The New England Revolution continued their preseason schedule on Friday afternoon with 3-0 scrimmage victory over Boston College at Gillette Stadium. Rookie Kelyn Rowe led the Revs with two goals in the win.

The Revs started the match with most of their veterans on the pitch. Matt Reis started in goal with Chris Tierney, A.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

WASHINGTON -- Perry Kitchen had just about everything including the kitchen sink thrown his way in 2011.

As a rookie, Kitchen started 30 of a possible 34 games for D.C. United, splitting time across three positions.

The off-season has been busy for the teams in Major League Soccer with players moving in and players moving out. This is the first part of a three-part look at the league's transactions. Today I'll be taking a look at the teams on the East Coast and how they stack up for the upcoming season.

Besides a simple 'IN' and 'OUT' look for players, I'll be using the terms 'Minutes XI Returning' and 'Minutes Gameday 18 Returning'.

The New England Revolution participated in their first scrimmage in 2012 against an outside opponent last night as they played the PDL side FC Tucson. Sainey Nyassi and Kenny Mansally scored the Revs' 2 goals that helped them get the W. The game was a total of 115 minutes and was broken into three different periods of play.

Please note: Information from this report came from live Twitter accounts of the match from New England Revolution Staff Writer & Online Host Jeff Lemiux and PDL team FC Tucson.

The New England Revolution won its first preseason match, 2-1, against PDL expansion team FC Tucson in a modified 105 minute match on Saturday at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

KICKERS SEARCH FOR STAR
Players From Across the Globe Attend Open Tryouts this Weekend
RICHMOND, VA - (Thursday, January 19, 2012) – Over 70 players will attend the Richmond Kickers 14th annual player combine this weekend, January 20-22 at the Kickers state-of-the-art sports complex, Ukrop Park.

Now that preseason has begun for the New England Revolution, it's time to take stock of what the team has and where it needs to improve. In that vein, I've decided to do a quick "if the season began tomorrow" examination of the optimal starting XI (and game day 18) on the roster right now.

I have taken a few liberties.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

The majority of D.C. United's offseason roster questions have not fully been answered, and as the club's preseason got underway with the first day of training on Wednesday, it is clear that there is plenty to be done before the team takes its final shape.

This is a Special Edition soccer news blast during this holiday week. I have been off enjoying regular life, cut had to at least lay all of this good stuff on you once this week. We will be back to regular service next week. But for now here is some news, in pretty much random order - no headlines or sections:
dN
du Nord at the Controls - Tue Dec 27, 2011 - My Dad's birthday - new music mix at Spotify.

The holidays are upon us and I'm beginning to think that I won't be getting anything from my Revs Christmas wishlist this year. While other teams are signing international players and brand new soccer stadiums are being built, Revs fans are settling for some stocking stuffers this year--and I guess a little coal, too.

Nearly two weeks after selecting him in Stage 2 of the Re-entry Draft, the Revolution and former D.C. United midfielder Clyde Simms came to terms on a contract for 2012.

The addition of Simms, a 29-year-old center half who started 147 of his 182 games in D.C. from 2005-2011, gives the Revolution some veteran experience in the middle of the park.

Revolution right back Kevin Alston keeps a close eye on Galaxy midfielder Miguel Lopez (Photo: Chris Aduama/aduama.com).

Heads down. Hands on hips. That was the unofficial pose of the Revolution defense in 2011.

After giving away goals at a philanthropic rate (58, the second-most in MLS last season) it's not a stretch to say that the biggest task head coach Jay Heaps faces this offseason is improving his team's porous D.

The New England Revolution are a team in transition this offseason. Long-time coach Steve Nicol has been fired and replaced by a man familiar to Revs fans: former player Jay Heaps. The new head man comes in at a time ...
Visit http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com for the rest of the story.

The New England Revolution selected two players in today's MLS Re-Entry draft, forward Nate Jaqua from the Seattle Sounders and defensive midfielder Clyde Simms from DC United. These players, in addition to the acquisition of defender Danleigh Borman from Toronto FC in last Monday's first stage of the re-entry draft, total the Revs' additions to three new players thus far this off-season.

