ML S Week 4: A Deep Dive into Player Picks

MLS Week 4: A Ringing Ode to Our Sorare Selections

This piece forms part of our ongoing examination of the Sorare platform. Now, last weekend was a curious affair, with twelve clean sheets dotting the scoresheets—a curious figure in a league renowned for its bounteous attacking displays. One can only wonder how this weekend will unfold; I’d be utterly astonished if nearly half the league manages to keep a clean sheet this time around. Just a gentle reminder: my player suggestions aren't financial advice; I might or might not have these players in my own Sorare collection. You can find me under the username "SorareDeke."

Sorare GW 62 // MLS Week 4

Midweek saw the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, with Columbus, LAFC, Seattle, Cincinnati, Vancouver, LA Galaxy, and Inter Miami all in action. As ever, it’s wise to keep an eye on player rotations during this period, though thankfully there’s no midweek match-up next week. Following that, an international break is on the horizon, which the MLS will no doubt navigate with intent.

Let’s kick off this game week by consulting the RotoWire Cheatsheets, highlighting the top matchups with their win percentages clearly indicated below:

DC United 58.65% vs. CF Montreal
NYCFC 55.70% vs. New England Revolution
LAFC 54.93% vs. Austin FC
Philadelphia Union 51.93% vs. Nashville SC
Houston Dynamo 50.82% vs. Real Salt Lake

Note: Prices reflect in-season limited cards as of Thursday, March 13. The rarity categories are Limited (/1000), Rare (/100), Super Rare (/10), and Unique (1/1).

Optimal Plays

Goalkeepers

NYCFC stands as the runner-up in terms of favouritism this week, boasting the second-best chance of a clean sheet at around 40 percent. New England, having failed to find the back of the net in their first three outings, could be just the tonic for Freese, especially with Leonardo Campana on the sidelines. Though one must acknowledge the downside for goalkeepers against New England, given the lack of additional action points (AA), with averages of 8.5, 9.5, and a mere 6.1 AA in prior clean sheets. Freese's potential may face some limits here.

Daniel (SJ) $48.70 vs. Colorado

Contrarily, while Freese's cap on performance may be apparent, Daniel represents the upside pick for the weekend. With Colorado finding their scoring form via Rafael Navarro, and San Jose allowing a hefty 15.67 shots per game on average, the potential for Daniel's success is considerable—provided he holds firm against conceding three goals. Take a gander at Roman Burki's 93.3 SO5 points last weekend; a hefty portion came from a clean sheet versus the Galaxy. Daniel seems well-placed in a favourable matchup, averaging 25.8 AA from two home games thus far this season.

Other Top Options:

Roman Burki (STL) $55.72 vs. Seattle; Hugo Lloris (LAFC) $53.17 vs. Austin; Andre Blake (PHI) $50.93 vs. Nashville; Carlos Coronel (RBNY) $39.98 vs. Orlando.

Defenders

One cannot overlook Wagner, who continues to be a wise investment at this stage, with no signs of a price drop in the near future. Rodrigues, bouncing back under Bruce Arena, has returned to his 2022 scoring form. Although one cannot bank on a decisive every outing, Rodrigues’ AA remains exceptional, particularly as the RCB in Arena’s 3-4-1-2 system. The pairing of Daniel and Rodrigues remains top-tier in the league this season, confidently deploying them at home against the Rapids.

Other Top Options:

Pedro Amador (ATL) $26.64 vs. Inter Miami; Henry Kessler (STL) $20.57 vs. Seattle; Aaron Herrera (DC) $12.69 vs. Montreal; Bruno Wilson (SJ) $10.02 vs. Colorado; Noah Eile (RBNY) $8.86 vs. Orlando.

Midfielders

McGlynn has endured two disappointing performances following a stellar opening, gifting a goal in a 4-1 defeat against Inter Miami and lacking in contributions in a recent match against Columbus. Houston thrives on possession, crucial for McGlynn’s SO5 viability, especially against a fluctuating Real Salt Lake side. It’s a promising chance for McGlynn to bounce back.

Dreyer, now holding in-season midfielder cards from his Anderlecht collection, has assumed all set-piece duties since Hirving Lozano's injury. With ten or more AA in every outing, including three goals to boast, this weekend poses a plausible challenge against Columbus, who may be fatigued from midweek travels and injuries.

Other Top Options:

Marcel Hartel (STL) $63.26 vs. Seattle; Jeppe Tverskov (SD) $56.92 vs. Columbus; Luciano Acosta (DAL) $49.74 vs. Vancouver; Cristian Espinoza (SJ) $31.99 vs. Colorado; Emil Forsberg (RBNY) $27.91 vs. Orlando.

Forwards

I'm swinging with San Jose for this game week. Following a clean sheet upsetting Austin last week, Colorado's form is inconsistent; they previously engaged in a chaotic 3-3 stalemate against Dallas. Now, will they find their footing this time? Arango has been in fine form, notching 10-plus AA in his last two, and his odds for finding the net sit at a commendable fifty percent. Should he bag a goal while maintaining solid performance, his weekend could well stand out. It’s a compelling proposition to roster Daniel, Rodrigues, Cristian Espinoza, and Arango, potentially including an additional star this weekend. It appears to be ripe for decisive action from this Earthquakes squad.

Other Top Options:

Denis Bouanga (LAFC) $42.77 vs. Austin; Christian Benteke (DC) $41.45 vs. Montreal; Petar Musa (DAL) $37.92 vs. Vancouver; Miguel Almiron (ATL) $33.72 vs. Inter Miami; Kelvin Yeboah (MIN) $33.11 at Sporting KC; Tai Baribo (PHI) $26.98 vs. Nashville; Federico Bernardeschi (TOR) $21.36 vs. Chicago.

Value Options:

Santiago Moreno (POR) $17.99 vs. LA Galaxy; Alonso Martinez (NYC) $16.72 vs. New England; Rafael Navarro (COL) $16.56 at San Jose; Jonathan Bamba (CHI) $16.49 at Toronto; Josef Martinez (SJ) $15.11 vs. Colorado; Wilfried Zaha (CLT) $12.18/$23.61 vs. Cincinnati.

It’s worth noting that the authors of this piece may participate in daily fantasy contests, including—but not limited to—games where they’re making suggestions or giving advice. As they engage with their personal accounts, it’s possible their strategies may deviate from the aforementioned recommendations, which shouldn’t be misconstrued as definitive predictions or advice.

Resource: source.