American Soccer Analysis

We're now (just over) halfway through the 2024 NWSL regular season, and trends are emerging! Eric and Evan uncover a host of interesting nuggets about how teams are playing this year compared to past seasons.Why on earth did the San Diego Wave "part ways" with Casey Stoney? (00:16)Where did parity go? Is it simply a byproduct of expansion? (08:37)Does the increase in goalscoring come down to Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga, et al.? (18:00)The league still loves transition tactics, but how have they morphed in 2024? (20:36)How do the Chicago Red Stars, Racing Louisville, and Orlando Pride buck current tactical trends? (25:17)Are the Pride or the Kansas City Current the tactical future of the NWSL? (29:16)How has money influenced both tactics and the development of players to fit those tactics? (35:21)Whose first-half results have been real or not real? (42:55)Art by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

ASA recently dropped the anonymous MLS analytics survey, as well as the Analytics Tier List for MLS and the guys get into who is where and how that lined up with expectation, as well as where the league is heading analytically.

Gotham FC's 2-0 victory on the road against Racing Louisville was about as ugly as 2-0 victories get, but dig under the hood and you see that the preseason Shield favorites are finally coming into their own. The  galacticos of Dunn, Lavelle, Davidson and Sonnett started their second game in a row together. Ella Stevens can't stop scoring. Ann-Katrin Berger might be the best keeper in the whole league right now. Is it all finally coming together for Juan Carlos Amorós's squad? Eric and Evan debate the finer points of Gotham's resurgence. Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

The Seattle Reign got smoked by the Kansas City Current over the weekend. That such a result would be par for the course shows what kind of season Laura Harvey's crew have had. Sylvs of Shea Butter FC hopped on to talk about Reign history, the struggles of the team in the void of the team sale yet to close, and what glimmers of hope Jordyn Huitema's two goals could represent. Art by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

The day has come: Emma Hayes is now the head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team. The side demolished South Korea for a combined scoreline of 7-0. Sam Staab and Lily Yohannes each earned their first caps. The law firm of Smith, Swanson, and Rodman served papers to their opponents over and over again. Alex Morgan--well, she was present. What did we learn about how Hayes wants the team to play? Eric and Evan uncover all the tactical nuggets across the two friendlies, then project the USWNT's likely 18-player Olympics roster. The takes get spicy.Need a pick-me-up? Four out of five doctors recommend SoMalloTrin!Art by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

Week 10! Two teams. Two massive victories. Two bright futures ahead? Eric and Evan ponder the meaning of Houston's staggering 3-0 home win over North Carolina and examine the implications of Racing Louisville's 1-0 away result in Chicago. H-town madness? Kentucky fried conquest? We're curious too. Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

Kieran remembers Om Arvind, whose fundraiser you can donate to here: https://gofund.me/78b2bf97 . The boys join to discuss US Open Cup and MLS’ place in the larger US Soccer pyramid, Toronto FC, and Seattle. As always, trivia.

Another week, another brutal Utah Royals loss. Though the scoreline was a mere 1-0 defeat on the road to the North Carolina Courage, the expansion side was under siege pretty much from minute one. Eric and Evan use the Royals' performance to figure out just how badly the season has gone for the club, and what bright spots may be on the horizon. Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

More transparency! More accountability! More Own Goals! Kieran guest stars as the Grim Reaper in Evan and Eric's Own Goal Bogus Journey!Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

Harrison, Ben, and Kieran talk Inter Miami and the Lazarus pit driven powers of Messi and friends. Messi, good or not? Important questions. And, trivia.

We here at Expected Own Goals are about transparency and accountability. That's why, at the point in the season when xG stabilizes and becomes sticky, we've decided to go back and cop to our best and worst own goals from our preseason predictions. Kieran's back to face the music along with Eric and Evan. Be sure to tune in later this week for Part II, where the gang digs into the players that have surprised and disappointed them the most!Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

We've been putting it off all season, but after a tough loss to the Washington Spirit and an emphatic win against Bay FC, we can put it off no longer: we must discuss the fourth-place Chicago Red Stars. Eric and Evan were joined by Lesley Ryder of Gal Pal Sports to dissect the Laura Ricketts-Lorne Donaldson era of the team, if their early-season success is sticky or a mirage, and who will step up to score besides Mallory Swanson. Rep the 3-1-2, or the 7-7-3, or the 4-6-4, or whatever else people tear up about on The Bear! Listen to Football is Wife, hosted by Lesley Ryder and Emily AndersonArt by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

Ben, Harrison, and Kieran get in the weeds about Dejan Joveljic’s career progression and how LAFC are always good even when they aren’t that good. And, trivia.

Is Orlando the best team in the NWSL right now? They just might be. An emphatic 3-2 victory over the Washington Spirit on the road cemented what could be a hyper-organized defense with Barbra Banda as the tip of the spear. Other teams attack at your own peril.  Evan and Eric dig into what made Banda so special, as well as what the future might hold for the Spirit--and Ashley Hatch--once Leicy Santos and Jonatan Giráldez arrive in June.  Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

The NWSL spring trade deadline has come and gone, and somehow, both the Houston Dash and Angel City made some significant moves. Eric and Evan brought Kieran Doyle-Davis on to get into all of the gobsmacking behavior by both teams in moving some major players. Then, they dig into Angel City's victory over the North Carolina Courage, and how a team with 62% possession and who topped the home side on xG 2.1 - 0.5 managed to still leave Los Angeles without a result. Plus, we'll hear from Angel City head coach Becki Tweed with her tactical analysis of the match!  Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

We last checked in on the Kansas City Current in Week 1. What a difference a month makes! They're sitting atop the table on 10 points, have a potential superstar in Temwa Chawinga, and got a road point against Evan and Eric's preseason title favorite, Gotham FC. But is Chawinga the real deal? Were Juan Carlos Amorós's tactics too clever by half? Who looks like the better bet to keep succeeding in the weeks to come? Dive in, baby! Art by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

The USWNT is SheBelieves Cup champion once again. Woo...hoo? The Twila Kilgore era comes to a close on a second penalty shootout win over Canada in a month, and leaves us wondering: what did Kilgore do well? What did she miss on? Is the team in better shape now than it was back in August? Furthermore, who is in pole position for each Olympics roster spot? Eric and Evan answer all these questions and more! (Evan may or may not sing at the end of the episode. Fair warning.)Art by Eli ElbogenMusic by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

Ben went to the Rapids game and hits us with some in person reporting, and the guys answer some listener questions including: how do we make more soccer analysts?

No fewer than three NWSL games were decided in the final moments of stoppage time last weekend, but each were decided in different ways. San Diego survived its battle of attrition through well timed bravery, while Portland's overwhelming attacking talent finally breached Louisville's walls. Bay FC and the Houston Dash fully embraced their stubborn, attack-loving identities and the Dash tripped into victory. Eric and Evan ponder how these teams all managed a late result, hear from Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya on his side's approach, and parse what it means for these teams' talents more broadly.Art by Eli Elbogen Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs

Harrison returns from his Kraken based absence and the crew talk about some early season things that may or may not continue as the sample size fairy visits us every week. Also, trivia.