June 12, 2020 • 53 mins
Martino Puccio and Davis Mattek are back to discuss all the top European Leagues returning to play with Italy and Spain returning this weekend! Tune in for advice on DFS bets and Gambling here on SportsGrid!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Enjoy the show, and thanks so much for listening. Hello everybody,
(00:26):
and welcome to the Free Kick early Saturday morning. Here
Martino Puccio, Davis Mattock alongside me. Davis, how's it going man?
Finally getting ready for some more early morning soccer. Huh dude,
the summer of soccer. You know, it wasn't It wasn't
what we thought it was gonna be. You know, no
euro no Gold Cup, uh, no Copa America, nothing like that.
But start from when you and I are talking right
(00:49):
now today, the severe real batiste matsh is about to start.
For the next I'm gonna guess seventy days, there's gonna
be top flight European soccer played every single day, no breaks,
no breaks, and then and then we jump into NFL
training camp. Basically it's just gonna carry us over into
that um and the start of that season. So that's
that's what's like so great about being able to love
(01:11):
both sports in my opinion, because there's really you're not
really gonna miss any time. Everyone is like always complaining,
oh there's only a mob in the summer and like
some NFL news and stuff like that, it's like no,
if you if you follow like other leagues, if you're
into MLS, it's all year round and even international tournaments.
Um yeah, so I mean let's get into it there.
There's a bunch of stuff you just mentioned. Law Liga
(01:32):
is returning, so I'm really excited for that. We discussed
it a little bit last week. Uh with the Champions
League races, Um, there's always relegation battles and even the
race for the title is always interesting as well. Um yeah,
I mean what are you what are you looking forward
to more here? Are you looking into the futures or
just d F because I know DFS is obviously bread
and butter, but UM, tell me, like what are you
(01:54):
looking most forward to? Uh with La Liga? Uh So
in law Liga, I actually like, um, the prices that
you can get on Real Madrid to win the league.
I think if you look at if you think if
you look at the teams and look at who might
benefit more from some time off, right, you know who
who would have been able to uh get in the
(02:15):
lab and you know, get themselves healthy. I think that
uh you know, Real Madrid at plus one thirty five
on the Fantabel sports book. I I think that is
an excellent price, right, So look at some of these
Madrid guys, who are you know, these are the guys
who are leading the team in minutes. You have Kareem Benzema,
who it leads them in minutes and is their leading
goal scorer. He's thirty two years old. You're telling me
(02:36):
a thirty two year old forward isn't taking this three
months to go basically put his knees on ice and
feel better. Sergio Ramos is thirty four, Tony Cruz is thirty,
Luca Modris is thirty four. Um, Gareth Baale even you
know he is, He's thirty years old and is always
hurt like these guys getting this three month break. I
know Barcelona also is an older Ish team, but I
(02:58):
think that this was certainly more an advantage for Madrid
than Barcelona. Yeah, I think the one advantage I think Barcelona,
you could say, if you want to play Devil's advocate,
would be get Luis Suarez back, which because he everyone
thought that he was pretty much done for his whole
career there, who knows if he comes over here to
America and then just you know, getting established with kicks
(03:18):
at the end, right, because they hired their new manager,
so that always takes time to implement a system like
that and get to his play style. He used to
be Betiss manager, So, um, that's something there. I did
take actually Real Madrid a while back when we were
doing uh the show, so I think I got him
at plus one sixty two. So to see that drop, um,
I feel pretty good about it now. Um. And then yeah,
(03:41):
so Ben's mom only quarrel with Real Madrid would just
be the goal scoring issue, because I I don't think
they've had a proven goal scorer that they would like
to have. Luka Yovich has apparently had more off field
issues with Real Madrid and they're very upset with him
at this point. So he's almost a hundred percent on
his way out this summer if they could figure out
some sort of deal with his pages and all that stuff.
(04:01):
So so for me, I think it's gonna be really
entertaining a few matches because now the fun part about
this is they're not gonna be playing each other anymore,
Barcelona Real Madrid. It's just gonna be who drops points
against teams that they shouldn't drop points against. And are
you comfortable with taking Real Madrid on top of the
value that you like? Uh? Yeah, I am a hundred percent.
(04:21):
I mean I think that if you know, if we
were gonna view things from like an American sports perspective,
I actually think if Madrid and Barcelona played each other,
you know, ten times over the course of the season,
I legit think this Real Madrid team is better. Uh.
And there are a couple of reasons for that. Yes, Uh.
You know, Barcelona did get um Luis Suarez back and
that makes a ton you know, that makes a huge
(04:43):
difference for them because you know, that means they're not
playing Onto Fatti, a literal sixteen year old in their
forward line. You know, it means that Griesman can play
in a position that's more natural to him, which is,
you know, as like a support striker out on the left.
You know, he's not not forced to be the very
head of the attack. However, I mean, I basically think
(05:03):
that this team has one and a half superstar players, right.
Suarez at the age of thirty three is like a
B plus, he's no longer in a Antoine Greensman is
having his worst season in terms of expected goals, you know,
since he was a kid basically, and you know, we're
looking at big contributors on this team really all just
being I guess you could argue Frankie Deong is a
(05:25):
world class player like I would probably, I'd probably talent. Yeah,
I don't think all the way there yet, yeah, exactly, So,
I just I just think this Madrid team is just
right now a better on field product. Yeah, I agree
with that. I think they've actually done a better job
of developing their youth players, which is kind of funny
because we're so accustomed to Barcelona doing that and and
we have Real Madrid UM in that situation. So I'm
(05:47):
definitely excited for that UM Again, this Champions League race
switching over to the Bundesliga, now, I mean, this Champions
League race is just getting crazy at this point. Leipzig
did drop the points. Unfortunately, they were they were holding
on for the most part because they were playing down
a man for for more than a half against Paderborne
and you never want to drop points against the worst
(06:07):
side possible in the league, but they still manage their
up three points ahead. Lever Cusin and Munching Gladback are
really gonna be battling for this and this weekend is
going to have those types of games that matter a ton,
Right we get lever Cusin gets against Schulk that's a
much better matchup for them because Gladbach gets Byron Munich.
I know Byron played midweek in their game against Frankfurt.
(06:29):
They advanced to the final which they will play lever
Cusin Um in the POKEL final. But for me here
this this is a must win for lever Cusin. Like
there's there can't be any excuses, especially the way Shalka
has been playing since the league has resumed. Um Glodback
very difficult game. It doesn't matter when you play Byron Um.
At the end of the day, they could start Thiago
(06:50):
if that is uh something that they want to go
down in that path. I mean, look, this is gotta
be a lever Cusin day, right, I mean, there's no
excuses at this point in my opinion, So for levercus
You know, if they are only able to get a
draw out of this match, I would think that that
kind of well so because Bruce Munching glad Back gets
(07:13):
their game against Bayern this week, So I would say
this combination would be a disaster for lever Cuson. A
draw on the road at Shalka and Bruceia Munch and
glad Back finding a way to get a point against
Buyer Munich would be just a stone cold disaster for Levercuson.
I think obviously, what might save lever Custon is they
do they don't have another game left against Munich. They
(07:35):
just played their's, took their took their four two beat
and got out of there with their tail between their legs.
But you know, I'm not super worried about Munch and
glad Back getting the point. I'm more worried about lever
Custon finding the win. Their current form, you know, just
really really Naza not great for Levercuson, So I'm a
little worried there. I think what's also important is the
(07:55):
goal difference. So because the reason that lever Cusin is
not in that fourth spot right now speak is the
difference is five at this point. So if there is
a scenario in which Byron does when you better hope
for like two to three nothing, If if somehow that
could work out and then you win, they win their
game one to two nothing on top of the points
that they collect and go ahead by three, then they're
also going to be closing that gap um for gold differential,
(08:18):
just in case they do eventually drop points, uh with
whatever few games that they have left. So we'll get
into that a little bit later. But league won. Now
we know they decided to end their season, but they're
not relegating anybody. So this is that I find this
very fascinating. I think teams definitely get bailed out in
this scenario because we know how how devastating it can
(08:40):
be economically for a club, on top of the fact
that it's just, i mean, it's just not good to
not play in the top flight league in the first place.
So what are your thoughts on this? Did did you
think there should have been some sort of playoff for
the for some of the teams that were in the
second division that deserved to get the promotion at this point,
because there were a lot of games that were played
out and it seemed like it was, it could been
fair to have at least had a playoff in this scenario. Yeah,
(09:03):
I mean, well, and what do we know what is
happening with the League two teams? Like are they are
they having no promotion and just playing the season's back.
I would assume you would just have to just keep
everything the way it is at that at that point, right,
because it would just be odd to promote teams in
the third division, have them move up, and then you
just don't have you know, well they could they could,
(09:25):
uh so, so right now, the teams in the automatic
promotion spots in UM League two would be Lorian and Lens.
I guess theoretically you could just add those teams and
play a year of legoon with twenty two teams instead, right,
and then just have and so they have the chance
in to like make that that League one money. I
(09:48):
would I mean, that is certainly what uh like everyone's
pretty happy with that solution, right, No one gets relegated.
I guess that the only people that wouldn't be happy
would be the fact that there would to get things
back to e then you'd have to have four relegated
teams in leagoon next season instead. Of just two. Yeah,
I mean I think I think for everyone in general, right,
I think maybe some clubs would get a little upset
(10:10):
that you played so bad for so long and you
don't get any punishment for your kind of like rewarded
with an extra season, but you roared the other teams.
I think it would benefit teams that were in the
third division that get a chance to move up to
the second one. Um, I think that's a big plus
for them there. Um. Look at the end of the day,
I mean I I still think France might have called
everything a little too early in that regard, because we
(10:32):
also discussed how Leone was pretty upset with this scenario
that they didn't have a chance to get back into
a Champions League spot. So I think it's really gonna
be interesting to see the whole reaction as the summer
goes along there. But I want to talk about some
other summer moves right Because Team of Werner was basically
announced to go to Chelsea. That was a shock signing there.
But now Kai Hafert's might be going to Chelsea. I mean,
(10:54):
at this point, I thought, okay, team of Werner Zeck,
that's an amazing summer alone, even if you just make
a couple other small additions. They're also linked to Chilwell
from Leicester City, the Jersey you're wearing their um. So
look if they get kai Haverits At this point, man,
I don't even know what to say, because they're getting
all the top talents from Buddes like a pulisitch. They
(11:14):
get Werner now h we obviously knows the X from
from IAX and Holland. But now if you get Kai
Haverts in this man, I mean, can you dream up
a bit a better summer on paper for Chelsea because
it just it seems to get better and better by
the week. Yeah, it is great. I'm wondering though, what
their plan would be for Mason Mount in all of this,
(11:36):
right or or also Mateo Coviditch because you know, they
only have they only have so many spots. I mean
think Georgian, you know, might get sold back to Italy,
go to Huventis with Sardi again because they lost down
an Tonali now they need midfield. Hell, I think that's
the scenario potentially, but go ahead, well, I I guess
I'm also wondering, you know, maybe they're getting to that
point of like, okay, William Pedro, you know great, thank
(11:58):
you for your service to the club. Um, we will will,
We'll see you guys. I'm also wondering if instead of
buying Kai have Words as a midfielder, as like a
creative player, they're trying to buy him as a finishing
player and playing him at striker you know where they're
playing Tammy Abraham. Maybe they switched to playing the more
English style four or four two. I mean I would
(12:19):
I would think no, but I I guess it is.
I guess it is a I mean Franklin Pard would
love to play the four or four two right with
with his his one big in Tammy Abraham is once
you know one one big, one small is that the
classy English way of playing the game. And certainly have
Wards could be could be this smaller player there next
to Tammy Abraham. But I I don't think that uses
(12:40):
the full strength of Kai Everts Like I, I do
think he is better as a player who can use
his passing to distribute the ball in the midfield and
link the defense to the attack. But it's very interesting
to always see what they what they end up doing,
because Chelsea, more so than any other team, they seem
to just sway based on what their manager wants to do.
