Tough loss on Tottenaham but big slate today and big opportunities to make it up
adding...
English Premier League
Huddersfield +0.5 ($1000 to win $1120)
In their last five competitive home matches Brighton have only one win and that was in FA Cup action versus Derby. Brighton lost to Burnley 3-1 and failed to score home goals versus Watford (Draw), West Brom (Draw) and Liverpool (Loss). Huddersfield are an outright relegation mess both home and away but they are coming off a 1-0 win over Wolves at home midweek and they got a result at Cardiff on January 12. These are vital points for both clubs. Mounie had the loan goal for Huddersfield in their win over Wolves and he scored the loan goal here in 2018 in a 1-1 draw. I think Huddersfield keep momentum and win some points here. Risky wager on the worst EPL team but Brighton are nothing to write home about.
adding...
Major League Soccer
Toronto FC +0.5 ($1000 to win $1120)
It doesn't get any worse or embarrassing than Toronto FC's performance in the Quarter-Finals of the CONCACAF Champions League. They were the only MLS side to go out at this stage and the fan base is losing their minds after the exits of Giovinco and Victor Vazquez in the off-season. Philadelphia looked decent in their three friendlies (pre-season) but for me this is about track record in this stadium. You have to go back all the way to 2014 for the last time the Union beat TFC in this park with the Canadian side going 3W, 1D, 0L in their last four trips here. TFC won 2-0 here in 2018 on a brace from Canadian Jonathan Osorio who will be in the lineup today. I am going with TFC and these great odds. They are bound to bounce back and start the league well.
Columbus Crew -0.5 ($1000 to win $1100)
Ooooh yes. The Crew in their Home Opener against New York Red Bulls is so enticing man. The Red Bulls are coming off a massive win over Atletico Pantoja in the CONCACAF Champions League earlier this week winning both legs of the tie. However look at their one and only "Friendly" match which was lodged in between the two Champions League matches. It was a 2-0 defeat to FC Dallas. In what should be some cold conditions you have to like the home side who in their last 6 home matches versus the Red Bulls have gone 4W, 2D, 0L and the Red Bulls last winning here in 2015. The Crew have straight up win 4 of the last 6 meetings in Columbus and they went undefeated in their four pre-season matches. The place should be rocking for the opener and I am going with the home side.
New England Revolution +0.5 ($1000 to win $1100)
This won't be a popular wager because FC Dallas won all four of their pre-season matches going 4-0-0 in those matches but this is the regular season and the Revs should be in for a result here. Looking at the past visits to Dallas it's a bit discouraging because New England have dropped 6 straight matches and have not earned points here since 2010 but this is a new season and new opportunities. The Revs were awful away from home at the end of 2018 and there was a ton of talk in the off-season about fixing that early on. The pre-season was not all that impressive for New England but they did beat two European sides (Dynamo Kiev and KR Reykjavik). I expect this to be a back and forth match and for the Revs to steal a point.
Real Salt Lake +0.5 ($1000 to win $1050)
Too much emphasis has been placed on the pre-season and some of the results we all saw. Real Salt Lake had a so-so pre-season but I would put a lot more emphasis on their win here in Houston back in August when they scored two injury time goals to stun the Dynamo 2-1. Houston are coming off a very tough CONCACAF Champions League tie with Guastatoya (where they advanced) and judging by the lineup they used in their friendly versus Sporting Kansas City earlier in February in a 4-1 loss, we could see a bit of a fatigued side in this one. Real Salt Lake are banged up but they are capable and I think the fact that they have won 3 of their last 5 matches played in Houston means they can score some points in this one.
to be continued...
Continuation...
Vancouver Whitecaps -0.5 ($1000 to win $1100)
Home Opener for the Whitecaps and they are getting no respect from the oddsmakers. This line has been dropping all week in the first MLS Regular Season home match without Bayern-departed Davies. Vancouver only played two pre-season friendlies and failed to win either one but the crowd in this building will be booming. Minnesota impressed quite a few pundits going 1W, 2D and 0L in their three match pre-season but overall they are a terrible away side. In their last 17 AWAY matches in the 2018 season, Minnesota went 1W, 2D, 14L. This says it all. After a very quite pre-season we all know Vancouver is going to come out guns blazing in the home opener. They were very good at home in 2018 (aside from the last few weeks of the regular season) and I see them winning by a few goals in this one.
Chicago Fire +0.5 ($1000 to win $1040)
Another one of those were I am going against the grain and betting against a very good LA Galaxy side in their home opener. Why not? It's early on in the season and this is the time to do it. The Galaxy played one official pre-season friendly and it was a 3-1 loss to Colorado Rapids about 10 days ago. The Chicago Fire on the other hand have played four pre-season matches and despite them not being against top notch opposition, they still managed to go 2W, 2D and 0 L in those matches with wins over Charleston and Fuenlabrada and draws versus Cincinnati and Columbus. Three of the last five matches between these two clubs have been draws and the Fire got a result the last time they played here in 2017 in a chaotic 2-2 draw. I think the lack of friendlies for the Galaxy is going to cost them with pace in the early season and Chicago should keep up.
Established in 1995,
Hot Forum Topics
