Armchair Analyst: On the radar for Week 15 of the 2015 MLS season

It's almost silly season, so transfer rumors are what's on my radar. Here's a big one that I've been keeping an eye on: Yura Movsisyan back to Real Salt Lake.

I don't know if it's going to happen or not -- as the article says, RSL's folks aren't talking. But Brian Dunseth said on the national broadcast of San Jose vs. RSL last week that "it's got legs," and Yura himself tweeted out some very hinty stuff yesterday afternoon (click the link to see what I mean).

What I love about this potential signing is what I loved about Toronto FC getting Sebastian Giovinco, or Portland getting Diego Valeri, or Seattle getting Obafemi Martins when they did: International-caliber players coming to MLS in their prime boost the level of play across the entire league by forcing everyone else to play catch-up. While this is obviously true for the Beckhams, Henrys and Blancos of the world as well, it just feels like a more tangible form of progress when a 27-year-old chooses MLS.

Anyway, here's our list of transfer news -- rumors, reports and the like. As we get closer to July 8, when the window reopens, keep it in mind.

Onto the weekend:

1. The Keymaster

LA travel to Columbus on Saturday (7 pm ET; MLS LIVE). When these two teams met at the same venue last season, the Crew slapped the Galaxy down to the tune of 4-1, a performance which was certainly Columbus' best of the year, and has an argument for "best in show" across the entire league. It was spectacular.

This year, neither team has been spectacular. Columbus are mired in a five-game losing skid, while LA have won just two of their last 10.

For the hosts, the issue is mostly defense. For the visitors, it's been the lack of reliable chance creation.

Here are the league's leaders in open play chances created per 90:

Jimenez has been a steady provider of good service no matter where he's lined up for Columbus, while Higuain has still been very good -- though not quite his Best XI-caliber self.

For LA, the problem is obvious. Robbie Keane is nowhere to be found on this list, having created just five chances (zero "big chances") in his 529 minutes. And yes, that's a scary canary in a coal mine for a guy approaching 35. Ishizaki, meanwhile, sends in cross after cross, but the Galaxy's forwards aren't -- save for Alan Gordon -- all that adept at getting onto the end of them. The chances he's created this year feel more like "last resort" than "by design," a far cry from the heady days of tiki-taco.

That's left Villarreal as the key to the attack. He's been in and out of the lineup with a series of injuries, but hopes to be back this weekend.

If he is, LA are likely to be much more potent.

I'll also be watching: Not on that list is Ethan Finlay, who is tied for the league lead with seven assists. Finlay does most of his damage in transition, creating comparatively few chances in possession, but excelling at cutting teams up on the break. Watch him find gaps whenever LA's left back -- whether it's Robbie Rogers making his return, or Baggio Husidic continuing to deputize -- overlaps.

2. The Gatekeeper

The Revs aren't doing so great right now. They're winless in six, and collapsed late last weekend in Portland for a 2-0 loss.

But they haven't been run off the field like what was happening at this time last season. That version of the Revs had lots of good pieces, but lacked a physical, game-breaking, two-way presence who could change the tempo of the game and/or where it was being played in an instant.

They missed Jermaine Jones before they ever had him. And now that Jones is hurt, they miss him again -- though not as much as in 2014. And that's largely because of Scott Caldwell.

Caldwell is, first and foremost, a defensive linchpin who shields the backline and cleans up messes deep in midfield. He's also added a bit of confidence going forward in terms of creativity and finishing, as his numbers (2g, 4a) attest.

But the biggest change has come in how he's left a physical imprint on games, being tougher in the challenge and on the ball, as well as just covering more ground:

I really felt like you could just overwhelm the Revs physically in central midfield before Jones got there last year. Not so this season.

Caldwell will have his hands full going up against fellow Homegrown Harry Shipp and the Fire attack on Saturday (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE).

I'll also be watching: You probably know that DPs David Accam and Shaun Maloney are out on international duty. You may have missed that left back Joevin Jones is also gone, as he's in camp with Trinidad & Tobago. The Fire haven't been super-reliant upon his ability to get forward to create attacking width, but it sure hasn't hurt. Left back could be a significant issue in this one.

3. Mass Hysteria

Orlando City fans are right to feel a little bit smug at the moment. Most expansion teams have trouble putting together unbeaten runs of any length, yet here are the Lions, sitting there unbeaten in their last four and very much in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

It's not all about Kaká, either. Young forwards Cyle Larin (he's with Canada on international duty) and Pedro Ribeiro (a mortal lock to start) have begun to find the range, and in so doing have opened up gaps for the midfield to exploit.

The best part about getting Ribeiro back, though, is that he and "Ricky" have already shown a very good understanding of how to combine when moving forward together:

D.C. United's defense will be forced to do some real work in this one on Sunday evening (7 pm ET; FoxSports 1 | FoxDeportes | FoxSports GO). They haven't been great lately, with Steve Birnbaum struggling to fill in at left back and Sean Franklin hitting a bit of a rough patch on the other side.

I'll also be watching: "Fabian Espindola + Luis Silva" was arguably the most exciting forward pairing in MLS last year, save for a certain duo up in Seattle. This season, thanks to injuries and suspension, we've barely gotten to see them together.

They're supposedly both fit and available for this one.

Illuminati!

Happy weekend, everybody.