The San Jose Earthquakes might have the top spot in the Power Rankings week in and week out, but what about the rest of the rankings? Seems like it changes every week these days, with three teams trying desperately to break from the pack in the Eastern Conference.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Only MLS regular-season games reflected on schedule. All times are Eastern.
<strong>Rank</strong> |
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<strong>Last </strong> |
<strong>Club</strong> |
<strong>Comment</strong> |
<strong>1</strong> |
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<strong>1</strong> |
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<p>It's like Groundhog Day. The eeriest part of Steven Lenhart's game-winner is how the crowd at Buck Shaw seemed to expect it – they've become conditioned to those kinds of heroics.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Defeated Seattle, 2-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-sj-v-sea/highlights" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-sj-v-sea/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-W-L-T-W</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday at Montreal (7:30 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>2</strong> |
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<strong>5</strong> |
<img alt="" height="58" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/sportingkc_logo.png" width="50"> |
<p>Weeks don't get much better than the one Sporting KC just had. They wrapped up their first trophy in nearly a decade midweek in the USOC final, then laid a 2-1 smackdown on a conference rival to go top of the East on the weekend. Nicely done.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Defeated D.C. United, 2-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/11/highlights-skc-vs-dc" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-skc-v-dc/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-D-L-W-W</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday at Toronto FC (4:30 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>3</strong> |
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<strong>2</strong> |
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<p>Houston's unbeaten run had to end sometime, and it makes sense that it happened at RBNY, who are the league's only other side unbeaten at home. The Dynamo still put up a quality fight, and with better finishing – their one ongoing concern – could have come away with a point.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost at New York, 2--0</li><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/10/highlights-ny-vs-hou" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH HIGHLIGHTS </strong></a></li><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-10-ny-v-hou/recap" target="_blank"><strong>FULL MATCHCENTER</strong></a></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-W-W-W-L</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Sunday vs. Columbus (9 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>4</strong> |
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<strong>6</strong> |
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<p>Is it too much to give Dax McCarty some MVP love? He deserves the same praise and acclaim that guys like Ozzie Alonso and Kyle Beckerman have gotten in recent years since he's doing the exact same job at an extraordinarily high level.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Defeated Houston, 2-0</li><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/10/highlights-ny-vs-hou" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH HIGHLIGHTS </strong></a></li><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-10-ny-v-hou/recap" target="_blank"><strong>FULL MATCHCENTER</strong></a></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-W-L-L-W</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Sunday vs. Portland (7 pm, Galavision)</li></ul> |
<strong>5</strong> |
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<strong>4</strong> |
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<p>Their slow descent continues. RSL have a number of worries, the biggest of which is that they just look a step slow all over the pitch these days. Whether it's age catching up to them or simply a lack of sharpness remains to be seen. Either way, we'll find out over the next month.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost at Vancouver, 2-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/11/highlights-van-vs-rsl" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-van-v-rsl/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-W-W-L-L</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday vs FC Dallas (9 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>6</strong> |
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<strong>3</strong> |
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<p>Brutal loss in the USOC, especially since it looked like Jimmy Nielsen moved early as well (though not as early or as far as Michael Gspurning, to be fair). And then a brutal loss at the weekend to compound it. Seattle will need to regroup emotionally ASAP.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost at San Jose, 2-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-sj-v-sea/highlights" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-sj-v-sea/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-D-W-W-L</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday vs. Vancouver (4 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>7</strong> |
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<strong>9</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/vancouver_150.png" style="width: 50px; height: 73px;"> |
<p>You never know quite which Whitecaps side you're going to get, which is part and parcel of a midseason rebuild. Of a certainty, though, is that if Camilo rediscovers his 2011 form, they'll be very, very formidable down the stretch.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Defeated Real Salt Lake, 2-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/11/highlights-van-vs-rsl" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-van-v-rsl/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-T-W-L-W</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday vs. FC Dallas (10 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>), Saturday at Seattle (4 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>8</strong> |
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<strong>8</strong> |
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<p>Sherjill MacDonald showed the good and the bad in his first start, doing solid, thankless hold-up work (and grabbing an assist), then blowing a bunch of breakaways. Fire fans will be happy with the win, but if they're going to compete some of those chances need to become goals.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Won at Philadelphia, 3-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/12/highlights-phi-vs-chi" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-12-phi-v-chi/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER </a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five:</strong> W-L-D-W-W</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday vs. New England (8:30 pm ET, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>9</strong> |
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<strong>10</strong> |
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<p>Well, that's a decent way to respond to a 4-0 thumping. The Galaxy will probably be happiest about the "0" part – shutouts have been hard to come by this season. That may be changing with the return to form of the 2011 backline, however.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Won at Chivas USA, 4-0</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/13/highlights-chv-vs-la" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-12-phi-v-chi/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>D-W-W-L-W</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday at Columbus (7 pm, NBCSN)</li></ul> |
<strong>10</strong> |
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<strong>7</strong> |
