Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff will be called to lead in 2010 for KC. (WVH Photo Correspondent Brian Stevens)

We’re continuing on today with our look at each Major League Soccer club’s pre-season outlook of what players they have on board and where they need to go next before the new season kicks off. So far we’ve covered nearly half of the league with Chicago, Colorado, Chivas, Columbus, DC, Dallas, Houston and Philadelphia all already looked at here.

Today we go to the middle of the country to take a look at the Kansas City Wizards and what coach/technical director Peter Vermes is doing with his club.

The Wizards had a shaky season in 2009 but they hope a few changes around their roster will be enough to stay with the top of the pack in an already tough eastern conference.

So let’s see what the Wizards have done with their winter and where they need to go from here.

Keepers:

Who they have: Jimmy Nielsen, Eric Kronberg, and Boris Pardo.

Notes: Gone are the days of Kevin Hartman and now come the time for Nielsen. A lot of folks in KC probably aren’t too happy to see Hartman be let go so easily here but as I mentioned last week it was a change I think the club needed to make this winter. Look I’ve always had a great deal of respect for Hartman but sometimes change is necessary and this was just a move I think they needed to make. I’m also not saying Nielsen will be any better but Hartman wasn’t exactly putting KC over the top.

I know the club currently has a couple other trialist in camp right now so it will be interesting to see who pushes to be Nielsen’s backup this year.

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Defense:

Who they have: Jimmy Conrad, Chance Myers, Michael Harrington, Matt Besler, Lance Watson, Aaron Hohlbein, Jonathan Leathers, Pablo Escobar, Olukorede Aiyegbusi, and Nick Cardenas.

Notes: Collectively on paper they should be a better group then what we’ve seen over the last couple years. I may be putting too much of a premium on Conrad here, he’s a great leader out there but maybe he just isn’t able to get the rest of these guys up to his level and the group suffers for it. I honestly don’t know because again on paper they look like they should be good with guys like Besler (very underrated player) and Harrington (another solid player) but last year they were up there in goals against with 42.

I think though with Vermes coaching this bunch full time we’ll see some improvement in this bunch this year. I honestly have no idea what Escobar will bring to the table but if we base anything off past moves from South America from this club the expectations shouldn’t be placed too high for him (remember Carlos Marinelli or Eloy Colombano?). Hopefully he turns out better for them.

Big question for me though is will Myers finally become the number one pick that KC had hoped for two years ago? I still don’t know who got the better end of that deal between San Jose and the Wizards. Right now its starting to be a push more than anything as neither have seen a big impact from the players involved. Nick Garcia was traded last year to Toronto and Myers really never grew as a player in year two.

Still this group is fairly young so hopefully things are going to be looking up for them as some of these young guys finally hit their stride here.

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Midfield:

Who they have: Santiago Hirsig, Roger Espinoza, Jack Jewsbery, Kurt Morsink, Davy Arnaud, Kevin Souter, Graham Zusi, Stéphane Auvray, and Marco Fuzetti.

Notes: I like Espinoza, Jewsbery and Arnaud but the rest I’m a bit torn with as I think they have potential with guys like Zusi and newcomer Auvray. Still my worry is where will the offense be generated from this within this bunch? They honestly cannot expect Arnaud to carry the load this season. I know to a lesser extent Claudio Lopez is more of an offensive midfielder than a striker these days but that won’t cut it.

Another area I worry about is wing play for this bunch. One area they got burned in a lot of games last year was on the wings, especially on their short home field. If I’m Vermes I’d be finding talent to go on the wings as well as a true playmaker in the middle.

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Forwards:

Who they have: Claudio Lopez, Josh Wolff, Teal Bunbury, Zoltan, Kei Kamara, and Michael Kraus.

Notes: This was an area that Vermes had to concentrate over the winter months on and I think with drafting Bunbury and the new contract to Kamara he has done a pretty good job with here. The big thing will be whether or not Bunbury makes an impact in year one or not. Some reports from the training camps suggest he isn’t done all that well so far with KC but I think given the right amount of time he’ll be fine.

Kamara is said to be doing very well in KC right now and honestly I think he likes being there which is a good thing for both sides. He’s got a chance this year to really step things up and be a solid scorer for the Wizards.

