Best teams of the season so far
With a good chunk of football now being played in Major League Soccer, it’s time to review and rank the best teams and franchises coming into a purple phase of form in Week 16 of the MLS Power Rankings. Will one of them lead the way? the end of the season?
MLS Power Rankings Week 16
10 – Fire in Chicago
19-year-old Greek forward Georgios Koutsias proved he has the X-Factor when he scored his first Chicago Fire goal to secure a 3-3 draw with Atlanta United.
That dogged determination is ingrained throughout the team, pushing them just down the Power ladder, with Kei Kamara and Xherdan Shaqiri exemplifying good football at Soldier Field.
9 – Atlanta United
Gonzalo Pineda has a wealth of valuable resources at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After all, every team that competes with Brad Guzan, Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis should have a chance to win football matches.
While some results haven’t gone quite as she would have liked, her success is underscored by performances including the 4-0 win over the Colorado Rapids, the 5-1 triumph over the Portland Timbers and other key victories.
8—Seattle Sounders
The Seattle Sounders might have been much higher up the Power ladder if it hadn’t been for so many bad results lately.
Losses to Austin FC, the Vancouver Whitecaps and even Sporting Kansas City have bothered Brian Schmetzer. The win over the New York Red Bulls got the results back on track as they proved they were still one of the best teams in MLS this season.
7 – New England Revolution
Bruce Arena has seen it all in football. He knows his form will cost him in Week 16 of the MLS Power Rankings but it’s all part of a longer term project.
The combination of the experiences of Bobby Wood and Jozy Altidore results in a slightly timeless offensive, but one that leads to success.
6 – Dallas FC
While FC Dallas doesn’t make the headlines when it comes to particularly likeable football or flashy players with exorbitant contracts, the Texas franchise is slowly coming to an end and, thanks to its hard work, is fourth in the East.
Jesus Ferreira remains the franchise’s figurehead as he was instrumental in helping the side go unbeaten in their last five games.
5—Philadelphia Union
Despite a very slow start to the 2023 season, Philadelphia Union is back at the top of the Eastern Conference rankings.
Daniel Gazdag and Julian Carranza are possibly the best attacking duo in MLS, having scored key goals in victories against New York City FC and New England Revolution.
4—St Louis City
It’s hard not to like St. Louis City. Instead of going through the arduous ‘MLS adjustment’ phase, they went straight in at the deep end and have already carved a place for themselves as one of the top clubs. Their fourth place in the MLS Power Rankings Week 16 is thanks to their statement results like beating Sporting Kansas City 4-0, beating Vancouver 3-1 and of course beating FC 5-1 cincinnati
This could be Bradley Carnell’s first top job as head coach, but he’s shown this season that he’s capable of winning tactical battles. This is only illustrated by St. Louis’ performance against Vancouver, where the team didn’t even have 40% possession and still won 3-1. It’s that resilience and ability to do so much with so little that got the franchise off the ground so quickly.
3—Nashville SC
Any team with the 2022 MVP will be chasing a good place in the Power Rankings. Hany Mukhtar is an attacking player who has scored eight goals and provided five assists in just 14 MLS games.
However, the German isn’t the only good aspect of Nashville SC. MLS journeyman Fafa Picault is now out and about at Geodis Park and is having great success bringing the game to the masses. With the 1-1 draw against LAFC at the beginning of the season, they showed that the team had made the big breakthrough.
2-LAFC
Steve Cherelundo wasn’t afraid to change the title-winning team rather than rest on his laurels. The rise of Denis Bouanga was a revelation for the club as the Gabon international striker has scored 10 goals in his first 12 MLS games.
Despite an early exit from the US Open, LAFC has still reached the final of the CONCACAF Champions League and has been dominant in Major League Soccer matches. This is due to the defensive formation, which rarely gives opposing attackers time to think about the ball. Jesus Murillo and Diego Palacios have conceded just 10 goals in their first 12 MLS games and are now considered the best defensive players in MLS.
1 – FC Cincinnati
Could there be a better origin story for FC Cincinnati’s rise? After years of success in the USL, the team struggled to establish itself in Major League Soccer, finishing bottom overall.
Check them out now. Not only is he number one in Franchise Sports’ Power rankings, but he’s also one of the best players in MLS.
Pat Noonan has worked hard on the training ground to build a creative team that consistently finds itself in attacking positions. Assertive victories over the Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers and Montreal Impact have only boosted their stature.
