2016 MLS Season Preview: Houston Dynamo

With the MLS season set to begin on Sunday, theScore runs down everything you need to know about each team heading into the 2016 campaign. Here, we take a look at the Houston Dynamo.

The Houston Dynamo, once a force in MLS, have now been left behind.

The era of the Designated Player meant the Dynamo have been outspent across the board by several teams in the Western Conference, and while Owen Coyle boasts a few DPs of his own, none of them are performing at the level needed to win titles.

The club's long-serving captain, Brad Davis, has now departed, leaving the team in need of a new identity. Coyle spent the off-season addressing midfield needs, and in the acquisition of Cristian Maidana and David Rocha, the Dynamo have a new look in the middle of the park.

Will it be enough to bring this storied franchise back into the MLS limelight? It all depends on one Erick "Cubo" Torres. The Mexican DP striker enjoyed an illustrious start to his MLS career with Chivas USA two years ago but struggled last year. If he enjoys another stellar season, Houston will be stronger for it.

Or, they'll at least be in the playoffs again to try and prove it.

2015 season

Regular season: 8th in Western Conference

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Nuts and Bolts

• Head coach: Owen Coyle
• Stadium: BBVA Compass Stadium
• Season opener: Sunday, March 6: Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution (BBVA Compass Stadium) - 3 p.m. ET.

Key Arrivals

• Cristian Maidana (traded from Philadelphia Union)
• David Rocha (acquired from Gimnastic de Tarragona)
• Agus (acquired from Albacete)
• Andrew Wenger (traded from Philadelphia Union)
• Jalil Anibaba (free agent)

Key Departures

• Brad Davis (traded to Sporting Kansas City)
• AJ Cochran (option declined)
• Jermaine Taylor (option declined)
• Luis Garrido (option declined)

Player to Watch

Last season, Cristian Maidana was one of the most dominant, creative midfielders in the league, plying his trade with a Philadelphia Union team that didn't have the kind of quality to connect with him effectively.

Despite the Union's struggles, Maidana made himself invaluable, recording 15 assists in 2015. Inexplicably, he was still made dispensable when the Union instead opted to build around Tranquillo Barnetta.

Fair enough. Maidana won't mind. In Houston, he has players far more suited to his talents, such as the ever-present threat Olmes Garcia, and the powerful workhorse Giles Barnes. With Torres hoping to earn a starting spot, he'll have yet another quality talent to combine with in the Texan heat.

Keep an eye on: Erick "Cubo" Torres

Projected Starting XI

Season in a sentence

2016 is a year of 'maybe's and 'we'll see's for the Houston Dynamo. We'll have to wait and see how Erick Torres performs, how Maidana integrates into the midfield, how Spanish duo David Rocha and Agus adjust to MLS, and how healthy an aged DaMarcus Beasley can remain. Maybe we'll see the Dynamo find a winning style, maybe make the playoffs and maybe even compete for the MLS Cup.