5 storylines to watch in the 2018 MLS season
The 2017 MLS season produced plenty of intriguing and exciting plot points, and 2018 offers the promise for even more drama, passion, and history, with a new team, more high-quality footballers, and another MLS Cup to contend.
Here are five storylines to follow in the 2018 MLS campaign:
The battle for Los Angeles
(Photo courtesy: @BeardEric)
The LA Galaxy picked the wrong year to find themselves down in the dumps, with newcomer Los Angeles FC grabbing much of the media attention in 2018. The Galaxy will be particularly worried about their place in the city's soccer landscape if Bob Bradley can make his expansion team a true competitor right out of the gate. LAFC is no Chivas USA, after all - supporters of Liga MX sides can freely sport black-and-gold in the City of Angels without feeling traitorous.
The Galaxy boasts both Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos, while LAFC made Carlos Vela its first star signing. As a result, it will be interesting to see how the city embraces each team in 2018. Sigi Schmid will work to restore the Galaxy to its best, but can LAFC become the new darling in the San Fernando Valley?
New coaches, new trials
This time last year, there were just a pair of managerial changes, but there'll be five new head coaches eagerly anticipating kick-off in 2018. Each faces unique challenges, some more difficult than others.
Remi Garde will need to get a depleted Montreal Impact roster to punch above its weight; Brad Friedel has to find new ways of winning with the New England Revolution without the resources of his Eastern peers; Giovanni Savarese must work to change the culture and work habits of a Portland Timbers team that has only known Caleb Porter's ways for the last five years; Mikael Stahre is charged with building an exciting San Jose Earthquakes attack; finally, new Colorado Rapids boss Anthony Hudson must completely revamp a misfiring attack and a leaky defense and restore confidence within the team.
Toronto FC's quest for the quadruple
How do you build on the single greatest campaign in MLS history? That's the question Toronto FC will try to answer in 2018 as the Reds try to improve on their many accomplishments from 2017: That means earning more than 69 points and once again capturing the MLS Cup, Canadian Championship, and the Supporters' Shield ... all while contesting the CONCACAF Champions League.
Can Greg Vanney's side pull it off? It's a tough ask, but the club has gotten stronger with key additions Gregory van der Wiel, Auro, and Ager Aketxe. If any team can succeed, it's Toronto, but its foes will be extra motivated to trump the narrative.
Sophomore slumps for Atlanta, Minnesota?
Much of the chatter in 2017, especially in the early goings of the season, revolved around the juxtaposed successes of newcomers Atlanta United and Minnesota United. The former enjoyed a tremendous debut year, while the latter struggled in the early goings before finding a touch of resiliency in the second stanza.
A sophomore season can prove a touch harrowing for rookie players - also known as the "sophomore slump" - so will these two teams enjoy similar growth in 2018, or take a step backward?
The end of Crew SC?
Once the dust settles on the 2018 season, the future of Columbus Crew SC may already be decided, as team owner Anthony Precourt continues to ponder the idea of moving his franchise to Austin, Texas. It's going to take a while to sort everything out, but for Crew SC fans, 2018 could potentially be the last year of their team's very existence.
Precourt used a fan event Thursday as cover to release a statement which reaffirmed his desire to find a stadium location in Austin and build a new club, but supporters in Ohio have not relented in their bid to rescue their team from relocation, rallying around the "#SaveTheCrew" mantra.
There's plenty of anger and anticipation from fans in Columbus and Austin respectively, but rest assured that whatever decision is made, the process will not be smooth. There are still plenty of plot twists and controversies ahead.
Other storylines worth watching:
- Chris Wondolowski's bid to become MLS' all-time top scorer
- Lee Nguyen's future with the Revolution
- David Villa's possible World Cup return
- Seattle Sounders star Jordan Morris' ACL recovery
- D.C. United's stadium move to Audi Field
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)