 There have been many happenings lately with the rave green squad from the northwest. Victories, possible player signings, and hopeful United States men's national team call-ups are just some of the ado occurring recently. The improvement of every facet of a potential championship squad is being looked at by the Sounders administration. Most think the Sounders have enough scoring and defense to win MLS Cup 2012. As currently constructed, the Sounders have shown that if their defense, particularly their back line, can play solidly, then they can become champions.
Change is good and the Sounders are hoping that it happens to their squad. Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen has been on trial with Seattle and played in Sunday's reserve league match. He scored a cheeky goal in which he struck the ball from his right instep and passed it around his left heel and into the left corner of the goal. Gudjohnsen could add to the already potent Seattle strike force that the Sounders brass is looking to make even more explosive. He is 33 years old and his past teams include PSV Eindhoven, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Barcelona, Monaco, Tottenham, Stoke City, Fulham, and most recently AEK Athens. Another European veteran, George Ogararu, is also on trial with the Sounders, who is also a friend of Mauro Rosales. Ogararu, a 32 year old Romanian, previously played for Steaua Bucharest, Ajax, and most recently FC Sion of Switzerland. A team can never have too many scoring options, but are the Sounders overdoing it? Personally, I would like to see Coach Sigi Schmid have his choice of offensive weapons from a large arsenal.
 Another question that needs to be answered is if Eddie Johnson will get a national team call-up again. He scored both goals in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Chivas USA. For the season, he has 13 goals and 2 assists in 19 matches. As the USMNT continue to struggle, why not insert an explosive piece to try to help the attack? This past week, they lost 2-1 to Jamaica, with Clint Dempsey notching the matches' first goal 36 seconds in. We have already seen what the current roster can do and maybe Jurgen Klinsmann should call in Johnson and see how he mixes with squad. A return match with Jamaica awaits on Tuesday night at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, but Johnson’s next opportunity to be called in would be for October World Cup Qualifying matches against Antigua & Barbuda and Guatemala.
 FC Dallas is in trouble of being aced out of a playoff spot. Three point results are a necessity for this squad to earn the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They trail the fifth place Vancouver Whitecaps by four points with five matches remaining. They drew 1-1 with the Sounders over the weekend, but draws will not get the job done. This squad has plenty of offensive firepower with the likes of Jackson, Brek Shea, and the fact that David Ferreira is back from injury. Schellas Hyndman needs to figure out how to turn draws into victories and he has the resources to do so.
The Columbus Crew is mounting a serious run at the playoffs. They are possibly the hottest team in the league by going unbeaten in their last dix matches including four straight wins. Federico Higuain has been a brilliant signing and Eddie Gaven has regained his old solid form of late. They have eight remaining matches and only three against teams above them in the standings. Currently, they sit fifth in the Eastern Conference table and only one point above missing the final playoff spot.
The Seattle Sounders truly are MLS Cup title contenders. Speaking of firepower, this squad may have the most potent offensive attack in the league. While a 1-1 draw was a disappointment for FC Dallas, it was a positive for the Sounders. Not only was it on the road, but Steve Zakuani assisted on a Mauro Rosales goal 500 days after his last MLS start. Eddie Johnson did not play in a midweek CONCACAF Champions League win in Trinidad and stayed home in Seattle for the FC Dallas draw. Fredy Montero started both matches and played the entire match at Dallas. The Sounders sit third in the West and firmly in a playoff spot with 44 points.
 The Vancouver Whitecaps look very shaky. Currently, they sit in fifth in the West and in the final playoff position after a 2-0 loss in Los Angeles to the Galaxy. They have lost four consecutive matches and their offensive attack is sputtering. Things don't seem to be looking much brighter with a road trip to Frisco to face FC Dallas, and home matches against Colorado and the Sounders coming up. The silver lining to their remaining schedule is that four of their final six matches are at home.
