We know Steve Nicol stands to lose one quality player, who will it be? (Getty Images)

While the rest of the world is waiting for a couple World Cup qualifiers to finish up here we move forward here with our expansion draft coverage. Earlier in the day we discussed the LA Galaxy, now we take a gander at the New England Revolution.

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While we are no big fan of the playoff structure in MLS, it seems to be a necessary evil in a North American league for now. The 2009 MLS Playoffs have actually been quite good though with 3 out of the 4 teams who remain being deserving. Sometimes however, there are off the field occurrences which can be just as interesting. Click to continue reading...

Galaxy Head Coach and General Manager Bruce Arena, ably assisted by Assistant Head Coach Dave Sarachan, revitalized the fortunes of the once-moribund Galaxy this season and has the team in the Western Conference Final against the Houston Dynamo at 8 p.m. Friday at Home Depot Center.

And deservedly so after leading the Galaxy from worst to first in MLS and adding a second MLS Coach of the Year honor a dozen years after first claiming the award with D.

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The season has got to end sometime. And for the Seattle Sounders, the script could have had a better ending on a dream season -- one that would have culminated hoisting the MLS Cup in front of the Sounders faithful at Qwest Field on November 22. Unfortunately for the Emerald City, it was not to be, as Brian Ching and the Houston Dynamo had other plans.

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Shalrie Joseph lead the way for the Revs in 2009. (Getty Images)

Sometimes less is more, and in the case of the 2009 edition of the New England Revolution less nearly became a lot. If you would have told me that the Revs would have lacked both Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman for the majority of the season and still made the playoffs this year I would have called you crazy.

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This was brought to my attention in the play-by-play thread on Bigsoccer: Did you notice that MLS has changed its rules for playoff yellow card suspensions? I'm not sure if this was put into place this year or last year, but it definitely was not the case as of 2007. Two yellow cards in consecutive games mean a suspension. Click to continue reading...

Make no mistake - Mo Johnston needs to make more than a few good player acquisitions this winter in order to improve TFC. However, the decision that will have the deepest impact on The Reds will be who Johnston hires to manage the team. There are high expectations from the supporters but betting on a big name may not be smart. Click to continue reading...

Landon Donovan leads the Galaxy against rivals Chivas. (Getty Images)

One more weekend of action and we will be in the conference finals here. One club is already in and three others will move on this weekend. After last weekend's play the pressure is on a couple home teams to rebound while one just has to keep on doing what they do best in front of their fans.

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So again, we take a look at the Orange Crystal Ball moving from the unidextrous to bidextrous results.
The first weekend, I have to say, was more than a little strange. From the sublime of the Dynamo/Seattle match to the ridiculous of Warzycha sitting Moreno AND Schelotto to the utterly predictable of a Steve Nicol-team being Lucy to the Chicago Fire's Charlie Brown to the completely surreal of the HDClasico draw. Click to continue reading...

Kudos are clearly warranted for Clint Dempsey as he hits his second goal in as many weeks for Fulham FC.     While his first professional coach and likely mentor, ex-Liverpool great Steve Nicol, might not immediately love that Clint helped Fulham take down Liverpool, it was clearly a significant achievement following a goal the prior week against wanna-be powerhouse Manchester City.

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Any Liverpool fan would remember the skills and talent of Danish turned honorary Scouser, Jan Molby. Voted in at no. 16 on the list of 100 Players Who Shook The Kop, he was a player with as immense a talent as was his waistline. Before the elegant Xabi Alonso, Liverpool fans marvel at the sublime passing skills and long range shooting of Jan Molby. Click to continue reading...

The season is over and, after a wild weekend, we have our playoff teams. The first round of playoffs looks like this:

West

LA Galaxy vs Chivas USA

Houston Dynamo vs Seattle Sounders

East

Columbus Crew vs Real Salt Lake

New England Revolution vs Chicago Fire

Before we start previewing this first round of the playoffs, let's spend a moment looking back at how we got here:

For the last month, the MLS essentially had a single table, and it was great!

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This is my favorite time of the year to blog. Not because it's playoff time, but rather because the regular season is over and I can get into the business of comparing this year's teams historically. I'll have plenty of material in the coming weeks, so check back often.
However, there's still two more games to play today. Click to continue reading...

Better late then never, right? Enjoy some TV...Let's begin an overstuffed edition with Harkesy and JPD breaking down the MLS awards races. As usual, I skip all such clips and articles for several weeks ahead of the voting. Right or wrong, I'm gonna go with my brain's output on that ballot.Sticking with ESPN, Revs coach and Liverpool man Steve Nicol offers no quarter in laying the current "crisis" Click to continue reading...

It's been a fabulous season for rookies in MLS. All across the league, rookies have peppered starting lineups, as the 2009 draft yielded one of the best returns ever.

As a result, narrowing the candidates is a tough call. Two rookies in D.C., Rodney Wallace and Chris Pontius, started almost every single game for United, and Pontius showed his class with a couple of spectacular goals this season.

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It's been a fabulous season for rookies in MLS. All across the league, rookies have peppered starting lineups, as the 2009 draft yielded one of the best returns ever.

As a result, narrowing the candidates is a tough call. Two rookies in D.C., Rodney Wallace and Chris Pontius, started almost every single game for United, and Pontius showed his class with a couple of spectacular goals this season.

