#1 Kansas City Wizards – (received from San Jose in exchange for Nick Garcia) – This is a tough choice, as there isn’t one stand out player, and having just lost Garcia, Burciaga and soon to lose Johnson, KC needs help along the back line and up front, with only Sealy as a proven option. They voluntarily traded both defenders, but lost Johnson to a transfer. Look for them to go with Patrick Nyarko to start up top with Sealy. He is super fast, and a great finisher. They saw something in the draft they really liked, and you don’t trade up to #1, especially with a coach who likes to score, to draft defense.

#2: FC Dallas – (received from Toronto FC in the Richard Mulrooney trade) – FC Dallas doesn’t have any pressing needs, though having just traded Ruiz, there is a hole up top. If Nyarko is available, they take him here. They need depth in both the midfield and defense, but do not need someone to step in this year and start 30 games. Look for Dallas to select Julius James, a beast of a central defender who could start now, but will be better learning for a year with the reserves. James is one of the most athletic central defenders to come along in year, and could be an all star for years with Dallas.

#3: Real Salt Lake – While everyone just assumes RSL will take a defender, I don’t see it, though if James is available, he may be an option, as he is MLS ready. RSL needs defensive help now, with the retirement of Eddie Pope, and the sad state of the defense when he was in there. The problem is that defenders almost never play their first year. In the 2007 draft, there were 6 defenders taken in the first 13 picks. One played defense (Boyens for Toronto), and two played in the midfield (Harrington for KC and Soumare for Chicago). The other three? Barely a minute of first team play. RSL has signed three experienced defenders from International clubs the last few weeks, and will look to bolster their midfield ranks. Look for Eric Avilla, a creative A-mid to be drafted here. As an RSL fan I would rather see Brek Shea, but I don’t think Kreis and company have the time to wait for him to develop. Chance Myers is another option here, a left back that can push up into the midfield if needed.

#4: LA Galaxy – Outside of forward, where LA has Ruiz, Donovan and Buddle, and wherever Beckham is playing, they need help. LA just traded away their starting keeper for basically nothing. LA needs the most help up the middle, and in the back 4. Albright should be back for 2008, but we have yet to see if he has any legs left. Look for LA to take Chance Myers, he can play on the left in both defense and midfield, and LA will need that kind of flexibility from a player. This might be the one pick that won’t be traded, as LA needs the depth, and needs a Generation Adidas player so they don’t take another cap hit.

#5: Colorado Rapids – The Rapids need help, everywhere. It is also very hard to figure out what Clavijo will do, he needs to win now, but there really isn’t anyone in the draft that will help him win in 2008. Look for Colorado to trade this pick, unless Avilla falls to #5. They have bolstered their back line with the addition of Burciaga jr, but need help up top, and at #5, they should be able to trade the pick for a decent goal scorer. If they stay, look for the Rapids to select Michael Videira to add depth to their midfield. Videira can play just about any position in the midfield, and should contribute his first year.

#6: Columbus Crew – again, a team that needs forwards like a fish needs water, there just aren’t many options in this draft that is heavy on defense. Look for Columbus to take the best defender left on the board, and hope to cure their forward ills later on in the day via trade or draft. Patrick Phelan will be their guy. He should be able to step in and contribute this year to the back line. This pick could also tell us a lot about the future of Schelotto in Columbus. If they go for a guy like Peter Lowry, he could be as good as gone.

#7: Chicago Fire – (received from NYRB in exchange for coach Juan Carlos Osorio) – Chicago was pretty solid in the back, but has lost Armas to retirement. They do need help up top though, but again, not many options to fill that need in this draft. Brek Shea is the guy that should go in this spot, but I don’t think it will be Chicago taking him. If he is available at #7, look for Chicago to entertain all sorts of offers for this pick. Houston seems to be the top contender, but I am sure Chicago would like to get a pick in addition to a player out of this, but their first pick is #42.

#8: FC Dallas – Having already chose a defender with their first pick (#2), look for Dallas to go another direction. I am sure they would love to pick up Shea here, but he won’t last past #7. Look for Xavier Balc in this spot. A week ago he could have done number one, but he looked pedestrian at the combine. He is still a lethal scorer that could learn a lot from Cooper, and split time with Thompson the first year.

