Every team has that one guy that will either help lead them to the MLS promise-land or be partly the reason why they are stuck at home in November instead of seeing the playoffs. These are you X-Factor players.

I have one (maybe two) guys for each MLS team that are those X-Factors for this new season. Some guys are really no brainers while others may surprise you a bit. Its safe to say that each club needs a big year out of their X-Factors.

If you think I’m way off base on someone or think I missed a sure-fire X-Factor please list it below.

1. Marco Pappa (Chicago Fire): I thought long and hard about the Fire’s biggest X-Factor for the 2010 season. Part of me leaned towards Brian McBride but the rest of me stayed with Pappa. Mainly because the midfield will be more dependent of Pappa in 2010 now that Blanco is gone to Mexico.

Pappa will help control the midfield, which will help create goals for McBride, Patrick Nyarko and newly acquired Collins John.

2. Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA): This one wasn’t really hard to figure out though I did come close to writing down Jesus Padilla down. Kljestan has to control the midfield and generate offense for this club to reach the post season again in 2010. We saw glimpses in 2009 of what he really can be once he broke out of his early season slump that he was in.

The thing about Kljestan is he needs to have a fast start to the year and build up his confidence. If he does that then expect another strong year out of the Red-and-White.

3. Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids): We saw just how good he and Conor Casey can be together in 2009. The thing was the party ended and so did their season. I know a lot had to due to the midfield being all banged up but with the recent additions to that area they have no excuse anymore. I see Cummings as a big facilitator in that offense as he had double-digit assists last year before the wheels came off the wagon.

If Cummings doesn’t produce then don’t expect Casey to have high numbers again this year. The two went hand-in-hand last year in scoring goals.

4. Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew): I nearly went with Guillermo Barros Schelotto here but thinking about it more, the more I came to Rogers as this club’s X-Factor. As important as GBS is to the Crew, Rogers is pretty far up there. If he isn’t on the wings and producing quality passes in the midfield the team will suffer for it.

I think this is the perfect year for Rogers too. He will and should show that he’s a quality leader for the team too. If he can help bring in some goals this season the Crew will be all the better for it and will have another shot at a MLS Cup in the process.

5. Santino Quaranta (D.C. United): A lot, and I do mean a lot of pressure is going on Quaranta this winter. The word is he is coming into an attacking midfielder role of some sorts this year for Curt Onalfo. Honestly I love the idea of him facilitating things offensively for the Black-and-Red. The club is moving away from that tradition No.10 role in the midfield and guys like Quaranta and Clyde Simms will be asked of more this year.

But the question will be is he up for it? As long as he brings in some assists and helps get newcomer Christian Castillo involved in the midfield the club will be fine. If he throws in a few goals in the process I’m sure the Screaming Eagles will love him all the more for it. But if the pressure is too much he’ll get back out on the wings fairly quickly.

6. David Ferreira (FC Dallas): This one was simple for me, if Ferreira sets up the goals like he did towards the end of the season in 2009 for Dallas the club will make the playoffs easily in 2010. If he struggles however look for another playoff-less year in the Big D. He means that much to the offense and to a lesser extent the defense of this club. If he isn’t controlling things in the midfield then it puts pressure on the defense, it is as simple as that.

7. Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo): Another fairly simple one for me to pick out. Cameron moves into the midfield to replace Stuart Holden. If he succeeds it will continue to make Dominic Kinnear a genius. He along with Brad Davis have to drive the offense through the midfield for this club. There may be some growing pains at first but Cameron should slide comfortably into this role.

8. Jimmy Neilsen (Kansas City Wizards): The Wizards are going to be very interesting to watch early on this year. For one we’ll all need name tags on the players for a few weeks until we know who all these new guys are. Neilsen is one of those new guys, one that definitely got plenty of talk when he signed a while back. Neilsen takes over for the departed Kevin Hartman, who’s now in Dallas.

Neilsen is being brought in to smooth out a defense that was not so smooth in 2009. He’s known as a guy that controls his box very tightly and can organize any defense. If he gets this bunch organized and collected right in 2010 the Wizard’s could have a nice turn around.

9. Clint Mathis (LA Galaxy): Bruce Arena got most of the old band back together with this addition of Mathis at the SuperDraft in January. While some may think Landon Donovan is a X-Factor for this club I see Mathis as an even bigger one for a midfield that will definitely need his abilities to control things. If Mathis steps in and plays like he has in the past couple of seasons for Real Salt Lake then it will make Arena look more like a genius here. If Donovan ends up leaving town in the summer after the World Cup like most speculate, the Galaxy will have to lean more on Mathis at that time to keep the ball moving.

10. Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution): This one is pretty simple like it was a year ago, the ball for New England will run through Joseph once again in 2010. If he continues his MVP form the Revs will likely find themselves back in the playoffs again this year. Taylor Twellman could also be listed here once he is fully healthy again, but until then Joseph is it for the Revs.

11. Joel Lindpere (New York Red Bulls): From all the reports and people I’ve spoken to this winter about the Red Bulls (that didn’t center around Red Bull Arena), all mostly said the same thing – Lindpere is the guy in the midfield that can make them into winners again. That’s good news for a club that has seen nothing but failures over the years.

Most of the reports I saw on him this winter he did a great job of controlling the midfield and created good chances for the guys up top. It will be up to him to get the ball out to the wings and create chances. But this 30-year old Estonian international shouldn’t have too much issue with that pressure.

12. Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union): I asked around in Philly who some folks thought would be their biggest X-Factor and surprisingly the couple folks I spoke to said Le Toux. Simple reason really, if will likely have the pressure of creating their attack and controlling possession. If he can do that it will be easier on other MLS veterans like Fred and Alejandro Moreno to do what they do best on the wings and up top respectively.

13. Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake):  Yes Robbie Findley has to score and the defense has to hold up but the bigger thing that has to happen for a possibility of a repeat champion is the play of Morales has to return to MVP form. When he was on top of his game this club was a handful to deal with offensively and defensively there was less pressure.

