Ljungberg moves to Chicago while Marquez lines up with Henry in New York

MLS News and Round Up. After losing in last week’s feature match, after suggesting here they may have a hard time against bottom side Chivas USA, the Columbus Crew regained some momentum in their charge towards the Eastern Conference title after beating Philadelphia 2-1 midweek. In the mix of their MLS and SuperLiga matches, there are still some high profile club friendly matches going on in North America. With Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham all playing friendly matches against MLS opponents, Real Madrid are out there to take on David Beckham’s LA Galaxy, after European Champions Inter Milan were held to a 2-2 draw against Dallas. The LA Galaxy, who are top of the Western Conference, also suffered a surprise defeat last weekend against the Chicago Fire, who will feature in this weekend’s MLS Game of the Week, and we will look at MLS betting on that in a moment. That was a big strike by the Fire against the Galaxy, whose title ambitions won’t be hurt that much really, as they are still topping the Western Conference, and are the best side there. USA World Cup star Landon Donovan hit a brace in the match, but it wasn’t enough to salvage a result for favourites, despite outshooting Chicago 15 to 4. There has been no real movement in the league, as we cross over in to the second half of the season. The Eastern Conference is far more interesting of a place, with a great chase on for second place, while in the West, the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake are pretty much in a world of their own and should secure the top two spots at the end of the year.

MLS Match of the Week: Chicago Fire v New York Red Bulls

The Chicago Fire have been busy in the transfer market, boosting their squad and filling their Designated Player spots. In the MLS, teams have a salary cap to stick to, meaning that each team can only spend x-amount of money on wages each season, so teams really have to budget. Teams have a little wiggle room in that they get three Designated Player spots, in which the league funds the wages of these players up to a certain amount, and anything over that the club has to play. This allows for some big name signings, just like the New York Red Bulls did with Thierry Henry. Their newest Designed Player is ex-Arsenal star Freddie Ljungberg who was captured from the Seattle Sound. Ljungberg apparently turned down some offer to move back to Europe, including side who were taking part in the illustrious Champions League. But  Ljungberg wanted to stay committed to the MLS, and will make his full Chicago Fire start on the weekend against the Red Bulls. The Swede, who has spent two years Stateside, was happy with the move after being left on the sidelines with the Sounders.

The Red Bulls have stolen the headlines of transfer business in the MLS, and along with ex Arsenal star Thierry Henry, they have captured the signature of Mexico captain and midfielder Rafa Marquez from Barcelona. Both stars have been working on their fitness and should both be in action against the Chicago Fire on the weekend, as the Bulls look for an edge in the race to catch the Columbus Crew at the top of the Eastern Conference. Henry, who scored on his debut for his new club in a friendly match against Tottenham, made an immediate impact on his MLS debut, setting up two goals as side played out a 2-2 draw against the Houston Dynamo. Both of his assists were for Juan Pablo Angel to find the back of the net, and Red Bulls fans will be delighted that the partnership has immediately struck up an understanding. Despite their wealth of stars, the Red Bulls will go into the match against the Fire, looking for their first win in three matches. Their form of late, including a loss against Columbus, has really dented their title credentials, and now they really need three points to keep up any kind of challenge. The Red Bulls have fallen ten points behind Columbus and now have Toronto just four points behind them.

This is a massive match really as the Fire, with a win can close to within four points of the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference, but will have two games in hand over the second placed team. The top two teams from each conference make it through to the knockout stage of the season, with the next four best teams from either conference going through. The Eastern Conference is not as strong as the Western Conference in terms of quality, and that is why the second spot in the East is far more valuable than in the West. Someone needs to take control and this match could have a huge influence on the how the season will play out. The Red Bulls need to start picking up maximum points if their investments are going to be rewarded with an Eastern Conference title, while Chicago are still in a strong position if they get their results going.

MLS Betting Tip: Should be a close match, with the Fire a stubborn team, with a similar record to the New York Red Bulls. They should be geared up for the match after beating the Galaxy and they will know the importance of this match. The Red Bulls are still looking as if they are lacking a little something, and would not back against the Fire sneaking this, or at least holding on to a draw.

Chicago Fire to win: 7/5 at Bet365
Draw: 9/4 at Ladbrokes
New York Red Bulls to win: 7/4 at SkyBet

Fire to win by one Goal: 3/1 at Bet365
Score Draw: 10/3 at Bet365
Bulls by one goal: 4/1 at Bet365

Eastern Conference MLS Standings

Western Conference MLS Standings

Columbus opens big lead, while Man Utd prepare to take on best of MLS

There have been some interesting twists and turns in the MLS (Major League Soccer) this week which is good for your soccer betting. With several teams from the English Premier League heading across the pond to take on some of the best that US Soccer has to offer in friendly matches, on the domestic front for the MLS teams, things at the top of both conferences have been hotting up. Last Wednesday, Eastern Conference leaders the Columbus Crew suffered a surprising loss against the Kansas City Wizards. The Wizards weren’t in great form going into the match in Ohio, having lost their last three, but they upset the football betting odds to get the better of The Crew in a 1-0 win. That was the first defeat in four matches for Columbus, who are looking to repeat their success of last couple of years where they have finished with the best record in the MLS (that’s out of both conferences, where the winner gets the MLS Supporters’ Shield). Columbus backed it up by winning the MLS Cup in 2008, but couldn’t repeat the double success last year. That defeat against the Wizards shook them, but certainly did not break them ahead of last weekend’s titan encounter against New York.

