Gold Cup absences continue to be the story, as a number of clubs will be missing top players through this weekend and probably more. The success of U.S. and Canada will no doubt be a bane on a number of clubs, with a lengthy list looking to move on to the quarterfinal round in Philadelphia.

It’s a true test of both the new roster size and a coach/front office and their ability to build the right team or call in the right reinforcement. With the player window opening up soon, look for big moves to start.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Houston Dynamo
Record: 9-3-4
Previous: 1
Comment: No reason for them to budge.

2. Chivas USA
Record: 8-4-3
Previous: 2
Comment: Same with Chivas.

3. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 6-3-7
Previous: 5
Comment: Big game for Seattle this weekend, with Houton coming to town. A win against the Dynamo would send a signal to the rest of the league that this team is a legitimate MLS Cup contender.

4. D.C. United
Record: 5-3-9
Previous: 5
Comment: Doing ok in handling their Gold Cup losses, but the health of Moreno and Emilio remain a concern. Fortunately, another weekend off.

5. Chicago Fire
Record: 6-3-6
Previous: 6
Comment: Rebounded nicely with a win in Colorado—their first since 1999.

6. Columbus Crew
Record: 5-3-8
Previous: 7
Comment: Held United to a draw, but can’t be ecstatic about their performance at home.

7. Colorado Rapids
Record: 5-4-6
Previous: 4
Comment: A disappointing loss for the Rapids who would have liked a better showing at DSG. Need Conor Casey to recover ASAP.

8. Toronto FC
Record: 6-6-4
Previous: 10
Comment: Quietly bounding back up the ladder—though with the East as tight as it is, everyone but the Red Bulls are in it.

9. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 5-6-4
Previous: 8
Comment: Struggling to score at home, and while their defense is doing just fine without Conrad, it’s the offense that is letting them down.

10. Real Salt Lake
Record: 5-6-4
Previous: 9
Comment: Inconsistency thy name is Real. Javier Morales and Clint Mathis are two very important players right now with Will Johnson and Kyle Beckerman away on Gold Cup duty.

11. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 4-3-9
Previous: 12
Comment: Will the return of Beckham cause their season to unravel, or will they put it all together and finish with aplomb?

12. New England Revolution
Record: 4-5-4
Previous: 11
Comment: Struggles continue for the Revolution who deserved more against Los Angeles. Steve Nicol has a lot of work to do if he wants to save this season.

13. FC Dallas
Record: 4-7-5
Previous: 13
Comment: What’s this you say? A Dallas victory? Sure, it was over the Red Bulls, but suddenly signs of life are creeping out of Frisco.

14. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 3-8-4
Previous: 14
Comment: Blew a chance at a rare road victory with a Keystone Cops-like own goal.

15. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-13-4
Previous: 15
Comment: Entrenched in this spot for a long, long time, even if they actually win a game for once.

What do you think? Am I completely mad with these rankings or do you agree?

The fun for numerous coaches continues as the schedule starts to clog up. Between SuperLiga, U.S. Open Cup action, league play, and the Gold Cup, a number of managers have their work cut out for them in the month of July.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Houston Dynamo
Record: 8-3-4
Previous: 1
Comment: Even with the loss at Los Angeles, can’t move them off the top spot. The loss of Holden and Ching will prove to be quite the challenge.

2. Chivas USA
Record: 8-4-3
Previous: 2
Comment: Benefit from another weekend off after a loss in the U.S. Open Cup last night. Sacha Klejstan and Jonathan Bornstein are both slated to return after their Confederations Cup duty.

3. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 5-3-7
Previous: 5
Comment: A rousing 3-0 victory at home against Colorado has the Sounders right back amidst the top of the charts. The health of Osvaldo Alonso is worth keeping an eye on, as the Cuban struggles to stay fit.

4. Colorado Rapids
Record: 5-3-6
Previous: 3
Comment: Omar Cummings can’t handle the scoring alone, as proved in their last two games. Conor Casey’s return comes at a time with Cummings heading out the door for Gold Cup duty.

5. D.C. United
Record: 5-3-8
Previous: 4
Comment: The loss of Dejan Jakovic and Santino Quaranta to Gold Cup call ups will provide a new challenge for Tom Soehn. Jakovic has quietly been one of the most impressive defenders I’ve seen all year, as he has only gotten better as the season goes on.