#9: Toronto FC – (received from Chivas USA in the Paulo Nagamura trade) – Toronto needs help just about everywhere, and depth at more places than that. Peter Lowry will be Toronto’s first pick. He’s a great two way midfielder, and should fit in well with Edu and O’Brien.

#10: Toronto FC – (received from DC United in the Dyachenko trade) – Toronto is going to take a chance here, and take Andy Iro. Iro should go higher, and could be the best defender in the draft, but has already gone on record stating he may not sign with MLS, depending on which team picks him. If he pans out and plays for Toronto, a great pick, if not, no huge loss. Hopefully they will have some insight as to whether Iro will be willing to play for Toronto or not.

#11: Kansas City Wizards – We are at the point in the draft where there are guys you know will be pretty good MLS players, and guys who could be either All-Stars or playing in the USL in 2 years. Kansas City needs a guy that can step in and play now. Rob Valentino is the guy. While injured during 2007, he would have gone much higher had he not been injured. A tough center back, he could contribute early and often on a depleted back line.

#12: Chicago Fire – With the eventual departure of Matt Pickens, Chicago will look to the future with this pick and select 17 year old keeper Josh Lambo. Word on the street is Lambo, while only 17, is another great in the long line of US keepers. While we probably won’t see Lambo much during 2008, he could become the full time starter in 2009.

#13: New England Revolution – New England always seems to pull some guy out of thin air, a guy no one else sees going before the third round, and they almost always seem to pan out. Now, if they could pick the third round guy in the third round and have him pan out, that would be a good thing. NE needs help in the midfield, and Ciaran O’Brien is their guy. While O’Brien isn’t a stretch, he will fit in with the 2 D-Mid system the Revolution play, and will link the 2 D-Mids with the 2 forwards, and will do it well.

#14: Real Salt Lake – (received from Toronto FC in the Jeff Cunningham trade) -  This is an interesting pick, as RSL could use depth at defense, but the only one I see here is Sean Franklin, an outside back. He would be a great choice for RSL, and could step in and play a few games in 2008. While this would be the logical choice, RSL will take Alex Nimo, the diminutive midfielder. The kid is tough as anything, and the kind of kid Kries loves. Plus, he would be an immediate fan favorite. RSL also has the 17th pick, and will hope that Franklin or a big target forward like Yannick Reyering is available.

This is an interesting draft, as there isn’t that one guy everyone knows is going to be the #1. But, this draft is pretty deep for pretty good defenders and midfield players.

 In 5 years, who will be the guy everyone should have fought for? Well, I think there are two. Brek Shea and Alex Nimo.  Both of these kids have been dominating on the U17 stage, and have a chance at being the Altidore of 2008.

Which one player that will be drafted outside the first round would you want on your team? Joe Germanese. The guy has an incredible motor, and will find a place in the league, hopefully with RSL.

Will anyone select Joe Lapira? Yes, but it will be quite a bit later on had he signed with MLS. Lapira is the 2006 Hermann Trophy winner, and scored 43 goals while at Notre Dame.  He appears to be headed to Europe, but some team will take a flyer on him, just in case his trials don’t pan out.

Columbus Crew at FC Dallas – Dallas has a chance to take over first spot in the West, as well as to hold the best record in MLS, at least for a day until NE plays. Dallas has to be tired, with Superliga games, Open cup matches and MLS regular season games piled on top of each other the last two weeks. I was surprised to see them use their near starting lineup in the open cup this week, I though they would give a few guys a rest. Columbus has been playing well, but still sit in 9th overall, just out of the playoffs. The next three matches will go a long way in telling if they make the playoffs of not, away at Dallas, home to DC United then back to Texas to visit Houston. Three loses, and I think they are just about done. Look for Columbus to pack it in, Dallas struggles against a team that drops everyone behind the ball. A point would be good for Columbus here, the question is if they can get it. Columbus Crew 0, FC Dallas 1

Houston Dynamo at Colorado Rapids – Houston looked a bit tired in their match at RSL last week, giving up a late game goal to lose on the road. Don’t look for Houston to overlook Colorado this week. Colorado is still winless since May, though they now have three in a row at home, Houston, followed by New England and Los Angeles. The first two will be tough for them, but they may be able to pick up a win in a few weeks against LA. Colorado just doesn’t have any midfield to speak of, and Houston should pick them apart. Houston Dynamo 3, Colorado Rapids 1

