Saturday, February 02, 2008

Full Of Themselves

Leave it to a DC United fan to be so full of themselves to ask such a question. Gomez was with how many clubs before DC United? 5? 6? And how large of a pay increase was he demanding at age 33? The man has to make a living. But surely no player that would live and die for a club's badge would let a few quid come in the way of finishing out his career with that club, would he?

From Black and Red:
Gomez will improve most any club he goes to by a significant and noticable margin. One thing that will remain to be seen, is will he play for, live for, and die for the badge for another club, like he did for the Black and Red?

Maciej Doesn't Join Crew

Polish striker Zurawski has passed up a move to the Columbus Crew for $1 million transfer to Greek club Larissa [previous post on the move here]. Surely this is frustrating for Crew fans to see their club finally pony up some big money for a player only for the move to fail on the last day of the transfer window. Crew fans shouldn't be too surprised by this. Poland's coach Leo Beenhakker had made it clear to his captain Zurawski that he needed to be playing regularly in the lead up with Euro08 this summer. So they shouldn't be quite so shocked to see Zurawski move to a club in Europe, even a small one like Larissa (full name translated as Athletic Union of Larissa 1964), when they're willing to put cash for him. It's likely his main concern is getting ready for Euro08. A move to Larissa should help ensure he makes the squad. Had Zurawski moved to the Crew and had made Poland's squad, the Crew would've been missing him for 6-8 weeks. And that leads to the question if it's best to use a DP slot on player you know you're going to be missing for a couple months in the season. Did the Crew actually dodge a bit of a bullet?

Note: Everton fans may recognize another Larissa player who was with them during the Walter Smith days, Ibrahima Bakayoko.

Friday, February 01, 2008

Center Holds It

I'm looking forward to see what Center Holds It has to say about the Columbus Crew and Colorado Rapids this season. You can follow those comments over at their blog, here.

Rapids Land Gomez?

The streets in Denver are full of chatter these days. Most of it is folks talking about when they're going to go skiing because they have barely used their Colorado Pass this winter. But a few folks have been saying that the Rapids have signed Christian Gomez from DC United. It's a done deal and just a matter of making the announcement. I'm sure most Colorado Rapids fans will welcome Gomez with open arms. The question is what did Colorado have to give up to get him? He was out of contract with DC United and the league. At this point technically Colorado would be trading DC United for his rights.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Q & A With Stephen Keel

If you haven't already caught it, Colorado native Stephen Keel answers some questions over on NoFanAlone.com. My favorite was his answer to starting his first game last year at Salt Lake. That's right Stephen, give 'em hell! http://www.nofanalone.com/blog/archives/001050.html

Oh and I do remember having a shoe lace football tackle on Beckerman for my first yellow card. That was fun.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Michel Gets Friendly With El Pibe


Things are getting a little steamy between Michel and El Pibe, eh?
Props to John for sending this one my way.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Evaluating Team Defense

I just want to take a moment to point out yet another soccer blog, this one focused on the Colorado Rapids. It's View From The Couch. One bone I have to pick is with the idea that the Rapids had the 3rd best defense. I didn't walk away from 2007 thinking Colorado had the 3rd best defense in the league. I didn't think GA in itself was a good indicator. I think one needs to look at shots allowed and shots on goal allowed. When you look at that, you can see why I walked away with that gut feeling. Colorado more or less allowed other teams to take just as many shots as many other teams in the league. The key is that they only Houston allowed less shots on goal. Now SOG is not an exact measurement of the number of quality scoring chances given. I would argue that allowing the shot in the first place indicates some level of chance. But the Rapids allowed only 320 SOG by opposing teams. Other than Chivas USA, that is a lot better than most teams in the league. Bouna Condoul was a big part of that but the defense at a whole helped, too.

What other things can we see from these numbers? I think they show DC United relied on Troy Perkins to save their butts more than their GA indicates. It also shows that Real Salt Lake by far had the worst defense in the league.
Note: SOG (below) really is Shots On Goal Allowed. My apologies for any confusion.

