Brian McBride will hang it up after this season. (Getty Images)

I suppose the rest of the year for the Chicago Fire is now the Brian McBride farewell tour. McBride announced today that he is retiring at the end of the season from professional soccer.

McBride was the very first pick in the MLS inaugural draft back in 1996. The Columbus Crew got the honors of having McBride on their roster for a few years before he took off to England to play with Fulham. His time with the US Men’s National team is well documented as well from his goals in the World Cup to the famous bloody nose in the 2006 World Cup game against Italy.

McBride was simply a goal scorer. He knew his way around the penalty area better than anyone in my eyes who’s donned a US jersey (I know Landon Donovan has more goals, I know). He was fearless with his head and was never shy to get in the middle of things.

But what McBride really did was start the revolution of Americans going to Europe in a big way. His time at Fulham showed the footprint of how to do it right in Europe for an American player. Getting the proper playing time with the right team and system always yields success and McBride had that at Fulham.

Once he came back to MLS to play with the Fire we knew it wouldn’t be forever. I think its proper that he’s hanging it up after this season as well. Its not a matter of his season performance dipping this year or his age (38) but the timing just seems right. He got to come home to play for his hometown club and really who wouldn’t want to go out like that?

His place will be among the all-time greats in Chicago, Columbus and in London. I’d imagine one day we’ll see his face on a statue somewhere.

I think its also worth mentioning how much the league has come full circle here now with a retirement like McBrides (and Jamie Moreno’s later too). Seeing guys that were apart of that 1996 class and how their careers are now coming to a close shows that the league has grown up a lot.

What’s your favorite McBride memory? Any with the Crew? With Fulham? USMNT? Any from the last two years in Chicago?

Fredy Montero looks to run all over New York again this weekend. (Getty Images)

So week number two in Major League Soccer is a short one. Seriously? After a full slate last week and what I believe will be a full one next week, how come so many clubs are off this weekend? Easter? Passover? NCAA Final Four? My bet is its due to Easter and clubs not wanting games on this weekend due to that.

Last night’s two western conference classes were decent. The Houston-RSL game was pretty much everything we expected it to be, fast paced and some pretty good action from both sides. Weird result in the two PKs in a matter of a couple minutes there but honestly I had no issues on either call. Sure Luis Angel Landin embellished that fall a tad bit but the contact was definitely there from the goat of the night for RSL Jamison Olave. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again Olave is a good defender but man does he ever get his team in to trouble more times than not. That’s why I have trouble rating their defense high, discipline reasons like that can really do a number on a team.

At least for RSL they have Javi Morales going well again. His pace and vision on the field is fun to watch. I think he may be this year’s Schelotto in that he is normally an assist man but this year he’s getting the goals.

Further out west last night was the SuperClasico and it was everything but Super. It wasn’t the nasty rivalry that we’re used to except for a few chippy moments early on. Edson Buddle linked up well with Sean Franklin (hell of a ball on that one) and Landon Donovan for his second and third goals of the season. Chivas had chances but they have no finishers on that team.

Now it is on to the weekend with the three games mentioned above. Two are big inter-conference clashes. We’ll definitely find out more about a couple clubs that we’ve had some questions on after this weekend.

As always feel free to leave your score predictions below.

Chicago Fire – at – Colorado Rapids:

Home opener for the Rapids this weekend and they bring in one of the better road sides in the league with the Chicago Fire. Carlos de los Cobos’ squad looked decent on the road last week in New York but was unable to hammer home a shot. Their midfield definitely is lacking some creative power and against a deep midfield that Colorado has it could be another rough night offensively for them.

We know the Fire will be fine defensively with Wilham Conde in the back. Question is can he handle both Omar Cummings and Conor Casey this week? Last week he didn’t have to deal with as much against the Red Bulls. I think this task may spread him too thin. Another guys in the back will have to step up but look for Colorado to have an edge here.

I’d like to see more out of Collins John in this one for Chicago. If he can get going offensively it will open up things more on the wings, meaning Brian McBride will be even more dangerous if the service from the wings is there.

