2:10pm, CDT
March 13, 2008

• It has only been a couple of days since Argentine international forward Claudio Lopez has been with the Wizards, but, team officials say his impact is already being felt. Observers (with a vested interest) say Lopez has raised expectations and his new teammates have raised their level of play. Lopez has reportedly been fantastic with the Wizards players and he is reaching out by trying to learn as much English as possible as quickly as possible. One member of the Wizards traveling party joked that while he (the official) talks to Lopez in Spanish, Lopez tries to answer in English. A good sign for a player who some say would have preferred to end his career in Argentina. Lopez’ good personality is helping to make his adjustment to Major League Soccer and Kansas City easy.

• Lopez still has some issues to work out with a work permit. As far as when he will be game ready, the team says Lopez will be about 75%-to-80% come game one, March 29th, vs DC United. The team wants to make sure they bring Lopez along at the right pace and get him game fit on the right schedule. The team says they face a long season and they want Lopez to be healthy for the long haul. But, Lopez is anxious to get to 100% as quickly as possible.

• Don’t be surprised if the Wizards mix up their formations this season. The early storyline had the Wizards changing from a standard 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2, but, team officials say it is still a work in progress. The additions of Lopez and Colombian striker Ivan Trujillo may alter the teams’ plans.

• The Wizards have been more than pleased with what they have seen from Trujillo while in Argentina. The team says Trujillo has shown tremendous mobility and is making good diagonal runs to get into space. The Wizards are also impressed with what Trujillo provides defensively. The team says Trujillo is putting a lot of pressure on opposing defenders and midfielders which has provided Wizards midfielders and defenders a little more predictability in anticipating where the ball will end up. That is something the team may not have had last season.

• The pressure Trujillo has applied defensively reminds some of the Wizards 2000 squad that won MLS Cup. A Wizards official said that while KC’s defense, led by goalkeeper Tony Meola, received a lot of credit for the run in 2000, it was the defensive pressure from forwards Mo Johnston and Miklos Molnar that set up the Wizards defense. Opposing teams in 2000, as well as during training in Argentina over the last two weeks, were not getting a lot of clean looks and passes.

• Wizards officials say midfielder Carlos Marinelli, who will run the offense, is a different player this season. Marinelli has worked hard and has benefitted from a full off-season and pre-season with the club. Marinelli, in conjunction with Lopez and Trujillo, could prove a deadly 3-headed monster up front for KC.

• Chance Myers, KC's 1st round draft pick (No. 1 overall), is making a strong bid to open the season in the starting 11. Myers has spent a lot of time playing both right midfield and right back. The early thinking is right back would be a good fit for Myers. The position requires less decision making and Myers ability to make good, long, Frankie Hejduk-type runs has been huge. Should Myers start at right back, Jack Jewsbury, who played right back last season, would move to right midfield which is more natural for Jewsbury. The Wizards have also been impressed with Myers’ great attitude and his willingness to listen to older, more experienced players.

• Roger Espinoza, the Wizards other 1st round draft pick, continues to make progress from his leg injury suffered during training in Kansas City. The Wizards are in no rush to push him back to the field too quickly. Espinoza will probably be out another month, but, the team has high hopes he will be a solid MLS player based on his natural ability. Espinoza had never been injured in his career.

• Wizards’ midfielder Lance Watson suffered a bit of a set-back when he broke a metatarsal during training in Argentina. Watson, one of those 100%, 100% of the time type players, broke his 5th metatarsal while make a cut/slide. The team expects him to recover quickly. The team says he was making great progress and was working really well on the ball.

• Kevin Hartman continues to improve after his off-season weight-loss, diet altering program. Expect him to be challenged by 2006 4th round draft pick Eric Kronberg. The Wizards really like the depth they have developed at a number of positions, including at goalkeeper.

• As stated in a previous blog, the Wizards will continue to bring in new players throughout the season in an effort to improve the club and increase competition. Expect players to be pushed on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis to improve their games and fight for playing time. No doubt the additions of Lopez and Trujillo, as well as the current draft class, will force some veteran players to elevate production and improve in training. Nothing will be guaranteed this season. It will interesting to see who steps up…and who steps out.

To respond or share your thoughts, send e-mail to brad.porter@twcable.com. In the next week or so, I would like to post a “readers respond” column to gauge how Wizards fans feel about the 2008 squad.