MLS Power Rankings March 28, 2008

Fox Soccer Channel's pre-season power rankings.

1. DC United
D.C. was arguably to most exciting team to watch last season before their usual playoff meltdown. It is difficult to explain why United continue to fall flat on their face at the last hurdle but they will come back stronger and more focused. The loss of Troy Perkins and Christian Gomez is a blow but with Zach Wells and Marcello Gallardo coming in, this already potent side could be even better. My preseason pick to win it all so don't let me down Coach Soehn.

2. Houston Dynamo
Houston comes into this season looking for an unprecedented third MLS Cup in succession. The loss of Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua will make this task even more difficult given that this talented duo accounted for 13 goals and 5 assists between them. Despite some quality young talent like Stuart Holden and Corey Ashe, the onus will again be on DeRosario and Ching to fire this team to glory. If these two veterans can stay healthy then don't be surprised to see Houston go all the way ... again.

3. Chicago Fire
Chicago's resurgence in the second half of last year was one of the great stories of the MLS season. The fact that Cuauhtemoc Blanco is available from the start this season should mean that the Fire don't get off to as bad a start as they did last time out. The loss of dependable keeper Matt Pickens will be felt but not nearly as much as the move of impressive coach Juan Carlos Osorio to New York. The pressure will be on long time assistant Dennis Hamlett to bring success, but it is not always an easy transition from assistant to head coach as he will find out as the season goes on.

4. New England Revolution
If New England were ever going to win the MLS Cup under Steve Nicol then last year was going to be their best opportunity. Besides the mental anguish of another final loss, Nicol will have to deal with the loss of Andy Dorman and Pat Noonan who moved to Europe in the offseason. These two strikers accounted for 14 goals, so Revs fans better hope that Adam Cristman can build on an impressive first year to take some of the pressure off Taylor Twellman. I'm not sure this squad is good enough to go all the way this year but Steve Nicol has a knack of getting the best out of teams so don't rule them out of contention.

5. Chivas USA
Chivas USA had a tremendous 2007 with the team buying into Preki's "team first" approach. Their season could have been even better had key forwards Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo not been carrying injuries for the playoff series with Kansas City. The good news for Preki is that he managed to keep the core of this side together and add some clever pickups like Alecko Eskandarian and Raphael Wicky, although losing assistant Martin Vasquez will be a blow to the coaching staff. Chivas were able to play under the radar last year but this time out the big sides will be gunning for them which will make it difficult for Preki to repeat the heroics of his first campaign.

6. New York Red Bulls
The biggest acquisition this offseason for the Red Bulls was an off the field one as they poached head coach Juan Carlos Osorio from the Chicago Fire. Last year was Osorio's first in MLS but he showed enough in his Fire turnaround to convince the New York hierarchy that he can finally lead the club to a championship. Much will depend on the form of Osorio's fellow countryman Juan Pablo Angel and strike partner Jozy Altidore. This is arguably the best forward line in the league but I'm just not convinced a midfield built around the ageing Claudio Reyna can provide enough ammunition for the talented duo to shoot New York to glory.

7. FC Dallas
Steve Morrow did a fine job in his first year as head coach of Dallas, leading his relatively young squad to the playoffs. Things could have been even better if Kenny Cooper hadn't missed most of the season through injury and Denilson hadn't been an awful signing. The fact that the Brazilian will not be back will not be a big loss but Morrow's side will miss the predatory instincts of Carlos Ruiz who left for Los Angeles. This will put the pressure on Cooper and Juan Toja to carry the scoring load and lead this side to its fourth-straight playoff appearance. I'm just not sure the rest of the squad has enough quality to provide the necessary help for Dallas to truly challenge the elite of MLS.

8. Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles had a torrid campaign last year with the team failing to make the playoffs and superstar David Beckham injured for what little time he was actually around. The summer has seen changes on and off the field with Ruud Gullit taking over from Frank Yallop and Carlos Ruiz being brought back to provide a cutting edge up front. With Beckham available for the entire season, the Galaxy should make the playoffs, and with elite match-winners like Landon Donovan and Beckham they have the ability to beat anyone on their day. Don't write this troubled franchise off just yet.

