From Deseret News archives:
The 'United' state of MLS East
Talented DC team should dominate conference
Its record prior to that summer visit to Salt Lake City was 13-1-6. That loss, however, sent D.C. into a downward spiral, and it finished the year with a 2-5-4 mark in its final 11 games and was eliminated by New England in the Eastern Conference finals.
Don't expect a repeat performance.
A handful of offseason acquisitions has D.C. United looking even stronger in 2007, making the likelihood of another midseason collapse even less likely.
With Major League Soccer slated to kick off this weekend, here's a look at the Eastern Conference in predicted order of finish.
1. D.C. United
2006 RECORD: 15-7-10 (55 points)
CONFERENCE FINISH: First
COACH: Tom Soehn (first season)
FIRST-CHOICE STARTING 11: Troy Perkins (K), Facundo Erpen (D), Bobby Boswell (D), Bryan Namoff (D), Ben Olsen (M), Brian Carroll (M), Christian Gomez (M), Fred (M), Joshua Gros (M), Luciano Emilio (F), Jaime Moreno (F)
CONCERNS: United was far and away the best team in MLS last year, but the club seemed to burn out in the final months and didn't even advance to MLS Cup. That is an even bigger concern this year. In addition to the grind of the 30-game MLS regular season, D.C. will be extremely busy as well, participating in the U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup and the debut SuperLiga. Burnout seems inevitable at some point.
2. Chicago Fire
2006 RECORD: 13-11-8 (47 points)
CONFERENCE FINISH: Third
COACH: Dave Sarachan (fifth season)
Comments
- Weber's Toone gets another honor 11:06 p.m.
- Activist's necessity defense barred 10:58 p.m.
- National news capsules 10:54 p.m.
- World datelines 10:53 p.m.
- Gunmen abduct, kill 13 in Baghdad 10:50 p.m.
- Web censors block Obama's speech 10:49 p.m.
- Soaring Eagle rely on defense 10:49 p.m.
- Inspectors fear Iran hiding N-plants 10:47 p.m.
- NBA roundup: Mavs top Bucks in OT 10:35 p.m.
- Mammogram advice major reversal 10:31 p.m.
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- Wounded Utes limp home
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full
- Barzee is expected to plead guilty
- Sloan misses practice
- RSL surprised by Chicago's Fire
- Low in vit. D? Beware heart disease
- Jazz notes: Young bigs ride bench
- TCU creams U.
233 - BYU happy to escape with victory
232 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
226 - Will state consider gay rights law?
162 - RSL heads to MLS title game
134 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
133 - MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
122 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
115 - 5A: Bingham rolls to title game
108 - Bennett at center of GOP storm
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