According to the Boston Globe, Joseph was trespassing at a hotel and was later arrested for it.

Joseph was taken to the Orlando Police’s central booking office at 3:31 a.m., according to an arrest affidavit. Trespass is a misdemeanor in Florida, according to police spokeswoman Sergeant Barbara Jones.

Both Joseph and defender Kevin Alston were sent home for disciplinary reasons, according to the team. Alston was not charged.

According to the police report, officers responded “in regards to a loud party.’’

The officers cleared the room, which was being rented by two women, and told the people to return to their own rooms. But Joseph and another man remained in a stairwell, having a conversation.

Joseph was ordered again to go to his room but responded, “I’m not doing nothing wrong. I’m not going anywhere.’’

A brief argument ensued, the hotel’s director of security was summoned, and Joseph was eventually arrested.

Shalrie Joseph will be called to lead in 2010. (Getty Images)

The winter months can either be good or bad on a Major League Soccer club. Its all really on who leaves the club and who comes in to help out. Take the New England Revolution for instance, each year its seems they lose one big name after another either in a trade, a transfer or just someone not wanting to re-sign with them.

Yet somehow the Revs always seem to bounce back in some form the following year thanks to manager Steve Nicol. But looking at this winter one has to wonder did they lose and give up too much?

Its time to find out as we take another preseason look-in to see how the club is doing and what they need to add before the season begins.

Keepers:

Who they have: Matt Reis, Preston Burpo, and Bobby Shuttleworth.

Notes: On paper right now this group is set but dig a little deeper and the club has to be concerned about injuries issues for at least the next couple months with Reis. That’s why they made the play for Burpo, a solid backup plan if you ask me. Once Reis is back to full health the Revs will continue to be find in this department.

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Defense:

Who they have: Kevin Alston, Darrius Barnes, Gabriel Badilla, Emmanuel Osei, Cory Gibbs, and Seth Sinovic.

Notes: On paper this seems a little light but the youth there is so solid. I can’t tell you how big of a fan of Barnes and Alston I am. I also like that they went out and got Gibbs this winter too in that trade with the Rapids. Gibbs wants to be in New England and word has it he is a happy camper right now which is good to see for Revs fans.

They may have given up a bunch in the back this winter with Jay Heaps retiring and the trade of Chris Albright to New York but as long as they add one or two more parts back here, which they will, I don’t see a big drop in this club’s defense.

Right now it seems like they could still use at least one more outside back and one more center back for depth reasons.

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Midfield:

Who they have: Shalrie Joseph, Chris Tierney, Sainey Nyassi, Mauricio Castro, Michael Videira, Nico Colaluca, and Pat Phelan.

Notes: They took a beating in this department this winter losing both Steve Ralston to AC St. Louis and trading away Jeff Larentowicz. Honestly the loss of Larentowicz is harder on them as he allowed Joseph to be himself more than anyone out there. However they do have a young guy in Phelan who will help ease the loss of Larentowicz more than some realize.

Unfortunately they have not addressed the loss of Ralston just yet. I know Nicol is looking but the clock is ticking away here and waiting around until the summer to bring someone in to help get the attack going may be too risky. They need an assist machine like Ralston was and right now other than Joseph possibly stepping into that role I don’t know who else will do it here. Maybe one of the rookies like Zac Boggs who will likely end up in the midfield rather than as a forward on the pro level (if they end up keeping him).

Adding a playmaker or some depth on the wings will go a long way here to help this bunch compete in the east.

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Forwards:

Who they have: Taylor Twellman, Kenny Mansally, Kheli Dube, Edgaras Jankauskas, Zack Schilawski, and Zac Boggs.

Notes: The Revs have to bank on a couple things here this season. The big one is getting and keeping Twellman healthy for the season. I think if he can play at least 20 games (or more) this year it will be a positive thing. After that they have to hope Schilawski produces goals or helps create them…not to mention remembering that it was the Revs that picked him, not the Crew.

I still think they need to go after another scorer here. They can’t rely solely on Joseph to do the work this year. Mansally, Dube and Jankauskas have to step up more for them to be successful in the east.