9. Colorado Rapids
The Rapids were another side that grossly underperformed last season and I was surprised that coach Fernando Clavijo kept his job. With only 29 goals in 30 games, Colorado needed to address their lack of scoring punch and did that by bringing in Christian Gomez from D.C. Gomez will enjoy playing in Colorado and should form a strong midfield partnership with Pablo Mastroeni that the Rapids can build their team around. They will be a lot more fun to watch although I still believe they are one or two players away from troubling the likes of Houston and Chivas at the top of the west.

10. Kansas City Wizards
Curt Onalfo did a tremendous job when he led a limited squad to the playoffs last year, but without Eddie Johnson's goals things will be a lot more difficult this time out. The signing of experienced international Claudio Lopez should help cover for some of the loss of EJ but Jack Jewsbury, Jimmy Conrad and Davy Arnaud aside, I don't think this is a particularly strong Kansas City squad. Moving to a smaller stadium should help provide a better home atmosphere. Hopefully this side can provide something for the fans to cheer about although I don't expect the Wizards to make the playoffs this season.

11. Columbus Crew
Sigi Schmid has been around MLS long enough to know that his team were simply not good enough to compete at the top level of the Eastern Conference last year. A good run of form toward the end of the season could not hide the fact that this squad was in need of an overhaul but it hasn't really materialized. Frankie Hejduk is past his best and although Guillermo Barros Schelotto is a magician on the ball he won't be able to shoot this team into the postseason as the other teams in the east are simply better than the Crew.

12. Real Salt Lake
Finishing bottom of the Western Conference last year hardly gives any cause for optimism among RSL fans but their side did show solid improvement throughout the year. Jason Kreis was a bold choice as head coach given his lack of experience, but he has managed to improve the overall quality of this squad. But then again, anyone would have been better than John Ellinger. With quality young talent like Nathan Sturgis, Robbie Findley and Chris Seitz, the future of RSL is bright, but unfortunately this season is a year too soon for Jason Kreis to expect a playoff push.

13. San Jose Earthquakes
It is always difficult for a first year franchise to compete (as we saw last year with Toronto) but with one of the best coaches in MLS in charge, the Earthquakes may be the exception. Frank Yallop will revel in being finally away from the madness of Los Angeles and has already made some shrewd acquisitions. Joe Cannon, Nick Garcia and Ryan Cochrane give this team a solid base to build on although a lot will depend on Ronnie O' Brien staying away from injury for the Quakes to be a real force. San Jose won't make the playoffs but will perform better than a lot of other new sides have in the past.

14. Toronto FC
Toronto and their fans added a lot of color but not much quality in their first year in MLS. They lacked any sort of firepower and only scored 25 goal in 30 games, a poor return for a side coached by a former striker. Mo Johnston has decided to move upstairs and allow experienced Englishman John Carver to take over the coaching reigns. Carver has coached at Newcastle and Leeds but not even Jose Mourinho could lead this current squad to a playoff position. In Danny Dichio and Jeff Cuningham, this team has some quality players that are capable of scoring goals but I just don't believe they can compete with the likes of D.C. and New England at the top of the east.

Quality player Dichio? Hahaha!

Quality in the MLS dude.

Think about Juan Pablo Angel. Bust in the EPL = one of the best strikers in the MLS.

Dichio was bust in the Championship though!

Like I've stated in previous posts. Only 3-4 teams in the MLS have the quality to play in the EPL, and out of those teams they would all be in the relegation zone. The rest of the teams in the MLS would be Championship material. And a couple even lower than that.

17 April

1. Chicago Fire
The sign of a good side is notching up a victory when playing badly and that is exactly what the Fire did in stealing a win from San Jose on the weekend. Chicago was outplayed for large portions of the game and Blanco was a non-factor but a strong defensive display was enough to make sure that Chad Barrett's early goal gave Dennis Hamlett's side their first away victory of the season. Chicago will play better this season but if they continue to win on rare off-days then they will be a difficult side to knock off top spot.

