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Round nine, with the exception of one game in particular (cough), saw a pretty tame atmosphere. With two teams in double gameweeks, the players you expected to get points did. Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins also returned to form after missing some time with injuries/international duties.
I surprisingly had my best round of the year with 75 points thanks to the striking partnership of Wright-Phillips and Torres, pushing me up to 371st. Paisley SC leads both the Dynamo Theory head-to-head and classic leagues at 9-0-0 and 570 points. Nice work!
DC United defender Sean Franklin topped the round scores this week with 15 points in DC's 2-0 win over Columbus by contributing in all areas of the field, including a goal of his own and a clean sheet. Teammates Fabian Espindola, Kofi Opare and Bill Hamid were up there too with eight points each.
No double gameweek teams and players were able to get a win, but there were good performances from the players you would've expected to put up points. New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips and Colorado Rapids forward Gabriel Torres both put up a goal each in their first match up against each other this round before Torres added another in Colorado's 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy.
Houston Dynamo fans weren't too pleased with the 4-1 Texas derby match loss to FC Dallas, but the Fantasy MLS implications were massive. Fabian Castillo and Mauro Diaz were both big performers for Dallas this week with a goal and two assists. If you needed an auto sub this week and you had Matt Hollingshead on your bench, you most likely benefitted from his eight points.
Seattle's Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins hooked up once again in partnership in the Sounders' 3-1 win over New York City FC. Martins pitched in two goals and assist while Dempsey grabbed a goal and an assist, including a sublime back heel to set up Martins.
Looking Ahead
Most managers had this gameweek scribbled into their calendars as four teams - Houston, LA, Salt Lake and San Jose - all have double gameweeks. This leaves managers with a lot of options to choose from. I would say that there's no easy match-up, so at this point it's about rolling with who you trust. Giles Barnes put up a goal in Houston's loss to Dallas, and is a good option in midfield with Stefan Ishizaki in LA. Ishizaki has been one of the most consistent options in midfield, but like most players in double gameweeks it's about knowing if they'll get a full 180 minutes. Javier Morales, if healthy, is a must-have from Real Salt Lake.