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Overall:

Like I mentioned above we have seen this club lose a lot of quality players over the year but I honestly don’t know how they bounce back from this winter. Don’t get me wrong their draft wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good enough to make people comfortable right away. Defensively I think the club is going to be alright but just like last year they will be in a lot of close games until a scorer steps up or until Twellman is back to his old self.

I’m one that usually drinks the Steve Nicol kool-aid but this winter has me thinking now that Paul Mariner is gone along with Ralston and Larentowicz and the injury issues to Reis and Twellman that this could be a very long year for Revs fans.

A couple more moves may change my mind but I get a sense that the Revs are going into this season just like they are now.

Shalrie Joseph lead the way for the Revs in 2009. (Getty Images)

Sometimes less is more, and in the case of the 2009 edition of the New England Revolution less nearly became a lot. If you would have told me that the Revs would have lacked both Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman for the majority of the season and still made the playoffs this year I would have called you crazy.

Turns out crazy happened. The Revs were lead by Shalrie Joseph’s MVP feet all year long and while I believe Joseph played nearly every spot on the pitch except the one occupied by Matt Reis, the Revs ended up getting into the playoffs and nearly came away with a first round shocker over the Chicago Fire. But a trip to the Windy City over the weekend finally did in this group that saw more injuries during a season then any team that I can recall over the last few years.

Offensively the Revs were one of the worst in the league, just slightly behind the New York Red Bulls and the Kansas City Wizards for fewest goals scored this year. Defensively they were middle of the pack, which is impressive after losing Michael Parkhurst and having guys like Chris Albright sidelined for the majority of the season.

The Revs for some folks probably over-achieved in 2009 based on what they had and the amount of injuries they suffered this year. Steve Nicol proved why he is still a quality coach in this league when he plugged in third-round draft pick Darrius Barnes to the lineup, along with fellow rookie Kevin Alston to fill the void left when Parkhurst left over last winter. If you’d throw out out a blowout or two early in the year there is a change this club could have had one of the best defenses in the league. If Nicol can retain the young nucleus and a couple veterans like Jay Heaps in the back this defense could be good for years to come.

What Went Right In 2009:
Having Shalrie Joseph be the MVP that he is and carry the club pretty much all year was good to see. Finally Joseph is getting the long-overdue recognition for his efforts in New England this year. Some how battling through the injuries and making the playoffs as the third-seed in the east is remarkable. They remained consistent enough to get in the playoffs which should help them out in the coming years as the younger group of players mature with this club.

What Went Wrong In 2009:
You lose your best scorer for the majority of the season its always going to be a long year. Twellman played in two games this year, just two and he scored in both! Throw in the injury to Ralston that sidelined him for the most important part of the season, the final couple months and it is still remarkable they reached the post season like they did. This club clearly lacked some offensive punch without these two and at times their defense was a victim of it.

What’s Next:
I think keeping Jeff Larentowicz in a Revs kit will be a big thing in the coming months. If I am not mistaken his contract is up after this season and believe me this club would take a huge hit without him on the field. Second of all they have to find some reliable offensive parts. Kheli Dube is good but he isn’t a top scorer yet in this league. Also getting Twellman back to full health will be a big priority this winter. It also wouldn’t hurt to see this club spend some money this winter but we know the Krafts aren’t gonna do that anytime soon.

Stefan Frei has proven to be one of the better picks in the 2009 draft. (Getty Images)

We are nearly halfway through the 2009 campaign and it is a good time to review how the rookies are doing thus far. As stated before I think this year’s rookie class has been one of the better ones that we have seen in recent years. Plenty of rookies are getting a chance on the field and some are making very good impacts with their clubs.

For me right now the rookie of the year race is really starting to heat up. A few guys have really shown they are worthy of the honor already and continue to do so each week. While I won’t go into any particular order with this list I will say the few that are mentioned are definitely above and beyond the rest of the class here.

