A new season has arrived, and that means it is time for the 2017 MLS opening weekend preview. I am splitting this preview into two parts because there is much to discuss around the league.
March 3 is officially opening day and Portland is set to host one of the newer clubs to arrive to the league this year. Minnesota United has made the leap from NASL to MLS this year, and they are joined by Atlanta United. Atlanta had a different path to the MLS, but we will get into that later.
I hope there are a few people out there that remember the years of work I put in at DSI, covering MLS for four seasons there. Now, I’m doing the same thing here. Are you ready? Excited? Looking as forward to the new year as I am? New campaigns are always exciting, and 22 teams have high hopes. Keep in mind, we have 22 clubs in MLS this year, up from 20 a season ago. The playoff structure will remain the same, however, as the top six teams from each conference will earn a post-season bid. There is so much crazy stuff going on, not just in MLS, but around the entire landscape of U.S. soccer.
As you may know, my routine is to get the lines up for everyone, and go from there, so here they are:
Friday, March 3 – 1 Match
Portland vs Minnesota
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Portland -160
Minnesota +400
Draw +300
Spread:
Portland -1 -110
Minnesota +1 -110
Total 2.5:
Over -140
Under +120
Saturday, March 4 – 7 Matches
Columbus vs Chicago
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Columbus -145
Chicago +400
Draw +275
Spread:
Columbus -1 +105
Chicago +1 -125
Total 2.5:
Over -145
Under +125
LA Galaxy vs Dallas
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
LA +125
Dallas +185
Draw +230
Spread:
LA 0/Pk -135
Dallas 0/Pk +115
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Real Salt Lake vs Toronto
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
RSL +120
Toronto +200
Draw +230
Spread:
RSL -0.5 +120
Toronto +0.5 -120
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Colorado vs New England
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Colorado -115
NE +310
Draw +240
Spread:
Colorado -0.5-115
NE +0.5 -105
Total 2.5
Over -110
Under -110
DC United vs Sporting KC
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
DC -110
KC +280
Draw +230
Spread:
DC -0.5 -110
KC +0.5 -110
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Houston vs Seattle
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Houston +140
Seattle +175
Draw +220
Spread:
Houston 0/Pk -115
Seattle 0/Pk -105
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
San Jose vs Montreal
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
San Jose +100
Montreal +250
Draw +225
Spread:
San Jose -0.5 +100
Montreal +0.5 -120
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Sunday, March 5 – 3 Matches
Orlando City vs NYCFC
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Orlando +130
NYC +185
Draw +220
Spread:
Orlando -0.5 +130
NYC +0.5 -150
Total 3:
Over +105
Under -125
Atlanta vs NY Red Bulls
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Atlanta +175
NYRB +140
Draw +220
Spread:
Atlanta 0/Pk -110
NYRB 0/Pk -110
Total 2.5:
Over -115
Under -105
Vancouver vs Philadelphia
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Vancouver -110
Philly +280
Draw +230
Spread:
Vancouver -0.5 -110
Philly +0.5 -110
Total 3:
Over -110
Under -110
_____________________________
The opening game of the season sure is interesting. Expansion franchise Minnesota United gets to play their first top flight match in Portland.
Minnesota has had six games to prepare for the new season, and hasn’t won any of them. The Loons have played to five draws, and a 3 – 0 loss to Toronto that came on February 22. Minnesota gave up at least a goal in all six games, and were involved with quite a melee with Salt Lake. The two played a 3 – 3 draw on February 15 at Providence Park in Utah. A 90+ minute goal from Minnesota’s Johan Venegas finished the scoring.
I am certainly familiar with Minnesota, being that I covered the NY Cosmos for the last three years. Minnesota, as I mentioned, is just coming to MLS from the NASL this season. The club didn’t even make the playoffs last year in the NASL, finishing tied for fifth overall in the final standings. Only the top-four teams in the NASL make the playoffs.
On the positive, however, Christian Ramirez led the league in scoring with 18 goals. Kevin Venegas led the team with 6 assists, and he is expected to be in the starting XI for the Loons. No, there is no relation between Kevin and Johan Venegas, but they both sure do contribute.
