Ultimate Guide to MLS Weekend: Can NYCFC Fix Early-Season Issues?

New York City FC have played 42 Major League Soccer matches in their short existence. In those contests, the second-year side has 11 wins, 20 losses and 11 draws that amount to 41 points.  In addition to the lack of results, the sister club of Manchester City fired a rising American manager in Jason Kreis and replaced him with Patrick Vieira. NYCFC also signed Frank Lampard and Mix Diskerud to big-name deals.  If we use the current sample size of production and influence on the pitch, Lampard and Diskerud are two of the most overrated players in MLS. You can also make a good case that Lampard, the former Chelsea legend, is the worst designated-player signing in league history. The good news when it comes to big names in the NYCFC midfield is Andrea Pirlo has adjusted to the league after a full offseason at the club. He may not be a box-to-box workhorse, but he has delivered a good amount of quality in 2016.  The issues don't end in midfield, as NYCFC have displayed countless deficiencies in the back four, and they have built a reputation of conceding late and failing to earn three points when ahead during the closing stages of the ...

MLS Power Rankings: The Colorado Rapids’ Surprise Run Continues

There were some big surprise victories this week in Major League Soccer this week.   These victories skyrocketed some teams in the latest power rankings. As always, the following criteria were used to grade every team: Form over the last five games Injuries/absences Quality of a team's most recent performance Games in hand (if applicable) Here is where every team stands after the latest round of matches.Begin Slideshow

MLS Player Rankings: Giovinco Rises to Top, dos Santos Debuts High on List

The big-name players in Major League Soccer are beginning to round into form as the second month of the 2016 campaign winds down.  Sebastian Giovinco and Giovani dos Santos were the standout stars of Week 8, as they produced impressive attacking performances for Toronto FC and the LA Galaxy, respectively.  Giovinco's two-goal showing against the Montreal Impact helped him move to the top of our MLS Player Rankings, while dos Santos' terrific two-week spell in the Galaxy attack allowed him to make a high debut on the list of the top in-form players in MLS.  Our player rankings take into account the last four games individuals participated in, with the most recent match holding the most importance.  Continue reading to see which players joined Giovinco and dos Santos in our MLS Player Rankings after Week 8.Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Red Bulls and Galaxy Stars Lead Week 8’s Best XI

The marquee clubs in Major League Soccer stole the headlines in Week 8 as the LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls combined for eight goals on Saturday and Sunday.  Due to the offensive outbursts on each coast, five players from the two big-name franchises found their way into the latest Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week.  In addition to the stars from New York and LA, Toronto FC placed a pair into our weekly best XI that is shaped in a 3-4-3 formation to accommodate a bevy of impressive attacking performances from Week 8. Continue reading to see which 11 players earned Team of the Week honors after a full weekend of play in MLS.Begin Slideshow

MLS Power Rankings: Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas Solidify the Top Spots

A jam-packed week in MLS has come to an end, and two teams in particular have reinforced their status in the latest power rankings. Six clubs played multiple games this week, so a few sides have games in hand on the rest of the league. Therefore, the following criteria will be used to grade every team: Form over the last five games Injuries/absences Quality of a team's most recent performance Games in hand (if applicable) Here are the latest MLS power rankings.Begin Slideshow

MLS Player Rankings: Adi Moves to Top, Maund, Meram Debut

Choosing the top player in our latest Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings was a difficult task. Each of the four attackers at the top of the chart has a valid argument to be in the No. 1 position following Week 7, but that doesn't mean just four players are thriving across MLS. For the third straight week, we had at least six new entrants into the list of the league's 20 best in-form players, including one defender who is surprising many with his early-season performances.  Our player rankings take into account the last four games individuals participated in, with the most recent match holding the most importance.  Continue reading to see which 20 players landed in the latest MLS Player Rankings. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Dos Santos, Jones, Piatti, Adi Star in Week 7

The headline-makers during Week 7 of the Major League Soccer season were household names to many watching the 10-game weekend slate. Giovani dos Santos set the tone for the weekend with a brace in the Los Angeles Galaxy's blowout win over Houston on Friday night.  Jermaine Jones made noise in his season debut with the Colorado Rapids by playing a role in each of the team's strikes in a victory over the New York Red Bulls.  Although Week 7 belonged to the big-name attackers, a few teams put in tremendous performances in the back line. Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC both placed two players in our Bleacher Report Team of the Week because of their defensive contributions.  Read on to see which 11 players were named to the Week 7 edition of the B/R MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

Ultimate Guide to MLS Weekend: Wondolowski 1 Strike Away from Goal Milestone

Major League Soccer prides itself on week-to-week unpredictability and parity from top to bottom, but the one constant that hasn't changed over the last seven seasons is Chris Wondolowski's knack for scoring goals.  The San Jose Earthquakes forward can jump into sole possession of fourth place on the MLS all-time scoring chart with a tally on Saturday in Portland. Wondolowski moved level with Ante Razov on 114 goals with his strike in San Jose's 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday.  The 33-year-old striker usually doesn't produce tallies that end up on the weekly highlight reel, but he does find the back of the net on a consistent basis like no other player has been able to.  Starting with his 18 goals in 2010, Wondolowski has reached the double-digit goal mark in six consecutive years. If his current pace keeps up, the San Jose forward will extend that streak to seven years before the summer begins.  The veteran forward receives plenty of criticism from the United States men's national team fan base for his lack of production at the international level, but he has never let those performances affect him in MLS.  Some may say if you've seen one Wondo goal, you've ...

MLS Power Rankings: The Western Conference Rules the Top 3

There were plenty of big results in MLS this past weekend, with a couple of rivalry games influencing the latest power rankings. A few teams were missing a few starters, and they also have games in hand this early in the campaign. Therefore, the following criteria will be used to grade each club: Form over the last five games Injuries/absences Quality of a team's most recent performance Games in hand (if applicable) Here is where every team stands after the weekend.Begin Slideshow

MLS Player Rankings: Plata Stays Top, Wondo, Adi, Dwyer Surge into Top 10

Week 6 certainly wasn't the flashiest week of the Major League Soccer season to date, but it saw a few big-name attackers score meaningful tallies.  Five of the top seven players in our latest Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings found the back of the net over the weekend.  Due to the absence of some stars from the pitches across the United States and Canada in Week 6, we witnessed plenty of fluctuation in the top 10.  Our player rankings take into account the last four performances of everyone in MLS, with the most recent showing carrying the most importance. Continue reading to see which 20 players secured a spot on our list of the best in-form players in MLS. Begin Slideshow