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04-02-2005, 11:45 AM
Western Conference preview for '05
By Jason Halpin / MLSnet.com Staff
This offseason was a momentous one for the Western Conference. Not only did the 2004 conference champion Kansas City Wizards move to the Eastern Conference, but two expansion teams have moved in and all four holdovers from last year have undergone roster overhauls in the last four months.
That leaves the battle for the 2005 Western Conference title wide open. Since each team's roster has been rearranged, don't be surprised by a shake up in the standings. Also, though a repeat of the Chicago Fire's MLS Cup conquest as an expansion team is unlikely, a playoff berth for at least one of this year's new combatants could be on the cards.
Club Deportivo Chivas USA
With several players coming from Chivas USA's Mexican sister club CD Guadalajara and having to adjust not only to MLS, but to life in the United States, veteran leadership will be more important to this team than to any other team in the league. Team captain Ramón Ramírez -- who has had a few adjustment issues of his own -- will have to help keep the club's young players focused, especially those coming from Mexico. He'll get some help from MLS veteran and two-time MLS Cup Champion Ezra Hendrickson and Mexican national team veteran Martin Zúñiga.
Despite the club's expressed intent to play an attacking style, goals will not come easy. At the ripe old age of 24, Arturo Torres is the elder statesman on Chivas USA's front line, joined by 23-year-old Matt Taylor and 22-year-old Isaac Romo. All three have shown flashes of brilliance during their brief careers, but none has seen significant first team action, and with the caliber of defense across the league, they could run into some tough times in the early going.
At the other end of the field, Chivas USA's defense is shaky at best. Hendrickson, for all of his good qualities, is not among the best central defenders in the league, and when he filled in for Ryan Nelsen at the back last season, United's rearguard was noticeably weaker. Costa Rican international Douglas Sequeira and former Fire man Orlando Perez are also on hand, and if newly acquired Ryan Suarez regains the form and consistency that made him a Rookie of the Year finalist in 2001, the Chivas USA defense could yet be successful.
With Ramírez and former Kansas City Wizard Francisco Gomez on duty, the midfield looks to be the most sound area for Chivas USA. Former CD Guadalajara players Hector Cuadros and Francisco Mendoza have also impressed in preseason. With Zúñiga currently injured, the goalkeeping duties fall to rookie Brad Guzan, a large physical presence with impressive athletic ability but a lot still to learn.
Colorado Rapids
If new Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo has his way, the days of the Rapids relying on Joe Cannon for points are over. Clavijo has overhauled the Rapids lineup this offseason, bringing in several attacking options to complement Cannon and take some of the pressure off the Rapids defense.
Last year, Haitian striker Jean Philippe Peguero led the Rapids with seven goals, the lowest total of any team leader in MLS. This year either Peguero or MLS veteran Wolde Harris will serve as a target man with Jeff Cunningham running at the defense and creating chances for himself and his strike partner. Former Earthquakes and Crew striker Luchi Gonzalez is also in the mix. In the midfield, Henderson and Mastroeni are joined by Kyle Beckerman and Martin Morales, with experienced pros like Mark Chung and Leo Cullen also ready to contribute.
Just as he did last year, Cannon will win some games for the Rapids. The difference this year is that he won't be required to do so. Central defender Nat Borchers is another year older and another year wiser (with some U.S. national team experience under his belt), and Israeli youth national team veteran Guy Melamed joins him in the middle. Though Mastroeni is penciled in to play the midfield, he could well end up in defense, where he has featured for the Rapids in the past. Steady presence Ritchie Kotschau is back for another season with the Rapids, and talented rookie Hunter Freeman is expected to line up on the right.
FC Dallas
FC Dallas have the most improved roster coming into the 2005 MLS season, and that added talent and leadership ought to make them the most improved team on the field.
Just days prior to the start of the season, head coach Colin Clarke made his biggest splash by acquiring striker Carlos Ruiz from the Los Angeles Galaxy. Ruiz will join Eddie Johnson to form the most dangerous strike partnership in the league. When those two and top back-up Cornell Glen are out for national team duty, though, the club could run into trouble, as Bobby Rhine and rookie Abe Thompson are their replacements. Arturo Alvarez and Eric Quill could also see time up front.
