MLS betting tip: DC United- Real Salt Lake.
Mar 16, 2019
MLS: DC United- Real Salt Lake.
I previewed DCU's opener on Matchday 1 and those lengthy notes are reproduced below the "good luck" sign off.
That played out well, with DCU winning 2-0 and it was a very dominant performance with Atlanta struggling to create anything much at all.
Last weekend I stuck with them for the trip to the Big Apple to play NYCFC, where they got a handicap start...............
Now DC go to New York to play City who struggled over the second half of last season after Patrick Vieira left as head coach, winning just 2 of their final 12 starts, after winning 14 of their first 25. Not just results but performance levels dropped and they have now lost David Villa (80 goals in 126 appearances), but regardless of personnel they looked disorganised under Dome Torrent and unable to press like before, from July 29 onward they went 4-4-8 across16 games, that's 34-point pace, after playing the first 20 games of the season heading for 71 points. From a Supporters Shield team to a wooden spoon one and seemingly overnight.They started with a 2-2 draw away to Orlando City last week, where they blew a two goal lead and might have lost, hard to know what to make of that right now, but my feeling is that they have gone backwards, ceratinly since last mid simmer, DCU played City twice late last campaign, drew 1-1 here and won 3-1 in Washington and odds look too big today for the visitor, with the handicap start.
That finished 0-0, DCU were very solid and disciplined defensively, pretty much came for the point, but did need three quality saves from Bill Hamid to get the job done. However, they also created chances of their own and the NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson was probably #2 in MOTM rankings. United will be delighted with their start and looking to build on that today. I spoke often last season about the swing in dominance from West to East and the top two teams in the East, NYRB and Atlanta finished 9 and 7 points respectively ahead of SKC who were top in the other Conference. RSL did make the post season, in 6th, but would have come up short in the East with their tally and they lost more road games (11) than any other post season team and the 16th most in MLS. They have lost exactly 11 away starts in each of their last four seasons and if you had to name a team to lose exactly 65% of away games, it would have to be RSL !
Tactically they have looked suspect at times, especially in the bigger games, whether that be from poor coaching, or an inability to carry out instructions I do not know, neither is good ! Key players Kyle Beckerman (37 next month) and Nick Rimando (40 in three months) have been great, but are the wrong age to improve and looked to have gone backwards last year. They have some talented youngsters, but they are very young and it would take a brave man to cut the ties with those (too) senior players and maybe give youth a year to develop and that might be the way to go, but it isn't going to happen and they feel like a team in transition and will do well to make top 6 again. They have finished 9th and 8th the next season after making the post season and a repeat would not surprise. This is a match DCU should win and they have taken 3 of the last 4 h2h meetings as host scoring 11 goals. There has also been talk of RSL rotating as they play East Coast this week, West coast next .
2 units DC United -1 ball 2.20 asian line/Sportmarket.
Good Luck.
MLS: DC United- Atlanta United (written March 3rd)
I was going to discuss both of today's games and have strong opinions about both LAFC and SKC, but will save them for next week after I have got a look at them h2h.
MLS is changing, almost all for the better, with quality on the rise and some ambitious teams entering the league in recent campaigns and, at the forefront of that are Atlanta United and ahead of last season I wrote ..........
United were a fantastic addition to MLS last season, both in terms of their style of football and huge crowds and whilst they came up short in the post season game with Columbus Crew, they did not have a lot of luck there and on reflection, I feel they simply ran out of steam and will still take a massive amount from their debut campaign ............
Atlanta are a new MLS expansion franchise team and have had a fantastic first season in the big league. A MLS record crowd of almost 72,000 saw the draw 2-2 with Toronto FC at the weekend, that number is expected to be beaten today and they have averaged attendances of over 48,000 all season. A win there would have given United second place and a bye week and they led twice and late, but TFC are the #1 ranked team in the MLS and the point gave them the record points total for a season, so had motivation of their own. It does feel like Atlanta were the second best team, they scored 9 more goals than anyone apart from TFC, their +30 goal difference was 16 better than any other team apart from Toronto, in addition to that offensive prowess, only three teams in MLS conceded fewer goals , despite which, all their starts averaged 3.24 per game.
I think it would be good for Atlanta and football in the US, for the hosts to win and I expect them to continue the MLS Cup trends and do so, scoring a few goals in the process. They have scored in all 17 home games, at least twice in the last eight and also in 13/15, three or more in ten ! That includes a 3-1 win over Crew in June and they followed that up with a two goal win in Columbus a month later.
They have opened the piggy bank and spent a MLS record $15m to sign Independiente teenager Ezequiel Barco and it will be super exciting to see him, but he has picked up an injury and will miss the opening month or so, but it remains, a massive statement of intent. In addition, they turned down reported bids of a combined $35m for Miguel Almiron and Josef Martinez either of which would have broken MLS records and all these dealings highlight how ambitious United are and that they are operating on an entirely different level to anything or anyone we have seen before in MLS. They also made the eye catching signing of U.S. international Darlington Nagbe and I have spoken often about how key he was to Portland Timbers:"You want to be in the attack and have possession of the ball and control the game. "Atlanta did a great job with that last year, so as a player you want to be a part of something like that and hopefully I can add to that.“I’ve seen a team that’s organized, a team that plays together, loves to attack and keep possession of the ball and be in control of the game. "So that’s all the things that you’re looking forward to as a player. "You want to be a part of that.”