Consistency will be key for Morales and RSL in 2010, along with finding balance to win on the road like they do at Rio Tinto Stadium.

14. Jason Hernandez (San Jose Earthquakes): A lot of the defensive pressure will likely fall on the Quakes vice-captain. If he is fully fit this season the Quakes defense will be much better because of it. Last year we saw their defense go into the gutters due largely to this man missing a lot of action.

15. Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle Sounders FC): I don’t like picking DPs for this but in this case it almost has to be. Ljungberg has to be the man to generate offense on a consistent basis in Seattle this year. When he was on his game last year the Sounders were easily one of the best teams in the league because of it. He has to help make Freddy Montero look good along the way too.

16. Chad Barrett (Toronto FC): I nearly went with Dwayne De Rosario but upon further look and with the recent news of Ali Gerba being sent home from a preseason camp makes me realize exactly how important Barrett is to this club’s offense in 2010. If Gerba gets the boot (which part of me thinks will happen), a lot of the offense weight goes straight to Barrett. We know the Reds will likely sign a striker in the summer transfer window but Barrett has to keep them afloat until then.

Toronto FC has talent, but little depth. (Getty Images)

Its the very last team in our 2010 Look-in series. First off sorry TFC fans for not posting this sooner. I had ever intention of doing this last week but set backs got in the way.

Lots of changes have taken place in Toronto this winter. From the turf being removed for natural grass at BMO Field, to a new manager in Preki taking cover and re-doing the roster his way. Lots of changes have taken place but have any really done a good enough job of getting this club ready for 2010?

Will this be the year that Toronto finally gets to the playoffs? Is Preki the right guy to lead the way? Let’s take a look now to see where this team is at right now and what places they need to improve on before the new season gets underway.

Keepers:

Who they have: Stefan Frei, Brian Edwards

Notes: Honestly they are set for years here between these two. Frei is an All-Star keeper in the making and Edwards may be one of the better backups in the league. I’m sure they’re working on getting a third keeper on the books as well. Still they’re covered here.

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Defense

Who they have: Nana Attakora, Nick Garcia, Jim Brennan, Marvell Wynne, Ty Harden, Gabe Gala, Emmanuel Gómez, Zach Harold.

Notes: What they did this winter in this area was added a young prospect in Harold and traded for Harden. Two moves that aren’t bad but aren’t exactly going to help them out in the area that I’d argue they are pretty weak in still. But things could improve since the field is no longer turf, which has to help out the older guys like Garcia and Brennan.

I would have liked to have seen them go more for depth in this area this winter. Adding a quality center back would have been a real upgrade here and would help increase their playoff chances. They do have good speed on the outside with Wynne.

I’d like to think they improved here over the winter but I’m just not buying it yet.

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Midfield

Who they have: Dwayne de Rosario, Julian de Guzman, Sam Cronin, Nane Joseph, Amadou Sanyang, Jacob Peterson.

Notes: Losing Carl Robinson wasn’t a terrible thing in my eyes. Cronin will slide in nicely in his old spot and for the most part they shouldn’t miss too much of a beat with De Rosario and de Guzman leading the way in the center of the park. I would have liked to have seen them go for more depth on the wings but the trade for Peterson should help that area out a decent bit if he is full fit to go this year.

They lost a lot of fire power in this area with Robinson and Amado Guevara both exiting this winter. But if I were a Reds fan I would see it as addition by subtraction. Sure Robinson was a big leader and a fan favorite but if he wasn’t happy there he wasn’t going to help this club in the long haul.

They’ll need more depth on the wings and possibly in the attacking portion of the midfield  here to get through the long season and the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.

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Forwards

Who they have: Chad Barrett, Ali Gerba, O’Brian White, Fuad Ibrahim.

Notes: One thing is for certain either Barrett or Gerba have to step up in a big way this year. Also the club has to hope that both Ibrahim and White grow as players. No doubt there is the most pressure on this group of players as compared to the rest of the club. If the team doesn’t score they won’t win, it is as simple as that.

Most would have liked Mo Johnston to get a primary striker for this season this winter but that didn’t happen. Most likely that will come this summer, if at all. I’d like to think they can win with these four (and the help of De Rosario and de Guzman in the midfield) but realistically they didn’t improve in this area at all this winter.

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Overall:

No doubt there is loads of pressure in Toronto this year. Offensively they have to produce like never before and defensively they have to be able to prove to teams that they won’t give up 5 goals in a must-win game. Preki is a good coach though that will change the culture of that club inside and out. The team will be tougher, which may have been lacking in the first place.

I do however have trouble seeing if this club improved this winter though. They have so many questions to be answered as well. I think depth wise they are very weak but I do like the talent they have starting out on the field.

It just looks like another long, yet interesting year in Toronto.

Jeff Cunningham leads Dallas into Columbus this weekend. (Getty Images)

A fun weekend ahead for MLS clubs. The playoff races are heating up like a wild fire and at this point the majority of the league is still in the running for a playoff spot. While this week may not ultimately determine who goes into the playoffs and who is hitting the links early this fall it will indeed help us all know how is getting closer to clinching said playoff spots.

No San Jose, Colorado or New England this weekend. Just love these unbalance schedules this season, cannot wait until we get to next year when things are balanced again.

Due to a fairly busy Friday I have I will get right down to business here with the weekend picks. Feel free as always to post your predictions below.

