TSN.ca's 2015 MLS Preview: Western Conference

The 2015 MLS season is nearly upon us. Get caught up with the League after a busy off-season with TSN.ca's week-long season preview. Get forecasts for season success, who's in, who's out and when teams will be visiting your local pitch.

Today we have a look at the American clubs in the Western Conference.

 

Colorado Rapids

The Colorado Rapids looked like a team headed to the MLS Cup Playoffs during the first half of the 2014 season, before the wins and goals dried up and the team sunk all the way down the standings to second-last and a 32-point finish.

Pablo Mastroeni, in his second year in the team, has made a lot of changes, starting a rebuild that hopefully will get the team back on track towards a post-season berth.

Despite all of the new faces, the key man in the team remains midfielder Dillon Powers, who will be counted on to control the ball and the play and help propel the offence.  He'll also need to better his five-goal total from last season to give his side a chance for a quick return in a very tough Western Conference.

Sam Cronin and Marcelo Sarvas are two important players who have arrived to provide veteran stability to the team and, if they can perform to their abilities, should help the Rapids have a more consistent, if unspectacular, season.

IN: F Caleb Calvert (Dispersal Draft), D Michael Harrington (trade - Portland), F Dimitry Imbongo (trade - New England), F Geoffrey Castillion (trade - New England), D Bobby Burling (Waiver Draft), GK Zac MacMath (loan - Philadelphia), M Marcelo Sarvas (trade - LA Galaxy), M Sam Cronin (trade - San Jose), M Lucas Pittinari (loan - Belgrano), M Juan Ramirez (transfer - Argentinos Juniors)

OUT: M Carlos Alvarez (option declined), F Edson Buddle (option declined), M Kamani Hill (option declined), M Nick LaBrocca (option declined), D Thomas Piermayr (option declined), F Danny Mwanga (Expansion Draft to Orlando City), D Marvell Wynne (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft)

National Tour Dates: Vancouver (Sept. 9) 

 

FC Dallas

After eliminating the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Knockout Round of the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs, FC Dallas was beaten in the Conference Semifinal by Seattle Sounders, putting an end to a promising season which should still give the side momentum heading into 2015.

Injuries cut a swath through FC Dallas last season, something they were able to overcome with the growth of some of the young players in their squad. They will still depend on the playmaking skills of Mauro Diaz to make things work in their offence.  If they can keep him healthy this season, his contributions are the type that could take this team from bottom of the playoffs, to top of the league.

Oscar Pareja brought in goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to add stability behind the team's backline and he also gives them solid options at the position.  Chris Seitz returns from last year's team, making them very strong in net this season.

Building off last season, this is a team that should be battling for one of the very top spots in the West and are poised to make a deep playoff run, provided they aren't once again derailed by injury.

IN: G Dan Kennedy (Dispersal Draft), M Atiba Harris (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft), M Kyle Bekker (trade from Toronto), M Michael Barrios (free)

OUT: D Jair Benitez (option declined), M Andres Escobar (option declined), GK Raul Fernandez (option declined), M Peter Luccin (option declined), M Adam Moffat (option declined), M Hendry Thomas (option declined), D/M Je-Vaughn Watson (out of contract)

National Tour Dates: Montreal (May 23), Vancouver (Aug. 22, Oct. 7)

 

Houston Dynamo

One of two new teams that will by plying their trade this season in the Western Conference, the Houston Dynamo spent a rare season watching the playoffs from home after slumping to an eighth-place finish in the East in 2014.

Former Premier League manager Owen Coyle was hired in the off-season to replace long-time boss Dom Kinnear. After a messy season defensively, the Dynamo added defender Raul Rodriguez to help bring stability to their back end. 

Offensively, they will benefit from having Erick "Cubo" Torres, who should be able to provide a much needed spark up front and, with Brad Davis and Boniek Garcia behind him, will have the chance to capitalize on many scoring chances.

