For the first seventy minutes of yesterday’s First Kick match-up between the Galaxy and RSL, the predictions about the amazing 2012 Galaxy season looked like they were more than just hype.  Only the crossbar and some timely RSL defending denied the Galaxy a multi-goal lead and the defense looked shaky but solid.  When Edson Buddle converted a David Beckham pass into a goal in the 71st minute, fans could be forgiven for switching off the game and assuming it would spiral out of control from there.

But a funny thing happened at The Home Depot Center last night, and it was an intangible that we sometimes forget affects soccer games.  The Galaxy had played in Toronto on Wednesday night and with an older team, the travel visibly began to affect the team in the second half.  In addition, they needed a two goal comeback to get a draw from their CCL match.  Those watching closely could see how the Galaxy defense began to sag in the middle of the field and, when losing a step on an RSL player, committed more fouls (fourteen for the game).

Two minutes after the Buddle goal, new RSL midfielder Sebastian Velazquez created some space down the right and put in a cross towards goal.  Brian Dunseth on the MLS Live feed noted earlier that the pitch at Home Depot Center gets a little damp as the temperature drops, and Sean Franklin possibly fell victim to this.  He threw his leg out to deflect the bouncing cross but ended up stabbing it into his own net.  At that point the game changed as Real Salt Lake had the momentum and the home side looked deflated.  Adding to this momentum was key substitutions by Jason Kreis who brought on banged up Javier Morales and Alvaro Saborio midway through the second half, substitutions that gave RSL a more confident and attacking line-up.  In the 80th minute, Morales scored his first goal since his injury last season when he poked a loose ball in the LA box into the net.  Fabian Espindola, who had a big second half, put the exclamation point on the win with a nice drive down the left that saw him juke a few defenders before finishing with a goal.

Even though this was the first MLS game for both teams, the impact cannot be understated.  For the visitors, scoring the first away win against the Galaxy since 2010, especially when down a goal, is a major momentum boost for this side.  Nick Rimando had an excellent game and while LA put RSL under a lot of pressure throughout the game, the Reds held the high-flying Galaxy to only one goal.  The negative this game revealed is the team’s depth.  With Morales and Saborio sitting, players like Paulo Jr., Louis Gil, and Sebastian Velasquez got the start.  Despite Velasquez setting up the first goal, these players were shaky in the midfield and Espindola lacked any consistent quality passes from the midfield.  LA gave the visitors some good chances at counters, but they failed to take advantage of them for the first part of the game.

As for the Galaxy, this game was a bit of a wake-up.  Coming back to force a draw with Toronto is a confidence booster; this result should show them that they can’t play the entire season by wasting chances.  Looking up at Real Salt Lake should help show this team that they won’t cake walk to another title and this is a good lesson to see early.  That said, they could have easily gone home last night with a multi-goal win.  Their offensive pressure was as advertised and the big names (especially Donovan and Beckham) were dynamic.  Fatigue was a factor but that will be a factor all season.  How they handle that will be a key to how far they advance this season.  But this result should in no way lesson the impression that they are the most dangerous team in MLS.

A few other observations for you from the game:

• The broadcast crew for RSL were pretty good, especially Brian Dunseth in the booth.  That said, the unintentional comedy moment of the night was them hosting Don Garber in the booth.  After introducing the Commish, there was about three minutes of play-by-play, with Garber finally interjecting that he felt like he was butting in.
• I watched this game on the new MLS Live on my computer but about 10 minutes in hooked it to my HD TV.  The picture was incredible and when MLS Live says it has an HD feed, it isn’t lying.  I haven’t tried the phone or iPad feed but look forward to it.
• I loved the LA Galaxy faux-Real Madrid shirts.  They look great on TV with the sash.
• The return match on June 20 will be fun to watch.  This game got chippy midway through and it is obvious the players on these two teams don’t care much for each other.

Team: D.C. United

Coach: Ben Olsen

Last Season: 9-13-12, 7th Eastern Conference, 13th Overall

Hashtag: #DCU

There is a sense of anticipation around the DC United fan base this season, a sense of anticipation that fans have not had for a few years.  After missing the playoffs four straight years, the team invested in some new talent to supplement a young core and on paper, this team is light years from the one that set records for futility in 2010.  With the defending MLS MVP leading the attack and a defense fawned upon by national coaches, you can forgive Black and Red faithful for impatiently waiting for the beginning of the season.

However, behind that unbridled optimism is a sense of unease.  In reality, the most decorated franchise in MLS history has entered a playoff dry spell which they have never experienced prior.  In fact, this season is a critical juncture for the team.  While there are certainly weaknesses in the squad, this is the strongest and deepest team on paper since their last MLS Cup run.  In fact, it is not ridiculous to suggest that this team, if it lives up to its potential, could challenge for the Eastern Conference.  But what if it doesn’t?  For a franchise like DC United, five years without a playoff game is an eternity.

