MLS Preview & Chivas USA Gameday

i-941d7d3fd5473147320e3681ece08a8e-capt.photo_1237417722522-1-0.jpgMLS officially kicked off Thursday, but there’s six more games today and Sunday including the Chivas USA home opener at 5 p.m. today and the Galaxy’s first game at noon Sunday.

Both are on local TV, but if you subscribe to a service like DirecTV that carries Direct Kick you will be able to see every game this weekend in a free preview. First up at 5 p.m. is Columbus-Houston.

So for those of you who like to familiarize yourself with a team while watching I have posted an Associated Press capsule look at each team below.

But first, here’s a look at the Chivas USA-Colorado Rapids game live at 7:30 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel:

*Here’s the take from reporter Phil Collin.

* Here’s a season preview from a Colorado perspective with the Rapids looking to break a solid reputation for total mediocrity.

*And here’s a Rapids player by player break-down.

Unfortunately, I will miss a Chivas USA home opener for the first-time ever, but will watch from home and tweet the game’s pivotal moments so start following Twitter.com/LAsoccerblog if you’d like updates. Enjoy the games.

MLS Team Capsules

Chicago Fire
LAST YEAR: 13-10-7 (second place), lost to Columbus Crew in Eastern Conference final.
WHO’S BACK: Coach Denis Hamlett, F Cuauhtemoc Blanco, D C.J. Brown, G Jon Busch, D Wilman Conde, M Justin Mapp, F Brian McBride, M Logan Pause, F Chris Rolfe, D Gonzalo Segares, D Bakary Soumare, M John Thorrington.
WHO’S GONE: F Tomasz Frankowski, M Diego Gutierrez, M Stephen King.
WHO’S NEW: M Baggio Husidic.
WHAT’S AHEAD: The Fire started out strong in 2008, with a 6-2-2 record in their first 10 games. They faltered mid-season but bounced back, heading to their third straight conference championship. Although Chicago finally made it past New England in the semis, they fell 2-1 to Columbus, the eventual MLS champion. Chicago will have a full season of Blanco and McBride working together up front. Mapp, Rolfe and Thorrington will add to the mix offensively. In his second year, Marco Pappa also should create some sparks. Busch returns in goal for the second straight year, joined by returning defenders, who posted 10 shutouts during the 2008 campaign. Brown returns as the lone Fire original. Fighting back after a season riddled with injuries, the veteran defender will lead the team on and off the field. A handful of rookies, including Baggio Husidic could contribute early. The Fire opens today at FC Dallas, with one more road trip before opening at home. Chicago hosts the New York Red Bulls on April 5.

Chivas USA

Photo by Juan Miranda/Chivas USA

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Questions about the health of Chivas USA’s first choice strikers could mean more time for Justin Braun this year.

LAST YEAR: 12-11-7 (second place), lost to Real Salt Lake in first round of playoffs (out in first round for third consecutive year).
Who’s back: Coach Preki Radosavljevic, D/M Jonathan Bornstein, M Sacha Kljestan, F Ante Razov, M Jesse Marsch, F Justin Braun, D Bobby Burling, D Jim Curtin, F Alecko Eskandarian, M Jorge Flores, F Maykel Galindo, F Atiba Harris, G Dan Kennedy, M Paulo Nagamura, D Claudio Suarez, D Shavar Thomas, G Zach Thornton, D Lawson Vaughn, M Sasha Victorine.
Who’s gone: M Francisco Mendoza, F Roberto Nurse, M Dan Paladini, M Raphael Wicky, D Alex Zotinca.
Who’s new: D Ante Jazic, F Eduardo Lillingston, M Michael Lahoud, M Mariano Trujillo.
What’s next: After overcoming a barrage of injuries in 2008, Chivas USA begins the
season with eight key players either injured or recovering from offseason surgery. Kljestan’s playmaking directs a potentially strong offense, while Marsch and Nagamura form a potent defensive duo in the midfield. Jazic, a Canadian international acquired from Los Angeles, enables Bornstein to move from left back to the midfield.