The Chicago Fire are for real and they control their own destiny. Currently, they sit third in the Eastern Conference, but the Fire can do anything with their league position, from vaulting up to first in the East to falling out of the playoffs completely. Sporting KC leads them by six points, but they are only three points from sixth place and falling out of the playoff race. An impressive 3-1 home victory over Houston this past weekend sets up their remaining schedule, which looks very favorable. While some teams have as little as five matches remaining, the Fire have an astounding eight left. All are against Eastern Conference opponents and they only play one each against the two teams ahead of them, Sporting KC and the New York Red Bulls.
As always, add your own comments below or reach me on Twitter: @RaveGreenLoyal
 As the playoffs near and teams jockey for the final positions, lets recap what we have learned in recent weeks.
The Montreal Impact are very much alive and are a force at home. Saputo Stadium has been a safe haven for the Impact as they upped their home record to 10-2-3. They have won five consecutive matches and have scored twelve total goals during the streak. Their newest designated player, Marco Di Vaio, has made his presence very well known by scoring in the last two matches. Newly acquired goalkeeper Troy Perkins has played very well, along with midfielder Patrice Bernier and defender Jeb Brovsky.
Columbus is trying to rejoin the race. The Crew were dealt a serious emotional blow with the death of their star Kirk Urso, but are trying to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff race with his spirit in their hearts and minds. They have put together a nice string by going unbeaten in six of their last seven. They have also received a big boost from their new designated player, Federico Higuain, who has scored three goals in his first two games as a member of the Crew.
 Seattle is priming for a championship title run. The Seattle Sounders beat Chivas 6-2 on the road at the Home Depot Center on Saturday. Fredy Montero continued his scoring tear with a hat trick (the first of his career) which continued his streak of scoring in four consecutive matches. Their defense has been very stingy, goalkeeper Michael Gspurning has been solid and All Star Eddie Johnson has contributed greatly.
Besides Seattle, San Jose and Los Angeles are also showing signs of clubs capable of making a run at MLS Cup. The Earthquakes scored a decisive 4-1 victory at their Buck Shaw fortress, while the Galaxy won 2-0 at the Home Depot Center. It is very interesting how differing, yet dominant these two squads can be. The Quakes play like a scrappy bunch, who ultimately strangle their opponent. The Galaxy tend to ultimately just have more talent than the team they run off the pitch. Both teams have solid and stout defenses and quck, lightning-like scoring punches. There is no doubt that talent for both teams is the prevailing factor, but brass tax, they just know how to finish off games.
Chivas USA continue to be in a massive downward spiral with their defense. The transfer window has closed, but they must figure out a way to shore up this part of their team in the immediate future. All of their trades in this window were to add more scoring options, but defense must be their focus going forward. To add to the negativity, Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy told reporters, "It makes me sick to be honest with you."
 The Houston Dynamo may rue the day they sold Geoff Cameron. He made his EPL debut with Stoke City and featured in a 0-0 draw with Arsenal over the weekend. New stadiums don't guarantee wins as Houston found out by drawing with Toronto FC 1-1 on Saturday. WIll Bruin continued a solid young career with a goal in the 26th minute, but a late Terry Dunfield header equaled the match in the 85th minute. Like many top MLS squads, the Dynamo seem to have a great scoring attack, but at times look listless and have defensive lapses that end matches in draws when they should be victories.
That is all for now, but let me know your thoughts on how your teams are looking in their current form in the comment section below. As always, you can also reach me on Twitter, @RaveGreenLoyal
 After 18 years in existence, credibility is still a major topic with Major League Soccer's teams. The league has become highly competitive and is no longer viewed as a place for older players to finish their careers with a final swan song. At one time, the play in the league's matches were considered sloppy and reckless. It also did not help that some team names, logos, and colors were considered comical. Currently, skill is very prevalent and organizations have a more traditional air about them. Nowadays, MLS is a league that players want to play in. To use a once prevalent phrase, the United States is again a land of opportunity.
