Saturday, March 2, 2013

Rd 1: Chivas USA, Crew Notes

Crew opens the season tonight in LA verse Chivas USA. On late, EST. Not so bad if you happen to be west of the Mississippi.

GAME NOTES:

• Chivas had a result positive preseason. Signature win was 3:0 over Colorado on Feb 15 (starters). Good couple of results vs. Gangwon FC as well.
• Crew's preseason went really well early on and for developing players.
• Crew tied Chivas 0:0 last time they met in LA way back in Apr 9th, 2011.
• Reported in this morning's Columbus Dispatch that Chad Marshall has been relieved of responsibilities of Team Captain (everyone who plays FM just cringed)
• No captain for 2013 has been named yet.
• Milovan Mirosevic wore the armband a couple times last year.

HOW IT MIGHT DO

Looks like the Crew have the slight edge with odds makers out there, surprising to some it's not more perhaps.

Win Draw Win has the edge to CLB 35%, Draw 32% and Chivas 32% in voting with a medium stake on 1:1 draw.

Bet365 likes CLB 6/4 odds, Chivas 9/5 and Draw 11/5. Odds are showing 1:1 here as well (5/1).

Drew Epperley is going high on the Crew this game. 2:0, "Columbus has the talent to control this game and win on the road."

I can't find match predictions on the newly designed MLSsoccer.com website (which looks like a pre-teen Disney sister site). I did see recent "power rankings" that have the Crew 6th in the East and 11th over all above a last place Chivas.

IT'S HERE

Using method, I have the Crew at 49 pts and -3 goal differential on the year. Three points less than last year (low enough to be called pessimist I guess).

As for the Chivas game tonight. Looking like the Crew have the edge but might pull even. Lots of travel for the Crew over the past week or so should make this one an interesting watch.

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