6. Chicago Fire
Record: 5-3-6
Previous: 6
Comment: Still on that three-game losing streak in the league. Probably itching to get back out there and put an end to it.

7. Columbus Crew
Record: 5-3-7
Previous: 9
Comment: The defending champs are beginning to look just like that recently.

8. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 5-5-4
Previous: 7
Comment: A huge challenge for the Wizards defense with the call up of Jimmy Conrad. You can’t easily replace a veteran leader like Conrad, and for at least two weeks.

9. Real Salt Lake
Record: 5-6-4
Previous: 10
Comment: The RSL we saw against Toronto on Saturday was the one many expected to see throughout the course of 2009. With Kyle Beckerman and Will Johnson on their way out, it’s going to be harder over these next few weeks. Well see if Jason Kreis and his players have it in them.

10. Toronto FC
Record: 6-6-4
Previous: 11
Comment: Followed up a win against a toothless Red Bull side with a horrific showing out in Sandy, Utah. At least De Rosario and Guevara aren’t going to the Gold Cup. They could be higher, and are just in second in the East, but don’t have me convinced yet.

11. New England Revolution
Record: 4-4-4
Previous: 8
Comment: Seem to be in a world of trouble with the injuries they’ve had. Throw in a Gold Cup call up or two and the playoffs are looking like a tall task for Steve Nicol.

12. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 3-3-9
Previous: 13
Comment: Was the win over Houston a both fortuitous and ugly? Yes. But it was three points, and without Donovan. Interesting to see what’s going to happen with the return of LD and Beckham in just a little over two weeks.

13. FC Dallas
Record: 3-7-5
Previous: 14
Comment: A respectable point on the road last Wednesday. Is this team really climbing out of the cellar? With the loss of Cooper their road out just got a little steeper.

14. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 3-8-3
Previous: 12
Comment: The injury bug is crushing any remaining hope that the Quakes must have right now.

15. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-12-4
Previous: 15
Comment: <– left blank on purpose, as there is little to say about how bad the Red Bulls have been.

The bottom saw some movement, as both Dallas and San Jose dusted off the win column at home to score rare victories.

The next few weeks will truly be season defining, as a number of clubs will lose players due to the Gold Cup. Or in some cases, players will refuse national team duty for the regional tournament. Either way, it’ll be worth keeping an eye on.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Houston Dynamo
Record: 8-2-4
Previous: 1
Comment: Even a draw against RSL at home can’t drop them out of the No. 1 spot. While they weren’t at their sharpest, I’d expect them to maintain this for awhile.

2. Chivas USA
Record: 8-4-3
Previous: 2
Comment: SuperLiga. Not going to move this week.

3. Colorado Rapids
Record: 5-2-5
Previous: 4
Comment: No Conor Casey, no problem. The Rapids were in fine form after a 10-day layoff, easily dispatching a rather toothless United team.

4. D.C. United
Record: 5-3-8
Previous: 3
Comment: Their 3-0 loss in Colorado was ugly, but considering their record there since 2000, they get somewhat of a free pass. The Gold Cup will cause some problems for them as it looks like Dejan Jakovic and Santino Quaranta will miss some time.

5. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 5-3-7
Previous: 5
Comment: Two draws in four days not the worst performance. However, they should have clamped down on defense and defeated United at home, and were a bit lucky to escape NYC with a draw thanks to a rookie mistake by Jeremy Hall.

6. Chicago Fire
Record: 5-3-6
Previous: 6
Comment: SuperLiga. Need to return with a vengeance.

7. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 5-5-4
Previous: 8
Comment: SuperLiga — by the way, Jimmy Conrad is hilarious.

8. New England Revolution
Record: 4-4-4
Previous: 9
Comment: SuperLiga. Hopefully no one else will get injured.

9. Columbus Crew
Record: 4-3-7
Previous: 7
Comment: Losing to Dallas necessitates a fall two spots behind two inactive teams.

10. Real Salt Lake
Record: 4-6-4
Previous: 10
Comment: Their draw against Houston is impressive — considering the circumstances as well as the tear that the Dynamo were on. This team has the talent, it’s just a matter of if they can keep their cool.

