Zay: 12th

   1. Houston have made some very good moves but I don’t know if it will be enough. Their back line looks pretty eh, but I’m a big fan of their midfield. If Herrera can play to his expectations, he and Artur may well be the best DM pairing in MLS. Carrasquila, Bassi and Ulfarssom should be good in the midfield as well. I’m also big on Sebastian Ferreira, and Ivan Franco will be a baller as well. I just don’t know if it’s the right amount of fire power. If they have a good summer window they could be much higher, though.

LA Galaxy

1. Zay: 5th

   1. Riqui Puig is a baller even if he’s overrated, Gaston Brugman was a good summer addition, and Chicharito and Dejan Jovelic may be the best striker group in MLS. They lost Derrick Williams but brought in Chris Mavinga, which was a pretty solid bit of business, but I don’t know that Leerdam is quality enough to start at right back and their wingers are pretty much all mediocre to bad. It’s a tough one but I think they do well enough with Puig and Chicharito going forward.

2. James: 7th

   1. Protests but they are still alright i think.

3. Xylph: 8th

   1. Dealing with a lot of FO stuff, it’ll hit the squad

LAFC

1. Xylph: 1st

   1. If they get Auba, they are going b2b

2. Zay: 1st

   1. This was a tougher choice for me than it would’ve been coming into the offseason. LAFC’s title winning teams depth and quality was genuinely like that of a North/South American superclub, but the likes of Latif Blessing, Chicho Arango, Sebastian Ibeagha, Sebas Mendez, Cristian Tello, Franco Escobar and Gareth Bale are all no longer with the club. They’ve done a good job of replacing them, but keeping that quality heading into 2023 did not prove to be easy. Aaron Long actually improved that back line, Timothy Tillman should be good in the midfield, Crisotomo isn’t a bad depth piece and Stipe Biuk is going to be a phenomenal winger, but they don’t have the depth they once did. Even so, this is a ridiculously good squad and they should have a strong summer window.

3. James: 1st

   1. They are still good, I think.

Minnesota United

1. James: 6th

   1. Good vibes and stadium.

2. Xylph: 6th

   1. I like them so they get 6th

3. Zay: 11th

   1. A lot of this roster is mediocre. St. Claire is good in goal and Tapias could be a good signing, but their midfield is mediocre, their wingers are pretty good and Amarilla is a decent No. 9. Still, the man who is the key for everything for this team and is on his day the best player in MLS, Emmanuel Reynoso, is being suspended for failure to report to preseason, seemingly because he’s in Argentina and facing charges. Things aren’t looking amazing for the Loons with Reynoso, but it could all go sour very quickly if this whole situation doesn’t go the way Reynoso would like it to.

Portland Timbers

1. James: 3rd

   1. Cool stadium and they got a new dp i believe.

2. Xylph: 4th

   1. Evander will make this team A LOT better

3. Zay: 6th

   1. Mabiala, Zuparic and MacGraw are alright enough defensively, and they have some quality fullbacks. Still, Diego Chara is like 36 and they still don’t have a replacement that’s done what Chara did. Williamson is an elite midfielder, though, and Blanco, Moreno, Yimmi Chara and Dairon Asprilla going forward should obviously be good, and Evander may well be the best player in the league. Ivacic is also a nice little player to have and one of the better goalkeepers in MLS.

Real Salt Lake

1. James: 5th

   1. Cisneros.

2. Zay: 7th

   1. They have good center backs, have really good fullbacks, have solid midfielders with depth and have a good striker who could really break out in Musovski. Julio and Gomez are good wingers, and anybody who doesn’t think Savarino is elite is not to be trusted. All in all, I think this is a solid team and if they get a better No. 9 for that striker pairing, they could do well and go at least a little ways into the playoffs.

