While the balance of power came from the Eastern Conference last season, the eventual Champion came from the West - again.  The Houston Dynamo repeating as MLS Cup winners - and they look a good bet to go for the three-peat in 2008.  However, I don't think it will be as easy this time with Chivas again set to test at the top of the West.  Look for improvements from Real Salt Lake (Jim Mora style - playoffs??) and perhaps Colorado - and steady as she goes for FC Dallas.  One thing looks certain - the gulf in class in the West appears to be shortening. 

Enjoy the Western Conference preview.

Houston Dynamo
Last Season: 15-8-7 - 52pts
MLS Cup Champions
Coach: Dominic Kinnear (5th season)
Key Losses: DF Ryan Cochrane, FW Joseph Ngwenya, MF/FW Nate Jacqua, GK Zach Wells, FW Paul Daglish
Additions: DF Bobby Boswell, FW Franco Caraccio, GK Tony Caig
My Take:
It's no secret how Houston has managed to hang on to the MLS Cup for two season's running - they have great depth and players who know how to show up in big games.  Last term's midseason trade that brought in Jacqua, Ngwenya and Richard Mulrooney was one of the best of the season - as those players showed down the stretch.  But now that Jacqua and Ngwenya have left for greener pastures, there is a lack of depth up top and this could be the achilles heel for Houston this time around.  With Brian Ching proving to be one of the more injury-prone players in MLS, the scoring load will fall to new kid Caraccio and Chris Wondolowski - and possibly Dwayne DeRosario or Brian Mullan if either of those two struggle.  Dominic Kinnear can still deal from a position of strength if the Dynamo start slow out of the gate - but the options this term are much more limited.  With the team set to play a packed schedule, Kinnear's depth will be tested more than ever before - and he has a much slimmer margin for error.  That means the defense and midfield will have to shoulder more of the load if they want to win a record third-straight MLS title.

Colorado Rapids
Last Season:  9-13-8 - 35pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach: Fernando Clavijo (4th season)
Key Losses: FW Nicolas Hernandez, MF Jose Cancela, GK Zach Thornton, MF Tony Sanneh
Additions: MF Christian Gomez, DF Jose Burciaga Jr., DF Tim Ward
My Take:
Colorado's failure to address the GLARING deficiency up front means this team will sink or swim on the play of Christian Gomez.  Last season the team managed just 29-goals in 30-games and were blanked in nine of their last 17 - so why have they not moved for a FW??  If you find out, let me know.  Instead, the side made moves for a pair of defenders - but didn't they already have the 4th best backline in the league last term?  Who's pulling the strings over there?  And trading your DP spot for Christian Gomez?  Here's hoping the service he'll provide will be worth the price you're paying.  One thing is certain - it's obvious there is no real plan in Colorado - and while 'Every Season Starts At Dick's' - it's not going to start very well.  The pre-season has been a disaster with Herculez Gomez, Conor Casey, Pablo Mastroeni, Ugo Ihemelu, Mehdi Ballouchy, Mike Petke and Dan Gargan all missing significant time to injury.  This side DOES have some talent but I agree with what I've read throughout the off-season - this is a team that is in no hurry whatsoever to put together a side that can challenge the league powers.  Until that happens, mediocrity will reign supreme in Colorado.

FC Dallas
Last Season: 13-12-5 - 44pts
Lost in Western Conference Final
Coach: Steve Morrow (2nd season)
Key Losses: FW Carlos Ruiz, FW Denilson, DF Chris Gbandi, DF Clarence Goodson
Additions: MF Andre Rocha, DF Dulio Davino
My Take:
I'm excited to see whether Steve Morrow's formation change brings instant dividends for Dallas.  The move to a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 is more suited to the team's personnel according to Morrow - and I agree.  Taking some of the responsibility away from Arturo Alvarez will give him more of a chance to improvise in the attack and that can only benefit the team.  Alvarez is a 'big game' player and should prove his worth in the new set-up.  FW Kenny Cooper is back from his broken leg and looks more focused and confident as he gets set to carry the scoring load.  Juan Toja and Alvarez will help with that.  The backline was a weakness last term giving up 44-goals and Morrow turfed half the starters in the off-season.  He brings in Davino to hopefully help stabilise things alongside Drew Moor and Adrian Serioux.  But all three have struggled with pre-season knocks so health could be a constant issue at the back.  This team may struggle at the start but the potential is there to surprise a few teams down the stretch.  Winning a playoff series is an achievable goal - and one Morrow may need to reach if he plans to be here a season from now.