I think we all know that Portland was a disaster on defense a year ago. The Timbers allowed the most goals in the Western Conference with 53, although they also lost Nat Borchers first to injury. Then, Borchers decided to hang up the boots and call it a career, so Portland will miss him on that back line. The Timbers also let Jack McInerney go recently, which came as a surprise to some. Coach Caleb Porter claims the move was made to clear cap space to find a center back.
Anyway, that move to give depth and size to the back line has not come yet, and Minnesota can take advantage of Portland. Some might assume Minnesota could be nervous in such a venue, first match in MLS, intimidated, blah blah. I am not buying that Minnesota has any reason to be intimidated my Portland. I see goals coming here and, being the totals guy that I am, I suggest a line movement.
The straight 3 on the total to go Over is +115 at most sites out there. That is value IMO, because the -140 on the 2.5 just doesn’t do it for me. So the first play of the year goes in on a total. Who’d a thunk it!?!
Suggested Play:
Portland / Minnesota Over 3 @ +115
Now to my birthday on the 4th. Happy Birthday Rainmaker! Woooo!
Imagine if someone left a comment saying Happy Birthday Ej? Oh man, wouldn’t that be special! I would turn all red, and gasp with pleasure! My gift to you is handing you action to bet on, so your gift to me can be a happy birthday wish. Awww, feel the love! Oh stop it, soccer, Ej, get to the soccer man!
The first scheduled game for my birthday happens in Columbus, and the Fire hit the road again. Oh boy, here we go again! So how many road wins do the Fire have to their credit over the last three seasons? Let’s see, one win last year, no wins the year before, and two the year before that. My math tells me three! Three damn road wins in three seasons.
So how impressed have you been with the Fire’s pre-season? Undefeated in six games, with some decent competition in there too. Could this be a breakout season for Chicago? I would assume they are tired of the basement, because they have spent so much time there recently. Get a job, get out of the house dude, stop living in your parents’ basement!
Anyway, the -125 offer is just on the edge of my comfort zone when it comes to juice. Amazingly the +1 handicap with the Fire is sitting there at -125, and that is reasonable to me.
I am not in love with that price to say the least, but when you are getting a goal it is worth something.
Suggested Play:
Columbus / Chicago ~ Chicago Fire +1 @ -125
Real Salt Lake and Toronto hook up at Rio Tinto on Saturday, and that totals guy is coming out again. Which one of these two defenses impresses you enough to expect a low-scoring game? I know Salt Lake brought in Mr Van Oekel from Edmonton of the NASL this year. I have met the man, and I know what he brings to the table for sure. Nick Rimando is expected to be the opening day starter though, and that is also a concern for me. Dude is getting old, and at 37 I am not sure he will be the man he once was.
Slowing down Toronto for 90 minutes is no easy task either, and I just don’t think RSL will do it.
Some sites have as high as -170 slapped on the ‘Both to Score’ prop, so the line setters expect goals.
I do too, and the price is fair enough. Hopefully, the addition of Chad Barrett for RSL will revamp his career too, who knows.
Suggested Play:
Real Salt Lake / Toronto Over 2.5 @ -110
I am definitely interested to see the rematch of the Colorado vs New England game from pre-season. Colorado came away with a 3 – 1 win back on February 18, and all four goals were ugly. The Revs scored first on a corner kick, and it was really just a result of defense standing around. The ball deflected around a bit, and no one cared to clear it out. It was 2 – 1 before halftime, and Colorado’s two goals were just as ugly. The Revs defense stood around and watched both goals happen.
Granted this is a different match with much more significance, but that result is just sitting in my head. It’s not like it is cold in Colorado right now either, because the weather there is actually quite decent. For this time of year, to see an expected high of 67*F is not bad at all, and it’s an afternoon start.
With that said, I think we can expect a 2 – 1 type of match to go down at Dick’s.
Suggested Play:
Colorado / New England OVer 2.5 @ -110
Let me wrap this part one post up here, and get to the second part of opening day in MLS.
To find Volume 2 of the opening weekend preview, click HERE!
To bet on MLS action and all the soccer being played around the world, check out Diamond and get your bets in!