2. Colorado Rapids
Colorado picked up an impressive road win at New England for their first victory at Gillette Stadium since 2002. The victory was due in no small part to a very impressive performance from Senegalese goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, who kept the Revs at bay with several fine saves. Nick LaBrocca and John DiRaimondo continue to impress in the absence of Pablo Mastroeni, showing that Colorado now has a much deeper squad than last year. The west is wide open this year and Colorado are showing they are more than capable of putting a good run together and making the playoffs.

3. New England Revolution
The Revs had a mixed week with a top win at K.C., followed up by a tough home loss to Colorado. Kenny Mansally and Sainey Nyassi were both impressive in the victory over K.C. while the loss to the Rapids may be a little misleading as the Revs were arguably the better side and dominated for large periods of the game. We have to remember that New England are playing without Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman and are still managing to put out some good performances. The results so far may be up and down but when this side is at full-strength they will again be one of the teams to beat in MLS.

4. Chivas USA
Preki will not be happy with his side's defensive performance in their high-scoring loss to Columbus last week. Robbie Rogers is a good player but the Chivas back-line made him look like a world-beater with the space they gave him in the second half. The one plus point for Chivas was the way they showed character to fight back from two goals down to draw level but if they don't shore up defensively they will have to get used to coming from behind in games and that is not a good recipe for success in MLS.

5. FC Dallas
FC Dallas picked up their first win of the season with a very efficient performance over New York at Pizza Hut Park. Steve Morrow will have been particularly happy with the play of Kenny Cooper and Arturo Alvarez. They both scored and showed enough promise to suggest they can strike up a prolific partnership. However, the team lacks enough quality in midfield to be considered true challengers. Keeping a clean sheet against the Red Bulls would have pleased Morrow but it was a New York side without Angel so the Dallas defense can't take all the credit.

6. Kansas City Wizards
K.C.'s great start to the season came to a screeching halt with a flat loss to New England, followed by a drab goalless draw with Houston at the weekend. Curt Onalfo knew it was important for his side to get off to a fast start with their first four games at home, and while the first two wins were impressive, the last two games have shown that this team will not be a major factor when it comes to the very top of the Eastern Conference.

7. Real Salt Lake
It's safe to say that Utah will no longer be a place teams will look forward to visiting after the way Jason Kreis' side dismantled D.C. for the most impressive win in franchise history. Kyle Beckerman was a beast in midfield while Kenny Deuchar's physical presence knocked United off their stride and helped the home side outmuscle their shell-shocked guests. This was a great win for the RSL organization but will really only count for something if they can consistently perform at this level.

8. Columbus Crew
Columbus picked up a very important win over Chivas with a good attacking display. Guillermo Barros Schelotto was superb while Robbie Rogers showed enough to suggest that he can be a real force at this level. The downside for Sigi Schmid was the way his side surrendered a two-goal lead so easily and although they eventually got the win on this occasion, Columbus will not be considered a real threat until they can sort out their defensive problems.

9. DC United
This week won't exactly go down as one of the most memorable in United's history with a Champions Cup exit followed by an atrocious performance at Real Salt Lake. It wasn't a smart move by Tom Soehn to leave Marcelo Gallardo on the bench as this is a side already struggling in midfield with the absence of the departed Christian Gomez and the injured Ben Olsen. This team has so much quality but has to put the Champions Cup exit to the back of their minds and start to focus again on MLS play if they are to keep pace with the surging Chicago Fire.

10. New York Red Bulls
New York looked flat and void of ideas in a disappointing 2-0 loss at Dallas last week. Conceding a goal in the first minute didn't help matters, but the absence of the injured Juan Pablo Angel meant that any Red Bulls comeback would have been highly unlikely without last year's top-scorer. This team will need time to blossom under Juan Carlos Osorio and while I wasn't impressed with their overall performance against Dallas, I do believe they will become a stronger team as the season goes on.

11. Houston Dynamo
Houston continues to struggle but Dominic Kinnear will at least take some comfort in his side's first clean sheet of the season at K.C. This dull goalless draw was all about hard work and grit from the Dynamo side that looks like they are lacking in confidence. I am still not convinced that the squad has adequately replaced Nate Jaqua and Joe Ngwenya and would not be surprised to see some roster moves from Houston to freshen things up and make them a real threat again. If they don't we could be witnessing the end of the Houston dynasty.