In another big move, FC Dallas made a draft-day trade to acquire veteran midfielder Richard Mulrooney, who helped the San Jose Earthquakes win two MLS Cup titles. Mulrooney joins 2004 team MVP Simo Valakari in the center of the park, with Ronnie O'Brien again ready to whip in crosses from the right and Alvarez poised to make a breakthrough on the left. Alvarez will battle with Quill for playing time.
The club has also vastly improved on defense, as Greg Vanney has been brought in to anchor a back line that includes several promising youngsters. The buzz around the team is that 2004 first-round draft pick Clarence Goodson could be ready to jump into a starting role alongside Vanney in central defense, and 2005 first-round draft pick Drew Moor has been very impressive in preseason. Veterans Steve Jolley, Chris Gbandi, Philip Salyer and Carey Talley are also in the battle for places. Jeff Cassar and Scott Garlick are competing for the goalkeeping duties in a battle where the club can only win.
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Galaxy cleaned house this offseason, and now the Green-and-Gold have as many new players as holdovers from last season. For the most part, Steve Sampson's acquisitions seem wise.
In the absence of former league MVP Ruiz, a quintet of players are set to battle for a spot up top. Former San Jose Earthquake Landon Donovan has played forward for most of his MLS career, so it's likely he line up here alongside Alan Gordon. Joseph Ngwenya, the Zimbabwean striker who performed admirably in his rookie year in 2004, and Ednaldo "Naldo" da Conceicao, a 6-foot-3 target man, will challenge for Gordon's place, and Jovan Kirovski could also play up front if Sampson decides to drop Donovan into the midfield.
With the additions of Donovan, Guatemalan national team captain Guillermo "El Pando" Ramirez and Brazilian Paulo Nagamura, the club also has a wealth of options in the midfield. All three can play in the middle, but it appears Kirovski will be the first choice as an attacking midfielder, with Nagamura behind him and Pando on the left. Cobi Jones will man the right side yet again, with Peter Vagenas, Ned Grabavoy and Josh Gardner ready to come in off the bench.
In defense, half of the back line has been replaced. Sampson used his connections in Costa Rica to acquire national team defenders Pablo Chinchilla and Michael Umaña. With Umaña on the left, Chinchilla and Jamaican Tyrone Marshall in the middle and Chris Albright on the right, the Galaxy are poised to have an all-international rearguard, which bodes well for the club after a 2004 season that saw injuries and inconsistency take their toll. Kevin Hartman, who has been between the pipes for more victories than any other goalkeeper in MLS history, is the unquestioned starter in goal.
Real Salt Lake
Of the two expansion teams, Real Salt Lake appears better equipped to compete and succeed immediately. At the very least, they'll score goals. Two of head coach John Ellinger's biggest acquisitions this offseason were the league's all-time leading scorer, Jason Kreis, and Clint Mathis, the only man in MLS history to score five goals in one game. RSL also has Jamaican international Andy Williams in an attacking midfield role with rookie Jamie Watson and Botswana international Dipsy Selolwane ready to come in and perform.
Apart from Williams and veterans Brian Kamler and Evan Whitfield, the RSL midfield corps is largely unproven. Luke Kreamalmayer has impressed in preseason, but his success has not come against stiff MLS competition. Trinidad & Tobago international Marlon Rojas could prove to be a force on the left, either in the midfield or defense, but since he's never played in MLS, the jury is still out on whether he'll be a difference maker.
At the back there is a mix of proven veterans and youngsters looking for the chance to become proven veterans. Eddie Pope is the anchor, with Nelson Akwari set to play beside him and try to show he is an every-day defender. Brian Dunseth, who returns to the U.S. after playing in Sweden, is another option in the middle once he is healthy, and Matt Behncke and Rusty Pierce are also likely to see a lot of playing time. In goal, D.J. Countess is a highly touted stopper, but he has yet to prove himself professionally. Ellinger, who coached Countess with the U.S. under-17s, has faith in him, and that may be enough to boost Countess' confidence and performance.