Part of me wants to go draw just because I know the inconsistent nature of the Rapids is still probably there but I think their side is a bit stronger in this one, especially through the midfield.

Player to watch for: Omar Cummings – Expect him to drift a little wider in this one and try to explose the Fire defense from the wings.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 2, Chicago 1

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New England Revolution – at – D.C. United

Two teams with a definite need for points. New England didn’t look half bad in LA last weekend while D.C. was a whole other story in Kansas City. I’d imagine Curt Onalfo will have done enough work this week to correct the defensive issues that gave up four goals last week to his old club the Wizards.

New England will still be without Shalrie Joseph in the midfield, which leads me to lean toward the home-side in this one. I can imagine this one won’t be too pretty to watch either with this one having its fair share of fouls and cards.

I think this one will be rather close with New England compacting things through the midfield and in defense to make it tough on D.C. to get anything going. But look for D.C.’s offense to show some life in this one and find a way to get one in the back of the net. Plus I still wonder where the offense will come from for the Revs here, until someone steps up I am left to wonder.

Player to watch for: Juan Manuel Pena – United’s newcomer may be a welcome sight in defense this week. If things work out and he gets the start look for the defense to be much better in week 2.

WVH Prediction: D.C. 1, New England 0

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New York Red Bulls – at  - Seattle Sounders FC

May be the biggest game on the weekend slate, the up and coming Red Bulls face their biggest test as they head west to Seattle. Is Seattle as good as we think and are the Red Bulls actually good here this season? Those are questions we’ll figure out in this one I believe.

New York looked much better defensively last week against the Fire and offensively they have a master-mind in the midfield now in Joel Lindpere. Look for Seattle to find a way to keep Lindpere off balance in this one though, Chicago didn’t do a good enough job pressuring him on and off the ball last week. Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans will handle Lindpere in the midfield, which could open some space on the wings for the Red Bulls.

Seattle should still have the edge on offense here. They probably won’t have Freddie Ljungberg in this one but look for Fredy Montero and company to still handle the attack in this one. Plus the play of Steve Zakuani has really stepped up this year, look for him to be a nightmare on the wings for the Red Bulls.

I still have my doubts about this Red Bull squad but I do see vast improvement over last year. Hans Backe has done a solid job turning the ship around here. Still a big road test is always a true indication of how far along things really are and I just like the Sounders a bit more here. Montero is still a handfull and I think he’ll find a way past Bouna Coundoul.

Player to watch for: Pat Noonan – His signing with the club is a big thing, he adds depth for the Sounders on the wings or up top. Bigger thing for this one though is he has been an absolute nightmare in the past for the Red Bulls. According to Big Apple Soccer, Noonan has scored 12 goals in 19 career appearances against the Red Bulls. Difference maker right there folks.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, NY 1

How has Eddie Johnson has changed our lives? New WVH writer John Parker takes a look.

By John Parker

Brian Mcbride was a good player. So was Joe-Max Moore. Eric Wynalda held the American scoring record for nearly a decade.

Alright, I don’t know where to start with this, and my free writing is a little sub par here. But there is a point, and it’s not that subtle. The US has produced some adequate players up top, but the position has been the country’s Achilles heel…and an anomaly. This is a nation that hosts the most astonishing athletes in the world, and yet cycle after cycle we see gadflies, overachievers and “hard workers” leading the line. Meanwhile, the Damani Ralph’s of the world were entering the MLS and snatching golden boots.

Before the 2006 cycle, this is what we not only experienced, but expected. We waited on the coming Hispanic infusion that would introduce craft to the position; the demographics of America were rapidly changing, and the future of American soccer supposedly with it. We would see a new breed of player, one who preferred to play on the ball, to strike it from distance and to create for his teammates. Brian Mcbride was great, but we could improve.