Chivas USA
Last Season:  15-7-8 - 53pts
Lost in Western Confernce Semifinals
Coach: Predrag Radosavljevic - Preki (2nd season)
Key Losses: DF Jason Hernandez, MF Amado Guevara, GK Preston Burpo
Additions: FW Alecko Eskandarian, FW Atiba Harris, MF Raphael Wicky, DF Jim Curtin
My Take:
If there was ever any doubt that this was Preki's team - it was removed when he shipped former MVP Amado Guevara out because he didn't fit into the coaches vision.  It certainly worked out for Preki didn't it?  The Goats go on to win the West led by Ante Razov, Maykel Galindo and Sacha Klejstan.  Unfortunately for Chivas, Galindo and Razov got hurt and the lack of depth up top proved to be their undoing int he opening round of the playoffs.  Preki has brought in Eskandarian and Harris to help provide cover - but lets hope that's all they are relied on to do.  Eskandarian has struggled for form since 2004 and Harris has just four career goals so if Galindo or Razov go down for an extended period, the goals could be hard to come by for Chivas.  Much like DC and Houston, the team faces a packed schedule but other than their slim frontline options, this team is packed everywhere else.  There is a lot of excitement surrounding Wicky but he'll have to prove himself in this league - but he immediately adds steel and class to the center of the attack.  Brad Guzan is the best GK this league has - but I don't expect him to stick around once the summer transfer window opens.  If he leaves, then what for Chivas?  Lance Parker?  As prepared as Preki has his team for every game, lets hope he's got a plan for the departure of Guzan.  Still, this team is the class of the west and should repeat as Conference winners and go deep into the playoffs.

Real Salt Lake
Last Season: 6-15-9 - 27pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach: Jason Kreis (2nd season)
Key Losses: DF Eddie Pope, DF Willis Forko, DF Ritchie Kotschau, DF Chris Lancos, DF Jean-Martial Kipre, MF Atiba Harris, FW Chris Brown, FW Alecko Eskandarian, FW Jamie Watson
Additions: DF Tony Beltran, DF Nat Borchers, DF Ian Joy, DF Jamison Olave, MF Matias Cordoba, MF Dema Kovalenko, FW Kenny Deuchar
My Take:
The biggest loss for this side was Pope but bringing in Borchers, Joy and Olave has this unit looking much better than a season ago.  RSL get a new stadium this year and they are hoping to ride the wave of fan enthusiasm to a better finish - and with a little luck, maybe even a home playoff date int he new park??  A big ask perhaps but this side should show the most improvement of any team over their record a season ago.  Jason Kreis and Garth Lagerway have a plan (Colorado - listening to this??) and they are executing it perfectly.  It may take some time for all the new faces to jell, but once they do a first-ever playoff berth is a suitable expectation.  Javier Morales has been a revelation in the preseason and he should set-up plenty of scoring chances for Dr. Deuchar (yes, he is a REAL doctor - I'd be worried if I was a trainer for RSL).  Robbie Findley is one of the players I expect to explode this season - and with the additions of Kovalenko and Matias Cordoba, RSL has the potential to be VERY dangerous.  The only weakness potentially is in goal - which Nick Rimando will show up??  It better be the good one because US U-23 backstop Chris Seitz is just waiting for his shot.  Rimando was outstanding last term though and he should be steady once again.

San Jose Earthquakes
Last Season: N/A
Expansion Team
Coach: Frank Yallop (1st season)
Additions: GK Joe Cannon, DF Nick Garcia, DF Ryan Cochrane, MF Ivan Guerrero, MF Ramiro Corrales, MF Ned Grabavoy, MF Ronnie O'Brien, FW Kei Kamara
My Take:
San Jose had a great pre-season and while they will wear the 'expansion' tag this season, they have the talent (and the coach) to not look like an expansion team.  Their backline alone is better than anything we've seen in newbie sides but they will struggle to score goals.  Getting O'Brien from Toronto FC will help to give them some offensive guile, but O'Brien had durability issues last season - although, that might be more to do with BMO Field than anything else - only time will tell.  Still, Gavin Glinton and Kei Kamara haven't shown they can do the job on a regular basis and that could be the biggest issue for San Jose.  Picking from other team's cast-offs is never easy but Yallop has proven himself to be one of the most astute managers in MLS and if there's anyone that can bring it all together, it is him.  He doesn't get enough credit for the job he did with LA last season amidst the Beckham circus - and not many blamed him for bolting when he did.  Yallop DOES have allocation money to spend and has shown in the past that he knows talent when he sees it (Brian Ching, Brian Mullan anyone?) so the Quakes may have some fresh faces in soon enough.  As it stands now though, this team will be better than the previous three expansion sides - but they don't have the talent to challenge for a playoff berth int he west.  Sorry Frank.