12. Toronto FC
What a difference a week can make in football. Seven days ago, Toronto looked like a side destined to finish bottom of the pile but a few good signings and a hard-fought victory at Los Angeles and all of a sudden things look bright again for John Carver's side. Rohan Ricketts is a good player with plenty of experience, and at 25 has his best years ahead of him while Amado Guevara showed on Sunday that he can add a spark to a side that has lacked any real creativity. I still think this team is lagging behind the top sides in MLS but is certainly looking better that they did just seven days ago.

13. Los Angeles Galaxy
The Galaxy's incredible one-match unbeaten run was ended with a woeful home loss to Toronto. It may have been over 100 degrees on the field but the performance of the Galaxy defenders was ice cold and Ruud Gullit will now know the size of the job he has taken on in rebuilding this fallen franchise. The one plus point for Galaxy fans was the goal-scoring performance of Landon Donovan but with Greg Vanney at the back and Steve Cronin in goal, Landon will have to score at least three a game for Los Angeles to pick up a win.

14. San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose was unlucky in their loss to the Fire with the Earthquakes dominating large portions of the game and only missing out on a draw when Shea Salinas botched an absolute sitter late on. Frank Yallop will have been pleased with his side's overall performance (with Ronnie O'Brien particularly impressing in midfield) but the bottom line is that for all the play they had, they couldn't find a cutting edge up front. There are signs of promise for Earthquake fans but I still don't see where the goals will come from and because of that I expect them to remain at the bottom of the MLSPR for the foreseeable future.

24 April

1. FC Dallas
With a very impressive 2-0 win at Chivas, Dallas jumped to the top of the Western Conference as they continued their unbeaten start to the season. Dallas played without key starters Pablo Richetti and Juan Toja yet always looked in control after Kenny Cooper's early strike. Steve Morrow will have been particularly happy with his side's second straight clean-sheet after conceding three to Houston. And if they can continue their strong defensive play, Dallas knows they have the forward line to keep them at the top of the rankings.

2. Kansas City Wizards
I have to admit that I expected K.C. to disappear into the night once they went on the road, but the Wizards started their six-game road trip with an impressive win at previously unbeaten Chicago and jumped to the top of the east in the process. The Kansas City backline had to soak up a lot of pressure from a high-powered Chicago line but held firm with number one draft pick Chance Myers again impressing. I may have written off K.C.'s playoff chances in preseason but if Claudio Lopez can pick up his form, this team will continue to win more games than it loses.

3. Columbus Crew
The Crew had already beaten Chivas and Toronto but it was last week's win at D.C. that really made me stand up and take notice of the Crew's strong start to the campaign. Sigi Schmid had to know his job was on the line if his side started the season badly but with Guillermo Barros Schelotto in fine form, the Crew faithful are now dreaming of the playoffs. The best start to a season in nine years is cause for optimism for Columbus fans but with Schelotto not exactly a spring chicken, the true test for this side will be when the fixtures start to pile up.

4. Chicago Fire
Dennis Hamlett's perfect start to his head-coaching career came to an abrupt halt with a disappointing home loss to K.C. The Fire actually created a lot of opportunities but some bad decision-making in the final third meant that Chicago failed to make their dominance count. If you are a top side like the Fire, teams are going to get ten men behind the ball and defend for their lives so it is up to Hamlett to create a more cutting edge from his forward line if this side is to be the best in MLS.

5. New England Revolution
The Revs again showed great character as they came from a goal down to snatch a draw at New York last weekend. The fact that New England played nearly the entire second half with ten men after Mauricio Castro's sending-off makes this result even more impressive. The Revs are still without their two best players in Twellman and Ralston which means that Nicol will be happy with every positive result his team can scrap and fight for because when the talented duo returns, New England may well have the strongest side in MLS.

6. Colorado Rapids
Colorado followed their victory in New England with a shocking home loss to San Jose to show that they are one of the most inconsistent sides in MLS. Fernando Clavijo has improved his playing squad from last year but if the Rapids remain unable to put together a string of good results then it is Clavijo himself who must shoulder the blame for their up and down form. It would also help this team if they could find a true goal-scoring forward as they sometimes lack a cutting edge to their attacking play.