Head Coach and Front Office: For all of the criticism he has taken, Kevin Payne seemingly has earned his paycheck this offseason.  The team president has built the team’s youth academy into one of the best in the league and this winter made some shrewd signings.  In addition, he made the smart move last season to take Charlie Davies on loan, a move that while it did not live up to its entire promise was a good move at the time.  Head coach Ben Olsen is a revered figure among the DCU faithful.  As an all star defender, Olsen played with an attitude that won him the devotion of teammates and people in the stands.  After a season and a half of mediocre play, this is the year where he can show if he can coach a talented team.

Additions:  We will start with the youngsters.  Draft pick Nick DeLeon received mixed reviews in the combine but is expected to add depth and a few goals to the DC midfield.  In another midfield depth acquisition, the Black and Red sent allocation money to Houston in exchange for Danny Cruz.  Expect Danny Cruz to get good minutes this season despite being a second-stringer, and how he performs could mirror how far this team goes.  MLS veterans Marcelo Saragosa and Maicon Santos were both brought in for a veteran presence and to push the first string, as well as fill in when players in front of them are called up to their national teams.

The three big additions however are Robbie Russell, Emiliano Dudar, and Hamdi Salihi.  Russell was brought over from Real Salt Lake to hold down the unsettled right back spot and buy his fellow defenders beer give veteran leadership to the backline.  Dudar comes over from Switzerland and provides an immediate aerial presence at 6’4″.  Just two years ago he was named the Swiss league defender of the year but missed last season with a serious concussion.  Reports are that he has won the starting centerback job in camp.  The expectations for Salihi are slightly higher however.  A prototypical #9 with a passport full of stamps, he has scored 142 goals in his professional career and will be expected to not only replace Charlie Davies, but exceed his goal output.

Subtractions: Let’s start with Davies, who returned to Sochaux after DC didn’t try to purchase his contract.  After a blistering start, Davies slowed down toward the end of the MLS season and even failed to make an appearance in DC’s last game.  His departure was, like his tenure, unfortunately rocky.  To make room and cap space for the new signings, the team released a number of veteran depth players.  Midfielder Clyde Simms went to New England via the Re-Entry draft while D Marc Burch was selected by the Sounders.  Other familiar names like forwards Joseph Ngwenya and Blake Brettschneider were waved and have moved on to other clubs.  Overall the losses may come back to haunt the team if their young players or acquisitions fail, but these were obvious moves for the team.

Starting Lineup:  The min in net is potentially Jurgen Klinsmann’s choice to replace Tim Howard.  Bill Hamid is a local guy who is one of a few success stories from the DC academy and is cemented as the starter.  Hamid has a huge wingspan and is an aggressive keeper, but still has a ways to go before entering the elite level of MLS keepers.  That said, don’t be surprised if he is one of the top keepers in MLS by September.  When he gets called up by Caleb Porter or the national team, returning backup Joe Willis and former Fire starter Andrew Dykstra will battle for the starting minutes.  Both are adequate but drop offs.

The defense in front of Hamid is more veteran and certainly more improved from last season.  Russell will man the right well and Daniel Woolard is penciled in as a starter on the left.  In the center are Dudar and 2011 midseason acquisition Brandon McDonald, who had his sights set on Europe but signed a long-term deal with DC this winter.  Those two plus veteran backup Dejan Jakovic and experienced Ethan White makes this unit intriguing and potentially very good.

The beauty of this DC team is the number of starting combinations Ben Olsen can use game to game.  If he sticks with a diamond 4-4-2 (instead of a 4-4-3 or 4-2-3-1), second year player Perry Kitchen will man the holding midfield spot.  Kitchen, who also plays centerback, is an up-and-coming star that will be critical to the U-23 team’s chances at winning a medal in London.  He is a future star in the league.  On the left is a healthy Chris Pontius, who has taken his game to a higher level last season and even got a call-up before breaking his leg midway through 2011.  If he continues his growth, watch out.  On the right is Andy Najar who is still not 20 years old.  The Honduran struggled in Ben Olsen’s system last year but, when he’s on, is incredibly fast and can thread a needle with a shot.  In the attacking midfield spot is original DC designated player Branko Boskovic, a guy of whom much is expected and much is needed.

While Pontius can play as a forward, the starters on Saturday will likely be Salihi and Dwayne De Rosario.  DeRo, the sometimes midfielder and constant threat to score, is finally getting DP money and needs to perform at the incredibly high level he did last year for DC.  At some point his age will catch up with him, but DC hopes it will not be for a while longer.  Off the bench will be Santos and Josh Wolff, the team leader who rarely scores but works hard and will live in team lore for his bare chested jump into the Bara Brava in last season’s home opener.

Player to Watch: While some players play more important positions, all eyes will be on Branko Boskovic.  He has shown flashes of the incredible ability that led to DC signing him in 2010, but injuries have constantly derailed his momentum.  Now he is healthy and needs to provide offense from the midfield, which allows DC to keep DeRo or Pontius up top.  If he gets hurt again or fails to play well, this team could struggle to score consistently.

