The MLS 2010 season came to a close with Colorado Rapids winning the MLS Cup and LA Galaxy winning the Supporters’ Shield. Now that league and cup competitions are approaching their climax, Major League Soccer has gone on a break and waiting for the 16th season to start on March 15th, 2011.

Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will make their MLS debut – taking the total number of clubs to 18. Both the Timbers and the Whitecaps will join the Western Conference and Houston Dynamo will move into the Eastern Conference.

As far as the kits are concerned, adidas is the lone supplier of the kits for all the clubs playing in the league. Because of that, questions are raised about the amount of involvement by the club in the final decision of the kits. For example, when Seattle Sounders’ third kit for 2011 was unveiled, fans and media personnel wondered whether the Sounders actually opted for electric yellow or was it forced upon them.

The general consensus is that, clubs do have a final nod in the decision of the kits they will wear. So yes, Seattle Sounders did opt for electric yellow as their third color only after joining MLS in November 2007.

You can see the 2011 MLS jerseys here for all the 18 clubs participating.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Major League Soccer is growing and improving but outsiders often criticise the league for having a lack of quality. It is a relatively fast football played in the US, with plenty of big, athletic players of the kind which is becoming so important in so many footballing countries across the world.

The league has a lot of players who possess technical skill but relatively few whose most important attribute is a range of tricks and flicks allied to incisive vision and killer technique.

Jaime Moreno at DC United doesn’t quite have the trickery but his touch and technique have been a joy to behold – not to mention his goals. More recently, Seattle Sounders’ young Colombian forward Fredy Montero has excited supporters with his pace and footwork in his debut season.

But flying the flag for wizardry in MLS over the last couple of years has been Chicago Fire’s Mexican international Cuauhtémoc Blanco, a player of worldwide renown whose signing in 2007 was overshadowed by LA Galaxy’s move for David Beckham, a player whose career path in MLS has been remarkably similar to Blanco’s.

On 29th October, Blanco announced that he is leaving Major League Soccer to return to Mexico and Veracruz, where he spent time on loan in 2004. At the age of 36, Blanco’s career is winding down and a trip home is understandable. But his ability will be missed by MLS, even if his presence is largely unpopular outside Chicago. The rivalry between the United States and Mexico puts him at an automatic disadvantage, but he has several traits which inspire distaste in football supporters. He is certainly not universally popular, and it’s not surprising that many are toasting his departure.

Regardless, Blanco is a superb footballer and an asset on the field. He has one or two tricks up his sleeve, most famously the brilliant Blanco Hop which became so well-known after its use during the World Cup in France in 1998. He has earned over 100 caps for his country, played and scored in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, and has winner’s medals from the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1996 and 1998 and the 1999 Confederations Cup, where he also won the Golden Boot. Despite only briefly playing club football in Europe, Blanco has had an impact on world football.

Kid América

Blanco spent no fewer than 15 years at Club América, the giant club from his home town, Mexico City. He spent much of that time on loan, but was back at Estadio Azteca in time to play an important part in two successful years for the club. In 2005, América won their tenth domestic title, (the 2005 Clausura) and a Mexican Super Cup. The following year they won the CONCACAF Champions Cup and took an impressive fourth place in the World Club Cup. Egypt’s Al-Ahly beat them to third in a tournament won by Brazil’s Internacional.

The aforementioned loan spells weaved through his career at América. In 1997 he moved for a short time to Necaxa – now playing in Aguascalientes – also in Azteca, and he played a handful of matches for Veracruz in 2004. Between 2000 and 2002 he spent his only time in Europe, playing just over 20 games for La Liga side Real Valladolid.

Upon his return, Blanco starred for América and helped them embark upon their mid-2000s purple patch. In 2007, the decorated and experienced midfielder headed to the United States to join Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire.

Blanco hops to MLS

Like his fellow big 2007 signing Beckham, Blanco’s popularity is far from pristine. His contributions to Chicago have been tainted by aspects of his play and also by off-field factors. Chicago Fire contributes over $2.5 million to his designated player salary, supplemented by the $415,000 he receives from Major League Soccer and the Fire’s wage cap. Only Beckham earns more and, like Beckham, Blanco has played a loan spell abroad during his MLS contract.

While playing for AC Milan or, in Blanco’s case, Santos Laguna may not be hugely problematic, it is an implicit slight to Major League Soccer that its two highest-paid stars feel the need to test themselves elsewhere in the off-season and feel they can play all year round despite being comfortably into their 30s. Blanco also has a reputation as a diver and has a habit of play-acting and getting involved in unnecessary controversy, as demonstrated by his gift to referee Jair Marrufo earlier in the season.

Beckham had to deal with the burden of his side failing to make the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, but Blanco has helped the Fire reach the playoffs in ’07 and ’08, though they ultimately stumbled. They have again qualified in 2009 and are 2-1 down to New England Revolution heading into their conference semi-final second leg at Toyota Park.

Veracruz 2010

A dramatic turnaround would help Blanco’s legacy at Chicago no end. Mexican club Veracruz announced last week that they will be signing Blanco, who has decided not to re-sign with MLS. Blanco’s departing statement indicates a great deal of fondness for MLS and Chicago Fire, and suggests that several clubs were offering the player a chance to return home. He claims that he promised fans of the Red Sharks in 2004 that he would return to the club, and is happy to be keeping that promise.

Despite talk of an opt-out clause in his Veracruz contract, it seems Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s time in the USA is at an end upon completion of the 2009 season. And while his cheeky eye for a pass and deftness of finishing will be missed, his cost and histrionics will not.

You can read more about Cuauhtémoc Blanco here, and read Soccerlens’ interview with Blanco here.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Anybody casually tuning in to Major League Soccer’s Week 32 action and teetering over the great lake of MLS fandom will have jumped right in. The final week of the regular season began with a cluster of teams fighting it out to take up the final three playoff spots. The results and their impact on the playoff bracket were hugely surprising and entirely unpredictable as slip-ups and upsets allowed an unfancied team to leap into the post-season from outside everyone’s assumed candidates.

Chicago Fire confirmed their spot in midweek, defeating Chivas USA in a match which in turn confirmed Columbus Crew as winners of the Supporters Shield. Toronto FC somehow contrived to throw away their strong pre-game position by getting beaten 5-0 by New York Red Bulls. The result was a great send-off for Giants Stadium as the clubs prepares to kick off next season at the newly-built Red Bull Arena.

