Revs' Joseph makes his MVP case

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Shalrie Joseph has career highs in both goals and assists in a season in which he has been asked to carry more of the Revolution's load. Paul Giamou/MLS via Getty Images

Our weekly dose of Major League Soccer quick takes, plotlines to watch and Power Rankings.

Opportunities missed

When soccer scholars look back on the 2009 MLS season, they'll be shocked to discover the wealth of opportunities missed by virtually every team (except the New York Red Bulls -- they're just bad). The trend started early -- with no squad able to capitalize and gain control of either conference despite numerous chances -- and continued through the past weekend when only Columbus and New England managed to earn an essential three points. On the other hand, Chivas USA and D.C. United don't deserve to advance after their pitiful results against NYRB and San Jose, respectively. Looking forward to the rest of the dying season, any team who misses the playoffs in what's still an uber-tight race only has themselves to blame.

A case for Shalrie

Other soccer pundits are starting to pick up on what Free Kicks has been saying all season: The Revolution's Shalrie Joseph might very well be the league's Most Valuable Player. His latest feat: a brace in a must-win match against Seattle. While Dwayne De Rosario, Stuart Holden and others boast similar resumes, and Landon Donovan probably will win (deserved, if for no other reason than he has been robbed in previous seasons), injury-plagued New England doesn't sniff the playoffs without its Grenadan monster. Joseph plays everywhere, keying an offense that's inept without him and spurring on a defense that has been a revolving door all season. With Steve Ralston suffering a season-ending knee injury over the weekend, the Revs will rely upon Joseph even more (if that's even possible) as they fight for a postseason berth.

Entering October

After a Wednesday-night matchup that sees New England head to Dallas in search of three more points, MLS kicks off the final month of the regular season with a vital match at the Home Depot Center. Los Angeles and Chicago -- both with outside shots to earn the Supporters' Shield -- will solidify their second-place positions in their respective conferences with a victory. On Saturday, the Sounders look to stanch their late-season bloodletting in Columbus, where the Crew are virtually unbeatable. Winners in either the Chivas-D.C. match or the Revs-Colorado Rapids contest will take a huge step towards the postseason, but don't bet on any of these squads to close the deal. Finally, Fox Soccer Channel unfortunately airs the dud of the week when the Red Bulls and San Jose "battle" it out in Northern California.

Week 29 Power Rankings   New Rank Previous Rank Team 1 1 Columbus Crew (12-4-10) Even sporting a second-choice line up, Robert Warzycha's side clinched a playoff spot with a win over the Galaxy. 2 2 Houston Dynamo (12-8-7) A victory over K.C. essentially would ensure the Dynamo -- who went winless the first month of the season -- make the playoffs. 3 4 Chicago Fire (10-6-11) Brian McBride's quick return has emboldened Fire offense, but he won't win his first MLS title unless Chris Rolfe returns quickly. 4 3 Los Angeles Galaxy (10-6-11) Dear David Beckham, may your brilliant right ankle heal with lightning speed. 5 6 New England Revolution (10-8-7) Quite honestly, this Revs team doesn't seem to be very good, but they keep doing just enough to win and look playoff-bound. 6 5 Seattle Sounders FC (9-7-11) Fredy Montero, who reached a dozen goals and shows no sign of slowing, was an excellent investment by the expansion side. 7 7 Colorado Rapids (10-8-9) !Ay, caramba! Conor Casey's club managed just two points in matches with San Jose and Kansas City. 8 9 Toronto FC (9-10-8) De Rosario made his MVP case even stronger with a goal and an assist in Toyota Park. 9 11 Chivas USA (11-9-5) It's been that type of season for Sacha Kljestan: A 90th-minute penalty miss doomed the Goats to a brutal draw vs. the Red Bulls. 10 8 D.C. United (8-7-12) Jaime Moreno etched his name into the scorebook once again vs. S.J., but United needs a miracle with just three games left. 11 13 FC Dallas (8-12-6) Jeff Cunningham sits tied for the league lead in goals, but his club's inconsistencies will keep it home come November. 12 12 Kansas City Wizards (8-11-7) Peter Vermes' stint as interim coach won't include a trip to the postseason, as the Wiz couldn't break through in Colorado. 13 14 San Jose Earthquakes (6-12-6) The Quakes ended their 20-match road losing streak and very likely closed the door on D.C.'s playoff hopes as well. 14 10 Real Salt Lake (9-11-7) With 18 days off, RSL has plenty of time to think about what went wrong in '09. 15 15 New York Red Bulls (4-17-6) Richie Williams has Gotham's finest playing hard (and earning points), but will it be enough to remove the "interim" tag?