Claudio Lopez could be headed to Colorado. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Right before the start of the Major League Soccer season a few clubs were having to do a little house cleaning to clear out some salary cap space. Big ones included Jon Busch getting cut by Chicago, Pat Noonan getting the boot in Colorado and well before that Claudio Lopez not being re-signed in Kansas City.

All looks a little better today as Busch is in San Jose with the Quakes while Noonan and Lopez may have new homes.

Word broke last night from Steve Goff that Lopez is possibly looking to sign with the Colorado Rapids. A move that definitely will beef up their attack and midfield. Sure Lopez is a bit old at 35 but he’s still got plenty left in the tank. I’ve been saying for a couple years now that the Rapids needed a go-to guy in the midfield to create offense. Lopez will certainly be an upgrade over Mehdi Ballouchy in that role.

No word yet if the Wizards retained any of Lopez’s rights when they parted ways with him back in February. If anything they could end up with a late round draft pick as compensation if the Rapids do sign Lopez.

Staying out west, the Seattle Sounders FC looked to have filled a hole at right-mid, a problem that many felt could have hurt them down the road. The Sounders signed former New England Revolution, Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew midfielder/striker Pat Noonan.

Seattle manager Sigi Schmid coached Noonan in 2008 in Columbus. He could either start Noonan up top with Fredy Montero or out wide in place of Roger Levesque.

I like this move for Noonan and Seattle. We know the Sounders can score but Noonan will give them a little extra lift offensively that they need here.

Other Items

Could Luciano Emilio be headed back to MLS? Possibly to Philadelphia.

Speaking of Philadelphia and Peter Nowak, they currently have former D.C. United player Danny Szetela in on trial right now. No word yet if they will sign him but he’s more likely to see playing time in Philadelphia rather than during his time in D.C.

Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff will be called to lead in 2010 for KC. (WVH Photo Correspondent Brian Stevens)

We’re continuing on today with our look at each Major League Soccer club’s pre-season outlook of what players they have on board and where they need to go next before the new season kicks off. So far we’ve covered nearly half of the league with Chicago, Colorado, Chivas, Columbus, DC, Dallas, Houston and Philadelphia all already looked at here.

Today we go to the middle of the country to take a look at the Kansas City Wizards and what coach/technical director Peter Vermes is doing with his club.

The Wizards had a shaky season in 2009 but they hope a few changes around their roster will be enough to stay with the top of the pack in an already tough eastern conference.

So let’s see what the Wizards have done with their winter and where they need to go from here.

Keepers:

Who they have: Jimmy Nielsen, Eric Kronberg, and Boris Pardo.

Notes: Gone are the days of Kevin Hartman and now come the time for Nielsen. A lot of folks in KC probably aren’t too happy to see Hartman be let go so easily here but as I mentioned last week it was a change I think the club needed to make this winter. Look I’ve always had a great deal of respect for Hartman but sometimes change is necessary and this was just a move I think they needed to make. I’m also not saying Nielsen will be any better but Hartman wasn’t exactly putting KC over the top.

I know the club currently has a couple other trialist in camp right now so it will be interesting to see who pushes to be Nielsen’s backup this year.

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Defense:

Who they have: Jimmy Conrad, Chance Myers, Michael Harrington, Matt Besler, Lance Watson, Aaron Hohlbein, Jonathan Leathers, Pablo Escobar, Olukorede Aiyegbusi, and Nick Cardenas.

Notes: Collectively on paper they should be a better group then what we’ve seen over the last couple years. I may be putting too much of a premium on Conrad here, he’s a great leader out there but maybe he just isn’t able to get the rest of these guys up to his level and the group suffers for it. I honestly don’t know because again on paper they look like they should be good with guys like Besler (very underrated player) and Harrington (another solid player) but last year they were up there in goals against with 42.

I think though with Vermes coaching this bunch full time we’ll see some improvement in this bunch this year. I honestly have no idea what Escobar will bring to the table but if we base anything off past moves from South America from this club the expectations shouldn’t be placed too high for him (remember Carlos Marinelli or Eloy Colombano?). Hopefully he turns out better for them.

Big question for me though is will Myers finally become the number one pick that KC had hoped for two years ago? I still don’t know who got the better end of that deal between San Jose and the Wizards. Right now its starting to be a push more than anything as neither have seen a big impact from the players involved. Nick Garcia was traded last year to Toronto and Myers really never grew as a player in year two.

Still this group is fairly young so hopefully things are going to be looking up for them as some of these young guys finally hit their stride here.

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Midfield:

Who they have: Santiago Hirsig, Roger Espinoza, Jack Jewsbery, Kurt Morsink, Davy Arnaud, Kevin Souter, Graham Zusi, Stéphane Auvray, and Marco Fuzetti.

Notes: I like Espinoza, Jewsbery and Arnaud but the rest I’m a bit torn with as I think they have potential with guys like Zusi and newcomer Auvray. Still my worry is where will the offense be generated from this within this bunch? They honestly cannot expect Arnaud to carry the load this season. I know to a lesser extent Claudio Lopez is more of an offensive midfielder than a striker these days but that won’t cut it.