But then something curious happened. Eddie Johnson, an American striker with sub par ability on the ball won the golden boot with the U-20’s, and then again with the MLS. It was astonishing…because he was an astonishing athlete. Playing off the hips of the defender, Eddie looked to impose his will with his speed. He didn’t finish off of crosses or set pieces but rather through balls. He was introduced to the National Team and quickly reeled off seven goals. The message boards lit up. People bought the jersey they were sure to wear for a decade…after all, who offered what Eddie did up top? Those seven goals may have been somewhat of a fluke, but they may also have been proof of something greater than just Eddie. The American style, with its counter-attacks and its high pressure defending (which leads to interceptions up the pitch) could take advantage of a forward who routinely got behind the defense. The Twellman’s of the world slowed down our attack when, if anything, we needed to be speeding up.

Don’t beat yourself up for falling for the hype to early. I did…and your favorite blogger probably did too. After all, it’s not like we could complain that Eddie’s ball skills didn’t compare with the rest of the pool. We’d later realize how much better Mcbride’s first touch was, or how much better Moore was off the ball…but the point is for a youth player it was tough to criticize him in comparison (remember, he was battling Taylor Twellman for a spot).

Yes, in the end it did not work out with Eddie. However, his fiery start revealed a seed that is just barely now sprouting. The American striker was not going to be born out of Latino influence but rather an American one. Our obsession with physically dominating our opponents…of physically imposing our will…that was the future of the position, and one that fit our American sensibilities.

Yeah, we are still lacking at the position, but let’s go back to the beginning of the current cycle. Eddie Johnson was beginning to be exposed…and…and…who started against Mexico in the Gold Cup? (Hint: one isn’t a forward, and the other probably won’t be there this summer. Look it up…it took me five minutes to figure it out too.)

Now, the trail-blazing Eddie Johnson has left us with two (yes two!) options up top who offer an array of talents. I know Davies is injured, but as an American product, he must be discussed. You see, we now have a striker tree building from Eddie. One branch, Jozy Altidore, offers extraordinary power, good speed, and a penchant for taking players on off the dribble. The other, CD9, has fantastic speed, good power, and consistently attack the goal with fiery determination. Both can score off through balls, or create a goal themselves. They can play off the defenders hip, but can also be effective receiving it with their backs to the goal. In general, they’re advantage is an athletic one coupled with adequate skills and a confidence we haven’t seen in our past strikers…it’s a confidence that wants to take over the game rather than simply be a cog. Yes, “team” play is great, but sometimes you need more from your strikers than target play. Sometimes you need a goal like Jozy’s against Spain, or Charlie’s against Mexico. Sometimes you need it from both your strikers.

So where do we go from here? Sheer math makes me believe that the previously mentioned dearth of Hispanic influence will be overcome. However, if you look at the current prospects, the proof points more to the growth of the Eddie tree.

• Brek Shea, a tall, lanky winger/striker was taken second by FCD in the draft a couple of years ago after a display of speed and flair at the combine. He may not be a striker in the end, but the mere fact that he was drafted with the position in mind was proof of a new American mindset. He still might have a future at the position.
• Robbie Findley will probably see little time on the pitch for the US in any competitive matches, but Findley seems to have become a preferred option to the Conor Casey’s of the world because of what he offers athletically (which, unfortunately, is about all he offers).
• At the U-20 level, Juan Agudelo and Stefan Jerome seem to be top options for the next cycle. Agudelo is looking at offers from NYRB and Millionaros because of an intriguing balance of size, speed and technical ability, especially at his age. Jerome, who has fallen off quite a bit since his stunning performance against Brazil a couple of years ago, is a tall, lanky striker with speed and desire to beat his defender off the dribble (perhaps too much). [Note: The other striker here is Jack McInerney, but he is unlike any American striker produced, so I’ll pretend he doesn’t exist for the purposes of this article]
• Then there is the 2010 draft. Teal Bunbury may be playing for Canada, but he fits the mold, and MLS large GA offer is proof to his value in the American game. However, Danny Mwanga, the first pick of the draft, should be of more interest to us. Mwanga told a soccernet reporter he hoped to play for the U.S., and given his status as a refugee with a green card, he shouldn’t be too far away from his citizenship. As a 6-2 striker who wows with both elite level athleticism and the technique to match, he would be a natural fit in the new breed of American striker.
• Finally, there is Alfred Koroma, the 15 year old who recently left Bradenton after beginning his second cycle. Koroma was highly advertised as the star of the new class as a player who was not only physically dominant but also technically advanced. Yes, he is young…but Jozy got his first cap at 17 and Koroma will turn 19 before the next world cup.

