PSA on the 2011, 1.38 PPG Crew

The number on the left: team points earned per game when starting. In bold are players still with the Crew. In parentheses on the right are number of games started.

1.67 : Kevin Burns (15)
1.50 : Tom Heinemann (12)
1.50 : Joshua Gardner (22)
1.48 : Eddie Gaven (27)
1.38 : Dejan Rusmir (13)
1.38 : Emmanuel Ekpo (29)
1.38 : Julius James (32)
1.34 : Sebastián Miranda (35)
1.33 : Chad Marshall (33)
1.29 : Emilio Renteria (14)
1.24 : Will Hesmer (33)
1.24 : Robbie Rogers (25)
1.23 : Andrés Mendoza (26)
1.17 : Rich Balchan (18)
0.94 : Dilly Duka(17)

Same rules apply to these guys below, only they didn't start enough games for the data to be meaningful (though, interesting and Meram's number is hard to ignore).

3.00 : Andy Gruenebaum (2)
2.25 : Justin Meram (4)
1.67 : Bernardo Anor (6)
1.50 : Andy Iro (2)
1.50 : Jeff Cunningham (4)
1.17 : Danny O´Rourke (6)
1.00 : Eric Gehrig (4)
0.80 : Shaun Francis (5)
0.00 : Tony Tchani (1)

Goals are good. Goals are fun. You need Goals to win games. So... who was on the paddock when the the most were scored (+10 games started)?

T. Heinemann. 1.50 Goals For (GF). Team average last year was 1.26. Tommy also had the best Goal Differential per start at +0.33 per game and one of the better Goals Against averages (1.17, team: 1.29). Only Eddie Gaven and Julius James were better.

Had the Columbus Crew finished with Heinemann's starting averages of 1.50 PPG and 1.50 GF per game they would have finished tied for 1st in the East and 2nd in the League in Goals per Game. Heinemann's tracking back, over heating engine and high work rate might not dazzle the Ohio State University football congregation or the false Crew prophets who worship therein, but it'll mean something to the others who might understand beauty. That is.

Not so good... Dilly Duka. Team points earned during his starts... 0.94, the basement for starters - and he started in almost half the games. Total GF when he started was 20 (1.18 p/GM), GA 31 (1.82 GA p/GM, would put the Crew dead last in MLS).

A couple other guys were close to Duka in GA. Renteria and Balchan (1.71, 1.56 GA p/GM). Balchan was a slight surprise. Renteria computes. It's hard for a player like Renteria to exist in a league like MLS on a team built like Columbus (last year).

Most of the Crew forwards struggled to find wins and goals last year. They happen to fall below the defense when looking at this metric. Could be that possession in the defensive third and build up play doesn't exist without forwards falling back in this country. Watched some of the Australian A-League stuff the other day and it reminded me a lot of MLS in that regard. I'd recommend watching some but, meeehh, save all that fun for next month. First Kick MLS and all.

Anyhow, I'll roll this over to this year and keep track. I believe that it is an worthwhile high level metric in determining which players make a difference in terms of W D L and not just based on player's individual skill.

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Here is the link to all the summarized data I used.