Saturday

DC United – at – Toronto FC:

Big game for DC if you ask me. They have a huge stretch of games ahead and they need to find ways to continue to pick up points on the road. Toronto is a good place for them to do so I think with how inconsistent TFC can be at times. Then agian DC’s defense isn’t the most consistent thing in the league either. I expect Toronto to get an early goal in this one from either Dwayne De Rosario (an United killer of some sorts) and even possibly a second from Chad Barrett or Ali Gerba. But I do see DC coming back even if it is two goals down to tie things up and go home with a draw from this one. DC is always dangerous late in games and I see them pushing back into this one thanks to Luciano Emilio and company.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 2, DC 2

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Chivas USA – at – New York Red Bulls:

A couple months ago this would be an easy pick for anyone. Chivas would be all over New York no matter the venue but now with the poor play that we’ve seen out of Chivas these last two months I really wonder if they are any better than New York at this moment in the season. Preki has to find a way to get his side believing in themselves again, getting Sasha Kljestan to be himself again will go a long way in that. New York is still full of injuries and this looks like a game they could actually win. However I just cannot pick them to win a game at this point. A draw actually sounds like the logical pick here for these two. Should be an ugly game.

WVH Prediction: New York 1, Chivas 1

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FC Dallas – at – Columbus Crew:

I thin this will be the test to see if Dallas is for real again with the play of Jeff Cunningham or if they are just playing with everyone’s emotions down in Dallas. The Crew have been on an absolute run as of late that gives people in Columbus confidence going into a game like this. Dallas will pick their spots in this one with Cunningham but I just see too much depth in the Crew to pick against the homeside in this one. Even without Guillermo Barros Schelotto they are tough to handle and that home winning streak will continue. Steven Lenhart and Jason Garey have been huge lately and will be tough for a weak Dallas defense to handle.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, Dallas 1

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Houston Dynamo – at – Real Salt Lake:

This one is a big one folks. Not just for the homeside but for the visitors as well. Houston needs a good road showing in this one to restore some confidence that is a little shaky right now. RSL just needs as many points as possible going forward, a win in this game could get them into the playoff discussion for good here but a loss would definitely put a black eye on the run. I see this game meaning a lot more to RSL which is why I am going with them here. I want to pick the Dynamo but with many of their key players (Stuart Holden, Brian Ching, Ricardo Clark) being a bit gassed from their trip to Mexico in the mid-week I just see RSL being a little fresher, which will prove to be a big difference.

WVH Prediction: RSL 1, Houston 0

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Seattle Sounders FC – at – LA Galaxy:

Probably game of the week material here. Seattle needs to start showing up on the road but honestly this is a tough place to start doing so with how the Galaxy are playing these days. I could really see this one going either way or even to a draw but something tells me the road struggles for Seattle will continue here and LA gets a big win that gets them closer to the top of the league tables. Even if Landon Donovan isn’t good enough to go the full 90 minutes I think LA just has too much going for them right now to not pick them.Seattle will keep it close but their defense will let them down late in the game.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, Seattle 1

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Sunday

Chicago Fire – at – Kansas City Wizards:

How will KC be under Peter Vermes? We will find out this weekend. I just don’t think a big turnaround is going to happen though. Their defense is still shaky and you have to wonder if they have really gotten over their last result (6-0 loss in Dallas). Chicago is one of the best road teams in the league and I think they will at least get a point if not three this weekend. I’m going with the Fire in this one as they will want to avenge their last road game, where they should have gotten a draw in Houston.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 2, KC 1

Order of video: Edson Buddle, Chad Barrett, Darren Huckerby, Kosuke Kimura, Brad Davis, Patrick Ianni

There are also those like Jared Montz, a former player who has his own stuff out there which happens to be really good. He typically gets MLS stars to interview and today he interviews Toronto FC striker Chad Barrett.

Enjoy!

Claudio Lopez and Kansas City hope to change their luck this weekend. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Sometimes the number 13 can mean unlucky and sometimes people use that number to try and make it into luck. What does that mean for our MLS clubs this week? Well week 13 could mean staying in playoff contention or falling out.

So far we’ve already had one game under our belts this week with the game in Houston on Wednesday. I didn’t talk too much about that game but after looking back on some of the tape and highlights Houston deserved to win the game. For the most part the play was very even and I believe I read a quote out there from a few Dynamo players saying Chivas was the best squad they’ve faced this season. Let’s hope that these two meet again in the western conference finals this season. Home field advantage will go a long way between those clubs I can tell you that much.

Chivas does return to the pitch this weekend, as do most fo the clubs except for Colorado who has another week off here. Mostly we have conference battles this weekend with one exception in Columbus when Chivas squares off against the Crew.

As always feel free to leave your game predictions below.

Saturday:

Chicago Fire – at – DC United:

Some how Chicago is the best road side in the league and DC is actually one of the better homesides in the league. So something will have to give right? Honestly the Fire haven’t been playing that great these last couple of weeks, most of that can be due to international call ups hurting their starting XI. Some of the heat in this game is already out though with Luciano Emilio and Bakery Soumare out on suspension. Even without Blanco in the middle for the Fire I still believe they have enough to get on the board at least once. But their defense will let DC back in late. United is always good for a goal in the final 15 minutes of the game.

WVH Prediction: DC 1, Chicago 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – Toronto FC:

One has to wonder if this could be the last game for Juan Carlos Osorio if his club is to lose another game on the road. Not to mention this is game number 15 on the year and if you are this much out of it halfway through, who is to say that your second half of the season performance will get better enough to reach the post season. This isn’t the MLS of old where you can stumble your way into the playoffs.

Thankfully for the Red Bulls the club they face isn’t doing too well these days either. Though Mo Johnston is trying to make sure there is a turnaround here with bringing in Nick Garcia to help the defense out. With the way New York plays on the road (0-6-1, 0 goals for and 12 against) I think Toronto should win this one. Look for Chad Barrett or Danny Dichio to be there to score for the Reds in this one.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 2, New York 1

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Houston Dynamo – at – FC Dallas:

Another I hope to be at but even so it should be a good game considering the rivalry built here between these two sides. Houston is on a crazy run of nine straight unbeaten games, with four wins in a row here. I just don’t see that trend ending after the way I saw Dallas play this past Sunday against San Jose. Sure the Red Stripes got a late draw but Houston has a quality defense that just pressures the heck out of you. Dallas doesn’t have the midfield to keep up with Houston’s and defensively FCD is just not on the same level. I think Stuart Holden is on impressive form and that will continue tomorrow in Frisco. Dallas just doesn’t have an answer for him.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, Dallas 0

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New England Revolution – at – Kansas City Wizards:

The Wizards are one of those clubs that needs a break right now and not an unlucky kind of week. One could say they have already caught that break with Taylor Twellman missing the game and trip for the Revs. It is easy to say that the Revs are a completely different club with him in the lineup. Without him they will have to go back to just making it work with guys like Shalrie Joseph up top. Kansas City will need to rely a lot on Josh Wolff and Claudio Lopez here for their offense. I think the Wizards will catch a break this week in the end and get some much needed points. However it will only be a single point as New England will sneak out with a draw.

