This article is part of our Sorare series.
There seems to be a new "MLS moment" that polarizes fanbases every weekend in the league. Last weekend during the international break, it was the glorious Columbus Crew goalkeeping situation. Abraham Romero started while both Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen were on international duty. Romero got a red card and since Columbus were unable to use a call up to field another keeper on the bench, Swiss Army Knife Sean Zawadzki filled in. Under coach Wilfried Nancy, Zawadzki has now played every position in his 3-4-2-1 formation, including goalie.
Looking ahead, it's back to a full 14-match slate this weekend that includes "Hell is Real" between Columbus and FC Cincinnati and "El Trafico" between LAFC and the LA Galaxy.
Sorare GW 9 // MLS Week 26
Let's start this game week by using the RotoWire Cheatsheets to attack the best matchups. Here are the top five biggest favorites based on implied odds.
- Vancouver Whitecaps 64.47% vs. San Jose
- Inter Miami 62.64% vs. Philadelphia
- Orlando City 61.83% vs. New England
- Seattle Sounders 59.73% vs. Sporting KC
- Atlanta United 56.21% vs. Nashville
Note: Prices are for limited cards as of Thursday, September 12. The scarcities are Limited (/1000), Rare (/100), Super Rare (/10), and Unique (1/1).
Goalkeepers
- Kristijan Kahlina (CLT) at CF Montreal
- Classic: $5.89
- In-Season: $6.69
While I really like Charlotte's defensive prowess, this is all about continuing to fade Montreal. Since MLS play resumed, Montreal have lost both matches. It's not that they just lost, it's that they were blown out at home 5-0 against New England and last weekend in Cincinnati, they lost 4-1. I don't believe in coach Laurent Courtois' ability to handle the personalities in the team, as he's shown with multiple clashes with Matias Coccaro and Josef Martinez. Even if Montreal find the back of the net, Kahlina's AA should carry him to a 50-plus performance, similar to the 25.2 AA last match in the 1-0 loss to Atlanta.
- Yohei Takaoka (VAN) vs. San Jose
- Classic: $6.00
- In-Season: $7.08
Takaoka has disappointed in several good spots this season. He's back in an advantageous matchup against San Jose with implied clean sheet odds near 40 percent. Vancouver and Takaoka have back-to-back clean sheets and are looking to continue that form as they fight for home-field advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. While the upside hasn't been there all season, Takaoka has been steady, as shown in a bell curve-esque graph from the last 365 days.
Honorable Mention: Roman Burki (STL) $4.25/$4.25 vs. Minnesota; Brad Guzan (ATL) $2.22/$3.78 vs. Nashville; Pedro Gallese (ORL) $7.56/$8.27 vs. New England; Drake Callender (MIA) $5.67/$8.74 vs. Philadelphia
Defenders
- Yeimar Gomez Andrade (SEA) vs. Sporting KC
- Classic: $1.39
- In-Season: $3.71
If you had a Seattle stack last gameweek, you are a happy camper. Seattle won 4-0 in Columbus and now have a favorable stretch of matches (Sporting KC, San Jose and Houston all at home) to put together a run of good form. Yeimar has been close to a lock for 60-to-70 points this season and he should have another 25-to-30 AA performance against Sporting KC.
- Brooks Lennon (ATL) vs. Nashville
- Classic: $0.71
- In-Season: $0.71
Welcome back, Brooks Lennon! Now, it's tough to say that the scores from the beginning of the season will come back. But, it's positive that he had 41.32 AA in Charlotte and the underlying statistics suggest he was unlucky not to score higher than 76.3. Lennon had one big chance created, three attempted assists and nine penalty area entries. A matchup against Nashville, who is in putrid form, should provide another upside performance. One downside for Lennon is that he's lost corner-kick duty, as Saba Lobzhanidze has taken all but one over the last five matches.
Honorable Mention: Ranko Veselinovic (VAN) $0.47/$0.95 vs. San Jose; Jordi Alba (MIA) $7.29/$13.22 vs. Philadelphia; Stian Rode Gregersen (ATL) $0.70/$0.70 vs. Nashville;
Midfielders
- Facundo Torres (ORL) vs. St. Louis City
- Classic: $4.02
- In-Season: $5.20
Facu was disappointing for the first part of the season, but he's found his stride and is back to bagging multiple decisives to go with solid AA games.
Torres has a good matchup with Orlando hosting New England, who have conceded two goals in back-to-back matches. I expect that trend to continue in Orlando.
- Ryan Gauld (VAN) vs. San Jose
- Classic: $10.20
- In-Season: $11.34
The "Scottish Messi" finally got a call back to the Scotland national team over the international break. It was well deserved and past due, coming from a completely unbiased MLS fan. He returns to Canada in a great spot against the defensively challenged San Jose Earthquakes. While the Quakes have been better with Daniel back in net, they still struggle on the back line. Gauld should have a field day at home and could hit a 90-plus score with a decisive.
Honorable Mention: Marcel Hartel (STL) $15.36/$27.18 vs. Minnesota; Albert Rusnak (SEA) $4.75/$12.05 vs. Sporting KC; Fafa Picault (VAN) $0.71/$1.69 vs. San Jose
Forwards
- Cucho Hernandez (CLB) at FC Cincinnati
- Classic: $31.91
- In-Season: $33.39
TQL Stadium is no joke, as it was a fortress for FC Cincinnati last season. This year, however, FC Cincinnati are the 12th-best team at home with a 7-2-5 record (W-D-L). This is a huge rivalry match where Cucho should shine in a great spot. FC Cincinnati will be without two starting center-backs, with Miles Robinson and Ian Murphy serving yellow card accumulation suspensions. That means it should be a makeshift backline that will likely struggle to contain Cucho.
In the 14 editions of the "Hell is Real" derby, Columbus have won seven matches compared to FC Cincinnati's three wins with four stalemates. Columbus have the confidence, as well, having already won at TQL Stadium this season. Nearly 90 percent of the matches in this rivalry have had at least three goals with 57 percent of them having at least four goals scored. It's hard to imagine Cucho not factoring into a decisive action Saturday.
- Jordan Morris (SEA) vs. Sporting KC
- Classic: $3.98
- In-Season: $9.21
The AA score hasn't been there with Morris exclusively playing as a striker. It hasn't mattered, though, as Morris is in excellent form, grabbing decisives left and right. In his last seven starts, he has seven goal involvements. With elite matchups for the next two gameweeks, Seattle should be amongst the best plays barring any Brian Schmetzer rotation.
Honorable Mention: Luis Suarez (MIA) $10.47/$12.81 vs. Philadelphia; Ramiro Enrique (ORL) $2.33/$3.32 vs. New England; Federico Bernardeschi (TOR) $2.11/$3.23 vs. Austin
Favorite Lineup
Courtesy of the SorareData Concept Builder
