JustSON the Numbers: Sounders FC vs. Chivas USA

This edition of JustSON the Numbers is brought to you by Mike McGillicutty's Body Shop and Russ Dilks who was curious about how Major League Soccer's (MLS) Seattle Sounders FC stacks up against Chivas USA in shots on goal, saves and possession time.

Well I'll start with shots on goal where Chivas USA holds a slight lead at 15-14, that is with Chivas playing 1 more game than Seattle. Taking that into account Seattle is averaging 2 shots on goal a game while Chivas is a little behind at 1.88 shots on goal per game.

In the saves category Chivas leads the Sounders 27-21, broken down by game it averages out to Chivas saving about 3.38 shots a game and Seattle saving exactly 3 shots a game. The conclusion to draw from this stat is that opponents are getting more shots on goal against Chivas USA than they are against Seattle, even taking into account that Chivas has allowed 3 goals and the Sounders have allowed 4.

Lastly possession time. This one I had some trouble with since it appears that either amazingly every game the time of possession is split 50-50 or MLS score keepers don't keep very accurate stats, at least in this category. From what I was able to find Chivas has been even with their opponents in this category at 50-50. The Sounders however come out on top of this category with an average of 50.6% better possession time per game, compared to 49.4% to their opponent.

This last stat may not be accurate, as I stated before that I was unable to locate any official MLS scorecards that had anything other than 50-50 possession times for both teams, with the exception of two Sounders games. The first was in the 3-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls when the Sounders won time of possession 57% to 43%. The second was the Sounders 2-0 victory of Real Salt Lake when they lost the time of possession 53% to 47%.

It would appear that the three stats Russ was interested in finding out about all point to the Sounders being superior to Chivas USA. It is a little misleading that Chivas holds the edge in Saves and Shots on Goal because the more saves the goalie makes points to the defense letting the opposing team take more shots on goal. And the Sounders have a higher shots on goal average than Chivas, but less total shots on goal (because of playing 1 game less).

Granted the Sounders did lose to Chivas 2-0 earlier this season but that was without the Sounders starting goalie, Kasey Keller (who contrary to some peoples belief, actually did have hair according to the picture) who is sporting a 0.19 goals against average this year.

I hope this answers your questions Russ.

If anyone has any requests for this column let us know. I don't discriminate, no matter the sport or the stat.