Ultimate Guide to MLS Weekend: Red Bulls, NYCFC Enter Rivalry Week in Solid Form

The New York Red Bulls and New York City FC are set to renew hostilities for the fourth time in the history of their young rivalry on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.  Just over a month ago, the match between the teams separated by the Hudson River was set to be a battle of disappointing clubs in search of a needed victory.  Since April 24, the pair of New York-area clubs have combined for six wins, three draws and one loss in 10 games. Jesse Marsch's Red Bulls are responsible for the lone blemish during the string of recent results. The Red Bulls fell 2-0 to D.C. United a week ago in a rivalry game that carries as much—if not more—importance than the one they will partake in on Saturday afternoon. The Red Bulls responded to the defeat at RFK Stadium with a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, but one has to think they're saving their best performance for their trip to the Bronx.  One player in particular who may break out for the team based in Harrison, New Jersey is Bradley Wright-Phillips, who scored four goals across three rivalry showdowns in 2015. The Englishman has scored on just three occasions in 2016, ...

MLS Player Rankings: Giovinco Goes Top, Bolanos and Manneh Debut After Week 11

It was going to take a special individual showing in Week 11 to take Giovani dos Santos out of the top spot of our weekly MLS Player Rankings.  One of the few stars in Major League Soccer capable of producing more skill than the Mexican showed off his tremendous abilities on Saturday in a losing effort.  Thanks to his performance against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Sebastian Giovinco returned to the spot he called home for most of 2015. As for the victorious team at BMO Field in Week 11, Vancouver produced two of the five new entrants to the list of the top 20 in-form players in MLS.  Our 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 stars earned a spot in the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings after Week 11.Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Manneh, Giovinco Star in Shootout, Nguyen, Beasley Feature

Major League Soccer handed us a few unexpected twists in Week 11 as Vancouver Whitecaps and New York City FC produced a pair of unlikely results on the road.  The Whitecaps defeated Toronto FC at BMO Field in a wild seven-goal affair three days after they downed the Chicago Fire at home. NYCFC turned plenty of heads on Sunday with their 2-1 win over defending champions Portland Timbers at Providence Park. The stars of each of those performances are a part of a group of players from nine different teams that make up our Week 11 MLS Team of the Week.  Because there were five games on Wednesday in addition to the regular weekend slate, some players were judged for our best XI off two performances. Continue reading to see who was named in the Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

MLS Player Rankings: LA Galaxy Stars Dominate Top 2, Morris, Drogba Move Up List

The LA Galaxy attack has lived up to its potential in Major League Soccer over the last month as Bruce Arena's side has found the back of the net on 14 occasions since April 15.  It comes as no surprise that two of the Galaxy's stars find themselves in the top two positions in our weekly Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings.  Choosing the correct spot for each player on the list was a difficult task this week as nine of the top 10 and 15 of the top 20 recorded either a goal or an assist in Week 10.  Our 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 stars feature on the latest list of the top 20 in-form players in MLS. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Kamara, Higuain, Drogba, Keane Star in Week 10

The stars of Major League Soccer left us with plenty of things to discuss following Week 10's matches.  The major talking point from the weekend's action came from Columbus, as Kei Kamara caught everyone's attention for his post-match remarks regarding Federico Higuain. The pair shined throughout the first half before everything went awry for the Crew.  In the same match, Didier Drogba and his Montreal Impact teammates produced a three-goal comeback to earn a point on the road at Mapfre Stadium.  Out in the Western Conference on Sunday, Robbie Keane produced a two-goal showing in his return to the pitch for the LA Galaxy. Due to the plethora of impressive attacking performances in Week 10, we shaped our Team of the Week in a 3-4-3 formation. Continue reading to see who joined Kamara, Higuain, Drogba and Keane in our weekly best XI. Begin Slideshow

Ultimate Guide to MLS Weekend: Colorado Rapids’ Hot Start Is No Fluke

Go ahead and take a look at the Western Conference standings in Major League Soccer. Now take one more glance at the table since you probably didn't believe what you saw the first time around. After being the laughing stock of the league in 2015, the Colorado Rapids lead the West and the Supporters' Shield standings with 17 points through nine weeks.  There's no guarantee Pablo Mastroeni's men will stay in first place as the traditional powers in the West get better over the coming months, but the Rapids have made a statement at the start of 2016 that they have improved despite plenty of skepticism.  The Rapids, who caught a good amount of criticism for acquiring Jermaine Jones in the offseason, are benefiting from the play of a few other new signings in midfield. Colorado brought in Micheal Azira by way of the waiver draft and Shkelzen Gashi on a transfer from FC Basel before the thought of inking Jones to a deal was a possibility.  The 28-year-old Azira, who played for the Seattle Sounders over the last two seasons, has brought some stability to the central part of midfield after Marcelo Sarvas left for D.C. United. Thanks to Azira's success in the holding ...

MLS Player Rankings: Dos Santos, Zardes Surge Toward Top, Morris Debuts

With two full months of play in the books, we are beginning to see some trends develop in Major League Soccer.  It is apparent that a few struggling clubs from last season are postseason contenders in 2016, and some of the individual duds from 2015 are starting to blossom into must-watch stars. Giovani dos Santos fits that mold perfectly at the moment. After showing spurts of his world-class talent in his debut campaign, the highly touted Mexican is torching opposing defenses week after week.  Dos Santos and his LA Galaxy teammate Gyasi Zardes surged into the top five of our weekly MLS Player Rankings thanks to their incredible form, but they aren't the only ones who have caught our attention. Three attackers soared into the top 10 after not earning a spot on the list of the league's top 20 in-form players a week ago.  Our rankings take into account the last four games individuals participated in, with the most recent match holding the most importance.  Continue reading to see who else secured a position in our MLS Player Rankings following Week 9. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Villa, Drogba, Valeri Shine in Week 9

Week 9 in Major League Soccer saw a wide array of players produce the week's best performances.  Didier Drogba and David Villa were among the superstars up to their regular tricks as both designated players scored on terrific strikes on Saturday. Portland's Diego Valeri joined the pair of world-class attackers in the Goal of the Week competition on Sunday in Portland's win over Toronto FC.  Some of the top defensive showings across the United States and Canada this week came from unlikely players. One even showed off his finishing skills in the attacking end of the pitch.  Since there were three games on Wednesday, we took those matches into account while choosing our Week 9 Team of the Week. Continue reading to see which 11 players were named to Bleacher Report's best XI from the week of action in MLS.Begin Slideshow

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 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