MLS Power Rankings After a Dramatic Week 12

Week 12 in MLS produced several dramatic upsets this past weekend which drastically altered the league standings. The Chicago Fire recovered from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 versus the Columbus Crew, the Montreal Impact squeezed out a 2-1 win over FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids edged the Vancouver Whitecaps. A few of the top sides in MLS failed to win, including last week's No. 1, the Seattle Sounders. Did they manage to keep hold of the top spot? Here are the MLS power rankings after Week 12.Begin Slideshow

Unpredictability Reigns in MLS, Giving the League Something Not Found in Europe

(Note: Rankings of the wealthiest soccer clubs are courtesy of Forbes.) There is little doubt that Major League Soccer is growing in popularity. Paul Kennedy of SoccerAmerica.com reported in April that through the first seven weeks of the season, attendance was up 16 percent across the league compared to last season. After nine weeks of the season, Kennedy reported that viewership of ESPN broadcasts of MLS matches is up 18 percent compared to 2014. Viewership of Fox Sports 1 matches is up 58 percent compared to matches on NBC Sports Network last season. Clearly then, MLS is moving in the right direction. This comes as a result of several factors. The expansion of the league into new markets desperate for soccer certainly plays a role in the above numbers. Increased and improved television coverage has made it easier and more enjoyable to watch the MLS from home. The quality of play in the league is constantly on the rise, as made apparent by the Montreal Impact's run to the CONCACAF Champions League Final, among other things.  But, as the 2015 MLS season continues, it is becoming more and more clear that one of the biggest factors in the success, excitement and growth of North ...

MLS Player Rankings: Kamara Moves Back to Top, Feilhaber Makes Big Gain

With 12 weeks of play in Major League Soccer in the books, it is becoming clearer who the top stars of the 2015 season are going to be.  During the 12th week of action across North America this weekend, players such as Kei Kamara, Sebastian Giovinco and Benny Feilhaber continued to star for their respective sides.  Due to their tremendous efforts on the field, the trio occupy three of the top four spots in the MLS Player Rankings. The other one is reserved for an attacker who had a rare off week.  Continue reading on to see which order these stars were aligned in on the list of the top 20 players in MLS.Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Philadelphia, Montreal Pairs Impress in Week 12

The bizarre results we witnessed across Major League Soccer last weekend continued in Week 12, as parity reigned supreme across North America.  The Philadelphia Union and Montreal Impact both earned impressive victories against two of the top sides in the league, while the Colorado Rapids pulled out a much-needed home victory against the Vancouver Whitecaps.  One team that is used to being represented at least once in our MLS Team of the Week also stood out in Week 12, as Sporting Kansas City took four points from a tough two-game stretch.  Two players from Philadelphia, Montreal and Sporting KC earned top marks after Week 12 as well as one standout midfielder from Colorado.  Due to a few extra-strong showings up top, we opted to use a 4-3-3 formation this week.  Continue reading to see which players qualified for our latest MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

Fans, Media and MLS Must Start Respecting the League’s History

Major League Soccer has grown significantly since its first season in 1996. However, there's still one niggling problem. MLS' history is often insulted and disregarded by the newer generation of fans, the media and even by the league itself. This must end if MLS wants to be taken seriously. There were some peculiarities in the early days of MLS, such as the 35-yard shootouts it adopted from the North American Soccer League to determine a winner. However, Alexi Lalas, Tab Ramos and a few of the league's former executives told Complex Sports' Doug Sibor that they liked how different MLS was at the time. One of those rules was made fun of in a video produced by MLS (via World Soccer Talk). 30 Rock's Judah Friedlander told a story involving the New York MetroStars' Eddie Gaven and a goal he scored against D.C. United in 2003 after head coach Bob Bradley exposed a loophole. MLS allowed for a fourth "goalkeeper only" substitution at the time, so in overtime, Bradley made Tim Howard an outfield player and made midfielder Mark Lisi the goalkeeper. Gaven came in as a substitute for Lisi, and then Howard went back in goal.  Friedlander goes on to slam Bradley in the video for exploiting this rule and labeled ...

MLS Player Rankings: Dempsey Stays on Top, Felipe Rises, Larin and Wondo Debut

The wild and wonderful world of Major League Soccer handed us some wacky results in Week 11, and it also saw a few unsung players step into the spotlight.  Due to the drop in production from some of the league's stars in Week 11, a few under-the-radar players were able to break into the league-wide conversation.  One top player who contributed to yet another goal for his side was Clint Dempsey, who remains atop the MLS Player Rankings for the second consecutive week.  Joining Dempsey on the list after Week 11 are guys like Cyle Larin and Chris Wondolowski, who have been consistent up top for their respective sides.  Continue reading on to see who else featured in this week's compilation of MLS' 20 best players. Begin Slideshow

MLS Power Rankings: Seattle Sounders Rise in Week 11

The MLS weekend is over and it produced the craziest, most dramatic set of matches this season. It was the perfect showcase of the league's parity. The Seattle Sounders turned heads with their 2-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, one of the hottest teams in the first half of the campaign. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union, New York City FC and the Montreal Impact all recorded points. Their results, as well as Seattle's, have significantly altered the power rankings.Here are the power rankings for MLS for Week 11.Begin Slideshow

Los Angeles Galaxy Upload ‘Highlights’ of Their 4-0 Defeat to Orlando City

The Los Angeles Galaxy fell 4-0 to Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Sunday, but at least the club took the embarrassing scoreline in perfect stride.  The Galaxy uploaded their official "match highlights" of the match to their YouTube channel, but the video was not-so-suspiciously devoid of any actual highlights.  They've taken a page out of the Doncaster Rovers' playbook.  [LA Galaxy, h/t Sports Joe]Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Union Moving Forward After Rais MBolhi Transfer Disaster

CHESTER, PA—As Zach Pfeffer placed his 93rd-minute strike into the back of the net on Sunday night, the crowd at PPL Park, who experienced a wide range of emotions in the three hours prior, erupted in celebration of a long-awaited Philadelphia Union victory.  The goal from the homegrown player was a perfect end to a dramatic week around the grounds of PPL Park that featured a fan protest against ownership and a dramatic match against D.C. United.  The Union, who entered the match with one win and six points from 11 matches, were marred by a traumatic stigma surrounding their goalkeeping situation for quite some time before manager Jim Curtin officially declared Rais MBolhi would no longer be a part of the team's plans ahead of the team's trip to Vancouver last week.  MBolhi, who starred for Algeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, inked a deal with the Union during the 2014 summer transfer window and debuted near the end of August.  From the start of his Union career, Mbolhi's transfer to Major League Soccer was greeted with nothing but skepticism since the club already had two capable goalkeepers on its roster in Zac MacMath and Andre Blake.  Part of the reason why the ...

MLS Team of the Week: Orlando, Montreal and Seattle Stars Shine in Week 11

Major League Soccer's 11th week of action in 2015 was by far its craziest and most unpredictable.  Over the span of five days, plenty of unlikely results were produced, as well as some top performances from fringe players. The two biggest upsets in Week 11 were delivered by the Montreal Impact and Orlando City. The Philadelphia Union also earned an upset of sorts on their home field.  One club that didn't stray from the path this weekend was the Seattle Sounders, who outclassed Vancouver Whitecaps from start to finish. The four clubs combined to put eight players in this week's edition of the MLS Team of the Week. Continue reading to see who else joined that group of standout stars from Week 11.Begin Slideshow