MLS Power Rankings: Week 13
What do you say about a week where none of the Top 5 teams managed to take three points? Where 4 of the 5 gave up late, back-breaking goals and the other had 4 dropped on ‘em at home by a team that hadn’t won since March? You say “Parity.”
Got a problem with ours? 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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They hold the top spot by default after a disappointing 2-2 home draw with Toronto FC. Yeah, they were playing short three starters – and should have been down another for Beckham’s red card-worthy lunge on Tony Tchani – but that’s not the type of error you expect from this team.
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The first 45 minutes against RSL was probably the best half Philly have played all year. Problem is the finishing, which still isn’t there. When they weren’t hitting crossbars they were shooting right at Nick Rimando, and RSL made them pay with a second-half comeback.
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They get this week's mulligan. The committee is willing to chalk up the loss to Sporting as a fluke, but we are aware: We won't be so kind if Hydman's bunch flops again at Chivas.
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They grimly held on for all three points against a pretty bad New England team. Not exactly an inspiring result heading into a long, short-handed road trip, but unlike everyone else in the top third of the league, they got all three points. |
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Pretty good for 75 minutes midweek, then plain awful for 15. Pretty awful for 45 minutes on the weekend, then pretty good for the next 45. Consistency is hard to find when fighting injuries and absences, but it’s weird to see Kreis’s men lacking discipline as well.
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Maybe they should get a mulligan, too, but it was tough to overlook that the Sounders needed a frantic comeback even before Hassli's wonder goal ruined the night at Qwest Field. And beware: two home games into the Cascadia Cup, and the Sounders have done nothing to separate themselves from the pack.
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They went on the road to a tough place to play and found a late goal for the win. That’s what champions do, even when they’re missing key players. The Rapids have a long way to go to reach their best, but they’re getting points along the way. It’s enough – for now.
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Lenhart for MVP! A tactical shift and Lenhart’s return to health have made all the difference for San Jose this year. Frank Yallop simplified the game for his team with the move to the 4-4-2 and the focus on playing vertically to his No. 9. They’re 4-1-2 since he became a starter. |
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The midweek last-second home win is almost cancelled out by a weekend last-second home loss to a team that hadn’t won in 77 days. And, as always, profligate finishing and a disjointed attack.
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Houston, like half the Eastern Conference, ended a long winless streak this weekend. They’ve always looked better than their record indicates, and a return to form could see them shoot up the rankings.
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The mistakes are starting to come in bunches for Robin Fraser’s young group, and Dan Kennedy can’t stand on his head to rescue a point every week. The offense is sputtering a bit as well.
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The central defense looked mighty brittle this week, a theme when playing against teams with big, powerful forwards (remember the shellacking they took against Houston?). That needs to be addressed, because the book is out on DC.
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A three-game losing streak - two at home - and suddenly the Timbers look like the expansion team they actually are. And the forward line is still nowhere to be found. |
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They’re not going to win any beauty contests at the moment, but they’re getting results. And now, thanks to some last-minute heroics by Orr Barouch and Christian Nazarit, they’ve gotten a win. We’d like to see them go the San Jose route and simplify the game for their young lineup.
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KC christened their new home with a scoreless draw that should have been a 1-0 win when they were inexplicably denied a late penalty. Then they went on the road and took it out on what had been the league’s hottest team with that 4-1 thrashing of FC Dallas. Moving away from the 4-3-3 was key.
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The Reds got their best result in quite a while thanks to Alan Gordon’s brace, including an absolute stunner in stoppage (which somehow managed to only be the fourth-best goal of the week). With Gordon, Maicon Santos and Joao Plata, there’s hope for the TFC attack. The central defense, though, still needs major surgery.
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They broke their 600-minute goalless streak from the run of play, but muffed a half-dozen other great chances and couldn’t put away a first-half penalty. And they lost Ousmane Dabo to injury again.
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No matter what else happens this year, they’ll always have First Kick, the Kansas City comeback and Hassli’s golazo.
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