Intriguing storylines to follow as MLS kicks off 2017 season
It used to be that great players with declining skills could come to MLS for two or three years and be the main attraction. David Beckham, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Thierry Henry and more recently Steven Gerrard cashed one last paycheck in the United States while simultaneously raising the league’s profile. But these days, MLS clubs scour the world for younger stars who have lots of goals left to score.
Atlanta United FC signed Miguel Almiron from Paraguay. FC Dallas also went to Paraguay to sign Cristian Colman. Real Salt Lake nabbed Slovak Albert Rusnak. Even the Dynamo got in on the act, acquiring Alberth Elis, 21, on loan from Monterrey.
Not every big signing yields big success, but MLS clubs proved over the offseason they are no longer settling for highprofile players who might be on their last legs.
Expansion teams
Commissioner Don Garber has said his goal is to get to 28 teams. This year MLS will welcome teams 21 and 22 in Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC. The two expansion clubs are building their rosters drastically differently.
Atlanta is doing it big. With the help of billionaire owner Arthur Blank Atlanta signed designated players Miguel Almiron from Paraguay, Hector Villalba from Argentina and Josef Martinez from Venezuela. Atlanta also has sold 30,000 season tickets. Minnesota, meanwhile, has signed no designated players.
Like in any sport, MLS expansion teams routinely have not been major contenders. But with the way Atlanta United has spent money, there are rumblings it could be pretty good as early as this season.
Video help on way for referees
Throughout the preseason, MLS experimented with its video assistant referee initiative. It consists of an additional referee positioned in a booth with technology that allows access to video at a finger’s touch from every available broadcast feed camera angle.
It will allow the VAR to alert the referee on the pitch when there has been an obvious error in four types of situations: goals, penalty calls, red-card incidents and cases of mistaken identity.
The league will run offline testing at all 22 stadiums from the start of the regular season through the All-Star Game on Aug. 2. The league hopes to incorporate VARs into regular-season matches following the All-Star Game.
Healed Dempsey back with Seattle
One of the most recognizable players in U.S. soccer, Clint Dempsey missed the last four months of the 2016 season with a heart ailment. Seattle Sounders FC won the MLS Cup championship without him, but he was missed.
Add Dempsey to a lineup that includes Nicolas Lodeiro, Jordan Morris and Osvaldo Alonso, and Sounders FC looks to be loaded. Last season Seattle started slow and finished strong.
Don’t be surprised if the champs start faster and keep the red line below them for much of the season rather than looking up at it.
Nacogdoches’ Dempsey, 33, has been cleared to play, and the second-leading, all-time scorer in U.S. men’s national team history could be in the Seattle Sounders’ starting 11 on Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.