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SBI MLS Fantasy: Round 36 Preview

Javier Morales

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By CASEY CANNON

Hello and Welcome to the Soccer by Ives Fantasy Corner – now with Mouse ears!! Every week I dig through statistics, news, and rumors to provide the reader with the kind of fantasy advice that only a preemptively retired USL coach can provide.

It is the last week of the regular season and most teams are fighting for playoff position. The rest have already fired their coaches.

Back in the fantasy soccer realm Marmots remains atop the SBI league- by a single point. Still, for an impressive four weeks team Marmots has led the league. A few spots down the skillfully named $$Sherp_Derp_Merp$$ earned a League high 85 points. If any of you care – Hi Mom – I moved up to 46th in the SBI league 94th overall. I am still deep in the scarf zone but with the picks below hopefully I can pull up into a worthwhile prize.

Here’s a closer look at the Round 36 MLS Fantasy preview:

TEAM PICKS

Take Three – Real Salt Lake – RSL at home against Chivas USA. My numbers show RSL has a 68% chance to score two or more goals and a 44% chance to earn a shutout. Head coach Jason Kreis needs to win this game to avoid the knockout round of the playoffs so we can expect his A team this week.

Take three – Portland Timbers Portland is also playing Chivas. Before taking the Goats double week into consideration, the Timbers “only” have 50% of scoring more than two goals while almost a 40% chance of a shutout. Portland needs to win this game so we can count the best possible Timber team.

Avoid – Chivas USA While it would wreck my team there is a part of me that wants Chivas to earn two ‘2-0’ wins this week. There is also the part of me that hopes one of the expansion teams is a re-branded Chivas team with a new owner.

Individual picks

Best Defender – Rodney Wallace, Portland If Wallace somehow lost his starting spot as his short shift last week may indicate move onto Futty Danso. Both players represent a defender with very good PPG who, as I mentioned above, are playing against a team that will struggle to score. Wallace has been a warm fuzzy fantasy soccer security blanket. Like Linus I have come to depend on this blanket. Please Coach Porter, don’t take my security blanket away.

Best Midfielder- Javier Morales, Real Salt Lake Most Fantasy players are picking up Morales this week (10.7% so far). RSL can be expected to score at least two goals this week and obviously we expect Morales to be involved in creating them.

Best Forward – Alvaro Saborio, Real Salt Lake Owned by only 3.5% of the league Saborio will be playing for position in the standings and the honor of a passionate home crowd. Expect Saborio to play his part in the gladiatorial slaughter of the helpless Goats. When he scores listen for him to shout “Are you not amused?”

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: Alvaro Saborio, Real Salt Lake
2. Tim Cahill, New York Red Bulls
3. Will Johnson, Portland Timbers
Tiebreak: 26

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

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