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Winners and losers from the first half of the 2024 MLS season
The European Championships and the Copa America are over, but Major League Soccer is just getting started. The league played clear through both tournaments and is approaching its traditional midseason All-Star break.
MLS has one of the longest seasons in American sport; it began way back in February and will continue until the middle of December.
This All-Star break represents the halfway point of the season, and it offers a perfect opportunity to check in on the league's biggest winners and losers:
Winner
FC Cincinnati. After winning last season's Supporters Shield FC Cincinnati has gone from strength to strength: it's invested in its key attackers and hired some brilliant midfielders and defenders to keep the good times rolling.
Led by Argentine spitfire Lucho Acosta, the league leader in assists and key passes, Cincy is the most in-form team in MLS and looks primed to challenge Messi's Inter Miami for the top playoff seed.
An extra special birthday for the Captain.
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) May 31, 2024
With three goals and five assists, Lucho Acosta is @MLS Player of the Month.
Loser
St. Louis City SC. St. Louis managed the impossible last year: it won the MLS Western Conference in its debut season as an MLS club. Fans hoping for a repeat in 2024 have been let down, though, as St. Louis struggles with the reality of competing in a league as deep and physical as this one.
The attackers haven't been firing, the defenders haven't been blocking and the on-field tactics have been odd at best any mystifying at worst. To make matters worse, Marco Reus — the German superstar St. Louis has discovery rights for — appears to be shunning the Midwest to join the Los Angeles Galaxy instead.
EXCL: LA Galaxy are closing in on deal to sign Marco Reus as free agent!
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 17, 2024
Final details being sorted, still some work to do with player and his camp but LA Galaxy now close to getting it done.
Reus, ready to move to MLS
Here we go, expected soon. pic.twitter.com/A9SUjmNe3j
Winner
Colorado Rapids. The Rapids were so terrible in 2023 that their own fans staged a walkout protesting the team's ownership and demanding better for the club. Looks like that protest worked: the Rapids are a completely new team in 2024 and they're looking likely to pick up a playoff spot for the first time in three years.
Canadian defender Moise Bombito has been excellent (and is coming back from a strong Copa America showing) and American youngster Djordje Mihailovic is impressing in his first season at the club.
Djordje Mihailovic converts the penalty and the @ColoradoRapids lead it late. pic.twitter.com/ysa2exnPzs
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 5, 2024
Loser
Philadelphia Union. Philly started off this season as playoff contenders, with Argentine playmaker Julian Carranza looking like one of the most creative midfielders in the league. It's closing out the first part of the season in dead last place with Carranza gone to Feyenoord in the Netherlands.
Philadelphia has long been known for its thrifty approach to building an MLS roster, and it's managed to compete despite not having the game-changing players of its peers ... but in a post-Messi MLS landscape, Philadelphia has to change its approach.
Winner
Ryan Gauld, Vancouver Whitecaps. If you'd been asked to pre-select MLS' most valuable attacker before the 2024 season began, chances are good you would've gone for the obvious choices: Miami's Luis Suarez, Columbus's Cucho Hernandez, Real Salt Lake's Chicho Arango, LAFC's Denis Bouanga.
But Gauld, the 28-year-old diminutive Scotsman, has made a real case for the title from his position in one of the league's most surprising teams. He's got nine goals and nine assists for the Whitecaps this season and is second in MLS for key passes ... and he cost Vancouver a fraction of what it would've paid for a big name.
Everyone else in MLS must be kicking themselves for missing out on Gauld.
From way downtown.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 19, 2024
Ryan Gauld’s strike is the @ATT Goal of the Matchday. https://t.co/bZpSezWAIZ pic.twitter.com/gc3uZos2Tu
Loser
Hugo Cuypers, Chicago Fire. Chicago has been struggling for a long time, but there was a feeling around the club that a tried-and-tested striker might lift it out of the doldrums. Cuypers, signed from Gent over the winter break, was meant to be that striker, but he's turned out to be just another misfire instead.
Cuypers has struggled to mesh with his teammates and seems overawed by the pace and physicality of MLS. He wasn't cheap, either--Cuypers was signed for a club-record $12M transfer fee.
Chicago now must make a difficult call about whether it should cut Cuypers loose and lose out on that money, or invest in him for multiple seasons and lose out on the Designated Player spot. Neither option looks great.