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Picking Liverpool's greatest ever XI is a nigh-on impossible task, especially given the sheer volume of fantastic players in the club's glorious history. In my personal greatest XI, skill and leadership ability are the defining characteristics, and I believe that the side I've chosen would pulverise any team in world football - past or present. Click to continue reading...

With the club in a playoff race with two games left in the regular season, New England assistant coach Paul Mariner has resigned from the club. Mariner is expected to be named the new manager of English club Plymouth Argyle. "I wish to thank everyone that I've worked with at the Revolution who have been so supportive, including the Kraft family and Steve Nicol," Mariner said. Click to continue reading...

New England Revolution assistant coach Paul Mariner will depart his longtime role alongside Steve Nicol to become the assistant head coach at Plymouth Argyle, according to reports out of the U.K. The Daily Mail reported early Oct. 9 that the 56-year old Mariner had been in talks with the Football League club, with his appointment to be rubber-stamped next week. Click to continue reading...

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo joined the Columbus Crew in the club for MLS playoff qualifiers after posting results in MLS Week 29.

The Galaxy downed the Chicago Fire to secure its first playoff berth in four years, while the Dynamo secured its fourth straight playoff berth with its tie vs.

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The Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo joined the Columbus Crew in the club for MLS playoff qualifiers after posting results in MLS Week 29.

The Galaxy downed the Chicago Fire to secure its first playoff berth in four years, while the Dynamo secured its fourth straight playoff berth with its tie vs.

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New England goalkeeper Matt Reis starts to lean to his right as Rapids striker Conor Casey takes aim for the other side of the net in the 58th minute on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

On Sept. 18, Rapids striker Conor Casey scored a second-half goal on a penalty kick at San Jose.

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On October 3rd 1777 the American revolutionary army under George Washington began its march to Germantown to face the British. On October 3rd 2009 the Revolution under Steve Nicol will march into Commerce City to face the British-led Rapids. The battle of Germantown was a victory for the British, let's hope history repeats itself tomorrow night. Click to continue reading...

The FA Cup Final, May 1989 was contested by Everton and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium. It became one of the most memorable FA Cup Final in terms of excitement, emotions and tension. John Aldridge had put Liverpool 1-0 up after four minutes but Stuart McCall equalised in the 89th minute to force extra time. Click to continue reading...

Its kind of weird to see the Cotton Bowl hosting MLS once again but tonight it happens. The New England Revolution travel to Dallas to play part of a double header that will pretty much only boost Dallas' dreadful season attendance figures.

New England comes into town on a fairly hot streak despite the fact they just lost one of their key players Steve Ralston for the rest of the year to a knee injury.

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Week 25 was all set to be a quiet one in Major League Soccer with only three games scheduled. But there was plenty of action, a lot of red and no fewer than eleven goals. An adequate return from three matches, and here's my weekly MLS roundup to bring y'all up to date with the ever-bubbling playoff race. Click to continue reading...

A few weeks ago I wrote a post examining the prospects of the most likely challengers for MLS Cup. By not mentioning New England Revolution, I had quietly written the off - quite logical, given their poor start and the continued absence of Taylor Twellman - and condemned them to a season of disappointment and introspection.

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                                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer seasons are famous for the streaks and slumps that teams invariably go through and two teams coming out of mid-season slumps just in time for the stretch run are New England and Chivas USA.

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                                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer seasons are famous for the streaks and slumps that teams invariably go through and two teams coming out of mid-season slumps just in time for the stretch run are New England and Chivas USA.

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                                                                              Photo by ISIphotos.com

by TRAVIS CLARK

September is right around the corner, and this translates into the most important part of the season for MLS clubs fighting for their playoff lives.

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                                                                              Photo by ISIphotos.com

by TRAVIS CLARK

September is right around the corner, and this translates into the most important part of the season for MLS clubs fighting for their playoff lives.

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I always knew Sharlie Joseph was a great player but to see him do a step over as he is falling down to the ground, fake out the goalie, and then kick it in while on the ground is very impressive!

New England's head coach had to watch the game from the stands, then his assistant got kicked out, so I am proud to say my old goalkeeper coach at my alma mater Lynn University who is now a GK coach for the Revs Gwynne Williams got to be head coach for a part of this game!

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Fredy Montero leads Seattle tonight against New England. (Getty Images)

As mentioned yesterday, this week is loaded with MLS action. Tonight we get another primetime clash on ESPN2 as the Seattle Sounders FC host the New England Revolution.

This is a big match for both sides, New England is looking to prove to the rest of the eastern conference and the league for the matter that they are a playoff worthy club.

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MLS returns to the Northwest as the New England Revolution visit Qwest Field to face the Seattle Sounders tonight. The game will be carried live on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. EST, making it back-to-back nights that ESPN has carried an MLS match.

It's a vital matchup for both sides, as Seattle try to keep pace with the Galaxy side they soundly beat at the Home Depot Center last Saturday.

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Previous Updates
#1 4/12 68 players remaining #2 5/25 34 players remaining #3 6/25 23 players remaining #4 7/19 11 players remaining
OTFATT is short for "On the field, all the time." In these updates throughout the season, I'll be keeping track of which MLS players have played every minute of every game (regular season only). Click to continue reading...