Steve Zakuani (Seattle Sounders FC): The number one pick continues to impress me. I knew a while back that this kid had some special talent and I believe we are seeing just that here this season. Currently he has two goals and three assists on the year. His number may not jump out to some but his skill on the field definitely do to me. Right now he has to be considered a front-runner for ROY honros. Good to see a number one pick live up to the expectations of the pick.

Stefan Frei (Toronto FC): I think Frei has made a lot of clubs second guess themselves this year to why they didn’t pick him until Toronto did late in the first round. He’s already proven himself to be a quality starter in the league. Hell he’s even gotten Toronto’s old keeper out of a job because of his play. While he has let in a few more goals than other keepers out there a lot of that could be due to the defense that plays in front of him, though I think that could be changing soon.

Rodney Wallace (DC United): When DC selected Wallace at the draft I had a good feeling for them with that selection. Wallace has shown a lot of growth in his first season with the club and continues to be a headache for other clubs with his runs out of the back. Also his defending hasn’t been too shabby either.

Chris Pontius (DC United): A lot of United fans hated this pick back in January. And I mean a lot! Fast forward to today and United is in first place in the east and some of that is due to the play of Pontius who is third in scoring for DC. Just like fellow rookie Wallace, he has seen action in every game this season for DC. Not a lot of rookies can say that. I see nothing but good things for this kid’s MLS future.

Darrius Barnes (New England Revolution): One thing I am sure of is that Steve Nicol sure knows how to pick them. A late selection in the draft was Barnes but none more valuable to New England this season who have been through a lot of injuries in defense. Barnes has been one of the better defenders in the league this year and I think he could easily grow into one of the top defenders in the league in a couple years.

A few others to watch out for:

Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy): Has shown plenty of potential in the back for LA. Still gives up a few chances for other clubs but that may be partly due to the fact that he is surrounded by a fairly young defense with a couple older veterans.

Sam Cronin (Toronto FC): Nearly put him in the top group but he is just outside of it for me right now. He’s played a lot of minutes for this club already this year and I think his value will continue to show as the season moves forward.

Matt Besler (Kansas City Wizards): Another guy that has seen a lot of minutes this season for his club. Besler has shown some good promise for a young club.

Kevin Alston (New England Revolution): When healthy he is as good as though in the top group. He hit a bit of an injury bug like the rest of his club earlier this season but he has returned to help get New England out of their early funk. I do believe he is a name that you could see eventually move to Europe in a few years.

Michael Lahoud (Chivas USA): Here’s a guy that is starting to see a lot more minutes here as the season goes on. So far I think he’s shown a lot of good potential for Chivas. I think given time he will prove to be one of the better picks in this draft.

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

Rodney Wallace has proved to be one of the best picks in the 2009 Draft. (Getty Images)

A lot has been said about this year’s draft class. Going into the draft a lot of people thought it was a deep pool of players, more so than it had been in a few years. After eight or nine games for most clubs you could say those people figured right. Many rookies continue to get plenty of minutes and impress folks in the stands with their abilities.

I figured instead of doing the usual look at the potential rookie of the year today to do something a little different. Instead I will be looking at each club’s selections once again. I’ll do most of the first round and a few random picks here and there from that with a few other notes.

Most of all the clubs who had first round selections used them wisely as we can all see. A few others did not though. Then you have the clubs that hardly picked at all. Those are tough to grade.

As always feel free to post your comments below on the subject.

Seattle Sounders FC: This club made a big splash with Steve Zakuani at number one who has lived up in my eyes as a number one pick. Definitely more of a Maurice Edu-type pick rather than a Nikolas Besagno-type number one pick. Which is a good thing for the expansion Sounders. Zakuani has done enough to make the Sounder draft class one of the better ones this past year.

Toronto FC: Two picks in the first round usually mean the club will do fairly well. While one pick (O’Brien White) hasn’t played yet due to injury, the other pick has certainly lived up to his pick number. Sam Cronin was a worthy number two pick in the draft. Either off the bench or in the starting lineup, Cronin has shown he has what it takes to help make this TFC club a contender. But TFC’s best pick was probably in the last first round pick they had with keeper Stefan Frei. He probably has made the biggest impact of the three first round selections.

