Sacha Kljestan is one of the key players for Chivas who needs to step up in 2010. (Getty Images

Its a new week and a new month. Last week we started a new series that looks at the current state of each Major League Soccer club. First we took a gander at the expansion club in Philadelphia and then we began a look at the rest of the league starting with the Chicago Fire.

Today we shift west to look at Chivas USA.

The offseason has been an interesting one in Chivasland. From a new coach in MartinVasquez to a decent SuperDraft. The AmeriGoats are hoping they can find a way to put together a club that finally gets out of the first round of the playoffs and possibly into the MLS Cup. Continue Reading…

Chivas USA was a surprise early on in 2009, but they faded quickly in the summer months. (Getty Images)

It seems like every season or so we get one club that comes out hot to start the season then to only fade in the summer. In 2009 it was Chivas USA who was just that club as they went 7-2-3 to start the first couple months of the season. Nearly half of the season total 45 points came in that stretch of time. Preki had plenty of issues with injuries but this lineup kept plugging away at wins after wins.

But just like clubs before Chivas, the summer was a rough patch for Preki’s group. June hit and so did the schedule as the AmeriGoats had a super fall in SuperLiga. Stars like Sacha Kljestan never seemed to show up with the club needed them most and scorers like Maykel Galindo never stepped up at the right moments.

After the rough patches in June and July, Chivas saw themselves passed up by a few clubs in the standings and things got a little dicey for their playoff hopes. But some key wins in August and September faded those worries away and this club looked like one that could contend for the Supporter’s Shield again after guys like Galindo, Kljestan and Eduardo Lillingston starting to step up again.

By the playoffs Chivas was once again bounced in the first round, just like they’ve been done in the past couple of seasons. What hurt this time was it was to their Home Depot Center rivals the LA Galaxy.

What Went Right In 2009:
For the most part a lot of things did go well in 2009 for Preki’s side. He looked like a Coach of the Year candidate early on with the way Zach Thornton turned back the clock and became a rived player again in goal. Thornton’s season was stellar too as he won both the Comeback Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year honors this season. Other things that went well was certainly that quick start to the year. Grabbing 24 points in the first couple months really set the pace for the season. We also learned of some new names that we will certainly see for years to come like Gerson Mayen.

What Went Wrong In 2009:
Obviously the summer months caught up to this club. Offensively they were one of the worst in the league even though mid-season moves to get Jesus Padilla in didn’t pan out quick enough. Padilla will be good in a year or so but he wasn’t enough to revive an offense that didn’t have enough punch. Also the whole year was a large disappointment for Kljestan who never looked good after his pre-season trail with Celtic. After not getting a transfer to the Scottish power, Kljestan really fell from grace.

What’s Next:
More than likely we will see Preki leave this team in the coming weeks. I have a feeling now more than ever he will join Bob Bradley with the national team rather than go to another MLS club. Should he actually stay in MLS he will probably do to Toronto. After that will be the likely departure of Jonathan Bornstein and possibly Kljestan. If they lose both of them look for this club to endure a serious make-over in the winter months. This group has talent they just need some offense and a couple younger parts on defense to really become a MLS Cup contender in this league.

Sacha Kljestan and Chivas head to Chicago to face the Fire. (Getty Images)

It is simple for each club, keep winning and good things happen. All the Chicago Fire needs to do tonight is win (or even draw) and they are in the playoffs. As for Chivas a win tonight and a win over the weekend could turn into a Supporter’s Shield trophy. But more importantly for the task at hand for Chivas is getting an automatic birth out of the western conference, and home field advantage.

The Fire are currently slipping their way out of things right now. While the playoffs should happen for them no matter what their current run isn’t going to help them get to MLS Cup 2009. Tonight they have to get their offense going which has been very lackluster as of late. But more importantly they need their defense to step up and get a result (no wins since the middle of August). If they can duplicate the result in New England from last week the Fire will be well on their way to an automatic bid into the playoffs.

Chivas will have to do a good job containing Chris Rolfe, Brian McBride and company while getting Maykel Galindo involved early in the attack. It also wouldn’t hurt to see Sacha Kljestan come up with a big performance tonight as well. Defensively they can’t allow crap goals to the Fire like they did last week against San Jose.

Both clubs know what they are playing for here and each control their fate in this but I have to wonder a bit about where the Fire are at right now. I do think they will play well like they did a week ago but something about their play at home this year just makes me believe Chivas comes in and steals this one away here. I think this one ends on level terms seeing the Fire go through to the playoffs.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 1, Chivas 1

Just as the playoff race gets hot, the goals of the week get hotter. Something about a playoff race that makes the goals just a little bit better if you ask me.

Order of goals: Jamie Moreno, Ramon Sanchez, Ryan Johnson, Sacha Kljestan, Juan Pablo Angel, Dwayne De Rosario, Chad Barret, Brian McBride, Jeff Cunningham, Eddie Gaven, Fredy Montero, and Shalrie Joseph.

Sasha Kljestan leads Chivas USA tonight into Rio Tinto Stadium to face RSL. (Getty Images)

Old expansion mates square off tonight in what could be said is a must-win situation for the home side. Real Salt Lake enters tonight’s game at Rio Tinto Stadium with Chivas USA just three points behind the last playoff spot. A win tonight would help get them in the discussion for the playoffs this year while a loss would spell doom for their chances.

Real is hoping to cash in on their home unbeaten streak that dates back to May. Thing is they’ve dropped some valuable points lately in draws at Rio Tinto due to poor discipline and sloppy defending.

RSL manager Jason Kries needs a big time game tonight out of Robbie Findley. We’ve seen time and time again where Findley can step up and become of the the better strikers in the league this season but some how he continues to find ways to stay out of the spotlight with poor finishing. I think this could be a game where he could get his chances though.

RSL should look a little better in defense with Jamison Olave back in the lineup. You can tell a big difference when he is out of action for this club.

Chivas has been a thorn in RSL’s side winning the last six of seven between these two sides. Preki will look for another big game out of Sacha Kljestan who seemed to finally wake up from the dead in the last game, scoring two goals in a winning effort. I’m also curious to see if Chivas can get more out of newcomer Jesus Padilla. We really didn’t see him do much last week against Toronto since he had to deal with Dwayne De Rosario so much.

I think this is one of those games that RSL steps up well early on and puts plenty of pressure on Chivas to defend. Thing is I also feel that RSL just doesn’t defend well enough when they need to most sometimes. This game looks like a draw which could mean bad things for Kreis and his club’s playoff hopes. Chivas should leave with a solid road point thanks to Maykel Galindo and Kljestan.

WVH Prediction: RSL 1, Chivas 1

Plenty of good goals this past week in Major League Soccer. Some were better than others but that is for you all to decide. I’ve took out what I thought were some of the best from this past week including one hat trick.

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.

Our boys are ESPY winners! (Getty Images)

The U.S. men’s national team’s amazing upset of Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup semifinal is now an award winning upset. The national team won the award at the ESPY Award Ceremony on Wednesday night in Los Angeles for Best Upset in American sports.

The ESPY Awards Ceremony was taped on last night, but will air on Sunday on ESPN.

Several members of the USA Confederations Cup team were on hand to accept the award, including Landon Donovan, Sacha Kljestan, Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra and Jozy Altidore.