Daver: So did Fredy molest that chick or what? i know its old news, but I never heard the end of that story. I don’t want the official record. Your thoughts on what REALLY went down.

Steve: Basically, a woman claimed he sexually assaulted her in Bellevue (East of Seattle) and then showed up later at her home in Lake Sammamish. Well, having been to Bellevue myself more than once, I can tell you that most of what goes on at night clubs there could be considered sexual assault. Also, how did Fredy, a native of Colombia and recent arrival to the Seattle area even know where her house was or how to get there? The Sammamish area is a confusing mess of twisting roads and cul-de-sacs.

The police dismissed the case eventually because of a lack of evidence, which was good enough for me. Fredy comes from a place where the standards of conduct between men and women are vastly different, see here. As a young, successful and wealthy athlete in Colombia, he probably is not used to being rejected by whatever woman meets his fancy.

Clearly, something happened to upset the woman or give her the idea of reporting Fredy to the police. Whether or not it was full blown sexual assault or just Fredy getting a little pushy is left to our imagination. In the end, there was probably no way to prove that he had in fact shown up at the individual’s house and I don’t think soccer has reached the status in the USA where the players are exempt from or above the law (think MLB, NFL, NBA, etc.)

Fredy is great player, but I don’t think he is really a stand up guy or very heavy on character. I have nothing to back that up, it is just the feeling I get watching his body language on the field and his conduct behind the scenes.

D: What player is key to Seattle’s success this week?

S: Well, with Freddie Ljungberg mysteriously ailing from memory loss and dizziness, I think it important for Vagenas to step up like he did last week against the Galaxy. He drew a red card on Beckham and basically brought the same high energy, opponent-annoying game that he has every time he has been on the field. I think last week was his best game all year and if he can build on the performance it could go a long way in locking down the Rev’s talented midfield.

D: Qwest sold out this game and the Sounder fans have been one of MLS’ most feel good stories of the season (just beating out Beckham’s glorious return). What advantage does homefield give to Seattle?

S: Well, it is a loud, intimidating and vengeful crowd. If opposing players foul a Sounder a bit too hard, they certainly don’t forget anytime soon. A good example was Craig Weibel in the July 11th Houston Dynamo match. After being megged by Montero, he knocked Fredy to the ground. Every time he touched the ball the rest of the game he got 103 decibels of boos in his ear. It is a loud place and teams can’t communicate, something that could hurt New England with their young defenders.

D: Who are Seattle’s top play-makers and weakest links?

S: Steve Zakuani, Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua are the top play-makers. Of the three, I think Jaqua has been amazing with the way he can start attacks by dropping off into the midfield or over to the flanks. I had no idea he had that in his game. Another guy who doesn’t get enough credit is James Riley. He is fast coming from the back and provides very good service from the wings.

The weakest link will be in the center defense, with Marshall out. Also, our discipline, or lack thereof, has been a major issue this year. Seattle has lost a fair amount of points because of silly, inopportune or just plain unnecessary red cards. Hopefully they can avoid such an incident in a very winnable game.

D: Sainey or Sanna Nyassi?

S: Sainey I guess, since he seems to play more than Sanna. He is one of the guys that showed up last year and really helped turn some eyes towards Africa as a place to recruit talent for the league. It seems to be extremely important going forward that MLS teams looks outside the US for exciting talent like this guy, at least until the youth systems start to operate a little better.

On a side note, it is amazing how similar they look. You probably couldn’t tell them apart if it wasn’t for Sainey’s hair and Sanna’s lack of hair. I like Sanna’s speed and I think he could start for a lot of teams in the MLS right now.

D:What’s your prediction for the game?

S: Sounders did it against LA on the road sans Freddie, they can definitely do it at home against a weaker opponent. 3-1 Seattle.

Kyle McCarthy posts expected starting XI on Twitter

kylejmccarthy TFC (4-2-3-1, R to L): Frei; Brennan, Serioux, Garcia, Wynne; Cronin, Robinson; Barrett, Vitti, De Rosario; Gerba
kylejmccarthy N.E. (4-4-2, R to L): Reis; Alston, Osei, Barnes, Heaps; Nyassi, Larentowicz, Ralston, Mansally; Jankauskas, Dube

A startling loss to D.C. United at home followed two weeks later by a phoned-it-in performance in Colorado has left the Revolution a mere six points ahead of their east-cost rivals, and it’s D.C. and New York who now have games in hand.

Additionally, Steve Ralston and Pat Noonan are both on the DL with flu-like symptoms and a pulled groin muscle, respectively, though may play on Saturday. Jay Heaps came out just before half-time with an injury at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. The bench is to be tested, it seems, and clouds are gathering around the Revs’ picnic.