Columbus are one of the best teams in the MLS, certainly in the Eastern Conference, as they one of those sturdy, solid teams who get the job done. They welcome the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, who are languishing near the bottom of the Western Conference, and should Columbus win as expected, they will open up an eight point gap at the top of the Eastern Conference over the New York Red Bulls. Columbus are being challenged for Eastern Conference supremacy this year by the New York Red Bulls, who have hit the headlines with the signing of former Arsenal star Thierry Henry. The Red Bulls would have liked to have gotten him into action for last weekend’s table topping crunch game against the Columbus Crew, but he wasn’t ready and the Red Bulls lost 2-0 away in Ohio. That will have been a huge blow for the Eastern Conference title hopes of the Red Bulls, who are much more of a glamour side than The Crew. But it was Columbus who got the job done, cementing their position at the top of the conference with some aplomb. New York have Juan Pablo Angel firing on all cylinders up front, and now with Henry joining the fold, they will look to push on with their status in the game.

Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs, who is in the States on United’s pre season tour, has played down rumours of him playing out his career in the US. He likes the style of the American life, but has managed to secure just a little longer at Old Trafford where has made his career. Part of United’s pre season build up will include a match against the MLS All Star team on July 28th, which should be a fun filled competitive match. Manchester City and Tottenham are also in the States competing in the four team New York Challenge, where they square off against the Red Bulls and Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.  Manchester City have been sending scouts to watch Western Conference giants LA Galaxy, as Roberto Mancini has reported interest in signing USA World Cup star Landon Donovan, even though the Galaxy are refusing to let him go. Donovan impressed in the Premier League last year on a loan spell at Everton. David Beckham’s LA Galaxy are nine points clear of second place Real Salt Lake at the top of the Western Conference.

MLS Game of the Week – Toronto & Dallas showdown in weekend’s big MLS fixture

Saturday, July 24th
Toronto FC v FC Dallas

Quite a lot at stake in this one, in Saturday’s somewhat abridged MLS fixture list of just three matches, but a good football betting opportunity. Toronto are sitting third in the Eastern Conference, and FC Dallas are sitting third in the Western Conference. This means that both teams have the chance to put a little pressure on their respective teams ahead of them. What happens in the MLS, is that the top two teams from each conference automatically get put through to the MLS Cup Play-Offs, with the four teams with the best records (from any conference) joining them. So trying to secure second place can be a crucial factor come the end of the season. Let’s start with Toronto FC, who are the only Canadian side in the MLS at the moment (soon to be joined by Vancouver). At the moment, they are just four points behind the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference, with a game in hand over Thierry Henry’s new club. They will be fully expectant of making use of home advantage here, because if they can pick up those big three points it will not only put pressure on the Red Bulls, it will distance Toronto from the pressure that Chicago are putting on them in fourth place. Toronto have only been together in their current guise since 2007, and the played out a 1-1 draw with Premier League side Bolton on Wednesday. Toronto kept much of their first team on the bench, and still more than matched the English side. They haven’t met FC Dallas so far in 2010.

For Dallas though, the three points at stake are equally as important, as they would pull the club to within two points of last year’s MLS Cup winners Real Salt Lake who are in second place in the Western Conference. There will be a long way to go to catch Western Conference leaders Los Angeles Galaxy, but a win for FC Dallas on Saturday would put them right in a tight battle for that all important second place in the conference. The Western Conference is a little tighter at the top in the race for that automatic qualification place, and third placed Dallas have Colorado just one point behind them, and San Jose just two points behind them. This is how crucial this next match is for both Dallas and Toronto. So what can we expect to see? Well a guide for MLS football betting would be leaning towards a tie right here, as they are fairly evenly matched. But if you are looking for a winner to get behind, then the away side FC Dallas will make great odds. They are actually carrying the slightly better form going into the match, and have a better defence than Toronto. The Canadians are also struggling in front of goal just a little bit at the moment, and after pulling off a massive victory over Real Salt Lake in their last outing, FC Dallas will be the more confident of the two sides. Expect a close game, but Dallas should have just enough to edge it.

