Western Conference primed for epic playoff race

With the 2019 MLS season set to kick off this weekend, a closer look at the Western Conference.

There should be three comfortable leaders in the MLS Western Conference by the end of the season, but there are sure to be some shakeups as the playoff race will likely go to the wire between two-to-five different teams yet again.

The top teams should stay at the top, but there is a chance that things get swapped around and some teams usually sitting toward the bottom jump ahead. Improvements to teams like San Jose, Vancouver and Minnesota mean those ahead of them will have to watch out or be dethroned.

Here’s a quick preview of each team in the west and what you can expect.

Last year’s leaders, Sporting Kansas City, will be favorite this season to continue at the top. The only major change this year is the loss of former defender of the year, Ike Opara, replaced by Andreu Fontas Prat, a La Masia graduate from Celta Vigo. Whether or not this change is a step up or down shouldn’t matter all that much for the third best defense of 2018. KC’s biggest strength is that they have the best midfield in the league, featuring Ilie Sanchez — another La Masia grad — Felipe Gutierrez and Roger Espinoza. Johnny Russell and Gerso Fernandes have featured wide in CONCACAF Champions League so far, with Krisztian Nemeth leading the lines.

Striker might be the only weak spot, but who cares when Russell and Gutierrez can pick up the slack. Between Khiry Shelton and Diego Rubio, the strikers for SKC only bagged 10 goals combined. If Nemeth proves even mildly competent, Sporting are in a great position.

If the Seattle Sounders end up with a mediocre start to the season, they could easily win the Supporters Shield. They’ve made a habit of picking it up in the second half, usually thanks to a midseason acquisition. With Nicolas Lodeiro and Raul Ruidiaz already established, the Sounders should have no problem getting off to a good start.

Last year, the Sounders started 3-3-9, including a red card in each of the three first matches. A nine-game win streak pulled Seattle out of their funk and set them on a path to get a first-round bye despite the slow start. If Seattle start slow again, don’t count them out; it’s happened too many times to just be a coincidence. A fast start could lead the Sounders past Kansas City to a first round bye.

The last sure thing in the West is Los Angeles FC. If Bob Bradley’s squad are anything like Atlanta’s, this could be their year. Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi set the league alight last season, and with the depth in midfield and forward positions, there wasn’t much need to many acquisitions. Eduard Atuesta is set to replace Benny Feilhaber at defensive midfield, while Lee Nguyen, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Andre Horta provide more than enough talent to round out the midfield.

Will Adama Diomande play at a top level like he did upon entering the league, or fester as the talent around him picks up the slack? It doesn’t matter! Christian Ramirez is more than capable of playing striker, and should start immediately anyway. Defense is the only real worry, though should be fine as long as the starters remain healthy.

Walker Zimmerman is a fantastic player, but if he or Danilo Silva can’t play, there’s minimal depth to cover at center-back. Eddie Segura will fight to extend his six-month loan and nail down a spot next to Zimmerman. Left-back could also be an issue, with Mohamed El-Munir replacing Joao Moutinho. El-Munir might have forgotten what defending is, and often thought he was a winger. LAFC will be fine with the defensive worries, though. The offense will just score four goals a match. Anything under top three is a disappointment.

Here’s where it gets tougher. Three through 10 could be anyone, with how each team has improved. Real Salt Lake, however, are in the best position for a stellar year. With an average age of 26, this young team will only get better. If they figure out how to win on the road, they could even fight for a top three spot.

Albert Rusnak (10 goals, seven assists) and Damir Kreilach (12 goals, eight assists) return to the midfield. Mike Petke learned how to unleash this two-headed monster later in the year, and they ended up scoring six in back-to-back games. Returning to the wings are 22-year-old Jefferson Savarino (seven goals, 11 assists), Rookie of the Year Cory Baird (eight goals, five assists) and relative veteran Joao Plata (eight goals, eight assists). That’s five players with at least 10 goal involvements. Oh, and they signed DP striker Sam Johnson from Wuhan Zall in China. So, more goals then. The defense is improving as well. Brooks Lennon and Aaron Herrea, both just 21, improved massively at  full-back last year, while 22-year-old Justen Glad and 25-year-old Nick Besler learned the ropes alongside veterans Nedum Onuoha and Marcelo Silva at center-back.

