As ever, MLS served up some interesting talking points. Here our my picks for the week just gone.

  • Four victories for the newcomers

What do Paulo Nagamura, Ezra Hendrickson, Nicolas Estevez and Pat Noonan all have in common ? Well they all claimed their first MLS victory as managers this weekend.

Nagamura's Houston Dynamo beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 thanks to a brace from Darwin Quintero. Hendrickson and his Chicago Fire side won 2-0 in the Capital. While Estevez and Noonan ended both their opponents unbeaten starts. Dallas beating Nashville 2-0 while Noonan's Cincinnati picked up an unlikely victory against Orlando City.

  • Curtin's 100 up

Jim Curtin's reputation has been growing for many years now due to his success with the Philadelphia Union and many in the US tip him to be the next coach to make the trip across the Atlantic.

But for now he continues to break records in MLS. Philadelphia's 2-0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes made Curtin (42) the second youngest manager to reach 100 victories in the league and places another star next to his already growing reputation. 

  • Seattle kick off 2022

It hasn't been the start to 2022 that Brian Schmetzer and the Seattle Sounders would have ideally wanted. Defeats against Nashville and away to Real Salt Lake left them pointless after two game weeks.

Saturday's game versus the LA Galaxy marked an end to this run. In a topsy-turvy encounter, goals from Jordan Morris (his first in MLS since returning from an ACL injury), Fredy Montero and Xavier Arreaga sealed a 3-2 victory for the Sounders. This result also ends the Galaxy's unbeaten start.

  • Montreal in trouble

Last season, Wilfried Nancy's Montreal side were one of the more quietly impressive outfits. Only missing out on the play-offs by two points while also having to play games in Florida for the first half of 2021 while the Canada travel ban was in place.

However, they have really struggled at the start of 2022. Losing three consecutive games and Saturday's match-up against New York City was particularly dispiriting. A 4-1 defeat with a few of the goals coming from poor defending. They have a CONCACAF Champions League game in midweek to try and bounce back in against Cruz Azul. While their next MLS outing is a trip to The Big Peach where they face Atlanta United.

  • RSL turn it around

Every season experts seem to write off Real Salt Lake yet they always prove them wrong. This seems to be a trend that is carrying into 2022 as Pablo Mastreoni's side now have seven points from their opening three games.

But Saturday's affair with the New England Revolution was the most dramatic. Revolution were 2-0 up going into the final 15 minutes before all hell broke loose. Goals from Sergio Cordova and Justen Glad brought the game back to 2-2 before a first RSL goal by Tate Schmitt in the 93 gave them an impressive win in Foxborough. 

Schmitt's goal oozed class as he cut in from the left flank and smashed the ball past Earl Edwards into the far corner. After his impressive cameo, we are likely to see more of the 27-year-old.