Team Website
Roster
Dynamo Theory

Last year in a sentence: The trademark defensive consistency crumbled and took any realistic hopes of a playoff berth with it.

Offseason in a sentence: Dominic Kinnear left for San Jose to end a wildly successful era, but the Dynamo laid the groundwork for a new chapter by overhauling the technical staff and splurging for Chivas Guadalajara striker Erick Torres.

Incoming: Oumar Ballo (UMBC/SuperDraft), Chandler Hoffman (LA Galaxy), Taylor Hunter (Denver/SuperDraft), Rob Lovejoy (North Carolina/SuperDraft), Leonel Miranda (loan from Independiente/Argentina), Memo Rodriguez (Homegrown), Raul Rodriguez (Espanyol/Spain), Zach Steinberger (Butler/SuperDraft), Nathan Sturgis (Chivas USA), Erick Torres (Chivas Guadalajara), Joe Willis (D.C. United)

Outgoing: Anthony Arena (option declined), Eric Brunner (retired), Servando Carrasco (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Cummings (option declined), Andrew Driver (option declined), Tally Hall (Orlando City), Brian Ownby (option declined), Bryan Salazar (option declined), Mark Sherrod (San Jose Earthquakes via Orlando City)

Key player: Most of the trouble last year started with a rickety back four. Houston went out and signed former Espanyol defender Raul Rodriguez to steer the rearguard back on track. Rodriguez must adjust quickly to his new country and his new league in order to set the usually defiant Dynamo back on the proper track.

Philosophy: New boss Owen Coyle earned plaudits for his willingness to pursue the game during his time at Bolton and Burnley. Expect plenty of emphasis on playing quickly and using the ball wisely. Coyle looks likely to stick with 4-4-2, though he will put his own twist on things to encourage a more expansive approach.

Strengths: The starting XI boasts a mixture of experience and talent. The strength -- as always -- is in the balanced and effective midfield. Brad Davis and Boniek Garcia unlock defenses with regularity with their willingness to work infield from the wide areas, while Ricardo Clark covers acres of space between the penalty areas and Luis Garrido sits menacingly in front of the back four. Torres adds a dynamic and reliable goalscorer to a robust forward corps including Giles Barnes and Will Bruin. Corey Ashe and DaMarcus Beasley form the league’s best left-back tandem, while Kofi Sarkodie offers plenty to the attack from his perch on the right.

Weaknesses: Clark and Garrido might have far, far much to do to protect a back four that leaked too many goals last season and a goalkeeping situation without an established number one. Rodriguez is expected to anchor the proceedings, but A.J. Cochran, David Horst and Jermaine Taylor all struggled for consistency last season. Tyler Deric and Joe Willis form a callow goalkeeping tandem with one-third of a season as a full-time starter between them. Deric showed flashes during his spell between the sticks last year, but he will need to prove himself if he eventually staves off Willis for the job.

*the above was blatantly plagiarized, thanks fox*

This post was edited on 2/25/15 at 11:56 am