The annual positional rankings are based on opinions of MLS coaches and players, statistics and personal observation. Normally, only players appearing in one half (16 games) of the MLS schedule are eligible, but to accommodate player absences because of international duty and injuries in a World Cup year, as well as players added during the secondary transfer period (Aug. 15-Sept. 15), the minimum threshold for the 2006 season is 10 games. The rankings cover only the 2006 regular season.
Central midfielders are divided into several categories, and there are also separate rankings for those who play on the flank. Frontrunners are again designated as either strikers or (second) forwards, and as in the past, defenders are ranked in either four-man or three-man back lines.
STRIKERS
Cunningham matches career highs
The third team was a charm for Jeff Cunningham. After seven seasons in Columbus, he played just one year in Colorado before being sent on again to Real Salt Lake, for which he matched his 2002 high mark of 16 goals and also added a career-high 11 assists.
He was used often off the bench in Columbus and Colorado and didn't particularly like it, yet after struggling early in 2006 as a starter, Real coach John Ellinger sat him down for a game against the Galaxy. Three minutes after coming on as a sub, he scored, and he added another late goal for a 3-0 win that broke an 18-game winless streak for the team dating back to last season.
Carlos Ruiz, after a pair of 11-goal seasons, upped his tally to 13 to extend his streak of double-digit tallies to five seasons since joining MLS in 2001. He also drew 72 fouls to once again rank among the league leaders, and without the distraction of frequent callups by Guatemala cut down on his tantrums considerably.
Again, Brian Ching missed a chunk of the season û this time because of the World Cup as well as injuries û but again he scored roughly half a goal per game (11 goals in 21 games). He's a battler in the penalty box who connects well with his teammates, yet he could be more consistent getting shots on frame under pressure.
FORWARDS
Moreno remains class
The class of the league, despite his age (32) and lack of mobility, is Jaime Moreno. He played every game this season, despite D.C. United coach Peter Nowak's promise to rest him, and his 11 goals and 10 assists were his most balanced numbers since he hit double digits in both categories in 1999.
World Cup hangover plagued Landon Donovan for a month or so after he returned from Germany, and despite a late surge that lifted his numbers to 12 goals and seven assists (in 24 games) he couldn't propel the Galaxy into the playoffs. But the speed, touch, guile and vision are still feared throughout the league.
Judging from his first season as a first-team player, Kenny Cooper (11 goals, 4 assists) is destined for great things. His large frame (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) is no deterrent to fluid moves, soft touches and powerful shots. He can play as a target forward, but is just as good underneath and played a few times in midfield without looking lost.
If MLS loses Clint Dempsey, it will miss the swagger, swooping runs and body swerves that have lit up numerous matches. Time lost to the World Cup and suspensions limited him to 21 games, eight goals and four assists, but in a league starved of stars, he's value for money.
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
Gomez is best foreigner
He can be petulant at times and occasionally disinterested, but Christian Gomez is the best foreign player in MLS, given that Moreno doesn't have the spring and fitness he did a few years ago. Gomez actually had more goals (14) and assists (11) than did Moreno despite playing fewer minutes, and his mastery of the bending ball — on shots, on crosses, on set plays — is enthralling to watch.
Dwayne DeRosario can power through tacklers with alarming changes of direction and pace or bamboozle them with unpredictable touches. He can hit the ball with ferocious force or feather it gently, and needs only a half-step of space to pull off his amazing feats.
Andy Dorman may not be as skilled as Gomez or as explosive as DeRosario, but he can sift through tackles or clip balls around defenders despite tight marking. With six goals and 10 assists, he more than doubled his lifetime MLS totals since joining the Revs in 2004.
Juan Pablo Garcia played much of the time on the right side of midfield as well as occasionally up front, so this designation can be argued. Despite some inconsistent spells he's is a real danger man. He ranked second on the team in goals (8) and assists (6) for Chivas USA.
