{"id":11375,"date":"2012-04-25T22:31:20","date_gmt":"2012-04-26T02:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/?p=11375"},"modified":"2012-04-25T23:43:10","modified_gmt":"2012-04-26T03:43:10","slug":"mls-rankings-week-7-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/?p=11375","title":{"rendered":"MLS Rankings: Week 7"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every week the New England Soccer Today crew will look beyond the standings to rank each of the 19 Major League Soccer (MLS) teams. This week Brian O\u2019Connell, Sean Donahue and Ryan Lanigan contributed rankings. Comments are followed by the ranker\u2019s name and the rank they gave that team.<\/em><\/p>\n

1. SPORTING KANSAS CITY<\/strong> (7-1-0, 21 points)
\nSolid win over the Whitecaps, but I suppose there\u2019s poetic justice in the fact that the only team that could beat K.C. was itself, as evidenced by Chance Myers\u2019 own goal in its 1-0 loss to Portland. Even so, they\u2019re still the class of the league. (Brian – 1) \u2026 The streak had to come to an end eventually, but it\u2019s a shame an easily avoidable own goal was the culprit. Don\u2019t expect it to have much of a dent on KC\u2019s confidence, however. (Sean \u2013 1) \u2026 It took an own goal to hand them their first loss of the season. (Ryan \u2013 1)<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> (+1) SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES<\/strong> (5-1-1, 16 points)
\nPick up an impressive win against Real Salt Lake with a pair of stoppage time goals, which gives them sole possession of first place since 2005. Could 2012 be the season that the \u2018Quakes finally live up to the potential? (Brian \u2013 2) \u2026 Sure, it took some help from the referee, but San Jose picked up a huge three points against Real Salt Lake. (Brian \u2013 2) \u2026 This team can do a lot of damage if they can get everyone around Chris Wondolowski like they are now. (Ryan \u2013 2)<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> (-1) REAL SALT LAKE<\/strong> (5-3-0, 15 points)
\nThe good news? They equalized against San Jose despite playing a man down. The bad news? The tent collapsed in the stoppage time as they lose their foothold on conference throne. Maybe Jason Kreis should stop commenting about other teams and concentrate on his own squad, which isn\u2019t playing as advertised in recent weeks. (Brian \u2013 4) \u2026 Some soft red cards really left Salt Lake with no chance against the Earthquakes, but now with two losses in a row, Real really needs to end their awful record in Texas by finally picking up a win in Dallas on Wednesday. (Sean \u2013 3) \u2026 Tough call as they lost to San Jose, playing most of the game with less than 11 players. (Ryan \u2013 3)<\/p>\n

4. SEATTLE SOUNDERS<\/strong> (3-1-1, 10 points)
\nOff last week – and it\u2019s a good thing as they stare into a five-game, fifteen-day gauntlet that kicks off in Chicago on Saturday. It\u2019ll take a team effort to keep them in the top half of the conference, as well as goals from David Estrada and one Fredy Montero. (Brian \u2013 6) \u2026 Week off for the Sounders with a big game coming up in Chicago this weekend. (Sean \u2013 4) \u2026 \u00a0A bye week helps as some of the other good teams didn\u2019t get the result they needed. (Ryan \u2013 4)<\/p>\n

T5.<\/strong> (+4) D.C. UNITED<\/strong> (3-2-3, 12 points)
\nOne of the hottest clubs in the league right now thanks to an impressive five-game unbeaten streak that\u2019s seen them shoot straight to second place after a lukewarm start. A 4-1 thumping of New York shows that United is starting to sharpen the knives. (Brian \u2013 5) \u2026 After a rough start, DC is six games unbeaten and looking great. Is United the new number two in the East? (Sean \u2013 5) \u2026 A really good win for United and are now unbeaten in their last five. (Ryan \u2013 5)<\/p>\n

T5.<\/strong> (+1) HOUSTON DYNAMO<\/strong> (2-1-2, 8 points)
\nOne of the most underrated teams this season is the Dynamo, who\u2019ve now claimed points in four of their first five while after Saturday\u2019s 2-2 draw at Columbus. And once they move into their new stadium? They could very well be one of the best teams going into the summer. (Brian \u2013 3) \u2026 The Dynamo keep picking up points this season and grabbed another big road draw at the Crew. (Sean \u2013 6) \u2026 Tough call as they lost to San Jose, playing most of the game with less than 11 players. \u2026 Like I said last week, they really could have used a big win over Columbus \u2013 but they settled for a tie. They are winless in their last three games. (Ryan \u2013 6)<\/p>\n

7. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS <\/strong>(3-2-2, 11 points)
\nAfter going winless in their last four \u2013 including a tough 3-1 midweek loss to K.C. – the \u2018Caps post a well-deserved shutout against Dallas, with a dazzling Camilo goal that decided it early. A road game at Columbus may give us another glimpse in finding out just how strong this team is. (Brian \u2013 7) \u2026 Vancouver finally gets back on track with a win against Dallas, but there are still a lot of questions about this team\u2019s offense. (Sean \u2013 7) \u2026 A tough loss to Sporting KC, but that was almost expected. They bounced back with a nice win against Dallas. (Ryan – 7)<\/p>\n

8.<\/strong> (-3) NEW YORK RED BULLS<\/strong> (3-3-1, 10 points)
\nGet embarrassed on national TV in a 4-1 defensive debacle. If the best defense is a good offense, then Hans Backe is going to need Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry to score 30 goals apiece this year. (Brian \u2013 9) \u2026 New York got another wake-up call against D.C. Is there any help for this team\u2019s pathetic defense? (Sean \u2013 10) \u2026 \u00a0A lack of effort throughout the game caused them to lose. Henry turned it on when he wanted, though. (Ryan \u2013 8 )<\/p>\n

T9.<\/strong> (+2) CHICAGO FIRE<\/strong> (2-1-2, 8 points)
\nOutlasted an inspired Toronto side in their 3-2 win, but they\u2019ll face one of their toughest tests yet when they fly out to Seattle this weekend. Still, it\u2019s been an encouraging start to the season for a team that was going nowhere fast last year. (Brian \u2013 8 ) \u2026 Grab their second win of the season in a comeback against struggling Toronto, but it\u2019s still hard to get a read on what this team is capable of. (Sean \u2013 9) \u2026 \u00a0They did well to get ahead, but falling behind Toronto didn\u2019t look good. But in the end, they were playing Toronto and came out with the win. (Ryan \u2013 11)<\/p>\n

T9.<\/strong> (+4) LOS ANGELES GALAXY<\/strong> (3-3-0, 9 points)
\nFound a way to grab a 2-1 win at Colorado, even though a generous penalty was awarded late. But Josh Saunders steps up and the Gals get their second straight win. So much for the gloomy, early-season forecast as L.A. finally looks like it\u2019s overcoming its MLS Cup hangover. (Brian \u2013 11) \u2026 Back-to-back wins and the most recent in Colorado no less. The Galaxy appear to have woken up. (Sean \u2013 8 ) \u2026 Very important win, in my opinion, over Colorado. (Ryan \u2013 9)<\/p>\n

11.<\/strong> (-3) FC DALLAS<\/strong> (3-3-1, 10 points)
\nSuffered a bitter 1-0 loss to the Whitecaps while the league announced that Blas Perez will be suspended for Wednesday\u2019s game against Salt Lake. I\u2019m going to out on a limb and say that Schellas Hyndman has seen better weeks. (Brian \u2013 10) \u2026 Two game winning streak comes to an end in Vancouver and Wednesday\u2019s match against Real Salt Lake becomes even more important. (Sean \u2013 11) \u2026 Tough loss to Vancouver, but this week will be telling for Dallas, as they take on RSL and the Galaxy. (Ryan \u2013 10)<\/p>\n

12.<\/strong> (-2) COLORADO RAPIDS<\/strong> (3-4-0, 9 points)
\nMistakes abound in a Saturday\u2019s 2-1 loss to the Galaxy. An own goal and a missed penalty\u00a0essentially gifted the Gals the win. With the Goats coming to town, the Rapids have to be careful not to do the same against one of the best road teams in the league. (Brian \u2013 12) \u2026 Tough home loss to the Galaxy and the Rapids still need to learn how to deal with the absence of Pablo Mastroeni. (Sean \u2013 12) \u2026 The most Jekyll and Hyde team there is in the league. (Ryan \u2013 14)<\/p>\n

