The Bent Musket: All Posts by Matty Jollie

MLS Fantasyland: Round 12

2013-05-15T15:35:04Z

When the schedule is as chock-full as last weekend's was, it's like a fantasy owners dream. Tons of matches to watch, your head on a swivel keeping track of all your players, and all of the highs and lows that come with fantasy sports.

As for All We Do Is Nguyen FC, it was mostly highs, as the lads racked up 111 points last week, and vaulted our club into 261st overall out of the 21,000-plus entries worldwide.

It was certainly an exciting week with some surprise performances, so let's take a look at who got the job done in Round 11.

FANTASY STUDS

Rodney Wallace, DEF, Portland ($5.4m). Monster performance in Round 11 from Wallace, and most of his 21 point week came from his massive 17 point outburst against Chivas USA. A goal, an assist, a clean sheet, a full 90, and some bonuses gave Wallace one of the biggest weeks of a defender in 2013.

Justin Mapp, MID, Montreal ($6.8m). Loved the consistency from Mapp last week, as he racked up 7 points in both matches. A total of 176 minutes played, a couple of assists, and several attacking bonuses gave Mapp the stud honor this week in midfield.

Will Bruin, FWD, Houston ($8.8m). Just a monster 19 point match against D.C. United gives Bruin the honors this week. Bruin had a full stat line in Round 11, with 2 goals, 2 assists, and two 90 minute performances.

FANTASY SCRUBS

Landon Donovan, MID, LA Galaxy ($9.9m). Still one of the most added players in fantasy, Donovan continues to struggle after his outburst in his return. Only 5 total points in the last three rounds makes Donovan's price point too risky.

Jerry Bengtson, FWD, New England ($8.8m). A quick browse around this blog and you'll notice that there's more thana few reasons to be worried about Bengtson. When he's only scoring 2 points in a two match week, you need to worry.

Eddie Johnson, FWD, Seattle ($9.7m). I like EJ's game, but any time a player of his caliber and pedigree plays 90 minutes in BOTH matches of a two match week, you gotta give me more than 3 points.

THE TRANSFER MARKET

Only one match mid-week and it's an interesting one, with Philadelphia hosting Los Angeles. Now, that means both teams will be playing two matches, but does that mean I'm rushing out to grab any of the Galaxy studs? Well, it depends on who you're thinking about.

I'm scared off of Landon just based on his current form, and quite frankly, I'm just not sure if he'll play major minutes in BOTH games. Robbie Keane is still nursing that ankle also, so there's probably little reason to pick him up as well. So once again, it's the defenders who will most likely get the job done for you, and I see no issue picking up Omar Gonzalez ($6.1m) this week.

As for Philly, Amobi Okugo has been a great revelation in the absence of Sebastien Le Toux, and Jack McInerney continues his rapid development in 2013. Both players are solid options if you're looking to boost your chances of a big week.

Some other targets include a surging Thierry Henry ($10.5m) who will be catching the Galaxy on their second match of the week on his own home field, and also, you wouldn't mind playing his team mate Tim Cahill ($8.1m) who has also seemed to tun it on as of late.

Elsewhere, you've gotta like Sporting Kansas City's chances against a struggling United team, even without superstar Aurelien Collin. Seth Sinovic ($5.9m) is second on the team in points at defender, and of course, everyone knows that Graham Zusi ($10.4m) is an MVP candidate. Good matchup for both players, so take a look.

Lastly, Chivas USA is an absolute mess, and Real Salt Lake seems to be on the upswing, so I like the stars on RSL this weekend as well, even on the road. The trio of Nick Rimando, Kyle Beckerman, and Chris Schuler will ALL gather some decent points this weekend, so make sure to take the matchup into consideration.

*****

It's been a good first couple of months, and the cream is rising to the top as they say. A lot of early disappointments (Bengtson, Chris Pontius, Joel Lindpere) are continuing to struggle, so it may be time to cut bait with a lot of underperforming fantasy guys.

With only one match this round at the midweek, it's going to be very important to play the matchups and recognize who's got the hot hand going into the weekend. Good luck, and as always, any commentary is appreciated!

MLS Fantasyland: Round 11

2013-05-08T15:04:45Z

THIS is the week you've saved your wild card for boys and girls because it doesn't get much bigger than this! SIX matches on Wednesday, and multiple teams coming right back and playing on the weekend as well.

Why is that so significant? Simple: if you can load up your fantasy team this week with solid players that will play a role in BOTH matches their team plays this week, there is a more than good chance you can have a REALLY big week in MLS Fantasy Manager.