Best Case Scenario: This team will score loads of goals as DeRo picks up where he left off last season and Salihi is in the Golden Boot race all season.  The defense, which for the past two years has been a cause of heartburn for fans, is actually pretty good and holds some high-scoring teams down.  With a weak Eastern Conference and a schedule that isn’t too challenging, DC secures the top spot in the East and makes the MLS Cup.  The team and DC come to an agreement to build a soccer stadium in the city near a Metro line within the next three years.

Worst Case Scenario: The problem with young players is that their expected development sometimes doesn’t, well, develop.  Kitchen and Hamid have their flaws revealed by the competition and a shaky backline is again a sieve.  De Rosario begins to show his age, Salihi doesn’t adjust to MLS well, and injuries ravage the midfield.  The team misses the playoffs again and with their cap space taken by current players, it is up to the youth academy to provide hope for the future.  The team makes no progress on a new stadium and MLS announces a relocation to Las Vegas in 2013.

Prediction: If the starting XI for this team was able to start 90% of the season, I would be very comfortable predicting a top three finish for DC.  However, a number of starters will be spending extensive time this summer with their national teams and the back-ups are solid, but question marks.  That plus youth and injury worries should put a damper on DCU fans dreaming of a fifth MLS Cup.  It can happen, but I see a fourth place finish as a more likely scenario.

Name: Seattle Sounders

Coach: Sigi Schmid

Last Year: 18-7-9, 2nd Western Conference, 2nd Overall

Hashtag: #Sounders

Are Sounders fans too demanding?  In its current iteration, the club is entering its fourth MLS season and has made three consecutive conference semifinals. They own the U.S. Open Cup.   They have set attendance records that will be hard to surpass, and they have become the de facto face of MLS because of all of this.  Yet the team has a major road block that it just cannot overcome: the Los Angeles Galaxy.  The current MLS champs are blocking their ascent to the top of the league and until the Sounders can beat LA and win the MLS Cup, their seasons will feel unfulfilled.

This offseason, the team went for broke.  Rather than simply building up, the team took some gambles designed to keep up with the Galaxy.  While not gutting their roster, some moves were made with an eye on the next two years and not the next five.  Part of this is their participation in the CONCACAF Champions League but undoubtedly the franchise wants the MLS Cup.  Besides that trophy, however, the franchise is the envy of the league with the type of fan support, facilities, staff, and attitude that any team would want.  Isn’t that enough?

Coaching Staff and Front Office:  Sigi Schmid has reached the point in his career that when he makes a controversial acquisition, he always receives the benefit of the doubt (see Eddie Johnson below).  Schmid is one of the best head coaches in the league, a statement that can be easily backed up since he is the winningest MLS coach ever.  Working with the front office, the team consistently juggles the salary cap while still paying top-flight players and bringing up young talent.

Additions:  Let’s start with the most recent one and possibly the biggest one.  Eddie Johnson comes over via trade from Montreal to boost the Seattle attack.  Johnson returns to MLS after failing to latch on in Europe with rumors of dogging his tryouts following him.  A consistent scorer is what Seattle needs, so EJ needs to return to his previous dominant ways to justify this acquisition.

The most important new acquisition has to be the replacement for the team’s heart and keeper, Michael Gspurning.  The Austrian premier league veteran has no fear of replacing the legend Kasey Keller and is looking forward to playing in Seattle.  If for any reason Gspurning falters or is injured, the team recently signed Andrew Weber who of the four keepers currently on Seattle’s roster is the only one with any MLS experience.  To assist the keepers, the Sounders signed Swedish international Adam Johansson and MLS veteran Marc Burch to play fullback.  Johnsson could be the best signing of the offseason by any team.

Two additions to the midfield will give the team some intriguing options.  Forward/winger Cordell Cato was signed in the offseason as more of a depth/Open Cup player.  The 19 year old is a youth international for Trinidad & Tobago and presents some promise for the future.  A player who will provide a more immediate impact is Danish midfielder Christian Sivebaek who will be asked to support the attack while chipping in the occasional goal.

Subtractions:  In exchange for EJ the club sent F Mike Fucito and M Lamar Neagle to Montreal, two players that are not superstars but were an example of why Seattle competed well in multiple competitions: good solid depth by players on the cusp of taking that next step.  Neither loss is the type the redefines a team but both will be missed for the valuable depth they gave.  Fucito was not the only forward to leave this offseason as Nate Jaqua was picked up in the Re-Entry draft by the Revs and Pat Noonan was taken in that same draft by the Galaxy.  Erik Friberg’s departure also dents the Sounders’ offense.

Starting Lineup:  As mentioned, newcomer Gspurning replaces Kasey Keller in goal and has quite a task ahead of him.  Not helping matters is the number of new faces on the backline.  At right back will likely be newcomer Adam Johnsson, according to his preseason reps, and Leo Gonzalez will man the left side with some competition from Marc Burch.  In the center will be Jeff Parke and all-name teamer Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, who while not the most dominant centerback pairing in the league are two very good defenders.  If anyone falters, rookie Andrew Duran could push his way into the first team.

