An interesting week of games highlighted by some stellar performances (See Eddie Johnson and the Chicago Fire) as well as some absolute duds (DC United-Galaxy and New England-Salt Lake receive the credit there). The big match-up of the week involved the league's top two teams, the Wizards and the Red Bulls and it certainly lived up to the hype. Juan Pablo Angel was his usual incredible self but Eddie Johnson stole the show with a second straight hat trick. His performance also pushes his team to first place in the power rankings. Here's how the rankings look this week:
1. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 2 / 6-2-1)
Stepped up when they needed to and are without a doubt the top team in the league right now. It'll be interesting to see how the team performs with Eddie Johnson gone for the Gold Cup. Look for Marinelli to play a bigger role in the team's successes.
2. Red Bull New York (LW: 1 / 5-2-2)
You just can't beat top-shelf quality sometimes. The Red Bulls didn't have a bad game and a controversial red card spoiled the final result. Juan Pablo Angel continues his tear through MLS and with the Red Bulls one of only two teams not to have any players taken for the Gold Cup, I can see New York reclaiming its top position soon. Big rivalry game against DC and a difficult encounter with Toronto awaits.
3. New England Revolution (LW: 3 / 5-2-3)
A pretty poor showing against RSL but none of the teams behind them did anything significant to warrant a drop in the rankings so the Revs stay put at #3. The tie against RSL may come back to haunt them though, as they lose their best players to the Gold Cup and will struggle to get points during the next few weeks.
4. DC United (LW: 5 / 3-3-2)
There's a steep drop-off from the top three teams but DCU has earned its position by going undefeated in the last five games. Their defensive staunchness has stepped up but it has to be alarming that Emilio has been quiet for a number of games now. With Angel and the Red Bulls coming to town, United need to find a way to score goals quickly.
5. Chivas USA (LW: 7 / 3-3-2)
This ranking is more a reflection of other teams' failures than of Chivas' own merit since they had a bye week. Still, Chivas would be in the playoffs if they started today so that's certainly an improvement from past seasons.
6. Houston Dynamo (LW: 8 / 3-5-1)
After seeing them go down 1-0 against Dallas, I was ready to spit vitriol at the Dynamo but they came back in impressive fashion, snatching the win and moving up in the rankings. Are the champions back in form? I don't think so, but it certainly is a good start. We'll see how they play without Ching and De Rosario.
7. Toronto FC (LW: 9 / 3-5-1)
The rest of the league has to realize this by now: Toronto is tough to beat at home. Dichio is becoming a legend up north and the Canucks look like a serious playoff contender at the moment.
8. Colorado Rapids (LW: 4 / 4-3-3)
A win could have catapulted them into the top three, instead they fall flat in Toronto and drop four spots because of it. They still haven't been consistent enough to be convincing for me and I can't help but feel there's a bad losing streak coming in the near future for the Rapids.
9. FC Dallas (LW: 6 / 5-5-1)
Tough road result against Houston, their defense hurt them as the game progressed. They'll probably play better without Ruiz and with Cooper not being called into the roster, Dallas should fair just fine in the next few weeks.
10. Chicago Fire (LW: 12 / 4-4-1)
Now there's how you answer your critics. New signing William Oliveira had a tremendous impact, notching a goal and an assist in Chicago's win over Columbus. Now Chicago needs to string together a couple of games like this to move back up in the East.
11. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 10 / 1-3-3)
If they can't score any goals with Landon Donovan, how do they expect to score when he's gone? They're tied for last place in total points and things are only getting worse for this team.
12. Columbus Crew (LW: 11 / 1-3-5)
Their propensity for ties would catch up to them sooner or later. With only one win in the 2007 campaign, the Crew's season is on the verge of a total breakdown. They're significantly behind their Eastern peers in points and need wins in a hurry. Schelotto can't do it all.
13. Vancouver Whitecaps (USL / 5-1-3)
On top of the league and on an impressive streak, Vancouver is in the middle of an intense battle for USL supremacy with its Canadian brethren, the Montreal Impact.
Oh, I'm sorry, am I missing a team here? Don't think so....
