Over the next month I will be putting out a series of previews for MLS (not The) this season. I know you are all wondering why should I care about MLS, however here are a couple facts to get you going.

• Since 2007 the league has gone from 13 to 24 teams (and counting)
• Last year MLS added a new team in LA owned by Will Ferrell, Magic Johnson, Nomar Garciaparra, and Mia Hamm!
• Soccer has the longest run time of the 4 major sports in 90 minutes, however because there’s no commercials the game only lasts 2 hours.
• Great players such as Josef Martinez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Carlos Vela, and many many more come to a tv near you every week!
• ESPN+ has made it very easy to find each game every week.

D.C. United

Owner: Jason Levien

Coach: Ben Olsen

Previous Season Record: 14-11-9 4th in East

U.S. Open Cup 2018: Round of 16

Top Scorer: Wayne Rooney 12 Goals

Stadium: Audi Field

2018 Recap

At the beginning of last season Coach Ben Olsen was having a really hard time finding an identity for one of the leagues most historic franchises. It looked like they would open up their new stadium by floundering their way to the finish. That all changed July 1 when Wayne Rooney showed up.

Over the second half of the season this team became unstoppable behind the Luciano Acosta and Rooney Duo. They went on a historic run (10 game unbeaten streak) to make the playoffs and capped it with one of the greatest plays in the history of MLS.

Unfortunately they lost in the playoffs in a shootout to the Columbus Crew, but they gave their fans a hell of a ride and opened up Audi Field (12-2-1 there last year) with a BANG!

Off Season Transactions

*A couple things to highlight here:

• Obviously bringing Rooney back is massive.
• Bringing Bill Hamid back is great as well, he is one of the best MLS goalies of all time.
• Losing Pat Mullens and Kevin Ellis hurts the overall depth of the team.

2019 Outlook

This upcoming season I assume D.C. will want to pick up right where they left off at the end of the regular season last year. They have Rooney, and Hamid back and Acosta (for now) ready to battle in a shallow Eastern Conference. We also saw Junior Moreno make a huge jump last year to become a starter in the midfield, and I think we will see him become one of the best mids in MLS this year. D.C. had a decent SuperDraft picking Akeem Ward in the first round out of Creighton. He should be able to learn for a year behind loanee Leonardo Jara for a year, and then star running the wings. Paul Arriola is always great in the middle as well, but again this team will hinge on veteran Steve Birnbaum and the defense.

If the defensive corps holds up, this team has a chance to make a real push to the top of the conference. I am really high on these guys so I think they will make the playoffs and possibly make a push for the final once they are there.