The big thing will be getting Wolff involved a lot more this year. We saw last year that when used properly up top Wolff can be a very productive goal scorer for the Wizards. I think Vermes knows how to use Wolff right and with Lopez too. That’s a good thing because they need another 10+ goal year from Wolff and eight to 10 assists from Lopez to be in contention in the east. As long as those two hit those numbers and Kamara and Bunbury combine for another 10 or 14 goals they will be much better offensively than from a year ago.

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Overall:

Going into a new year Kansas City is a club I like but honestly don’t love just yet. Defensively I worry about them on the wings and in the center part of the midfield. I’m also still concerned about who will be generating the offense in the midfield this year. Offensively I do believe they’ll be much better than from a year ago as long as the guys up top are given the right space to be productive.

Conrad has to step up a bit more in the back to lead this young group and if he does I think the club will improve in the standings. They’re schedule won’t be as tight in the summer with SuperLiga and we shouldn’t expect to see many international call-ups for players on their roster except for maybe Conrad and Espinoza. I actually see Espinoza getting more international time than Conrad this year anyways.

I think Vermes needs another move or two in the midfield and they’ll be fine. I’ll be curious to see how they perform early on as they typically start well but fade in the summer.

In a way its a make or break year for Vermes. He’s built this club as a TD and now must lead them as the full-time coach. I don’t know if he’ll be under any sort of hot seat yet if they don’t do well this year but you gotta believe fans won’t be happy if they are near the bottom again in the standings in 2010.

Luciano Emilio and DC travel to New England to face Shalrie Joseph and the Revs. (Getty Images)

I won’t lie, last night’s game between Chicago and Chivas put a sour taste in my mouth for this weekend. The game itself was entertaining but the officiating was lacking in quality as we’ve all seen by now. Hopefully this weekend won’t be filled with yellow and red cards or lots of questionable PK calls.

Sorry for the rant but that’s just how I feel going into this weekend.

As for the weekend ahead here, we have a full slate of games with everyone in action except for Chivas (who played last night). I do hope we get seven quality games like last night’s contest though. Aside from the horrible officiating in the middle it was a good game. I’m gonna start switching things up here for the weekend previews. While I like doing longer previews for each game, time just doesn’t allow me to do so anymore for the weekend games. Instead I will stick with a quick preview and a player to look out for along with the score prediction.

DC United – at – New England Revolution:

DC has been playing well as of late but how much will DC be missing guys like Ben Olsen and Christian Gomez in the midfield? Throw in the fact that New England should be getting Taylor Twellman back for at least some part of this game and it could be an interesting meeting between these conference rivals. I think this one will be tighter than some expect it to be. The Revs may send Shalrie Joseph up top again to get some physical play against a young United back four. That could throw off the visitors if he switches between his midfield role and his temporary striker position that Steve Nicol has been putting him at lately. Honestly this one could go either way so I am taking the draw.

Player to keep an eye out for: DC’s Rodney Wallace has been very tough to cover lately from his defensive position. His runs from the back could be a big x-factor for DC.

WVH Prediction: New England 1, DC 1

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Colorado Rapids – at – New York Red Bulls:

We keep saying that New York needs this game each week and they continue to give up chances and points. Colorado should be a team that could allow New York to be successful against at home (Rapids are 1-2-2 away from home this season) but I actually like the Rapid’s chances here. New York will also be without Jorge Rojas who is suspended for this contest. I think the loss of Rojas will put more pressure on Albert Cedades to create chances and keep possession in the middle for the Red Bulls. While I think he can do it he won’t be able to do it alone. Colorado has been far more consistent in their scoring this season behind Conor Casey and company and I think they continue to make the standings a little tighter with a road win tomorrow.

Player to keep an eye out for: Colin Clark for Colorado has really started to get more involved here in the offense lately.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 2, New York 1

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Toronto FC – at – Houston Dynamo:

The big story here is Dwayne De Rosario returning to Houston where he won a pair of titles with the Dynamo. He’s looked good lately along with Amado Guevara in helping TFC stay near the top of the standings. They’ll need a big performance out of those two and guys like Pablo Vitti or Chad Barrett up top. Houston has played great lately (unbeaten in six) and have been tough to score on in that time. While I think Toronto will keep it close I just don’t see them beating Houston at home here yet. The Dynamo are too clever in the midfield and are so dangerous on set pieces with Brad Davis, Brad Mullan and Brian Ching.