1. New England Revolution (LW: 2 / 4-2-1)
Firing on all cylinders, it’s easy to see that the Revs are not going to settle for anything less than an MLS Cup victory this year. It’s nice to see Twellman performing at such a high level, especially after his new contract signing. His contract seems very justified at the moment; perhaps management can start justifying new contracts for some of their other players as well....
2. Red Bull New York (LW: 1 / 3-2-1)
I would drop them down even further after their abysmal performances in the past couple of weeks but no one besides the Revs stepped up to the challenge. Reyna haters have to admit that the Bulls look like a completely different team without his steady presence in the midfield. Their player acquisitions have focused on revamping the offense but the defense should be the biggest concern for the New York side at the moment. And let’s not get started on the attendance woes either.
3. Houston Dynamo (LW: 6 / 2-1-2)
Although primarily moving up because everyone in front of them lost, I still believe the Dynamo deserve this high ranking. De Rosario should be getting paid DP money soon as he is easily a top-five forward in this league and I think Houston is finally ready to put behind the wear and tear of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and is ready to move up the standings.
4. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 5 / 1-1-2)
I know, I know, this may seem questionable since they lost this past week, but if I had to bet in a game between the Galaxy and either the Wizards, Rapids, or Fire, I’d have to go with the Hollywood boys. They played an extremely tight game against the Revs and were unlucky not to get any points from it.
5. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 3 / 4-0-2)
Poised to stay in pole position, they got tripped up this week by Dallas but are still in contention for the top spot in the east. To be fair, they doubled Dallas’ shot output and probably should’ve gotten the win. On a positive note, Harrington is looking like the early favorite for Rookie of the Year.
6. Colorado Rapids (LW: 7 / 3-2-2)
Can this team make up its mind on how good they want to be? In the same week they can only get a draw against arguably the worst team in the league and then travel cross-country on three days rest to beat one of the best teams in the league away from home….are you kidding me? I think the Rapids have the potential to be a really good team but they need to start playing well on a consistent basis to pose any real threat in the standings.
7. Chicago Fire (LW: 4 / 3-1-2)
A shock result against Toronto leaves this team reeling shortly after getting stumped by the same margin against New England just a week ago. That defense is looking absolutely porous right now and some adjustments need to be made immediately or things could get out of hand in a hurry.
8. FC Dallas (LW: 8 / 3-1-2)
Who needs Ruiz? With “El Pescadito” on the bench, the Hoops looked just fine in dismantling a solid Kansas City team. Led by Cooper and the surprising play of Juan Toja, perhaps Dallas has finally turned the corner and found the scoring touch I said was lacking earlier in the year. If I was the GM of FC Dallas, I would be seriously entertaining any trade options for Ruiz this instant. I think they’re better off without his antics.
9. D.C. United (LW: 9 / 1-1-3)
The week off earlier this season helped United get back on track so hopefully for D.C. faithful this additional bye week will continue the recent return to form. That match in Toronto though just got a lot more difficult.
10. Columbus Crew (LW: 10 / 1-4-1)
They may just break the record for most MLS ties this year. It was a pretty even match against Chivas however, and Schelotto finally got some action with his first assist of the year on Grabavoy’s second goal of the year. This Crew team may not be as talented as some other MLS sides but they’ll be a tough team to beat each and every week. I smell a potential upset against New York this week.
11. Chivas USA (LW: 11 / 2-1-3)
Can’t really complain with getting a point on the road, but they’ll need to start picking up full points soon to keep up with the suddenly competitive west. Razov is looking sharp and on form, which can only spell good things for Chivas as the season progresses. They have a great chance for Revenge in the second Superclasico against LA this week so let’s see how Chivas recovers from their first encounter.
12. Toronto FC (LW: 13 / 1-0-4)
Bravo Toronto, Bravo. BMO Field is going to have an electric atmosphere the entire year and Toronto really raised the ante (and its level of play) to respond to the enthusiasm espoused by its fans. Ronnie O’Brien and Danny Dichio made an ENORMOUS difference for the squad, as O’Brien backed up his several all-MLS selections with an absolutely sensational performance. A great start for the franchise and a big matchup against D.C. awaits the boisterous Canadian crowd.
13. Real Salt Lake (LW: 12 / 0-4-2)
At least Toronto had an excuse for being winless. Admittedly, they looked increasingly better against Colorado this past week but being the sole MLS team without a win is still depressing for a squad that doesn’t have much to look forward to. Coach Kreis needs to remove Ballouchy from the center and finally let Adu start running the show.
