MLS - Playing with Numbers

MLS

Wondo really was a sniper this year. Over half his shots were on goal and half of his shots on goal went in.

PLAYER	TEAM	GP	SHOTS	SOG	SOG %	GOALS	G/SHOTS	G/SOG
Chris Wondolowski	SJ	28	68	36	52.94%	18	26.47%	50.00%
Conor Casey	COL	27	69	28	40.58%	13	18.84%	46.43%
Dwayne De Rosario	TOR	27	72	36	50.00%	15	20.83%	41.67%
Edson Buddle	LA	25	96	43	44.79%	17	17.71%	39.53%
Omar Cummings	COL	29	76	37	48.68%	14	18.42%	37.84%
Juan Pablo Angel	NY	30	98	40	40.82%	13	13.27%	32.50%
Kei Kamara	KC	29	91	33	36.26%	10	10.99%	30.30%
Fredy Montero	SEA	29	91	34	37.36%	10	10.99%	29.41%
Sebastien Le Toux	PHI	28	90	48	53.33%	14	15.56%	29.17%
G/SHOTS=Goals % on Shots Taken --- G/SOG=Goals % of Shots on Goal

DC United, FC Dallas, Houston, New England, Philadelphia, Seattle and Toronto are the teams that lost more than once when scoring the first goal.

Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake are the only teams not to have won when surrendering the first goal.

DC United and Houston lost more than once when leading at the half. Los Angeles led at the half 15 times. Chivas USA led at the half just 4 times.

Houston, Philadelphia and Toronto won more than once when trailing at the half. Philadelphia trailed at the half 12 times. FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake trailed at the half just 4 times.

There was no 'World Cup' boost in attendance as these numbers demonstrate.

	pre cup		during cup		pre/during	thru cup		after cup		thru/after	overall
	GP	Avg	GP	Avg	+/-	GP	Avg	GP	Avg	+/-	GP	Avg
1998	82	14,894	23	15,827	6.27%	105	15,098	87	13,363	-11.49%	192	14,312
2002	45	16,483	25	13,011	-21.06%	70	15,243	70	16,398	7.58%	140	15,821
2006	60	16,057	40	13,198	-17.81%	100	14,914	92	16,142	8.24%	192	15,502
2010	93	16,472	24	17,227	4.58%	117	16,627	123	16,721	0.56%	240	16,675

MLS 2010 Statistics

Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results
• UEFA: Champions League
• UEFA: Europa League
• Digicel Caribbean Cup
• Copa Sudamerica
• USWNT: US Women continue World Cup qualifying run

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Monday Post

MLS

• Reams(or megabytes) are being written about the MLS playoff system. Simple solution ... rename the conferences so the nit pickers can get over RSL winning the Cup out of the East, and seed the playoffs based on points, regardless of conference. This isn't brain surgery.
• Climbing the Ladder: Team Ages
• WV Hooligan: Playoff Preview
  

It's Just Business

• Guardian: Making a killing out of football: African reporters investigate 
• Guardian: Match-fixing in 'fake international' friendly turns up heat on Fifa 
• ESPNSoccernet: Chelsea chairman Buck backing salary cap idea  A good read
• Rob Hughes: 3 Modern Soccer Gods and One Bad Apple
• Will Frears: US influence on English Football

Soccer in the US

• USSF-D2:  Puerto Rico take lead over Carolina in D2 final 
• USL-Pro:  Rochester Joins USL-Pro  
• USL-Pro:  Austin Moves to Orlando and Joins USL-Pro   

Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Knockout draw on Nov 30.
• Asian Champions League Finals Set
• Copa Sudamerica
• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - T.P. Mazembe vs E.S.T. in final
• UEFA: Champions League
• UEFA: Europa League
• Digicel Caribbean Cup

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Friday Oct 22

MLS

• CJ Brown retiring
• Jaime Moreno's career in DC comes to a close
• Steve Davis' 5 Things
• Attendance v NBA/NHL in shared cities

Just for argument's sake, a 2011 conference proposal

Columbus	Chicago	Chivas USA
DC United	Colorado	Los Angeles
New England	Dallas	Portland
NJ Red Bull	Houston	San Jose
Philadelphia	Kansas City	Seattle
Toronto	Salt Lake	Vancouver

Conference winners and next best 5 teams in playoffs, seeded 1-8 based on points.