Whether it be regular league matches that ramp up to the playoffs, U.S. Open Cup competition, international friendlies or CONCACAF Champions League play, all are important to the credibility of MLS. Making it to a MLS Cup Final match should not be every teams' sole focus. A high standard can be set my squads taking these other competitions seriously. In recent seasons, qualifying teams have stopped sending their "B squads" and have sent their most talented players and legitimate sides. When teams do not take this approach, soccer fans outside of the United States view our national league as a joke.
Winning outside of our country has become very important to those familiar with Major League Soccer. They are tired of being looked at as Mexico's "little brother." Taking all competitions seriously would make MLS appealing to Mexican players. They would have opportunities outside of their own country to play soccer and have an extended career. Real Salt Lake accomplished a lot by drawing at Monterrey in Mexico and narrowly losing the 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League final. These results earn credibility for MLS in our neighboring countries.
 MLS teams do not have to be in the largest markets to gain a rabid following or be tremendously successful. Just look around at Salt Lake City, San Jose, Kansas City, and Houston. Even suburbs of large market cities like Commerce City/Denver, Bridgeview/Chicago and Frisco/Dallas have become successful. It has been said for a long time that soccer in the United States can be successful. Creating a great culture and history by competing well in all competitions will bring these fans out of the United States' smaller communities.
The next step is to draw large attendance numbers to these important matches. Only the Sounders have done so thus far, drawing 35,615 to Century Link Field in their 2011 U.S. Open Cup Final 2-0 victory over the Chicago Fire. Imagine drawing 40,000-50,000 rabid supporters to a U.S. Open Cup semifinal or final match. I agree intimate venues make these important matches more special, but the previously described scene with squad supporters chanting in unison at a neutral site venue would be astounding. What also would help draw more watchers and followers to MLS would be winning the CCL and advancing to the FIFA Club World Cup. Then people from all over the world could see our teams competing for this prestigious title. Footy fans in Asia, Australia, Africa, etc. would get to see our teams compete against the best from Europe and South America.
 The Seattle Sounders had a chance to make history with a historic four-year run of consecutive U.S. Open Cup Final victories on Wednesday night. Livestrong Sporting Park lived up to its nickname of The Cauldron, with an extremely rambunctious crowd whipped into a wet frenzy because of the weather. Both teams have an electric style of play, which I enjoy every time they take the pitch for competition. And not to get too hyperbolic, but I feel these are the two most dynamic, athletic, and exciting squads in Major League Soccer. The opening half of Wednesday night's 2012 US Open Cup championship match begot numerous chances to get on the scoreboard for both Sporting KC and The Sounders, but the first half ended in a 0-0 tie. Then came the drama.
Yes, I am a Seattle Sounders FC supporter, but I remain unbiased when viewing and writing about all of their matches. This was one of the most physical matches I have ever seen. Kei Kamara put Sporting KC on the scoreboard with a penalty given when a ball struck Zach Scott's arm. Scott then tied the match at 1-1 with a headed goal from a Mauro Rosales free kick. Bodies were being thrown all over the place. Heads were being knocked into one another and elbows were being dished out as if every player thought they were Dikembe Mutombo fighting Charles Barkley for a rebound. After 90 minutes, stoppage time and two extra 15 minute periods, we were headed for a penalty shootout.
 The refereeing overall was both shaky and solid. It was an extremely difficult match to officiate and both teams could have had multiple calls go the opposite way. Perhaps the toughest call for Coach Sigi Schmid and the Sounders to swallow was the one on goalkeeper Michael Gspurning after he saved Paulo Nagamura's shot during the penalties. Salazar whistled for a retake after judging that Gspurning left his line early -- something the Sporting players warned Salazar about before his kick. The call was highly questionable, but again was one that could have not been whistled. Whoever lost this match would have felt hard done by and the Sounders absolutely feel this emotion.
In the end, the match could have gone to either team. Like I stated in the opening, both teams are supremely talented, athletic, competitive, and deserving of this title. The next question for each club is, where do they go from here? Both are contending for the MLS Cup title, but it is clear they want to expand their brand and winning "reach" beyond the United States' boundaries. This means competing for multiple MLS Cups and the CONCACAF Champions League title as well. Seattle is in the current version of the competition and Sporting KC qualified for the 2013 tournament with their victory last night. It is clear that last night's match was a springboard to domestic achievement as well as achievement abroad for both clubs.
