Real Salt Lake, points, goals and goals against numbers
October 24, 2008 by f4denz.
2008 Real Salt Lakes most successful year in franchise history
No matter the result on Saturday (RSL will win), the 39 points that RSL currently has is enough to surpass their 2006 season which also ended with 39 points but had two more matches as part of the MLS season. 39 points is 12 more than last season when RSL ended with 6 wins, 15 losses, and 9 draws, already this year RSL has 10 wins, 10 losses, and 9 draws, the 10 wins is the same amount at the 2006 season but again there were 32 matches as part of the MLS season. As you can see by the chart, for most of the year RSL has enjoyed their best year ever as far as points in the standings go.
Points
Life without Cunny
So even with the improvement to the overall record and points earned by RSL this year, there is one category that this season has seen RSL do well but unable to compete to the 2006 season, and that is in goals scored. In 2006 Jeff Cunningham won the golden boot with 16 goals, but RSL failed to make the playoffs. While that is bad imagine having two players in the top 5 goal scorers of the league and still not making the playoffs, for LA that is the case as Landycakes leads the golden boot with 19, and Edson Buddle is in 4th with 14, but neither could save a bad team.
This year for RSL we have had 12 players score goals and 6 have scored 3 or more with Findley, Javi, and Yura all tied for the team lead with 6 goals. My prediction of a 20 goal season for Kenny Deuchar was a total flop, Kenny played well and was a vital part of both the offensive and defensive effort, but his 3 goals have to be considered a major disappointment by everyone. Currently RSL sit with 39 goals which is an average of 1.34 per game and that is a improvement over two of the past 3 seasons as indicated in the chart below. Barring a 4 goal explosion Saturday night, RSL will not equal the 43 goals scored in 30 matches in 2006.
Goals scored
Improvement starts at the back
If there is one area that RSL can point to as to why they sit on the verge of securing their first ever playoff spot, it has been the play of the defense. Not just the much improved back 4, but the fact that the entire team now understands the importance of playing defense. Players like Dema, Kyle, and even Kenny Deuchar have all played a huge part in supporting the backline this season, and the results show up in the numbers. Now we can all point to a couple mistakes and meltdowns by the defense that have cost RSL points but we also have to remember there was a streak of 10 matches when RSL gave up only 4 goals and had 6 clean sheets. RSL has only given up 38 goals this season, only 3 teams in MLS allowed fewer this season; Columbus (36), Chicago (33), and Houston (31) and all of those teams ended up with double digit goal differentials. RSL is only one of 5 teams with a positive goal differential, FC Dallas and the three teams mentioned above.
Once again the numbers are clear and impressive as the chart displays.
Goals Against
Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado
Here is the link to the official game guide, I will be posting my preview and prediction either later tonight or early Saturday morning as the final two playoff spots are decided tomorrow. The two teams on the outside (Colorado and DC United) must win in order to get into the playoffs, RSL simply has to get a tie to secure a spot, and New York has their destiny in the hands of other teams.
OFF MY SOAPBOX