While the balance of power came from the Eastern Conference last season, the eventual Champion came from the West - again.  The Houston Dynamo repeating as MLS Cup winners - and they look a good bet to go for the three-peat in 2008.  However, I don't think it will be as easy this time with Chivas again set to test at the top of the West.  Look for improvements from Real Salt Lake (Jim Mora style - playoffs??) and perhaps Colorado - and steady as she goes for FC Dallas.  One thing looks certain - the gulf in class in the West appears to be shortening. 

Enjoy the Western Conference preview.

Houston Dynamo
Last Season: 15-8-7 - 52pts
MLS Cup Champions
Coach: Dominic Kinnear (5th season)
Key Losses: DF Ryan Cochrane, FW Joseph Ngwenya, MF/FW Nate Jacqua, GK Zach Wells, FW Paul Daglish
Additions: DF Bobby Boswell, FW Franco Caraccio, GK Tony Caig
My Take:
It's no secret how Houston has managed to hang on to the MLS Cup for two season's running - they have great depth and players who know how to show up in big games.  Last term's midseason trade that brought in Jacqua, Ngwenya and Richard Mulrooney was one of the best of the season - as those players showed down the stretch.  But now that Jacqua and Ngwenya have left for greener pastures, there is a lack of depth up top and this could be the achilles heel for Houston this time around.  With Brian Ching proving to be one of the more injury-prone players in MLS, the scoring load will fall to new kid Caraccio and Chris Wondolowski - and possibly Dwayne DeRosario or Brian Mullan if either of those two struggle.  Dominic Kinnear can still deal from a position of strength if the Dynamo start slow out of the gate - but the options this term are much more limited.  With the team set to play a packed schedule, Kinnear's depth will be tested more than ever before - and he has a much slimmer margin for error.  That means the defense and midfield will have to shoulder more of the load if they want to win a record third-straight MLS title.

Colorado Rapids
Last Season:  9-13-8 - 35pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach: Fernando Clavijo (4th season)
Key Losses: FW Nicolas Hernandez, MF Jose Cancela, GK Zach Thornton, MF Tony Sanneh
Additions: MF Christian Gomez, DF Jose Burciaga Jr., DF Tim Ward
My Take:
Colorado's failure to address the GLARING deficiency up front means this team will sink or swim on the play of Christian Gomez.  Last season the team managed just 29-goals in 30-games and were blanked in nine of their last 17 - so why have they not moved for a FW??  If you find out, let me know.  Instead, the side made moves for a pair of defenders - but didn't they already have the 4th best backline in the league last term?  Who's pulling the strings over there?  And trading your DP spot for Christian Gomez?  Here's hoping the service he'll provide will be worth the price you're paying.  One thing is certain - it's obvious there is no real plan in Colorado - and while 'Every Season Starts At ####'s' - it's not going to start very well.  The pre-season has been a disaster with Herculez Gomez, Conor Casey, Pablo Mastroeni, Ugo Ihemelu, Mehdi Ballouchy, Mike Petke and Dan Gargan all missing significant time to injury.  This side DOES have some talent but I agree with what I've read throughout the off-season - this is a team that is in no hurry whatsoever to put together a side that can challenge the league powers.  Until that happens, mediocrity will reign supreme in Colorado.

FC Dallas
Last Season: 13-12-5 - 44pts
Lost in Western Conference Final
Coach: Steve Morrow (2nd season)
Key Losses: FW Carlos Ruiz, FW Denilson, DF Chris Gbandi, DF Clarence Goodson
Additions: MF Andre Rocha, DF Dulio Davino
My Take:
I'm excited to see whether Steve Morrow's formation change brings instant dividends for Dallas.  The move to a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 is more suited to the team's personnel according to Morrow - and I agree.  Taking some of the responsibility away from Arturo Alvarez will give him more of a chance to improvise in the attack and that can only benefit the team.  Alvarez is a 'big game' player and should prove his worth in the new set-up.  FW Kenny Cooper is back from his broken leg and looks more focused and confident as he gets set to carry the scoring load.  Juan Toja and Alvarez will help with that.  The backline was a weakness last term giving up 44-goals and Morrow turfed half the starters in the off-season.  He brings in Davino to hopefully help stabilise things alongside Drew Moor and Adrian Serioux.  But all three have struggled with pre-season knocks so health could be a constant issue at the back.  This team may struggle at the start but the potential is there to surprise a few teams down the stretch.  Winning a playoff series is an achievable goal - and one Morrow may need to reach if he plans to be here a season from now.

Chivas USA
Last Season:  15-7-8 - 53pts
Lost in Western Confernce Semifinals
Coach: Predrag Radosavljevic - Preki (2nd season)
Key Losses: DF Jason Hernandez, MF Amado Guevara, GK Preston Burpo
Additions: FW Alecko Eskandarian, FW Atiba Harris, MF Raphael Wicky, DF Jim Curtin
My Take:
If there was ever any doubt that this was Preki's team - it was removed when he shipped former MVP Amado Guevara out because he didn't fit into the coaches vision.  It certainly worked out for Preki didn't it?  The Goats go on to win the West led by Ante Razov, Maykel Galindo and Sacha Klejstan.  Unfortunately for Chivas, Galindo and Razov got hurt and the lack of depth up top proved to be their undoing int he opening round of the playoffs.  Preki has brought in Eskandarian and Harris to help provide cover - but lets hope that's all they are relied on to do.  Eskandarian has struggled for form since 2004 and Harris has just four career goals so if Galindo or Razov go down for an extended period, the goals could be hard to come by for Chivas.  Much like DC and Houston, the team faces a packed schedule but other than their slim frontline options, this team is packed everywhere else.  There is a lot of excitement surrounding Wicky but he'll have to prove himself in this league - but he immediately adds steel and class to the center of the attack.  Brad Guzan is the best GK this league has - but I don't expect him to stick around once the summer transfer window opens.  If he leaves, then what for Chivas?  Lance Parker?  As prepared as Preki has his team for every game, lets hope he's got a plan for the departure of Guzan.  Still, this team is the class of the west and should repeat as Conference winners and go deep into the playoffs.

