Weāre officially past the midway point of the season in terms of total games played in the 2022 regular season, and 27 of the 28 teams in MLS have played at least half their schedule (cāmon,Ā D.C., please keep up), which means it's time to hand out some midseason grades across the length and breadth of MLS.
Bear in mind I'm factoring in Cup play (US Open Cup,Ā Concacaf Champions LeagueĀ and/orĀ Canadian Championship), off-the-field stuff and just baseline expectations as well. If you want to know who the best teams are, just look at theĀ standings. If you want to know who's having the best year, I've got you covered below.
The East was Wednesday; hereās the West. In we go!
I talk a lot about linear, year-over-year improvement. And by that I mean something like what weāve seen in MontrĆ©al ā where a coach in his first year lays down a tactical framework, puts pieces in place (some new, some used) to execute it and does well. Then in the next year, they do almost everything 10 or 15% better, and because of that, they go from a mid-table team to one thatās solidly in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs race.
From a certain point of view, Austinās shown linear improvement themselves. They are using largely the same players to execute upon largely the same exact framework Josh Wolff laid down in his first season.
Only theyāre not 10 or 15% better. Austinās more like 35 or 40% better at just about everything than they were last year, and their improvement is linear in the sense that a line pointing almost straight up is, in fact, linear.
Anyway, you could see what Wolff was trying to build last year. You can see them executing on it at a very high level this year.
What they couldāve done better: They really seem to have missed badly on the Jhojan Valencia signing, though Danny Pereiraās development into arguably the best young d-mid in MLS has cushioned that particular blow.
One note is that the advanced numbers tend not to like them as much as the eye test does, or as the table does. That usually ends up mattering in the end.
The good vibes from last year are long gone. Colorado have been less effective at controlling play through midfield, less effective at generating goals off of set pieces, and less effective at just keeping the ball out of their own net. This team won on the margins last year, and at the same time got significant steps forward from a lot of their marginal players.
This year theyāre losing on the margins, and most of the players who took a step forward last year have taken a step backward this season. Auston Trusty and Lalas Abubakar at the back, Jonathan Lewis up top, Mark-Anthony Kaye in the middleā¦ none of those guys are as good as they were a season ago.
Add in injuries to Jack Price and Danny Wilson and underperformance from new additions like Gyasi Zardes and Max, and itās been a tough 2022.
What they couldāve done better: They sat tight this winter and then actually subtracted from the roster (Cole Bassett was loaned and then Kellyn Acosta was traded) instead of building up from the strengths of last yearās side.
So last yearās team was just deeper and more dynamic than what this yearās version ā which can only really attack in transition at this point ā has proved to be.
Nico Estevez, in one offseason, changed Dallas from a team that seemed to figure out a way to let every single game get away from them, to one that probably puts more emphasis on pitch control and mastery of rhythm than anybody else in the league.
If youāre a complete tactics nerd youāve probably enjoyed seeing this. I, myself, mostly like it because itās distinct ā nobody else in MLS plays quite like Dallas under Estevez, who donāt get vertical other than off-ball runs in behind (which are primarily made to open up space for Jesus Ferreira underneath), and who donāt really press (even though they have the personnel to be really good at it, and even though I suspect Estevez is saving their legs to unleash a surprise press when the weather cools), and even though they often need an engraved invitation to consider shooting.
They want control of the ball, and they want control of the game, and they are willing to sacrifice chances to blow the game open in order to achieve that. Given their spot in the standings, itās mostly been worth it.
What they couldāve done better: I think they just need to find a better balance between game control and risk-taking. Right now their frankly incredible degree of risk aversion is costing them points, as it did this weekend in their 1-1 draw to Inter Miami CF.
The new owners, the new GM, the new coaching staffā¦ theyāre all clearly trying to fix a bunch of the stuff thatās been broken with this team for a while. But itās clearly going to take more than one window worth of tearing the old foundations down ā in truth itāll probably take more than three windows. Thereās not a ton on this roster that you can point at and say āthat is something to build around.ā
But they have at least made a couple of expensive signings in Sebastian Ferreira and Hector Herrera. Guys like that wouldnāt have been a part of the Dynamoās plans in earlier iterations.
Still, it feels like this is going to take a while to fix.
What they couldāve done better: While Ferreiraās been decent, neither of their other imports this winter (winger Thiago Rodrigues and right back Zeca) have been at all effective. Zeca, in fact, might be the worst defensive fullback in the league.
They had one of the best offseasons of anybody in the league by going out and addressing their MLS experience deficit. Via free agency signings and trades they acquired more than 1,000 games worth of MLS run, adding four starters ā Kellyn Acosta, Ilie Sanchez, Ryan Hollingshead and Maxime Crepeau ā in the process.
