Twellman went on to explain in the article that he was seeing double and at some point he was completely helpless. Yes, helpless.

Mike Grella made the jump to a third division English team instead of staying in MLS.

By Geoff Reid

The Whole saga regarding certain MLS players seeing out their contracts to go sign with Scandinavian clubs is a very interesting one. It’s something that has happened for a good number of years, so it’s not a new idea that has taken off. It has though rubbed some people the wrong way. Two outspoken critics of players making the move are Landon Donovan and Taylor Twellman. Another interesting fact is that it’s not just MLS players that have been making the move, but also former collegiate players that refuse to declare themselves available for eligibility in the Superdraft, and instead sign with clubs in Denmark, Norway or Sweden. Players such as Charlie Davis, Alejandro Bedoya, and Marcus Tracy are examples of those.

The issues that both Donovan and Twellman have with this is that they consider Scandinavian leagues no better then MLS in terms of quality and the players are essentially going there just for the chance to earn better money then stay in MLS. They agree and can accept that you can’t keep players that have a desire to play in the top leagues home when offers come in from clubs in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, or the Bundesliga. It’s where the best players in the world all play and everyone who’s played the game at any level dreams of getting to that stage.

As stated, the issues comes down to money according to Twellman. Now while that clearly has something to do with all of it, and you can’t blame anybody in no matter what profession of getting offered to do the same job at the same level with a higher pay check to take the opportunity, I believe there is more to it then just money.

I have always considered the Scandinavian leagues as a bridge to the top leagues in Europe and essentially the world. MLS has come on leaps and bounds and continues to grow while the standard of play is ever improving, however scouts of the big clubs are well aware of talent that often comes out of the Scandinavian leagues. Often clubs from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden concede that it’s impossible to keep their best players who came through their youth systems at those clubs. So in other words, for players such as Chris Rolfe who couldn’t showcase his talent on the world’s biggest stage at the world cup, he felt his best option of getting a crack at the top leagues and to show what he could do was to try the Danish Superliga.

On top of all that, there is also the chance for some clubs to compete in the UEFA Champions League and that means against the best players in the world. Unfortunately, MLS cannot compete against that. It’s just an unfortunate reality. One day we all hope to see MLS clubs compete in the Copa Libertadores and that would go a long way in player development, and keeping a good amount of players on our shores instead of heading for Scandinavia, especially because European scouts keep a close eye on South America’s version of the Champions League. But going back to getting the chance of competing in the UEFA Champions League group stages, would any other player pass up that opportunity?

Now, going back to the issue of collegiate players skipping MLS to sign for Scandinavian clubs is a problem for sure. One thing that can be argued is that would Charlie Davis have developed as quickly if he declared himself eligible for the Superdraft? Same can be asked of Bedoya as well. Even Benny Feilhaber to a certain extent although he went straight to Hamburg after college. Can we even ask the same question to Mike Grella by choosing Leeds United in England’s third tier instead of MLS? These are questions that don’t have a straight forward answer.

One thing for sure is that for all the criticism these leagues get from players such as Donovan and Twellman is a bit too much. For example, after Feilhaber’s disaster at Derby County where it just wasn’t the right club for anybody, not just him, he resurrected his career in Denmark and managed to get himself back into Bob Bradley’s thoughts and eventually made the trip to South Africa. Personally, I feel Freddy Adu making a move to Denmark wouldn’t be the worst decision he could make, and would be a far better fit then Greece for sure. It worked for Feilhaber.

There are more clubs from the top European leagues looking at MLS players then ever before such as Everton and Fulham and that will continue to grow, so the outcome looks like less players will be making the move to Scandinavia. It’s just nice for players to always have that option as well as going the route of our domestic league. From personal experience, and granted I was never ever going to come close to playing professional at any level, I was recommended if I wanted to continue playing and improving after college NCAA division three level to go to Norway or Sweden and try to see if I could play in their amateur leagues. The idea sounded very appealing at the time, and still does to a point, but that would have included a whole lot of paperwork amongst other things that make you question if it was really worth it. The level is clearly high in those countries from grassroots level up to professional so any player that chooses to head over in that direction wouldn’t be the worst thing they do.

