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1 1 They looked disjointed in the midfield against Alajuelense in midweek Champions League play, and Juninho was a shadow before he got his red card. The young Brazilian looked a bit out of gas, which is probably why LA gave up so many shots from distance. The 10-day break is just what they need to recharge their batteries. Last Week: Match at New York postponed to Oct. 4

Match at New York postponed to Oct. 4 This Week: Monday at Sporting KC (5 pm, Fox Soccer)

Monday at Sporting KC (5 pm, Fox Soccer) Last Five: WWLWW

2 2 Seattle have been torrid in the second half of August, and their past week was as good as any team in league history: 1-0 at conference rivals Dallas, 1-0 at CONCACAF champions Monterrey and, finally, the 6-2 humiliation of Eastern Conference leaders Columbus. The Open Cup semifinal vs. Dallas should be epic. Last Week: Beat Columbus, 6-2 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Beat Columbus, 6-2 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: LWTWW

3 3 That 3-2 win they took out of Kansas City is one of the gutsiest results any club has grabbed this year. Pulling that off in the midst of the George John imbroglio and just days after the CONCACAF circus up in Toronto says all you really need to know about FCD’s heart. Next up: The Sounders again in the USOC semis. Last Week: Beat Sporting KC, 3-2 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Beat Sporting KC, 3-2 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: WLTLW

4 4 The Julius James suspension exposed a lack of depth in central defense. Rich Balchan is a fantastic d-mid, a passable left back and an out-of-his-depth central defender. If Robert Warzycha has to go beyond his preferred pairing of James and Chad Marshall again, it might make more sense to give Kevin Burns a look there and leave Balchan in midfield. Last Week: Lost at Seattle, 6-2 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Lost at Seattle, 6-2 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: WLWWL

5 5 They stopped two streaks this week: MLS’ winning streak in CONCACAF play when they gave up a late equalizer at Real España, and their own unbeaten streak when the Fire played them off the pitch this past weekend. The break should do them good, provided Jeff Larentowicz doesn’t come back from the US friendlies worn out from travel. Last Week: Lost at Chicago, 2-0 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Lost at Chicago, 2-0 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: WWWTL

6 7 RSL needed Saturday’s win very, very badly to stay in the hunt for a top-three spot in the West. It wasn’t pretty, but they capitalized on their best chance and then held the fort. They’ll be short-handed for the Philly game, but the good news is that Paulo Jr. should be ready. He gives them a different dimension in attack. Last Week: Beat Chivas USA, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Beat Chivas USA, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Saturday vs. Philadelphia (9 pm, MatchDay Live)

Saturday vs. Philadelphia (9 pm, MatchDay Live) Last Five: LWLLW

7 6 The only good thing to come out of that 3-2 choke job against Dallas was the tone in the locker room afterward. Sporting players didn’t blame the refs or each other, they collectively took responsibility for the loss and said, “We have to figure out how to fix this together.” That attitude will serve them well down the stretch. Last Week: Lost to FC Dallas, 3-2 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Lost to FC Dallas, 3-2 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Monday vs. LA (5 pm, Fox Soccer)

Monday vs. LA (5 pm, Fox Soccer) Last Five: WLWWL

8 9 Apparently all Philly have to do to move up the rankings is sit idle while the rest of the Eastern Conference falls apart around them. They’ve got plenty of games in hand and a chance to make a statement this weekend at Real Salt Lake. A win puts them right back in the hunt for the top spot in the East. Last Week: Match vs. New England postponed to Sept. 7

Match vs. New England postponed to Sept. 7 This Week: Saturday at RSL (9 pm, MatchDay Live)

Saturday at RSL (9 pm, MatchDay Live) Last Five: LTTTL

9 10 The long layoff may benefit the Red Bulls more than any other side, since it gives time to guys like Luke Rodgers, Frank Rost, Teemu Tainio, Jan Gunnar Solli, Joel Lindpere and Thierry Henry to rest and recover from injuries they’ve all been muddling through for months. If they’re all healthy, they’re a good bet for a playoff spot. But things have a way of not working out for RBNY... Last Week: Match vs. LA postponed to Oct. 4

Match vs. LA postponed to Oct. 4 This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: LTLTT

10 12 Dwayne De Rosario will probably play 180 minutes with Canada over the upcoming FIFA break, which won’t do much good for this 33-year-old legs. Aside from that, though, DC should be well-rested when they take the field next Saturday at Chivas. Like Philly, they control their own destiny thanks to having games in hand.

Last Week: Match vs. Portland postponed to Oct. 19

Match vs. Portland postponed to Oct. 19 This Week : Bye

Bye Last Five: WTWTL

11 13 How high can the Timbers climb? They’re still a fundamentally flawed team, but there have been plenty of MLS sides throughout history that have gotten things done simply by playing tough at home and punishing you on setpieces. With most of the other playoff contenders flailing, Portland have a chance to call their own shot. Last Week: Beat Chivas USA, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS), Match at D.C. United postponed to Oct. 19

Beat Chivas USA, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS), Match at D.C. United postponed to Oct. 19 This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: TLLWW

12 8 It took a stellar performance from Joe Cannon to stop them, but stop the Dynamo he did. Houston are still winless on the road, and with the summer weather on its way out in Texas, their home field advantage isn’t likely to be so pronounced. The combo makes it tough to believe the Dynamo are serious contenders.

Last Week: Lost at Vancouver, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Lost at Vancouver, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: TWTWL

13 14 The Cory Gibbs/Jalil Anibaba central-defensive pairing has been a revelation, while the Pável Pardo/Sebastián Grazzini pairing has been as good as advertised. Hard as it is to believe, this team is only five points out of a playoff spot with 8 games to go. That’s entirely manageable. Next up is Tuesday’s USOC semifinal against Richmond, which is the ultimate “no excuses” game. Last Week: Beat Colorado, 2-0 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Beat Colorado, 2-0 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: LTTWW

14 11 It may be unfair to drop this team so far in the rankings at the end of the grueling August that saw them play five of six on the road. But they looked a mess on Saturday with Juan Pablo Ángel dropping deep trying to find LaBrocca in the box (um, that’s backwards, guys), and a comical defensive error. They squandered their chance to pull into a playoff spot — maybe for good. Last Week: Lost at Portland, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS), Lost to Real Salt Lake, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Lost at Portland, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS), Lost to Real Salt Lake, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: WTTLL

15 15 A couple of weeks for forwards Milton Caraglio and Rajko Lekic to rest their nagging injuries should do some good. The rest of 2011 should be about getting those two, Benny Feilhaber, Monsef Zerka and Diego Fagundez all on the same page. That’s a good attacking core to build around in 2012. Last Week: Match at Philadelphia postponed to Sept. 7

Match at Philadelphia postponed to Sept. 7 This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: TLLTT

16 17 The good work they did against Dallas in CCL play last week, when they hung tough in both the canceled game and the eventual replay, was undone by coughing up a late lead to the Earthquakes in what was really a painful draw for both sides. Sure, they got the short end of a bad call, but good teams play through that and find a way. Last Week: Tied San Jose, 1-1 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Tied San Jose, 1-1 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: TTWLT

17 18 Turns out there may have been something to that Jay DeMerit/Alain Rochat pairing. The rest of the ‘Caps chased the ball all over the park for 90 minutes while the central defense — and ‘keeper Cannon, who had a blinder — held firm. Something to build on for next year, at least. Last Week: Beat Houston, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS)

Beat Houston, 1-0 (HIGHLIGHTS) This Week: Bye

Bye Last Five: LWLLW