The Top Ten in ProSoccerTalk’s weekly MLS rankings

Following Round 3 of league play, here are Nos. 1-10 in ProSoccerTalk’s weekly MLS quality rearrangement.

10. Columbus – Fans who showed up for Saturday’s match despite the nasty weather got their money’s worth in a 1-1 draw with chances aplenty on both sides. The Crew misses Eddie Gaven, although young Ben Speas continues to look promising.

9. Philadelphia Union – Young striker Jack McInerney scored again as the home team overcame New England. That was his second game-winner in as many weeks. (Oh, and nice job from the PPL faithful, showing up in some pretty nasty weather, too. Man! When is spring going to get here, anyway?)

8. San Jose Earthquakes – Still missing too many front-line men, Frank Yallop’s club found enough to manage a 1-1 draw in Columbus, a worthy result for the boys from Buck Shaw, all things considered.

7. Sporting Kansas City – Three points from two matches on the road to open 2013 didn’t look so bad, but a scoreless draw to open the home schedule really stings. Is the strategic choice to possess more and pressure a little less backfiring? Or does the side just need more time to adjust?

6. Real Salt Lake – First things first: the club tied Colorado at home, 1-1. Nick Rimando was huge. Now … This week’s contest is the poster child for why MLS should stop stubbornly playing through FIFA dates. RSL will miss five players to international duty, including Rimando, its leading scorer and its top midfielder. Ridiculous.

5. D.C. United – Big drama at RFK! Cries for goal-line technology! Of course, it all worked out pretty well for the visitors into Red Bull Arena, as Bill Hamid (pictured) reached out and put a big paw on what was / was not / may have been the late game-winner in New Jersey. As scoreless draws go, this was a dandy.

4. Houston Dynamo – We’ve talked enough about Dominic Kinnear, who seriously twisted off about “divers and cheaters.” Meanwhile, we urge peace and balance in life and in MLS. His team? If they defend set-pieces a little better, they might have managed a draw in North Texas rather than a 3-2 loss. Oh, the Scottish kid, Andrew Driver? It’s going to be difficult to keep him off the field. He’s good.

3. LA Galaxy – The young season’s first blemish came in a 1-1 draw with its L.A. rival, as Bruce Arena’s team conceded a late equalizer to 10-man Chivas USA. Robbie Keane didn’t score, but the Irishman – who will miss this week due to international duty – was up for the job. Preseason talk of Keane as 2013 league MVP? He’s done little to hurt that so far.

2. Vancouver Whitecaps – We’ll know more about that 2-0 start when Martin Rennie’s club travels to Houston this weekend. Both Whitecaps’ wins have come at home so far. Meanwhile, some folks are wondering if the magic is already vanishing in Darren Mattocks? Seems a smidge early for all that … but check it out if you like.

1. Montreal Impact – Let’s just give Coach of the Year to Marco Schallibaum and be done with it! If you say you picked the Impact to be 3-0 at this point, you are a liar. Patrice Bernier is performing brilliantly, by the way. Oh, and Designated Player Marco Di Vaio tops the Castrol Index, if you’re into that kind of thing.