 My final take is about the criticism I had for not holding this match in Seattle. The announced crowd last night was over 18,000, but I knew Seattle could and would draw well over 35,000 for this match. Maybe it would have given them the advantage instead of having only a few hundred fans like they did last night. Sporting KC's supporters acquitted themselves very well and are well on their way to becoming one of America's best sports supporter groups. Congratulations to Sporting KC on their 2012 U.S. Open Cup title.
Lastly, on an unrelated topic, I want to mention a person whom I have never met before, but respect greatly. A fellow Aston Villa supporter, Carly, lost her mother last week. We are similar in age and I have thankfully not had to go through what she has. We have communicated through email and Twitter over the past couple of years about Aston Villa football. Maybe I will get to meet Carly some day when I travel to England for the first time to see my beloved Villans play a match in person, but for now my thoughts are with her and her family.
 Major League Soccer's All-Stars are good.
You can never overreact from a preseason "friendly" result, but the MLS All-Stars were impressive and should have made soccer fans in the United State proud. Jay DeMerit had to play the entire match because of an Aurelien Collin injury while goals were scored by Chris Wondolowski, Chris Pontius, and Eddie Johnson. Although all of the players on the team are highly skilled, a team that had only a few days to learn how to play together vanquished one of the world's best teams.
Real Salt Lake is still a title contender.
Real benefitted from a controversial penalty awarded to Alvaro Saborio and continued their winning ways with a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps. They now sit two points behind San Jose in the race for the Western Conference crown. San Jose crushed Real 5-0 two weeks ago, but it feels like Real are slowly creeping up on the Earthquakes. A very favorable schedule lies ahead in the coming weeks and there is no doubt they can maintain the momentum they are building.
Houston is rounding into form.
Yes they beat an outmanned Toronto FC squad on the road, but the Dynamo are an absolute force when at full-strength. They will lose Geoff Cameron to English side Stoke City, but it should not hamper such a dynamic offensive team. Young stud, Will Bruin, as well as veterans Calen Carr and Macoumba Kandji, have come on strong lately for Houston.
 New York is a toss up, even with their stars.
When at full-strength, the Red Bulls should handily beat a team like Montreal, even on the road. They have way too much talent, even if Thierry Henry played in the mid-week All-Star game. At times, their offense looks like the best in the league. An offense with the likes of Joel Lindpere, Dax McCarty, Sebastian Le Toux, Kenny Cooper, and Henry should manhandle lesser talented opponents. A 3-1 loss on the road to Montreal is reason for concern going forward.
What is going on in Kansas City?
An up-and-down pattern continued for Sporting KC's season. Sporting were at full-strength and lost at home to the middling Columbus Crew. They are winless in their last three and should probably have gotten at least four points. Like New York, when at full-strength health wise, SKC have a tremendous offensive attack. Seeing this confounds the observer even more. They should get back to their winning ways with an upcoming schedule of: at New England, home to DC United and at Toronto FC.
The Galaxy plan on defending their title.
Full-strength or not the Galaxy can win anytime and anywhere. The combination of their offensive and defensive units make them the most cohesive squad in Major League Soccer. A road win at Dallas without David Beckham or Landon Donovan prove the previous point. When his team focuses and plays unselfishly, Bruce Arena looks like the top manager in the league. With a manageable upcoming schedule combined with having the ability to keep their stars well-rested, the Galaxy should continue to improve.
 Seattle is rising up the Western Conference standings.
A team that competes well at home and on the road, the Sounders showed this by beating a lesser Colorado Rapids team in Commerce City. They now sit tied for third in the Western Conference standings and have righted a once wobbly ship. Over the weekend, they also traded designated player Alvaro Fernandez to the Chicago Fire, but acquired German midfielder Christian Tiffert from Kaiserslautern FC. Like the other MLS teams who have made transfer window transactions, we'll see how well they can integrate their new player to contribute to achieving success.