Another area I worry about is wing play for this bunch. One area they got burned in a lot of games last year was on the wings, especially on their short home field. If I’m Vermes I’d be finding talent to go on the wings as well as a true playmaker in the middle.

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Forwards:

Who they have: Claudio Lopez, Josh Wolff, Teal Bunbury, Zoltan, Kei Kamara, and Michael Kraus.

Notes: This was an area that Vermes had to concentrate over the winter months on and I think with drafting Bunbury and the new contract to Kamara he has done a pretty good job with here. The big thing will be whether or not Bunbury makes an impact in year one or not. Some reports from the training camps suggest he isn’t done all that well so far with KC but I think given the right amount of time he’ll be fine.

Kamara is said to be doing very well in KC right now and honestly I think he likes being there which is a good thing for both sides. He’s got a chance this year to really step things up and be a solid scorer for the Wizards.

The big thing will be getting Wolff involved a lot more this year. We saw last year that when used properly up top Wolff can be a very productive goal scorer for the Wizards. I think Vermes knows how to use Wolff right and with Lopez too. That’s a good thing because they need another 10+ goal year from Wolff and eight to 10 assists from Lopez to be in contention in the east. As long as those two hit those numbers and Kamara and Bunbury combine for another 10 or 14 goals they will be much better offensively than from a year ago.

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Overall:

Going into a new year Kansas City is a club I like but honestly don’t love just yet. Defensively I worry about them on the wings and in the center part of the midfield. I’m also still concerned about who will be generating the offense in the midfield this year. Offensively I do believe they’ll be much better than from a year ago as long as the guys up top are given the right space to be productive.

Conrad has to step up a bit more in the back to lead this young group and if he does I think the club will improve in the standings. They’re schedule won’t be as tight in the summer with SuperLiga and we shouldn’t expect to see many international call-ups for players on their roster except for maybe Conrad and Espinoza. I actually see Espinoza getting more international time than Conrad this year anyways.

I think Vermes needs another move or two in the midfield and they’ll be fine. I’ll be curious to see how they perform early on as they typically start well but fade in the summer.

In a way its a make or break year for Vermes. He’s built this club as a TD and now must lead them as the full-time coach. I don’t know if he’ll be under any sort of hot seat yet if they don’t do well this year but you gotta believe fans won’t be happy if they are near the bottom again in the standings in 2010.

Is Blanco the best DP MLS has seen so far? (Getty Images)

I’ve had this thought for a little while, on the surface the Designated Player rule is good as it brings quality players into Major League Soccer that do help in more areas than just on the field itself. We know the cons against it like teams spending so much money on one player but I started looking at all the past and present DPs and started wondering if this rule really is worth it.

Now first of all I’m not going to advocate for or against this rule today. I just merely want to point out who’s done well with it and who’s not. We’ve seen this rule in place for a couple seasons now and so far only a few clubs have ventured out with this rule. Now it seems like most clubs are going away from the rule, currently only five clubs have a DP (Toronto, New York, LA, Seattle and Houston).

Also, so far five clubs (or six if you count Philly too) have yet to use their DP slot. RSL won MLS Cup 2009 without one so maybe they aren’t worth the money.

So let’s take a deeper look into each DP. What worked about it and what didn’t work on and off the field. We’ll go from worst to best in this instance. I’d also like to note that two fo the DPs on this list have only played a little under a half season with their clubs so grading and discussing them at length seemed unfair at this time. If you are wondering about who I am talking about here those two are Houston’s Luis Angel Landin and Toronto’s Julian De Guzman. (For the record I like De Guzman but don’t care of Landin…but saying that I am very curious about their upcoming seasons.)

Denilson (FC Dallas):

What worked: This may be the one DP in league history that had very little good come from it. Possibly the only good that we can see is it will keep teams like Dallas from spending money on a washed-up player like Denilson in hopes of putting more butts in the seats.

What didn’t work: Nearly everything on and off the field. When former Dallas GM Michael Hitchcock made this move it seemed like he was reaching a good bit at the time on this one. No doubt it was a weak attempt on his part and the rest of the Dallas front office part to sign Denilson. The hope was to put more fans in the stands and improve the on field product in the process due to the flashy Denilson. What happened was no one in Dallas cared and Denilson was a waste on the field.

Final thoughts: I think it is safe to say this is the worst DP in league history. No one in Dallas cared that he was here and most that did care were happy to see him go. Looking back I’m sure Dallas wishes they hadn’t wasted the money on him but that’s what happens when you gamble, sometimes you waste your money.

DP Grade: F

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Claudio Reyna (New York Red Bulls):

What worked: When Renya was healthy you’d see a quality New York team on the field back in 2007. The midfield was a little more complete and the offense had a nice spark to it with him. I think had the timing been right when him coming to MLS we probably would have even seen a decent pump in attendance with him but probably nothing major like Beckham.

What didn’t work: Injuries and overall poor management on New York’s part really did this number in for me. Reyna was never going to be 100% while playing on turf (see Juan Pablo Angel for that too) and with the Red Bulls changing coaches every year stability was always going to be an issue.

Final thoughts: I liked this move at first for the club back in 2007 but as time wore on this move really showed some early flaws in the DP system.

