Table-topping RSL need luck to maintain spot through week

Now that we've gone through this bye-week nonsense and the standings are starting to level out a bit more, we're still top of the table — on both sides. Not in points-per-match, mind, but that's not what the table looks like, and I'm not going to go without calling us the top when we're the top. You do understand, I trust.

However, with the wrong results, we'll be back a little farther — no shame in this, mind, but let's detail what should happen for us to maintain our position. First, New York must lose to Chivas tomorrow evening; a draw will not do. Second, Columbus Crew must beat Seattle, which doesn't seem altogether too likely, but you know how that is. Third, San Jose must lose to the Galaxy. (In an older edit, I had mistakenly said they must beat the Galaxy. That's clearly not true. Oops.) Mind you, this is all tomorrow, and I can't envision us getting all of these results we're not involved in to fall the right way, but wishing never hurt too much, did it? (I sure hope not.)

Everything else comes up this weekend, and as we're playing, we can maintain our spot with a win, supposing the three mid-week matches that could affect our standing go as planned. It's a bit weird wanting to maintain that, really, given that we're not ahead on points-per-match, but I never did much worry about that. We're top in the here and now, and that's where we'd like to stay, no matter what it takes. Unless, you know, it means some sort of illegal or immoral activity in which we somehow hinder other teams. That would probably be a bad idea.

So, with all this nonsense having taken place and our remaining top of the pops (or, you know, some other cultural touchstone), let's go over where we are as a side and as a league are statistically.

Of the yellow card cautions issued so far this season across the league, we have seen 18 given for time wasting, 27 for dissent, and 99 for fouls — so far as the official reasons have been given, at least. We've seen six second yellows given and nine straight reds — eight for fouls, one for a hand ball. Now, we can debate the merits of this all we like, but I'm just offering a quick statistical look at that, so don't hound me too much about that.

Kyle Beckerman has still made the most passes in the league — 843 — though R*pids midfielder Jeff Larentowicz is staking a claim for that number at 838. I suspect Kyle will lose his lead on that shortly, as he'll miss our next match with national team duty. Kyle, unsurprisingly, has also made the most number of accurate passes at 728. Larentowicz is a bit further behind there, but not by much — he's at 705.

Here's an interesting one: We don't win the ball in the air particularly often. This isn't to say that we're losing out on aerial duels, because I don't think that's the case. In fact, we've won 97 aerial duels and lost 94 — right about on average around the league in terms of percentages, but right about the middle of the table in raw numbers. To contrast, FC Dallas has won 160 aerial duels and lost 139. I'd imagine this stat comes from the fact that we largely play the ball on the ground, giving us less opportunity to win the ball in the air.

When it's all said and done, we're not a team that'll play the ball high in the air on too many occasions, and when we do, we tend to look rather average. Excepting Saborio and Kyle Beckerman, there aren't too many ahead of the defensive line that will win big headers. Is this a problem? Not particularly. I mean, sure, it would be absolutely fantastic if every player were brilliant in every regard, wouldn't it? Still, I think our balance is right, when it's all said and done. Results tend to bear that out.

Perhaps someday I will do an in-depth analysis of how well we do against sides who play the ball in the air — something for the wish list, I suppose. My wish list, I mean. And potentially yours. Still, though, I want to see it.

At any rate, 'til tomorrow. Apologies for missing yesterday, as I was struck by a bit of a migraine and decided I'd just give it a rest for a day.