MLS Player Rankings: Lampard, Giovinco Dominate Headlines After Week 21

The two players dominating the headlines in Major League Soccer at the moment are names we're used to seeing on the marquee.  Frank Lampard and Sebastian Giovinco have taken the league by storm in recent weeks due to their performances in front of the net.  One week after Giovinco busted out of his slump with a hat-trick, Lampard extended his terrific form with a three-goal performance.  Joining the dynamic pair near the top the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings are a record-setting goalscorer and one of the best defenders in the league. Our player rankings take into account the last four performances from a certain player, with the most recent one holding more weight. Continue reading to see which players landed where in the Week 21 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Lampard, Giovinco Star in Week 21

Just like it was a week ago, Week 21 in Major League Soccer belonged to a few of the world's best players. Frank Lampard, who is in scorching-hot form for New York City FC, produced a hat-trick in the opening match of the weekend, while Sebastian Giovinco contributed to all three of Toronto FC's tallies against Columbus Crew on Sunday. In addition to the stellar performances put in by two of MLS' megastars, a few young players shone up top for their respective sides and a debutant handed a struggling side some hope for the future. Continue reading to see who was named to the Week 21 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week.Begin Slideshow

Breaking Down the MLS Playoff Races After the All-Star Break

Now that the excitement of the Major League Soccer All-Star Game is behind us, it's time to get down to business. Over the next three months, we'll find out who is worthy of earning the six playoff positions in the Eastern and Western Conferences.  Per the usual trend, the West is the more difficult of the two conferences once again in 2016. The West contains a few clear-cut MLS Cup favorites, while the East is still sorting itself out.  Below, we'll take a look at the playoff picture in each conference, starting in the East, and predict which six teams we think will qualify for the postseason.      Eastern Conference New York City FC are the surprise leaders heading into the final weekend of July. Patrick Vieira's men have climbed into the top spot on 33 points thanks to a tremendous road record of 6-4-1.  In order to continue their pace at the top, City must extend their road form into August, September and October, and they must also improve on their 3-3-5 home mark.  Unlike a few other clubs in the East, NYCFC don't have a long stretch of matches at, or away from, Yankee Stadium for the rest of the regular season, which may suit ...

MLS Player Rankings: Piatti, Kljestan Climb High, BWP, Drogba, Giovinco Return

Week 20 in Major League Soccer gave us a good idea of which clubs will be contenders over the final three months of the season. The weekend slate of matches also gave us a preview of which stars will be dominating the headlines during the stretch run of the regular season.  Ignacio Piatti, Sacha Kljestan, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Didier Drogba and Sebastian Giovinco stood out the most for their respective performances in the Eastern Conference.  Wright-Phillips, Drogba and Giovinco all moved back into the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings thanks to their exploits on the pitch in Week 20, while Piatti and Kljestan continued their rise to the top.  Continue reading to see which players landed where in our MLS Player Rankings after Week 20.Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Giovinco, BWP, Drogba Shine in Week of the Striker

Week 20 in Major League Soccer belonged to the strikers.  Didier Drogba and Sebastian Giovinco both netted hat-tricks north of the border in Canada for their respective sides, while Bradley Wright-Phillips extended his ridiculous form in the New York derby on Sunday.  The performances from the forward position were so good in Week 20 that we had to leave one player out of our Bleacher Report Team of the Week.  We shaped our Week 20 best XI in a 4-3-3 due to the plethora of impressive attacking performances.  Continue reading to see who else was named to the Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week.Begin Slideshow

New York Derby Growing in Hate but Not in Competitiveness After 2 Years

HARRISON, N.J. — The hate and passion are evident in the New York derby.  All you have to do to realize that is look at the comments New York City FC boss Patrick Vieira made about New York Red Bulls manager Jesse Marsch after the Red Bulls' 4-1 win at Red Bull Arena on Sunday.  The former Arsenal midfielder accused Marsch of influencing the decisions of referee Mark Geiger due to comments he made during the week about refereeing in Major League Soccer. “The referees, they all have the same rules," Vieira said. "They all read the paper like everybody else so we’re talking about all of them. You get influenced by what you read and what you hear. And I don’t think it’s appropriate to come out in a week when there’s a derby and there’s a reason why you can not." "We just feel like we don't ever get the benefit of the doubt," Marsch said on Thursday, per Daniel Falkenheim of NJ.com. "I'm waiting for the referees, I'm waiting for anyone to recognize the fact that we have an honest team, that plays in an honest way, and gets punished for calls, for plays, for penalties, the whole bit, across the board and we ...

Sunday’s New York Derby the Most Important in Rivalry’s Short History

Major League Soccer's youngest and fastest-growing derby takes center stage for the final time during the regular season Sunday at Red Bull Arena as the New York Red Bulls host New York City FC.  It may be difficult to call Sunday's meeting between the two Eastern Conference titans the most important in the rivalry's history given the short span they have been pitted against each other, but three points for either Jesse Marsch's or Patrick Vieira's side could be crucial in building momentum in the playoff race and in the rivalry itself.  As hard as it may be to imagine, especially after their rocky start, NYCFC enter Sunday as the favorite to capture a victory in the final New York derby of the regular season. City carry a three-point advantage over the second-place Philadelphia Union into the weekend, and they have opened up a five-point gap on the Red Bulls.  Vieira and company also come into Red Bull Arena with a road record that could turn into one of the best in the league's 21-year history. City are 6-3-1 on their travels this season with a baffling home mark of 3-3-5 in a league where home field usually is a difference-maker.  Since the Copa ...

MLS Player Rankings: Diaz Goes Top, Lampard Continues Surge Up List

The presence of Mauro Diaz, Frank Lampard and countless others in their respective Major League Soccer lineups has altered results over the last few weeks.  The majority of players listed in the Week 19 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings carry the same game-changing qualities.  We also witnessed the opposite end of the spectrum with some stars in Week 19, especially in Portland and Montreal. Without their key playmakers in the lineup for specific games over the last seven days, both teams dropped points at home.  Our MLS player rankings take into account the last four performances from a certain player, with the most recent showing carrying the most importance. Since many clubs participated in midweek games on Wednesday in Week 19, some players were judged on matches in a short time span.  Continue reading to see who placed where in the latest Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings.Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Portland Timbers Trio Shines in Rivalry Win over Seattle

The biggest stars on the winning team shone in Major League Soccer's premier rivalry match on Sunday as the Portland Timbers downed the Seattle Sounders 3-1. Thanks to the stellar performances of a few Portland players, Caleb Porter's side dominates our Week 19 Team of the Week.  In addition to the trio of Timbers, a resilient defender and a masterful winger were added as top stars in Week 19. We shaped our team into a simple 4-4-2 formation, and the midweek set of matches were taken into consideration for selection when applicable. Continue reading to see who made the Week 19 Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

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 ...