We are less than 24 hours away from the 24th season of Major League Soccer. Naturally, 24 teams will compete, thanks to the addition of FC Cincinnati to the ranks. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already got a case of MLS Fever, thanks to CONCACAF Champions League fever over the past two weeks.

Recapping 2018:

MLS Cup: Atlanta United (69 points, 2nd East) def Portland Timbers (54 points, 5th West) 2-0
Golden Boot/MVP winner: Josef Martinez, Atlanta United
Supporters’ Shield: New York Red Bulls (71 pts)
US Open Cup: Houston Dynamo def. Philadelphia Union, 3-0

New for 2019:

Hashtag Emojis!



New Playoff Format! Ridiculous as it seems, the playoffs have expanded from 12 to 14 teams, 7 in each conference. The big change is that all rounds are now single elimination, so the regular season will be more important, as homefield advantage is much greater in a 1-off than in 2 game aggregate series. This also condenses the end of the season, meaning we will get MLS Cup almost a full month earlier, November 10th.

Atlanta United might have lost their manager to Mexico and their playmaker to Newcastle United, but it’s hard to look past this bunch to be near the top again. They certainly shouldn’t sink to the depth that 2017 champs Toronto FC, who have sold Sebastian Giovinco and looked like a basketcase in exiting the Champions League prematurely.

Other departures:

David Villa to Japan
Tyler Adams to Leipzig
Alphonso Davies to Bayern Munich
Ola Kamara to China.

Zlatan is back, Wayne Rooney is back, Carlos Vela is back, so let’s MLS.


5dimes lines

New York Red Bulls +500
Atlanta United +600
LA Galaxy +650
Los Angeles FC +800
New York City FC +900
Seattle Sounders +1000
Portland Timbers +1250
Sporting Kansas City +1400
Toronto FC +1500
FC Dallas +2000
Philadelphia Union +2000
DC United +2750
Columbus Crew +3500
Montreal Impact +5250
Real Salt Lake +5500
Chicago Fire +5500
Houston Dynamo +7000
FC Cincinnati +7500
New England Revolution +8000
Vancouver Whitecaps +9000
Minnesota United +10000
San Jose Earthquakes +11000
Colorado Rapids +15000
Orlando City +15000


Week 1 Fixtures and USATV info:

Saturday, March 2, 2019
1 p.m. – Philadelphia Union vs. Toronto FC (Talen Energy Stadium)
2:30 p.m. – Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC (Orlando City Stadium) UNIVISION
4:30 p.m. – Columbus Crew SC vs. New York Red Bulls (MAPFRE Stadium)
4:30 p.m. – FC Dallas vs. New England Revolution (Toyota Stadium)
6 p.m. – Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake (BBVA Compass Stadium)
6 p.m. – Colorado Rapids vs. Portland Timbers (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park)
6 p.m. – Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Minnesota United FC (BC Place)
8 p.m. – LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire (Dignity Health Sports Park) FS1
10 p.m. – Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Cincinnati (CenturyLink Field) FS1
10 p.m. – San Jose Earthquakes vs. Montreal Impact (Avaya Stadium)

Sunday, March 3, 2019
6 p.m. – D.C. United vs. Atlanta United (Audi Field) ESPN
8 p.m. – LAFC vs. Sporting Kansas City (Banc of California Stadium) ESPN



CONCACAF Champions League QUARTERFINALS 1st Leg

Tuesday March 5
8PM
New York Red Bulls vs Santos Laguna

10PM
Houston Dynamo vs Tigres

Wednesday March 6
8 PM
Independiente vs Sporting Kansas City

10 PM
Monterrey vs Atlanta United

Representing, AFAICT:

Atlanta
CDL
dkgojackets
Hard2tel
JordanIB
JudgeHoldem
mmbt0ne
TJEckleburg12

Chicago Fire
iron81

Colorado Rapids
702guy

#SavetheCrew
flabucki09

FC Dallas
candykreep
UpnAdam720

LAFC
minnesotasam

LA Zlatans
kidcolin

Montreal Impact
El Rata
Fossilkid93
vomit

New England Revs (RIP)
BobboFitos
Green Kool Aid

New York Red Bulls
LFC_USA

Philadelphia Union
lacticacid

Portland Timbers
Rapid_Fire

San Jose Earthquakes
Klingbard

Sporting KC
Mutigers
preki
Schlitz mmmm

Toronto FC
lumberajack
MediocrePlayer2.0
bigt2k4

Vancouver Whitecaps
72off
Bobo Fett

Honorary (and obligatory) LOL TOLUCA
cruzin63

so as predicted, LAG just gonna play with 4 DPs this year, because they want to

great league


Don furiously writing up some new rule to allow this as we speak no doubt

ATLANTA UNITED gonna defend our title.