LA Galaxy:What can you say about their top two selections? Omar Gonzalez and AJ DeLaGarza have become pretty comfortable in the starting rotation. Each took sometime to get use to the style of play in the league but they are a big part of the reason why this club has only lost a single game this year.

FC Dallas: Had some good selections in the first round. George John has proven to be a very good pickup for this club in the back, who really needed help defensively. Peri Marosevic will get his time. Not a bad draft but then again not the best.

DC United: Two picks in a row in the first round have led to arguable the best draft class for this club in a very long time. Both Rodney Wallace and Chris Pontius are mainstays in the starting lineup for Tom Soehn and each are making big time impacts for the Black-and-Red this season. Right now I would say they are both in the thick of things for rookie of the year. Also, third round pick Milios Kocic has been a good pickup for them in goal when needed. He was a very underrated pick at the time and proves to be maybe one of the best steals of the draft.

Kansas City Wizards: A club with loads of picks this past year. Matt Besler has been a good addition to this club’s defense and Graham Zusi saw decent minutes to start the season. Overall their draft proved to be a decent one but nothing too exciting.

New England Revolution: Another club with a lot of picks, the Revs went out in typical Steve Nicol fashion and got a few good steals. Darrius Barnes and Kevin Alston have been big additions to the club’s defense and I would say Barnes could be right up there in the discussion of rookie of the year. Come on, the kid was a third rounder!

New York Red Bulls: Jermey Hall proved to be what we all pretty much expect him to be. A good pickup. Other than that the Red Bulls really didn’t end up with anyone else that has done enough to improve this club.

Real Salt Lake: Ah, most felt it was the worst draft of any club and I have to still agree with that. Jean Alexandre has really done little of note to be a first round selection. Raphel Cox has decent potential though to make up for it however. I wouldn’t mind seeing him get more playing time for this club as it is.

San Jose Earthquakes: No first rounder and really no big impact selection. Brad Ring hasn’t played but third rounder Quincy Amarikwa is showing potential. Either way its a draft class for this club that few will remember in years to come.

Chicago Fire: With this club being deep already adding a few rookies is tough. None have even had a sniff at the starting XI, much less even time off the bench so far this season. It may be a come back in a year and see if anyone does anything of note.

Chivas USA: Another club with few selections. Michael Lahoud has seen some decent time off the bench for this club. From what I’ve seen out of him in person this kid has some real potential to make the Chivas draft class for this year a good one.

Colorado Rapids: Another so-so draft. None of the players selected have even seen playing time this season. Hard to even say it was a good draft in that regards.

Columbus Crew: Kind of the same as the Rapids. Though fewer selections, one guy has seen time with the club so far this season. I do think third rounder Alex Grendi has turned into a solid selection for the Crew. He’s seen his fair share of playing time already.

Houston Dynamo: The club that took the biggest risks in the draft are seeing any sort of reward from it. Hey we kind of expected it when they took Daniel Cruz and Marcus Tracy with their only picks that it would be a high-risk/high-reward type of thing.

Its early so far but its worth going in to see who has the best shot after the first couple weeks.

So far this won’t be in any particular order but if you have an order to who you think is leading the rookie pack this early feel free to post below. If you think a rookie needs to be on this list, just post below.

Steve Zakuani, Seattle Sounders FC – I think we are all seeing why this kid was picked first by Seattle back in January. And to think we had some questions about Seattle not picking him and trading away that top pick. Right now I think it is safe to say that the number one pick could be the leader in the clubhouse after three games. His one goal and one assist have helped lead the Sounders to their perfect record thus far.

Stefan Frei, Toronto FC – The record may not show and now that he is back on the bench will possibly hurt his chances but Frei definitely showed he was the best keeper in this rookie class. The three goals scored on him were more defensive problems than poor positioning on his part. Not many keepers would save those two goals by Davy Arnuad in week one.

