Soapbox Oracle - 2021 Predictions

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15 Apr 2021 18:08

First results from the Oracle 2021 Season survey.

First kick for MLS is rapidly approaching. Here are the initial condensed results from the reader survey, and here’s the spreadsheet with all the results.

Feel free to comment with your picks below, the survey will remain open for some time yet if you want to enter your predictions just fill out this form! Duplicate entries put in before the season starts will use the newest, after the first week the original entry will be kept. Scoring will be one point per correct answer, and I’ll publish the totals at the end of the year.

Eastern Conference Winner

Result: Columbus Crew (5 votes), New England Revolution (4 vote), Orlando City (2 votes), Atlanta United (2 point), Inter Miami (1 vote), New York City FC (1 vote), Philadelphia Union (1 vote), Unknown (1 vote)
Comment: It’s a very close race, but a slim majority feel that Columbus will carry the East. Will Bruce Arena rain on their parade? He’s turned around many teams before the Revolution so we know he’s capable, the East may be quite a race to the finish.

Western Conference Winner

Result: Los Angeles FC (7 points), Seattle Sounders (5 points), Minnesota United (2 points), FC Dallas (1 point), Portland Timbers (1 point), Sporting Kansas City (1 point)
Comment: LAFC has the edge over the Sounders. With Seattle also advancing (so far) in the CCL seems like the odds on favorite option.

Supporter’s Shield Winner

Result: Los Angeles FC (7 votes), Columbus Crew (3 votes), Atlanta United (2 votes), LA Galaxy (1 vote), Minnesota United (1 vote), Philadelphia Union (1 vote), Portland Timbers (1 vote), Seattle Sounders (1 vote)
Comment: The majority expect LAFC to get the shield this year. They’ve won it once before so it’s certainly possible, and several odds makers also seem to think it’s the safe bet. We’ll find out in about 6 months.

MLS Cup Winner

Result: Los Angeles FC (6 points), Seattle Sounders (4 points), Minnesota United (2 points), Atlanta United (1 point), Columbus Crew (1 point), FC Dallas (1 point), New England Revolution (1 point), New York City FC (1 vote)
Comment: 8 teams received votes. I guess that’s telling how much of a toss-up the league is, but as many would expect it’s a battle between two MLS ‘super clubs’ LAFC and Seattle for the eventual winner. Can LAFC finally break their playoff jinx this year?

League MVP

Result: Carlos Vela (5 points), Josef Martinez (4 points), Raul Ruidiaz (2 points), Alexandre Pato (1 point), Diego Valeri (1 point), Emanuel Reynoso (1 point), Javier Hernández (1 point), Lucas Zelarayan (1 point), NA (1 point)
Comment: Another close contest, but the majority seem to feel that Vela will pull out another victory. Can Martinez return to form and make it a contest? Or will someone else eclipse both of them?

League Defender of the Year

Result: Walker Zimmerman (4 point), Aaron Herrera (3 points), Aaron Long (1 point), Axel Sjoberg (1 point), Brooks Lennon (1 point), Eddie Segura (1 point), Judson (1 point), Justen Glad (1 point), Mark McKenzie (1 point), Miles Robinson (1 point), Milton Valenzuela (1 point), NA (1 point)
Comment: An RSL player hasn’t won MLS Defender of the Year since 2010 when Olave earned the honor, but Zimmerman currently has the inside track in predictions. Will he hold down the stretch?

League Goalkeeper of the Year

Result: Stefan Frei (4 point), Andre Blake (2 points), David Ochoa (2 points), Matt Turner (2 points), Jeff Attinella (1 point), Joe Willis (1 point), Matt Turner (1 point), Sean Johnson (1 point), Tim Melia (1 point), NA (1 point)
Comment: Frei has the edge in this race, but the mere fact that there are 9 others receiving votes (10 with the abstain) reveals this one is wide open.

Golden Boot

Result: Josef Martinez (8 points), Carlos Vela (3 points), Alexandre Pato (1 point), Raul Ruidiaz (1 point), Gyassi Zardez (1 point), Diego Rossi (1 point), Alan Pulido (1 point), NA (1 point)
Comment: After a year out with injury can Martinez pick up where he left off? Atlanta would hope so, and readers appear to believe it as well.

MLS Coach of the Year

Result: Bob Bradley (4 points), Adrian Heath (2 points), Bruce Arena (2 points), Caleb Porter (2 points), Gabriel Heinze (2 point), Freddy Juarez (1 point), Greg Vanney (1 point), Oscar Pareja (1 point), Pete Vermes (1 point) NA (1 point),
Comment: It seems unlikely that LAFC could pull off winning the Shield, MLS Cup, Western Conference and Coach of the year. Add in Vela for MVP and it quickly becomes pretty unbelievable that they can pull it off. Is it all just hype?

The survey results showed that most fans felt that Real Salt Lake would make the playoffs with an 10-7 margin. Average point total expected is 42, with both 31-35 and 36-40 goals scored being the most popular options.

RSL MVP

Result: Damir Kreilach (12 points), Anderson Julio (1 point), Bobby Wood (1 point), David Ochoa (1 point), Justin Glad (1 point), Pablo Ruiz (1 point)
Comment: Looks like readers expectd Damir Kreilach to run away with this one. It will be his 3rd win if it happens. For the record, Beckerman won it 4 times.

RSL Defender of the Year

Result: Aaron Herrera (10 points), Justen Glad (6 points), NA (1 point)
Comment: Readers expect Herrera to win this one for the 3rd consecutive year. Interesting to note that only he and Glad received votes (other than one abstain).

RSL Humanitarian of the Year

Result: Marcelo Silva (5 points), Damir Kreilach (3 points), Justen Glad (3 points), Pablo Ruiz (2 points), Aaron Herrera (1 point), Maikel Chang (1 point), Nick Besler (1 point), Zach McMath (1 point), NA (1 point)
Comment: Silva has been doing quite a bit of community outreach during the off-season by visiting elementary schools to hand out meals to needy families. On several occasions other players, coaches and staff have joined in. He appears to have the edge so far, unless someone else pulls off a wildly successful fund drive.

RSL Golden Boot

Result: Bobby Wood (8 points), Albert Rusnak (2 point), Anderson Julio (2 points), Damir Kreilach (2 points), Rubio Rubin (2 points), NA (1 point)
Comment: Will Wood produce great things? Readers certainly seem hopeful, and we surely need a striker in the mold of Saborio. If Wood can get double-digit goals he’ll quickly become a fan favorite.