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SBI MLS Fantasy: Round 33 Preview

MikeMageeChicagoFire1-MontrealImpact (ChicagoFire)

By CASEY CANNON

Hello and Welcome to the Soccer by Ives Fantasy Corner – now with even more muttered words! Every week I dig through statistics, news, and rumors to provide the reader with the kind of fantasy advice that only the angriest man in St. Louis can provide.

I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love that the lower division teams get a shot. I love explaining to non-soccer fans how there is a championship outside of the MLS Championship. I think it’s great the winner of this historic tournament is entered into the CCL. And now that DC United won the Open Cup this year I love the grand old tournament a little less.

In happier news, Marmots now lead the SBI fantasy league. He is already prepared for next week with three Sounders on his squad. Down a few places PAPERS FC won the week with a SBI league high 73 points Personally, I earned an even 60 points again and moved up to 56th. My forwards Keane and Martins both failed me. No way they would cost me again, right?

Read on for more on MLS Fantasy Round 33:

TEAM PICKS
Take Three – Philadelphia Union – The Union are not the most exciting team in the world. Conner Casey continues to play his particular brand of football and the team grinds out wins trying to sneak into the playoffs. The Union average 1.4 goals per game at home. Playing against Toronto this week should improve that average. 2-0 is a very likely score.

Take three – Real Salt Lake – RSL missed out of the free pass to the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday night. So now RSL has to win out to have a shot at the next shortest path: the Supporters shield. This week they host the eliminated FC Dallas (they are out, let’s not split hairs). Dallas is now playing games only to find out which players stick around for the 2014 season. Look for RSL to score at least two goals. (RSL has a bye next week. So make sure you plan your trades.)

Take SIX – Cascadia teams – These three teams are not on byes the last few weeks of the season and the Seattle Sounders even has the ever popular double week next week. Try to avoid players that may be called for national team duty. Personally I have three each from the Sounders and the Portland Timbers and one from the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Individual picks
Vice Captain – Mike Magee, Chicago Fire – Last week Mike Magee was *this* close to 16 points. Instead I settled for nine points from my eventual captain. Magee is owned by way too many players – 36% – but his production makes him hard to turn down.

Caparoo bench player – Robbie Keane, LA Galaxy – There are days when I don’t feel very creative. Days like today when I suggest that Magee and Keane are good players who will earn fantasy points just wear on me. Keane vs Chivas sounds like a glorious pile of points waiting to happen. Chivas has learned to score but not defend. So yes dear reader, Keane and Magee are good choices this week.

Top eleven players over the next three weeks – Assuming unlimited cash and ignoring possible call-ups these are the best players based on a weighted average over the next three weeks. Goalkeeper: Matt Reis Defenders: Rodney Wallace, Ike Opara, Michel Midfielders: Mike Magee, Brad Davis, Will Johnson, Diego Valeri, Olmes Garcia Forwards: Marco Di Vaio, Robbie Keane.

THREE-PLAYER MONTE
The three player Monte game has two elements: selecting three players to score goals and creating a streak of picking a captain who scores every week. The players can be awful, tossed out of the game for reprehensible fouls, and single handedly responsible for costing his team the game but like absurd back heel flicks for a goal all that matters is that singular moment of brilliance.
Captain: RobbieKeane, LA Galaxy
2. Javier Morales, Real Salt Lake
3. Giles Barnes, Houston

Tiebreak: 23

That’s all for today. I’ll be back next week with more Fantasy advice.

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