The midfield looks to be one of the best in MLS and it starts with Mauro Rosales.  The Argentine looks like a yearly MVP candidate and will spearhead the Sounders attack from the midfield.  Another danger from the outside is designated player Alvaro Fernandez who if not for his other talented teammates would star in this midfield.  Pushing for minutes will be returners Brad Evans and Osvaldo Alonso, two players that would start every minute for almost any other MLS team but will rotate during Seattle’s three competitions.  The two wild cards in the midfield are Steve Zakuani and Christian Sivebaek.  Zakuani looked like an MVP last season before breaking his leg and while reports suggest he is healthy again, it will be interesting to see how healthy he is when he takes the pitch in a competitive match.  As for Sivebaek, the 23 year old is talented and may be the best super-sub in MLS come September.

Up front it is simple: Fredy Montero and Eddie Johnson.  Montero has the chance to become an elite MLS player but needs to add a little consistency to his game.  Maybe playing next to Johnson will settle him, but once Montero stops disappearing for games he takes Seattle to a new level.  If these two falter, there is a mix of veteran (hello O’Brian White!) and young players that will contribute but cannot be counted on to be elite in 2012.

Player to Watch:  Gspurning will be the man under the microscope for two reasons: he is replacing a legend and he is the biggest unknown quantity on this team.  Every other part of the field is pretty settled, at least on the first team level, except for the keeper.  How he deals with being not-Kasey Keller and facing the likes of Edson Buddle, Kris Boyd, and Brek Shea will be the key to Seattle’s season.

Best Case Scenario:  The team gels quickly and once the Galaxy stars go abroad for their tournaments, Seattle passes LA in the standings.  May 2nd is a watershed day in Seattle history as the team beats LA at home and pushes the monkey off their back.  EJ reverts to his previous MLS form, Gspurning is a great keeper, the team keeps healthy and Zakuani gives Seattle three MVP candidates in the midfield.  Led by Golden Boot winner Fredy Montero, the Sounders beat LA in a game journalists call the best MLS game ever in the Western Conference finals and with a victory over DC United in the MLS Cup, win a historic treble.

Worst Case Scenario:  Trying to win in three competitions is too much for a team whose depth took a major hit this offseason.  Seattle loses in the U.S. Open Cup and falls into a battle for one of the final two playoff spots in the West.  They get in but bow out quickly, just like they did in the CONCACAF Champions League.  Eddie Johnson fails to support Montero and Montero begins to actively look overseas.  Injuries impact the midfield and Schmid declares the current situation unacceptable, ushering in a major retooling in the offseason.  Major publications – including Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, and National Geographic - rank Portland ahead of Seattle in their rankings of best soccer cities and/or cities to experience a superb game day atmosphere.

Prediction:  Even Portland Timbers fans acknowledge that Seattle’s MLS schedule is one of the “easiest” in MLS, so that is a distinct advantage.  There are serious concerns about depth, especially at forward, but this is too talented of a team to not challenge for an MLS Cup.  I expect the Sounders to again finish second in the West and add at least one trophy to their trophy case.

Name: Houston Dynamo

Head Coach: Dominic Kinnear

2011 Record: 12-9-13, 2nd Eastern Conference, 7th overall

Twitter Hashtag: #HoustonDynamo

The Dynamo are the defending Eastern Conference champions, but all the talk this offseason has been about other teams.  That’s not to say the winter has been cruel to the team; in fact they will be opening a new soccer stadium this year.  Their captain has returned after a hiatus and their ownership situation is getting a little clearer.  And they have one of the best coaches in the league.

But all is not perfect in Houston.  The team needed a late hot streak to make the MLS Cup, where it offered next to nothing in terms of competing with LA.  Despite their strengths, there are certain weaknesses throughout the team.  Is this team good enough for back-to-back MLS Cup appearances for the first time since, well, the Dynamo did it with the Revs in 2006 & 2007?

Coaching And Front Office: At this point Dominic Kinnear has to be recognized as one of the best coaches in MLS.  Despite not having the financial resources as some of his compatriots (wait, there’s a salary cap?) Kinnear seems to get the most out of his players every year.  Since taking over for Frank Yallop with the old San Jose ‘Quakes, he has taken this franchise to three MLS Cups, won two Supporters Shields, made one CONCACAF Champions League semifinal, and only missed the playoffs once.  He’s a definite strength every time the team takes the field.

Key Losses:  The team lost some depth players this offseason but nothing too earth shattering.  Hunter Freeman goes to Colorado robbing the team of a proven fullback.  Danny Cruz makes the long plane ride to DC in a trade for allocation money, robbing the club of some midfield depth.  Same for Carlo Costly, except in the forwards’ spot.  Where this hurts Houston is if the replacements they’ve brought in so far are unable to add good depth, which is especially important with the team’s CCL commitments.  The positive is that most of the players released freed up cap space.

