By CASEY CANNON
Hello and Welcome to the Soccer by Ives Fantasy Corner – now with more humility! Every week I dig through statistics, news, and rumors to provide the reader with the kind of fantasy advice that only the greatest human being alive can provide. I am writing this well before the official injury reports come out, so don't be grumpy if I tell you to pick a hurt player. For information on MLS Fantasy Football go to http://fantasy.mlsnet.com.
First I would like to thank all of those that nominated me for the Fantasy Soccer Writers of America – exemplary achievement award. Obviously I don’t write with awards in mind, but looking back, I am very proud. It takes real effort and concentration to achieve the trinity of soccer writing. For those who missed last week, I managed to mention Soccer, MLS, and even the LA Galaxy without saying a single word about That Guy. I hope everyone enjoyed reading a soccer article without being reminded that some English dude, may or may not choose to play in the States this summer.
With that said, let’s see how my predictions for the week came out.
On the team side, things didn’t go so well. First San Jose managed to lose despite creating more scoring chances and limiting New England's chances. One defensive mistake, with poor finishing on the other end. I stand by the pick, even though it didn’t pan out.
As for the other two games, my pick three advice was sound for Chicago, although I underestimated the number of Club America shirts at Pizza Hut Park. In Seattle, as we are all aware, the Sounders beat the Red Bulls won. Montero ate up the sub-USL play of New York. Did anyone think that New York would play that badly? On a related note, the man at the very bottom of the spreadsheet this week: Kevin Goldthwaite. My individual picks didn’t work out very well either.
As mentioned before Huckerby and San Jose couldn’t seem to finish, that cost me dearly. Robbie Rogers played well Saturday, for the first 45 minutes, but playing on the Houston beach was too much for his hamstrings. My overpriced pick was spot on; Ianni didn’t even make the field. For the week I went 2/6. Man, I hate the first few weeks of the season. I hate international dates like this weekend that pull players away from their teams. Oh well, hopefully I can channel my hate to do better this week.
Team Picks
Take Three – San Jose, their second game against a team with no available offensive talent. If only the Quakes had a real forward. Still, I say take San Jose at home this week. On a side note, Kai Kamara is suspended again this week. This guy had two games circled this year, against the Crew and Earthquakes. Then goes and gets himself banned for those two games. I don’t think he will get traded again. Its time for him to either produce or play lower division soccer.
Take Three – Chicago Fire. If I could, I would take six from Chicago this week. Although watch out for players out on International duty. Oh yeah, they get the Red Bulls at home the following week. You know, the team that was spanked by Seattle just the other day.
Avoid – Chivas USA. Even though they are playing FC Dallas, I don’t have confidence in the Goats without Kljestan . I think Dallas gets a goal to ruin the shutout, and Nagamura fails to notch two goals this week.
Two Up, Two Down
This is where I identify who is on a hot streak based on the performance of the last two and three weeks. This section won’t have anything of use until I get some reliable stats.
Individual picks
Captain – Davy Arnaud. I am going with Arnaud here over Montero for three reasons. One, I want to see Montero play against a talented team. If he shows up against RSL, I will jump on that bandwagon. Two, Arnaud plays against Colorado. Colorado is without Mastroeni this week. These are the same Rapids that gave Paulo Nagamura two goals last week. Three, Arnaud is a midfielder and costs 79,000 less.
Value – Sanna Nyassi. The Seattle midfielder starts, is quick and dangerous and only costs $175,000. A starting mid for the bare minimum is a bargain.
Overpriced: Kevin Goldthwaite. Just plain awful in week one.
Tune in next week, when I may have to take back all the mean things I have said about Sigi… there have been a lot of them.
Nyassi is showing up as injured on the fantasy mls site (unless i misread or the changed it, if thats the case ill be some bitter)
This guy…..
Your answer about the Fire Back line is more than Likely two fold:
They will either play with,
Ward Conde Woolard
Or
Ward Brown/Robinson Conde Woolard
Either way, its still going to be a good defence.. better than DC’s anyway!
@sprool11: check your sources. Only one out for SEA is Jarrod Smith
i got convinced to change to Arnaud (the fact they are playing colorado did it for me, was gonna trade Mapp for Arnaud, foolish me) but low and behold i apparently have reached my limit for transfers. Watch Arnaud score a hattrick, ill grab him next week and he wont score another goal all year HA
I hope everyone else captains Davy Arnaud too. He had a brace last week, of course he’ll do it again!
I had pontius last week on my bench and Rojas out in the field, needless to say i was a bit disappointed, same goes for Angel on the field, hes been rid of for Montero. Ive only made two changes from my team last week. Donovans on the bench, Rojas is gone. Ill prob end up ridding of Rodney Wallace, i just didnt see anyone that looked good at the moment.
Frei will start over Sutton. Sutton is injured and Edwards is on his way out (or not highly rated). Although i highly rate Schelotto (how can one not) im curious to see how he will do without Moreno. That being said i do have him in my line up as well. Nyassi was a pick until they showed him injured. Might pick him up when hes better. Heres my line up
GK Stefan Frei
DF Brandon Prideaux
DF Gabriel Badilla
DF David Horst
MF Justin Mapp
MF Dwayne De Rosario
MF Chris Pontius
MF Cuauhtemoc Blanco
FW Guillermo Barros Schelotto
FW Chad Barrett
FW Fredy Montero
B Rodney Wallace
B Amaechi Igwe
B Landon Donovan
C John Carver
Not too worried about the injured defense players, they rarely rack up points anyways, best to spend your money on mids and strikers. Im gonna give Montero a go for a week or two as well as Blanco and Rojas. Curious to see if Rojas produces with whatshisface coming into work along side of him.
Nyassi (the good one) is dinged up but still probable. 3 weeks from now everybody will be dinged up. They only post that for league purposes not anything else.
Nyassi will play. Though I believe Le Toux to be the sleeper this week.
I wish I could just pick the whole Fire squad every week because they look unbeatable.
the Seattle Nyassi.
Which Nyassi?
RonS, wait for team news tomorrow.
do we think Nyassi will actually play? he’s listed as probable but dinged.
sprool11, nice try, but April 1 is still a week away.
Montero got called into Columbia, so he will be out this weekend against RSL
Go with some Defenders against the Red Balls until they can prove something otherwise. That RBNY squad just looked pitiful out there.
I’m lookin’ for a big Huckerby rebound this week.
Amado Guevara is out too? I wish they’d update international duties with injuries.
Look for the Swedish Freddie to score the game winner this week.
Sounders 2 RSL 1.
already made my picks a couple of days ago,not too sure about my midfield after last week,only one big change for me,Cooper for Donovan
Three from Chicago even with Soumare and Segares out? How do people feel about defenders from NE? They’re playing the-team-that-got-spanked-by-Seattle this weekend.
Anybody have the word on what the Fire’s backline is gonna look like?
Prideaux and Robinson were out last week.
Segares and Soumare are on Int. Duty.
That leaves Ward, Conde and ?
How come you picked the MLS site for Fantasy? I tried to join the other week but it was terrible, took forever, had very little options and almost every player costs the same amount. I’m sure there’s a better system then that.
I’m starting Frei i just hope TFC starts him. Those 2 goals he gave up were dammnn near unstoppable.
Its fine and dandy to pick up Frei but why do that when Scheletto will score 2 goals.
My bet is Burse over in Dallas
Fantasy Soccer Writers of America? Is that for real? What web site do you find that on?
Casey, who are you taking for goalkeepers? What do you think of Frei as a starting keeper at $175k?
Connor Casey owned Chivas last game but couldn’t hit the net, I bet he gets the net this week against KC.