Welcome to Starting XI, our Friday rundown of what to watch for this weekend in MLS and beyond. And don't forget to get your Spanish-language fix with FutbolMLS.com.
Our recommended listening for the first weekend of the offseason comes from senior editor Nick Firchau: "Ain't So Simple" by Protomartyr.
- Click HERE for complete coverage of the NCAA College Cup, which takes place this weekend
1. LIVE IT AGAIN: OK, so this is basically NC-17 for New England Revolution fans, and the rest of you may already be neck deep in the silly season (want another draft? You'll have to wait all the way til Monday ... after Friday's Re-Entry Stage One). But me? I still love the games above everything else.
We crowned a new MLS Cup champion five days ago, folks. Let's not run from that too quickly. – MATT DOYLE
2. ARE GOALKEEPERS OVERRATED?: Don't get me wrong – the really great ones are a huge asset for any team, but how many truly elite 'keepers are out there in the world who can change a game by themselves? Most teams settle for "serviceable," which is usually enough to get the job done. (Can you name Argentina's goalkeeper from the World Cup final? Thought so.)
Which is why I question Orlando City taking 37-year-old Donovan Ricketts – now on his 4th MLS team – as the No. 1 selection in the Expansion Draft and leaving starters like Carlos Salcedo, Stephen Keel and Mark Bloom to be reclaimed by their clubs. I'll take a surefire starting defender over a goalkeeper every time. – SIMON BORG
3. THOSE STANDS BETTER BOUNCE: I won't believe it until the final vote comes down on Dec. 16 – one that seems to be as close to a shoo-in as possible, for what it's worth – but it seems D.C. United are finally (FINALLY!!) getting a stadium of their own. A home designed and built for soccer. A future away from RFK, and in Washinton, D.C. proper, no less. That news alone should have made Thursday a huge win for anyone who supports the game in North America. Now, about the details... – ANDREW WIEBE
4. A DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE: It was a great three-and-a-half seasons for Peter Vermes and Sporting KC, but it all came crashing to a halt after the World Cup this past summer. The team began leaking goals and got bounced by the Red Bulls in the Knockout Round. Now comes the rebuild. Gone is MLS Cup MVP Aurelien Collin, their top two goalkeepers, and a former ROY (C.J. Sapong). Who will Vermes go after this offseason as replacements, and how much swag will they have? – BEN BAER
5. AZTECAZO, PT. 2: A pair of Americans will get a chance to pull off another shocker at the Azteca on Sunday. Herculez Gomez and Jose Torres, both of whom started the USMNT’s famous victory there in Aug. 2012, travel with Tigres to face favorites America in the Liga MX title decider holding a 1-0 aggregate lead. Up-and-coming Mexican-American defender Ventura Alvarado will likely feature for the home side. More than 100,000 fans are expected to pack into one of the world’s most intimidating soccer venues while those of us in the States can tune in at 7 pm ET on Univision Deportes. How could you not be this excited? – NICHOLAS ROSANO
6. WORLDWIDE KREIS: The Expansion Draft came and went, and many said Jason Kreis and New York City FC were the winners. We'll see about that come March, but what we do know is that signings are coming for the Gotham outfit. International signings, that is, as NYCFC went 100-percent domestic on Wednesday, holding onto those valuable international roster spots. With Manchester City's scouting apparatus in full effect and Kreis able to root around South America for about as long as his heart desires, who'd bet against a Javier Morales or Jamison Olave 2.0 at Yankee Stadium next season? Not I. – ANDREW WIEBE
7. WANTED MAN: Houston Dynamo's new head coach Owen Coyle is famous for his affinity to wear shorts while manning the sidelines, and clubs around the world apparently love that style, too. The Dynamo boss allegedly received interest from six or seven other teams, but ultimately chose to make Houston his home. Maybe being able to wear shorts in warm weather for much of the year was part of the Dynamo's sale pitch? – FRANCO PANIZO
8. LOCAL KIDS DONE GOOD: There are a handful of hometown feel-good stories coming out of Chicago (Michael Stephens and Eric Gehrig join Mike Magee, Harry Shipp, Chris Ritter, Collin Fernandez) and New York City FC (locals Ryan Meara, Thomas McNamara, Jason Hernandez and Chris Wingert were acquired on Wednesday) in recent days.
But while I can see a city with the youth soccer tradition of Chicago really taking to its own on the senior team, as a New Yorker I find it hard to believe that the local story does much to pull at the heartstrings of the Big Apple soccer fan. The Wayne Chrebets and John Francos may sell a few more jerseys, but wins and stars are what really fly in NYC. We'll see if 2015 shows us otherwise. – SIMON BORG
10. WHAT A STORY: One of my favorite things we do on MLSsoccer.com begins on Monday: The Stories of the Year. Beginning next week we'll count down the top 10 biggest stories of the year in North American soccer as voted on by 22 of our editors, writers, stats pros, video dudes and social media gurus. Although I won't give away what's on the list, you can probably guess what kinds of stories to expect: Expansion, Supporters' Shield, World Cup and much, much more. Here's a look back at the stories from 2013 to get you primed. - NICK FIRCHAU
11. LOCAL KID DONE GOOD, PART II: It seems likely that NYCFC will start more locals in 2015 than long-established RBNY. Mike Petke – as local as they come – doesn't like that, and has vowed to start truly mining for the best metro-area talent.
Sean Davis is exactly that, and Red Bulls fans have to love the idea of watching this kid in the same central midfield as Dax McCarty and Eric Alexander. I'm making him my (way too early) Rookie of the Year favorite. – MATT DOYLE