DP Grade: D+

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Marcello Gallardo (DC United):

What worked: He probably came in with too much hype and in some way he wasn’t really the guy DC actually wanted at the time (remember the Juan Sebastian Veron debacle?). Injuries did him in quickly and he was only limited to 15 games. In that time he scored four goals and assisted on a couple others but that was it.

What didn’t work: From what I recall there was always some attitude issues with Gallardo. At times it seemed like he didn’t want to be there and I’m sure that sports hernia didn’t help one bit either.

Final thought: Early on I thought Gallardo could be a big time impact player for DC but after a couple games that thought quickly went away. He disappeared in games that he was needed in and injury aside was just not a good fit for DC or MLS. Then again about every player DC brought in back in 2008 was not a good fit for both.

DP Grade: D+

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Claudio Lopez (Kansas City Wizard):

(Note – Lopez was originally a DP but KC reworked his contract to not be a DP after 2008)

What worked: Late in 2008 we saw exactly how dangerous Lopez could be with the Wizards. The Wizards had a late surge towards the playoffs and were even able to upset Chivas USA in the opening round of the second season. A lot was thanks to Lopez and his efforts on the offensive side of the ball.

What hasn’t worked: He was truly never worth the DP money at the time, also he’s shown his age just a bit while in KC. Also he hasn’t been the offensive spark that some thought he’d be in KC. Only 15 goals in 57 games for the Wizards isn’t DP worthy.

Final Thoughts: Thankfully for KC they got his contract below the DP mark after one season. Since then he’s been doing okay as a non-DP player. I’d say he may still be a little more than he is worth right now but his leadership has been solid nonetheless in KC.

DP Grade: C

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Luciano Emilio (DC United):

What worked: No one can deny that when Emilio was on he was on. After the 2007 season he earned his way into a DP contract with his MVP performance. The only thing was after his stellar non-DP year of 20 goals his production dropped in the final two years with the Black-and-Red with only 21 more goals, 10 of which did come in 2009. Still when he was on his game he was one of the best strikers in the league.

What didn’t work: I suppose his downfall was getting the DP contract after 2007. DC traded for the DP slot from Colorado, only then to trade it back. As mentioned his production dipped considerably after earning the DP money. A pretty typical thing of most athletes that earn a big contract after a strong year.

Final Thoughts: I liked Emilio as a DP last year for the most part, he was one of the few offensive bright spots for DC. After going for 20 goals in 2007 there was a lot expected of Emilio. He got the DP contract and still got 11 goals in 2008 and 10 in 2009 but its hard to live up to what got him the DP contract, that 20 goal tally. DC was smart to low ball him going into 2010 and in a way he was smart to reject it and go home to Brazil.

DP Grade: B-

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David Beckham (LA Galaxy):

What’s worked: For the most part anytime he is on the field people are watching. He brings a lot to the table for Bruce Arena’s side and does create still create a decent amount of buzz for the league.

What hasn’t worked: For starters this loan thing with AC Milan has been a pain for the league. Second of all things did get off on a bad foot (excuse the pun) when he first came over with his injuries. He was expected to some to bring MLS into a lot of people’s houses but let’s be honest he really hasn’t spark that big of an interest in casual sports fans across the country like some thought he would.

Final thoughts: Hey the rule was made for him. He’ll eventually own a team in this league and his footprint will be all over when it is all said and done. While I have seen some issues with him making so many more money in a single season (or half season in his case now with this loan) than a couple clubs combined. But I’d still be willing to bet the positives have outweighed any negatives from him being here. He’s still done more for the league than most who have come over and tried their hand at playing in MLS.

DP Grade: A

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Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle Sounders FC):

What’s worked: When he’s fit he is a dangerous part of the Seattle offense. Even though he’s only been in the league for a single season he has brought a ton of credibility to the league in my eyes. I knew it was a good signing for Seattle last year and I’m standing by it again today. The thing I do like about this signing is he wasn’t brought in to put more butts in the seats at Qwest, he was brought in to facilitate the offense. I think if Ljungberg is fully fit again this year he could have an even more productive campaign.

What hasn’t worked: Injuries have been an issue thanks to his age and the nasty field turf at Qwest. His off the field comments this winter also sparked some issues with teammates for him not showing up on time to camp.

Final Thoughts: Still one of my favorite players all together (gotta stick by my Swedes). Ljungberg will continue to be what’s right with the DP slot. Quality talent on the field and for the most part good stuff off the field that gets fans excited.

DP Grade: A

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Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)

What’s worked: He’s been a goal scoring machine, despite some injuries and playing on the lovely field turf at Giant’s Stadium. He loves New York and it seems like he is definitely at home in MLS.

What hasn’t worked: Injuries and lots of coaching/management turnover has probably cut into his production. I often wonder at times if he had gone anywhere else in the league as a DP would he be setting some scoring records each year?

Final thought: A move to Red Bull Arena this year will definitely help out with his injuries, which should definitely help New York get some wins this year for a change. Angel has been one of the better DPs the league has seen, some will even say the best. He brings a lot to the field and a good bit off of it.

DP Grade: A

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Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew):

What worked: While GBS only spent a single season as a DP he was still very much a good one. Not only did he help get the Crew to their second straight Supporter’s Shield trophy but he also did help them be the only MLS club to make it through the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League.

