2016 MLS Power Rankings: Preseason Edition
The 2016 MLS season is finally upon us.
The heavy hitters reinforced their rosters with even more star signings, while some of the struggling minnows made big moves of their own in an effort to stay on par with their conference opposition. With preseason camps now done and dusted, the league's 20 teams kick off their title challenge once more.
Here's how we rank each team ahead of Sunday's First Kick:
1. New York Red Bulls
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Toronto FC (1:30 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 18-6-10 (60 points) | 62 | 43 |
In a world where things are just, the New York Red Bulls should have won the MLS Cup. Jesse Marsch's team finished with a +19 goal differential for goodness sake. Sure, they lost Matt Miazga to Chelsea, but the Red Bulls have Luis Robles, so does it really matter?
Save by Robles. #preseason2016 #RBNY @luisrobles1984 pic.twitter.com/l76XGR7YUt
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) February 25, 2016
2. Portland Timbers
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Columbus Crew (4:30 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 15-8-11 (53 points) | 41 | 39 |
When you win an MLS Cup, you sort of expect to keep the top spot in most Power Rankings. Usually, anyway. This Timbers team? Eh. Not so much. They're good, sure, but are they the league's best team? Not even close.
Who's ready? 🏆 #RCTID pic.twitter.com/xe4AzPkuYk
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) January 7, 2016
3. Columbus Crew
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Portland Timbers (4:30 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 15-8-11 (53 points) | 58 | 53 |
The Crew just committed to Kei Kamara with a Designated Player contract and added a pair of starting-quality wingers in Emil Larsen and Cedrick, so you could call Columbus a pretty scary team. You could also be mean and point out that this largely unchanged team lost the 2015 MLS Cup final.
“It’s an honor, it’s a blessing.” @keikamara reacts to becoming the fourth Designated Player in #CrewSC history.https://t.co/R6UBKIsQOe
— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) March 2, 2016
4. FC Dallas
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Philadelphia Union (3 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 18-6-10 (60 points) | 52 | 39 |
FC Dallas is basically living the Chivas USA dream with all of its Latin American talent. Enjoy the performances of players like Fabian Castillo and Mauro Diaz as long as you can, because they're destined for European moves.
5. LA Galaxy
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. D.C. United (10 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 14-9-11 (51 points) | 56 | 46 |
Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start. Cheat code entered. Salary cap bypassed - LA Galaxy, go ahead and keep doing you. Want Nigel de Jong and Jelle Van Damme, while keeping three DPs? Sure thing.
#LAGalaxy XI: Kennedy; Rogers, Steres, Van Damme, Cole; Dos Santos, De Jong, Gerrard, Boateng; Keane, Zardes #SJvLA pic.twitter.com/Mot431sCdc
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 14, 2016
6. Vancouver Whitecaps
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Montreal Impact (5:30 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 16-5-13 (53 points) | 45 | 36 |
Don't call them Canada's best team, for fear of being pegged with poutine and peameal bacon sandwiches, unless you like that sort of thing, in which case you can call them exactly what they are: the Whitecaps are Canada's best team.
7. Toronto FC
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Red Bulls (1:30 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 15-4-15 (49 points) | 58 | 58 |
Toronto FC was #blessed with Sebastian Giovinco but managed to bungle it all up in 2015 by conceding a goal for each of the Atomic Ant's efforts; the Reds finished the year with 58 goals for and against. But the club's brass picked up four All-Star defensive players, so that issue is now sorted (in theory).
Sebastian Giovinco's left-footed upper 90 goal vs #LAGalaxy in GIF form. Had to be done. #TFC #MLS pic.twitter.com/9hTldZcMU6
— Ben Jata (@Ben_Jata) February 10, 2016
8. Seattle Sounders
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Sporting KC (7 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 15-6-13 (51 points) | 44 | 36 |
Not even MLS retirement dollars could compete with the allure (and the promise of wealth) of the Chinese Super League, which is why Obafemi Martins decided he's had enough of the Sounders and joined Shanghai. But Seattle signed a pretty good kid named Jordan Morris so ... there's that.
