The curtain has come down on the MLS regular season, with 14 teams now preparing to compete in the MLS Cup playoffs, and another 14 waiting to watch them from home. The unpredictable nature of this campaign has meant that there will be sides that are surprised to find themselves in the positions they are in. The New England Revolution missing out on the playoffs would've been met with similar long odds eight months ago. The Supporters' Shield was fought over by LAFC and the Philadelphia Union. There is a viewers guide for LaLiga, MLS, FA Cup and other sports. The teams were asked to think back to the start of the year and give a final letter grade for each side. Go to: ATL, CLT, CHI, CIN, COL, D.C., DAL, HOU, MIA, LA, LAG, MIN, MTL, NSH, NE, NYC,RBNY, ORL, PHI, POR. The record was 10W 10D 14L.
Standing: 40 points, 11th in the East
Grade: F
Atlanta United
The fact that Atlanta's payroll was the highest in MLS, combined with the fact that it finished 23rd out of 28 teams in the league table, makes it a failing grade.
The numbers provided by the MLSPA don't tell the whole story. Injuries to players like Miles Robinson and Brad Guzan did not help. There was still enough talent on this team to get into the playoffs and the Five Stripes didn't get it done. It's shaping up to be a put up or shut up year for Pineda.
The record was 16W-8D 10L.
Standing: 56 points, 2nd in West
Grade: A-
They were listed as one of six teams with a less than 1% chance of winning the MLS Cup, despite being given a 31% chance of making the playoffs. LAFC, Philadelphia and Montreal are the only three teams with better title odds after their strong start to the season.
They lost five of their last 10 and we will see if they have the legs for the playoffs. They are here. Sebastian Driussi had 22 goals and seven assists, Diego Fagundez had six goals and 15 assists, and Austin FC had a miracle second season.
The record was 13W 3D-18L.
Standing: 42 points, 9th in East
Grade: B+
Thanks to a late hot streak, they weren't eliminated from the playoffs until the last week of the season. Christian Lattanzio led the way for more than half the season. It's a success story in and of itself.
They did not have enough power. They were 21st in goals scored, with only one player hitting double digits, and opponents tried far more shots than they did. The makings of a proper possession club can be seen here, and it will be interesting to see how they try to build on that.
The record was 10W-9D-15L.
Standing: 39 points, 12th in East
Grade: C-
The city of Chicago had a lot to be positive about. In his first season in the league, 18-year-old Gabriel Slonina emerged as one of the most promising goalkeeping prospects in recent memory, while 18-year-old forward Jhon Duran became the youngest player in the league to score in a game.
The Fire finished 12th in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated from the playoffs with two matchdays left in the regular season. It's hard to escape the conclusion that the club is facing another season of rebuilding in 2023 if the transfer fee generated by Slonina's exit is the reward for their promise in 2022.
The record was 12W 13D-9L.
Standing: 49 points, 5th in East
Grade: A+
After spending the previous three seasons with the worst record in MLS, would it be possible to qualify for the playoffs? It was not bad from the FCC. It took until Decision Day for Cincinnati to make a statement with a win over D.C. United.
Chris Albright is the general manager of the rebuild project. They may not last long in the playoffs with their fragile defense, but they'll be fun to watch if attack-minded players such as Brandon and Luciano are able to step up.
The record was 11W 10D-13L.
Standing: 43 points, 10th in West
Grade: C-
The Rapids fell into obscurity after topping the Western Conference with 61 points. Only one team in the conference gave up more goals than Colorado did a year ago.
The regression is easy to comprehend. The Rapids have lost a number of players over the last year and a half, but haven't been able to replace them with the same caliber of players. In 26 matches, Gyasi Zardes scored 9 goals. The season was derailed by the middle of the summer when the Rapids won just two more times.
The record was 10W-16D-8L.
Standing: 46 points, 8th in East
Grade: C-
Is it a good idea to bring up the fact that Porter said he would bet his house on Columbus making the playoffs?
