Chivas USA in first place

... now with a legible table!

Code:

Calculation Method = (Wins+Ties/3)/Games Played

NAME---------WIN--LOSS--TIE--POINTS--RATIO
Houston------11---7-----4----37------0.561
FC Dallas----11---7-----3----36------0.571
Chivas USA---10---6-----3----33------0.579
Colorado-----6----9-----6----24------0.381
Los Angeles--3----9-----5----14------0.275
Salt Lake----2----10----6----12------0.222

NAME---------WIN--LOSS--TIE--POINTS--RATIO
Chivas USA---10---6-----3----33------0.579
FC Dallas----11---7-----3----36------0.571
Houston------11---7-----4----37------0.561
Colorado-----6----9-----6----24------0.381
Los Angeles--3----9-----5----14------0.275
Salt Lake----2----10----6----12------0.222

 

Re: ... now with a legible table!

I was pretty impressed after watching them on ESPN 2 (don't have FSC). I thought they were a pretty solid team and I think they can make a good run into the playoffs. I really liked their Cuban striker; just a pure finisher. Kind of reminded me of Romario, not really flashy but could get the job done. Too bad he's already cap-tied. We could really use a guy like that on the USMNT.

 

Chivas is even more impressive when you look at their home record. 6-1-0 with a +13 goal differential. (7-1-0 +16 with the LA away game). Eight of their final eleven games are at home. If their home form holds up they should run away with the Supporters Shield.

 

Run away? Nobody will run away with the shield this year. It's very likely that 4 or more teams at the top will be within 7 points of each other when all is said and done.

DC is also 7-1-2 at home with a +14 GD with 5 home matches remaining.

I'm sure if I checkout out Houston and Dallas, we'd see similar figures.

However, I won't deny that Chivas is getting hot at the right time, they look dangerous, and they're playing a very attractive possession game right now.

We might still see a DC vs LA MLS Cup, it'll just be the OTHER team from LA.
the baby goats have also never beaten DC United, home or away.

 

I would put that team in NY/NJ instead of what we have right now.

 

dont worry. nyc will get their team in a couple years.

 

Yep, you are pretty much right. I posted that too fast after glancing at the tables.

While nobody has a home record that is even close to Chivas on a point per game basis (Chivas averages 2.71 ppg, DC is closest at 2.3) several other teams are close enough to make it interesting. Chivas, DC, New England, and FCD would all be within 52-59 points at seasons end, Houston sitting just outside at around 49. So I have this question for all of you number crunchers out there.

Would these types of weighted standings be more accurate if you balanced home and away performance? Most averages only seem to move a few hundredths of a point, but exceptions such as Chivas' +0.2 move are bound to pop up from time to time.

 

Anyone know how Chivas USAs relative success is being received in Mexico?

Is it treated like a "Mexican" club showing the US how to play football, or does it register at all?

 

MLS is a league with a salary cap and personnel management is critical (vs other leagues where you can just spend more money). It is the Chivas front office that deserves credit for this success. Sure, they foolishly underestimated the quality of MLS in their first year. But they swallowed their pride and corrected their mistakes - the true sign of a competent organization.

Compare Chivas to the sideshows that are RSL and TFC and the importance of the front office is key.

Of course, the Galaxy are also a sideshow due to an incompetent GM.

 

We need the sideshows to provide comic relief to the league.

 

Exactly. Look at the teams that are (more) consistently near the top: DCU, Houston (aka Earthquakes), NE. They have some turnaround but not a lot, consistently retaining a core group of players.

 

Points per game is the ultimate in BigSoccer geekdom this season.

Chivas is down five points in the conference, but has four games in hand on Houston. There, I don't even need to break out a calculator.

 

I want Maykel Galindo back, please.

 

I don't doubt Chivas will garner five points or more over four games.

The expectation with points per game is similar to games in hand, that a team that has played fewer games but has a higher ratio than a team that has played more games is projected to come out on top. But you still have to win those games.

Someone had to tape their glasses and put away their Dungeons and Dragons to come up with points per game.

 

Prognosticating final standings based on PPG and other stats may well be a fruitless endeavor, but at least it keeps the kids from posting about Beckham.

 

current Points divided by games played X 30=projected points at end of season.

 

Says the gentleman with over 7700 posts on an internet message board.

But you are right that projections assume a team can keep up the same win-loss-tie ratio all season. Realistically we know teams do not do that, that momentum ebbs and flows throughout the season, but it never hurt to get mildly nerdy and guess.

It is only two more games than FCD over the same amount of time and they do have the advantage of playing 8 of 11 at home, so that should help some. The back to back road games against RSL and FCD in a short week could prove taxing. Otherwise, I would say it is not too bad a schedule given their circumstances.

 

No, The Goats are far under the radar in Mexico.

 

So you don't deny playing Dungeons and Dragons?

 

Not in the least bit, I even have two fuzzy red 20-sided dice hanging from the rearview mirror in my car. I am comfortable with my nerdiness.