Do you know what time it is? Yes, you would be correct. It is that time once again. Fuzion does the Power Rankings has once again arrived, and this week I have decided to go all out. I have caught your attention now, haven’t I? The intrigue and mystique around this "going all out" has piqued your interest in an otherwise routine pattern of rankings and themed videos. What could possibly be worth the title of "going all out"? You must make the jump and see, but first, a small taste.
Did you figure out the special surprise for this week? Maybe you need more clues, onto the rankings!
10) Columbus Crew – The Crew this week proved to me they are getting it. They have started to develop the cohesiveness and continuity they need to make a push for the playoffs, and they will need to keep it up going forward. As it stands now, in regular league play, Columbus are undefeated in their last 5 games. They have also managed to move their Goal Differential up to even, which is better than the minus one they were at last week.
9) Chicago Fire – Right there with the Crew in the standings, and deservedly so. Both teams have shown the ability for quality games, but unlike the Crew, the Fire remain inconsistent. The one thing they do better than Columbus is get to the goal and quickly. The thing they do quite a bit worse is defending. The loss of Friedrich on the backline is hurting, and maybe they will eventually get it right. For now, though, I just can’t give these guys anything more than a 9 or 10 in the top 10.
8) Colorado Rapids – Maybe it’s my affinity for placing teams who come from cities that start with the letter C at the lower end of the top 10, or maybe it’s the fact they all just kind of lump together in this general area of the rankings, but damn how can you really rank these guys much higher than this? Sure, they continue to be a stellar home team, but put them on the road and they do struggle. Most teams do, I suppose, but if you can’t win on the road, then your hope of making it deep into the playoffs fades rather quickly.
7) Kansas City Sporks – They are finally breaking their horrible slide toward mediocrity! It’s about damned time, too. They continue to remain a damn good home team, a carry over from last season. Even still, I’m not sold on these guys, yet. At some point, they have to return to truly dominating their opposition to move much higher. Sure, there are teams ranked higher, but these are my rankings so meh, it’s my choice right?
6) Houston Dynamo – So here we go, I finally get the chance to formally apologize to one JeVaughn Watson. Maybe I was wrong to judge him so harshly? He definitely showed up, and definitely improved drastically. He still lost the ball in the run of play a couple of times, but for the most part he asserted himself both on offense and in transition on defense. All in all, I was very impressed, and thus the move up the charts a wee bit for the good ol’ boys in Orange.
5) Seattle Flounders – Hmm, what exactly can I say that I didn’t already say last week? Well, for one, they are on a four game winless streak. Kind of reminds me of the term ‘floundering’. Does it do the same for you? Definitely a fitting nickname, I would say. They still seem lethal at times, and then impotent at others. I swear, you’d think these guys relied on flopping…like a fish…
4) San Jose Quakes – With one of the more consistent and prolific scorers away on National Team duty, the Quakes need to find another successful up top striker who can find the net. Perhaps it will be Sam Garza, who scored a brace in San Jose’s Open Cup match versus Fort Lauderdale? We will see. Still, these guys are contenders, and have proven they have grown a lot since their expansion days not so very long ago.
3) DC United – Proving to be quite the handful for many teams, DC United will need to find ways to manage without their primary playmaker on the ball in Dwayne DeRosario. Even still, they have the potential to continue their run over and through the league due to their ability to score and score frequently. Their defense isn’t top notch, but as long as they can score more goals than their opponents, it doesn’t matter.
2) New York Red Bulls – Yes, I moved them even higher. You might be trying to figure out right about now what high quality drug I am on, especially after the discussion in the comments last week over wins versus quality of wins. I can tell you I am not on any sort of chemical high or otherwise. I am simply believing in what I am seeing from them. I continue to stand on the premise they are as good as any team in the league and they can hang with any team in the league. Still, I can’t give them number one overall.
#1) Real Salt Lake – Once again, RSL continues to prove their dominance over the league. Jason Kreis continues to prove he can outcoach and outmaneuver any coach in the league – even with his reserve players. He mixes and matches pieces, and yet the machine that drives Real Salt Lake just continues to chug along without missing a beat. This team is quickly becoming something of a dynasty, and if they can continue to perform with pieces off their bench like they have been, they will be a force to be reckoned with for many seasons to come
And once again, I would be remiss if I did not give the Gals their just dues with a closing video for the week.
Disagree? Of course you do, so post your angst in the comments!