DC United and FC Dallas failed to take advantage. Tom Soehn’s men were 2-1 up at Kansas City and heading for the post-season when Fred handled the ball on the line, getting himself sent off and conceding the penalty which – when all the confusing permutations had been played out – ultimately doomed DC’s quest to failure. Dallas were beaten in Seattle to end their fantastic run through the second half of the season, while New England went to Crew Stadium, held their nerve, and booked a date with Chicago in the playoffs.

The chokers of the weekend were Colorado Rapids, who missed out on a very favourable opportunity by slumping to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Real Salt Lake, the weekend’s main beneficiaries. Thanks to Toronto, DC and Dallas all failing, RSL’s win sent them into a playoff spot which as recently as last week seemed almost impossible. Just goes to show – when you’re mathematically still alive, keep going until you’re not.

With the regular season done and dusted, it’s time for the top eight to get down to business. The playoffs begin tonight (Thursday) in Seattle and ending in the same stadium with MLS Cup Final on 22nd November. Here is your Soccerlens preview.

West: LA Galaxy v Chivas USA

This is exactly the kind of match MLS needs to continue to raise its profile. LA Galaxy are the highest profile team in the league, at least overseas, and the Superclasico is quickly developing into a worthy derby. This is surely helped by the fact that the two teams both play at Home Depot Center, a superb soccer-specific facility, and have been known to trade players across the lobby. Chivas is a young club which has defied the doubters to become a solid MLS concern, playing superbly in the early part of the 2009 season and improving late on to make a last-ditch push for the top of the table.

The Galaxy have taken the league by storm. A draw-riddled unbeaten streak characterised the first half of the season but by the time David Beckham returned from AC Milan the wins were beginning to flow. Folding Beckham back into the side and introducing Chris Birchall has given the side an extra creative edge, relieving some of the burden on the in-form Landon Donovan and allowing him to thrive alongside his English colleague. Their relationship, so fractious in the wake of 19 Entertainment’s alleged shadow takeover of the Galaxy and Grant Wahl’s book, The Beckham Experiment, appears to have developed into something much more productive.

The same appears to be true of Beckham’s relationship with the Galaxy supporters, who will no doubt appreciate the team’s first playoff qualification since Beckham’s arrival in 2007 and finishing first in the West.

West: Houston Dynamo v Seattle Sounders FC

For much of the 2009 season, Seattle have dominated the headlines. Large crowds have accentuated the feeling that the city was a market ready to adopt a top-level football club. Other sports have been suffering in Seattle and the Sounders name has plenty of history behind it.

The club has been marketed well all year and Drew Carey’s habit of appearing on national television draped in rave green can do no harm at all. On the field, Kasey Keller has been a solid backstop for a team which has for several months now struggled to score at home. Despite this, Fredy Montero is the most naturally gifted player in the league and is ably supported by designated player Freddie Ljungberg, former Arsenal youth player Steve Zakuani and target man Nate Jaqua.

However, Houston Dynamo are very reliable. A consistent team coached by Dominic Kinnear, possibly Major League Soccer’s finest, the Dynamo’s efficiency is the club’s biggest advantage. They are superb from set pieces and play confident, clever football on the floor too. The team’s superstar is Stuart Holden, an effervescent Scottish-born US international whose superb box-to-box midfield play has been a highlight for both the Dynamo and the US Men’s National Team this season. A big move surely awaits.

In Andrew Hainault, Juan Luis Landin, Ricardo Clark, Brian Ching, Geoff Cameron and others, the Dynamo have enough quality to make things very difficult for Seattle. Injuries to Landin and Clark could slow their progress but Houston should be consistent enough to see off the Sounders, though you just never know in football.

East: Columbus Crew v Real Salt Lake

In the East, Columbus Crew already have a 2009 title to their name. The Supporters Shield winners were crowned thanks to Chicago’s win over Chivas and go into the playoffs brimming with confidence. They know how to win MLS Cup (reigning champions, no less) and have looked unstoppable for large chunks of the 2009 season. Their squad depth is remarkable for MLS, demonstrated by Steven Lenhart and Jason Garey chipping in with crucial goals while Guillermo Barros Schelotto was out with an injury. Their excellent home record and depth of quality will make them many pundits’ favourites for a second consecutive win.

Their semi-final opponents Real Salt Lake did the business on the final day, defeating Colorado to take advantage of teams collapsing elsewhere. They grabbed an unexpected wildcard slot and will face a very difficult challenge against the Crew. Yura Movsisyan will want to sign off on a high before moving to Randers in Denmark, Robbie Findley has a sharp eye for goal and Kyle Beckerman is one of the finest midfielders in MLS. On their day, they can give anyone a run for their money.

East: Chicago Fire v New England Revolution

Also in the East, New England Revolution pounced on DC and FCD’s last-gasp inadequacy to grab a berth by winning the last game of the regular season. Having qualified in the absence of Taylor Twellman, the Revs are likely to be high on confidence despite one or two notable injuries. Shalrie Joseph, as ever this season, could be the key man. Kheli Dube must also be firing for the Revolution to succeed.

Their opponents may be hamstrung by their lack of consistency and questionable home form. Chicago Fire draw too many matches on their own pitch and the Revs’ gritty football may give the Fire some problems breaking them down. They will be relying on Blanco to unlock the Revs, and he is certainly capable of doing so. The two sides have been inseparable in league play in 2009, but the Fire triumphed in a Superliga tie in July.

The two winners from each Conference will play in the Conference finals in the middle of November before the final showdown in Seattle. So which team will be crowned champions? Columbus Crew’s squad depth is a huge asset because it provides options and flexibility, both ideal for cup football. Houston are also solid and are excellent from set pieces, which could help them dominate the key moments against Seattle. For their part the Sounders will have fantastic support and the confidence of a successful first season. I fancy them to upset the Dynamo.

But for me the favourites are LA Galaxy. It is said by English football supporters that momentum is essential for a playoff campaign, and if that holds true then the Galaxy hold the cards. They have big name players in David Beckham and Landon Donovan, both of whom possess immense quality, a winning attitude and, it appears, a new-found respect for one another. The pair are on form and, with a reliable defence behind them and worthy support acts elsewhere, they could lead LA to a title win before the former England captain heads back to Milan.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

MLS Cup, the USA’s flagship football championship, is awarded not to the team which finishes with the most points after the regular season but to the team that prevails after a short knockout tournament played by Major League Soccer’s top eight clubs.

Now in its 14th season, MLS has been won no fewer than four times by DC United (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004). Los Angeles Galaxy (2002 and 2005) and San Jose Earthquakes (2001 and 2003) have two titles under their respective belts, and Chicago Fire (1998), Kansas City Wizards (2000) and current holders Columbus Crew have each won once.