San Jose Earthquakes
The Bay Area club's back line has the ability to keep the ball out of the net, and the front line has the ability to put the ball in the net, but the midfield is a question mark. Both Ronnie Ekelund and Richard Mulrooney have departed and have been replaced by rookie Danny O'Rourke and third-year player Ricardo Clark. Clark appeared to be a rising star in 2003, when he was a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award, but he faded in 2004. O'Rourke may be untested, but the consensus at the 2005 MLS SuperDraft was that he was the most prepared to come out of college and contribute immediately. In the outside midfield spots are Brian Mullan and Brad Davis. Mullan is a proven performer, and Davis is looking to regain the good form he lost a year ago.
At the back, Pat Onstad is a rock in net for the Quakes. Eddie Robinson, Troy Dayak, Ryan Cochrane and currently injured Danny Califf could all slot into the central defense, while captain Wade Barrett has the left side locked up. Robinson, Dayak and Califf have all had recent injury problems, but a fully healthy Earthquakes rearguard would, on paper, be one of the best in the league.
Up front, Ronald Cerritos and Dwayne De Rosario both have the ability to create goals for themselves, but Cerritos is not the same player he was when he became the Quakes' all-time leading scorer in 2001, and De Rosario has been off and on and will miss time with the Canadian national team. Brian Ching, the Quakes' biggest threat, will also be out of action when Bruce Arena calls him into the U.S. national team. If opposing defenses are allowed to focus on Ching, it could be a long year for the Quakes, but if he's given some space, his pure finishing skill could lift the club into the playoffs.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
Eastern Conference preview for '05
By Jonathan Nierman / MLSnet.com Staff
A look at the fortunes of the clubs in the Eastern Conference for the 2005 season:
Chicago Fire
A dozen or so new players have moved to the Windy City for the 2005 season. There is plenty of individual talent; the question that remains is how they will jell as a group.
A vocal, experienced leader like Zach Thornton in goal should provide a calming effect for the defense, which is braced by C.J. Brown and Tony Sanneh. Samuel Caballero and Mario Ivan Guerrero are both fighting injuries but will be looking to help the Fire allow fewer goals this season. Jim Curtin is back for a fifth season in the Fire defense.
The new face in the midfield will likely be John Thorrington. After testing the waters in Europe, the winger is finally giving MLS a shot and how he adjusts to the game in the U.S. will impact his productivity. Chris Armas and Jesse Marsch will probably patrol the middle, though a younger, quicker player may need to be thrown into that mix. Justin Mapp is back from injury and needs to consistently play at the high level that he displays too infrequently.
Andy Herron appears to have a lock on a starting job up front, but he could be partnered with a number of guys including Nate Jaqua or rookies Chad Barrett or Chris Rolfe. Dave Sarachan's side looks to be a little back heavy on paper.
Columbus Crew
Greg Andrulis' team in 2005 will much resemble his '04 squad, with a few key exceptions. Gone is one of the USA's top defenders in Sanneh, traded to the Chicago Fire for the services of striker Ante Razov. Robin Fraser will again lead the defense, but at 38 years old, he could have a hard time keeping up with younger, faster forwards. Chad Marshall will look to match his rookie-season performance and avoid the sophomore slump.
Simon Elliott, Kyle Martino and Ross Paule should lead the midfield and Andrulis will be looking for more production from Danny Szetela, as well as contributions from draftees such as Marcus Storey and Domenic Mediate.
How Razov adjusts to a new team and a new city will be the offensive key for the Crew. Jeff Cunningham was sent to the Colorado Rapids, but Edson Buddle, Dante Washington and a few younger players will battle for time alongside Razov.
D.C. United
Peter Nowak's side knows what it takes to win a championship. They know that the MLS season is a long one and they aren't likely to get too down on each other if they hit a rough spot, as they did at several points in 2004. Their deadly striking tandem of Alecko Eskandarian and Jaime Moreno are both back and fully fit.