In plain English, just look at the schedule, see who is playing two matches, and try and double your chances at good match scores. I'm certainly not giving my lineup away just yet, but I will tell you that ALL 11 players in my starting lineup are on a double week. Incredibly important to try and maximize your games played.

As for last week, another stunning performance from All We Do Is Nguyen FC as I racked up 68 points and continue to climb the World Leaderboards right at 510th out of over 21,000 entries. To make it a little sweeter, I continue to top the Midnight Riders league for a second straight week!

Let's take a quick look back on some solid performers last week as we try to tweak our rosters.

FANTASY STUDS

Luis Robles, GK, NYRB ($5.6m). When it comes to keepers, it's all about clean sheets, and in Robles' case, saving penalties. Saving penalties is worth a whopping 5 points to a goalkeeper, and that makes a good week a GREAT week.

Graham Zusi, MID, Sporting KC ($10.3m). You just can't fill a stat sheet much better than Zusi did last week with a goal, an assist, some attacking bonuses, and for good measure, a defending bonus too. Best midfielder in the game, hands down.

Claudio Bieler, FWD, Sporting KC ($9.3). A two goal performance will put you on this list every week, and Bieler continues to shine. With Sporting KC one of those 2 match teams, he's definitely worth a look.

FANTASY SCRUBS

Darlington Nagbe, MID, Portland ($7.8m). A very popular pick up last week, given New England's difficulties with injury and suspension, and I was rather disappointed that he couldn't take advantage. Only scoring two points, 1 for 90 minutes played, and one for the clean sheet. Not impressed.

Robert Earnshaw, FWD, Toronto FC ($8.2m). You can't be a stud every week, and after being chosen by almost 22% of fantasy teams in the game, Earnshaw laid an egg. He's been good in 2013, so expect him to bounce back.

THE TRANSFER MARKET

Let's get down to business. This is a big week for you, and hopefully you've managed to hang onto your wild card this long. Luckily, I had, so I made some pretty big changes to my squad. First off, and I can't express this enough, go out and get yourself a couple of stud defenders. They put up points, almost ALWAYS play 90 minutes, and ones on the really good teams like Dallas and Sporting Kansas City, will almost NEVER hurt you. Here's a few:

Aurelien Collin, Sporting Kansas City ($6.4m)

Matt Hedges, FC Dallas ($5.6m)

Jamison Olave, NYRB ($6.1m)

These guys will play big minutes, and will help you get things started in racking up a big week in fantasy, plus it's always good to get guaranteed points right off the bat.

In the midfield, it can be a little more tricky, especially when trying to forecast goals and evaluate matchups. However, with so many teams playing multiple matches this week, you've got some margin for error.

Tim Cahill, NYRB ($8.2m)

Will Johnson, Portland ($8.0m)

Ricardo Clark ($7.1m)/Brad Davis ($8.9m), Houston

These are some guys that will play big minutes in the upcoming week, and should have an impact on your score. I don't think Tim Cahill will shy away from playing on the turf at Gillette like Thierry Henry, so expect his good form to continue. Also, when it comes to Davis, just monitor his injury status through the week, to make sure he's available.

As far as forwards go, it's a crapshoot. You've gotta take a roll of the dice and try to decipher which guys could get hot in the early part of the week and keep it rolling through the weekend. Here's a few good looks:

Claudio Bieler, Sporting Kansas City

Chirs Wondolowski, San Jose ($10.2m)

Jerry Bengtson, New England ($8.8m)

Bieler has been on fire, and leads all strikers in points so that should probably be a pretty easy choice. Wondo is the golden boot winner, and will have two cracks at scoring goals this week. Jerry Bengtson may not be scoring goals, but the Revs DO have two matches this week, and he also plays heavy minutes for the team given their lack of depth at forward, so even if he isn't scoring, you're at least not getting a goose egg.

FINAL THOUGHTS

With so many matches being played tonight, there's a great chance that fantasy owners across the land are all going to have good weeks. The puzzle is going to be how you can figure out how to not just have a good week, but a great one.

The formula should be pretty simple for you this week: load up on players with two games, start two or more stud defenders, and pick out a striker or two with two good match ups that he could score in. If you follow that you'll at least have a chance at it.

Keep in mind that players returning from injury, or who are allergic to turf, may not play both matches. Make sure you're selecting the right players and guys that will play a big part in BOTH of their team's matches.

Good luck this week, and I'll make sure to post my lineup just for full disclosure and conversation right after the lineups lock tonight!

The Couch Captain: Revs 0, Timbers 0

2013-05-07T15:12:03Z

It seems to me that it's becoming pretty evident that the 4-1 drubbing in New York was just a blip on the radar for this Revs team, as they went out West and earned a hard fought 0-0 draw in Portland. It certainly is worth mentioning it came not only amidst one of the toughest atmospheres in Major League Soccer, but with a back line ravaged by injury, and also, in Chris Tierney's case, suspension.

