Pro Soccer Talk is trying something different for our power rankings this season. Instead of a week-to-week analysis of where teams in the league sit in relation to each other, we’re going to let our rankings breathe for a bit.
We’re exactly one month removed from our first rankings of 2015, and it’s not a surprise that only one team is in the same slot (Philadelphia, and you can see how they could move up in a hurry).
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We have massive jumpers of the expected variety in DC United and New England, who got off on the wrong foot this season, and some unexpected droppers, as Toronto FC and Sporting KC still can’t find their footing. Expansion teams also find themselves dropping after riding positive initial waves into the season.
Here’s where it all shakes out for us:
| RANKING | Up/Down | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UP 1 | Vancouver Whitecaps: Carl Robinson’s side is fun to watch and built to last. Good depth in British Columbia could keep the ‘Caps atop or near the top of the PR’s all year. | |
| 2 | UP 3 | New York Red Bulls: I’m not sure it’s too early to admit I was wrong about Jesse Marsch and RBNY’s prospects for this season. They have the best points-per-game in the league and have a legit claim to being the PR’s No. 1 side. | |
| 3 | UP 8 | DC United: Just one loss on the season, and it came in Week Two. That loss also looks a lot more forgivable given how well the Red Bulls have performed so far. | |
| 4 | DOWN 2 | L.A. Galaxy: Still finding their footing in the post-Donovan era, but back-to-back wins over Seattle and KC are keeping them near the top. | |
| 5 | UP 2 | Seattle Sounders: Winners of two of three, and the loss was to Los Angeles. No reason for Sounders fans to worry. | |
| 6 | UP 13 | New England Revolution: Unbeaten in five, but tests ahead in Real Salt Lake, New England. Jay Heaps pushed all the right buttons to beat Philly. | |
| 7 | DOWN 6 | FC Dallas: Stopped the bleeding with a bizarre, long, almost-blown win over struggling Toronto FC. | |
| 8 | UP 4 | Columbus Crew: We want to love this edition of the Crew. More results like the 3-0 beating of Orlando will help our hearts. | |
| 9 | UP 6 | Real Salt Lake: Whitecaps setback was the first of the year, and a tough run ahead includes New England, San Jose and RBNY. | |
| 10 | DOWN 7 | San Jose Earthquakes: The Quakes have lost three of four after starting 2-1. Lots of concern, especially with key rookie Fatai Alashe’s busy international summer already in full bloom. | |
| 11 | UP 2 | Portland Timbers: Haven’t impressed, but deserve a rise up our boards just on the news that two of their best players are back in full training: Will Johnson and Diego Valeri. | |
| 12 | DOWN 2 | Houston Dynamo: Owen Coyle’s MLS learning curve hasn’t been a tough one yet, and MLS fans continue to wait for the day that Erick “Cubo” Torres joins Giles Barnes in attack. | |
| 13 | UP 7 | Chicago Fire: Off the bottom with wins over strugglers Philadelphia and Toronto. | |
| 14 | DOWN 6 | Orlando City SC: Kaka’s been fun to watch, but one win in five matches isn’t going to cut it. | |
| 15 | UP 1 | Montreal Impact: Have only played four games, picking up just a pair of points, but are 90 minutes away from the first CONCACAF Champions League title for MLS since the tournament was renamed in the ‘aughts. | |
| 16 | UP 1 | Colorado Rapids: Don’t be surprised if Pablo Mastroeni’s team makes a rise up the board. Haven’t been poor, have missed players and also get three straight chances to wow with Dallas, L.A. and RBNY on the docket. | |
| 17 | DOWN 3 | Sporting KC: This is not how the West was won, and the conference transition has been tougher than expected. KC is unbeaten against the East, but winless in conference. | |
| 18 | - | Philadelphia Union: A solitary win so far this season. | |
| 19 | DOWN 9 | New York City FC: Missing David Villa hurts, and when Mix Diskerud is gone it forces Ned Grabavoy to drive the bus. Winless in five, with just two points out of that bunch. Look very little like the team that beat New England on March 15. | |
| 20 | DOWN 13 | Toronto FC: Just awful, inexcusable stuff here. Thank goodness for Sebastian Giovinco, because the other key pieces are struggling, the defense has been laughable and goalkeeping isn’t good enough to bail them out right now. Bad stuff, though they still haven’t played at home. | |
