It was a disappointing start to the double gameweek (DGW) for some teams and, consequently, for some fantasy managers too. A few big names completely failed to deliver on the promise of the DGW (Zlatan 3pts, Valeri 4pts) and were easily outshone and outscored by SGW counterparts (J Martinez 10pts, Lodeiro 13pts). It wasn’t all DGW doom and gloom though. Anybody picking Rooney (19pts) or the LAFC backline (16-19pts) will have done well and any chancers picking the likes of RSL’s Rusnak or DCU’s Fisher (both on 16pts) will be feeling pretty pleased with themselves (and rightly so). Thankfully LAFC saved the day for most of us, with two wins (and two shutouts) to bump many managers well over the hundred point barrier in the end.

Gameweek 25 Review

It was a record-equalling week in MLS history. Josef Martinez scored his 27th goal of the campaign to tie the record for the most MLS goals in a single season (frighteningly, he still has nine games left to try and actually break that record). While Atlanta United accrued three YCs for timewasting towards the end of their match, Real Salt Lake put their stoppage time to more constructive use, by scoring two goals to snatch a 2-1 win from the jaws of defeat (the second goal, a penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time, tied the MLS-record for the latest game-winner). Elsewhere, the home advantage prevailed as Real’s cheeky comeback was the only away win of the entire round.

Gameweek 26 Preview

It’s derby week in MLS, with no less than six fixtures pitting bitter rivals against one another. It kicks off on Wednesday night (early hours Thursday in the UK) with the Hudson River derby between NYCFC and NYRB and then encompasses the Texas derby (Dallas vs Houston), the El Trafico (LA Galaxy vs LAFC), the 401 derby (Toronto vs Montreal) and the Rocky Mountain Cup (Real Salt Lake vs Colorado Rapids) before climaxing with a Cascadia Cup match (Portland vs Seattle) on Sunday night (early hours Monday in the UK). Phew!

And if that wasn’t enough excitement, it’s also another DGW! (MLS, you’re spoiling us!). It’s just a mini-DGW though, for New York Red Bulls only. No teams are on a bye this week.

NYCFC ( W 14 D 5 L 6 ) vs NYRB ( W 15 D 3 L 6 )

The Blues lost away at Philadelphia last week and failed to score for only the third time all season. They will want to bounce back from that defeat and beat their local rivals in this deciding Hudson River derby fixture for the season (following a 4-0 home win for the Bulls in May and a more modest 1-0 home win for NYC in July). This could go either way really, but it’s likely that the Red Bulls will be more attractive options for fantasy managers given their DGW. The Blues have the home advantage though, and this fixture has seen home winners in seven of the last nine (which includes two US Open Cup matches). With that in mind, Villa, Tajouri-Shradi or Moralez (who scored the only goal in the July fixture) could be good picks here. As the first match of the gameweek, some NYC players could be played as part of a switcheroo.

NYRB is covered below.

CHI ( W 6 D 5 L 15 ) vs CLB ( W 11 D 6 L 8 )

Chicago extended their losing streak to 9 games, and their winless streak to 12, with defeat away at Montreal last week. It will be a brave fantasy manager who risks any assets this week.

The Crew lost away at Atlanta last week and are on the road again this week, which doesn’t bode well. That said, Zardes scored his 15th goal of the campaign, taking him level with BWP and Zlatan (what excellent company to be in), so he is worth consideration. It’s not yet clear if the defence is back to its best, with just one clean sheet in the 11 games since they had that enviable run of five consecutive shutouts back in May.

HOU ( W 7 D 6 L 11 ) vs DAL ( W 13 D 6 L 5 )

Houston extended their losing streak to five after squandering a 1-0 lead by allowing two stoppage time goals. They now face a Texas derby match against their state rivals, which played out as a 1-1 draw last time out. Perhaps that rivalry will bring out the best in the Dynamo, but I’m not ready to trust them yet, until they can demonstrate they are capable of recovering their early season form.

After a weather-delayed start, Dallas got back to their winning ways last week by efficiently despatching Minnesota with goals from Figueroa and Barrios. They remain three points clear at the top in the West, but with SKC only three points behind, they can’t afford to rest on their laurels. They’ve only failed to score in two of their 24 matches this season, so some offensive assets are recommended. Barrios has attacking returns in his last four games, so could be a good bet again this week.

ORL ( W 7 D 2 L 15 ) vs ATL ( W 15 D 6 L 4 )

Orlando have had time to regroup and get their act together during their bye last week. They are currently second from bottom in the East, on the same points as Chicago but (surprisingly!) just edging them on number of wins. They are 10pts shy of the last playoff slot, but with only one win and one draw in their last 15 games, it seems unlikely they can pull themselves up that far. Given the superior form of their opponents, I wouldn’t chance any of the Lions this week.