The Earthquakes moved to Houston before the 2006 season and Houston Dynamo came thundering out of the blocks to win MLS Cup twice on the bounce, defeating New England Revolution at Pizza Hut Park in ’06 and again at RFK Stadium in ’07. The Revs had also been beaten in the final in 2005, taking them to the unenviable record of four losing finals in just six years.

But it was New York Red Bulls who fell short last season, as Sigi Schmid led the Crew to a 3-1 MLS Cup final victory at the Home Depot Center. Schmid’s excellent coaching, now in evidence in Seattle, played a huge part as Columbus won the Supporters’ Shield (awarded to the team that would be “league” champions) and then successfully saw out the post-season. But much of the credit went to Argentine striker Guillermo Barros Schelotto – the current top scorer in MLS with ten so far in 2009 – who sealed his MLS Most Valuable Player accolade by creating all three cup winning goals.

2009: the story so far

The 2009 season has, in its first 14 weeks, been one of stumbling pace-setters. Everybody was impressed by the rampant start made by this season’s expansion club, Seattle Sounders FC. Boasting a menacing attack featuring former Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, burgeoning Colombian talent Fredy Montero and former Dynamo forward Nate Jaqua, Seattle demolished New York in their first ever MLS game and followed up by beating Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. Despite defeat to Seattle, TFC were also an early form team and – initially at least – shrugged off the loss of coach John Carver to maintain a decent start. Both then fell away.

Chivas USA and Chicago Fire then took the baton. The Californian club, led by free-scoring Mexican Eduardo Lillingston, showed great early season promise and sit just one point off top spot despite becoming less prolific in recent weeks. Before the two met in Week 11, Chicago had for a time gone blow for blow with Preki’s men. Cuauhtemoc Blanco’s 96th minute penalty that night put an end to Chivas’ excellent run but the Fire haven’t fared much better since.

DC United currently sit atop the Eastern Standings after a run of form characteristically defined by determination, a never-say-die attitude and a fair slice of luck. The form of Josh Wicks in goal and rookie Chris Pontius in a variety of positions have, for me, been vital to United’s run of relative success. It all came unstuck for United on Saturday, suffering from tiredness and failing to adjust to altitude as Omar Cummings ran them ragged to help Colorado Rapids to a 3-0 win. United’s form has been overshadowed only by a fantastic winning run by the Dynamo, now leaders of MLS, during which they came from almost nowhere and rose to the summit thanks to Brian Ching, Andrew Hainault and, in particular, Stuart Holden.

Playoff qualification

The qualification process for MLS Cup playoffs is very simple. The top two teams from the East and the top two teams from the West qualify and are seeded one and two in their respective East and West playoff brackets. The remainder of the illustrious eight consists of the next four teams (on points scored) regardless of their conference. If this means more than four teams on either side of the playoff brackets, the lowest teams move over. These teams play two-legged conference-specific semi-finals and the winners play single game East and West conference finals. The Eastern winners then play the Western winners for MLS Cup.

So, with the MLS schedule haphazardly rolling its way to the mid-way point of the 2009 season, which teams will now be believing they have a realistic shot at glory?

Eastern candidates

DC United head a batch of hopefuls in the East. Tommy Soehn’s side benefit from a blend of youth and experience. Rookies Rodney Wallace and Chris Pontius have surprised many with their excellent contributions, and the wiles of Jaime Moreno, Christian Gomez and the returning Ben Olsen have enabled United to pick up several late goals on their journey to the top of the standings. Chicago Fire and Toronto also have experienced frontmen in Brian McBride and Dwayne DeRosario, and have shown their ability to put together a run of results – a vital attribute for knockout football. Of the two, I’d say the Fire are more likely candidates.

Columbus Crew have quietly come up on the rails and now sit just four points behind DC United, though to qualify from the East it may be necessary to finish in the top three as a minimum given the higher tallies at the top of the West. Kansas City Wizards also have 19 points but have been somewhat less convincing. Josh Wolff, Davy Arnaud and Claudio Lopez have been putting in the goals for the Wizards to give them a decent chance of qualifying. Realistically the rest of the conference will now struggle to make it through to the post-season, though you can never rule teams out at this relatively early stage.

Western candidates

Given their breathtaking form, a third MLS Cup for Houston Dynamo must be considered a real possibility. So many of their players have stood up to be counted recently, not least new signing Cam Weaver. The teams at the top of the West have found it easier so far to pile on the points, and despite slipping over the last few weeks Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders only need a strong period each, say nine or ten games unbeaten, to guarantee playoff qualification.

Behind them, Colorado Rapids have two potent weapons in their arsenal. Conor Casey, spending a couple of happy weeks in South Africa at the moment with the US Men’s National Team, has netted an impressive eight goals from ten games this season and acts as a robust focal point for the Rapids attack. Omar Cummings, with six goals and six assists, combines lightning pace and a sharp football brain to great effect. This was best demonstrated last Saturday when he single-handedly tore apart the DC United defence, helping himself to two goals and setting up new national team recruit Colin Clark to kill the game off with a third.

Given the unpredictable nature of the game it would be churlish at this stage to make too bold a prediction, but I’d be staggered if Dynamo, Chivas and United didn’t walk into the playoffs long before the end of the season. It would be surprising too if Chicago and Seattle didn’t follow them into the last eight.

Even taking into account the apparent strength of Houston, it’s impossible at this stage to make a prediction as to which team will eventually come out on top. Knockout football is a strange beast, requiring momentum, character and luck. DC United fit that bill best at the moment, but lack the consistency of several other teams in the league. However, a Houston v DC final is not out of the question.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The 14th Major League Soccer season has had something of a messy start. Of 74 matches played at the time of writing, 27 have resulted in draws. Matches are frequently turning on defensive errors and the officiating is once again prone to horrific incompetence. But for the past few weeks a few sides have begun to hit some form and rise to the top.

The biggest story in the first few weeks of the season was the superb start made by the league’s 2009 expansion club, Seattle Sounders FC. Sigi Schmid’s team kicked off with a 3-0 win over New York Red Bulls and thanks to impressive input from Nate Jaqua, Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero would sit third in a single table after Week 10.

Beating Seattle to the top of the Western Standings, and topping the MLS with 24 points, Chivas USA have surprised supporters with a strong start. Four goals and one assist from Mexican striker and MLS debutant Eduardo Lillingston have gone a long way to putting Chivas where they are in the table. Head coach Preki will be desperate for Lillingston to continue his hot streak and ensure the team’s playoff spot as early as possible.

