18Oct/160
MLS Player Rankings: BWP Remains on Top, Piatti, Mullins Surge Up List
As the best teams in Major League Soccer jockey for position in the standings, the league's best players are all trying to knock Bradley Wright-Phillips from the top spot in the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings. Despite the efforts of many, Wright-Phillips kept his No. 1 spot for another week after a splendid performance at Red Bull Arena on Sunday. Beneath the New York Red Bulls striker is a group of forwards rounding into form at the right time, an unexpected new addition to the top 10 and plenty of D.C. United talent thanks to the Black and Red's recent form. Our player rankings take into account the last four performances from a certain player, with the most recent one holding the most stock. Continue reading to see who else was named to the Week 33 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings. Begin Slideshow17Oct/160
MLS Team of the Week: Piatti, BWP, Accam Impress in Week 33
The penultimate weekend of the Major League Soccer regular season didn't produce too much in terms of drama, but it did set the stage for what should be a thrilling Decision Day on Sunday. Two of the remaining playoff positions in the Eastern Conference were secured by D.C. and Montreal during the first round of matches on Sunday. New England failed to capitalize on a Philadelphia loss as it fell to Chicago. The quintet of Western Conference matches that followed left us wanting more as only five goals were scored, three of which came out of Dallas and Seattle. Although the overall play across the league wasn't spectacular, there were some individuals who shined as their teams locked up spots in the postseason. Continue reading to see which 11 players were selected for the Week 33 MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow14Oct/160
Resurgent Seattle Sounders Benefiting from New Mentality Under Interim Boss
Rock bottom for the Seattle Sounders came at the end of July. Two days after their miserable performance against Sporting Kansas City on July 24 resulted in a 3-0 loss, the Sounders parted ways with longtime boss Sigi Schmid, who led the club to four U.S. Open Cups and the 2014 Supporters' Shield. “Initially it’s tough," Sounders defender Chad Marshall told Bleacher Report in a phone conversation. "Sigi was a huge part of this club. He was the only head coach they had since coming into MLS. He was a big part of the success and won a bunch of trophies. It was sad to see him go. I know how much he cared for the club and wanted us to do well." Since Schmid left the club and Brian Schmetzer took over as interim boss, the Sounders have won seven, drawn four and lost just one match to move into fourth place in the Western Conference. Schmetzer, who was an assistant under Schmid, brought a new approach to training that motivated everyone from the start. "When Schmetzer took over, he instilled his philosophies and how he wanted things to work," Marshall said. "Training instantly became more demanding, more physical, and I think that’s ...13Oct/160
Colorado Rapids on Accelerated Path Toward Winning Trophies in 2016
The path to achieve a string of advantageous goals was set out during the preseason by the Colorado Rapids. They just didn't think they'd travel down that path so fast in only one season. After finishing with the worst record in Major League Soccer's Western Conference a year ago, the Rapids have the inside track to win the Supporters' Shield, which is awarded to the team with the most regular-season points. “We set very tangible goals, clear goals as a group, and had a pathway and process in which we’re going to achieve those things," Colorado manager Pablo Mastroeni told Bleacher Report in a phone conversation. "I think when you clearly define what you want to achieve, the road you want to take to get there and what it’s going to take to get there, I think things become a little bit more achievable because they’re always in sight," Mastroeni continued. "Looking back, if you would’ve said we’d be in this place, I would say that’s where we want to go, but I think you’d still go, 'Wow, that’s quite an achievement,'" Mastroeni said. The Rapids enter Thursday's match with the San Jose Earthquakes two points back of Western Conference leaders FC Dallas, but the clash at ...7Oct/160
Quiet Leader Bradley Wright-Phillips Pushing Red Bulls to the Top of MLS East
Bradley Wright-Phillips isn't your typical striker. The New York Red Bulls forward is stellar in front of the net, but he doesn't possess the flash and flair of many of the big personalities who play his position across the globe. That's why the praise of his leadership abilities from his manager and captain can catch outside observers off guard at first. The scorer of 21 goals in 2016, and 66 in 105 matches over his three seasons in Major League Soccer, has moved into a greater leadership position in 2016 after a challenge from second-year Red Bulls manager Jesse Marsch. “When Jesse first came here, he demanded that he didn’t just want goals out of me—he wanted me to be a voice in the changing room," Wright-Phillips said after his side's recent 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Union. "I tried to be a leader on the field. I'm trying every week to do those things. "It’s not really in my character. But that’s not good enough for Jesse. I try to do what I can to help the team." Marsch said: "He’s stepped up his leadership in such a big way. The times he chooses to speak, the things he says, the commitment he has to this ...4Oct/160