The fates, however, seem to be watching out for the Revs this year. In spite of key squad members holding injuries, New England played one of their best games of the season against Kansas City on Sunday. Wells Thompson made up for Thursday’s disastrous performance, and Khano Smith played a fantastic game, his best moment leading to Taylor Twellman’s winning goal. Adam Cristman also proved why he’s being considered rookie of the year as Jimmy Conrad worked hard to keep up with the Revs’ rookie

As far as the race for the East goes, New England made The Wizards’ task a lot harder on Sunday, and New York and D.C. will use up one of their games in hand against each other this coming Wednesday. The Revs will then host New York on the 25th for their chance at separating the pretenders from the contenders this week. New England will need to defeat New York if they’re to go into their Labor Day weekend rest with any sense of well-being, though.

New England hasn’t had a season so filled with points since 2005, and are just three points shy of that pace. Though the ogre of injuries is marching towards them, the Revs look to be in position to make a solid run for the MLS Cup. Additionally, their run in the US Open Cup is their best in years. Could they get a treble this year? A double? Most Revs fans would settle for one of the three, but a few of them — if they’re anything like me — are daydreaming about the possibilities.

The Revs hold the MLS’ best road record (5-2-2), but the Revs have been – if not struggling – dissatisfied with their home-field performances this season, and will be looking to turn that around this week.

The last time the two teams met, KC came from behind with an Eddie Johnson hat trick to beat the Revs 4-3 at home on May 26th.

The Revs had a 2-0 lead against the visitors until the 25th minute, when Davy Arnaud and Eddie Johnson scored two in the space of a minute. It was just the beginning of would be a long night for Revs’ fans. Johnson scored his second in the 38th minute. Shalrie Joseph then tied the game on a free kick in the 69th, but Johnson – who earned his first of two back-to-back hat tricks – pulled the Wizards ahead in the 82nd, and that’s where the score stayed.

Interestingly, the Revolution Game Notes this week make note of the difference between the Revs’ home stands played on FieldTurf versus those played on natural grass that was laid down for the CONCACAF Gold Cup games played between May 26th and July. It was on the first day on which the turf was played that the Revs lost to Kansas City. According to the notes, however, the Revs are undefeated 3-0-2 on the FieldTurf surface. Though it may be true for this season, New England has a long history with the Wizards.

Kansas City leads the overall series with the Revs – 15-8-7 – on all surfaces. The Revs have dropped eight out of 16 and have won only four times in all meetings at home against the midwest club. Last season, the two teams earned three draws out of four games, KC winning the other. Matt Reis (N.NN GAA this season) has averaged a 1.45 GAA against KC while at the Revs.

As far as this week’s meeting goes, it’s a good one to be shown nationwide. Kansas City will be confident of a win and try to score early and capitalize on the history between the two teams. For their part, the Revs will want to break their home-stand curse against the Wizards as well as re-establish Gillette as the safe haven it once was.

Analysis
Though still missing the defensive midfield depth they had last season, the Revs’ last few games have shown that even with only one or two subs per game, they are a team to reckon with. Recognized throughout the league as an attacking, tenacious team, they have a solid chance as long as they don’t give up their lead. They showed mettle in their victory over RSL last week, and will need to dig from the same place if they hope to beat Kansas City on Thursday.

This is more than a battle for first place. The Revs’ ultimate standing in the Eastern Conference won’t be decided until after this weekend, when they host D.C. United. This game against Kansas City, then, is about defending the home turf, turning bad history into a good future, and laying the foundation for a surge towards a commanding lead of the east.

They Revs sit at the top of the Eastern Conference with 27 points, however, and hold a two-game advantage over second-place New York Red Bulls who lost to Chivas on Thursday. They won’t consider it much of an advantage, however, as the top five teams in the East are still separated by just three points: New England, New York, Kansas City, Columbus, and D.C. are all in serious contention for the top spot. This is a good weekend for the Revs to increase the spread, however, as there are only four games to be played this weekend, with New York being the only other team out of the top five that will be playing (against Chivas USA on Thursday night).

Looking ahead, the Revs face eight games over the next four weeks, half of which are on the road. They might feel lucky for the away stands, though, as the Revs have the best road record in the MLS (4-2-2), but haven’t been performing up-to-snuff in front of The Fort, according to some of the players’ assessment of the Houston game.

“We have to figure it out. At home, we can’t keep doing this to ourselves,” Taylor Twellman said. “Out of the six ties, we probably should have four wins.”