Challenge from the East

While Chivas head off over the horizon with only Seattle and Houston Dynamo in immediate pursuit, there is a little more needle to proceedings at the top of the Eastern Standings. Toronto FC started excellently and initially responded well to the departure of John Carver from the dugout, but slipped slightly in the following weeks. However, a resurgent Dwayne De Rosario has helped them get back on track and TFC are now level on points with DC United, a side with only one 2009 MLS defeat to its name but developing a knack of drawing matches they should have won, and matches they should have lost.

But perched atop the Eastern Standings as Week 11 gets underway are Chicago Fire. For large parts of the season opening, Fire went about their business quietly and went unnoticed, but they are now the league’s only unbeaten side and are six points behind Chivas with a game in hand.

Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire joined Major League Soccer as an expansion club in 1998 and won MLS Cup and the US Open Cup in its first season. Since then, three more Open Cups have been added to the Fire’s honours list, as well as a Supporters Shield in 2003. The team plays at Toyota Park, a soccer-specific stadium in Bridgeview, and is coached by former Colorado Rapids defender Denis Hamlett.

The Fire started 2009 in winning fashion on the road. Despite the early shock of seeing Jon Busch beaten by Kenny Cooper from his own half, Chicago went on to secure an assured 3-1 victory at Pizza Hut Park against what we now know is a dismal FC Dallas side. A deserved away point at DC United followed, before Chicago defeated New York at home in the first weekend of April.

The rest of April and the first half of May were, inevitably, dominated by draws. The Fire tied with San Jose, Kansas City, Columbus, Seattle and New England, but were soon back in the winning habit. Away wins at Toronto and New York in the last two weekends have cemented Chicago’s spot at the top of the Eastern Standings and given them a superb platform from which to launch an assault on the playoffs.

Chicago’s strengths

On top of the industry of Justin Mapp, Fire’s success so far this season has been built upon defensive solidity as a team. At the back, Wilman Conde, Gonzalo Segares and Bakary Soumare have helped the backline form the foundations of that solidity – not to mention two goals and three assists between the trio so far.

But it’s skipper Brian McBride who is rightly winning all the accolades this term. The former Fulham striker has appeared in all ten Chicago games and joins Landon Donovan, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Conor Casey and Josh Wolff on top of the scoring charts with six goals.

Premier League supporters would recognise McBride’s excellence from his days at Craven Cottage, and little has changed. The 36-year-old hitman still operates as a top-class target man, shows the same eye for goal and remains a real handful for defenders throughout MLS. He netted from the spot against Dallas and scored twice to win a point when Fire hosted the Wizards, but the best of McBride’s goals this season came at Buck Shaw Stadium against San Jose Earthquakes.

With Chicago 2-1 down after half time, McBride levelled in the 57th minute with a goal that would grace any game in any league. Cuauhtemoc Blanco headed a high ball first time, finding McBride on the edge of the area, with his back to goal. In one move, McBride flicked the ball inside himself and his marker, turned and fired in the equaliser. Make no mistake, he’s still got it.

Prospects for 2009

It’s early days, of course, but Chicago Fire look very strong indeed. As I submit this post, Fire are preparing to face Chivas. The outcome – in terms of both performance and result – will tell us a lot about where the short term futures of both clubs lie. The beauty of parity, like it or not, is that we don’t yet really know.

What’s certain is that people are now sitting up and taking notice of Chicago, and their ability to deal with that weight of expectation will be crucial. The likes of Brian McBride are not chokers, and I think the Fire will ease into the playoffs without too much trouble. And if they can get end-of-season momentum on their side, I think they’d be a great bet for MLS Cup.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The MLS season opens with fireworks Thursday night for the Seattle Sounders inaugural game at Qwest field against New York Red Bulls.

The Seattle Sounders management did everything right to create a model club, including stealing 2008 MLS Cup Champion coach Sigi Schmid from Columbus Crew.

The supporters group, FC Alliance can vote out the general manager, currently Adrian Hanauer, every four years if 20% of the members sign a petition, an idea lifted from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Comedian/owner Drew Carey put full media spin behind the club, which sold 22,000 season tickets and 32,400 seats for the opening game. “We’ll have this big drunken march down to the stadium before the game begins,” said Carey.

The inevitable and highly suspect predictions:

In a league where parity is king, it’s pointless to discuss MLS Cup at this point, so without further ado, here are the predictions for the season openers:

Thursday, March 19

New York Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Red Bulls 3-2

The Sounders have Kasey Keller in net, but designated player Freddie Ljungberg, recovering from hip surgery, might not take the field. Young Columbian Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua are the strike force, and with central defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, this team could be a threat on short notice.

Juan Carlos Osorio reinvented the Red Bulls with 15 foreign-born players to support Juan Pablo Angel, the top MLS goal scorer (14), who is fit and re-signed. Dynamic midfielder Dane Richards will be assisted by 33 year-old Albert Celades, former Barca and Real Madrid midfielder.

Danny Cepero, who scored the first goal by an MLS goalkeeper in his very first game, will continue his own fairy tale by substituting for Jon Conway, still suspended. The Bulls won their last preseason match 2-0 with Crystal Palace, with goals by Khano Smith and Mathew Mboto.

Saturday, March 21

Columbus Crew @ Houston Dynamo
Prediction: Columbus Crew 3-1

The Crew remain intact with 2008 MLS assist leader (19) and league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelloto, Robbie Rogers, and defenders Frankie Hejduk and Gino Padula.

Although Houston coach Dominic Kinnear still has national team striker Brian Ching, he lost goal scorer Dwayne DeRosario, recently suffered a humiliating defeat in CONCACAF, and striker Kai Kamara was just suspended for the first two matches for inappropriate comments. Midfielder Stuart Holden is expected to make miracles happen.

Chicago Fire @ FC Dallas
Prediction 2-2

The Chicago Fire will succeed as expected with Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Brian McBride and Chris Rolfe, but the individual efforts of Dallas Kenny Cooper, Dave van den Bergh, and Dax McCarty will throw off their game.

Toronto FC @ Kansas City Wizards
Prediction: Toronto 3-1

Toronto has a team set on scoring and Captain Jim Brennan and Dwayne DeRosario will make it happen along with Pablo Vitti, Chad Barrett and Danny Dichio. The fans want goals and the fans will get goals with this roster.

Jimmy Conrad, Davy Arnoud, and the rest of Kansas City will be hard pressed to keep TFC from running up the score.

New England Revolution @ San Jose Earthquakes
Prediction: San Jose 2-1

San Jose has a versatile midfield of Bobby Convey, Arturo Alvarez, Darren Huckerby, and Ramiro Coralles, and Cam Weaver can tally goals.