RIGHT MIDFIELDERS
O'Brien accommodates teammates
By tucking inside often he accommodates overlapping runs by teammates, but either out wide or in the middle Ronnie O'Brien sets up goals with diagonal balls and crosses. His 11 assists mark the third straight season he's logged at least 10, but with only one goal on 69 shots, at least one facet of his game could stand improvement.
Until he was injured Colorado midfielder Terry Cooke seemed like a cinch to lead the league in assists. Despite missing a third of the season, he did anyway, with 12, including two in the 3-3 season finale that clinched a playoff spot. He can swerve corners and curl crosses as well as anyone in MLS.
The consummate grinder, Chris Klein doesn't dazzle with his speed or touch or flamboyance. All he does is score goals (7) and set them up (8) through experience, determination and hard work.
LEFT MIDFIELDERS
Guerrero excels on flank
He didn't have the most dazzling numbers (0 goals, 9 assists) but Chicago's Ivan Guerrero established himself as one of the best flank attackers in MLS and one of the very few left-sided threats. He serves a sweet pass and can get balls across the goalmouth from the byline even at speed.
Jonathan Bornstein started his first pro season at left back for Chivas USA, then moved to midfield mid-season and began terrorizing opposing defenses with his dribbles and quick passes. Having scored six goals and four assists and started every game somewhere — he also played a bit up top — he's the clear choice as Rookie of the Year.
Steve Ralston played nearly as many games on the left (12) as he did on the right (15) for the Revs in 2006 and really turned it on the final one-third of the season to register decent numbers of six goals and four assists as New England overtook Chicago for second place in the Eastern Conference.
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
Guevara is hard to stop
Because he often drops and begins attacks from deep positions, Amado Guevara is a nightmare to stop. His emotional outbursts and petulant pouts sometimes do the stopping, and his numbers (8 goals, 5 assists) were down from the past two seasons (11-11 last year, 10-10 in 2004).
After playing just seven games in 2005 because of a knee injury, Richard Mulrooney came back to make 25 appearances, score one goal and log nine assists for FC Dallas. For every accurate searching ball he launches to trigger an attack, there are countless tackles won and opposing attacks defused.
So how did a player with three goals in 104 games prior to 2006 notch seven in a single season? Kyle Beckerman simply got into the attack every chance he got and took a team-high 57 shots as opponents looked somewhere else. (Only one of his goals came from the penalty spot, by the way.)
Sasha Victorine scored three goals and tied for the Kansas City team lead with eight assists. Ben Olsen can be infuriating with his jersey jerks and sniping at referees; while he's effective, his rate of nearly three fouls per game (55 fouls in 20 matches) is the highest in the league.
HOLDING MIDFIELDERS
Joseph keeps position
A move to Celtic was turned down, and perhaps not until he leaves the league will the Revs' Shalrie Joseph abdicate this position. His mix of power, speed and touch is rare in MLS, and every team in the league would pull a lot of levers to get him. His prowess in the air is yet another attribute.
Brian Carroll has few flaws. The D.C. midfielder can run down the ball and win it when he gets there, doesn't get enough credit for his passing — especially over middle distances — and seldom slows down before the final whistle.
Speed, mobility, clean tackling and a willingness to shoot make Houston's Ricardo Clark a valuable asset. Rookie Sacha Kljestan had an excellent season for Chivas USA, and Chris Armas was solid, as usual.
4-MAN BACKLINE
RIGHT BACKS
Albright is Galaxy weapon
Even though he missed two months of the MLS season because of World Cup duties and by his own admission it wasn't his best season, Chris Albright rates on top. His marauding runs and crosses are effective attacking weapons Los Angeles. In either penalty area, his strength in the air is always a factor.
Converted midfielder Bobby Rhine keeps repulsing efforts to unseat him from the FC Dallas starting job. He played 30 games, scored two goals and assisted on two others in 2006. Craig Waibel played a few games in the middle, where he's probably best suited, but with five goals and only 32 fouls, the Dynamo likes him just where he is.