(13:01):
So I guess we'll see what Frank wants to do. Yeah,
I mean it's really gonna be interesting. I think Pedro
and William are probably on the way out as you mentioned.
But when we get back here on the free kick,
we're gonna be talking some MLS and other leagues. Stay
tuned sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at
(13:22):
your fingertips as our team covers the most important topics
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and more want the edge than get on the grid
sports grid dot Com. All right, welcome back here to
(13:44):
the free kick. We're gonna keep it rolling with some
of the more top European leagues, but before returns in Italy,
we gotta get some corporate Italian matches out of the way,
because that's what Italy loves to do. Italy is some
mind boggling Davis because they already announced at all these
games were going to be playing, but all of a
sudden middle of this week they're like, we haven't add
percent given the okay to play these two semifinal matches
(14:07):
in Italy. If you look all over the place. I
talk to my friends from Canada, friends from Italy and
other countries in Europe. They didn't have a set date
time and they didn't get that until mid afternoon Thursday
in America. So that's how much they're on top of
their stuff in Italy. Um, so basically we're gonna be
talking about today's match between Internapoli. Napoli won the first
matchup one to nothing. Inter we discussed this. I've discussed
(14:30):
this on the early Line as well with Dane and
Kevin Walsh that um, Antonio Conte is a very adamant,
very forward, blunt kind of guy, and he's and he's
really gonna show you his true colors all the time,
especially to the media. He's very similar to Marino in
a way, except he's got a bit more of a
(14:51):
temper than Marino does. Marino's kind of smirky in a sense.
But Conte was basically saying how he really hates the
whole condensed schedule situation. But but it's just it's the
same for everyone else. So this is just him being himself.
He's just always complaining to the media anyway he can
I mean, does anyone love to complain more than soccer managers?
(15:12):
I mean literally literally, yeah, clopp complained. I mean Marino
Marino is the most legendary complainer. Nothing has ever been
fair to a team that Marino has ever coached. I
mean even even Pep. You know, I think Pep, like
you know, Pep Gordiola used to be a guy who was,
you know, full of life and meditative and thoughtful and
(15:33):
uh you know now, I mean, he just seems like
someone who's been grind grinded down by his job. Yeah,
I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with
the Premier League because all those cast you just mentioned
or are playing in there, and they seem to voice
their opinions a lot more in that. But look, um,
so the mock eleven that came out as of recently
for intern didn't really have their starting defenders in there.
(15:56):
The main starting defender at the three at the back
was Melons green Are. They don't have to fry in there.
They're not gonna have Diego godin. Apparently it's going to
be Rhinocchia and BOSTONI. BOSTONI is one of their younger
talented center backs. Um, it's a pretty good game to
get him into just a further along his development, especially
if Godin might be leaving this summer. But at the
(16:18):
end of the day, just by by the way Conte
is just giving his press conferences, the way things have
been in going with him, and I think he really
wants to go forward with the league. Davis, I don't
really think interest heart is in it to win this match,
and for me, I'm kind of kind of have to
back off of them in this scenario. Yeah, I think
I think that's probably fair. I mean, I just I'm
(16:39):
not I'm not overall I think a big believer in
them in general. They tend to be a team that
spends a ton of money. The results are underwhelming, right,
and that's just I mean, that's kind of just been
their thing for for I mean, you would know better
than I would, but um, that's just kind of that's
just kind of a lot better than what they were.
But they that stigma is gonna be there until you
win something, Yeah for sure. Yeah, that that is just
(17:02):
gonna be who you are until you i mean even
when you know, when when the Coppa Talia make you know,
just win something. And this is like The Tottenham problem,
right is like finished top four as many times as
you want, but like when win something at some point.
They haven't won anything since their trouble with Marino back
in when they beat Byron, So this is I mean
it's a running thing now. I mean any trophy is
(17:24):
just good enough. But the way Conte is driven, he
doesn't really want to go down this scenario in which
he wins this week, because we discussed it last week.
He thinks twelve games is more than plenty to end
up finishing the season. And another funny thing about how
how this season could end for SIA, they're they're already
saying they're alluding to at any time if someone gets
(17:46):
sick or like a decent amount of player gets sick
within a squad, they want to cancel the season as
soon as possible. And the funniest part is they're still different. Yeah,
and there's two different This is the way they operate
and I don't know why, but everyone gets frustrated by it.
So there's two different scenarios that they want to go
down with. One they have the playoff to go with. Okay,
that's not that bad. It just really various on how
(18:08):
many teams you want to allow on the playoffs to
potentially win this league, right, if you're gonna be allowing
the top eight teams, it's not really that fair because
Napoli and Milan really aren't even in the discussion to
win the title. And if they somehow get their stuff together,
especially Napoly on their best day, they could beat anybody.
They beat Liverpool. Um, that that's the scenario could go down.
The other way is that they have an algorithm to
(18:31):
go down and they're going to use an algorithm to
determine a winner of the league, and knowing the history
of this league, knowing the sketchiness of it all, with
all their owners, all the scandals that they've had, it
would probably be the worst case scenario that they would
go down and choose at this point. So I don't
I can you imagine the NBA designing an algorithm? Yeah, um,
(18:54):
so this would be This would be my thought. I
don't think that. I don't think that one player testing
positive will actually, in practice send everyone back home. I
think the far more likely outcome is some player is
gonna test positive. They're gonna be asymptomatic, They're not gonna
be sick at all, and um, they are gonna be
(19:18):
sent like everything will be just continuous normal. I think
the same thing will happen in the NBA. I think
the same thing will happen will when we get to
NFL season baseball season. It's gonna be done on a
case by case basis, and just if if the leagues
are making the decision to come back. I mean we've
already seen this with the Buddhist LEAGUEA right um diet.
They had a bunch of players from a Tier two team, UH,
(19:41):
from Dynamo Dresden. They have like three of their starters
UM test positive for the coronavirus and those guys were
just not allowed to play. But the other you know,
all of the other second buddenis Legua teams we're still playing.
So I I think even in Italy, even if they
try and be hard os, I just I just there's
no way, there's no way the owners are going to
(20:02):
allow any of that stuff to happen. I And that
totally makes sense, it's logical, but at the end of
the day, it's still Italy. They're not They're not just
they're just not logical people. They don't they don't make
any sense. They can't even figure out what a handball
rule is. They change, they change the rule of the handball.
So like this is important in terms of just any
kind of betting that you want to get into, because
(20:23):
if they don't even know a certain rule, that's a
very vital rule, like inside the box. So basically the
general rule of thumb for a handball, just for anyone
who's listening, is kind of getting into the sport while
everything else isn't going on at the moment. It's that
you're intent to put your hand out to stop the
ball from potentially denying a goal scoring opportunity, or just
any part of the field. But it's more decisive obviously
(20:44):
in the penalty area because it leads to a penalty,
a yellow card, red card, um, depending on the scenario.
But at this point, even if a defender is not
trying to use their hands trying to keep them against
their body, if a player kicks them with the ball,
they will call handball. So I mean that that in
itself is just so indecisive and so typical Italy that
they can't figure out something like that. It would lead
(21:06):
me to believe that, you know, even if a player
has a cough and they're not even testing positive for
the coronavirus. They would shut the season down because they
look for anything to just be so ridiculous and so
dramatic at the end of the day. There, So again,
do you like, um with the ninety minutes going straight
to penalties or do you would you rather see some
overtime playoff because I understand where they're coming from in
(21:28):
this scenario that they don't want to tire all these
guys out with an a media potential, you know, hundred
and twenty minute match and then go to penalties, because
I mean you could imagine all the injuries that could
potentially rack up in that scenario. Yeah, I think I
think basically there's not another option. I think this should
be the way that all Cup games go, because you know,
(21:50):
already we're seeing guys pick up muscle injuries a little bit,
you know, a little bit more than we thought that
they would, uh, And that's with teams being able to
make five of substitutions. I mean, I guess maybe maybe
I would say maybe if you allowed eleven substitutions and
and eleven man benches or whatever, then you could go
(22:10):
the whole hunter and twenty minutes and like you could
literally do like hockey line changes in the second in UH,
in overtime or something, then maybe you let it happen.
But that's really the only scenario where I can see
that working out. Yeah, I would. I would think something
like that would be more beneficial for all these teams
because at the end of the day, if Italy wants
to get twelve more games and they really got to
(22:31):
do it, and also they want to get the final
out of the way, which would be on the seventeenth,
so they would get right back into things there. So
I just want to get into some of these props
and and all that UH for this match. And I
and I think something that I really do like UM
at this point in the season is the amount of
corner kicks taken UH in a game, because I do
(22:52):
think at the end of the day, if we're gonna
see some sloppy defending, some sloppy finishing a lot of
the time, that could lead to corners. And I do
like where you can get a round number of ten
corner kicks. I believe it was UM and for me,
I love something like that because you could really see
a lot of teams loving to take corners because especially
(23:15):
a team like Napoli has the ability to just create
so many chances, and a lot of the times they
have smaller players inside the box, it might not always
be as great for Lorenzo and Senor to just you know,
get inside the box, get ready for a cross. He's
going to be the one setting in those crosses all
the time. I know. Jose Calahouna is another guy for
DFS that you love to rock with. Is his corner
(23:35):
kicks something that you like taking a look at when
you're looking at some prop bets, uh in these games?
So I I do like corner props and the ones
where you the matches where you're really going to love
those um are going to be really like games that
end up being really frenetic. You know, these teams are
(23:56):
trying really hard, they're shooting a ton, because what corner
kicks come from trying to shoot the ball at the goal.
The ball goes out of bounds, right Like, That's that's
just sort of that's generally how corner kicks are found.
You know, sometimes they happen over when guys are dribbling
next to the corner flag and stuff. And if we
think that this is gonna be a really defensive game.
We're gonna see lots of shots from range and things
(24:17):
like that, which is which is really you know, just
kind of the way that things work in Italy a
ton like I I think that another interesting thing about
these lines is that we see they're they're scored similarly
between leagues, Like same amount of corners to be expected
in Italy as we see in Spain, as we see
in Germany, and you know pretty much the line is
(24:38):
going to be nine and a half, ten or ten
and a half per team. So for like someone like Italy,
I would actually like to bet overs because those are
defensive games where teams are less likely to score and
more likely to have to push the envelope. Yeah, I
I totally agree there, because you see so many times
where defenders always had their arms behind their back and
they just keep their feet down in front and basically
(25:00):
they're playing no processes in the middle of the box.
We want to eliminate any chances that we could give
up there. Just send him into the corner, will reset
our defense and then we'll we'll try and go from there,
because at the end of the day, that's just old
school Italian defending right, they don't want to give you
anything easy. They want to make you work for everything.
So I can see a scenario and something like that.
(25:20):
So for the total in this game, it's really just
two and a half is the number to play around
with here. It's pretty close in general, over two and
a half at minus one, under two and a half
minus one fourteen. For for me, I think I want
to lean under two and a half. I I definitely
see a scenario in which if Antonio Cuncte just wants
(25:40):
to make take his subs out at a certain point
and just put in the younger guys that he maybe
was alluding to, then I could you could maybe jump
in on a live bet and go with the over.
But for me, I think I'm just gonna go under
two and a half. Um, this is the first match
both of these teams are playing, and I don't know,
just for me, it just feels safer, So I I
(26:00):
like the over on. I think it's like a systematic over.
Where as these games return, I'm gonna be I'm gonna
be wanting over. It's just because I'm expecting the defending
quality to be poor. Yeah, I totally agree, with that,
I think I was telling Dane and Kevin that, um,
the second Atlanta's in it, whatever game on Atlanta is
playing in, I'm absolutely going the over in every single day.
(26:23):
I think even team totals, game totals, it doesn't matter
what it is. I just think they're just gonna be
trying to, you know, get a high volume of shots,
putting in as many as they can, especially going with
the corners. But we will be talking MLS tournament coming
up next on the free Kick sports grid dot com.
Betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips seven as our
team covers the most important topics in sports wagering, real
(26:45):
time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks, and more. Want
the edge than get on the grid sports grid dot Com. Right, everybody,
welcome back to the free Kick here on this Saturday morning,
the MLS is finally returning. Davis, did you place any
(27:07):
bets on the MLS being the first Americans team sport
to return. I probably would not have. I would have
assumed that because the MLS is so spread out and
because their central leadership is generally not good, I would
have thought basically, I would have assumed NBA gets back first,
(27:30):
then football, then hockey, then baseball. Right, I would have
thought I would have thought MLS would have been, you know,
pretty much last. But you know, more power to them
for for figuring things out and I'm getting back. Yeah,
especially going with a date that after they knew what
the NBA was doing, right, Because the NBA is really
(27:50):
taking their time with it. We see more and more
reports about some guys being sketched out by it. I
think I just saw Carmelo Anthony before we started talking
on here saying he's still up in the air about
that scenario. So I mean, more power to the MLS. Right,
So they're gonna be going with a season long tournament
all not a season long, a month long tournament where
it has every single team in the MLS. Whether or
(28:11):
not I agree with the amount of teams that are
in the MLS, that is a different story topic of
conversation for another day. But the first match that we
do know is going to take place is David Beckham's
into Miami gonna be facing off against their state rivals
in Orlando City. Davis. I I do like where they
went with this, right, They want to start creating a
(28:32):
type of rivalry scenario, two of the biggest cities in
Florida going up against each other. Orlando has been in
the league for a few years now, They've had Kaka
play for them. David Beckham is arguably the biggest name
in the league's history, probably is besides Landon Donovan. Right,
he gets his own team. Now, we've heard about this
for years and he's finally there. What are you expecting
(28:54):
from this? Are you excited for this to be the
first matchup to happen? Because personally I am, because I
think this is a rate decision to have your brand
new team, uh be placed at the forefront of this tournament. Yeah,
it's it's really awesome, you know, we are We're gonna
get first of all, this is going to be a
game that, like a lot a lot of people watch
relative to you know, the average MLS game. There's less
(29:17):
on TV. There's more reason to watch the first game.
You know, they're gonna be a lot of people who
watch this first game and probably don't watch any any
other games after that, you know, and uh, Inter Miami
has you know, some some MLS legends, Right, Lee Win
has been in the league for a long time one.
Eguadelo has been in the league for a long time.
(29:37):
Chicha Rito is going to be a name that people remember.
He of Manchester United, Real Madrid fame. Will Trapp if
you ever have played UH Football manager or FIFA career mode,
Will Trapp when he was a teenager would be like
one of like the potential overall guys. You'd want to
sign him away UM from the Columbus Crew. So, I
(29:59):
mean they you know, they have some good players. It's
hard for these expansion UM teams to do very well
the way the MLS works because basically they don't get
the superstar defenders. So interesting how the MLS works where
you have the defenders and some of the midfielders are
literally going to be like I mean, they'd be playing
in in the park leagues in Europe right they'd be
(30:23):
playing they'd be playing Beer League on Sundays. And then
you'll have them playing next to you knows Laton and
teacher Rito and guys who get transferred over UM. You
know Feleet Bay Gutierrez who was a starter at the
top flight in Spain. You know Joseph Martinez was a
starter in Italy before coming over. So It's just it's
a very interesting league how that works because of the
designated players salaries. Yeah, it really is insane and I
(30:47):
was I always try to explain it to people. To
pay discrepancy in the MLS is one of the most
bizarre things I think you will ever see, right, because
you have a really good player, they might not even
get a hundred and fifty grand a year, And then
you're looking at and Andrea Pierlo would be coming over
here was clearly on his last leg and a few
million dollars a year, and that's just basically off of
his own name. Um. I do love the location that
(31:09):
they chose to go with in Florida. I think it's
definitely a smarter move. Florida is one of the better
states to play out this tournament. Um, especially if you're
just going with a month long I do love how
they do plan on returning to the regular season after
this is done. The winner of this tournament will be
getting a Conka Calf Champions League UM placement, So that's
(31:31):
really huge and we we talk about all the time
how important Champions League is getting your brand out there.
The TV money and everything that you can get in Europe.
It's you could argue it's literally the same kind of
logic applied with the MLS and the way the contract
half Champions League goes over here. So I'm really fascinated
to see how that goes down. I'm a little dissa.
It's it's still disheartening to not see Joseph Martinez UM
(31:53):
and Atlanta United's fans because isn't it funny to you?
Um so, so we'll tie in the Americans sports here
two right, So I'm a Mets fan. I always watch
UM the n East all the time whenever the Mets
play the Braves. It's just so shocking to me how
little fans show up to watch the Braves. And the
Braves aren't a bad franchise whatsoever. Right, you could argue
(32:14):
they could have won more World Series than they did
only the one. But this isn't a team that's absolutely
terrible all the time. They have trouble filling up their ballpark.
Atlanta United, it is such a young and new team.
They fill out an entire football stadium and have argued
the best atmosphere you could want from a team. I mean,
(32:35):
that's the only thing that's disappointing not to see but
that's gonna happen anywhere with any of these leagues. But
I mean, I don't know, it's just kind of disappointing
because it's just really nice to see something like that
within the MLS, considering their age and expansion teams like that. Yeah,
I mean, I always thought it was so cool that
a team that, you know, the football team in Atlanta
(32:55):
would have to pipe in crowd noise right to to
get people excited, to make it seem like there was
a ton going on there. The Braves have a ton
of TV fans because Ted Turner owns the Braves and
he owned a television network, so that made things work
for them, but they never had a ton of fans
in the seats. So it's just always really cool. And also,
you know, Atlanta one of the most dominant teams in
(33:16):
the league as well, you know, especially in the regular
season They've been so good in a in years past
with but now Joseph Martinez and Miguel Almoron, you know,
not to not to with the team anymore. So a
lot the lot to keep cycling through that young Latin
American talent. Yeah, So speaking of that, right, because we're
obviously gonna be playing a lot of dfs. I know
you're gonna be jumping in on the dfs. Who are
(33:38):
some of the names that you kind of want and
expect to see step up for Atlanta United in this situation,
because Joseph Martinez, this isn't a you know, setting out
for the tournament, it's the season because that's what a
torn a cl will do to you at this point, um, right,
So who are you leaning towards in this because it's
really hard to replace a guy like that. So, uh,
(34:00):
the guy, the stud that's been in waiting for uh
Atlanta United has been Ezekiel Barco, who they purchased from
a small Argentinean team, you know, and they paid real
money for him, which is so interesting because that's normally
not how things work in the MLS. Right in the MLS,
generally your designated player money where you can give multiple
(34:21):
millions of dollars to guys are gonna be overaged guys
coming over from Europe, you know, Zlatan and Steven Gerard
and Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney. So what Atlanta did
with Ezekiel Barko is instead they took a gamble on
a really young kid. I believe they purchased Barko when
he was only seventeen years old um from Argentina, and
their plan was, Okay, we're gonna give him money now,
(34:44):
then we're actually gonna make double our money once he
proves himself for us, and he's gonna get purchased by
a European team. So their hope has got to be
that Barco is able to not only take over the
creative you know, that distribution role that Miguel Almaran had,
but also take over some of that goal scoring that
that hosts of Martinez was able to do for them.
(35:04):
He's gonna have to do, you know, a little bit
of both. And then also Gonzalo Pity Martinez was a
buy from them in the off season and have to
think that they're expecting him to do basically the same thing.
Yeah again like usual. I mean, anytime you have a
big goal scorer in any sports step out, it's gonna
be kind of difficult. But it'll be interesting to see
(35:25):
how that goes there. Carlos vela Man, I mean, Alexei
Lalas likes to call him on the best players in
the world. Whether you agree with that or not. I
don't agree with it whatsoever. He is fantastic in the MLS,
There's no doubt about it. It was a disappointing end
to their season for l A f C. Is this
a team you're looking forward to um to potentially win
(35:45):
this tournament? And is he Is he your m VP?
Is this your go to guy? If you if it
doesn't matter what the prices for him, are you putting
him in your lineup for DFS? I mean, Vella is
for sure one of the best players in the league. People,
you know, if they're not, if they're not huge MLS guys,
maybe they don't remember Sebastian Giovinco's twenty sixteen season. So
(36:08):
Sebastian Giovinco in the MLS, I mean he was the
I mean I just there. Maybe like Ronaldo in one
of his early Real Madrid seasons, is what the comparison was.
You know, Giavinko would take every corner kick for the
for Toronto, he would take all their penalty gigs. Yeah.
This sow sixteen. He plays thirty four games, plays three
(36:32):
thousand minutes, twenty one goals, sixteen assists averages over a
seven point seven five match raining from who scored and uh,
you know, and Toronto goes on to win the championship.
Vela is about as close as you are going to
get to that in the MLS now now he doesn't
play as many minutes as he doesn't play as many
(36:52):
minutes as Giavinko did, and he actually has more talented
teammates as a member of l a f C because
l a f C has this massive budget and also
they're so intelligent, right, l a f C has just
been one of the best teams in buying, you know,
they have they have so many dudes who are fantastic players,
especially for the for the strength of the league. But
(37:13):
I think that I think that Bella, Yeah, he is
a phenomenal player and probably the best player in the league. Yeah,
and it's crazy too. That's again another team that's relatively young,
expansion team l a FC. You know, we're so accustomed
to the teams um in other cities kind of struggling
at a certain point, you know, like we saw the
Texans struggle for a while when they when they came up,
they couldn't really get things get off the ground there.
(37:35):
L a f C. Carlos Vela it's a home run there. Um,
we're gonna be sticking a little bit into l A uh.
He is not arriving yet, but another huge Mexican star
in Chita Rito should be going to l A Galaxy
replacing Ibrahimovic basically at that point right as the star name,
as the focal of that team. What are you kind
(37:57):
of expecting from him? Do you expect him to kind
of rival car Los Vella? Do you think it's going
to take him some time to get into because they
are different players. Now, cheech Rito was a little bit
more of a poacher opposed to Carlos Vela. But for me,
in the MLS, he's got some of the best off
ball movement that you could be looking for and for
the first time in a while in my opinion, Well,
you know, the thing about the MLS is that just
(38:19):
being like a top quality poacher for what would work
in Europe, you know what works in Spain selling. It's like,
you know, cheech Rito was getting minutes for Sevilla, he
was getting minutes for West Ham, he was getting minutes
for these top flight teams. And that's gonna work in
MLS because you're gonna get the space like cheecher Eto
is gonna be able to be fourteen yards away from goal,
(38:41):
turn his shoulder and he's gonna have a clean look
at goal. It's gonna It's just it's just kind of
the way the defending works. Guys are just not as talented.
They're not going to track your movement as well. And
it's a it's a more wide open game. So I
would expect cheech Rito to have a Vella like influence
on the l A Galaxy. My I guess it's that
he is not going to be He's not going to
(39:01):
be a creative player. He is going to be a
finisher of moves, whereas Vela is both a creator and
a finisher. I think he's gonna be taking their penalties
to I just feel like when you when you bring
in a guy like that, it's, you know, egos get involved.
I feel like it's very hard to just tell him
no when you're giving him all that money, and again,
(39:22):
like playing with the guys he's playing with, it's kind
of it's kind of weird and hard to say no
to the guy like that. UM. Any other teams that
you're looking forward to or players that you will keep
an eye on, to slide into your lineups really quick
before you head out. I mean, I do, I just
I'm very excited to see my my hometown uh sport
in Kansas City. I'm really excited to see them come back,
(39:42):
albeit there gonna be without Felipe Gutierrez, who is their
best player when they return for the tournament. Well, it's
gonna be an exciting tournament for sure. But we're gonna
be talking about some of the top weekend matchups here
on the free kick sports grid dot com, getting insights
and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers the
most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive
(40:04):
betting models, expert picks, and more want the edge than
get on the grid sports grid dot com. Al Right, everybody,
welcome back to the pre kick final segment of the day.
