MLS Power Rankings, Week 3: Montreal Impact still in bottom tier but still some positives

Another MLS week, another SBNation Power Rankings post by Jeremiah Oshan. Just a reminder on how the SBNation MLS Power Rankings are compiled:

Each voter ranks the teams from 1-19. The teams are then ordered by average, with the lowest average going first and so on. The editor then splits the rankings into five tiers, looking for natural breaks in the averages.

The voter is a representative of each SBNation MLS blog and voting/ranking ensues. As much as many Montreal Impact fans will be disappointed by their home team still at the bottom of the list, we must not forget that this is an expansion team. Not much is really expected from an expansion team and the Seattle Sounders's 1st year model of success is rare and unique in its own style. At the end, it's all about managing expectations.

Have a look at the SB Nation Power Ranking widget (screenshot below) and follow us after the jump to talk Montreal Impact rankings.

The Montreal Impact has been categorized under the last tier of the SBNation MLS Power Rankings

Drowning

16. Philadelphia Union (15.15; 16): They've been Nowak-ed.

17. Chivas USA (15.38; 17): You'd think that beating our No. 1 team, on the road no less, would get you some more respect. You'd be wrong.

18. New England Revolution (16.81; 19): Poor opinions die hard. Just ask the Revs.

19. Montreal Impact (17.31; 18): This is a really bad team. They are going to give up close to 70 goals. Just you watch.

This is all being a tally of 19 votes, the margin of difference that a few high or low votes can easily skew the rankings but all 4 teams in the ''Drowning'' tier are not there by mistake. We can ''drown'' the Montreal Impact with the excuse of being an expansion team hence washing all sins but being constructively critical is important. On the fans side, seeing your team being ranked at the bottom seems to have triggered a sense of pain for your home team, touching the pride of the shield that all Montreal Impact fans carry with them. This is a good thing for the Montreal Impact and its fan following: fans care about the team and its performances beyond the show and entertainment... highly soccer-educated fans.

Looking at the '' Drowning '' neighbours of the Montreal Impact, we have the Philadelphia Union that seems in disarray with controversies around its head coach Piotr Nowak. The New England Revolution is a team in re-construction with some interesting young and older assets to be able to take the jump but time is of the essence. Chivas USA seemed to start as poorly as in 2011 but a victory over Real Salt Lake gave hope to the club and a hope that improvement is possible.

The Montreal Impact is not a club in disarray but will face its challenges while trying to find a chemistry with older and younger players to create a unit. What is important in Montreal's first three games is that we see evolution in the game. While avoidable mistakes are present (no such thing as a perfect game although FC Barcelona...), the importance for any team is see an evolution in its game, its attitude and to continue to learn. As much as Jesse Marsch is a rookie MLS head coach, he still possesses the human and soccer skills to assess players as persons and as soccer players and find the right fit.

Jesse Marsch says it best :

Its all about the right fit