CENTER BACKS
Conrad wins praise
Kansas City missed the playoffs and ranked in the middle defensively (45 goals in 32 games), yet Jimmy Conrad wins praise for his ruggedness and reliability. He's strong enough to deal with the powerful attackers, fast enough to handle most of the speedy ones and a respected leader.
Claudio Suarez is ridiculed for his age (37) and absence of pace, yet with experience and skill buttressed the Chivas USA defense. More than a few much younger defenders can't come close to his use of the ball.
He fouls too much and can let his emotions get the best of him, but no forward likes tangling with Houston's Eddie Robinson. He sticks tight to opponents, tackles strongly, and is hard to outrun.
LEFT BACKS
Burciaga rings up numbers
Jose Burciaga rang up incredible offensive numbers (8 goals, 8 assists) for Kansas City. He could be better defensively, but has good physical tools and is finally beginning to utilize his experience.
Since returning to MLS from Europe, Wade Barrett doesn't carry the cachet he once did. Yet he's a solid tackler who can still swing a good ball for Houston. In his fourth pro season with FCD, Chris Gbandi imbued some savvy into his robust physique.
3-MAN BACKLINE
RIGHT DEFENDERS
Namoff provides cover
He won't win Defender of the Year but Brian Namoff had an excellent season. D.C. United's scheme often leaves him unprotected in large spaces, and he sometimes has issues with balls in the air, but he's a rugged, relentless tackler who speedy enough to track and cover most situations.
Jay Heaps ended the season wearing a headband, thanks to a kick in face from an opponent, yet missed only one game for New England and earned four assists, including a neat flick-on that Taylor Twellman crashed into the net on a corner kick.
Injuries bothered C.J. Brown the past three years. Blessed with health, he played the most games (28) since coming into the league eight years ago and scored his first goal since that 1998 season.
CENTRAL DEFENDERS
Parkhurst positioned well
New England's Michael Parkhurst is sometimes criticized for not tackling (i.e. fouling) enough. The 2005 Rookie of the Year's positioning is usually spot-on, which reduces the need for crunching tackles. He wins tackles cleanly but can be overpowered going for loose balls.
If the D.C. United backline has a weakness, it's a lack of pace. In most other categories, Bobby Boswell has no issues, and with experience he should lessen the need for speed.
Tony Sanneh got up to speed just in time to replace Jim Curtin in the Chicago lineup when the latter suffered a broken foot. The 2002 World Cup veteran has been a stable force for the Fire.
LEFT DEFENDERS
Segares keeps Fire job
Since moving from midfield to defense last year in his rookie season, Gonzalo Segares has usually kept this spot for Chicago. He's good on the ball and solid in the tackle.
Facundo Erpen has a strong shot and scored three goals this season for D.C. United. Avery John missed more than half of the season for New England but when healthy is first choice.
GOALKEEPERS
Reis does his share
New England forms a solid defense in front of him, yet Matt Reis did more than his share. He led the league with 10 shutouts and played every minute while logging a smart 1.09 goals-allowed average. Whether by circumstance or design, he also handled and challenged less recklessly than in past seasons.
Troy Perkins showed some promise in 2004 while playing 16 games yet he played just twice last year as the backup to Nick Rimando. Given a chance to keep the starter's job this season, Perkins played sharply and confidently to post a 1.13 goals-allowed average and eight shutouts.
The Houston backline changed around more than it did in San Jose, so Pat Onstad didn't match his numbers of past seasons. Still, the big Canadian was reliable with a 1.25 average while playing every minute.