3. Xylph: 9th

   1. Just mid

San Jose Earthquakes

1. James: 10th

   1. Good roster, hopefully they can put it together.

2. Zay: 10th

   1. The winter additions of Jonathon Mensah and Carlos Gruezo were two very good moves. Their back line and goalkeeper are looking strong, their midfield has a bit more quality but lost a little in depth, Crisitian Espinoza is one of the most underrated playmakers in MLS and Ebobise is coming off of something of a breakout season, with form we can expect to carry over. All in all I actually like this team, I just don’t know if they will put it all together. If they do, I could see them much higher than this.

3. Xylph: 12th

   1. Idk irrelevant team

Seattle Sounders

1. James: 2nd

   1. This is my guess pick because I doubt this happens but why not.

2. Zay: 4th

   1. They lost Medranda as a depth fullback and didn’t replace him but brought in Heber to replace Will Bruin, which I thought was a really good move. If they have a full year with Ruidiaz, João Paulo and Obed Vargas, the Sounders will be a good team.

3. Xylph: 5th

   1. Seattle will be on demon time this year but they won't get top 4.

Sporting Kansas City

1. Xylph: 7th

   1. Has a great team but i don't think they will be better than the top 6

2. James: 8th

   1. I couldn't name 2 players honestly.

3. Zay: 9th

   1. If Fontas has a good year (he’s capable of it), he and Voloder could be a good pairing. Radoja and Walter could be a good midfield, and Thommy, Kinda, Salloi, Russel and Agada could be one of the better attacking groups in MLS. I don’t know how much I trust this team defensively but if they do well in the back, they could and likely will be higher than I have them.

Saint Louis City

1. James: 14th

   1. They will be terrible since they are acting all mighty that they don’t have to spend money, you do lol.

2. Zay: 14th

   1. I rate their center back pairing, Löwen is good, and Burki will probably be good in MLS. Other than that, this team is mid up and down the board. Their striker had four goals and three assists in 1774 minutes in Belgium. If anything the attacker I’m most excited for is Rasmusm Alm, the right winger, who was 11 g/a in 1500 minutes in Sweden. This, like Colorado, is just not a good team. To make the playoffs in Major League Soccer League you have to have a roster worth more than $22M at the very least.

3. Xylph: 14th

   1. They need to spend money in MLS and they will realize that fast.

Vancouver Whitecaps

1. Zay: 8th

   1. I’d like to put the ‘Caps higher in all honesty. If it clicks quickly for them I genuinely think they could be one of the best teams in the west. Veselonovic is good, Laborda was a good signing and Brown is good depth, Gressel is an elite right wing back and they have a few good left back options, Cubas was a great signing and Schopf should be good with Teibert as depth. Going forward, Bryan White is obviously very good, likely as a backup behind Sergio Cordova, Pedro Vitte was very good for the ‘Caps last year and we all know how much quality Ryan Gauld has.

2. James: 11th

   1. Gressel is their best player.

3. Xylph: 13th

   1. Signed cordova but it won't be enough and canada tax

AWARDS

Zay

MVP: Martin Ojeda

Ojeda is a very quality player who’s going to be surrounded by quality at Orlando, likely playing the 10 for what will probably be one of the best teams in MLS. Most teams have an MVP caliber player at this point so you can kinda take your pick, but Ojeda is really good and playing for a really good team in a role where he’s pulling the strings.

Golden Boot: Cucho Hernandez

This was a bit of a risky pick and I was close to going with somebody like Driussi or Vazquez, but I think Cucho had good numbers in England and that should translate with a half a season and an offseason in MLS under his belt and with Zelarayan under him and Nancy managing.

Young Player of the Year: Thiago Almada

Newcomer of the Year: Evander if not Ojeda

Defensive Player of the Year: Luis Abram

Xylph:

MVP: Denis Bouanga

Has everything he needs to become a great player in MLS. i think he’ll do amazing this year

Golden Boot: Jesus Ferreira

This will be his year. He’ll get a move in the summer and probably get loaned back to FCD.

James:

MVP: Sebastian Driussi

Xylph told me to, so I did it.

Golden Boot: Giorgos Giakoumakis

The kid is cracked

MLS Champions: Atlanta United

I want something to laugh at in october.