Nick Rimando turns 40 this year and Kyle Beckerman turns 37. They have cover there, but those two are ageless; they might not need it. If they do, Luke Mulholland and Everton Luiz would make a great pairing in the center of midfield while three goalkeepers will sit backup, waiting for Rimando to show a defining decline.

The Portland Timbers lost a few players, but nothing to really hamper their chances. The biggest challenge facing them is an aging squad. Diego Valeri and Diego Chara are 32, Sebastian Blanco is 30 and David Guzman is 29. They won’t decline yet, but the squad didn’t add much. Claude Dielna joins after a disastrous DP spell at New England at center-back, along with Julio Casacante. Jorge Moreira was brought in to replace the outgoing Alves Powell at right-back, and the former River Plate man could be a quality addition.

This is a squad good enough to make the playoffs. The veteran leadership and ability should also be enough to thrive in the playoffs yet again, but without a strengthened line up that’s also aging, there’s cause for concern in future years. Giovanni Savarese gets a second year, so it’s up to him to keep this squad formidable and competitive.

My dark horse candidate for the playoffs is Minnesota United FC. Another team that needs to learn how to get more than one road victory, the Loons bolstered the second worst defense in the league. Ike Opara joins from Kansas City, while Ozzie Alonso strengthens the midfield from Seattle. Add to that Slovakian international midfielder Jan Gregus from FC Copenhagen, Romain Metanire at right-back from Stade Reims, and Vito Manonne in goal, and the defense is significantly stronger. Opara, Metanire and Francisco Calvo should be enough to support whomever slots in next to Opara at center-back, while Alonso and Gregus will be a terrific shield that will prevent many attacks from even reaching the defense.

Only Colorado scored fewer goals in the West, but Minnesota’s attack is good enough to add 10 more to the meager 49 from last year. Darwin Quintero (11 goals, 15 assists) and Angelo Rodriguez (four goals, one assist in 10 matches) are two fantastic DP’s that should improve now they get a preseason to work together. Miguel Ibarra (seven goals, eight assists) supplement the attack along with Rasmus Schuller. The only question facing the Loons as they prepare to open the brand-new Allianz Field is whether the team will gel. A new defense and stadium could turn Minnesota into the best home team in 2019.

The Los Angeles Galaxy has to figure out their defensive issues, but will probably be bailed out by the Marvelous Zlatan if things go awry. The academy is blessed with talent, but those players never seem to get a chance to start. Perhaps under a new coach, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, they will get a chance to develop. If not, the Galaxy are still in a great position to qualify for the playoffs. Ola Kamara was shipped to China, allowing Zlatan to shine as a lone forward. Romain Alessandrini is the other offensive piece on this team, and the two will combine for plenty of goals in 2019. Mexican international Uriel Antuna will likely start on the other wing. On loan from Manchester City, Antuna should rack up the assists in 2019.

Perry Kitchen and Jonathan Dos Santos return to the midfield, while Juninho returns to MLS to join them. If Giovani Dos Santos remembers how to play, he could be a useful piece as an attacking midfielder, but most fans aren’t holding out hope.

Diego Polenta joins the leaky defense that was fifth worst in MLS from the Uruguayan first division. Daniel Steres, Jorgen Skjelvik and Rolf Feltscher remain from last year’s defense, as Ashley Cole departs. Unless GBS has an ace up his sleeve or Polenta is a Defender of the Year candidate, the defense could hold the Galaxy back yet again.

FC Dallas changed things up this offseason, promoting a youth-first movement. Some veterans left, such as Victor Ulloa, Maxi Urruti and Roland Lamah. Head coach Oscar Pareja left to manage in Mexico, and academy coach Luchi Gonzalez takes the reins. Dallas will be reliant on Dominique Badji to score goals, but the forward has never produced more than 10 in a given season. Michael Barrios, Santiago Mosquera and (when he returns from injury) Crisitan Colman will have to pick up the slack. Meanwhile, academy product Paxton Pomykal is touted to start under Badji, and has his hands full as the creative outlet on a talented team. Pablo Aranguiz should also get some time to develop, as the youth movement won’t be immediate.

