Week 7 of the MLS season is a wrap which means, as usual, that it's time to take stock of the latest round of results and what it all means as we head into the June international break and then look forward to the rest of the season.
Here are this week's 27 Takeaways, one for every MLS team.
Another week where extremely dominant possession didn’t translate to three points. Even though the identity Gabriel Heinze has implemented is crystal clear, at some point it will need to lead to results to get complete from players and fans.
They found themselves in great attacking positions against the Sounders but their front three did not look dangerous at any point and it was easy to see why they haven’t scored in their last three games. However, a point in Seattle is something good to build on.
They were unable to build on last week's win — their only win so far — and goal-scoring remains the biggest issue with just four goals in seven games. Robert Beric bears the biggest responsibility but the likes of Alvaro Medran and Gaston Gimenez need to up their productivity as well.
Unable to build on last weeks win, they were too passive defensively and allows 26 shots against them. Few teams need the upcoming mini-break as badly as Cincinnati. They need to regroup and press the reset button.
Good teams bounce back from defeats and that’s exactly what we should have expected from one of the most in form teams in all of MLS. They were outshot and out-possessed, but were ruthless where it mattered most and it’s time we all gave them a serious look as a true contender.
Back to back wins and heading the right way in the table — plus their star striker opened his 2021 account while scoring his 50th goal for the club — and I still feel they have three or four gears they can still tap into. The reigning champions are slowly rounding into form.
They started the month with a fabulous 4-1 win and ended it with their heaviest defeat of the season which pretty much tells you which direction they are currently headed in.
Ola Kamara marked his return to the starting lineup in brilliant fashion. Hopefully he can kick on and return to his best level. On the whole, this win was down to efficiency — three shots on target led to three goals and they scored as many goals as they had in their previous five games.
They can be devastatingly good in one moment and below par in the very next. Their last four games have been a win, loss, win, and a loss — three of the games decided by a single goal. If they want to keep up with Seattle and Sporting Kansas City, then consistency will have to be found very soon.
They’ve already lost seven points from winning positions. Perhaps even more alarmingly, the free flowing attacking football that once led to an absurd amount of goals appears to have deserted them — for now at least. It’s not often you see this team with a negative goal differential.
They got the kind of win they will need to keep getting if they are to turn this good start into a good season — they dug deep, stayed organized, rode their luck when they needed to, and most importantly they got a clean sheet. If clean sheets can become a constant theme, Galaxy fans may just start dreaming of silverware again.
An awful week off the pitch was compounded by a resounding home defeat to D.C. United. They now have only one win in the last six, and have been scoreless in three of the last four. Gonzalo Higuain aside, none of their expected key contributors have lived up to the billing so far this season.
They fought back for a point in a game they’d have lost earlier this season so progress is clearly being made. Also unbeaten in three while conceding only once during that stretch. They need to use the upcoming break to get the offense firing and that should be enough to see them continue to get points.
A much needed win came courtesy of Mason Toye’s third goal in only his fourth game of the season. This team is still crying out for that pure out and out goal scorer that can turn one point into three on a regular basis. Maybe Toye can be that guy.
One of two remaining unbeaten teams, the only difference is the other unbeaten team are first in their conference while Nashville are seventh in theirs. Full credit for fighting back from two down against Atlanta, but they will hope to turn a few of these draws into close wins as the season progresses.
Their first away win of the season solidified their lead atop the East as Adam Buksa continued his great run form by netting his third goal in as many games. With three of their next four away from home, it was a good time to show they know how to get points away from the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium.
The win against LAFC said a lot about this team's character. Having lost in cruel fashion a week ago, and finding themselves down a goal away from home, they dug deep and got three massive points that led their coach to declare it the best win since he’s been in charge.
They’ve played three games at home and four games away. They’ve won every home game and lost every away game. While you’d think they’ll need to win some away games at some point, if this trend continued, they’d actually comfortably be a playoff team. It’s tough to knock a team that’s on track for the postseason.
Their recent good run was halted but what matters now is how they respond. To show themselves, and us, that they can be a true contender, it’d be nice to see them go on another mini-unbeaten run and not allow this defeat to lead to a period of bad form.
Another day, another Philadelphia win and clean sheet. They are the in form team in MLS right now, and if the offense can regularly produce this kind of firepower, while they stay as great as they’ve been defensively, they will take some stopping.
Three of their four defeats have come away from home where they’ve also conceded eight of their 11 goals against. We know they will be fine at home, but they can’t allow this kind of away form to continue if they want to achieve what they aspire to.
They let the lead slip in a game they probably should have won. They’ve failed to win any of their last three home games which has to be a concern.
Four straight defeats have brought them crashing right back down to earth after an impressive start. They’re currently struggling to score goals so it may be time to give Wondo an extended run in the starting lineup.
For the second week in a row they’ve dropped points at home which they should be disappointed with. But they still sit first in the West due to having the best start in club history and now that they are about to lose some key players to national team duty, we will learn a lot about their depth.
They’re rolling right now. That’s nine goals in three games to go with the three wins. Their last six goals have been scored by five different players which points to the various ways they can hurt teams.
With the Armas-Altidore saga hanging over their heads, they slumped to another defeat and now sit only above Chicago and Cincinnati in the standings. Their season is in danger of being lost unless they make the drastic changes they need to both on and especially off the field in the next two weeks.
They were off this past weekend and end May outside the playoff picture. June will present them with three very difficult fixtures with a home game against the Galaxy sandwiched between trips to Salt Lake and Seattle. Those games will go a long way to determining how the rest of this season will go for them.