All of this is admittedly wild speculation. All the speculation, however, points towards one conclusion. Many of these players won’t make it, but the fact that almost all of America’s top prospects at the position fit the Davies/Altidore mold speaks to what we can learn from the past and expect of the future. Current trends point towards a focus on strikers with the ability to get behind defenses off the ball and to overtake them off the dribble.

With Davies and Altidore taking two positions in the next cycle, two remain open. Will we see an entire leading line built in a similar fashion? Will it become a position of strength? Will the American striker become a unique character in the world of soccer?

All of this is unlikely…but it’s still cool to think that Eddie Johnson may have changed American soccer forever.

Editor’s Note: John Parker is new to WVHooligan.com. Feel free to leave him a comment below.

How will the Fire fare going forward in 2010? (Getty Images)

Today is the start of a new series. As teams get into training camp and new players come on board its worth looking into each club to see how they are stacking up and what else they need to do to get ready for the 2010 season. I got this idea from the post I did a few days back on how the Philadelphia Union were looking. I figured it would be good to do something like that to all the clubs.

I’ll go in alphabetical order here with this series. Now I don’t know if it will be a daily thing or what yet, it all depends on my current work schedule but I do plan on getting each club by the end of February.

Keeper:

Who they have: Jon Busch, Sean Johnson (GA), Andrew Dykstra

Notes: Busch is the main guy we know that and with rookie Sean Johnson waiting in the wings with that Generation adidas contract things should be looking pretty bright in this department for years to come. I honestly don’t know much about Dykstra so it wouldn’t be too shocking to hear if the Fire waive him or send him out on loan this year at some point to get him some playing time.

Defense:

Who they have: CJ Brown, Tim Ward, Wilman Conde, Daniel Woolard, Dasan Robinson, Austin Washington, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Krzysztof Król, and Steven Kinney.

Notes: Getting Krol and drafting someone like Watson-Siriboe should make up for the losses of Gonzalo Segares and their lack of depth down the stretch in 2009. Conde will obviously still be the rock in the middle and adding Krol to the outside should work. I’m curious to see if Frank Klopas and Carlos de los Cobos add anything else to this group. Its good but not great right now, maybe one more center back would do the trick to keep Jon Busch from having to come up with big games.

Midfield:

Who they have: Logan Pause, Baggio Husidić, John Thorrington, Marco Pappa, Mike Banner, Justin Mapp, Peter Lowry, Corben Bone, Julio Martínez, and Drew Yates.

Notes: I really like what they’ve done to make up for the losses of Blanco and Chris Rolfe this winter so far. Adding Martinez on loan makes up for Rolfe on the wings and getting lucky in the draft by landing Bone was something else. For some reason I really like this group and hope it turns out to be as good as I think they can be in 2010. I’m very curious to see the development of Husidic in 2010 and I hope Thorringtoncontinues to grow as a player too.

One thing I kind of see happening at some point is a trade involving Justin Mapp. For some reason I get the feeling his time in Chicago is almost up. Just a hunch at this point from me but all I am saying is don’t be shocked if at some point this season we see him in a different uniform.

Forwards:

Who they have: Brian McBride, Patrick Nyarko, Calen Carr, and Stefan Dimitrov.

Notes: I’d say this is the one area Klopas has the most work to do. There are rumors that Collin John could be headed to Chicago. John was a former teammate of McBride at Fulham. I’m not entirely sure if that is the best move for the Fire at this point but they definitely need someone else along with McBride and Nyarko. Someone younger than John would probably be the best fit in my eyes. (ignore that comment on finding someone younger, I thought I read that John was 34, but he is only 24. Wow, it is Friday)

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Overall:

The Fire aren’t looking too bad overall considering the talent they lost this winter and the coaching change. I still have my doubts defensively with this group and I question right now whether or not they have enough offense to remain a top dog in the east. Also with SuperLiga on their schedules again this year I wonder a bit about their depth. On the surface it seems decent enough but a couple more quality moves like Krol and Martinez before the season will put my worries to rest with this group.

