Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY] (They can get up to five: MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, Club World Cup, Leagues Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup).
While it would be great to see every MLS team in the US Open Cup, the new system that sees some teams play Leagues Cup and others in the historic cup competition will give more teams more to play for.
Given the huge teams at the Club World Cup, the slog of the MLS season for a team reliant on veteran players (with considerable injury histories) and the unknown of how Javier Mascherano will lead a senior team after having only coached Argentina youth squads in the past, I’m only envisioning one trophy lift.
But with fine margins separating the domestic and continental favorites (and with a bit of PTSD from watching Miami flail in knockout tournaments last season), I’m limiting myself to the Shield and MLS Cup here.
Really, this trend defined last offseason for the eventual MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy, when they added two blazing wingers in Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil.