What hasn’t worked: Injuries, his age, and the constant threat of him leaving (which has pretty much vanished this winter).

Final thoughts: Even though he was only a DP for a single season he is still one of the best DPs the league has had up until this point. He brings so much to the field and from the sounds of things he brings a good bit of things off the field. He’s a player you build your club around and who knows maybe he’ll become the first DP to turn into a coach in this league.

DP Grade: A

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Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Chicago Fire):

What worked: Its really hard to pinpoint something that didn’t work out right for Blanco in Chicago. He was an instant success on and off the field. While the Fire never got to a MLS Cup with Blanco they did see some quality soccer on the field and in a way the Fire help get his international career back on track. I won’t even mention what he brought to the table for the league in terms of growth in the Latino department.

What didn’t work: Blame it on coaching or management but the one big flaw with Blanco was that he never was able to lead them to any sort of domestic or international Cup while in Chicago. Oh and that US Open Cup mess wasn’t anything fun to discuss either.

Final thoughts: For me Blanco is and will continue to be the best DP the league has seen so far. GBS is a close second for me but Blanco edges him out because of what he brought to the game and the crowds he brought in when the Fire were on the road. He had his issues like any other player but he was well worth the DP price in my book, even though I’m still not the biggest Blanco supporter.

DP Grade: A

Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff lead the way in 2009 for Kansas City. (WVH Photo Correspondent Brian Stevens)

The bandwagon was getting bigger for this club going into 2009. Many folks had hoped this was the year the Kansas City Wizards would get over the hump and make a big splash in the eastern conference.

But 2009 didn’t go as planned like some in Kansas City had hoped. The team stumbled out of the gate losing their first two games and some already had questions on the offense that was lacking. Then a funny thing happened in April things looked like they were headed in the right direction when former coach Curt Onalfo started using Josh Wolff at striker instead of on the wings. The club won three games out of the five in the month and looked good.

Then May and June rolled around and the Wizards won only two of their next seven league games while losing one and drawing two in SuperLiga play. From there on things turned sour for good on the season. The Wizards went through July and August winless and saw Onalfo get canned after a 6-0 beating in Dallas. Peter Vermes stepped in after that but he never was able to get the team back over the hump as the club failed to reach the post season.

What Went Right In 2009?
The club did have some success in tough stadiums like in Seattle and in Salt Lake. When guys like Josh Wolff and Claudio Lopez were healthy and playing in the right spots on the field things would click offensively. Defensively things went well when Jimmy Conrad was leading the way in the back. It seemed that when they won games it was by a shutout too. There are a few decent pieces in defense with this club that they can build on for sure.

What Went Wrong In 2009?
A lot went wrong as the writing was on the wall for Onalfo’s head for a long while. Most people didn’t want to admit to it in KC but it certainly was there for all to see. Secondly they had one of the worst home records in the league which usually means you don’t go very far. Lastly I just never felt Vermes and the owners put enough into this team this season. Their lack of movement with their roster was rather pathetic. Now I know the economy could have had something to do with that but they were one of the few teams that rarely made a move this year. Things were broke and they just failed to fix it.

What’s Next?
First of all they have to figure out their coaching issue, is Vermes going to stay or is he going to move back into the technical director/general manager role. Finding a coach that can get the most out of this group will be key. I think next in line for this bunch is really fixing a midfield that is so damaged. I know injuries played a part in their issues but for the most part it was a lack of consistency with this group that caused a lot of things in 2009. Secondly they need a go-to scorer with Wolff. I know Claudio Lopez is a good setup man but even he needs more help. Lastly it may be time to move on from Kevin Hartman in goal. This club has a good fan base and they definitely deserve some attention to their roster by this ownership.

Here is the order of goals: Jacob Peterson, Mehdi Ballouchy, Ryan Johnson, Claudio Lopez, Ali Gerba, Jason Garey, Jeff Cunningham, and Yura Movsisyan.

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

Jeff Larentowicz will play a big role for New England against Toronto. (Getty Images)

Can someone get a W this weekend?

That may be the bigger question going around the league right now. Can teams find a winning way and not a tying way? Some clubs more than others need a win this weekend in a big way to not only get back on track but to also get back in the thick of things in terms of playoff picture here.

We stay with the usual schedule set-up here, six games on Saturday and one loner on Sunday. Only the Crew have the weekend off as they try to get healthy here. Everyone else is in action this weekend.

Since I am a little pressed for time this week’s previews will but cut a bit short with just the quick thoughts on the match. I wish I had more time to do a longer preview but as I mentioned the other day I am in the middle of buying a house right now so a lot of my free time is being put into that. Hopefully that will get resolved very soon.

As always feel free to post your score predictions below.

New England Revolution – at- Toronto FC:

This is one of those games that I am very curious about this weekend. New England needs to get on some sort of roll here as their only wins have come against the two worst clubs in the league. And Toronto has to step it up again here at home. Last week against Chicago the Fire really put it to TFC and the Reds just had a terrible time finishing in their offensive third of the field. New England has been hit by injuries but with young rookies like Darrius Barnes and Kevin Alston stepping up they could make it a long afternoon for the likes of Pablo Vitti and Chad Barrett, who both are having a time finding the back of the net. But scoring is largely based on confidence and I question whether or not Toronto can put up two against New England. One maybe but I just don’t know about two at this point. It smells like a draw to me.