Klopas and de los Cobos have done a good job so far this month. Their draft a couple weeks ago was one of the best in the league. Usually a coaching change in the winter will see its ups and downs but seeing how de los Cobos is letting Klopas take control of picking out a good majority of the talent I think this team will be just fine in 2010.

Expect a new look Fire in 2010. (Getty Images)

The 2009 season for the Chicago Fire was expected to be a big one. Talks of MLS Cup and Supporter’s Shield were all the rage to begin the season. Early on this year it looked like the expectations were being met as the Fire lost a single game in the first three months of the season.

Then came the summer where sometimes good teams go to waste. The Fire found some injuries got in the way of a dream season as Brian McBrdie went out with a shoulder injury while head coach Denis Hamlett struggled to keep a locker room happy. The Fire defense, which was once one of the best in the league started to come up short and even more so once Bakery Soumare left town.

Down the stretch the Fire kept coming up short as injuries piled up and their home play was anything less than stellar. In the final 12 games the club only won four games while never really finding any sort of consistent play.

In the end PKs did the club in against Real Salt Lake in the eastern conference finals. Their home play at Toyota Park was still a weakness and now they head into an offseason with a load of questions.

What Went Right In 2009:
When things were clicking and all parties involved were healthy this was one hell of a club. The depth early on was there for this bunch but towards the end even that depth wasn’t enough to push them towards a MLS Cup. McBride and Blanco were still a force to deal with and guys like Wilman Conde in the back were still some of the best in the league. On any given day the Fire could beat you any way around the field they wanted to with Blanco leading the attack.

What Went Wrong In 2009:
Let’s just say expectations were not even close to being met in the Windy City. Sure they reached the conference final but this bunch had better things expected out of them to start the year. The injury to McBride was a real killer in the middle of the year as the offense really never found it’s punch even though guys like Chris Rolfe were still tough to hold up around net. Once the word got out about Hamlett and Soumare and the locker room issues there the club really never was the same again. Questions surrounded whether or not Hamlett would return and they still will for the coming weeks.

What’s Next:
A lot of changes are going to take place over the next few weeks. Blanco is going to Mexico as we know. Rolfe is out to Europe and I’d expect a few more changes to come after that. No word yet on if McBride is coming back for another year and I would imagine a lot of that comes down to who will be coaching this club next year. Hamlett may still come back for the 2010 season but one has to wonder if he really is the right man for the gig. I’d imagine we will hear about his status over the next week or so before the expansion draft. After that expect some moves to happen and some player to leave.

Who to protect and who to expose is the guessing game for the Fire. (Getty Images)

This year unlike the last couple the expansion draft caught up with me here. I almost feel like I am a little late getting these lists out for the draft which is a couple days after MLS Cup. Starting today I will release a team-by-team list of who I think will be protected and who I think will be left exposed.

Now I know I don’t have connections to every club but I will say this year seems to be a little easier to do than in year’s past. Maybe it is because I’ve been doing this for a couple years now and I am starting to get how clubs do this sort of thing.

Today I am starting at the top of the alphabet with the Chicago Fire. I know they are still in the running for MLS Cup here but they too will have to make a decision or two about who to keep and who not to keep.

Chicago is an interesting group that should see plenty of changes this winter. The two I go back and forth on are Blanco and McBride. We know Blanco has signed in Mexico for next year but has an option to return to Chicago if he wants after the World Cup. So do you protect a guy that may not come back? Or protect a high salary of an older guy who’s future is also a bit uncertain?

The one guy I could see go in place of McBride is Justin Mapp, but even his higher salary seems like a gamble to take in this draft so for now I have him unprotected. Also keep in mind Rolfe is gone after this year is up so no need to protect him.

See anyone you think I missed on the protected list? Let’s hear it.

