MLS Western Conference capsules for the 2009 season

Chivas USA

LAST YEAR: 12-11-7 (second place), lost to Real Salt Lake in first round of playoffs.

Who's back: Coach Preki Radosavljevic, D/M Jonathan Bornstein, M Sacha Kljestan, F Ante Razov, M Jesse Marsch, F Justin Braun, D Bobby Burling, D Jim Curtin, F Alecko Eskandarian, M Jorge Flores, F Maykel Galindo, F Atiba Harris, G Dan Kennedy, M Paulo Nagamura, D Shavar Thomas, G Zach Thornton, D Lawson Vaughn, M Sasha Victorine.

Who's gone: D Claudio Suarez, M Francisco Mendoza, F Roberto Nurse, M Dan Paladini, M Raphael Wicky, D Alex Zotinca.

Who's new: D Ante Jazic, M/F Eduardo Lillingston, M Michael Lahoud, F Kyle Christensen, M Jamie Franks.

What's next: After overcoming a barrage of injuries in 2008, Chivas USA begins the season with eight key players either injured or recovering from offseason surgery. Chivas USA also faces an unsettled situation in goal and a major hole on the back line with Suarez's retirement. But Kljestan's playmaking directs a potentially strong offense, while Marsch and Nagamura form a potent defensive duo in the midfield. Jazic, a Canadian international acquired from Los Angeles, enables Bornstein to move from left back to the midfield.

Colorado Rapids

LAST YEAR: 11-14-5 (fourth place).

WHO'S BACK: M Pablo Mastroeni, D Jordan Harvey, D Ugo Ihemelu, D Cory Gibbs, M Mehdi Ballouchy, F Conor Casey, M Terry Cooke, F Omar Cummings, F Jacob Peterson, M Nick LaBrocca, M Colin Clark, D Kosuke Kimura, M John DiRaimondo, GK Preston Burpo, M Greg Dalby, M Nico Colaluca, M Ciaran O'Brien.

WHO'S GONE: M Christian Gomez, GK Bouna Coundoul, D Facundo Erpen, F Tom McManus, D Jose Luis Burciaga Jr.

WHO'S NEW: Coach Gary Smith, M/F Ivan Guerrero, D Ty Harden, GK Matt Pickens.

WHAT'S AHEAD: Smith took over the team on an interim basis with 11 games remaining, guiding Colorado to a 5-4-2 mark down the stretch and narrowly missing out on a playoff spot. The Rapids gave Smith the job outright in the offseason, one of numerous moves. The team also re-signed captain Pablo Mastroeni, who's become the face of the franchise. Mastroeni made his ninth straight MLS All-Star team last season while also lending a powerful leg to the national team. Colorado traded away talented but unproductive midfielder Christian Gomez to D.C. United for Guerrero. Gomez, the 2006 MLS MVP, scored just three goals last season for the Rapids. The team is hoping a striker can step up in '09 to take some of the pressure off Casey. That role could be filled by Cummings, who scored a career-high six goals in '08. With Coundoul gone, Burpo and Pickens will battle for the keeper spot.