“Yes and no. I’ve gotten to a point now where I can have five to six days of living a normal life. I can play a round of golf. Everybody goes, ‘Oh you can play a round of golf!’ You don’t understand how when the sun’s coming down and the different – I’ve really started over with the vision, with just stimuli coming from caffeine, (etc.). It’s been a start-over process. I’ve done everything that Dr. Cantu has told me to do. My neck is in very stable condition right now. So yeah, away from the soccer field, I’m doing alright. But to sit here and say it’s been easy? It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. So I’m not going to sit here and tell you that it’s been really easy coming to games every week and watching the team play. That’s been difficult.”

Thing is I know exactly what Twellman is going through here. It’s something that isn’t easy to explain to others who haven’t had a head or neck injury to deal with. Hopefully those five and six days of normal life turn into seven and eight or more here for him real soon.

We do want to see Twellman back on the field as he is one of my favorite guys to watch but at this point getting his head and neck at 100% is way more important.

Check out the full interview here. Its definitely worth a read/listen.

I’d normally like to get these predictions out much sooner but with all that has gone on this winter the day before First Kick seems about right really. The rosters became compliant at 5pm ET yesterday and thus will put an end to the preseason in a way for all the clubs.

In the past I’ve done these bold season predictions in various ways. I ended up sticking with the tradition of the predictions and picks and also added some other items like I did a year ago. I know some of the bold predictions are silly and meaningless but they’re fun to do nonetheless.

As always feel free to put in your season predictions below.

Players to watch out for in 2010:

• Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus): Can he guide this club to another stellar season? I think he will but it won’t be easy with the league out to get them.
• Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy): No doubt Donovan will return to his MVP form from a year ago, but the question will he be with the club after the World Cup? Part of me thinks he will and part of me sees him going back to England.
• Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls): Once he is 100% again look for him to do very well this year. Not playing on nasty turf at home will do wonders for him and the Red Bulls.
• Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo): Big, big year in Houston for the Dynamo especially for Cameron. If he can help keep their offense in check and facilitate things like I believe he can then look out.
• Freddy Montero (Seattle Sounders FC): He’s a marked man but if he can break open in space like we’ve seen him do time and time again then he’ll get his goals this year.

Coaches Already Feeling The Heat

Each year I’ve done a Coaching Hot Seat, where I look around the league to see who stands the greatest chance of getting the boot. Last couple year’s I’ve been right on with some picks on here while a few others have been a bit off. Again, its just my opinion on each coach listed and it doesn’t mean it will actually happen. In other words don’t get all bent out of shape if you see your coach on here at any point this year, I can’t tell you how many emails I get over this issue.

But in saying so this year could be a fairly light year for coaching hot seats in general since there have been so many coaching changes.

• Frank Yallop (San Jose Earthquakes): Its year three for the Quakes 2.0 which means Yallop should really feel some heat if he doesn’t get this club winning early on this year. I wasn’t shocked to see him get another season with the club after last year but I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see him be the first gone this year.
• Gary Smith (Colorado Rapids): Another western coach that should feel some heat this year if his club isn’t winning. If they continue to be inconsistent look for lots of calls for his head later this year. Thing is the Rapids owners typically drag these things out. I think he’ll be fine but for now this is more of a caution of possible things to come.
• Hans Backe (New York Red Bulls): I do believe he’ll last longer than most expected him to but I think its more of a formality at this point to always include the New York boss in these lists given the fact that they have a new coach about every year or year and a half.
• Schellas Hyndman (FC Dallas): While I believe he will have this job as long as he wants it I also think that if he has another clunker of a season the pressure for him to go will have to mount. His overall record (15-18-14) isn’t anything to brag about.

Early Award Predictions:

Below are some predictions for each end-of-season award. I left a few off that I really don’t care about, why we vote on things like the Ref of the year is beyond me. I’ll give you my top three for each since that is how we have to vote on it anyways.

Goalkeeper:

1. Donovan Ricketts (LA Galaxy): He’s a beast…nothing more to say than that.
2. Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders): If Ricketts isn’t 100% all year then this award easily goes to Keller.
3. Will Hesmer (Columbus): I find him to be highly underrated.

Defender:

1. Chad Marshall (Columbus): Hard not to go against the league’s best defender.
2. Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Seattle): He’s the rock in the back for the Sounders.
3. Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy): I see this kid growing into a perennial All-Star.

Comeback Player:

1. Taylor Twellman (New England): Its gotta be Twellman right? Anyone else to put here?

(Yes I’m sure there are others but right now Twellman is all I have for this one.)

