In Defense Of Chivas USA

by Jason Davis - Match Fit USA

Another week has passed, and Club Deportivo Chivas USA remains the undisputed best team in Major League Soccer. While other teams around the league stack draws and losses while sprinkling in the occasional victory (or not), Chivas has opened up a gaping lead in the standings thanks to a league-leading seven wins.

It's a wonder we're even surprised by the Goats stunning early season success. Head coach Preki has proven he has the ability to juggle his lineup to positive effect, and the club is coming off of two successful seasons. While the play of Sacha Kljestan has been less than expected, and injuries have prevented a full-strength squad from hitting the field for most of the season, the club clearly has enough talent to more than get by. Paulo Nagamura has been a revelation for the LA club, locking down the midfield and becoming a surprising goal scoring threat.

But is anyone convinced that Chivas is far and away the best club in Major League Soccer? Sure, they have the most points, and their lead in the Supporters Shield standings is significant. Sure, they've squeezed wins out of games that maybe they shouldn't have been able to. And sure, a fully healthy team should be even better on paper; but I get the feeling that most are simply deferring to the Goats' record and may not yet be fully convinced that they're actually better than everyone else.

To be fair, this is MLS. Parity is the rule, and the dog days of summer are still to come. Confronted by an upcoming schedule that adds SuperLiga to their league concerns, the stretch to the All-Star break will tell us much about Chivas' 2009 staying power. With a solid set of results those still unconvinced may be forced to fully admit their dominance. Stumble, and the doubters will nod knowingly, sure that they knew better all along.

It doesn't help that the rest of the league is draw-happy, and that the Eastern Conference powers have either started slowly or dropped points where they shouldn't have. Mediocre results by clubs most see as title contenders leads to the belief that those teams will eventually come around, toppling Chivas from their perch. But if Chivas is doing it with smoke and mirrors, and their grip on the "best team in the league" title is ephemeral, when should we expect the inevitable crash?

Call me crazy, but I don't see it happening. I believe in Preki. I see plenty of talent throughout the squad, which obviously has depth, and the players coming back from injury will only make them better. While Kjlestan has struggled, Nagamura and Lillingston have picked up the slack, showing that Chivas can win without significant contributions from their biggest star. Zach Thornton, as long as he stays healthy, seems capable (shockingly) of carrying the club when goals are lacking.

I don't get the doubt. I don't understand why MLS fans are so quick to discount Chivas. Are we that jaded to believe that the far and away most successful team through one quarter of the season is not quite as good as they appear? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the point of the game is to win; Chivas has almost done nothing but to this point, and yet they continue to be slighted.

Not that it matters. Believe in them or not, Preki and the Goats will have a chance to prove themselves through the balance of the season. A great start means nothing if summer comes and form recedes; Chivas will also have to maintain through periods without key players certain to be called up for national team duty. Points will be at a premium (as they always are in MLS), and a crash back to earth is certainly possible for the quarter pole leaders. If we look up in September and Chivas is no longer top of the heap, I'll be the first to say I was wrong. But for now, there's really no reason to doubt them.

The Major League Soccer season has a way of turning good teams into bad ones in the blink of an eye. Travel, weather, fixture congestion, injuries and a lack of roster depth; all those things conspire to ruin momentum. One month (or week), the best team in the league is clear and identifiable. The next, everything is a jumbled mess, and deciding on the top club is akin to picking out of a hat. 2009 might just play out that way. While Chivas appears to be the best right now, even with the doubters wondering if they truly are, it may not really matter in the end.

If you don't believe in Chivas, doubt away. It's your right. But for me, Chivas USA is a solidly managed club that knows how to grind out results. They may not run away with the Supporters Shield or the Western Conference... or they could very well finish the season the way they started it, as the best team in Major League Soccer.

Jason Davis pens a weekly column for MLS Daily every Friday. He can be found seven days a week at his very own site, Match Fit USA - Examining The State Of American Soccer.