WVH Prediction: Kansas City 1, New England 1

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San Jose Earthquakes – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

Seattle is another club that needs to catch a break here and with San Jose coming into town that may just been good enough. The Quakes traded one of their better defenders this week to Toronto so one has to wonder what exactly they will do to fix their defense that is still letting in a bunch of goals each week. Sure Seattle won’t have Nate Jaqua or Jhon Kennedy Hurtado to suspensions but I think a weak defense and a struggling midfield may just be what Fredy Montero and company need to get back on track here. Look for Sigi Schmid’s group to control this game from the start.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, San Jose 1

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Real Salt Lake – at – LA Galaxy:

Hard to believe the Galaxy are unbeaten in ten games but they are. And after last week’s game in Toronto one has to think this club may actually be ok without Landon Donovan for a few weeks. It surely doesn’t hurt when you get one of the worst road clubs to come visit you either. RSL really needs a break here but I just don’t see it happening with their recent play and with the loss of Robbie Russell (suspension) in the back and the potential of no Robbie Findley (ankle). Donovan Ricketts should come up big when needed tomorrow night and somehow the Gals will squeeze out another three points.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, RSL 1

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Sunday:

Chivas USA – at – Columbus Crew:

The league leading Goats may not be leading the league for that much longer if they don’t break out of a slight funk here. It’s a typical midseason funk for those who race out quickly like Chivas did this season. Just ask the Crew, they did the same last season and hit the wall a bit in June as well. Aside from the breif history lesson these clubs square off in Columbus on Sunday. They may have a bit of a break with the Crew missing Chad Marshall to suspension and Brian Carroll to injury. Those two losses for the Crew are big time down the middle of the defense. Chivas is good enough to figure out how to pressure the Crew. Thing is I am worried they are running out of steam here right now. Guillermo Barros Schelotto will probably make sure the Crew stay in this one with another goal. A draw sounds likely here with the players missing for each side.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 1, Chivas 1

Luciano Emilio and DC travel to New England to face Shalrie Joseph and the Revs. (Getty Images)

I won’t lie, last night’s game between Chicago and Chivas put a sour taste in my mouth for this weekend. The game itself was entertaining but the officiating was lacking in quality as we’ve all seen by now. Hopefully this weekend won’t be filled with yellow and red cards or lots of questionable PK calls.

Sorry for the rant but that’s just how I feel going into this weekend.

As for the weekend ahead here, we have a full slate of games with everyone in action except for Chivas (who played last night). I do hope we get seven quality games like last night’s contest though. Aside from the horrible officiating in the middle it was a good game. I’m gonna start switching things up here for the weekend previews. While I like doing longer previews for each game, time just doesn’t allow me to do so anymore for the weekend games. Instead I will stick with a quick preview and a player to look out for along with the score prediction.

DC United – at – New England Revolution:

DC has been playing well as of late but how much will DC be missing guys like Ben Olsen and Christian Gomez in the midfield? Throw in the fact that New England should be getting Taylor Twellman back for at least some part of this game and it could be an interesting meeting between these conference rivals. I think this one will be tighter than some expect it to be. The Revs may send Shalrie Joseph up top again to get some physical play against a young United back four. That could throw off the visitors if he switches between his midfield role and his temporary striker position that Steve Nicol has been putting him at lately. Honestly this one could go either way so I am taking the draw.

Player to keep an eye out for: DC’s Rodney Wallace has been very tough to cover lately from his defensive position. His runs from the back could be a big x-factor for DC.

WVH Prediction: New England 1, DC 1

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Colorado Rapids – at – New York Red Bulls:

We keep saying that New York needs this game each week and they continue to give up chances and points. Colorado should be a team that could allow New York to be successful against at home (Rapids are 1-2-2 away from home this season) but I actually like the Rapid’s chances here. New York will also be without Jorge Rojas who is suspended for this contest. I think the loss of Rojas will put more pressure on Albert Cedades to create chances and keep possession in the middle for the Red Bulls. While I think he can do it he won’t be able to do it alone. Colorado has been far more consistent in their scoring this season behind Conor Casey and company and I think they continue to make the standings a little tighter with a road win tomorrow.

Player to keep an eye out for: Colin Clark for Colorado has really started to get more involved here in the offense lately.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 2, New York 1

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Toronto FC – at – Houston Dynamo:

The big story here is Dwayne De Rosario returning to Houston where he won a pair of titles with the Dynamo. He’s looked good lately along with Amado Guevara in helping TFC stay near the top of the standings. They’ll need a big performance out of those two and guys like Pablo Vitti or Chad Barrett up top. Houston has played great lately (unbeaten in six) and have been tough to score on in that time. While I think Toronto will keep it close I just don’t see them beating Houston at home here yet. The Dynamo are too clever in the midfield and are so dangerous on set pieces with Brad Davis, Brad Mullan and Brian Ching.

Player to keep an eye out for: Brad Davis has been creating a lot of chances lately for Houston. Last week he tallied two assists in the Dynamo win over San Jose.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, Toronto 0

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Real Salt Lake – at – San Jose Earthquakes:

This could be a real stinker of a game. San Jose is winless in eight games and we all know RSL’s track record on the road. First and foremost for Jason Kreis and company, they have to get on the board here in this one. No goals in five road matches this season. One would think against San Jose they would get on the board in this one right? I think so since the Quakes lack the creative punch in the middle ot slow down RSL. However I just think San Jose is due a result here after the way they played on Wednesday in Columbus. I’m calling a draw here but not by much.