11. Toronto FC
Record: 5-5-4
Previous: 11
Comment: A week off. Let’s see what happens when they come back.

12. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 3-8-3
Previous: 14
Comment: A rather ho-hum victory against the Galaxy allows them to jump up two spots.

13. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 2-3-9
Previous: 12
Comment: A disappointing loss leaves LA struggling. Because of the USA success, Donovan will be missing longer, and without him their slim playoff hopes look even dimmer.

14. FC Dallas
Record: 3-7-4
Previous: 13
Comment: A win against Columbus sees this team improve to 2-1-1 in their last four. But is it too little to late?

15. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-10-4
Previous: 15
Comment: Not bad — a draw against Seattle. But how many people actually think this team can make it all the way back to the playoffs.

The race in the East is close — except for New York — with six teams within six points of each other. D.C. is leading the way, and has done well as of late. They’ll be on the road for two games this week, traveling up to Seattle to take on the new boys.

At the bottom, nothings changed. San Jose, New York, and Dallas all lost and remain mired at the bottom.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Houston Dynamo
Record: 8-2-3
Previous: 2
Comment: A club on fire. No one can spot them now, with eight wins from 10. Cam Weaver is also looking good after just two games.

2. Chivas USA
Record: 8-4-3
Previous: 1
Comment: Slipping in the rankings, as they’ve struggled in the past few weeks. The SuperLiga is up next, giving Preki a chance to rest and retool his lineup.

3. D.C. United
Record: 5-2-7
Previous: 6
Comment: The next two months are a huge test for United, starting with this week. Two games on the road, Wednesday against Seattle and Saturday against Colorado. If they can succeed on the road, they’ll establish themselves as a legitimate contender for the MLS Cup.

5. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 5-3-5
Previous: 5
Comment: Bouncing back with a win against San Jose was important. D.C. comes to town tonight in what is a test for both teams.

4. Colorado Rapids
Record: 4-2-5
Previous: 4
Comment: Can’t punish them for not playing, but since Seattle won, they drop one spot.

6. Chicago Fire
Record: 5-3-6
Previous: 3
Comment: A SuperLiga break for Chicago is welcome after dropping three in a row. Important for Dennis Hamlett to rest starters in order to keep them fresh for the regular season.

7. Columbus Crew
Record: 4-2-7
Previous: 8
Comment: Back in the thick of things, now just three points back of first place. I knew that they would be back, and with GBS playing so well, it’s hard to see who will stop them.

8. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 5-5-4
Previous: 9
Comment: The SuperLiga is up for the Wizards now, which gives them a week and a half break in the league.

9. New England Revolution
Record: 4-4-4
Previous: 7
Comment: A slip on the road for the Revolution who seemed to be back on the right track. The health of Taylor Twellman is huge for New England, and with his future in doubt, it’s hard to know how they’ll respond.

10. Real Salt Lake
Record: 4-6-3
Previous: 11
Comment: A road win for Real? I’d never thought we’d see the day. It will only mean something if they can put more than one win together on the road.

11. Toronto FC
Record: 5-5-4
Previous: 12
Comment: A win against New York is a start, but to impress both fans and pundits they’ll need to do it in more convincing fashion than that.

12. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 2-2-9
Previous: 10
Comment: A loss to RSL ends the Galaxy’s unbeaten streak. While most of those were draws, they have enough points for a respectful platform to build something positive on. Hard to say what they’ll actually accomplish in the long run.

13. FC Dallas
Record: 2-7-4
Previous: 13
Comment: Not much to say about Dallas. Wake me up when they win again.

14. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 2-8-3
Previous: 14
Comment: Darren Huckerby has to stay healthy for this team to have a shot at looking respectable.

15. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-10-3
Previous: 15
Comment: Danny Cepero was the only positive to take away from yet another loss. How Juan Carlos Osorio still has a job is beyond me, though I don’t know what removing him would even do.

Down at the bottom, the Red Bulls reclaim the bottom spot with their two losses over the span of just four games. The battle of bottom feeders San Jose and Dallas on Sunday didn’t give a clear enough picture on just who is the worst team in the league at the moment. All this and more in the week 12 rankings.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Chivas USA
Record: 8-2-3
Previous: 1
Comment: If they hadn’t won against Seattle would have abdicated the number one spot. Clinging on for dear life at the top with the way Houston has rampaged through its last two months.

