Drink it in. I posted earlier that KC isn't a good shooting team. Numbers don't bear that out exactly. KC gets more shots on net per game than anyone but Chivas. KC is second in goals (NE-14) and above MLS average both in terms of finishing overall shots and scoring shots put on frame. The disconnect comes in as KC gets so many chances from in close, breakaway, or free around the 6, that their numbers should be better, even though they are far from poor. Plus, there has been a marked difference between dc/Tor games and the others, as could be reasonably expected. Other KC numbers: *2nd on table. The most important number! *MLS best road goals +/- (+2) *MLS best road attendance avg. @TOR and DC will help the average. *Hartman - 4th best GAA *EJ - MLS best 3 GWG (on 23 shots and 13 on frame) *Arnaud and EJ are 1, 2 in fouls suffered (19, 18). They are beating somebody every night. *EJ - #1 in offsides blown. There's your legit point to pick on for EJ. Ahhh, the Digital years... *JB Jr. tied for 3rd in corners taken. It's interesting that a defender is the CK taker for KC and improvment is available, to be kind. Also interesting is that in the #1 MLS slot is RSL's guy, Ballouchy. Apparently Klein is still getting something done. In NY, VdB is 1g-3a for '07 as well so far. *Nobody makes more saves per game than Reis. It means NE is beatable as they allow abundant opportunity. You do have to shoot like a pro to get it done. NE is the only team above KC in the standings right now. *Hartman 76.7% in Save Percentage. 6th in MLS. Bo was 69.8 in '06. Despite Hartman's recent kicks direct to OB, you have to say the offense has more teeth and options with Hartman. That plus 1 in 14 shots not getting to the back of the net is a nice start to improvement. *KC 110 fouls suffered. That's 9 more than the next closest (NE) having played 1 fewer game. Ouch! Can we get someone to master a free kick, please? Then maybe everyone can stop getting kicked. "Everyone stop getting shot!". Anyway, one story on Bill Russel, a Shaq-like NBA figure in his day, was that he was always getting hacked to death. Coach Red told him to give a good elbow to the next guy. Bill declined at first. Red said, "You only have to give one good one, people will stop. Russel did, and they stopped. For KC, the "elbow" is to simply convert frees and corners out front. Conversion being much harder than a swinging rebound, Harrington's nod was a good start. *KC is the only club in the top 7 in every team stat category. *KC has not been shutout. *Ryan Pore has more minutes than Scott Sealy. *Marinelli 134 minutes, 1 pk goal. Zavagnin 1 goal from open play. *9 guys on track for a card suspension. 4 with 2, 5 with 1. The 5th is a suspension. *Yura, 11 shots, 2 on frame, 1 goal. *Davy 16, 5, and no goals. *Sealy 2 shots, 1 goal. *Harrington, 2 goals on 3 shots. The man hasn't missed the frame yet. *KC has scored as many goals in the first :15 as anyone and has scored more goals in the last :15 than anyone. ABC! Always be closing. *KC's early Achilles' seems to be minutes 30-45. MLS worst. It's hard to both start and finish the same half. *KC is an MLS best +6 goals in the second half. At some point, that's a team responding to good halftime coaching, good fitness, a team with a higher gear to shift into, or a combo of the above. Or it could be part having played TOR twice. We'll see. At the very least this is a consistent aspect of Champions. *Most every MLS team has signifigantly more 2nd half shots. Pressed for time on the road TV weekends? FFWD to halftime, catch the highlites and sit in for the 2nd. You'll miss little. *KC 4-0 when scoring first. 0-2 when conceeding first. Yet another solid reason to do extra shooting work, no matter who you are. *dc MLS high in penalties taken. I know, shocker. You can quibble about little things, darn lies and stats, and how numbers are not important in soccer. Bull. It's obvious to me that if KC can shoot just that little bit better - clearly they are capable - the Cup is there for the taking. At the very least KC will have to earn better opportunitiies and make better shots to beat Reis and especially Watterus. -WC
great statistical breakdown Dave. As for the fouls suffered, the last 3 games we've suffered over 20 fouls in each, teams have learned that to stop us they need to hack at us. That probably won't stop until 1) it leads to a PK late in the game for a winner for us, 2) someome strikes a good free kick that goes in, 3) someone gets handed a red card for one of his tackles on a Wizards player.
Marinelli took corners when he was in and for the most part was better than Burciaga, really I just remember the beauty he put onto Conrad's head that smacked the crossbar against Toronto. Marinelli, Conrad, and Sealy being back should increase how dangerous we are on set pieces as well, so hopefully we'll be able to make teams pay for hacking the shit out of us.
I think these two are my favorite stats. Other teams know they are going to have to score at least 2 goals to beat us so far and if we're tied or behind we know we can get late goals to win it or tie it up. The ability and belief that we can get late goals could end up being crucial at the end of the season.