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.

Order of video: Geoff Cameron, Nate Jaqua, Kheli Dube (hat trick), Juan Pablo Angel, Dax McCarty, Dane Richards, Chris Wondonlowski, Sacha Kljestan, and Landon Donovan.

By the way, what was with Rob Stone’s Max Bretos call on the DeRo goal? That was just plain annoying.

Order of video: Kheli Dube, Steve Ralston, Steven Lenhart, Jason Garey, Patrick Nyarko, Blanco, Bryan Namoff, Dwayne De Rosario, Alecko Eskandarian, Landon Donovan, and Eddie Lewis.

2008 record and finish: 12-11-7, 43 pts., third in east, lost in first round of playoffs.

Offseason Player Movement:

Michael Videira (2008 draft pick, played in Scotland instead of MLS)
Kevin Alston (SuperDraft)
Zach Simmons (undrafted free agent)
Ryan Maxwell (SuperDraft)

Outgoing:
Jose Angulo (waived)
Adam Cristman (trade w/KC)
Khano Smith (Seattle Sounders FC – Expansion Draft)
Doug Warren (waived)
Michael Parkhurst (via free transfer to FC Nordsjaelland – Denmark)
Joe Germanese (contract not renewed)
Gary Flood (contract not renewed)
Brandon Manzonelli (contract not renewed)
Brandon Tyler (contract not renewed)
Sam Brill (waived)

Questions going into 2009:

1. With the loss of Michael Parkhurst, who will step up for this club?

That man has to be Gabriel Badilla. He was brought in for that very reason too a year ago. I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see more help come from Africia or South America once the season kicks off. You know that since Steve Nicol found guys like Kheli Dube and the two young Gambians last year that he will go the extra mile to improve his defense with the loss of Parkhurst this year.

2. Can Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman remain healthy long enough to push this club back into the MLS Cup picture?

If the defense wasn’t a big enough question surrounding this club than this is right up there with it. If the Revs even want to dream of post season glory they need these two at their best for the majority of the year. When things were really good last year it was due to Ralston making things happen in the midfield and Twellman putting things home in the attack. When both when out with various injuries a year ago the club never looked the same offensively.

3. Player to watch out for this season.

I think the key for New England does rest in Kheli Dube this year. I really felt Dube should have been the rookie of the year a season ago but injuries late in the year hampered his chances at that award. When Dube was paired with Twellman in a couple games you could see some magic on the field. I think a full season with them both healthy will go a long way in getting the Revs back into the MLS Cup contention.

Look at the 2009 Schedule:

The Revs once again have to deal with some SuperLiga action late in the summer. Thankfully for them their schedule isn’t nearly as heavy as it was a year ago. Early on in the year they spend a good part of their time on the road. Six of their first nine games are on the road with a couple games being back-to-back.

Once summner hits the club should be enjoying more time at home. I think June and July will be a time for them to really pick up some points if the injury bug hasn’t hit this club already by then.

Late in the year will be rough if the club is struggling to reach the playoffs. They end the year with Columbus twice and Chicago once.

2009 Season Outlook:

Obviously the club wants to look past what happened in the fall of 2008 and move on to 2009. They’ve seemed to have reloaded based on their draft and getting 2008 pick Michael Videira back on their roster. This group still remains mostly the same as the last few years with additions here and there to counter the exports out.

Overall I still have to consider New England one of the top dogs in the east. The younger players on this roster will really determine where this club goes this season. Still I fully expect more players to be brought in before the summer months. Playoffs shouldn’t be an issue again btu getting back to MLS Cup rests on the shoulders of Ralston, Twellman and Badilla.

Sean Franklin takes home the ROY honors. (Getty Images)

Yup, LA Galaxy defender Sean Franklin has been named the 2008 MLS Rookie of the Year after beating out New England’s Kheli Dube and Houston’s Geoff Cameron. Franklin started 26 out of 27 games and recorded one assist.

Honestly, I know Franklin is a big talent for LA and will be a staple of that backline for a few more years but I really felt he didn’t deserve this award. Sure the first half of the year he was the clear front-runner for this award but after June he was clearly not.

I know he was the only quality player on the LA backline but he was a member of the LA backline that gave up 62 goals this year. Yes, 62. I know the rookie field was very slim this year in terms of who to give this award to but I just don’t agree giving an award to a defensive player (rookie or not) who’s club gave up a league-high in goals this year.

I felt Dube had a better year even though he was hurt a bit more. And I also think Cameron is going to be a very solid defender in his own right for Houston.

