This is my first attempt at a new Sounder at Heart column where I’ll use stats and data visualizations to better understand what’s going on with the Sounders and the rest of MLS. The format may evolve from week to week, but you can expect interesting findings from around the league, insights specific to the Sounders, and a few things to watch moving forward.
A stat I’ll reference throughout is Possession Value Added, or PV+ for short. PV+ quantifies the impact a player has in a game through their passing, receiving, carrying, shooting, and defending. The beauty of PV+ is that it peels back another layer of the game beyond goals, assists, expected goals and other counting stats that don’t always tell the full story. While it’s not perfect and will continue to develop, I’ve found that cumulative PV+ does a strong job of identifying the best players and teams across the league.
Around The League
After Matchweek 10, it’s starting to become clear who the best and worst teams might be this year. There are some historically strong teams, some historically poor ones, and a large group battling in the middle.
The Good:
PV+ has Vancouver, Nashville, and San Jose performing well above the rest of the league.
- Vancouver Whitecaps - The Caps have picked up right where they left off last year, turning high levels of field tilt into elite offensive production.
- Nashville - Nashville is on a tear right now, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. The combination of Surridge, Mukhtar, and Espinoza has been as dangerous as expected.
- San Jose - A surprise to many. The Earthquakes, currently leading the Supporters’ Shield race, have put together a record-setting start powered by a mix of former NCAA talent and Timo Werner.
The Bad:
- Sporting Kansas City - It looked like it would be a rough season heading in and that's been the case.
- Orlando City - Orlando has already entered damage-control mode, trying to stay afloat until the arrival of Antoine Griezmann.
Sounders Check-In
Stats nerds across the internet believe Seattle has been "lucky" this season, with their 5th-place Supporters’ Shield standing outperforming underlying metrics. They currently sit 17th in on-ball PV+ goal differential. There’s some truth to the idea that the Sounders haven’t hit their full potential. Seattle ranks 29th in expected goals, 29th in touches in the opposition box, and 22nd in big chances created. That said, the numbers don’t tell the full story. Seattle has consistently found results despite a heavy road schedule and significant injuries. The team's depth and "next man up" mentality have made the difference. The FC Dallas match this past weekend is the perfect example. With players like Cristian Roldan, Yeimar, and Rusnák unavailable, others stepped up.
