Gold Cup will prove to be a drain on MLS rosters

It is the time of year many soccer fans have been waiting for, but to an extent also dreading. It is Gold Cup time, the chance for the region's national teams to test their strength and time for Major League Soccer teams to test their depth.

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The Revolution will be without Taylor Twellman's services during the Gold Cup.

Ten of the 13 teams in MLS will deal with losing key players to the three-week regional tournament. Some of the 21 MLS players competing in the Gold Cup have already left their MLS clubs for their national teams while the rest will leave after this weekend's games.

What will teams like Toronto, which is losing four players, and New England, losing three of its players, do to cope with the absences? The only option is to call on reserves, some untested and some with experience who just need an opportunity to play.

With the Red Bulls, D.C. United and Real Salt Lake having avoided any Gold Cup callups, here is a look at what the other 10 teams will be dealing with for the next two to three weeks, with the player losses in parentheses:

Toronto FC -- (Loses Greg Sutton, Adam Braz, Chris Pozniak and Marco Reda to the Gold Cup.) If you had looked at the list of players Toronto will lose before the season you would have thought the Gold Cup would destroy Toronto. Not the case anymore. While Sutton will be missed, the three defenders called up have made just a combined five starts.

The heat will be on backup goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic to pick up the slack for Sutton, who has been steady. It won't be easy though as Toronto faces three solid opponents in Colorado, the Red Bulls and FC Dallas during the Gold Cup.

New England Revolution -- (Taylor Twellman, Steve Ralston, Michael Parkhurst). In what seems like a Gold Cup tradition, no team is losing more talent than the Revs. That said, a closer look at the MLS schedule suggests that league officials sought to help New England out. The Revs have a bye week during the tournament and the three matches they will play are against weaker opponents (Real Salt Lake, Columbus, Toronto FC).

Twellman's absence will hurt but the Revs have Pat Noonan and Adam Cristman to try and make up for the league's leading scorer. Parkhurst's absence could be the toughest to make up for, but the Revs do have veteran defender Avery John who can slide in. The biggest impact made by Gold Cup replacements could be rookie midfielder Wells Thompson, who should step in for Ralston and will get his chance to show why the Revs traded up to make him the No. 5 overall pick in the 2007 MLS Draft.

Houston Dynamo -- (Dwayne De Rosario, Brian Ching, Ricardo Clark). It is tough to tell how the absences of three key Dynamo players will affect a team that has been underachieving all season. Could it rejuvenate the club or will it lead to the champions sliding even further in the West standings?

One thing the champions are is deep and it will show during this stretch.

Richard Mulrooney should move into Clark's vacant central midfield slot, with one-time starter Kelly Gray moving back into the back line. Newly-acquired Joseph Ngwenya will be asked to pick up the slack at forward, especially if Paul Dalglish takes a while to recover from an ankle injury. The toughest spot to fill will be De Rosario's playmaking role, which Brad Davis is expected to take over. That should give rookie Corey Ashe a chance to shine on the left wing.

Los Angeles Galaxy -- (Landon Donovan, Kevin Harmes, Ante Jazic). Donovan is the best MLS player in the Gold Cup and he leaves behind a Galaxy team that was already struggling with him in the lineup. Without his energy, creativity and dangerous finishing the Galaxy's attack will be hard-pressed to improve on its meager pace of seven goals in six games. Losing Harmes and Jazic will also hurt, but the Galaxy was already facing life without Chris Albright, who would likely have been a Gold Cup participant even if he hadn't suffered a torn hamstring.

Who has the chance to step up for Los Angeles? Santino Quaranta has started just one match this season but he will be expected to provide a spark to the LA attack, much like he did when he arrived from D.C. United a year ago.

Colorado Rapids -- (Pablo Mastroeni, Roberto Brown). The Rapids boast one of the deeper teams in the league and are well equipped to deal with the loss of their best defender and forward. Replacing Mastroeni won't be as much of an issue since he will be able to play in two Rapids matches during the Gold Cup as he serves his two-match suspension from last summer's World Cup.

Brown's absence should mean the first real chance for Conor Casey to show the form that made him a German Bundesliga player. The former U.S. national team player has yet to make the impact expected of him when he arrived via trade from Toronto. He has made just three brief appearances for the Rapids and is still looking for his first shot on goal.

Chicago Fire -- (Justin Mapp, Ivan Guerrero). Another team that was already struggling before its Gold Cup stars left, the Fire must find a way to replace the dynamic element Mapp and Guerrero provide to an attack that has been sorely lacking creativity in recent weeks.

Chicago actually has some veterans who have tremendous skill in Thiago and Pascal Bedrossian and both should get the chance to excel although both are defensive liabilities. Thiago was a steady starter last season but has failed to make much of an impact in 2007.

Chivas USA -- (Brad Guzan, Jonathan Bornstein). The Goats will sorely miss Bornstein's attacking flair from the left back spot and can't replace it with anyone on the roster, but they do have a veteran capable of stepping in and holding down the job in Orlando Perez. Guzan will be easier to replace as Preston Burpo showed last season that he is a capable starting goalkeeper.

Kansas City -- (Eddie Johnson). How do you replace the hottest forward in MLS? You don't. The Wizards can only hope that Scott Sealy is ready to get over the ankle sprain that has hampered him this season and show the scoring ability he has flashed in the past few years. If Sealy can't get it done then the Wizards need former first-round draft pick Yura Movsisyan to step up. Davy Arnaud is enjoying a stellar season and Carlos Marinelli looks like a star in midfield so Sealy and/or Movsisyan will have the service. They just need to prove that they can deliver.