Player to keep an eye out for: San Jose’s Ryan Johnson has scored five of the club’s ten goals this season, I would expect him to keep that up this weekend.

WVH Prediction: San Jose 1, RSL 1

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Columbus Crew – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

I’d really love to see these two sides go at it with everyone healthy. But the thing is Seattle is a bit banged up and Columbus just lost another key player (Brian Carroll) for some more time. Seattle will have some key members of their midfield back in this one with Freddie Ljungberg and Brad Evans ready to go this week. I see the Sounders controlling the midfield and the pace of this game from the start thanks to those two and the loss of Carroll for Columbus. I just don’t think people will realize how big of a loss Carroll is for the Crew.

Player to keep an eye out for: Look for Seattle’s Fredy Montero to have another solid game here. His pace will be tough for Columbus to handle.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 3, Columbus 1

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Kansas City Wizards – at – LA Galaxy:

I’m a little worried for the Wizards on the road tomorrow. They will be missing two key offensive players in Josh Wolff and Santiago Hirsig. With this being one of the last games for Landon Donovan for a while with the Galaxy (national team duties this summer) I would imagine the Galaxy will push the tempo a bit more and actually look for the three points. The loss of Sean Franklin in the back worries me for them but not seeing Wolff on the field makes me think it will be balanced out a bit here. Even though the Galaxy are the draw queens of the league I am going with them for a change here.

Player to keep an eye out for: Either off the bench or starting, I think Edson Buddle could be a big factor for the Galaxy in this one. He needs to start scoring for the club here and this could be a good time to start.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, KC 1

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FC Dallas – at – Chicago Fire:

The Fire have a chance to move into a tie with Chivas for first overall. I just don’t see FC Dallas making this much of a game here with the way the Fire have been as of late. Chicago may not be as rested as Dallas but they will control the pace of the game from the start.

Player to keep an eye out for: If Dallas has any hope of scoring it could be from youngster Brek Shea who has really shown a lot of growth in recent weeks for the Red Stripes.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 3, Dallas 1

Anyways, another load of games this weekend all mostly on Saturday with the usual lone Sunday game. San Jose gets the lovely task of having the week off, a good time for them too since they are in need of a break to find their form here this season.

Plenty of good games to talk about here this weekend. Chicago at Toronto is an interesting clash in the east but the game of the week has to be Chivas hosting DC, a meeting of the two conference leaders.

As always feel free to post your game predictions below.

Chicago Fire – at- Toronto FC:

1. What does Chicago need to do to start winning again?

All these draws have to mean something here for Dennis Hamlet’s group. They aren’t losing but they also aren’t winning. Going to Toronto won’t be easy either right now with the way TFC is playing right now. Thing Chicago has to get through their heads is that they are better than what they are playing right now. Closing out games is a big deal in any sport, especially soccer and right now the Fire just aren’t putting a full effort in 90 minutes.

I think if they rely on the fact that Toronto had a game in the midweek against Montreal in the Canadian Cup and hope that they are a little gassed from that. Chicago is deep enough to be able to run a few fresh legs onto the pitch late in the game and really mess with the other club. Defensively this club just needs to lock down the Reds and control the ball in the midfield with Blanco spraying balls all over the pitch for Chris Rolfe and Brian McBride.

2. How can TFC keep rolling here?

The Reds are now unbeaten in their last four league games and last six overall in all competitions. They’ve been playing a lot better due to the fact that they’ve finally figured out how to have both Amado Guevara and Dwayne De Rosario on the pitch working together. It hasn’t hurt that they’ve gotten some big plays out of guys like Danny Dichio and Chad Barrett too. If they are to beat Chicago and put an end to their unbeaten mark here on the season they have to continue to play their style of game. They weren’t satisfied with the win over Montreal the other night which means they are starting to get real hungry here. For TFC fans that is a good thing because this bunch is talented enough to keep rolling here.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I know I’ve mentioned him a couple times before this season but watch out for Chad Barrett. He may miss a bunch of easy goals but if you saw the goal from the other night he really still has a lot of talent to offer. That goal against Montreal may have saved his season with the club in my opinion. He needed a goal like that more than his club did.

Quick Thoughts:

For some reason I like Toronto in this one. While I think Chicago is deep enough to have a little more energy in this one, I just think TFC will be high enough from the win the other night over Montreal to beat Chicago here. The Fire haven’t really played well lately and need some sort of kick to get going again and a loss may just be that. This will however be one of the better matches this weekend you can mark that down. Toronto finds some way to score in the first half and holds on to the lead for the rest of the game.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 1, Chicago 0

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Colorado Rapids – at – New England Revolution:

1. Can New England keep the momentum up from last week’s result and slow down the Rapids’ attack?

Thankfully for you Revs fans your club is slowly breaking out of it’s funk here. Getting guys like Steve Ralston and rookie Kevin Alston back in the line up totally helped last week and as you saw they are still good enough to get quality results without key players. The thing is I still have concerns for your defense doing against someone like Conor Casey, who has been a beast against weak defenses this season. He will be a big task for guys like Darrius Barnes and Jay Heaps. If they slow him down and also neaturalize the midfield attack from the Rapids they could see three points.

2. Did the week off do more harm than good for Colorado?

I am a bit concerned for Colorado who got a great win two weeks ago against rivals RSL and then had to sit last week out with the buy week. They had huge momemtum from that win but I am worried that they won’t have it to carry over to this game in New England. The thing they have to do is just start their attack from the start in this one. Finding ways to get Casey the ball in space and in the pentalty box will be key. New England has also given up a load of goals on set pieces this season so it will be interesting to see how Colorado attacks their defense around the offensive third of the field. If they can work Terry Cooke into the attack on set pieces they could steal three points here.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I’m looking at Colorado’s Nick LaBrocca in this one. He was given the keys to the midfield by manager Gary Smith in the win over RSL and the offense from the Rapids saw a big improvement in the process.