More must-reads:
- Watch: 14-year-old becomes youngest player to debut in MLS history
- Cavan Sullivan, 14, makes MLS debut as Union blast Revs
- The 'NBA playoff point-per-game leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Rodrygo makes a final decision on his future amidst Arsenal’s interest
Arsenal may not secure the signing of Rodrygo this summer, as the Brazilian forward has reportedly decided to remain at Real Madrid. Despite the Gunners’ growing interest in the player, he appears set to continue his career in Spain rather than make a move to the Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s side already boasts several of Europe’s top talents, yet the club remains intent on strengthening further. Since the end of last season, Arsenal have been monitoring Rodrygo’s situation closely. The attacker had begun to lose his regular starting position at Madrid, prompting speculation over a possible departure. Arsenal’s Interest Met with Player’s Decision The appointment of Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid’s new manager has not significantly altered Rodrygo’s status within the squad. His limited involvement at the Club World Cup raised further questions about his role in the team, leading interested clubs to believe a transfer might be possible. Arsenal were among those closely watching developments, alongside Liverpool, both hopeful that a lack of guaranteed game time would persuade the player to seek opportunities elsewhere. Rodrygo’s situation seemed to present a realistic chance for a top club to make a move for a highly talented forward with proven pedigree. Madrid Stay Likely for Brazilian Star However, any potential transfer now appears to be off the table. According to Mirror Football, Rodrygo has decided to remain at Real Madrid and will stay to fight for his place in the team. This decision brings an end to speculation surrounding his future and leaves both Arsenal and Liverpool without the chance to pursue a deal in the current window. While this outcome may be seen as a setback, Arsenal retain a deep and talented squad capable of challenging for major honours. With several top-class options already in place, the club remain well positioned to compete strongly across all competitions in the coming season. __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh 'hopeful' deal is done with Keenan Allen after workout
The Los Angeles Chargers fanbase has been anxiously awaiting a potential deal with a fan favorite in former Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen. While nothing has yet to be announced officially, it feels that a reunion between the Chargers and Allen will be inevitable. Head coach Jim Harbaugh spoke to the media about Allen's recent workout, and the comments should make anyone happy who is hoping for this reunion. Harbaugh said the veteran receiver was doing "Keenan Allen things" during his workout, and the hope is that the team can get a deal done with Allen soon. Allen spent the first 11 years of his career with the Chargers. In that time, Allen earned six Pro Bowl selections and became one of the most popular players in franchise history. The Chargers attempted another reunion this offseason with receiver Mike Williams; however, Williams decided that it was time to move on from football, announcing his shocking retirement. The team has been looking for veteran leadership at wide receiver and may have found just that with someone who will be a future Chargers hall of famer. Adding Allen could be huge for players like Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who could learn from a talented veteran.
Steelers In Town Scouting Elite Top Quarterback Prospect For 2026 NFL Draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of excitement heading into the 2025 season with Aaron Rodgers in town, along with many other new faces. The team has Super Bowl expectations, but the fan base is still craving a true franchise quarterback to lead them for years to come. While rookie Will Howard has looked promising in training camp, he is not expected to be the long-term answer at quarterback. After the 2025 season concludes, the Steelers will be hosting the 2026 NFL Draft. Many pundits believe this event will be where the Steelers finally find their franchise quarterback, a player who can bring stability and success to the position. The anticipation is high, and the organization is clearly preparing to make a big move. On Monday, it was reported by Brad Denny, who provides excellent coverage of Arizona State football, that the Steelers have sent scouts to evaluate their prospects. Among those they are watching closely is the top quarterback prospect Sam Leavitt, indicating the team’s serious interest in securing a future star through the draft. In November of 2022, the Sun Devils hired Head Coach Kenny Dillingham, who has quickly transformed the team. What was once considered a struggling program has now become an exciting and competitive squad, with serious potential to contend for a national title heading into the 2025 season. Naturally, Steelers fans immediately think of Leavitt when they hear about scouts visiting, but the Sun Devils’ roster is loaded with NFL talent beyond just their star quarterback. It’s very possible the Steelers’ interest extends to other promising players as well. Chris Karpman gave more