Los Angeles Galaxy
Last Season: 9-14-7 - 34pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach: Ruud Gullit
Key Losses: DF Chris Albright, GK Joe Cannon, MF Kyle Martino, MF Cobi Jones, MF Kelly Gray, FW Carlos Pavon, FW Gavin Glinton
Additions: FW Carlos Ruiz, DF Greg Vanney, FW Ely Allen, DF Sean Franklin, DF Julian Valentin, MF Alvaro Pires
My Take:  
I saved the Galaxy for last because this team will be the biggest disappointment to my mind.  David Beckham talks a good game about what this team is capable of but those of us who follow the league know it's just talk - these guys don't have it.  The sad part is they could have it if they didn't have the bulk of their salary cap tied up in three players (Ruiz, Beckham & Donovan).  A healthy Beckham will be a huge bonus and this team is going to score a ton of goals - no doubt about that.  But they're going to give up a ton of goals as well.  Rookie starter Steve Cronin is going to undergo a baptism by fire with every team wanting to hammer the Galaxy and their biggest star.  Coach Gullit is the latest foreign coach to come in with a glittering string of credentials, but can he do it in MLS?  I think he can - just not with this team.  He's being forced to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and it is going to test his patience and his skills as a manager.  He'll have the Galaxy fit but they don't have the skill at the back to handle opposing weapons.  Vanney and Abel Xavier are decent - but both have already seen their best days.  Add to that the soft center in the middle and it's not looking good for the Galaxy.  If Gullit gets the team to come together they could surprise - but I don't think it'll happen.  And as for Alexei Lalas...I'll save that for another blog article all together.

Predicted Western Conference:
1. Chivas USA
2. Houston Dynamo
3. Real Salt Lake
4. FC Dallas
5. LA Galaxy
6. San Jose
7. Colorado

Thanks for reading!!  Enjoy the opening weekend of games - we'll chat again next week.  Feel free to leave any comments below!

The balance of power in MLS was in the Eastern Conference last season with five teams making it into the post-season.  But while they had the balance of power, none of those five teams were the ones lifting the MLS Cup (or 'ball' I should say - it isn't even close to being any kind of Cup) at the end of it all.  As we head into the 13th season in the league history, it again looks like the balance of power is in the East - but whether one of these teams can lift the MLS Cup come November is once again anyone's guess.  Here's my take on the Eastern Conference in no particular order - with some bold/not-so-bold predictions to finish it off.

New England Revolution
Last Season:  14-8-8 - 50pts
MLS Cup Runners-up
Coach:  Steve Nicol (7th season)
Key Losses:  MF Andy Dorman, DF Avery John, FW Pat Noonan, DF James Riley
Additions:  DF/MF Chris Albright, MF Mauricio Castro, FW Kheli Dube, DF Rob Valentin, FW Spencer Wadsworth
My Take: 
Losing the likes of Dorman, Noonan, John & Riley would be enough to cripple most teams - but this is New England.  Coach Steve Nicol has some fantastic depth in his squad and one of the best midfields in the game.  The additions of Dube & Wadsworth give them some youth and added speed in attack alongside Taylor Twellman.  The biggest question is who does Nicol put alongside his 16-goal man?  The early returns say Kenny Mansally or Adam Cristman - either should be a nice complement to an extra-motivated Twellman,  who missed his European shot in the off-season thanks to a league veto of his transfer.  The only problem could be if Nicol's team gets bitten by the injury bug - or struggles out of the gate.  That's where the Revolution depth and team unity will be put to the test.

Columbus Crew
Last Season: 9-11-10 - 37pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach:  Sigi Schmid (3rd season in Columbus)
Key Losses:  DF Marcos Gonzalez, MF Ned Grabavoy, FW Andy Herron, FW Kei Kamara, DF Tim Ward
Additions: FW Nico Hernandez, DF Andy Iro, FW George Josten, MF Brian Carroll
My Take:
Yes, I looked at the additions and also said 'who are these guys?' as I got set to write this up.  Head coach Sigi Schmid continues to put his own stamp on this Crew team and this will be the make or break season for him.  After a horrible finish last season that saw them out of the playoffs, Schmid needs his acquisitions to come through along with his existing corp.  A lot of other Crew previews I've looked at have them finishing not much better than Toronto - but I think the Crew are not going to be that bad.  The main question heading into the pre-season was their defence - but to date, it's been rock solid and if that carries over into the regular season, this team should be on the winning end of a lot of one-goal games.  I say that because the jury is still out on whether the players around Guillermo Barros Schelotto will be able to get him the ball.  My guess is they will and the Crew will enjoy a resurgence in the East - especially if Eddie Gaven and Robbie Rogers perform to their potential.  This is my dark horse pick.