FC Dallas -- (Carlos Ruiz). Ruiz has missed a handful of games this season and, aside from last week's shutout loss to Chivas USA, the Hoops have done relatively well in his absence. Dominic Oduro and Abe Thompson have shared time when Ruiz has been out but neither can come close to providing the consistent threat Ruiz provides when healthy.

Columbus Crew -- (Frankie Hejduk). Hejduk's absence will be felt but it will create the chance for the Crew to get a good look at highly-regarded fullback prospect Tim Ward. Crew coach Sigi Schmid has insisted on starting Rusty Pierce at left back ahead of Ward, and Pierce has rewarded him by getting repeatedly beaten by opposing wingers. Now Ward will have his chance, albeit at right back, to show Schmid that he deserves a spot in the lineup ahead of Pearce.

Game Previews

What can you still count on in MLS during the Gold Cup? Real Salt Lake not winning, Landon Donovan delivering and the Red Bulls rolling. There are some ugly games this weekend, but the Texas Tussle and the KC-Red Bulls Eastern Conference showdown gives us at least two can't-miss matches.

If only my picks were can't-miss. The yo-yo effect continues as I follow up a perfect week with another stinker. The pattern suggests that this will be a good week but I wouldn't bet it.

Saturday

Colorado at Toronto FC

Is that really Toronto with a 2-1-1 record in its last four matches? Yes it is and you could argue they played well enough to win the game they lost, against D.C. Now TFC faces a Colorado team that is unbeaten in four matches and frustrating opponents with a bunkering defense and dangerous counterattack. Sounds like a defensive struggle? Don't bet on it. Look for the teams to have a shootout, with the Rapids edging out the home team. Rapids 3, Toronto FC 2.

Real Salt Lake at New England Revolution

Hmm, let me think. Do I pick the team that has shredded opponents regularly this season or the team that has yet to record a victory after two months? It is a tough call but I think I'll take the Revs, even if this is one of those typical MLS games where the bad team steps up and knocks off the overconfident favorites. Revolution 3, Real Salt Lake 1.

New York Red Bulls at Kansas City Wizards

The best game of the week features great matchups all over the field. The Red Bulls will still be shorthanded as starting goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus and starting fullbacks Todd Dunivant and Hunter Freeman are out. One player who is back is Claudio Reyna, whose presence should help calm down a Red Bulls team that has been dangerous in the attack but imbalanced at times.

The key for the Red Bulls will be slowing down Eddie Johnson, who is on fire right now and who has the type of size and speed that can give the Red Bulls' back line fits. Unfortunately for Johnson, the Wizards defense is dealing with a rash of injuries that will leave them vulnerable against a Red Bulls attack that has been playing amazing soccer in recent weeks. Juan Pablo Angel shines and the Red Bulls take control of the East standings. Red Bulls 2, Wizards 1

D.C. United at Los Angeles Galaxy

D.C. is slowly turning things around and head into the coming weeks knowing that it won't lose any players to the Gold Cup. That makes for a potentially dominating June for the consensus preseason title favorites. They will face a Galaxy team that has played better than results have shown, but still can't get its offense untracked. Landon Donovan knows that a win here is crucial considering he may be with the U.S. national team for more than a month if he plays in Copa America. Look for Donovan to play a great game, but it won't be enough to help a short-handed Galaxy team hold off a surging United. D.C. United 2, Galaxy 1

Sunday

FC Dallas at Houston Dynamo

The Texas Derby is the best the West has to offer this weekend and it is unlikely to disappoint. The Hoops are fully aware that they have a chance to bury Houston even further behind them in the standings and the Dynamo knows that it is about to lose three star players to the Gold Cup. Can Houston's stingy defense slow down Dallas midfielder Juan Toja? Yes, the Dynamo can and that will be the key to Houston stopping its three-match losing skid. Dynamo 1, FC Dallas 0

Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire

Two struggling teams limp into a match that is tough to get excited about. The Fire has the home-field advantage but the story here will be Andy Herron's return to Chicago. He netted two goals last week and will be looking to burn his former club. Even if Chicago gets Chris Rolfe back, it may not be enough to avoid Herron's revenge. Crew 1, Fire 0.

Wednesday

New York Red Bulls at Toronto FC

Toronto has made BMO Field a tough place to play but the odds are stacked against Mo Johnston's team here. The expansion squad has a shaky defense to begin with and must now try and beat the league's best team without starting goalkeeper Greg Sutton and three defenders, all of which are playing for Canada in the Gold Cup. That will be music to the ears of Juan Pablo Angel, Clint Mathis and Jozy Altidore, who should all flourish as the Red Bulls beat their former coach. Red Bulls 3, Toronto FC 0.

Thursday

Colorado Rapids at Houston Dynamo

This matchup has defensive struggle written all over it. The Rapids are solid on the road and will be looking for a point. The Dynamo will be lacking the attacking players to break down Colorado's back line. The Rapids could take the three points here but that would require one of the teams in this match to score. Don't bet on it. Rapids 0, Dynamo 0.

Last week: 1-3-2

Overall: 21-18-11

Ives Galarcep covers MLS for ESPNsoccernet. He is a writer and columnist for the Herald News (N.J.) and writes a blog, Soccer By Ives. He can be reached at Ivespn79@aol.com.