The Revolution lost three big players over the winter and replaced them with untested rookies while dealing with serious injuries to goal scorers Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman. Shalrie Joseph, Jay Heaps and Chris Albright will control the back, but this team needs attacking players. Although the Revolution have troubles, they keep their spirits up by humiliating their coaches.

Colorado Rapids @ Chivas USA
Prediction: Rapids 2-0

Jason Kreis kept the Rapids intact with linchpins Omar Cummings, Conor Casey, Colin Clark, and Pablo Mastroeni, and beat the Sounders in preseason. Sasha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein, and Ante Razov will toil for Chivas but it may not be enough.

Sunday, March 22

DC United @ LA Galaxy
Prediction LA 3-2

LA will come off solid, thanks to Bruce Arena, who shook the team up top to bottom. Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan, and Dema Kovalenko will score goals without David Beckham, but still need to solidify a backline, particularly with the absence of new keeper Donovan Ricketts due to injury. DC also may be handicapped by the absence of their keeper Louis Crayton due to injury, but Francis Doe, Thabiso Khumalo, and Santino Quaranta will provide a show in the top half of the field.

Saturday, March 28

Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Real Salt Lake 2-1

Javier Morales, Yura Movsisyan, and Kyle Beckerman give Real Salt Lake the stability and creativity to challenge the new Seattle Sounders, while still producing episodes of the Kyle and Javi show.

National teams drop in the clutch

The women’s national team failed to win their third straight Algarve Cup, handing it over to Sweden in penalty kicks after the 1-1 tie. Shannon Boxx scored for the US in the 90th minute.

The men’s U-20s fell 3-0 to Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Championship final, but secured a spot in the U-20 World Cup in Egypt with their 2-0 win over El Salvador.

FC Barca resurfaces near 2010 Philadelphia franchise

A few days before bowing out of the proposed Barca Miami franchise, Barca president Joan Laporta toured the site of the stadium being constructed for the approved 2010 Philadephia MLS franchise. Don Garber told Sports Business Journal, “the team has secured more than 6,000 season ticket deposits and two sponsors a year before kicking off,” but Philadephia is looking for partners. MLS Philadelphia CEO Nick Sakiewicz said that Delaware County and Pennsylvannia put up $77 million and expects Jay Sugarman, the majority owner-operator, and his fellow investors to produce the $38 million balance.

“FC Barcelona has expressed for some time an interest in Major League Soccer financially and strategically,” said Don Garber. “They spent a great deal of time with us looking at Miami and are continuing to look at opportunities around the league.”

Photo Credits: W. Jarrett Campbell/Triangle Soccer Fanatics

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When the Columbus Crew won the 2008 MLS Supporters Shield (the award given to a club with the highest point total in the regular season) and subsequently their coach Sigi Schmid won the MLS Coach of the Year award, it eloquently summarized the very odd and unusual MLS season.

For starters, the Crew didn’t even make the play-offs in 2007 despite a very liberal – some may say ridiculously high number of teams, then eight out of thirteen – qualifying standard.

Second of all, in the off-season, the Crew made only minor modifications to their roster, with the only significant addition being a journeyman holding midfielder Brian Carroll, obtained via a trade from the expansion San Jose Earthquakes.

Third, given the dismal results in the two previous years, Sigi Schmid’s hold on the job appeared tenuous, as Columbus finished dead last in 2006 and his coaching acumen was constantly questioned by the whatever dwindling fan base the franchise retained.

Former Boca Juniors Legend Schelotto Leads the Crew

Instead, the Crew proved its critics wrong and stormed out of the gate, led on and arguably off the field by an Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The thirty five year old Boca Juniors legend, with a haircut harking all the way back to the British Invasion of the mid-60′s, became a general on the pitch, presiding and directing over the much younger Crew attackers, a pair of the 21-year old wingers Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven and a veteran center forward Alejandro Moreno. As the result, Columbus scored eleven more goals and improved its goal differential from minus-five to plus-fourteen.

But whereas pre-season expectations of the heartland team were tempered, the opposite was the case on both coasts.

Red Bulls Change Matadors

In New York, an experienced Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio, took over the New York Red Bulls squad that did make the play-offs in 2007 but was knocked out in the first round under the guidance of the recently fired USA national team coach Bruce Arena.

Living off his reputation earned at the 2002 World Cup, Arena was given a fat contract and virtually unlimited, by the American soccer measurements. funds to establish a power house deserving of its hometown in the capital of the world. Never the one to turn down lucrative donations, Arena spent close to $3 million to bring in two free agent stars, an ex Aston Villa and River Plate striker Juan Pablo Angel and a well-traveled ex Manchester City-Sunderland-Rangers-Wolfsburg-Leverkusen midfielder Claudio Reyna. In the league where an entire team was officially operating under a $2.3M budget, Angel and Reyna came under a special exception called the “Designated Player” provision, something colloquially known as the “Beckham Rule”. (Each MLS team was allotted one DP but could trade with another team for the additional second spot)

Armed with a higher payroll than any MLS team at that point, Arena was expected to dominate the league but only managed 43 points (the 2007 Supporter Shield winner DC United had 55 on a much smaller budget) and a plus-2 goal differential.

When the oft-injured Reyna proved to be a colossal bust, NYRB was knocked out of the play-offs by a much more cheaply assembled New England team, managed by an 1980′s Liverpool stalwart Steve Nicol. Under fire for his performance and for the waste of approximately $2.5M on his old University of Virginia player Reyna, Arena’s was the first head that rolled and, for a small compensation, Osorio was brought in from the Chicago Fire.

Juan Carlos leaped an opportunity twice in the span of six months, as he only came to the Fire from Colombia’s Millionarios half-way into 2007. In Chicago, his half-season reign was considered an achievement and New York jumped at a chance to recruit its former assistant.

Sexy Football but Same Results for LA Galaxy

The West Coast was similarly bristling with anticipation. As the MLS propaganda never got tired of saying, in 2007 the LA Galaxy and its owner Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) have indeed managed a major coup – they have signed the most famous footballer in the world, the Posh Boy himself, David Beckham. The only problem was that Becks arrived with a bum ankle and missed a number of crucial games in the final stretch of the 2007 campaign. He was available for the very last contest in Chicago but LA went down by a 1:0 score and the AEG forced out its coach Frank Yallop, who was himself brought in only a year earlier.

(The coaching carousel continued with Yallop going to the San Jose Earthquakes, opening for business that very month).

Under a bombastically fatuous General Manager (Director of Football) Alexi Lalas, another major coup was launched. Seeking “sexy football”, AEG has hired a former two-time World Player of the Year Dutchman Ruud Gullit. Beside once having been a truly great pro, Gullit has managed a number of European clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle and Feyenoord and was fluent in English.