I'm sure it's been discussed to death when the playoff change was decided, but what's the general mood about single KO playoffs?

think most ppl like it

i'm more against, but don't care too much aorn

will wait & see how it plays out i guess

I’ll always be a fan of FCD, but may as well put me down for Orlando City. It’s my second hometown and back living here again. Plus they can use my support a lot more

Going to the home opener tomorrow vs NYCFC. I’m anticipating a bloodbath.

nice OP Klingbard

there is a DC united fan u missed, the guy with the Tina Fey avatar

Tim Howard in his final season. He must really love misery or hate home life to spend it with the Crapids

Expecting Cincy FC to be competitive, especially at home.

gonna place an advance order of lolTorontoFC

Excellent OP. In for the season. More tomorrow

I like the new playoff format a lot mostly because I really despised the old one

I'm pretty OUT of MLS. I haven't watched a single game the last 2 years.

Back in the days of shootouts, playoffs were 3-game series. That was a bit much. The most important thing is that the title is decided before Thanksgiving, as half the teams can get some really nasty weather which is not great for anybody.

---

Other news and notes:

Minnesota will open soccer-specific Allianz Field on April 13, capacity at 19K expanding to 24K.
Portland will spend the first 2+ months of the season on the road as Providence Park gets another renovation/expansion.

Galaxy bought out Giovani dos Santos today, eating several million dollars in salary but getting their first team roster in compliance.

We're in year 2 of #WondoWatch. Though scoring 10 goals last year gave him a record 9th consecutive double digit goal season, he is still 1 goal shy of tying Landon's all time league goals record.

As for a quick quakes preview, it was noted in the other thread that this roster is mostly the same talent that earned the wooden spoon last year. Because of the lack of quality signings on the pitch, the rumor mill already has new head coach Matias Almeyda reportedly frustrated with the budget and linked to some Liga MX jobs before the first kick. We'll see if 19-year old LB Marcos Lopez from Peru, as well as two loanees from South America can improve the product on the field but no one should be expecting much here.

Biggest league arrivals for 2019:

Marco Fabian to Philadelphia Union
Nani to Orlando City
Nicolas Gaitan to Chicago Fire
....?

I think ATL Utd are still hands down the best team in this league but I threw some MLS Cup bets down on SKC +1600 and Minnesota +10000.

SKC seem really organized and even though its small sample size looked extremely impressive against Toluca. Given the new playoff format the playoffs are going to be even more of a cagey affair and a crap shoot. I think SKC is coming out of the west.

Minnesota is just a lot of fun, and will score a ton of goals. Because of the new playoff format I honestly can't see them getting through multiple one-offs unless their defense massively improves, but it will be fun to follow them nonetheless.

Really though, with ATL adding Pity to replace Almiron there's really no reason they shouldn't be shipping this again. De Boer would have to seriously **** with things and change the way they play. Again though, playoffs are now a total crap shoot, but even with CCL distraction I can't see ATL not having home field throughout and 75,000 is a tough atmosphere to win in

As for the new playoff format it's dumb. But it was dumb before. This is the biggest drawback for MLS for me, how completely meaningless the regular season is. More than half the teams cannot make the playoffs. What makes the European leagues great is how important the regular season is. That said, I guess the one leg knockout rounds give a little more importance to your finishing position in that top 7, but it is going to make for some really really really boring playoff games with away teams parking the bus.

I knew a few people in the la galaxy organization but they got fired so f the galaxy

LOLLLLL Michael Bradley opens the scoring for the season. MLS gonna MLS

#BradleyBrace

Pay him $10 million/year!!!

Shut it all down

Jozy and Gio were just getting in his way

BRAD 4 TFC & USMNT 4EVAH

My bold prediction is that Orlando City will eat balls again

Doesn't MLS have VAR? That looked well over the line

How is goal line technology not installed across the league? Simple, quick and fool proof

This ref has completely lost the plot

They have VAR but Bradley's older bro Ciman clearly saved it in time.

They don't have goal line technology though? That's as Mickey Mouse as it gets

There should be 15 minutes of ET. This ref just stands around and has conversation with everybody