2014 Major League Soccer MVP candidates: Who’s on top?

September brings with it the final stretch of the Major League Soccer regular season. Races for playoff spots get underway, and true Most Valuable Player candidates separate themselves from pretenders to the throne.

There are two things to consider when attempting to predict who will win MLS MVP honors: What players are worthy of being considered, and who, if anybody, will receive preferential treatment when the time for voting arrives?

2014 Major League Soccer MVP candidates

Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York Red Bulls

Sep 6, 2014; Harrison, NJ, USA; New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips during the second half against Sporting KC at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t let the fact that the Red Bulls may not be a playoff team when the regular season ends stop you from penciling Wright-Phillips in as league MVP. Mike Magee pulled it off last fall despite the fact that a below-average Chicago Fire side didn’t qualify for the postseason.

Say what you will about the under-performing Red Bulls. BWP is having a campaign for the ages. His 21 goals (in 23 starts and 26 regular season appearances) is good for a new RBNY record. Wright-Phillips is seven tallies away from breaking the MLS season record shared by Roy Lassiter and Chris Wondolowski.

His resume will only be bolstered if he is able to help carry the Red Bulls to a playoff berth.

Lee Nguyen, New England Revolution

The 27-year old is making a strong case for his receiving a United States Men’s National Team call-up.

Seriously.

Nguyen has been on a tear as of late. The Revs star has notched four tallies and two assists in New England’s last four contests. Nguyen is sitting on 12 goals and 4 assists, and he could be on the verge of finding his top form at a pivotal point of the season.

Nguyen will have to avoid a swoon experienced by the Revolution earlier this year if he is to be a MVP candidate at the end of October. New England have matched 12 wins with 12 losses (and three draws), and those defeats will keep the Revolution from contending for the Supporters’ Shield this fall.

Obafemi Martins, Seattle Sounders

LA Galaxy are made waves and headlines by vanquishing all opponents during their incredible five-game winning streak. Don’t forget about that club out west that averages over 42,000 people in attendance per home game.

Seattle remain the favorites to win the Supporters’ Shield. They sit atop the league table and atop the points-per-game standings.

USMNT mainstay Clint Dempsey may be the first name that comes to mind whenever casual fans think of the Sounders, but Martins is Seattle’s top MVP candidate. Martins put on a show when the Sounders and Portland Timbers were featured on national TV back on August 24, striking for two goals and two assists when Seattle were away to their hated rivals.

Martins has 12 goals and nine assists to date.

Robbie Keane, LA Galaxy

The “Robbie Keane Guide to Scoring” is simple to explain: Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more until you leg nearly falls off.

It’s a method that has worked well for Keane throughout his career, and 2014 has been no different. Keane, a 34-year old ageless wonder, has converted 14 of 104 attempts taken in 2014. No other player has yet fired off 100 shots during the current season.

Keane could have to hold off two teammates if he is to be named MLS MVP. Gyasi Zardes has arrived in the North American top-flight, hitting the back of the net 15 times this year. There is also a case to be made for a US Soccer living legend taking home one final personal honor before he calls time on his playing days.

Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy

Wright-Phillips should and likely will net MVP honors if he sets MLS history before the night of October 26 ends. Say, for argument’s sake, that BWP hits a dry spell, that the Galaxy go on to win the Supporters’ Shield, and that Donovan continues to play well.

You can already envision the B-movie final scene.

It would be dishonest to claim that Donovan is a MVP candidate based only on reputation. He has nine goals, and Donovan’s 15 assists make for a league best heading into the second weekend of September. Donovan is one of several contributors leading the Galaxy on a run during which the team had literally been unbeatable until LA’s 2-2 draw at Montreal Impact on Wednesday (5-0-1 in their last six).

Is it fair that Donovan could become the frontrunner for MLS MVP largely because the greatest US Soccer player of all time is retiring after this season? Probably not, but this is the real world and not FIFA 15 where awards are handed out based solely on stats.

The story of Donovan closing out his career by hoisting the Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup and MLS MVP trophies writes itself.