details about the amount of NFL scouts at the ASU practice on Monday. "There are 11 NFL scouts representing 10 teams at today’s ASU practice, the most at any practice since Dillingham became head coach," Karpman said on social media. It’s certainly interesting, but not surprising, to hear that the Steelers had scouts in attendance at the ASU practice. Sheldon White, the Steelers’ Director of Pro Scouting, is clearly involved in deciding who the organization will scout, when, and why. It’s no secret that the Steelers are in desperate need of a true franchise quarterback. Many believe the 2026 NFL Draft will be Pittsburgh’s biggest opportunity to find that quarterback since their attempt with Kenny Pickett in 2022. That experiment didn’t go as planned, and now, with 12 expected draft picks in a quarterback class that could be loaded with talent, the Steelers are getting an early look. They’ve begun scouting at ASU, keeping a close eye on potential prospects. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that former Steelers legend Hines Ward is still the wide receivers coach at ASU. His presence adds another layer of connection to the reports of Steelers scouts attending ASU practices, suggesting strong ties and serious interest in the program and its players. Steelers' Will Howard Has Looked Good In Training Camp Early reports out of camp are that sixth-round pick Howard has done a solid job with the opportunities he’s been given. The issue for Howard is that the Steelers are expected to draft a top quarterback prospect. Making such a big investment in a promising player will make it even harder for Howard to steal the starting job. Naturally, when more resources are tied up in a higher-end prospect, the team will do more to get the most out of that player. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible for Howard, but he will need to continue to thrive if he wants any chance to compete for the starting job after Rodgers.
Knee operation: Kirby Dach not yet back on his feet
Two years ago to the day, Canadiens fans were optimistic about Kirby Dach’s future in Montreal: the 6’4 forward had just collected 38 points in 58 games – in his first campaign in Quebec – and many wondered whether Dach had a better chance of establishing himself as a first NHL center than captain Nick Suzuki. The past 730 days have proven otherwise, but that’s not the point this morning. Since joining the Canadiens, Dach has earned a reputation as a fragile player. Virus, shoulder, upper body (concussion?), lower body, knee(ACL and MCL), knee again… Let’s just say that injuries haven’t spared Dach since he arrived in Montreal. In fact, injuries haven’t spared Dach since he started playing hockey. He has never played more than 70 games in a single season, and has only broken the 60-game barrier three times in nine junior or pro seasons. Last February, Dach underwent a second operation on his right knee in the space of 18 months. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes may tell us that Kirby Dach is fine,but we still have our doubts. Especially whenyou consider that, with the Canadiens’ recent additions and departures, Kirby Dach is still the team’s second center on the organizational chart. content-ads]Last week, I wondered where Kirby was ? We’ve seen plenty of Habs players skating at the CN Complex this summer, but not Kirby Dach. And I had to work like a monk to catch a glimpse of him in a video filmed at Nick Suzuki’s wedding! Yesterday, I was told that Kirby Dach was spending the summer in Edmonton with Kaiden Guhle – Dach is from Saskatchewan and Guhle is from Alberta – and that Dach was still in rehab. I repeat: five months after his most recent knee operation and some 40 days before the start of practice camp, Kirby Dach is still not recovered and ready to play. Good informants spotted him in an Edmonton gym doing squats with loads that look like the ones I used to take when I went to Econofitness, not the ones an NHL player uses [content-ads]This explains it: when he came to Montreal for his captain’s wedding, Kirby Dach couldn’t – or wouldn’t – skate with his teammates in Brossard. It’s worth noting that Dach is also very quiet on social networks – his last post was in November 2024 – probably in an effort to be forgotten… to go unnoticed. Spending the summer in Alberta, rather than in Montreal (with his chums at Osheaga), makes sense, when you think about it…Let’s just say that the chances of Dach starting his season at the same time as everyone else in two months’ time are pretty slim, which is cause for concern for those hoping to see the Canadiens in the playoffs in 2026. Yes, the Kirby Dach problem would be solved if a guy like Mason MacTavish-good offensively, defensively, physically and in the face-off circle-came to Montreal, but let’s just say that the odds of that happening this summer are very low. And you can’t make plans with very improbable things![spacer title=’Prolongation’]Matthew Tkachuk, who was injured last winter while throwing down the gloves at the 4 Nations tournament, underwent surgery last month (hernia and adductor). According to the latest information from Elliotte Friedman, Tkachuk could return to action just before the Olympic Games. Let’s hope Kirby Dach doesn’t have to wait as long as Tkachuk.
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