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MLS Power Ranking Averages - Week 1
Welcome to another year of Power Ranking Averages! Most people either like them, hate them or are indifferent; but just about everyone can agree that it's great fodder for debate, which is the point of it after all. I started this project back in 2012 after getting frustrated by the wide range of ranks among the various sites, as such I figured the best way to get a more accurate Power Ranking would be to just average all of the sites I could find.
Most sites tend to come and go, usually lasting about half of the season; I may start with 15+ and end with 7-8, but as long as sites continue to publish their rankings I shall endeavor to average them.
Here's a reminder of the Power Ranking "Guidelines":
"If two teams played tomorrow, given their current injury concerns, form, and other considerations, who is likely to win on a neutral field? This list is designed to tell you who we feel is most likely to win that match-up. All things being equal, who is the best team going forward, based on what we know now?"
-Richard Farley, NBC Sports ProSoccerTalk. 3/11/14
Sites Used:
- Major League Soccer (www.mlssoccer.com/news/power-rankings)
- Soccer by Ives (www.sbisoccer.com/sbi-mls-power-rankings)
- Soccer America (www.socceramerica.com)
- ESPN (espnfc.us/major-league-soccer)
- Seattle Times Blog (seattletimes.com/sports/matt-pentzs-mls-power-rankings)
- MLS GB (mlsbg.com/tag/power-rankings)
- Black & Red United (www.blackandredunited.com)
- Sports Illustrated (www.soccer.si.com)
- Examiner (examiner.com/topic/power-rankings)
- The Mane Land (themaneland.com)
- Who Scored 'team rating' (whoscored.com/Regions/233/Tournaments/85/USA-Major-League-Soccer)
- Playing for 90 (playingfor90.com)
You may notice several 'team specific' sites used; yes they will at times be a bit more biased for/against certain teams, as such the averages use the Olympic Method of dropping the highest and lowest scores, and averaging the rest to compensate for possible bias. Each week I'll also be listing the sites closest and furthest from average to show which are more biased than others.
As with previous years, if you know of a site that I have not listed, please let me know in the comments below and I'll add it!
Weekly Power Ranking Averages
Using the "Olympic" method of dropping the highest / lowest scores, and averaging the rest.
Wk 1 |
Preseason |
Team |
W1 Avg | Preseason | 2014 Avg |
Worst |
Best |
Range |
1 |
3 |
Seattle | 1.20 |
1.80 |
4.04 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Los Angeles | 1.80 |
1.60 |
6.77 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
Toronto | 3.10 | 6.40 | 7.47 | 6 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
D.C. | 5.10 |
6.00 |
12.15 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
Dallas | 5.10 |
5.00 | 7.09 | 8 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
Kansas City | 7.60 | 6.20 | 4.45 | 15 |
6 |
9 |
7 |
13 |
Houston | 7.90 | 10.80 | 9.48 | 14 |
4 |
10 |
8 |
6 |
Salt Lake | 9.30 |
6.60 |
2.94 |
13 |
6 |
7 |
9 |
11 |
New York RB | 10.10 |
10.40 |
11.07 |
14 |
7 |
7 |
10 |
13 |
Orlando | 11.20 |
10.20 |
N/A | 18 |
5 |
13 |
11 |
1 |
New England | 11.40 |
1.20 |
11.50 |
20 |
4 |
16 |
12 |
12 |
Portland | 11.50 |
9.20 |
11.34 |
14 |
7 |
7 |
12 |
4 |
Columbus | 11.50 |
3.80 |
8.97 |
15 |
5 |
10 |
13 |
15 |
New York FC | 12.70 |
12.00 |
N/A | 16 |
9 |
7 |
14 |
9 |
Vancouver | 14.00 |
7.00 |
7.40 |
18 |
10 |
8 |
15 |
16 |
Philadelphia | 15.20 | 12.60 | 11.33 | 19 |
10 |
9 |
16 |
20 |
Colorado | 15.70 | 15.00 | 9.66 | 20 |
12 |
8 |
17 |
17 |
Montreal | 17.50 |
13.60 | 17.67 | 19 |
13 |
6 |
18 |
19 |
San Jose | 18.20 |
15.00 | 14.44 | 20 |
16 |
4 |
19 |
18 |
Chicago | 19.50 |
13.00 |
15.61 |
20 |
17 |
3 |
Site Evaluations
Each site's ranking is compared to the weekly averages above. The best and worst # of matches is indicated.