After failing to qualify last year, the Crew needed a tie on Decision Day to get into the playoffs. The defeat felt like a sign of a Columbus squad that has become accustomed to closing out games all year.
Porter often found himself stuck in draws and narrow results and will have to answer questions. It's hard to say that much has changed over the past year.
The record was 7W-5D-21L.
Standing: 27 points, 14th in East
Grade: F
The District was a case study. Paul Arriola was transferred to Dallas, where he enjoyed a career year, while the manager Hernan Losada was fired, and the new coach Wayne Rooney finished the year without a win.
D.C. was supposed to be a contender in the playoffs. It's hard to find a club that's further away from contention.
The record was 14W-11D-9L.
Standing: 53 points, 3rd in West
Grade: B+
After missing out on the playoffs in his first year as manager, Nico Estevez has been decisive in the efforts that have helped Dallas return to the playoffs. Dallas' defensive prowess was an important factor in their third place finish in the Western Conference.
It is not to say that their frontline should not be looked at. Jesus was one of the best strikers in the league with 18 goals and 6 assists. Other people such as Paul Arriola, Alan Velasco and Sebastian Lletget stepped up in important moments.
The record was 10W6D-18L.
Standing: 36 points, 13th in West
Grade: D
There are growing pains of a new era. Even with majority owner Ted Segal taking charge since 2021, nobody was able to stop a dismal run of form that led to a failure to qualify for the playoffs.
Nagamura's replacement will be tasked with reviving a team that hasn't made the playoffs in over a year.
The record was 14W 6D 14L.
Standing: 48 points, 6th in East
Grade: B
Inter was up. After finishing 10th and 11th in the East in their first two seasons of existence, the squad looked well on the way to making it three straight playoff-free years before turning on the jets. After August 1, they generated more points than any MLS team besides Montreal, nearly succumbing to a late-August slump but coming back thanks in part to one last hot streak from retiring strikers.
The goal of the team was to make the playoffs and they accomplished that.
The record was 21W-4D-9L.
Standing: 67 points, 1st in West
Grade: A
LAFC's journey to the Supporters' Shield took a detour at one point. Adding the likes of Bale, Denis and Chiellini might have made a difference in the squad's performance in the stretch run. LAFC won their last two games against Houston and Portland to claim the Shield, even though Philadelphia had a chance of catching them.
It's an impressive achievement for the club and first-year manager Steve Cherundolo, considering that this side missed the playoffs last year. The MLS Cup is upon us.
The record was 14W-8D-12L.
Standing: 50 points, 4th in West
Grade: B
The second half of the year was great for the MLS team. They were in ninth place in the Western Conference at the All-Star break and not worth talking about in the playoffs. The discussion has changed since then. Los Angeles rose all the way to fourth in the conference and are one of the favorites to win it all.
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There is a Friday on October 27. Fourteen.
• St. Pauli vs. Hamburger (12:25 p.m. ET)
• Schalke 04 vs. Hoffenheim (2:20 p.m. ET)
Saturday, Oct. 26 It was 15.
• Frankfurt vs. Leverkusen (9:20 a.m. ET)
• Bristol City vs. Millwall (10 a.m. ET)
• Leipzig vs. Hertha Berlin (12:20 p.m. ET)
• Mallorca vs. Sevilla (12:20 p.m. ET)
• Watford vs. Norwich City (2:40 p.m. ET)
• Bilbao vs. Atletico Madrid (2:50 p.m. ET)
On Sunday, Oct. 27 It was 16.
• Standard Liege vs. Antwerp (7:25 a.m. ET)
• Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (10 a.m. ET)
• Ajax vs. Excelsior (2 p.m. ET)
• Bayern Munich vs. Freiburg (1:20 p.m. ET)
• Real Betis vs. Almeria (2:50 p.m. ET)
The acquisition of Riqui Puig is believed to have been a major factor in the turn around. In his 10 appearances, he contributed 8 goals and 5 assists. In the 22 games prior to this season, Chicharito had 11 goal contributions (10 goals, 1 assist) and averaged 0.7 goals per 90 minutes. Chicharito's production took off after the arrival of Puig. He had 8 goals and an assist in less than half the games.
