MLS Season Preview: FC Dallas

With the MLS season set to begin on Friday, theScore runs down everything you need to know about each team heading into the league's 20th campaign. Here, we take a look at FC Dallas.

That FC Dallas was able to come within an away goal of reaching the Western Conference final last season was nothing short of spectacular.

Injuries to both Mauro Diaz and Blas Perez didn't stop them from capturing fourth spot in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Neither did a horrible stretch to begin the season in which the team went winless for over a month.

Was losing out to Seattle on the away goals rule - despite not actually losing either of their two semifinal playoff legs - a bitter pill to swallow? Sure. But the fact that the team was able to make it that far on the back of a very young core was encouraging for head coach Oscar Pareja.

"For us, last year was very good in terms of developing these young players and giving opportunities for some of them to be viewed, some others just to have the opportunity that they didn’t have before, some others had more consistency in the lineup and some others that came to the group that are still young, whether they came from the draft or they are ones that we signed from the academy," Pareja recently told Goal.com. "All of them are just growing with the idea, the methodology and the system that we have."

Tesho Akindele captured Rookie of the Year honors, and the likes of Fabian Castillo and Matt Hedges continued to blossom into stars.

With another year under their belt now, a deep playoff run will no longer be spectacular. It will be an expectation.

2014 season: 4th in Western Conference

Playoffs: Lost in Western Conference semifinal (Seattle Sounders)

Head coach: Oscar Pareja

Stadium: Toyota Stadium

Season Opener: Saturday, March 7: FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes (Toyota Stadium) - 8:30 PM EST

Key Arrivals

Dan Kennedy (dispersal draft), Michael Barrios (Uniautonoma), Kyle Bekker (Toronto FC), Atiba Harris (re-entry draft)

Key Departures

Andres Escobar (end of loan), George John (New York City FC), Raul Fernandez (option declined)

Player(s) to Watch: Fabian Castillo, Mauro Diaz

Lightning captured in a bottle, the 22-year-old Colombian was rewarded for a breakout campaign with a new five-year deal from the club - bestowed upon him in part to ward off interest from other teams around the world.

Castillo excelled under the tutelage of Pareja last season, and his 4.5 successful dribbles per 90 minutes was by far the highest total in the league. That he found the net 10 times is impressive, though he will certainly look to improve on that total and further cement himself as one of the most thrilling wingers in MLS.

As for Diaz, it's a question of health. The 23-year-old played only 17 matches last season (9 starts) thanks to various knee and leg ailments. As the hub of the attack and the most technically gifted player in the squad, it's imperative that diminutive Argentine stay on the pitch if the club is to take another step forward. 

His ability to link with both Castillo and Blas Perez is something that no other player, despite the team's impressive depth, can replicate.

Keep an eye on: Michael Barrios

Projected Starting XI

(4-4-1-1) Dan Kennedy; Moises Hernandez, Matt Hedges, Zach Loyd, Atiba Harris; Fabian Castillo, Victor Ulloa, Michel, Michael Barrios; Mauro Diaz; Blas Perez

Season in a Sentence

Powered by a lethal core of attacking talent that can be devastating on the break with its combination of speed and dribbling ability, Oscar Parejo's side will be a force to be reckoned with - even if the backline isn't quite at the same lofty standards of the attack.