The midfield looks strong behind returning players Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen, Christian Gomez, Freddy Adu and Josh Gros. Dema Kovalenko will miss the first few weeks after suffering a broken foot in the offseason, but his injection into the lineup after missing early matches could help spark the team if they get off to a slow start. Steve Guppy, a veteran of English soccer, could make an impact by providing quality service to Eskandarian and Moreno.
The only real question mark is in defense, a huge gap in their back line appearing with the departure of Ryan Nelsen to England. However, Mike Petke, Bryan Namoff and Brandon Prideaux are all experienced MLS defenders capable of getting the job done. David Stokes still has a lot of learning and improving to do, so Nowak could look to shore up the defense with an additional player sometime in the near future.
Kansas City Wizards
The Wizards have essentially the opposite problem of D.C. United. The Kansas City defense is one of the tops in the league, though the offensive threats are few and far between. Jimmy Conrad, Nick Garcia, Jose Burciaga and Alex Zotinca will protect Bo Oshoniyi's net again this season, which will make it hard for opponents to find the net too often.
The midfield is anchored by Kerry Zavagnin defensively, while the more attacking-minded options include Preki and Chris Klein, both of whom are finally healthy after long injury layoffs. Newcomer Sasha Victorine could also help generate some offense from his position out wide.
Up top the duties will fall to Josh Wolff and Davy Arnaud. With both likely to miss some time this season due to World Cup qualifying and the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the production of draftee Scott Sealy will be very important.
MetroStars
Bob Bradley is putting a lot of faith in young players and those untested in MLS this season, starting in the back with Zach Wells, who will open the season in goal while Jonny Walker recovers from injury.
Jeff Agoos provides leadership out of the defense and he has a proven winning record, but his age and lack of pace mean his associates will often have to cover for him. Chris Leitch will be there to help out, leaving a couple of other defensive spots open for the taking. Rookie Tim Ward, Jeff Parke and a few others will fight for time there.
The big question on everyone's mind is how much of an impact Youri Djorkaeff will make for the Metros. He already is going to miss the first couple of weeks of action due to injury and dealing with the playing surface at Giants Stadium and the summer heat could take their toll on the French veteran. Amado Guevara and Eddie Gaven will make things happen (when they aren't with their respective national teams) and Mark Lisi is a good assist man. Bradley needs those guys to stay healthy for the Metros to score goals.
John Wolyniec, Mike Magee and Sergio Galvan Rey are the returning strikers, with Cornell Glen and Fabian Taylor both being shown the exit after their 2004 campaigns. Ramon Bailey and Abbe Ibrahim are newly signed players who come in as virtual unknowns. Galvan Rey's strike record (two goals in 2004) is not impressive, while neither Wolyniec nor Magee have ever shown in seasons past that they are capable of carrying the offensive load. Goals could be hard to score and equally hard to prevent for this team.
New England Revolution
The Revs are a team with very few players with star power. That's not to say that they don't have quality, they just appear to be a side mostly made up of hard-working, gritty players.
Matt Reis has a lock on the starting goalkeeper job and he will be fronted by some combination of Jay Heaps, Joey Franchino, Avery John, Carlos Llamosa and a few first-year defenders. Llamosa turns 36 this year and Heaps and John have sometimes shown defensive lapses.
The strength of this New England team is its midfield, headed up by Steve Ralston. Clint Dempsey had a fantastic rookie season on his way to the Rookie of the Year award. Both players could miss a significant amount of time while with the U.S. national team, though. That will give a lot of the playmaking responsibilities to Jose Cancela, who has a tendency to drift out of games for long spells. Sharlie Joseph and Andy Dorman will also see a lot of the field and Brazilian Cassio has a chance to be an impact player.
Again the Revs will look to Pat Noonan and Taylor Twellman for goals. Where the scoring will come from aside from these two is anybody's guess, as the only other out-and-out strikers on their roster (Jamie Holmes and Ryan Latham) are both new to MLS.
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
My FC Dallas boys look solid.