1. Red Bull New York (LW: 1 / 3-2-0)
Although the Bulls still managed to hold on to first this week, their seemingly tight grip on the position has been significantly loosened by their performances over the past week. After having the game against Real Salt Lake in the bag, the defense (and some controversial officiating) allowed two goals in the closing minutes to allow Salt Lake to snatch the draw. They also suffered a mid-week defeat and elimination from the U.S. Open Cup against the Galaxy, as backup goalkeeper Cronin had an impressive 14 saves. The defense has been lackluster lately and is something that needs to be corrected immediately for the Red Bulls to have any hope of winning a title this year. At least Juan Pablo Angel finally arrived (And opened up his scoring account in the US with a goal against the Galaxy).
2. New England Revolution (LW: 3 / 3-2-1)
The St. Louis tandem of Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston is working wonders right now, as the Revs move up to 2nd place in the rankings for the first time all year. They managed to set aside their frustrations from a controversial tie against D.C. United by defeating the Fire 3-1 in an important statement game. They’ve somehow found a way to ignore all the potential distractions this off-season and are simply focusing on playing good football.
3. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 4 / 4-0-1)
There are still some lingering questions as to whether this team is the real deal, but they managed to defeat a good opponent in the Columbus Crew and are currently atop the MLS standings with the most points in the league. Attendance concerns aside, the Wizards are looking sharp and if Eddie Johnson can continue his impressive play, the East will have plenty of formidable squads competing to take back the trophy from the west this season.
4. Chicago Fire (LW: 2 / 3-1-1)
They lost their key match-up against the Revs earlier this week but they’re still a top contender in the East – as long as Rolfe and Barrett provide the scoring, the Fire shouldn’t be too hurt from their defensive lapses. Mapp needs to assert himself a bit more however; he should be dominating the league on a weekly basis. Injuries have hampered him but he needs to be the leader of this team and needs to be unquestionably one of the top players in the league for the Fire to have any chance at grabbing some hardware.
5. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 6 / 1-1-1)
Replete with two impressive goalkeepers and a player in Landon Donovan that refuses to let the Galaxy limp out to a poor early season start, the Galaxy will continue to look impressive and won’t be in bad shape by the time Beckham comes. Many were questioning whether the Galaxy could even make the playoffs this years; however, I believe the question should be whether or not anyone in the West will contend with them this year. Perhaps I’m overrating them a bit, but yes, I do think they’re that good.
6. Houston Dynamo (LW: 9 / 2-1-2)
If you’re looking for an answer to my previous question, the Dynamo may just be it. Did anyone see DeRosario last week? Someone must have lit a fire under his ass, because I haven’t seen him play like that all year. The Dynamo finally woke up and realized the 2007 MLS Season was underway because they certainly looked like the defending champions against the Rapids last week.
7. Colorado Rapids (LW: 5 / 2-1-2)
Nice way to come up short Colorado. A win at home over Houston could have moved the Rapids into the upper echelon of the league, but after squandering their one-goal lead, they’ve fallen backwards into the middle of the pack. Besides Roberto Brown, who else is going to step up on this team and provide an offensive spark? Beckerman has failed to live up to much of his preseason hype and Gomez has seemed to disappear at times in the past couple of games. Someone needs to supplement Brown in the attack or this team will have trouble staying in the middle of the league table.
8. FC Dallas (LW: 7 / 2-1-3)
They have a big game against Kansas City this week to see whether or not they can correct their scoring ailment. If they can have an impressive performance on the road against the Wizards then they can perhaps be on their way to matching the potential that their roster (on paper) shows.
9. D.C. United (LW: 11 / 1-1-3)
They finally managed to pick up some points: getting a tie against the Revolution and picking up their first win of the season against Chivas. Soehn’s curious lineup changes seemed to work during the past week but I believe he needs to find a solid starting lineup and stick to it if United want continued success. Playing four in the back was an obvious change and the United faithful have to be glad it was finally done. The offense is finally starting to click as Moreno and Gomez got on the scoreboard, let’s see if Fred can follow up that success.