Key Additions: Although he’s not technically an addition, the re-acquisition of Brian Ching after not protecting him in the expansion draft gives the team a leader and a decent threat at forward.  Another forward option acquired was Macoumba Kandji from Colorado.  Kandji is athletic and talented, and gives the Dynamo a good option off the bench at that position.  Getting Nathan Sturgis from Seattle was a good pick-up, as the midfielder can contribute some minutes to the club across their fixture list. The team also drafted seven players in the 2012 Super- and supplemental drafts.

Projected Starters: Tally Hall picked the wrong year to have his breakout.  His outstanding season was overshadowed by the growth of the younger Bill Hamid and Sean Johnson, making his chances at a national team spot seem remote.  Still Hall is good enough to play internationally (or at least get a shot) and has become one of the best keepers in MLS.  For the back four, Andrew Hainault has locked down a spot with Jermaine Taylor, veteran Bobby Boswell, and Corey Ashe.  Kofi Sarkodie will push for a starting spot or push Ashe forward but after those names there is a definite lack of proven depth.

Brad Davis is the key to the midfield.  Pushing David Beckham for the assist lead the entire season, Davis was a finalist for the MLS MVP award.  Look for him to continue setting up the forwards for scoring opportunities.  Geoff Cameron can play holding midfielder or drop back to the backline.  Former Sounder Sturgis could challenge for a starting spot on the wing.  Davis and Cameron alone make this a good midfield, but their support players are lacking.  Look for draftee Warren Creavalle to possibly make a run at starting.

Up front it will be starting by committee.  Will Bruin was sporadic as a starter last season.  He looked awesome at times and disappeared at others.  He needs to be more consistent this year to earn a starting spot.  Caleb Carr is a good option to start at forward but could be challenged by players behind him.  Kandji may be able to use the move south to find a consistent starting role.  First round draft pick Colin Rolfe could also challenge for starting time.  And of course there’s Brian Ching.  But to be honest, there are a lot of good to decent starting options here but no one great #9 who will convert all of those Davis passes.

Player To Watch:  Will Bruin was drafted last year to be the next Brian Ching, a forward who can score consistently and be a fixture in Houston.  While he is only a second year player, he hasn’t shown signs of that promise yet.  Maybe this is the year he takes a big step forward; if he does that would be a huge help to a team that has some cap space but not a ton for a high-priced player.

Best Case Scenario:  Kandji and/or Bruin and/or Carr and/or Rolfe is the answer the team was looking for at forward.  The added fixtures don’t dent their depth and the reserves and draftees are solid.  They make another run at the MLS Cup but this time push the Galaxy to the brink in the championship, beating the overwhelming favorites for a third MLS Cup as the Dynamo.

Worst Case Scenario:  The striker situation is as bad as feared and Brad Davis can’t turn sublime passes into assists due to lingering injuries.  The team doesn’t have the depth to withstand three competitions and there is no gas for a late season run.  The Dynamo limp into the playoffs in the fifth spot but bow out quickly.

Prediction:  Never doubt a Dominic Kinnear team, but I don’t see this team as having improved substantially while some of their rivals in the East have.  I think they will make the playoffs but the increase in games and lack of substantial depth will prevent this team from back-to-back Eastern Conference championships.  They will finish fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Team: Colorado Rapids
Coach: Oscar Pareja
Last Season: 12-9-13, 5th West, 6th Overall
Twitter Hashtag: #Rapids

From MLS champions to gutted in the past season, the Colorado Rapids enter the season wondering “what if”.  A new front office and new coach will try to repeat the incredible playoff run of two years ago with an older and more injury-prone group of players and a philosophy seeking to play more up-tempo.

But what a group of players they are.  When healthy, the Colorado starting XI could conceivably match up with any team in MLS.  How these players handle a new philosophy will go a long way towards seeing if they can make another MLS Cup run.  Not having Champions League matches will certainly help with their schedule.

As the preseason gets into full swing and rosters begin to stabilize, it’s time to take a look at the men who pull the strings and have the greatest impact on the team itself.  The modern manager is part tactician, part showman, and part PR man.  The best are the ones who can bring a diverse team together and make it into a trophy-winning side.  Rarely can a side win an MLS Cup, Open Cup, or Supporters Shield with a mediocre or poor manager.  However, at times its the team that makes the man and only the perfect marriage of players and manager that can make a championship.  A manager is especially important in MLS, with the salary cap and built-in rules designed to promote parity.

These men are masters of the realm, the best managers in MLS today.  The following ranking is my own top five managers in MLS going into the 2012 season.  Keep in mind this is not an all time list but simply looking ahead to the 2012 season.  Agree or disagree?  Make your opinions known in the comments section.

5.  Piotr Nowak:  Maybe the restructuring going on in Philadelphia is Nowak’s way to challenge himself.  The veteran coach has taken a new franchise and by year two had made the Union into a Eastern Conference championship contender.  Building the team around a stout defense and the timely scoring of his offense, Nowak has made the club in his image and, even with the departures, Philadelphia is now a team to watch every year.  His work with DC United, leading them to their fourth MLS title in 2004, only adds to his coaching resume.  Although he does not have the large number of trophies some of the others on this list have, he is undoubtedly established himself as one of the best head coaches in the league.