Player to keep an eye out for: Brad Davis has been creating a lot of chances lately for Houston. Last week he tallied two assists in the Dynamo win over San Jose.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, Toronto 0

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Real Salt Lake – at – San Jose Earthquakes:

This could be a real stinker of a game. San Jose is winless in eight games and we all know RSL’s track record on the road. First and foremost for Jason Kreis and company, they have to get on the board here in this one. No goals in five road matches this season. One would think against San Jose they would get on the board in this one right? I think so since the Quakes lack the creative punch in the middle ot slow down RSL. However I just think San Jose is due a result here after the way they played on Wednesday in Columbus. I’m calling a draw here but not by much.

Player to keep an eye out for: San Jose’s Ryan Johnson has scored five of the club’s ten goals this season, I would expect him to keep that up this weekend.

WVH Prediction: San Jose 1, RSL 1

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Columbus Crew – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

I’d really love to see these two sides go at it with everyone healthy. But the thing is Seattle is a bit banged up and Columbus just lost another key player (Brian Carroll) for some more time. Seattle will have some key members of their midfield back in this one with Freddie Ljungberg and Brad Evans ready to go this week. I see the Sounders controlling the midfield and the pace of this game from the start thanks to those two and the loss of Carroll for Columbus. I just don’t think people will realize how big of a loss Carroll is for the Crew.

Player to keep an eye out for: Look for Seattle’s Fredy Montero to have another solid game here. His pace will be tough for Columbus to handle.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 3, Columbus 1

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Kansas City Wizards – at – LA Galaxy:

I’m a little worried for the Wizards on the road tomorrow. They will be missing two key offensive players in Josh Wolff and Santiago Hirsig. With this being one of the last games for Landon Donovan for a while with the Galaxy (national team duties this summer) I would imagine the Galaxy will push the tempo a bit more and actually look for the three points. The loss of Sean Franklin in the back worries me for them but not seeing Wolff on the field makes me think it will be balanced out a bit here. Even though the Galaxy are the draw queens of the league I am going with them for a change here.

Player to keep an eye out for: Either off the bench or starting, I think Edson Buddle could be a big factor for the Galaxy in this one. He needs to start scoring for the club here and this could be a good time to start.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, KC 1

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FC Dallas – at – Chicago Fire:

The Fire have a chance to move into a tie with Chivas for first overall. I just don’t see FC Dallas making this much of a game here with the way the Fire have been as of late. Chicago may not be as rested as Dallas but they will control the pace of the game from the start.

Player to keep an eye out for: If Dallas has any hope of scoring it could be from youngster Brek Shea who has really shown a lot of growth in recent weeks for the Red Stripes.

WVH Prediction: Chicago 3, Dallas 1

Kansas City fans have been pretty good so far. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Typically I do a version of this kind of thing for all MLS clubs but this time around I wanted to do something a little different with the typical Good, Bad, and Ugly column. Instead I will be looking at things in the league as a whole that I have liked, disliked and have absolutely hated thus far in the early going of the season.

Most of this is stuff I’ve been keeping track of here since the start of the season. I may ramble on a bit but you are always welcome to do the same below.

Good:

Quality crowds in Seattle, Toronto and even in smaller venues like San Jose or Kansas City. I believe there is a reason why San Jose and KC want smaller soccer stadiums for their future. It doesn’t all have to do with money and not being able to consistently fill those stadiums, it is because they have the fans that create good atmosphere (I think both clubs have underrated supporter’s groups). The same sort of thing you see in Seattle and Toronto. Passionate fans equal a good time at the park.

Bad:

So-so numbers in places like LA for Galaxy and Chivas games, Chicago for Fire games and DC for United games. For those clubs it doesn’t really deal with a lack of advertising or even the clubs being bad on the field. Its honestly an economical thing in my eyes.

Still seeing bad numbers in Colorado and Columbus too. Thing about the Rapids is though they’ve only played one home game so far. With the club doing pretty well so far this year things could change in their favor in terms of butts-in-seats.

Ugly:

Numbers we see in Dallas are just terrible. The fact that the club has gotten a shade under 12k for their last two home games is pathetic. Marketing around Dallas is nearly non-existent, and people just can’t get excited about this club. It has little to do with the performance on the field I think (because the town supports baseball’s Rangers decently enough each year and they are largely just as bad if not worse), but it deals more with a lack of knowledge about the club in the local community.