Schedule Plan A: Balanced, home and home vs all teams.
Schedule Plan B: 4 games vs Conference opponents, 1 each vs all others(alternating home games in alternate years). And yes, I do know that league has announced a 34 game schedule for 2011.

Interesting

• Liverpool:  John Henry's day, when he bought Liverpool  A good read

Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Knockout draw on Nov 30.
• Asian Champions League Finals Set
• Copa Sudamerica
• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - T.P. Mazembe vs E.S.T. in final
• UEFA: Champions League
• UEFA: Europa League
• Digicel Caribbean Cup 

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Club Tourneys redux

MLS

• Klein, Lewis, McBride, Petke retiring
  
• Steve Davis' 5 Things 
• Wondo hat trick secures Quakes win over Chivas USA
• Andrea Canales on MLS and the CCL 

Interesting

• In Case You've Never Visited:  Zonal Marking 
• Best Headline: Liverpool traded to Red Sox 

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Toluca, Olimpia secure final spots in Quarters.
• Asian Champions League Finals Set
• Copa Sudamerica
• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - T.P. Mazembe vs E.S.T. in final
• UEFA: Champions League

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Club Tourneys etc.

MLS

• Playoff seeding, does it matter
• Steve Davis' 5 Things

Soccer in the US

• USSF-D2:  Carolina v Puerto Rico in D2 final 

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - TFC wins, finish 3rd in GroupA. RSL top Group A with win over Cruz Azul. Columbus thru via Santos win.
• Asian Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica 
• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - T.P. Mazembe vs E.S.T. in final
• UEFA: Champions League 

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Tuesday Night

MLS

• CCL:  CCL Effects on team
• Wizards keep slim playoff hopes alive
• Tactics:  Colorado fiddles with formations

Soccer in the US

• USMNT:  US and Colombia in scoreless draw
• Youth Development:  ‘Homegrown’ MLS players could help club, country
• Steve Davis Before and After:  USA v Poland Preview - USA v Poland Review -I'll do the same for the Colombia game in a few days

Interesting

• FIFA:  Goal Line Technology Back on the Table
• Media:  Arsenal sign deal with YES network
• David Mitchell:  Does football need billionaires 

Competitions

• African Nations Cup:  Niger beats Egypt
• EURO 2012:  Qualifying Underway
• CFU Caribbean Cup:  Niger beats Egypt 

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MLS Tidbits and More

MLS

• Single Table v Playoffs, a Brit's view:  Single Table v Playoffs
• The playoffs are all but set. Only Kansas City has a mathematical chance to crash the party, and they need to win their three remaining games(@CHI, @NE, SJ), while the Rapids lose their last two(@LA, RSL).
• Is it time for Dallas to move or be sold? Barely 10,000 showed up to see them set the single season unbeaten record.
• MLS attendance before and after the World Cup is almost exactly the same, just as it was in 2002 and 2006. 

	pre cup		during cup		pre/during	thru cup		after cup		thru/after	overall
	GP	Avg	GP	Avg	+/-	GP	Avg	GP	Avg	+/-	GP	Avg
1998	82	14,894	23	15,827	6.27%	105	15,098	87	13,363	-11.49%	192	14,312
2002	45	16,483	25	13,011	-21.06%	70	15,243	70	16,398	7.58%	140	15,821
2006	60	16,057	40	13,198	-17.81%	100	14,914	92	16,142	8.24%	192	15,502
2010	93	16,472	24	17,227	4.58%	117	16,627	105	16,386	-1.45%	222	16,513

