WILL Dyer (@w2Dyer) rips into the bookmakers as he exposes some great MLS prices this weekend.
New York City v Montreal Impact | Sunday 00:00 | Sky Sports 3
Only the five MLS fixtures this weekend but we’ve still got a couple Sky Sports live games. I mentioned how important Mix Diskerud is to NYCFC last week and he proved me right playing fantastically against both Germany and Holland in which USA came from behind to win both games. I think I ought to emphasise that these Americans are fearless; I highly doubt England would be able to pull those comebacks off.
Strangely though, NYC managed to win without Mix at PPL Park. Their first victory in 12 fixtures. However, Philadelphia were really drab in that game and I think NYC would have stuttered to a defeat had Thomas McNamara not scored a curling screamer for 30 yards to equalise.
I’ve been raving about Montreal for a few weeks and they’ve duly obliged with four wins in five games against good sides and the only defeat coming in Chicago; a game in which Impact had 10 men for almost 60 minutes.
I’ve every faith that Impact will get at least a point here and the quite disgusting price on NYCFC makes them very backable on the handicaps and in the double chance market. Would you really want to back a side to win at 5/4 when they’ve won just one of their last 12 games? Um, no thanks. The French Canadians have scored more, conceded less and have three points more than New York despite having played four games less.
Columbus Crew v LA Galaxy | Sunday 00:30
LA continued their horrendous form last weekend, this time losing at home to Vancouver Whitecaps at the StubHub; their first home defeat in over a year. If they cannot rely on their home form then I really can’t see them even challenging for a post season spot at this rate.
They’ve failed to win a single away game in eight attempts; D4 L4 making them comfortably the worst away side in the Western Conference at present.
LA will be without Robbie Keane this weekend, their best forward by a country mile and I’m more than happy to oppose them despite the hosts similarly poor form. Columbus haven’t won in five games now but three of those were away and I’m convinced that a friendly against Valencia did not help matters in that patch last month.
Galaxy were humbled 4-1 here last year and in Kei Kamara Crew have the league’s top scorer on 10 goals, that’s six more than any LA player’s scored. LA are currently averaging less than a goal a game (0.94), I don’t think many would have predicted that. Crew’s goal tally this season makes much better reading with a GPG of 1.42. I think they’ll edge this.
Seattle Sounders v FC Dallas | Sunday 03:00
This is certainly my favourite MLS bet of the weekend. Dallas are capable of scoring a fair few goals and causing defences problems when they are on song but even then they leave themselves very weak at the back.
Sounders are a much more organised side and the stats back me up; Seattle have conceded just 11 goals in 14 games, the best record in MLS whilst Dallas have conceded 19 in 14 games, the joint worst in the Western Conference.
Dallas should really have capitalised on their man advantage for over 20 minutes in a pretty abysmal 0-0 draw at San Jose last weekend but failed to and then joined the Earthquakes on 10 men in the 75th minute. It was a horrendous performance from the referee which really didn’t help the game flow and was enough to put anyone tuning in on Sky Sports off the division.
Seattle have won four of their last five at home and only conceded one goal in the process. Dallas have scored just one goal in their last four games and so I really like the look of some correct scores here. Win To Nil is 9/4 if you prefer that but I’d rather have a go at 1-0 and 2-0 as singles. All of Seattle’s last four ‘Win To Nils’ have been 1-0 or 2-0.
Orlando City v DC United | Monday 00:00 | Sky Sports 1
May I ask what madman came up with these odds? DC United let us down last time out but they were mostly undone by the magic of Sebastian Giovinco who’s comfortably the most talented player in the league for my money. I’m more than happy to give them another chance against the new boys in the Citrus Bowl, Florida.
Orlando have picked up recently, they are unbeaten in five games but it has to be said that two of their three goals against Chicago were own goals and in the match before they played against 10 men for 74 minutes yet still conceded and failed to win.
DC United have already played OC twice this year and beat them both home and away. They have a wealth of MLS experience that many of Orlando’s players do not and quite frankly they should never be 10/3 to win this match. We’ve already had them go in at 9/2 away this season and with prices like this no wonder they’ve been the most profitable side to back for the last two seasons.
Best Bets
New York City v Montreal Impact – Montreal Impact Double Chance (7/10 Bet365)
Columbus Crew v LA Galaxy – Columbus Crew to win (6/5 Bet365)
Seattle v Dallas – Seattle to win 1-0 (13/2 888Sport)
Seattle v Dallas – Seattle to win 2-0 (17/2 Coral)
Orlando City v DC United – DC United to win (10/3 Bet365)
1-A Piece Refund
Place a Correct Score bet on the Montreal Impact v Real Salt Lake game and if it ends 1-1 Betfred will refund you.
