Welcoming Expected Own Goals to the ASA Family

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Today is a really exciting day for us at ASA, as we get to add a new show to the ASA podcast feed by announcing that Expected Own Goals (@xOwnGoals) is our new women’s soccer podcast partner. Evan and Eric have built an awesome community covering (primarily) NWSL and American women’s soccer through a statistical lens in a way we haven’t seen anywhere else on the internet. If you’re already subscribed to the ASA podcast with Ben, Harrison, and Kieran, the xOG episodes will appear right in your feed. If you’re not, go do it! With the free data available for the NWSL here at ASA and their coverage, you’ll be hearing a lot more from us this NWSL season!

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Season Previews: FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew

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How much Skyline Chili can you eat off a Supporter’s Shield?

By Nate Gilman

FC Cincinnati enters 2024 in a previously unknown situation in its Major League Soccer history - as defending Supporters’ Shield champions. FCC’s run to the Shield wasn’t a fluke, either. According to American Soccer Analysis numbers, though Cincinnati outperformed its xPoints, the team still produced the highest total in MLS in 2023. But 2024 FCC will have to adjust and evolve, like nearly all silverware winning teams. 

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Season Previews: Orlando, Philly, St. Louis City

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Will Orlando’s Outliers Overperform Once More?

By Matt Barger

How do you follow-up your best-ever season? Orlando City might have the answer. Orlando finished 2023 second in the East (and second in MLS) with a club-record 63 points, scoring a club-record 55 goals along the way. After a best-ever playoff finish in the Eastern semifinals, the Orlando front office may have had a best-ever off-season:

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Season Previews: LAFC, New England, Seattle

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The Vel-lesser of Two Evils

By Ben Bellman

LAFC had nearly the best possible season you can have after winning MLS Cup, making it to the final a second consecutive year and shining as the analytics darlings of the Western Conference. LAFC led their conference in both xG difference and xPoints, reflecting consistent dominance in generating and limiting opponents’ underlying shooting opportunities. Steve Cherundolo’s team achieved this success through a transition game that exploits speed and technical skill to get behind defenses. Much of this comes down to the brilliance of Denis Bouanga, who turned 14.5 xG worth of shots (4th in MLS in 2023) into 20 league goals to win the golden boot. But apart from Carlos Vela and Ryan Hollingshead, no one else on the roster was reliably putting the ball in the net. That will need to be the main point of improvement for the Black and Gold in 2024, and a flurry of outgoing and incoming moves will keep things exciting in SoCal. Does this top heavy and largely new roster have the depth to compete in every chance for a trophy?

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Season Previews: Atlanta United, Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake

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Atlanta United: Almada and Inshallah

By Tony ElHabr

2023: Garth is Good

Under the new leadership of CEO Garth Lagerway, Atlanta United returned to the playoffs in 2023, shaking off the previous season's disappointments. While Atlanta was ousted in the first round at the hands of the eventual champs, the team gave fans plenty of reasons to have hope for the future.

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Season Previews: Sporting KC, Vancouver, Dallas

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Punny Titles Are For Clubs That Don’t Hire Gavin Wilkinson

A 2024 Sporting Kansas City preview can only begin with the acknowledgement of an ending. Two club legends, Graham Zusi and Roger Espinoza, won’t be lacing up their blue boots this season. One of those two has been in a Sporting KC jersey every year since 2008. The duo combined for nearly 700 games played and oversaw the collection of four trophies. They will be sorely missed by the fans and in the clubhouse. The fact that Zusi spent his entire 15-year career with one club is just a marvelous feat. What a career.

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Season Previews: RBNY, San Jose, Nashville

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WELCOME TO FORS-BERGEN COUNTY

By J.J. Post

The prince that was promised finally arrived.

After years of fans clamoring for a bonafide star to take the pitch for the home team at Red Bull Arena, the New York Red Bulls finally went out and acquired such a player. Emil Forsberg, who’s been in the Red Bull soccer-sphere since 2015 with Leipzig, is the sort of player that can be an immediate gamechanger in MLS. 

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