7. Chivas USA
Chivas USA looked very flat and void of ideas in a disappointing home loss to Dallas last weekend. Preki had a fairytale first year as head coach but it looks like his job will be much more difficult this time around as Chivas are not the surprise package of the league anymore. This team will need Maykel Galindo and a fully-fit Ante Razov to start firing on all cylinders soon if they are to really take advantage of Houston's poor start to the season and take control of a wide-open Western Conference.

8. New York Red Bulls
Red Bull fans can't be happy that their side failed to make their one-man advantage over New England count as they stuttered to a disappointing home draw. Juan Pablo Angel started although he did not look fit and the fact that John Wolyniec came on shows that this New York squad isn't exactly deep with talent. Jozy Altidore's goal was the one plus point for Juan Carlos Osorio and when Angel is fully fit, the new coach knows that he has the best forward line in MLS. After all that though, I'm still not sure this squad has enough quality behind the forwards to be considered a realistic MLS Cup contender.

9. Toronto FC
Toronto was made to fight for their second straight win of the season as they defeated RSL in a tough home opener. With the fans getting behind them, Toronto were impressive in the first half and deserved their halftime lead but John Carver will be just as pleased with how his side weathered a spirited RSL fightback in the second half to hang on for all three points. Toronto has become a much more solid team in the past few weeks and with the rest of the east beating up on each other, Toronto are a legitimate playoff contender for the first time in their history.

10. Real Salt Lake
RSL may have lost to Toronto at BMO Field but Jason Kreis will have been delighted at how his team raised their level of play after going a goal down on the road. Kreis has made his side into a strong physical unit that competes for every ball and that alone will mean no team will enjoy playing against them. But I do believe they lack a little bit of creativity to break teams down. Kenny Deuchar and Robbie Findley have the potential to form a potent strike force but it's debatable whether they will get the service they need to help this team turn good performances into good results.

11. San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose produced a startling display in gaining their first-ever victory at Colorado last week. The Earthquakes produced a very solid defensive display and looked dangerous going forward to show that Frank Yallop is already working his magic with what is a very limited squad. Ronnie O'Brien was impressive in his 60-minute stint while Kei Kamara showed incredible mental strength to play and score after a difficult and emotional week off the field. Ultimately, this squad is not good enough from top to bottom to make the playoffs but I expect them to shock a few more teams this year.

12. DC United
D.C. United looked very flat again in a shocking home loss to Columbus last week and now sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Marcelo Gallardo has yet to settle in MLS while Luciano Emilio has struggled to reproduce his great form from last year, which translates into a team that all of a sudden becomes very beatable. I do believe there is too much class in this squad and coaching staff for D.C. to remain at the bottom of the east, but I do expect them to continue to struggle until Gallardo hits form and Ben Olsen returns from injury.

13. Houston Dynamo
I have been shocked by Houston's poor start to the season and it didn't get any better in a poor draw against the struggling Galaxy last Saturday. Apart from a spell midway through the first half, Houston looked very ordinary going forward and can thank the Galaxy backline for their two goals. Brian Ching does not look fully fit while the loss of Jaqua and Ngwenya has obviously not been filled. Houston are too good to write off just yet but this is a team that needs to freshen things up if the are to repeat as champions.

14. Los Angeles Galaxy
The positive from the weekend draw with Houston for Los Angeles has to be the form of Landon Donovan and the understanding he seems to be creating with David Beckham. The bad thing for all Galaxy fans has to be the play of the back-four that gifted Houston two goals and looked very shaky against an ordinary Houston attack. With all their money tied up in attacking players, it looks like L.A. will have to stick with the defensive players they have and if that is the case they will never stand a realistic chance of winning this league.

Go, New England, Go!!

1 May

1. Columbus Crew
The Crew's rise to the summit of my rankings is complete after an impressive victory over reigning MLS Cup champions Houston. The Crew showed attacking prowess in their 4-3 win over Chivas USA two weeks ago but then displayed the defensive strength to make a 1-goal lead stand up as they did against Houston last Saturday. Sigi Schmid has to be happy with this start but he shouldn't pat himself on the back just yet as this squad is not strong enough to hold on to top spot in the long run.

