The Galaxy could actually be better in 2010 than what they were in 2009. (Getty Images)

We’re a little over half way home in our look at each Major League Soccer club this winter. So far we’ve hammered out Chicago, Colorado, Chivas, Columbus, DC, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, and Philadelphia in out preseason look ins.

So far this winter the LA Galaxy have had a similar offseason that we expected them to have. David Beckham went to Italy to be with AC Milan and Landon Donovan went to England to play for Everton until March. We knew going into the winter months that those things would happen. Unlike last year when there was a lot of bad press about loan moves for Beckham, this year was a little smoother for the two sides.

Aside from that Bruce Arena has made a couple moves since then and even with one draft pick back in January at the SuperDraft he came away with a solid draft grade by me and most people.

Let’s see how the Galaxy are looking right now and what else they need to do to their roster before the season kicks off.

Keepers:

Who they have: Donovan Ricketts, and Josh Saunders.

Notes: No third keeper on the books just yet but I’m sure they’ll have one eventually. It doesn’t matter though as I honestly believe they have one of the best starter/backup duos in the league with Ricketts and Saunders.

We know that Saunders can step in at a moments notice if Ricketts goes down but for the most part Arena has little to worry about in this department.

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Defense:

Who they have: Gregg Berhalter, Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, Yohance Marshall, Alex, AJ DeLaGarza, Leonardo, and Sean Franklin.

Notes: There were plenty of issues with this group last year, particularly when a team had speed to burn they’d be in trouble. Most folks believe the two Brazilians (Alex and Leonardo) are there to fix that as well as provide depth. Honestly this group is only going to get better considering the amount of youth there. I know Berhalter and Dunivant aren’t young but with guys like Franklin, DeLaGarza and Gonzalez this group should be fine for years to come.

I think they addressed their needs with the two Brazilians too. I haven’t seen much of them yet but a couple folks have told me they’ll fit in fine for Arena in the back. Alex was brought in to fill a left back spot and I’d imagine the Arena and company aren’t as worried about this group as they were two months ago.

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Midfield:

Who they have: David Beckham, Clint Mathis, Eddie Lewis, Chris Klein, Dema Kovalenko, Mike Magee, Juninho, Chris Birchall, and Michael Stephens.

Notes: They won’t have Beckham until after the World Cup, we know that much and really that isn’t a big deal as we saw last year. The big deal with this group is even though they added Juninho and Stephens they haven’t gotten any younger. I’m not sure but I am willing to bet this may be the oldest group of midfielders in the entire league right now. Its a risky move to have that many veteran players in one area of the team and at times last year it costed them.

Still as long as all the right parties are healthy and the ones that come off the bench produce they should see similar results from 2009. I love the addition of Stephens through the SuperDraft. He may end up being one of the more underrated picks of this year.

I would have like to have seen some more work done in this area on the wings but between the draft and the addition of Juninho and Mathis they will likely be fine here.

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Forwards:

Who they have: Landon Donovan, Edson Buddle, Jovan Kirvoski, Alecko Eskandarian, Tristan Bowen, Alen Gordon, and Bryan Jordan.

Notes: Donovan will be back but after the World Cup will he go again for good may be a big question on everyone’s mind. I think the big thing will be if Buddle can step up when he is gone with the national team leading up to the World Cup and during the it. Buddle is the X-factor here for Arena and the Galaxy, if he produced while Donovan is gone they’ll easily be a factor for the Supporter’s Shield this year, if not it could be a long summer.

They do have plenty of strikers right now on the books but one has to wonder if guys like Jordan, Gordon, Eskandarian and Kirvoski will really all be here at the end of this season. One has to figure at least one of them won’t be. Still all will factor in some way off the bench this year.

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Overall:

I like the moves LA made this winter. In a way I want to say that they’re right on track to where they need to go but something in me thinks they may need to do a another move or two to be safe. This club should contend even without having Beckham for half the year and even without Donovan for some of the year as well. It will be interesting to see if Donovan scores a transfer this summer after the World Cup, if he does it could a big turning point in this club because it would open up a lot of cap space that I know Arena could work wonders with.

