The Kansas City Wizards have not won a game since the second week of the season when they overcame the Colorado Rapids 1-0 at Community America Ballpark.  Since then the Wizards have lost to Seattle, Houston, and inexplicably DC United picking up two meager points with a worthy draw against the LA Galaxy and a somewhat lucky draw last weekend against the Chicago Fire.  The lack of goals coupled with some genuine defensive frailty has the Wizards looking more like Curt Onafo’s early season 2009 team than the new improved 2010 version we saw on display for the first three or four weeks of the season.  The net result has been a slide down the standings and the stark reality is that the New England Revolution, the Philadelphia Union and DC United are the only teams with equal or worse records and they suuuuuuck.

Somebody is going to retort that we have played two games less than most teams.  I’m not counting points we have not won – especially with a team that is struggling.  Meanwhile Columbus Crew have played the same number of games that we have, and are flying with 17 points and the second best overall record in MLS.  This is unfortunate for the Wizards who desperately need to start notching a few wins. It is hard to see us walking away with a win from this game however the fact remains that we need to as we have two back to back road games following this as the Wizards travel to Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC.

Did anybody seriously think we would be winning a Support Shield this season?  I still think the Wizards can make the playoffs and I still think we will improve as the season moves forward but success for the Wizards in 2010 is merely to improve upon the poor 2009 product.  How do we stack up?  I think the squad is better in 2010 but the results?  Not so much.

Comparing against the past two years after seven games …..

Wizards 2008 Record: 3-3-1  Points: 10  Scored: 8  Conceded: 9
Wizards 2009 Record: 3-3-1  Points: 10   Scored: 9  Conceded: 8
Wizards 2010 Record: 2-3-2  Points: 8  Scored: 8  Conceded: 8

Eerily similar isn’t it.

What I hope to see

• I hope to see the central defensive paring of Conrad and Besler.  Pablo Escobar is hurting us with mistakes at this time and while Besler had a nightmare against Houston I think it is fair to say that he is the better center back at this time.

• I would hope to see an end to the 4-3-3 formation we are using.  One of our greatest strengths should be our midfield and by seeding a pair of legs their to a forward we are simply giving that battle away.  Columbus have looked a little weak at the heart of their midfield but we can’t win within the soldiers on the field.

Silver Lining Time:

• Columbus have five wins in 7 games.  The two draws they had were on the road against the increasingly unimpressive Seattle Sounders and the mundane FC Dallas.

• Columbus played the New York Red Bulls on Thursday night, which might leave them a little leg weary.

• Columbus won in New York, but their defense looked a little fragile at times and the woodwork saved them more than once.

• The way the Wizards responded to going down 2-0 at home to the Fire to fight back and level the game gave me heart.  Ryan Smith stepped up more and more as the game went on and we were able to pile pressure onto the Fire in a way I have not seen since the opening day of the season.  Hopefully they can keep that tempo and intensity.