They actually lost 4-0 on the road on opening day, but barely took a subsequent backwards step and won the MLS Cup, being very dominant all season and right through the playoffs. They sold Miguel Almiron to Newcastle United for a huge fee in MLS terms and have a new head coach in Frank de Boer, who has replaced Tata Martino, who has taken charge of the Mexican national team and there are eyes on American soccer now from the rest of the footballing world, which has not often been the case. AU remain super motivated to win trophies and replaced Almiron with Argentine attacking midfielder Gonzalo “Pity” Martinez who was purchased from South American champions River Plate for what might well be a MLS record fee. Pity was voted South American player of the Year last season and as I said, MLS is attracting very different levels of players now and at ealier stages of their development/career. With regard to de Boer, he has a lot to prove after a lengthy spell out of the game following poor showings at both Inter Milan and Crystal Palace, at the latter it ended in tears after just five games (!), the shortest spell in PL history and it was said that the South London side took the decision almost before the first game was played, with FDB trying to play a formation and style that the squad was totally unsuited to . He has a lot to prove now and I have read that one or two players were already not 100% happy at United, they were ultimately convinced to stay, but it might not take much for seeds of unrest to start to grow and in truth, the only way is down and Atlanta also have a first ever Champions League campaign to deal with and that often comes at a price. Atlanta again look a top 3 team on paper, but I am not in love with the coaching appointment, Almiron will be missed and "Pity" might need time.
DC United ended last season on fire and we discussed them MANY times after their new satdium was open and result began to improve, this was typical ...............
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What a head of steam DC United are building up and an incredible and immediate impact from Wayne Rooney, they blew Portland Timbers away in midweek to continue their march up the table, ahead of which I wrote ..........
I previewed DCU three weeks ago when they hosted New York Red Bulls, a team we are very keen on ..........
This is a big traditional rivalry and added extra spice as it will be the first time they have met in DCU's brand new Audi Field home. United have made just one start here, a 3-1 defeat of Vancouver, when Wayne Rooney made his debut from off the bench , he started in the only subsequent game,a 3-1 loss at Atlanta United on Saturday, which makes 15 goals conceded in six starts for the team from the capital. DCU sit bottom of the East five points adrift of the team above them, BUT have four games in hand of everyone and have only played three home games total ( 2-1-0) because of the stadium build, six of their next eight are at home and if they could find a way to win five, they could still force their way into the post season picture, as a minimum, I feel they will be looking to at least put in a pretence at a playoff push. DCU to press for the win, but leaving their leaky defense exposed .
NY won 1-0, but DCU have taken seven points from their three subsequent games, winning both home starts , scoring six goals and also hitting the woodwork five times, Rooney has been making an increasing impact and if not quite building up a head of steam, they at least stoking up the fire. They are still at the foot of the Eastern Conference, but will move above three teams with the win and up to eighth, within six of the playoffs and with 2-4 games in hand of all teams above them. Not only that, but they have still only played six of their 20 starts here at Audi Field (4-1-1) and with home wins always north of 50% in MLS that gives them a big top 6 opportunity.
Portland had a very impressive mid season run and posted some incredibly solid defensive stats, but lost at home to Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday and have to leave the West Coast for the first time since June 26th and do so on a short week and very quick turnaround after a cross country flight with three hour time difference. That leaves little to no time to sort what went wrong out at the weekend for a team who have got into travel mode. Timbers played three early season games in the East conceding nine goals, five to two teams who might well be below DCU after this evening.
They won 4-1, also hit the woodwork with two goals from Rooney , who recorded a 9.3 player rating, next highest was 7.5 and that highlights his contribution. The former England player has always been streaky and it is easy to see another goal or two from him today, still only 32 he has probably left Europe too early, but that is DSU's and MLS' gain. Now they face the team immediately above them in the table and this is huge, not least with one of their few remaining road games up next, a rematch with NYRB in the Big Apple. It is not just Rooney of course, Luciano Acosta has three goals and three assists in four starts and Bill Hamid has returned to the club and played in goal in midweek , his first start in 11 months after a loan spell in Europe and he was influential and is looking for his 50th clean sheet for United today.
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I also wrote about the committment shown by Rooney to the cause with this example..........
Last month DCU beat Orlando City here and for those of you who have not seen it, you have to watch how the 96th minute played out ! It was a hot, humid night and with the scores tied at 2-2, United sent up their keeper and all 11 players for a corner to try and grab the three points, OC stole the ball and on the break Rooney was the only possible saviour , he gave a younger opponent who was racing towards an empty net a head start but somehow won the ball back then went upfield to set up the winner, cue massive, massive celebrations and legendary DCU status for the former England man ! It just illustrates how much Rooney has bought into the project and football in the US.
BTW, Luciano Acosta whom I mentioned above, scored the winner and a hat-trick on the night, he is only 1.6m tall and must have leapt that high to make the header !
DCU made the playoffs which was fantastic after their start, interest was through the roof and they have something to really build on now. Rooney and Acosta are still in DC and the club look to have strengthened, they took 40 points from their final 20 starts last year (which equates to the same level of form as AU across the full 34 games) and were 13-2-2 as host. They have more depth this year and if Rooney can stay out of bars and trouble and Acosta is not too upset about his move to Europe falling through, a big season in on the cards. Home win.
1.75 units DC United -0.5 ball 2.31 asian line/Sportmarket.
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