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SBI Fantasy MLS: Week 13 Preview

Aurelien CollinSKC2 (ISIPhotos)

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By CASEY CANNON

Hello and Welcome to the Soccer by Ives Fantasy Corner – now with more value! Every week I dig through statistics, news, and rumors to provide the reader with the kind of fantasy advice that only a disgruntled weatherman can provide.

OK campers rise and shine! This week there were a bunch of U.S. Open Cup matches and the coveted Amway Canadian Championship. The American Major League Soccer teams played the Punxsutawney Groundhogs FC while the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps fought an epic battle that no one in the States could watch.

Because of all these under reported games hold out as long as possible before making selections. News of lingering injuries from the mid-week game may not be announced until Saturday. Delay as long as you can.

Also as I noted last week we are now in the opening throes of the Fantasy Soccer Apocalypse. Check the list of international players before making selections. If possible hold a trade for next week.

Next week nine teams will be off and the rest are missing international players. It’s easy to imagine how an extra trade may come in handy. Ideally we want to enter week seventeen with either three trades or a wildcard. At that point pick up those returning internationals and Sporting Kansas City players.

Players who will be prepared for the apocalypse are last week’s winner Jeeber Beeber who scored 96 points last week and our continued overall leader Submersiblegoat. Personally it was a good week for me as I have now clawed my way into the top 50 of the SBI league in at 44th.

Want to gain on the leaders? Read on for the weekly picks.

TEAM PICKS

Take Three – Chicago Fire . Yes, D.C. United is that bad, but the Fire have some things going for them. The Fire added the Sonny and Cher combo of Mike “Sneaky” Magee and Bakary Soumare recently. More importantly they don’t have a bye the next three weeks.

Admittedly the Fire also went with their top line up against the Punxsutawney Groundhogs mid week which suggests the Fire might be tired on Saturday. Still, given history and the absolute desolate state of D.C. United I expect a Fire win.

Special Note – Bye weeks destroy my format. Alright, so the New York Red Bulls and the Sporting Kansas City Ivy Funds have great matchups this week. Ordinarily both are automatic picks except both teams immediately get a two week vacation after this. Any players from those teams keep on your squad but don’t waste a pick to get more. Instead look for value picks from the New England Revs, Columbus Crew, LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps, and even D.C. United. Sadly each of those teams have poor match-ups this week.

Avoid – Montreal Impact With a hangover from travel and the after effects of the Canadian Championship match this week, the Impact are an even a greater underdog than usual when they travel to face Sporting Kansas City. The Impact won’t get the shutout and will be challenged to earn a goal, which spells a shortage of fantasy points.

INDIVIDUAL PICKS

Captain – Aurelien Collin, SKC. After soundly beating the Punxsutawney Groundhogs FC the Ivy Funds got an extra day to recover while Montreal and Vancouver fought an epic battle. This week Collin is top of the spreadsheet. If he is on your squad give him the armband.

Value – Josh Williams, Columbus Crew. The Crew will be off kilter after the devastating injury suffered by good guy Eddie Gaven during the Crew’s game against the Punxsutawney Groundhogs FC. Still of the players who play this week and don’t have any byes coming up, Akron boy Josh Williams is the value pick. His 5.2 Points Per Game will be very valuable the next few weeks. Honestly I don’t like his match up this week but the next two are better. Get him for 5.5M now.

Overpriced – Jairo Arrieta, Columbus Crew. As we all look for players to fill our rosters keep in mind that Jairo only earns 2.7 Points per Game. Jairo can be a serious offensive threat but so far this season his fantasy production has been disappointing.

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 if they score just once like Phil in Groundhog day they are redeemed.

1. Captain: Thierry Henry – New York Red Bulls
2. Deshorn Brown – Colorado Rapids
3. Obafemi Martins – Seattle Sounders.

Tiebreak: 23

That’s all for today. Come back next time for more MLS fantasy notes.

Performance last week :

Rotations around the sun I have personally witnessed – 40
Times I referenced the movie Groundhog Day in this article – 7
Ways to leave your lover – 50

Comments

  1. Where was Williams this week? Wahl Glauber Gehrig and Barson make the team, Crew drop a Defender (Williams), add a Midfielder (the Coach’s son). What? Time for Robert and his spawn to leave town. I hear Sir Alex Ferguson is available.

    Reply
  2. yep montreal destroyed em without breaking a sweat.

    its what happens when kansas is slumping and montreal are surging. kansas gets slammed easy

    Reply

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