Newcomer:

1. Joel Lindpere (New York Red Bulls): If NY is going to be half as good as people think/say they are this year it will be because of this guy.
2. Eduardo (San Jose Earthquakes): The Quakes need a goal scorer and he will help do just that.
3. Blaise N’Kufo (Seattle Sounders FC): Yes he is only playing a half season but I agree with a lot of folks out there that think he is the final piece to the puzzle that puts this club over the top.

(Note: this will easily change as newcomers join the league in the summer and after the World Cup)

Coach:

1. Sigi Schmid (Seattle Sounders): He’ll continue to work his magic in the Pacific Northwest.
2. Peter Nowak (Philadelphia Union): I do believe he’ll make them better than most expansion clubs and thus will get high praise for it. A playoff birth would easily help him win this though.
3. Bruce Arena (LA Galaxy): If they end up losing Landon Donovan this summer and they still do well in the west then he may very well beat out Schmid for this honor.

Rookie:

1. Tony Tchani (New York Red Bulls): He’s a beast, believe me.
2. Zach Loyd (FC Dallas): The man that can play just about anywhere for Schellas Hyndman. Once he settles into a role he’ll be golden.
3. Teal Bunbury (Kansas City Wizards): He’s a natural goal scorer, and KC needs goals.

MVP:

1. Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy): Not settling the world on fire with this pick but as long as he is in the league he’s the best player no matter what.
2. Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew): As long as he has a full healthy season he could end up winning this on his production alone.
3. Kyle Beckerman (RSL): If this club is going to repeat it will be because of this man.

Playoff Predictions:

Top two from Eastern Conference: Columbus Crew* and Chicago Fire
Top two from Western Conference: Seattle Sounders FC and LA Galaxy

Wild card winners: Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas, D.C. United

I feel as though the first six (auto-bids, RSL, and Houston) are simple picks for me but with parity in this league we really could see any number of teams in those final two spots. I think it will come down between Dallas, D.C., Colorado, Chivas, Toronto, New York and New England for those final two spots. I felt weird taking four western conference wild cards so D.C. gets the nod for me though I’ll be honest I’m not totally set on that pick. Dallas needs to find a partner for Jeff Cunningham or they’ll be in trouble. Still Dallas is a dark-horse for me just as I’ve said all winter long. Had to stay with that pick here.

First round playoff winners: Columbus (over Dallas); Chicago (over D.C.); Seattle (over Houston); and RSL (over LA).

Conference final winners: Columbus and Seattle.

MLS Cup winner: Seattle Sounders FC

(*= Supporter’s Shield winners)

The Rest of the WVH Bold Predictions:

1. A MLS club will win SuperLiga: I still hate this tournament but I’m a homer and root for anyone MLS in it. My guess is Houston will take it hom this year.
2. A MLS club will win the US Open Cup: The league usually does every year and with the whole Division II mess that went on these past few months I like a MLS club’s chance even more. I’m going to go with the Chicago Fire to win this year.
3. MLS will get four clubs in CCL Group stage: We already get two in Columbus and Real Salt Lake. I’ll say LA and Toronto some how manages their way into the group stage this year. Seattle falls short.
4. MLS will win the All-Star game: Yawn.
5. Three clubs will add DPs by the end of summer: New York will add their second while Chicago and D.C. get new ones.
6. More Yanks will return home: Maybe a Benny Feihaber? Who knows? I still see a couple coming back this summer.
7. A couple Yanks transfer out of MLS: This deserves it’s own post (again) but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Donovan go as well as someone like Brek Shea.
8. Dominic Kinnear will once again trade like crazy: He does it each year and it only makes his team better. Why people trade with him I’ll never know. You can bet one at least one trade really working out in the Dynamo’s favor though.
9. Mo Johnston and Preki will butt heads: All seems good now as they continue to dump salaries but at some point they’ll clash over player pickups.
10. Houston and San Jose will see their stadiums go up: They’ll join Kansas City in the movin’ dirt department.
11. D.C. will still be stuck at RFK: Its election year for D.C.’s mayoral race, so I don’t see anything happening to United’s stadium issues anytime soon. Which sucks.
12. Montreal will get their expansion bid: They’ll be in the league in 2012…its all but announced at this point.
13. No other expansion bid will be announced this year: I think the league will carefully plan who their 20th club will be. My money is on them trying to find an owner in New York to bring a second club to that area.
14. A late season run will help…D.C.: We see it every year, last year it was RSL getting lucky at the right time, this year it will be D.C.
15. Juan Pablo Angel will lead the league in goals: No turf at Red Bull Arena will go a long way in getting him back to producing lots of goals.
16. Brad Davis will lead the league in assists: He always quietly gets lots of assists and no one notices.
17. Kasey Keller will lead the league in saves: I still see the Sounders give up a fair amount of shots but Keller will be there to save most of them.
18. The US Men’s National Team will make it to the quarterfinals: Not MLS related but definitely worth predicting at this point. I love the boy’s chances in South Africa, as much as I want to put them in the semi-finals, a quarterfinal exit seems more likely.