Analysis
Despite their home-stand concerns, the Revs’ style of play continues to be aggressive and – for lack of a better term – scrappy. With a top-of-the-conference spot on the line, sense of pride, and a busy schedule coming up, the Revs are going to fight hard for the win in Utah. RSL, for their part, will remember holding the Revs to a draw at Gillette and are going to exploit any weaknesses they found for the win at home. What seems on paper to be a bit of a lopsided match, this Saturday’s contest should be a good one. Both teams have a lot to gain in this match, and my guess is we won’t see it end in a draw.

Prediction
The Revs really want to start this four-week period right and are ultimately the better team. Look for them to win by at least two goals.

US Open Cup Quarterfinals
In addition to the seven league matches this month, the Revs play host to the Harrisburg City Islanders on August 8th in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. One of only three MLS teams to get this far, the Revs are in a good position to make it to the finals. That said, the USL-1 and USL-2 teams this year seem tough and determined, so the Revs won’t be taking the matches lightly, by any means.

Revolution Official Write-up

We’ll be making the trek down to Gillette Stadium to watch the game live, and it looks to be a good match-up. Most of us will be billing it as phase 2 of the MLS Cup 2006 Re-match, but let’s look at it for what it is: a mid-season match between two teams who are heading in what look to be opposite directions.

Houston is a team running on a hell of a no-loss streak, seem to be performing well as a unit, and are looking to continue that form. On the other hand, the Revolution — who started strong — have faltered recently and seem to struggle to find a way to move the ball around the field in any kind of commanding way.

I’ve mentioned here before that the Revs tend to choke when their ahead, and shine — or at least don’t choke — when behind. That said, there may be hope for the Revs tomorrow.

The last time the two met — May 19th at Robertson Stadium — the Revs came away with a 1-0 win. Outside of the MLS Cup final last season, the two teams are fairly evenly matched, with the Revs a bit ahead in regular season play in terms of goals scored. In terms of matches, the teams are even with a record of 1-1-2 each.

They’re showing close-ups of Beckham’s shoes … I can’t believe this. Is this what you cats across the pond deal with all the time? This circus? Maybe it’s good for soccer (maybe), but it’s not good for TV … Ugh.

My thoughts on tomorrow? Houston are a great team and out of all of the games we’ve watched this season there’s are the most fun. The Revs have shown a stalwart defense once again, are matching their 2005 run in terms of points, and look to be on the upswing. Both teams have solid veterans in key positions and are well-matched. The fates have got this one, but the fates, when the Revs are home, where tri-cornered hats. I’m calling this in favor of the Revs.

I’m looking forward to tonight’s game for two reasons, really. The first is that the Revs will be showcasing a solid contingent of players: Matt Reis, Shalrie Joseph, and Michael Parkhurst. All of whom are rapidly leaving their underappreciated status behind.

The second reason is because I love watching Nicol coach. I count him as one of the most talented — or tenacious — managers in the MLS, and am glad to be able to have other folks see what he does.

On the gossip side of things: Remember that Celtic FC is the team that tried twice to sign Joseph, so look for those sparks and bits of interest. Will they manifest on the field? One can only guess.

“The Western Mass Pioneers are very excited to have the opportunity to take on the Rhinos for the chance to host the Revolution in Round 3. We’re familiar with Rochester’s abilities and their tradition of playing well in the US Open Cup Tournament. It will take a huge effort to defeat a team of this caliber, but we welcome the challenge.” – GM Greg Kolodziey

It’s going to be a touch match for the Pioneers, as the Rhinos have appeared in the Open Cup every year since 1996, winning it once in 1999. The Pioneers for their part have appeared three times, making it as far as round three in 2005 (The Big Table).

Pioneers coach Tom D’agostino said, “Rochester is on a par with many MLS Teams. If you want to win something, you need to get past the best. We understand how difficult our match will be, but we look forward to the Challenge.” He added, “We have players that are capable of playing at a high level. If they are ready, it should be a good match.”

Both teams are looking to unseat the Revs, who have done all right for themselves in the competition, losing to LA Galaxy in 2001, and making it to the fourth round in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Quotes from the Rochester Rhinos and the New England Revolution were not available in time for this post.

My thoughts? I would love to see an all-Massachusetts round three, but I know better. The Rhinos seem to take this competition very seriously, and have the home field advantage. I’ve seen them play, however, and remain unimpressed with their style. In the U.S., it’s all about the underdog, so I’m rooting for the Pioneers.

If you want to catch the game, head on over to usllive.com: watch the game for free. I’ll be there, and hoping for an upset of the one-horned devils from the north.