MLS Player Rankings: BWP, Villa in Direct Battle for Top Spot After Week 30
The competition between the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC runs deeper than the fight for the No. 1 playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Bradley Wright-Phillips and David Villa are in a fierce individual battle for the top spot in the Golden Boot race and the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings. Each striker enters the final two matches of the season with 21 goals and the potential to score more in the tussle for home-field advantage in the East. Beneath the two top scorers on the list of the league's best in-form players are a defensive-minded player on a hot streak in front of net, a red-hot super sub turned starter and a pair of impressive netminders who enter at the bottom of the list. Our player rankings take into account the last four performances from an individual, with the most recent showing carrying the most weight. Continue reading to see who landed where in the Week 30 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Player Rankings.Begin Slideshow3Oct/160
MLS Team of the Week: Villa, Kamara, McCarty Stand out in Wild Week 30
Week 30 was a massive week for a few clubs looking to secure the best possible position in the Major League Soccer postseason. The Montreal Impact and D.C. United made moves in the Eastern Conference as they overtook Philadelphia for fourth and fifth, respectively, with a pair of victories. Seattle made a similar jump in the Western Conference as they downed Chicago and Vancouver in the last seven days to jump up to fifth place. We selected our latest Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week off the weekend matches as well as the four contests that were played on Wednesday. Our best XI is shaped in a 4-3-3 formation to accommodate an extra forward who shone over two games. Continue reading to see who was named to the Week 30 edition of the Bleacher Report MLS Team of the Week.Begin Slideshow30Sep/160
Ambitious Atlanta United Make Bold Statement with Hire of Gerardo Martino
Before the business end of the 2016 Major League Soccer regular season begins, the hype for the 2017 campaign has started thanks to ambitious expansion side Atlanta United. Atlanta, who will join Minnesota United as newcomers to the league next year, stepped into the spotlight with their hire of former Barcelona and Argentina boss Gerardo "Tata" Martino on Wednesday. Martino will take control of a club that has made it clear from day one that they want to contend in year one. Before inking Martino to the role of head coach, Atlanta secured the signature of Trinidad and Tobago international Kenwyne Jones to be the club's main scorer. Argentinian winger Hector Villalba and Irish midfielder Chris McCann are also part of the growing group of new recruits. The 53-year-old Martino, who finished second in the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Copa America with Argentina, enters MLS with high expectations given his pedigree. But it won't be smooth sailing from the start for Martino, since he'll have to navigate the murky waters of the MLS acquisition methods. Martino admitted he's familiar with the basic rules of MLS but is still working on understanding the intricacies. “The first thing you do when you become involved in a ...27Sep/160
Clint Dempsey Out for Remainder of 2016 MLS Season with Irregular Heartbeat
Seattle Sounders general manager and president Garth Lagerwey announced Tuesday that star forward Clint Dempsey would miss the remainder of the season because of an irregular heartbeat, according to Ryan Krasnoo of SoundersFC.com. "If we prioritize this now, hopefully we can get Dempsey back in 2017," Lagerwey said, per Sounders Beat, adding, "Clint has overcome a lot, and I believe he can overcome this as well." Sounders interim head coach Brian Schmetzer also addressed the media. "The messaging was not that big of a shock to anybody," he said, according to Sounders Beat. "It's a sad story because Clint is an integral part of the team." Schmetzer isn't worried about whether his team will fold without Dempsey in the mix as the Sounders pursue a playoff spot: Dempsey's irregular heartbeat was discovered in August, and he hasn't appeared in a game since Aug. 21. He returned to training Sept. 14 but ceased training with the Sounders last week, per Krasnoo. In total this season, he's made 17 MLS appearances, scoring eight goals and adding two assists. He remains one of the best players in MLS and one of the truly important contributors for the United States men's national team, and his availability for the country's two World ...27Sep/160