MLS Leaders By Position
STRIKERS
1. Jeff Cunningham (Real Salt Lake)
2. Carlos Ruiz (FC Dallas)
3. Brian Ching (Houston)
4. Ante Razov (Chivas USA)
5. Taylor Twellman (New England)
6. Andy Herron (Chicago)
7. Nate Jaqua (Chicago)
8. Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United)
9. Nico Hernandez (Colorado)
10. Jean-Phillipe Peguero (New York)
FORWARDS
1. Jaime Moreno (D.C. United)
2. Landon Donovan (Los Angeles)
3. Clint Dempsey (New England)
4. Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas)
5. Scott Sealy (Kansas City)
6. Chris Rolfe (Chicago)
7. Jason Kreis (Real Salt Lake)
8. Edson Buddle (New York)
9. Jovan Kirovski (Colorado)
10. Alejandro Moreno (Houston)
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
1. Christian Gomez (D.C. United)
2. Dwayne DeRosario (Houston)
3. Andy Dorman (New England)
4. Juan Pablo Garcia (Chivas USA)
. 5. Justin Mapp (Chicago)
RIGHT MIDFIELDERS
1. Ronnie OÆBrien (FC Dallas)
2. Steve Ralston (New England)
3. Terry Cooke (Colorado)
4. Chris Klein (Kansas City)
5. Josh Gros (D.C. United)
LEFT MIDFIELDERS
1. Ivan Guerrero (Chicago)
2. Brad Davis (Houston)
3. Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA)
4. Ramon Nunez (FC Dallas)
5. Freddy Adu (D.C. United)
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
1. Amado Guevara (New York)
2. Richard Mulrooney (FC Dallas)
3. Sasha Victorine (Kansas City)
4. Kyle Beckermann (Colorado)
5. Ben Olsen (D.C. United)
6. Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA)
7. Pete Vagenas (Los Angeles)
8. Carey Talley (Real Salt Lake)
9. Diego Gutierrez (Chicago)
10. Eddie Gaven (Columbus)
HOLDING MIDFIELDERS
1. Shalrie Joseph (New England)
2. Ricardo Clark (Houston)
3. Brian Carroll (D.C. United)
4. Chris Armas (Chicago)
5. Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado)
4-MAN BACKLINE
RIGHT BACKS
1. Chris Albright (Los Angeles)
2. Bobby Rhine (FC Dallas)
3. Craig Waibel (Houston)
4. Marvell Wynne (New York)
5. Nick Garcia (Kansas City)
CENTER BACKS
1. Jim Conrad (Kansas City)
2. Claudio Suarez (Chivas USA)
3. Eddie Robinson (Houston)
4. Ugo Ihemelu (Los Angeles)
5. Eddie Pope (Real Salt Lake)
6. Aitor Karanka (Colorado)
7. Carlos Mendes (New York)
8. Greg Vanney (FC Dallas)
9. Tyrone Marshall (Los Angeles)
10. Chad Marshall (Columbus)
LEFT BACKS
1. Jose Burciaga (Kansas City)
2. Wade Barrett (Houston)
3. Chris Gbandi (FC Dallas)
4. Ned Jazic (Los Angeles)
5. Ritchie Kotschau (Columbus)
3-MAN BACKLINE
RIGHT DEFENDERS
1. Brian Namoff (D.C. United)
2. Jay Heaps (New England)
3. C.J. Brown (Chicago)
4. Brandon Prideaux (D.C. United)
CENTRAL DEFENDERS
1. Michael Parkhurst (New England)
2. Bobby Boswell (D.C. United)
3. Tony Sanneh (Chicago)
4. Jim Curtin (Chicago)
LEFT DEFENDERS
1. Gonzalo Segares (Chicago)
2. Facundo Erpen (D.C. United)
3. Avery John (New England)
4. Dasan Robinson (Chicago)
GOALKEEPERS
1. Matt Reis (New England)
2. Troy Perkins (D.C. United)
3. Pat Onstad (Houston)
4. Dario Sala (FC Dallas)
5. Zach Thornton (Chicago)
6. Jon Conway (New York)
7. Kevin Hartman (Los Angeles)
8. Preston Burpo (Chivas USA)
9. Joe Cannon (Colorado)
10. Bo Oshoniyi (Kansas City)