Toronto FC
Last Season:  6-17-7 - 25pts
Missed MLS Playoffs
Coach:  John Carver (1st season)
Key Losses: MF Ronnie O'Brien, GK Kenny Stamatopoulos, DF Chris Pozniak, DF Marco Reda, GK Srdjan Djekanovic
Additions:  MF Kevin Harmse, DF Julius James, DF Pat Phelan
My Take:
I'll be honest - I like Mo Johnston.  Unfortunately, I don't like what Mo Johnston has done with Toronto FC....So far.  By his account, there are numerous irons in various fires so any day now we could hear of a blockbuster signing by TFC - but I'm not betting on it.  It is worrying to many fans and MLS followers that Johnston has done so little with this team in the off-season with so much cap room available ($800,00!!!).  The biggest move he made in the off-season was moving himself upstairs!  Due to the lack of significant additions, Toronto fans are in for another tough season at BMO Field.  This is by far the weakest team in the East and could challenge San Jose for the basement tag over in the West.  Sure there will be bright spots (Julius James - Rookie of the Year) but losing to Charleston in the final game of the pre-season?  That speaks volumes about where this team is headed - 'Mo' where fast.

Chicago Fire
Last Season: 10-10-10 - 40pts
Eastern Conference Final
Coach:  Denis Hamlett
Key Losses: Coach Juan Carlos Osorio, GK Matt Pickens, DF Jim Curtin, MF Chris Armas
Additions: DF Brandon Prideaux, FW Thomasz Frankowski, FW Andy Herron
My Take:
I had the good fortune to travel to Chicago twice last season to do sidelines for 'MLS Saturday' on FSC and next to Toronto, Chicago has the best fans in MLS.  Too bad their team is not of the same calibre.  Notice how I listed Juan Carlos Osorio among the key losses?  The departure of Osorio to Red Bulls cannot be simply written off - especially since he turned the team around in the 2nd half last term and took them to the Eastern Conference Final where they almost upset New England.  I like Denis Hamlett and he deserves his shot but I don't think he's the guy to take them back to the top.  The team hasn't really improved much over last season from what I can tell yet I see them predicted as 4th & even 3rd place finishers in the East.  I don't see them even making the playoffs!  Their backline is still too thin and while I admire the skills of Cuauhtemoc Blanco, his legs are going and he may not find it as easy this season as he did last (not that being the most fouled player in MLS is easy!) - and I say that showing the utmost respect for his ability to change a game in an instant.  Chicago could be in the hunt if they stay healthy (and play Chris Rolfe as a striker) - otherwise, it could be another long season for the diehards in Section 8.

DC United
Last Season: 16-7-7 - 55pts
Eliminated in 1st round of MLS Playoffs
Coach: Tom Soehn (2nd season)
Key Losses: DF Bobby Boswell, DF Grege Vanney, MF Brian Carroll, MF Christian Gomez, MF Bryan Arguez
Additions: GK Zach wells, DF Gonzalo Martinez, DF Gonzalo Peralta, MF Marcelo Gallardo, MF Santino Qaranta, FW Franco Neill
My Take:
With all the changes DC United made in the off-season, you'd think they missed the playoffs and not won the Supporter's Shield.  Then again, getting knocked out in the first round of the post-season kind of leaves a sour taste doesn't it?  DC are back to do it all again this year - and they should succeed where they fell short in '07.  This team is built to win titles and I see them as the class of the East.  Martinez and Peralta add some stability at the one weakness last term - defence - and Gallardo instantly improves one of the best attacking midfields this side of the Atlantic.  The team have the depth to be able to survive the league, Champions Cup & Superliga and they also have the mentality to change their playoff fortunes.  Luciano Emilio is not expected to hit 20-goals for a 2nd season running - but I wouldn't be so sure about that - especially if he stays healthy.  It's a good year to be a DC United fan with plenty of wins on the horizon.

Kansas City Wizards
Last Season: 11-12-7 - 40pts
Lost in Conference Championship
Coach: Curt Onalfo (2nd season)
Key Losses: FW Eddie Johnson, DF Jose Burciaga Jr, DF Nick Garcia
Additions: MF Chance Myers, FW Claudio Lopez, FW Ivan Trujillo
My Take:
The loss of Eddie Johnson had many wondering what Kansas City would do to score goals this season.  Enter Trujillo and Lopez - two players who combined should help better the 45-goals KC scored last season.  Johnson was great and all but he went missing after the all-star break.  If Lopez can stay healthy, he should be able to produce a little more consistently than Johnson.  Scott Sealy will also help with this off the bench.  The question mark for KC is their defence.  While the trading of Burciaga was largely seen as addition by subtraction, the club may miss Garcia - moreso if Myers struggles .  But Harrington and Conrad provide that stabilising presence and Tyson Wahl could be a nice addition in his 3rd year.  I don't see many weaknesses on the Kansas City side and wholly expect them to challenge for a top three spot in the east.