13.<\/strong> (+1) NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION<\/strong>\u00a0(2-4-0, 6 points)
\nIdle last week, they return to action on Saturday in NY to kick off an eight-day, three-game stretch that\u2019ll conclude in Salt Lake on May 5. No doubt the team\u2019s depth will be tested in the weeks to come. (Brian \u2013 14) \u2026 A much needed week off before a tough trip to New York. (Sean \u2013 14) \u2026 The bye week came at the right time for them, getting important pieces back and rested for their big game against New York. (Ryan \u2013 12)<\/p>\n

14.<\/strong> (+1) COLUMBUS CREW<\/strong> (2-3-1, 7 points)
\nPlayed a hard-fought 2-2 draw to Houston as Robert Warzycha continues to tinker with his lineup. They\u2019ll need to get on the same page quickly against a Vancouver defense that can strangle an offense with ease. (Brian \u2013 13) \u2026 Gave up a late goal to draw after a solid performance against Houston. Crew could still be a force in the East if they find some consistency. (Sean \u2013 13) \u2026 A statement could have been made against Houston, but instead a draw leaves more questions than answers. (Ryan \u2013 17)<\/p>\n

15.<\/strong> (+2) PORTLAND\u00a0 TIMBERS<\/strong> (2-4-1, 7 points)
\nPortland\u2019s defense comes up big to snap K.C.\u2019s winning streak at seven. Granted, it may have taken an own goal to overtake the league\u2019s best, but\u00a0the win itself\u00a0may also catapult the team back in the right direction. (Brian \u2013 17) \u2026 Huge win over Sporting KC, even if luck was certainly a factor. (Sean \u2013 15) \u2026 Anytime you take down the hottest team in the league, you did something right. They might have benefited from an own goal, but they didn\u2019t allow any. (Ryan \u2013 13)<\/p>\n

16. PHILADELPHIA UNION<\/strong> (2-3-1, 7 points)
\nSweet goal by Freddy Adu gets overshadowed by a pair of dumb red cards to Keon Daniels and Gabriel Farfan, not to mention Peter Nowak running into a late-game melee. But, when it was all said and done, the Union extended their shutout streak to 332 minutes. (Brian \u2013 15) \u2026 Grabbed a lucky win at Chivas, but it\u2019s hard to give them too much credit \u2013 the home side were the better team and just can\u2019t seem to catch a break at the Home Depot Center. (Sean \u2013 17) \u2026 They earned a big win over Chivas USA, which is a bigger deal than it usually is. (Ryan \u2013 15)<\/p>\n

17.<\/strong> (-5) CHIVAS USA <\/strong>(3-4-0, 9 points)
\nIt\u2019s a shame the Goats can\u2019t barnstorm for the entirety of the season, as the Home Depot Center has given them anything but the usual creature comforts. Fortunately for Robin Fraser, Chivas returns to the road this weekend with a conference clash at Colorado on tap. (Brian \u2013 16) \u2026 Unlucky loss to Philadelphia, but Juan Pablo Angel making his return could be a huge positive for Chivas. (Sean \u2013 16) \u2026 The brief glimpse of hope we saw is almost gone, but they have the Rapids next \u2013 and anything can happen between them. (Ryan \u2013 16)<\/p>\n

18. MONTREAL IMPACT<\/strong> \u00a0(1-5-2, 5 points)
\nEarned a well-deserved 1-1 midweek draw at D.C. and head back home to face a confident Portland side that just shocked the best team in the league. It may take time before the Impact become a contender, but last week\u2019s draw was proof that this is going to be a fun team to watch. (Brian \u2013 18) \u2026 Big road point for the Impact as they look to find some consistency. (Sean \u2013 18) \u2026 Not a bad result tying DC United, considering the two results United had sandwiched around it. (Ryan \u2013 18)<\/p>\n

19. TORONTO FC<\/strong> (0-6-0, 0 points)
\nAnother week, another way to lose. Against Chicago, the Reds grab their first lead of the season, but as scripted, discover another way to send the supporters home disgusted in the wake of a 3-2 loss to the Fire. This weekend’s game at Salt Lake may send them to the record books, with a loss tying them for the worst start to the season in league history. (Brian \u2013 19) \u2026 Playoffs?? Playoffs?? This team is 0-6-0 and Aron Winter is talking about playoffs? (Sean \u2013 19) \u2026 Yikes. (Ryan \u2013 19)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lots of crazy results leads to some movement in the rankings, but KC holds onto the top spot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nesoccertoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/sportingkclogo.jpg?fit=490%2C240&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11375"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11375"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11380,"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11375\/revisions\/11380"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nesoccertoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}