Player to keep an eye out for: New England’s Jeff Larentowicz, he’s the glue that will keep this one close for the visitors.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 1, NE 1

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Real Salt Lake – at – DC United

A lot of questions surround RSL right now. Can they score on the road may be the biggest one right now, and not the question of if they can win on the road. For some reason their offense doesn’t click when they are away from home and lately it hasn’t even been clicking at home. DC does have a defense that leaks in it’s fair share of goals but what’s unlucky for RSL is DC is the one club that is dangerous late. RSL will battle in this one but I see DC using the template that Kansas City had a week ago at Rio Tinto Stadium. Use some pace behind guys like Chris Pontius and runs out of the back from Rondey Wallace to expose this defense. Don’t forget that RSL will be starting an unproven keeper on the road, never a good thing.

Player to keep an eye on: If RSL is going to get an sort of offense they need a step up from Robbie Findley. If he scores they having a fighting chance.

WVH Prediction: DC 3, RSL 1

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San Jose Earthquakes – at – Houston Dynamo:

Houston can sometimes be overconfident about their play as we saw last week in New York. Thing is San Jose has given us little reason to believe in them here this season. Yes I know it was the Quakes that put up three against Houston back in March but Houston has been dominant in the back lately. I see the Dynamo using the 3-2 loss from earlier in the year to spark a nice win on Saturday. I fully expect the Dynamo backline to hold tight and not allow the free runs on the wings like they did in March.

Player to keep an eye on: Brian Ching was not apart of the 3-2 match back in March, expect him to play a big role for Houston in this one.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, San Jose 0

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LA Galaxy – at – FC Dallas:

Bruce Arena has gotten this club slightly to a new level of play this season. They are better defensively and not all that horrible offensively. Thing is they just aren’t that good overall yet. Dallas on the flip side should win this one at home, they totally should but they won’t because the are lacking a lot of things like intensity and desire here this season. We won’t see any blowouts like last year either. A draw for each sounds the most likely here.

Player to keep an eye on: I think if Dallas is to win this one they need a big game out of Dave van den Burgh. He was a big reason to why New York saw success late in the year last season and I think he’s a guy that really needs to step things up here.

WVH Prediction: Dallas 1, LA 1

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Chivas USA – at – Kansas City Wizards:

In a way I kind of feel KC could get the win here but their home field plays better for Chivas than it will for them. Chivas plays so tight in the middle in a way that should see them control the pace of the game. KC does make good runs but they still have those mental lapses that Chivas is very good at cashing in on. I may be one of the few on this one but I am just feeling an upset (mainly because the other prediction is a draw and we already have too many of those this season). Chivas hasn’t picked up points in KC and I see that trend continuing here this season.

Player to keep an eye on: KC needs a big game out of former DP Claudio Lopez. His creative play in the attack needs to happen early and often for the Wizards to pull this one out.

WVH Prediction: KC 2, Chivas 1

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Seattle Sounders FC – at – Colorado Rapids:

This one honestly has game of the week material written all over it. Both clubs certainly should have picked up three points last week but Seattle couldn’t finish and Colorado didn’t make the most of their chances. Seattle has some question in the middle of the pitch but will be getting some key defenders back in play which they will need against the likes of Conor Casey and company. I see this one being close but in the end a bit too close. If Colorado can work some open space in the midfield they could see some quality attack but I just like Seattle’s defense a little better to close the space down in the final third of the field.

Player to keep an eye on: Rookie of the year candidate Steve Zakuani could see plenty of open field on the right side of the pitch. As long as Seattle plays through him wisely on the wings they could find ways around the Colorado defense with his speed.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 1, Seattle 1

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Chicago Fire – at – New York Red Bulls:

It’s kind of doubtful to see Chicago lose it’s undefeated mark this weekend against New York after the way they played on the road (and of turf) in Toronto a week ago. New York got a nice late draw against the Dynamo last week but really have not made a positive impact on their current four-game homestand. New York will have a kick in their step though after their horrible loss to DC in the Open Cup this week. A lot of starters rested in that one but Chicago is still the deeper club of the two. For me this one comes down to defense and Chicago still exceeds New York in that department.

Player to keep an eye on: John Wolyneic was the spark for New York a week ago but he needs more minutes to do it again this weekend.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 2, New York 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

The Cauldron will be loud tonight with DC in town. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Two midweek games for week eight. A big night in general if you count Toronto FC’s game in the Canadian Champion tonight against future MLS side Vancouver. But I’ll just stick with the MLS games for the evening to preview.

RSL returns home to host the Galaxy who just scored their first win of the year. And in Kansas City, DC comes to the CAB for a big time clash of two up and coming eastern clubs.

DC United – at – Kansas City Wizards:

1. First place on the line, who steps up for DC on the road?

No Ben Olsen, Marc Burch, or Fred tonight for the boys in black. Guess the need to lead will come on Jamie Moreno who easily stepped into that role last week against Dallas. As long as the offense is rolling fine for DC they could be fine on the road here. Just remember DC only has a single loss on the season here so far and it was at Salt Lake (a place DC and no one else wins at). Also KC is a play DC typically sees success in as well. As long as guys like Moreno step up on the road they should be fine.