Toronto FC at New York Red Bull – NY has looked horrific at times over the last few months, but the right team may be arriving this week to make them look good. Toronto is banged up, and had a hard time competing with crappy Galaxy team at home last week. Look for them to give a decent effort, but in the end, they just don’t have the manpower to keep up with a mediocre NY team. Toronto FC 0, NYRB 2

Los Angeles Galaxy at New England Revolution – The LA Circus continues onto New England. They were poor for most of the game at DC, and should have lost by a much larger margin. They have no depth at all, and Lalas has traded away many of their young guys with a future who could fill in at times like this. Beckham looked good off the bench, it will be interesting t see how he does for a full 90 minutes, which I don’t think we will see for a few more weeks. New England is too good to even tie with LA, look for Galavision to have their own Beckham Cam, with more snarls after the Galaxy are down a few goals at half time. LA Galaxy 1, NE Revolution 3

Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire – The Fire stunned everyone last week with an easy win at Toronto FC, really their first decent match in months. Columbus has been playing well, but has had some time off since their last match, two weeks since they beat Toronto at home. If Chicago can play with the same urgency they displayed last week, they should be able to win. Look for this match to be won in the midfield, and whichever team can control possession, will win, though I see this one pretty close, and I think both teams will be happy with a draw. Columbus Crew 1, Chicago Fire 1

Colorado Rapids at FC Dallas – Colorado seems to be doomed this season, Clavijo should have been fired long ago, and the moves the front office is making seem strange. Colorado is winless in their last 9, with their last win coming on May 26. With new acquisition Medhi Ballouchy suspended by the league for a dirty elbow, their midfield will struggle again to control any part of the match at Dallas. Look for Dallas to score early, and have plenty of chances throughout the match. Colorado Rapids 0, FC Dallas 3

Houston Dynamo at Real Salt Lake – RSL is a much better team now than they were at the start of the season, despite losing Adu. Houston has had a few tough Superliga matches this week, and may be overlooking RSL. The last match like this for RSL was when DC United came in on a 7 game streak without a loss, and ended up losing to RSL when no one expected it. Houston is on a 10 game streak of it’s own, and we may see the same this week. If RSL can score early, they will win, if not, look for Houston to score late and walk away with their streak at 11. For what it is worth, the last time I predicted RSL to lose was the DC United game. Houston Dynamo 1, Real Salt Lake 0

DC United at New England Revolution – Best match up of the week. NE is on a roll, with a win at RSL last Saturday and a win at KC midweek, they are now atop the table in the East. DC is beat up, and the recent Superliga matches have not helped much. NE should dominate this match, though when these two teams get together, you never know what will happen. DC United 1, NE Revolution 3

Los Angeles Galaxy at Toronto FC – Will he or won’t he? Toronto seems to have have lost what they found earlier in the year, a way to stay in matches. That long road trip, where they played nothing but bunker ball really has taken it out of them. They looked horrific at home last week against Chicago. With the loss of Cunningham, they have lost all of their attacking capabilities. The Galaxy haven’t played a league match since July 7, so no one knows exactly what will happen when they take the pitch. While Beckham is a great player, I just don’t see him making much difference at all with this team. LA Galaxy 1, Toronto FC 1

NE Revolution at Real Salt Lake – Real has completely made over their horrific midfield in the last few weeks. With both Beckerman and Sturgis now playing D-Mid, they are both ball winners and ball holders, have done a great job in their two friendlies at controlling the match. Look for Real to make one bonehead defensive mistake and give up a goal that should never have happened, and look for them to score now that they have a decent midfield who can hold the ball. NE Revolution 1, Real Salt Lake 3

Chicago Fire at Toronto FC – Toronto returns home after the 6 most boring matches ever played on the road. Bunker Bob is back. Hopefully, Toronto, now they are back home, they will open up a bit and play some good soccer. Chicago is suffering, but a decent tie at home against Celtic with Blanco now in tow may give them some confidence. I am not sure it will be enough to beat Toronto, but who knows. Chicago Fire 0, Toronto FC 0

