MLS PowerScore ™ Rankings — Week 23

Phew.  Long weekend and busy beginning to the work-week have led me to be tardy with my power rankings.  But before that, I would like to trumpet the relative success of my predictions from the past week.  I ended the week a solid 4-3 in my predictions and none of the ones I got wrong were complete turnarounds (i.e., where i predicted a win by one team and the other won).  Rather, they were simply wrongly-predicted ties or wins that turned out to be ties.  Not that that really matters, I guess, but I’ll take what I can get.

Anyway, weekly thoughts — what’s up with the Revs — tying at home against the Galaxy and then flaming out of the Champions League don’t look good.  That being said, not having to play Champions League games probably isn’t the worst thing in the world for any team trying to make a playoff push.  Blanco to McBride — GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL — and a loss.  San Jose keeps rising, and they’re now only 2 points out of the last playoff spot.  And Columbus is in sole possession of first.  Yea!  On to the rankings:

1.  Columbus (LW = 1) (PS = 7.60)

First to 40 points wins… what?  Columbus is looking really really good right now.  They’re scoring in bunches (two goals in three minutes against FC Dallas), definitely reasonably well (though I’d like to see them do better in the first 20 minutes of the game), and finding ways to come back when they’re down (though it would be nice if they’d stop going down early).  Lots of positives (but obviously not perfect).

2.  Houston (4) (6.49)

The blowout against the Red Bulls last week looks like a fluke, as Houston handled a very dangerous road team in the Fire.

3.  New York (3) (6.02)

Tying DC at RFK is nothing to be ashamed of, particularly in a tightly-contested match that could have gone either way (and that DC probably should have won).

4.  Chicago (2) (5.90)

Which is a sign of things to come: the Blanco to McBride hook-up for a goal, or the Fire’s inability to turn it into a result?  As much as I hate to say it, I’m going to guess the former.

5.  New England (5) (5.80)

Sure, it’s a point, but at home?  Against the team struggling the most in MLS right now?  Well, it shows both how flat New England is looking right now and dangerous Donovan, Beckham, and Co. can be.

6.  San Jose (7) (5.63)

When will they lose?  This week they host DC United, a team that’s typically quite bad on the road, so probably not yet.  The ‘Quakes look poised to steal a playoff spot.

7.  DC United (6) (5.01)

DC still can’t find the consistency they need.  And a Moreno miss on a PK?  Yikes!  It’s not like he scores from the run of play anymore…

8.  Real Salt Lake (10) (4.58)

RSL needed the win to right their ship after two straight losses and looking downright bad against Columbus.  I think they’re too strong at home to relinquish their grip on a playoff spot, even with only 3 of 8 remaining games at Rice-Eccles.

9.  Chivas USA (13) (4.28)

Another team that needed a win to keep their playoff dreams alive.  Chivas is unsteadily hanging in the final playoff spot, but both Dallas and San Jose are breathing down their necks.  Were I a Goats fan, I’d be psyched that they too were booted from the Champions League.

10.  FC Dallas (8) (4.07)

They found a way to lose at home against Columbus, despite having the bulk of shots.  I bet other teams are wondering why Cooper isn’t Cooper against the Crew.

11.  Kansas City (9) (3.68)

I should have known it was the kiss of death when I predicted that they’d make the playoffs.  Since then, they’ve rewarded my faith with a home tie and a road loss.  That won’t get it done.

12.  Toronto (11) (3.51)

The other team in the Eastern Conference cellar, Toronto looks to be in almost as bad a tailspin as KC.  That being said, both teams would be one point out of a playoff spot if they were in the West.  Instead, they’re six points out with 8 matches to play.

13.  Los Angeles (14) (3.35)

Hey, they’re not in the cellar anymore!  Way to go Galaxy.  Bruce Arena is in the house!

14.  Colorado (12) (3.16)

Colorado, the worst team in MLS, is three points out of the playoffs right now.  That’s absurd.

Tags: MLS, Power Ranking, Power Score, PowerScore