It was great to read all of the tweets and thoughts from MLS fans and experts alike around the match talking about how the Revs "parked the bus" and "held on" for the result, and while I agree that towards the end, it felt like the Revs were just hanging on for dear life, they certainly did NOT bunker in on Thursday Night, and they surely didn't park the bus.

How can I back up that argument? Well, there's certainly the statistical evidence from the scoresheet, and while the possession stat looks dreadful, the Revolution did manage 12 attempts on goal, putting four on target, as well as earning 7 corner kicks. If not for Donovan Ricketts' save on Saer Sene, the Revs, dare I say it, could have stolen a win in the late minutes as well.

If you watched the match, you certainly know that the Revs did more than their share of defending, and that there were plenty of "heart-in-throat" moments, but that doesn't mean they bunkered. Exhibit B? Jay Heaps' largely unchanged lineup from Saturday Night's victory over Philadelphia.

The only changes you saw were forced through injury or suspension at the back, where you saw Bilal Duckett recalled from Rochester and inserted at right back for the injured Andrew Farrell, and Darrius Barnes at left back for the suspended Chris Tierney. After that, it was more of the same from Heaps, and I loved that. He could have gone back to a 4-2-3-1 and bunkered and played that ugly style they've played, but instead, he stuck with what got him the result in Foxboro, and showed confidence in his team.

STYLE OF PLAY

With Duckett returning for the first time in 2013, and Barnes slotting in at left back, I certainly felt like the back line was a little more overly committed to defending on the night. There weren't a ton of runs forward into attack by the outside backs, and given the opposition, I was more than fine with that approach.

Portland are incredibly talented, quick, and counter just as good as anyone in the league, and by staying committed and disciplined, the Revs were able to stymie and stifle a very good team on their own field. While Duckett and Barnes did seem to struggle a little getting acclimated to full-speed, first team play, the center backs were nothing short of dominant in the air, and it bears mentioning that Stephen McCarthy and Jose Gonçalves were massive for the club on the night.

Offensively, the Curious Case of Jerry Bengtson continues. He does do the little things well, like holding up the ball when necessary, and he certainly excels at throwing his lanky frame around and making defenders uncomfortable. However, when it comes to honest-to-goodness link-up play with this talented midfield, and just an honest overall good feeling, it's just not clicking for Bengtson right now. At all.

It's incredible to see how much more dangerous the Revs looked when Sene came on, and this is coming off major knee surgery! The shot that was well saved by Ricketts, the great pass from Imbongo that Sene should have done better with, and even a few long-range efforts, made Sene look like he was the DP striker, and not Bengtson. While I sill think Bengtson isn't in the best situation for him to succeed, it's still got to be better than it has been. Even the body language bothers me a little. So, perhaps, it's time for a slump buster.

The midfield once again looked solid, and I was truly impressed at how the Revs attacked the Timbers through the middle of the midfield, almost like they conceded the fact that Portland were just simply better than they were on the outside. That's also another reason why casual observers probably thought the Revs bunkered, because they really did try to slow the game down in stretches, and played through the middle, trying to not only break Portland down, but to limit the counter opportunities on the break. Needless to say, with a goose egg on the scoreboard, the Revs stayed disciplined, continued to play smart soccer, and got the result.

SUBSTITUTIONS

SCOTT CALDWELL for KALIFA CISSE 45'

SAER SENE for DIEGO FAGUNDEZ 67'

DIMITRY IMBONGO for JERRY BENGTSON 87'

Really liked the Caldwell sub once Cisse needed to come off for physical reasons, and it really changed the dynamic of the Revs going forward, as Caldwell is a little less physical, but a little more offensively gifted. Good vision, and a nice passer, Caldwell definitely helped open up a few lanes.

Sene completely changed the Revs' attack from the moment he stepped on the field, and while I felt that Diego played very well once again, the switch needed to be made at the time.

I mentioned that Bengtson seemed out of sorts, and I agreed with this sub. Imbongo was essentially being given a handful of moments to essentially try to disrupt the Timbers in any way possible, but what we didn't expect was how he was going to fire off a few good passes as well. More of that, please.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Take the point, get on the plane, and run. Given everything the team had to overcome, be it travel, lack of depth, or even atmosphere, this is a great result. The Revs have bounced back from their poor result in New York with two clean sheets, and four points.