Chivas USA at Kansas City – Best game of the week. Chivas and KC love to both run, and this could be a wide open match. Chivas will be on 3 days rest, and may look to counter attack and just hope for a point out of this one. With a tough match in NY, I think it will depend on how that match goes. A win, and they may sit back, a tie or loss, and they may feel they have to attack to pick up points. EJ is on fire, why isn’t anyone else in the world after this guy besides Derby? Could you imagine this guy in Spain or Portugal in a free flowing league? Chivas USA 2, Eddie Johnson 2 In other words, a tie.

DC United at NY Red Bulls – Two teams struggling to keep the ball out of the back of their net. NY did better last week, only giving up one goal at NE, while DC gave up three second half goals against Dallas. NY is in a nose dive, they can’t seem to get any service to Angel at all, and their chances on goal have all but dried up. This match could go any way, one lucky bounce could give either team the win. DC should play well, but they are missing quite a few players with injury. DC United 1, NY Red Bull 1

Toronto FC at Columbus Crew – Toronto has been away from home quite a while, and their last match was not exactly a thing of beauty, the fact that bunker Bob was on the TFC bench was evident. Look for something similar this week, Columbus should control the match, out shoot TFC 4 to 1, while TFC will bunker back and just hope for a point on the road. Toronto 0, Columbus Crew 1

Colorado Rapids at Kansas City Wizards – Colorado is just about done for the season, with what appears to be a lame duck coach, and having this week waived their second leading scorer and trading away their fan favorite. Kansas City is playing well now that EJ is back, and should be able to run through a weakened Rapids midfield. Colorado Rapids 0, KC Wizards 3

For anyone traveling to Munich, the new Allianz Arena has a fantastic tour available. While we weren’t allowed on the pitch, the rest of the stadium is fantastic.

Houston Dynamo at Chicago Fire – First game for new Fire head coach Juan Carlos Osorio. Teams usually play well in their first game under a new coach, but will it really matter? Houston has won 7 of their last 8 games, and is not giving up goals at all. With their full Gold Cup/Coppa America players back, they should be even better now. Look for Chicago to start playing better next week. Houston Dynamo 2, Chicago Fire 0

FC Dallas at DC United – After a rough start, DC has turned their season around, and now is near the top of the table in the East. Dallas has been playing well as well, with more points than DC United, but having played more games. Look for Dallas to bunker back, and counter attack, and hope for a 1 – 0 win. Will it work, probably not. FC Dallas 1, DC United 1

New England Revolution at NY Red Bull – Probably the game of the week. NY has been horrific in the back the last 2 months, and after cutting just about every defender on their roster, has yet to find a solid back line. NE is playing well, and with Twellman back, he should run wild, though every time I say that, he disappears. I just don’t see NY holding NE to less than 2 goals, and it will come down to whether NY can score enough goals to keep up. I think not. NE Revolution 3, NY Red Bull 2

Real Salt Lake at KC Wizards – two teams going in the wrong direction. KC is winless in the last 6, though EJ is back, which should help. RSL has been embarrassed the last two matches after a win over DC (good thing I was out of the country). RSL should play better than last week at Columbus, though they are without Ballouchy and Esky. A few young guys will get a chance for RSL in this match, and if they can limit mistakes, they should have a decent chance at getting a point if not better. RSL has beaten KC once this year during the open cup, but that was at home. All things lead to another loss for RSL, but I see them turning a corner, and KC extending their losing streak. RSL 2, KC Wizards 1

Columbus Crew at Chivas USA – Columbus is on a roll, going from bottom of the table to in playoff contention. Chivas is nearly unbeatable at home this year, with only one tie. Chivas hasn’t been dominating at home, but they find a way to win. I am just not sure what to think of Columbus, there really isn’t any part of the team that impresses me, but they have figured out how to win. Chivas should control this match, but this is a hard one to figure out. Columbus 1, Chivas USA 2

Toronto FC at Houston Dynamo – Toronto has been playing well, even picking up their first, though undeserved, road win of the year at RSL. However, Houston is in a different league than everyone else right now, will break the league record for the longest streak without being scored upon sometime during this match. While Toronto may sneak in a goal sometime during the match, it doesn’t seem likely, and it seems even less likely that they will be able to keep Houston of the back of the net. Toronto 0, Houston 3