New York Red Bulls
Last Season: 12-11-7 - 43pts
Lost in 1st round of playoffs
Coach: Juan Carlos Osorio
Key Losses: MF Dema Kovalenko, MF Santino Qaranta, FW Francis Doe
Additions: Coach Juan Carlos Osorio, GK Zach Thornton, FW Oscar Echeverry
My Take:
In the opening month of last season, New York was looking like a Championship calibre team.  Then it all came undone in spectacular fashion resulting in a splintered team easily dispatched in the 1st round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.  The always-surly Bruce Arena is gone (that's Claudio Reyna you hear cheering) and new boss Juan Carlos Osorio is ready to take this team where it couldn't go in '07.  Juan Pablo Angel and Jozy Altidore are set to lead the way once again and could top 30-goals if Altidore stays healthy.  But it's all downhill from there for New York.  The pre-season injuries to Dane Richards and Hunter Freeman hurt the team and it looks as if Osorio's skills will be tested immediately.  The one area the Bulls needed to perhaps do something was in net (Thornton isn't capable of starting on a regular basis) - but Osorio seems content to give Jon Conway the rope and see if he hangs himself with it.  Some are predicting a rebound for Kevin Goldthwaite at the back but I just don't see it.  Osorio will still likely do some tinkering with this team as they head to mid-season - he'll need to if they want to avoid another 1st round flame out.  That's all I see from New York as it sits right now.

My Predicted Finish:
1st DC United
2nd Kansas City
3rd New England
4th New York
5th Columbus
6th Chicago 
7th Toronto FC

Thanks for reading - feel free to submit your comments below!  I'll post a Western Conference Preview Thursday night.

My apologies for being away from the blog for an extended period - I know you're used to it and all....But still, apologies.  Thanks to those who sent their best wishes through the blog and via email in regards to the recent death in my family.  All msgs were much appreciated!!

Moving forward....

MANCHESTER UNITED STAY 5pts AHEAD

It was indeed a 'Happy Easter' for United fans as they trounced sorry Liverpool 3-nil at OT.  I'd say this was a bit surprising but - it wasn't.  Going into the match, United had won their last four straight versus their Merseyside rivals with the 'Poolers yet to score a goal in the last 7 mtgs between the two in the PL & FA Cup....You can now make it 8.

A BIG thanks to JAVIER MASCHERANO of course for his sending off but I don't think United would have been denied even if MASC had stuck around.  NO ONE can stop CRISTIANO RONALDO and I'll say it here right now - if he stays healthy and leads Portugal to modest success at the Euros this summer, he WILL be the FIFA Player of the Year come December.

You read it here first.

ARSENAL - ALL TALK, NO ROCK.

I'll have to admit, I WAS cheering for Arsenal to beat Chelsea Sunday - only because I'm sick of hearing about Chelsea's home unbeaten run (and I like to give Layni schtick over on her blog).  When BACARY SAGNA scored to give the Gunners the lead, I thought for sure we'd at least be looking at a draw - regardless of who's in charge, the Blues have an immense player-pride in their home record and they wouldn't let Arsenal win.  But then DIDIER DROGBA scores twice and it's a whole new game - and Arsenal are done for. 

The match commentator made a remark (the part I caught anyways) about how AVRAM GRANT'S critics will now be silenced after this big win and I will admit, he did a nice job.  He is beginning to show flashes of potential and I DO think his counterpart ARSENE WENGER waited too long to make his moves - shoring up the defence.  GRANT'S double substitution (ANELKA & BELLETTI for MAKALELE & BALLACK) worked as both subs played a part in DROGBA'S double.  WENGER himself said after the game his side lacked the defensive concentration to hold on.  Now their title challenge is in trouble with United 6pts ahead of them and the side just recording one win in their last 5-games.

I know a couple of Arsenal fans who read this blog and all I'll say to you guys is this:  Your team (while immensely talented) doesn't have the balls to win it all this year.  Too much time spent looking in the rearview and not focusing on the task at hand is your undoing.  The good news is - you'll live & learn and be back again next term.

CANADA MISSES OLYMPICS AGAIN.

It's been 24-years since Canada last sent a men's team to the Olympic games.  While that likely doesn't surprise anyone, it should alarm some Canuck fans with WC 2010 Qualifying just around the corner.  Once again this was a U-23 team just 'barfed' together at the last second - and while we were missing a number of key European players (DAVID EDGAR), no one at this end of North America expected us to even get to the semifinals.

In fact - because the team DID get to the last four, the doe-heads at the Canadian Soccer Association are likely patting themselves on the back saying 'hey, we did alright!'  Oh wait - I'm not sure the CSA even KNOWS Canada got to the last four.  I say that because on the very day that the U23's were set to play their biggest game against the US, the geniuses in Ottawa had scheduled a presser to unveil new Technical Director STEPHEN HART.  Shouldn't the focus have been strictly on the game??  Just another example of why Canadian Soccer is where it is - the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing - nor do they care. 

Technical Director is the most important job of any National Association - and they choose to schedule it on the SAME day as the big game.  As I think about it...wait...I know why they did it that way....Because if they were to do it AFTER Canada lost, HART would be asked questions about the youth programs in Canada, where the program is going, etc.....All the important questions people interested in soccer in Canada want answers to.