In my favorite segment of the show's when we get
in to all of our top matches and bets that
we love in some of Davis's DFS plays. But first,
(40:27):
I'd be remissed if we were talking about an Arsenal
mishap and a Spurs mishap. Always always love it when
these London teams just make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
So we'll start off with Arsenal. They have one of
their friendly exhibition matches, which is a good thing for
teams to have prior to heading into official matches. So
it's nice to see Arsenal gets something out of the
(40:48):
way there, but it's not great when they lose three
to two to Brentford and the highlights come out David
Louise being put in a spin cycle. Look, I I
am very passionate about defenders. I guess that's just comes
with being an a C Milan fan just growing up
and as an Italian American is just what Italians are
known for. David Louise is such a dreadful player to
(41:12):
watch defensively, especially when he's playing at the center back position.
Um infamously known for the seven to one defeat against Germany,
is one of the star studded center backs in that matchup.
He's so much better as a center defensive mid But
it's not what Arsenals signed him for. We don't know
why Arsenals signed him for that reason. Um, Look, this
is not good and this is not something you want
(41:33):
to have happened when you have to play Manchester City
as your first game back. Uh no, right, that so
so brutal for them to have to play City when
they first get back. I I will say this about
David Louise. I I think that his mistakes look more
spectacular than they actually are. Like I think because he's
(41:55):
so big, and because his hair is goofy and he's
kind of funny. Yeah like side show Bob right, exactly
like I. I actually I think David Louise gets kind
I think he kind of gets a bad rap. I
I actually like to watch him play. I think he's good.
I like him as a center defensive min but when
it comes to bea and and taking on that responsibility,
it's just not him. And the more frustrating part is
(42:18):
everyone knows that, but yet Arsenal still go out and
get him to play that position when they have those
holes there. So for me, look, it's an exhibition match,
you can't take too much away from it. But three
goals to Brentford's side, I mean, come on, what is
gonna happen when they play Manchester City at this point?
So if you didn't have City before, you should probably
take City now at this point. Um, so we're gonna
(42:39):
be switching over to Spurs now, not the San Antonio Spurs.
Not about LaMarcus Aldridge not playing in this summer. It's
about Tottenham Hotspur, Jose Marino, the club who hasn't won
a trophy and seeming well, I don't even think they
won a trophy in our lives um and that's just
even those side trophies that you could win during the summer,
just for participate. Delhi Ali man, Look when he's coming up,
(43:03):
you think he's gonna be this next wonder kid what
we see as in Boby right now, Earling Holland, Jaden Sancho.
He was at that level and then he kind of
regressed a little bit and he's having in his off
field issues and now he's having just it's just one
of them. You just shake out and you're like, come on, man,
like what are you doing here? He's not getting called
up for the next match for Spurs because he was
(43:24):
seemingly mocking the whole coronavirus situation. It's not really a
mature move by him. I mean, at the end of
the day, it's just silly, and you would think a
player of his caliber that's been up and playing for
Spurs for for a few years now, which is get it,
but he just doesn't and and it's just another frustrating thing.
And it's just so Spursy, right yeah, right, yeah, I
(43:46):
think that's m I think that's actually a great point.
It is just it's extremely extremely Spursy for them to
be coming back and there in the middle of you know,
they have this new coach and theoretically things are supposed
to be going in a better direction for them, and
it's not right and and and now it uh, it's
(44:07):
it's gonna be overtaken by something else, and you know,
Jose is gonna have to comment on it, and it
is and it's it's also very Spursy for delhi Alley
to not be uh, you know, for delhi Alley to
be not We're not talking about his play. We're not
talking about how we're excited to watch him play. We're
talking about him being an idiot on Twitter. Yeah. And
and and that's the thing though too, because we see
(44:29):
the Champions League race in the Premier League, we know
how close it is. Manchester United has been awful all season.
There's three points away from Chelsea for the fourth spot,
and Spurs have a golden opportunity here, and it's just
so funny to me because they they were so close
to winning the biggest possible prize for a club in
the Champions League, and yet here they are just struggling.
(44:49):
They fire Pocatino, who's arguably their greatest manager the past
thirty years, probably is probably not even an argument now,
and they're thinking about Spurs in their history. But they
bring in Marine, you know, and it's just like, just
get it together for a few games, man, just get
it to get like you have Harry Kane. Like how
much longer is Harry Kane really gonna sit there and
say I can't handle this. I gotta get out of here.
(45:11):
I gotta win something in my career. Otherwise it's just
the ways because unfortunately for him, I think it's coming
in that scenario, and I do think considering Real Madrid's
situation with the goal scoring and Harry Kane's situation with
Spurs not winning, or we seeing a Gareth Bale two
point oh here or Luca Modrid situation where they're just
leaving Spurs to go to another golden opportunity. Because Harry Kane,
although he's not young, he's not getting any younger at
(45:33):
this point. Just from me. For me, this is this
is such a vital and to the season for Spurs
more than any other team in the Premier League. Um,
it's extremely it's extremely vital for them, I think, um,
and I think if they want to keep their star
players and also you know, find ways to bring new
(45:54):
star players in. You know, I just I don't know
if an eighth place finish is going to cut it.
They gotta get some points, and they gotta do it fast,
and I don't know if they can, Like I literally
don't know if they have the ability to do it. Yeah.
And you know what's even funnier about that, Like we
talk about all these managers complaining all the time, what's
(46:14):
gonna happen if Marino finishes eighth, like you mentioned, like
a scenario like that, you think he's gonna keep his
mouth shutte and just keep going. No, that's gonna be
even more turmoil, more controversy within that locker room. Players
are not gonna want to handle it. They're not gonna
want to deal with it. He's gonna want to bring
in his own guys. Daniel Levy will probably listen to
whatever Marino says, Levi's kind of a shrewd guy at
the end of the day, you know, he's kind of
(46:36):
he's kind of up there with the with the Willpons
of the world. Right, They're not really beloved that whatsoever
by the fan base. Are always vilified in a fashion.
So hopefully things get better for teams. Uh that route
for the London size that are Arsenal and Spurs. Um.
Any other final thoughts on Premier League returning f A
Cup stuff? What are you looking forward to more? Um?
(46:57):
Because I know we discussed this f A Cup a
little bit laugh sweek. Um, anything change in your opinion
with some of the stuff that has come out. I
mean in England, something that I think we have to
be looking forward to is is that race for the
number four spot because we we have some jobs on
the line for sure. You know, if if Manchester United
is not able to get to the top of the
(47:19):
table there, I mean, who's safe, right or I mean
that that whole squad, the coaching staff, like everyone. If
they missed the Champions League again and they get beat
out by Leicester City, I mean what if what if Wolves? Right?
What if Wolves gets up to that fifth spot and
we have no European football for Manchester United next year.
I mean, that is a disaster for Manchester United. So
(47:40):
here's my thing with Manchester United, right, And I used
to think about this like a scenario with the Jets, right,
I want I want the Jets to win. I want
them to do well. You always want your team to
do well. But is it in their best interest to
do well? Because that means your coach and your manager
keeps their job. Adam Gates keeps his job. That's the
Jets make the playoffs somehow, right, that's not necessarily a
(48:01):
good thing. I don't want Adam Gates to stay. I
want him gone. I never wanted him here. Do fans
of million Chester United really want they're gonna Soulscar to stay?
I mean, what has he proven over the past like
two years or so that shows he's qualified to manage
a club of this caliber. I don't think he's shown
anything of that quality that you could say, oh, a
couple of weeks here and there, nice job winning against
(48:24):
PSG in the Champions League. ID buy some time. But
there's nothing that I've seen over the course of a
season that says, yes, absolutely he should stay because they're
arguably in this Champions League race because of other teams
messing up. I mean, the reason that he has this
job is because he was a Manchester United legend, right
that that's why, That's why he has the job. And
(48:46):
I don't think he's a great fit. I don't think
he is, you know, the best possible coach they could have.
It's just you know, it's it's it's just not great. No,
it's it's it's not great whatsoever. So praying for all
you Manchester United fans out there, but hey, if you
get James Sancho with it definitely lessens the blow there. Um,
let's get into some of the games, right Chalk lever
Cusin we talked about at the start of the show. Um,
(49:07):
lever Cusin is obviously in fifth place, back on five
with the goal differential behind glod Back. Uh. Some of
the lines coming out, I mean, shock, Shalk is just
absolutely dreadful. They haven't won a game since the league
has returned their plus one forty the draws at plus
two thirty lever Cuisin plus one sixty on the money line.
That's something I really like. I think over two and
a half again, something as well. I think that's that's
(49:27):
something I really want to go with now result in
both to score. I know that's something I really discussed
a lot, and and especially in the Boon Disliga where
you see goals all the time, so that's very likely scenario.
Actually don't think that is something that is that's safe
to play here because I don't really see Schalk scoring
because they're just so bad in that regard. But you
never know, because they could just put one in the
(49:48):
back of the net off of some crazy goal. Anything
can happen. But you know lever CUIs in there. If
you do see a scenario in which Schalk somehow scores
a goal, go with lever Cusin plus two ten um.
We know glod Bach play is bron Um as well,
so this is definitely a must win game. We we
talked about the opening that potentially is there for lever Cusin.
What do you like in this match? Have you seen
(50:09):
anything that you like, something that I didn't discuss, you
like something that I discussed, Tell me what you like.
I think just the right way to probably approach this
match for me is just gonna be probably betting lever
Cuson just to win outright, and I think why that is.
So far we've seen only of home teams in the
(50:30):
Bundesliga win, So I think home field advantage is basically
dead under these current conditions, right. I just I just
think that playing at home without referee bias, without the
fan noise, I just think it's really it's basically just
like playing a scrimmage. And I don't think that's built
into the betting lines. I think the true line here
is probably Lever Custin, you know, minus to fifty, maybe
(50:52):
even minus three hundred if this was just being played
like a neutral field game essentially. So uh. And I
know people don't always like to bet to win lines
at soccer that don't play plus plus money. They really
like to bet, you know, uh, you know, plus one
fifteen as opposed to minus one fifteen, just because it
feels better to be getting a little bit extra of
(51:12):
your money back. But Lever Houston is they really are
much better than Shalka. Yeah, I mean Shaka has been
so disappointing. I think I placed a bet on him
in one of the first games back. I thought, okay,
you know, maybe they get todebo in there from Barcelona.
Maybe their defensive alignments a little bit better. All of
a sudden they lost and it was a little bit
more of the same. And that's a really worrying sign
when you're doing more picking up on your bad habits
(51:34):
that you had before that break and it carried over.
And I don't think I've faded a team so fast
um in a league, I'll probably be fading a clan,
probably the only other team to do so. In terms
of fading. That just shows how confident I am in
my team. Gladback and Byron, Um, Look, do you do
you see any potential like upset or way that Cloudback
can pull off something of a win here or you
(51:57):
playing Byron. I've been taking Byron a lot first half
money line. I lost on the first half over in
the cup game for them, but I've been three and
oh so far betting heavy favorites in the first half.
I think so. I think the move here definitely is not.
I mean, if you wanted to throw, if you want
to do a parlay like lever Acuston money line, uh
Munich money line, maybe you throw. Maybe you throw Wolfsburg
(52:20):
in there with your with your stuff as well, or
or Dortmund if you want to do all those parlays.
I like that, but I don't see anything here in
terms of an individual bet that I'm really in on. Yeah,
So so let me really quick before we wrap up.
How kind it's I get so worried with money line
parlays in the sport, right It's it's I feel like
it's so difficult all the time to play it, just
because the potential of the draw. Is that something you
(52:43):
try to limit If you're doing a money line parlay,
do you try to keep it two to three games
or or do you go big? Sometimes try and get
four to five. So I think if you're gonna do it,
you just go all in, right, you go in on
on like seven or eight games or whatever, and then
and then when you hit, you know you're you're feeling
great about it. Yeah. I mean, that's that's pretty much
what any parlor that we can talk about. But Davis,
thank you so much for coming on once again. Guys,
(53:05):
enjoy the games. We'll see you next time here on
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Enjoy the show, and thanks so much for listening. Hello everybody,
(00:26):
and welcome to the Free Kick early Saturday morning. Here
Martino Puccio, Davis Mattock alongside me. Davis, how's it going man?