10. Columbus Crew (LW: 8 / 1-3-1)
Their lack of scoring continues to haunt them. With Scheletto now on the field, perhaps it could all change in their next home game against Chivas, but the front office should still be worried about their poor goal count. McBride as a mid-summer transfer perhaps…..?
11. Chivas USA (LW: 10 / 2-0-3)
The controversy with Guevara obviously weighed them down as they came out flat against D.C. Preki needs to right the ship quickly, as Chivas needs to stay in contention not only in the west, but for a possible wild card spot as well.
12. Real Salt Lake (LW: 12 / 0-3-2)
I was ready to spew some more vitriol at Real Salt Lake after they went down 2 goals to New York but they somehow managed to mount a comeback and that deserves a little bit of praise. Good job by Adu to show some flashes of skill (And finally make it seem that he actually belongs on the field) but more effort is needed if they want to avoid being the last team in MLS to win a game.
13. Toronto FC (LW: 13 / 0-0-4)
Maybe all they needed was a little bit of downtime. You have to hope Mo Johnston did something over their break to correct all the problems this team has, but they’re hosting a D.C. United team that’s just starting to find its groove. Not a very enviable positon to be in if you’re a Toronto fan.
Week 4 Power Rankings:
1. Red Bull New York (LW: 1 / 3-1-0)
Waterreus isn’t as flashy as some other GKs in the league, but he’s just as impressive. The Red Bulls have yet to allow a goal and Bruce Arena’s penchant for 1-0 finishes is taking form. Simply put, RBNY is unquestionably the best team in the league right now and should get even better when their Angel comes to the city. The only flaw this team has is its inability to light up the scoreboard but even that should change with Juan Pablo in town.
2. Chicago Fire (LW: 2 / 3-1-0)
The Fire are looking very impressive, largely thanks to Chris Rolfe’s terrific season thus far. With two goals and three assists to his name already, Rolfe is becoming an integral part of the Fire’s midfield attack. They already look in mid-season form and they have several players (Mapp, Barrett, Pause) who should be pushing for All-Star bids later on in the year.
3. New England Revolution (LW: 5 / 2-1-1)
They stepped it up when they had to. Twellman is on a tear and they’re showing no signs of a team dealing with controversy (Shalrie Joseph’s contract issues). This is a monstrous week for them as they play the Fire and reeling DC United. They can theoretically move to first place in the league and bury DC in one fell swoop. Now that’s something to play for.
4. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 8 / 3-0-1)
I take back everything I said last week about Eddie Johnson. I am firmly convinced that EJ will be competing for the golden boot all year long. However, until he starts scoring against top teams (And at this point, I’m not sure whether Toronto even classifies themselves as an MLS-level squad), I’ll still hold my reservations. It’s an overly strict stance, I know, but Wiz fans, take solace in the fact that your team moved up four spots and is one point off from 1st place.
5. Colorado Rapids (LW: 4 / 2-1-1)
It’s only Real Salt Lake but the Rapids still pulled off an impressive performance on the road, with Beckerman opening up his goal account and Roberto Brown coming back nicely from his suspension. I’m not sure whether or not this team is legit yet, which explains the drop in ranking, as their only matches against top teams left them with a tie and a loss. Their next game against Houston should reveal far more about this team than their game against the Utah pretenders.
6. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 11 / 1-1-1)
Wow, welcome to the 2007 MLS season, Mr. Donovan. As much as US soccer fans love to bash Landycakes, you simply can’t deny his ability to take over a game at this level (Or against the Mexican National team). I’ve been waiting for a type of performance like this all year, and Donovan appropriately saved it for the SuperClasico. The Galaxy can compete with any team when Donovan plays like this. The only thing that should worry LA fans is the play of Nate Jaqua. The man simply cannot score goals, and quite frankly, I’m not so sure he’s good enough for MLS. This is the 2nd week I’m calling him out. Show me something soon.
7. FC Dallas (LW: 3 / 2-1-3)
What a poor showing for the Hoops this past week, coming out flat against two of the top teams from the East. This team lives and dies by the form of their forwards, but Ruiz’s penchant for yellow cards certainly doesn’t help things either. It’s always a bad statistic when your top forward has more yellow cards than goals. Dallas needs to clean up their play soon or they’ll quickly find themselves hovering near the bottom of the table.