Sacha Kljestan and Chivas head to Chicago to face the Fire. (Getty Images)

It is simple for each club, keep winning and good things happen. All the Chicago Fire needs to do tonight is win (or even draw) and they are in the playoffs. As for Chivas a win tonight and a win over the weekend could turn into a Supporter’s Shield trophy. But more importantly for the task at hand for Chivas is getting an automatic birth out of the western conference, and home field advantage.

The Fire are currently slipping their way out of things right now. While the playoffs should happen for them no matter what their current run isn’t going to help them get to MLS Cup 2009. Tonight they have to get their offense going which has been very lackluster as of late. But more importantly they need their defense to step up and get a result (no wins since the middle of August). If they can duplicate the result in New England from last week the Fire will be well on their way to an automatic bid into the playoffs.

Chivas will have to do a good job containing Chris Rolfe, Brian McBride and company while getting Maykel Galindo involved early in the attack. It also wouldn’t hurt to see Sacha Kljestan come up with a big performance tonight as well. Defensively they can’t allow crap goals to the Fire like they did last week against San Jose.

Both clubs know what they are playing for here and each control their fate in this but I have to wonder a bit about where the Fire are at right now. I do think they will play well like they did a week ago but something about their play at home this year just makes me believe Chivas comes in and steals this one away here. I think this one ends on level terms seeing the Fire go through to the playoffs.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 1, Chivas 1

Order of goals: Jamie Moreno, Ramon Sanchez, Ryan Johnson, Sacha Kljestan, Juan Pablo Angel, Dwayne De Rosario, Chad Barret, Brian McBride, Jeff Cunningham, Eddie Gaven, Fredy Montero, and Shalrie Joseph.

GBS is returning to MVP form, that is dangerous for everyone else. (Getty Images)

A full weekend is upon us here as we head into the final month of the season. Once again we have a weekend that has a lot of playoff implications from top to bottom. Can the spoilers like KC and San Jose step up and bring down some clubs gunning for the playoffs? Can teams like Columbus or Chicago make a push for the Supporter’s Shield once and for all? Or will someone like LA or Chivas step up and surprise them?

Lots of questions to be asked this weekend. Nearly every club is in action except for the Houston Dynamo who are busy putting the wraps on Brian Ching’s new four year deal.

As always feel free to post your score predictions below.

Saturday:

Seattle Sounders FC – at – New England Revolution:

If this game is anything like the one a month ago in Seattle you have to expect Sigi Schmid to figure out a way to get his offense more production out of the midfield. Last time around New England shocked the Sounders at Qwest Field thanks to a gutsy goal from Shalrie Joseph. After that goal New England clamped down in the midfield and never gave Seattle the space they needed to get things gong on offense. Seattle has to find a way to get Fredy Montero or Nate Jaqua into space in this one if they want even a shot at a tie. Seattle does have some confidence for once this season on the road thanks to a couple big road wins as of late in places like DC. If they can get Montero some space around goal they could steal some points, especially if the word is true about Joseph not being at 100%. I think New England could win this one too but to me this one sounds like a draw based on how Seattle has been as of late on the road.

WVH Prediction: New England 1, Seattle 1

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LA Galaxy – at – Columbus Crew:

LA has been solid on the road this year but they head into Crew Stadium possibly without David Beckham. You can also bet that the Crew aren’t going to want to give up that unbeaten record they’ve gotten at home anytime soon here either (yes I know they lost at home to Cruz Azul in the CCL this week but in MLS their record still speaks for itself). Beckham or not Beckham I think this one gets bogged down in the midfield enough that actually favors Columbus a little more than LA. The Galaxy need this big win if they want a true shot at the Supporter’s Shield. I just like the Crew’s chances a little more though here. Something tells me Guillermo Barros Schelotto is back to his MVP form and that is dangerous for all comers in MLS.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, LA 1

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Real Salt Lake – at – FC Dallas:

I feel like I haven’t seen Dallas at home in months (I missed their last home game due to my wedding) and now they bring in one of the worst road teams in the league. I think the chance to play spoiler is going to be in full effect tomorrow for Dallas. RSL needs three points in a big way but winning in Dallas hasn’t been easy for them over the years. They’ve found ways to drop points at Pizza Hut Park like you wouldn’t believe. Given the poor road effort this season by RSL and how well Jeff Cunningham has played for Dallas these last two months I am going with the homeside for the upset. I think this could be another one of those high scoring games that we’ve seen Dallas in this year since neither really defend that well. RSL will have to push the tempo but look for Dallas to push right back with a win.