Love this city #seatown pic.twitter.com/SwwE2lWbHI
— Jordan Morris (@JmoSmooth13) January 21, 2016
9. Montreal Impact
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Whitecaps (5:30 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 15-6-13 (51 points) | 48 | 44 |
There's a theory that Montreal is more than just Didier Drogba and 10 men, but that's what they said about Marco Di Vaio, and we all know what happened to the Impact when he retired.
Drogba with the filthiest nutmeg.🔥🔥🔥 #DamnnnDaniel pic.twitter.com/sZMI9Q0lNy
— ️ (@Total_MLS_) February 25, 2016
10. New England Revolution
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Houston Dynamo (3 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 14-8-12 (50 points) | 48 | 47 |
The Revolution know how to play soccer without Jermaine Jones, and that's the line they're sticking to it. Stats (and Jones) say otherwise, though.
11. Sporting Kansas City
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Seattle Sounders (7 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 14-9-11 (51 points) | 48 | 45 |
All Sporting KC needed was some fresh new talent; unfortunately, Peter Vermes opted to sign veterans like Justin Mapp and Brad Davis instead of acquiring players in their prime in an effort to challenge again.
12. Orlando City
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Real Salt Lake (2 PM ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 12-8-14 (44 points) | 46 | 56 |
The good news is Kaka and Cyle Larin are now being joined by Antonio Nocerino. The bad news is Kaka and Cyle Larin are now being joined by Antonio Nocerino. Orlando's fate depends on which Nocerino they get: The standout from AC Milan's 2011-12 season, or the bust from every year after.
Excited by City's newest signing Antonio Nocerino? Here are the numbers. Hint: They're good. pic.twitter.com/6VVgdb4tJy
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) February 19, 2016
13. D.C. United
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. LA Galaxy (10 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 15-6-13 (51 points) | 43 | 45 |
We're interested in seeing Luciano Acosta, nicknamed "the Jewel" from Argentina, but if he doesn't work out, D.C. United might be destined for a "boring" label.
14. New York City FC
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Chicago Fire (2 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 10-7-17 (37 points) | 49 | 58 |
It'll be fun seeing Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard outrun in midfield by literally everyone, but luckily Yankee Stadium's field is so small, these two wily old cowboys won't have to cover so much ground for half the year anyway.
It's like live FIFA! David Villa, Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo warming up for @NYCFC here at @FGCUEagles pic.twitter.com/evZ6MVbJoC
— Chelsa Messinger (@ChelsaMessinger) January 29, 2016
15. San Jose Earthquakes
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Colorado Rapids (3 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 13-8-13 (47 points) | 41 | 39 |
Chris Wondolowski and San Jose will try to do their best impression of Drogba and Montreal this year, as a one-man team trying to punch above their weight. They'll probably fail, but they will try.
16. Houston Dynamo
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. New England (3 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 11-9-14 (42 points) | 42 | 49 |
Houston was once a force in MLS. Now they're sort of just ... hanging out. Enjoying the heat. Maybe Erick "Cubo" Torres will be good again (please let him be good again).
17. Real Salt Lake
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. Orlando City (2 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 11-8-15 (38 points) | 38 | 48 |
Yura Movsisyan makes his return, and while RSL will be banking a little bit on the nostalgia factor, having some MLS Cup-winning chemistry certainly can't hurt this struggling team.
This @javi_mo11 -> @YuraMovsisyan -> @JoaoPlata10 might work. #RSL https://t.co/GVzV0CwgPa
— Real Salt Lake (@RealSaltLake) February 20, 2016
18. Philadelphia Union
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. FC Dallas (3 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 10-7-17 (37 points) | 42 | 55 |
"It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" - Rocky Balboa, as told to the Union's woeful goalkeeping corps.
19. Chicago Fire
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. New York City (2 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 8-6-20 (30 points) | 43 | 58 |
The Chicago Fire of 2015:
The Chicago Fire of 2016?
20. Colorado Rapids
- Next MLS Match: Sunday, March 6 vs. San Jose (3 p.m. ET).
| 2015 Record (W-D-L) | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|
| 9-10-15 (37 points) | 33 | 43 |
Rather than describe to you how dire the Rapids' situation is, I'll let former team captain and current head coach Pablo Mastroeni explain:
... it takes time to go from a soccer player to a coach. Cause soccer players cannot coach. I want to reiterate that: soccer players cannot coach. Only coaches can coach.
Well, alright then.