Quick Thoughts:

This inter-conference clash should be an interesting one to watch. Both clubs need a momentum starter here (yes even the Rapids need it, I do believe the week off killed whatever momentum they had) and they also need the three points to stay in contention in their respective conferences. I figure this one will be fairly tight for a while but I do see each getting on the board. I kind of thing it will end in a draw though because defensively I do think New England can slow Colorado down enough to not give up a lot of goals at home but offensive they just lack the punch to put up a bunch of goals here.

WVH Prediction: New England 1, Colorado 1

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Houston Dynamo – at – New York Red Bulls:

1. Which Red Bulls club will we see tomorrow?

I was pretty quick to say that after the 4-1 win over San Jose that we should get too crazy here about the Red Bulls being back. They were never that great to begin with. I would imagine the offense does have a new life here after the four goal outburst. The thing is they played a weak defense last week and now face on of the better defenses in the league in Houston. While clubs have scored on this Dynamo club this season I wouldn’t think they’d give up four in the same manner as the Quakes did last week. Houston is however still looking for their first win at Giants Stadium.

The thing is consistentcy is key in this league and so far the Red Bulls have been anything but that. They need another huge game from Albert Cedades in the middle of the park. His expereience should be a big difference maker for the homeside.

2. What does Houston need to do to score in this one?

Houston needs to get their set pieces and attack from the wings. New York is still very suspect in the defense and I would imagine Houston could get a couple goals on counter-attacks or set pieces if the Red Bulls aren’t careful enough with the ball in the midfield. While the Dynamo attack isn’t scary it is still dangerous enough to win games.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

While Jorge Rojas and Cedades will get a lot of attention in the midfield for New York a guy like Seth Stammler becomes very tough to break. Some will agree that as Stammler goes the Red Bulls will too this season. He’s a steady player in the midfield for this bunch and can be a big part of this club’s winning too.

Quick Thoughts:

This may be the most underrated match of the weekend. If New York is on the verge of turning their season around then it will be the game of the weekend. Neither club got off to a good start this season but Houston has been playing extremely well lately and defensively have been the toughest team to score on in the past month. New York will pose a big challenge for that mark and will likely get one by Pat Onstad in this one. I do however like Houston to stay with the Red Bulls in this one. While New York has some quality experience in the midfield with guys like Cedades and Rojas I just feel that Houston is more experienced in actually playing well for 90 minutes. It will be a draw, a very close draw indeed. Houston battles from behind to get a road point.

WVH Prediction: New York 1, Houston 1

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Seattle Sounders FC – at – FC Dallas

1. Things looked better for Dallas late against Houston, will it carry over against Seattle?

Houston is as tough defensively as any club gets in this league. While Seattle isn’t nearly as tough as Houston they are probably just as good defensively as the Dynamo. Sigi Schmid’s bunch play in typical Sigi-fashion, tight and compact in the back which leads to less attempts on goal and few chances. Dallas is a club that has already struggled to get attempts on goal lately so this will be a big challege for the likes of Kenny Cooper and company.

Dallas can’t afford to come out flat from the start or Seattle will gobble up early chances against a defense that is the second worst in the league right now.

2. What do the Sounders need to do against Dallas’ midfield?

One thing is certain, if you beat Dallas in the middle of the field and control the possession you will beat them. Seattle already does a good enough job at controlling the pace of the game and not giving up a bunch of silly turnovers in the midfield. Dallas on the other hand does the exact opposite. Too many times the Red Stripes will get the ball in the midfield and immediately give it right back to the other club. Seattle is too good of a club right now to not take advantage of those mental breakdowns.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

This could be a big game for wing players for FC Dallas with Seattle not having James Riley in the back (suspension from last week’s red card). Dave van den Burgh and Andre Rocha could see a little more free space. If they can spray some balls into the box because of some open pitch it could be a good evening for the homeside.

Quick Thoughts:

Sadly enough I doubt a lot of people here in Dallas will come out for this one. Though you can play Plinko at halftime which has to be a draw in itself if you ask me. But as for this game goes I think Seattle is just too good of a club right now to not win this game or at least get some points here. They need three points in a big way to stay on course with Chivas in the western standings and to hold off up and comers like Houston. Dallas defensively and in the midfield will dictate whether or not they will win this game. Turnovers are going to be key and Dallas just gives the ball up too much right now. Should be a fun game to watch though. Seattle goes up early with goals from Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero and never looks back.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, Dallas 1

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Kansas City Wizards – at  – Real Salt Lake

1. Should we expect another turnaround at home for RSL?

So far as we all know RSL has been great at home and terrible on the road. However in their last home game they had a wild finish with the Galaxy in that crazy 2-2 draw a week ago. This club hasn’t really looked all that great in a couple games but they do have the likes of Javier Morales back in action. The thing they need to do in this one is not let Kansas City play their style of game. They allowed LA to do that briefly last week and they lost points for it in the process. Kansas City is dangerous enough behind Josh Wolff and Claudio Lopez to steal three points here.

2. Will Kansas City be able to come into Rio Tinto and do what only a couple have done? Win?

Both clubs are in a bit of a slide right now but Kansas City is still a very tough club to figure out. The Wizards are one of those few clubs that have gotten points at RSL over the past couple years. For them to do it again this season they need to get Josh Wolff back into the attack more and in the box to test a defense that has been a bit shaky as of late. If they can rattle RSL in the midfield and in defense you could see a couple easy goals for the visitors on Saturday.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I am curious to see if Jason Kreis stays with Yura Movsisyan up top or if he makes the wise move to Fabian Espindola like some would like him to. Espindola is a tough cookie up top to stop and could pose a big problem to a young Kansas City defense.