This defense has now proven, over two months, that it's a force in this league and will allow the Revs to stay competitive with any team in the league, and will keep them alive in this season long into the summer months. If this run of defensive form continues, the Revs will have a chance to fight for a playoff spot at a much later date than they've been used to in the past. If the form continues AND they figure out the offensive woes? We're not just talking about a bottom-table club anymore.

Offensively, there is no point in benching Jerry Bengtson, which is a sentiment I've read all week. He's still the best striker you have on the roster that's healthy, and until Saer Sene comes back to 100%, it will be more of the same from this team and how they approach their attack with Jerry. The team DID look better with Sene and Bengtson on the same field, and with Lee Nguyen and Kelyn Rowe beginning to click in the center of the midfield, things could take a dramatic turn for the better on the offensive end relatively soon.

That being said, the Revs' next international signing, which is presumed will be a striker, is IMPERATIVE to this team's success. There's just no depth there right now, and with the current crop not producing just yet, the Revs need an out-and-out goalscorer if they have real aspirations of challenging for a playoff spot. I hope the search is tedious, serious, and results in a great signing, because this team is in desperate need of a game-changer, and I don't think it's on the roster currently. If only they had a speedy-fast Gambian winger under contract with game-changing pace to bring a little excitement and fear to the offense.

All kidding aside, this team isn't far off. That's not the Kool-Aid talking, nor is it seen through rose-colored glasses. It's a sentiment shared by several national pundits as well, so at the moment, the Revs need to stay the course, get healthy, and continue to fight on through the summer.

Revolution at Portland Timbers: The Live Thread

2013-05-03T02:29:23Z

Coming off of the club's first ever victory over Philadelphia, the Revs are looking to build on their current form in one of the most difficult stadiums in Major League Soccer.

As if losing Kevin Alston and AJ Soares weren't enough, the Revolution will be without Chris Tierney tonight who is serving a suspension for his reckless challenge on Sebastien LeToux. Enter Bilal Duckett and Darrius Barnes. Revolution newcomer, and European veteran, Jose Gonçalves will be donning the armband tonight, showing just how quickly he's emerged as a leader at the club.

Perhaps the most uplifting and encouraging sign is the fact that the rest of the lineup remains unchanged. The Revs are sticking with what worked on Saturday and playing a 4-1-4-1, with Ryan Guy and Diego Fagunez on the wings, and Kelyn Rowe and Lee Nguyen in the middle.

Join the discussion in the comments section and spend your late Thursday Night with us as we see if the Revs can steal a result at JELD-WEN Field!

MLS Fantasyland: Round 10

2013-05-02T18:00:06Z

As we head into the third month of the MLS calendar here in 2013, there's only one recurring theme apparently no one is talking about in MLS Fantasy Manager: it's a defender's game.

Four of the top five fantasy point-getters thus far are defenders, and the top eight defenders ALL SCORE HIGHER than the leading striker. I told you in preseason to load up on elite defenders, and I hope you listened.

Here at All We Do Is Nguyen FC things are continuing their upward trend after another 60+ point week that has seen us vault into the top 500 overall out of 21,000 teams. Also, perhaps more importantly, there's a member of The Rebellion on top of the Midnight Riders official league.

With the league lineups locking at 10:15 EST tonight, let's get things going quickly and jump right into how we can get your fantasy team headed back in the right direction.

ROUND 9 STARS

Chance Myers, DEF, Sporting KC ($5.3m). A brace from a defender? Instant star. Add to that a full 89 minute appearance and you'v got yourself one heck of a week from the dark horse defender on a star studded KC back line.

Tim Cahill, MID, NYRB ($8.0m). Speaking of two goal performances, the Aussie midfielder broke out in a big way for New York over the weekend, and with his 90 minute performance and even a defending bonus, Cahill was the player of the round, with 14 points.

Ryan Johnson, FWD, Portland ($8.3m). RJ pumped the stat sheet full in round 9, with a goal, an assist, 79 minutes played, and his share of attacking bonuses. When you add to that the fact that he did it on the road, against the best defense in MLS, you may need to take a look at what he's doing out West.

ROUND 9 SCRUBS

Jack McInerney, FWD, Philadelphia ($8.6m). Picked by over 18% of all teams in Fantasyland, Jack Mac pulled a no-show in Foxboro. Granted, the Revs have proven to be a tough defense, but he's always seemed to kill the Revs. A blip? Or the start of a trend?

Dwayne DeRosario, MID, DC United ($9.4m). You simply cannot afford to get 1 point from a 90 minute performance from a player that cost THAT much.

Landon Donovan, MID, LA Galaxy ($10m). The most added player in Fantasyland last week. Didn't play. Thanks for coming back from Cambodia.