Toronto FC to win: 11/10 at Stan James
Draw: 9/4 at SkyBet
Dallas to win: 12/5 at Bet365

Columbus Crew to win: 7/10 at Bet365
Draw: 5/2 at SportingBet
Houston Dynamo to win: 4/1 at BetFred

Eastern Conference MLS Standings

Western Conference MLS Standings

Thierry Henry ready to face Spurs, as big spending Manchester City face Lisbon

Tottenham v New York Red Bulls Odds
Thursday, July 23rd
Tottenham to win: 5/4 at Bwin
Draw: 9/4 at Bet365
New York Red Bulls to win: 9/4 at Stan James

Thierry Henry is 6/4 at Bet365 as Anytime Scorer

Spurs, who finished fourth in the Premier League last season, will hope to step up their preparations for the new season by making an impact in the New York Challenge. They take on MLS team the New York Red Bulls on Thursday, in part of a four team tournament, in which Manchester City and Sporting Lisbon make up the numbers. Spurs could only manage a 0-0 draw against San Jose on the weekend, and they will face one of their old rivals, former Arsenal star Thierry Henry on Thursday. The French star, who also retired from international duty, signed for the New York club, after being released by Barcelona, as they look to close the gap on the MLS leading sides. This will no doubt be the twilight of Henry’s career, and for one of the modern greats, it will be interesting to watch his impact in the American game. For Spurs, coach Harry Redknapp has built a solid side, and instilled a lot more grit and fighting qualities in the side last year. They seemed to be the front runners to capture the signature of Joe Cole, but the White Hart Lane fans were occluded from the England player’s talents, as he signed with Liverpool. But, with Champions League football on their doorstep, it will be a big season ahead for them, to see if they can continue taking steps forward. What will be equally as interesting is if Manchester City and Spurs meet in the showcase final on Sunday, as the two sides, who were the protagonists in the race for the fourth spot in the Premier League last year, face off against each other on the opening day of the new domestic season.

Manchetser City v Sporting Lisbon Odds
Thursday, July 23rd
Manchester City to win: 5/6 at Bwin
Draw: 12/5 at Stan James
Sporting Lisbon to win: 3/1 at SkyBet

Manchester City meanwhile are spending big again, as boss Roberto Mancini builds a squad which he hopes will challenge for top domestic honours. While other clubs are counting the pennies, City have already snapped up David Silva, Yaya Toure and Jerome Boateng. They are also reportedly interested in MLS star Landon Donovan, Aston Villa’s James Milner, as well as Inter Milan’s much touted young forward Mario Balotelli. While scouts from Man City have been watching Donovan, his club LA Galaxy have said that they have no intention of selling him. Whether they do or don’t city clearly are ready to throw more money at the problem of closing the gap on the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, and this will be their first outing for the pre-season. There is a lot of pressure on coach Mancini, and the increased spending will only increase that. It is a big season coming up for the club, and they will need to hit the ground running as they open the new season against Tottenham and then Liverpool. While City get to stretch their legs against Sporting Lisbon the question about betting on them for success in the new season, will be the old chestnut of whether you can buy success or not? That remains to be seen, but in football it usually helps. It certainly increases your chances.

Thierry Henry Heading to New York to join MLS?

MLS Weekly News Round Up
With Manchester United and Tottenham heading off across the pond to face US opposition, and with the United States having been involved in some thrilling games at the 2010 World Cup, it is time to focus on the MLS (Major League Soccer) which is home to an ever developing standard of soccer. The 2010 World Cup final was the most viewed football match in US history, which is something of a surprise, when you think that the US weren’t involved in it themselves. The biggest news out of the MLS, is that former Arsenal star Thierry Henry is heading to the New York Red Bulls. The MLS transfer window is now open, and if reports are to be believed, then Henry could be in line to make his debut against Tottenham Hotspur in a friendly match against the Red Bulls on July 22. There are also rumours that Mexico and Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez will be going with Henry to the Red Bulls. Luring Henry to the MLS is no small thing, but there is a rule in MLS which is the “Designated Player Rule” (aka the Beckham Rule) which allows for two designated player whose full salary won’t count towards the salary cap. So, as it stands, only $335,000 of Thierry Henry’s salary would go against the Salary Cap, and anything over that, the club would have to pay themselves.

The 2010 MLS Season runs from the end of March to November 21, and the format is split into two conferences, the East and the West, with 8 teams in each. A team plays every team (from both conferences) at home and away, accounting for a total of 30 games. Things are not just settled with a straight league win, as the top eight teams then go on through to the MLS Play Offs, which all builds up to the MLS Cup championship Final. The top two teams from each conference automatically qualifies, then the next four teams with the highest points total (from any conference). At this point, it is a tournament bracket, with the automatically qualified teams taking the seeded berths. The Columbus Crew won the Supporters’ Shield, which is the team with the best record over the season, out of all 16 teams in the MLS. That was the second consecutive season the Crew had won it, and they completed the double in 2008 by winning the MLS Cup too. Real Salt Lake beat David Beckham’s Los Angeles Galaxy in the final of the MLS Cup last season, winning 5-4 on a penalty shoot out. For the start of the 2011 season, two expansion teams will join the league, with Vancouver and Portland Timbers getting in on the mix.