Colorado Rapids
LAST YEAR: 11-14-5 (fourth place).
WHO’S BACK: M Pablo Mastroeni, D Jordan Harvey, D Ugo Ihemelu, D Cory Gibbs,
M Mehdi Ballouchy, F Conor Casey, M Terry Cooke, F Omar Cummings, F Jacob
Peterson, M Nick LaBrocca, M Colin Clark, D Kosuke Kimura, M John DiRaimondo,
GK Preston Burpo, M Greg Dalby, M Nico Colaluca, M Ciaran O’Brien.
WHO’S GONE: M Christian Gomez, GK Bouna Coundoul, D Facundo Erpen, F Tom
McManus, D Jose Luis Burciaga Jr.
WHO’S NEW: Coach Gary Smith, M/F Ivan Guerrero, D Ty Harden, GK Matt
Pickens.
WHAT’S AHEAD: Smith took over the team on an interim basis with 11 games remaining, guiding Colorado to a 5-4-2 mark down the stretch and narrowly missing out on a playoff spot. The Rapids gave Smith the job outright in the offseason, one of numerous moves. The team also re-signed captain Pablo Mastroeni, originally believed to be heading to Europe, who’s become the face of the franchise. Mastroeni made his ninth straight MLS All-Star team last season while also lending a powerful leg to the national team. Colorado traded away talented but unproductive midfielder Christian Gomez to D.C. United for Guerrero. Gomez, the 2006 MLS MVP, scored just three goals last season for the Rapids. The team is hoping a striker can step up in ’09 to take some of the pressure off Casey. That role could be filled by Cummings, who scored a career-high six goals in ’08. With
Coundoul gone, Burpo and Pickens will battle for the keeper spot.

Columbus Crew
LAST YEAR: 17-7-6 (first place), MLS Cup champions.
WHO’S BACK: M-F Guillermo Barros Schelotto, D Chad Marshall, M-F Robbie Rogers, F Alejandro Moreno, D Frankie Hejduk, M Adam Moffat, M Emmanuel Ekpo, GK William Hesmer, F Pat Noonan, F Jason Garey, M-F Eddie Gaven, D Danny O’Rourke, M Brian Carroll.
WHO’S GONE: D Ezra Hendrickson, M Stefani Miglioranzi, M Brad Evans.
WHO’S NEW: 2009 MLS SuperDraft picks D Paul Gerstenberger, M-F Alex Grendi and D Chris Clements.
WHAT’S AHEAD: Led by coach Sigi Schmid and MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the Crew capped its league-best regular season with a 3-1 MLS Cup win over the New York Red Bulls on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles. The game was Schmid’s last for Columbus after three seasons at the helm; contract talks with the Crew stalled, and the California native left for the West Coast to take charge of the expansion Seattle Sounders. The sting of losing Schmid was soothed when the Crew named former player and Schmid’s assistant Robert Warzycha, a fan favorite, to the top job. Columbus also retains the services of Schelotto, whose new contract makes him the sixth-highest paid player in the league. MLS defender of the year Chad Marshall is returning to Columbus after considering a move to Europe. Up-and-comers Robbie Rogers, Adam Moffat and Emmanuel Ekpo are back, along with long-time Crew sparkplug and U.S. national team regular Frankie Hejduk.

D.C. United
LAST YEAR: 11-15-4 (sixth place), missed playoffs.
WHO’S BACK: F Luciano Emilio, F Jaime Moreno, F Santino Quaranta, M-F Fred, M Clyde Simms, M Devon McTavish, M Ben Olsen, M Clyde Simms, M-D Bryan Namoff,
D Marc Burch, D Greg Janicki, G Louis Crayton.
WHO’S GONE: M Marcelo Gallardo, M-D Ivan Guerrero, D Gonzalo Martinez, D Gonzalo Peralta, G Zach Wells.
WHO’S NEW: M Christian Gomez, D Dejan Jakovic, G Josh Wicks
WHAT’S AHEAD: If the “Who’s Gone” list looks familiar, it’s because it is nearly identical to the “Who’s New” list from last year. Every substantial player move made by United heading into 2008 was a bust, accounting for the club’s first non-playoff season since 2002. All is forgiven, therefore, with 2006 league MVP Gomez, who is back in his playmaking role after one year in Colorado. Gomez, now 34, needs to rekindle his magic with forwards Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno to create plenty of goals because United’s back end has plenty of question marks. Midseason signing Louis Crayton had four shutouts in 12 games and appears to be the answer in goal, but defenders Greg Janicki, Marc Burch and Jakovic need to develop some chemistry on a team that allowed a conference-worst 51 goals in 2008.