4.  Schellas Hyndman:  Although at times his decisions are questionable (Brek Shea as a full back?), Hyndman is a long-time collegiate coach who finally got the right opportunity to prove his worth with FC Dallas in 2008.  His defining win was a 3-0 defeat of Los Angeles in the 2010 Western Conference finals over a team that looked like the best in the league with a healthy David Beckham.  Although Dallas lost the 2010 MLS Cup in overtime, the former SMU head coach has done a good job balancing his roster and replacing departed players, especially in the midfield.  Under his watch David Ferreira blossomed into one of the most dangerous midfielders in the league and with some promising youth coming up through the system this year, Hyndman may soon be able to chase down that elusive MLS Cup.

3.  Sigi Schmid:  For a guy who never played professional soccer, Schmid gets this league.  His uncanny ability to identify talent and his in-game ability to identify mismatches has made the former UCLA Bruin the brain behind the constantly-successful Seattle Sounders.  A team with a rich history and demanding fan base, Schmid gave the league a blueprint for how to compete in MLS from year one, a blueprint that teams as recently as Montreal are looking to emulate.  He is the most successful U.S. Open Cup head coach in the modern era and has guided the careers of many of MLS’s greatest stars.  His LA Galaxy team was also one of two MLS clubs to ever win an intercontinental cup.  He is the winningest head coach in MLS history and has the Sounders poised to challenge for the 2012 MLS Cup.

2.  Dominic Kinnear:  The coach of this year’s Eastern Conference champions narrowly edges Sigi Schmid in my rankings because since 2006, Houston has been one of the league’s most successful teams.  Besides winning back-to-back MLS Cups in 2006 and 2007, this year may have been his best coaching job, leading an arguably less talented team to the MLS Cup.  All of this is even more impressive considering the fact that the team has worked within a tight budget and a changing ownership situation.

1.  Bruce Arena:  The National Soccer Hall of Famer continues to prove that he is arguable the greatest American soccer coach of all time.  Even though he had three famous designated players, it was his work with the Galaxy’s defense that was most impressive about the 2011 Galaxy.  The keys to the defense were that the two major contributors, A.J. De La Garza and Omar Gonzalez, were Arena draftees.  Arena guided a dominant team through a dominant season, essentially staking claim to the MLS Cup early in the season and never relinquishing it.  His history is unparalleled in the U.S., but even going into the new season he is still in a class by himself and recognized by many as the best head coach out there.

Today we wrap up our “Three Questions” series with the defending MLS champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy.  By any definition, they were the best team in MLS last season: they convincingly led the Supporters Shield’s race most of the season, looked like the best team in the playoffs, and won the MLS Cup.  They did it with glitz and glamour (the three designated players) as well as grit and determination (best defense in MLS, good midfield play).  In the end, they were possibly the most complete and dominant team in “modern” MLS history.

But the page on the calendar has turned and the team is facing a new set of challenges in 2012.  Even with the good news of David Beckham’s return, there have been some dark clouds this offseason that will push the team to see if it can repeat the success of 2011.  Let’s take a look at the three questions that will define the rest of this offseason for LA:

(Additionally, use the comments section to give some feedback on the Three Questions series.  Was it something you enjoyed?  Was it something you’d like to see repeated or emulated during the season?)

1. Will the midfield be as strong as it was last season?

Casual soccer fans know about “bend it like Beckham” but the Galaxy midfield in 2011 was a key to their ability to create offense seemingly out of nothing.  Whether it was Beckham’s storied free kicks or Juninho’s timely goals, the midfield came through in the clutch when it was needed.  That midfield will look different beginning next season.  Although there’s still a chance he may be loaned again to LA, Juninho has been recalled by Sao Paulo and will leave a gap in the “clutch goal scorer” category.  Miguel Lopez has also seen his loan end with LA and he has been called back to his home club of Quilmes.

The team has tried to replace Juninho with Marcelo Sarvas, but the 30 year old is arguably a step down offensively.  Having Beckham back does help cover this loss, but the team needs to take some steps to shore up a midfield that helps cover for a weaker forward position.

2. Can the defense do it again?

The loss of Omar Gonzalez hurts, badly, but in the “silver lining” category he will be able to return at some point for the Galaxy this season, it looks like (update: no silver lining, folks, he’s gone for the whole season).  However, the team may need to spend some money on a replacement, or focus their drafting on this position.  Bruce Arena also looked to keep key components of his defense by re-signing Sean Franklin, another defender who should be receiving more love from the USMNT.  The keeper position also lost a little depth with the expensive Donovan Ricketts moving to Montreal, but the back-up duo of Nick Noble and U-23 player Brian Perk look quality.