Points per game since the All-Star Game
	GP	PPG
Seattle	10	2.300
Dallas	12	2.000
Salt Lake	11	1.909
NY Red Bull	12	1.833
San Jose	12	1.667
Los Angeles	10	1.600
Colorado	12	1.583
Kansas City	11	1.545
Chivas USA	11	1.182
Chicago	13	1.154
New England	13	1.154
Columbus	11	1.091
Philadelphia	14	1.000
DC United	11	0.818
Houston	11	0.727
Toronto	12	0.667

Soccer in the US

• USSF D2:  D2 Playoffs
• Jason Davis:  The "Problem" of American Talent Heading South
• US Open Cup:  Here's Hoping U.S. Open Cup Finally Steps Out Of Shadows 

Interesting

• CONCACAF:  CONCACAF Request Entry Into The Copa America
• The Mexican Primera had all three Sunday matches end in 0-0 draws.

Wednesday Night Post

MLS

• Chris Nee:  Rosters, parity and the next step for Major League Soccer

Soccer in the US

• USSF D2:  D2 Playoffs get underway
• Andrea Canales:  US Inferiority Instilled Early 

Interesting Reads

• CONCACAF:  CONCACAF Request Entry Into The Copa America
• La Liga:  Interesting take on TV revenue distribution in La Liga

Club Tournaments

• Copa Sudamerica

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Monday Morning Post

MLS

• MLS Attendance Report - Week 27
• A peek at the revived Reserve League
• Respect for MLS - Needed or Wanted?
• Revamping MLS playoffs  
• Goal.coms weekly DP update 

Soccer in the US

• One man's view of soccer in the US
• USA Lacks Quality Forwards 
• USSF D2 seeding in place for playoffs

Interesting Reads

• Is It Difficult to Identify Elite Soccer Players?
• Why CONCACAF is killing the best rivalry in North America

Tournaments

• Digicel Caribbean Cup - Puerto Rico win
• CAF Champions League semifinal results(Africa)

The Business of Soccer

• Man City lose 121M pounds
• Guardian:  Financial crisis in England
• Tight Purse Strings Don't Hobble Two Clubs

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MLS: After the World Cup

I had already started to put this table together when I heard the question come up on Richard Farley's MLS Talk Podcast as to how MLS was doing after the World Cup.

	pre cup		during cup		pre/during	thru cup		after cup		thru/after	overall
	GP	Avg	GP	Avg	+/-	GP	Avg	GP	Avg	+/-	GP	Avg
1998	82	14,894	23	15,827	6.27%	105	15,098	87	13,363	-11.49%	192	14,312
2002	45	16,483	25	13,011	-21.06%	70	15,243	70	16,398	7.58%	140	15,821
2006	60	16,057	40	13,198	-17.81%	100	14,914	92	16,142	8.24%	192	15,502
2010	93	16,472	24	17,227	4.58%	117	16,627	87	16,369	-1.55%	204	16,517

The '98, '02 and '06 overall numbers are for the full season.

MLS

• Toronto FC: The Honeymoon is over 

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - RSL and TFC draw, RSL thru, TFC, Seattle eliminated in group phase 5th round.
• UEFA: Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica  

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A Friday Post

MLS

• The 'big' game is just an hour away. Of course, it's not really a big game. LA has clinched a playoff spot and the Red Bulls would have to collapse not to finish 2nd in the East. Of course, LA does want to stay ahead of RSL and win the Supporters' Shield, but otherwise, I'd say the KC/Dallas game is the 'big' game, featuring the two hottest teams in the league and KC making a late run to overcome Seattle for the 8th playoff position.
  