Still with Donovan on the roster you have to figure this club will do well this year. I like where this club is going here and they should contend again this year.

I won’t go into any big detail about the Brazil/US game and I am honestly undecided on whether or not to even do a preview of that game. I may just leave that to those who’ve been doing a good job of it lately. But we will see.

This weekend has some decent games on the menu in MLS even if it is a smaller portion than what we are use to here. Only four league games to mention, two on each day.

Feel free to leave your score predictions below.

Saturday:

New York Red Bulls – at – Columbus Crew:

The Crew looked good last week in Dallas until about the 73rd minute. From then on they look nothing like what we’ve seen from them this season. I’m honestly going to take that as a bit of a fluke as they host New York tomorrow. The Red Bulls were totally handled in the mid-week up in Toronto. They looked just flat out terrible against TFC. It looks like they will probably be without a few key offensive players for this one in Columbus and given their road record I doubt things will change too much. Guillermo Barros Schelotto should have a lot more space to run around and create things in this one and I look for the Crew to just control this game from the start.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, New York 1

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Toronto FC – at – Real Salt Lake:

This game really has a lot of interest in it. Both clubs are starting to play pretty well, and TFC looks to have hit a good stride here. Thing is on the road they aren’t quite the same with only a few wins in their club history away from BMO Field. RSL will be missing a couple key guys like Will Johnson and Jamison Olave. I do think this one could go either way with the way Dwayne De Rosario and Amado Guevara have been playing for TFC. RSL will have to control the midfield play if they want to win this one so they will need a big time performance out of Clint Mathis and Javier Morales. I’m gonna give RSL the benefit of playing at home for this one as I do think they are starting to come around here.

WVH Prediction: RSL 2, TFC 1

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Sunday:

Colorado Rapids – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

Seattle needs a big time performance in this one by their defense if they want to win. Lately they’ve been giving up a lot of easy goals. Thankfully for the Emerald City bunch they have been bailed out by the play of Columbian Fredy Montero in recent weeks. I think Montero will have to get touches early against the Rapids defense that can let in their share of easy goals. Colorado on the other hand will again have to turn to Omar Cummings who has been great as of late. This one sounds like a draw with the way Seattle has played recently but I’m calling an upset as I really want to see Colorado come up here and move up the charts like I think they are going to. Cummings has been a handful for everyone lately and he could be the difference.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 2, Seattle 1

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Houston Dynamo – at – LA Galaxy:

LA hasn’t looked nearly the same over the last couple weeks after they drew so many games in a row there. We are seeing exactly what they are made of and it still isn’t anything special. Houston on the other hand has been playing very strong as of late though they will be missing a couple guys to international callups for the Gold Cup. I think LA needs a lot more than just guys like Gregg Berhalter and Dema Kovalenko returning to the lineup to beat Houston. I look for Stuart Holden and company to continue their unbeaten run here with a win.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, LA 0

Dwayne De Rosario leads TFC against FC Dallas on Saturday. (Brian Stephens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

So far the 2009 season has been a lot different than most would expect. Two western teams headline the standings with perfect records, while a couple eastern clubs aren’t far off the pace. Judging by this weekend’s schedule this could be a good for some struggling clubs to get on the board here this season.

This will be the first weekend in a while that I can remember where all the games are on Saturday. Easter Sunday probably has a good bit to do with that reasoning. Seven games total, with only New England missing out on the fun due to the unbalanced schedule this season.

Feel free as always to post your score predictions for your club’s game or for all the games below.

FC Dallas – at – Toronto FC:

1. Can Toronto correct their offense and get on the board against a very weak Dallas defense?

You’d have to think that the best cure for some offensive woes this season have to be facing a club like Dallas. Toronto gets a double dip this week and next week with the North Texas club. I wouldn’t be shocked to hear that John Carver and his club should expect no less than four points out of these next two games with Dallas.