Real Salt Lake
Last Season: 6-15-9 - 27pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach: Jason Kreis (2nd season)
Key Losses: DF Eddie Pope, DF Willis Forko, DF Ritchie Kotschau, DF Chris Lancos, DF Jean-Martial Kipre, MF Atiba Harris, FW Chris Brown, FW Alecko Eskandarian, FW Jamie Watson
Additions: DF Tony Beltran, DF Nat Borchers, DF Ian Joy, DF Jamison Olave, MF Matias Cordoba, MF Dema Kovalenko, FW Kenny Deuchar
My Take:
The biggest loss for this side was Pope but bringing in Borchers, Joy and Olave has this unit looking much better than a season ago.  RSL get a new stadium this year and they are hoping to ride the wave of fan enthusiasm to a better finish - and with a little luck, maybe even a home playoff date int he new park??  A big ask perhaps but this side should show the most improvement of any team over their record a season ago.  Jason Kreis and Garth Lagerway have a plan (Colorado - listening to this??) and they are executing it perfectly.  It may take some time for all the new faces to jell, but once they do a first-ever playoff berth is a suitable expectation.  Javier Morales has been a revelation in the preseason and he should set-up plenty of scoring chances for Dr. Deuchar (yes, he is a REAL doctor - I'd be worried if I was a trainer for RSL).  Robbie Findley is one of the players I expect to explode this season - and with the additions of Kovalenko and Matias Cordoba, RSL has the potential to be VERY dangerous.  The only weakness potentially is in goal - which Nick Rimando will show up??  It better be the good one because US U-23 backstop Chris Seitz is just waiting for his shot.  Rimando was outstanding last term though and he should be steady once again.

San Jose Earthquakes
Last Season: N/A
Expansion Team
Coach: Frank Yallop (1st season)
Additions: GK Joe Cannon, DF Nick Garcia, DF Ryan Cochrane, MF Ivan Guerrero, MF Ramiro Corrales, MF Ned Grabavoy, MF Ronnie O'Brien, FW Kei Kamara
My Take:
San Jose had a great pre-season and while they will wear the 'expansion' tag this season, they have the talent (and the coach) to not look like an expansion team.  Their backline alone is better than anything we've seen in newbie sides but they will struggle to score goals.  Getting O'Brien from Toronto FC will help to give them some offensive guile, but O'Brien had durability issues last season - although, that might be more to do with BMO Field than anything else - only time will tell.  Still, Gavin Glinton and Kei Kamara haven't shown they can do the job on a regular basis and that could be the biggest issue for San Jose.  Picking from other team's cast-offs is never easy but Yallop has proven himself to be one of the most astute managers in MLS and if there's anyone that can bring it all together, it is him.  He doesn't get enough credit for the job he did with LA last season amidst the Beckham circus - and not many blamed him for bolting when he did.  Yallop DOES have allocation money to spend and has shown in the past that he knows talent when he sees it (Brian Ching, Brian Mullan anyone?) so the Quakes may have some fresh faces in soon enough.  As it stands now though, this team will be better than the previous three expansion sides - but they don't have the talent to challenge for a playoff berth int he west.  Sorry Frank.

Los Angeles Galaxy
Last Season: 9-14-7 - 34pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach: Ruud Gullit
Key Losses: DF Chris Albright, GK Joe Cannon, MF Kyle Martino, MF Cobi Jones, MF Kelly Gray, FW Carlos Pavon, FW Gavin Glinton
Additions: FW Carlos Ruiz, DF Greg Vanney, FW Ely Allen, DF Sean Franklin, DF Julian Valentin, MF Alvaro Pires
My Take:  
I saved the Galaxy for last because this team will be the biggest disappointment to my mind.  David Beckham talks a good game about what this team is capable of but those of us who follow the league know it's just talk - these guys don't have it.  The sad part is they could have it if they didn't have the bulk of their salary cap tied up in three players (Ruiz, Beckham & Donovan).  A healthy Beckham will be a huge bonus and this team is going to score a ton of goals - no doubt about that.  But they're going to give up a ton of goals as well.  Rookie starter Steve Cronin is going to undergo a baptism by fire with every team wanting to hammer the Galaxy and their biggest star.  Coach Gullit is the latest foreign coach to come in with a glittering string of credentials, but can he do it in MLS?  I think he can - just not with this team.  He's being forced to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and it is going to test his patience and his skills as a manager.  He'll have the Galaxy fit but they don't have the skill at the back to handle opposing weapons.  Vanney and Abel Xavier are decent - but both have already seen their best days.  Add to that the soft center in the middle and it's not looking good for the Galaxy.  If Gullit gets the team to come together they could surprise - but I don't think it'll happen.  And as for Alexei Lalas...I'll save that for another blog article all together.

Predicted Western Conference:
1. Chivas USA
2. Houston Dynamo
3. Real Salt Lake
4. FC Dallas
5. LA Galaxy
6. San Jose
7. Colorado

Thanks for reading!!  Enjoy the opening weekend of games - we'll chat again next week.  Feel free to leave any comments below!