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So who is the hottest team in MLS right now? Yes, we know, it’s D.C. United without a doubt. Who falls second in that same category? You might have to say Real Salt Lake.
RSL has put together what is likely the best run of results in the club’s history, riding a tough defense and the playmaking of Colombian Argentine Javier Morales to a 4-1-3 record in their past eight matches. That run, capped this weekend by a convincing 2-0 win over Columbus on Saturday, has moved RSL into first place in the wide-open Western Conference.
Real Salt Lake isn’t the only team climbing out of an early-season hole. The Kansas City Wizards are slowly creeping back into the playoff race and Josh Wolff’s arrival should provide a boost for a team that is closing on the other teams in the East.
Something I will clarify regarding the MLS Power Rankings is that from this week forward I will take non-MLS results into consideration. No, not friendlies, but competitions such as SuperLiga, CONCACAF Champions Cup and the U.S. Open Cup. I hadn’t done so before, but I will from this week forward.
Now, onto this week’s MLS Power Rankings:
SBI MLS Power Rankings
1. (Last week- 1) New England Revolution (10-4-3)
Last Week: Off in MLS (beat Santos Laguna, 1-0, in SuperLiga on Sunday).
This Week: Off in MLS, vs. Pachuca on Tuesday and at Chivas USA on Sunday in SuperLiga.
Last Five MLS Games: 3-1-1
Outlook: Solid display in knocking off Santos on Sunday, but things get tougher against Pachuca. Will Twellman’s latest injury keep him out long?
2. (2) D.C. United (7-7-1)
Last Week: Off in MLS (beat Chicago Fire in U.S. Open Cup, 2-1 in OT on Tuesday, lost to Chivas de Guadalajara, 2-1, in SuperLiga on Saturday)
This Week: Off in MLS (vs. Atlante on Tuesday, vs. Houston on Saturday in SuperLiga).
Last Five MLS Games: 4-0-1
Outlook: Knocked off Chicago to reach Open Cup semis before dropping SuperLiga opener in match D.C. should have gained a point in. Who could have imagined Jaime Moreno missing a penalty kick?
3. (3) Columbus Crew (8-5-3)
Last Week: Lost to Real Salt Lake, 2-0, on Saturday.
This Week: vs. Kansas City Wizards on Thursday (ESPN), friendly vs. West Ham United on Sunday.
Last Five MLS Games: 2-1-2
Outlook: Normally dangerous Crew attack had no answers against a stingy RSL defense that limited them to just two shots on goal. Suddenly, the match against a revived Kansas City has much more intrigue.
4. (5) Houston Dynamo (4-4-8)
Last Week: Off in MLS (beat Atlante, 4-0, in SuperLiga on Saturday.)
This Week: Off in MLS (vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Tuesday and at D.C. United on Sunday in SuperLiga.)
Last Five MLS Games: 1-1-3
Outlook: Showed championship form for the first time this year in dismantling Atlante on Saturday. Is Stuart Holden ready to breakout after having his early season marred by injuries? Two tough tests await in SuperLiga, with Dwayne DeRosario set to miss the Chivas match.
5. (6) Chicago Fire (7-5-3)
Last Week: beat Toronto FC, 2-1, on Saturday (lost to D.C. United, 2-1, in U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday.)
This Week: vs. Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
Last Five MLS Games: 1-2-2
Outlook: After winless June, Chicago is sudenly on a three-game unbeaten streak. Could they be ready to break out of the funk and play like the MLS Cup contenders they looked like in May? Their offense will face a stiff test from RSL.
6. (9) Real Salt Lake (6-6-5)
Last Week: beat Columbus Crew, 2-0, on Saturday.
This Week: at Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Last Five MLS Games: 2-1-2
Outlook: You might not have noticed, but Real Salt Lake suddenly has the toughest defense in MLS. How tough? Try just three goals allowed (one being an own goal) in their past eight matches (RSL is 4-1-3 during that stretch). If RSL wants to be taken seriously though, they’ll need to prove they can win on the road, something they’ve done just once in seven matches (1-6).
7. (4) Toronto FC (6-6-3)
Last Week: lost, 2-1, to Chicago on Saturday (tied Vancouver, 2-2, on Wednesday in CONCACAF Champions League qualifier.)
This Week: vs. San Jose on Saturday (friendly vs. Independiente on Tuesday.)
