It seems the right time to come up with a countdown; if I had just a little more foresight, I would have started this a couple of days ago and done the tried, true, and cliched "Top 10".
Instead, I've come up with seven storylines for the MLS season that have nothing to do with David Beckham, and will present one each day leading up to First Kick.
Disclaimer: These are storylines that I'm interested in, and as such, are extremely subjective. If I miss one, feel free to let me know.
Number 7: Dynamo Without DeRosario
It would be fair to say that recent back-to-back MLS Cup victories set the bar pretty high for the men in orange down in Texas, and those expectations are unlikely to lessen just because DeRosario has departed for Canada. Stuart Holden has been christened the heir-apparent, and while he seems capable of something special, there is certain to be a transitionary period for the team. No longer can Houston lean on DeRo to bail them out in the big moments; what has been the premier side in MLS over the last few years is now forced find a new crunch-time performer. Holden, Rico Clark, Brad Davis, Kei Kamara and the cast will be expected to contend in the west regardless of Dwayne DeRosario's departure.
Houston needs to start strong and build confidence that DeRo's replacements can handle the load, while plugging holes that have nothing to do with the midfielder's daparture. The loss of DeRosario seems massive now, but it may not be Houston's ultimate downfall.