Good:

Impressive starts from clubs like Chivas and New England. Let’s be real honest, did anyone expect either of these clubs to be undefeated after five weeks of play? If you did then you are probably very rich.

Bad:

Not-so-good starts from clubs that we expect to be good like Houston or to a lesser extent Real Salt Lake. We know of Houston’s typical early season slowness but RSL is on a different path with how bad they play on the road in the early goings this season.

Ugly:

Until this past week, the ugliness that was New York’s start of the new season. While LA and Dallas were pretty ugly in the early going, they at least were able to find the back of the net in a consistent manner. New York saw four games with no actual goals. The one that was marked in the score column in the 1-1 draw to New England was an own goal by New England’s Jay Heaps.

Things are starting to turn but the Red Bulls dug themselves a decent-sized hole to start the season, not to mention that no club (correct me if I am wrong) has reached the playoffs after going scoreless in their first four games.

Good:

Surprising starts for players like Kasey Keller (who still has it), Conor Casey (who is showing he can lead), and Davy Arnuad (three sweet goals).

Other quality starts to the year include play out of Ben Olsen, Luciano Emilio, the Freds from Seattle, and nearly most of the Seattle lineup (even with the two game slump), Kenny Cooper, Javier Morales, and Dwayne De Rosario.

Bad:

Slower than normal starts from Juan Pablo Angel, Darren Huckerby, Sasha Kljestan, and Robbie Rogers. Some are due to injuries and others who knows.

Ugly:

I think maybe the start from the Columbus Crew as a whole could go here. I know I have higher expectations for this club. Offensively they should not have Guillermo Barros Schelotto as their leading scorer. He needs to be leading the assist category for this club to be success. Maybe the club owners needed to open their wallets a bit more in the offseason to upgrade the offense.

Good:

Rookies have started off particularly well this season in comparison to last year. I think it may be even safe to say that this year’s class has already out done what last year’s did.

Bad:

New additions barely making a mark on their new clubs, that even that is slowly starting to turn around positively. I look at guys like David Ferriera, who up until this past week hadn’t made a dent into the Dallas offense. Hopefully for the Red Stripes, that assist was the first of many to come this season. Also, other guys like Santiago Hirsig for Kansas City are still (slowly) getting use to the MLS game.

Ugly:

No real ugly in talks with the rookies/newcomers but let’s talk about the amount of red cards so far this season. Referee Tim Weyland comes to mind from the Galaxy-Chivas game. He had a bad night to say the least by handing out 11 cards, including three reds. I don’t care if this was a derby game you just shouldn’t have to do that. Let the boys play!

Good:

Veteran keepers leading the pack, along with a couple surprises like New England fill-in Brad Knighton. Mainly it seems like Keller in Seattle, Pat Onstad in Houston, and a blast from the past in Chivas’s Zach Thornton.

I know I’ve killed Chivas for not finding a better keeper than Thornton but at least the big guy is making me eat my words so far this year. Five games in, two goals against with three clean sheets. Not bad, not bad indeed.

Lastly, is it me or does LA keeper Donovan Ricketts seem like a possible saving grace for that club? Two games and only one goal against. So far I have ben impressed with his play.

Bad:

Keepers you’d expect to be doing fine each week like Columbus’s Will Hesmer or San Jose’s Joe Cannon. Its been part sloppiness and weak defensive play for Hesmer and for Cannon just an overworked backline that is aging quicker than most thought.

Ugly:

I look a couple games this season with really ugly keeping. A couple New York games came to mind with Danny Cepero. Boy you could tell they wanted Jon Conway back in a hurry.

Freddie Ljungberg and Osvaldo Alonso have been huge additions to Seattle and to MLS this year. (Getty Images)

While rookies have been doing well this year so far, so have the list of newcomers to the league that aren’t rookies. It seems like last year we talked at length about the lack of positive newcomers until the summer months when guys like Darren Huckerby came into town for the San Jose Earthquakes.

This season is far in a way different as plenty of newbies are making a positive impact on the league. Most of the list below does contain a lot of Seattle Sounder players, but there are a few others that have made similar headlines this year that aren’t in Sounder green.

