Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 12, 5/30/12

Since Major League Soccer is on an International break, this will be the last Power Ranking for a couple of weeks.

The New York Red Bulls maintain the top spot this week and the Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders make some big moves, although in opposite directions.

Biggest risers? The Columbus Crew rise 10 spots, the Houston Dynamo rise 5.

Biggest drops? The Seattle Sounders drop 8 spots, the Portland Timbers drop 3.

My week 12 rankings:

1) New York Red Bulls (East)

2) Real Salt Lake (West)

3) D.C. United (East)

4) Columbus Crew (East)

5) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

6) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

7) Colorado Rapids (West)

8) Houston Dynamo (East)

9) Sporting Kansas City (East)

10) Chicago Fire (East)

11) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

12) New England Revolution (East)

13) Portland Timbers (West)

14) Montreal Impact (East)

15) Chivas USA (West)

16) FC Dallas (West)

17) LA Galaxy (West)

18) Philadelphia Union (East)

19) Toronto FC (East)

Forgot to Post This Tuesday. Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Matchweek 11

I forgot to post this before last night's Major League Soccer Matches-so pretend they didn't happen...

The New York Red Bulls take over the top spot this week!

1) New York Red Bulls (East)

2) Real Salt Lake (West)

3) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

4) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

5) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

6) D.C. United (East)

7) Sporting Kansas City (East)

8) Chicago Fire (East)

9) Colorado Rapids (West)

10) Portland Timbers (West)

11) New England Revolution (East)

12) Montreal Impact (East)

13) Houston Dynamo (East)

14) Columbus Crew (East)

15) Chivas USA (West)

16) Philadelphia Union (East)

17) LA Galaxy (West)

18) FC Dallas (West)

19) Toronto FC (East)

Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Matchweek 10

The Sounders Maintain the Top Spot!

The Sounders maintain the top spot this week, but there was a significant shuffle in the top 5, with Sporting Kansas City and DC United dropping out, and Real Salt Lake and the Chicago Fire moving in.

Who climbed this week? The New England Revolution climbs 5 spots, while Real Salt Lake and the Columbus Crew each climb 4.

Who dropped? Sporting Kansas City drops 4 spots. DC United and FC Dallas each drop 3.

Matchweek 10 Rankings:

1) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

2) New York Red Bulls (East)

3) Real Salt Lake (West)

4) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

5) Chicago Fire (East)

6) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

7) Sporting Kansas City (East)

8) D.C. United (East)

9) Colorado Rapids (West)

10) Montreal Impact (East)

11) Houston Dynamo (East)

12) New England Revolution (East)

13) LA Galaxy (West)

14) Columbus Crew (East)

15) Philadelphia Union (East)

16) Chivas USA (West)

17) Portland Timbers (West)

18) FC Dallas (West)

19) Toronto FC (East)

Major League Soccer Match Predictions, Matchweek 9, Saturday and Sunday Matches, 5/5/12

I picked Seattle's victory over the Galaxy and San Jose's victory over DC United correctly, but got the other two matches played this week wrong.

Here are the balance of my picks for this week:

Saturday 5/5 Matches:

Sporting KC will beat Montreal at home

Columbus will draw at Portland

DC United will win at Toronto

Seattle will beat Philadelphia at home

San Jose will draw at Vancouver

New York will draw at the Galaxy

Real Salt Lake will beat New England at home

Sunday 5/6 Match:

FC Dallas will beat Colorado at home

Major League Soccer Match Winner Predictions, Matchweek 8, 4/28/12

Time to pick a few winners based on this week's Major League Soccer Power Rankings.

Just winners. Note I also take into account the Major League soccer historical advantage to home teams in making these picks:

Montreal wins at home against Portland
New York wins at home against New England
San Jose wins at Philadelphia
Columbus wins at home against Vancouver
D.C. United wins at home against Houston
Real Salt Lake wins at home against Toronto
The LA Galaxy wins against FC Dallas at home

Major League Soccer Power Rankings-Matchweek 7

Sporting Kansas City is #1 in My First Major League Soccer Power Ranking This Year!

With every Major League Soccer team having played 5 matches at this point in the season, I'm ready to publish my first Power Ranking of the 2012 season.

