Total-MLS Top 5 – July 12

After a week hiatus, the Total-MLS Top 5 is back with a vengeance. Well, maybe not vengeance. This week our writers again gave the Galaxy the top spot. The rest of the Top 5 is very Western Conference heavy with just one Eastern Conference team coming in at number five. Let’s take a look at this week’s rankings.

1. Los Angeles Galaxy – The stars came out Saturday night to give the Galaxy a victory over the Chicago Fire. Landon Donovan headed home a David Beckham free kick and the Englishman scored an “olimpico”, a goal directly from a corner kick, to keep the Galaxy in the number one spot. LA got all but three first place votes and those votes were second place votes.

2. Seattle Sounders – Don’t look now but here come the Sounders. After a thrilling win in their derby match with the Portland Timbers, the Sounders remain just four points behind LA in the race for the Supporters” Sheild. If Fredy Montero continues to dazzle like he did on Sunday, Seattle could be a real MLS Cup contender. Seattle got two first place votes and then a wide variety of seconds through fifths.

3. Real Salt Lake – In a big match between two West heavyweights, RSL cooled down a red hot FC Dallas and showed the rest of MLS that they are not to be counted out in 2011. There may be some internal strife with Alvaro Saborio and coach Jason Kreis but if any team can handle adversity, it’s RSL. Real Salt Lake got mostly second and third place votes to go along with a couple of fourths.

4. FC Dallas – The boys from North Texas were handed their first loss in nearly a month at the hands of RSL but still remain one of the better teams in MLS. Rising star Brek Shea made the All Star First XI and is surely a future US National Team player. Things are looking up in Dallas but will the fans show up? FCD got one first place vote, two seconds, and the rest of the votes were thirds and fourths.

5. Philadelphia Union – Is the Western Conference that good? Philadelphia is the first East team in our rankings and they edged fellow East rivals New York Red Bulls for the fifth spot. The Union were held to a scoreless draw in San Jose which may tell you the difference in East and West. Maybe a East vs West All Star Game isn’t such a good idea. Philly got all fifth place votes from our writers.

Do you agree or disagree with our writers? Feel we left any deserving teams out or overrated a team? Tweet us @TotalMLS and let us know.

(image courtesy of Robert Mora/LA Galaxy)