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.

Could Bobby Convey be headed home to Philly? (Getty Images)

The speculation has begun for the Philadelphia Union and their expansion draft that takes place tomorrow afternoon. The 15 clubs released their protected list last night and now the Union have a full list of guys that they can get 10 players from. And the talent is there for Union to get off on a good foot here.

I do have a feeling a deal or two will be worked out tomorrow but that is just a hunch.

Below are the ten I believe the Union could go for tomorrow. I went fairly defensive minded as I think that may be the way Philly goes since they haven’t made any moves yet like Seattle had already done by this time last year. Defense is always a good place to start with a roster and they can fill in the holes offensively this winter. Some of these I may be off on but we’ll see.

Bobby Convey (San Jose): His salary may be a little high ($220,000) but we know Convey is going to be on his way out of San Jose this summer, it just seems likely. He’s a Philly guy and it makes perfect sense.

Anthony Wallace (Dallas): He’s cheap, he’s young and has plenty of solid experience with the U-20 national team. He just graduated from his Generation adidas contract and he’s totally cheap ($75,000).

Pat Phelan (New England): He was a guy plenty of us debated about for being protected but the Revs had to leave him off the protected list. I think he will fit in well in the defensive midfield part of Peter Nowak’s lineup.

Brian Edwards (Toronto FC): He’s young, from New Jersey and a very solid keeper that would give them a decent start in goal. I know Jon Conway is out there and is a Philly guy but I think Edwards gives them a better shot than Conway. Also, I just don’t buy in to Philly taking Amado Guevara from Toronto here either.

Matt Besler (Kansas City): I was kind of shocked to see his name on the exposed list. He’s young and cheap for sure and no doubt he would be a good fit for the defense as he has plenty of league experience (he played in 28 games this year for KC).

Andy Iro (Columbus): He’s big, physical and has plenty of great potential for Nowak. He’s played center back and would easily fit into the type of system Nowak likes to run with his defense I think.

Stephen King (Seattle): A Philly boy that has been stuck on the bench in Seattle. I know he is an impressive player and will fit in well in the midfield for Philly.

Jacob Peterson (Colorado): A young midfielder with loads of experience. While his salary may be a little high ($100k) compared to others on this list I think he would be a guy that could not only use a change of scenery but probably fit in well in Philly.

Alan Gordon (LA): He’s the lone striker that I’m selecting here and for a reason. I see Philly going out and finding other strikers in the winter to fill their offensive needs. Gordon isn’t expensive and he brings plenty of talent for Nowak.

Robbie Russell (RSL): Kind of hard to believe he could go from kicking the winning PK on Sunday to a new club on Wednesday. His experience factor abroad and here leads me to put him here.

Think I missed on someone here? Let’s here it.

Now I will stay away from the allocation trades and things like that. So you won’t see a grade for Brian McBride or Will Johnson or guys in that category since clubs signed them, even though allocation position was traded. We can do grades on guys like that later on.

Interestingly enough, only Columbus is missing from the trade game this season. They’ve made some moves (and yes I know they traded for Pat Noonan’s rights) but haven’t gone after a player from another club like some teams have this season. Very interesting, maybe that is why they are on top of the standings and everyone else is looking up at them.

But as for how the other trades have gone this year, here is what I am giving them. Feel free to discuss trades involving your clubs or moves you thought worked out well this year.

Chad Barrett to Toronto FC: For the most this move has worked out well for this club. He’s produced and has actually been fairly consistent with his play. Not to mention he’s signed a contract extension with the club already.WVH Trade Grade: A-

Arturo Alvarez to San Jose Earthquakes: Alvarez wasn’t going to cut it in Schalles Hyndman’s system so a move was going to happen. San Jose was the best destination for him and so far this move has worked out well for the Quakes as they’ve made a serious push for the playoffs in recent weeks.  WVH Trade Grade: A

Abdus Ibrahim to Toronto FC: He had to leave Dallas due to family issues but I must say Toronto got a hell of a deal with this kid. We may not see it on the field this year but in years to come he will end up being a big time player in this league. WVH Trade Grade: A

Ivan Guerrero to DC United: Guerrero didn’t work out well enough in San Jose but his move to the Nation’s Capital has worked out. He’s been a quality addition to DC’s midfield play and has established himself as a starter. WVH Trade Grade: B+