THE TRANSFER MARKET

So what looks good this week? Unfortunately, it pains me to say this but taking one or two players from the Portland Timbers seems like a pretty good idea to me. New England is traveling on a short week, and has one of the most depleted defensive cores I can seem to remember in recent history. Players like the aforementioned Ryan Johnson, Diego Chara ($7.4m), and Darlington Nagbe ($7.8m) would all look like smart plays to me.

If you've loaded up on FC Dallas defenders like Matt Hedges, you're probably looking for a defender or two this weekend, look no further than the Sporting Kansas City back line. With an unpredictable and frenzied Chivas USA coming into Sporting Park, studs like Aurelien Collin ($6.4m) and Matt Besler ($6.1m) all look good. A sneaky good play might be Drew Moor ($5.3m) against a struggling Toronto FC at home, or even a defender off the San Jose back line, who take on Montreal out in San Jose after the Impact played mid-week.

Strikers have been an absolute mystery to me this year. The top striker only has 4 points, which is 23 points less than the leading player (Collin). MY advice? Find a matchup you like, and pick a stud. Players like Thierry Henry ($10.5m), Chris Wondolowski ($10.2m), and Federico Higuain ($9.3m) may all have inflated prices for their production, but if you're going to roll the dice with a forward, it may as well be an elite one. Wondo definitely looks good as I like the matchup, and you certainly have to like Henry's production as of late.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Take a look at your lineup this afternoon and figure out how you can get the absolute most out of your money? If you're strapped for transfer cash, be advised that the best player in fantasy right now only cost $6.3m. It's all about figuring out who gives you the best chance to be consistently successful. Big weeks are nice, but I've strung together several weeks of 50+ points and it does nothing but increase your ranks.

Strikers are an absolute crapshoot every week, so the best you can do is take a look at run of form, as often times forwards will get hot and stay that way for a week or two following. Still, your best bet for points is to take defenders and midfielders who consistently contribute and play 75+ minutes a game.

Hope you're all having a blast, and with over 21,000 teams registered at www.mlssoccer.com it certainly seems like the game is gaining in popularity. Good luck this week, and I'll make sure to post my lineup for the usual full disclosure from the author!

The Couch Captain: Revs 2, Union 0

2013-04-30T15:49:51Z

It's amazing what a little home cooking (and width on the field) will do for the chances of a struggling team. In front of the boisterous support of over 18,000 fans at Gillette Stadium, the Revs went back to what made them so exciting in early 2012 and finally found an attacking flow, as well as three points.

Are the answers easy to point out? Well, a little. There's no denying that with the extra speed and width on the wings, as well as a different configuration in the center midfield, that the Revs just simply flowed better on Saturday night.

While the result was a good one, and quelled a lot of "Heaps Out" type sentiment (for now), there's still much work to be done to get this team consistently competing at a high level every week.

Let's take a look at Saturday Night, and see if we can break down where the Revs' fortunes began turning around!

REVOLUTION LINEUP vs PHILLY: SHUTTLEWORTH, FARRELL, McCARTHY, GONÇALVES, TIERNEY; CISSE; GUY, NGUYEN, ROWE, FAGUNDEZ; BENGTSON

First and foremost, you notice the realignment in the midfield, as well as the inclusion of Guy and Fagundez on the wings providing width and speed. Loved the move. It's exactly what the team had been lacking in recent weeks, and I particularly liked Ryan Guy getting a look as I felt his work rate would also help cover Tierney on the left flank as well.

One of the things that really stood out was Heaps' decision to sit Juan Toja, and move Nguyen and Rowe more centrally, a move I'd been calling for both here at TBM and on the Midnight Ride Podcast as well. It puts both players in spots on the field where they are more comfortable, which ultimately allows the team to flow much more smoothly and dangerously.

Defensively, I wasn't surprised at the alignment at all. If Jay Heaps was going to play someone other than McCarthy for the injured A.J. Soares, you would have seen it last week. Macca was called upon frequently last year, and I was pleased to see him continue to get Heaps' vote of confidence.

GAME PLAN AND STYLE OF PLAY

Bent Musket fearless leader Steve Stoehr pointed out early on that the formation really ended up playing like a 4-1-4-1 with Cisse holding down the "anchor" position on the pitch, which is a role I think he relishes and excels at. Cisse has more than enough aggression and "teeth" to add a little edge to the Revolution midfield, and I'm also particularly impressed with his ability to not just win a ball, but distribute as well.

As for the midfield, you could see that the inclusion of Guy and Fagundez was to widen the attack, and to create that attack with speed. I felt that both players did a magnificent job with carrying out the game plan, and hope to see more of this style from the Revs as the season wears on. I pleaded for Heaps to just "go for it" against Philly, and given how feverishly they attacked all night, I think he did just that.