Is this the year Adu takes over?
By Jason Halpin / MLSnet.com Staff
This offseason was a momentous one for the Western Conference. Not only did the 2004 conference champion Kansas City Wizards move to the Eastern Conference, but two expansion teams have moved in and all four holdovers from last year have undergone roster overhauls in the last four months.
That leaves the battle for the 2005 Western Conference title wide open. Since each team's roster has been rearranged, don't be surprised by a shake up in the standings. Also, though a repeat of the Chicago Fire's MLS Cup conquest as an expansion team is unlikely, a playoff berth for at least one of this year's new combatants could be on the cards.
Club Deportivo Chivas USA
With several players coming from Chivas USA's Mexican sister club CD Guadalajara and having to adjust not only to MLS, but to life in the United States, veteran leadership will be more important to this team than to any other team in the league. Team captain Ramón Ramírez -- who has had a few adjustment issues of his own -- will have to help keep the club's young players focused, especially those coming from Mexico. He'll get some help from MLS veteran and two-time MLS Cup Champion Ezra Hendrickson and Mexican national team veteran Martin Zúñiga.
Despite the club's expressed intent to play an attacking style, goals will not come easy. At the ripe old age of 24, Arturo Torres is the elder statesman on Chivas USA's front line, joined by 23-year-old Matt Taylor and 22-year-old Isaac Romo. All three have shown flashes of brilliance during their brief careers, but none has seen significant first team action, and with the caliber of defense across the league, they could run into some tough times in the early going.
At the other end of the field, Chivas USA's defense is shaky at best. Hendrickson, for all of his good qualities, is not among the best central defenders in the league, and when he filled in for Ryan Nelsen at the back last season, United's rearguard was noticeably weaker. Costa Rican international Douglas Sequeira and former Fire man Orlando Perez are also on hand, and if newly acquired Ryan Suarez regains the form and consistency that made him a Rookie of the Year finalist in 2001, the Chivas USA defense could yet be successful.
With Ramírez and former Kansas City Wizard Francisco Gomez on duty, the midfield looks to be the most sound area for Chivas USA. Former CD Guadalajara players Hector Cuadros and Francisco Mendoza have also impressed in preseason. With Zúñiga currently injured, the goalkeeping duties fall to rookie Brad Guzan, a large physical presence with impressive athletic ability but a lot still to learn.
Colorado Rapids
If new Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo has his way, the days of the Rapids relying on Joe Cannon for points are over. Clavijo has overhauled the Rapids lineup this offseason, bringing in several attacking options to complement Cannon and take some of the pressure off the Rapids defense.
Last year, Haitian striker Jean Philippe Peguero led the Rapids with seven goals, the lowest total of any team leader in MLS. This year either Peguero or MLS veteran Wolde Harris will serve as a target man with Jeff Cunningham running at the defense and creating chances for himself and his strike partner. Former Earthquakes and Crew striker Luchi Gonzalez is also in the mix. In the midfield, Henderson and Mastroeni are joined by Kyle Beckerman and Martin Morales, with experienced pros like Mark Chung and Leo Cullen also ready to contribute.
Just as he did last year, Cannon will win some games for the Rapids. The difference this year is that he won't be required to do so. Central defender Nat Borchers is another year older and another year wiser (with some U.S. national team experience under his belt), and Israeli youth national team veteran Guy Melamed joins him in the middle. Though Mastroeni is penciled in to play the midfield, he could well end up in defense, where he has featured for the Rapids in the past. Steady presence Ritchie Kotschau is back for another season with the Rapids, and talented rookie Hunter Freeman is expected to line up on the right.
FC Dallas
FC Dallas have the most improved roster coming into the 2005 MLS season, and that added talent and leadership ought to make them the most improved team on the field.
Just days prior to the start of the season, head coach Colin Clarke made his biggest splash by acquiring striker Carlos Ruiz from the Los Angeles Galaxy. Ruiz will join Eddie Johnson to form the most dangerous strike partnership in the league. When those two and top back-up Cornell Glen are out for national team duty, though, the club could run into trouble, as Bobby Rhine and rookie Abe Thompson are their replacements. Arturo Alvarez and Eric Quill could also see time up front.
