Welcoming Expected Own Goals to the ASA Family
/Today is a really exciting day for us at ASA, as we get to add a new show to the ASA podcast feed by announcing that Expected Own Goals (@xOwnGoals) is our new women’s soccer podcast partner. Evan and Eric have built an awesome community covering (primarily) NWSL and American women’s soccer through a statistical lens in a way we haven’t seen anywhere else on the internet. If you’re already subscribed to the ASA podcast with Ben, Harrison, and Kieran, the xOG episodes will appear right in your feed. If you’re not, go do it! With the free data available for the NWSL here at ASA and their coverage, you’ll be hearing a lot more from us this NWSL season!
Read More2024 NWSL Season Previews: Houston Dash and Racing Louisville
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We’re releasing team previews ahead of the NWSL season that kicks off on Saturday, March 16! Our third edition includes the Houston Dash and Racing Louisville.
Read More2024 NWSL Season Previews: Chicago Red Stars and Kansas City Current
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We’re releasing team previews ahead of the NWSL season that kicks off on Saturday, March 16! Our second edition includes last season’s bottom dwellers, the Chicago Red Stars and the Kansas City Current.
Read More2024 NWSL Season Previews: Bay FC and Utah Royals
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We’re releasing team previews ahead of the NWSL season that kicks off on Saturday, March 16! Our first edition includes the league’s two newest expansion teams in Bay FC and Utah Royals.
Read MoreSeason Previews: FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew
/How much Skyline Chili can you eat off a Supporter’s Shield?
FC Cincinnati enters 2024 in a previously unknown situation in its Major League Soccer history - as defending Supporters’ Shield champions. FCC’s run to the Shield wasn’t a fluke, either. According to American Soccer Analysis numbers, though Cincinnati outperformed its xPoints, the team still produced the highest total in MLS in 2023. But 2024 FCC will have to adjust and evolve, like nearly all silverware winning teams.
Read MoreSeason Previews: Orlando, Philly, St. Louis City
/Will Orlando’s Outliers Overperform Once More?
How do you follow-up your best-ever season? Orlando City might have the answer. Orlando finished 2023 second in the East (and second in MLS) with a club-record 63 points, scoring a club-record 55 goals along the way. After a best-ever playoff finish in the Eastern semifinals, the Orlando front office may have had a best-ever off-season:
Read MoreSeason Previews: LAFC, New England, Seattle
/The Vel-lesser of Two Evils
LAFC had nearly the best possible season you can have after winning MLS Cup, making it to the final a second consecutive year and shining as the analytics darlings of the Western Conference. LAFC led their conference in both xG difference and xPoints, reflecting consistent dominance in generating and limiting opponents’ underlying shooting opportunities. Steve Cherundolo’s team achieved this success through a transition game that exploits speed and technical skill to get behind defenses. Much of this comes down to the brilliance of Denis Bouanga, who turned 14.5 xG worth of shots (4th in MLS in 2023) into 20 league goals to win the golden boot. But apart from Carlos Vela and Ryan Hollingshead, no one else on the roster was reliably putting the ball in the net. That will need to be the main point of improvement for the Black and Gold in 2024, and a flurry of outgoing and incoming moves will keep things exciting in SoCal. Does this top heavy and largely new roster have the depth to compete in every chance for a trophy?
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