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MLS Season Preview: Predictions

Reuters

With the MLS season set to begin (hopefully) on Friday, theScore’s trio of footy editors gaze into their crystal balls to predict what will happen in the league’s 20th year of existence. Major awards, title winners and players that will be ridiculed as major busts: we have the answers.

Supporters’ Shield winners

Gordon Brunt: The LA Galaxy will capture a record fifth Supporters Shield title by season’s end. Despite Landon Donovan’s retirement, the club should improve on last year’s point total when they finished three points off the mark behind Seattle.

Carlo Campo: The Seattle Sounders will claims the MLS' Supporters Shield Race for a second consecutive season fueled by the goal-scoring partnership of Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey.

Gianluca Nesci: Seattle Sounders. The Western Conference will be more difficult, but with Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey leading the way, the Sounders will retain their title as the best team in the regular season.

MLS Cup matchup (and winners)

Brunt: Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Columbus Crew. The Galaxy will repeat as champions against a stubborn Columbus squad. The Crew will improve on last year’s encouraging performance but will come up short against the defending champs.

Campo: Seattle Sounders vs. New England Revolution. After the Sounders finally knock out the Galaxy in the MLS playoffs, they'll come up against the deep roster of the Revs and win the MLS Cup at their own CenturyLink Field.

Nesci: Seattle Sounders vs. Toronto FC. Sebastian GiovincoMichael Bradley and the re-tooled Reds get all the way to the big dance, but the Sounders, after coming so close last season, end Toronto’s remarkable season by finally getting over the hump and hoisting the hardware.

Most Valuable Player

Brunt: Sebastian Giovinco will win the honors after playing a pivotal role in Toronto FC’s first journey to the playoffs.

Campo: The highest-paid player in MLS will claim the honour after guiding Orlando City to a phenomenal inaugural season. Kaka, who stands to earn $7.1 million this campaign, will return to top form and post numbers that even surpass Clint Dempsey.

Nesci: Robbie Keane. The Irishman will retain his title as the league's top dog as the absence of Landon Donovan, instead of being a hindrance, pushes Keane to improve on least season's numbers. Someone has to pick up the attacking slack left by the American star, after all. Why not the Galaxy captain?

Newcomer of the year

Brunt: Giovinco gets the nod after a year in which he excels in the attacking midfield role and leads TFC to glory.

Campo: While a talented group of newcomers will take the pitches of MLS this season, no one will thrive like Kaka at Orlando City. The campaign will serve as a reminder to just why he's one of the most popular Brazilian footballs icons on the planet.

Nesci: Giovinco. The Atomic Ant is about to light up North America.

Golden Boot winner

Brunt: David Villa will come away with the award after leading the NYCFC attack and consistently overwhelming opposing defenders.

Campo: Obafemi Martins. The Nigerian forward will improve on his 17 goals from last season and dethrone Bradley Wright-Phillips as the MLS Golden Boot winner. Let’s go with 23 goals, for no particular reason, in 2015.

Nesci: David Villa. In terms of the best pure striker in the league, this is the guy, and I think he’s going to find the net with frightening regularity. Think Jermain Defoe early in 2013-14, but for an entire season. Scary, huh?

Biggest surprise

Brunt: Shaun Maloney’s impact in the midfield for Chicago helps the club overcome last year’s horror-show and turns them into playoff contenders.

Campo: Orlando City will come storming out of the gates with one of the most impressive inaugural seasons MLS has seen. They'll make the playoffs and maybe even make a push for a spot in the MLS Cup.

Nesci: The success of the league's two newest franchises, who defy conventional wisdom surrounding expansion teams and make the playoffs in their inaugural campaign.

Biggest disappointment

Brunt: Kaka fails to make an impact with Orlando. The Brazilian’s decline will continue in the US and end up costing his team a playoff spot in its first season.

Campo: Steven Gerrard will fail to live up to the hype. Sure, he'll a score a remarkable goal or two and help contribute to what should be another solid season from the Galaxy. However, his arrival in California will be far from what many are anticipating.

Nesci: Pablo Mastroeni, presumably, shaving his mustache at some point. The day he does will be the lowest point of the MLS season. (Oh, and as much as I really want Erick "Cubo" Torres to succeed, I think he's going to be dragged down by a pretty bad team around him in Houston).

Playoff teams (East)

Brunt: New England, Columbus Crew, Toronto FC, D.C. United, NYCFC, New York Red Bulls

Campo: New England, Toronto FC, Columbus, D.C. United, Orlando City, NYCFC

Nesci: Columbus, Toronto FC, New England, D.C. United, NYCFC, Orlando City

Playoff teams (West)

Brunt: LA Galaxy, Seattle, Sporting KC, Portland, FC Dallas, Real Salt Lake

Campo: Seattle, LA Galaxy, Portland, Sporting KC, Real Salt Lake, Vancouver

Nesci: Seattle, LA Galaxy, Sporting KC, FC Dallas, Vancouver, Portland

Jozy Altidore: Over/Under Jermain Defoe’s 11 goals from last season?

Brunt: Over, but just barely. And it really depends on Altidore’s fitness. He can surpass Defoe’s mark if he can avoid the treatment table.

Campo: Over. Not by much, however. Jozy Altidore will receive great service from fellow newcomer Sebastian Giovinco, and it should be enough for about 12 or 13 goals this season.

Nesci: Over. He’ll play more games than Defoe, and is surrounded by far greater attacking talent. I’ll eat my hat if he doesn’t eclipse 11 goals. Note: I don’t wear a hat, nor will I eat one.

More points: New York City FC or Orlando City SC?

Brunt: NYCFC. They might struggle out of the gate, but NYCFC should be able to maintain a respectable position by the time Frank Lampard arrives.

Campo: Orlando City. Unlike NYCFC, they'll have all their major signings available from the beginning of the campaign. And with Kaka tearing backlines apart, they'll keep NYCFC chasing them all season.

Nesci: NYCFC. The squad is deeper, and there's already familiarity between Jason Kreis and some of the players he's brought in from Real Salt Lake. While Kaka should have a fantastic season individually, it’s going to take a herculean effort to overcome the output of Villa, Lampard - when he arrives - Mix Diskerud and the rest of the side.

Better season: Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard?

Brunt: Gerrard. Stevie G gets the nod thanks to the Galaxy’s impressive supporting cast. The Liverpool legend will have an instant impact and successfully transition into a squad with a history of winning, while Lampard attempts get the NYCFC era off to a successful start, with the predictable growing pains slowing him down.

Campo: Lampard. If this Premier League season is any indication, Lampard has more gas in the tank than Steven Gerrard, whose ability to impact a match is a fraction of what it once was.

Nesci: Lampard. The Manchester City man seems to have more in the tank than his English counterpart. The ultimate midfield poacher, Lampard will be able to translate his skills into a better season - at least statistically - than Gerrard, who is a shadow of the player he once was. 

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