MLS Top 50: Total Shots Created
/I've briefly mentioned the stat Total Shots Created before. Basically it's how frequently a player contributes to the moment leading to an attempt on goal. It's one that I like a lot in terms of crediting individual players for their single contributions to the team's efforts. Obviously there are other elements to a match that are also important and lead to definitive events that have predictive value (i.e. other things that players can do to help a team win). However, shots are one of the more valuable numbers out there and available. There is also the little fact that everyone loves goals. Goals are awesome and invoke celebrations. Shot deflections, all out blocked shots, or midfield recoveries hardly elicit the same reaction from friends but arguably hold near as much individual performance weight/value to the team. With all the emphasis on shots and individual production there is another number worth mentioning: %Tsh (Percentage of Team Shots). It's a pretty percentage of how many of the total team shots a player was involved in creating, not just shooting himself.
This time around, the list is compiled of the top 50 players in shot creation based upon the shots they've taken, assists that they've been attributed, or other shots they've created by their passing ability. Players below have been sorted by their %Tsh.
| Player | Club | POS | GP | GS | MINS | G | A | SHTS | KP | SH-C | ShC-90 | Total Team Shots | %Tsh |
| Federico Higuain | CLB | F | 5 | 5 | 448 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 17 | 37 | 7.43 | 71 | 52.11% |
| Pedro Morales | VAN | M | 6 | 4 | 407 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 30 | 6.63 | 67 | 44.78% |
| Fabian Espindola | DC | F | 5 | 5 | 441 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 4.90 | 55 | 43.64% |
| Mauro Diaz | DAL | M | 6 | 6 | 515 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 27 | 4.72 | 62 | 43.55% |
| Robbie Keane | LA | F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 29 | 7.25 | 68 | 42.65% |
| Mauro Rosales | CHV | M | 6 | 6 | 540 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 4.50 | 64 | 42.19% |
| Lloyd Sam | NY | M | 6 | 6 | 531 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 30 | 5.08 | 74 | 40.54% |
| Landon Donovan | LA | M-F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 26 | 6.50 | 68 | 38.24% |
| Giles Barnes | HOU | M | 5 | 5 | 437 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 5 | 27 | 5.56 | 71 | 38.03% |
| Diego Valeri | POR | M | 6 | 6 | 518 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 14 | 32 | 5.56 | 85 | 37.65% |
| Erick Torres | CHV | F | 6 | 6 | 524 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 24 | 4.12 | 64 | 37.50% |
| Thierry Henry | NY | F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 8 | 27 | 6.75 | 74 | 36.49% |
| Shea Salinas | SJ | M | 0 | 360 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 23 | 5.75 | 69 | 33.33% | |
| Alvaro Saborio | RSL | F | 6 | 6 | 540 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 22 | 3.67 | 66 | 33.33% |
| Felipe Martins | MTL | M | 6 | 6 | 536 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 32 | 5.37 | 97 | 32.99% |
| Justin Mapp | MTL | M | 6 | 6 | 540 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 32 | 5.33 | 97 | 32.99% |
| Gilberto | TOR | F | 4 | 4 | 333 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 5.41 | 62 | 32.26% |
| Michael Bradley | TOR | M | 343 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 5.25 | 62 | 32.26% | ||
| Deshorn Brown | COL | F | 5 | 4 | 366 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 20 | 4.92 | 62 | 32.26% |
| Teal Bunbury | NE | F | 6 | 6 | 540 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 24 | 4.00 | 75 | 32.00% |
| Clint Dempsey | SEA | M | 4 | 3 | 303 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 26 | 7.72 | 84 | 30.95% |
| Obafemi Martins | SEA | F | 6 | 6 | 531 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 26 | 4.41 | 84 | 30.95% |
| Quincy Amarikwa | CHI | F | 6 | 5 | 475 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 11 | 26 | 4.93 | 84 | 30.95% |
| Eddie Johnson | DC | F | 5 | 5 | 441 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 3.47 | 55 | 30.91% |
| Graham Zusi | KC | F-M | 4 | 4 | 360 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 24 | 6.00 | 78 | 30.77% |
| Diego Fagundez | NE | M-F | 6 | 6 | 539 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 23 | 3.84 | 75 | 30.67% |
| Darren Mattocks | VAN | F | 6 | 6 | 490 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 3.67 | 67 | 29.85% |