Anyways, congrats to Franklin, he becomes the first Galaxy player to win the award. He also joins a decent list of previous ROY winners, mostly defenders:

2007: Maurice Edu – Toronto FC
2006: Jonathan Bornstein – Chivas USA
2005: Michael Parkhurst – New England Revolution
2004: Clint Dempsey – New England Revolution
2003: Damani Ralph – Chicago Fire
2002: Kyle Martino – Columbus Crew
2001: Rodrigo Faria – MetroStars
2000: Carlos Bocanegra – Chicago Fire
1999: Jay Heaps – Miami Fusion
1998: Ben Olsen – D.C. United
1997: Mike Duhaney – Tampa Bay Mutiny
1996: Steve Ralston – Tampa Bay Mutiny

A lot of end-of-season awards in Major League Soccer are just as tight as the playoff race. I’ve been tracking the Rookie of the Year and MVP races for some time now but I figured I would weigh in on all the awards for once since we are in the final few weeks of the season.

MLS MVP Award:

1. Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus Crew: His club may be playing well without him but his numbers still make a serious case for MVP this season. He should be back soon, which can only mean his soccer IQ on the field will enhance the Crew even more here.
2. Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy: 19 goals in just 21 games. I think that may be all I need to say here. Earlier I thought his production wasn’t enough for the MVP this year but I am thinking otherwise now.
3. Shalrie Joseph, New England Revolution: He and his club may be stumbling but that should all work itself out once the Revs clinch a playoff spot.
4. Darren Huckerby, San Jose Earthquakes: If this were a half-season MVP I would probably have a tough time picking between Schelotto and Huckerby. Both have been stellar in the second half of the season. Huckerby has only been here for a half season, just think what he can do for a full year.
5. Juan Pablo Angel, New York Red Bulls: He’s forth in goals this season in the league but I don’t think that will be enough to get him this award this year.

Others in the discussion:

Javier Morales, RSL; Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Chicago; Kenny Cooper, FC Dallas; Jamie Moreno, DC United; and Sacha Kljestan, Chivas USA.

Newcomer of the Year:

1. Darren Huckerby, San Jose Earthquakes: No doubt that Huckerby will win this one. In nine games with the Quakes, he has scored six goals. Not to shabby.
2. Andre Rocha, FC Dallas: A bit of a homer pick for me but I’ve loved Rocha’s play on the field this season. At times it’s been tough to watch but most of the time he has been a solid addition to the Hoop’s midfield.
3. Rohan Ricketts, Toronto FC: There has to be a bright spot in a dark season for the Reds, that bright spot is Ricketts.
4. Jorge Rojas, New York Red Bulls: Let’s face it, since the addition of Rojas the Red Bulls have looked like a whole new club. He’s a big reason for that.
5. Emmanuel Ekpo, Columbus Crew: This Olympian has given Sigi Schmid a nice addition on the wings.

Others in the discussion:

Jamison Olave, RSL; Louis Crayton, DC United; and Francisco Lima, San Jose Earthquakes.

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Rookie of the Year:

1. Kheli Dube, New England Revolution: Some think that Dube isn’t the front-runner anymore, I think otherwise. Then again, this year’s award may be anyone’s guess at this point.
2. Andy Iro, Columbus Crew: I still like Iro could sneek in and win this award. But will the voters feel the same way?
3. Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo: Expect to see more of him in the final weeks of the season.
4. Justin Braun, Chivas USA: He’ll get more minutes as well which could really help him out in this award race.
5. Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy: Some have him as the front-runner but I think he played himself out of that a while back. Could he sneak up again though is the question?

Others in the discussion:

Roger Espinoza, KC Wizards; Stephen King, Chicago Fire; and Steven Lenhart, Columbus Crew.

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Goalkeeper of the Year:

1. Jon Busch, Chicago Fire: Best stats in the league, to his credit though his defense in front of him is pretty darn good too.
2. Joe Cannon, San Jose Earthquakes: Cannon is a very close second right now for me in this race. Should the Quakes get in the playoffs he will earn a bunch of votes for this in the process. And rightfully so.
3. William Hesmer, Columbus Crew: Hey his club is still top dog in the league, and he is a reason for it.
4. Matt Reis, New England Revolution: I still think Reis is one of the best keepers in the league. From time to time he isn’t able to show it because of faulty defense.
5. Pat Onstad, Houston Dynamo: Onstad is in that same category as Reis. Solid every year.

Others in the discussion:

None, really outside of Busch and Cannon there isn’t much of a race going on here.