The list below is really no particular order here. After a while though I will still track the newcomers to the league this season as we gear towards the end of season awards. If you see a newcomer that I failed to remember, be sure to post his name below. Again, no rookies please, they have their own watch list that will probably be updated again next week.

Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle) – As some of you know, I am part Swedish so I am a little biased on this one when I see a Swede in the league and one doing well. So far Ljungberg is playing just the way Seattle needs him to be, a strong part of the midfield and one that hits the back of the net when called to do so. Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle) – He may not light up the scoreboard this year but he could actually be the best new addition to the league. How all the clubs failed to see this guy a year ago while he was in the USL-1 with Charleston is beyond me. Funny part is several clubs passed on this Cuban after he defected to the US. He already has three assists on the year and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him tally plenty more.

Fredy Montero (Seattle) – There really isn’t much to say other than what we’ve already said about this kid. He is more than a handful and as clubs are already seeing, they need to continue to find good young talent like this kid to help grow the league.

Eduardo Lillingston (Chivas USA) – For a while now Chivas has been looking for a go-to Mexican striker and maybe they have finally found it with Lillingston. He isn’t a big name draw for those Mexican soccer fans but that may just be what this club really needed.

Gerson Mayen (Chivas USA) – When I first saw him a couple weeks ago in Dallas I was like “who the hell is this guy?” But after seeing him play in person I realized the kid has some talent behind him. He’s been a handful for other clubs on the wings and could be a big part of this Chivas club this season if they continue to play well. Hard to believe he signed with the club a year ago and we are just now seeing him play.

Kasey Keller (Seattle) – Okay red card against KC aside, Keller has been far in away one of the best pickups by any club this year. He’s proving to everyone that he still has it at his present age and that his experience is still good enough to lead a young expansion club like Seattle.

David Ferreira (Dallas) – Schellas Hyndman is slowly starting to get what he needs and wants out of his number 10. While he hasn’t done anything wonderful yet for the club you are starting to see him get use to the MLS style of play here. I would be willing to bet by the middle of the summer he will have racked up his fair share of assists to Kenny Cooper and company.

Sebastian Le Toux (Seattle) – Another USL to MLS guy that is probably making some general managers wonder why they didn’t sign before this last year. Le Toux is quickly becoming one of my favorite Sounders.

Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Seattle) – Another Sounder on the list, this one is a defender that is showing his worth so far in the league. He hasn’t done anything too flashy but for the most part he has done enough to help his club only give up one goal on the year after four games.

Santiago Hirsig (Kansas City) – Still waiting to truly see if this guy helps this club out or not this season. I am holding out belief that he will keep their offense in tact and maybe even help relieve some pressure of their defense. If that is the case we could see a playoff club in the midwest.

Pablo Vitti (Toronto) – For the most part I think Toronto would be better off if they’d get this guy more playing time. While he may not be the full answer to the Reds offensive issues, I do believe he is better than some of the forwards John Carver currently employs on the field.

Cam Weaver (San Jose) – Another player I am pretty high on here but am still waiting to really shine this season. Weaver has a goal to his name this year and I really still believe he will be a huge part of this club’s offense in 2009. Once Darren Huckerby and Arturo Alvarez figure out how tall he is Weaver should be able to get more headers in the box, and more looks in the box overall. That can only make things better for the Quakes.

Bojan Stepanovic (Chivas USA) – Not a bad debut a couple weeks ago against Dallas. First touch lead to his first shot on goal, which ended up being his first MLS goal. Yeah, not a bad start.

I know there are plenty more on the way here this season. Off the top of my head I know of a few with New England that have yet to debut (their new African players for those who wonder), Gregory Richardson in Colorado has played a little bit for Colorado, Ade Akinbiyi in Houston, the few in New York that have been talked about for months now, and probably a few others that I am failing to remember.