This defense was incredibly dominant last season, and even with Gonzalez it would have been a challenge to repeat their suffocating style.  With him gone for the first half of the season, seemingly, can the Galaxy approach the greatness they achieved last season a second year in a row?

3. How big of a role will the three designated players play this season?

Beckham is back, and he will be with the Galaxy a little longer.  But that will be contractually, and how much he is physically there is an important question for a team that already suffered a hit in midfield.  He will be playing in the Olympics and will miss time for that, as well as the usual jaunts across the pond.  With a longer schedule that adds two CONCACAF Champions League tournaments, how much will he contribute during the season?

Then there’s Landon Donovan, who is finally getting another chance to play in England.  He likes Everton, the team needs him, and we know his deal is only for a few months.  But can the best known American MLS player force a longer loan or transfer if he wants to stay?  My bet is yes.  Regardless, the Galaxy will be without his services for stretches this summer as he reports to the national team for friendlies and qualifying.

Robbie Keane looks to be enjoying his time in LA, but with a loan to Aston Villa and his Euro 2012 commitments, will his 31-year old legs be able to handle the travel and numerous competitions in which he will be competing?

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king” said a famous philosopher centuries ago, but he may as well have been writing for MLS Talk about the 2011 Eastern Conference champions.  The Houston Dynamo took advantage of a weak conference and a hot streak to face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS Cup last season.  This is not to take anything away from the Dynamo: they are a very talented team centered around 2011 revelations Tally Hall, Geoff Cameron, and Brad Davis.  To dismiss this team as a one-year wonder could be a mistake, as they return most of their conference championship line-up in 2012 as well as their most critical component: Dominic Kinnear.

However, the team does face some critical questions in the new year, questions that require some attention in the few months remaining before First Kick 2012.  As such, here are “Three Questions” about the Houston Dynamo:

1. Who will play up front?

The big offseason story for the Dynamo (more than the stadium naming or the rumor that AEG might sell their stake in the club) is that legend Brian Ching has accepted his role as a member of the Montreal Impact (for background see the article I wrote late last year).  While it allows the club to move forward without sacrificing a good player to Montreal and with a little more cap space, the impact (no pun intended) of Ching being left unprotected will resonate with the fans and their view of management.  Setting that aside, the loss also leaves the team with a bit of a gap at the forward position, especially considering that Carlo Costly has moved on to Atlas.

Currently, the club has three forwards under contract: Calen Carr, Will Bruin, and Cam Weaver.  All three are good players, none of them are currently consistent top-level goal scorers the team needs to take advantage of Brad Davis’s assists.  While the team has limited cap space (more on this below) they need to find that Blas Perez-type consistent, veteran presence who they know will finish the chances the midfield will create.

2. Is the defense the best in MLS, or as good as it looks?

Don’t look know, but Houston may be challenging Los Angeles and Real Salt Lake for the best defense in the league.  It may not be this year, but probably soon.  Start with keeper Tally Hall, who made a huge step forward last season to enter into top-flight MLS keeper status with an excellent year.  In his late twenties, he is approaching the prime years for a keeper and looks to add some polish to his already impressive game.

In front of Hall is a back line that is coming together nicely.  Bobby Boswell and Geoff Cameron form a good center back pairing that lacks the pizazz of some other partnerships, but is effective for the team.  The two starting full backs (Andre Hainault and Corey Ashe) look to have established themselves as ideal for the positions.  Right now Houston does not have the best defense in MLS, but with an offseason of growth we may soon be speaking of them with the likes of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Real Salt Lake.

3. What’s the money situation?

Ownership has already made a few moves to bolster the team, specifically making a trade to acquire Nathan Sturgis from wheeling-dealing Toronto FC.  However, ownership has stressed that they will be making do with little cap space.  These pronouncements come at an odd time: the new stadium has a naming-rights deal and the team even has a small local TV deal.  However, the biggest financial question mark is the announcement by AEG that they want to sell their 50% stake in the team.  This is a positive development for the league (anyone who says last year’s MLS Cup was not a conflict of interest is crazy) but how the salaries will be managed until the deal is complete may limit the team’s financial flexibility.  Keep an eye on this situation.

If Sporting Kansas City’s season had a title, it would be “Night and Day”.  A tough start to the season, no doubt spurred on by the never-ending road trip, saw the team open Livestrong Park and use its great atmosphere to rocket to the top of the Eastern Conference.  Although they fell in the conference finals, the team has enough young players and talent that going into 2012, it has to be considered one of the favorites for the East.

So how can Sporting KC make this happen?  Here are “Three Questions” that will define how KC enters the new season:

1. Who replaces Omar Bravo?

With Bravo’s departure to Cruz Azul, Kansas City has two voids to fill, one that may be easier than the other.  The first is replacing the Mexican’s production, which in 2011 was nine goals and two assists.  While those are good numbers, Sporting had one of MLS’s most prolific offenses and the continued growth of players like Teal Bunbury and MLS Rookie of the Year CJ Sapong should replace those stats.  What may be missed even more is his leadership.  Bravo and Davy Arnaud split time as captains last season and both have left the team.  Who replaces that leadership on the field is critical to this team moving forward, something that may be harder with so many young players.  When the going gets tough, who will shoulder this team and carry them forward?  Bravo certainly did.

