FanPost

MLS Power Rankings - Week 10

Cream of the crop? - USA TODAY Sports

Some of you are probably asking what happened to Weeks 1-9? Well, I used to post regularly on my user blog on CBSSports.com. For those that don't know, CBS Sports basically deleted the Community section a few weeks back, which included my old blog. I don't think I will re-post my old entries but I could figure out a way to post the first 9 weeks if people are interested. So after a somber funeral for my old blog (I gave a nice toast but no one else showed up) and bothering Steve for a few weeks he said to go ahead and Fanpost this week's. (Editor's Note: You don't need my permission to write FanPosts.) So here goes nothing.

1. [LW 5] NY Red Bulls - (5W-4L-2D, 17 pts, 1st East / W @ CREW 1-0) - Yes, the Red Bulls have played the most games in the East so far. But right now, Tim Cahill is on a tear, Luis Robles is stopping everything (including penalty kicks) and New York just won back to back road games at Toronto and Columbus, not easy to do.

2. [1] LA Galaxy - (4-2-2, 14 pts, 2W / L vs. HOU 0-1) - Yes, the Galaxy didn't play their best against Houston but aside from injuries the only thing dragging down LA right now is Landon Donovan's prowess (or rather lack thereof) from the penalty spot. He's 0-2 so far in 2013.

3. [3] FC Dallas - (6-1-2, 20 pts, 1W / IDLE) - Dallas is on a 7-game unbeaten streak and they'll have to defend that streak midweek as another streaking West team, the Portland Timbers, come to town.

4. [2] MTL Impact - (5-1-2, 17 pts, 4E / D @ SJ 2-2) - The Impact won't be happy about allowing another SJ comeback at Buck Shaw, especially when Justin Mapp tapped home his second of the day early in the second half. However, fixture congestion (including a rout of TFC in the Canadian Championship second leg) surely led to some tired legs as the Impact. Troy Perkins continues to impress in net.

5. [6] Sporting KC - (5-3-2, 17 pts, 2E / W vs. CHV 4-0) - For a team that just routed the now spiraling Goats (who were down to 10-men, more on that later...) they're about to get back Kei Kamara after his loan spell in Norwich (EPL) ended. As if they needed anymore offense.

6. [7] HOU Dynamo - (5-2-2, 17 pts, 3E / W @ LA 1-0) - Another big win for the Dynamo. Ho hum. Now if only they could consistently have games like on the road they're going to be at the top of the East for sure and likely the top of the Supporters' Shield standings too.

7. [4] POR Timbers - (3-1-5, 14 pts, 4W / D vs. NE 0-0) - I hate dropping Portland this far after a solid performance, but this team needs to get three points at home to keep pace in the West and slack finishing combined with Bobby Shuttleworth's stellar form means just one point at JELD-WEN.

8. [9] COL Rapids - (3-4-3, 12 pts, 5W / W vs. TFC 1-0) - Three wins in five games and ten points out of fifteen in that stretch (3-1-1) has the Rapids back into a playoff spot. However, I doubt that Edson Buddle and the Rapids will get another gift three points like TFC gave them in the 86th minute last week,

9. [11] Real Salt Lake - (4-4-2, 14 pts, 3W / W vs. VAN 2-0) - Joao Plata had two assists for RSL against the Caps, but Nick Rimando's precision goal kick (yes, the ball might've been moving, and no, my inner referee doesn't care) was sheer brilliance. For all of RSL's possession in the first half however, it resulted in zero goals.

10. [8] Columbus CREW - (3-3-3, 12 pts, 5E / L vs. NY 0-1) - Played well enough against New York to earn at least a draw. Higuain's poor penalty loomed large as Columbus never found the opener and Andy Gruenebaum was helpless on the rebound that Cahill headed in.

11. [12] PHI Union - (3-3-3, 12 pts, 6E / D vs. SEA 2-2) - Head coach John Hackworth was upset with the refereeing in the final minutes against Seattle. Sure, there might have been a handball in the box (I haven't seen a good replay yet) and yes, that was a fight between Neagle and Williams (any violent contact to an opponent's head, including a forehead to forehead staredown, is asking for a red card) but I'd be more upset with the defending, or really ball watching, that led to Seattle's equalizer.

12. [14] SJ Earthquakes - (2-3-5, 11 pts, 7W / D vs. MTL 2-2) - Look, comebacks and Goonie magic are great. But at some point, the Quakes need to start getting three points. They're winless in their last six games.

13. [15] NE Revolution - (2-3-3, 9 pts, 7E / D @ POR 0-0) - Did the Revs' second string defense unit just shut down one of the hottest scoring teams in MLS? Yes, but mainly because Bobby Shuttleworth continues to save everything. Jerry Bengston is now on notice: Saer Sene and Juan Agudelo (acquired in a trade Tuesday) are coming for your starting spot.

14. [10] Chivas USA - (3-4-2, 11 pts, 6W / L @ KC 0-4) - Crash and burn. Even if Dan Kennedy doesn't see red for his last man challenge, Chivas wasn't coming back down 0-2 in KC. Goats need to rediscover their scoring touch that made them the darlings of the first month of the season.

15. [17] SEA Sounders - (1-3-3, 6 pts, 9W / D @ PHI 2-2) - Just another thought for Seattle, who finished this game with nine men. Don't give the referee an opportunity to give you a straight red card. Neagle should've walked away from his confrontation with the Union's Williams and Yedlin never should have attempted that reckless challenge just seconds after missing a slide tackle in the late stages. Now the already shorthanded Sounders have to deal with two suspensions.

16. [13] VAN Whitecaps - (2-4-3, 9 pts, 8W / L @ RSL 0-2) - The Whitecaps are in serious trouble. They haven't won an MLS game in their last seven (0-4-3 since starting 2-0-0). And the schedule isn't getting easier any time soon. LA, Portland, NY and Seattle are their next four games.

17. [16] Chicago FIRE - (2-5-1, 7 pts, 8E / IDLE) - With a chance to rest up last week and no midweek game this week, Chicago has a chance to restart their season with a home-and-home series with Philadelphia in their next two matches. The Fire sit five points behind the Union in the East with a game in hand.

18. [18] Toronto FC - (1-4-4, 7 pts, 9E / L @ COL 0-1) - Ryan Nielsen couldn't be on the hot seat after just a few games in charge could he? Probably not, but Toronto is in desperate need of three points. They're winless in seven and they're lucky that 0-6 Canadian Championship loss to Montreal doesn't count in these rankings.

19. [19] DC United - (1-6-1, 4 pts, 10E / IDLE) - His counterpart in Toronto isn't on the hot seat but Ben Olsen certainly should be. A bye week after a disastrous 0-3 loss in Columbus might be what the doctor ordered but two games against Houston and Dallas in the same week. Not so much.

Please leave comments about anything and everything. Don't like the Energy Drinks at No. 1? Do you think someone other than DC should be in the basement? Don't like the format? I love feedback and general conversation, something this site does particularly well and I'm glad to be a part of it after a homeless (blogless?) few weeks. Normally I will add links to stories and videos but baby steps for now.

Also, I have another project in the works for TBM from last night's game against RSL so stay tuned to this section.

FanPosts are solely the opinions of those who post them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bent Musket, SBNation or any of its affiliates.

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