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Defender of the Year:

1. Gonzalo Segaras, Chicago Fire: There’s little doubt in my mind he will win this award this season.
2. Michael Parkhurst, New England Revolution: We know what Parkhurst can, but can he work his way to the top of this list?
3. Wilham Conde, Chicago Fire: People love Segares and hate Conde at the same time. Its a shame too because Conde is a beast.
4. Chad Marshall, Columbus Crew: Speaking of a beast, Marshall is one of those guys that probably is due for a National team call-up.
5. Bobby Boswell, Houston Dynamo: Think DC is wishing they hadn’t traded Boswell before the season?

Others in the discussion:

Jimmy Conrad, KC Wizards; Bakary Soumare, Chicago Fire; Jamison Olave, RSL; and Wade Barrett, Houston Dynamo.

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Coach of the Year:

1. Sigi Schmid, Columbus Crew: Once the Crew wrap up the Supporter’s Shield so does Sigi wrapping this award up. Or has he already done so? Maybe.
2. Preki, Chivas USA: His club may have had a rough year but you cannot deny how well Preki has handled it all this year.
3. Frank Yallop, San Jose Earthquakes: Can Yallop get his club to be the first expansion club to reach the playoffs since Chicago did so back in 1998?
4. Dominic Kinnear, Houston Dynamo: Two MLS Cups and possibly one more on the way? Simply remarkable if you ask me.
5. Steve Nicol, New England Revolution: Nicol has navigated his club through a heavy schedule.

Usually by now we have a solid understanding of who will win what award by the end of the season. The thing is this award may be the most up for grabs right now because of injuries and players finding themselves out of favor with their coaches.

Take the number one pick in the 2008 SuperDraft Chance Myers. He started the year out and before the mid-season he was out of favor with the Wizards coaching staff. Not because of attitude but because of performance. Usually number one picks are suppose to be good but Myers certainly was not. His decision making seems careless, which has caused numerous goals scored against KC.

Then you have LA’s Sean Franklin. For a while we figured he was the best rookie, then injuries took their place and knocked him off the top. More recently poor play has hurt his chances of getting this award, not to mention the overall play of his club.

Then you had New England’s Kheli Dube. Finally it seemed like we had a rookie that knew what he was doing. Playing well, scoring goals and making people in New England forget they had an injured Taylor Twellman on the bench. What happens to Dube? He got hurt and hasn’t been seen from in about a month now.

So who has stepped up since then? Anyone? The door was open when Dube went down for guys like Chicago’s Patrick Nyarko and Chivas USA’s Justin Braun. But both went down before anyone could even place their name at the top of a list.

So what’s the list look like now? Some names are still there but some are rising to the top very quickly anymore.

1. Andy Iro, Columbus Crew: When things are going for you club you begin to find players who are the reason for it. We know about Schelotto in the middle, Hedjuk in the back, and Moreno up top. But this rookie in the middle of the defense has really impressed lately. He just scored his first career goal this past weekend and has been a force in the Columbus defense lately. Will it last? Will he get hurt now?
2. Kheli Dube, New England Revolution: Even though he’s been out lately you still have to look at him for this award. Four goals from a Supplemental pick is pretty impressive any year. And yes this high while being hurt means this rookie class has not been that great too.
3. Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo: He hasn’t seen as much playing time lately but that is due to his club being healthy again. I would imagine once the Dynamo start playing more in the CONCACAF Champions League you will see his name on the starting XI again. Which is good too because he’d depth to his club cannot be overlooked right now.
4. Stephen King, Chicago Fire: Hey, when everyone else is hurt in this rookie class its been King who has stepped up when needed. Two goals on the year from a pick that I thought was a total steal by the Fire. Can he continue his climb up in the final months is the question.

Still trying to find their way up here:

Juluis James, Toronto FC

Eric Avila, FC Dallas

Danleigh Boreman, New York

Anyone else that I missed?

Today just seems like as good of a time as ever to update this list. Seeing how it has been nearly a month’s time since our last view at this list. Some rookies are shining in league games and in once case in SuperLiga games.

With only ten or 12 games left on the year (depending on the team) some guys have to make a serious push in the final months of the season to get votes here. A couple guys are still well ahead of the rest. Some guys have fallen completely off the watch and some new faces have come up in recent weeks.

I think there is finally a true order to this list as well. Before I had said there was no need to have a true order until we had seen enough out of some players – well I think we have now.

And as always, feel free to pipe in your own thoughts and comments on this list with a list of your own.