Eastern Conference MLS Standings

Western Conference MLS Standings

Manchester United are taking on Scottish side Celtic first on their tour of the US, followed by taking on Philadelphia, Kansas, the MLS All-Stars and the Chivas Guadalajara down in Mexico. So, as you can see, Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils are not facing the best teams in the MLS by any stretch of the imagination. Tottenham, meanwhile, are squaring off against San Jose and the New York Red Bulls.

MLS Game of the Week

Columbus Crew v New York Red Bulls. Undoubtedly the match of the week will take place on Saturday, July 17th, when the New York Red Bulls travel to the Columbus Crew Stadium to take on Ohio’s best. The MLS took a break for the World Cup, but since getting back into action, Columbus have cemented their position at the top of the Eastern Conference, and a win over the second place Red Bulls would open up a very healthy seven point lead over their nearest Conference Rivals. The two sides met back in May in New York, with the Crew running out comfortable 3-1 winners. For the Crew, Guillermo Barros Schelotto is the main man up front, and is leading Columbus with five goals in the MLS so far this season. It’s not a particularly great total, but Columbus are a great all round team, with goals being chipped in from all over the park. This is in contrast to the New York Red Bulls, whose star striker, former Aston Villa player Juan Pablo Angel, has fired in nine goals, and is second in MLS scoring overall for the 2010 season. The Red Bulls have drawn their previous two outings though, which has really dented their Conference hopes. If they are to welcome Thierry Henry into their ranks, then they will receive a huge boost up front. While his transfer seems to pretty much be a done deal as it gets dragged through the rumour-mill, it’s unlikely he’ll be taking any part in Saturday’s big match. Being at home, the Crew are fairly safe to back, as they have won six and lost just one match on home turf this season. In contrast to that, the Red Bulls have only won three on the road during 2010, but will have had a longer break than Columbus, who play on Wednesday night against Kansas. Having a punt on a bet which ends in a draw would probably serve here, or slightly leaning towards Columbus, as they have a better defence than New York. Look at a Draw No Bet option on the Crew if you want some coverage.

Columbus Crew to win: 10/11 at Sporting Bet
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
New York Red Bulls: 11/4 at Bet365

MLS 2010 Season Stats Leaders
Leading Goalscorer: Edson Buddle (LA) 10
Most Assists: Landon Donovan (LA) 10
Most Shots: Juan Pablo Angel (NY) 53
Most Shots on Target: Sebastien Le Toux (PHI) 23
Game Winning Goals: Edson Buddle (LA) 5
Game Winning Assists: Landon Donovan (LA) 4

I would imagine that sales of Gillette razors in Ireland have suffered somewhat since Thierry Henry decided to give his French team a helping hand towards the World Cup finals last week. It was certainly a bizarre way to audition for the Cirque du Soleil, where such manual dexterity surely belongs. Henry’s faux pas, of course, has had repurcussions far beyond the world of football with questions asked in The Oireachtas (Irish Parliament to you and me) and a war of words exploding between Irish ministers and their French counterparts. Even the Gallic press were pretty united in their condemnation of the national side. Le Monde’s headline read "Blues Relieved, Irish Disgusted", while Le Parisen led with "Henry Saves France With His Hand". Former World Cup winner Bixente Lizarazu went as far as to say that the French performance was ‘catastrophic’ so it’s no surprise to see Raymond Domenech’s side can be backed at 18-1 with Blue Square and 888sport to triumph in South Africa. Incidentally, in a post-script to the World Cup qualifier in Paris, FIFA have announced they are to discuss the Henry incident at an extraordinary general meeting just two days before the draw for the group stages of the finals is made, with an inquiry into alleged irregular betting patterns in other qualifiers also due to take place. Unfortunately, the Irish won’t get a second chance, which is a pity because all this has rather taken the shine off a joint Franco-Irish venture which should have captured more headlines than it did. The Paris-Mutual Urbain is the largest betting organisation in Europe and its decision to use the technical know-how of Paddy Power for its move into fixed-odss betting is a ground-breaking deal for the innovative Irish bookmaker. The five-year agreement is expected to create more than 200 jobs at Paddy Power’s Dublin head office with, ironically, the new technology’s first big test being the 2010 World Cup. So more jobs for Dublin but worrying times in Liverpool after Ladbrokes announced that they are to close their call centre near Aintree racecourse. The firm will retain its call centre at its UK headquarters in Harrow but, of course, it now does most of its business out of Gibraltar. It’s probably fair to say that the betting industry no longer offers the job security it once did.