Carlos Gruezo and Bryan Acosta round out the midfield, while the defense remains the same. Despite the claim of a youth-first strategy, there’s still some strong, acquired talent here that should propel Dallas to another playoff berth, should Gonzalez prove a competent MLS manager.

The Vancouver Whitecaps could also challenge for a playoff berth. The popular dark horse this season still have some issues, but could be an exciting revelation despite the loss of three star players. With Fredy Montero and Joaquin Ardaiz, Vancouver have two strikers with potential for more than 15 goals in 2019. Jon Erice will offer stability and possession in the midfield, and Hwang In-Beom is highly regarded as a star despite coming from K2 with mediocre stats. He’ll be the keystone in this Vancouver attack, and needs to replace the fervor that left with Alphonso Davies. After that, it’s Lass Bangoura and Yordy Reyna on the wings; they’re decent, but not necessarily at the level to propel this team to the playoffs. Lucas Venuto could come in and make a big difference in place of Reyna, however.

A new defense means uncertainty. Erik Godoy is the linchpin that replaced DP Kendall Waston, but outside of him there might be some issues. In the end, the additions are fun, but only Montero and Ardaiz seem to be improvements over Kamara. In-Beom has to replace Davies, while Godoy has to cover for Waston. They won’t be enough for Vancouver to jump those in front, however.

The Houston Dynamo have all the potential to be a great team, and the CONCACAF Champions League performance shows an ability to grind out victories (something they weren’t great at last year). If they stick to a defense-first mentality, that front four can run circles around any team. If they try to possess, you’re turning your Ferrari into a Prius. Let them run. Alberth Elis, Romel Quioto and company don’t want to pass a team to death.

DaMarcus Beasley and Maynor Figueroa will prove once again age is just a number. Despite the squad’s potential, they just won’t figure it out, and like last year frustrate fans. This squad have the potential to beat anyone, but also to come out flat and uninspired. Inconsistency will haunt Houston again.

There are still reasons to be partially optimistic about the San Jose Earthquakes because they were simply the worst coached team last season, but even with Matias Almeyda at the helm, they won’t catch up to the rest. The baseline talent was fine, but are there enough quality additions? Vako, Danny Hoeson and Magnus Eriksen provide a decent attacking core. Add Cristian Espinoza from Villareal and there are signs of real quality. That’s a front four that could hurt a lot of teams. Midfield is a worry though. Anibal Godoy seems to be on a decline; Judson joins him in midfield, and has a big task in connecting the attack. Nick Lima is a star at right-back now that he featured at Camp Cupcake, and Florian Jungworth is still a decent defensive player. Marcos Lopez joins at left-back, while Guram Kashia is at center-back. Under proper management, this team could step up, but until they do, don’t hold out too much hope for a playoff spot.

Bringing up the rear is the disappointing Colorado Rapids. New additions like Diego Rubio, Kei Kamara, Keegan Rosenberry and Benny Feilhaber show an intent to improve, but the defense and midfield still needs some work. Colorado are leading the discussion for Wooden Spoon this season, and unless the new acquisitions prove to be game changers, they’ll just be nice additions. There’s a possibility Feilhaber ends his career soon, and no guarantees that Kamara and Rubio will add more goals. Anthony Hudson as head coach is another worry. He needs to improve first before we even discuss Colorado as something other than the worst team in the West.

Here are my final rankings:

1: Sporting Kansas City

2: Seattle Sounders

3: LAFC

4: Real Salt Lake

5: Portland Timbers

6: Minnesota United

7: Los Angeles Galaxy

8: FC Dallas

9: Vancouver Whitecaps

10: Houston Dynamo

11: San Jose Earthquakes

12: Colorado Rapids