WVHooligan - Soccer Blog

Part two of this expansion draft coverage here at WVHooligan.com shifts focus to the western conference clubs and who they will protect in next weeks draft. We already looked at the eastern clubs earlier in the day and now it is time to figure out the rest of the league.

Again, this list is fairly long since it shows each club and a number of players from them.

Feel free to add you comments below on who you think will go and if I missed a name or two as well.

So on to the western clubs:

Chivas USA:
1. Jonathan Bornstein – rock solid defender, cannot expose
2. Maykel Galindo – no reason to expose one of the best strikers in the league
3. Brad Guzan – best keeper in the league
4. Sasha Kljestan – another young guy you have to keep around
5. Jesse Marsch – veteran leader, big reason to Chivas’s success this year
6. Carlos Llamosa – another veteran I think they have to keep protected
7. Ante Razov – heart and soul of that offense
8. Claudio Suarez – probably the heart and soul of that defense too
9. Laurent Merlin – young international that I doubt they would expose
10. Ramon Nunez – I’d protect this kid even if he is the most predictable player in the MLS
11. Alex Zotinca – another defender that they need to protect

That leaves a couple names that could go: Paulo Nagamura, Lawson Vaughn. We have to remember that Chivas is still a relatively young club too, so some young guys won’t be protected here.

Colorado Rapids:
1. Mehdi Ballouchy – young player that would be attractive to an expansion club
2. Jose Cancela – can’t seem him being left unprotected here
3. Conor Casey – young attacking option that showed some glimpse of how good he can be
4. Terry Cooke – can’t get rid of one of the best assist man in the league
5. Bouna Coundoul – turned out to be a very solid keeper, he will be protected
6. Omar Cummings – a bright future is ahead of this kid, they have to protect him
7. Pablo Mastroeni – leader, no reason to let go
8. Mike Petke – leader in the defense
9. Ugo Ihemelu – another good defender that would be attractive to an expansion club
10. Herculez Gomez – I doubt they will leave him unprotected
11. Jacob Peterson – another young guy I think they should protect

That leaves a slew of names that could go: Facuando Erpen (wasn’t sure who to take off here and put him as protected, I think he will stay in Colorado though), Nicholas Hernandez, Jovan Kirvoski, and Danny Osorno.

FC Dallas:
1. Denilson – DP probably has to be protected. However, if a rule isn’t implemented that says they have to protect a DP, then FCD will expose him.
2. Juan Carlos Toja – FCD would protect him even if they are not required to.
3. Carlos Ruiz – Only one SI can be exposed, not that you would want to expose Ruiz anyway. Even if you don’t want him you protect him and trade him. For Dallas picking up his option would be a story for another day.
4. Adrian Serioux – After his play at DM, he’s a no brainier to be kept.
5. Pablo Ricchetti – A great leader and important player in the midfield.
6. Ray Burse Jr – Played himself into the protection. Young, cheap, and talented.
7. Dax McCarty – Too much upside to let go. FCD will obviously try and keep him on Ga status, but it’s not up to them.
8. Kenny Cooper – Still a key player, still relatively cheap. Young American with talent and a name.
9. Drew Moor – FCD’s best defender. He was protected last year, no reason why he won’t be this year after the US cap.
10. Arturo Alvarez – Based on his break through year, he’s a high risk exposure. Still better cover him up cause Yallop knows him.
11. Abe Thompson – Fantastic teammate and hard worker. Would be a great expansion pickup. Protected last year, likely will be again.

That leaves a Marcelo Saragosa out there, Clarence Goodson, Chris Gbandi to name a few.

Houston Dynamo:
1. Dewayne De Rosario – too valuable to let go, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he asks for a trade this off-season
2. Brian Ching – why expose the best offense that you have?
3. Brian Mullan – too good to let go I think
4. Joseph Ngwenya – great year for this kid, no reason to expose him
5. Wade Barret – One of the best defenders in the league
6. Eddie Robinson – same as Barrett
7. Ryan Cochrane – young player that has come into his own this season I think
8. Patrick Ianni – great option for the Orange off the bench
9. Stuart Holden – too dangerous to expose here
10. Pat Onstad – No way you expose one of the best keepers
11. Corey Ashe – too much upside to expose this young player

Houston is gonna be hurt by this draft I think, those unprotected: Waibel, Brad Davis, Nate Jaqua, Zack Wells

LA Galaxy:
1. David Beckham – DP, has to protect him
2. Landon Donovan – danger of him leaving to go back to San Jose is there I think, they will protect him from this draft
3. Joe Cannon – another solid keeper, must protect
4. Ty Harden – young player, showed some potential
5. Chris Albright – when healthy he is the best defensive player they have I think
6. Israel Sesay – young player with a lot of time left to develop here
7. Abel Xavier – showed us why Lalas made the right move to land this character
8. Alan Gordon – Showed he could play up top with Landon and company
9. Quavas Kirk – I think would be a solid addition to a young expansion team, no reason to expose him
10. Edson Buddle – when he is on his game he is a good attacking option
11. Kyle Veris – can’t expose some of the only defense that this team has

They may actually expose Carlos Pavon, he never really lived up to any hype that they thought he would. Probably will also expose Kyle Martino even though he is sometimes the heart and soul of that midfield, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him go out of this bunch to San Jose. I think it will be real interesting to see who San Jose grabs from their rivals.

Real Salt Lake:
1. Kyle Beckerman – no brainier here folks.
2. Chris Brown – really found his play late in the season
3. Robbie Findley – best striker this club has…real strong future here
4. Yura Movsisyan – Can’t see any reason why they would expose him
5. Fabian Espindola – solid pick-up in the season
6. Matias Mantilla – same as Espindola
7. Chris Seitz – future goalie…may keep only him and not Rimando
8. Nathan Sturgis – wonder how long they can keep this kid
9. Carey Talley – veteran player, locker room leader
10. Javier Morales – same as the other two pick-ups from Argentina
11. Nick Rimando – weird to see two keepers on this list but I think they have to

That leaves a guy like Alecko Eskardarian on this list as well as Jack Stewart, Jamie Watson and Andy Williams.

Six players that could be draft from these clubs are:
Clarence Goodson (DAL)
Brad Davis (HOU)
Kyle Martino (LA)
Paulo Nagamura (CUSA)
Jovan Kirvoski (COL)
Jamie Watson (RSL)

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