Professional Soccer Team Analytics
Caleb Porter left Portland Timbers at the end of 2017. There were many rumors as to why that happened; I put (some) of my thoughts in writing here: Porter Pulls out of Portland I didn't include everything and still won't; what happens behind closed-doors should stay behind closed doors. But here's what I offered almost... Continue Reading →
Major League Soccer nears the All Star break and most teams have reached the mid-point in games played. From top to bottom here's the latest on MLS team performance in possession, passing accuracy, penetration, creation, precision, and finishing. Being the best in just one of those categories does not mean you are the best in... Continue Reading →
Ironic? An epithet created by the Timbers Army, which had sincere meaning in the playoffs last year, might have even more meaning this year. The Path Long, The Way Unknown, You are the mapmakers. Caleb Porter is out and Gio Savarese is in. In case you missed it - my thoughts on why Caleb... Continue Reading →
Soccer is a global sport - and some say it's the largest, organized, youth sport in the United States. Why, in a country with such a huge population of youth soccer players, do we see ourselves failing to qualify for the World Cup? I don't think it's because we aren't teaching players the mechanics of technical... Continue Reading →
Serving as a head coach in Major League Soccer is not easy - the rotating door of coaches leaving seems non-stop. So the departure of Caleb Porter doesn't surprise me. I sense there may have been multiple reasons but I'll set the stage for one - main reason - a reason you won't see published... Continue Reading →
I'm sure there's many ways to determine what Head Coach might best lead the US Men's National Team out of darkness... I've narrowed my scope of who might fit best by limiting the selection pool to those who currently lead a team in Major League Soccer. This obviously includes a broad band of candidates -... Continue Reading →
I'm not on the bandwagon of blasting US Soccer, USSF, Sunil Gulati, the Coaching Staff, or the Players anymore - that's old news for me; especially since the rest of our soccer media has finally caught up to what I was thinking after the US Men's team performance in World Cup 2014. Here's my summary... Continue Reading →
Lots going on to share with you as Major League Soccer gets set for this weekend. In particular order: Major League Soccer Total Soccer Index (TSI) Eastern Conference Western Conference Jay Heaps gets the heave-ho from New England; why? Quality in MLS - has it got better since 2014? If so, where? Predictions for this... Continue Reading →
Is this a likely pre-cursor to the MLS Championship Game? I'm not sure, but given the wild west, and more predictable east, it isn't beyond reason to think so. In preparing my information for your consideration here's a link to my Total Soccer Index: The Science (Attacking): Toronto at home compared with Portland on the road. The... Continue Reading →
Much has transpired in the world of soccer statistics over the past four years since I first published: Possession with Purpose - An Introduction and some Explanations. Three years ago I published my Possession with Purpose - Revised Introduction. In 2014 the concept was presented at the World Conference on Science and Soccer 2014. Last year the concept... Continue Reading →