In another big move, FC Dallas made a draft-day trade to acquire veteran midfielder Richard Mulrooney, who helped the San Jose Earthquakes win two MLS Cup titles. Mulrooney joins 2004 team MVP Simo Valakari in the center of the park, with Ronnie O'Brien again ready to whip in crosses from the right and Alvarez poised to make a breakthrough on the left. Alvarez will battle with Quill for playing time.
The club has also vastly improved on defense, as Greg Vanney has been brought in to anchor a back line that includes several promising youngsters. The buzz around the team is that 2004 first-round draft pick Clarence Goodson could be ready to jump into a starting role alongside Vanney in central defense, and 2005 first-round draft pick Drew Moor has been very impressive in preseason. Veterans Steve Jolley, Chris Gbandi, Philip Salyer and Carey Talley are also in the battle for places. Jeff Cassar and Scott Garlick are competing for the goalkeeping duties in a battle where the club can only win.
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Galaxy cleaned house this offseason, and now the Green-and-Gold have as many new players as holdovers from last season. For the most part, Steve Sampson's acquisitions seem wise.
In the absence of former league MVP Ruiz, a quintet of players are set to battle for a spot up top. Former San Jose Earthquake Landon Donovan has played forward for most of his MLS career, so it's likely he line up here alongside Alan Gordon. Joseph Ngwenya, the Zimbabwean striker who performed admirably in his rookie year in 2004, and Ednaldo "Naldo" da Conceicao, a 6-foot-3 target man, will challenge for Gordon's place, and Jovan Kirovski could also play up front if Sampson decides to drop Donovan into the midfield.
With the additions of Donovan, Guatemalan national team captain Guillermo "El Pando" Ramirez and Brazilian Paulo Nagamura, the club also has a wealth of options in the midfield. All three can play in the middle, but it appears Kirovski will be the first choice as an attacking midfielder, with Nagamura behind him and Pando on the left. Cobi Jones will man the right side yet again, with Peter Vagenas, Ned Grabavoy and Josh Gardner ready to come in off the bench.
In defense, half of the back line has been replaced. Sampson used his connections in Costa Rica to acquire national team defenders Pablo Chinchilla and Michael Umaña. With Umaña on the left, Chinchilla and Jamaican Tyrone Marshall in the middle and Chris Albright on the right, the Galaxy are poised to have an all-international rearguard, which bodes well for the club after a 2004 season that saw injuries and inconsistency take their toll. Kevin Hartman, who has been between the pipes for more victories than any other goalkeeper in MLS history, is the unquestioned starter in goal.
Real Salt Lake
Of the two expansion teams, Real Salt Lake appears better equipped to compete and succeed immediately. At the very least, they'll score goals. Two of head coach John Ellinger's biggest acquisitions this offseason were the league's all-time leading scorer, Jason Kreis, and Clint Mathis, the only man in MLS history to score five goals in one game. RSL also has Jamaican international Andy Williams in an attacking midfield role with rookie Jamie Watson and Botswana international Dipsy Selolwane ready to come in and perform.
Apart from Williams and veterans Brian Kamler and Evan Whitfield, the RSL midfield corps is largely unproven. Luke Kreamalmayer has impressed in preseason, but his success has not come against stiff MLS competition. Trinidad & Tobago international Marlon Rojas could prove to be a force on the left, either in the midfield or defense, but since he's never played in MLS, the jury is still out on whether he'll be a difference maker.
At the back there is a mix of proven veterans and youngsters looking for the chance to become proven veterans. Eddie Pope is the anchor, with Nelson Akwari set to play beside him and try to show he is an every-day defender. Brian Dunseth, who returns to the U.S. after playing in Sweden, is another option in the middle once he is healthy, and Matt Behncke and Rusty Pierce are also likely to see a lot of playing time. In goal, D.J. Countess is a highly touted stopper, but he has yet to prove himself professionally. Ellinger, who coached Countess with the U.S. under-17s, has faith in him, and that may be enough to boost Countess' confidence and performance.