As for the center of the field, Rowe and Nguyen proved to be quite the pair as they worked together quite well in unlocking the Philadelphia defenses, and I'd personally like to see this duo paired together more often. Their similar playing styles complement each other much more than when Toja is on the field. Kelyn and Lee are both quick, incisive players and I felt like when they were paired with Toja in the center, too often the offensive play was bogged down and slow. With this alignment, the Revs are seemingly much more dangerous.

At the back, Gonçalves continues to be an intelligent, brute force in the center, and with Andrew Farrell continuing to learn quickly, the defense is progressing nicely. HOWEVER, the one thing I'd like to point out, was that with the Revs pushing for goals so aggressively, there were several odd-man breaks and counter attacks by Philadelphia, especially in the second half. Pushing for goals is great, but a better offensive team may have capitalized on the mistakes the Revs were making in allowing so much space to the Union attackers.

SUBSTITUTIONS

SAER SENE for RYAN GUY (61)

DIMITRY IMBONGO for JERRY BENGTSON (74)

SCOTT CALDWELL for LEE NGUYEN (89)

Some folks were a little surprised by the attacking minded substitutions, especially later on. In my mind, I felt like Saer Sene was coming on for Guy all along, and at that particular point, no matter what. Loved seeing the Frenchman getting a longer run, and looking forward to more from him soon.

The Imbongo sub, for me, was a message sent to Bengtson. This was probably the best the Revs' attack had looked all season, and quite frankly, not much of that had to do with Jerry. Imbongo was given an opportunity here to show Heaps' a little something, and I was pleased that he got the look.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Much, MUCH better from the Revolution attack this week. Quick passes, good runs off the ball, and a wider, more dynamic shape. It'll be interesting to see if Heaps' sticks with this lineup on Thursday in Portland, and I, for one, think he should. Portland are very fast on the counter, and playing these two speedy wingers may help slow down the TImbers' attack.

The Revs will have to be careful on Thursday night not to get too stretched while pushing the attack, a lesson I'm sure they learned last week, and I'm also pretty confident in saying that Coach Heaps brought it up once or twice in training since then. With the defensive depth getting tested in the coming weeks, the Revs will have to stay hungry and disciplined if the upward trend is to continue.

All in all, a good result from a struggling team backed into a corner. I called out several players, including Lee Nguyen, and I'm the first guy to give credit when it's due, and this week, there's plenty of credit to go around. The Revolution are simply better when their playmakers like Lee Nguyen and Kelyn Rowe are firing on all cylinders, and if they can continue to get contributions from Diego Fagundez like they did on Saturday night, not only will the Revs earn more results, they'll be more dynamic and unpredictable going forward.

Take the victory and enjoy it, but one thing is for sure, it's a week to week league, and the most important factor in earning your points, is sustaining momentum and form through long periods of time. Let's see if our beloved Revs have it in them.

MLS Fantasyland: Round 9

2013-04-27T13:43:28Z

After an off week, I was really looking forward to getting back on track last week in a big way. Well, 109 points later, and with a ranking of 662 out of over 20,000, I think I accomplished my goal.

The most important thing to take away from last week, is that you need to learn to take advantage of teams that have two match weeks whenever you can. They don't come around terribly often, but when they do, you've got to make sure you load up and give yourself a chance at scoring big.

My biggest star was Aurelien Collin, who produced a massive 36 point week for me as my team captain, given Sporting Kansas City's two match week. I also picked up a couple of Red Bulls, Thierry Henry and Brandon Barklage, to try to capitalize on both of their matches as well.

Who stood out last weekend? Let's take a look!

STARS

Nick RImando, GK, Real Salt Lake ($6.0m). Huge 14 point week from RImando and you need to look no further than his uncanny ability to save penalty kicks. They're worth 5 points, and when you add that to a 90 minute match and a clean sheet, you can see where the points add up.

Landon Donovan, MID, LA Galaxy ($10m). Fresh off his spiritual journey, LD showed all MLS fans and pundits alike that he's just the same ol' Landon we've grown to love. He pumped the stat sheet full of numbers, with a goal, an assist, a clean sheet, and staying on for all 90 minutes. He might be worth a pick up if you have the cash.

Jack McInerney, FWD, Philadelphia ($8.5m). Another strong showing from Jack Mac, this week with two goals to put him on top of the leaderboard amongst forwards for Round 8. Fans have been waiting for a breakout year, and this might be it.

