Houston Dynamo

Houston Dynamo

Key Acquisition(s): Bobby Boswell

Key Loss(es): Nate Jaqua(SCR Altach), Joseph Ngwenya

The champions return this season weaker than the year before, they still have plenty of skill up front as there talisman Dwayne De Rosiaro is returning for another MLS season. Where this team is really going to depend for goals however is Brian Ching, the forward had a miserable year, last year sailing sitters over the bar with the greatest of ease. That's going to have to change because they have no depth at the position that I can see other than Kyle Brown expect a 4-5-1 from Dominic Kinnear this year.

Prediction:  Playoffs, 5th overall

Chivas USA 

Key Acquisition(s): Alecko Eskandarian, Raphael Wicky

Key Loss(es) Preston Burpo

The Western Conference Champions say this is the year and i believe them the only potential holes are CB if Claudio Suarez's 40th birthday signals his downfall. With the best firepower in MLS I've ever seen with the likes of Eskandarian, Kljestan, Razov,and Galindo. Chivas look heavy favorites for this year add Brad Guzan to the mix and you have a near lock on the MLS crown.

Los Angeles Galaxy

Key Acquisition(s): Carlos Ruiz, Greg Vanney, Josh Wicks, Alvaro Pires

Key Loss(es): Chris Albright, Joe Cannon, Gavin Glinton, Kyle Martino, Ty Harden, Clint Mathis, Cobi Jones

Look at all those departures, four MLS All-Stars out; one in. This team, I just don't know what their thinking, the deck is stacked in their favor even with all those departure i estimate there salary is over three million dollars, not counting David. And they still suck, that back-line is dreadful, Xavier is old, Troy Roberts is a right back, Chris Klein is a Right mid, they switched to left back for christ sakes, they will score. I'll give them that Donavon will net eleven or twelve Ruiz will close on fifteen, and Becks, if he stays healthy will have twenty-plus assists. Don't expect wins from this team, unless you believe in miracles, but i do expect some fun games for television. 

Perdiction: sub .500 record, no playoffs, tenth overall. Watch for a possible Becks back to England deal in July, West Ham United is my guess.



New England Revolution

Key Acquisition(s): Chris Albright, Argenis Fernandez, Mauricio Castro

Key Loss(es): Andy Dorman, Avery John, Pat Noonan

The Venerable side has yet to win the MLS Cup, but last season they did win the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and have the nucleus back from last year. Expect Wells Thompson, too break out this year, and don't think this is the best Michael Parkhurst has to offer, i think the Premiership may be in his future.

Prediction: Playoffs, deep US Open Cup Run, MLS Runners-up, 3rd overall.

D.C United 

Key Acquisition(s): Gonzalo Martinez, Marcello Gallardo(PSG), Jose Carvallo

Key Loss(es): Troy Perkins, Bryan Arguez
 

D.C United are better this year Gallardo was a huge capture, and will take a little of the service pressure off of Fred, and Ben Olsen this year, no real big losses and a year of seasoning under Tom Soehn's belt will make this team, one to watch.

Prediction: Playoffs, US Open Cup Winners, 2nd Overall, MLS Semi Final Losers.

Missing football and being close to the new Arsenal season without Arsenal football, I found myself watching the new Superliga, which pits the top four MLS teams against the top four Mexican Apertura teams in...well...a North American Superleague. It's sort of the Champions League of our continent.

Until last night, only one game was really excellent, and that was the game between Pachuca, the Mexican Champs, and Chivas Guadalajara, the runners-up.

But nothing could compare to last night's epic battle between Houston Dynamo and Pachuca in the first ever semi-final match-up of the new league.

Holy crap! I find myself slowly turning into a Dynamo fan (Ching, de Rosario, and Mullen are making that easy)—and watching the way they struggled and scrapped last night resembled that of George Graham's Arsenal: strong on set pieces, big and scrappy, and willing to do whatever it takes to grind out a win.

They've even perfected the old Arsenal offside trap. Not only are the Dynamo players turning me into a fan, they are also making me a believer in the future of the MLS.

27,000 turned up to watch the semi-final yesterday, so I can't be the only one.

MLS isn't as good as the Premiership (or La Liga or Eredivisie or Bundesliga or Ligue Un or Serie A), but they sure aren't the crap league they were ten years ago when I watched a DC United v. Galaxy game and subsequently tuned out for five years. They deserve a chance—particularly when teams from their league can perform like Dynamo performed last night.

Dynamo got an early red card, but kept on scrapping. They tied the game 2-2. Then Pachuca took a late red card. Then there was extra time.

Then Dynamo got another red card due to a petulant kick from Ashe. And Pachuca got a second yellow for their man.

But the ref pulled a Poll and forgot about the previous yellow, so he stayed on the pitch. Dynamo played with nine, Pachuca with ten. They went to penalties. And finally, Pachuca won.

A great game. The better team won, and they will likely win the first Superliga.

I for one will actually be watching the final. I just hope that Pachuca face Becks and the Galaxy, cause if they do there will be real hope for Superliga and the MLS.