Given the glitz and the glamour of the two metropolitan giants, far less attention was being given to the 2007 finalist, the two far less glamorous but two very hardworking squads – Houston Dynamo and the New England Revolution.

Houston was returning most of his line-up, sans a temporarily departed Nate Jaqua (7 goals in 2007) while Revolution’s only name loss was a released veteran forward Pat Noonan.

Once the play on the pitch commenced, however, the expectations weren’t always met.

While Columbus, Chicago and New England got off to a good start in the East, New York tumbled out of the gate. Reyna reverted to his oft-injured self and Angel must have received the same contagion, coming down with all sorts of maladies. Osorio’s juggling of players and line-ups didn’t produce either and New York had a rough going in the spring of 2008. early injuries and the eventual $10M transfer of Josmer Altidore to Spain’s Villarreal was another shock to New York’s system.

In the West, Gullit’s Galaxy began to assert itself a few weeks into the season and became the most exciting team on the field. Unfortunately for LA, the excitement had good and bad components. Its offense was averaging an almost unheard-of three goals per game but its defense was nearly as porous.

Still, a couple of months in, LA was seen in first place, a drastic departure from its previous MLS annuals.

New York was languishing in the standings. Looking at it in their rear-view mirrors were the aforementioned Columbus, Chicago and New England.

Out with Gullit, in with Arena

Then something snapped in LA. Its offense continued to be scoring reasonably well, but its defense was proving to be incapable of stopping anyone. The team went on a long winless streak. Its players began to rumble about Gullit’s coaching methods and, finally, the damage became irreparable. Gullit was pushed out of the door and replaced by Bruce Arena. So high was the admiration of Arena’s by the AEG’s head Tim Leiweke that Leiweke gushed about the former US gaffer in the most glorious terms possible when appearing on the national telecast shortly after Gullit’s departure.

With the Galz slipped out of the first place by then, they were still very much in the play-off picture, had the season ended at that moment. Arena, of course, was expected to push for the top spot that the Galaxy only recently vacated. For that, he received additional reinforcement in the form of a 34-year old US international winger Eddie Lewis, who had spent the previous season with Derby County of the English Premiership.

Nonetheless, showing repeated ineptitude, Arena coached Galaxy to less than one point per game and, when the 2008 was over, the Galaxy was back to its usual last place, even losing the goal differential to the expansion San Jose.

As noted prior, San Jose’s coach was one Frank Yallop, a former man in charge of the Galaxy.

As, once upon a time, was Sigi Schmid.

Returning to the East Coast : for a while, Osorio’s job seemed in as much jeopardy as of his West Coast counterpart. In New York’s last match at Chicago, Juan Carlos’s club needed a win to insure itself of the last play-off spot in the East but instead his men were hammered 5:2 by the in-form Chicago Fire. Only a last day defeat of the DC United at the hands of the league leaders Columbus Crew pushed the Red Bulls into that last spot. Backing into the play-off didn’t stop calls for Osorio’s firing but he was given a euphemistic chance to prove himself again in the playoffs.

Playoff Contenders

Chicago, New England and Kansas City were three other East Conference contenders.

There were a few more surprises. With the Galaxy self-destruction, the fourth year franchise Real Salt Lake scored on the last minute of its last match and made the knock-out stage for the first time ever.

Without much drama, the two time defending MLS champion Houston topped the West in the points total.

Chivas USA, a team ravaged by injuries throughout the season, still managed to finish a respectable second.

The league was gearing for the MLS Cup and the LA Galaxy, by then having gotten rid of Lalas as well, was gearing for its never ending rebuilding.

Three coaches (Gullit, plus Colorado’s Fernando Clavijo and Dallas’s Steve Morrow) lost their jobs.

Landon Donovan won the scoring title.

Columbus’s Chad Marshall won the Defender of the Year.

Chicago’s Jon Busch won the same award for top Goalkeeper.

The MVP vote is to be announced later with Galaxy’s Landon Donovan, Fire’s Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Crew’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto the three finalists.

Also See:

The 2008 MLS Season Preview (Liviu Bird)

MLS, LA Galaxy and Ruud Gullit – A Very Long Way from ‘Sexy Football’ (Marco Pantanella)

Youth Football in the US (Dan Leo)

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Within the last week, the roar around the Chicago Fire’s Cuauhtemoc Blanco and D.C. United’s Clyde Simms incident has swelled and is finally subsiding.

For those who have yet to catch wind of the fracas, reports indicate it took place during the U.S. Open Cup match between the Chicago Fire and D.C. United, beginning with Blanco taking what appeared to be nearly a full swing at Simms’ ribs, who was holding the ball at the time.

Other D.C. players indicated that shortly thereafter, Blanco also gouged Simms’ eye. Naturally Blanco was red carded, as was D.C. United defender Marc Burch, who had come to Simms’ aid. However, Blanco didn’t head straight for the locker room, instead focusing towards the bench. When instructed to change his course to the locker room by a D.C. United employee, Blanco head butted the employee.

“He came up and swung as hard as he could,” Burch told reporters. “He tried to hit the ball and hit Clyde in the stomach. He thinks he can do whatever he wants. I pushed him. I didn’t hit him. I didn’t go after him. I just pushed him down. He’s not going to do that to my teammate. He stood up and tried to poke Clyde in the eye and cut his eye open.”

The other side of the story, as told by the Fire, is that Blanco’s actions were misinterpreted. Fire spokesman Gregg Elkin told Chicago Sports that Blanco wanted to get the ball back in play. The game was in overtime, the Fire was down a goal, and Blanco thought Simms was stalling. Blanco also denied gouging Simms’ eye. As for the alleged head butt, Elkin stated that Blanco was not trying to disobey the red card requirements. As reported by Chicago Sports, “[Blanco] stopped by the bench to pick up his gear,” said Elkin. “He wasn’t stalling or yelling at the official. The situation was under control, but the D.C. person got in his face and yelled at him to leave the bench.” Elkin also took issue with the D.C. United employee entering the Fire’s restricted area, and denied that Blanco head butted anyone. “Blanco turns to walk by the guy and grazed his cheek with his forehead. It was completely accidental.” Elkin later told Goal.com. “[Blanco] stopped on the side of the field to pick up his things, then, when he was turning around, his forehead did make contact with the guy’s cheek or jaw area.”

The federation’s disciplinary committee will meet soon to determine what punishment fits Blanco’s crime, outside of the usual one-game suspension. Elkin stated the Fire will await the federation’s ruling before taking any action. “The federation has asked for video that D.C. apparently has and then that’s up to them.”

