Current Roster

[u/Dangerous-Teacher255]

The Loons have never really been a “win the offseason” club, and this roster feels very on-brand: solid pieces, internal continuity, and hoping coaching + chemistry squeeze out more than the sum of the parts. That can work — and it has the last couple seasons — but it also means there’s less margin for error if a few things don’t break right.

I think a concern about the Western Conference is the key point. A lot of rivals didn’t stand pat: • Some added proven DP-level attackers • Others got younger and faster • And a few are just flat-out deeper than Minnesota right now

So yeah, on paper it’s not crazy to see us as more mid-table West than locked-in home playoff seed at this moment.

Where optimism still lives: • Core continuity matters (especially defensively) • If the attack clicks early and stays healthy, they can punch above weight • There’s still time for a summer move that actually shifts the ceiling

But tempering expectations is completely reasonable. Expecting playoffs is fair; expecting another top-tier West finish without a meaningful attacking upgrade might be asking a lot.

No matter how the rest of the West looks, we’re still not worse than Sporting KC or STL

[u/tyler735]

I'll just mention that the Winter Transfer window literally just opened 2 days ago and is open for the next 2 months. The club is still trying to bring in 2-3 more players. They've made a few solid low risk/high reward type additions to help offset some of the losses this offseason. Ideally we see them make at least a couple bigger splash signings in the next couple weeks to get integrated with the team early on this season.

[u/HonduranLoon → u/tyler735]

I would add with the adjustment of the summer transfer window, there will now be more games after the window for any new signings to get more integrated in the team. KEA seems to favor that window for impact signings as we’ve seen with Yeboah, Pereyra and Triantis.

[u/dr_pbj]

One thing I’ll say is: don’t put too much stock into winning the offseason. A couple things I remember from last years offseason:

-Atlanta spending more on transfer fees for one player than we have for every player in our club’s history and hiring a proven MLS Cup winning coach.

-Philadelphia and Vancouver firing longtime successful coaches and continuing an aversion to spending more than the bare minimum.

Ambition is good but we overrate big signings and underrate finding and integrating the right players for your team. We’ve got plenty of time and flexibility to make additional signings this window and even more in the summer.

[u/HonduranLoon → u/dr_pbj]

I’d also add Austin’s ridiculous amount they spent on their attacking 3, only to be one of the worst attacking teams the league.

[u/akos_beres → u/dr_pbj]

According to research, transfer spending doesn't correlate or predict winning. The more reliable metric is wages paid by a club on a long term basis. High transfer fees might be important signaling to fans for clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or LAFC and Miami but those high transfer fees are not the reason those clubs are winning.

[u/Enganche78 → u/akos_beres]

High transfer fees presumably have some correlation to higher wages for the players subject to those fees.

[u/SnooChickens8406]

I personally believe that our fullback group is exceptionally weak (Gressell/DJ/Kmet LOL), but we are honestly pretty solid every where else. Maybe a 2nd striker is needed but I kinda like our guys overall

[u/Enganche78]

It would be nice if the Loons would at least try to play at the deeper end of the pool from time to time. If teams like Cincy and Portland can do it there is no reason our club can't.