I thought last week against Seattle the Reds created some decent chances for themselves but were just unable to do anything with them. Pablo Vitti looked pretty good on a couple passes from Dwayne De Rosario. And speaking of DeRo, or the FCD-Killer as I like to call him, you have to think he would like nothing more than to get on the board this season against his old Texan rival.

2. What can Dallas do to slow down the attack from Toronto?

For one Dallas hasn’t played all that well in BMO Field in their two visits. They won last year’s meeting but at that point and time they were actually doing alright as a club and Toronto was already starting to fall into their summer funk. I think this visit being a bit earlier in the year will change things, especially since Dallas isn’t doing well so far this season. They need to find a way to get Kenny Cooper involved more and control the ball in the midfield. Toronto actually is doing better this season in the midfield so it will be another tough test for this Dallas midfield.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I’m going to go with Toronto’s Pablo Vitti again here. I think while Chad Barrett will probably getting his fair share of looks, Vitti either as a start or off the bench should make an impact in this one. I just think he pairs up well with Dallas’s backline.

Quick Thoughts:

Dallas has a lot to work on here and a road trip to Toronto is not the best time to fix some the problems going on with the club. They may still be able to get on the board in this one but I think Toronto just has more talent in all the right areas this year in comparison to Dallas. Schellas Hyndman still hasn’t found his touch in the professional game  yet and I really don’t see it starting to show in a place like BMO Field. Toronto will bounce back from their 2-0 loss to Seattle with a nice win over a struggling Dallas team.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 3, Dallas 1

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Chicago Fire – at – San Jose Earthquakes:

1. Can San Jose find their offensive touch once again against a strong defense like Chicago?

Hey we all thought Houston had a mighty good defense and then the Quakes some how came out and torched them for three goals in 15 minutes a couple weeks ago. Maybe San Jose is the type of club that plays up to their competition when they face a good club and down when they face other clubs (no knock on you KC). So if that is the case we should expect their offense to step it up a notch against a very strong Chicago defense that has played very well so far this season.

2. What does Chicago need to do to control this game?

On the road last year the Fire were one of the league’s best so I wouldn’t be shocked to see them play their style of game in this one. All they have to do is control the pace of the game from the start and get their main guys involved early. San Jose is the type of team that can be beaten early in a game if you attack quickly.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Marco Pappa for Chicago has been really good so far this season. He scored a goal last week in the win against New York and I could see him making a similar impact on this one as well with how shaky San Jose’s defense can be at times. His speed on the wings along with guys like Patrick Nyarko and Chris Rolfe could be a lot to over come.

Quick Thoughts:

I honestly don’t know what to make of these Quakes just yet this season. I want to like them I really do but they have been too inconsistent so far and good teams like Chicago handle inconsistent teams with ease. I think it will be tighter than last year’s contest in Oakland since it is being played at San Jose’s normal venue and not in Oakland. It will be interesting to see if Blanco gets the start or if he continues to come off the bench for Dennis Hamlett’s group.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 2, San Jose 0

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DC United – at – Real Salt Lake:

1. Can DC get a win in the Rocky Mountains?

DCU as we all know have been largely terrible in Colorado and in Salt Lake City over the years. It could be an altitude thing or just a mental thing but whatever it is hasn’t been good out of the Black-and-Red. DCU needs to get on the board early like they have so far this year with guys like Luciano Emilio and rookie Chris Pontius. Using their wings will also help out but the key battle will be in the midfield between RSL’s Javier Morales and DCU’s Christian Gomez. So far Gomez hasn’t impressed and Morales has been his usual self. DC needs a good game from Gomez and a bad game from Morales to get the three points here.

