SBI MLS Power Rankings (Week 9)

1. (Last Week-1) LOS ANGELES GALAXY (4-1-3)

LAST WEEK: Tied Sporting KC, 1-1, on Sunday

THIS WEEK: vs. New England Revolution on Sunday

OUTLOOK– Giovani dos Santos continues to fire, a positive sign for a Galaxy team that will be more than happy with a draw given the circumstances. Ashley Cole made his first true mistake of 2016 in being sent off, but the English star was bailed out by his teammates in a tough environment. Overall, a result the Galaxy will be happy with as the returns of Robbie Keane and Nigel de Jong move closer.

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2. (2) REAL SALT LAKE (5-1-2)

LAST WEEK: Defeated Houston Dynamo, 2-1, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: at Colorado Rapids on Saturday

OUTLOOK– RSL gets back into the win column with a good win over the struggling Dynamo. Great performances from Nick Rimando and Jordan Allen headlined the day, as RSL bounced back from the team’s first loss to seal yet another victory.

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3. (3) COLORADO RAPIDS (5-2-2)

LAST WEEK: Tied Montreal Impact, 2-2, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: vs. Real Salt Lake on Saturday

OUTLOOK– A big performance from Shkelzen Gashi earns the Rapids a hard-fought point against a tough Impact team. Jermaine Jones continues to shine, and the Rapids are now riding a four-game unbeaten run. Even when the Rapids are behind, they still look the more likely team to score, a measure of the resolve the team has that is still surprising many.
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4. (5) PHILADELPHIA UNION (4-3-1)

LAST WEEK: Tied San Jose Earthquakes, 1-1, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: BYE

OUTLOOK– The Union showed a bit of inexperience on Saturday allowing the Earthquakes back into a game that should have been finished off. Chris Pontius continues to look like one of the signings of the season, and even with a disappointing draw, the Union are unbeaten at home to date.
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5. (7) SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-2-3)

LAST WEEK: Tied Philadelphia Union, 1-1, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: at Seattle Sounders  on Saturday

OUTLOOK– Simon Dawkins did just enough to earn the Earthquakes a point from a game in which they likely deserved none. The Earthquakes were able to grind out a result on Saturday, but will need to step up their game on the road with just two away points in four games.
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6. (6) TORONTO FC (3-3-2)

LAST WEEK: Lost, 2-1, to Portland Timbers on Saturday

THIS WEEK: vs. FC Dallas on Saturday

OUTLOOK– A sour end to the team’s season-opening road trip. Undone by Jake Gleeson, TFC was saddled with the team’s third loss of the season ahead of a return to BMO Field. Now, four home games await a team that has certainly put itself in decent position following eight straight road games.

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7. (8) MONTREAL IMPACT (4-3-2)

LAST WEEK: Tied New York City FC, 1-1, on Wednesday; Tied Colorado Rapids, 2-2, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: At Columbus Crew on Saturday

OUTLOOK– A late draw at Yankee Stadium could have served as a real starting point, but the Impact will be disappointed with a second tie against the Rapids. Didier Drogba showed his quality, but the Impact will certainly expect more than two points from an eight-day three-game stretch.

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10. (10) SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-4-2)

LAST WEEK: Tied Vancouver Whitecaps, 1-1, on Wednesday; Tied LA Galaxy, 1-1, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: at Houston Dynamo on Saturday

OUTLOOK–After dropping four of five, Sporting KC will still be slightly frustrated by a pair of conference draws. Up a man in both games, Sporting KC failed to capitalize and was left with only two points to show from a pair of games where it deserved more.
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11. (16) NEW YORK RED BULLS (3-6-0)

LAST WEEK: Defeated FC Dallas, 4-0, on Friday

THIS WEEK: at Orlando City on Friday

OUTLOOK–  Don’t look now, but the Red Bulls might be back. That’s now two wins in a row for a team very much in need of them, and Friday’s result was by far the best yet. The attack clicked on all cylinders while the defense dominated a potent FC Dallas team, signaling a return to form for a Red Bulls team that looks to be much better than their paltry record indicates.

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12. (9)  ORLANDO CITY (2-2-4)

LAST WEEK: Tied New England Revolution, 2-2, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: vs. New York Red Bulls on Friday

OUTLOOK– Some more late-game nonsense from Orlando City and the Revs, as the Lions benefited from a 90th-minute equalizer from Carlos Rivas. Still, Orlando City is winless in four games and will need to start amassing more points if they hope to count itself among the East’s elite.

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17. (20) NEW YORK CITY FC (2-3-4)

LAST WEEK: Tied Montreal Impact, 1-1, on Wednesday; Defeated Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-2, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: At D.C. United on Sunday

OUTLOOK–  A major step in the right direction for NYCFC. Even though it conceded a late lead midweek, the second-year club was finally rewarded with a positive result on Saturday against the Whitecaps. The pair of performances were among the best the team has put forward this year, and could serve as a bit of a turning point for a team that just couldn’t finish games prior to this weekend.
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18. (17) CHICAGO FIRE (1-2-4)

LAST WEEK: Tied D.C. United, 1-1, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: BYE

OUTLOOK– The Fire defense continues to be as sturdy as any in the league, but the team’s attack remains a cause for concern. Level with the Crew for fewest goals in the league, the Fire attack hasn’t quite found its feet. David Accam should be returning soon, and if the defense can continue to play strongly week in, weekout, the Fire will have a chance every time.
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19. (18) NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (1-2-7)

LAST WEEK: Tied Portland Timbers, 1-1, on Wednesday; Tied Orlando City, 2-2, on Saturday

THIS WEEK: at LA Galaxy on Sunday

OUTLOOK– A pair of home ties see the Revs continue the trend of dropping points each and every time out there. To date, the Revs have just one win as the team continuously snatches ties from the jaws of victory. It all comes down to decisiveness and composure, as the Revs need to learn how to win games sooner rather than later.
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What do you think of the SBI MLS Power Rankings? Which teams do you see being ranked too highly? Who didn’t get enough respect?

Share your thoughts below.