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

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

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

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

FC Dallas – at – Toronto FC:

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

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

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

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

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

3. Player to keep an eye on.

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

Quick Thoughts:

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

WVH Prediction: Toronto 3, Dallas 1

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Chicago Fire – at – San Jose Earthquakes:

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

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

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

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

3. Player to keep an eye on.

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

Quick Thoughts:

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

WVH Prediction: Chicago 2, San Jose 0

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DC United – at – Real Salt Lake:

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

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

2. Can Robbie Findley keep up the scoring?

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

3. Player to keep an eye out for.

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

Quick Thoughts:

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

WVH Prediction: RSL 2, DC 1

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Colorado Rapids – at – Columbus Crew:

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

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

2. Can Columbus stop Conor Casey?

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

3. Player to keep an eye on.

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

Quick Thoughts:

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

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, Colorado 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – Houston Dynamo:

1. Just how badly does Houston want this game?

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

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

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

3. Player to keey an eye on.

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

Quick Thoughts:

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

WVH Prediction: Houston 1, New York 0

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Kansas City Wizards – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

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

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

2. Which Fred will start?

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

3. Player to keep an eye on.

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

Quick Thoughts:

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

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, KC 0

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Chivas USA – at – LA Galaxy

1. Which LA will show up for this one?

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

2. Just how real is this Chivas bunch?

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

3. Player to keep an eye on.

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

Quick Thoughts:

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

WVH Prediction: LA 2, Chivas 2

First of all we know what Seattle’s Fredy Montero did in week one. His two-goal effort against the New York Red Bulls was pretty much what we expected out of him. And as we all know if he keeps it up he will either become the Newcomer of the Year or he will be bought by some European club by mid-summer.

Montero wasn’t the only Seattle newcomer that turned some heads. Both Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Osvaldo Alonso stood out and former USL MVP Sebastien Le Toux wasn’t too shabby either.

Seattle’s newbies really started the year off with a bang. Other around the league didn’t do too bad either though it could take a few games to see real impact (rookies not included, that’s another post for another day):

Santiago Hirsig, KC: He didn’t go the full 90 last weekend against Toronto but we all know the offense will pretty much flow through his feet this year. I saw a couple times on Saturday where he really helped control things in the middle for KC, something that has been missing for years.

Gregory Richardson, Colorado: A guy that we may know of more in a couple months. He briefly saw action against Chivas but he did find a way to incert himself in the action as soon as he could when the Rapids were trying to tie things up late.

Eduardo Lillingston, Chivas USA: A Mexican forward for Chivas? Seriously though there were a couple times that I thought Lillingston looked good for Chivas in the first half against the Rapids. Once he gets use to his teammates (and when everyone is healthy) he should be a good pair with either Maykel Galindo or Ante Razov.

Mariano Trujillo, Chivas USA: I have to say I did like what I saw out of Trujillo against guys like Conor Casey and Omar Cummings. Trujillo isn’t a name that many will see on the stat sheet this year but I think he will be a good part of an underrated defense this year.

Cam Weaver, San Jose Earthquakes: Looked dangerous here and there for the Quakes but just like everyone else wearing black on Saturday night he couldn’t hit anything inside the box. The goals will come and I think Weaver will be a big part of the Quakes’ offense this season.

Dejan Jakovic, DC United: Looked alright for DC in the opener against LA. Thing was the defense as a whole are to blame for the poor showing late.

Any other newcomers show somep promise to you in week one? Let me know if I missed them.

Chad Barrett and Toronto FC travel to KC to face the Wizards Saturday night. (Getty Images)

Back at it for the 2009 season. Nearly every club in action this weekend with five games on Saturday evening and one lone match on Sunday afternoon.

Just as yesterday I will try to give just a quick preview, a couple questions, and score prediction. Nothing too fancy since I don’t get to see every club all the time. Also feel free to pipe in your game predictions below.

Columbus Crew – at – Houston Dynamo:

1. How will Houston contain Schelotto?

Its a question for everyone but Houston did a decent job a year ago against the Crew. They split their season series and Houston won the home leg. However, Columbus looked very strong in preseason play while the Dynamo struggled here and there. With no Eddie Robinson (out to injury) it could be a long afternoon chasing GBS in the midfield. Richard Mulrooney or Ricardo Clark will probably be set to lock him down and if they come up short in the task it will put more pressure on the backline. Luckily for the Dynamo that is one of their stronger departments.

2. Who will score for Houston?

After Brian Ching things get a little tough this year as we all know. Stuart Holden will be asked to create in the middle and set pieces become that much more important to the men in orange. Kai Kamera is suspended for this game and normally I would say he would be right in the discussion to help with the scoring load. Someone like a Brad Davis or a Brian Mullan will have to pick up the slack.