And so theyāve become less spectacular and more solid. Theyāre up in their usual spot amongst the best in the league as per the underlying numbers, and are pairing that with a sort of ruthless knowhow that eluded this team over the past couple of years.
All of the above has allowed them to survive injury-hit seasons from Carlos Vela, Brian Rodriguez and Chicho Arango, as well as a serious regression from Latif Blessing.
They are, in short, winning the types of games they would have drawn or lost each of the past two years. It hasnāt always been pretty, but itās been effective.
What they couldāve done better: LAFC should be pretty! Iāll admit I bear something of a grudge against them for not being as ambitious in how they play as they were in their first four years of existence.
But the bigger issue now is that Iām not sure all these high-profile pieces are going to fit snugly with whatās been working so well. Where, for example, does Gareth Bale line up? Is his arrival going to move Vela to a false 9, and Arango ā whoās been the teamās best attacker ā to the bench? Have they given up on developing Brian Rodriguez? Who is Giorgio Chiellini going to move to the bench?
I get why they signed these guys and why at least one more big name is probably coming, but the more they add, the less certain I am itās going to work.
Just watching them, itās clear theyāve taken a pretty significant step forward in terms of their structure and solidity over last season. In 2021 they spent a lot of time dancing on the razorās edge, playing wide-open soccer because they had no ability to clamp it down and win the game playing in any other style. It caught up to them.
This season they seem more in control of games and have been so irrespective of the formation Greg Vanneyās trotted out. This is showing up in the advanced numbers, most of which really like how the Galaxy are performing.
Raheem Edwards and Mark Delgado were low-key two of the best signings anybody made this offseason.
What they couldāve done better: Douglas Costa was high-key maybe the worst? I didnāt think heād flop this hard, but heās been a net negative. Add that to the lack of progress shown from Kevin Cabral, Samuel Grandsir and Efra Alvarez, and Vanneyās grand plan to play a 4-2-3-1 has gone up in smoke.
Theyāve clearly ā clearly clearly clearly!!! ā been much better playing two up top. Vanney finally seems to be caving to that reality. Where would they be if heād seen the light in March or April?
Also, I docked them a half-letter grade for falling on their faces in the Open Cup against USL Championship side Sacramento Republic. Vanney was right to lash into his team after that one.
Itās been underwhelming, hasnāt it? Granted, the Loons have been hit by more than their fair share of injuries, with Hassani Dotson (knee) and Roman Metanire (thigh) being the two most significant. Losing guys like that for essentially the whole season is tough for any team. For one that has never had a lot of depth, and doesnāt put much stock in their academy to build said depth, itās been pretty rough.
But theyāre still afloat because theyāve got Emanuel Reynoso and Robin Lod in attack, Michael Boxall in defense and especially Dayne St. Clair in goal. The big Canadian was, up until the return from the Concacaf Nations League break, having one of the best seasons of any ākeeper in MLS history, and that had been enough to keep this team within touching distance of the playoff race.
Thatās nowhere near as good as they were supposed to be on paper, but theyāve got everything left to play for.
What they couldāve done better: I think maybe theyād ask for a do-over on the winter window, as Luis Amarilla has proved to be just a part-time starter, and most of the other signings have been depth pieces, save for the now-injured Kervin Arriaga (ankle).
In short, there is no magic in this team beyond Bebelo, and everyone theyāre facing knows as much.
Itās all just exactly the same, isnāt it? Except they donāt seem to be trying quite so hard. And thatās not great for a team without a ton of ways to win games beyond trying really hard.
I donāt think itād be fair to be disappointed in a side thatās above the playoff line and remains really, really hard to beat. But I donāt blame any Nashville fans for being less than thrilled with what theyāve seen, either.
What they couldāve done better: Iām happy for Walker Zimmerman in getting a full-on DP contract, but what if theyād kept him on that max TAM salary, kept the DP slot open and been able to trade for Alejandro Pozuelo? Putting Poz as a 10 with Hany Mukhtar as second forward and C.J. Sapong up topā¦ that teamās got plenty of ways to hurt you, even if Ake Loba spends his whole Nashville career as a disappointment.
Another group of fans who are probably less than thrilled with what theyāve seen from their side this year, you knew the Timbers were going to struggle out of the gates given the injuries to Sebastian Blanco, Eryk Williamson, Larrys Mabiala and, eventually, Felipe Mora.