Finally getting ready for some more early morning soccer. Huh dude,
the summer of soccer. You know, it wasn't It wasn't
what we thought it was gonna be. You know, no
euro no Gold Cup, uh, no Copa America, nothing like that.
But start from when you and I are talking right
(00:49):
now today, the severe real batiste matsh is about to start.
For the next I'm gonna guess seventy days, there's gonna
be top flight European soccer played every single day, no breaks,
no breaks, and then and then we jump into NFL
training camp. Basically it's just gonna carry us over into
that um and the start of that season. So that's
that's what's like so great about being able to love
(01:11):
both sports in my opinion, because there's really you're not
really gonna miss any time. Everyone is like always complaining,
oh there's only a mob in the summer and like
some NFL news and stuff like that, it's like no,
if you if you follow like other leagues, if you're
into MLS, it's all year round and even international tournaments.
Um yeah, so I mean let's get into it there.
There's a bunch of stuff you just mentioned. Law Liga
(01:32):
is returning, so I'm really excited for that. We discussed
it a little bit last week. Uh with the Champions
League races, Um, there's always relegation battles and even the
race for the title is always interesting as well. Um yeah,
I mean what are you what are you looking forward
to more here? Are you looking into the futures or
just d F because I know DFS is obviously bread
and butter, but UM, tell me, like what are you
(01:54):
looking most forward to? Uh with La Liga? Uh So
in law Liga, I actually like, um, the prices that
you can get on Real Madrid to win the league.
I think if you look at if you think if
you look at the teams and look at who might
benefit more from some time off, right, you know who
who would have been able to uh get in the
(02:15):
lab and you know, get themselves healthy. I think that
uh you know, Real Madrid at plus one thirty five
on the Fantabel sports book. I I think that is
an excellent price, right, So look at some of these
Madrid guys, who are you know, these are the guys
who are leading the team in minutes. You have Kareem Benzema,
who it leads them in minutes and is their leading
goal scorer. He's thirty two years old. You're telling me
(02:36):
a thirty two year old forward isn't taking this three
months to go basically put his knees on ice and
feel better. Sergio Ramos is thirty four, Tony Cruz is thirty,
Luca Modris is thirty four. Um, Gareth Baale even you
know he is, He's thirty years old and is always
hurt like these guys getting this three month break. I
know Barcelona also is an older Ish team, but I
(02:58):
think that this was certainly more an advantage for Madrid
than Barcelona. Yeah, I think the one advantage I think Barcelona,
you could say, if you want to play Devil's advocate,
would be get Luis Suarez back, which because he everyone
thought that he was pretty much done for his whole
career there, who knows if he comes over here to
America and then just you know, getting established with kicks
(03:18):
at the end, right, because they hired their new manager,
so that always takes time to implement a system like
that and get to his play style. He used to
be Betiss manager, So, um, that's something there. I did
take actually Real Madrid a while back when we were
doing uh the show, so I think I got him
at plus one sixty two. So to see that drop, um,
I feel pretty good about it now. Um. And then yeah,
(03:41):
so Ben's mom only quarrel with Real Madrid would just
be the goal scoring issue, because I I don't think
they've had a proven goal scorer that they would like
to have. Luka Yovich has apparently had more off field
issues with Real Madrid and they're very upset with him
at this point. So he's almost a hundred percent on
his way out this summer if they could figure out
some sort of deal with his pages and all that stuff.
(04:01):
So so for me, I think it's gonna be really
entertaining a few matches because now the fun part about
this is they're not gonna be playing each other anymore,
Barcelona Real Madrid. It's just gonna be who drops points
against teams that they shouldn't drop points against. And are
you comfortable with taking Real Madrid on top of the
value that you like? Uh? Yeah, I am a hundred percent.
(04:21):
I mean I think that if you know, if we
were gonna view things from like an American sports perspective,
I actually think if Madrid and Barcelona played each other,
you know, ten times over the course of the season,
I legit think this Real Madrid team is better. Uh.
And there are a couple of reasons for that. Yes, Uh.
You know, Barcelona did get um Luis Suarez back and
that makes a ton you know, that makes a huge
(04:43):
difference for them because you know, that means they're not
playing Onto Fatti, a literal sixteen year old in their
forward line. You know, it means that Griesman can play
in a position that's more natural to him, which is,
you know, as like a support striker out on the left.
You know, he's not not forced to be the very
head of the attack. However, I mean, I basically think
(05:03):
that this team has one and a half superstar players, right.
Suarez at the age of thirty three is like a
B plus, he's no longer in a Antoine Greensman is
having his worst season in terms of expected goals, you know,
since he was a kid basically, and you know, we're
looking at big contributors on this team really all just
being I guess you could argue Frankie Deong is a
(05:25):
world class player like I would probably, I'd probably talent. Yeah,
I don't think all the way there yet, yeah, exactly, So,
I just I just think this Madrid team is just
right now a better on field product. Yeah, I agree
with that. I think they've actually done a better job
of developing their youth players, which is kind of funny
because we're so accustomed to Barcelona doing that and and
we have Real Madrid UM in that situation. So I'm
(05:47):
definitely excited for that UM Again, this Champions League race
switching over to the Bundesliga, now, I mean, this Champions
League race is just getting crazy at this point. Leipzig
did drop the points. Unfortunately, they were they were holding
on for the most part because they were playing down
a man for for more than a half against Paderborne
and you never want to drop points against the worst
(06:07):
side possible in the league, but they still manage their
up three points ahead. Lever Cusin and Munching Gladback are
really gonna be battling for this and this weekend is
going to have those types of games that matter a ton,
Right we get lever Cusin gets against Schulk that's a
much better matchup for them because Gladbach gets Byron Munich.
I know Byron played midweek in their game against Frankfurt.
(06:29):
They advanced to the final which they will play lever
Cusin Um in the POKEL final. But for me here
this this is a must win for lever Cusin. Like
there's there can't be any excuses, especially the way Shalka
has been playing since the league has resumed. Um Glodback
very difficult game. It doesn't matter when you play Byron Um.
At the end of the day, they could start Thiago
(06:50):
if that is uh something that they want to go
down in that path. I mean, look, this is gotta
be a lever Cusin day, right, I mean, there's no
excuses at this point in my opinion, So for levercus
You know, if they are only able to get a
draw out of this match, I would think that that
kind of well so because Bruce Munching glad Back gets
(07:13):
their game against Bayern this week, So I would say
this combination would be a disaster for lever Cuson. A
draw on the road at Shalka and Bruceia Munch and
glad Back finding a way to get a point against
Buyer Munich would be just a stone cold disaster for Levercuson.
I think obviously, what might save lever Custon is they
do they don't have another game left against Munich. They
(07:35):
just played their's, took their took their four two beat
and got out of there with their tail between their legs.
But you know, I'm not super worried about Munch and
glad Back getting the point. I'm more worried about lever
Custon finding the win. Their current form, you know, just
really really Naza not great for Levercuson, So I'm a
little worried there. I think what's also important is the
(07:55):
goal difference. So because the reason that lever Cusin is
not in that fourth spot right now speak is the
difference is five at this point. So if there is
a scenario in which Byron does when you better hope
for like two to three nothing, If if somehow that
could work out and then you win, they win their
game one to two nothing on top of the points
that they collect and go ahead by three, then they're
also going to be closing that gap um for gold differential,
(08:18):
just in case they do eventually drop points, uh with
whatever few games that they have left. So we'll get
into that a little bit later. But league won. Now
we know they decided to end their season, but they're
not relegating anybody. So this is that I find this
very fascinating. I think teams definitely get bailed out in
this scenario because we know how how devastating it can
(08:40):
be economically for a club, on top of the fact
that it's just, i mean, it's just not good to
not play in the top flight league in the first place.
So what are your thoughts on this? Did did you
think there should have been some sort of playoff for
the for some of the teams that were in the
second division that deserved to get the promotion at this point,
because there were a lot of games that were played
out and it seemed like it was, it could been
fair to have at least had a playoff in this scenario. Yeah,
(09:03):
I mean, well, and what do we know what is
happening with the League two teams? Like are they are
they having no promotion and just playing the season's back.
I would assume you would just have to just keep
everything the way it is at that at that point, right,
because it would just be odd to promote teams in
the third division, have them move up, and then you
just don't have you know, well they could they could,
(09:25):
uh so, so right now, the teams in the automatic
promotion spots in UM League two would be Lorian and Lens.
I guess theoretically you could just add those teams and
play a year of legoon with twenty two teams instead, right,
and then just have and so they have the chance
in to like make that that League one money. I
(09:48):
would I mean, that is certainly what uh like everyone's
pretty happy with that solution, right, No one gets relegated.
I guess that the only people that wouldn't be happy
would be the fact that there would to get things
back to e then you'd have to have four relegated
teams in leagoon next season instead. Of just two. Yeah,
I mean I think I think for everyone in general, right,
I think maybe some clubs would get a little upset
(10:10):
that you played so bad for so long and you
don't get any punishment for your kind of like rewarded
with an extra season, but you roared the other teams.
I think it would benefit teams that were in the
third division that get a chance to move up to
the second one. Um, I think that's a big plus
for them there. Um. Look at the end of the day,
I mean I I still think France might have called
everything a little too early in that regard, because we
(10:32):
also discussed how Leone was pretty upset with this scenario
that they didn't have a chance to get back into
a Champions League spot. So I think it's really gonna
be interesting to see the whole reaction as the summer
goes along there. But I want to talk about some
other summer moves right Because Team of Werner was basically
announced to go to Chelsea. That was a shock signing there.
But now Kai Hafert's might be going to Chelsea. I mean,
(10:54):
at this point, I thought, okay, team of Werner Zeck,
that's an amazing summer alone, even if you just make
a couple other small additions. They're also linked to Chilwell
from Leicester City, the Jersey you're wearing their um. So
look if they get kai Haverits At this point, man,
I don't even know what to say, because they're getting
all the top talents from Buddes like a pulisitch. They
(11:14):
get Werner now h we obviously knows the X from
from IAX and Holland. But now if you get Kai
Haverts in this man, I mean, can you dream up
a bit a better summer on paper for Chelsea because
it just it seems to get better and better by
the week. Yeah, it is great. I'm wondering though, what
their plan would be for Mason Mount in all of this,
(11:36):
right or or also Mateo Coviditch because you know, they
only have they only have so many spots. I mean
think Georgian, you know, might get sold back to Italy,
go to Huventis with Sardi again because they lost down
an Tonali now they need midfield. Hell, I think that's
the scenario potentially, but go ahead, well, I I guess
I'm also wondering, you know, maybe they're getting to that
point of like, okay, William Pedro, you know great, thank
(11:58):
you for your service to the club. Um, we will will,
We'll see you guys. I'm also wondering if instead of
buying Kai have Words as a midfielder, as like a
creative player, they're trying to buy him as a finishing
player and playing him at striker you know where they're
playing Tammy Abraham. Maybe they switched to playing the more
English style four or four two. I mean I would
(12:19):
I would think no, but I I guess it is.
I guess it is a I mean Franklin Pard would
love to play the four or four two right with
with his his one big in Tammy Abraham is once
you know one one big, one small is that the
classy English way of playing the game. And certainly have
Wards could be could be this smaller player there next
to Tammy Abraham. But I I don't think that uses
(12:40):
the full strength of Kai Everts Like I, I do
think he is better as a player who can use
his passing to distribute the ball in the midfield and
link the defense to the attack. But it's very interesting
to always see what they what they end up doing,
because Chelsea, more so than any other team, they seem
to just sway based on what their manager wants to do.
(13:01):
So I guess we'll see what Frank wants to do. Yeah,
I mean it's really gonna be interesting. I think Pedro
and William are probably on the way out as you mentioned.