Graham Zusi, Kansas City Wizards – While Zusi hasn’t done anything real special so far for KC he did carry a starting position for the first couple of games. It will be interesting to see if he can keep it up.

Kevin Alston, New England Revolution – Alston is one of two New England rookies to watch. He didn’t play this past week against Dallas but I look for him to be a mainstay (when healthy) for New England this year on their backline. I just thought in week one he did a great job of holding guys like Darren Huckerby and Arturo Alvarez to no goals.

Darrius Barnes, New England Revolution – Barnes is the other rookie for Steve Nicol. I think Barnes has been possibly the more impressive defender rookie so far this season in the entire league. Think about it, the Revs have only given up two goals in three games with rookies in their backline. It could be part poor offense on the other clubs but I would argue its a bit good defense on the parts of guys like Barnes.

Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy – The kid from Maryland has one impressive goal but that is about it really. He looked decent in the first game against DC but was absolutely smoked by Conor Casey and Colorado last week. I still think he will be one of the top rookies this year though.

Sam Cronin, Toronto FC – He hasn’t been a main starter just yet for TFC but he is getting plenty of minutes so far this season. I think he has the chance to be a real difference maker for this club this season. We just need to see more out of him here, that’s all.

Chris Pontius, DC United – Some hated this draft pick back in January, I think it is safe to say now that those who hated it aren’t quite as angry at it now. Pontius has been a steady addition to DC this season.

Freddie Ljungberg and Seattle take their show on the road to Toronto. (Getty Images)

I just realized we have a slew of games this weekend. Seven games across two days, eight if you count the Thursday night game. The unbalanced schedule creeps in starting this week as Columbus has the lovely Thursday-Sunday swing going on. All clubs are in action this weekend though unlike the last two weeks.

But as mentioned we have seven games, four tomorrow night and three on Sunday. A lot of action if you are going to be around the house this weekend to watch. A few really good matchups too to look out for as well. Its still very early in the campaign but it will be interesting to see if clubhouse leaders Seattle and Chivas can keep up their good form.

As always feel free to pipe in your game predictions for the weekend below.

Seattle Sounders FC – at – Toronto FC:

1. Which side can win the midfield battle?

Both clubs are amped for this one. Seattle has all the momentum in the world and Toronto will be on their home opener for the year. Most will say this is the matchup of the weekend, I couldn’t disagree with that statement in the least bit.

The winner of this will surely come out of the midfield. Neither will be without any major players in the midfield in this one. For Seattle to win they have to get pressure on the backline and on Carl Robinson or rookie Sam Cronin. I think so far they’ve done an excellent job of pressuring the other club in the midfield and the lovely turf at BMO Field shouldn’t be an issue in this one.

Toronto needs to return the favor here and get the home crowd into it early. Dwayne De Rosario and company need to spread Seattle wide in this one and get Amado Guevara active right from the start.

If it comes down to it I think I will take the homeside’s group but its mighty close with the way Seattle pressures in the midfield. Osvaldo Alonso has been much better than advertised for this club already here.

2. Can Toronto shutdown Fredy Montero?

Can anybody really shut this Columbian down? This will be a good test for both sides here, Montero on the road for the first time in MLS and Toronto against a really good striker. So far Toronto hasn’t faced a really good striker this season so I am curious to see exactly how John Carver’s club defends him. Thing is as Real Salt Lake found out last week, if you mark him closely it leaves guys like rookie Steve Zakuani and Nate Jaqua wide open.

Toronto cannot allow Montero space in the midfield and near the box because he produces goal of the week material when he is given the space.

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

Normally I don’t like to talk about guys we know a lot of about in this one but I really want to see how Sigi Schmid uses his DP midfielder Freddie Ljungberg in this one. I expect he will at least come off the bench tomorrow for this one. If last week is any indication he will be fine as a playmaker for this club. If he goes from the start I would imagine a lot of the offense will flow through him, which isn’t a bad thing.