FC Dallas
LAST YEAR: 8-10-12 (fifth place), missed playoffs.
WHO’S BACK: Coach Schellas Hyndman, M Eric Avila, F Kenny Cooper, F Jeff Cunningham, M Bruno Guarda, M Andre Rocha, M Dax McCarty, D Drew Moor, D Aaron Pitchkolan, M Pablo Ricchetti, G Dario Sala, D Marcelo Saragosa, D Blake Wagner.
WHO’S GONE: D Duilio Davino, F Dominic Oduro, F Bobby Rhine, D Adrian Serioux.
WHO’S NEW: M David Ferreira, D George John, F Peri Marosevic, D Steve Purdy, F
Dave van den Bergh.
WHAT’S AHEAD: The midseason hiring of Hyndman did little for FC Dallas, which closed out the 2008 season with a 4-5-8 record under its new coach. Now entering his first full season, Hyndman has two new playmakers: Ferreira and van den Bergh. Ferreira, a Colombian national team veteran who played in Brazil, is an attacking midfielder. Van den Bergh, an outside midfielder, had seven goals and five assists last season, helping lead New York to the league title game. Their presence should benefit Cooper, who remains the team’s best goal scorer and a big target in the middle. Purdy is expected to replace a fading Davino in central defense, a job made more difficult by the recent knee injury to right defender Saragosa, who could miss up to six weeks.

Houston Dynamo
LAST YEAR: 13-5-12 (first place in Western Conference, second place overall), lost to New York in semifinals.
WHO’S BACK: Coach Dominic Kinnear, D Corey Ashe, D Wade Barrett, D Bobby Boswell, M Geoff Cameron, F Brian Ching, M Ricardo Clark, M Brad Davis, F John Michael Hayden, F Stuart Holden, F Brian Mullan, M Richard Mulrooney, GK Pat Onstad, D Eddie Robinson, M Craig Waibel, M Chris Wondolowski.
WHO’S GONE: M Dwayne De Rosario, D Patrick Ianni, F Nate Jaqua.
WHO’S NEW: D Julius James, M Danny Cruz, G Tally Hall.
WHAT’S AHEAD: The 2006 and ’07 MLS champions were upset by New York in last year’s semifinals, then traded popular midfielder Dwayne De Rosario to Toronto. De Rosario is Houston’s second all-time scorer behind Brian Ching, but wanted to return to his native Canada. Stuart Holden, a member of the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing and eight years younger than De Rosario, now steps into the role as Houston’s main scoring threat. The 23-year-old Holden had three goals and four assists in 27 games in 2008. Ching is back for a fourth season in Houston after scoring a team-record 13 goals with five assists in 2008. The Dynamo acquired former Connecticut standout Julius James in the trade for De Rosario. James, who played in 13 games as a rookie in 2008, will be pressed into a starting role immediately while Eddie Robinson recovers from offseason knee surgery. Houston allowed the fewest goals of any team in the 2008 season (32). Goalkeeper Pat Onstad returns for seventh season. The 39-year-old Onstad is the league’s all-time leader in goals against average (1.07 per game).

Kansas City Wizards
LAST YEAR: 11-10-9 (fourth place), lost to Columbus in first round.
WHO’S BACK: Coach Curt Onalfo, M-F Davy Arnaud, F Claudio Lopez, F Josh Wolff, M Roger Espinoza, M Herculez Gomez, M Jack Jewsbury, D Jimmy Conrad, D
Michael Harrington, G Kevin Hartman.
WHO’S GONE: D Tyson Wahl, M Kerry Zavagnin.
WHO’S NEW: M Santiago Hirsig, F Adam Cristman. D Matt Besler.
WHAT’S AHEAD: The Wizards return almost every key player from a team that reached the playoffs last year by going 5-1-1 over the final two months. Kansas City has one of the best defenses in the league, anchored by team captain Conrad, but needs to find a way to score more goals. The Wizards were 12th in the league with 37 goals and had a league-worst 409-minute scoreless streak mid-season. Cristman, the 2007 MLS rookie of the year, should help after being picked up in a trade with New England. Getting more production from Lopez would be a boost, too. The former Argentine World Cup player had a decent season – six goals, seven assists – but didn’t quite live up to the hype that came with his signing. Hirsig, an eight-year veteran in Argentina’s first division, isn’t much of a goal scorer but is a solid ball-control midfielder who can help support the attack.