San Jose, as we already knew, are the Cardiac Kids.
Once again in following their season's trend, the San Jose Earthquakes left it until the final seconds to snatch a victory from their opponents. A Steven Lenhart stoppage-time goal saved a point for San Jose at home against the Chicago Fire. Their supporters love it, but those of us watching from afar continue to be astounded. A manageable schedule is coming up with a home match against Seattle, on the road at Montreal, and home to Colorado, lying ahead.
 1) San Jose Earthquakes
The most well-rounded squad in MLS, the Earthquakes also have a fortress at Buck Shaw Stadium. Vancouver seems to be the only team who has figured out San Jose. Chris Wondolowski is on pace to win the Golden Boot and MVP awards.
2) New York Red Bulls
Besides a few early season injuries, about the only downside to the Red Bulls is that they have not been very good on the road this season. Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper have been in excellent form of late. The addition of Sebastian Le Toux adds scoring depth.
3) Real Salt Lake
Another team with a prominent home field advantage, Real has done what has been expected as of late. They beat up on a couple of poor teams in Portland and Vancouver. San Jose walloped them in Santa Clara, but upcoming matches with Vancouver and Colorado should keep them on track.
4) Sporting Kansas City
A team that started the season on fire by winning seven straight, Sporting cooled off as of late. The main question is if All-Star Aurelien Collin and the defense can shore up enough to complement the high flying offense.
 5) Houston Dynamo
The summer heat has been nothing but beneficial to the Dynamo as usual. They are riding a six game unbeaten streak and have been crushing their opponents. They may lose Geoff Cameron to English side Stoke City, but don't expect that to affect them in a huge way.
6) DC United
United has hit the skids with two road losses, but they have been to solid opponents in Houston and Columbus. All-Star captain Dwayne De Rosario should help his team right the ship. A tough schedule lies ahead with matches against French side Paris Saint-Germain, a home match against Columbus and a road match at Sporting KC.
7) Seattle Sounders
Seattle has been playing solid of late despite a 4-2 loss to Premiership side Chelsea in a friendly. Freddy Montero has found his scoring touch and rumors have arose about his possible transfer abroad somewhere. Expect Seattle to shore up their defense by adding help in the transfer window. Also, a great matchup at Sporting KC looms in the coming weeks as the Sounders look to win their fourth consecutive US Open Cup title.
8) Vancouver Whitecaps
The Whitecaps are a ways back in the Western Conference despite sitting in third place. At times their play has been confounding as their goal difference is at -2 despite having a solid overall record. The loss of Eric Hasli by way of trade to Toronto FC won't be beneficial. Rookie Darren Mattocks has been a bright spot and the addition of Scotsman Barry Robson should help.
 9) LA Galaxy
The "Superclub" has been looking more like themselves lately, but their defense is complacent at times. They scored five goals but gave up three in a win over Portland and drew 2-2 at Vancouver. David Beckham's free kicks have been on point as usual; Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane have found their scoring touch as of late.
10) Chicago Fire
The Fire are 4-2-1 in their last seven matches, but have looked like a middling side. At times they look solid on both sides of the ball, so losses to the Galaxy and Red Bulls are somewhat understandable. Their matches of late have been low scoring, so expect them to try to add some scoring punch.
11) Columbus Crew
Like most other clubs, The Crew have been solid at home and poor on the road. They should have beaten Montreal on the road and a win over DC United was impressive. They should be higher in the standings and better than their record shows.
12) Chivas USA
The Goats have been better than expected. They sit seven points out of the final Western Conference playoff spot behind their rivals the Galaxy. They do have three games in hand, but don't expect them to make a major run to make it in to the postseason.
 13) Colorado Rapids
The Rapids have been horrible on the road and not too good at home either. Forwards Conor Casey and Omar Cummings should be producing more. Their scoring attack is punchless and don't expect it to improve much in their next three matches being at the Rio Tinto, home to the Sounders and home to Real Salt Lake.