SCRUBS

Lee Nguyen, MID, New England ($8.3m). This one hurts. I named my team after the guy, and he just hasn't produced. His two points last week came merely for being on the field for 90 minutes. No shot bonuses, no assists, and definitely no goals. I cut him a long time ago, but it also may be time to change up the team name. Which hurts. A lot.

Chris Wondolowski, FWD, San Jose ($10.2m). Wondo has been an absolute feast-or-famine fantasy player this year, and it's certainly frustrated a bunch of owners. Owned by over 27% of teams, his 1 point performance last week left lot of fantasy owners scratching their heads.

THE TRANSFER MARKET

BUYING - LANDON DONOVAN. If LD can take that much time off, and then come back and make THAT big of an impact immediately, I'm completely riding that wave.

BUYING - JACK MCINERNEY. I know we touched on him already, but if you look at his past three weeks he's scored 6, 7, and 12 points. With the Union heading to face the struggling Revolution, his current form might be worth picking him up.

BUYING - MATT HEDGES (DEF, FC DALLAS). Dallas have shown huge leaps in their defensive quality, and Hedges is right on the thick of it. He's been a stalwart in several clean sheets, and also isn't afraid in front of goal. Take a look at Hedges with Vancouver next on their docket.

BUYING - ZAC MACMATH (GK, PHILADELPHIA). MacMath may not have been piling up the points, but anyone with defensive responsibilities playing against New England, you've got to like the matchup. At only $4.9m, the price is right too.

SELLING - BRAD DAVIS (MID, HOUSTON). The nagging injury definitely worries me, and with a $9m price tag, that's too much money to tie up in a guy who might not go a full 90, and even worse, be less effective in the minutes that he does play.

SELLING - FEDERICO HIGUAIN (FWD, COLUMBUS). Chosen by almost 18% of the teams in fantasy, Higuain has been a bit of a disappointment. With only 5 points in his last 3 matches, the Crew striker has struggled to find form. With a difficult matchup this week against a defensively sound D.C. United, it'll be tough to see the struggles end.

SELLING - JERRY BENGTSON (FWD, NEW ENGLAND). One goal. That can be used to describe Bengtson, and the Revolution, in 2013. At $8.9m, there are jus far too many other options that will produce much better for a price tag like that.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It's starting to become a little more clear to fantasy owners where they can turn to for consistent points. As I said in our season preview, defenders are a great way to guarantee yourself some points every week. Four of the top five point-getters in MLS fantasy are defenders, and your team should be stacked with solid options at the back.

Make sure you're keeping an eye on the injury report each week, as it will not only tell you who isn't playing, but it can also shed a little light on whose form may not be completely up to par as well. With a few key injuries coming last week (A.J. Soares, Dax McCarty, Juan Aguedelo), you need to make sure your team is healthy, and on form.

Hopefully you're enjoying the fantasy coverage, and remember, it's YOUR community, so make sure to jump in the discussion in the comment section below and together we can build the ultimate fantasy side!

The Couch Captain: Red Bulls 4, Revs 1

2013-04-23T16:42:36Z

Saturday Night was the perfect example of a train completely falling off of the track in a soccer sense. Derailed. What we thought we knew about this Revs team (solid goalkeeping, stout defense, struggling but talented offense) was apparently not the case on the night, and we were left as fans with more questions, let alone any answers.

In the first 8 minutes we were treated to an absolute fireworks display of a match, but unfortunately, it was New York with the lighter fluid and matches.

The Revs conceded not once, but twice in the opening 8 minutes, and if it weren't for Brandon Barklage, the Revs would have been stymied on offense for yet another game. Don't tell me the scoreless streak is over, and that A.J. Soares "influenced" Barklage and "forced" him to put the ball in the back of the net, because that's not the case.

The New England Revolution have STILL yet to score a goal since the season opener, way back on March 9th.

Where we thought we had answers, we have more questions, so let's dive right in head first as we always do and see if maybe we're not seeing something!

Revs Lineup vs. New York: Bobby Shuttleworth, Chris Tierney (c), Jose Goncalves, A.J. Soares, Andrew Farrell, Lee Nguyen, Andy Dorman, Kalifa Cisse, Kelyn Rowe, Diego Fagundez, Jerry Bengtson

I had mentioned last week in this column, as well as on The Midnight Ride Podcast, that I just wanted something a little different. I wasn't terribly specific, I just felt like this squad needed a little shake up, and that's what we got.

You saw the inclusion of Andy Dorman at CM, which made me pretty happy, seeing as we were calling for a little more playing time for the Revs veteran.