2. New England Revolution
The Revs produced a very disciplined performance as they defeated previously unbeaten Dallas at Pizza Hut Park last Thursday. The Revs snuffed out the attacking threat of Kenny Cooper superbly and, although the game wasn't much of a spectacle for the fans, Steve Nicol will be delighted at how his side continues to find a way to win without Twellman and Ralston. Shalrie Joseph has also picked up his form, which can only be bad news for the rest of the east as New England looks more than equipped to launch another assault on the MLS Cup.

3. Chicago Fire
The Fire bounced back from their disappointing loss to K.C. with a good win over Colorado, although they were made to sweat as the Rapids produced a spirited fightback late on. Dennis Hamlett will have been particularly pleased that his side managed to pick up a win on a day when Cuauhtemoc Blanco didn't exactly produce his best display since his arrival in MLS. Chicago may have picked up a win on this occasion but will need the Mexican international to be on top form this week if they are to pick up a win against New England.

4. Toronto FC
Since an 0-2 start to the season, Toronto has won three straight games to catapult up the Eastern Conference standings. Their win over K.C. was a mixture of some neat attacking football and some dogged defensive play as they picked up two second half goals to close out the game and show that this team has become a much more solid unit under John Carver. The question marks over signing the temperamental Amado Guevara have disappeared after another match-winning performance and if Rohan Ricketts can start to live up to his early career promise, Toronto may well be a team to watch come playoff time.

5. FC Dallas
Dallas became the latest team to fall to the curse of being number one in the rankings as they produced a very flat display in the home loss to New England. Steve Morrow will not have been pleased with how few clear cut chances his side managed to create against the Revs, with Kenny Cooper spending more time out wide than he did in the box. Juan Toja has not looked like the player he was when he burst on the scene last year and will need to pick up his form quickly if Dallas is to build on their solid start to the season.

6. Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City may have been disappointed with their loss at Toronto last weekend but they can take comfort in the fact that not many teams will pick up anything from their visits to BMO field this year. The Wizards can actually consider themselves very unlucky in defeat as there was more than a hint of offside about the first goal and Toronto 'keeper Greg Sutton made some impressive saves late on to preserve the victory. Curt Onalfo will be relatively happy with how his side has begun the season but knows Claudio Lopez will have to start making a bigger impression in the goal-scoring column for his side to stay in the top half of the standings.

7. New York Red Bulls
It may have taken the Red Bulls almost 80 minutes to break down San Jose but in the end they were full value for their second win of the season. Jozy Altidore scored for the second consecutive week as he continues to impress in the absence of Juan Pablo Angel. Juan Carlos Osorio will have been pleased with the amount of chances his side created in the absence of Angel and Dane Richards and with their second clean sheet of the season, although San Jose didn't exactly create too many troubling moments for the New York back four. This was a good win but we will find out a lot more about the title credentials of New York in their tough trip to in-form Toronto this week.

8. DC United
D.C. extracted some revenge for their loss to RSL earlier in the season as they finally showed some of the form that made this team my preseason pick to win it all this year. Jaime Moreno showed he has lost none of his class with two expertly taken penalties and Marcelo Gallardo finally showed why Tom Soehn was so eager to add the Argentinean to his squad with an early candidate for goal of the season. It may be only one win but I believe this team will finally put to bed their poor early season form and start to climb the table.

9. Los Angeles Galaxy
Nobody can ever accuse the Galaxy of being a boring team to watch as they produced their best performance of the season in a 5-2 thrashing of bitter rivals Chivas USA. Landon Donovan was simply sensational, smashing three goals past Brad Guzan while Alan Gordon rammed the boos back down the throats of the Galaxy faithful with a match-winning performance off the bench. Joe Franchino was also solid in the holding midfield role and added some much needed experience to the side. The only bad point for Ruud Gullit was the continued poor play of the error prone Abel Xavier. Is this really the same player that played in the Premier League?