San Jose Earthquakes
The Bay Area club's back line has the ability to keep the ball out of the net, and the front line has the ability to put the ball in the net, but the midfield is a question mark. Both Ronnie Ekelund and Richard Mulrooney have departed and have been replaced by rookie Danny O'Rourke and third-year player Ricardo Clark. Clark appeared to be a rising star in 2003, when he was a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award, but he faded in 2004. O'Rourke may be untested, but the consensus at the 2005 MLS SuperDraft was that he was the most prepared to come out of college and contribute immediately. In the outside midfield spots are Brian Mullan and Brad Davis. Mullan is a proven performer, and Davis is looking to regain the good form he lost a year ago.
At the back, Pat Onstad is a rock in net for the Quakes. Eddie Robinson, Troy Dayak, Ryan Cochrane and currently injured Danny Califf could all slot into the central defense, while captain Wade Barrett has the left side locked up. Robinson, Dayak and Califf have all had recent injury problems, but a fully healthy Earthquakes rearguard would, on paper, be one of the best in the league.
Up front, Ronald Cerritos and Dwayne De Rosario both have the ability to create goals for themselves, but Cerritos is not the same player he was when he became the Quakes' all-time leading scorer in 2001, and De Rosario has been off and on and will miss time with the Canadian national team. Brian Ching, the Quakes' biggest threat, will also be out of action when Bruce Arena calls him into the U.S. national team. If opposing defenses are allowed to focus on Ching, it could be a long year for the Quakes, but if he's given some space, his pure finishing skill could lift the club into the playoffs.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
Eastern Conference preview for '05
By Jonathan Nierman / MLSnet.com Staff
A look at the fortunes of the clubs in the Eastern Conference for the 2005 season:
Chicago Fire
A dozen or so new players have moved to the Windy City for the 2005 season. There is plenty of individual talent; the question that remains is how they will jell as a group.
A vocal, experienced leader like Zach Thornton in goal should provide a calming effect for the defense, which is braced by C.J. Brown and Tony Sanneh. Samuel Caballero and Mario Ivan Guerrero are both fighting injuries but will be looking to help the Fire allow fewer goals this season. Jim Curtin is back for a fifth season in the Fire defense.
The new face in the midfield will likely be John Thorrington. After testing the waters in Europe, the winger is finally giving MLS a shot and how he adjusts to the game in the U.S. will impact his productivity. Chris Armas and Jesse Marsch will probably patrol the middle, though a younger, quicker player may need to be thrown into that mix. Justin Mapp is back from injury and needs to consistently play at the high level that he displays too infrequently.
Andy Herron appears to have a lock on a starting job up front, but he could be partnered with a number of guys including Nate Jaqua or rookies Chad Barrett or Chris Rolfe. Dave Sarachan's side looks to be a little back heavy on paper.
Columbus Crew
Greg Andrulis' team in 2005 will much resemble his '04 squad, with a few key exceptions. Gone is one of the USA's top defenders in Sanneh, traded to the Chicago Fire for the services of striker Ante Razov. Robin Fraser will again lead the defense, but at 38 years old, he could have a hard time keeping up with younger, faster forwards. Chad Marshall will look to match his rookie-season performance and avoid the sophomore slump.
Simon Elliott, Kyle Martino and Ross Paule should lead the midfield and Andrulis will be looking for more production from Danny Szetela, as well as contributions from draftees such as Marcus Storey and Domenic Mediate.
How Razov adjusts to a new team and a new city will be the offensive key for the Crew. Jeff Cunningham was sent to the Colorado Rapids, but Edson Buddle, Dante Washington and a few younger players will battle for time alongside Razov.
D.C. United
Peter Nowak's side knows what it takes to win a championship. They know that the MLS season is a long one and they aren't likely to get too down on each other if they hit a rough spot, as they did at several points in 2004. Their deadly striking tandem of Alecko Eskandarian and Jaime Moreno are both back and fully fit.