The second choice, however, is a little perplexing, but again, a welcome switch. Juan Toja sat down, and Jay Heaps gave Diego Fagundez the start. With New York coming off a tough loss, as well as battling the injury bug, I totally didn't mind the move. The Revs had been lacking pace and ingenuity, and perhaps the young phenom could give it to them.

TACTICS AND STYLE OF PLAY

Defensively, not much had changed, really. I personally feel like with Tierney at the back instead of Alston, the forward runs from the LB have been more calculated, and not quite as frequent, given Tierney's lack of pace to recover. Tierney's service was definitely better in this match, and if that trend continues, the Revs offense will hopefully improve.

In the midfield, I liked the idea, in theory, of the Dorman-Cisse pairing. Kalifa Cisse has plenty of physicality and "teeth" in that center midfield spot defensively, which allowed Dorman to roam a little bit and try to create, which I liked. I would certainly love to see this same idea employed with Scott Caldwell in there as well, perhaps, as his offensive vision and passing is quite good.

Offensively, this team is just simply more dangerous without Juan Toja in the lineup. Rowe and Nguyen both like the middle, and have better physical skills. The Revs best chance at a goal came after a tearing run through the middle by Kelyn Rowe, who beat the defenders and then deployed a gorgeous through ball to Bengtson, who muffed the chance, but you could still see the potential.

Fagundez, like most young players, needs some time to adapt, and learn how to play with his size disadvantage. Players like Santi Cazorla of Arsenal, and Aaron Lennon of Tottenham Hotspur have found ways to overcome their small stature and still contribute in major ways to their clubs. This is something Fagundez will have to learn to do as he gets older. He may (and most likely will) fill out a bit more, but the height will most likely stick with him, and he's going to have to learn to be fearless and to choose his battles.

Now, the big elephant in the room that seems to be marching it's way to the front of fans' minds, is whether or not JErry Bengtson truly is the answer at striker. He's being paid DP money, for very little production. What do we know about Jerry in a Revs uni? Well, he's a poacher, and relies heavily on teammates to create, because he doesn't seem to possess the skill to create for himself. He disappears for long stretches when the proper service isn't provided, and lately, the chances he HAS been getting, he's squandered.

I'm not sitting him down, ever, because he's still the best striker on the roster. However, what his lack of production DOES mean, is that perhaps the Revs' need for a second quality international striker is a lot more of a pressing matter than originally thought.

SUBSTITUTIONS

While the Revs made all three switches, we certainly won't count the inclusion of McCarthy due to Soares' injury, but I definitely felt like Heaps made the best two swaps he could have.

Juan Toja for Andy Dorman

Saer Sene for Diego Fagundez

Dorman was slightly better than average on the night, and seemed a little spent, so I could see the change. Toja was the best replacement for Dorman at CM, and he brought a little bit of calm to the Revs midfield.

Saer Sene was certainly a welcome addition, and with Fagundez struggling to really break through and create that chance in the final third, it was a good swap to get some offensive punch onto the field.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Goodness, there's just so many. First and foremost this week, the Revs need to identify where their defense lacked on Saturday, and make sure they shore up those holes. Their defense has been their best quality all season long, and without that stout defense, the offensive woes are REALLY going to hurt.

Secondly, I think it may be time to play something a little different as far as a formation goes. There's just no offensive flow. The Revs are unattractive, unthreatening, and need a spark.

Saer Sene has been back for a couple of weeks now, and I'd like to see a little more than 20 minutes or so from him if he's physically able. I've got absolutely no problem with a vanilla 4-4-2, with Sene and Bengtson up top if the Frenchman can start. If not, stick with that 4-2-3-1, and make the switch when Sene can come on, because I feel like Jerry is MUCH better when he has a capable second striker to work off of.

In the midfield, I think Juan Toja may be better off the bench, for now, but if he must be included, perhaps we can try him out on the left wing and give Lee Nguyen a shot in the middle, or swap wings and have Lee on the right and play Rowe centrally, where he looked pretty comfortable on Saturday.

Lastly, and most importantly, I beg one question be answered by Revs brass: WHY? OH WHY? IS SAINEY NYASSI ON THIS TEAM IF HE'S NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE BENCH ON A BOTTOM TABLE TEAM? He's not on the injury report, I have people that attend training telling me he looks just fine to them, yet he can't start on a team that's scored one goal all year? Why? When healthy, he's one of the fastest players in MLS, let alone just the team, and can change games with just that one tool. Also, isn't he taking up an international slot as well? Aren't those valued and coveted? If this is some sort of loyalty act, or posturing, I'm not buying into it, and quite frankly, as we've all been saying for weeks on end, why the hell not at least throw him out there and see what happens? Maybe he'll surprise you. Or, worst case, he doesn't, and you're just right back where you started anyway.