One of the caveats placed on the Seattle Sounders 2012 performance is that brutal performance against Santos Laguna. Whenever the strength of the current defense a common refrain is "except for that 6-1 down in Mexico" (or a variant). Except it isn't true. If you include all competitions for all MLS teams (OK, it's basically the Canadian sides, LA and Seattle so far), the Sounders have the third best goals against average with a 0.82 0.91. This includes getting crushed by Santos. Only Sporting Kansas City and the Vancouver Whitecaps are better. The Whitecaps didn't face Santos, they played FC Edmonton of the NASL.
The offense that is somehow disappointing people? It's sixth at 1.45 goals per game. That rate if kept over a 34 game season (yeah, I'm including two games against Santos) they would score 49 goals. That doesn't suck. Seattle's goal differential in all competitions is an impressive tied for second third behind only the San Jose Earthquakes and KC. By PPM in all comps? Second only to Sporting.
So about that Santos Laguna caveat? We don't need it. Include that performance. It merely takes Seattle from the best team in the league to one of the best. Those that think that a single bad game (or really just a bad half) diminishes Seattle's 2012 ignore that it really doesn't. That soul crushing performance doesn't really change the numbers much.
Think about that. Just under two months ago Seattle was eliminated from the Champions League by the team that finished second in said tournament. Since then they've been so good that said poor performance doesn't need to be a caveat.
Bring on the Open Cup. Bring on the 2012-13 Champions League. Bring on the regular season. There are no caveats. The Sounders are just that good - right now.
|
Club |
PTS |
GP |
PPM |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GFper |
GA |
GAper |
GD |
|
Sporting Kansas City |
21 |
9 |
2.33 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
12 |
1.33 |
5 |
0.56 |
7 |
|
Seattle Sounders FC |
25 |
11 |
2.27 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
16 |
1.45 |
10 |
0.91 |
6 |
|
San Jose Earthquakes |
22 |
10 |
2.20 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
21 |
2.10 |
11 |
1.10 |
10 |
|
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
23 |
11 |
2.09 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
14 |
1.27 |
8 |
0.73 |
6 |
|
23 |
12 |
1.92 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
18 |
1.50 |
12 |
1.00 |
6 |
|
|
19 |
10 |
1.90 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
20 |
2.00 |
14 |
1.40 |
6 |
|
|
18 |
11 |
1.64 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
20 |
1.82 |
15 |
1.36 |
5 |
|
|
15 |
10 |
1.50 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
15 |
1.50 |
12 |
1.20 |
3 |
|
|
12 |
8 |
1.50 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
9 |
1.13 |
9 |
1.13 |
0 |
|
|
8 |
7 |
1.14 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
1.00 |
9 |
1.29 |
-2 |
|
|
12 |
11 |
1.09 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
10 |
0.91 |
16 |
1.45 |
-6 |
|
|
11 |
11 |
1.00 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
14 |
1.27 |
18 |
1.64 |
-4 |
|
|
12 |
12 |
1.00 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
11 |
0.92 |
17 |
1.42 |
-6 |
|
|
9 |
9 |
1.00 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
8 |
0.89 |
12 |
1.33 |
-4 |
|
|
8 |
8 |
1.00 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
6 |
0.75 |
10 |
1.25 |
-4 |
|
|
9 |
9 |
1.00 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
5 |
0.56 |
11 |
1.22 |
-6 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
0.89 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
9 |
1.00 |
13 |
1.44 |
-4 |
|
|
7 |
8 |
0.88 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
5 |
0.63 |
9 |
1.13 |
-4 |
|
|
9 |
14 |
0.64 |
2 |
9 |
3 |
15 |
1.07 |
28 |
2.00 |
-13 |
All the competitions.