by Ridge Mahoney @ridgemax, Dec 18, 2015

2015 Soccer America Positional Rankings:

A pair of 22-goal scorers topped the MLS list in 2015, but only one of them is ranked in this category.A breakthrough season forput to rest those criticisms that he could score occasionally but not hit the target enough over a long season. He tied for the league lead with the signing of the season,of Toronto FC.Giovinco and several others, such ashave been classified as forwards, as defined here as one who plays in tandem with or underneath a striker. Since many teams predominantly played a 4-2-3-1 formation in 2015, delineating between a second forward and a traditional playmaker is in many cases arbitrary.By breaking the rookie record of 11 goals set bymore than a decade ago,emerged as a college product (UConn) sharp enough to join the mostly foreign-born ranks of top goalscorers. He wound up tied for fourth with 17 goals.These rankings are based solely on player performances during MLS regular-season play and the playoffs.(Columbus)(LA Galaxy)(Seattle)(Orlando City)(Portland)(NY Red Bulls)(Montreal)(New York City)(Sporting KC)(New England)Kamara doubled his previous best season in MLS by scoring 22 goals, and connected on headers for one-half of them. His knockdowns and physical prowess were key facets of Crew SC’s run to the MLS Cup final.

None of the goals were penalties, by the way.





Keane notched his 20 goals in just 22 games, and Martins -- another player beset by injuries and even a callup in 2015 -- managed 15 goals in 20 matches. Martins also led the top attackers in scoring percentage at 35.7. Larin scored 17 goals and ran away with the Rookie of the Year award. Adi followed up on a solid debut season in 2014 by scoring 16 goals in the regular season and two more in the playoffs while adding a greater knowledge of opponents and teammates to his ruggedness and box presence.



Wright-Phillips also bagged 17 yet lost a bit of his spark in the playoffs. Still, he tied Stern John’s two-year record mark of 44 goals after matching for the single-season record last year with 27.



Can Drogba stretch his remarkable run of 11 goals in 11 games over a full season? If he stays healthy he’ll get his chance in 2016. Villa debuted in MLS with 18 goals but faded in the final one-third of the season. Dwyer (12 goals) took a steep drop from his 22 goals of 2014 but SKC’s sporadic midfield play caused some of that problem.



Davies showed a bit of his former self by zooming past opponents in many games but a nine-game goalless drought starting in mid-August dulled his stats (10 goals, 4 assists).



HISTORY BOOK. No player has ranked as the best MLS striker more than two times in Soccer America's annual rankings. Carlos Ruiz, Jeff Cunningham and John have all been selected twice.



Best Strikers

2015 Kei Kamara

2014 Obafemi Martins

2013 Marco Di Vaio

2012 Robbie Keane

2011 Alvaro Saborio

2010 Edson Buddle

2009 Jeff Cunningham

2008 Juan Pablo Angel

2007 Luciano Emilio

2006 Jeff Cunningham

2005 Taylor Twellman

2004 Brian Ching

2003 Carlos Ruiz

2002 Carlos Ruiz

2001 Diego Serna

2000 Mamadou Diallo

1999 Stern John

1998 Stern John

1997 Raul Diaz Arce

1996 Eduardo Hurtado<