Quick Thoughts:

I want to like the Wizards in this one but it is hard to go against a club that plays so well in their home stadium. RSL should bounce back from their three game slide in this one with a win behind the likes of Kyle Beckerman and Espindola. Offensively this club hasn’t looked the same since that 6-0 beating of New England a few weeks back. If they can even get half of that spark back they will be fine against the Wizards.

WVH Prediction: RSL 2, KC 1

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DC United – at – Chivas USA:

1. What can DC do to beat Chivas?

Chivas has been one tough club to beat this year. Only Toronto was able to slow them own enough to get three points away from them. Thing is the club hasn’t had to be too flashy or amazing to be where they are right now. DC on the other hand has had to fight their way to the top of the eastern standings and their lead is not nearly as nice as their counterparts on Saturday. For United for come into the Home Depot Center and get even a point they have to be very organized defensively and not allow any little mistakes to happen. Chivas is too good at taking advantage of little mistakes in the midfield and scoring off of them.

While DC is leading the league in goals right now they are also giving up a lot of goals. Something Chivas does not do right now. DC has to get their attack going early and catch Chivas off guard. One thing I do know about Chivas is they aren’t a club that comes from behind often.

2. How does Chivas hold off the DC attack?

Simple enough you frustrate their attack in the midfield. You don’t allow DC to create quality chances for guys like Chris Ponitus and Luciano Emilio. You also keep a tight defense to neutralize runs from players out of the back like Rodney Wallace. Tom Soehn’s bunch will bring a lot at you but Chivas is one of the best at slowing those kinds of runs down. We’ve seen them do it against Seattle and also against clubs like Columbus and Dallas.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Maykel Galindo is starting to get more minutes by each game for Chivas USA. The more the better as he is starting to get loose in the attack and that is good for Chivas fans. Galindo is a speedy player that could come off the bench in this one. In a late game that is tight he may be a real difference maker for the homeside.

Quick Thoughts:

Obviously the game of the week right here. Two clubs that are playing extremely well face off in an early season clash. DC hasn’t lost in five straight now while Chivas is continuing to show their impressive form week after week with their eight-point gap on the rest of the standings. This one will probably be very physical from the start and I look for Chivas to try and control the tempo of the game as well. Chivas can’t let up for a second, espeically late since DC has scored five of their league-high 15 goals in the last 15 minutes of the game. A draw sounds likely here even though Chivas has an impressive home record right now.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 1, DC 1

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Columbus Crew – at – LA Galaxy:

1. Both clubs are starting to win, but who has the edge right now?

Both finally got off the mark here in the past couple weeks and got the first win of the season. Amazing that despite their records LA hasn’t lost in six games and Columbus hasn’t lost in five. I will however give the slight advantage to Columbus here since it was last week that they got their first win of the year. The monkey is finally off their back and they should start winning more games here.

2. What does the Crew need to do to pick up some points here?

One thing is certain, another win and the Crew are very much in the thick of things in the eastern conference. This is certainly a good time to start a winning streak as the Crew have been a very tough club for the Galaxy to beat in recent years (partly due to Sigi Schmid when he was there). I think the Crew just have to play their tough style of play and rattle the very yough Galaxy defense early and often in this one. As long as Gulliermo Barros Schelotto controls the pace of the game in the middle for the Crew they should be fine in this one.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

One guy I am going to watch for is LA’s Edson Buddle. He is finally getting healthy here this season and that should mean more offense for this Galaxy club that desperately needs someone else to go to soon when Landon Donovan leaves this summer for national team duty.

Quick Thoughts:

At first glance I was thinking this would be yet another draw for these two sides but I think the Crew have to be hungry now that they have their first win of the season. It didn’t come easy but you know veterans like Frankie Hedjuk will rally this club together to get another win. I like the Crew to keep their momentum up from last week’s win over the Galaxy.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, LA 1

Sorry for some of the crappy announcing in the Rapids game and even in the Crew game. “Ekpo was his name-o.” Seriously…wow.

Anyways, order of goals this week: Nick LaBrocca (Colorado), Kosuke Kimura (Colorado), Marco Pappa (Chicago), Tyrone Marshall (Seattle), Emmanuel Ekpo (Columbus), Chad Barrett (Toronto), Jamie Moreno (DC).

Jesse Marsch and Chivas USA continue to roll. (Getty Images)

Another week down in Major League Soccer and a lot of things remain the same around the league. Week seven is in the books here Chivas USA still remains the league’s top club. Other things that are still constant in the league include:

- New York still struggling
- Columbus still struggling to win
- Chicago still drawing games, yet still undefeated
- Dallas still losing games
- Salt Lake still losing on the road
- Attendance still so-so across the league

And a little sidebar that a couple of you pointed out to me, I picked every game correctly this past week. Some of the scores weren’t right on but I did have all the winners correct and all the draws be 1-1. Yeah, sorry to toot my own horn but sometimes it is nice to be right.

Chivas Still In Front

Some how, some way this club continues to lead the pack. Another gritty win without the help of Sasha Kljestan. But what they are getting is loads of good defense (they lead the league in goals-against). Only three goals against in eight league matches. Not bad at all my friends, not bad at all. And you know what they say, defense wins championships.

Anyways, I’d say a big reason is right now Preki is getting a lot out of his back four and even more so out of Zach “Turn the clock back” Thornton. The big guy between the pipes is making me think it is 1998 all over again.

Scary part is this club is slowly getting healthier by the week. Justin Bruan is starting to get more involved with the attack and as San Jose found out that is not a good thing. Plus with more guys coming back like Sacha Victorine and Maykel Galindo it just shows how deep this club is going to be for the long run.

As for the Quakes, the winless streak is at six. May be time for Frank Yallop to redo some of his line up to make up for the defensive issues going on. But then again the offense isn’t looking any better right now either.

Salt Lake Falls In Colorado

Again, it was hard to get so hyped up about last week’s 6-0 win for Salt Lake when you knew they had to turn around this week and go on the road to rival Colorado.

RSL continues to show they are missing a piece or two when it comes to playing on the road. For a team that was suppose to contend this season, they sure don’t get me thinking they will with the way they play on the road right now. Teams who win championships and contend find ways to win on the road.