Blanco’s anger management issues are far from new. Two weeks prior, reports surfaced that Blanco and Fire teammate Wilman Conde were in an altercation that was described as a “fistfight.” In 2003, Blanco sucker punched a TV Azteca reporter, David Faitelson, who had criticized him, and in 2004, Blanco elbowed a rival player on Brazil’s Sao Caetano team, which spurred a fray between the two clubs. After that incident. Blanco was suspended from playing in South America for a year.

Then, to add insult to injury to some angered MLS fans, the video footage of the recent incident went missing from Youtube. Some fans argued that the MLS had no right to take the footage down, as the U.S. Cup was a non-MLS game. Some conspiracy theories surrounding the MLS surfaced, ranging from the MLS wishing to shut down any other U.S. competition, to taking illegal actions in sending Youtube (who originally aired the footage) an illegal Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMC) take down notice.

MLS fans have generally been unforgiving of Blanco’s actions. On a Big Soccer message board thread, some called for Blanco to be arrested, while some called Blanco a “pathological bully.” On a Section 8 messageboard, Fire fans’ reactions ranged from agreeing that Blanco was out of line who needed at least a 1-2 game ban, to others ignoring it as an overblown incident, to a few who just seemed to believe Blanco’s reaction was indicative of the frustration of the entire team.

While no one should be arguing that Blanco’s actions were acceptable, there does seem to be a degree of overreaction. To begin, there is at least one explanation for what happened with the mysterious Youtube video disappearance. MLS owns and controls all trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights that relate in any way to the league or any of its teams. (Law for Recreation and Sports Managers, Doyice Cotten, John T. Wolohan, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2003). Thus, because the teams playing were part of the single-entity MLS structure, wherein teams are controlled by the league, MLS apparently still retained its control over any material that flowed from the game. Thus, MLS was fully within its legal authority to ask the video to be removed. While it certainly soured many fans who wished to replay the incident, it also perpetuated the overreaction by making the footage unavailable, leaving it to be interpreted by secondhand description alone.

The upset over Blanco’s behavior, however, cannot be so tidily summarized. It’s difficult to dispute, even without seeing it, that Blanco was out of line, but that’s the more obvious conclusion. The bigger picture, so to speak, is that every other international league has already seen this sort of behavior, albeit not in this context. Who can forget Roy Keane’s performance in the 2001 Manchester derby (doubtful that Alf-Inge HÃ¥land does)? More recently in the 2006 World Cup, Zidane’s infamous head butt, and Wayne Rooney’s alleged crotch kicking to Ricardo Carvalho?

Sure, an eye gouge is irresponsible and out of line. But head butts we’ve seen before, and although non-players are typically out of bounds, that didn’t stop Eric Cantona’s kung fu kick. And Joey Barton, who is currently in jail for assault (punching an individual over 20 times), has a string of antics over the past few years that make Blanco’s actions pale in comparison (see: inciting the Doncaster Rovers — Manchester City brawl after his hacking foul on John Doolan, Barton putting out a cigar on Jamie Tandy’s eye, attacking a 15 year old Everton supporter, attacking and possibly detaching former team mate Ousmane Dabo’s retina, etc.)

Maybe it can all be chalked up to the MLS and its fans refusing to tolerate bad behavior, which is perfectly fine. But both the fans and the MLS seem to have overreacted a bit (calling for Blanco to be arrested, MLS in removing the video). It may be indicative of the MLS’s infancy, as this is one of its first, if not the first, incidents of a player behaving badly and not apologizing for it. Yes, Blanco seems to have an anger problem but so do other players who have been red carded for reacting badly. There’s no argument that Blanco’s actions were both unprofessional and wrong, and if the investigation shows that Blanco truly attempted to punch Simms, gouge out Simms’ eye, and then purposefully head butt a D.C. employee, he should be disciplined further.

Blanco’s actions are nothing to be proud of, but outrageous fouls tend to occasionally come part and parcel with professional soccer, which, despite what some critics will tell you, is exactly what the MLS is.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There were six games spread over this holiday weekend culminating in an exciting double header. Only DC and Toronto didn’t play, making the potential for a lot of movement. We saw 9 out of 14 teams switch positions and with Superliga coming up, teams needed to make these last games count.

1. (1) New England Revolution (10-4-3)

It’s hard to put in words what New England has been capable of doing in the unpredictable MLS. Usually in the MLS, if you can string together three or four wins, you’ll be right near first place but, New England keeps distancing themselves from the pack. This time, a 2-1 win over the Galaxy and New England has to be considered a favorite going into next week’s Superliga.

2. (2) DC United (7-7-1)

DC were idle this past weekend but nobody made a convincing surge to go by them and they retain the number two spot for now. DC in fact won’t play a league game until July 22nd because of Superliga so if someone can make a push, DC could be moving down the rankings.

3. (3) Columbus Crew (8-4-3)

An exciting 2-2 draw against Chicago was a fun game to watch but it won’t take them past DC. Columbus scored a fortuitous 87th minute goal to tie and for most of the night, Chicago were the better team. Columbus were slightly handicapped as their coach Sigi Schmid was at his daughter’s wedding and his assistant was managing the game.

4. (5) Chicago Fire (6-5-3)

Chicago were once considered the best team in MLS but a horrid loss of form has seen them drop down the standings and the power rankings. With that being said, it appears that Chicago are back to early season form after playing excellent possession football for almost the whole game against Columbus. Chicago rise up a spot because of their great play even though they squandered the three points in the last minutes of the game.

5. (6) Toronto FC (6-4-4)

Toronto were idle this week and with nobody behind them pushing hard up the rankings, Toronto will actually move up a spot. A week of rest hopefully will serve them well as MLS reaches its busiest part of the season.

6. (7) Houston Dynamo (4-4-8)

Houston Dynamo are the “Kings of ties.” Houston continues to play well but no wins are coming. On national TV Thursday, Houston played to a 0-0 draw with plenty of goal mouth action between Houston and Salt Lake. Houston move up because of their good play recently even though they didn’t get the desired result.

7. (4) LA Galaxy (6-6-3)

LA, for the past two weeks has showed why they will only ever be a mediocre team unless they get defensive help. New England ran circles around Abel Xavier and company and can consider themselves unlucky not to have scored four or five goals. The offense still showed up to play, but LA’s defense is so debilitating that sometimes they can’t overcome themselves. It is rumored that they will sign a Argentinean defender soon so hopefully they can improve the back line.