Last Five MLS Games: 1-3-1
Outlook: Stretch of five games in 15 days took its toll, but last-minute loss to Fire is still inexcusa
ble. TFC needs to learn how to win at home on the road to be taken seriously. Home game vs. San Jose seems like the perfect remedy to stop the skid.
8. (7) Los Angeles Galaxy (6-6-4)
Last Week: tied Chivas USA, 1-1, on Thursday.
This Week: at New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
Last Five MLS Games: 1-2-2
Outlook: Edson Buddle’s clutch finish helped slumping Galaxy salvage a point. The offense looked off against Chivas USA, but a chance to rebound awaits at Giants Stadium against the faltering Red Bulls.
9. (8) Chivas USA (6-6-4)
Last Week: tied Los Angeles Galaxy, 1-1, on Thursday (lost to Pachuca, 2-1, in SuperLiga on Sunday.)
This Week: Off in MLS (vs. Santos Laguna on Wednesday and New England on Sunday in SuperLiga.)
Last Five MLS Games: 2-1-2
Outlook: Goats looked solid against the Galaxy, at least before the late equalizer. Losing Brad Guzan will put a major dent in Chivas USA’ playoff push as well as SuperLiga hopes.
10. (13) Kansas City Wizards (5-5-5)
Last Week: beat New York Red Bulls, 2-1, on Thursday (lost to Seattle Sounders, 0-0 (6-5 in penalty kicks) in U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, beat Atlas, 2-1, in friendly on Friday.)
This Week: at Columbus Crew on Thursday.
Last Five MLS Games: 2-1-2
Outlook: Wizards have slowly climbed within striking distance of the pack in the Eastern Conference. Beating Columbus will be key to a real charge up the standings. Josh Wolff should be avaliable and it will be interesting to see how much he helps the attack.
11. (10) FC Dallas (4-6-6)
Last Week: Off in MLS (lost, 3-1, to Charleston Battery on Tuesday in U.S. Open Cup.)
This Week: vs. Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
Last Five MLS Games: 1-2-2
Outlook: Bye week should help coach Schellas Hyndman work on his system, and hopefully some more support for all-star striker Kenny Cooper.
12. (11) Colorado Rapids (6-8-2)
Last Week: tied San Jose, 1-1, on Saturday.
This Week: at FC Dallas on Saturday.
Last Five MLS Games: 1-2-2
Outlook: Was anybody really surprised by the fact that Colorado followed up its best performance of the season with a total stinker against San Jose? The Rapids’ inconsistency is mind numbing.
13. (12) New York Red Bulls (5-6-5)
Last Week: lost to Kansas City, 2-1, on Thursday.
This Week: vs. Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday.
Last Five MLS Games: 1-2-2
Outlook: Another mistake-plagued performance by the Red Bulls, who showed some life in the final 20 minutes against KC, but not nearly enough. A slew of new players is expected come on board this week and it will be interesting to see just how long it takes that group to adjust to the team and to MLS. It better happen fast because the Red Bulls will fall deeper into last place in the East if they don’t.
14. (14) San Jose Earthquakes (3-9-4)
Last Week: tied Colorado, 1-1, on Saturday.
This Week: vs. Toronto FC on Saturday.
Last Five MLS Games: 0-2-3
Outlook: Earthquakes showed some life and played better against Rapids than they have in recent weeks. Arrival of Darren Huckerby should help the putrid attack, but may not be enough to help San Jose be a real threat.
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Some thoughts on the rankings.
I know the Crew lost an ugly one but their season has been too strong to drop them because of one loss. It does close the gap between them and the teams chasing.
Houston may only have four wins but the blowout of Atlante reminded us just how good they can be. The Dynamo will start turning those ties into wins, and for my money they are still the best team in the West.
Toronto FC is slumping but I won’t drop them behind the LA teams because they have played a much tougher schedule than either of them.
What do you think of this week’s rankings? Share your thoughts below.
“TFC needs to learn how to win at home to be taken seriously.”
given TFC superb home record, I guess that means they are to be taken seriously or that it was a typo that should have read ‘away form home’
Houston and DC are both overrated on these rankings IMO. Houston more so than DC.
Too bad for Houston that Holden has finally hit his form, just in time to take it with him to China for the next month.
rslfan- “The surprising thing is that many of the bad calls are actually coming at home.”
why is that surprising??
