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MLS: Power Rankings – Seattle Sounders on top

By Matt Coles

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 10: The Seattle Sounders celebrate after defeating Toronto FC 3-1 to win the 2019 MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field on November 10, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 10: The Seattle Sounders celebrate after defeating Toronto FC 3-1 to win the 2019 MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field on November 10, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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The coach of Canadian team Montreal Impact, Frenchman Thierry Henry, is pictured during a training session at the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in San Jose, on February 18, 2020 on the eve of their Concacaf Campions League football match against Costa Rican Deportivo Saprissa. (Photo by Ezequiel BECERRA / AFP) (Photo by EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images)
The coach of Canadian team Montreal Impact, Frenchman Thierry Henry, is pictured during a training session at the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in San Jose, on February 18, 2020 on the eve of their Concacaf Campions League football match against Costa Rican Deportivo Saprissa. (Photo by Ezequiel BECERRA / AFP) (Photo by EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images) /

20. Montreal Impact

The Montreal Impact lifted the Canadian Championship for a third time in 2019, but in the league, their form was very inconsistent and they came home in 9th in the Eastern Conference.

With enigmatic playmaker Ignacio Piatti gone, along with the defensive trio of Victor Cabrera, Bacary Sagna and Daniel Lovitz, there are some gaps that need to be filled.

Add to that a new head coach in Thierry Henry, who failed miserably at Monaco in his only managerial stint so far, and this could be a tough season for Montreal.

19. San Jose Earthquakes

Having held a playoff spot in their grasp for the majority of the 2019 campaign, the San Jose Earthquakes ended up finishing outside the top seven in the Western Conference.

There has not been much change in the offseason and that could be a worry for a team that ran out of gas in the final weeks of the season, despite Matias Almeyda’s tremendous coaching job earlier in the year.

Chris Wondolowski is entering his final season in MLS, and the league’s all-time record goalscorer will be looking to go out with a bang, but it is more likely to be a crash and burn for the ‘Quakes this season.

18. Colorado Rapids

After falling out of the postseason race in the latter stages of last season, the Colorado Rapids are up and ready to go again this time around, looking for a first playoff game since 2016.

Colorado have lost their starting goalkeeper after Tim Howard retired from professional soccer, but bringing in the likes of Lalas Abubakar, Drew Moor and Auston Trusty can only improve their leaky backline.

The club will once again look to Kei Kamara as their main goal threat, but with the likes of Andre Shinyashiki, Nicolas Mezquida, Jonathan Lewis and Nicolas Benezet all in the squad, there could be plenty more goals at the right end this term.

San Jose Earthquakes, MLS, Alan Pulido
(Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images) /

17. Sporting Kansas City

After finishing in 11th spot in the Western Conference, Sporting Kansas City needed to change the way they looked ahead of the 2020 campaign. The addition of Alan Pulido has done precisely that.

All they needed last season was a striker who could consistently score goals, and in Pulido, they might just have one. Fans have bemoaned the lack of a goalscoring number nine for several years. Can Pulido solve those long-lasting problems?

Add the Mexican to a line-up which already includes Johnny Russell and Felipe Gutierrez, and SKC could well become a playoff contender once again. They have experience aplenty, but they are getting old. Which will play the more significant role?

16. Houston Dynamo

The Houston Dynamo fell to a 10th place finish in the Western Conference last season, but after some clever offseason recruiting, including a new head coach, they could be in with a shot of playoff soccer this time around.

Tab Ramos will be the man to take charge of the Dynamo, his first head coaching role, and although it comes with a degree of difficulty, they have every chance of finishing in the top seven in the West.

Bringing in Colombian playmaker Darwin Quintero will only help matters. The former Minnesota United star has an eye for goal. Add his abilities to the proven trio of Mauro Manotas, Christian Ramirez and Alberth Elis and Houston could be trouble for defensive lines all year.

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