The two Eastern Conference powers are coming around after rough starts to the 2019 season
It was a tough week for the powerhouse teams in Los Angeles and a very good week for the two biggest surprises of the 2019 MLS season so far.
The Houston Dynamo topped FC Dallas in the latest installment of the Texas derby, boosting their points-per-game average to the highest in the league in the process. The Philadelphia Union continued their impressive form by demolishing the New England Revolution to hold onto first place in the Eastern Conference.
The LA Galaxy saw their unbeaten run halted, though even in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the New York Red Bulls you could see the quality of a team that's only going to get better. LAFC dropped points for the second straight week, and saw its league-leading attack held without a goal for the first time this season.
It was a rough week for LA teams, but it has been a brutal month for Ohio teams, with FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew both mired in long losing streaks. In fact, the Ohio teams haven't registered a single point since April 7.
Turnarounds continue for last year's MLS Cup finalists. Atlanta United's 3-0 thrashing of Sporting Kansas City makes it three wins in four for the reigning MLS Cup champions, while the Portland Timbers posted their third straight win in Saturday's victory at Real Salt Lake. You can add reigning Supporters' Shield winners New York Red Bulls to that list of 2018 powerhouses starting to turn things around. The Red Bulls have won two straight, including Saturday's impressive win against the LA Galaxy. Making their mini-streak more impressive is that it has come without attacking stars Bradley Wright-Phillips and Kaku.
Here are Goal's MLS Power Rankings after week 10 action:
1Colorado Rapids (0-8-2)The defensive issues continued for the Rapids in their first match after Anthony Hudson's firing, but Conor Casey did oversee a better overall effort. What was clear from their loss to the Whitecaps is that a coaching change alone isn't going to help the Rapids climb out of the Western Conference basement.Advertisement2FC Cincinnati (2-7-2)The Alan Koch era is over in Cincinnati and it shouldn't come as a surprise. His penchant for playing players out of position, coupled with a setup that was yielding very little in attack doomed him to an early exit. A home match against Montreal won't be an easy matchup for Cincy's struggling attack, but the coaching change should lead to a better lineup setup.3New England Revolution (2-7-2)New England delivered an embarrassing display in Saturday's 6-1 loss to Philadelphia. The Revs defense has allowed a jaw-dropping 13 goals in three matches, meaning Brad Friedel needs to shake up his lineup again. If the Revs don't put on a respectable showing against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday then Friedel could be the next MLS coach given the boot.4Vancouver Whitecaps (2-5-3)The Whitecaps have been waiting for Fredy Montero to show his best, and it finally came in Friday's 3-2 win against Colorado. Montero's goal and assist were a sign of the production they've been missing, and while doing it against Colorado isn't exactly a sign of future success, it could be the match that gets Montero going. Streaking Portland visits BC Place on Friday in a match Marc Dos Santos' team needs if its going to be serious about climbing into contention.