MLS 2011 Preview: Players Switching Teams Ready To Contribute

The 24-year-old Lenhart, a college product from the unheralded soccer program at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California, played three seasons for the Columbus Crew, the team that drafted him 48th overall in the 2008 SuperDraft. Making 63 appearances — including 30 starts — for the Crew in MLS league play, Lenhart totaled 13 goals in that span from his position of target forward. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he has developed a reputation for his punishing play among the league’s opposing defenders, while gaining the respect of teammates for his fearlessness. Entering the last year of his initial four-year deal with MLS, Lenhart will be looking to show continued improvements in his play and statistics ahead of negotiations on a new contract.

The physical play of Lenhart is evident when looking at the statistics for fouls suffered and fouls committed in league play. In 2010, Lenhart finished 10th in MLS with just over four fouls suffered plus committed per 90 minutes of action. In 2009, he finished with an even higher average of 4.73, good for fourth in the league. Going back to his rookie season, in limited minutes Lenhart would have topped MLS with a whopping average of 6.47. While the trend over the first three years of his career is decreasing — and hopefully indicative of his playing with more control — Lenhart will likely finish 2011 with a fouls average approaching the league lead.

At the start of the 2011 MLS offseason, Chivas USA were in need of defenders. The Goats had conceded 45 goals during the 2010 season – good for second worst in the Western Conference – and were oft criticized for their lack of a resolute backline. Enter Jimmy Conrad.

The Red-and-White picked up the 12-year MLS veteran in Phase Two of the Re- Entry Draft and instantly took a huge step forward toward getting the team back to where its leadership wants it to be. Last year was the first since the Goats’ inaugural season in which the team didn’t make the postseason.

The Red Bulls declined to re-sign Angel at the end of the season and despite rumors of a return to River Plate, the now 35-year-old former Colombian international opted for the MLS Re-Entry Draft where he was selected by the Galaxy. After a somewhat protracted period of negotiation, Angel was signed as the Galaxy’s third designated player. Though he’s certainly less of a household name than Beckham and Donovan, Angel has a legitimately impressive pedigree. Angel made his senior debut with Colombian side Atlético Nacional at the age of 18 and scored 46 goals in 96 games games before moving to River Plate and netting another 46 in 94 games. During the 2001 January transfer window Angel became Aston Villa’s record signing, moving to Birmingham for a fee of £9.5M. After a somewhat shaky start to his time at Villa Park Angel would go on to put up successive impressive seasons in 2002-03 and 2003-04. Injuries and inconsistencies marred his last two seasons with the club, but despite this Angel is still a beloved figure amongst Villa supporters four years after departing for MLS.

Expectations are high for both the Galaxy and Juan Pablo Angel coming into the season. LA spent a great deal of last season playing at a different level than the rest of MLS, and if Angel can give the Galaxy the kind of contribution they’re expecting from him there’s little reason to think they can’t do so once again this year. Realistically though, Angel looked less than himself toward the end of last season and at 35 it’s difficult to say whether that was a function of bad form, fatigue or decline. Angel has come back to surprise the league in the past, but at a certain point every athlete is no longer capable of contributing. While it’s certainly too early to think that he has reached that point, it has to be taken into consideration when weighing the impact he could have on this team.

Last year was an up and down season for midfielder Dax McCarty. Throughout the year he struggled with injuries as FC Dallas saw plenty of success without him on the field. He butted heads with head coach Schellas Hyndman and also struggled to find time on the pitch even when he was healthy. Rookie Eric Alexander seemed to pass him on the club’s depth chart at one point in the season, making his push for playing time that much harder.

Towars the end of the season Dallas was on a 19-game unbeaten run and McCarty was finally feeling healthy again. As the club entered the playoffs McCarty was a key part of the club’s success in the post season as the club from North Texas reached the MLS promised land for the first time in team history.