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Municipal, Olimpia win in group phase 4th round. Columbus and RSL lead their respective groups after 4 rounds.
• Asian Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica  

Interesting Reads

• Bundesliga: What makes it so attractive

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Midweek MLS, CCL Champs League

MLS

• KC Wizards: Wizards wonder win in 97th minute The Wizards are now 3 points back of Seattle for the last playoff spot with a game in hand. Seattle hold the tiebreaker(head to head) with a 1-0 win at Qwest. The two meet on Oct 9 in KC
• Dallas: FCD's unbeaten string continues with stoppage time goal

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Seattle loses, RSL wins in group phase 4th round. Columbus and RSL lead their respective groups after 4 rounds.
• Asian Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica 

Interesting Reads

• If you read a lot of articles about soccer, and let's face it, you wouldn't be here if you didn't, you've often seen pieces done in the US on why MLS clubs don't take the US Open Cup or CONCACAF Champions League seriously. Fielding weakened teams is often the case as clubs put a priority on league play. Well, it was good to run into this piece on the same issue for English Premier Clubs: It’s Time for Premier League to Take the Carling Cup More Seriously

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Tactics, Champs League and other Stuff

MLS

• Steve Davis: Talking tactics
• DC United: The team isn't winning, so why not have some fun

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Columbus wins, Toronto draws in group phase 4th round
• Asian Champions League

Interesting Reads

• First in a series: Who is US Soccer - Sunil Gulati
• Euro Club Soccer: Ready to crash and burn - A long read, but a good one
• A beginners' guide to tactics 
• Actual Fans, Are They Necessary

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News and Views from Thur-Fri Sep 2-3

Starters

Just a heads up that I will be on a two week hiatus, starting on Saturday. I may be able to sneak in a post or two, but no guarantees. The sites on my blog list are regular stops for me, and I recommend them to you for your soccer fix. Enjoy your soccer.

MLS

• MLS Weekend Preview — Sept. 4–5
• Another MLS Weekend Preview — Sept. 4–5
• A third MLS Weekend Preview — Sept. 4–5 
• Garber on schedule congestion 
• New Adidas Deal Is Huge For The Future Of MLS 
• A two part interview with Arlo White, Seattle Sounders broadcaster and a damn good one at that - Part 1  -  Part 2
• I had to pick one report, you can find many others - Brian McBride to retire
  

Club Tournaments

• US Open Cup - Just can't get no respect
• A Fake Sigi US Open Cup rant
• WV Hooligan calls for the end of N.A. SuperLiga
• Copa Sudamericana Update 

Around the World

• League tables just a click away
• EPL Rosters - I'll have more on this in a few days
• More comments on the 25 man EPL roster rule
• USSF D2 - D2 Playoff Rules Clarified
• USSF D2 - A Look Ahead at Week 22
• Austin Aztex Not Committing and Rochester Rhinos Sorting Out Their Options; A USSF D2 & D3 Update
• CONCACAF - Greg Seltzer chimes in on the new qualification rules 
• CONCACAF - Dan Feurstein chimes in on the new qualification rules
• CONCACAF - Howard Hamilton chimes in on the new qualification rules 
• In case haven't figured it out yet, the proposed changes in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying represents a sea change, hence the multiple links on the story.
• La Liga - On the lack of competition in La Liga    

Interesting Reads

• By way of Soccer by the Numbers: Reforming Soccer: Proposals From An Economist
• West Ham co-owner Sullivan calls for end to loan 'madness'

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News and Views - Mon-Tues Aug 30-31

MLS

• Week 22 Attendance Report
• Footiebusiness: The updated Adidas deal
• Kansas City: Wizards sign home grown keeper
• Philadelphia: Union sign D-M Williams

Club Tournaments

• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - JS Kabylie in Final 4

Interesting Reads

• CONCACAF: CONCACAF To Change World Cup Qualifying - How the Change hurts the Azteca
• Luis Bueno: New CONCACAF Qualifying Proposal Levels Playing Field
• USSF D2: Week 21 Review

