Who returns for 2021? Midfielders

Welcome back!

Hopefully you enjoyed my first column reviewing our Forwards. I know there are going to be those who agree with my verdicts, and others who think I’m crazy. That’s the beauty of being a fan, we all see this through different lenses.

This time I want to focus on the Midfielders. The players discussed today are all listed as Midfielders on the team’s website. When I think of Midfielders I see the players that connect the defense to the offense, therefore, the main statistics I will focus on this week (in addition to shots, goals, and assists) are passing accuracy, interceptions, and tackles won.

As a reminder, I will use the following verdicts after making my statistical case for each player:

  1. Lock: these are for players that should be considered guarantee resigning.
  2. Mixed: There is an argument to resign this player but don’t be surprised if they’re not back in 2021.
  3. Gone: these are for players that are likely not coming back next season at all.

Players listed as Midfielder alphabetically by first name:

Devin Boyce:

To say that Devin Boyce starting our first ever League One match against New England Revs II came as a shock to me would seem like an understatement. Boyce was a late signing, although was a trialist with the team, and didn’t seem like the logical choice to start our first ever competitive match. Oh, how wrong I was.

Devin played in all 16 matches this season, he’s one of three along with Evan and EVD that can say that. On top of playing in all 16 matches he started 13 of those matches and played a total of 1,111 minutes. Devin was just as much a bottle of energy as Elma and brought a fiery personality to the pitch. Offensively Devin offered a bit of firepower scoring a goal and providing two assists while having 9 total shots with 2 on target.

Devin also completed 452 passes on the season with a 77% accuracy. The majority of Devin’s passes were also forward, meaning he was trying to get the ball down the field. Defensively Devin attempted 36 tackles, winning 18 (50%) of them. He also managed 16 interceptions, or 1 per game.

Overall, statistically speaking, Devin was able to help us all over the field. The stats don’t tell us where Devin won those tackles or intercepted the ball but anytime a midfielder can win tackles or steal the ball AND push it up field, your offense has a chance.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Boyce may have entered the season as an unknown, but he quickly made his presence felt and became a vital cog in our midfield, and even up top towards the end of the season. As you can see from his appearances, we never went a game without Devin playing minutes (5th most on the team) and it’s hard to imagine the 2021 season without him.

Ethan Vanacore-Decker:

As my friend, and fellow columnist, Ben Turner would say, #EVD4MVP!

Ben did a fantastic job making the case for Ethan as the 2020 League MVP. Let’s look at the stats I’ve been using to tell you all that he is a lock to be resigned.

EVD is the final player we had that appeared in all 16 matches, starting in 15 and playing 1,256 minutes (4th on the team in minutes played). Let’s be honest, Ethan’s offensive numbers are well known, he scored 3 goals this season and tied with Evan for total shots at 31. His shots on target were 12, giving him a 39% accuracy.

Passing is where EVD pushed his MVP candidacy. EVD completed 291 passes, 74% accuracy while also becoming the second ever League Assist Leader with 6 assists. Ethan also tallied 10 interceptions and attempted 9 tackles while winning 7. 

2021 Verdict: Lock. Along with Evan and Devin, Ethan played in all 16 matches and won an individual award this season as well as being named to the USL League One Second Team. His 3 goals were all in crucial times, as were the majority of his 6 assists. There isn’t much more to say, EVD should be a lock to resign.

Sebastian Contreras:

Sebastian, or Sebas, started this season as our captain and a guaranteed starter throughout the season. He appeared in 15/16 matches this season, starting in 11 of those matches playing 906 minutes. Sebas scored a crucial penalty against Forward Madison to level the match and give us the draw at home. He attempted 5 shots total, with his only shot on goal being the converted penalty. Sebas also provided an assist.

Looking at the passing accuracy, Sebas completed 388 passes (71%). As a midfielder looking to connect the defense to the offense, this is a decent number, but it also ranks him 13th on the team in passing percentage and 5th amongst midfielders. Sebas also contributed 15 interceptions while attempting 28 tackles, winning 18.

2021 Verdict: Gone. At 30 years old, Sebas brought maturity and a veteran presence to a young team. He was given the captain’s armband at the start of the season for a reason. Sebas is a solid midfielder who will win tackles and intercept the ball. However, Sebas is who he is as a player. We’re not going to see a lot of progression at this point. The captain’s armband was also given to Sousa once the starts began to decline. We have players on this team that do many of the same things as Sebas and, with his likely hefty contract, I could see the team parting ways to allow for other midfielders to play and to bring in other players with the money saved.

