Remember that bit about our poll being somewhat rigid? Well, this week shows that we are capable of significant change. Teams were moving up and down, and not always for entirely sensical reasons.
MLS Power Rankings, Week 4: Yes, We Are Capable Of Change
Sporting KC is quickly closing in on No. 1 and the Galaxy are shooting in the opposite direction.
This week’s rankings are brought to you buy The Beastie Boys:
1. Real Salt Lake (Average ranking: 1.50; Last week: 1): Great teams don't necessarily have to dominate every week, but they do know how to get results. That's what RSL did on Saturday, twice falling behind the Timbers before pulling out an impressive road victory.
2. Sporting Kansas City (2.15; 4): The only team with a perfect record is starting to draw a lot of interest as our top team, with nine voters putting them at the top of their list. If they beat the Galaxy this week, that number will surely go up.
3. Seattle Sounders (2.92; 2): That loss to the Earthquakes was hardly encouraging, but they'll need a result against United if they are to maintain their lofty perch.
4. Houston Dynamo (5.58; 6): Managed to move up two spots without playing. Not bad work if you can get it.
5. LA Galaxy (5.77; 3): Still gotta believe they can turn this around, but that defense is a legitimate concern.
6. Colorado Rapids (6.69; 7): Oscar Pareja has the Rapids off to a 3-1-0 start. They win this week against RSL and they'll shoot up the charts.
7. FC Dallas (8.35; 5): That 4-1 loss to United was not pretty and it could have been even worse.
8. San Jose Earthquakes (8.50; 12): A win on the road against the Sounders made them the biggest riser of the week.
9. Vancouver Whitecaps (8.54; 10): Still undefeated and still rising, but that offense isn't quite clicking how we expected.
10. New York Red Bulls (8.96; 11): Don't look now but Thierry Henry is dominating opponents and the Red Bulls have scored nine goals in their last two games.
11. Portland Timbers (10.0; 9): Had RSL right where they wanted them ... and then they didn't.
12. Chicago Fire (10.5; 8): This is not the same team that was awful for most of last season, they keep telling us. Well, prove it.
13. Columbus Crew (11.54; 13): They beat TFC, but so is everyone other than the Galaxy.
14. D.C. United (12.00; 14): Absolutely crushed Dallas. Our voters response: meh.
15. New England Revolution (14.58; 18): This might seem like a low ranking, but let's keep in mind that a week ago the only debate was if they were the worst team in the league or just one of the worst.
16. Toronto FC (15.23; 15): Somehow they keep getting results in CCL play, but can't buy a point in MLS.
17. Philadelphia Union (15.81; 16): Much, much better than they were in their first three. But their offense is still non-existent.
18. Chivas USA (15.92; 17): Their early season schedule has been absolutely brutal, but they need to get results at home.
19. Montreal Impact (17.73; 19): Pity Donovan Ricketts, the guy is going to give up 70 goals if he plays in 30 games.
How the poll works: Each voter ranks the teams from 1-19. The teams are then ordered by average, with the lowest average going first and so on. The editor then splits the rankings into five tiers, looking for natural breaks in the averages.
Who participated: Jeremiah Oshan (SB Nation, soccer); Aaron Campeau (SB Nation, soccer); Ryan Rosenblatt (SB Nation, soccer); Drew Epperley (SB Nation, soccer); Jason Anderson (SB Nation, soccer); Martin Shatzer (Black and Red United); Scott Kessler (Brotherly Game); Denzel Eslinger (RSL Soapbox); Robert Jonas (Quake, Rattle and Goal); Daniel Robertson (Big D Soccer); Dave Clark and Josh Yockey (Sounder at Heart); Duncan Fletcher (Waking the Red), Steve Stoehr (The Bent Musket); Ben Schneider (Once a Metro); Alicia Ratterree (The Goat Parade); Brenton Walters (The Vancouver Whitecaps Offside); Geoff Gibson (Stumptown Footy); Sofiane Benzaza (Mount Royal Soccer); Alex Englen (The Daily Wiz); Tweed Thornton and Ryan Sealock (Hot Time In Old Town).
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