Galaxy
LAST YEAR: 8-13-9, failed to make playoffs for second consecutive season, tied for last in entire league.
WHO’S BACK: Coach Bruce Arena, M David Beckham (half season), F Landon Donovan, F Edson Buddle, F Alan Gordon, D Sean Franklin.
WHO’S GONE: GK Steve Cronin, D Brandon McDonald, D Mike Randolph, D Troy Roberts, M Ely Allen, M Brandon McDonald.
WHO’S NEW: D Omar Gonzalez, D A.J. DeLaGarza, D Tony Sanneh, D Yohance Marshall, GK Donovan Ricketts, M Dema Kovalenko, M Jovan Kirovski, M Mike Magee, M Stefani Miglioranzi, M Kyle Patterson.
WHAT’S AHEAD: Forward Landon Donovan will have to take on more of a leadership role with 2008 captain David Beckham gone until July. The Galaxy were pitiful even though the team had the MLS’ leading goal scorer in Donovan (20) and its biggest star in that beckham bloke. There’s a journeyman quality in midfield about the newcomers The Galaxy has a new face in goal in Jamaican national team member Donovan Ricketts, who could be an eccentric addition if you believe fans of Bradford City, who dwell in the lower reaches of English football. Beckham is available to play in only 13 of the team’s 31 games (at most).

New England Revolution
LAST YEAR: 12-11-7 (third place).
WHO’S BACK: D Chris Albright, D Kevin Alston, D Gabriel Badilla, M Mauricio Castro,
F Kheli Dube, F Argenis Fernandez, D Jay Heaps, M/D Amaechi Igwe, M Shalrie Joseph, M/D Jeff Lawrentowicz, M Wells Thompson, M Chris Tierney, F Taylor Twellman.
WHO’S GONE: F Adam Cristman, M Khano Smith, M Gary Flood, M Joe Germanese, D Michael Parkhurst.
WHO’S NEW: GK Brad Knighton, GK Zack Simmons, D Rob Valentino, M Michael
Videira.
WHAT’S AHEAD: The Revolution will try to rebound from a poor finish. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Fire, ending their streak of Eastern Conference finals appearances at six seasons. They played their last game
without their top two scorers; Taylor Twellman was sidelined with a concussion, and Steve Ralston sat out with a cracked fibula. A healthy return by both would improve New England’s chances of returning to the MLS Cup championship game. It got there in 2005, 2006 and 2007 but lost each time. The Revolution lost defender Michael Parkhurst, the league’s 2005 rookie of the year, when he signed with FC Nordsjaelland of SAS Ligaen in Denmark’s first division. He was named MLS defender of the year in 2007. But they still have strong goalkeeper Matt Reis, who returns for a sixth season as the starter.

New York Red Bulls
AP Photo

This one missed the net of Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero, but three others went in against Seattle Thursday and the Red Bulls must do better defensively to have a successful season.

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LAST YEAR: 10-11-9 (fifth place), lost to Columbus in MLS Cup.
WHO’S BACK: Coach Juan Carlos Osorio, F Juan Pablo Angel, F Dane Richards, D Carlos Mendes, D Kevin Goldthwaite, D Seth Stammler, F John Wolyniec, D Andrew Boyens, M Danleigh Borman, M Jorge Rojas, M-D Luke Sassano, F-M Sinisa Ubiparipovic, G Jon Conway, G Danny Cepero.
WHO’S GONE: M Dave van den Bergh, M Mike Magee, D Chris Leitch, D Jeff Parke.
WHO’S NEW: F Dominic Oduro, M Khano Smith, D Mike Petke.
WHAT’S AHEAD: The Red Bulls overcame 10-game suspensions to Conway and Parke and made an unexpected run to their first MLS title game. Still, New York shook things up in the off-season, looking to get a little younger and faster. Angel and Richards are a dynamic scoring tandem, but the x-factor this season might be Rojas’ ability to set them up. It remains to be seen if Petke can stabilize a defense that lost Leitch and Parke. The Red Bulls looked woeful in Thursday’s emphatic 3-0 loss to the expansion Sounders, illustrating how much work lies ahead.

Real Salt Lake
LAST YEAR: 10-10-10 (third place), lost to Red Bulls in conference final.
WHO’S BACK: Coach Jason Kreis, M Javier Morales, F Yura Movsisyan, F Andy
Williams, M Kyle Beckerman, F Robbie Findley, M-F Clint Mathis, D Jamison Olave, D
Chris Wingert, G Nick Rimando.
WHO’S GONE: F Fabian Espindola, F Kenny Deuchar.
WHO’S NEW: M Jean Alexandre.
WHAT’S AHEAD: After three fledgling seasons, Real Salt Lake finally made the playoffs in 2008 and nearly reached the MLS Cup. Also new for Real: Very little offseason turnover. The top three goalscorers are back, including playmaking midfielder Javier Morales, who had six goals and 15 assists last season. Coach Jason Kreis hopes the stability translates into the club’s first winning season. Real was .500 last year in almost every category – 10 wins, 10 losses, 10 ties, 40 goals scored, 40 goals allowed. Real needed a goal in the 90th minute of the final regular season game to reach the playoffs, then advanced by beating Chivas USA in the opening round. RSL will be playing a full season at Rio Tinto Stadium, which opened in October and is the site of the 2009 All-Star game.

