Seattle Sounders Still a Work in Progress Heading into Cascadia Cup Clash

Sometimes winning can cure everything for a team in turmoil. But for the Seattle Sounders, their 5-0 home win over FC Dallas on Wednesday night was just a temporary bandage that covered a litany of issues that still linger around the ninth-place club in the Western Conference.  Sure, the optics look great for the struggling Sounders since they thoroughly defeated the club that will probably win the Supporters' Shield, but the three points at CenturyLink Field also came at a steep price.  Star forward Clint Dempsey, who isn't exactly the coolest head in the Sounders lineup, was sent off in the first half for putting his hands in the face of Juan Esteban Ortiz. Dempsey is now unavailable for the vital rivalry clash with the Portland Timbers on Sunday at Providence Park.  Earning a victory against a depleted FC Dallas side is one thing, but picking up three points on the road against a hated rival has the potential to turn around the dismal season in Seattle. However, achieving that feat will be quite the task given the problems the Sounders still need to address.  The top immediate issue at hand is replacing Dempsey in one of Major League Soccer's top environments. Providence Park is ...

MLS Player Rankings: Ola Kamara Rises to Top; Lampard, Keane Debut

Since the resumption of play in Major League Soccer after the Copa America Centenario break, a few attackers have gone on impressive scoring runs.  The Columbus Crew's Ola Kamara and New York City FC's Frank Lampard are two of the high-profile stars who have been on the national radar since the Copa due to their scoring prowess.  In addition to Kamara and Lampard, a few other players have flown under the radar since June 18 for their respective clubs. Four of the five new entrants in our MLS Player Rankings have caught fire in front of the net since the Copa, while the other is in terrific defensive form. Our player rankings take into account the last four matches a player has participated in, with the most recent game carrying more weight. Continue reading to see who ended up where in the Week 18 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Feilhaber, Ilsinho, Doyle Star in Week 18

Major League Soccer produced a rare set of results in Week 18 as eight of the 20 clubs that took to the pitch were shut out.  Due to the high number of clean sheets, we found a way to put five defenders in the Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week for the first time in 2016. Despite the high number of zeroes across the league scoreboard, there were a handful of solid attacking performances in Week 18. Benny Feilhaber, Ilsinho and Kevin Doyle were among the top attackers over the last three days in the North American top flight.  Continue reading to see who was named to the latest Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week.Begin Slideshow

Kei Kamara Focused on Getting Revolution on Right Track Against Former Club

In advance of Saturday's Major League Soccer clash between the New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew, much has been made about the presence of Kei Kamara in the New England lineup.  Kamara, who played 41 matches in a Columbus shirt, isn't worried about facing his former side. The 31-year-old forward is more focused on earning three points to get the Revolution back on track.  "It’s not Kei Kamara vs. Columbus Crew," Kamara told Bleacher Report. "It’s the Revs against the Columbus Crew."  "I do have one or two good relationships with the players over there, but it’s only been a couple of months since I left the team," Kamara said. "It’s about me being focused. It’s not really too much about what goes on outside or anything else. If my team can get three points out of the day, it’s going to make me a lot more happier."  The approach may stun some outsiders given the tense situation in which the forward left Columbus. Kamara was shipped to New England five days after arguing with Federico Higuain over who should take a penalty in the Crew's home match with the Montreal Impact.  At the time of the deal, Columbus boss Gregg Berhalter told Andrew ...

MLS Player Rankings: Piatti, Diaz, Villa Surge Near Top After Week 17

Plenty has changed in Major League Soccer since the last edition of our MLS Player Rankings came out before the Copa America Centenario.  In the matches since the Copa break, New York City FC have surged to the top of the Eastern Conference, and a few attackers have caught fire in front of the net.  Because some of the top players on this list have played less than four games since the revival of the MLS schedule on June 18, we are still taking into account some pre-Copa performances, as we use the last four matches to judge each player.  Although many players have faded from the top 20 since the start of the season, one has been a constant near the top of our list of the best players MLS has to offer at the moment. That midfielder is the new No. 1 heading into the second week of July.  Continue reading to see who grabbed the top position in the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings after Week 17. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: FC Dallas Trio, Pair of Rookies Shine in Week 17

All sorts of statements were made during Major League Soccer's four-day slate over Independence Day weekend.  FC Dallas caught the attention of many on a team level for their 4-0 thrashing of Orlando City on the Fourth of July at Toyota Stadium. Oscar Pareja's men held the Lions to zero shots on goal in the victory.  On an individual level, a pair of rookie scorers burst on to the national scene for New York City FC and the Montreal Impact. A pair of strikers named Kamara also celebrated the holiday weekend in style with two goals each.  Our MLS Team of the Week is shaped in a 4-3-3 formation to accommodate all of the splendid goalscoring outings from attack-minded players.  Continue reading to see who was named to the latest Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week.Begin Slideshow

MLS Players Union Sued by 3 American Youth Soccer Clubs: Details and Comments

Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, DeAndre Yedlin and the Major League Soccer Players Union have all been named as defendants in a class-action lawsuit filed by three youth soccer clubs. According to Vice Sports' Jorge Arangure Jr., the Dallas Texans; Crossfire Premiere of Redmond, Washington; and Sockers FC of Chicago are seeking to "recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars in training and solidarity fees" after they were not afforded the ability to claim monetary benefits when players such as Bradley, Dempsey and Yedlin transferred internationally. However, a spokesman for the plaintiffs released a statement Friday that indicated the United States men's national team stars wouldn't be part of the legal process for long, per Arangure. Rather, the statement pointed out that "the U.S. youth clubs had to name the players, Dempsey, Yedlin and Bradley, as well as the defendant class of players, solely for a legal reason to maintain the complaint." According to Arangure, the court's decision could have far-reaching consequences if it sides with the youth clubs: Dempsey suited up with the Texans during his developmental days, while Yedlin and Bradley played for the Crossfire and Sockers, respectively. All three players proceeded to make trips across the pond to play professionally in some of the world's ...

Grading the MLS Teams Midway Through the 2016 Season

If it feels like the first half of the Major League Soccer season has flown by, it has.  Before the league embarks on a busy July schedule in which most of the 20 clubs will play five or more matches, we wanted to take a look back at the opening four months of the regular season. We opted to grade each MLS squad in four categories. The offensive grade was determined by goals scored, diversity in production and attacking chemistry. Our defensive category took into account goals against, clean sheets and a variety of little things that give each club an advantage.  In addition to the two main areas of play, we graded each manager for his tactical decisions and talent acquisitions as well as the team for its performance as a unit.  Continue reading to see what grades were handed out to the 20 sides in MLS.Begin Slideshow