| Chris Wondolowski | SJ | F-M | 4 | 4 | 360 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 20 | 5.00 | 69 | 28.99% |
| Joao Plata | RSL | F | 3 | 3 | 207 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 8.26 | 66 | 28.79% |
| Leo Fernandes | PHI | F | 5 | 3 | 326 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 21 | 5.80 | 74 | 28.38% |
| Dom Dwyer | KC | F | 5 | 4 | 340 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 22 | 5.82 | 78 | 28.21% |
| Brad Davis | HOU | M | 311 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 5.79 | 71 | 28.17% | ||
| Marco Di Vaio | MTL | F | 3 | 3 | 270 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 4 | 27 | 9.00 | 97 | 27.84% |
| Fabian Castillo | DAL | F | 6 | 6 | 539 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 17 | 2.84 | 62 | 27.42% |
| Will Johnson | POR | M | 6 | 6 | 539 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 3.84 | 85 | 27.06% |
| Maurice Edu | PHI | M | 6 | 6 | 540 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 20 | 3.33 | 74 | 27.03% |
| Hector Jimenez | CLB | M | 5 | 5 | 433 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 3.74 | 71 | 25.35% |
| Lamar Neagle | SEA | F | 6 | 5 | 416 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 21 | 4.54 | 84 | 25.00% |
| Mike Magee | CHI | F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 21 | 5.25 | 84 | 25.00% |
| Will Bruin | HOU | F | 5 | 5 | 449 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 17 | 3.41 | 71 | 23.94% |
| Bernardo Anor | CLB | M | 5 | 5 | 416 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 3.68 | 71 | 23.94% |
| Kenny Miller | VAN | F | 6 | 5 | 447 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 16 | 3.22 | 67 | 23.88% |
| Cristian Maidana | PHI | M | 5 | 4 | 293 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 5.22 | 74 | 22.97% |
| Vincent Nogueira | PHI | M | 6 | 6 | 540 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 2.83 | 74 | 22.97% |
| Michel | DAL | M-D | 6 | 3 | 312 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 14 | 4.04 | 62 | 22.58% |
| Vicente Sanchez | COL | F | 3 | 2 | 193 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 6.53 | 62 | 22.58% |
| Darlington Nagbe | POR | F-M | 6 | 6 | 490 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 3.49 | 85 | 22.35% |
| Juninho | LA | M | 4 | 4 | 358 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 3.77 | 68 | 22.06% |
| Benny Feilhaber | KC | M | 5 | 5 | 449 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 3.41 | 78 | 21.79% |
| Kyle Beckerman | RSL | M | 6 | 6 | 540 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 2.33 | 66 | 21.21% |
This list below is sorted by total ShC-90, shot creation per 90 minutes. The one stipulation I would make is to be careful when looking at some of the numbers below. Guys like Justin Meram end up at the top of the list after playing just 58 minutes and scoring a goal in that short time. This leads to incorrect perceptions of certain players, as well as providing horrible and trite narratives like "Justin Meram is the most underrated player ever." That might be true, but probably not. Just look out for small sample sizes.
| Player | Club | POS | GP | GS | MINS | G | A | SHTS | KP | SH-C | ShC-90 | Total Team Shots | %Tsh |
| Justin Meram | CLB | M | 5 | 0 | 58 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 12.41 | 71 | 11.27% |
| Yannick Djalo | SJ | M | 2 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 11.25 | 69 | 10.14% |
| Marco Di Vaio | MTL | F | 3 | 3 | 270 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 4 | 27 | 9.00 | 97 | 27.84% |
| Joao Plata | RSL | F | 3 | 3 | 207 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 8.26 | 66 | 28.79% |
| Clint Dempsey | SEA | M | 4 | 3 | 303 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 26 | 7.72 | 84 | 30.95% |
| Federico Higuain | CLB | F | 5 | 5 | 448 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 17 | 37 | 7.43 | 71 | 52.11% |
| Robbie Keane | LA | F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 29 | 7.25 | 68 | 42.65% |
| Kekuta Manneh | VAN | F | 6 | 1 | 167 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 7.01 | 67 | 19.40% |
| Thierry Henry | NY | F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 8 | 27 | 6.75 | 74 | 36.49% |
| Pedro Morales | VAN | M | 6 | 4 | 407 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 30 | 6.63 | 67 | 44.78% |
| Vicente Sanchez | COL | F | 3 | 2 | 193 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 6.53 | 62 | 22.58% |
| Landon Donovan | LA | M-F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 26 | 6.50 | 68 | 38.24% |