San Jose Earthquakes
LAST YEAR: 8-13-9 (seventh place).
WHO’S BACK: G Joe Cannon, D Jason Hernandez, D Nick Garcia, D Eric Denton, MF Darren Huckerby, MF Ramiro Corrales, MF Arturo Alvarez, F Ryan Johnson.
WHO’S GONE: MF Ronnie O’Brien, F Scott Sealy, MF Francisco Lima, MF Ned
Grabavoy, MF James Riley
WHO’S NEW: MF Bobby Convey, F Cam Weaver, F Pablo Campos, F Quincy Amarikwa, M Brandon McDonald, D Chris Leitch, G Andrew Weber.
WHAT’S AHEAD: After their expansion season ended with a last-place finish despite a late-season surge, the Quakes hope they’re ready to break through with a potentially dynamite midfield combination of Huckerby, the English star who energized San Jose last season, and Convey, the U.S. national teamer who will quarterback the offense. Weaver’s arrival gives the Quakes a physical presence up front after they struggled to score goals last season. San Jose still lacks the overall cohesion and experience of MLS’ best clubs, but the Quakes will be content with more progress in their sophomore season.

Seattle Sounders FC
AP Photo
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Freddy Montero had two goals Thursday for Seattle against New York including a magical second half strike.

LAST YEAR: N/A. Newest MLS expansion franchise.
WHO’S NEW: Virtually everyone – coach Sigi Schmid; F Nate Jaqua; GK Kasey Keller; M
Freddie Ljungberg; M Brad Evans; D Tyrone Marshall; F Steve Zakuani; F Freddy Montero.
WHAT’S AHEAD: The newest MLS franchise sure doesn’t act like an expansion team. The Sounders have generated huge fan interest and built a season-ticket base of more than 20,000 and a sellout of 32,400 for their inaugural game against the Red Bulls. With the Hollywood power of majority owner Joe Roth and minority owner Drew Carey, the Sounders won’t lack for entertainment value. Roth has said the expectation is contending for a playoff spot. On the field Seattle brought in some of the best: MLS Cup winning coach Sigi Schmid, Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg and former U.S. national team goalkeeper Kasey Keller. Seattle shouldn’t have any problems generating offense with the likes of Ljungberg, Nate Jaqua and young Colombian standout Fredy Montero pushing the action forward. The problem could be at the backline with a defense that’s inexperienced outside of former Galaxy stalwart Tyrone Marshall. Keller says he still has something left after nearly two decades in Europe and picked up[ a shutout Thursday in his MLS debut at age 39.

Toronto FC
LAST YEAR: 9-13-8 (seventh place).
WHO’S BACK: Coach John Carver, F Chad Barrett, M Jim Brennan, F Danny Dichio, GK Brian Edwards, M Amado Guevara, D Kevin Harmse, F Fuad Ibrahim, M Rohan Ricketts, M Carl Robinson, GK Greg Sutton.
WHO’S GONE: D/F Todd Dunivant, D Hunter Freeman, D Julius James, D Tyrone Marshall, F Carlos Ruiz, F Jarrod Smith.
WHO’S NEW: M Sam Cronin, M Dwayne DeRosario, GK Stefan Frei, D Adrian Serioux, F Pablo Vitti, F O’Brian White.
WHAT’S AHEAD: Toronto fans tolerated a last-place finish in the team’s debut season in 2007 but demanded more after the team finished last in the East again in 2008. Their calls were answered when TFC acquired Toronto-born midfielder and two-time MLS Cup MVP Dwayne De Rosario in a December trade with Houston. Toronto also moved to bolster its strike force, second last in the league in 2008 with 34 goals, by signing Argentinian striker Pablo Vitti on loan from Independiente. General Manager Mo Johnston used his three first-round picks in the MLS SuperDraft to grab midfielder Sam Cronin second overall, striker O’Brian White fourth and goalkeeper Stefan Frei with the 13th pick. A busy offseason was capped in February when Johnston acquired Toronto-born defender Adrian Serioux in a trade with Dallas, meaning Toronto’s fervent fans may actually have something good to cheer about this year.

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About Nick Green

South Bay-based Los Angeles News Group soccer columnist and blogger Nick Green writes at the 100 Percent Soccer blog at www.insidesocal.com/soccer and craft beer at the Beer Goggles blog at www.insidesocal.com/beer. Cheers!