Based on the current composition of the team's roster and your knowledge of MLS (which certainly dwarfs my own), what are your expectations for the upcoming season?
With Bradley arguably the top centre-mid in MLS and Defoe projected to be a top striker, does the team have the depth to compete? De Rosario coming off the bench should be a nice luxury too.
I've heard numerous positive things about Jackson in the back as well.
Well i wouldn't really count Jackson as a back... he has played in the back before but has mainly been used in the mid or a deep striker in the past few years. As far as i know Jackson has played CB, RB, AM, CM, wing, and striker in his career but the CB was more as a youth in brazil not much recently.
Defense: We still need a RB upgrade and a better 3rd CB(I think 1 will be coming from Roma because of our developmental deal). But between Caldwell - Henry - Morrow we have the makings of a good MLS defense. From everything I have read Henry has done very well in his training stint with West ham this offseason. Having bloom and Morgan as the backups for the RB and LB is pretty decent depth as well.
Mid: Bradley, Laba, Rey, Jackson, De Rosario, Osorio, Bekker, Hall, Lambn etc is a good group of player but is it still unclear if we will be able to keep Laba for the season (he is on a DP contract but he is the odd man out with Bradley now here). If we can keep Laba and play him with Bradley we will have one of if not the best CM pairings in the league(Laba playing as a DM and Bradley as a Box to Box mid role). The wings should be very good as well depending on how much we can count of DeRo this season, last season Rey was the brightest spot in a dark season to me. The guy simply has skills that i have not seen very often in MLS.
Striker: Defoe, Gilberto, Dike, Weedman, Welshmen with jackson and Dero able to play up top
Very very solid group and i believe that Dike could be one of the best 3rd strikers in the league this season assuming he stays (rumors of a loan or sale to Celtic and QPR have been around all offseason so he can prepare for the WC with Nigeria). The biggest issue we could see with the group is chemistry, Defoe is only coming back March 1st so gives him 2 weeks to train with his new teammates before the season starts.
In terms of your questions: My expectations are Voyagers cup win and playoff birth.
Bradley is almost certainly the top CM in the league and only question will be if NYRB's bring in Xavi mid season. But other than that I take bradley every day of the week and twice on sundays over a guy like Zusi. Defoe might be a more difficult question: his main competition would be Di Vaio, Henry, and would have been Camilo but he is in Mexico. Defoe is younger than both of the guys listed and at this point in their careers I would take Defoe over either of them.
Dero will be starting some games and coming off the bench the others... last year we could bring justin Braun off the bench this year it is Dero, Osorio, Dike etc just a massive upgrade.
Here is what we currently have in terms of a starting lineup:
Bendik
Bloom - Caldwell - Henry - Morrow
Rey - Bradley - Laba - Dero
Defoe
Gilberto