Colorado Rapids at DC United – Colorado, early on, looked to be one of the best teams in the West, but has since fallen on hard times, with four straight losses, and not having scored more than one goal since a late April win at RSL. DC seemed to have everything back on track, until a loss last week at RSL, where they looked disinterested. Playing back at home, and with the loss of a few key players, those on the pitch should be much more interested. Look for Colorado to continue to struggle on the road, and DC to pick up where they left off. Colorado Rapids 0, DC United 2

Houston Dynamo at FC Dallas – The two top teams in the West, they both looked destined to make the playoffs baring any crazy injuries. FC Dallas keeps on finding a way to win, despite not looking impressive for weeks now. Houston on the other hand, just can’t seem to find a way to loose. They finally figured out how to score, and now look nearly unstoppable. With the return of the Gold Cup players, it will be interesting to see if they can continue the great team play that has got them to where they are now. With Dallas at home, this could be a great match. Look for Houston to score early, and try to hold on for the win. Houston Dynamo 2, FC Dallas 2

NY Red Bull at Columbus Crew – Look out, Columbus is on a roll. With two wins in a row, they have lifted themselves out of the Eastern cellar, and are now looking to get into the playoff race with another game at home this week. 6 weeks ago, these two teams played in NY, with NY dominating in a 4 – 0 win. With Columbus playing better, and at home, look for a better match this time around. NY is struggling on defense, giving up 11 goals in their last four matches. Arena gutted the defense this week, releasing four players and trading another. If your defense is struggling, I am not sure the best way to sure it up is to cut all the backups. I guess we will see. NY Red Bull 2, Columbus Crew 3

NE Revolution at Chivas USA – NE has given up 6 goals on the road this season in 6 matches. Chivas has been playing well, despite a nasty 4 – 0 loss on the road to Houston last week. Back home, where they are undefeated this year, Chivas should be able to handle NE’s defense, and get chances on goal. Whether they will finish them or not will determine the outcome of this match. NE Revolution 0, Chivas USA 1

Colorado Rapids at Chicago Fire – Colorado has a tough week, game on Thursday in DC, Sunday in Chicago, Wednesday at home against Columbus and then another game Sunday at home against NYRB. Four matches in 10 days, including a decent amount of travel. The Rapids can’t score on the road, or at all, while Chicago looks to start off right with new interim manager Denis Hamlett. If Chicago were healthy at all, Denis would still be second in command. While I just don’t see Colorado wining this match, I can’t see Chicago doing so either. Look for a defensive match, with both coaches receiving red cards for boring play. Now that I say that, it will end up 5 – 5. Colorado Rapids 1, Chicago Fire 1

Toronto FC at Kansas City Wizards – Well, Toronto on the road, instant loss, correct? Toronto has a tough stretch here, with six straight road matches while the U-20s are in Toronto. You figure they have to pull it together sometime, and with 6 straight on the road, this could crashing down on them, or they could figure out how to play on the road. Their first match was a 3 – 0 defeat at NE, and look for that trend to continue, as KC has to be a bit upset with their performance at Columbus last week and that home loss to Houston. Look for them to take it out on Toronto. Toronto FC 0, Kansas City Wizards 5

By the way, if any of you find yourself in Munich with a bit of free time, head out to Allianz Arena, home of Bayern Munich. They do an English tour every day at 1 PM. Well worth the time and money. Fantastic stadium, now I need to find a way to come back during the Bundesliga season.