Preston Burpo to Colorado Rapids: Smart move really to land this veteran keeper by Colorado. San Jose was wise to get him even though they had Joe Cannon. Once the season got going they knew Burpo would be instant trade bait. Colorado took it and he has actually become a starter in recent weeks for the Rapids. So this trade worked out for everyone. WVH Trade Grade: B+

Jeff Cunningham to FC Dallas: A trade I called for a while back that actually happened. I think its working out well despite the results for Dallas right now. Cunningham and Kenny Cooper showed last night that they can work well together given the proper time to get use to one another. The results will come and I think Cunningham is a perfect fit for Dallas. WVH Trade Grade: B+

Kei Kamara to Houston Dynamo: Dominic Kinnear searching for this year’s Joseph Ngwenya. I think he found it too. WVH Trade Grade: B

Scott Sealy to San Jose Earthquakes: The Quakes got a steal in this deal I thought. Sealy is a good scorer when he is given the chance. Out in San Jose he will and has been given a solid chance with Frank Yallop. Not to mention his price tag is really cheap, which makes this deal even better for the Quakes. For KC it was kind of a bad move now that we look at it since they are having to trade their way back into things up top. WVH Trade Grade: B

Pat Phelan to New England Revolution: Phelan is definitely a Steve Nicol kind of guy. Toronto needed to make room on their roster so moving the young rookie was the thing to do (though stupid on their part because Phelan is a solid player). I think in years to come we will see more of a value in this move but I still think looking back on it was the right move for the Revs. WVH Trade Grade: B-

Zach Thornton to Chivas USA: I think they over spent for this one though they did need a keeper at the time when Brad Guzan left for England. But at least Thornton is getting another chance. WVH Trade Grade: C-

Carey Talley to Chivas USA: Decent trade but Talley hasn’t been all that big for Chivas this season. WVH Trade Grade: D+

Carlos Ruiz to Toronto FC: Its a gamble for Toronto but from what I’ve read its a smart one even if he doesn’t produce anything. I believe they won’t be on the hook for him next year in terms of salary. Honestly I don’t see him in Toronto next year anyways or in MLS for that matter. Still if he can score a few before the end of the year it will be good. But for now its been a bit of a bad gamble. WVH Trade Grade: D+

Joey Franchino to LA Galaxy: Some said at the time this was a smart move for the Galaxy. Uh, yeah I said it was a pointless move. And it still is, definitely an Alexi Lalas move. WVH Trade Grade: F

Jovan Kirovski to San Jose Earthquakes: An early season move that was a bit of a waste. Does Jovan even play any more? He may be hurt for all I know. Anyways this wasn’t a great move afterall. WVH Trade Grade: F

Chris Pozniak to Chivas USA: Another waste. They ended up waiving him. WVH Trade Grade: F

Herculez Gomez to Kansas City Wizards: When he is on his game he is one of the better young strikers in the league. The thing is he fades away too much. I think KC will be a good place for him if he gets his time but he needs people feeding him the ball, and if Claudio Lopez is doing that this move could end up being good. I won’t grade it though until I see him in a Wizards kit. WVH Trade Grade: Incomplete

Abe Thompson to Kansas City Wizards: Another player that if you give him his time he will score lots of goals for you. He did that here and there in Dallas, and in big spots too. Thing is he comes and goes and that isn’t a good thing for a club making a playoff push. Like Gomez I won’t grade it until I see him on the field with his new club. WVH Trade Grade: Incomplete

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.

This very well could be a deal that could signify a possible deal with Chicago before long regarding US striker Brian McBride. Toronto makes up the roster space to get the room for a possible player that Chicago will be giving up.

What player might that be? Toronto had strong interest in Justin Mapp, while Wilman Conde would also be a good addition for Toronto. I’m still thinking they could/should go for a Chris Rolfe or Chad Barrett.

New England makes out very well in all of this by acquiring a versatile and highly-regarded rookie in Phelan, who can provide cover both in the back and in defensive midfield. Adding a defensive player like that to increase their depth going into the summer is a move I really like for the Revs, plus I am still pretty high on Phelan to be a quality player in this league.

It will be interesting to see what Mo Johnston has under his sleeve now and just what the Fire will give up for the chance to add McBride. I think to say that Toronto doesn’t have leverage in this deal is a bit silly but it is MLS we are dealing with here when it comes to a high profile player.