Quick Thoughts:

This really should be a fun one to watch, DVR, TiVo or whatever you have. We know what BMO Field brings to the table here and really what these two clubs are about right now. Toronto got a little lucky last week in Columbus but I don’t see that kind of thing happening this weekend against a very hungry Seattle club. I think this is a big game for both in a lot of people’s eyes. We want to know if Seattle is legit and if Toronto can beat a quality opponent.

I think the big thing will come down to if Montero plays or not. Reports this morning suggest he may not play this weekend in Toronto. That could be the break that Toronto needs but I still like this one in a draw.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 1, Seattle 1

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FC Dallas – at – New England Revolution

1. Can Dallas control the midfield against New England?

So far Dallas hasn’t been able to do much and its largely due to their midfield play, not just their poor defense. No one is stepping up enough there to control things or settle things down when things aren’t going well and that is why Dallas is playing the way they are. New England on the other hand is pretty steady in the midfield and that’s why they have four points in two games.

For Dallas they need more from David Ferreira in the attack and more from Pablo Ricchetti in defense. If those two can control their respective ends and distribute wide to David van den Burgh and Dax McCarty.

But as far as controlling the midfield they have to shutdown guys like Shalrie Joesph and Jeff Larentowicz…which is easier said than done for most.

2. Can New England get into some sort of offensive rhythm against Dallas?

What’s the best way to get your attack going during any part of the season? Face a very weak defense. Right now Dallas looks terrible on defense and while New England is missing Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston to their attack they still have some quality scorers in Joesph, Sainey Nyassi, Kenny Mansally and Kheli Dube.

To me this looks like a good game for those guys to step up and get on the boards here this season.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

For me its between rookies Kevin Alston and Darrius Barnes for the Revs. Both are play above and beyond their years here so far this season. They have the task of shutting down Kenny Cooper this weekend. If he shoots the way he was a week ago against Chivas it won’t really matter what they do.

Quick Thoughts:

Honestly there is no way I can even imagine picking Dallas after seeing them these last two weeks. New England hasn’t looked all that great but they’ve at least found results where as Dallas has given them away with ease so far. I think the Revs come into their home opener and handle this game with little problems.

WVH Prediction: New England 2, Dallas 0

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Houston Dynamo – at – DC United

1. Which defense actually shows up for both clubs?

Until last weekend we thought Houston was still a defensive power but 15 minutes in San Jose really made us question that thought. DC sometimes shows the potential to be good at defense but continue to come up short on that end.

Dominic Kinnear’s bunch has to bounce back quickly against Luciano Emilio and company. If they produce the same sort of performance that they did a week ago they could be staring at another big loss on the road to a club that has an even better offense than San Jose. I see Kinnear getting his troops to come back in play better than last week, its a good thing too because they will be pressued early and often by DC’s attack which is improving.

2. Can DC put it together for a full 90 minutes?

Put the injuries aside for a minute, this club hasn’t been consistent enough so far this season. You’d be kidding yourself if you thought otherwise. It was a problem a season ago and it continues now. They’ll look good for 20 minutes and terrible for the following 20. Against a well-coached club like Houston, DC cannot afford to fall into their typical trap of playing bad for long stretches of the game. Some of that comes down to coaching but the rest comes down to the talent on the field.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

We joked last week when Chris Wondolowski scored against San Jose down here in Dallas. We figured a Wondolowski scoring a goal singals the end of the world or something. Jokes aside I think he is slowly turning into a decent player up top for Houston. With a new striker on the way down there he need to continue to impress or he will be back on the bench.

Quick Thoughts:

DC hasn’t won a game in a long, long time here folks. Many believe they were jobbed out of three points in week one and could have even seen three points last week. Fact of the matter is the funk that ended last season is still there. Houston put themselves into a bit of a funk last week when they were missing a couple key guys and their defense stunk up the place. I see this turning into a tight contest with neither one really giving up a lot in the midfield. On paper DC should control the game but their inconsistent play could doom that at times and Houston is still a good enough team to take advantage of it. I like this one in a draw, I just don’t feel comfortable enough to pick United just yet here until I see them put it together for a full 90.

