Players of the MLS Matchday 7 - ranked
By Alex Windley
Week seven of Major League Soccer is where the season starts to get serious. The big-name Designated Players have started to show their quality, and teams that are lacking continued to slide down the table.
On the field, players have gotten more comfortable with the rhythm of the week-to-week grind, and their performances have started to show it. The five players on this list show that in order to win in MLS, teams need that extra bit of quality in their squad.
Here at the top five players from week seven...
5. Lucas Zelarayan
Lucas Zelarayan is a household name in MLS, so it shouldn’t be a shock that he’s been the most influential player for the Columbus Crew in 2023.
In their latest match against DC United, Zelarayan had a man-of-the-match performance, leading the Crew to a comfortable 2-0 victory. The 30-year-old was active on both ends of the pitch, ending the match with a goal, four chances created, and seven recoveries.
Should Zelarayan continue this form, there’s no reason why the Crew can’t challenge for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
4. Carles Gil
A big part of the New England Revolution’s hot start to 2023 is the form of their talisman Carles Gil.
The Spaniard showed his quality once again in the Revolution’s 4-0 crushing of CF Montreal. Gil was his usual calm and composed self on the ball and very active in the final third. The 30-year-old ended the match with two created chances, twelve passes into the final third, and three total shots.
3. Amine Bassi
The Houston Dynamo is quietly having a great start to the MLS season.
Led by Amine Bassi, the Frenchman had an excellent game vs. a struggling LA Galaxy, which saw the Dynamo get their third win of the season.
While Bassi isn’t a DP, his impact on the field has been immense. Against LA, Bassi notched two goals, had ten passes into the final third, and created three chances.Though the Dynamo is only 7th in the West, with Bassi leading their attacking line, they will get better.
2. Kei Kamara
With three goals in his last three matches, Kei Kamara is rolling back the years with his current form, most recently scoring twice to help lift the Chicago Fire over Minnesota United.
Though Kamara is 38 years old, most would believe that he’s close to slowing down. But, the Sierra Leone international is winding back the clock with his performances. He finished the game against Minnesota with two goals on five shots and two passes into the final third.
Kamara’s brace sees the Fire jump to sixth in the East just behind Nashville SC and in front of NYCFC.
1. Denis Bouanga
What more can be said about Denis Bouanga?
He singlehanded carried LAFC to a 3-0 win over Austin FC, scoring a hattrick in the process. There’s no stopping the 28-year-old in his current form.
His performance was phenomenal as he sliced through the Austin defense with ease, scoring two goals worthy of Goal of the Week. As LAFC begin to pick up their stride, expect Bouanga to take his offensive production to the next level.