MLS Power Rankings: Week 6
The Power Rankings committee faced some real issues this week, but not quite as big as the ones facing the Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas. The question for both these teams becomes how they'll do without their injured stars, and the PR committee, for one, will give them the benefit of the doubt until they prove otherwise. Got an issue? Vote for your own!
All match times for this week's games are ET; only MLS regular-season games reflected on schedule.
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Anything left for this team to prove will be on the table Wednesday night. Best in MLS, and maybe the best in CONCACAF. We’ll get to see it decided on the field.
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They’re finally starting to look a little bit like the Galaxy of 2010 with the return to form of Landon Donovan and the return from suspension of the rest of their midfield. As long as one of the forwards keeps scoring, LA will stay in the top 3. |
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The offense has finally come around, and done so in spectacular fashion. Seven goals in two games, and only two conceded over the course of the entire season is a powerful argument for Hans Backe’s plan.
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An unexpected bye week gave Union manager Peter Nowak some time to work on the offense, which has been misfiring since First Kick. Good news is the defense is among the best in the league, and the attacking talent should be undeniable with time.
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Seattle never seemed to recover emotionally from the injury to Steve Zakuani, but they still came away from Colorado with a 1-0 win. This team has a spine – that comes with winning trophies – and they’ll need that backbone in order to regroup and contend.
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Three losses in a row – no matter the circumstances – is a trend that can’t be ignored. Conor Casey was a bigger loss than most expected, and no one’s suffered more in his absence than Omar Cummings.
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The Crew, like most of the teams in the No. 6-through-15 range, have a lot of questions that need answering. One possible solution to their lack of creativity could be to slide Dilly Duka central and get him on the ball. Finishing is another big concern.
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The Dynamo dispense with any pretense of being pretty and just get results. A point on the road without your best forward and new star signing is pretty good work in MLS, and they’ve made a habit of that. Can’t knock it. |
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Dallas have the defense and goalkeeper to win a lot of 1-0 games, and with the loss of David Ferreira, they may very well have to. They’ll be changing personnel and tactics on the fly, but somehow we at the Power Rankings Committee feel that’s the way Schellas Hyndman likes it. |
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Going into the season, most people felt the Revs needed to add a true forward and a midfield maestro. In the past two weeks they addressed both needs with the additions of Rajko Lekic and Benny Feilhaber. Now the rock-solid defense has some help.
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A 10-game road trip to start the season is rough for any team. Add in a leaky defense, and it’s positively miserable. SKC weren’t outplayed, but they were outscored and, once again, finished with 10 men and coughed up a lead.
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The ‘Caps have dropped nine points from their last four home games. All the good feelings from the dramatic comeback against the Revs are ancient history, and the schedule’s about to get harder. They're still here only because others have slipped.
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The Quakes have officially reached crisis mode. Frank Yallop called the Chivas USA game a “must-win,” yet his team barely showed up. There doesn’t seem to be a real leader, a Daniel Hernandez or Landon Donovan type, to rally the troops.
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The Timbers ran into a buzzsaw veteran Galaxy team that dispensed a lesson. It happens. What also happens is 15 more home games at what’s already looking like one of the league’s true fortresses. As long as they keep getting three points at home, they’ll be OK.
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A young team that doesn’t bunker will occasionally get taken out behind the woodshed. That’s exactly what happened to DC last week against New York. What’ll tell the story of their season is how they respond. |
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The Rojiblancos not only got their first win but also they became the first team this year to win after allowing the first goal. And did so on the road. Maybe a turning point for Robin Fraser’s men, who’ve defended solidly but struggled to score all season.
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They stopped their losing streak, at least. But coughing up a lead at home in the second half is not the way to build momentum. The Fire are struggling badly and need a rethink of their tactical approach as they’re painfully predictable.
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For the first 40 minutes they were better than Columbus, and while the results aren’t coming (for a variety of reasons), the team shape is improving and the roster Aron Winter has put together makes sense.
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