I hate to give the CSA too much credit but there are few things in life that nauseate me.  The status of soccer in my country seriously makes we want to vomit.  I hope DINO ROSSI and the good folks behind the newly established 'Canadian Soccer Federation' can make their efforts stick and be a symbol of hwo things need to change in Canada.  With the growth of soccer in North America, there is no reason for this country to be a laughing stock.

MLS READY TO GO

The 13th season of Major League Soccer begins in less than a week and I must say - I am excited!!  When we first started doing FSR, we didn't really know what to make of MLS and while we have slowly come around to it, I can honestly say that this season we are all VERY excited about what is in store.  The league continues to grow, continues to attract new talent and it looks as if season 13 will be the best yet.  There are a number of teams set to challenge for the MLS Cup and while I like Houston to be there again, there's a good chance they will be tested more than ever before.

The only thing I'm not excited about are the prospects for Toronto FC.  Here in Canada, they are the country's team (until we get another MLS team - hint, hint Garbs) and while they are AGAIN the hot ticket in Toronto, they may not be for very long.  Following the teams in the off-season as we have been, it's glaring to most of us here in Canada that Toronto has done next to nothing to improve the team.  In fact,trading RONNIE O'BRIEN is a move that perhaps makes the team a little worse than last term!  I can see why MO JOHNSTON made the move upstairs - but MO, time to stop all that talking you're doing about signing players and actually SIGN some of them.

Anytime you read a report out of Toronto regarding player moves, all JOHNSTON says is 'we're talking to people', 'we're looking at some big internationals', 'we should have some new players coming in right away'.....Well, time is running out MO - and if you guys stumble out of the gate, the fans in Toronto will turn on you guys fast!!  One last thing about TFC - AMADO GUEVARA??  Are ya serious??  Isn't he the same guy that turned DOWN a trade to Toronto a season ago??  What has changed that he would want to come now??  Oh wait - there it is....he doesn't....

Later in the week I'll be doing an MLS Preview for you - complete with predictions - but suffice it to say, I'm not picking TFC to do very much (sorry Michelle).

So - stay tuned for that!  Enjoy the week and we'll see you on what should be a very entertaining edition of FSR on Monday night with Bobby.

Cheers!

Since I've gotten back into using my blog, I come across stories that I set aside for use on the blog - my opinions and what not.  Well, that pile has reached a decent size so I figured since I'm on a days off Thursday/Friday (working the wknd), I'd pummel the blog with quick-hitters.  It might be a little long in the tooth - but hopefully worth it.

Eduardo & Gazza
All the talk early in the week was all about Martin Taylor's horror challenge on Eduardo at the weekend.  Yes it was a horrific thing to see - but we've seen it before and we'll see it again.  It's the nature of the game and at least once a year we see something that makes us cringe.  Was it intentional?  Of course not.  But it was very reckless.  Anyone who pays any attention to Arsenal and the way they play knows that in order to upset their amazing rhythm, you need to be physical with them.  Taylor was trying to send a message - and while I do not think he meant to break Eduardo's leg, he did mean to make contact and give the kid something to think about.  In terms of punishment, I agree with my colleague Carlos Machado - his ban should last as long as Eduardo is out of action.  Train with the team, play exhibition matches but no league games while Eduardo is out.  With punishments like that, we might see less reckless play.

As for Paul Gasciogne, I have to be honest that I didn't follow Gazza's stellar career, I've only read about it and seen the odd hilite.  And while I sympathize with his plight and agree he needs help, I completely disagree with the notion that it is the football fraternity's responsibility to take care of him.  I've been hearing/reading a lot about this and it seems asinine to me.  Football was his employer and they are not responsible for the ups and downs in his life outside the game.  He is.  If I worked at the Petro-Canada gas station down the street for ten years and then all of a sudden went squirrely, sure they'd be concerned and the friends I'd made would offer to help - but would you expect Petro-Canada to be responsible for my well-being?  Friends and former clubs can offer to help but STOP with this feeling that football has a responsibility to him.  You made your bed....

All Is NOT Well At Chelsea
I hate to say 'I told ya so' but.....I did.  Avram Grant is NOT the man that can take Chelsea to the next level when they need it.  That was made plainly obvious after Juande Ramos schooled him tactically in the Carling Cup Final.  I've heard plenty a Chelsea fan (but not Layni!) say it's 'just' the Carling Cup but it speaks to a bigger issue.  Chelsea are still alive in the FA Cup and the Champions League and some big games lie ahead.  When they need that spark, when they need that move that will change the game - they now know Grant cannot provide that.  As Bobby said Monday on the show, every move Ramos made Sunday changed the game.  Every move Grant made was reactionary and served little tactical purpose.  The biggest mistake Grant made though was before the game even started - not starting Joe Cole was a HUGE error.  Cole is so on-form at the moment and after missing the final last year due to injury, you know he would have been impossible to contain.  And replacing him with Anelka??