WVH Prediction: Dallas 4, RSL 2

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Toronto FC – at – Chicago Fire:

It is about high time that the Fire got their act together at home here. Going only 4-4-5 at Toyota Park doesn’t strike fear into anyone’s eyes, especially when those four wins are over teams like New York and San Jose. Chicago needs points to push Columbus in the eastern standings as well as hold off others for the automatic bid in the east. Toronto is one of those clubs on the edge of the playoffs and need points no matter what. It could be a long night for the Reds though if they don’t slow down Brian McBride who looked great in return last week against Columbus. Stopping his is key to getting points. While I think Toronto will push Chicago well in this one I just see the Fire ending up on top. They seems to at least beat clubs that can’t win on the road like Toronto at home and I think that trend will continue.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 2, Toronto 0

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Colorado Rapids – at – Kansas City Wizards:

Boy the Rapids really did screw themselves in a big way these last two games against San Jose. Instead of getting the six points that they should have gotten they ended up with two similar draws. Now their playoff hopes go to KC where things aren’t gonna get easy with the way the Wizards have been playing as of late. Even with little playoff hopes the Wizards are certainly playing the role of spoiler very well. I think the Wizards will keep this one close but I see Colorado getting another late draw thanks to their wing play and thanks to Conor Casey who is trying to put away the Golden Boot race for the year. This one smells like a draw but don’t sleep on KC pulling out another win.

WVH Prediction: KC 1, Colorado 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – Chivas USA:

How lucky did Chivas get to have New York on their schedule twice this late in the year? Getting them at home should mean three points right? Its still possible but we honestly don’t know what to make of these Red Bulls under interim coach Richie Williams on the road yet. More than likely we can assume they will be the same old Red Bulls on the road here. Chivas has played well thanks to the addition of Maicon Santos up top. This one won’t be a blowout by any means but looks for Chivas to find a way to get three points and put some serious pressure on Home Depot Center mates LA and western conference leaders Houston.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, New York 0

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Sunday:

San Jose Earthquakes – at – DC United:

With the way the schedule lines up for DC in the last month or so they would only have themselves to blame if they failed to reach the post season again. DC looked good in CCL play this week as they dominated Marathon 3-0. United finally opened up the wing play and took over the game last night which is exactly what they have to do against San Jose who is struggling to find good wing play these days. DC needs to find their consistency with this game and build on the result from last night to continue to hold off New England, Toronto and Salt Lake for a playoff spot. I think San Jose gives DC a fight but late in the second half DC will do what they do best and that is put away the game.

WVH Prediction: DC 2, San Jose 1

Seattle needs another big game out of Fredy Montero this weekend. (Getty Images)

There’s not too many more weekends left in the 2009 regular season. Week 27 is a full one as we gear towards the playoffs in a few weeks. With so many clubs still in contention the action this weekend should promise to be very good.

More than likely after this weekend we will have a new group of wild-card clubs as right now three of the four clubs currently in the wild card spots are tied, and just one point behind the top wild card club Seattle. Plus the three or so clubs just right outside the playoff zone are just a couple points back as it is. So a shake up should go down just as it has over the last several weeks.

Plenty of good matchups this weekend, especially that Chicago-Columbus game which should shed some light on if the Crew will hold off the Fire for first in the east and in the Supporter’s Shield race.

As always feel free to post your score predictions below.

Friday:

New England Revolution – at – New York Red Bulls

New York will more than likely be missing Juan Pablo Angel to an injury, which could spell trouble for their offensive hopes tonight. New England is a bit banged up too but should have Shalrie Joseph back in gear which will certainly help the Revs control the pace of the game in the midfield. New England is out to get a record tonight for most consecutive matches unbeaten against one club. New York hasn’t beaten the Revs in 12 straight games now, dating back to 2005. I like New England to pull at least some points in this one if not all three. While we thought New York was bouncing back a little under Richie Williams last week’s result against KC proved they still have a long way to go.