Last year I published my philosophy in producing these rankings. It might need a little tweaking this year due to the unbalanced schedule, but for now I'll stick with last year's formula.

Here are my inaugural 2012 rankings:

1) Sporting Kansas City
2) San Jose Earthquakes
3) Real Salt Lake
4) Seattle Sounders
5) D.C. United
6) Houston Dynamo
7) New York Red Bulls
8) Chicago Fire
9) LA Galaxy
10) Chivas USA
11) FC Dallas
12) Vancouver Whitecaps
13) Philadelphia Union
14) Columbus Crew
15) New England Revolution
16) Colorado Rapids
17) Montreal Impact
18) Portland Timbers
19) Toronto FC

I've Got Some Explaining To Do...Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 27, 9/19/11

I've spent some time on past Major League Soccer Power Rankings posts documenting my philosophy when compiling them each week.


I still like to tweak my formula, but since there are a few surprises (at first glance) in the top ten this week I thought I would post a little more detail/philosophy.


My overriding philosophy in my rankings is to rank the teams from top to bottom in Major League Soccer on who is playing best at that point in time based on a formula. I am not trying to predict how the season will end with these rankings. Theoretically, the top team in my rankings on any given week should be able to beat the other seventeen on a neutral field that given week, the second team should beat the sixteen below them, etc.


I don't purely go by this when I make my MLS match predictions, as I look at each teams' ranking score in my formula and their differential to determine whether the match can be predicted. So if the #1 team's score in my rankings has a very small differential with #2, I wouldn't necessarily pick the #1 team to win. I also take into account the predominant home field advantage that historically exists in the MLS to make my pick.

So what is my formula? I take season to date points per game (not goals, but points earned) as I feel teams should be rewarded for their long term performance in my rankings.  I combine that with points per game in a team's last five matches (a reflection of who is currently hot) to come up with a team's score. I weight season-long performance 60% in my formula and the last five matches' performance 40%. In the last five matches' average I give a higher weighting for away wins, and will punish a team for a home loss.

The LA Galaxy are #1

My Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week #27:

1) LA Galaxy (West)

2) Real Salt Lake (West)

3) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

4) Portland Timbers (West)

5) Toronto FC (East)

6) Chicago Fire (East)

7) D.C. United (East)

8) Houston Dynamo (East)

9) New York Red Bulls (East)

10) Sporting Kansas City (East)

11) Philadelphia Union (East)

12) Colorado Rapids (West)

13) FC Dallas (West)

14) Columbus Crew (East)

15) New England Revolution (East)

16) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

17) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

18) Chivas USA (West)

At first glance, I'm thinking that readers are going to look at this week's rankings and are going to wonder why two teams with a slim to none chance at making the MLS Playoffs, the Chicago Fire and Toronto FC are ranked so high, and virtual locks for the playoffs, FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew are ranked so low.


The reason is current form (last five matches) and it's 40% weighting in my formula. Here are the teams ranked by current form this week:

1) Real Salt Lake (West)

2) LA Galaxy (West)

3) Toronto FC (East)

4) (3-way tie) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

Portland Timbers (West)

Chicago Fire (East)

7) D.C. United (East)

8) (2-way tie) Houston Dynamo (East)

New York Red Bulls (East)

10) (2-way tie) Sporting Kansas City (East)

New England Revolution (East)

12) (2-way tie) Philadelphia Union (East)

Colorado Rapids (West)

14) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

15) (3-way tie) FC Dallas (West)

Columbus Crew (East)

San Jose Earthquakes (West)

18) Chivas USA (West)

Toronto FC (last 5, WLTWW) and the Chicago Fire (TWWLW) are playing very well right now and are ranked in the top six in MLS for their last five matches. FC Dallas (TLWLL) and the Columbus Crew (WLLTL) are currently playing very poorly and are ranked in the bottom four.

I have admittedly questioned the 40% weighting on current form, but if I'm going to use these rankings to predict match results, I feel I have to look at who's hot and take that into account.

So that's my explanation. Not perfect, but it entertains me.

Four for Four! Good Weekend For Me and My Major League Soccer Picks! 9/18/11

That's more like it! My strategy of only picking Major League Soccer matches that I thought were locks worked.