Site |
# Exact |
1 off |
2 off |
3 off | 4 off |
5+ off |
Major League Soccer | 5 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
Soccer by Ives | 7 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
Soccer America | 7 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
ESPN | 8 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
Seattle Times | 5 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
MLS GB | 3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
Black & Red United | 7 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
Sports Illustrated | 7 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
Examiner | 4 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
The Mane Land | 3 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
Who Scored | 5 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
Playing for 90 | 7 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
Season Wk 1 Power Ranking
Wk 1 |
Preseason |
Team |
W1 Avg | Preseason | 2014 Avg |
2013 Avg |
2012 Avg |
1 |
3 |
Seattle | 1.20 |
1.80 |
4.04 |
9.36 |
4.39 |
2 |
2 |
Los Angeles | 1.80 |
1.60 |
6.77 |
5.14 |
2.46 |
3 |
10 |
Toronto | 3.10 | 6.4 | 7.47 | 16.85 |
10.96 |
4 |
6 |
D.C. | 5.10 |
6.00 |
12.15 |
17.29 |
9.33 |
4 |
5 |
Dallas | 5.10 |
5.00 | 7.09 | 8.78 |
17.17 |
6 |
8 |
Kansas City | 7.60 |
6.20 |
4.45 |
4.45 |
3.09 |
7 |
13 |
Houston | 7.90 | 10.80 | 9.48 | 7.74 |
6.29 |
8 |
6 |
Salt Lake | 9.30 |
6.60 |
2.94 |
4.52 |
8.40 |
9 |
11 |
New York RB | 10.10 |
10.40 |
11.07 |
6.38 |
7.23 |
10 |
13 |
Orlando | 11.20 |
10.20 |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
11 |
1 |
New England | 11.40 |
1.20 |
11.50 |
12.35 |
14.84 |
12 |
12 |
Portland | 11.50 |
9.20 |
11.34 |
5.73 |
13.89 |
12 |
4 |
Columbus | 11.50 |
3.80 |
8.97 |
12.89 |
9.46 |
14 |
15 |
New York FC | 12.70 |
12.00 |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
15 |
9 |
Vancouver | 14.00 |
7.00 |
7.40 |
10.41 |
7.87 |
16 |
16 |
Philadelphia | 15.20 | 12.60 | 11.33 | 10.53 |
15.70 |
17 |
20 |
Colorado | 15.70 | 15.00 | 9.66 | 9.79 |
10.06 |
18 |
17 |
Montreal | 17.50 |
13.60 | 17.67 | 5.32 |
15.74 |
19 |
19 |
San Jose | 18.20 |
15.00 | 14.44 | 12.34 |
4.86 |
20 |
18 |
Chicago | 19.50 |
13.00 |
15.61 |
14.27 |
13.07 |
Team High / Low
Best and worst placement for each team in weekly and season position, avg rank total for weekly and season.
Team |
Weekly Worst |
Weekly Best |
Highest Wk. Avg. |
Lowest Wk. Avg. |
Season Best |
Season Worst |
Highest Seas. Avg |
Lowest Seas. Avg |
Chicago Fire |
20 |
17 |
19.50 | 19.50 | 20 |
20 |
19.50 | 19.50 |
Colorado Rapids |
20 |
12 |
15.70 | 15.70 | 17 |
17 |
15.70 | 15.70 |
Columbus Crew |
15 |
5 |
11.50 | 11.50 | 12 |
12 |
11.50 | 11.50 |
D.C. United |
8 |
2 |
5.10 | 5.10 | 4 |
4 |
5.10 | 5.10 |
FC Dallas |
8 |
3 |
5.10 | 5.10 | 4 |
4 |
5.10 | 5.10 |
Houston Dynamo |
14 |
4 |
7.90 | 7.90 | 7 |
7 | 7.90 | 7.90 |
LA Galaxy |
4 |
1 |
1.80 | 1.80 | 2 |
2 |
1.80 | 1.80 |
Montreal Impact |
19 |
13 |
17.50 | 17.50 | 18 |
18 |
17.50 | 17.50 |
New England Revolution |
20 |
4 |
11.40 | 11.40 | 11 |
11 |
11.40 | 11.40 |
New York City FC |
16 |
9 |
12.70 | 12.70 | 14 | 14 |
12.70 | 12.70 |
New York Red Bulls |
14 |
7 |
10.10 | 10.10 | 9 |
9 |
10.10 | 10.10 |
Orlando SC |
18 |
5 |
11.20 | 11.20 | 10 |
10 |
11.20 | 11.20 |
Philadelphia Union |
19 |
10 |
15.20 | 15.20 | 16 |
16 |
15.20 | 15.20 |
Portland Timbers |
14 |
7 |
11.50 | 11.50 | 12 |
12 |
11.50 | 11.50 |
Real Salt Lake |
13 |
6 |
9.30 | 9.30 | 8 |
8 |
9.30 | 9.30 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
20 |
16 |
18.20 | 18.20 | 19 |
19 |
18.20 | 18.20 |
Seattle Sounders |
2 |
1 |
1.20 | 1.20 | 1 |
1 |
1.20 | 1.20 |
Sporting Kansas City |
15 |
6 |
7.60 | 7.60 | 6 |
6 |
7.60 | 7.60 |
Toronto FC |
6 |
3 |
3.10 | 3.10 | 3 |
3 |
3.10 | 3.10 |
Vancouver Whitecaps |
18 |
10 |
14.00 | 14.00 | 15 |
15 |
14.00 | 14.00 |