And true to form, itās been a struggle. All of those guys have returned to one degree or another, but I think itās fair to say that none of the four have returned to their previous respective levels (though Williamsonās second half this past weekend at Nashville suggests he might only be a week away from looking like a Best XI-caliber No. 8 on a fulltime basis, which would certainly be a nice way to start the second half of this season for Portland).
So itās all been a little bit less than good, and they find themselves a little bit below the playoff line. An extra dollop of bad news is that theyāve already played 19 games, which is tied for the most in the West. So they donāt have a ton of margin for error.
What they couldāve done better: In retrospect, it seems like moving past Blanco and building around a younger, healthier No. 10 wouldāve been the right call, doesnāt it? I respect that Portland wanted to hang on for one more year with a guy whoās meant to his club what Blanco has and who gave as much during last yearās push to the MLS Cup final as Blanco did. Still, even though his per-90 boxscore numbers are good, he hasnāt been anywhere near as influential on a minute-to-minute basis.
It looks like age and injuries may have finally caught up with the 34-year-old.
No DPs until recently, but theyāve got the highest xDawg in the league.
What they couldāve done better: I think maybe the only thing I can criticize RSL for at this point is failing to sell David Ochoa this past winter before his value tanked. I have to assume he wonāt be there much longer, which is a shame given his successful path through the academy.
If I was just grading their performance under Alex Covelo Iād probably have them at a B+. But Iām not ā the first seven games under Matias Almeyda, in which they went a very predictable 0W-4L-3D, count, as does ownershipās decision to keep Almeyda (who was clearly trying to get fired) on over the winter. If theyād just bitten the bullet at that point and hired Covelo (or any normal coach), then theyād probably be in a playoff spot today.
Instead theyāre closer to the Wooden Spoon, with just 18 points through 17 games. Itās disappointing.
The thing is, though, if youāre a Quakes fan you have to be encouraged about what youāve seen under Covelo. Jeremy Ebobisse has blossomed into a Golden Boot presented by Audi threat, and Cristian Espinoza looks like a borderline Best XI-caliber winger. Jamiro Monteiro is having his best year since 2020, while Cade Cowell, Benji Kikanovic and most of the youngish defenders are coming along nicely.
I donāt know what it means to be disappointed and optimistic at the same time. I guess thatās a C.
What they couldāve done better: Iāll just rehash my first paragraph here: I think theyāre a playoff team if theyād parted ways with Almeyda this winter.
They went out and did this:
And then their post-CCL hangover lasted precisely one game. Since then, Seattle are 6W-2L-1D and are still picking up wins despite having lost Joao Paulo for the season while juggling injuries to absences of the likes of Raul Ruidiaz, Yeimar Gomez Andrade, Xavier Arreaga, Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris.
Nobody else couldāve done this.
What they couldāve done better: lol
I donāt think there are more than a couple of teams in the league that could lose their DP No. 9 and their DP No. 10 for the season and be fine. Sporting have proved this year that they are not one of those select few.
Those injuries were obviously killer, but beyond that itās pretty clear there arenāt many (any?) folks on this roster playing at their necessary level, be it for reasons of injury (lots have been dinged up), age (guys like Roger Espinoza, Graham Zusi, Andreu Fontas and especially Tim Melia have been showing their mileage) or āotherā (a bunch of these signings might just not be very good), itās all come undone.
The only reason this isnāt an F is because theyāre one game from reaching the US Open Cup final. They deserve a lot of credit for making a deep run like this while the regular season has fallen apart around them.
What they couldāve done better: Like I said, most of their recent imports have been busts. Itās also been almost a decade since they turned a draft pick into a high-level contributor, and itās been years since they clearly won an intraleague trade or made what proved to be a savvy intraleague acquisition.
It feels like they need a complete reassessment of their talent ID and integration protocols.
From late February to the end of April: 1W-6L-1D, -11 goal differential. Since then: 6W-2L-2D, +2 goal differential.
The āCaps are still not playing great soccer, and a lot of these wins have been cobbled together with the same xDawg approach thatās worked for RSL. But Vanni Sartiniās gotten actual DP productivity out of Lucas Cavallini, has gotten Cody Cropper to play like an honest-to-goodness No. 1 option in goal, and has kept pulling the right levers with his lineups and subs even as heās lost players to injury, international absence and illness (the latter being the reason, I am told, for several players performing at something less than the level they showed down the stretch last year).
All of it adds up to a team just two points below the playoff line and with real reasons to think that the second half of the season will be significantly better given the addition of Andres Cubas and a little bit of the same magic that drove them down the stretch last year.
What they couldāve done better: Getting Cubas this winter wouldāve been a game-changer, as would a more clear-eyed assessment of the actual defensive weaknesses of the selection of wingbacks on hand.