1. Kheli Dube, New England Revolution – For most people now, Dube is the front runner for this Rookie of the Year award this season. Four goals in 15 games this year for the rookie is some solid numbers. What may be more impressive is the fact that he was a Supplemental pick! Not a SuperDraft pick!
2. Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy – Recent injuries have hindered his progress on this list, not to mention play of his club in recent weeks. Once he gets back to health I think he will still contend and get votes for this award from Dube. But he does have a bit of a hill to climb now.
3. Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo – Cameron is a personal favorite of WVH (I had a couple classes with him back in his WVU days before he went to URI). His play recently in SuperLiga has really impressed me and a lot of other people around the MLS world. The more PT he gets the better he is getting.
4. Andy Iro, Columbus Crew – Another defender on the list, for good reason too. I think people under estimate his value on the backline for the Crew. He’s big, strong, and pretty quick.
5. Tony Beltran, Real Salt Lake – May be the biggest mover in recent weeks in my mind. His recent play (and his club’s play) have been outstanding. He’s one of the reasons why that RSL defense is becoming one of the best in the league.
6. Justin Braun, Chivas USA – Not the flashiest of players but still a solid one. But hopes of winning this award henge on how many goals he can put up in the final months.
7. Julius James, Toronto FC - Recent play of his club has hurt James but if they can get their act together you will see him move back up this list. He’s a beast in the air on set pieces and before long he will start coming through on them for the Reds.

Some others trying to move up:

• Eric Avila, FC Dallas – If you haven’t seen him play for Dallas yet go online and find a few clips of him. He’s been solid in the attack for Dallas and has some quality service.
• Danleigh Boreman, New York – Was up the list but is still down here because his PT hasn’t been as much and his overall play hasn’t been great lately.
• Patrick Nyarko, Chicago Fire – Don’t be shocked to see him in the top five before long.

I think now that we are halfway through the season we can have a better understanding of who is in this race and who is not. Some guys have floated on that bubble, while others are starting to place themselves in the true discussion for this award. A lot has to do with playing time, how their clubs are doing and what impact they are actually making on the field.

Still no true order to this list though, that will still come later on. Feel free as always to post your short list or discuss mine.

1. Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy: Still one of the favorites in most people’s minds right now. Even with the lack of actual success on the LA backline, Franklin is still making solid strides to be one of the better center backs in the league. Let’s just hope Abel Xavier’s terrible play doesn’t rub off on the rookie.
2. Kheli Dube, New England Revolution: Others will have Dube atop their lists. He is definitely up there on mine.
3. Julius James, Toronto FC: The more time this kid gets on the field the better. Come October he will be an absolute beast for this club.
4. Justin Braun, Chivas USA: I must say, I still get impressed by this kid each time I see him out there. He isn’t making loads of headlines or anything but he is still for the most part a mainstay in the Chivas lineup.
5. Andy Iro, Columbus Crew: Another guy that is starting to see a lot more time is Iro. The kid is a tower on the backline for Columbus with Chad Marshall. Another kid that come later this season will be a total beast. Hell, I think he already is.

Fringe guys for the list:

1. Danleigh Boreman, New York: I don’t know what has happened with Boreman recently but I tend to lose him out on the pitch. Then again his club has been pretty terrible in recent weeks so that may be why.
2. Chance Myers, KC Wizards: Number one pick isn’t playing like one anymore. He may not even be the best rookie on his club at the moment.
3. Jonathan Leathers, KC Wizards: Who is the better rookie, Leathers or Myers? Right now I would honestly say Leathers.
4. Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo: Continues to get better with each game, and I’m not saying that because I know the kid. More PT coming up could help his cause in this award.
5. Patrick Nyarko, Chicago Fire: Not playing a whole lot now but you will begin to see a reason why people thought he would have been the number one pick in the draft come this fall. He will be torching clubs as a sub in the 70th minute.
6. Pat Phelan, New England Revolution: Toronto will be wishing they had kept Phelan in the long run. I know they needed to free up a roster spot but in the long run he will make them wish otherwise.
7. Eric Avila, FC Dallas: That perfect cross to Abe Thompson is reason why this kid will begin to make his way up the charts here.

Others that should be considered, but won’t:

• Emmanuel Ekpo, Columbus Crew: I’m pretty sure he won’t count as a rookie, if he does put him up near the top. He has seen time with other clubs in Africia, so that is why I think he won’t be considered.
• Sainey Nyassi, New England: See Ekpo.
• Kenny Mansally, New England: See Ekpo.