The record was 14W 6D 14L.
Standing: 48 points, 6th in West
Grade: B-
The Loons were one of the up-and-down teams in MLS. After losing seven of 10 games from May to the end of June, Minnesota went on to win nine of their next 12 games. This was a team that made the playoffs.
Hassani Dotson played 630 minutes before he was lost for the season to a torn knee, Romain Metanire played just 22 minutes as he recovered from a series of injuries, and Bakaye Dibassy missed the last seven matches of the season. The young players on the team have done little to suggest they are ready for the next level.
The record was 20W-5D-9L.
Standing: 65 points, 2nd in East
Grade: A
The power of continuity is amazing. Montreal missed the playoffs every year since 2016 and only made a couple of offseason moves, but they enter the playoffs with the East's top seed and third-best title odds.
The front office was patient.
The record was 13W-11D-11L.
Standing: 50 points, 5th in West
Grade: C+
Nashville missed out on the playoffs after finishing third in the West, but they made up for their lack of watchability by drawing every match they played this year. They secured a fifth playoff bid in five tries with a six- match winning streak in August and September. The team got older and the defense became leakier, so they will have more questions than they had a year ago.
This season was a step back.
The record was 10W-12D-12L.
Standing: 42 points, 10th in East
Grade: F
Bruce Arena will summarize the season for the Revs in 2022.
One year after setting MLS' single-season points record and lifting their first-ever Supporters' Shield, the New England Revolution were knocked out of the playoffs and the CCL in a row. The minimum goal was to qualify for the playoffs, even though the expectation was not to hit the same heights.
Injuries and the additions of veterans didn't go as planned. Lletget was transferred to FC Dallas while Altidore went on loan to a Mexican club. Gonzalez was never able to get a start.
The record was 16W-7D-11L.
Standing: 55 points, 3rd in East
Grade: C+
The reigning MLS Cup champion seemed to be getting closer to a repeat. On June 1, NYCFC was a point ahead of Philly, but then manager Ronny Deila left for Standard Liege, and the reigning Golden Boot winner was sent to Girona. NYCCFC lost the high-pressing ethos that Deila instituted.
The playoffs will be the ultimate judge of NYCFC's season because of the three-game winning streak that ended the season.
The record was 15W-8D-11L.
Standing: 53 points, 4th in East
Grade: B+
If the Red Bulls were to have any chance of returning to their status as a consistent Eastern Conference contender, they would need goals in the year 2022. Lewis Morgan has been a revelation in New York, scoring 14 times in league play from the wing since his big money arrival from Inter Miami in the summer. The Red Bulls' goals for record improved from 39 in 2021 to 48 this season, which is sixth best.
Morgan's emergence has a lot to do with the fact that this is a much improved team over last year. Imagine how dangerous Struber's side would be with some genuine productivity.
The record was 14W 6D 14L.
Standing: 48 points, 7th in East
Grade: C+
One of the league's curiosities is the Lions. They won the U.S Open Cup and snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the season. The tendency will be to look at the season as a positive given that success and failure is largely playoff qualification based. The seventh place finish in the 14-team conference was basically midtable.
More was expected of an attack that scored 44 goals and was tied for 21st in the league. There is a lack of consistency on the defensive side of the ball. Oscar Pareja looks set to continue as manager, but plenty of questions need to be asked in regards to addressing the team's weaknesses during the off-season.
The record was 19W 10D-5L.
Standing: 67 points, 1st in East
Grade: A
LAFC won the Supporters' Shield because the Union had two fewer wins than them. The Union had one of the best regular seasons in league history and were the most dominant team in the league.