IN: GK Joe Willis (trade from DC), D Samuel Inkoom (trade from DC), F Chandler Hoffman (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft), M Nathan Sturgis (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft), F Erick Torres (transfer from Chivas Guadalajara), M Leonel Miranda (loan from Independiente), D Raul Rodriguez (free)

OUT: F Omar Cummings (option declined), M Andrew Driver (option declined), F Brian Ownby (option declined), M Servando Carrasco (out of contract), M Andrew Driver (traded to DC), GK Tally Hall (traded to Orlando City), F Mark Sherrod (Expansion Draft to Orlando City)

National Tour Dates: Toronto (May 10), Vancouver (Oct. 25)

 

Sporting Kansas City

The second team to move into the Western Conference, Sporting KC was eliminated in the playoffs last season by New York Red Bulls in the East Knockout Round.

The midfield is a position of strength for Sporting KC with the return of Roger Espinoza from England to play alongside Benny Feilhaber and help the team transition from offence to defence and create scoring opportunities.

The 2013 MLS Cup champions had a rough title defence and have made some key changes to try to spark the roster in 2015. Luis Marin, for example, takes over in goal at what was a position of weakness last season and hopes to bring stability.

Dom Dwyer will be counted on for goals, as he is one of the best scorers in the league. If he can duplicate what he provided last season, KC will be in the mix in a very competitive Western Conference.

IN: M Bernardo Anor (trade from Columbus), D Jalil Anibaba (trade from Orlando City), M James Marcelin (free), F Krisztian Nemeth (free), GK Luis Marin (free), GK Tim Melia (waivers), M Roger Espinoza (free), M Servando Carrasco (trade from Houston), M Soni Mustivar (free), D Marcel de Jong (free)

OUT: M Antonio Dovale (option declined), M Lawrence Olum (contract terminated), F Soony Saad (out of contract), D Aurelien Collin (traded to Orlando City), F C.J. Sapong (traded to Philadelphia), M Sal Zizzo (Expansion Draft to NYCFC), G Eric Kronberg (Re-Entry Stage 1 Draft), GK Andy Gruenebaum (Re-Entry Stage 1 Draft), F Claudio Bieler (out of contract), D Igor Juliao (loan expired), M Jorge Claros (mutual termination)

National Tour Dates: Vancouver (July 12), Toronto (Aug. 8)

 

Los Angeles Galaxy

Last season, the LA Galaxy did the two things they do best - said goodbye to a club legend and celebrated an MLS Cup championship.

It was a fitting end to a legendary career for Landon Donovan, but he was a productive player to the end and what he provided to the team will need to be replaced.  The Galaxy also traded midfielder Marcelo Sarvas and his absence will also be felt.

Robbie Keane was last season's MVP and will now be the undisputed leader of the team heading into the season and his brand of consistent production will be important to get the Galaxy off to a good start.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard will be joining the team in July, after the conclusion of the Barclays Premier League season and the veteran should have a huge say in if this will be another title campaign for the Galaxy.

IN: M Steven Gerrard (free), GK Brian Perk (re-signed), M Rafael Garcia (re-signed)

OUT: M Landon Donovan (retired), F Rob Friend (retired), D James Riley (option declined), F Chandler Hoffman (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft), M Marcelo Sarvas (traded to Colorado)

National Tour Dates: Vancouver (Apr. 4) 

 

Portland Timbers

A single point kept the Timbers out of the playoffs last season, as they fell short in an exciting race to the finish with Vancouver Whitecaps.

It wasn't the end of the season that cost Portland, but a rough opening that saw them winless in their first eight games and forced them to play catch-up the entire season.

After a dreadful season defensively that saw them leak 52 goals, central defenders Nat Borchers and  Liam Ridgewell and goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey will be counted on to be the strength in the back that this team needs to get themselves into the playoff picture.

Canadian Will Johnson is an important player for the Timbers and will need to return from a leg injury at full strength to give this team a chance to complete in 2015.