The Sounders traded with the Vancouver Whitecaps to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and used it to select defender Marc Burch, who spent the past five seasons with D.C. United. Terms of the trade with Vancouver were not released and are expected to be made public by the clubs later on Monday.

Head coach Jay Heaps potentially added two pieces to his team on Monday afternoon as the New England Revolution selected Nate Jaqua and Clyde Simms in Stage 2 of the 2011 Major League Soccer Re-Entry Draft. The Revs now control the MLS rights to each player and the league will extend contract offers to both within the next seven days.

Marc Burch (left) was the first player selected in stage two of the Re-Entry Draft. (Getty Images)

The second stage of the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft came and went with a flurry of picks from the defending MLS Cup champions, LA Galaxy.

LA needed depth for the possibly 50ish games that they will play next year with the Champions League knock-out stage in the spring, followed by the 2012/13 group stage in the fall.

So Stage 2 of the Re-Entry Draft has just concluded. It was a bit more lively than Stage 1 but still not hugely impactful. Most teams passed outright with the Los Angeles Galaxy taking a starring role by adding four players and picking up two of their own players again.

Unsurprisingly the Portland Timbers passed on Stage 2 and also passed on selecting their own players once again.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

Although the majority of teams passed on the opportunity to add players in the second stage of the MLS Re-Entry Draft, a few used Monday's exercise to stockpile depth ahead of the 2012 preseason.

Three teams took multiple players, spearheaded by the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy, who made four selections: defenders Andrew Boyens and Chris Leitch, veteran forward Pat Noonan and veteran goalkeeper Jon Conway.

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIPhotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

Fans expecting their team to nab that missing piece of the MLS Cup puzzle in the Re-entry Draft on Monday shouldn't get their hopes up.

Last year, clubs used the mechanism to bolster their rosters with the likes of Juan Pablo Angel, Josh Wolff, Jimmy Conrad and Cory Gibbs.

There was a time when I liked a couple players in the MLS Re-Entry Draft for the Seattle Sounders to pick up in Stage Two and talk into less money. First Bobby Boswell renegotiated with the Houston Dynamo and then Bobby Convey went to Sporting Kansas City at a cut rate (rumors say 200K$). Now the list of available players is absent of the really appealing names.

Philadelphia Union declined contract options for midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi and goalkeeper Chase Harrison, leaving each out of contract and available for election in Major League Soccer's Re-Entry Draft.

Miglioranzi, 34, is one of two remaining Union originals selected in the Expansion Draft in November 2009, along with Sebastien Le Toux.

Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Andres Mendoza may have scored 13 goals in his first full season in MLS, but that didn't stop him from being let go by the Columbus Crew.

At times the subject of controversy due to his behavior, Mendoza was among the players whose options were declined by Columbus on Tuesday.

DC United has a very young roster that Ben Olsen will try to save. (Getty Images)

Moving on today in the expansion draft lists, I really wanted to get to this one yesterday but ran out of time.

DC United just missed out on the playoffs this season. Injuries and poor form down the stretch really hurt them when it mattered most.

I was at RFK Stadium last night. I was at RFK Stadium last year when the Fire won on the backs of two goals after the 80th minute. I certainly did not expect to see a repeat two-late-goal performance after Dwayne De Rosario converted his 89th minute penalty kick. A fairly blah game turned into a story for the ages when Sebastian Grazzini scored a scorcher of a goal and Diego Chaves finished D.

By THOMAS FLOYD

The last time D.C. United recorded back-to-back league wins, Tom Soehn was the coach, Josh Wicks was in goal, and the attack was led by Ben Olsen, Christian Gomez, Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno.

That was June 2009. Needless to say, a lot has changed for United and now-coach Olsen in the past 27 months, but the lack of any sort of winning streak has continued.

Photo: Garrett Field

DC United Watch

Sporting Kansas City's 2–1 win over Columbus on Wednesday night puts them in first place in the East with 44 points. The Union would move into sole possession of second place with 43 points with a win tonight.