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.

How has Eddie Johnson has changed our lives? New WVH writer John Parker takes a look.

By John Parker

Brian Mcbride was a good player. So was Joe-Max Moore. Eric Wynalda held the American scoring record for nearly a decade.

Alright, I don’t know where to start with this, and my free writing is a little sub par here. But there is a point, and it’s not that subtle. The US has produced some adequate players up top, but the position has been the country’s Achilles heel…and an anomaly. This is a nation that hosts the most astonishing athletes in the world, and yet cycle after cycle we see gadflies, overachievers and “hard workers” leading the line. Meanwhile, the Damani Ralph’s of the world were entering the MLS and snatching golden boots.

Before the 2006 cycle, this is what we not only experienced, but expected. We waited on the coming Hispanic infusion that would introduce craft to the position; the demographics of America were rapidly changing, and the future of American soccer supposedly with it. We would see a new breed of player, one who preferred to play on the ball, to strike it from distance and to create for his teammates. Brian Mcbride was great, but we could improve.

But then something curious happened. Eddie Johnson, an American striker with sub par ability on the ball won the golden boot with the U-20’s, and then again with the MLS. It was astonishing…because he was an astonishing athlete. Playing off the hips of the defender, Eddie looked to impose his will with his speed. He didn’t finish off of crosses or set pieces but rather through balls. He was introduced to the National Team and quickly reeled off seven goals. The message boards lit up. People bought the jersey they were sure to wear for a decade…after all, who offered what Eddie did up top? Those seven goals may have been somewhat of a fluke, but they may also have been proof of something greater than just Eddie. The American style, with its counter-attacks and its high pressure defending (which leads to interceptions up the pitch) could take advantage of a forward who routinely got behind the defense. The Twellman’s of the world slowed down our attack when, if anything, we needed to be speeding up.

Don’t beat yourself up for falling for the hype to early. I did…and your favorite blogger probably did too. After all, it’s not like we could complain that Eddie’s ball skills didn’t compare with the rest of the pool. We’d later realize how much better Mcbride’s first touch was, or how much better Moore was off the ball…but the point is for a youth player it was tough to criticize him in comparison (remember, he was battling Taylor Twellman for a spot).

Yes, in the end it did not work out with Eddie. However, his fiery start revealed a seed that is just barely now sprouting. The American striker was not going to be born out of Latino influence but rather an American one. Our obsession with physically dominating our opponents…of physically imposing our will…that was the future of the position, and one that fit our American sensibilities.

Yeah, we are still lacking at the position, but let’s go back to the beginning of the current cycle. Eddie Johnson was beginning to be exposed…and…and…who started against Mexico in the Gold Cup? (Hint: one isn’t a forward, and the other probably won’t be there this summer. Look it up…it took me five minutes to figure it out too.)

Now, the trail-blazing Eddie Johnson has left us with two (yes two!) options up top who offer an array of talents. I know Davies is injured, but as an American product, he must be discussed. You see, we now have a striker tree building from Eddie. One branch, Jozy Altidore, offers extraordinary power, good speed, and a penchant for taking players on off the dribble. The other, CD9, has fantastic speed, good power, and consistently attack the goal with fiery determination. Both can score off through balls, or create a goal themselves. They can play off the defenders hip, but can also be effective receiving it with their backs to the goal. In general, they’re advantage is an athletic one coupled with adequate skills and a confidence we haven’t seen in our past strikers…it’s a confidence that wants to take over the game rather than simply be a cog. Yes, “team” play is great, but sometimes you need more from your strikers than target play. Sometimes you need a goal like Jozy’s against Spain, or Charlie’s against Mexico. Sometimes you need it from both your strikers.