2. Can Robbie Findley keep up the scoring?

One thing I’ve been waiting for now for a couple seasons is for what Robbie Findley did against Columbus last week, just go crazy and score. His hat trick was hopefully his coming out party for good here this season and if that is the case then look out. Findley has the tools to be really dangerous for this kind of matchup, plus he has been linking up very nicely with Yura Movsisyan so far this season.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

I think wing play will be a big factor in this one at Rio Tinto Stadium. In that case I think a guy to watch out for is RSL’s Will Johnson. He can be very dangerous from the wings and if he start to link up with Movsisyan and Findley up top it could be a long evening for the visitors.

Quick Thoughts:

I know a lot of you haven’t like what I’ve been saying about DC lately. That’s fine and in a way I do hold them to a pretty high standard. I really hope to see a quality game on Saturday betweek these two. I won’t like I think it has game of the week potential written all over it and no one is really talking about it in that manner. I see this being a pretty tightly contested game in the midfield with a defensive error causing the homeside to end the night with three points.

WVH Prediction: RSL 2, DC 1

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Colorado Rapids – at – Columbus Crew:

1. Will we finally see the Crew be the Crew this season?

Yeah, the Crew haven’t looked like the club that dominated things last year but then again they didn’t dominate early in the year last year so there really isn’t a huge reason to go nuts just yet in Columbus. Colorado comes into town Saturday and the Rapids may be just what the Crew need to get things going in 2009. The visitors haven’t won in Columbus since 2004 including last year’s 2-1 result.

2. Can Columbus stop Conor Casey?

I think it is safe to say that the three goals from Conor Casey had a lot to do with the poor defending by LA last week. Still a hat-trick is a hat-trick no matter who you score it on. Columbus will more than likely mark Casey a little more than LA did, which should make it tougher for him to get open in space like he did a week ago. Plus Columbus has plenty of size in the back that matchup well against Casey.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

As much as I expect Columbus to mark up on Casey this weekend I would say that could leave some space up for Colorado’s Omar Cummings. If he can get just the slightest about of space he has the speed to do some serious damage.

Quick Thoughts:

Columbus has to get on the board here if you ask me. Four games in for the defending champions and only two points to show for. They are home for this one and should be able to get the positive result. I don’t see Colorado getting the same sort of space in this one as they did a week ago in LA. Columbus plays a little more compact in the back unlike LA. Look for Columbus to control the midfield in this one and get their first win of the year.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, Colorado 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – Houston Dynamo:

1. Just how badly does Houston want this game?

I think we all recall the last time these two faced off in Houston. New York got some nice calls from the man in the middle of the field and scored three goals when it was all said and done to advance to the next round of the playoffs. That bad taste was left in Houston’s mouth all winter and I think they’ve been waiting around so far this season for this game. You have to expect they will turn it up a notch in this one to get the result.

2. Will we finally see some fresh faces for New York?

We sure are getting there that’s for sure. Alfredo Pacheco may not be one though as the club is still waiting on his ITC card. That isn’t looking good for him to get that just yet from what some are saying. We did finally get to see fullback Carlos Johnson last week and another full week with the club should help his playing time. The big one we are waiting on is Spanish midfielder Albert Cedades. Once he gets use to his new club it could be a big turnaround for New York. Keyword in there is “could”…its just a big if right now.

3. Player to keey an eye on.

Speaking of newcomers, we should see Houston’s newcomer Ade Akinbiyi in this one. If he comes off the bench (which I bet he will) I mainly want to watch and see how fit this guy is and if he will even be enough to help the Dynamo’s attack this year. A lot of pressure will be put on him to help carry the load.

Quick Thoughts:

The more I look into things here with New York the more I think history is quickly going against this side already in 2009. I know its early but only one club in league history has gone winless through three games and reached the MLS Cup (DC in 1996). And things were mighty different in this league back in 1996. (That stat actually affects both clubs here even though I was talking about New York) I really see Houston pressing for this win on Saturday. They hated to end things last season the way they did against New York and I would bet that their fans won’t forget it either. New York hasn’t looked good on the road yet this year and I doubt it will start this weekend. I just don’t think the newbies for New York will make that big of an impact just yet.

