Can you feel it? The sun is hanging around just a little bit longer. The snow piles are turning just a bit more grey, and I could smell no less than three families grilling over the weekend around my neighborhood. It can only mean that March is around the corner and with it the start of the 25th edition of the MLS season!
March 1st has been marked for months on my calendar. The Loons head to the Cascadia region to take on the Portland Timbers for the season opener. Finally the long MLS off-season is coming to a close and we can start answering important questions like how many home games will the Loons have to play with an orange ball due to snow? Can you use snowman as part of your wall? Will there be hot chocolate at the stadium?
Seriously though, since their entrance into the league three years ago the Loons have shown steady progress. Of course being blown out in the first two games helped to lower expectations, but even in that first season the Loons held it together and has been building steadily ever since culminating last season where they capped off the opening of Allianz Field with a trip to the finals of the Lamar’s Cup and their first trip to the MLS playoffs. My biggest question is where do the Loons go from here?
It’s early in the season, but I am optimistic that the Loons will make the playoffs again this year. The Western Conference is tough, tougher I think than the Eastern Conference, but I’m still projecting the Loons to be fighting for a playoff spot at the end of the season. Based on commentators around the league, there seem to be at least a few people giving the Loons a chance to be contenders this year. Here’s how I think the conference shake out.
Western Conference
- Los Angeles Football Club
- Seattle Sounders FC
- LA Galaxy
- Minnesota United FC
- Sporting Kansas City
- FC Dallas
- Portland Timbers
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Real Salt Lake
- Houston Dynamo
- Colorado Rapids
- Nashville SC
- Vancouver Whitecaps
I think the Loons not only have a good shot at the playoffs, but I think they get another home playoff game. With my projections they would be playing Sporting Kansas City in the first round, and this time I think they win their first round game. This likely sets up a match for the Loons in L.A. and I think this where the Loons’s season ends. Meanwhile both the home team, the Galaxy and Sounders, win. This time the Galaxy defeat the Sounders to play LAFC in the western conference championship. Chicahrito does what Zlatan couldn’t and the Galaxy play NYCFC in MLS Cup 25.
As for stats I think the Loons continue to improve on their defense. Last year they only allowed 43 goals. I think they bring this to under 40 and allow only 39 goals in during the 2020 campaign. The Loons scored 50 goals last season. We’ll see if Luis Amarilla can boost this tally, and I think in this system can he. I do think the Loons improve and score 57 goals.
Eastern Conference
Folks are going to be paying attention to expansion side Inter Miami CF and Atlantic United FC, but that means a lot of people are going to be sleeping on the champions of the East again, New York City FC.
- New York City FC
- D.C. United
- Philadelphia Union
- Atlanta United
- Columbus Crew
- Toronto FC
- New England Revolution
- Orlando City
- Inter Miami CF
- New York Red Bulls
- Chicago Fire
- Montreal Impact
- FC Cincinnati
In this playoff picture, D.C. slips up against the New England Revolution and Toronto who started the season slow dismantle the Union. Atlanta is the sole home side victor. In the second round NYCFC outplays the Revs and Toronto finds a way against Atlanta again. NYCFC wins the Eastern Conference and heads to MLS Cup 25.
High scoring MLS 25 ends 3-2 with New York City FC winning it all.
12th Loon 