After scoring six goals and assisting on three others, 2014 Landon Donovan MVP Award winner Robbie Keane has moved himself back into the top three of the MVP Ladder.
The LA Galaxy star still sits behind Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco and Columbus Crew SC's Kei Kamara, while Sporting Kansas City's Benny Feilhaber fell from No. 2 to No. 4.
Dax McCarty of the Eastern Conference-leading New York Red Bulls moved into the top five this year after captaining his side to a 4-1-1 August.
Here's how the rankings are determined. Ten of MLSsoccer.com's editors were polled for their top five MVP candidates as of this month. Their votes were aggregated, resulting in the list below.
Five points were given to a player who received a first-place vote, four to a second-place vote, three to a third-place vote, two for a fourth-place vote, and one for a fifth-place vote.
March:Rivero's strong start earns him No. 1 spot after March
April: Oba, Dempsey come in at top two spots at the end of April
May:Dempsey takes top spot, followed closely by Giovinco
June:Giovinco grabs No. 1 spot over Hamid
July:Giovinco holds lead Feilhaber, Kamara
NOTE: This voting in no way reflects the voting for the 2015 Landon Donovan MVP Award.
<strong>Rank (Pts.)</strong> |
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Club</strong> |
<strong>Analysis</strong> |
<strong>1 (49)</strong><strong style="font-size: 10px;">Last Month: 1</strong> |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/sebastian-giovinco" style="font-size: 12.222222328186px;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/image_nodes/2015/06/Giovinco-1.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 143px;"></a> |
<img alt=" " src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/prp-toronto_150.png" style="font-size: 9px; height: 75px; width: 75px;"> |
<h2><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/sebastian-giovinco" target="_blank"><strong>Sebastian Giovinco</strong></a></h2><br><strong><em>25 GP, 17 G (2nd), 13 A (T-2nd)</em></strong><p>Giovinco has scored just one goal in his last four games, which for him is a drought. Fortunately he's still likely to become the first player in MLS history to reach 20 goals and 15 assists in one season. He's parlayed that into a call-up to the Italian national team, though he will miss the games due to an adductor injury.</p> |
<strong>2 (34)</strong><strong style="font-size: 10px;">Last Month: 3</strong> |
<strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/kei-kamara" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/image_nodes/2015/05/Kamara_Kei_23.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 143px;"></a></strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/kei-kamara" style="font-size: 12.222222328186px;" target="_blank"></a> |
<img alt=" " src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/CCSC-200x200.png" style="font-size: 9px; height: 75px; width: 75px;"> |
<h2><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/kei-kamara" target="_blank"><strong>Kei Kamara</strong></a></h2><br><b><i>27 GP, 18 G (1st), 117 shots (3rd)</i></b><p>Kamara was been the life-blood of Crew SC's resurgent August and has his team in prime position to make the playoffs and make a run at a first-round bye.</p> |
<strong>3 (26)</strong><strong style="font-size: 10px;">Last Month: 4</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/image_nodes/2015/07/RobbieKeane.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 143px;"> |
<img alt=" " src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/1230_200x200.png" style="font-size: 9px; width: 75px; height: 75px;"> |
<h2><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/robbie-keane" target="_blank"><strong>Robbie Keane</strong></a></h2><br><b><i>18 GP, 15 G (T-3rd), 7 A (T-8th)</i></b><p>He's baaaaaaack. After an outstanding July, the 2014 MVP Award winner followed it up with an incredible August. He scored six goals in the month and has the Galaxy back atop the Supporters' Shield standings. </p> |
<strong>4 (23)</strong><strong style="font-size: 10px;">Last Month: 2</strong> |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/benny-feilhaber" style="background-color: rgb(221, 221, 221);" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/image_nodes/2015/05/Benny-Feilhaber.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 143px;"></a> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/sportingkc_logo.png" style="font-size: 9px; width: 75px; height: 83px;"> |
<h2><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/benny-feilhaber" target="_blank"><strong>Benny Feilhaber</strong></a></h2><br><strong><em>24 GP, 13 A (T-2nd), 56 chances created (T-4th)</em></strong><p>It was a bit of a lost month for the 30-year-old as Sporting Kansas City are on a three-game losing streak. The former US international was forced to miss one of those three games as he was handed a red card in a blowout loss to the San Jose Earthquakes.</p> |
<strong>5 (11)</strong><strong style="font-size: 10px;">Last Month: 9</strong> |
<strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/dax-mccarty" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/image_nodes/2015/09/2015_02_REDBULL_MCARTY_MLS_010.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 143px;"></a></strong><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/dax-mccarty" target="_blank"></a> |
<img alt=" " src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/prp-newyork_150.png" style="font-size: 9px; height: 75px; width: 75px;"> |
<h2><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/dax-mccarty" target="_blank"><strong>Dax McCarty</strong></a></h2><br><b><i>23 GP, 16.23% pass usage (3rd), 84 tackles (3rd)</i></b><p>The MLS veteran is having a career year under Jesse Marsch, dominating the midfield for the Red Bulls in almost every game he has played this year. With New York making a run at the Supporters' Shield, McCarty could move up even higher on this list.</p> |
Others receiving votes: Bradley Wright-Phillips (4), Ethan Finlay (1), Bill Hamid (1), David Ousted (1)
Let us know what you think of our picks (and make your own) in the comments section below.
