(Parts II and III are on deck …so check back)
19. Toronto FC – Every week I strain to say something fresh or somehow newly revealing while lining up TFC along the wall, at No. 19 in the rankings. Well, I’m fresh out. Besides, Toronto midfielder Eric Avila puts it all in brilliant context: “It really does feel like a nightmare. It’s really hard. … After the game you just want to go and cry and hide.”
18. Portland Timbers – Tough stuff when a 0-0 draw at home represents progress, but things are what they are right now around Jeld-Wen Field. Manager John Spencer, what say you: “We played more like ourselves tonight. The tempo was high, matched the energy in the stadium. I think we looked back to ourselves. It’s a positive step. Obviously not the result we hoped for, but it’s a positive step.” By the way, that was the first scoreless draw at Jeld-Wen since Portland joined MLS.
17. Columbus Crew – After closing April with a loss and a draw at home, grabbing a point from a visit to Portland left the Crew feeling OK about things. “Last two games we haven’t liked the results, so to come into a place like this and get a draw, at least shut [Portland] out is something we can build on,” defender Eric Gehrig said. “Hopefully we can use that for momentum going home next weekend and get some results going our way.”
16. Philadelphia Union – New York visits PPL Park on Sunday in one of two Round 10 marquee matches. Let’s hope they can aim a few more shots at goal. In Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Seattle they failed to bother a rookie goalkeeper making his first MLS start. Union midfielder Freddy Adu: “Today was another game where we didn’t test the goalkeeper enough. He’s a new goalkeeper and we got to test him, shoot the ball more.”
15. New England Revolution – Here’s what New England Soccer Today said about star midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who still hasn’t quite found the right balance in 2012: “Continues to try to do too much with the ball at his feet; had a chance to level it late, but was tripped up inside the box. (Brian) … Extremely active, but passing wasn’t always sharp and end product was lacking. Still tries to force things.”
14. Chivas USA – Goats goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, having another fine season, poured it out following the Rojiblancos’ devastating, late loss to Chicago – yet another defeat at home: “I’m a loss for words, it’s heartbreaking, it’s heartbreaking. I guess maybe we were pushing for the goal in the last five minutes there and maybe we should have just sat our numbers in midfield back a little bit further and made sure we got the draw, but we want to win at home.”
13. Los Angeles Galaxy – Dissecting this downfall isn’t easy because, outside of one position, these are the same Galaxy that so elegantly navigated MLS last year. At the very least, the trio of talented DPs remain in place. And yet … “We had the ball at the feet of our best players. We’ve got to make the plays.” – head coach Bruce Arena.