Three-peat a possibility for the Dynamo

Editor's note: This is the first of 14 MLS team previews by ESPNsoccernet for the 2008 season.

2007 record and finish: 15-8-7 (2nd in Western Conference), MLS Cup champions

Key additions: D Bobby Boswell, F Franco Caraccio, G Tony Caig

Key losses: D Ryan Cochrane, F Joseph Ngwenya, M/F Nate Jaqua, G Zach Wells, F Paul Dalglish

Three questions facing this team

Juan Miranda/WireImage

Houston's Stuart Holden, left, is on the verge of a breakout season.

1. Will the Dynamo have enough fuel in the tank to three-peat?

Houston owed much of its success in 2007 to its incomparable depth, a fact driven home during the MLS Cup final when the Dynamo triumphed over New England without injured forward Brian Ching and suspended midfielder Ricardo Clark. This area was weakened during the offseason however, with forwards Nate Jaqua and Joseph Ngwenya both moving to Europe, while defender Ryan Cochrane was chosen in the expansion draft.

Coach Dominic Kinnear has accounted for some of the losses by obtaining former defender of the year Bobby Boswell from D.C. United, as well as Argentine forward Franco Caraccio. But more acquisitions are needed, especially given the Dynamo's packed schedule. It was bad enough last year with the CONCACAF Champions Cup, SuperLiga and U.S. Open Cup testing Houston's stamina. This fall the Dynamo will take on the added burden of the newly minted CONCACAF Champions League, which could sap Houston of valuable energy during the season's stretch drive.

2. Who will get the goals?

In 2007 it was a case of goal scoring by committee for the Dynamo, with five players scoring at least five times. But with the departures of Ngwenya and Jaqua, a significant portion of that group is no longer available, and with Ching proving to be among the more injury-prone players in the league, a lack of firepower up front is a huge concern.

While Caraccio and reserve Chris Wondolowski are slated to step in for Houston's departed duo, it's possible that nominal midfielders Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Mullan, who have both played forward in the past, may be called upon up top. With new investors Oscar De La Hoya and Gabriel Brener coming on board, acquiring a designated player is also an option, although that hasn't been Kinnear's style in the past.

Getting more production out of midfield would also do much to take up the slack. Despite his MVP performance in the MLS Cup final, De Rosario suffered through something of a down year, scoring only six goals to go with four assists. Wide midfielders Mullan and Brad Davis, who had only four goals between them, will also need to deliver better numbers in order for the Dynamo to duplicate their championship-winning form.

3. If the team struggles, will Kinnear be able to deal?

Given Kinnear's track record in trades, it's a wonder that any team is still willing to sit down at the bargaining table with him. Last year the midseason acquisitions of Jaqua, Ngwenya and Richard Mulrooney proved critical to the Dynamo's success. The past offseason saw Kinnear at it again, acquiring Boswell for the relatively low cost of reserve goalkeeper Zach Wells and a 2009 conditional draft pick. But can Houston really expect to trade its way out of trouble if the team struggles, as it did at the beginning of last season? The Dynamo are deep in defense and in midfield, but would appear to have less to give up than a year ago. Kinnear has shown a willingness to deal draft picks, but Houston is already without next year's second- and third-round selections.

Biggest X factor: Franco Caraccio

The acquisition of Caraccio represents something of a departure for Kinnear. In the past, the Houston manager has opted to go for proven MLS players, but the Argentine is a relatively unknown commodity from outside the league. On the plus side, Caraccio is just 21 years old, with the impressive pedigree of having played for Argentina's U-20 team. On the downside, he has been a reserve the past few years with modest club Arsenal de Sarandi, and there is really no way to know how his game will translate to MLS. For every Guillermo Schelotto who has come to the league from Argentina, there has been a bust like Matias Donnet.

What is certain is that the expectations on Caraccio will be high, especially given the few options the Dynamo have up front. If Caraccio delivers, Houston will be very tough to dethrone as champs. If not, Kinnear will be forced either to pull other players out of position, or to rely on inexperienced backups.

Breakout player to watch: Stuart Holden

Holden was pegged to be Houston's breakout player last season, and while he didn't move into the upper echelon of MLS midfielders, he did deliver some clutch goals off the bench, including a vital strike against Dallas in the playoffs. This season presents an even greater opportunity for the Scot, especially if Kinnear is forced to employ either De Rosario or Mullan at forward. That would allow Holden's skill on the ball and solid crossing ability to make even more of an impression.

The time is also now for Wondolowski, last year's other breakout candidate. The Chico State product has scored 25 reserve league goals in the past three years, and in the preseason he has shown flashes of cohesion with Ching. One gets the feeling that Kinnear isn't completely sold on Wondolowski, but given the dearth of options up front, the 24-year-old should get more opportunities to prove himself.

Outlook: Last season, the Dynamo became only the second team in league history to successfully defend its title, and Houston is certainly more than capable of entering the MLS history books by winning a third consecutive championship. But the Dynamo's margin of error is much smaller this year, especially given the persistent questions about the forward line.

If Houston is successful, it will be primarily due to its league-best defense. While duplicating last year's record-breaking mark of just 23 goals allowed will be difficult, most of the same pieces are still in place, including Best XI defender Eddie Robinson. The addition of Boswell gives Houston another option in defense, and while some of his early performances in preseason have been shaky, he does have something to prove following a disappointing 2007 with D.C. United.

The Dynamo's chances will also rest on the performance of their midfield as well as the health of Ching. The Hawaiian remains the best target forward in the league, with his hold-up play and physical presence doing much to spearhead Houston's attack. The Dynamo have survived without Ching in the past, but with fewer options up top, succeeding in the Hawaiian's absence will be more difficult.

Even if things don't go Houston's way, Kinnear's ability to improvise, both in terms of tactics and personnel, should allow the Dynamo to survive any rough stretches. The team's well-documented stability and chemistry also should serve it well.

Given the Dynamo's talent and cohesion, it all adds up to another run at an MLS title, although a refortified Chivas USA side will have something to say about that. The Dynamo begin the season as one of the favorites, but unless they solve their forward shortage, a third championship looks just out of reach.

Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPNsoccernet. He can be reached at eljefe1@yahoo.com