The Five Stripes had a comfortable home win against Columbus Crew last week, which reinstated them as leaders in the East after being temporarily deposed by NYRB for 24hrs. With the Bulls on a DGW, Atlanta will be fighting for all three points from this match and, on their recent form, seem more than capable of getting them. Martinez scored last week to tie the record for the most goals scored in a single MLS season, so is the obvious candidate in attack if the budget allows. Slightly cheaper options Almiron and Villalba also got in on the scoring action last week.

There it is! @JosefMartinez17 ties the record for most goals scored in a single MLS season. #ATLvCLB https://t.co/BQmGbjuEcG — Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 19, 2018

LA ( W 10 D 7 L 9 ) vs LAFC ( W 12 D 6 L 7 )

This will be the third El Trafico fixture in MLS, and it’s anybody’s guess as to what might happen. One thing seems certain: expect goals! (the previous two derby results were 2-2 and 4-3 in favour of LA).

The Galaxy had a stinker of a DGW, drawing at home to the notoriously travel-sick Rapids and then getting thrashed 5-0 away at Seattle to add insult to injury. Hopefully the bitter sting of those disappointing results will fire them up to perform better in this local derby match, as the previous two El Traficos have been thrillers. If history repeats itself, the likes of Zlatan, Alessandrini (if fit) and Kamara could well deliver.

The Black and Gold bounced back from a five-match winless streak to win twice at home last week, including back-to-back clean sheets. Those six points have put them right back in contention again as they now sit in third place in the West, just three points behind the leaders. Their resurgence in form has come about at the right time as they face their city rivals. Attacking assets are highly recommended, so take your pick from Vela, Rossi, Feilhaber or Nguyen. However, given the propensity for goals in this fixture historically, it may be wise to avoid the rear-guard this week.

PHI ( W 10 D 3 L 11 ) vs NE ( W 7 D 8 L 9 )

Philadelphia are looking stronger of late, but are struggling for consistency. They shut out NYC last week at home, which was a fantastic result, but can they build the momentum with another home win this week? They are scoring more, following their slow start to the season (8 goals and 6 blanks in their first 10 games, compared to 18 goals and 3 blanks in their last 10), so perhaps the likes of Dockal (6 assists in his last 5 games) or Burke (4 goals in his last 5) could be chanced.

New England lost again, away at DC United, taking their winless streak to seven. With only one road win in eleven games this season, the prospect of another away game is not enticing. Added to that, they lost this same fixture 2-0 back in GW1, and the reverse fixture 2-3 a fortnight ago. I would look elsewhere.

TOR ( W 6 D 6 L 12 ) vs MTL ( W 10 D 3 L 13 )

Toronto were on a midweek high after beating Vancouver 5-2 to bag their third consecutive Canadian Championship title, thanks largely to hat-trick hero Altidore. Their fortunes were different in their MLS fixture at the weekend, grinding out a 1-1 draw away at San Jose. They now face bitter rivals Montreal in the 401 derby match, which the Impact won 1-0 in the reverse fixture back in March. The usual suspects Giovinco and Vazquez are likely to be popular, but new signing Janson (£8.5M) could be one to watch after scoring on his MLS debut last week.

Montreal are hanging onto the last playoff spot in the East after beating Chicago at home last week to break a four game winless run. Although Piatti scored, his recent form remains unsettled so you never know what you’re going to get with him. That said, he could be a good shout this week, or maybe Taider who is a bit cheaper and seems better at picking up bonus points. I expect there to be goals on both sides of this derby game, so would look elsewhere for defensive assets.

SKC ( W 12 D 6 L 6 ) vs MIN ( W 9 D 2 L 14 )

Sporting Kansas City made it three wins out of three (and three clean sheets) with a home victory over Portland last week, which propelled them up to second place in the West. With another home fixture this week, against the travel-sick Loons, I expect Sporting assets to feature in most fantasy teams. Their defence is expensive, but seems to be on reliable form at the moment so is probably worth the investment. In attack it can be a bit of a lottery picking the right player, but at the moment that seems to be Rubio, who scored a brace last week to take his recent haul to 3 goals and 3 assists in his last five games. At only $7.7M, he could be a bargain if he becomes more gametime secure.

The Loons are dreadful on the road, with just 1 win in 12 games this season. That pattern is unlikely to change this week against the second-placed team in the West who are on an impressive run of form. Look elsewhere.

COL ( W 6 D 6 L 13 ) vs RSL ( W 11 D 5 L 10 )

The Rapids had a torrid time in California last week, gaining a surprise draw at LA Galaxy before suffering a more predictable loss at LAFC. It was a relatively poor DGW showing overall, but perhaps that was to be expected given their woeful away record. They have the opportunity to bounce back at home this week, where they’ve only lost 1 of their last 6. However, they’ve only won 3 of their last 14 Rocky Mountain cup fixtures, so history is against them. I’d be surprised if many fantasy managers would look beyond Acosta if they’re at all tempted by this fixture.

