{"id":17651,"date":"2023-04-19T09:06:10","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T13:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/?p=17651"},"modified":"2023-04-19T09:06:30","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T13:06:30","slug":"mls-power-rankings-matchday-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/soccer\/mls-power-rankings-matchday-9\/","title":{"rendered":"WagerTalk MLS Power Rankings Matchday 9"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MLS Power Rankings Top 5<\/h2>\n

As we head towards the middle of the MLS regular season, Sportsmemo MLS handicapper Nick Borrman<\/a> presents his MLS Power Rankings heading into Matchday 9. Which teams are slotted at the top and which teams need to make improvements? Read his power rankings now!<\/p>\n

\"MLS<\/p>\n

1. Los Angeles FC<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 1st [2.2 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 4th [9.20 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not even the CCL (CONCACAF Champions League) can slow them down as Los Angeles FC has reached the semifinals where they face off with Philadelphia in a rematch of last year\u2019s MLS Cup Final.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles FC average the most shots and shots on target per game while allowing the 2nd fewest xGA in the league at just 0.93 per 90 minutes.<\/p>\n

They are also the only remaining unbeaten team. So, yea, until that changes, their position at that top won\u2019t.<\/p>\n

2. Seattle Sounders<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 3rd [2.0 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 9th [7.57 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sure, their 1-4 loss at Portland last weekend was ugly, but xG showed a much closer match. Still, they have benefitted from no CCL duties this season and Jordan Morris has netted 8 goals already for the Sounders. But really, it all comes down to health for this team, which for the time being, they have.<\/p>\n

3. Vancouver Whitecaps<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 9th [1.8 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 1st [9.67 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you take a look at just table position, you may be scratching your head as to why Vancouver is 3rd in the rankings, but xG loves what they are doing as they have the 3rd most xPTS at 13.59, yet they only have nine.<\/p>\n

The Whitecaps opened the season with two losses but have since gone unbeaten in their last six. They were knocked out of the CCL by LAFC, but that should only strengthen their focus on league matches.<\/p>\n

4. FC Cincinnati<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 3rd [2.0 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 7th [8.04 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Their blowout loss to STL wasn\u2019t as bad as it seemed according to xG, still, it\u2019s likely a much needed wakeup call for them.<\/p>\n

Their run of six straight Unders and \u2018Both Teams to Score-NO\u2019 props has ended, but that just means the league\u2019s 2nd best defense (0.89 xGA per 90 minutes) is ready to start another streak.<\/p>\n

Facing Portland next, the league\u2019s 6th most inept offense (0.98 xG per 90 minutes) should help get them back on track.<\/p>\n

5. New England Revolution<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 1st [2.2 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 6th [8.10 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Eastern Conference leaders got spanked at LAFC back in early March, but other than that, they are unbeaten on the season and have kept four clean sheets and allowed three goals (LAFC scored four on them).<\/p>\n

Results are all that matters of course, but underlying metrics suggest they will likely fall out of the Top-5 sooner rather than later with only a +0.02 xG differential per 90 minutes.<\/p>\n

\"MLS<\/p>\n

MLS Bottom 5 Power Rankings<\/h2>\n

25. Charlotte FC<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 18th [1.2 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 25th [4.30 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coin flip between Charlotte and Real Salt Lake, but RSL beat Charlotte 3-1 so there you go. Only Montreal has conceded more than Charlotte\u2019s 16, and they allow the most shots on target per match (6.1).<\/p>\n

Charlotte face Columbus, NYCFC and Atlanta over their next four matches. They may be stuck on this list for a while.<\/p>\n

26. Los Angeles Galaxy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 27th [0.4 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 12th [7.25 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Galaxy came up short in El Traffico over the weekend, but I suppose that\u2019s no surprise as they remain one of only two winless teams on the season.<\/p>\n

The craziest thing is the they actually have a positive xG differential at +0.01 per 90 minutes, but until they start getting some actual results, they will stay on this list.<\/p>\n

27. Inter Miami<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 29th [0.0 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 29th [2.28 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

It all looked so promising opening the season with two wins. But Beckham\u2019s club has now lost five straight and were held scoreless in four of those.<\/p>\n

They are generating the 3rd fewest xG per 90 minutes (0.91) while allowing the 7th most xGA (1.46). They just made a trade with Montreal for central defender Kamal Miller and some GAM (general allocation money), so there\u2019s hope and only one direction for this team to go.<\/p>\n

28. Sporting Kansas City<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 28th [0.2 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 23rd [4.91 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

No team in MLS history has scored as few of goals through eight games as SKC has this year. Two. There isn\u2019t much else to say other than it\u2019s not a fluke, they rank in the bottom five in xG averaging less than 1.0 per 90 minutes. They should rise though. Their 1.28 xGA per 90 minutes ranks better than 14 teams.<\/p>\n

29. CF Montreal<\/strong><\/h3>\n

L\/5 Form \u2013 Tied 24th [0.6 PPG], L\/5 xPTS \u2013 28th [3.44 xPTS]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nobody has conceded more goals than Montreal\u2019s 17 and hey, their three goals scored in seven matches this season are at least more than Kansas City. The problem is those three goals all came in one match as they have been blanked six times already.<\/p>\n

Montreal just traded away a great defender in Kamal Miller just last week along with shipping over $1.3M GAM. Are they throwing in the towel already?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Fan<\/a><\/p>\n

Interested in placing a MLS bet? Visit FanDuel to get a $1,000 no sweat first bet<\/a> in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia or Wyoming.<\/em><\/p>\n

MLS Free Picks at WagerTalk<\/h3>\n

Visit our MLS Free Picks Page<\/a> where our handicappers are consistently loading up free plays across the weekly MLS slate!<\/p>\n

Stoppage Time | Weekly Soccer Preview<\/h3>\n

Join Carmine Bianco, Kevin Dolan, Nick Borrman, Bryan Power and Pavlos Laguretos for Stoppage Time every Tuesday and Thursday breaking down betting angles across the European soccer schedule!<\/p>\n

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