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We’ve been previewing all 29 teams over 10 days in as Daily Kickoff a style as we can.
Yesterday we checked in on Nashville SC, Minnesota United FC and Portland Timbers. Today, we end with CF Montréal, New England Revolution and Houston Dynamo FC.
Yes, we know the rosters aren’t finalized yet. The rosters are never finalized.
CF MONTRÉAL
2023 By The Numbers (per American Soccer Analysis)
They finished with the seventh-lowest expected point total in MLS. But all of that feels pretty irrelevant because Montréal confusingly went from Wilfried Nancy’s possession-based game model to Hernán Losada’s possession-optional game model and are now back to something that should resemble Nancy’s model under new manager Laurent Courtois.
2024 Final Standing Range
Between eighth and 14th in the Eastern Conference.
I don’t think they have it in them to finish dead last in the East, but it’s hard to see a path to something beyond a Wild Card spot with the conference as good as it is. It’s a totally fine, maybe even really good roster with decent pieces and some intriguing new TAM signings in midfielder Dominik Iankov and forward Matías Cóccaro. But it feels like this year is about finding stability and returning to a style that works for the team for the long term. Hiring Losada will have them playing catch up for a while.
Player of the People
We’ve been telling y’all to pay close attention to Kwadwo Opoku for a couple of years now and that’s not going to change anytime soon. He’s one of the most exciting players in the league and he might be set for a true breakout season.
This could all go pretty well if…
Iankov, Cóccaro and Opoku form a dynamic trio, a roster full of solid players puts together a ton of consistent performances and it all starts to feel a little more like 2022. It’s plausible. Iankov and Cóccaro are total unknowns right now, though. Nearly everything hinges on them.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
2023 By The Numbers (per American Soccer Analysis)
Things were going pretty well! Then Djordje Petrovic left for Chelsea for a reported $17.5 million transfer fee, Bruce Arena resigned and everything spiraled from there. Post-Petrovic, the Revs put up 1.09 points per game over their final 11 games, the seventh-worst mark in the league. Their underlying numbers weren’t any better. It didn’t come as a surprise when they ducked out of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in Round One.
2024 Final Standing Range
Between fourth and 10th in the Eastern Conference.
The Revs are probably a playoff-caliber team, but are they anything more than that? It’s tough to overstate how critical having Matt Turner and Djordje Petrovic in goal has been over the last few seasons. If new goalkeeper Henrich Ravas isn’t one of the single-best shot-stoppers in MLS history, the Revs will take a step back at that position for the first time in a long time.
Ravas doesn’t have to be elite for this team to be good, though. They’ll always have enough in attack with Carles Gil pulling the strings, and adding DP winger Tomás Chancalay into the mix on a permanent deal this offseason should give opponents another nightmare to deal with in attack. If DP forward Giacomo Vrioni can be effective (or Bobby Wood can do that job for him), then the Revs are stout enough in midfield and at the back to earn points consistently.
Player of the People
How could you not be rooting for Dylan Borrero to get healthy and look like himself after a season-ending ACL injury in 2023? If he gets back up to full speed at some point this year, the league will have one of its most electric players back.
This could all go pretty well if…
Ravas is at least good, Chancalay’s excellent performance at the end of 2023 wasn’t a fluke and they find a consistent goal-scoring threat either on the wing or from one of the forwards. If Vrioni plays up to his DP tag and Borrero gets back to full health, then this team starts to scrape up against their ceiling.
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
2023 By The Numbers (per American Soccer Analysis)
The Dynamo slightly outperformed their underlying numbers last year. They were about five points better than their expected points total. But, hey, 51 points got them a home playoff spot and an eventual trip to the Western Conference Final. The underlying numbers didn’t stop them from winning the US Open Cup either. On paper, they were fine. By the eye test, they played some of the most attractive ball in the league.
Héctor Herrera guided the way there. Herrera took 14.1% of his team’s touches, the highest mark in the league.
2024 Final Standing Range
Between fourth and 13th in the Western Conference.
Welcome to the middle of the West. It feels appropriate to end our previews on yet another Western Conference team that can be summed up with a shrug. It’s tough to discount how well they played last season, but there are already serious concerns. Winger Nelson Quiñónes is out for the year and Herrera is starting the year injured. Striker Corey Baird left for FC Cincinnati after an eight-goal, six-assist season. And, most importantly, they haven’t filled their open DP spot.
Oh, and DP forward Sebastián Ferreira is back? It’s hard to know what to make of that. Maybe he’s ready to fit into manager Ben Olsen’s system? Maybe Houston are waiting for any opportunity to deal him out and open a second DP spot? It’s not clear yet.
At the very least, star midfielder Coco Carrasquilla is still around. For now anyway. That feels like it could change at any moment.
Player of the People
Ferreira has so much to prove. Houston didn’t want him last year. Now, he’s back and finding the net in preseason. It would be a heckuva redemption arc if he finds his way this year.
This could all go pretty well if…
Herrera is healthy, they find the right fit for that DP spot and they’re able to build on what they did in 2023. Maybe that includes Ferreira. Maybe that means they ship Ferreira out and find another DP. It feels like the roster as is needs some help either way.
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