2. What does Kansas City need to do to pull this one off?

Remember KC had last week off so they should be nice and rested up for this one. With only a couple guys on the injury list we should see the same roster that Curt Onalfo has been using for the last few weeks on the field tonight. KC needs to get more from guys like Josh Wolff and Davy Arnuad in this one. Defensively they should have their hands full tonight with the likes of Emilio and rookie Chris Ponitus.

Most of what KC needs to do is control the midfield play from the start. On their homefield they’ve done a good job of taking care of the ball so far this season. Doing that and maybe catching a break on offense from time to time could help the Wizards move back into the lead in the eastern conference.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

With no Olsen or Fred in the midfield tonight for DC, I’m going to be watching Santino Quaranta in the midfield. If he can have a nice controlled game like what I’ve see out of him recently DC could be looking at another three points when the night is over. He’s a guy that can really sneak up on people and put home a game winner.

Quick Thoughts:

This game should really be competitive. Both clubs are really starting to come into their own this season and right now I see both contending in the eastern conference. So this game is big for the three points and for some bragging rights as well. Not having Olsen and Fred worry me a bit in the midfield for DC but the loss of Burch is also big to consider. KC has shown they can come back from a couple goals ot grab some points this season so even if they go down early in this one you cannot count KC out of it.

I think in the end these two are pretty evenly matched at this point so I am going with a draw for the night. It should be a tightly contested game in the midfield with a couple breaks for each club that lead to a goal for each. Pontius for DC grabs one and KC gets a goal from Jimmy Conrad off a corner kick to tie it up.

WVH Prediction: KC 1, DC 1

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LA Galaxy – at – Real Salt Lake

1. What can LA do to keep the wins coming here?

First of all they have to figure out a way to get points at Rio Tinto Stadium. A tast that has not been done so far this season. Secondly they still have a lot to prove to the rest of the league here that last week’s win wasn’t a fluke or a lucky win.

It could be a good time for LA to get points at Rio Tinto. RSL will be without midfield leader Javier Morales (suspension) and defensive beast Jamison Olave (suspended) and veteran keeper Nick Rimando (broken finger). Losing those three could be a break for LA to get points as long as Landon Donovan controls the offense and guys like Chris Klien and Eddie Lewis step up.

2. Without Morales in the middle, who leads RSL in this one?

Jason Kries needs a big game out of guys like Kyle Beckerman, Will Johnson and maybe an even bigger game out of veteran Clint Mathis. RSL has plenty of talent in the midfield that should match up well against the Galaxy who are a bit shaky to say the least in the middle of the park. Also it wouldn’t hurt to see a guy like Robbie Findley put it to his old club either for RSL.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Even though you hate to see Rimando out it does come at a good time for Chris Seitz. We’ve been wondering for a couple years now when he would get his chance in goal and the time is now for the youth national team keeper. A big game from him could go a very long way for this club if Rimando is going to miss any more time this season.

Quick Thoughts:

If RSL had been fully set to go with no injuries or suspension I would have easily thought they’d win this one with little trouble at home. They’ve been so good at home this season so it is hard to even think of picking against them here. However losing Olave and Rimando in the back is pretty big when you have a guy like Donovan coming into town. I think LA will get their chances in this one but RSL will have to battle a little more than they normally would at home for the three points. Donovan gets a goal for the visitors but Mathis and Yura Movsisyan put the game away for RSL.

WVH Prediction: RSL 2, LA 1

Seven games to discuss here for the upcoming weekend, five on Saturady afternoon/evening and two more the next day on Sunday. All but one game are conference clashes this weekend, the lone inter-conference meeting is out in Sandy, Utah between RSL and New England.

All clubs are in action this weekend except for Houston, who has been off this entire week. All four clubs that had week-night games are in the mix again this weekend. Tough doubles for Chivas, Toronto, New York and Kansas City. Depth will come into question for each of those clubs this week for sure.

As always feel free to pipe in your score predictions below.

Chicago Fire – at – Columbus Crew:

1. Will the rest give Columbus enough to get back into gear here?

Let’s face it Columbus needs a win and if Chicago plays any bit like they did a week ago in the second half it could end up being their first. Hard to believe six weeks in and the defendind champs haven’t record a single victory yet. The rest should have done some good for the Crew who need to find their offensive ways.

2. Will Chicago bounced back after their second half funk from a week ago?

Let’s face it that last 20 minutes for the Fire was terrible. It mostly was due to sloppy defense and a lack of midfield presence since Black was subbed out and even later on Marco Pappa came off the pitch. With both of them gone, well mainly without Blanco to be real honest, the Fire lacked the punch in the midfield that they were giving the Wizards in the first half and even the first part of the second half. As long as the midfield trio of Pappa-Blanco-John Thorrington is in tack things should be good for the Fire offensively and even defensively.

