Power Rankings

1) Houston: added midfield depth and experience with Mulrooney, with Kelly Gray sticking to the back line from now on.

2) New England: will be a contender once they resolve Shalrie Joseph's contract situation.

3) Kansas City: their team looks decisive on the attack, like everyone has bought into the system and knows exactly what to do in order to attack the defense. However, it will be interesting to see them at home against a team who bunkers more than DC United (at RFK). That will be a situation where signing Marinelli may help unlock a stubborn defense

4) Colorado: Great home team who looks solid from front to back. I love their ability to maintain possession, until somebody gets red-carded.

5) DC United: shaky defense with no depth. What happens if Boswell gets called up to the Nats?

6) Chivas: Still looking for a break-out game from Galindo to legitimize his partnership with Razov. Suarez looks old.

7) FC Dallas: This team will take some time to click with the new coach, players, and formation.

8) L.A. Galaxy: I thought Yallop was suprisingly tactically out-classed by Morrow in the Dallas match. Yallop never adjusted his formation to go around the clogged center midfield. Albright is not the answer on the right flank.

9) Chicago: Two 1-goal games is a tough start. Barrett and Rolfe haven't quite merged their partnership up front, and besides Mapp there isn't a strong link through the midfield.

10) RB New York: Great goals against FC Dallas. I'm looking forward to seeing Reyna pull the strings in an offense that is accumulating weapons all over the field. Richards is emerging as a constant threat when he's on the field. I don't see the defensive depth every team in MLS needs over the course of the season. Can't wait to see Juan Pablo Angel terrorize Toronto's shaky D.

11) Columbus: Will Scheletto help them find a goal? Big home game against New England on thursday. 3 games without a goal spells doom. Why is Herron playing as a flanker? Pull Garey and throw Ngwenya on the left flank, with Gaven/Scheletto on the right. Let Grabavoy dictate the pace of the game with Szetela/Oughton and Nails behind him for protection.

12) Real Salt Lake: 2 home games without a win isn't a great way to start the season. Adu's still trying to figure out his position. I think I'm one of the few who hopes Ellinger gets the first half of the season to let his attack gel. So much for that game-changing Tejada? what a waste of a press conference.

13) Toronto FC: Upgraded their defense this week with Goldwaithe and Wynne. Here comes the attacking 4-4-2, especially once O'Brien comes back to add some fire.

Power Rankings

This Week's Power Rankings

1) Houston Dynamo
Biggest strength: Still the best "team" in MLS. They use their flanks, have a creative force in De Resario, and a solid- if reckless- backline.
Kelly Gray performed admirably in place of Ricardo Clark. Simply hard to beat.
Big question: who scores the goals once Brian Ching gets called up by the National team, or worse, gets hurt.


2) Chivas USA
Biggest strength: A dynamic midfield. Guevara, Mendoza, Marsch, Klejstan. Any team in the country would take that lineup.
Biggest question: It will be interesting to see them up against a team who will pressure their backline.


3) LA Galaxy
Biggest strength: Donovan. Every team's has to constantly track him. His glaring weakness: not finishing his chances.
Biggest question: Who steps up besides Landon? Lots of candidates- Findley, Jaqua, Quaranta?


4) Colorado Rapids
Biggest strength: the Big Johnson. Huge field, high altitude, and loyal (perhaps quiet?) fans.
Biggest question: Is either keeper up to the task?


5) DC United
Biggest strength: attacking trio of Moreno, Gomez, and Emilio.
Biggest question: their flanks. Olsen is not a solution. They have to at least miss Adu's creativity on the left flank to maintain possession with Gomez, Moreno, etc.


6) FC Dallas
Biggest strength: best forward tandem in the league in Cooper-Ruiz.
Biggest question: a shaky backline without much experience.


7) Chicago Fire
Biggest strength: Justin Mapp, enough said.
Biggest question: Forward depth. Who will finish Mapp's brilliance?


8) New England
Biggest strength: Solid core of players through the middle of the park: Reis, Parkhurst, Joseph, Dorman, Twellman.
Biggest question: Joseph's contract uncertainty, and Noonan's health. He's hurt every year, but for how long?


9) Real Salt Lake
Biggest strength: Jeff Cunningham. He just scores goals. 92 of them to be exact.
Biggest question: Nick Rimando's decision-making. Goalies get better with age and experience, but for a keeper who relies on his leaping ability, he needs to rapidly develop his mental game.


10) RB New York
Biggest strength: Reyna. They're a different team when he's on, as evidenced by his first half against the Crew. He knows how to pace the game, be in the right spots defensively, and get his teammates involved.
Biggest question: Reyna. The second half he wasn't nearly as effective after picking up a wicked knock on his thigh. The Bruce's put a lot of faith in Captain America.


11) Columbus
Biggest strength: Midfield depth. A young, talented midfield with a couple of players who look eager for a breakout year: Gaven and Grabavoy, in particular.
Biggest question: Who scores the goals.


12) Kansas City
Biggest strength: Their backline. Burciaga, Garcia, and Conrad have to be the envy of the league. They are smart and cohesive, without Houston's red card habit.
Biggest question: More than Eddie Johnson, K.C. needs a link through the midfield.


13) Toronto FC
Biggest strength: BMO field. Let's see if the Red Patch Boys, U-Sector, etc. can make it the toughest, and perhaps only, fortress in Canada.
Biggest question: the lack of creativity in the midfield, without the serves of Mr. O'Brien.