But when we get back here on the free kick,
we're gonna be talking some MLS and other leagues. Stay
tuned sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at
(13:22):
your fingertips as our team covers the most important topics
in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks,
and more want the edge than get on the grid
sports grid dot Com. All right, welcome back here to
(13:44):
the free kick. We're gonna keep it rolling with some
of the more top European leagues, but before returns in Italy,
we gotta get some corporate Italian matches out of the way,
because that's what Italy loves to do. Italy is some
mind boggling Davis because they already announced at all these
games were going to be playing, but all of a
sudden middle of this week they're like, we haven't add
percent given the okay to play these two semifinal matches
(14:07):
in Italy. If you look all over the place. I
talk to my friends from Canada, friends from Italy and
other countries in Europe. They didn't have a set date
time and they didn't get that until mid afternoon Thursday
in America. So that's how much they're on top of
their stuff in Italy. Um, so basically we're gonna be
talking about today's match between Internapoli. Napoli won the first
matchup one to nothing. Inter we discussed this. I've discussed
(14:30):
this on the early Line as well with Dane and
Kevin Walsh that um, Antonio Conte is a very adamant,
very forward, blunt kind of guy, and he's and he's
really gonna show you his true colors all the time,
especially to the media. He's very similar to Marino in
a way, except he's got a bit more of a
(14:51):
temper than Marino does. Marino's kind of smirky in a sense.
But Conte was basically saying how he really hates the
whole condensed schedule situation. But but it's just it's the
same for everyone else. So this is just him being himself.
He's just always complaining to the media anyway he can
I mean, does anyone love to complain more than soccer managers?
(15:12):
I mean literally literally, yeah, clopp complained. I mean Marino
Marino is the most legendary complainer. Nothing has ever been
fair to a team that Marino has ever coached. I
mean even even Pep. You know, I think Pep, like
you know, Pep Gordiola used to be a guy who was,
you know, full of life and meditative and thoughtful and
(15:33):
uh you know now, I mean, he just seems like
someone who's been grind grinded down by his job. Yeah,
I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with
the Premier League because all those cast you just mentioned
or are playing in there, and they seem to voice
their opinions a lot more in that. But look, um,
so the mock eleven that came out as of recently
for intern didn't really have their starting defenders in there.
(15:56):
The main starting defender at the three at the back
was Melons green Are. They don't have to fry in there.
They're not gonna have Diego godin. Apparently it's going to
be Rhinocchia and BOSTONI. BOSTONI is one of their younger
talented center backs. Um, it's a pretty good game to
get him into just a further along his development, especially
if Godin might be leaving this summer. But at the
(16:18):
end of the day, just by by the way Conte
is just giving his press conferences, the way things have
been in going with him, and I think he really
wants to go forward with the league. Davis, I don't
really think interest heart is in it to win this match,
and for me, I'm kind of kind of have to
back off of them in this scenario. Yeah, I think
I think that's probably fair. I mean, I just I'm
(16:39):
not I'm not overall I think a big believer in
them in general. They tend to be a team that
spends a ton of money. The results are underwhelming, right,
and that's just I mean, that's kind of just been
their thing for for I mean, you would know better
than I would, but um, that's just kind of that's
just kind of a lot better than what they were.
But they that stigma is gonna be there until you
win something, Yeah for sure. Yeah, that that is just
(17:02):
gonna be who you are until you i mean even
when you know, when when the Coppa Talia make you know,
just win something. And this is like The Tottenham problem,
right is like finished top four as many times as
you want, but like when win something at some point.
They haven't won anything since their trouble with Marino back
in when they beat Byron, So this is I mean
it's a running thing now. I mean any trophy is
(17:24):
just good enough. But the way Conte is driven, he
doesn't really want to go down this scenario in which
he wins this week, because we discussed it last week.
He thinks twelve games is more than plenty to end
up finishing the season. And another funny thing about how
how this season could end for SIA, they're they're already
saying they're alluding to at any time if someone gets
(17:46):
sick or like a decent amount of player gets sick
within a squad, they want to cancel the season as
soon as possible. And the funniest part is they're still different. Yeah,
and there's two different This is the way they operate
and I don't know why, but everyone gets frustrated by it.
So there's two different scenarios that they want to go
down with. One they have the playoff to go with. Okay,
that's not that bad. It just really various on how
(18:08):
many teams you want to allow on the playoffs to
potentially win this league, right, if you're gonna be allowing
the top eight teams, it's not really that fair because
Napoli and Milan really aren't even in the discussion to
win the title. And if they somehow get their stuff together,
especially Napoly on their best day, they could beat anybody.
They beat Liverpool. Um, that that's the scenario could go down.
The other way is that they have an algorithm to
(18:31):
go down and they're going to use an algorithm to
determine a winner of the league, and knowing the history
of this league, knowing the sketchiness of it all, with
all their owners, all the scandals that they've had, it
would probably be the worst case scenario that they would
go down and choose at this point. So I don't
I can you imagine the NBA designing an algorithm? Yeah, um,
(18:54):
so this would be This would be my thought. I
don't think that. I don't think that one player testing
positive will actually, in practice send everyone back home. I
think the far more likely outcome is some player is
gonna test positive. They're gonna be asymptomatic, They're not gonna
be sick at all, and um, they are gonna be
(19:18):
sent like everything will be just continuous normal. I think
the same thing will happen in the NBA. I think
the same thing will happen will when we get to
NFL season baseball season. It's gonna be done on a
case by case basis, and just if if the leagues
are making the decision to come back. I mean we've
already seen this with the Buddhist LEAGUEA right um diet.
They had a bunch of players from a Tier two team, UH,
(19:41):
from Dynamo Dresden. They have like three of their starters
UM test positive for the coronavirus and those guys were
just not allowed to play. But the other you know,
all of the other second buddenis Legua teams we're still playing.
So I I think even in Italy, even if they
try and be hard os, I just I just there's
no way, there's no way the owners are going to
(20:02):
allow any of that stuff to happen. I And that
totally makes sense, it's logical, but at the end of
the day, it's still Italy. They're not They're not just
they're just not logical people. They don't they don't make
any sense. They can't even figure out what a handball
rule is. They change, they change the rule of the handball.
So like this is important in terms of just any
kind of betting that you want to get into, because
(20:23):
if they don't even know a certain rule, that's a
very vital rule, like inside the box. So basically the
general rule of thumb for a handball, just for anyone
who's listening, is kind of getting into the sport while
everything else isn't going on at the moment. It's that
you're intent to put your hand out to stop the
ball from potentially denying a goal scoring opportunity, or just
any part of the field. But it's more decisive obviously
(20:44):
in the penalty area because it leads to a penalty,
a yellow card, red card, um, depending on the scenario.
But at this point, even if a defender is not
trying to use their hands trying to keep them against
their body, if a player kicks them with the ball,
they will call handball. So I mean that that in
itself is just so indecisive and so typical Italy that
they can't figure out something like that. It would lead
(21:06):
me to believe that, you know, even if a player
has a cough and they're not even testing positive for
the coronavirus. They would shut the season down because they
look for anything to just be so ridiculous and so
dramatic at the end of the day. There, So again,
do you like, um with the ninety minutes going straight
to penalties or do you would you rather see some
overtime playoff because I understand where they're coming from in
(21:28):
this scenario that they don't want to tire all these
guys out with an a media potential, you know, hundred
and twenty minute match and then go to penalties, because
I mean you could imagine all the injuries that could
potentially rack up in that scenario. Yeah, I think I
think basically there's not another option. I think this should
be the way that all Cup games go, because you know,
(21:50):
already we're seeing guys pick up muscle injuries a little bit,
you know, a little bit more than we thought that
they would, uh, And that's with teams being able to
make five of substitutions. I mean, I guess maybe maybe
I would say maybe if you allowed eleven substitutions and
and eleven man benches or whatever, then you could go
(22:10):
the whole hunter and twenty minutes and like you could
literally do like hockey line changes in the second in UH,
in overtime or something, then maybe you let it happen.
But that's really the only scenario where I can see
that working out. Yeah, I would. I would think something
like that would be more beneficial for all these teams
because at the end of the day, if Italy wants
to get twelve more games and they really got to
(22:31):
do it, and also they want to get the final
out of the way, which would be on the seventeenth,
so they would get right back into things there. So
I just want to get into some of these props
and and all that UH for this match. And I
and I think something that I really do like UM
at this point in the season is the amount of
corner kicks taken UH in a game, because I do
(22:52):
think at the end of the day, if we're gonna
see some sloppy defending, some sloppy finishing a lot of
the time, that could lead to corners. And I do
like where you can get a round number of ten
corner kicks. I believe it was UM and for me,
I love something like that because you could really see
a lot of teams loving to take corners because especially
(23:15):
a team like Napoli has the ability to just create
so many chances, and a lot of the times they
have smaller players inside the box, it might not always
be as great for Lorenzo and Senor to just you know,
get inside the box, get ready for a cross. He's
going to be the one setting in those crosses all
the time. I know. Jose Calahouna is another guy for
DFS that you love to rock with. Is his corner
(23:35):
kicks something that you like taking a look at when
you're looking at some prop bets, uh in these games?
So I I do like corner props and the ones
where you the matches where you're really going to love
those um are going to be really like games that
end up being really frenetic. You know, these teams are
(23:56):
trying really hard, they're shooting a ton, because what corner
kicks come from trying to shoot the ball at the goal.
The ball goes out of bounds, right Like, That's that's
just sort of that's generally how corner kicks are found.
You know, sometimes they happen over when guys are dribbling
next to the corner flag and stuff. And if we
think that this is gonna be a really defensive game.
We're gonna see lots of shots from range and things
(24:17):
like that, which is which is really you know, just
kind of the way that things work in Italy a
ton like I I think that another interesting thing about
these lines is that we see they're they're scored similarly
between leagues, Like same amount of corners to be expected
in Italy as we see in Spain, as we see
in Germany, and you know pretty much the line is
(24:38):
going to be nine and a half, ten or ten
and a half per team. So for like someone like Italy,
I would actually like to bet overs because those are
defensive games where teams are less likely to score and
more likely to have to push the envelope. Yeah, I
I totally agree there, because you see so many times
where defenders always had their arms behind their back and
they just keep their feet down in front and basically
(25:00):
they're playing no processes in the middle of the box.
We want to eliminate any chances that we could give
up there. Just send him into the corner, will reset
our defense and then we'll we'll try and go from there,
because at the end of the day, that's just old
school Italian defending right, they don't want to give you
anything easy. They want to make you work for everything.
So I can see a scenario and something like that.
(25:20):
So for the total in this game, it's really just
two and a half is the number to play around
with here. It's pretty close in general, over two and
a half at minus one, under two and a half
minus one fourteen. For for me, I think I want
to lean under two and a half. I I definitely
see a scenario in which if Antonio Cuncte just wants
(25:40):
to make take his subs out at a certain point
and just put in the younger guys that he maybe
was alluding to, then I could you could maybe jump
in on a live bet and go with the over.
But for me, I think I'm just gonna go under
two and a half. Um, this is the first match
both of these teams are playing, and I don't know,
just for me, it just feels safer, So I I
(26:00):
like the over on. I think it's like a systematic over.
Where as these games return, I'm gonna be I'm gonna
be wanting over. It's just because I'm expecting the defending
quality to be poor. Yeah, I totally agree, with that,
I think I was telling Dane and Kevin that, um,
the second Atlanta's in it, whatever game on Atlanta is
playing in, I'm absolutely going the over in every single day.
(26:23):
I think even team totals, game totals, it doesn't matter
what it is. I just think they're just gonna be
trying to, you know, get a high volume of shots,
putting in as many as they can, especially going with
the corners. But we will be talking MLS tournament coming
up next on the free Kick sports grid dot com.
Betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips seven as our
team covers the most important topics in sports wagering, real
(26:45):
time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks, and more. Want
the edge than get on the grid sports grid dot Com. Right, everybody,
welcome back to the free Kick here on this Saturday morning,
the MLS is finally returning. Davis, did you place any
(27:07):
bets on the MLS being the first Americans team sport
to return. I probably would not have. I would have
assumed that because the MLS is so spread out and
because their central leadership is generally not good, I would
have thought basically, I would have assumed NBA gets back first,
(27:30):
then football, then hockey, then baseball. Right, I would have
thought I would have thought MLS would have been, you know,
pretty much last. But you know, more power to them
for for figuring things out and I'm getting back. Yeah,
especially going with a date that after they knew what
the NBA was doing, right, Because the NBA is really
(27:50):
taking their time with it. We see more and more
reports about some guys being sketched out by it. I
think I just saw Carmelo Anthony before we started talking
on here saying he's still up in the air about
that scenario. So I mean, more power to the MLS. Right,
So they're gonna be going with a season long tournament
all not a season long, a month long tournament where
it has every single team in the MLS. Whether or
(28:11):
not I agree with the amount of teams that are
in the MLS, that is a different story topic of
conversation for another day. But the first match that we
do know is going to take place is David Beckham's
into Miami gonna be facing off against their state rivals
in Orlando City. Davis. I I do like where they
went with this, right, They want to start creating a
(28:32):
type of rivalry scenario, two of the biggest cities in
Florida going up against each other. Orlando has been in
the league for a few years now, They've had Kaka
play for them. David Beckham is arguably the biggest name
in the league's history, probably is besides Landon Donovan. Right,
he gets his own team. Now, we've heard about this
for years and he's finally there. What are you expecting
(28:54):
from this? Are you excited for this to be the
first matchup to happen? Because personally I am, because I
think this is a rate decision to have your brand
new team, uh be placed at the forefront of this tournament. Yeah,
it's it's really awesome, you know, we are We're gonna
get first of all, this is going to be a
game that, like a lot a lot of people watch
relative to you know, the average MLS game. There's less
(29:17):
on TV. There's more reason to watch the first game.
You know, they're gonna be a lot of people who
watch this first game and probably don't watch any any
other games after that, you know, and uh, Inter Miami
has you know, some some MLS legends, Right, Lee Win
has been in the league for a long time one.
Eguadelo has been in the league for a long time.
(29:37):
Chicha Rito is going to be a name that people remember.
He of Manchester United, Real Madrid fame. Will Trapp if
you ever have played UH Football manager or FIFA career mode,
Will Trapp when he was a teenager would be like
one of like the potential overall guys. You'd want to
sign him away UM from the Columbus Crew. So, I
(29:59):
mean they you know, they have some good players. It's
hard for these expansion UM teams to do very well
the way the MLS works because basically they don't get
the superstar defenders. So interesting how the MLS works where
you have the defenders and some of the midfielders are
literally going to be like I mean, they'd be playing
in in the park leagues in Europe right they'd be
(30:23):
playing they'd be playing Beer League on Sundays. And then
you'll have them playing next to you knows Laton and
teacher Rito and guys who get transferred over UM. You
know Feleet Bay Gutierrez who was a starter at the
top flight in Spain. You know Joseph Martinez was a
starter in Italy before coming over. So It's just it's
a very interesting league how that works because of the
designated players salaries. Yeah, it really is insane and I
(30:47):
was I always try to explain it to people. To
pay discrepancy in the MLS is one of the most
bizarre things I think you will ever see, right, because
you have a really good player, they might not even
get a hundred and fifty grand a year, And then
you're looking at and Andrea Pierlo would be coming over
here was clearly on his last leg and a few
million dollars a year, and that's just basically off of
his own name. Um. I do love the location that
(31:09):
they chose to go with in Florida. I think it's
definitely a smarter move. Florida is one of the better
states to play out this tournament. Um, especially if you're
just going with a month long I do love how
they do plan on returning to the regular season after
this is done. The winner of this tournament will be
getting a Conka Calf Champions League UM placement, So that's
(31:31):
really huge and we we talk about all the time
how important Champions League is getting your brand out there.
The TV money and everything that you can get in Europe.
It's you could argue it's literally the same kind of
logic applied with the MLS and the way the contract
half Champions League goes over here. So I'm really fascinated
to see how that goes down. I'm a little dissa.
It's it's still disheartening to not see Joseph Martinez UM
(31:53):
and Atlanta United's fans because isn't it funny to you?
Um so, so we'll tie in the Americans sports here
two right, So I'm a Mets fan. I always watch
UM the n East all the time whenever the Mets
play the Braves. It's just so shocking to me how
little fans show up to watch the Braves. And the
Braves aren't a bad franchise whatsoever. Right, you could argue
(32:14):
they could have won more World Series than they did
only the one. But this isn't a team that's absolutely
terrible all the time. They have trouble filling up their ballpark.
Atlanta United, it is such a young and new team.
They fill out an entire football stadium and have argued
the best atmosphere you could want from a team. I mean,
(32:35):
that's the only thing that's disappointing not to see but
that's gonna happen anywhere with any of these leagues. But
I mean, I don't know, it's just kind of disappointing
because it's just really nice to see something like that
within the MLS, considering their age and expansion teams like that. Yeah,
I mean, I always thought it was so cool that
a team that, you know, the football team in Atlanta
(32:55):
would have to pipe in crowd noise right to to
get people excited, to make it seem like there was
a ton going on there. The Braves have a ton
of TV fans because Ted Turner owns the Braves and
he owned a television network, so that made things work
for them, but they never had a ton of fans
in the seats. So it's just always really cool. And also,
you know, Atlanta one of the most dominant teams in
(33:16):
the league as well, you know, especially in the regular
season They've been so good in a in years past
with but now Joseph Martinez and Miguel Almoron, you know,
not to not to with the team anymore. So a
lot the lot to keep cycling through that young Latin
American talent. Yeah, So speaking of that, right, because we're
obviously gonna be playing a lot of dfs. I know
you're gonna be jumping in on the dfs. Who are
(33:38):
some of the names that you kind of want and
expect to see step up for Atlanta United in this situation,
because Joseph Martinez, this isn't a you know, setting out
for the tournament, it's the season because that's what a
torn a cl will do to you at this point, um, right,
So who are you leaning towards in this because it's
really hard to replace a guy like that. So, uh,
(34:00):
the guy, the stud that's been in waiting for uh
Atlanta United has been Ezekiel Barco, who they purchased from
a small Argentinean team, you know, and they paid real
money for him, which is so interesting because that's normally
not how things work in the MLS. Right in the MLS,
generally your designated player money where you can give multiple
(34:21):
millions of dollars to guys are gonna be overaged guys
coming over from Europe, you know, Zlatan and Steven Gerard
and Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney. So what Atlanta did
with Ezekiel Barko is instead they took a gamble on
a really young kid. I believe they purchased Barko when
he was only seventeen years old um from Argentina, and
their plan was, Okay, we're gonna give him money now,
(34:44):
then we're actually gonna make double our money once he
proves himself for us, and he's gonna get purchased by
a European team. So their hope has got to be
that Barco is able to not only take over the
creative you know, that distribution role that Miguel Almaran had,
but also take over some of that goal scoring that
that hosts of Martinez was able to do for them.
(35:04):
He's gonna have to do, you know, a little bit
of both. And then also Gonzalo Pity Martinez was a
buy from them in the off season and have to
think that they're expecting him to do basically the same thing.
Yeah again like usual. I mean, anytime you have a
big goal scorer in any sports step out, it's gonna
be kind of difficult. But it'll be interesting to see
(35:25):
how that goes there. Carlos vela Man, I mean, Alexei
Lalas likes to call him on the best players in
the world. Whether you agree with that or not. I
don't agree with it whatsoever. He is fantastic in the MLS,
There's no doubt about it. It was a disappointing end
to their season for l A f C. Is this
a team you're looking forward to um to potentially win
(35:45):
this tournament? And is he Is he your m VP?
Is this your go to guy? If you if it
doesn't matter what the prices for him, are you putting
him in your lineup for DFS? I mean, Vella is
for sure one of the best players in the league. People,
you know, if they're not, if they're not huge MLS guys,
maybe they don't remember Sebastian Giovinco's twenty sixteen season. So
(36:08):
Sebastian Giovinco in the MLS, I mean he was the
I mean I just there. Maybe like Ronaldo in one
of his early Real Madrid seasons, is what the comparison was.
You know, Giavinko would take every corner kick for the
for Toronto, he would take all their penalty gigs. Yeah.
This sow sixteen. He plays thirty four games, plays three
(36:32):
thousand minutes, twenty one goals, sixteen assists averages over a
seven point seven five match raining from who scored and uh,
you know, and Toronto goes on to win the championship.
Vela is about as close as you are going to
get to that in the MLS now now he doesn't
play as many minutes as he doesn't play as many
(36:52):
minutes as Giavinko did, and he actually has more talented
teammates as a member of l a f C because
l a f C has this massive budget and also
they're so intelligent, right, l a f C has just
been one of the best teams in buying, you know,
they have they have so many dudes who are fantastic players,
especially for the for the strength of the league. But
(37:13):
I think that I think that Bella, Yeah, he is
a phenomenal player and probably the best player in the league. Yeah,
and it's crazy too. That's again another team that's relatively young,
expansion team l a FC. You know, we're so accustomed
to the teams um in other cities kind of struggling
at a certain point, you know, like we saw the
Texans struggle for a while when they when they came up,
they couldn't really get things get off the ground there.
(37:35):
L a f C. Carlos Vela it's a home run there. Um,
we're gonna be sticking a little bit into l A uh.
He is not arriving yet, but another huge Mexican star
in Chita Rito should be going to l A Galaxy
replacing Ibrahimovic basically at that point right as the star name,
as the focal of that team. What are you kind
(37:57):
of expecting from him? Do you expect him to kind
of rival car Los Vella? Do you think it's going
to take him some time to get into because they
are different players. Now, cheech Rito was a little bit
more of a poacher opposed to Carlos Vela. But for me,
in the MLS, he's got some of the best off
ball movement that you could be looking for and for
the first time in a while in my opinion, Well,
you know, the thing about the MLS is that just
(38:19):
being like a top quality poacher for what would work
in Europe, you know what works in Spain selling. It's like,
you know, cheech Rito was getting minutes for Sevilla, he
was getting minutes for West Ham, he was getting minutes
for these top flight teams. And that's gonna work in
MLS because you're gonna get the space like cheecher Eto
is gonna be able to be fourteen yards away from goal,
(38:41):
turn his shoulder and he's gonna have a clean look
at goal. It's gonna It's just it's just kind of
the way the defending works. Guys are just not as talented.
They're not going to track your movement as well. And
it's a it's a more wide open game. So I
would expect cheech Rito to have a Vella like influence
on the l A Galaxy. My I guess it's that
he is not going to be He's not going to
(39:01):
be a creative player. He is going to be a
finisher of moves, whereas Vela is both a creator and
a finisher. I think he's gonna be taking their penalties
to I just feel like when you when you bring
in a guy like that, it's, you know, egos get involved.
I feel like it's very hard to just tell him
no when you're giving him all that money, and again,
(39:22):
like playing with the guys he's playing with, it's kind
of it's kind of weird and hard to say no
to the guy like that. UM. Any other teams that
you're looking forward to or players that you will keep
an eye on, to slide into your lineups really quick
before you head out. I mean, I do, I just
I'm very excited to see my my hometown uh sport
in Kansas City. I'm really excited to see them come back,
(39:42):
albeit there gonna be without Felipe Gutierrez, who is their
best player when they return for the tournament. Well, it's
gonna be an exciting tournament for sure. But we're gonna
be talking about some of the top weekend matchups here
on the free kick sports grid dot com, getting insights
and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers the
most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive
(40:04):
betting models, expert picks, and more want the edge than
get on the grid sports grid dot com. Al Right, everybody,
welcome back to the pre kick final segment of the day.