Real will be as shocked as anybody that they were 1-0 down at 90mins+2 and ended up winning 2-1 in the second of their DGW matches last week. It just goes to show that you should always expect the unexpected from MLS! It remains to be seen whether Real or Rusnak can pull off that kind of escapology act again, as that miracle turnaround last week didn’t do an awful lot to improve their record on the road. That said, in the past 14 fixtures of this derby game, Real have won away from home as many times as Colorado have won at home, so it feels as if this one could go either way. It’s hard to recommend spending highly on any assets, but some of their bargain price players (Besler, Sunny, Saucedo) could be useful enablers.

SJ ( W 3 D 8 L 13 ) vs VAN ( W 9 D 7 L 9 )

The Quakes will be pleased to have salvaged a point from last week’s home game against Toronto, where Wondolowski scored off the bench to inch closer to the all-time MLS goal-scoring record. That didn’t help much in the standings though, as they remain welded to the bottom of the Western Conference, 20 points adrift of the playoff zone. They remain highly unreliable and unpredictable, so it could be boom or bust for any fantasy managers chancing San Jose players this week. If you feel like a gamble, go for attack as the defence has only kept one clean sheet all season. Beware of Hoesen, who hasn’t scored in the last eight games.

The Caps had to settle for a 2-2 draw at home against the New York Red Bulls last week. They are unbeaten in their last four MLS games, scoring 10 goals along the way, so if that trend continues then the likes of Kei Kamara or Davies could deliver some points. They’ve not kept a clean sheet since the end of April though, so avoid the backline unless you think that Waston can repeat his brace from last week.

NYRB ( W 15 D 3 L 6 ) @ NYCFC & vs DCU ( W 7 D 6 L 9 )

The Bulls drew away at Vancouver last week, and that precious point took them to the top of the Eastern Conference on Saturday night, level on points, overall games won and goal difference with Atlanta United, but with an all-important 15 to 14 home win advantage over the Five Stripes. That reign at the top lasted just 24hrs, when Atlanta’s win against Columbus Crew demoted the Bulls back to second place. But with a DGW advantage this week over their rivals, the Bulls will be trying their utmost to return to the top of the table for a longer residency.

The first match will be tricky, playing away against their old foes NYCFC in the Hudson River derby. The second match looks easier on paper, although DCU are gaining momentum and will not be a pushover. But the Bulls are on relatively good form (one loss in their last 7 games), and as the only DGW team this week I expect most fantasy managers to have a full contingent of four NYRB players. BWP is a must-have, as is Robles and/or a defender, plus a pick of Barrios, Royer and co in midfield.

The Red and Black can be proud of their recent turnaround in form, which helped them capture six points from last week’s DGW matches against Portland and Colorado, including a rare clean sheet in the latter game. They are now on a five-game unbeaten streak, with games in hand over the other teams in the East, which means the playoff slots are becoming less of a dream and more of a reality. Acosta and Rooney are both in good form and will be feeling confident, so could be chanced here.

POR ( W 10 D 7 L 6 ) vs SEA ( W 10 D 5 L 9 )

The Timbers are in bad shape at the moment, on a three-game losing streak following that wonderful unbeaten run of 15 games immediately beforehand. Their DGW last week was a disaster, with away losses at DC United and Sporting Kansas City, in which they conceded seven and only scored one. They are back at home this week, but face tough opposition against their Cascadia Cup rivals who now sit just two points behind in the West. With Seattle’s recent form, I can’t see a clean sheet for Portland, so I would avoid the backline. Valeri could be chanced as he is far too talented not to come good again, and his recent home form is superb (3 goals and 4 assists, garnering 63pts in the last 5).

Seattle are the form team of the moment in MLS, extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a devastating 5-0 demolition of LA Galaxy last week. A win would see Seattle leapfrog Portland into the playoff zone, whilst simultaneously banishing their rivals. Defender Marshall has scored in each of the past two games and his only other goal this season was against… Portland (will lightning strike again?). Lodeiro now has four consecutive double-digit hauls, and he also got 14pts when Seattle last played Portland back in June (which, incidentally, is the last time the Sounders lost an MLS match). If the budget won’t stretch to Lodes ($12.5M), then consider Shipp ($6.5M) who got a goal and assist last week for a 12pt haul, which almost matched Lodeiro’s 13pts.

Captain Suggestions

1. Bradley Wright-Phillips (NYRB) The only DGW striker this week is likely to be a popular pick.

2. Josef Martinez (ATL) The joint highest goal-scorer in a single MLS season now requires just one more to become a record-breaker.

3. Nicolas Lodeiro (SEA) A reliable fantasy point scorer, with 47pts from his last four games.

Deadline

Wednesday 22.08 at 19:00 PM EDT – Thursday 23.08 at 00:00 AM BST

Best of luck to all Managers

Thanks for reading: MLS Tips Fantasy Major League Soccer GW26. This article was written by Chipster