RSL is going to be a fringe team that will be borderline either way… that is unless they manage to improve their road record…. the Fire barely squeeked in last season with a 10-10-10 record, but assuming you win nearly all of your home games you’ll be pretty much a sure thing into the playoffs… only issue there will be home field adv and whether you can turn it over when it counts…
It is nice to see some people start to take notice of RSL’s improved defense. Olave and Borchers form the best centralback duo in MLS. Those guys are just absolute studs. The midfield needs some more creative and dynamic players but Morales definitely deserves to be an all-star.
It is true that they excel at home, but the turf also hurts them badly on the road. Also, it really isn’t an excuse, but RSL has been on the short end of a lot of really bad officiating this year that has changed the outcome of a few games. Kreis is currently serving his second suspension for criticizing the refs. The surprising thing is that many of the bad calls are actually coming at home.
However, for RSL fans there finally is hope. Despite finishing with a decent record in 2006, the quality of football was still horrible. The quality of play for RSL this year is quite high. The results probably don’t tell the whole story but they really have played some of the best football in the league all year.
DC United – best MLS team ever – but, I think #2 is a bit optimistic given the defensive problems and some of the injuries and the number of games they have to play. Ives, think you underrated them earlier in the season and are overrating them now.
Nevermind, the Revs gave Hilgi’s spot to Dube (especially appropriate after last night’s game). So Dube will double his paychecks now, good for him. (Though 33k pro-rated for 2nd half of season still isn’t much — even is the MLS universe — given the salaries of some underachievers.) Well, I think the revs had an open senior roster spot before, so they still have spot open now after the Chase-out-Dube-up move, plus now an open spot on the dev roster, too. So, if Kraft wants to spend … yeah, right.
“Kyle Beckerman for Mehdi Ballouchy is still causing people to scratch their heads. Imagine Beckerman in Colorado’s strong midfield…”
When that deal went through, I said Colorado got taken to teh cleaners. Ballouchy is poo …
nice catch ted, thanks. good luck, chase. wonder if he will head back to chile as a man o the cloth. no big loss for the revs as igwe had already surpassed him as a reserve back. will be interesting to see how/if the stingy revs fill that roster spot (don’t think chase was making much $$).
disagree with c-bus- however agree with everything else
How long is the summer transfer period for MLS?
soccerroo – why??
it seems to me that playing on crappy artificial turf is as much of a advantage as a disadvantage….
both TFC and RSL play on turf, and they both have stellar home performances, but get them off their home field and they seem lost….
obviously this is not a science, but it seems their home field adv. plays against them just as much as helps them
Good point on the turf and RSL. I guess I’ll get to perform an opinion first-hand this weekend in Chi-town, er Bridgeview.
One side of the argument is that none of the games mean anything. But the other way to look at it is that at the half way pointthere’s only one team out of it and unless you’re the Revs there isn’t a lot of room for error for anyone wanting in on the MLS Cup mix.
“Last Week: beat Columbus Crew, 2-1, on Saturday.”
Nitpicky, I know, but…I’m pretty sure Schelotto’s shot hit the post, not the back of the net.
I think even the Red Bulls should have been above the Hoops. Other than that it looked pretty good.
Also… another quick update to the Power Rankings, RSL beat Columbus 2-0, not 2-1 as listed.
How in the name of all things holy are we still 13th?
This weekend is going to be a joke, we’re going to be outnumbered by idiotic Beckham sellouts and going to get shamed. At least last year we shut them up.
Bulls toward the bottom. What a surprise!
Yes guys, Morales is indeed from Argentina. My bad. I was on my way out the door when I wrote that (at Red Bulls practic today.)
Also, I don’t know if anybody else caught this, but…
Chase Hilgenbrinck is retiring from soccer so he can become a Catholic priest.
http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2008/07/14/reis_keeping_head_on_straight/
Javi is indeed from Argentina.
You have to wonder if RSL will have the same home field advantage once they move to Sandy. Right now, it’s obviously all about knowing how to deal with that awful turf, something they deal with every week. Once they are playing on grass, it will be interesting to see what happens.
Kyle Beckerman for Mehdi Ballouchy is still causing people to scratch their heads. Imagine Beckerman in Colorado’s strong midfield…
Isn’t Javier Morales from Argentina?
Javier Morales is an Argi… not Colombian, that would be Olave