I’d say the funk they put themselves in will also cool off a bit unless their back four get into some card trouble. Against a club that is tough like the Crew it could be a rough evening for Chciago at Crew Stadium.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

Chad Marshall for the Crew will certainly have his hands full tomorrow night with Brian McBride in the box. Should Blanco or Pappa connect with McBride the Fire could be looking at extending their eastern conference lead. Marshall has to come up big on the defensive side of the ball for the Crew and it also wouldn’t hurt if he was able to put away one of his big headers on the offensive side as well.

Quick Thoughts:

The Crew have to win something eventually here and the Fire have to lose one eventually here as well. Both clubs really haven’t put it all together for a full 90 just yet but the Fire have been able to look better so far this season. Columbus needs a strong showing at home here to get the ball rolling but I just don’t know if it will come against the Fire. Chicago is too dangerous and right now I just don’t know if anyone other than Gulliermo Barros Schelotto can score for the Crew. Its not bad that GBS is scoring for the Crew but he certainly needs help carrying that load here. I like this one to actually end in another draw for each club. Chicago plays well on the road but they tend to drop out of games for stretches of the game and I see Columbus capitalizing on that.

WVH Prediction: C0lumbus 1, Chicago 1

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New England Revolution – at – Real Salt Lake:

1. RSL returns home, so should we expect more of the same out of them?

What I mean by that is more of the same home play out of RSL. Let’s face it this club is great at home and terrible on the road. They just are. I don’t see any other reason to why RSL won’t bounce back in this one after looking so-so on the road last week in New York. They host a very underrated New England squad that is still undefeated here in the young season. With this being the one interconference clash on the weekend, bragging rights are on the line.

2. What does New England need to do to pick up points in Rio Tinto?

One thing RSL does well at home is spreading the field and really making people work to get the ball in possession in midfield. New England has to control things from the start with guys like Shalrie Joesph and Jeff Larentowicz. This will be key since the New England backline is ravished with injuries right now. If they don’t control things from the start it could get ugly, like it was a couple weeks ago when RSL hosted the Crew.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I’m watching out for Yura Movsisyan in this one and so should you. With the amount of injuries for New England’s back four I see Movsisyan give those that are out there a giant headache tomorrow night. He’s big and physical and could easily work his way into a couple of goals if he finds himself in the right spot to do so.

Quick Thoughts:

Honestly I don’t like New England’s chances to sneak in to Rio Tinto and get even a single point from this one. Their backline is too banged up and starting some rookies in the back (though who have been good) could be troublesome for Steve Nicol. RSL is just too good at home and should get the three points in this one to move up in the western standings. I’m not saying New England doesn’t have a chance but I just think a injury-depleted defense on the road equals disaster. Plus let’s be honest too, their offense hasn’t done much so far this season anyways.

WVH Prediction: RSL 3, NE 1

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LA Galaxy – at – Colorado Rapids:

1. Can we really expect LA to do anything special on the road here?

The Galaxy have not won in their last 11 league visits to Colorado, since a 3-1 win July 13, 2002 at Mile High Stadium. The Rapids have won their last seven league home games against the Galaxy, winning nine and drawing two over the undefeated span. Yikes. The Galaxy are one of two clubs without a win right now and if they are going to pick up the first win of the year it will be in a venue that has been very unfriendly to them.

2. Can we expect Conor Casey to continue his Galaxy beat-down?

A couple weeks ago Casey went off for a hat trick against a Galaxy squad that probably produced one of the worst defensive efforts I’ve ever seen. From start to finish in that game Casey owned the Galaxy. Put Casey and the Rapids at home for the second time this year (yeah six weeks in and this is their second home game) and it could be another long night for Bruce Arena’s bunch.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

While I fully expect LA to key in on Casey look for Omar Cummings, Colin Clark and even Mehdi Ballouchy to have bigger games. Really keep an eye on Ballouchy, I think people are starting to grow tired of seeing him in the middle of the field for the Rapids, if he doesn’t start producing soon he could see his way to the bench.

Quick Thoughts:

If I were to do a bet of the week it would probably be this one. LA looked terrible the last time they faced Colorado and the fact that the Rapids are playing some pretty good soccer these days lets me believe that they will have no problem handling their business at home against LA. I fully expect Casey to have another big night against LA.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 3, LA 1

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FC Dallas – at – Chivas USA:

1. Who is more gassed from the mid-week game?

Both had to make cross country trips back west for this game after playing on Wedneday night. Each club lost in similar fashion, Dallas lost in a US Open Cup game at DC while Chivas was in league play up in Toronto.

Chivas will need to bounce back quicker if they want to retain their hold on the rest of the league in the standings. I really felt they went too defensive against Toronto and really didn’t throw a lot of numbers forward. While Dallas played with some reserves in DC and lost for it. If anyone is tired it could end up being Chivas.

2. Does Dallas have any momentum going into this one?

They may actually after picking up the win against Toronto last week. Offensively things are starting to click a little better but defensively things are still where they’ve always been. One bad mistake against a club like Chivas and it could be a long trip back to the Big D.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Watch out for Dallas’s David Ferreira. He’s slowly starting to find his own way in MLS and once he continually gets on the same page as Kenny Cooper we could see a really deadly combination between those two.