And what the hell was John Terry doing delivering the 'rallying cry'?  That should be evidence enough right there that Grant is just a puppet man, not a manager.  In my opinion, anyone still trying to get their UEFA badges has no business coaching in the top-flight - let alone with one of the top teams.  Chelsea fans - if you keep Grant in charge you'll never be able to win the league or the Champions League.  You may luck out in one of the lesser cups - like the Carling or the FA Cup - but nothing more.

Oh and Chelsea still have yet to beat Manchester United, Arsenal or Liverpool since Grant took over....And the team never lost a major final under Mourinho.

Also too now we're hearing stories of in-fighting and a general unhappiness among the club's top players with the coaching staff.  Henk Ten Cate admitted he got into a row with Terry on the Saturday before the final - in large part because Terry had not been told whether or not he'd be playing in the final.  There were f-bombs exchanged, players had to intervene and all the while, owner Roman Abramovich stood there and saw the whole thing.  That has led many to speculate that he is interfering in team affairs - again.  As we know, that was one of the main reasons why Mourinho left.

I'm NOT a Chelsea fan, but I'm not a hater either.  I just think it is sad to see such a (recently) successful side plunged into crisis after it looked as if they would dominate English football for a good half-decade at least.  Lets hope they can get it sorted.

Newcastle Wasn't Big Enough For 'Big Sam' - Ya Right!
Former Magpies boss Sam Allardyce came out a couple weeks ago and said he was still smarting from being dumped by the Tynesiders.  A couple days later he then said the club were simply not big enough for him and couldn't live upto his ambitions.  Which one is it Sam?  It kinda looks like you couldn't live upto THEIR ambitions - not vice versa.  And their ambitions have been simply to win a few games in a row!!  Now I like Sam Allardyce.  I think he is indeed a very astute manager and could have made it work at Newcastle given the time.  At first it seemed like a match made in heaven - a tough, no nonsense tactical manager paired with a club that is known for its tenacity and toughness.  But then the Geordie fans got involved - and as it always does, it went south fast when the wins weren't coming.  Geordie fans are among the best in world football - that is certain.  But they are also among the biggest pains in the ass for any manager that goes in there.  Right now they're honeymooning with King Kev but the honeymoon will soon be over - the only thing helping Keegan is the fact the season will likely end around the same time as the honeymoon does.  Then he'll be given a fresh slate to work with next term.  I personally hope that fresh slate is down in the League Championship.  That's what the meddling, whining and turncoat Newcastle fans deserve - a year in the lower division.  They also need an ownership with stones enough to say 'to hell with the fans, we're going to build a winner here'. 

To turn Newcastle around, you're going to need some astute signings and at least two transfer windows, the dumping of hurtbag Michael Owen and a manager that can stay in place during the whole period.  Is Keegan going to be the one to do it?  Not on your life.  Know how I know that?  Look at how he dresses.  The top managers in the Prem dress like they are the top managers in the Prem.  Keegan dresses like he's coaching in League One for crying out loud.  Sure, Bill Belichick would be proud, but this is not the over-sponsored NFL.  This is English football.  Dress for success is what my dad always said and Keegan certainly doesn't!  Another reason why I'm honestly cheering for them to go down.

Will They Sell Or Won't They?
We've again been inundated with rumors that the Hicks/Gillett partnership is fizzling at Liverpool and the duo may be looking to sell.  I have a source very close to the situation and my source told me a few weeks back that something was going to happen - soon.  Now, Hicks said this week he is not going anywhere but after his son got spit AT and had some good ale dumped on him (what a waste!), he may not be able to get out of town fast enough!!  And how stupid is Hicks Jr for thinking he could walk into a pub full of Liverpool fans and be one of the boys?  The first thing he should have done to curry good will is to tell everyone the next round was on him....Then again I guess it was wasn't it - literally.  In all seriousness, the whole Liverpool situation is a mess this season and it may be time for Hicks & Gillett to just admit they've failed and hit the road.  It's obvious they're hated from one end of Merseyside to the other - and unlike the Glazers at Manchester United, they have failed to deliver what they promised and that has raised the fans ire even more.  At least the Glazers are now tolerated in Manchester.  The only saving grace for the duo (and Benitez) will be if they win the Champions League.  That will quiet some of the dissenting voices but they NEED to win the league next season for sure.  Otherwise, they could be run out of town with Benitez in tow.