3. One guy to keep an eye on tomorrow night.

Emmanuel Ekpo is someone to watch on the wings for the Crew. I think this year could be a big one for him and getting off to a quick start would definitely be needed by the Black and Gold faithful. Look for Ekpo to put a lot of pressure on the Dynamo flanks and probably help Columbus produce a goal or two.

I think this one could be real tight defensively. I still have too many questions about Houston’s attack though I do see them pushing the Crew a little in this one since it is at home. Robertson Stadium has never been kind to Columbus but I see some luck changing.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 2, Houston 1

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Chicago Fire – at – FC Dallas

1. Will Dallas be able to hold off the Fire attack?

Honestly I don’t what to make of this Dallas defense. It should be better than in years past but I’m not expecting a drastic improvement here. Dallas may not have Blanco to contend with tomorrow and that may actually be a good thing. The Hoops still will have to contend with Brian McBride and the speed of guys like Patrick Nyarko and Chris Rolfe. Pablo Ricchetti is out on suspension which could lead to more pressure on the backline tomorrow.

2. Is this really a good rivalry anymore?

To be hoenest, Dallas has kind of owned the Fire in recent years…espcially in Dallas. Chicago hasn’t won in Dallas since 1999 and hasn’t beat Dallas since 2005. Plus this whole Brimestone Cup thing hasn’t gone to the Windy City since 2001. Could this finally be the year the Fire owns the Hoops? Perhaps. I think the rivalry is still more with the fans than actually on the field. Anymore these two clubs don’t seem to match an rivalry of a Chivas-LA or even a Toronto-Columbus. Maybe though this year will be different.

3. Player to watch for both sides.

David Ferreira for Dallas and Marco Pappa for Chicago. Both will play different styles but both will see a lot of the ball tomorrow. Dallas needs Ferreira to be the rock in the middle that controls the pace of the game. Chicago just needs Pappa to do his thing and be the special player that I think he can be.

Dallas should contend well with Chicago still. Their style of play does match well against the Fire even with the defensive issues. With Blanco in question I think the game will be tighter than if he were actually on the field. Chicago goes up early but I think Dallas gets a late goal to tie it.

WVH Prediction: Dallas 1, Chicago 1

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Toronto FC – at – Kansas City Wizards:

1. Which midfield addition will work out better, Dwayne de Rosario for Toronto or Santiago Hirsig for KC?

A lot of people love the DeRo move and a lot of people seem high on Argentine import Hirsig for KC. It will be interesting to see which has a better impact on this game tomorrow. Both will be called to do a similar task, which is facilitate the offense in the midfield. DeRo knows the MLS game so I have to give the slight nod to Toronto in this one. Though I will admit I have very interested to see Hirsig play for the Wizards and see if this is a good move or not.

2. Where will the offense actually come from in this game?

Face it both clubs were largely terrible on offense a season ago. With new faces in the offense things should be better. For KC its all about getting Claudio Lopez and Josh Wolff on the same page this season. They should be a good combination when healthy. And for Toronto the addition of Pablo Vitti should help Chad Barrett out. Right now on paper Toronto does look to have a slight edge in the offensive category. KC has some solid strikers but none that make a large impact last year, they need that go-to scorer this season and Wolff has to be that guy.

3. One player to keep an eye on.

Amado Guevara is always an interesting character. I put him here today because I really want to see how he shares the spotlight in the midfield with DeRo. Most say he will be fine and I for one believe it. I think however I just need to see on the field.

This one should be interesting. Both clubs have tons to prove in 2009, especially on the offensive end. KC at home is usually pretty strong and they typically have matched up well against Toronto. Thing was in the past Toronto never had someone to control things in the midfield like DeRo. That is a difference maker and that’s why I am taking the visitors in this one.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 2, KC 0

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Colorado Rapids – at – Chivas USA

1. New season, yet same old story for both clubs…one is still dealing with injuries and the other is probably still inconsistent. So what gives?

This one is a real head scratcher for me. Chivas is still ravaged with injuries going into a new season. Colorado really did very little to upgrade their below average team from 2008. I feel both are pretty much where we left off with them a season ago. Road clubs typically do well in this series but something about having Sasha Kljestan healthy and ready to go in this one has to give Chivas a better shot.

2. Where will the offense come in this one?

Chivas failed to have a consistent scorer last year while for the majority of the season the Rapids failed to score consistently as a team. Conor Casey is the guy however to watch for the Rapids in the offensive third of the field. Though questions are still surrounding whether or not he will be able to do better than his late season run from last fall. I’m one that is holding out to see that.