WVH Prediction: Houston 1, New York 0

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Kansas City Wizards – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

1. What can Kansas City do to slow down the Sounder attack?

Let’s be honest for a minute, KC on the road this year hasn’t been anything special and quite frankly it hasn’t been anything special over the last couple of seasons. Put them in an environment like Seattle and you have a potential disaster right? Maybe. KC has to attack early in this one and get Seattle on their heels. The Sounders haven’t allowed a goal yet this year and if they allow one now I have a feeling it will rattle them enough, even at home. I don’t think it will rattle them enough to drop a game just yet though.

2. Which Fred will start?

You have a Fredy that didn’t make the trip last week due to the flu (and other reasons). And an aging Freddie that got banged up a little bit in the trip to Toronto. Depending on which goes it may not matter as the offense goes through that position on the field. I’d kind of wonder what Sigi Schmid would have to do without both Freds. Probably rely more on rookie Steve Zakuani.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

A lot for KC depends on how well Santiago Hirsig handles the offensive load for this club. If he can get guys in space and distribute the attack it could be a good day for the visitors. Thing is he will be going against one of the hottest guys in the league in Osvaldo Alonso.

Quick Thoughts:

Can you really go against the Sounders right now? I really don’t think you can with the way they’ve been playing. I want to find a reason to pick KC but I honestly have none right now.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, KC 0

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Chivas USA – at – LA Galaxy

1. Which LA will show up for this one?

We know LA can turn it up against their HDC rivals. After last week’s performance against Colorado I know they can score and probably will against Chivas. I just don’t know which defense will show up for this club. Now with the addition of veteran Gregg Berhalter you’d have to think a quick team like Chivas could have a field day against a defense that has already played once this week (a loss in PKs in the US Open Cup on Tuesday to Colorado).

2. Just how real is this Chivas bunch?

This Chivas group is a real mystery that has pulled off three straight to open the season. No big name headlines the success of the group and most of the usual names on their roster are hurt. But give credit to Preki for trusting in newcomers like Eduardo Lillingston and youngster Gerson Mayen.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

In this new edition of the SuperClascio it still comes down to one man, Landon Donovan. He has been a Chivas-killer since the AmeriGoats came into this league. I don’t see any reason why he doens’t keep it up in 2009.

Quick Thoughts:

While I don’t think Chivas is dropping this game I have a feeling it will end in a draw as LA will use the heat of the rivalry to fuel their attack. Chivas didn’t play all that well against their HDC mates a season ago and I have to wonder if they have the defense to hold off a guy like Donovan (two goals and two assists in two games this season). I don’t see LA pulling away with this one but I’ve seen stranger things out of this bunch before.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, Chivas 2

“Gregg is an experienced and knowledgeable defender who will be an excellent addition to our club,” Arena said. “He is a good passer and organizer of the defense and I believe that he will help improve our team in the defensive end of the field.”

The Galaxy used their top allocation spot to sign Berhalter. The 35-year-old defender will probably get slotted into a defense that is both young and old.

If healthy this could be a good signing for LA. Even at his age I think bringing a veteran defender on board never hurts at any time of the year, especially this early in the year. Some will probably hate on this signing but I have to admit it is nice to see him in the league and I really think it could pay off for the Galaxy. Yeah, call me crazy.

Right now the most likely destination will be the LA Galaxy, who currently own the top allocation spot in the league’s allocation order. Clubs right behind the Galaxy could also make a play for Berhalter’s services if they trade up to the top spot.

I think a team like Dallas or DC need to try to make a play here as they are number two and three, respectively right now in the order. All three clubs could use a veteran defender like Berhalter.

Where do you think he will land? Think the Galaxy will really be able to afford him right now?

Gregg Berhalter could be a MLSer soon?

I found this article on the always interesting No Short Corners. Greg Seltzer looks through the potential players abroad and to the South that could see their way to Major League Soccer in a free transfer sense. You know the type of deals MLS loves to get.

Anyways, Seltzer gives us a top five (and plenty of others in the honorable mention side) that could see their way to MLS in the near future. He also throws in which clubs he sees getting those players.

