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Welcome to another season of our Vancouver Whitecaps contest “Guess the Starting XI and Final Score”. As is tradition, thanks to former regular Spencer for starting this several years ago. It has grown into a great contest and I am appreciative of him for the original idea. Like last season, we will break the contest up into the three ‘seasons’: first half, second half, and non-MLS. We will continue to have fun monthly ‘bonus’ prediction categories, with some being based on whatever it topical at the time. Last season we had things like “Robbo post-match quotes”, “yellow cards”, “first goal scorer”, and several others. However, to start the season, we will keep March simple. With that out of the way, let’s remind you all how the scoring is done.
Contest Details
- Contest article will be posted 2-3 days prior to game day.
- We will keep track of first half, second half, and monthly winners so that late joiners will have something to play for.
- I will have a separate ‘contest’ for Voyageurs and Champions League.
- As the MLS season is 34 matches, each half of the season will be based on 17 matches, with your worst two match predictions being dropped. This will allow everyone a few misses or bad guesses throughout the season.
- Predictions will be ‘valid’ if posted HERE 1.5 hours prior to kickoff (or half an hour prior to the lineup being officially announced).
How Scoring is Determined
- You receive 1 point for every player you correctly guess to be in the Starting XI. Receive 1 bonus point for correctly predicting 10 starters. Receive 3 bonus points for correctly predicting 11 starters.
- You get 5 points for correctly guessing Win/Lose/Draw.
- You receive 1 point for correctly guessing each team’s final score. Receive 1 bonus point for correctly guessing both teams final score (for a total of 3).
That means, if you correctly predict the Starting XI, Final Score, and Winner, you can earn 22 points!
After each match, I will tally the scores and update the standings, which will be posted with the following match’s prediction article. I will post three sets of standings. First, the results from the previous match. Second, the monthly standings. Third, the first/second half standings (with your worst two match predictions removed).
Match #34 (Portland Timbers) Standings
| Ranking | User | Score | Lineup | Bonus | Winner | Score | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | User | Score | Lineup | Bonus | Winner | Score | Goal |
| 1 | edmondk | 25 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | The Squirrel | 23 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Arjon | 22 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Island Life | 22 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | tecate | 20 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | rtomsheck | 18 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | chuckbiscuits | 16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | AtlantisB | 15 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | GreyHouseEffect | 15 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | CascadiaCrunchFC | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Isabelt | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
September/October Standings
| Rank | User | TOTAL | SJE | SEA | DALLAS | LAG | TFC | KC | LAFC | POR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | User | TOTAL | SJE | SEA | DALLAS | LAG | TFC | KC | LAFC | POR |
| 1 | GreyHouseEffect | 123 | 16 | 25 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 16 | 11 | 15 |
| 2 | chuckbiscuits | 117 | 20 | 25 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 16 |
| 3 | tecate | 112 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 20 |
| 4 | CascadiaCrunchFC | 111 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 11 |
| 5 | Arjon | 109 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 22 |
| 6 | Isabelt | 108 | 16 | 22 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 11 |
| 7 | edmondk | 105 | 19 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 25 |
| 8 | Island Life | 103 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 22 |
| 9 | AdamP17 | 100 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 11 | 17 | 10 | 0 |
| 10 | rtomsheck | 99 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 18 |
| 11 | AtlantisB | 98 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| 12 | The Squirrel | 97 | 19 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 23 |
| 13 | AmandaC | 79 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 0 |
| 14 | Westsider13 | 67 | 0 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Jph003 | 62 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Jitsuo | 46 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | hbamaral | 42 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | dfree646 | 37 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Jstebeck | 34 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | BlackPanther99 | 30 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | freewheeling | 29 | 15 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | olikchivas | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Second Half Standings
| Ranking | User | Overall Score | Match #18 | Match #19 | Match #20 | Match #21 | Match #22 | Match #23 | Match #24 | Match #25 | Match #26 | Match #27 | Match #28 | Match #29 | Match #30 | Match #31 | Match #32 | Match #33 | Match #34 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | User | Overall Score | Match #18 | Match #19 | Match #20 | Match #21 | Match #22 | Match #23 | Match #24 | Match #25 | Match #26 | Match #27 | Match #28 | Match #29 | Match #30 | Match #31 | Match #32 | Match #33 | Match #34 |