It didn’t help to be a man-down for the entire second half either. And that they lost keeper Nick Rimando early in the game too. But in all the offense never got going for RSL.

The Rapids controlled the pace of this one early and really never let the visitors in this one. It was good to see this club finally take a real ownership of their home field. Sometimes it takes a rivalry game to do that too. Plus this club really starting to get interesting. With the way the west is playing this year this club could very well contend for one of those two auto-bids into the playoffs.

Seattle Looks Strong In Draw

For an expansion club Seattle goes on the road in Chicago against the league’s last undefeated team and comes out looking very good despite playing a man-down for a good chunk of the game. Seattle showed some serious grit after going a man-down and trailing shortly after in the second half when Chicago’s Marco Pappa put the Fire on top.

Some how, some way the Sounders placed a call to Tyrone to get them level in this one. Tyrone Marshall’s game tying goal gave the Sounders their first draw of the season and at the same time giving Chicago it’s forth straight tie (fifth of the season too). Freddie Ljungberg’s corner kick to Marshall was just poor marking on the Fire’s part. To be a man up and leave a guy like Marshall that open was pretty bad to see.

I don’t know what it is about the Fire but at some point they are going to lose one here. While some clubs aren’t good enough to win the Fire are playing just good enough not to lose at the moment. Hey, whatever gets you by but at the same time they get starting to get passed in the standings. Draws look good for only so long.

As for Seattle goes, they lost Fredy Montero to the red card on a bad elbow to Gonzalo Segares, who had a pretty rough game overall. I really felt even though the Sounders played a man-down they really out-played the Fire late in the game. Chicago had the possession and shots early but just like most clubs this year they were unable to get anything by Kasey Keller.

DC Continues To Roll

Look at DC here. Hard to believe they are sitting atop the eastern standings now and only have a single loss on the year. Credit those veterans for stepping up and credit that defense for really putting a clamp down on guys like Kenny Cooper.

What can you say about the two goals by Jamie Moreno too? Too calm and cool goals got United the three points after dropping an early goal to Dallas’ Andre Rocha (nice corner by the way for Dallas).

Dallas really never got solid possession in this one and that was due to DC stepping up their midfield play. DC pressed early and often in this one behind Moreno, Luciano Emilio and rookie Chris Pontius.

Defensively for Dallas they are still struggling. Schellas Hyndman can’t seem to get a grip on who to put in the middle of his defense and until he does his club will continue to give up easy goals down the middle of the pitch like they did on Saturday.

DC is improving each week here folks. Rookies are stepping up due to quality play of veterans and Tom Soehn’s club may be one to contend with here this season.

LA Gets First Win

Someone told me the other day that the best thing to happen to Chicago in the past two years was not landing Blanco or McBride but it was losing Juan Carlos Osorio. For some reason his club is still a mess despite new players starting to get playing time on a regular basis.

This one was pretty boring for the most part anyways. LA had the better chances overall but there weren’t that many to begin with. Neither club was holding possession too long but neither was creating many scoring chances either. LA lead the way with six attemps (five on goal) but New York only mustered up three shots and only one of those was on frame.

LA got their first win but this club still doesn’t look like a winner to me. Once they lose Landon Donovan this summer to Gold Cup and other national team duties they will easily stay near the bottom of the standings.

New York on the other hand is more confusing by the week. Osorio-watch may be in full force since his high-speed offense couldn’t even get more than one shot on goal against a club like LA. It wasn’t like the Galaxy defense stepped up their game for once it was more like New York couldn’t get their game going. While the Galaxy may not be a big winning club this season New York is quickly playing themselves out of playoff contention here before summer hits.

Crew Still Winless

Watching this game I made the classic mistake of walking away for a few minutes and missed both goals (left the room to see the news on the Cowboys training facility collapse). Anyways, Columbus again handled the Reds but were unable to get the three points again.

The Crew dominated the first half and had plenty of good chances on goal. Stefan Frei came up big for the Reds time and time again but early in the second half Emmanuel Ekpo’s sweet finish gave the Crew the lead for a few minutes. Chad Barrett got the homeside on the board no more than 10 minutes late to level the game.

The second half really was owned by Toronto after the Barrett goal. Mostly I think it was due to the subbing out of Guillermo Barros Schelotto midway through the second half. Without GBS the Crew weren’t holding possession well and weren’t getting the best passes in the offensive third of the field.

Columbus near got the lead back with Pat Noonan late in the second half but once again Frei came up big for Toronto.

A win for Columbus is coming though. You can sense it as they continue to improve each week here. The toughness that wasn’t there early on this season is starting to come back and once they get fully healthy the wins should start coming. Thing is before long it could be too little too late with the way some clubs are playing so far this season.

Toronto on the other hand is playing well. Another solid draw keeps them in the thick of things in the eastern conference. Now they have to turn their attention to the Canadian Cup this weekend when they host Vancouver on Wednesday.

Houston Starts To Catch A Break

Once Stuart Holden realized he was the man to lead Houston this season things started to click. That was the case yesterday as Houston finally caught a break and got out of their regular season funk against the Revs.

New England again failed to generate any sort of offense this week with only three shots in the game. The Revs’ only shot on goal didn’t come until just after the hour mark when Jeff Larentowicz header failed to do anything more than to give Pat Onstad something to do for once. Houston really controlled this one from start to finish with Holden and Brian Ching.

Once again it came down to a young defensive line in front of Matt Reis that caused New England to fall in this one. They weren’t able to handle any sort of pressure that Houston put on them as the Dynamo registered 14 shots in the game.

Until New England can get healthy again here this season they will continue to play this way. A bright spot though was seeing Taylor Twellman on the bench for this one as a sub. Apparently he isn’t too far from coming back which is something New England really needs to have at this point.

Houston is starting to really look good here. They still have some catching up to do out west but as we’ve seen out of them before, sometimes slow and steady wins the race.