Freddy Adu says of tonight's game, "For me, it definitely has a playoff feel to it, and that's how I think we all are approaching it.

One of the best things about a highlight package after a 3-nil win is that the rare down moments don't exist. The beauty of the Seattle Sounders attack is featured. The passing, off-ball movement and penchant to threaten the keeper in Saturday's game was the team working at near perfection. Mauro Rosales and Fredy Montero were able to pick apart the DC United defense.

Chicago's Strategy Frank Klopas' side has been significantly upgraded in midfield upon signing the defensive minded Pavel Pardo and the attacking playmaker Sebastian Grazzini. These two players are very comfortable on the ball, possess a wide passing range and have the technical ability to play with a man on their back.

D.C. United v Toronto FC
8/6/2011, Saturday, 7:30 PM
RFK Stadium

Last Four Head-to-Head:

4/16/11 3-0 D.C. United (a) (Pontius x2, Davies)
3/12/11 2-2 Draw (n) (Davies, Ngwenya; De Rosario, Santos) (Carolina Challenge Cup)
10/23/10 2-3 Toronto (h) (Quaranta, Moreno; De Rosario x2, Santos)
9/11/10 1-0 D.

The New England Revolution managed to find a way to win in the nation's capitol this evening as they bested DC United 1-0 at RFK Stadium. The victory marked their first in nine league matches and allowed them to avoid setting a new team record for futility.

Rookie Stephen McCarthy scored his second goal of the season to give the Revs the lead and New England never looked back.

New York's Strategy Hans Backe utilized a strange formation which emphasized possession of the ball in the center of the pitch. Medhi Ballouchy was employed as a left sided midfielder but too often tucked inside to pick up the ball. Joel Lindpere played mostly in the center in front of Dax McCarty and behind Thierry Henry.

Img: Daniel Gajdamowicz

As the Union prepare for a derby with DC United, the Philly Soccer Page turned to DC assistant Chad Ashton for his thoughts on his own team, the Union, and how a coaching staff can manage its locker room chemistry.

Philly Soccer Page: One of the things DC Coach Ben Olsen said recently was that Philadelphia's strong defense is really what separates these two teams.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

Those looking to get their MLS fix this holiday weekend should have no problem flipping through the channels and finding a game or two -- or six -- to their liking, as all but two of the league's matches will be nationally televised.

Matin Shatzer, of SB Nation's DC United blog Black and Red United and SBN DC, and I exchanged three questions a piece ahead of today's Philadelphia Union-United match at RFK Stadium.

tBG: Does the addition of Dwayne De Rosario provide enough offense to make up for the loss of Dax McCarty's control of the midfield?

I know MLS isn't everybody's thing. But even those not down with MLS might want to check out some of this weekend's proceedings, especially as they shake off the Gold Cup hangover.

I'm particularly interested in seeing how Dwayne De Rosario performs with D.C. United in his first run-out since the big trade.

Charlie Davies' 85th minute penalty kick conversion afforded D.C. United a 1-1 draw against undermanned Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah this evening. Plenty of discussion will come post game on the merits of United earning the draw as Charlie ...

Zack Schilawski
Drafted 9th overall in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, Zack Schilawksi found himself doing something most kids dream about: being paid to play the game of soccer. It was with the New England Revolution who gave the Cary, NC native a new home in Boston.
In the early part of his career, Zack was scoring goals for Wake Forest University.

Join the guys as they talked about DC United's recent downward spiral, including the last win vs Toronto and the losses to Red Bull, The Dynamo, and the Open CUp loss to the Revolution. They guys also talk about the recent sever injuries to Steve Zakuani and David Ferreira and the rest of the MLS scoreboard.

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - After a modest start to the season, the star-studded New York Red Bulls are officially living up to the hype.

Striker Thierry Henry notched two goals and an assist, Joel Lindpere and Juan Agudelo added goals of their own, and New York put together its second straight emphatic win with a 4-0 triumph at Atlantic Cup rival D.