| Graham Zusi | KC | F-M | 4 | 4 | 360 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 24 | 6.00 | 78 | 30.77% |
| Dillon Serna | COL | M | 2 | 1 | 106 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 5.94 | 62 | 11.29% |
| Dom Dwyer | KC | F | 5 | 4 | 340 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 22 | 5.82 | 78 | 28.21% |
| Leo Fernandes | PHI | F | 5 | 3 | 326 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 21 | 5.80 | 74 | 28.38% |
| Brad Davis | HOU | M | 311 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 5.79 | 71 | 28.17% | ||
| Shea Salinas | SJ | M | 0 | 360 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 23 | 5.75 | 69 | 33.33% | |
| Giles Barnes | HOU | M | 5 | 5 | 437 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 5 | 27 | 5.56 | 71 | 38.03% |
| Diego Valeri | POR | M | 6 | 6 | 518 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 14 | 32 | 5.56 | 85 | 37.65% |
| Gilberto | TOR | F | 4 | 4 | 333 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 5.41 | 62 | 32.26% |
| Felipe Martins | MTL | M | 6 | 6 | 536 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 32 | 5.37 | 97 | 32.99% |
| Justin Mapp | MTL | M | 6 | 6 | 540 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 32 | 5.33 | 97 | 32.99% |
| Mike Magee | CHI | F | 4 | 4 | 360 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 21 | 5.25 | 84 | 25.00% |
| Michael Bradley | TOR | M | 343 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 5.25 | 62 | 32.26% | ||
| Cristian Maidana | PHI | M | 5 | 4 | 293 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 5.22 | 74 | 22.97% |
| Lloyd Sam | NY | M | 6 | 6 | 531 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 30 | 5.08 | 74 | 40.54% |
| Chris Wondolowski | SJ | F-M | 4 | 4 | 360 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 20 | 5.00 | 69 | 28.99% |
| Quincy Amarikwa | CHI | F | 6 | 5 | 475 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 11 | 26 | 4.93 | 84 | 30.95% |
| Deshorn Brown | COL | F | 5 | 4 | 366 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 20 | 4.92 | 62 | 32.26% |
| Fabian Espindola | DC | F | 5 | 5 | 441 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 4.90 | 55 | 43.64% |
| Jermain Defoe | TOR | F | 3 | 3 | 242 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 4.83 | 62 | 20.97% |
| Mauro Diaz | DAL | M | 6 | 6 | 515 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 27 | 4.72 | 62 | 43.55% |
| Lamar Neagle | SEA | F | 6 | 5 | 416 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 21 | 4.54 | 84 | 25.00% |
| Kelyn Rowe | NE | M | 2 | 2 | 179 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4.53 | 75 | 12.00% |
| Mauro Rosales | CHV | M | 6 | 6 | 540 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 4.50 | 64 | 42.19% |
| Obafemi Martins | SEA | F | 6 | 6 | 531 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 26 | 4.41 | 84 | 30.95% |
| Steven Lenhart | SJ | F | 3 | 3 | 258 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 4.19 | 69 | 17.39% |
| Erick Torres | CHV | F | 6 | 6 | 524 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 24 | 4.12 | 64 | 37.50% |
| Saer Sene | NE | M | 6 | 4 | 286 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 4.09 | 75 | 17.33% |
| Michel | DAL | M-D | 6 | 3 | 312 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 14 | 4.04 | 62 | 22.58% |
| Teal Bunbury | NE | F | 6 | 6 | 540 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 24 | 4.00 | 75 | 32.00% |
| Juan Luis Anangono | CHI | F | 6 | 1 | 113 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3.98 | 84 | 5.95% |
| Sal Zizzo | KC | F | 5 | 4 | 367 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 3.92 | 78 | 20.51% |
| Dwayne De Rosario | TOR | M | 5 | 3 | 254 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 3.90 | 62 | 17.74% |
| Bradley Wright-Phillips | NY | F | 5 | 2 | 278 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 3.88 | 74 | 16.22% |
| Diego Fagundez | NE | M-F | 6 | 6 | 539 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 23 | 3.84 | 75 | 30.67% |
| Will Johnson | POR | M | 6 | 6 | 539 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 3.84 | 85 | 27.06% |
| David Texeira | DAL | F | 5 | 2 | 211 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 3.84 | 62 | 14.52% |
| Marco Pappa | SEA | M | 4 | 2 | 165 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 3.82 | 84 | 8.33% |
Overall, we're still just getting used to this statistic, but it seems like it could help dig a little deeper into valuing those players that don't always directly put the goal in the back of the net, but still play a key role in their teams' abilities to do so.