Chivas USA at Houston Dynamo – Chivas played well at home at Colorado, but then again, they could beat Colorado on the moon. Houston has been playing better, but will still be missing their Gold Cup players. This is a big match up for second place in the West, and should be the match of the week. Usually when I say that, it ends up being a 0 – 0 draw with no shots on goal. Look for Chivas to control the midfield with their speed, but not be able to get good chances on goal. Chivas 2, Houston Dynamo 2

Toronto FC at NE Revolution – Toronto blew Dallas out of the water last weekend at home, but they have yet to win on the road this year. Toronto will be playing 6 straight on the road, starting with NE, it could be a long time before they see another win. Even though NE is missing a few players at the Gold Cup, they are good enough to handle Toronto at home. Look for Cunningham to have a few break aways and not be able to score. Toronto FC 0, NE Revolution 3

FC Dallas at Colorado Rapids – Dallas was fortunate to get a win at RSL, and looked horrible at Toronto. Another game on the road, this week at Colorado. Neither team is playing all that well, but with Colorado at home, look for their defense first style to work this week, and both teams will walk away with a point. FC Dallas 1, Colorado Rapids 1

DC United at RSL – RSL moved Chris Klein this week for Nathan Sturgis and Robbie Findlay, so they now have one more hole to fill in their roster. RSL’s defense looked solid for a few weeks, then they looked horrible in two games last week. If they can play well this week, and limit the number of shots Rimando has to face, they should do fine. I just don’t see RSL winning this week, a tie would be a good result. With the altitude, hot weather and big home crowd, they may get lucky. DC United 2, RSL 2

Columbus Crew at LA Galaxy – Just when you think you have the crew figured out, they man handle KC at home midweek. The Galaxy are coming off a win at home against RSL. Columbus has been horrible on the road this year, with three loses and two ties. The Galaxy seem to be retooling for the arrival of Beckham in a few weeks, and once he as well as Pavon arrive, they could suddenly be very good. If Jacqua could figure out how to put the ball in the back of the net, they could be even better. Look for Columbus to bunker back, and be out shout by LA 3 to 1. Columbus Crew 1, LA Galaxy 3

Houston Dynamo at KC Wizards – Should be the game of the week, Houston is playing well, probably better than any team in the league right now, and KC is leading the East (well, 1 point back of NY with a game in hand). Both are coming off of games midweek, KC looked bad in Columbus while Houston dominated Chivas at home. It appears Houston has figured out their scoring problems, and has the best defense in the league, while KC looked average midweek without EJ. Look for Houston to continue their scoring ways. Houston Dynamo 3, KC Wizards 1

Columbus Crew at NE Revolution – Columbus has not been playing well at all, going 0-4-2 the last 6 matches. NE was playing well prior to the loss of their Gold Cup players, but playing at home against a Columbus side looking for a tie, they should roll pretty easily. Columbus 0, NE Revolution 2

Chicago at DC United – With the win at home last week against NYRB, DC appears to be back. Well, back enough to be considered in the top half of the league. They aren’t the dominant team of the first of last year, but are playing better than earlier this year. Chicago has been ok, but not great. Playing on the road, they have been horrible, losing their last three. In theory, DC shouldn’t have a problem, but this is one of those matches where anything could happen. Chicago should play counter attacks, and could easily score a 1 – 0 win. I am going with DCU, but don’t be surprised if Chicago pulls it out in the last 10 minutes. Chicago 0, DC United 1

KC Wizards at NY Red Bull – Well, the leagues best team (KCW) without their best player, playing on the road at NYRB, should be the best match of the week. KC beat NYRB two weeks ago at home with EJ in tow, but this could be different. NY is still beat up, but Angel has been playing like crazy, and should do well again this week. Look for NYRB to eek out a win at home in a defensive match. KC Wizards 1, NYRB 2

Colorado Rapids at Chivas USA – Chivas pulls off a big win on the road in Chicago last week, while Colorado lost on the road in Houston. Chivas plays well at home, while Colorado has lost their road touch of late. Chivas shouldn’t have a problem with the Rapids at home, and should be able to score at will. Colorado 0, Chivas 3

FC Dallas at Toronto FC – Two games on the road for Dallas in 4 days, and Toronto still is a tough place to play. Toronto will be without newly acquired Tyrone Marshall due to red card suspension. All things are pointing to a Dallas loss in this one, but I think, coming off the loss to RSL, they will be looking for at least a point. FC Dallas 2, Toronto FC 2

Real Salt Lake at LA Galaxy – This is RSL’s chance to get back into the playoff race. The Galaxy are easily the league’s worst team right now, and they just traded away their best remaining player in Marshall. Until they get Donovan back, and get Xavier and Beckham in the line up, they may never win again. RSL 2, LA Galaxy 0