Isn’t the identification of a player as MLS starter quality or not a reflection of the coach to a certain extent? Ex: Luis Abram. Pineda is getting cut some slack because he’s “stuck” having to play Abram. But wouldn’t a better coach get more out of the player, and thus cause him to be classified as MLS starter quality?
That must have been a lot of fun with excel. /s - but thank you for doing the hard work.
I wonder how we rank vs a few other teams. Not all of MLS - that’s a crazy task. What about teams that routinely have our number, or we are just plain jelly?
In terms of 9+2 numbers alone (not points or productivity), I am curious how Nashville, Columbus, New England and Orlando do. I’m not assigning rivalry status or jealousy to them. They just seem like clubs with less capital who make decisions somewhere within our orbit.
I find this interesting, but here are a few counter points to consider.
1 : Simplification of Performance Factors
The theory simplifies team performance by attributing it primarily to the presence of starting-caliber players versus non-starters. However, team performance is influenced by numerous factors beyond individual player quality. These include tactical decisions, team chemistry, coaching strategies, opposition strength, and match context (e.g., home vs. away games). By focusing mainly on the "9+2" player composition, the theory may overlook these critical elements.
2 : Limited Consideration of Tactical Flexibility
The theory does not account for tactical flexibility that might allow teams to compensate for the absence of starting-caliber players. Better coaches adapt their strategies based on available personnel, and successful tactical adjustments can mitigate the negative impact of missing key players. The "9+2" model does not seem to accommodate such strategic nuances. We have not really seen much of that with Pineda until lately as this winless streak has stretched out.
Nice work and nice addition to the current conversation.
Your second point is exactly what the 9+2 theory seems to refute. Regardless of a team's tactical flexibility, when you take away a certain number of starters, the results start to show.
This is a great read. Thank you for the research and analysis. I would love to play around with the 9+2 history to see how much we vary, thanks for sharing that too. I would still like to see Pineda's 9+2 PPG get closer to Tata's and see his 8+3 floor come up a bit too. But what I'd really like is a 10-12 game stretch where all reductions from 11+0 are at Pineda's discretion and not forced due to injury and international play. Love your stuff. Keep it up!
Simple load up FIFA take out all your quality players for backups and young players go online and come back with your results. Better start a save and see how long it takes you to reach a final
The game as always been about quality players that why teams are willing to pay to get the ball in the back of the net
We have quality players with no end product
We have good players with no end product and no results
Isn’t the identification of a player as MLS starter quality or not a reflection of the coach to a certain extent? Ex: Luis Abram. Pineda is getting cut some slack because he’s “stuck” having to play Abram. But wouldn’t a better coach get more out of the player, and thus cause him to be classified as MLS starter quality?
That must have been a lot of fun with excel. /s - but thank you for doing the hard work.
I wonder how we rank vs a few other teams. Not all of MLS - that’s a crazy task. What about teams that routinely have our number, or we are just plain jelly?
In terms of 9+2 numbers alone (not points or productivity), I am curious how Nashville, Columbus, New England and Orlando do. I’m not assigning rivalry status or jealousy to them. They just seem like clubs with less capital who make decisions somewhere within our orbit.
I find this interesting, but here are a few counter points to consider.
1 : Simplification of Performance Factors
The theory simplifies team performance by attributing it primarily to the presence of starting-caliber players versus non-starters. However, team performance is influenced by numerous factors beyond individual player quality. These include tactical decisions, team chemistry, coaching strategies, opposition strength, and match context (e.g., home vs. away games). By focusing mainly on the "9+2" player composition, the theory may overlook these critical elements.
2 : Limited Consideration of Tactical Flexibility
The theory does not account for tactical flexibility that might allow teams to compensate for the absence of starting-caliber players. Better coaches adapt their strategies based on available personnel, and successful tactical adjustments can mitigate the negative impact of missing key players. The "9+2" model does not seem to accommodate such strategic nuances. We have not really seen much of that with Pineda until lately as this winless streak has stretched out.
Nice work and nice addition to the current conversation.
Your second point is exactly what the 9+2 theory seems to refute. Regardless of a team's tactical flexibility, when you take away a certain number of starters, the results start to show.
This is a great read. Thank you for the research and analysis. I would love to play around with the 9+2 history to see how much we vary, thanks for sharing that too. I would still like to see Pineda's 9+2 PPG get closer to Tata's and see his 8+3 floor come up a bit too. But what I'd really like is a 10-12 game stretch where all reductions from 11+0 are at Pineda's discretion and not forced due to injury and international play. Love your stuff. Keep it up!
Also this article alone was worth the paid sub great job
Simple load up FIFA take out all your quality players for backups and young players go online and come back with your results. Better start a save and see how long it takes you to reach a final
The game as always been about quality players that why teams are willing to pay to get the ball in the back of the net
We have quality players with no end product
We have good players with no end product and no results
We have a manager and Fanbase at wits ends
To me…..only up from here
So Pineda injuries our player more than other coaches?
NM…just “bad luck”…forgot
Uh oh. The facts don't fit someone's narrative.
Thanks for the thought out peice, sadly I don't feel much better about the direction of the season.