WVH Prediction: New England 2, New York 1

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Colorado Rapids – at – San Jose Earthquakes:

The Rapids will be without Matt Pickens and Cory Gibbs but that shouldn’t make much of a difference if Conor Casey and Omar Cummings go going in this one. After dropping points in Toronto last week look for the Rapids to bounce back against the west’s worst club. The Quakes are coming off a long 20-day layoff and I look for that rust to play a big factor early in the game with Cummings and Casey leading the charge for the visitors. Colorado’s playoff hopes rest a lot on this game, three points is an absolute must.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 3, San Jose 1

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Saturday:

Chivas USA – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

Big time game for both sides, and probably the game of the week for me. I think Chivas proved last week they have plenty of gas in the tank for a playoff run here this season after handling the Revs pretty well last week at home. Seattle needs results at home and after beating DC yet again at RFK last week one has to think they will be riding high into this one. The Sounders will be getting Freddie Ljungberg back in this one and that could be a difference maker against a Chivas squad that has some new parts that may not be use to Fieldturf in MLS yet. Throw in the factor that a win could put Seattle within striking distance of Houston and LA for an automatic bid from the west and you could see Seattle gunning for three points in this one. Chivas will keep it close because they do know how to beat this Seattle squad but I see the mean green pulling this one out in the end thanks to Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, Chivas 1

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FC Dallas – at – Kansas City Wizards:

Revenge is on the minds of the Wizards after dropping a 6-0 game to Dallas a few weeks ago. Look for Dallas to also be a bit gassed from dropping six goals on the Galaxy a week ago anyways too. You just don’t score six on the same club twice in one season. Also KC knows their home grounds are small so look for little space for Jeff Cunningham to work in tomorrow night while KC holds a little more possession in the midfield. The Wizards are riding a nice two game winning streak but look for that to end as this one finishes in a draw. Dallas isn’t that great on the road and KC really isn’t that great at home. I think if KC had Jack Jewsbury for this I’d go with them but since he is out on yellow cards I will stick with a simple draw.

WVH Prediction: KC 1, Dallas 1

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Real Salt Lake – at – Houston Dynamo:

Big game for RSL and in a way for Houston too. The Dynamo haven’t looked the same over these last couple of months and they really need a nice pick up win at home against a club that is gunning for a playoff spot. Houston may be in luck though as RSL’s road form isn’t worth bragging about and they will be without a few key parts in the defense. I see Houston rebounding after getting a unlucky break last week in Columbus where they had a PK called on them in extra time. Brian Ching and company get the three points and their automatic bid from the west more in line.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, RSL 1

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Toronto FC – at – LA Galaxy:

The road is never been too kind to TFC and especially playing at the Home Depot Center. LA may be coming off an embarrassing loss to Dallas last week but I look for them to bounce back and get three points in this one. Bruce Arena lead clubs usually don’t get scored on in masses in two straight games so I would expect that trend to continue tomorrow night. TFC just needs a point to feel good about themselves on the road but I just don’t see their defense slowing down Landon Donovan and company in this one. Toronto needs a big debut from Julian de Guzman if they want to get any points in this one, I just think his addition will be too little too late.

WVH Prediction: LA 3, Toronto 1

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Sunday:

Columbus Crew – at- Chicago Fire:

Columbus made a big statement this past week in Costa Rica beating Saprissa on their own turf, marking the first time a MLS club has done so. Look for their play to be a little down in Chicago this Sunday though because of that trip. Lucky for them the Fire aren’t great at home (4-4-4 this year at Toyota Park). Chad Marshall won’t be in the line up due to a suspension, so someone else will have to step up and stop the return of Brian McBride. Even without Marshall I still see this one ending in a draw though. Chicago hasn’t given me a good enough reason to feel good about them at home this season but a win over the Crew would do that. A draw sounds logical here with the recent form of these two and a point could just about lock up a playoff spot for the Crew if it happens.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 1, Columbus 1

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