Might take the weekend off after that Garcilaso disaster but wanted to toss out some info on MLS. I put a spreadsheet together with the YTD stats which is not all that fn easy to find in this league but a few things stood out like crazy, team by team. questions, thoughts, discussion points are welcome...
Chi Fire - I predicted them to push for a top 3 in East and they're coming around now. Other than GF/GA all the main stats are nearly even and they're one of the most fouled teams in league. They'll continue improving...definitely play-on team
CUSA - stats say to expect their good start to stall which it might already have. getting badly outshot, outcrossed, outcornered, haven't posted a clean sheet, and have fouled nearly 30 more times than opponents. real bad omen! 1H scoring 1/1, 2H scoring 9/8
Colorado - given their incredible injuries they're quite strong in the stats...nearly equal in everything. once they get some boys back they'll be a value
Cbus - biggest stat is they scored just once in 1H and 8x in 2H and GD was -2 vs +4 so clearly they are finishing games well.
DC Utd - ugly and uglier. getting outshot by 45 and have committed 20 more fouls than opposition. I expected them to fall back but not THIS much
FC Dallas - my surprise team for 2013 is rolling and stats follow suit. +6 GD, +6 asst, +13 shots, +13 crosses but have fouled opponent 30 more times than they've been fouled.
Houston - 2nd in league with 127 crosses but have allowed 100. incredibly they've conceded just 22 corners but have only produced 70 fouls against. Stats aren't bad but they're not getting enough SOG with all those crosses
LA Gals - stupid stats really. +45 in shots (!) and have only allowed 15 SOG, 44 crosses, and 14 corners. Cudicini's had to make just 12 saves all season. only allowed 1 first half goal...
Montreal - stats say this team will start dropping. They've allowed 94 shots and 35 corners and are -36 and -17 in those categories. If not bad enough they're -26 in fouls and -2 in 2H goal differential. If not for their 5/1 first half goal differential they'd be a disaster. Don't plan on playing them anytime soon
NE Revs - hard to believe their numbers. -18 shots, -37 crosses, only 18 corners gained, only 12 saves forced against opposition keeper, and 1 goal scored in 1H, 1 in 2H. geezus
NY Red Bulls - sure smells like some overs are coming. lead league in shots, sog, and crosses but giving up nearly as many as they're gaining. They've forced an incredible 123 fouls but have also fouled 93x. Lead league in 1H goals scored but have allowed 7 in 2H.
Philly Union - surprise team so far for me...not their record but their offensive style of play. +12 shots, +20 corners and +14 fouls say they're pressing opposition and goalie has only needed 14 saves. impressive stuff...watch out for philly
Portland - not surprised at their improvement...new coach, solid signings...but their stats are really impressive. +21 in shots stands out as does the league leading +7 2h goal differential. gotta do something about that 1/6 first half goal diff but if you toss out the RBNY game the numbers are even better
RSL - signs of weakness here. -4 in SOG, -5 crosses, -10 corners, -8 fouls and an even 2/2 1h and 5/5 2h goal diff.
SJ - without 7+ key players YTD the stats have to be taken with grain of salt but basically even across the board except for +15 corners. this team will make us a lot of money in the late spring / early summer
Seattle - stats look like they've played half the games they really did. great defense, terrible offense. 2 goals scored in 1H, 1 in 2H....luckily only allowed 1 in 2H. a lot of talent but gotta get healthy before i jump
Sporting KC - stats fit their top position...+45 shots, +55 crosses, +7 corners, and only 14 saves needed. only concern is the 126 fouls conceded
Toronto - all these late goals will kill them this year as their stats say that nothing good will be coming. -8 in assists (brutal), -24 shots, -18 crosses, -17 corners. this will get worse
Vancouver - pretty even across the board as record would suggest. nothing stands out at all but next 10 games really depend on if camilo and mattocks are out of coaches doghouse and actually play in these games.
Chi Fire - I predicted them to push for a top 3 in East and they're coming around now. Other than GF/GA all the main stats are nearly even and they're one of the most fouled teams in league. They'll continue improving...definitely play-on team
CUSA - stats say to expect their good start to stall which it might already have. getting badly outshot, outcrossed, outcornered, haven't posted a clean sheet, and have fouled nearly 30 more times than opponents. real bad omen! 1H scoring 1/1, 2H scoring 9/8
Colorado - given their incredible injuries they're quite strong in the stats...nearly equal in everything. once they get some boys back they'll be a value
Cbus - biggest stat is they scored just once in 1H and 8x in 2H and GD was -2 vs +4 so clearly they are finishing games well.
DC Utd - ugly and uglier. getting outshot by 45 and have committed 20 more fouls than opposition. I expected them to fall back but not THIS much
FC Dallas - my surprise team for 2013 is rolling and stats follow suit. +6 GD, +6 asst, +13 shots, +13 crosses but have fouled opponent 30 more times than they've been fouled.
Houston - 2nd in league with 127 crosses but have allowed 100. incredibly they've conceded just 22 corners but have only produced 70 fouls against. Stats aren't bad but they're not getting enough SOG with all those crosses
LA Gals - stupid stats really. +45 in shots (!) and have only allowed 15 SOG, 44 crosses, and 14 corners. Cudicini's had to make just 12 saves all season. only allowed 1 first half goal...
Montreal - stats say this team will start dropping. They've allowed 94 shots and 35 corners and are -36 and -17 in those categories. If not bad enough they're -26 in fouls and -2 in 2H goal differential. If not for their 5/1 first half goal differential they'd be a disaster. Don't plan on playing them anytime soon
NE Revs - hard to believe their numbers. -18 shots, -37 crosses, only 18 corners gained, only 12 saves forced against opposition keeper, and 1 goal scored in 1H, 1 in 2H. geezus
NY Red Bulls - sure smells like some overs are coming. lead league in shots, sog, and crosses but giving up nearly as many as they're gaining. They've forced an incredible 123 fouls but have also fouled 93x. Lead league in 1H goals scored but have allowed 7 in 2H.
Philly Union - surprise team so far for me...not their record but their offensive style of play. +12 shots, +20 corners and +14 fouls say they're pressing opposition and goalie has only needed 14 saves. impressive stuff...watch out for philly
Portland - not surprised at their improvement...new coach, solid signings...but their stats are really impressive. +21 in shots stands out as does the league leading +7 2h goal differential. gotta do something about that 1/6 first half goal diff but if you toss out the RBNY game the numbers are even better
RSL - signs of weakness here. -4 in SOG, -5 crosses, -10 corners, -8 fouls and an even 2/2 1h and 5/5 2h goal diff.
SJ - without 7+ key players YTD the stats have to be taken with grain of salt but basically even across the board except for +15 corners. this team will make us a lot of money in the late spring / early summer
Seattle - stats look like they've played half the games they really did. great defense, terrible offense. 2 goals scored in 1H, 1 in 2H....luckily only allowed 1 in 2H. a lot of talent but gotta get healthy before i jump
Sporting KC - stats fit their top position...+45 shots, +55 crosses, +7 corners, and only 14 saves needed. only concern is the 126 fouls conceded
Toronto - all these late goals will kill them this year as their stats say that nothing good will be coming. -8 in assists (brutal), -24 shots, -18 crosses, -17 corners. this will get worse
Vancouver - pretty even across the board as record would suggest. nothing stands out at all but next 10 games really depend on if camilo and mattocks are out of coaches doghouse and actually play in these games.