IN: GK Adam Larsen Kwarasey (transfer from Strømsgodset), M Dairon Asprilla (transfer from Alianza Petrolera), D Nat Borchers (trade from RSL), D Jeanderson Pereira (free), 

OUT: M Steve Zakuani (retired), D Michael Harrington (traded to Colorado), M Kalif Alhassan (option declined), D Pa Modou Kah (option declined), D Rauwshan McKenzie (out of contract), D Danny O'Rourke (out of contract), GK Donovan Ricketts (Expansion Draft to Orlando City)

National Tour Dates: Vancouver (Mar. 28), Montreal (May 9), Toronto (May 23)

 

Real Salt Lake

After a strong regular season, Real Salt Lake crashed out of the playoffs thanks to a 5-0 second-leg loss to the eventual-champion Galaxy.

Changes followed, starting with the front office and, more specifically, the general manager position and continuing on the field where Real Salt Lake saw a lot of turnover.

Demar Phillips has been added on defence and long-time Real Salt Lake player Jamison Olave has returned to bolster and add stability to the team's veteran core.

Alvaro Saborio is obviously the key man for Real Salt Lake and, when healthy, is one of the best players in the league.  They need him to stay on the field and provide contributions all season long to have another chance for a deep postseason run.

IN: D Jamison Olave (trade from New York), M Wellington "Pecka" Paeckart (free), D Aaron Maund (re-signed), D Elias Vasquez (free)

OUT: D Aaron Maund (option declined), M Cole Grossman (out of contract), D Nat Borchers (traded to Portland), M Ned Grabavoy (Expansion Draft to NYCFC), D Chris Wingert (Expansion Draft to NYCFC), F Robbie Findley (Re-Entry Stage 1 Draft), M Sebastian Velasquez (traded to NYCFC), D Carlos Salcedo (transfer to Guadalajara)

National Tour Dates: Montreal (May 16), Vancouver (May 30, Aug. 8)

 

San Jose Earthquakes

Only the Montreal Impact kept the San Jose Earthquakes from being the MLS' worst team last season, as they finished with 30 points, dead last in the Western Conference.

Former Houston Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear has returned to the place where his coaching career began to attempt to turn the program around and he has the skill and experience to make it happen.

His most important job will be getting a bounce-back season out of Chris Wondolowski, who has managed to find the net only 25 times in the last two seasons combined.

This is the first year of a rebuilding project for San Jose and, though there is some skill in the team, their most important gain this year will be experience and getting the team right for a bright future in their new stadium.

IN: F Kris Tyrpak (Dispersal Draft), M Leandro Barrera (Waiver Draft), F Mark Sherrod (trade from Orlando City), GK Andy Gruenebaum (Re-Entry Stage 1 Draft), D Marvell Wynne (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft), M Sanna Nyassi (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft), F Innocent Emeghara (free), D Paulo Renato (free)

OUT: GK Jon Busch (out of contract), F Billy Schuler (option declined), M Atiba Harris (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft), M Yannick Djalo (loan expired), M Sam Cronin (traded to Colorado)

National Tour Dates: Toronto (May 30), Vancouver (July 26)

 

Seattle Sounders

An away goal is all that stood between the Sounders and a trip to the MLS Cup Final after the Supporters’ Shield winners were eliminated by Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference Final.

After an explosive season that saw them also win the US Open, the Sounders have not made a lot of changes, as they will attempt to defend their two trophies and take another run at an elusive first MLS Cup.

The strength of this side is undoubtedly in the impressive strike partnership of Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins.  When they are at the top of their game, they are the most destructive offensive force in the league and, if they get off to a hot start, the Sounders should be off to the races once again in 2015.

The addition of Tyrone Mears as an attacking fullback should help generate more offence while also adding veteran leadership to the backline.

IN: D Tyrone Mears (free), GK Troy Perkins (free), D Andres Correa (free)

OUT: D Djimi Traore (option declined), D Jalil Anibaba (Expansion Draft to Orlando City), D DeAndre Yedlin (transfer to Tottenham), D/F Eriq Zavaleta (traded to Toronto)

National Tour Dates: Vancouver (May 16, Sept. 19), Montreal (July 25)