With that in mind, it´s a good time to have a look back over the first third-or-so of the season and start to make some outrageous predictions about the months to come.

A friend of mine, Match Fit USA´s Jason Davis, predicted before the season began in March that only two Eastern teams would qualify for the playoffs. For the uninitiated, MLS is made up of 16 teams divided into two conferences of eight. After 30 games each, the top two teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs along with the next four best teams regardless of conference. In other words, my Stateside pal´s prediction was a damning indictment of the Eastern Conference, albeit one based on reason alone.

Sure enough the East once again looks significantly weaker than the West, but its results have been picking up lately. The big story in the East belongs to New York Red Bulls, who´ve improved immensely under Hans Backe after a disastrous 2009. They´ve won more games than any other team in their conference and are level on points with the always sturdy Columbus Crew at the top. Despite their great start, the losses have come against teams of comparable quality and it´s those teams that must be beaten in order to succeed.

At the bottom it´s been a tale of two troubled teams. The 2010 expansion club, Philadelphia Union, got none of the new team bounce that drove Seattle Sounders into the playoffs last season. They´ve picked up just two wins in their debut season so far and have too often been the architects of their own misery. Of their seven defeats, four have seen the Union have a man sent off before half time. They´ve also been held back by having a disproportionate number of away games due to their stadium circumstances. There´s a bright point, though. Danny Mwanga joined the Union as the overall first draft pick and has a useful habit of scoring in injury time.

One of Philly´s two wins was a thrilling 3-2 victory over DC United, an early sign of an appalling run to come for the Black and Red. United lost eight of their first nine games this season, offering little to suggest their storied and decorated past. Curt Onalfo´s men have benefited from a change of fortunes since a friendly win over AC Milan. A late penalty from Carey Talley earned three points against Chivas USA, a result followed by a good but goalless performance against Real Salt Lake and a bizarre 3-2 win over Seattle (DC were 3-0 up at the end of 90 minutes). Their recent run of form has taken them past Philly and an admittedly slim chance of a playoff spot.

Elsewhere, Toronto turned round a poor start to head right onto New York´s coat-tails, and Chicago Fire are slowly picking up the points in mid-table. New England Revolution and Kansas City Wizards are beginning to look vulnerable to DC´s turnaround.

In the West, only one team has been writing headlines. With thirteen games gone, Bruce Arena´s superb LA Galaxy outfit is running away with the race for the Supporters Shield, the title handed out to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season. It´s not exactly prestigious, but it´s an indicator of the best team in MLS and at the moment the Galaxy look to have that sewn up.

The Californian side didn´t lose a game until reigning champions Real Salt Lake again did a job on them, winning 1-0 thanks to a Javier Morales goal a couple of days before the World Cup. Before that, they´d only dropped four points in draws with Kansas City and Toronto. The team´s success has been achieved due in no small part to the phenomenal form of Edson Buddle, the striker who racked up nine goals in nine appearances before heading off to join Bob Bradley´s US national team for World Cup duty.

Ever-present defenders Todd Dunivant and Omar Gonzalez have played their part in a miserly back line, reinforced by Donovan Ricketts in goal. Ricketts is the 33-year-old Jamaican who spent a few years at Bradford City and is establishing himself as arguably the best goalkeeper in Major League Soccer, although Jimmy Nielsen might justifiably be a dissenting voice.

RSL are solid this season and have been picking up good results regularly, as have the Earthquakes who are holding their own in a good Western Conference.

Two 2009 playoff competitors, Houston Dynamo and Seattle Sounders, are struggling to get to grips with the 2010 season. The Dynamo lost their engine room in pre-season, with Stuart Holden heading for England and Rico Clark opting for a move to Germany. Dom Kinnear has a strong squad at Houston, but losing two international quality players from the same part of any MLS team will always have a detrimental effect. It´s fair to say the Dynamo haven´t been getting the rub of the green lately either.

The Sounders have also had their fair share of bad luck but their slow start to 2010 is difficult to explain. They´ve played 13 games and are two points behind San Jose, who have a couple of games in hand. Seattle have seemingly missed a focal point to their attack, with Pat Noonan stepping in for the strength of Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero taking time to get going this term. Supporters in rave green will be hoping that Blaise Nkufo, the Swiss striker who joins the Sounders after the World Cup, will help give the team its old direction.

As the MLS season resumes and the halfway mark approaches, it´s difficult to see past last season´s finalists, LA and RSL, for a potential 2010 champion. From the other side of the league Columbus are always a reliable proposition and New York might just be capable of springing a surprise. To do so, they´ll need to be a little more consistent come playoff time.