Following Round 2 of league play, here are Nos. 1-10 in ProSoccerTalk’s weekly MLS quality rearrangement.
10. San Jose Earthquakes – Was word of the Goonies’ demise a bit premature? Adam Jahn certainly returned Buck Shaw Stadium to being a place of late nightmares for opposition, scoring one goal and helping create the stoppage time winner Sunday against New York. The team needed something like that, still struggling with injuries to its usual late-match mayhem-making strikers Alan Gordon and Steven Lenhart. San Jose is also missing speedy midfielder Marvin Chavez and young, skillful outside back Steven Beitashour.
9. Columbus – A win on the road at Chivas USA and a loss a Vancouver opens the season with some promise for Federico Higuain and his men in yellow. New Brazilian center back Glauber debuted well enough, but we’ll see if a huge boo-boo in last week’s loss at Vancouver was a fluke or something recurring. Up this week: a toughie against San Jose. Put on your ear buds and listen to some Crew faithful talk about that one, and all things Crew, broadcasting from somewhere called “Awesome Town.” Awesome.
8. Sporting Kansas City – Perhaps we are judging SKC too harshly. After all, three points from two matches on the road isn’t bad at all. Heck, do that over a full season and playoffs are all but guaranteed. Still, something just looks off as Peter Vermes’ club adjusts to the losses of Kei Kamara and Roger Espinoza to EPL clubs. We should know more after watching this version perform at home; SKC opens at the recently renamed Sporting Park this weekend against struggling Chicago.
7. New England Revolution – While Revs fans get excited about No. 1 pick Andrew Farrell, they can also get excited about the way Juan Toja and Lee Nguyen began combining in the 1-0 win over Chicago. This piece called Toja’s evening in the creative role “electric.” Hard to argue – now let’s see if the Colombian lefty can stay healthy. Up this week is another road match, this one at young and erratic Philadelphia.
6. Real Salt Lake – Jason Kreis’ side paid a high price for its youth movement last week; one of its young replacements for the higher-salaried vets was late getting off the post on a corner kick, and a potentially valuable road draw became a loss. Over two matches, Kyle Beckerman continues to be a steadying force. On the other hand, striker Robbie Findley needs to get himself going.
5. D.C. United – Ben Olsen’s team navigated Dwayne De Rosario’s two-match suspension about like you would expect, losing at Houston to open the season but responding quite nicely with a win at RFK over Real Salt Lake, a team that is never an “easy out.” Chris Pontius and Nick DeLeon look good so far. No surprise. Same for Chris Korb at outside back, and Perry Kitchen prospered in a slightly more advanced role last week.
4. Montreal Impact – Surely the surprise outfit of Major League Soccer’s young, 18th season. The second-year MLS club has opened with wins at Seattle and Portland (the Pacific Northwest double!) under new Swiss manager Marco Schallibaum (pictured). They have a good chance to go 3-0, opening at home this week against Toronto. (Well, not exactly at “home,” but in Montreal at Olympic Stadium.)
3. Vancouver Whitecaps – Nigel Reo-Coker is blending well at BC Place, Kenny Miller looks good in his new attacking midfield role and Daigo Kobayashi is fulfilling his promise for Martin Rennie’s club so far. This terrible injury to captain and defensive leader Jay DeMerit notwithstanding, things are looking green and plush so far this year in Whitecaps Valley.
2. Houston Dynamo – Dominic Kinnear’s team had the week off, a great little break in league action between CONCACAF Champions League matches against Liga MX power Santos Laguna. (The return leg in Mexico is tomorrow; Houston leads the series by a goal.) Only league action so far was the 2-0 win over D.C. United 10 days back; a Rivalry Week visit to Dallas is on deck for Sunday.
1. LA Galaxy – Obviously, performance in Champions League should not overtly impact rankings in league play. But if we’re honest, it’s difficult to discount last week’s helpful 0-0 opening leg draw in Costa Rica in forming thoughts on the Galaxy’s 2013 version. Especially when it comes after that 4-0 whuppin’ laid on Chicago a few days early to open the MLS title defense. The Galaxy meet Costa Rica’s Herediano again in Wednesday’s return leg, with a good shot at advancing into the Champions League semis.