2. Houston Dynamo
Record: 6-2-3
Previous: 4
Comment: Absolutely on fire. No Brian Ching, no problem over the weekend. Continue to stockpile strikers with the acquisition of Cam Weaver the other day. Don’t forget that

3. Chicago Fire
Record: 5-2-6
Previous: 2
Comment: A tough match up in D.C. awaits this weekend after a disappointing loss at home. The good news for the Fire is they have a better record away from Toyota Park than in it.

4. Colorado Rapids
Record: 4-2-4
Previous: 5
Comment: An impressive draw on the road considering who they were missing. Omar Cummings will need to come up big in the absence of Conor Casey over the next few weeks.

5. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 4-3-5
Previous: 3
Comment: Hitting a midseason slump that is no surprise, considering they are an expansion team. Freddie Ljungberg needs to shut his mouth — but the refs can’t let the opposition kick him around and try and break his legs.

6. D.C. United
Record: 4-2-7
Previous: 7
Comment: A much needed win leaves United wishing they could play the Red Bulls on a weekly basis.

7. New England Revolution
Record: 4-3-4
Previous: 9
Comment: Staying a bit low until they prove to stay healthy; if healthy, this team is a legitimate contender.

8. Columbus Crew
Record: 3-2-7
Previous: 10
Comment: Was it a bit of a lucky win against Kansas City? Sure. But the Crew did show composure on the road, aside from Chad Marshall’s red mist moment.

9. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 4-5-4
Previous: 6
Comment: Should have come away with something more against the Crew. A maddening first goal conceded, then a rather unlucky second. Need to take advantage of that man advantage, something that they’ve struggled to do on a consistent basis.

10. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 2-1-9
Previous: 11
Comment: I still don’t trust them, despite an impressive win on the road. Arena’s collection of 30-somethings continues to play solid, if not well.

11. Real Salt Lake
Record: 3-6-3
Previous: 12
Comment: The winless streak has to be a bit of a concern, especially when they were so close to securing three points. Need a result on the road, and in the worst way.

12. Toronto FC
Record: 4-5-4
Previous: 8
Comment: Yet another loss for TFC with a couple of bumbling defensive mistakes costing them against the Galaxy. BMO Field continues to be intimidating on paper only.

13. FC Dallas
Record: 2-6-4
Previous: 14
Comment:

14. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 2-7-3
Previous: 15
Comment:

15. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-9-3
Previous: 13
Comment: A bad week for the Red Bulls, a trend that doesn’t seem close to letting up. How long will Osorio keep his job?

At the bottom of it all, Dallas and San Jose both won over the weekend. Stop the presses! Not sure if that has happened at all this season, but slow down. They still have miles to go in order to gain any respect from this writer, but it’s a step in the right direction. Ascending the Western Conference standings has to be their highest priority at the moment.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Chivas USA
Record: 7-2-3
Previous: 1
Comment: Can’t take the number one spot away from them because the Fire lost to Dallas. Otherwise, they would have dropped.

2. Chicago Fire
Record: 5-1-6
Previous: 2
Comment: Had number one in their grasp, then blew it with an atrocious game on Sunday. Look for them to enjoy some time off this week to rebound.

3. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 4-2-5
Previous: 3
Comment: Draw-itis has set in with the new boys. Freddie’s has got to bury that PK.

4. Houston Dynamo
Record: 5-2-3
Previous: 5
Comment: No one can stop them now. Until they lose.

5. Colorado Rapids
Record: 4-2-4
Previous: 8
Comment: Conor Casey, Conor Casey, Conor Casey. He’s the hot striker du-jour carrying a lot of the load for the Rapids. Lots of clamor for him to get a U.S. call up, a la Kenny Cooper of 2008.

6. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 4-4-4
Previous: 7
Comment: That was quite the bizarre finish to their game in Los Angeles. A unique situation where they blew two points but should have lost. Not sure if I can remember seeing anything like it.

7. D.C. United
Record: 3-2-7
Previous: 4
Comment: The Black-and-Red’s free fall continues with a defeat on the road. A horrific refereeing decision? Maybe. But did they have their chances in the first half and fail to convert? Yes.