2. Does the team’s offseason turnover make them a better team?

For a team that made a conference finals, the amount of turnover this offseason has been incredible.  You can see the round-up of player moves here, but in essence the team got cheaper and younger.  In addition, the departures of Omar Bravo and Jeferson frees up two designated player slots that could be used to make a big-impact signing (maybe in the midfield?).  What has all of this shuffling brought them?  The team picked up veteran Bobby Convey from San Jose to replace Bravo and made a trade with Chivas USA to nab Pablo Nagamura, who potentially could play the holding midfield spot.  Their gamble leaving left back Seth Sinovic unprotected in the expansion draft led to the Davy Arnaud trade, which again freed up salary but lost them a veteran presence.  With potentially a bunch of new starters and first choice subs, will the new guys adequately replace the old ones?

3. Can the defense hold?

We know the team can score, and even next year with its departures this team will put up goals in bunches.  But can it stop opposing teams?  While KC had the second best goals allowed amount in the East, their 40 for the year would have put them fifth in the Western Conference (although their goal difference would have put them third).  As mentioned above, unless they use some of their money for a holding midfielder, that slot is going to Pablo Nagamura, who is an ok option to start but is injury prone.  Another player who may miss time on the pitch but due to disciplinary reasons is starting center back Aurelien Collins (he of the 9 yellow cards and one red last season).  This teams looks to be potentially a veteran defensive player signing away from having the back locked down and pushing this team to a higher level.

Last year was a good year for one of MLS’s premier franchises.  The Sounders won yet another U.S. Open Cup and advanced past the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.  While they could not vanquish their nemesis Galaxy in the regular season or playoffs (and were knocked out early by streaking RSL), the team again saw overwhelming fan support, some great moments on the pitch, and a fond farewell (on the pitch at least) to Kasey Keller.

Going into 2012, the team is looking at a three-front battle: in addition to defending their Open Cup title and trying to win that elusive MLS Cup, they face a tough road in the spring in the CCL.  Last season, the team relied on its impressive depth to compete in all three competitions, but that depth has taken a hit this offseason.  How they restock players will determine if they can take challenge for the Quadruple in 2012, or at least take home more than one trophy.  Let’s play “Three Questions” with the Seattle Sounders:

1. Will the defense take a step back in 2012?

Center back is solid on this team, with Jeff Parke becoming an excellent MLS defender and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado being more than an adequate defender.  Where the concern lies on this team is at the two full back spots and at keeper.  Let’s start with the man between the pipes; Michael Gspurning comes over from Austria after he fell out of favor with his current club.  Keller’s retirement meant more than losing one of the best keepers in MLS; it meant losing the heart and soul of the team, as well as a guy who knew how to boss a defense.  Gspurning is good, but how his skills translate to MLS and how well he can work with his defenders will be telling for this team.

As for the full backs, Seattle lost James Riley and Tyson Wahl both to Montreal so will have to be replacing two important players.  To do so, they signed Swedish international Adam Johansson to compete for one spot and took Marc Burch in the Re-entry draft for another.  They join Leo Gonzalez and Michael Tetteh in the starting competition.  While Johansson has proven ability (he has international caps), Burch is more of a spot/part-time starter at this stage.  How the LB/RB battles shake out will be important going forward.

2. Is the depth still there?

As I mentioned above, with three competitions going this season Seattle again needs its depth to come through if it wants to compete in all three.  That 2011 depth took a hit this offseason as they have lost some key role players.  Besides the full backs mentioned above, the team has lost Erik Friberg (Malmo FF), Pat Noonan (LA Galaxy), and Nate Jaqua (New England Revolution).  In the process, the team got younger and the salary cap shrank, but the team still needs some quality second stringers to fill in during the busy season.  Otherwise, they may have to make a decision like the LA Galaxy to push aside a competition (maybe U.S. Open or Supporters Shield?) to focus their goals.  Rumors are flying that they are looking overseas to fill gaps, trying to sign internationals like Christian Sivebaek.

3. What about Fernandez and Montero?

Two critical players are the subject of the rumor mill this offseason, and how these rumors are resolved will decide how this team will look in 2012.  The first is Alvaro Fernandez, who in light of some interest from Palermo has expressed through his agent a desire to play in a bigger league.  Or maybe, seeing teammate Mauro Rosales’ new contract, he simply wants to see the same kind of love (although he is already a designated player).  Regardless, the team needs to figure out his situation quickly before their midfield is dealt a major blow by his departure.

The Montero rumor is more vague, simply that he has gotten interest from Europe, but the bigger question may be will Montero take the next step forward in his development.  The young designated player has been streaky during his MLS career but when he’s hot, he simply racks up goals for Seattle.  If he takes that next step to being a consistent scorer, Seattle will be hard to stop.