So where do we go from here? Sheer math makes me believe that the previously mentioned dearth of Hispanic influence will be overcome. However, if you look at the current prospects, the proof points more to the growth of the Eddie tree.

• Brek Shea, a tall, lanky winger/striker was taken second by FCD in the draft a couple of years ago after a display of speed and flair at the combine. He may not be a striker in the end, but the mere fact that he was drafted with the position in mind was proof of a new American mindset. He still might have a future at the position.
• Robbie Findley will probably see little time on the pitch for the US in any competitive matches, but Findley seems to have become a preferred option to the Conor Casey’s of the world because of what he offers athletically (which, unfortunately, is about all he offers).
• At the U-20 level, Juan Agudelo and Stefan Jerome seem to be top options for the next cycle. Agudelo is looking at offers from NYRB and Millionaros because of an intriguing balance of size, speed and technical ability, especially at his age. Jerome, who has fallen off quite a bit since his stunning performance against Brazil a couple of years ago, is a tall, lanky striker with speed and desire to beat his defender off the dribble (perhaps too much). [Note: The other striker here is Jack McInerney, but he is unlike any American striker produced, so I’ll pretend he doesn’t exist for the purposes of this article]
• Then there is the 2010 draft. Teal Bunbury may be playing for Canada, but he fits the mold, and MLS large GA offer is proof to his value in the American game. However, Danny Mwanga, the first pick of the draft, should be of more interest to us. Mwanga told a soccernet reporter he hoped to play for the U.S., and given his status as a refugee with a green card, he shouldn’t be too far away from his citizenship. As a 6-2 striker who wows with both elite level athleticism and the technique to match, he would be a natural fit in the new breed of American striker.
• Finally, there is Alfred Koroma, the 15 year old who recently left Bradenton after beginning his second cycle. Koroma was highly advertised as the star of the new class as a player who was not only physically dominant but also technically advanced. Yes, he is young…but Jozy got his first cap at 17 and Koroma will turn 19 before the next world cup.

All of this is admittedly wild speculation. All the speculation, however, points towards one conclusion. Many of these players won’t make it, but the fact that almost all of America’s top prospects at the position fit the Davies/Altidore mold speaks to what we can learn from the past and expect of the future. Current trends point towards a focus on strikers with the ability to get behind defenses off the ball and to overtake them off the dribble.

With Davies and Altidore taking two positions in the next cycle, two remain open. Will we see an entire leading line built in a similar fashion? Will it become a position of strength? Will the American striker become a unique character in the world of soccer?

All of this is unlikely…but it’s still cool to think that Eddie Johnson may have changed American soccer forever.

Editor’s Note: John Parker is new to WVHooligan.com. Feel free to leave him a comment below.

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.

RevsTV: Taylor Twellman Cosmo Shoot from The Offside Rules on Vimeo.

Claudio Lopez and Kansas City hope to change their luck this weekend. (Brian Stevens, WVH Photo Correspondent)

Sometimes the number 13 can mean unlucky and sometimes people use that number to try and make it into luck. What does that mean for our MLS clubs this week? Well week 13 could mean staying in playoff contention or falling out.

So far we’ve already had one game under our belts this week with the game in Houston on Wednesday. I didn’t talk too much about that game but after looking back on some of the tape and highlights Houston deserved to win the game. For the most part the play was very even and I believe I read a quote out there from a few Dynamo players saying Chivas was the best squad they’ve faced this season. Let’s hope that these two meet again in the western conference finals this season. Home field advantage will go a long way between those clubs I can tell you that much.

Chivas does return to the pitch this weekend, as do most fo the clubs except for Colorado who has another week off here. Mostly we have conference battles this weekend with one exception in Columbus when Chivas squares off against the Crew.

As always feel free to leave your game predictions below.

Saturday:

Chicago Fire – at – DC United:

Some how Chicago is the best road side in the league and DC is actually one of the better homesides in the league. So something will have to give right? Honestly the Fire haven’t been playing that great these last couple of weeks, most of that can be due to international call ups hurting their starting XI. Some of the heat in this game is already out though with Luciano Emilio and Bakery Soumare out on suspension. Even without Blanco in the middle for the Fire I still believe they have enough to get on the board at least once. But their defense will let DC back in late. United is always good for a goal in the final 15 minutes of the game.