MLS Heads To Philly
Thursday afternoon, MLS Commissioner Don Garber will announce that Philadelphia will become the league's 16th franchise - and the largest market in the US without an MLS team will now be served.  Rumors say the new team will be called 'Philadelphia Independence FC' (ctsy MLSrumors.com) but we'll likely have to wait for news of the team's name a la Seattle (who are still making us wait).  St.Louis was also in the mix but were dropped to 2nd best long ago after they failed to convince MLS they had a stable ownership group.  It's a tough pill to swallow for St.Louis because everything else was in place - it really was close.  But now they move to the front of the line for the 17th franchise to be awarded in the years to come. 

The question I have is does MLS need to add any more teams?  I know Don Garber has plans to conquer the world and all but....Isn't it time to just stay put and let the 16-teams hang out and establish themselves for a good 5-6 seasons?  NHL fans know how quick expansion has hurt that league and I think MLS could be headed down the same path.  Lets retire the NASL comparisons finally and admit that MLS is a better league both internally and externally - but I think the rush to take the league to 18-20 teams is a bad idea.  Striking while the iron is hot is always a good thing but why not build the product a bit more and let the new teams get a good financial foothold in their respective markets?  Not to mention assess the talent level and make sure you're not spreading the talent too thin.  There have been articles for and against whether or not the league is bleeding talent - I don't think they are - but with all this expansion they could be spreading it thin in coming years.  One of the main reasons behind establishing MLS originally was to help home-grown players develop and make the US national team more competitive.  It has accomplished that - but now we're starting to see the influx of more and more foreign players and that will continue.  And while these foreign players help the quality of football in the league, how does it help homegrown players?  It will take away their playing time and perhaps a roster spot or three.  It's kind of like the situation in England right? Lots of people complaining about foreign quotas, etc - MLS is in a good position right now because it has mostly US players - but that is changing.  I think the league needs to be careful in this regard and not spread the talent too thin in the name of making more money as quickly as they can - or striking while the iron is hot.  Just my thoughts....Oh and if you're going to continue expanding, another team in Canada is a MUST.  We've all seen how Toronto is flourishing - Vancouver and Montreal could be even more rabid footie cities.

Some Odds & Ends To Finish....
Germany announced Wednesday they will name their Euro 2008 squad on May 23rd from the summit of the country's highest mountain - which borders with Austria.  Didn't Hitler have a bunker on that mountain?  After their recent photo shoot with the team dressed as mountaineers, I think the Germans are getting a little too 'showy' for their own good.  Here's hoping they don't get knocked out early in June.

So Ailton gets cut from Duisburg Sunday and signs for Ukraine side Metalurg Donetsk on Tuesday.  The former Bundesliga scoring ace was quoted as saying "I had one dish of perogies and knew I had to come here..."  Don't expect him to lose any weight anytime soon.

Moscow unveiled ticket prices this week for the Champions League Final in Moscow in May.  If you want to head over, a ducket to the match will cost you just under $300US for a 'Category 1' seat.  Category 3 seats will run you about half that.  Good luck getting a seat though - between the teams (21,000 each) and UEFA (17,000), there will only be 10,500 seats available for purchase by fans.  Luzhniki Stadium holds 84,745 - but that has been reduced to 69,500 due to safety concerns.  It's the world's game alright - as long as you're a player, part of UEFA or your company coughed up cash at some point for a sponsorship.  Is it just me or should it be reversed?  10,500 to players, UEFA & partners and the other 59,000 available to the fans?

A fan in Brazil lost his right hand after an explosive device thrown by rival supporters went off in his hand as he tried to toss it back at them.  I hate to see stories like this but - serves you right.  It just seems so foreign to us here in North America that a fan could actually get IN to a match with an explosive device.  I can't even get a home-filled bottle of water past security let alone an incendiary device! 

One last thing folks - I stumbled across this website that I wanted to let you know about.  It's called 'football-lineups.com' and it is a database of football line-ups and formations submitted by fans around the world.  They have over 21,000 line-ups in their database and if you look at them, it's pretty cool.  They show formations and everything - it is a very deep site!  But they need help....especially with MLS stuff and European matches.  It's free to join and you can then submit formations to the database which guys like me use as a reference for analysis.  I'm all about knowing who's where on the park - simple list line-ups don't do it for me so any help YOU could give to help the database grow would be much appreciated.  Football fans are among the most detail oriented fans in the world and a database like this helps us all maintain that.

Thanks for reading - feel free to share your thoughts!  Also be sure to check out Layni's blog and Bobby's blog.

Cheers!

Major League Soccer has sent out a release Wednesday afternoon pretty much confirming what we all knew was coming - they are headed to Philadelphia.

The release says "Commissioner Don Garber will make a major announcement regarding the future of professional soccer in Philadelphia."

The ownership group that is seeking to bring a 16th team to MLS will join hom so we know what's coming.

So, St.Louis will have to wait until next time.  If they can get the ownership situation sorted out there, they should be front of the line for team #17 with Miami and Vancouver (I'm hearing whispers) set to be #18.

Feel free to discuss.