The midfield looks strong behind returning players Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen, Christian Gomez, Freddy Adu and Josh Gros. Dema Kovalenko will miss the first few weeks after suffering a broken foot in the offseason, but his injection into the lineup after missing early matches could help spark the team if they get off to a slow start. Steve Guppy, a veteran of English soccer, could make an impact by providing quality service to Eskandarian and Moreno.
The only real question mark is in defense, a huge gap in their back line appearing with the departure of Ryan Nelsen to England. However, Mike Petke, Bryan Namoff and Brandon Prideaux are all experienced MLS defenders capable of getting the job done. David Stokes still has a lot of learning and improving to do, so Nowak could look to shore up the defense with an additional player sometime in the near future.
Kansas City Wizards
The Wizards have essentially the opposite problem of D.C. United. The Kansas City defense is one of the tops in the league, though the offensive threats are few and far between. Jimmy Conrad, Nick Garcia, Jose Burciaga and Alex Zotinca will protect Bo Oshoniyi's net again this season, which will make it hard for opponents to find the net too often.
The midfield is anchored by Kerry Zavagnin defensively, while the more attacking-minded options include Preki and Chris Klein, both of whom are finally healthy after long injury layoffs. Newcomer Sasha Victorine could also help generate some offense from his position out wide.
Up top the duties will fall to Josh Wolff and Davy Arnaud. With both likely to miss some time this season due to World Cup qualifying and the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the production of draftee Scott Sealy will be very important.
MetroStars
Bob Bradley is putting a lot of faith in young players and those untested in MLS this season, starting in the back with Zach Wells, who will open the season in goal while Jonny Walker recovers from injury.
Jeff Agoos provides leadership out of the defense and he has a proven winning record, but his age and lack of pace mean his associates will often have to cover for him. Chris Leitch will be there to help out, leaving a couple of other defensive spots open for the taking. Rookie Tim Ward, Jeff Parke and a few others will fight for time there.
The big question on everyone's mind is how much of an impact Youri Djorkaeff will make for the Metros. He already is going to miss the first couple of weeks of action due to injury and dealing with the playing surface at Giants Stadium and the summer heat could take their toll on the French veteran. Amado Guevara and Eddie Gaven will make things happen (when they aren't with their respective national teams) and Mark Lisi is a good assist man. Bradley needs those guys to stay healthy for the Metros to score goals.
John Wolyniec, Mike Magee and Sergio Galvan Rey are the returning strikers, with Cornell Glen and Fabian Taylor both being shown the exit after their 2004 campaigns. Ramon Bailey and Abbe Ibrahim are newly signed players who come in as virtual unknowns. Galvan Rey's strike record (two goals in 2004) is not impressive, while neither Wolyniec nor Magee have ever shown in seasons past that they are capable of carrying the offensive load. Goals could be hard to score and equally hard to prevent for this team.
New England Revolution
The Revs are a team with very few players with star power. That's not to say that they don't have quality, they just appear to be a side mostly made up of hard-working, gritty players.
Matt Reis has a lock on the starting goalkeeper job and he will be fronted by some combination of Jay Heaps, Joey Franchino, Avery John, Carlos Llamosa and a few first-year defenders. Llamosa turns 36 this year and Heaps and John have sometimes shown defensive lapses.
The strength of this New England team is its midfield, headed up by Steve Ralston. Clint Dempsey had a fantastic rookie season on his way to the Rookie of the Year award. Both players could miss a significant amount of time while with the U.S. national team, though. That will give a lot of the playmaking responsibilities to Jose Cancela, who has a tendency to drift out of games for long spells. Sharlie Joseph and Andy Dorman will also see a lot of the field and Brazilian Cassio has a chance to be an impact player.
Again the Revs will look to Pat Noonan and Taylor Twellman for goals. Where the scoring will come from aside from these two is anybody's guess, as the only other out-and-out strikers on their roster (Jamie Holmes and Ryan Latham) are both new to MLS.
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
My FC Dallas boys look solid.
Is this the year Adu takes over?