Chivas needs a scorer and hopefully new import Eduardo Lillingston can pair up nicely with a recovering Maykel Galindo or Justin Braun. Still, none of those names are striking fear in any defense right now.

3. Two guys to watchout for.

For Chivas it has to be Jesse Marsch, becuase as the offense goes so does Marsch. While I love me some Kljestan I do believe a lot more rests on Marsch than Kljestan for this club.

For Colorado keep an eye on Omar Cummings. If he can be the counter offer to Casey then the Rapids may have a quality one-two punch in 2009.

Overall this game should be a decent watch on Saturday night. Neither club is a true contender now but a strong showing in week one always makes people think. Colorado has had fast starts before and could see one with new coach Gary Smith. I just think neither one is ready to make a huge jump out there just yet. A draw sounds like a solid bet in this one.

WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, Colorado 2

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New England Revolution – at – San Jose Earthquakes:

1. What do we really expect out of San Jose in 2009?

We think the Quakes are better and I for one have even jumped on their season bandwagon. Thing is they face a New England squad that I’ve been on the bandwagon with for a couple years now. I think Frank Yallop did go out and get a good group of new players for this club. They should be better offensively with Cam Weaver. Also being in San Jose doesn’t hurt a bit either as I really feel they will make that venue a nice home this year in terms of keeping it a fortress.

2. Will we see a healthy Taylor Twellman?

Nope. Not for this one, he is listed as out for the game. Tough break too as the Revs will have to lean heavily on Kheli Dube and the two young Gambians again this year. It worked out fine for them a season ago when Twellman was out and they had to fall back on Dube, Nyassi and Mansally.

3. Player to keep an eye on tomorrow night.

Michael Videira for New England will be interesting to watch. Expect Steve Nicol to use him up top with Dube early on (or in a late game situation). Viderira is returning to the club after being selected in 2008 in the SuperDraft. He went to Europe instead of the MLS as we all know but is now back with the club for 2009. He could be the spark in the offense that Nicol is looking for this season.

I think this one will be closer than some will expect. Both clubs have loads to prove in 2009 as New England wants to show that their end of the year fallout is behind them and for the Quakes that they’re no longer an expansion club. I do like the Quakes at home as I am still worried about New England’s defense without Michael Parkhurst. Until I see that guys like Gabreil Badilla are ready to step up for them I probably won’t be eager to pick them as much.

WVH Prediction: San Jose 2, NE 1

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DC United – at – LA Galaxy:

1. Just how much better are these two clubs from a year ago?

DC improved but only slightly in my books. LA got rid of a bunch of trash but brought in a bunch of so-so guys. Defensively this one could be real ugly in a hurry as each club still has firepower up top with Luciano Emilio for DC and Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle for LA.

2. Can DC win out west?

Typically in the past DC fails to come up strong in games against some western clubs, especially LA in Carson. Last couple years DC has not been able to right the ship with Donovan, and last year he put up a hat trick on the Black-and-Red. With the lack of improvement on defense for DC one has to believe nothing will change in the way they play out in Carson.

In the last two games at the Tool Box they have given up 10 goals to LA. Yeah, I don’t see that changing.

3. Player to keep an eye on.

If DC wants to keep on the board with LA in this one they need a good showing from rookie foward Chris Pontius. I think off the bench Pontius could be a good counter to LA and maybe even the change of pace up top that DC needs to stay with the Galaxy.

This one just screams goals to me. Last year it was that way and I don’t see any reason why it won’t be similar on Sunday. Neither added a lot of depth or quality to their defense and the offenses are still relatively the same. The difference for me is LA is at home and DC is not. It simily comes down to that.

WVH Prediction: LA 4, DC 2

Hirsig is an eight-year veteran of the Argentine first division, most recently with San Lorenzo.

“I am very excited to join the Kansas City Wizards,” Hirsig said. “I have followed MLS a lot in the past year, and I cannot wait to be part of the team and hopefully help the Wizards win MLS Cup in 2009.”

Yeah, to be real honest here, I have never heard of this guy. Normally I would be able to give a decent estimate of what to expect but since I know little of this guy all I can say is I am hoping for the best out of this signing.

Kansas City also now enters the race with DC for the most Argentine players in MLS.