MLS Fantasy Tips: Week 32

Bowers hand out 2009 fantasy hardware as regular season comes to close

By Dave and Jimmy Bowers / Special to MLSnet.com

Despite missing much of the season's second half, Chad Marshall was a fantasy star. (Getty)

Well, the sad time of the year is here, when the MLS regular season and MLSFC ends. We hope that you have enjoyed our insight and expertise into the fantasy soccer experience. If we've been able to help you this year, send us an e-mail about your experience with us and what you would like to see different for next season. It has been a pleasure to serve you and hopefully we can come back next year and help again.

Now, let's take a look at the past year, giving out our annual awards.

Fantasy MVP: Jeff Cunningham (DAL). Leading fantasy scorer at 20.6 points/game.
Best Fantasy Defender: Chad Marshall (CLB). Most points per game of all defenders; 4 goals, 14.3 points/game.
Best Fantasy Goalkeeper: Zach Thornton (CHV). 12 clean sheets, 14.5 points/game.
Best Fantasy Midfielder(s): Dwayne De Rosario (TOR) and Steve Ralston (NE). Both at 18.6 points/game.
Best Fantasy Forward: Jeff Cunningham (DAL). 17 goals and 8 assists this season.
Best Fantasy Newcomer: Fredy Montero (SEA). 12 goals, 6 assists; 13.7 points/game
Best Fantasy Surprise: Jeff Cunningham (DAL). Who would have thought he would have this kind of output at the beginning of the season? (Except Jeff himself!)
Biggest Fantasy Disappointments: Bobby Convey (SJ): 1 goal and 2 assists; Pablo Vitti (TOR): 2 goals, 1 assist; Javier Morales (RSL): 1 goal, 4 assists; Santiago Hirsig (KC): 1 goal, 1 assist. This was not what we expected at the beginning of the season from these players.
Best XI 2009 MLSFC team:
GK Zach Thornton (CHV); DF Chad Marshall (CLB); DF Bryan Namoff (DC); DF Nana Attakora (TOR); MF Dwayne De Rosario (TOR); MF Steve Ralston (NE); MF Shalrie Joseph (NE); MF Cuauhtemoc Blanco (CHI); FW Jeff Cunningham (DAL); FW Conor Casey (COL); FW Guillermo Barros Schelotto (CLB); Coach: Denis Hamlett (CHI).
Things to keep an eye out for this week:

Injuries. The following link is updated by the league on Tuesdays and Fridays: http://web.mlsnet.com/stats/injuries (you must copy and paste into your browser)

Lineup changes. In last week's starting lineups: Andrew Weber (SJ); Jesse Marsch (CHV); Zoltan Hercegfalvi (KC); Adam Moffat, Steven Lenhart (CLB); Steve Cronin, Devon McTavish, Andrew Jacobson, Thabiso Khumalo (DC); Dasan Robinson, Baggio Husidic (CHI).

Discipline : Danleigh Borman (NY) is out with yellow card accumulation this week. Brian Ching (HOU) and Emilio Renteria (CLB) will be out this week due to red cards.

Tip(s) of the week: Some teams are playing for a playoff berth (CHI, DAL, TOR, NE, DC, RSL, COL), some have no chance (NY, KC, SJ), and some are guaranteed in (CLB, LA, SEA, HOU, CHV). The guaranteed teams may rest players for the playoffs or play for a higher seed, the teams that have no chance will still be competitive but have no motivation, and the teams with playoff possibilities will play hard physical games which should result in low scoring games.

This week's Top XI for points:

Goalkeeper: Zach Thornton (CHV). A leading candidate for league MVP and Comeback Player of the Year (along with Jeff Cunningham), the Loyola College (Md.) product has put together a stellar season with 12 clean sheets and a 0.78 GAA. With two games this week and Chivas USA's playoff seed still undecided, look for the 1998 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year to get at least one clean sheet.

Defender: Jamison Olave (RSL). The first player to ever score at Rio Tinto Stadium, Olave contributed defensively to help his achieve a clean sheet last week. With a home game against the Colorado Rapids, another team looking to get into the playoffs, look for Olave to help his team pitch another shutout.

Defender: Jonathan Bornstein (CHV). As he showed for the U.S. national team last week, Bornstein does have some offensive skills, as evidenced by his game-tying header against Costa Rica. He will have two games this week, one being at home, where Chivas USA has only allowed 11 goals all season. This should mean some clean sheet points for you this week.

Defender: Eddie Lewis (LA). Still waiting for the former U.S. international to break out with some offensive prowess. With a home game against a San Jose team that has allowed 27 away goals this season, this may be the former Derby County and Leeds United player's chance to pad his stats.

Midfielder: Sacha Kljestan (CHV). With 2 games this week, the Seton Hall product will have an excellent chance to add to his five goals and three assists he has on the season.

Midfielder: Dwayne De Rosario (TOR). Seeing that his team is still in the hunt for a playoff berth and that none of his teams have ever missed the postseason, look for this clutch performer to add a goal or an assist to his stellar numbers of 11 goals and six assists he has on the season.

Midfielder: David Beckham (LA). With the Western Conference title still up for grabs, look for Beckham to step up to the plate and add to his two goals and three assists he has on the season with a home game against a San Jose team that has no chance at a playoff berth.

Midfielder: Freddie Ljungberg (SEA). Showing that he still has it in him to perform at a top level last week with his two assists, Seattle's Designated Player would like nothing better than to help his team win the Western Conference title in its first season. Look for him to add to his two goals and seven assists this week with a home game against an FC Dallas team that has allowed 26 goals away from home.

Forward: Landon Donovan (LA). The Budweiser 2008 Golden Boot award winner has a home game against a San Jose team that has allowed 27 away goals this season. Playing at home, at The Home Depot Center, and for the Western Conference title should motivate him to add to his 11 goals and six assists he has on the season.

Forward: Fredy Montero (SEA). Our Newcomer of the Year award winner has been quiet of late, but should score a goal in this game against an FC Dallas team that does not play well on the defensive side of the ball.

Forward: Justin Braun (CHV). On a scoring streak now with two goals in his last two games, the Salt Lake C.C. product has two chances this week to add to his three goals and one assist he has on the season.

Coach: Preki (CHV). The MLS leader in career points with 79 goals and 112 assists has a chance for two wins this week, with a home game against Houston, and an away game against Chicago. With his team looking to secure a higher seed for the playoffs, look for Chivas USA to get at least one win and tie.

Here are our official teams for Week 32:
Dave:
GK Zach Thornton; DF Jamison Olave; DF Jimmy Conrad; DF Eddie Lewis; MF Shalrie Joseph; MF Dwayne De Rosario; MF Davy Arnaud; MF Sacha Kljestan; FW Jeff Cunningham; FW Fredy Montero; FW Landon Donovan. Coach: Preki. Bench: Robbie Findley, Stuart Holden, Kosuke Kimura. Captain: Landon Donovan.

Jimmy:
GK Zach Thornton; DF Jonathan Bornstein; DF Frankie Hejduk; DF Jamison Olave; MF Sacha Kljestan; MF Davy Arnaud; MF Brad Davis; MF Dwayne De Rosario; FW Jeff Cunningham; FW Fredy Montero; FW Landon Donovan. Coach: Preki. Bench: Conor Casey, Robbie Findley, Pat Onstad. Captain: Jeff Cunningham.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at mlsfantasygurus@comcast.net.