8. Columbus Crew (LW: 10 / 1-3-0)
If someone told you before the season began that the Crew would be one of the last unbeaten teams, would you have believed it? Well lo and behold; the Crew are sitting pretty with six points and zero losses. They’ve already pitched three shutouts this season but I’ll take the wait-and-see approach with this team for now.
9. Houston Dynamo (LW: 6 / 1-1-2)
I find this statistic particularly mind-boggling: In four games, the Dynamo have scored exactly ONE goal. ONE goal. Think about that for a second. The defending champs, a team featuring two of the best forwards in the league, are having a curiously difficult time finding the back of the net. Granted, their schedule has been one of the toughest in the league, but they still need more offensive production than what they’re currently showing.
10. Chivas USA (LW: 7 / 2-0-2)
They sure could have used Kljestan this past weekend. A slight hiccup for the Goats and while their fans are surely displeased to see yet another loss in their “rivalry” with the Galaxy, I still think Preki has them on the right path. They’re just a fun team to watch and the youth on this team will make them a fan favorite across the MLS.
11. D.C. United (LW: 9 / 0-0-3)
I just don’t know anymore. I thought everything could simply be blamed on Erpen, but he didn’t even start against the Crew, and DCU still found a way to look completely inept. The lack of motivation in this team is starting to become quite disturbing. Perhaps they’re taking the complete opposite approach from last season. Instead of blazing through the beginning and then fading towards the end, they’re taking this part of the season off and prepping for a massive unbeaten streak to end the year. Yeah, that’s it….
12. Real Salt Lake (LW: 12 / 0-2-2)
I’m just going to repeat, verbatim, most of what I said last week:
I'm going to be harsh here. This team is pathetic. Their situation is pathetic. And quite frankly, I think I've listed them too high in these rankings. I'm not even sure if Real Salt Lake, in this current iteration, will be around the league in 3-4 years. They are a prime contender for relocation and I don't blame city officials for having a lack of confidence. At least Adu decided to play somewhat decently, although for someone hyped as the future of the US national team, this string of results has to be disappointing.
13. Toronto FC (LW: 13 / 0-0-4)
Their fans are passionate and the atmosphere at BMO field was electric. It’s a shame this team hasn’t found a way to score a goal, especially since they about approximately 67 forwards on the team. Maurice Edu wasn’t impressive, although the kid still has some rust to work off. Ronnie O’Brien can’t come soon enough, eh? And has Toronto placed any phone calls to Fulham yet for Radzinski?
1. Red Bull New York (2-1-0)
Most telling statistic: 0 goals allowed. They've already showcased their high-scoring potential, but the theme of their season will be their defensive staunchness. The only thing to worry about is whether Mathis can consistently play well and keep his head in the game. (But with Juan Pablo Angel coming, is that even be a problem.) A very scary team at the moment, look for the MLS hype machine to start pumping 17-year-old Jozy Altidore as the next great American hope.
2. Chicago Fire (2-1-0)
They'll be tough to beat at home all year, as long as attendance figures stop declining. Justin Mapp is placing himself amongst the league's elite and if Barrett can continue his scoring streak, the Fire can certainly give RBNY a battle for East supremacy throughout the season. Adding Blanco mid-season is only icing on the cake for this team.
3. FC Dallas (2-1-1)
The slight aberration against RBNY aside, Dallas is slowly becoming the league's top offensive powerhouse. Nunez just went off for two goals, and combined with the potent attack of Ruiz and Cooper, the Hoops should have no problem racking up the goals. Defensive woes, specifically at GK (I'm looking at you Hislop) need to be corrected, but once Sala comes back, Dallas should be more than set to make a title run.
4. Colorado Rapids (1-1-1)
They've had a fairly difficult schedule in spite of their two home games to start the season but the Rapids have improved tremendously over last year's squad. Herculez Gomez seems to have regained his touch and if Beckerman can start complementing his consistency with some goals, the Rapids will be in the top half of the standings throughout the year.