I picked four matches this weekend, and got them all correct. As a review I had the Chicago Fire, Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy all winning, and they did! I am now 13 for 34, or 38% for the season.

Here are three picks for the coming week. I will wait to see the results of all the Wednesday, 9/21 matches before I look at the matches played by those teams on Saturday 9/24.

Locks for the week:

Wednesday 9/21:

DC United will beat Chivas USA

The Portland Timber will beat the San Jose Earthquakes

Sunday 9/25:

The Chicago Fire will beat the New England Revolution

Major League Soccer Picks For Week 27, 9/15/11

Last week was horrible for me. I only predicted two out of the ten Major League Soccer matches correctly, the home victory by the LA Galaxy over Colorado, and the draw between the Philadelphia Union and Portland Timbers. Combined with me incorrectly picking the Columbus Crew over the Houston Dynamo last night, I'm now nine for thirty, or 30%.

But I will keep trying.

I'm gonna change this week and only pick matches that I believe are locks. If it's not a definitive in my model, I'm not going to pick'em.

Here you go:

9/17 Matches:

The LA Galaxy will beat Vancouver

The Chicago Fire will beat Chivas USA

The Seattle Sounders will beat DC United

Real Salt Lake will beat Sporting KC

The Galaxy Will Be Big Winners Saturday!

The Galaxy Will Not Relinquish #1! Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 26, 9/13/11

The Galaxy is #1 Again

The Los Angeles Galaxy continue to maintain the top spot in my rankings this week. It doesn't look like anyone will overtake them!

Biggest jumps up in the rankings this week? Sporting KC jumped up 7 spots and the New England Revolution jumped up 4 spots.

Biggest drops? Chivas USA dropped 6 spots and the Columbus Crew dropped 5.

Best current form? Real Salt Lake, the Seattle Sounders and the LA Galaxy.

Worst form? Chivas USA and the Philadelphia Union.

My week 26 Major League Soccer Power Rankings:

1) LA Galaxy (West)

2) Real Salt Lake (West)

3) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

4) Sporting Kansas City (East)

5) D.C. United (East)

6) Colorado Rapids (West)

7) Houston Dynamo (East)

8) FC Dallas (West)

9) Portland Timbers (West)

10) Columbus Crew (East)

11) Toronto FC (East)

12) Chicago Fire (East)

13) New England Revolution (East)

14) New York Red Bulls (East)

15) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

16) Philadelphia Union (East)

17) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

18) Chivas USA (West)

Predicted The Sporting KC/LA Galaxy Draw Correctly...Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 25, 9/5/11

I was a perfect 2 for 2 on my predictions for this weekend's Major League Soccer Matches, getting both the Real Salt Lake victory and the Sporting KC/LA Galaxy draw correct. I am now 7 for 19 on the year, a 37% accuracy rating.

The LA Galaxy Are #1 Again!

There were just a couple of changes to my Major League Soccer Power Rankings this week with only two matches played.

Real Salt Lake's victory over Philadelphia pushed them up two spots in this week's ranking to #4 overall, while Sporting Kansas City's home draw this evening against the LA Galaxy dropped them two spots to #11 in this week's rankings.

My week 25 Major League Soccer Power Rankings:

1) LA Galaxy (West)

2) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

3) Colorado Rapids (West)

4) Real Salt Lake (West)

5) Columbus Crew (East)

6) FC Dallas (West)

7) D.C. United (East)

8) Houston Dynamo (East)

9) Portland Timbers (West)

10) Chicago Fire (East)

11) Sporting Kansas City (East)

12) Chivas USA (West)

13) Philadelphia Union (East)

14) Toronto FC (East)

15) New York Red Bulls (East)

16) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

17) New England Revolution (East)

18) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

I Got This One Right! Real Salt Lake Beat The Philadelphia Union 2-1! 9/3/11

Thanks For Making Me Look Good!

Only two Major League Soccer matches this weekend, and I got my first prediction right!

I picked Real Salt Lake to beat the Philadelphia Union, and they did last night, 2-1!

I am now 6 for 18 with my Major League Soccer predictions, a 33% success rate.

My Predictions For This Weekend's Major League Soccer Matches, 9/2/11

I had a horrible week last week with my predictions. Out of eight matches played I only got one prediction correct, the Seattle Sounders win over the Columbus Crew.