<img alt="" height="62" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/dc_150.png" width="62"> |
<p>Not time to hit the panic button yet, but three losses in four – including a bizarrely passive effort against Sporting KC – has to have Ben Olsen "concerned" at the very least. Where's the dynamic attacking team of May and June?</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost at Sporting Kansas City, 2-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-sj-v-sea/highlights" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-sj-v-sea/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-L-L-W-L</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Sunday vs. Philadelphia (5 pm, NBCSN)</li></ul> |
<strong>11</strong> |
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<strong>11</strong> |
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<p>The Impact have pulled themselves into the playoff hunt by feasting on some of the East's least, winning four out of five on the way. They'll need to keep winning, though, because everyone else has games in hand.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Won at New England, 1-0</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/12/highlights-ne-vs-mtl" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-12-ne-v-mtl/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-L-W-W-W</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday vs. San Jose (7:30 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>12</strong> |
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<strong>12</strong> |
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<p>A much-needed bye week for a team in mourning. Credit to both the Crew and TFC front offices for working it out.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Game postponed</li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-L-W-W-L</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday vs. LA (7 pm, NBCSN), Sunday at Houston (9 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>13</strong> |
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<strong>17</strong> |
<img alt="" height="64" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/dallas_150.png" width="64"> |
<p>David Ferreira finally looks fit, Brek Shea is saying all the right things and Fabián Castillo is playing like a DP. It may be just a bit too late to make a playoff push – 10 points out with nine games left is tough – but stranger things have happened, certainly.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Defeated Colorado, 3-2</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/11/highlights-dal-vs-col" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-dal-v-col/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-W-L-D-W</li><li><strong>This Week</strong><strong>: </strong>Wednesday at Vancouver (10 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>), Saturday at Real Salt Lake (9 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>14</strong> |
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<strong>15</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/colorado_150.png" style="width: 55px; height: 55px;"> |
<p>Of the non-playoff teams they were the "least bad" in their loss, which actually moves them up a spot. The real concern in Colorado has to be that this team hasn't figured out how to use possession as a weapon either offensively or defensively this season.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost at FC Dallas, 3-2</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/11/highlights-dal-vs-col" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-11-dal-v-col/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-L-L-W-L</li><li><strong>This Week</strong><strong>: </strong>Saturday vs. Chivas USA (9 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>15</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/red-arrow-down2_0.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<strong>13</strong> |
<img alt="" height="55" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/chivas_150.png" width="55"> |
<p>The Power Rankings Politburo would like to send Dan Kennedy some flowers, or a sympathy card, or a six-pack of beer or something. A goalkeeper who plays like that should be rewarded with three points, not punished with four goals.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost to LA, 4-0</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/13/highlights-chv-vs-la" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-12-phi-v-chi/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>T-W-L-W-L</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday at Colorado (9 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>16</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/red-arrow-down2_0.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<strong>14</strong> |
<img alt="" height="55" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/philadelphia_150.png" width="55"> |
<p>Simple fact is that Brian Carroll can't cover the ground he used to, and Gabriel Farfan didn't do enough midfield work to make up for the absences of Gabriel Gómez and Michael Lahoud. Learning stuff like that is what the rest of 2012 is for with this team.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost to Chicago, 3-1</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/12/highlights-phi-vs-chi" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-12-phi-v-chi/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER </a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-L-W-L-L</li><li><strong>This Week</strong><strong>: </strong>Sunday at D.C. United (5 pm, NBCSN)</li></ul> |
<strong>17</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/red-arrow-down2_0.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px; "> |
<strong>16</strong> |
<img alt="" height="55" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/newengland_150.png" width="55"> |
<p>So much promise, but so little follow through. None of the good work done by the midfield is paying off with goals, and every mistake they make is seemingly punished with a goal. This is a team in full-blown crisis mode right now.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Lost to Montreal, 1-0</li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2012/08/12/highlights-ne-vs-mtl" target="_blank">WATCH HIGHLIGHTS</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-12-ne-v-mtl/recap" target="_blank">FULL MATCHCENTER</a></strong></li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-D-L-L-L</li><li><strong>This Week</strong><strong>: </strong>Saturday at Chicago (8:30 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>18</strong> |
<img alt="" height="40" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/straight-line.png" width="40"> |
<strong>18</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/toronto_150.png" style="width: 52px; height: 60px;"> |
<p>Paul Mariner's side will get a significant depth test midweek, as about half the Reds are out on international duty. Seems a good chance for youngsters like Matt Stinson, Aaron Maund and Andrew Wiedeman to make a case for playing time. </p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Game postponed</li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>W-W-W-L-L </li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday vs. Portland (7:30 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>), Saturday vs. Sporting Kansas City (4:30 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>)</li></ul> |
<strong>19</strong> |
<img alt="" height="40" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/straight-line.png" width="40"> |
<strong>19</strong> |
<img alt="" height="50" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/portland_150.png" width="50"> |
<p>Perhaps the bye week gave Gavin Wilkinson more time to work on implementing his system.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Bye</li><li><strong>Last Five: </strong>L-L-L-L-D</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday at Toronto FC (7:30 pm, <a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank"><strong>MLS Live</strong></a>), Sunday at New York (7 pm, Galavision)</li></ul> |