8. Toronto FC
Record: 3-4-4
Previous: 6
Comment: It took just five minutes for Toronto to go down three goals against Houston. Not the sort of effort you’d want to see in De Ro’s home coming.

9. New England Revolution
Record: 3-3-4
Previous: 9
Comment: Slowly clawing their way back up the charts. The return of Taylor Twellman will do wonders for their team across the board, allowing Shalrie Joseph to play in the midfield once again.

10. Columbus Crew
Record: 2-2-7
Previous: 11
Comment: Signs of progress out west, following up a come from behind win to grab a draw at Qwest Field.

11. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 1-1-9
Previous: 12
Comment: Please win a game. For the love of everything good, stop the draws.

12. Real Salt Lake
Record: 3-6-2
Previous: 10
Comment: Another step backwards for the league’s proverbial Jekyll and Hyde team. Can’t win away from the Rio, something that needs to change for this team to do anything.

13. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-7-3
Previous: 13
Comment: Grabbing four points from 12 in a recent home stand won’t do anything to turn around this sinking ship.

14. FC Dallas
Record: 2-6-3
Previous: 14
Comment: Three points, on the road, against Chicago? I think I’m still in shock from this one.

15. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 2-7-2
Previous: 15
Comment: They did get their second win of the season, but it’s going to take more than that to convince this skeptic.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Chivas USA
Record: 7-1-3
Previous: 1
Comment: The AmeriGoats keep slipping — though not that far. They haven’t lost April 22 against Toronto. A tough test against Chicago awaits pitting No. 1 vs. No. 2.

2. Chicago Fire
Record: 4-0-6
Previous: 2
Comment: I came this close to putting the Fire in the number one spot. While Chivas has mustered just two back-to-back draws, Chicago has gone on the road to earn two wins while shutting out their opponents both games.

3. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 4-2-3
Previous: 4
Comment: Another team with more wins than ties. It’s such a bizarre and rare sight these days. The draw against Colorado was a brave results, especially with Ljungberg, Evans, and Alonso on the sidelines.

4. D.C. United
Record: 3-1-7
Previous: 3
Comment: RSL came to RFK and parked a bus in front of the net. United knew it was coming, but couldn’t break down the opposition. Too many ties at home could end up costing them down the road.

5. Houston Dynamo
Record: 4-2-3
Previous: 5
Comment: Dwayne De Ro-who? Remember when people thought the Dynamo wouldn’t succeed without De Rosario?

6. Toronto FC
Record: 3-3-4
Previous: 7
Comment: A much needed win win at fortress BMO. Amado Guevara continues to show MVP form and is adjusting nicely with De Rosario. It’s a shame that the Honduran will miss some time this summer, though TFC should be able to survive without him.

7. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 4-4-3
Previous: 6
Comment: A red mist moment by Josh Wolff in combination with some ticky-tack refereeing caused things to go downhill over the weekend. Beautiful free kick by Claudio Lopez, who continues to prove he’s still got it.

8. Colorado Rapids
Record: 3-2-4
Previous: 9
Comment: Conor Casey and Colin Clark continue to play well. A draw is slightly disappointing considering who the Sounders were missing. This team definitely has playoff-caliber talent — the question is, can they keep it together?

9. New England Revolution
Record: 2-3-4
Previous: 8
Comment: Rumblings out of the Northeast say Taylor Twellman could return to action — at least for a brief cameo — over the weekend. That would be a huge boost, as Shalrie Joseph could move back into the midfield.

10. Real Salt Lake
Record: 3-5-2
Previous: 10
Comment: A clean sheet and their first point on the road is something to build on. The question is whether or not they can actually take that next step successfully.

11. Columbus Crew
Record: 1-2-6
Previous: 11
Comment: A weekend of rest before a busy week. If the Crew can pick up two wins this week — they probably won’t, but they could — there’s a chance they could hope back up near the top of the East. Raise your hand if your saw that coming.

12. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 1-1-8
Previous: 13
Comment: Make that eight draws on the season. What exactly is Bruce Arena trying to do with his motley crue of 30-somethings + Landon Donovan?

13. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-2-3
Previous: 12
Comment: A disheartening performance from New York if there’s ever been one. Played well, but met a stout Chicago defense that ultimately proved to strong to beat.

