The Original MLS Power Rankings – Post MLSisBack

This is the first ranking since the end of the MLSisBack group stage. Since then we’ve had the elimination rounds, which were pretty dramatic, and two FCD/Nashville games. So we have enough to do another set of rankings.

We tried not to punish teams for not playing, but we also couldn’t move teams up either. Luckily, enough other things happened we were able to work in new data on most clubs.

Congratulations to Orlando and Portland. Orlando for making a heck of a run that was completely against expectations, and Portland for winning it all.

Note that these rankings include Tuesday night’s game between Toronto and Vancouver, as well as the two games played between Nashville and Dallas.

The Original MLS Power Rankings – Post MLSisBack

1. Los Angeles FC (Previously 4).   

Bob Bradley’s guys continued to impress in the elimination rounds, only falling to the red hot Orlando SC in kicks from the mark in the second round after soundly beating Seattle. (Sorry, pun not intended…)

2. Toronto FC (1).

While they lost their first elimination game to NYCFC, they bounced back by beating Vancouver rather handily Tuesday night.

3. Minnesota United (5).  

They fell short to Orlando, but advanced by the Crew on kicks and destroyed San Jose. Yes, they are that good.

4. Portland Timbers (7).    

The MLSisBack tournament champions have a lot to feel good about. The only reason we don’t vault them to the top is it was a knockout tournament and judged them on games played, but they are in the hunt as one of the best teams in the league.

The Portland Timbers win the 2020 MLSisBack Tournament. (Courtesy Portland Timbers)

5. Seattle Sounders (3).    

They got thumped by LAFC in the first round, but LAFC is a good team and so are the Sounders.

6. Orlando City (12).            

What a run from El Profe, huh? And The Lions are definitely in mid-season form and ready to take on anyone. They beat some really good teams to get to the final.

7. Philadelphia Union (8). 

A win over the New England Revolution was good. A win over Sporting Kansas City was also solid. We need more games but they could be even better than this.

8. Sporting Kansas City (2).         

Maybe this is too big of a drop for a team that has looked good in a lot of the games they played, but the teams above them had better performances.

9. Columbus Crew (6).       

Tough to really judge them as their only games in the knockout stage was a kicks-from-the-mark loss to Minnesota, who went on to thrash San Jose and then lost to the streaking Lions.

10. New York City FC (11).  

That was a pretty solid win from NYC over Toronto in the first knockout round – a very good Toronto team, that is – and their loss was to the eventual champions. We could see arguments for them to be higher.

11. San Jose Earthquakes (13).         

They won against Real Salt Lake but then got embarrassed by the Loons. Most teams will need to bring their A-game against this team.

12. New England Revolution (9).     

Kind of tough to judge them on one game, but with limited data, we have to do what we can.

13. Real Salt Lake (10).         

San Jose is a good team, so there’s no shame losing to them. They lose a little in the rankings, but it will be interesting to see how they respond.

14. Montreal Impact (16).   

They lost to Orlando, hardly a terrible result in this tournament. But I think Henry might have something going in Quebec.

15. Atlanta United (15).       

DNP. Their coach resigning right after the group stage made a bit of a statement, no? Of ambition is nothing else.

16. FC Cincinnati (19).           

A loss via kicks from the mark to the eventual champions is not a poor performance. Maybe they have turned things around after all?

FC Cincinnati Head Coach Jaap Stam. (Courtesy MLS)

17. Los Angeles Galaxy (17).                

No games so that means no movement, but hopefully, for their fans, the Galaxy have been figuring out how to have better performances.

18. Colorado Rapids (18).    

A tie against Minnesota isn’t bad, but losses to RSL and Sporting aren’t going to move you up.

19. Vancouver Whitecaps (21).        

A loss to Sporting Kansas City via kicks from the mark should be somewhat encouraging. The 3-0 throttling by Toronto on the other hand…

20. FC Dallas (14).   

“[The way the team was booted from the tournament and then had to wait to play] will definitely be a challenge for the team leadership.” Challenge not met. And it wasn’t just that they lost at home to Nashville and tied in Tennessee – it was the lack of energy and creativity that should worry FCD fans.

FC Dallas v Nashville 8-12-20 868
FC Dallas huddles up for a pep talk prior to facing Nashville SC, August 12, 2020. (Matt Visinsky, 3rd Degree)

21. New York Red Bulls (20).              

No games makes it hard to judge.

22. Nashville SC (24).            

Winning on the road is not easy, even in these crazy circumstances. Give them credit for finding a way to get the win in Dallas and tie in Dallas.

23. Inter Miami (22).             

Again, no games, no real movement.

24. Chicago Fire (23).            

Without games, you don’t move..

25. D.C. United (25).             

Mo games.

26. Houston Dynamo (26). 

DNP.

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