WVH Prediction: DC 1, Chicago 1

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New York Red Bulls – at – Toronto FC:

One has to wonder if this could be the last game for Juan Carlos Osorio if his club is to lose another game on the road. Not to mention this is game number 15 on the year and if you are this much out of it halfway through, who is to say that your second half of the season performance will get better enough to reach the post season. This isn’t the MLS of old where you can stumble your way into the playoffs.

Thankfully for the Red Bulls the club they face isn’t doing too well these days either. Though Mo Johnston is trying to make sure there is a turnaround here with bringing in Nick Garcia to help the defense out. With the way New York plays on the road (0-6-1, 0 goals for and 12 against) I think Toronto should win this one. Look for Chad Barrett or Danny Dichio to be there to score for the Reds in this one.

WVH Prediction: Toronto 2, New York 1

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Houston Dynamo – at – FC Dallas:

Another I hope to be at but even so it should be a good game considering the rivalry built here between these two sides. Houston is on a crazy run of nine straight unbeaten games, with four wins in a row here. I just don’t see that trend ending after the way I saw Dallas play this past Sunday against San Jose. Sure the Red Stripes got a late draw but Houston has a quality defense that just pressures the heck out of you. Dallas doesn’t have the midfield to keep up with Houston’s and defensively FCD is just not on the same level. I think Stuart Holden is on impressive form and that will continue tomorrow in Frisco. Dallas just doesn’t have an answer for him.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, Dallas 0

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New England Revolution – at – Kansas City Wizards:

The Wizards are one of those clubs that needs a break right now and not an unlucky kind of week. One could say they have already caught that break with Taylor Twellman missing the game and trip for the Revs. It is easy to say that the Revs are a completely different club with him in the lineup. Without him they will have to go back to just making it work with guys like Shalrie Joseph up top. Kansas City will need to rely a lot on Josh Wolff and Claudio Lopez here for their offense. I think the Wizards will catch a break this week in the end and get some much needed points. However it will only be a single point as New England will sneak out with a draw.

WVH Prediction: Kansas City 1, New England 1

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San Jose Earthquakes – at – Seattle Sounders FC:

Seattle is another club that needs to catch a break here and with San Jose coming into town that may just been good enough. The Quakes traded one of their better defenders this week to Toronto so one has to wonder what exactly they will do to fix their defense that is still letting in a bunch of goals each week. Sure Seattle won’t have Nate Jaqua or Jhon Kennedy Hurtado to suspensions but I think a weak defense and a struggling midfield may just be what Fredy Montero and company need to get back on track here. Look for Sigi Schmid’s group to control this game from the start.

WVH Prediction: Seattle 2, San Jose 1

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Real Salt Lake – at – LA Galaxy:

Hard to believe the Galaxy are unbeaten in ten games but they are. And after last week’s game in Toronto one has to think this club may actually be ok without Landon Donovan for a few weeks. It surely doesn’t hurt when you get one of the worst road clubs to come visit you either. RSL really needs a break here but I just don’t see it happening with their recent play and with the loss of Robbie Russell (suspension) in the back and the potential of no Robbie Findley (ankle). Donovan Ricketts should come up big when needed tomorrow night and somehow the Gals will squeeze out another three points.

WVH Prediction: LA 2, RSL 1

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Sunday:

Chivas USA – at – Columbus Crew:

The league leading Goats may not be leading the league for that much longer if they don’t break out of a slight funk here. It’s a typical midseason funk for those who race out quickly like Chivas did this season. Just ask the Crew, they did the same last season and hit the wall a bit in June as well. Aside from the breif history lesson these clubs square off in Columbus on Sunday. They may have a bit of a break with the Crew missing Chad Marshall to suspension and Brian Carroll to injury. Those two losses for the Crew are big time down the middle of the defense. Chivas is good enough to figure out how to pressure the Crew. Thing is I am worried they are running out of steam here right now. Guillermo Barros Schelotto will probably make sure the Crew stay in this one with another goal. A draw sounds likely here with the players missing for each side.

WVH Prediction: Columbus 1, Chivas 1

If you think I missed a goal, please let me know below.

Order of goals: Taylor Twellman (New England), David Ferreira (Dallas), Arturo Alvarez (San Jose), Kenny Cooper (Dallas), Omar Cummings (Colorado), Edson Buddle (LA), and Stuart Holden (Houston).