14. FC Dallas
Record: 1-6-3
Previous: 15
Comment: Move up a spot simply because San Jose is that bad.

15. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 1-6-2
Previous: 14
Comment: Nick Garcia’s mind games worked out well. As I said previously, watch the Houston highlights to see some real shambolic defending.

Full rankings are after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Chivas USA
Record: 7-1-2
Previous: 1
Comment: Can’t drop Chivas off number one because of their draw against D.C.

2. Chicago Fire
Record: 3-0-6
Previous: 5
Comment: A win over Toronto at BMO gets them up to the second position. Is this finally the team we thought would show up?

3. D.C. United
Record: 3-1-6
Previous: 2
Comment: Going forward, this team has the tenacity, heart and offensive fire power to succeed. But can they limit the goals? That will be the big question going forward.

4. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 4-2-3
Previous: 3
Comment: Sounders should have won that one on the road. Seattle fans are proceeding to stuff the ballot boxes and vote Seattle’s first XI into the all star team.

5. Houston Dynamo
Record: 3-2-3
Previous: 6
Comment: Perhaps the Dynamo don’t deserve to go this high but I can’t figure out who should. Clearly they’re one of the few teams on the rise.

6. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 3-4-2
Previous: 10
Comment: Great victory out in Salt Lake. The revitalization of Josh Wolff continues.

7. Toronto FC
Record: 3-3-4
Previous: 4
Comment: A bit shambolic at home — some really poor finishing. They have the players, but need to put in a consistent performance.

8. New England Revolution
Record: 2-2-4
Previous: 7
Comment: Still recovering and recuperating. It could be a month before they have a full strength lineup in place.

9. Colorado Rapids
Record: 3-2-3
Previous: 11
Comment: A draw away from home against the Revolution indicates this team has more fight in it than some of us give them credit for.

10. Real Salt Lake
Record: 3-5-1
Previous: 7
Comment: A bad result for Salt Lake who seem to be spiraling down.

11. Columbus Crew
Record: 1-2-6
Previous: 9
Comment: Another game they couldn’t close out. The Crew can turn this around, but the question is will they?

12. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-5-3
Previous: 12
Comment: Considering the circumstances, not a terrible result for New York against the Dynamo.

13. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 1-1-7
Previous: 13
Comment: Seven draws out of nine games? Are you kidding? If they can’t get some wins, going on this long unbeaten run doesn’t mean anything.

14. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 1-5-2
Previous: 14
Comment: Will a bye week and the potential addition of Cornell Glen change much? Hard to say at this point.

15. FC Dallas
Record: 1-6-2
Previous: 15
Comment: A tie in Frisco flatters this side. No way to move up at all after that performance.

One thing that’s obvious so far this season? Teams are tying at what seems like a record pace. That makes things even more difficult, when so many results are even. Full rankings after the jump. Don’t forget to follow MLS Offside on Twitter and to email ideas and tips to mlsoffside[at]gmail[dot]com.

1. Chivas USA
Record: 7-1-1
Previous: 1
Comment: The only concern I have about Chivas is that they are getting too hot, too soon. Save some of it for November.

2. D.C. United
Record: 2-1-5
Previous: 5
Comment: A big jump for the Black-and-Red, despite drawing twice last week. For now, you shouldn’t be worried about too many draws. Wake me up if they’re still doing this in September.

3. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 4-2-2
Previous: 2
Comment: Anyone who draws with Los Angeles deserves to slip down a notch or two, though a lot of that can be blamed on Tim Weyland.

4. Toronto FC
Record: 3-2-4
Previous: 3
Comment: An insane draw against United on Saturday was bittersweet. Toronto had no business being in the game, yet will rue the fact they dropped two points on the road.

5. Chicago Fire
Record: 2-0-6
Previous: 4
Comment: Yawn. Let me know when this team actually holds onto a lead and wins for a change.

6. Houston Dynamo
Record: 3-2-2
Previous: 9
Comment: The Dynamo continue their ascent up the MLS Power Rankings, defeating Dallas in a rather bland 1-0 match up Saturday. Pat Onstad is still a spry goalkeeper, and his defense is performing well in front of him.