By GA
Team GA Shots Shots / 90 SOG SOG / 90 Saves Saves / 90 Saves / SOG GA / 90 GA / SOG
Houston 23 280 3.111 118 1.311 93 1.033 0.788 0.256 0.195
Chivas USA 28 324 3.600 125 1.389 100 1.111 0.800 0.311 0.224
Colorado 34 320 3.556 161 1.789 121 1.344 0.752 0.378 0.211
DC United 34 349 3.878 164 1.822 124 1.378 0.756 0.378 0.207
Chicago 36 351 3.900 157 1.744 123 1.367 0.783 0.400 0.229
New England 43 359 3.989 169 1.878 120 1.333 0.710 0.478 0.254
Columbus 44 354 3.933 152 1.689 131 1.456 0.862 0.489 0.289
FC Dallas 44 381 4.233 158 1.756 112 1.244 0.709 0.489 0.278
Kansas City 45 342 3.800 159 1.767 110 1.222 0.692 0.500 0.283
NYRB 45 366 4.067 168 1.867 116 1.289 0.690 0.500 0.268
RSL 45 403 4.478 205 2.278 152 1.689 0.741 0.500 0.220
Los Angeles 48 388 4.311 179 1.989 125 1.389 0.698 0.533 0.268
Toronto FC 49 352 3.911 169 1.878 115 1.278 0.680 0.544 0.290
By SOG
Team SOG SOG / 90 Shots Shots / 90 Saves Saves / 90 Saves / SOG GA GA / 90 GA / SOG
Houston 118 1.311 280 3.111 93 1.033 0.788 23 0.256 0.195
Chivas USA 125 1.389 324 3.600 100 1.111 0.800 28 0.311 0.224
Columbus 152 1.689 354 3.933 131 1.456 0.862 44 0.489 0.289
Chicago 157 1.744 351 3.900 123 1.367 0.783 36 0.400 0.229
FC Dallas 158 1.756 381 4.233 112 1.244 0.709 44 0.489 0.278
Kansas City 159 1.767 342 3.800 110 1.222 0.692 45 0.500 0.283
Colorado 161 1.789 320 3.556 121 1.344 0.752 34 0.378 0.211
DC United 164 1.822 349 3.878 124 1.378 0.756 34 0.378 0.207
NYRB 168 1.867 366 4.067 116 1.289 0.690 45 0.500 0.268
New England 169 1.878 359 3.989 120 1.333 0.710 43 0.478 0.254
Toronto FC 169 1.878 352 3.911 115 1.278 0.680 49 0.544 0.290
Los Angeles 179 1.989 388 4.311 125 1.389 0.698 48 0.533 0.268
RSL 205 2.278 403 4.478 152 1.689 0.741 45 0.500 0.220
By Shots Allowed
Team SOG SOG / 90 Shots Shots/ 90 Saves Saves / 90 Saves / SOG GA GA / 90 GA / SOG
Houston 280 3.111 118 1.311 93 1.033 0.788 23 0.256 0.195
Colorado 320 3.556 161 1.789 121 1.344 0.752 34 0.378 0.211
Chivas USA 324 3.600 125 1.389 100 1.111 0.800 28 0.311 0.224
Kansas City 342 3.800 159 1.767 110 1.222 0.692 45 0.500 0.283
DC United 349 3.878 164 1.822 124 1.378 0.756 34 0.378 0.207
Chicago 351 3.900 157 1.744 123 1.367 0.783 36 0.400 0.229
Toronto FC 352 3.911 169 1.878 115 1.278 0.680 49 0.544 0.290
Columbus 354 3.933 152 1.689 131 1.456 0.862 44 0.489 0.289
New England 359 3.989 169 1.878 120 1.333 0.710 43 0.478 0.254
NYRB 366 4.067 168 1.867 116 1.289 0.690 45 0.500 0.268
FC Dallas 381 4.233 158 1.756 112 1.244 0.709 44 0.489 0.278
Los Angeles 388 4.311 179 1.989 125 1.389 0.698 48 0.533 0.268
RSL 4034.478 205 2.278 1521.6890.741 45 0.500 0.220