If you’re having a hard time navigating the international absences, don’t feel bad – it’s one of the hardest things to do in MLS Fantasy. As the profile of the league grows, it attracts more and more players who pull double duty with their country’s national team. While that makes for some great spectacle on the field, it can also leave big gaps in your fantasy roster as these same players take off for stretches of time.
If you're new to the league or unfamiliar with the club-country duality, here's a brief primer (you can skip ahead if you know the deal):
Basically, there are several dates throughout the MLS season that are set aside by FIFA for international competition. In addition to those dates, there are several youth competitions that generally take place during the summer, like the U-20 World Cup that's currently underway in New Zealand.
In general, the league tries to work around these dates and not schedule its own games during these times. But, in order to complete the regular season before the winter, the games must go on. So, from time to time, a good chunk of the star players will be missing.
We update the fantasy site with these absences and they're also listed here. That link is your single best resource for navigating the call-ups, but there are some additional common sense things you can do to guard against taking zeroes from key players during a busy June.
1) Pick players who aren't in the international picture
I've had some good luck in the past picking players who are just outside their national team pictures. Fredy Montero, the ex-Seattle striker, just couldn't seem to break into the Colombian national team picture – a shame for him, but a boon for fantasy owners.
A current Seattle striker – Obafemi Martins – finds himself in a similar position on the outside of the Nigerian national team. Fringe internationals like this can be great, worry-free staples for your fantasy squad. Think Benny Feilhaber, Kei Kamara, Octavio Rivero, Ethan Finlay, Bradley Wright-Phillips, etc.
2) Make your transfers as late as possible
One of the advantages of the game’s late transfer deadline is you can see the starting lineups for the first slate of games before your roster is locked in (and make changes accordingly).
Now, this can be a challenge since we all have lives to live, but if you can, set a calendar alert for thirty minutes before the first match kicks off. This will give you some time to review the starting XI’s and make the necessary maneuvers.
Last week, I was able to move Kofi Opare back into my starting lineup when DC chose to use Steve Birnbaum, Opare's potential replacement, at outside back. (He only scored three points because DC is allergic to shutouts, but I still think the strategy was sound.)
Anyway, if you weren’t aware that a certain player was on an international break, you might be able to catch that with a quick review of the lineups.
3) Build a decent bench
Even the best-laid plans go awry from time to time. To guard against taking a zero, consider using this week's unlimited transfers to build a strong bench of low-cost contributors.
At the moment, the back line is the best place to find these guys – think London Woodberry ($4.6m), Axel Sjoberg ($4.7m), Matt Polster ($4.8m), etc. But even modestly-priced attackers can be great backups, like Jairo Arrieta ($6.6m) proved with last Wednesday's brace. One solid sub at each position group will give you a lot of peace of mind heading into the fantasy week.
So those are my tips. Unfortunately, there’s no quick fixes to navigating the international absences. As our friend Mad Eye would say, the only solution is CONSTANT VIGILANCE!
What do you think? How do you guard against international absences? Have your say in the comments below.