In my favorite segment of the show's when we get
in to all of our top matches and bets that
we love in some of Davis's DFS plays. But first,
(40:27):
I'd be remissed if we were talking about an Arsenal
mishap and a Spurs mishap. Always always love it when
these London teams just make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
So we'll start off with Arsenal. They have one of
their friendly exhibition matches, which is a good thing for
teams to have prior to heading into official matches. So
it's nice to see Arsenal gets something out of the
(40:48):
way there, but it's not great when they lose three
to two to Brentford and the highlights come out David
Louise being put in a spin cycle. Look, I I
am very passionate about defenders. I guess that's just comes
with being an a C Milan fan just growing up
and as an Italian American is just what Italians are
known for. David Louise is such a dreadful player to
(41:12):
watch defensively, especially when he's playing at the center back position.
Um infamously known for the seven to one defeat against Germany,
is one of the star studded center backs in that matchup.
He's so much better as a center defensive mid But
it's not what Arsenals signed him for. We don't know
why Arsenals signed him for that reason. Um, Look, this
is not good and this is not something you want
(41:33):
to have happened when you have to play Manchester City
as your first game back. Uh no, right, that so
so brutal for them to have to play City when
they first get back. I I will say this about
David Louise. I I think that his mistakes look more
spectacular than they actually are. Like I think because he's
(41:55):
so big, and because his hair is goofy and he's
kind of funny. Yeah like side show Bob right, exactly
like I. I actually I think David Louise gets kind
I think he kind of gets a bad rap. I
I actually like to watch him play. I think he's good.
I like him as a center defensive min but when
it comes to bea and and taking on that responsibility,
it's just not him. And the more frustrating part is
(42:18):
everyone knows that, but yet Arsenal still go out and
get him to play that position when they have those
holes there. So for me, look, it's an exhibition match,
you can't take too much away from it. But three
goals to Brentford's side, I mean, come on, what is
gonna happen when they play Manchester City at this point?
So if you didn't have City before, you should probably
take City now at this point. Um, so we're gonna
(42:39):
be switching over to Spurs now, not the San Antonio Spurs.
Not about LaMarcus Aldridge not playing in this summer. It's
about Tottenham Hotspur, Jose Marino, the club who hasn't won
a trophy and seeming well, I don't even think they
won a trophy in our lives um and that's just
even those side trophies that you could win during the summer,
just for participate. Delhi Ali man, Look when he's coming up,
(43:03):
you think he's gonna be this next wonder kid what
we see as in Boby right now, Earling Holland, Jaden Sancho.
He was at that level and then he kind of
regressed a little bit and he's having in his off
field issues and now he's having just it's just one
of them. You just shake out and you're like, come on, man,
like what are you doing here? He's not getting called
up for the next match for Spurs because he was
(43:24):
seemingly mocking the whole coronavirus situation. It's not really a
mature move by him. I mean, at the end of
the day, it's just silly, and you would think a
player of his caliber that's been up and playing for
Spurs for for a few years now, which is get it,
but he just doesn't and and it's just another frustrating thing.
And it's just so Spursy, right yeah, right, yeah, I
(43:46):
think that's m I think that's actually a great point.
It is just it's extremely extremely Spursy for them to
be coming back and there in the middle of you know,
they have this new coach and theoretically things are supposed
to be going in a better direction for them, and
it's not right and and and now it uh, it's
(44:07):
it's gonna be overtaken by something else, and you know,
Jose is gonna have to comment on it, and it
is and it's it's also very Spursy for delhi Alley
to not be uh, you know, for delhi Alley to
be not We're not talking about his play. We're not
talking about how we're excited to watch him play. We're
talking about him being an idiot on Twitter. Yeah. And
and and that's the thing though too, because we see
(44:29):
the Champions League race in the Premier League, we know
how close it is. Manchester United has been awful all season.
There's three points away from Chelsea for the fourth spot,
and Spurs have a golden opportunity here, and it's just
so funny to me because they they were so close
to winning the biggest possible prize for a club in
the Champions League, and yet here they are just struggling.
(44:49):
They fire Pocatino, who's arguably their greatest manager the past
thirty years, probably is probably not even an argument now,
and they're thinking about Spurs in their history. But they
bring in Marine, you know, and it's just like, just
get it together for a few games, man, just get
it to get like you have Harry Kane. Like how
much longer is Harry Kane really gonna sit there and
say I can't handle this. I gotta get out of here.
(45:11):
I gotta win something in my career. Otherwise it's just
the ways because unfortunately for him, I think it's coming
in that scenario, and I do think considering Real Madrid's
situation with the goal scoring and Harry Kane's situation with
Spurs not winning, or we seeing a Gareth Bale two
point oh here or Luca Modrid situation where they're just
leaving Spurs to go to another golden opportunity. Because Harry Kane,
although he's not young, he's not getting any younger at
(45:33):
this point. Just from me. For me, this is this
is such a vital and to the season for Spurs
more than any other team in the Premier League. Um,
it's extremely it's extremely vital for them, I think, um,
and I think if they want to keep their star
players and also you know, find ways to bring new
(45:54):
star players in. You know, I just I don't know
if an eighth place finish is going to cut it.
They gotta get some points, and they gotta do it fast,
and I don't know if they can, Like I literally
don't know if they have the ability to do it. Yeah.
And you know what's even funnier about that, Like we
talk about all these managers complaining all the time, what's
(46:14):
gonna happen if Marino finishes eighth, like you mentioned, like
a scenario like that, you think he's gonna keep his
mouth shutte and just keep going. No, that's gonna be
even more turmoil, more controversy within that locker room. Players
are not gonna want to handle it. They're not gonna
want to deal with it. He's gonna want to bring
in his own guys. Daniel Levy will probably listen to
whatever Marino says, Levi's kind of a shrewd guy at
the end of the day, you know, he's kind of
(46:36):
he's kind of up there with the with the Willpons
of the world. Right, They're not really beloved that whatsoever
by the fan base. Are always vilified in a fashion.
So hopefully things get better for teams. Uh that route
for the London size that are Arsenal and Spurs. Um.
Any other final thoughts on Premier League returning f A
Cup stuff? What are you looking forward to more? Um?
(46:57):
Because I know we discussed this f A Cup a
little bit laugh sweek. Um, anything change in your opinion
with some of the stuff that has come out. I
mean in England, something that I think we have to
be looking forward to is is that race for the
number four spot because we we have some jobs on
the line for sure. You know, if if Manchester United
is not able to get to the top of the
(47:19):
table there, I mean, who's safe, right or I mean
that that whole squad, the coaching staff, like everyone. If
they missed the Champions League again and they get beat
out by Leicester City, I mean what if what if Wolves? Right?
What if Wolves gets up to that fifth spot and
we have no European football for Manchester United next year.
I mean, that is a disaster for Manchester United. So
(47:40):
here's my thing with Manchester United, right, And I used
to think about this like a scenario with the Jets, right,
I want I want the Jets to win. I want
them to do well. You always want your team to
do well. But is it in their best interest to
do well? Because that means your coach and your manager
keeps their job. Adam Gates keeps his job. That's the
Jets make the playoffs somehow, right, that's not necessarily a
(48:01):
good thing. I don't want Adam Gates to stay. I
want him gone. I never wanted him here. Do fans
of million Chester United really want they're gonna Soulscar to stay?
I mean, what has he proven over the past like
two years or so that shows he's qualified to manage
a club of this caliber. I don't think he's shown
anything of that quality that you could say, oh, a
couple of weeks here and there, nice job winning against
(48:24):
PSG in the Champions League. ID buy some time. But
there's nothing that I've seen over the course of a
season that says, yes, absolutely he should stay because they're
arguably in this Champions League race because of other teams
messing up. I mean, the reason that he has this
job is because he was a Manchester United legend, right
that that's why, That's why he has the job. And
(48:46):
I don't think he's a great fit. I don't think
he is, you know, the best possible coach they could have.
It's just you know, it's it's it's just not great. No,
it's it's it's not great whatsoever. So praying for all
you Manchester United fans out there, but hey, if you
get James Sancho with it definitely lessens the blow there. Um,
let's get into some of the games, right Chalk lever
Cusin we talked about at the start of the show. Um,
(49:07):
lever Cusin is obviously in fifth place, back on five
with the goal differential behind glod Back. Uh. Some of
the lines coming out, I mean, shock, Shalk is just
absolutely dreadful. They haven't won a game since the league
has returned their plus one forty the draws at plus
two thirty lever Cuisin plus one sixty on the money line.
That's something I really like. I think over two and
a half again, something as well. I think that's that's
(49:27):
something I really want to go with now result in
both to score. I know that's something I really discussed
a lot, and and especially in the Boon Disliga where
you see goals all the time, so that's very likely scenario.
Actually don't think that is something that is that's safe
to play here because I don't really see Schalk scoring
because they're just so bad in that regard. But you
never know, because they could just put one in the
(49:48):
back of the net off of some crazy goal. Anything
can happen. But you know lever CUIs in there. If
you do see a scenario in which Schalk somehow scores
a goal, go with lever Cusin plus two ten um.
We know glod Bach play is bron Um as well,
so this is definitely a must win game. We we
talked about the opening that potentially is there for lever Cusin.
What do you like in this match? Have you seen
(50:09):
anything that you like, something that I didn't discuss, you
like something that I discussed, Tell me what you like.
I think just the right way to probably approach this
match for me is just gonna be probably betting lever
Cuson just to win outright, and I think why that is.
So far we've seen only of home teams in the
(50:30):
Bundesliga win, So I think home field advantage is basically
dead under these current conditions, right. I just I just
think that playing at home without referee bias, without the
fan noise, I just think it's really it's basically just
like playing a scrimmage. And I don't think that's built
into the betting lines. I think the true line here
is probably Lever Custin, you know, minus to fifty, maybe
(50:52):
even minus three hundred if this was just being played
like a neutral field game essentially. So uh. And I
know people don't always like to bet to win lines
at soccer that don't play plus plus money. They really
like to bet, you know, uh, you know, plus one
fifteen as opposed to minus one fifteen, just because it
feels better to be getting a little bit extra of
(51:12):
your money back. But Lever Houston is they really are
much better than Shalka. Yeah, I mean Shaka has been
so disappointing. I think I placed a bet on him
in one of the first games back. I thought, okay,
you know, maybe they get todebo in there from Barcelona.
Maybe their defensive alignments a little bit better. All of
a sudden they lost and it was a little bit
more of the same. And that's a really worrying sign
when you're doing more picking up on your bad habits
(51:34):
that you had before that break and it carried over.
And I don't think I've faded a team so fast
um in a league, I'll probably be fading a clan,
probably the only other team to do so. In terms
of fading. That just shows how confident I am in
my team. Gladback and Byron, Um, Look, do you do
you see any potential like upset or way that Cloudback
can pull off something of a win here or you
(51:57):
playing Byron. I've been taking Byron a lot first half
money line. I lost on the first half over in
the cup game for them, but I've been three and
oh so far betting heavy favorites in the first half.
I think so. I think the move here definitely is not.
I mean, if you wanted to throw, if you want
to do a parlay like lever Acuston money line, uh
Munich money line, maybe you throw. Maybe you throw Wolfsburg
(52:20):
in there with your with your stuff as well, or
or Dortmund if you want to do all those parlays.
I like that, but I don't see anything here in
terms of an individual bet that I'm really in on. Yeah,
So so let me really quick before we wrap up.
How kind it's I get so worried with money line
parlays in the sport, right It's it's I feel like
it's so difficult all the time to play it, just
because the potential of the draw. Is that something you
(52:43):
try to limit If you're doing a money line parlay,
do you try to keep it two to three games
or or do you go big? Sometimes try and get
four to five. So I think if you're gonna do it,
you just go all in, right, you go in on
on like seven or eight games or whatever, and then
and then when you hit, you know you're you're feeling
great about it. Yeah. I mean, that's that's pretty much
what any parlor that we can talk about. But Davis,
thank you so much for coming on once again. Guys,
(53:05):
enjoy the games. We'll see you next time here on
the free kick sports grid dot com, Betting insights and
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