I felt like looking at this and giving my own thoughts to the list because I really believe Seltzer is on to something here.

His top five were:

5. Ze Roberto
4. Gregg Berhalter
3. Christian Panucci
2. Fernando Morientes
1. Gerardo Torrado

I don’t have too many issues with this list to be honest. I’d be first to say that getting Torrado in the league would be awesome, especially to the likely destination of Chivas USA. Seltzer mentions Morientes to Dallas for the obvious reasons of Kenny Cooper leaving this summer. He could be a Juan Pablo Angel type of signing for Dallas and if that is the case I am all for it.

Berhalter is an easy choice to come home before he retires from the game. More than likely if he were to at this point I could see LA grab him with their top allocation spot. Dallas wouldn’t be too bad off if they were able to land him in the allocation order either. Both clubs need defensive help.

I still don’t believe the Ze Roberto to MLS talk so I really won’t go into that one. Though I do like the idea of him in Colorado. I still the Rapids going after an Asian to be really honest with you for a higher profile type of signing.

Other guys I think could make a splash over here on the transfer-free scale (via Seltzer’s list):

Steve Watson (Sheffield Wedneday) – This Englishman screams Toronto FC to me. A 34-year-old defensive midfield just seems like the typical early season Toronto FC signing. I don’t believe there are any rumors or mentions of his name but looking through this list of players his name jumped out to me the most for Toronto.

Gary Doherty (Norwich) – An Irishman that sounds like a decent MLS prospect. He’s has mentions of a possible move to MLS before with San Jose and it could still happen before long. Recent injuries have taken him away from seeing playing time and if it keeps up Norwich could wind up releasing him.

Marcus Hahnemann (Reading) – I don’t see him moving anytime within the next year or two. In a way I think it depends on where MLS could expand to next that could determine where he could go too. He was always mentioned to go to Seattle but once Kasey Keller signed up that notion went out the window. We could still see him return to Colorado or maybe Portland if they get a club (that is if he wants to return somewhat close to home).

Zheng Zhi (Charlton Atheltic) – I mentioned above that Colorado could possibly sign an Asian and I think the Chinese caption would be a good fit for the Rapid’s midfield. He’s known as the best player in China right now and would be a huge marketing splash for any MLS club in my opinion. Think Yao Ming only in a soccer sense.

Of course there are a few other Americans that will more than likely return by the end of next year:

DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers) – My money is still on him coming back to MLS this summer.

Jay DeMerit (Watford) – This one may actually be a couple more years away but I fully experct DeMerit to return to MLS, possibly to the Fire.

Got a player you think could cheaply come to MLS?

Claudio Reyna and Steve Nash had a little event. Okay little doesn’t even start to describe it.

First off, the event was packed as packed can get. Hell even Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati were sitting on the turf to watch the game because every other inch of space inside the park was taken. Outside of the park, fans climbed trees and fences, others stood on a roof of an adjacent apartment building to catch a glimpse.

The scene was crazy, the game was crazy but in all it looked like one hell of a time. The collection of soccer and basketball stars was impressive.

Nash, the two-time NBA MVP, and Phoenix Suns guard Leandro Barbosa, were former Liverpool greats Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Rob Jones.

Playing with Reyna, Jozy Altidore and Gregg Berhalter were Jason Kidd and Baron Davis and Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou.

Oh yeah, some guy named Thierry Henry was there as well.

Uh yeah, that’s just a nasty combination of stars folks.

I won’t go into any other details because I think these two write ups will sum it up the best. SF from The Offside Rules and the wonder Ives from SBI. They were there, so they had a better experience than I did from my home reading about it.

Ives brought up another good point though about this with Reyna. Should he have played? Hmm…interesting. Sounds like something fishy is going on with him these days. I wouldn’t be too thrilled if I were a Red Bull fan.

I will provide this video to you all that I found in SF’s post.


Thierry Henry and Steve Nashled from peter cortez on Vimeo.