WVH Prediction: DC 1, Houston 1

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Colorado Rapids – at – LA Galaxy

1. Did Bruce Arena use the week off to his advantage for his young players?

For any Galaxy fan you hope the week off meant players got healthy and the young players got more practice time to get use to the MLS style of play. Knowing Arena he definitely used the time off to get the younger guys use to the play here. A good thing too for his young backline because Colorado is playing pretty well offensively with Omar Cummings and Conor Casey. Last year’s rookie of the year Sean Franklin and potential ROY candidate for this year Omar Gonzalez will have their hands full this weekend. Lucky for them and the Galaxy, the Rapids have largely been terrible away from home, especially in LA (4 wins all-time in 19 league matches).

2. Can the Rapids continue their momentum from last week or return to their inconsistent ways?

Colorado is another team that bounces around too much from game to game. If they can put it together for a few games and keep the momentum up from a good win like last week they could actually be a true contender out west. Thing is they typically follow a good performance up with a dud. If that is the case, expect this one to be that dud.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

I think for Colorado a lot is being put on Mehdi Ballouchy’s shoulders this season in the midfield to create. I honestly don’t like the idea but sometimes you never know when a player can change his fortune. Against a slightly suspect defense this could be a good chance for Ballouchy to shine.

Quick Thoughts:

To be fair I honestly don’t like this matchup for Colorado. I just don’t see anyone shutting down Landon Donovan here just yet this season and the Rapids definitely don’t have the defense that can handle him for a full 90. If the US game this past week is any idication as to how well Donovan is playing right now I would expect him to continue scoring in this one and be back up top the Golden Boot standings by the end of the game.

WVH Prediction: LA 3, Colorado 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – Chicago Fire

1. Will the new additions for New York finally make their debut?

It sure looks like midfielder Albert Celades is available to play, as is Carlos Johnson. But are they ready enough to play could be a bigger question? I doubt they’ve had enough time to get adjusted to their new team just yet. Not to mention the MLS style of play. Celades is the big question, if he proves to be the player that most think he is he will make Juan Carlos Osorio into a genuis. However if he turns out to be another Juan Pietravallo, he will just be another waste of money by Osorio.

2. Is Blanco going to go the full 90 here for the Fire?

I kind of have a feeling he will at least start in this one for the boys in red. No reason not to at least since he has been getting more minutes off the bench and last week he looked pretty healthy against DC in his second half appearance. Thing is do the Fire need him to go the full 90 just yet or is he better off getting healthy now and now burning out later on. If that is the case I think Dennis Hamlett is doing a good job of managing this situation with him so he is fit enough to last the entire season.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Chris Rolfe is been a thorn in the side to the Red Bulls over the last couple of years. Last year alone he scored four goals in their three meetings. Even should he be a sub like he was against DC I think he will put some big time pressue on a still shaky defense.

Quick Thoughts:

I honestly don’t know what to make of New York. Until I see their new guys making a difference they still seem to be the same overrated club that they were a year ago. Good up top but terribly overrated in the back. We saw better out of them last week but it wasn’t that much better when you really look at things. Chicago seems like they were almost resting their key guys up for this one last week and I think it could pay off. They get some key guys back in defense which should actually help fuel their attack. I don’t think they will blow the Red Bulls out like they did twice last year but I think they will get the three points.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 2, New York 0

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San Jose Earthquakes – at – Kansas City Wizards

1. Can San Jose keep up their offense from a week ago?

No one expected that kind of offensive outburst from the Quakes, especially against a good defense like Houston. Now the Quakes take their show to the road against a defense that I think has not played well at all so far this season. Two games in and the Wizards have already given up five goals. Not the best way to start a new season.

San Jose needs another big showing from their midfield, especially from guys on the wings like Darren Huckerby and Arturo Alvarez. I’ve said for a while that a way to beat the Wizards is to get wide and spread out this defense. San Jose is a good team on the wings and I think it should help their attack once again.