14) Montreal Impact
The Impact have been solid at Saputo Stadium and abominable on the road. Their -12 goal differential have them tied for second-to-last in that category. Donovan Ricketts has been outstanding in goal and the addition of designated player Marco DiVaio should help their scoring attack.
15) New England Revolution
The Revs seem as if they should be better with midfielder Lee Nguyen and forward Saer Sene starring in their offensive attack. Goalie Matt Reis has kept them in many games. Manager Jay Heaps and the Revs brass need to figure out how to at least beat fellow lower tier teams such as Montreal and Toronto.
 16) Philadelphia Union
The Union have looked much improved as of late. Interim Manager John Hackworth is pushing the right buttons that former boss Peter Nowak could not. Freddy Adu should be healthy to return for their next match against New England. They have received scoring from many different faces and forward Antoine Hoppenot has been a bright spot.
17) Toronto FC
The loss of Forward Danny Koevermans is painful, but Toronto has put together a solid three-match win streak. Manager Paul Mariner seems to have found a cohesive offensive attack. The Reds have a difficult upcoming schedule with matches against Houston, at Chicago and at Columbus, but seem headed in the right direction.
18) FC Dallas
Dallas is another club that seems headed in the right direction after narrowly falling 2-1 to San Jose as their only loss in their last six matches. The return of David Ferriera should help an already potent offensive attack. Trade speculation surrounding Brek Shea has clouded the young midfielder's future with the club.
19) Portland Timbers
The Timbers are in complete disarray and a managerial change after the firing of John Spencer hasn't helped any. There hasn't been much reason for optimism, except for a manageable upcoming schedule with home matches against Chivas USA and FC Dallas. Scottish forward Kris Boyd has been the lone bright spot with seven goals scored on the season.
 Who will lead the MLS All-Star team?
Major League Soccer's All-Star game week began today and there is excitement in the air. A team "built to compete" with English Premiership side Chelsea is gearing up for a massive challenge. DC United coach Ben Olsen has assembled a team that he hopes can be victorious over one of the world's best squads. During Monday morning's training session, Olsen named veteran Dwayne De Rosario as team captain. "De Ro" scored the winning goal against Chelsea in the 2005 All-Star game, but Olsen said that was not a factor in his decision. "He's one of the guys in the league that’s very special and fun to watch,” Olsen said. “I’m going to sit back and enjoy the show.”
MLS Player of the Week
On Monday, MLS announced Houston Dynamo Midfielder Calen Carr as its player of the week. Carr edged out LA Galaxy star Landon Donovan by helping the Dynamo earn three wins last week. The vote was completed by the North American Soccer Writers. Carr scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Sporting KC and scored again in what turned out to be the eventual game winner over the Montreal Impact. Several other players received first-place votes including Vancouver's Barry Robson and Young-Pyo Lee, LA's David Beckham, FC Dallas' Jackson, Columbus' Jairo Arrieta, New York's Kenny Cooper, and fellow Houston teammate Macoumba Kandji.
 Is Tim Cahill coming to New York?
That's what is being said by his Premiership team Everton. The 32-year-old Australian international may soon arrive stateside to help the New York Red Bulls permanently seize control of the Eastern Conference. For Everton, Cahill has scored 68 career goals in 278 appearances. The Red Bulls brass have no comment at the current time, although Everton has confirmed the move on their official website.
Rounding out the rumor mill with Frank
Last week, Chelsea's Frank Lampard was seen with David Beckham at a Los Angeles Galaxy match, adding to the rumors that he may be headed to MLS. "I'm not sure," Lampard told media after the 1-1 draw vs. Paris Saint-Germain in New York. "I have another year on my contract at Chelsea. We have a big season. We play in the Super Cup and the World Club Championship in December. Then it's up to Chelsea. If they want to speak with me about my future, then I'll speak with them. I wouldn't rule anything out at the moment." Could the Blues star be donning another color soon?
That is all for now, but you can reach me anytime on Twitter, @RaveGreenLoyal, or by email at CEGiovannetti@gmail.com
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