10. Colorado Rapids
After their impressive win over L.A., Colorado has now lost 3 of their last four to show why they are one of the most inconsistent teams in the league. On their day, the Rapids can beat anyone in MLS but the problem is those days aren't exactly a frequent occurrence. Fernando Clavijo may have been unlucky with injuries so far this season but I do believe that if he doesn't get more consistent performances from his squad then it may be time for a coaching change and some fresh ideas in Colorado.

11. Chivas USA
What has happened to the all-conquering Chivas USA team from last year? Preki's side only conceded 28 goals in 30 games last year yet they have already conceded 13 in their first five games this season. This is down to the fact that teams are catching Chivas on the counter attack when they push for goals and it also hasn't helped that Brad Guzan looks a shadow of the 'keeper that garnered so much interest from Europe. It was always going to be difficult to follow such a spectacular 2007 season but with players like Galindo, Razov and Kljestan in the side this Chivas team should return to form sooner rather than later.

12. Real Salt Lake
RSL produced their worst performance of the season in a tough 4-1 loss at RFK last weekend. This loss means that despite playing some good soccer over the opening month of the season, RSL has only managed one win in five games and already find themselves in the wrong half of the Western Conference table. Jason Kreis has built a side that is capable of competing in almost every game it plays but I am just not sure they have enough quality to turn enough of those games into wins for RSL to be a real player in the Western Conference.

13. San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose returned to the form we've come to expect of first year franchises with a lackluster loss in New York. The Earthquakes may have held out for over 70 minutes against the Red Bulls but the reality is they were never likely to pull off a second consecutive win with this disjointed performance. Toronto have shown over the last few weeks that a couple of big signings can help turn a team around and that is exactly what San Jose needs if they are to build on a decent start to the season. If no new players arrive then the best that the Earthquakes fans can hope for is the occasional shock-win in an otherwise difficult campaign.

14. Houston Dynamo
I never believed I would see this talented Houston side at the bottom of the rankings but that is the only place they belong after their poor start to the season. Initially I believed that once the Champions' Cup run was over that the Dynamo would pick up their form but it hasn't materialized and this team is now in need of a makeover. This is a team that Dominic Kinnear built but there can be no room for sentiment, as some of his players may need to be sacrificed to help this club reclaim their throne at the top of MLS.

8 May

1. Columbus Crew
Columbus became the first team to hold on to top spot with a good home win over K.C. last week. At 2-0 up and with a man advantage, the Crew really should have put this game away but made it nervy for their fans with a flat second half performance. Sigi Schmid will be addressing that in practice this week but for the most part the coach has to be overjoyed with his side's superb start to the season. Crew fans should enjoy it while they can because they don't have the staying power to remain at the top.

2. Chicago Fire
Chicago trounced New England for the second time this season to jump up the rankings and send out a message that they could very well be the team to beat in MLS this season. The Fire has now only lost once in six games and with only three goals conceded they can boast the best defensive record in MLS. Add to that the fact they have an offense that includes the likes of Blanco, Barrett and Rolfe and you can see why many people are tipping the Fire as the team to beat. I will reserve my judgment until rookie coach Dennis Hamlett actually goes through a tough spell this season.

3. Toronto FC
The fact that Toronto are disappointed with a draw at home to the Red Bulls shows just how far this side has come since its inception last year. The performance against New York was flat and lifeless at times but John Carver will be happy that his side showed enough character to still come away with a point. Toronto are now unbeaten in four games but with three of those matchups coming at BMO field, the true playoff credentials of this side will not be known until they hit the road again. They are definitely a better side than last year though.

4. New York Red Bulls
New York may sit second from bottom in the Eastern Conference but their league position is a false one. For starters, the Red Bulls have played less games than the teams around them and they have only lost one of their first five games. A draw in Toronto may not be that impressive a result on paper but not too many will go to BMO and come away with anything so in that sense Juan Carlos Osorio has to be happy with a point. Juan Pablo Angel got 90 minutes of action in Toronto and once he regains full fitness we will see this New York side challenging at the top end of the east.