While on paper that task may seem like an easy one given tonight’s match-up — RSL has yet to record a win and are two players short of a full roster –, nothing is guaranteed, especially given the Revs tendency to not pass the ball very well. Additionally, in the last meeting at Gillette Stadium the Revs lost 3-1. That said, the Revs seem to quasi-immune to history this season, and are in fairly good form as far as goal-scoring goes.

Look for Alecko Eskandarian in the line-up for RSL. While at the season’s first game against Toronto FC, he and Matt Reis seemed to not harbor any resentment and whatnot, Eskandarian is teamed up with former D.C. United teammate Freddy Adu, so who knows what deep-seated weirdness might arise.

Steve Ralston could claim all-time assists leader tonight. He’s just two shy of the all-time record, and one shy of tying his former Tampa Bay Mutiny teammate Carlos Valderrama. Meanwhile, Taylor Twellman will be looking to expand his goals-scored record.

Michael Parkhurst, Ralston, and Twellman will make their final appearance for the Revs before joining the United States Men’s Team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup later this week. Look for the three of them to play the best game they can (what we’ll end up doing without them is beyond me, but that’s for another write-up).

As far as starting up front, it looks as though coach Steve Nicol has a decision to make regarding whether to start Pat Noonan or Adam Cristman (HERE). This is a tough one to call. Noonan’s fitness is not what it should be at this point in the season, and Cristman is pushing to be the first-to-call in the forward position. The game notes show Noonan, but those are about as reliable as the weather in New England. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Shalrie Joseph is listed as questionable, but will want to play. It remains to be seen if Nicol will play him tonight (the article above mentions that as well).

Wells Thompson and Cristman will be looking to solidify their performances as subs in order to be considered for larger roles during the CONCACAF competitions. Thompson scored last week and Cristman got an assist

And for a final bit of reading fun, take a peek at Brad Feldman’s write up over at revolutionsoccer.net. One of the more colorful commentators in MLS, his write-ups are always good for another perspective.

My prediction? New England should win this one 3 – 1.

The nature of the MLS beast seems to have changed since last October. The teams I’ve seen are all tighter, more confident (except a few notable — with giggles and glee — exceptions, but I’ll get to them in a bit), and seem to be giving it their all. The Revolution, however, seem to be stuck in a medium-slow speed without the drive to really win. It’s not going to get them anywhere.

For example, the Eastern Division is being rampaged by the New York Red Bulls at the moment. Yeah, yeah. Ten points in four games isn’t exactly “rampaging”, but it’s the confidence level that scares me. Who knew that a re-named bastard child of the Cosmos could change so drastically in a few months? I exaggerate to make a point, but there is a level of concern there.

Not enough can be said about last week’s game against the Chicago Fire, either. The Revs could have — should have — come away with all three points, but couldn’t put it together. Enough analysis has been done over the past week that I don’t need to repeat anything here.

So what are we looking forward to for tomorrow’s game? The Revs will need to win. DC United won’t stay at the bottom much longer, though I wouldn’t mind if they did. Quick diversion: giggles ensue wholeheartedly around this household every time DC loses. Announcers continue to call them a great team with a storied past and blah blah blah, but they continue to show what they really are: petulant soccer players with a reputation they believe in too much. Though it’s true they’ve got talent, and the Revs can’t count on them to be down and out much longer. Toronto, though, seems a safe bet for last place. Heck, I didn’t even take free tickets from my local soccer organization for a TFC and Revs game.

Okay, back to the story. The Revs lineup looks the same as it has the first few weeks: Michael Parkhurst and Pat Noonan are listed as subs, with Parkhurst still on the Disabled List. Khano Smith is injured, but also listed as a starter. If his injury is too bad, look for Wells Thompson to start again. Daniel Hernandez is out with a groin injury, and Ryan Solle has “concussion-like symptoms”, according to the game notes.

It’s a foundation we’ve become familiar with: a 3-5-2 with Taylor Twellman and Adam Cristman up front; Smith, Shalrie Joseph, Andy Dorman, Jeff Larentowicz and Steve Ralston in the midfield; Avery John, James Riley, and Jay Heaps providing the back line for Matt Reis. When you know the foundation, you know the performance, and I’m not expecting anything different.

That said, this team is the same one that scored four on Toronto two weeks ago, and couldn’t bring three points home from Chicago last week. So in reality, I don’t know what to expect.

Prediction: FC Dallas 1, New England Revolution 2 (Dallas just played on Thursday, and the Revs will feel as though they need this win). Just for the record, I’m 2 and 1 in predictions (the error being my public one on last week’s game).