7. New England Revolution
Record: 2-2-3
Previous: 10
Comment: Credit to Steve Nicol for inserting Shalrie Joseph as a holding forward. Joseph’s ability to hold the ball started the play he eventually scored on to earn a draw in Chicago.

8. Real Salt Lake
Record: 3-4-1
Previous: 7
Comment: I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again — this team cannot be viewed as a legitimate, consistent contender until they find a way to win on the road.

9. Columbus Crew
Record: 1-2-5
Previous: 11
Comment: Finally nabbed that elusive first win. But where will they go from here?

10. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 3-4-2
Previous: 6
Comment: Slipping a bit, as their defense has started to spring a few leaks.

11. Colorado Rapids
Record: 3-2-2
Previous: 8
Comment: Slipping three spots without playing, mostly because of the solid play of other teams. Plus, they’re Colorado.

12. New York Red Bulls
Record: 2-5-2
Previous: 15
Comment: I think most people want the Red Bulls to be better than they actually are. A 4-1 demolition of San Jose is a good start, but let’s see what happens next game.

13. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 1-1-6
Previous: 12
Comment: Say what you want to say, but a draw at Qwest field is a good thing, especially for this team. It’s too bad they bore you to tears sometimes.

14. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 1-5-2
Previous: 13
Comment: It’s not looking for the Quakes right now. Huckerby remains sidelined and they’re struggling to put together a consistent performance.

15. FC Dallas
Record: 1-6-1
Previous: 14
Comment: A disaster zone if there ever is one this season.

1. Chivas USA
Record: 6-1-1
Previous: 1
Comment: Zach Thornton has discovered a rejuvenation machine. Patent pending, though it certainly has resurrected his career.

2. Seattle Sounders FC
Record: 4-2-1
Previous: 2
Comment: It had to happen — Kasey concedes his first MLS goal. If you had 400+ as the over, collect your winnings. Didn’t think so.

3. Toronto FC
Record: 3-2-3
Previous: 4
Comment: A draw against winless Columbus — one could argue they were outplayed — still earns them one spot up the table.

4. Chicago Fire
Record: 2-0-4
Previous: 5
Comment: Remain the lone unbeaten team in MLS, but can’t really brag about five draws from seven games.

5. D.C. United
Record: 2-1-3
Previous: 7
Comment: Two wins on the trot, four games unbeaten now. Can they keep it up tonight against Kansas City? A busy stretch of games this week.

6. Kansas City Wizards
Record: 3-3-1
Previous: 6
Comment: Didn’t play, didn’t budge. Sounds about right. Hosting D.C. tonight with first place in the East on the line.

7. Real Salt Lake
Record: 3-3-0
Previous: 3
Comment: Score six goals, then manage zero shots on frame your next game and get shutout 2-0. Not sure what to make of that.

8. Colorado Rapids
Record: 3-2-2
Previous: 8
Comment: I don’t think anyone knows what to make of the Rapids either. There’s something about them that I just don’t trust.

9. Houston Dynamo
Record: 2-2-2
Previous: 10
Comment: Recovering nicely as the season progresses, or so it seems. Stuart Holden needs to write Matt Reis a thank you note.

10. New England Revolution
Record: 2-2-2
Previous: 9
Comment: Not the performance you’d expect after their 6-0 thrashing. Eight goals conceded in two games is cause for worry.

11. Columbus Crew
Record: 0-2-5
Previous: 11
Comment: Still winless after seven, yet still sitting above four clubs. Defending champs deserve to get the benefit of the doubt — but not for much longer.

12. Los Angeles Galaxy
Record: 1-1-4
Previous: 13
Comment: First win of the season in a match that was utterly unwatchable. Won’t go anywhere unless someone else aside from Donovan creates offense.

13. San Jose Earthquakes
Record: 1-4-2
Previous: 12
Comment: A bad result against Chivas — considering the goal allowed should not have gone in. Can they turn things around in time?

14. FC Dallas
Record: 1-5-1
Previous: 15
Comment: A defeat at the hands of United seemed inevitable. Schellas says it’s time to ring changes — will that make a difference?

15. New York Red Bulls
Record: 1-5-2
Previous: 14
Comment: Congratulations. Last place for Juan Carlos Osorio. Has he lost the plot?

The Major League Soccer Offside Power Rankings are compiled by a vote of any participating team blogger.