2024 MLS Predictions: Eastern Conference
Photo by Carolyn Kaster from The Associated Press
The dumbest league in the world is back this weekend!
This time, with conflict regarding the US Open Cup, a referee lockout, and Ohio being in charge!
So 2024 is scheduled to be really, REALLY dumb!
Like last year, I will predict each slot in each conference.
For a reminder of the extremely weird playoff rules, 9 teams from each conference make the playoffs.
Or at least we think they do. That was last year. Maybe this year they’ll change it randomly two days before the season.
Like I’ve said, what a league.
Let’s dive into the Eastern Conference.
1. Columbus Crew
The reigning MLS Cup winners kept their core group together, as well as head coach Wilfried Nancy who is (most likely) the best coach in the league.
Sure, the Crew have CONCACAF Champions Cup to deal with, which may slow them down, but they and Cincinnati still feel like top tier of the East no matter how many extra matches they play.
2. FC Cincinnati
Like I said, they’re right alongside Columbus in the top tier level.
Losing Brandon Vasquez does suck for Cincy, but they still have one of the best defenses in the league and the reigning league MVP in Lucho Acosta.
They’ll be fine.
3. Philadelphia Union
The one thing that always bodes well in MLS is consistency.
The Union have consistently been one of the best teams in the league.
They’re talented, they have depth, and they’re well coached by Jim Curtin.
When it comes playoff time, I’ll bring up their lack of spending and lack of match winners to prevent them from winning titles, but over the course of a 34 game season, that continuity matters a ton.
4. Orlando City SC
I love the signings Orlando City made this offseason.
Luis Muriel, the new designated player striker, should be much needed help for a team who, despite finishing 2nd in the east last year, still scored less goals than any other automatic qualifying eastern playoff team.
Nico Lodeiro from Seattle is great MLS experience to soak up minutes either as a starter or on the bench.
Hell, they even got a benefit from a signing not going through with Duncan McGuire failing to get a deal done with Blackburn Rovers over misfiled paperwork.
It may not be perfect, but it was a really good offseason in my book.
5. Atlanta United
The team was good last season, but I had concerns how well they’d play once Thiago Almada left for Europe.
Well, he’s still there!
Surprisingly, nobody has scooped up the young World Cup winner from Atlanta, so they still have at least half a season of the Argentine down south.
And if they lose him in the summer, Uncle Arthur Blank will splash the cash to get them another young star.
Garth Lagerwey squads don’t stay quiet for long, either.
Expect some noise this year.
6. New England Revolution
I struggled a lot between 6th for the Revs and the team I have slotted for 7th to be 6th instead.
Both teams have good managers who are proven to play a certain style, and a consistent style of play is a great note for continued success.
The difference is, the Revs have Carles Gil, one of the best designated players in this league, while the team I have 7th has fun, but unproven talent.
It’ll be a rocky first year for Caleb Porter and the Revs, but it should be a playoff year.
7. New York City FC
Nick Cushing is good at this.
He was great in the women’s super league, he was a Ronny Delia assistant at NYCFC, and he’s had a topsy turvy run as full manager at NYCFC, but that also came with a lot of roster turnover and uncertainty.
Now, they have some consistency in the roster, but it is a young squad.
It’s going to take time for them to get their feet wet and make noise in this league.
8. New York Red Bulls
I’m not going to pick against the Red Bulls to make the playoffs anymore.
The Bulls have made the postseason every year for 14 consecutive years.
No matter who they lose. No matter what manager they have. They find their way in.
Who cares that Sandro Schwarz is new in town? Why would that stop them?
They now have Emil Forsberg now, and one of, if not the best, goalies in Carlos Coronel.
I’m not doubting them anymore.
9. Nashville SC
Nashville is, once again, rolling with the strategy of “play good defense and hope Hany Mukhtar makes magic happen.”
It works for the most part. They’ve been a consistent playoff team.
But it’s not going to win them championships.
They desperately need help up front.
10. Inter Miami
This one may come back to bite me, but I do not care.
Miami is a great roster in FIFA 15.
Hell, it may be great on paper in MLS.
Messi, Busquets and Alba were magic in their short time at Miami last year.
Tata Martino is an excellent coach as well, and they’ve added Luis Suarez to the fold.
But they already struggle heavily on the backline, and reports are that they need to make “significant” sales to end up compliant with the MLS roster rules.
Miami built a squad to sell jerseys and tickets.
And they may make the playoffs.
But no defense. Possibly no depth. Champions Cup. Leagues Cup. A 34 game season.
I don’t see anything special here.
11. Chicago Fire
By all accounts, the Fire have made good moves this offseason.
But by all accounts, the Fire have made good moves most offseasons’s.
They just never seem to work out.
Kellyn Acosta is a very good MLS midfielder who should slide in and be successful.
But this is the Fire, we’re talking about.
A complete collapse would not surprise me.
12. Toronto FC
This team still has Insigne, Bernardeschi, Blessing.
There’s talent!
But this talent didn’t do a damn thing last year, and they likely won’t do a damn thing this year either.
Toronto has run into the problem of spending money, but not in the right places.
And they feel stuck.
13. CF Montreal
Montreal was unable to retain Wilfried Nancy after a very good 2022 season, and it showed in a bad 2023 season.
Now, they have another new head coach and not a super talented roster.
Letting Nancy go to Columbus instead of paying the man might just be the biggest recent mistake a club has made.
14. DC United
Another year with a middling roster and a brand new manager.
This club is going in circles.
15. Charlotte FC
A new coach in Dean Smith.
Two unused designated player slots.
A full rebuild might not be so bad for Charlotte FC in the long run, but it won’t be fun this year.