I am now 5 for 17 for the year, a 29% accuracy rating.

Undaunted, I will forge ahead...

There are only two Major League Soccer matches this weekend. What will the results be?

In the Saturday, September 3rd match, I predict a Real Salt Lake Victory over the Philadelphia Union.

And on Labor Day, Monday, September 5th, I predict a draw between Sporting Kansas City and the LA Galaxy!

Real Salt Lake! A Big Winner This Weekend!

The LA Galaxy Are Still #1! Major League Soccer Power Rankings Week 21, 8/8/11

The Galaxy Are Still #1!

Quick post this week. Heading out of town.

My week 21 Major League Soccer Power Rankings:

1) LA Galaxy (West)

2) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

3) FC Dallas (West)

4) Colorado Rapids (West)

5) Real Salt Lake (West)

6) Columbus Crew (East)

7) Chivas USA (West)

8) D.C. United (East)

9) Philadelphia Union (East)

10) Portland Timbers (West)

11) Houston Dynamo (East)

12) Sporting Kansas City (East)

13) New York Red Bulls (East)

14) New England Revolution (East)

15) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

16) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

17) Toronto FC (East)

18) Chicago Fire (East)

3 Weeks in a Row! The Seattle Sounders Maintain the #1 Spot! Major League Soccer Power Rankings Week 19, 7/25/11

Seattle Still #1!

Being idle this week in MLS play didn't hurt the Seattle Sounders, who maintain the #1 spot in this week's rankings, although the LA Galaxy crept a little closer on the heels of their midweek home victory versus the Columbus Crew.

The top 3 teams didn't change from last week. Seattle and the LA Galaxy seem to be the class of the league this week, with FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake continuing to keep pace.

Spots 6-9 are separated by the closest of margins in this week's rankings. The Columbus Crew, Colorado Rapids, Sporting KC and Chivas USA seem to be neck in neck as the continue their MLS campaigns.

Biggest moves up the rankings this week? The New England Revolution moved up 4 spots, Colorado moved up 3. 

Biggest drop? D.C. United dropped 4 spots, the Columbus Crew dropped 2.

Who has the best current form? The Seattle Sounders, LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake.

The worst? Vancouver, Toronto and Chicago.

My Week 19 Major League Soccer Power Rankings:

1) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

2) LA Galaxy (West)

3) FC Dallas (West)

4) Real Salt Lake (West)

5) Philadelphia Union (East)

6) Columbus Crew (East)

7) Colorado Rapids (West)

8) Sporting Kansas City (East)

9) Chivas USA (West)

10) New York Red Bulls (East)

11) Houston Dynamo (East)

12) D.C. United (East)

13) New England Revolution (East)

14) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

15) Portland Timbers (West)

16) Toronto FC (East)

17) Chicago Fire (East)

18) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

A New #1! The Seattle Sounders! Major League Soccer Power Rankings Week 17, 7/11/11

Seattle Makes Their First Appearance At #1!

The Seattle Sounders, on the strength of a win at Portland Sunday tops this week's Power Rankings. This is Seattle's first appearance at #1, knocking FC Dallas out of the top spot. Seattle has the best current form in Major League Soccer, and looks to be the team to beat! (At least this week!)

With only three matches this week ending in draws, there are some significant changes in this week's rankings overall.

Biggest moves up the rankings this week? The Houston Dynamo move up 4 spots, DC United and Chivas move up 3. 

Biggest drops? San Jose drops 6 spots, the Chicago Fire drops 4.

Who has the best current form? The Seattle Sounders, LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew and Sporting KC.

The worst? Portland, Vancouver and Toronto.

My Week 17 Major League Soccer Power Rankings:

1) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

2) LA Galaxy (West)

3) FC Dallas (West)

4) Real Salt Lake (West)

5) Columbus Crew (East)

6) Sporting Kansas City (East)

7) Philadelphia Union (East)

8) Houston Dynamo (East)

9) New York Red Bulls (East)

10) Colorado Rapids (West)

11) D.C. United (East)

12) Chivas USA (West)

13) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

14) Chicago Fire (East)

15) New England Revolution (East)

16) Toronto FC (East)

17) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

18) Portland Timbers (West)