Quick Thoughts:

Chivas needs a bounce back from their mid-week game while Dallas is slowly playing with some confidence here. A few weeks ago Chivas absolutely took it to Dallas in Frisco thanks to some of their newcomers. Getting the return leg at home here this weekend I think Chivas will wake up offensively after how they played on Wednesday and get on the board against a Dallas defense that still hasn’t proven a thing (other than they give up weak goals). This Dallas side just doesn’t strike me as one that will pick up a lot of road points this year though too. I could be wrong about that but Chivas will bounce back, from what I’ve seen out of them they are a quality side and quality sides tend to bounce back quickly from losses.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, Dallas 1

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San Jose Earthquakes – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

1. Will getting Kasey Keller really make a big difference for Seattle?

He should. Let’s be honest about that Keller should make the impact that most of us have seen out of him. In the two games (or one and a half) since his red card the Sounders have given up a couple cheap goals and have looked out of sync since their leader was gone. Thing is they need to find their offensive ways again too, since Keller was carded they’ve also gone dry offensively (though I doubt Keller really has anything to do with that).

2. Can the Quakes put it together for a full 90 on the road?

Put a young club on the road in a place like Qwest Field and it could be a long night for the Quakes. I’ve said I want to like this club but they have some serious defensive issues right now that I just can’t get behind. Down the middle where Seattle has been successful is a key area that San Jose has not played well so far this season. If they are going to stop Fredy Montero or Freddie Ljungberg they have to get quality play out of Ramiro Corrales, Ryan Cochrane, and Nick Garcia.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

One guy that should have a good night for Seattle is their big striker Nate Jaqua. Going against a defense that lacks a serious punch, I see Jaqua sneaking in for a goal or two tomorrow night.

Quick Thoughts:

Again, I want to like the Quakes but they are so unproven on the road here this season and with defensive issues against a side that can be so dangerous behind Montero, Jaqua, Steve Zakuani, and Ljungberg it could be a long night in Seattle for the visiting side. Sigi Schmid lead clubs don’t typically lose three straight and I think this is the right game for them to get back on the scoresheet and back in the win column.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, San Jose 0

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DC United – at – New York Red Bulls

1. Will New York continue to see red?

Its funny, these last couple games for the Red Bulls have been card infested. Newly aquired Carlos Johnson has seen two reds in three games. His stand-in Jeremy Hall has also seen red in that time. Something has to change because it isn’t like the guys are being more phyiscal on the ball, no, its careless fouls that are costing this club. Against a rising club like DC one mistake and it could be another long night for the MetroBulls.

2. Who will lead the way for DC this week?

It seems like one week it is Luciano Emilio, the next it is Jamie Moreno, and the following is Ben Olsen. Which is good. This club needs their big leaders to do just that, lead. They need a solid performance out of each of those guys on Sunday.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Watch out for rookie Chris Pontius. So far this year he’s been playing really well for a rookie and if New York tries to double up on Emilio like I think they may you could see extra space for Pontius and other guys like Fred or Moreno. I think Pontius could be a difference maker in this game.

Quick Thoughts:

DC had the mid-week game in the Open Cup and looked good. NY went on the road last night and sort of stunk up the place in KC. I thought they had a chance or two to come back in that one but they never seemed to get on the right side of things offensively. I would have to think DC is the fresher of the two clubs but in a rivalry game all bets are off. I know NY will need this game to bounce back but I’m not fully counting on it as DC is starting to play some decent soccer here. NY still hasn’t put it together for a full 90 like most thought they would by now.

WVH Prediction: DC 2, NY 1

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Kansas City Wizards – at – Toronto FC:

1. Can Toronto keep up what they started on Wednesday?

I’ll be honest, on Wednesday night that was some of the best soccer I’ve seen out of John Carver’s bunch in a long time. They controled the pace from the start and never let Chivas USA in the match. Oddly enough most believe they played better despite the loss of Dwayne De Rosario. It was part that and part Amado Guevara stepping up and carrying this club on his back in the first half.

They host a KC club that is really playing some good soccer right now. No losses in their last four games which is really good after losing their first two games to start the season, including one to this Toronto side at home.

2. What does KC need to do to pick up some more road points?

First of all the need to keep momemtum at their side as much as possible in this one. Toronto did an excellent job on making sure they controled the midfield play against Chivas and right now that could be a weakness of KC. Their midfield has played well at times lately but I think their success has been to their defense stepping up and their offense finally producing. If they don’t possess the ball better than what we saw last night out of them it could be a really long game for the Wizards.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I think in this one you gotta keep a look out for Pablo Vitti for Toronto. I keep thinking this guy is going to really turn it on here sometime and start scoring. It could be that he needs to not be on the field at the same time as Chad Barrett, maybe Barrett’s ways are rubbing off on Vitti. Whatever the case may be I think Vitti could do well in this one.

Quick Thoughts:

This one honestly is now shaping up to be the game of the week. Two up and coming clubs who are playing some good soccer clash to end the week. I think Toronto has to get on the board early here if they want to win this one. KC has shown they can keep a lead when they get one and Toronto has never been known to come from behind here. I think in the end this one ends up level after 90 minutes. Toronto finds the back of the net in the first half but KC battles back with Claudio Lopez and Josh Wolff.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 1, KC 1