Player Moves

• A flurry of moves as the summer transfer window closed. Some 'big name' movers... Camoranesi, Gudjohnson, Van der Vaart, Robinho, Pennant, 
• Goal.com's Transfer page

The Business of Soccer

• Transfer fees in the UK
• Michel Platini Set To Level The European Playing Field With New Spending Rules

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News and Views from Thur Aug 26

MLS

• RSL: Real Salt Lake’s Mexico City Collapse, and Why It Matters
• TFC: Toronto FC Signs Doneil Henry As First Home Grown Player

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Saprissa, Toluca win in group phase 2nd round
• Jason Davis: On Speaking Out on CONCACAF Shenanigans
• UEFA: Champions League Groups
• UEFA: Michel Platini will expel debt-laden clubs from the Champions League 
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Sudamerica

Interesting Reads

• USMNT U20: U20 roster set for Peru tourney
• Video: The first date from Nutmeg Radio
• EPL: Premier League may ban player loans to stop clubs stockpiling 
• Time Warner Cable, Disney Talks Focus on ESPN3 Website Fees 
• UEFA: Inter sweep UEFA Club Football Awards 

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

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News and Views Wed Aug 25

MLS

• Chivas USA: Goats add Home Grown player
• RBNY: Rookies making a difference
• Rapids: Kroenke now a majority NFL owner
• Rapids: Rapids stuck in an eddy Part 1  -  Part 2

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - RSL, Seattle lose in group phase 2nd round
• CCL: Don Garber's Silence is Sending the Wrong Message
• UEFA: Champions League Results
  
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Sudamerica

Interesting Reads

• FIFA: FIFA VP and CONCACAF Prez in another ticket scandal
• Man U: Glazers fail to pay mortgage on four shopping malls
• US Players: The Issues With Scandinavia 
• Man City: Sheikh Mansour's £500m Manchester City cash injection
• Argentina: Argentina's romantic view of the beautiful game may be holding them back  

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

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News and Views

MLS

• Jason Davis: On the fiasco that was CCL on Tuesday
• J Hutcherson: More on the fiasco that was CCL on Tuesday

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - TFC, Columbus lose in group phase 2nd round
• UEFA: Champions League Results
  
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Sudamerica 

Interesting Reads

• Andrew Guest: A Mental Game: Pain

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

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News and Views from Fri Aug 20

MLS

• MLS weekend preview
• Steven Stoehr: New England Revolution Comment: How MLS Crushes Dynasties   I'm not totally on board with this, but it's a good read
• Two views of Columbus stadium options: Jason Davis - Drew Epperly
• A look at MLS clubs in the CONCACAF Champions League
• Another look at MLS clubs in the CONCACAF Champions League 
• Leander Schaerlaeckens: Will MLS rules hinder future growth?  
• A comment on the latest release of MLS salaries
• Grant Wahl crunches MLS salaries 

Around the World

• Octagon Multicultural Division hosts Future of “Futbol” In America
• Travis Clark: D2 weekend preview 
• Noah Davis: USMNT player performance 

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Seattle lose in group phase opener
• UEFA: Champions League Results
  
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Libertadores Final - Vickery on Internacional's victory
• Copa Sudamerica 

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page 

The Business of Soccer

• Crystal Palace out of administration
• Bundesliga increases international TV revenues thanks to International and European success
• Lower league TV in the UK and the perils therein 

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News and Views from Thur Aug 19

MLS

• Ratings: MLS Viewership Down 9.5% On ESPN2 

Around the World

• Bill Archer: Calling D2 like it is
• Whitecaps' loan deal for teen Salgado falls through
• Neymar saga ends, signs with Santos  

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Seattle lose in group phase opener
• UEFA: Champions League Results
  
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Libertadores Final - Vickery on Internacional's victory
• Copa Sudamerica 

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page 

The Business of Soccer

• ESPN in the UK
• So you want to own a soccer team: Part 3 PDL

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