8. (10) Chivas USA (6-6-3)

Chivas USA dominated a horrendous San Jose team for a full ninety minutes plus stoppage time. It was by pure grit and determination that San Jose survived as long as they did. Ante Razov‘s curling free kick two minutes from time saved Chivas from an embarrassing draw. Chivas jumps ahead of Salt Lake because of the way the dominated San Jose and the fact that they picked up a win.

9. (9) Real Salt Lake (5-6-5)

Real Salt Lake seem to be a real contender for the Western Conference title. They continue to play an aggressive attacking style which has seen them move up not only the rankings, but also the league table. Real stay still due to their draw and Chivas’s comprehensive victory.

10. (13) Colorado Rapids (6-8-1)

Colorado shocked me on Friday. They played in front of a sell-out crowd in Denver and beat New York 4-0. This is the same Colorado team that has been quite abysmal all year. It was a beautiful game played by Colorado and they scored some spectacular goals. If they can keep this run going, they could easily be vying for the Western Conference crown come fall.

11. (11) FC Dallas (4-6-6)

Dallas got another draw, what else is new. This one was however quite lucky. A beautiful 40 yard cross was headed on the run by Abe Thompson. It could be the best goal of the season. Dallas however continues to struggle for wins and until they get their act sorted out, they are not real contenders.

12. (13) Kansas City Wizards (4-5-5)

Kansas City earned four points in their past two matches, a good sign for a team that has been struggling since the first few weeks of the season. They have also signed Josh Wolff so maybe, their offensive woes will be solved.

13. (8) New York Red Bulls (5-5-5)

A 4-0 dismantling by Colorado shows how badly New York needs re-enforcements. It is said that Juan Carlos Osorio has 4 or 5 players who will join soon, so hopefully there is relief ahead for New York fans. Five spots is a lot for a team to fall but after their display against Colorado, they deserve nothing better.

14. (14) San Jose Earthquakes (3-9-3)

Another week, another disappointing result. The only record San Jose is chasing right now is the first team to ten losses. That’s how sad their season has been. I’d like to be optimistic about San Jose’s chances at a playoff spot but, they simply don’t have a shot.

So, that was Week 15′s power rankings. Did you agree or disagree with anything? Your thoughts below.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

7 games and much to think about. Week 14 highlighted the equality of MLS quite clearly. Each team receives 2.2 million dollars in cap space so naturally, teams will be relatively even.

This was evident in Week 14. Six out of 7 games were ties or one goal wins. Because there are no teams that will dominate every game, MLS Power Rankings tend to fluctuate more than a Power Ranking of any European League. Nonetheless, here are this week’s Power Rankings:

To be clear, the second number was last week’s Power Rankings.

1. (1) New England Revolution (9-4-3)

New England stumbled last week but took care of business this week. Toronto FC is a good team, but New England seem to be in a class of their own. New England now has a firm hold on the top spot in MLS Power Rankings.

2. (4) DC United (7-7-1)

I’m out of words about this DC team. Six weeks ago, their record was 2-7-0, now their 7-7-1. I’m no math genius but they’ve won five of their last six games and are officially the hottest team in MLS. Their emphatic win on Sunday over the Galaxy catapulted DC over Columbus and LA all the way to the second spot.

3. (3) Columbus (8-4-2)

It took a little grit to get by Colorado but Columbus appears to be on the right track. After starting out as the best team in MLS, Columbus stumbled but now seem stable and back to their winning ways. They would have been in the second spot if not for DC’s blowout victory over LA.

4. (2) LA Galaxy (6-5-3)

There were many questions that popped up about LA on Sunday. First and foremost among those questions is “Where did the defense go?” DC’s goals were not spectacular. I know LA is known for their porous defense but they need some help if they are going to push for the MLS title. I’ll have a tidbit about their quest for defenders later.

5. (6) Chicago Fire (6-5-2)

Chicago has been reeling and this week’s tie against San Jose won’t do much to help their confidence. It is the second straight game they’ve been shut out in and Brian Mcbride looks more and more desirable. Chicago moved up a spot not because of a good performance, but rather because the teams in front of them and behind them suffered losses.

6. (5) Toronto FC (6-4-4)

Toronto lost another road game and a team that used to be one of the best of the east is slowly slipping down the rankings and standings. If Toronto are to make a run at the title, they will need to resolve their poor road form.

7. (8) Houston Dynamo (4-4-7)

Houston looked good in their 1-1 tie against FC Dallas controlling most of the play. The defense still needs a little work on marking but beyond that, look for Houston to make a run up the standings and the Power Rankings.

8. (10) New York Red Bulls (5-4-5)

New York played to a 1-1 draw at Chivas, a result that they thoroughly deserved. New York will need to get healthy if they plan on making a run at the title. Juan Pablo Angel and Claudio Reyna must get healthy soon or New York might not make the playoffs. Some help via the transfer market is also needed.

9. (7) Real Salt Lake (5-6-4)

Real should have been able to hold on for a tie but an own goal by Tony Beltran doomed them to a loss at Kansas City. This loss is a big blow to Real’s good run of form.

10. (10) Chivas USA (5-6-3)

Chivas USA tied New York on Saturday and failed to build on an impressive win over Chicago last week. The Goats have the talent to be a Western Conference challenger. Preki showed his managerial prowess last year but Chivas just hasn’t been the same team.

11. (11) FC Dallas (4-6-5)

Dallas looked better against Houston in Schellas Hyndman’s second game of his tenure. Dallas, a team with a lot of talent should be up competing for a top spot in the West and hopefully, Hyndman has Dallas on the right track.

12. (13) Kansas City Wizards (4-5-4)

Kansas City had ten points after five matches and had thirteen points after twelve matches. They picked up a crucial win against Real Salt Lake. It was fortuitous, an 89′ minute own goal, and Kansas City still has some issues that need to be resolved. If Kansas City are interested in a playoff spot, they will need to improve when the transfer window begins.

13. (12) Colorado Rapids (5-8-1)

Colorado continues its poor run of form with no end in sight. A tie at Columbus would have been a positive step forward but they let the game slip away. Christian Gomez needs to get back to the starting lineup if Colorado are to challenge for a playoff spot.

14. (14) San Jose Earthquakes (3-8-3)

San Jose just aren’t good enough. It is obviously difficult to be a expansion team but twelve points out of fourteen matches is awful. Maybe their tie against a reeling Chicago can be the spark San Jose need but somehow, I just don’t see that happening. There is no real talent in the squad, or at least not enough to challenge for a playoff spot.

What do you guys think of the power rankings? Is it what you thought or are there some surprises? Let’s hear what you think below.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News