In SB Nation's final Major League Soccer Power Rankings, we finally agreed on two things: The Los Angeles Galaxy are the best team and the Seattle Sounders are second best. After that, though, we rarely agreed and continue to disagree.
Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Final Edition: Galaxy Are Consensus No. 1
SB Nation’s soccer editors agree on the top two teams in our MLS Power Rankings, but disagree on just about everything else.
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Even all the way down at the bottom of the poll, there were some minor differences. While most believe the New England Revolution are the worst team, there were six others who believed otherwise.
Our No. 3 team, Sporting Kansas City, was ranked anywhere from third to sixth, FC Dallas was ranked as high as third and as low as eighth and the Houston Dynamo were anywhere from fifth to 11th.
Looked at it another way, as we head into the MLS Cup playoffs, we seem to think the field is pretty open, at least on the Eastern side of the bracket.
(Note: All explanations written by Jeremiah Oshan unless otherwise noted)
1. Galaxy: After putting together one of the greatest regular seasons in MLS history, it’s no question they consistently topped our charts. Finishing as a consensus No. 1 seems fitting.
2. Sounders: They led the league in goals and went 18-5-7 and claimed 61 points over their final 30 matches. That’s basically a Supporters’ Shield winning campaign every year. This year it was second best. Go figure.
3. Sporting KC: After going 1-6-3 on their season-opening 10-game road trip, it was tempting to count them out. But they finished on an impressive 12-3-9 run that makes them the clear favorite to win the East.
4. Real Salt Lake: What to make of the team many expected to compete for multiple trophies this year? They finished the season winless in their final six (0-4-2), but should be as close to full strength for the playoffs as they've been since Javier Morales was hurt on May 7.
5. FC Dallas: A 4-2 loss to one of the worst teams in the league is no way to go into the playoffs, but this team needed the rest it got by leaving many of its starters at home for that one. Their 3-7-1 closing stretch is certainly cause for concern, but now we’ll find out just how much.
6. Union: For all the plaudits they’ve received over their improvement from a year ago, this team won just three times since July 17 (3-4-8). It should come as little surprise that our voters are not entirely convinced.
7. Rapids: Playing in CONCACAF Champions League seemed to derail what was looking to be a promising season, but injuries have taken their toll as well. They did manage to go unbeaten in their final four (2-0-2).
8. Dynamo: Shocking as it may be, this is the No. 2 seed in the East despite just two road wins all season. They probably enter their matchup with the Union as the underdog.
9. Crew: There’s not a lot to love here, but you have to respect their ability to get results. They are the only team in the playoffs with a negative goal-difference (-1).
10. Fire: A late season run was not enough to put them in the playoffs, but half of our voters considered them at least the 10th best team and one had them as high as No. 6.
11. Red Bulls: Disappointing does not really begin to explain their season. The beauty of the playoffs is that they can still salvage it. The horror of the playoffs is that they don’t deserve to.
12. Timbers: Compared to any other expansion team not called the Sounders, this is a very impressive debut. It sure would have been neat to see what Jeld-Wen Field looked like for a playoff game.
13. DC United: In late September, just about everyone thought this was a playoff team. But a six-game winless run to close out the season (0-5-1) ruined any hopes of an epic worst-to-first turnaround.
14. Chivas USA: Quietly put together a solid season that had them even on goal-difference up until the final game. Something to build off, to be sure, but still a ways to go.
15. Toronto FC: Undeniably a step forward for a franchise that none-the-less continued their MLS-record run for missing the playoffs. Only one other team has gone as many as three straight years without making it, they are now on five.
16. Earthquakes: While thumping a team bound for the postseason by a score of 4-2 would normally be cause for celebration, FC Dallas came into Buck Shaw Stadium with a reserve line-up and little incentive to relinquish its top wildcard seeding and a chance to face the least of the East in the MLS Cup playoffs, and the only consolation for the Earthquakes was that they go into the off season on a positive note. Chris Wondolowski coming up one goal short in his quest for back-to-back Golden Boot awards put a damper on the end of season festivities, but signaled that the striker was not a one-hit wonder with his 2010 performance, and big things will be expected from Wondo in 2012. - Robert Jonas, Quake, Rattle and Goal
17. Whitecaps: We’re the worst team in the league! Zero wins on the road, fewest goals scored, and some really shambolic play this year mean the Whitecaps ended the season in last place, tied on points with New England but behind because of our head-to-head record. Awesome. - Brenton Walters, Vancouver Offside
18. Revolution: With all due respect to the Whitecaps, our voters believed the Revs were just a little bit worse. They had the fewest wins in the league and probably get demerit points for having a generally poor product.
How It Works: Each of the 22 participants ranks Major League Soccer’s clubs 1-18. The order is based on the average of those rankings.
Who participated: Jeremiah Oshan (SB Nation, soccer); Kevin McCauley (SB Nation, soccer); Aaron Campeau (SB Nation, soccer); Ryan Rosenblatt (SB Nation, soccer); Drew Epperley (SB Nation, soccer); Phillip Quinn (SB Nation, soccer); Steve Davis (Daily Soccer Fix); Martin Shatzer (Black and Red United); Scott Kessler (Brotherly Game); Zach Woosley (Dynamo Theory); Denzel Eslinger (RSL Soapbox); Robert Jonas (Quake, Rattle and Goal); Daniel Robertson (Big D Soccer); Dave Clark (Sounder at Heart); Duncan Fletcher (Waking the Red), Steve Stoehr (The Bent Musket); Tweed Thornton (Hot Time in Old Town), Ben Schneider (Once a Metro); Josie Bekcer (LAG Confidential); Alicia Ratterree (The Goat Parade); Brenton Walters (The Vancouver Whitecaps Offside).
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