Week 3 MLS results and my week 3 power rankings

Well it was a weekend that should have provided some clarity on where teams stand, but instead it simply added more questions than answers. 

So here were my picks and the actual results :

So this leaves me to ponder my power rankings from a week ago and do some adjusting.  I am looking at wins, losses, goals for, goals against, home, away, level of competition and overall results when I make my rankings so here we go:

16. DC United (-2) - 0-3-0 - Despite finally scoring a couple goal the harsh reality is that Curt's team is at this point simply awful. Next up is the Chicago Fire, the upside for United is at least they are at home.

15. Toronto FC (-3) - 0-2-0 - Speaking of home, you have to believe that no team will be happier for their home opener than TFC.  After two losses on the road and both to Eastern Conference foes, the Reds will get to face off against expansion side Philly.  If the sold out crowd have anything to do with it, then this one could be exciting, but will Preki find a way to win and win over the home fans?

The rest of the rankings are after the jump:

14. Chicago Fire (-4) - 0-2-1 - Of all the playoff teams of 2009, the Fire have fallen the furtherest the fastest.  It is clear that a new coach and a lack of the creativity and leadership of Blanco have the left the Fire blowing smoke.  A home loss is nothing new for Chicago who struggled at home last year, but losing to a San Jose team that was embarrassed on opening day was enough to move Chicago close to the basement.

13. Philadelphia Union (+3) - 1-1-0 - When you are a new team and you are playing your first match at home there is a lot of pressure, good thing the Union have a guy who was used to being on a big stage in big matches.  So the first 3 goals in the Union's brief history all have come from former Sounder Sebastian Le Toux.  Going to TFC may not be as easy as beating up on DC United, who currently reside in the basement of my power rankings.

12. Chivas USA (+3) - 1-2-0 - When you face an undefeated team and you have lost two straight, a lot of pressure has to be on you.  When you have a new coach, and a lot of new players, you end up with a lot to prove, and Chivas proved that they might just not be ready to be written off just yet.

11. San Jose Earthquakes (+2) - 1-1-0 - Starting your season against the defending MLS Cup Champions and a team that played for the Eastern Conference Final is a tough start.  Getting a win against the Fire is good enough for me to think that maybe opening day was a little bit of a fluke but to crack the top 10 you will need to prove you can win at home, good thing you get that chance against a top 5 team the New England Revolution on Saturday.

10. Houston Dynamo (-4) - 1-1-1 - I dropped Houston because honestly they should be no better than 0-1-2, they were gifted a match against RSL and their lackluster performance against LA proved that without help the Dynamo might be missing Holden and Clark more than some think.  They get their 3rd straight home match this weekend as Chivas will look to make it 2-0 for the LA teams in Houston.

9. FC Dallas (+2) - 0-0-2 - So how can I put a team that hasn't won a match in front of several teams with wins?  Simple, they haven't been beaten, They faced the defending Supporter Shield winners and found a way to come from behind in the last minutes of their match to get a 2-2 draw with the Crew.  The only other team in the West without a loss are the LA Galaxy, so until someone beats the Hoops, I have to show them some love.

8. Colorado Rapids (-4) - 1-1-1 - I admit that I am not a fan of the Rapids, never have been and never will be, but after a hot start with a road win, they dropped down to a draw at home against the Fire, and now a loss at KC.  If the Rapids can do something impressive against TFC on Sunday, then maybe I will show them more respect.

7. Seattle Sounders FC (+1) -1-1-1 - Well I almost put Seattle higher but their win was against expansion side Philly, their loss was to a now human looking New York, and they failed to capitalize on a late lead in Salt Lake.   Saturday the Sounders will play host to the top team in the East, Kansas City, beat them and watch your stock rise.

6. Real Salt Lake (+1) - 1-1-1 - No team in MLS starts the season with 4 of 5 on the road other than RSL, no team in MLS will face as tough a schedule in their first 5 matches (4 teams that qualified for CONCACAF- Houston, Seattle, LA, Columbus).  That being said failing to win at home causes me not to move them higher, the late comeback and quality of play in their last two matches keeps me from dropping them lower.

5. New York Red Bulls (-3) - 2-1-0 - I thought New York had a chance to really jump out early, but Chivas surprised them and Bouna looked like the keeper that got benched in Colorado.  Now they get a chance to rebound in a hurry as they face FC Dallas at home on Saturday, and then Philly at home next weekend, win both of those and you will jump right back up towards the top.  Fail to win them and watch your star continue to fall.

4. New England (+5) - 2-1-0 - Once again a hot player who scores a couple goals in less than 5 minutes (actually 2 in 4, or 3 in 110 and it is enough for the win.  When you win two matches against the bottom two teams in the standings you can rise much further without a quality win.  I am not sure if a win over San Jose would say more about New England or more about San Jose, but both teams have something to prove.

3. Columbus Crew (+2) - 1-0-1 - Maybe I am being too nice to the Crew but a convincing win at home on the opener, and then almost pulling out a win on the road over FC Dallas are enough to make me remember there are only 3 teams without a loss so far. Columbus can prove a lot in two weeks when they try to avenge their playoff loss to RSL at Crew Stadium.  I am a bit confused why a team would have two of the first 4 weeks of the MLS season off, but you know that will catch up with them soon.

2. KC Wizards (+1) - 2-0-0 - Well people thought the win over DC United was a fluke and maybe it was, but then they beat Colorado and now they are at the top of the Eastern Conference.  They still haven't given up a goal, only one other team has done that and they are #1.  The Wiz now get to follow the emerald road to Seattle and will get a chance to really prove if they are the best in the East.

1. LA Galaxy (-) - 3-0-0 - David who?  Landon is there and so is the guy who was huge in 2008 Edson Buddle, who has scored all 5 of LA's goals.  I have to say if you asked me last month to pick a MLS player not currently on the USMNT heading into the World Cup, I wouldn't have even considered Buddle, now I have to say he not only has my attention but would be my choice.  Every team they have faced so far was a 2009 playoff team, and next up is the defending MLS Cup Champions, the team that crushed their dreams in Seattle.  RSL has had great success against LA at the HDC, so clearly if you want the match of the week this will be it.  It isn't MLS Cup II but it could be a huge match as far as sending an early message to the rest of the league.

There you go, my picks last week were horrible at best, there was a lot of movement at the top and bottom of the power rankings and as the early weeks of the schedule continue to go by things might clear up a bit.

OFF MY SOAPBOX