5. New England Revolution
For the second time this season New England produced an awful performance in a crushing home loss to Chicago. The only plus points for Steve Nicol were the return of Chris Albright and Steve Ralston from injury, and with Twellman due back in the next few weeks this team should have enough quality to go on a good run and get back to the top of the Eastern Conference.

6. FC Dallas
Dallas followed up a disappointing home loss to New England with a dour draw at San Jose. The plus points for Steve Morrow would have been the solid performance of Dario Sala and a strong defensive display by his back unit, but if you have designs on winning your conference, you have to beat an expansion team that is struggling to score goals. Kenny Cooper is a great talent but I am not totally convinced there are enough goals in the rest of this squad to help Dallas compete with the elite of MLS.

7. Kansas City Wizards
K.C. may have struggled in the first half at Columbus, but Curt Onalfo will have been delighted at how his side fought their way back into the match despite being a man down. The Wizards looked a little flat going forward although Scott Sealy did provide a spark when he replaced the ineffective Ivan Trujillo. Claudio Lopez looked frustrated at times which means Onalfo must add some quality players to play alongside the former Lazio man or they will fall behind the top teams in the east.

8. Colorado Rapids
Colorado produced a very good performance in dismantling a poor D.C. United last weekend. I have been critical of Fernando Clavijo but his decision to really freshen up the stating line up and bring in Ihemelu, Peterson and Jordan Harvey was key in picking up this valuable victory. This may have been a good performance but until the Rapids can reproduce this form on a weekly basis, they will continue to find themselves in the bottom half of the rankings.

9. Los Angeles Galaxy
Not for the first time this season the Galaxy went down early on the road but unlike the defeat in Colorado, L.A. showed great character in fighting back for a valuable point. It is early in the MLS career of Ruud Gullit but there are already signs of improvement in the Galaxy. Their defensive problems are obviously still an issue but Gullit doesn't exactly have many quality options in what is still a very young squad. This team won't win the regular season crown but with the matchwinners they have, they will be a big threat in the playoffs.

10. D.C. United
When Tom Soehn can't explain why his talented team is struggling, I'm not sure how I can. The fact that Luciano Emilio continues to struggle in front of goal is playing a big part in United's bad start to the season but I also can't help but wonder if this side is really missing the creative edge of Christian Gomez? The injury to Ben Olsen is also a blow because he is the heartbeat of this team but in the end D.C. has enough class in their squad to cope with these setbacks. The surging Fire comes to town this week and a positive result for D.C. may finally get their season up and running.

11. Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake played their part in a thoroughly entertaining draw with the Galaxy but the bottom line for Jason Kreis will be that his team threw away a two goal lead at home against a big Western Conference rival. It was good to see RSL really go for the win in the second half but in the end they had Nick Rimando to thank for preserving the draw with some quality saves late on. RSL have definitely improved on last season but need to finish teams when they have them on the ropes or they will again miss out on the postseason.

12. Chivas USA
After conceding five against L.A. in their last game, Chivas USA were much more solid in a dour defensive struggle with Houston last Saturday. It was obvious that Preki sent his side out with an emphasis on not conceding, and while they succeeded in that category, they missed out on a great opportunity to really have a go against a struggling Dynamo. Having said that, Chivas are struggling themselves and with Maykel Galindo failing to reproduce the form of last season, this could be a very difficult year for Chivas USA fans.

13. San Jose Earthquakes
Frank Yallop claimed that San Jose's scoreless draw with Dallas was an excellent performance that only lacked a goal and, while he may be right, San Jose will remain close to the cellar of the Western Conference if they don't add some punch to their attack. The addition of Jean Phillipe Peguero should help in the goal-scoring department as it doesn't look like Gavin Glinton is going to work out in the long term but Yallop has to continue to try and add to this squad if they are to be involved in the playoff shakeup this season.

14. Houston Dynamo
Houston may have had the better of the chances against Chivas USA last Saturday, but the bottom line is if you can't beat a fellow struggling side at home then you know you have serious problems. Brian Ching continues to look a yard off the pace and while Dwayne De Rosario worked hard, the only thing he connected on all night was Lawson Vaughn's face. Dominic Kinnear has to pick up his side as I believe this week's home fixture is a must-win for Houston if this core of players is to stay together.