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MLS half-time: Reviewing the Eastern Conference at midway point of 2017

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

We're at the midway point of the 2017 MLS season, with most teams having played at least 17 of 34 total regular season matches. New challengers have emerged, old threats have grown stale, and another wave of talent has given fans plenty to cheer for from coast to coast.

As we gear up for the season's second stanza, here's a quick rundown of how each team in the Eastern Conference has performed thus far in 2017:

Related: Reviewing the Western Conference at midway point of 2017

Atlanta United

Atlanta United may be new, but it isn't showing. Under Tata Martino's guidance, the Five Stripes have flourished, as striker Josef Martinez, league assist leader Yamil Asad, and Newcomer of the Year contender Miguel Almiron form a strong attacking core. There's work to be done in defense, as to be expected, but this Atlanta team should remain in the playoff hunt in the second half of the year.

Chicago Fire

It took the additions of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Nemanja Nikolic, Dax McCarty, and Juninho to drag the Chicago Fire out of the league's basement, but that's exactly what Veljko Paunovic's side has done. Going into Week 17, Chicago is unbeaten in nine straight. Nikolic leads the league in scoring, but David Accam isn't far behind, and as such, Chicago is expected to vie for the MLS Cup.

Columbus Crew SC

The Columbus Crew have endured an up-and-down year since starting with a three-game winning streak, developing a worrying pattern of losing (sometimes multiple times) after each win through the spring. Justin Meram and Ola Kamara stepped up to ensure Columbus remains in a playoff spot, even with a porous defense conceding a conference-high 30 goals. Can it hold on for much longer?

D.C. United

Toothless is the only word suitable to describe Ben Olsen's utterly frustrating D.C. United, a team that has scored a meager 12 goals in 17 matches, good for fewest in the league. Incredibly, D.C. remains level with two other Eastern teams at five wins, and could theoretically mount a second-half comeback, but will need new personnel up top to do it. The summer transfer window beckons.

Montreal Impact

On paper, the Montreal Impact should be thriving; Matteo Mancosu, Ignacio Piatti, and Blerim Dzemaili have the skill needed to succeed in MLS. But, in practice, Montreal has struggled, and sits bottom of the table with a pair of games in hand. It's hard to see how Mauro Biello can squeeze more out of an aged midfield, but he'll need to. If not, Montreal will require drastic changes.

New England Revolution

Wildly inconsistent and lacking a clear style or club identity, the New England Revolution continue to struggle after failing to grasp the 2014 MLS Cup. A few wins peppered among draws and losses tell the story of this modern iteration, but until Jay Heaps can find a way to organize his forwards in a way that yields results, it's hard to see the Revs making much of a dent in the second half.

New York City FC

Patrick Vieira inherited a talented New York City FC but gave the team much-needed dimension this year by way of defensive reinforcements like Alexander Ring, Yangel Herrera, and Alexander Callens. As such, David Villa is enjoying another excellent year, as the Pigeons finally find comfort playing in Vieira's preferred back-to-front possession-based system.

New York Red Bulls

Where once the New York Red Bulls seemed impenetrable, cracks have begun to form and Jesse Marsch's side is struggling to keep in form, as such. Things seem okay - Bradley Wright-Phillips is scoring, Sacha Kljestan is creating, and Luis Robles is making saves - but underneath the surface there are questions as to the longevity of this high-energy, high-pressing bunch.

Orlando City

Orlando City's season started off with an injury to club captain Kaka, but that didn't stop Jason Kreis' side from opening its new home stadium in glory. That home form, coupled with the emergence of Carlos Rivas, propelled the Lions to early success, but road form was hard to find. Now? Top-scoring striker Cyle Larin faces DUI charges and Orlando hasn't won in its last four attempts.

Philadelphia Union

The Philadelphia Union endured the worst start in the East after a pair of draws on either end of a four-match losing skid from March through April, but things turned around in May when the team won four straight. Sadly, a three-match losing streak followed, sending Philly crashing down from a short-lived high.

Toronto FC

Toronto FC boasts a league-leading 35 points and a plus-15 goal differential, has only lost twice, and has dealt with short turnaround between games all year. None of it has stopped the Reds. Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore are scoring freely, former Barcelona man Victor Vazquez is racking up assist after assist, Michael Bradley organizes the backline, and Greg Vanney keeps it all running smoothly. It makes Toronto the MLS Cup favorite for 2017.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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