Bold Predictions Round 5: Sticking with Form

I’d say round 3 was a good round for me and now my Bold Predictions are sitting at 2-2, not bad right? Well it doesn’t really matter actually, because my job is to care as little as possible about what you guys think and just be right, which I am. If you checked out my bold captain pick for Round 4 you would’ve seen me pick Juan Agudelo as my captain. If you listened you would’ve been rewarded with the highest scorer in Round 4 and a leg up on the competition (He was selected by just 5.0% of owners). I don’t just talk the talk guys.

Anyways on to some bold predictions for Round 5 in which I move on from the expansion team trend I had been stuck on. Next up are a streaking New England Revolution side taking on Timbers side facing the reality of the limits their team has. My other prediction comes via the MLS Cup Champs starting to hit their stride and an Atlanta team facing the cold hard truth of MLS scheduling and travel.

The Revs Are No Fluke

We saw the Revs dismantle Minnesota United like the Timbers and Atlana have done before them. My first urge was to discount this performance like people have
tried to discount Atlanta’s and Portland’s. However, Atlanta and Portland were no joke. Atlanta and Portland have both been scoring at an impressive rate, so it made sense that two of the league’s best attacks lit up Minnesota. The Revs have a claim to be in that conversation when firing on all cylinders. With just 3 games under the belt I think they are firing on all cylinders and I don’t think the Timbers are ready for what’s coming.

The Revs are going to come out strong with the confident front 3 of Aguldeo, Kamara and Nguyen, supported by the equally talented likes of Rowe, Fagundez, Tierney etc. The attacking talent is there and will be present in this shootout. Of course not much has changed with the Timbers attack, but I expect the aggression of the Revs to catch the Timbers off guard.

Bold Predictions

Result: NE 4 – 3 POR

My Picks: Agudelo ($8.6) and Nguyen ($9.8) will be on my team this week. You can squeeze Kamara on there if you want, but I decided to go one forward and Agudelo is the better value now that him and Kamara will essentially be functioning in the same space. Tierney ($5.6) is a great option for assists and sometimes-offensive bonus points, but there’s no realistic clean sheet potential here.

As for the Timbers? Valeri ($10.2) is always safe for some points and if this does turn into a shootout as I predict you’re going to want players on both sides of the pitch. Valeri will not have another 1 point week, that I can guarantee.

Seattle Sounders Right the Shipp

Pun intended. Shipp has found himself in Seattle and while that seems insignificant next to the likes of Lodeiro, Dempsey and Morris it couldn’t actually be more significant. Lodeiro is facing more pressure this year after his stunning late season performance last year so the added confidence from Shipp is going to do wonders for this offense.

Now this prediction gets bold because we’re talking about a piping hot Atlanta United side who everyone is really high on right now. My issue with Atlanta is that this is their first time they’ll be dealing with an MLS international break and it’s costing them their leading goal scorer, Martinez. On a different day this game would be closer, but Seattle is going to do them a favor and expose Atlanta’s weakness early in the season as long as they have at least Dempsey or Morris back for this game. I’ll have to come back to this prediction if both of those guys are out this week.

Bold Predictions

Result: SEA 3 – 1 Atlanta

My Picks: Lodeiro is still a bit too expensive for me, but Dempsey ($9.4) will be coming off the break in insane form and I bet he’s going to want in on this game against the over eager expansion side. Plus that price is criminally low for Dempsey. Shipp ($7.1) looks to be another engine in the midfield and a sneaky bold pick this week depending on the personnel the Sounders will have.

Atlanta is too risky for me. How will Almiron be after all the travel and two 90 min performances? How will Asad produce without the like of Martinez or even Almiron to start? Is Atlanta really that deep? Their could be some good value picks in this game, but so much is up in the air for Atlanta.