5. New England Revolution (1-1-1)
The Crew tie certainly hurts them a bit in these rankings, but I can see New England giving the Bulls some serious competition this season. Twellman is a legitimate top-five forward and I truly believe the Revs have one of the best mid-fields in the league (Of course, that's only if Shalrie stays in New England). Still, there's something about this team that's a bit off-putting as they don't come off to me as a top-title contender. But with their consistency, its difficult to write them off. Of course, the season's early so we'll see how things shape up but so far coach Nicol should be pleased.
6. Houston Dynamo (1-1-1)
People see this team as one of the elites, but all I see is a very over-hyped, overrated squad. They've scored exactly 1 goal in three games, and with two of the league's "premier" attackers in DeRosario and Ching, that's an absolutely pitiful scoring tally. They tied a poor Galaxy team and while they only lost by 1 to the Red Bulls, they showed no semblance of the team that took the MLS Cup last year and gave Pachuca a helluva two-game series in the CCC. Maybe they just haven't gelled yet. They better hope that's the reason.....
7. Chivas USA (2-0-1)
Yes, they are for real. Sure it was Real Salt Lake, but that 4-0 beating highlighted the stylistic, flare-oriented type of play that Preki is instilling in this team. They have an absolute beast guarding the goal and their young squad is already showing flashes of brilliance. I personally love Cuban refugee Maykel Galindo and I think he's going to be a top-10 scorer in this league. Their 'star' player Guevara needs to assert himself more, but other than that, Chivas has definitely removed any negative connotations still lingering from that awful inaugural season.
8. Kansas City Wizards (1-0-1)
Their rampage through D.C.'s defense caused shockwaves around MLS, and although they've come down a bit after their loss to the fire, the Wiz remain a potentially scary dark horse in the east. I'm still not convinced on EJ suddenly become a world-beater and I don't think KC has quite the roster to do any serious damage come playoff time but small improvements (And the acquisition of Argentine midfielder Marinelli) will certainly keep them fighting for a wild-card spot.
9. D.C. United (0-0-2)
How the mighty have fallen. Obviously, I'm not going to pull the rug under them as so many others have already, but something needs to be done IMMEDIATELY regarding that defense. I'm probably a bit biased, but I still think DCU have the best offense in the league and I'm confident they'll return to a sense of offensive normalcy. I expect them to shore up that defense soon, either through formation changes or mid-season replacements. However, DCU will be in it at the end of the season and should still be considered one of the top title contenders. But any thoughts of dominance should be squashed right this instant, no one is a home-run favorite in this league and DCU will have to improve considerably if they hope to take home any trophies. The tide of parity raises all boats?
10. Columbus Crew (0-3-0)
Well at least they finally scored. The youth of this team is holding them back presently (Mentally at least), but they'll be responsible for much of the team's successes later on in the year. It will be difficult for the Crew to reach the playoffs this year but they're going to be a competitive bunch throughout the year, even if their propensity for draws carries out through the season. Potential is the name of the game here.
11. Los Angeles Galaxy (0-1-1)
Beckham can't come soon enough. On paper, their roster looks top notch but somehow that's not translating to on-the-field success. I'm sure Donovan will come alive and tear things up as usual, but someone else needs to pick up the slack as well (Ahem, calling Nate Jaqua). Seriously though, if Jaqua doesn't score at least 10 goals this year, especially with Beckham coming to town, the kid should be banned from MLS. Or at least temporarily suspended until he learns to use his 6'3 frame to actually win some balls in the air.
12. Real Salt Lake (0-2-1)
I'm going to be harsh here. This team is pathetic. Their situation is pathetic. And quite frankly, I think I've listed them too high in these rankings. I'm not even sure if Real Salt Lake, in this current iteration, will be around the league in 3-4 years. They are a prime contender for relocation and I don't blame city officials for having a lack of confidence. BTW, has anyone told Freddy Adu that the season started a couple of weeks ago? If he's still harboring notions of playing for Manchester United, someone needs to break the news to him soon.....you're just not good enough kid.
13. Toronto FC (0-0-2)
They have great fans....And um, a pretty stadium to stare at. To be honest, this team is an exact replication of their head coach. Feisty and competitive, but just not completely competent. I can see Toronto stealing a few games here and there, but they re surely won't resemble '98-era Fire. They won't resemble 1st year Chivas either though, so that has to be a plus. Wynne will help but Buddle and Eskandarian need to find their scoring touch or this team will have a tough time scoring goals all year.
