The Original MLS Power Rankings – Week Seven 2021

After all of the adjustments last week, this week is more stable. Yes, there are changes but they are based on recent games. It’s interesting to see that the results are more predictable when you have a better bead on where teams are…

Top Shelf

1. Seattle Sounders (1)

Not being able to get a win over an expansion side would normally be cause for concern, but while Austin isn’t what LAFC was in their inaugural season, the new Texas team is better than most.

2. Sporting Kansas City (2)

A three goal outburst in the second half took control of the game against Houston and solidified them as at this level.

Quality

3.  LA Galaxy (3)

It’s hard to argue the results for Vanney’s lads. A 1-0 win over a falling San Jose team may not be sexy, but it also is still a valuable win.

4. New England Revolution (4)

A road win normally is important, and that isn’t to say it’s useless, but against teams like Cincinnati, D.C., and Inter Miami, it’s hard to give it the same weight as other road wins.

5. Colorado Rapids (6)

A complete performance over an overmatched Dallas team. Not much else to say here.

6. Orlando City (5)

It’s a road loss, so it is hard to hammer them too hard.

7. Real Salt Lake (7)

A 1-1 home tie against Minnesota has to be deflating, but The Loons do appear to be getting their feet underneath them, so it’s not like it is a terrible result.

8. Austin FC (9)

For a team that has only played road games, they have gotten wins or at least respectable results in every game. In fact, their Pace number is even. If they would have pulled off one or two more one-goal losses or ties, they would be higher.

9. Portland Timbers (8)

This is a team that, as we said at the beginning of the year, has the talent to be in the top tier, but not the consistency. A 3-0 loss to a struggling Philadelphia side, albeit on the road, confirms that.

10. Houston Dynamo (10)

They took an early lead on the road against Kansas City, but a 3 goal outburst early in the second half was too much for the Dynamo to match, but this doesn’t shake our confidence that the Dynamo is in the top third of the league.

Shaky

11. Nashville SC (13)

A solid, gritty team that got the road tie at Atlanta – who had taken a 2-0 lead – and the Tennessee group fought their way back.

MLS Legend Dax McCarty. (Courtesy Nashville SC)

12. Atlanta United (11)

A 2-0 lead lost is never good, especially at home.

13. Columbus Crew (Previously 15)

Two wins in a row shows they are getting their sea legs back, but still have more to prove to get back to their previously lofty heights.

14. New York City FC (16)

A road win over LAFC could be amazing or just good. It is hard to tell at this point, but they do get credit for the road win nonetheless.

15. Philadelphia Union (17)

A 3-0 win over Portland is definitely a solid win, although the Timbers have been known to drop a hard loss from time to time.

Andre Blake of Philadelphia Union. (PHILADELPHIA UNION, ANDREW ZWARYCH)

16. New York Red Bulls (19)

A 2-1 home win over Orlando is not bad at all, and a good sign for the club that it is going in the right direction. Some of the team’s results make us uneasy, but this settles the nerves.

17. San Jose Earthquakes (14)

It’s been a bad run of games, but it’s been against good teams. On the other hand, Wondo and company need to take advantage of any opportunity they find, or the freefall will continue.

18. Minnesota United (20)

After a rough start to the season, The Loons seem to have found themselves. They have a hole to work themselves out of, but at least they aren’t continuing to dig.

19. Vancouver Whitecaps (18)

They didn’t play and not enough changed to justify much of a move.

20. Los Angeles FC (12)

A home loss to a decent NYC side has to be troubling. At what point do they start to really worry?

Lots of Questions and/or Concerns

21. CF Montreal (22)

It was a road win, but it was against Chicago.

22. FC Dallas (21)

If alarm bells haven’t been going off yet, they need to. Yes, the Rapids are very good, but this is not a run of games any MLS team would envy. As always, read the Breakdown.

23. Toronto FC (24)

Lose and move up? As bad as the teams are around them, yes.

24. D.C. United (27)

It was only Inter Miami, but that was a solid road win.

25. Inter Miami (23)

Losing to Chicago and D.C., but for the road win over Philadelphia, should otherwise doom them to last place. So much talent, so little cohesion.

26. FC Cincinnati (25)

“Question is now that they got their first win, can they get on a run?” If only we had been trying to be funny when we asked that…

26. Chicago Fire (26)

“Yay! They finally won! Okay, show us it wasn’t a fluke.” It was a fluke.

Chicago, IL – Saturday, May 29, 2021: Major League Soccer (MLS) match between the Chicago Fire FC and CF Montreal at Soldier Field.

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