2. What can KC do to get going here this season?

Obviously Davy Arnaud’s two stellar strikes weren’t enough in week one to get this club off on the right foot in 2009. A lot of us are waiting to see when Santiago Hirsig will actually start and contribute to their attack. So far this season the Wizards have had to rely on rookie Graham Zusi to lead their attack in the midifeld. While Zusi hasn’t played bad he also hasn’t really help create the chances that most believe Hirsig will.

Plus they need better production out of their striking core. Claudio Lopez and Josh Wolff don’t seem to be on the right page with one another just yet this season. That has to change.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

For the Quakes to get some road points on Sunday they need a big game in the defensive side of the midfield from Ramiro Corrales. I think if this veteran goes against a rookie like Zusi he should have little problems helping control the midfield for the visitors. This game will come down to who controls the midfield and I think Corrales should get the Quakes going in the right direction with his play Sunday.

Quick Thoughts:

I want to pick the Wizards since they are at home but so far this season they haven’t given me a reason to buy into them. Sure some guys haven’t played a full 90 and they have some injury issues already but this should be a game they can win I think. Howver I am going with the Quakes here, not based on their performance last week against Houston but based on how well I think they will control the midfield. I think the Quakes will spread out the attack with Huckerby and Alvarez which will lead to some easy goals for Cam Weaver and company.

WVH Prediction: San Jose 2, KC 1

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Columbus Crew – at – Chivas USA

1. Did the Crew just put all their eggs in this game’s basket and not Thursdays?

No one really expected the Crew to go down that badly in Salt Lake City last night. To me it looked like they were hoping for a road point when they tied things up in the first half. It was like they packed things in a bit and hoped not to get anyone hurt before Sunday’s game with Chivas. That came back to bite them in the ass as RSL poured three goals on them in the second 45. Columbus can’t allow Chivas to do a similar thing because the AmeriGoats are starting to play with confidence here this season.

2. Can Preki’s group keep it up against a good club?

For the most part Columbus is still a good club, every club has a bad day every once and a while. Plus Chivas really hasn’t played a good club yet, they’ve beaten Colorado at home and Dallas on the road. Six points is six points but most of us believe they need to get three points against a team like Columbus to prove how legit they are here.

A lot will come down to shutting down the Crew’s midfield, mainly Guillermo Barros Schelotto. If they can replicate what RSL did last night and hope the Crew is still a bit winded from playing Thursday night they could catch the break they need to prove their worthiness here this season.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

Even if he comes off the bench again you have to watch Chivas’s Bojan Stepanovic. His first touch of the ball lead to his first goal in MLS. Not a bad way to build confidence with a new club either. If Columbus gives him an inch he could make them pay for it.

Quick Thoughts:

Columbus needs to bounce back in this one. They should have Aljeandro Moreno and Frankie Hejduk for the full time in this one, unlike last night. I think that will be a big difference on both sides of the ball. Especially not having Hejduk in the back last night proved the Crew really need him this year. Chivas is playing well and will keep this one close. I think end the end it will be a draw as these clubs typically play one another very close. I also think we will see some nice goals in it too from guys like Sacha Kljestan and Robbie Rogers.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, Columbus 2

Some see Husidic as the top attacking midfielder in this draft. His size (at 6’1″) gives him a good advantage over a few others in this draft. Also to go along with this size, his speed is also seen as one of his better assets.

I see Husidic as a mid-first rounder that could move up the board if he continues to impress in some workouts. The need for an attacking midfielder in this draft will be interesting to watch for a few clubs.

Husidic joins a pretty strong Generation adidas class that already includes Maryland defenders Omar Gonzalez, Rodney Wallace and midfielder Jeremy Hall, Akron striker Steve Zakuani, Cal goalkeeper Stefan Frei and Indiana defender Kevin Alston. Some reports suggest other targets Peri Marosevic and Michael Stephens are close to signing and could end up doing so by sometime this week.

The defensive back was a first-team All-Big Ten honoree. He was a part of a stellar backline that produced 10 shutouts this year, including eight against top ranked opponents.

He has decent size and speed and will probably be a good fit with many of the clubs in the league.

More names on the way I am told…could see up to 15 names on the list but more than likely it will be around eight or nine.