MLS:Week 19

[Wizardscharter]

@DC 2.00 l 3.40 l 4.15 LA
Bunch of bad omens for LA in this one. Cobi, Albright, Beckham, and Buddle all either hurt or confirmed “OUT” by the MLS preview. LA is also praying multiple road games and, as mentioned many times in this space, there is a profoundly negative effect on the road team’s overall performance. LA also played Sunday night away at Toronto, and will also be on short rest for this Thurdsay night tilt. DC, by contrast, won away at New England, also on Sunday, but is at home, so have the advantage of their own pillows. On field, LA does not have much in the way of someone, unless you like Tyrone Marshall, to answer Emilio up front for DC – he of the MLS leading 12 goals. Christian Gomez and Fred also should return to bolter DC. Intangibles: LA have earned twice as many reds from this referee in many fewer games. Greg Vanney, long-time Gal, could appear for DC. He should be motivated although does have a knock. LA is 8-6-1 at RFK – one of the few good records for teams traveling 3 time zones.
DC@2.0

[Wizardscharter]

DC wins as LA is toothless. Emilio at 13 and leading MLS. I hope this game serves as a warning to those that decide who is on TV and who isn't. DC is among the more unexciting teams on this planet. DC in poor weather or heat and humidity is just that much more miserable to watch. Effectiveness aside, DC absolutely kills any asthetic value in amost every game they play. Awful, awful stuff easily bashed by the sect of the media that likes to do such things. Not sure if this is a "silver lining" or not, but 1.5 Million people saw that ridiculously bad game, an MLS all-time high.

I'm 51-65 up 15.70 for the season betting $10/game. Last week was unkind.

Sat Dallas 1.88 l 3.65 l 4.50 Columbus
Game of the Week
These are the two hottest teams in MLS as both have just 1 loss in their last 9 MLS games played. Pretty good. It's no secret that Dallas at home is worth 3 points unless HOU is in town. This game DAL is down, Mina, Cooper, Yi, Toja, and Ricardinho. Also both GK are hurt. A rookie named Burse got a shutout last week filling in. Toja’s loss will hurt the most. And that deficiency will give CLB the opportunity to get points out of PHP. DAL was not good last time out allowing 6 goals to LA in Superliga. Last league game was a 1-0 win against lowly COL. The rookie was good in net, but wasn’t tested much and still required two goal-line clears. CLB’s backline is Hejduk, Marcos Gonzalez, Marshall, Miglioranzi with an increasingly relevant Will Hesmer in net. There’s a lot to like there. CLB tied CHI last time out CLB won last time at PHP, 2-1.

It's worth noting that as this is the first meeting of these two Lamar Hunt owned teams, there will probably be some sort of touching but inevitably sad tribute to Mr. Hunt. That could also sap some of the normal home field advantage from the Hoops initially.

I think DAL has to make this a slower game and pack it in due to lineup. That seems to favor CLB’s veteran lineup, outside speed, and Argentinian touches. No Toja is brutal for DAL. I like this for upset of the week. I’ll chase the good price.
CLB@4.50

Colorado 3.30 l 3.30 l 2.37 Houston
You can bet on Houston losing at altitude to a horrible team for the second consecutive week. I’ll pass. Blowout special. Orange early, orange often.
HOU@2.37

Sun New York 1.80 l 3.40 l 5.00 Toronto
Bulls beat TOR at BMO, they should win at home also. TOR is still very shorthanded due to injury and has never won a league game away. The danger here is that TOR has still been competitive even with the vastly depleted lineup AND NY hasn’t played in MLS in about 3 weeks. This in addition to NY having lost 4 of its’ last 6 league games. The clear favorite is NY, but the confidence can’t match the stingy 1.8:1 price. That said, TOR has nobody at full fitness to match NY’s Angel. I'll take NY reluctantly.
NY@1.8

New England 1.80 l 3.40 l 4.80 LA
LA is toothless with or without Beckham. NE has solved their defensive issues of late and they win here at home against a non-playoff team.
NE@1.8

-WC