Your Tuesday Kickoff: How the MLS Conference Finalists rank by position

2023 Best XI presented by Continental Tire

Major League Soccer has unveiled the 2023 MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire, recognizing the league’s top players at each position. The Best XI – determined by members of the media, MLS players and MLS club technical staffs – represents eight nations and seven clubs, all of which qualified for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

FC Cincinnati's Acosta named 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP

FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta is the 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP. The Argentine playmaker led the league with 31 goal contributions (17g/14a), powering Cincy to the Supporters’ Shield crown as they earned 69 points (20W-5L-9D) for their first MLS-era trophy.

LAFC to host Houston on Saturday night

Defending champions LAFC (No. 3) will host resurgent Houston Dynamo FC (No. 4) in Saturday's single-elimination Western Conference Final. Kickoff is set for 9:30 pm ET on Saturday, Dec. 2. You can watch on MLS Season Pass.

Hell is Real on Saturday night

FC Cincinnati (No. 1) welcome Columbus Crew (No. 3) to TQL Stadium on Saturday at 6 pm ET. You can, of course, watch on MLS Season Pass.

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With only four teams and three games left, we’ve officially reached the point where things like “analysis” and “thoughtful consideration of potential outcomes based on existing data” just don’t matter. We can look at whatever subjective and objective data we want and pretend we know what might happen and then suddenly Malte Amundsen is thumping a 0.01 xG shot from 30 yards out into the top right corner and you remember anything can happen over the course of a single soccer game. Every single team left is an MLS Cup-winning caliber team because they’ve made it this far. They’ve done the majority of the work. The rest is down to like 10% skill and 90% the decisions of an unseen higher power. Two games is nothing. Toronto won four games this year. You can accidentally win a title at this point.

But there’s a chance skill comes into play here. In the event something wild like that goes down, we want you to be prepared. So today we’re going to rank each team’s starters at each position. If we do end up needing to worry about talent and ability, maybe this will give us a clue as to who has an advantage.

Goalkeeper

1. LAFC
2. Houston Dynamo FC
3. FC Cincinnati
4. Columbus Crew

I would have been a bit concerned about having LAFC in the top spot here before Sunday night. Maxime Crépeau’s performance against Seattle eased any worries I had left about his return from injury. He’s the best of the bunch. And, well, even if LAFC were starting John McCarthy he’d statistically be better than everyone else based on post-shot xG. The rest of the group is pretty much a wash.

Fullbacks/Wingbacks

1. LAFC
2. FC Cincinnati
3. Columbus Crew
4. Houston Dynamo FC

FC Cincinnati have the best player of the bunch here. Álvaro Barreal has been outstanding all year. But compared to the combined forces of Ryan Hollingshead and Diego Palacios, I don’t think Barreal and Ray Gaddis are quite on the same level as a pair. It’s close though. The Crew would have had an argument to be closer to the top with Julian Gressel in, but it just doesn’t look like he’s in their plans for their most important games of the season. It’s honestly one of the weirdest subplots of this whole postseason, but, hey, they do keep winning.

Center backs

1. FC Cincinnati
2. LAFC
3. Columbus Crew
4. Houston Dynamo FC

There’s been no indication Matt Miazga will need to sit out any of the next two games and that means Cincy have the best group of the bunch again. Yerson Mosquera alone right now would be enough to have them in second, but adding in the MLS Defender of the Year clearly pushes them to the top. LAFC aren’t too far behind, though. They can swap out Aaron Long for Giorgio Chiellini as they please. That’s absurd.

6/8s

1. Columbus Crew
2. Houston Dynamo FC
3. FC Cincinnati
4. LAFC

As good as Héctor Herrera has been this year, I can’t find it in me to put him and Artur over Darlington Nagbe and Aidan Morris. For me, Nagbe and Morris are likely the best pairing in the league. That opinion could change in the next few minutes, though. It’s that close. Honestly, all four teams here are stacked. Somehow a group with Kellyn Acosta, Ilie Sánchez and Timothy Tillman is arguably the least effective of the four.

Attacking mids/Wingers

1. LAFC
2. FC Cincinnati
3. Columbus Crew
4. Houston Dynamo FC

We have a few different formations to deal with here so I just grouped the 10s and the wingers together. And then I took a deep breath and essentially decided to rank Dénis Bouanga ahead of 2023 MLS MVP Lucho Acosta. I’m sorry y’all, but Bouanga looks as scary as anyone in MLS history right now. It’s genuinely terrifying to see him flying down the field in transition. He’s about to break the MLS season record for goals by a player in all competitions. I’ve got to give him the edge.

Striker

1. Columbus Crew
2. FC Cincinnati
3. LAFC
4. Houston Dynamo FC

This is Cucho’s spot and it’s not even really close to be honest. Brandon Vazquez and Aaron Boupendza are good, but not on the same level right now. Cucho might be the best striker in the league. I feel ok saying that even if he doesn’t approach the game like a typical no. 9. He’s just special.

Final Tally

LAFC - 11
FC Cincinnati - 14
Columbus Crew - 15
Houston Dynamo FC - 20

You probably won’t be surprised to find out LAFC got the slight nod when it comes to talent. The margins are thin though. Across two games, it may not matter much. The only thing that really matters is whether or not you have Dénis Bouanga. Probably. Or maybe Malte Amundsen?

USMNT January camp: 2024 schedule begins vs. Slovenia: The US men’s national team will begin their 2024 schedule by hosting a friendly against Slovenia on Jan. 20. The match will be held in Texas at Toyota Field, home of USL Championship side San Antonio FC, and start a busy calendar year that includes the Nations League Final Four, Copa América and Olympic Games.

• Luciano Acosta has another goal in mind after his MVP win.
• Oscar Pareja and Orlando City's future is uncertain.
• Dénis Bouanga can surpass LAFC teammate Carlos Vela and set an MLS record.
• MLS MVP Lucho Acosta has lifted FC Cincinnati from the ashes.
• Matt Doyle looked at what the 2023 MLS season meant for the Philadelphia Union and for Orlando City SC.

Good luck out there. Find a present to open.