| 1 | The Squirrel | 206 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 20 |
| 2 | chuckbiscuits | 205 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 17 | 22 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 16 |
| 3 | GreyHouseEffect | 203 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 19 | 16 | 22 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 12 |
| 4 | CascadiaCrunchFC | 202 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 11 |
| 5 | Isabelt | 198 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 11 |
| 6 | Arjon | 194 | 8 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 19 |
| 7 | AtlantisB | 187 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 19 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| 7 | tecate | 187 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 7 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 19 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 20 |
| 9 | edmondk | 184 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| 10 | Island Life | 178 | 7 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| 11 | rtomsheck | 173 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 16 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 15 |
| 12 | AdamP17 | 164 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 17 | 10 | 0 |
| 13 | AmandaC | 162 | 9 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 0 |
| 14 | Jph003 | 161 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 19 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Westsider13 | 158 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | dfree646 | 136 | 7 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 16 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | hbamaral | 136 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | BlackPanther99 | 133 | 9 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 8 | 19 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | olikchivas | 105 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Jstebeck | 102 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Jitsuo | 84 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | freewheeling | 59 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | ZTJ9901 | 50 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 17 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MarcoD77 | 47 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | MacMhuirrich | 38 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Cashen | 32 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | robbosg1 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | CWilkins | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Match Review (FC Dallas) and Preview (LA Galaxy)
There was a lot of optimism around the FC Dallas match, with many of us picking the Whitecaps to come out on top. However, tecate saw it differently “Many posters think Reyna is the missing ingredient to the promised land but I think he’ll be kept in check (and probably will take another frustration yellow card)..” Turns out, they were right, and used that to take first place in the match scores, with 19 points. The lineup was quite predictable, as most obtained 9 or 10 out of 11. The big hiccup came at the back with Henry and (mostly) Levis.
Isabelt could have been up at the top this week had they not thought “I was all set to call Dallas but then Saturday went so well for Vancouver courtesy of RSL and Portland – I just couldn’t bet against them.” Oops! BTW Isabelt, I checked your score from Seattle, and it was correct. I outlined it in last week’s post, so you can see it there.
Congrats AmandaC, your hope “Maybe we’ll both do better than 9 points this week!!” came true. Sadly, not by much :(.
GreyHouseEffect was able to catch up to chuckbiscuits for first in the September/October Standings, with 57 points. In third is CascadiaCrunchFC, with 52 points. Still a long way to go though!
The 2nd Half Standings is similar, with chuckbiscuits leading CascadiaCrunchFC and GreyHouseEffect by two points (145 to 143). However, there are really five participants still within EASY range of taking the title. Should be a great fight to the finish.
The Vancouver Whitecaps will be in Carson to play the LA Galaxy on Saturday. The match after a coaches firing can be difficult to predict, as it could lead to the team imploding or it could spark a rejuvenation. The lineup may also be hard to predict. Who knows what Academy Director Craig Dalrymple will do. Does Levis get another start? What about Teibert? Do we see some other young guys get into the match? Haven’t seen Felipe for a while. What happens with him?
Throughout all of September and October our “bonus” contest will be first goal scorer. Correctly predict the first Whitecaps player to score in the match and earn an extra three points to your September/October score (doesn’t count for 2nd Half Standings). New this time around, you can predict no goal scorer if you feel the Whitecaps will be shut out. However you MUST write no scorer (or something like that), even if you predict a scoreline where the Caps do not get a goal. I need to see that ‘no scorer’ prediction. Likewise, if you predict the Caps get shutout, but want to hedge by predicting a goal scorer just in case, feel free to do so.
That is all from me in this one. Good luck with your predictions!
Injury/Suspension Report (Updated as Information Becomes Available)
Injured: Jose Aja
Suspended: None