Trade helps Chivas USA fill void

Chivas USA Coach Preki was talking Friday after practice about remodeling his cracked-and-peeling defense. Yes, there were no goals given up Saturday at Houston in what turned out to be a scoreless tie.

“But we have to redo our back line because we have a couple of guys that are most likely not going to be there,” Preki said. “So we’ll see tomorrow. How these guys heal, and who is ready and who is not ready.”

Not only will Chivas defender Claudio Suarez sit out Sunday’s game at home against New England because of a one-game suspension (by virtue of his red card at Houston), but defender Lawson Vaughn will be out at least six weeks after two surgeries to repair facial fractures suffered in the Houston game, and a third defender, Shavar Thomas, is questionable.

It turned out the work-in-progress remodel already was moving along for Chivas USA, which has one victory in six games this season. On the field at practice Friday was veteran defender Carey Talley, who arrived earlier in the day. A couple of hours later, Chivas’ trade with Real Salt Lake became official. In exchange for Talley, Real Salt Lake will receive a conditional choice in either the 2010 or 2011 MLS SuperDraft.

“Carey is an experienced, consistent defender who can play both in the middle and the outside,” Preki said. “We’re glad he’s joined the squad and think he’ll be a good fit for us.”

Talley, who was in his third season at Salt Lake, has also played for D.C. United (four seasons), Kansas City and Dallas. This season, he has played four games, starting three, and has one goal. He was a member of the MLS Cup-winning D.C. United team in 1999. A move to help the defense became imperative when it became clear Vaughn would miss more than a month. He required a second surgery, which was performed Thursday, when tests showed additional fractures of the bone under his eye. Severe swelling apparently masked the fractures at first. It is also expected he will need one more surgery, of a reconstructive nature, after the season.

Vaughn suffered the facial fractures and broken nose when he was kicked in the face by Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, who was trying a bicycle kick and subsequently yellow-carded on the play.

There was no extra MLS discipline to follow, mystifying officials at Chivas USA more than angering them.

“A little bit surprised, based on how long Lawson is going to be out,” Preki said. “I know it wasn’t intentional, but I’ve seen games where people do unintentional things where they get suspended. But it is what it is. You can’t dwell on that. We’ve got to move forward and think about the game.”

As for Thomas, he may be a game-day decision. He left the Houston game because of an apparent leg injury in the second half and resumed training later this week and went at about 75% Friday.

“A decision based on how he feels, how he reacts,” Preki said. “All those things. I won’t know until tomorrow, maybe even game time.”

lisa.dillman@latimes.com