Their plus-46 goal differential was 18 better than LAFC and is the second-best mark in MLS history. They were the only team in the league that went without a loss at home. Daniel Gazdag finished one goal shy of the Golden Boot and combined withJulian Carranza to finish as the top goal- scoring duo.
Adding an MLS Cup-size exclamation point is the only way to make sure a lasting place in history.
The record was 11W-13D 10L.
Standing: 46 points, 8th in West
Grade: D+
The Portland Timbers' involvement in Sally Yates' report into systemic abuse in women's soccer has overshadowed anything the team has done on the field. On Decision Day, Portland needed a point against Real Salt Lake in order to make the playoffs. They came out disinterested and were outplayed by the hosts, who jumped out to a three goal lead before a late goal.
The most important questions will be asked about the future of the owner rather than how the Timbers will rebuild after missing the playoffs.
The record was 12W-11D-11L.
Standing: 47 points, 7th in West
Grade: C+
The loss of Albert Rusnak to Seattle in the off-season and the absence of Damir Kreilach due to injury, makes sense. The club finished in seventh place, the same place it was a year ago.
Last year's run should inspire some confidence that lightning can be captured in a bottle again, as evidenced by the fact that Real Salt Lake beat Portland on Decision Day to get the final playoff spot. Salt Lake scored less goals than any other team in the playoffs. It doesn't bode well for its trip to Austin that it only scored 16 goals on the road.
The record was 8W-11D-15L.
Standing: 35 points, 14th in West
Grade: D
The decision to keep Matias Almeyda as manager to start the season still looms large, though the 1.32 points per game the team has earned under Alex Covelo since then shows that this side was always a borderline playoffs team at best. It was even more of a challenge because of the defense's 67 goals conceded. This is a problem for Luchi Gonzalez.
There isn't enough data yet to decide if the defensive rebuild will work. There is still a need for a space covering holdingMidfielder. The attack is in good shape with Jeremy Ebobisse and others. 2023 has the potential to be another attempt to sneak into the playoffs.
Out of Atlanta and Seattle, which team has had the worst MLS season?
The record was 12W-5D 17L.
Standing: 41 points, 11th in West
Grade: C-
The grade takes into account the fact that the Seattle team won the continental competition. It was the first time in two decades that an MLS team reached the promised land, and the first since a home-and-away was used in the knockout rounds.
Joao Paulo tore his knee in the final. He had a long-term back injury as well. The emotional leader and influential forward had surgery. So it did. The team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.
Can Seattle bounce back? The roster is locked up for next year as well. It will be difficult for the president of soccer and his manager. The talent is there if everyone heals up.
The record was 11W-7D-16L.
Standing: 40 points, 12th in West
Grade: D+
Even though they had a promising end to the season with just two losses in their last 10 games, many will not be happy with how the year went. The head coach and his team were left out of this season's playoffs after being hit by major setbacks through two long-term injuries.
Some serious roster questions will need to be asked during the winter, but they have the potential to bounce back in the next few years.
The record was 9W-7D-18L.
Standing: 34 points, 13th in East
Grade: D
Giving your competitors a five-month head start is not a recipe for success. There were only four names left in the XI that opened the season in Dallas. The team needed a points-per-game pace of 2.27 after the arrivals of Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernardeschi, Mark- Anthony Kaye and four others. LAFC won the Supporters' Shield with an average of 2.03PPG.
Toronto will put it all together for an almighty run in 2023 thanks to the new coach Bob Bradley and his stable of star signings. This year's D grade will be much worse if not for that.
The record was 12W-7D-15L.
Standing: 43 points, 9th in West
Grade: D+
The Caps were six points worse off in the future than they were in the past. Despite having another season to work together, they scored five fewer goals than they did last year.
There is an argument to be made that the discussion of the playoffs on Decision Day was not real. D.C. United had a worse goal differential than the White Caps. It's another off season in British Columbia.
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