JP Scearce:

Speaking of players that could take that role over, JP Scearce appeared in 14 matches, starting in 8 of them and playing 866 minutes. This season JP saw his playing time increase as the season wore on. JP contributed 2 goals and an assist this season.

JP completed 384 passes with a 69% completion percentage, that is close to Sebas’ passing accuracy numbers. JP contributed 9 interceptions while attempting 20 tackles, winning 12. Essentially JP matched Sebas statistics in almost 40 less minutes and is 8 years his junior.

2021 Verdict: Lock. I’m going out on a limb here and calling JP a lock, especially if the club decides to not renew Sebas contract. I don’t want to mark JP as the younger Sebas, but statistically speaking he contributes similar numbers while also being an aerial threat on set pieces and crosses. JP also worked his way into the squad as Sebas started seeing his time go down. That says much more about how JP progressed as the season went.

Tyler David:

Tyler David was another player that started the season in the starting line-up but saw his role reduce to substitute appearances towards the end. Tyler appeared in 13 out of our 16 matches and playing 754 minutes. Tyler attempted 4 total shots, with 2 on target, but did not score a goal or provide an assist.

Tyler’s role saw him taking on more of the defensive midfield role that Toby eventually took over, once he arrived. Tyler completed 288 passes (78.5% accuracy) while collecting 10 interceptions. He also attempted 10 tackles, winning 8 of those. If you’re looking for a defensive midfielder that helps shut down the opponent’s attack, while jump starting our own? Tyler ticks many of those boxes. He was able to intercept or successfully tackle at a high success rate and then get the ball moving for the offense. No better example of this then when Tyler won the tackle and got the ball to Elma on the game winning goal against Fort Lauderdale.

Tyler’s biggest intangible was his veteran presence. At 26 years old Tyler was a 2016 MLS SuperDraft selection and has been a professional since. He’s played for two USL-C sides and has played in Finland. This experience was not doubt beneficial to the team.

2021 Verdict: Mixed. With all the being said, I’m not 100% sure Tyler returns. He does bring a veteran presence and was one of our most vocal players throughout the season, both on and off the pitch. In a team that lacks professional experience, having a player like Tyler is immeasurable. If Sebas is truly gone, I see Tyler staying to continue as a veteran voice on the team. I don’t have a good argument to see him leave outside of having a few players that fill the role he was playing already on the team. This mixed verdict leans more towards the lock than the gone.

Toby Otieno:

Oh, what could have been if Toby was able to arrive when he was meant to. Visa issues and COVID derailed Toby’s arrival, and likely opened opportunities for other players early on. Toby only appeared in 5 matches, but he also started all 5 of those matches. He played 439 minutes in 5 matches, which is only 11 minutes short of 90 full minutes per match. Toby came in fit and ready to play. As one of the youngest players on the team, he showed immense professionalism.

During his time on the pitch Toby attempted 5 shots, with 1 on target. Let’s be honest, Toby wasn’t brought in because of his offensive prowess. He was brought on to be the defensive mid that could help spark our counterattack. Toby completed 168 passes, with a 79% completion percentage. While Toby did not contribute a goal this season, he was able to notch an assist.

Toby successfully intercepted the ball 11 times while attempting 21 tackles with 15 of those being successful. Toby’s stats in 5 games mirror those of other midfielders through 2 or 3 times as many!

2021 Verdict: Lock. Not only do the stats show that Toby should be a lock but he was robbed of a full season and will get the extension to show what he can do with a full slate of games. Look for Toby to be starting many more matches next season.

Manny Lira:

Manny was a trialist for several months and a mid-season addition. He did not appear in any matches this season.

2021 Verdict: Gone. Manny’s story was amazing, and his signing was a sign of what this team’s ambition to not only sign talent from across the globe, but also right here in our own backyard. I only say Manny is gone because I don’t know how he fits into the team’s plans moving forward. Would it surprise me if Manny came back next season? No, I think he’s the type of guy that pushes his teammates in practice but that doesn’t mean he’ll be resigned for 2021.

Xavier Gomez:

X was signed as a Free Agent, after the folding of Lansing Ignite. It was a homecoming for X having played at UNO before going pro. Unfortunately, we never got to see what X could do for us on the field. X spent the season with his family, after an incident here in Omaha.

2021 Verdict: Mixed. I wish I had a crystal ball on what the plans for X are or were. I can see Union Omaha bringing him back for 2021 to see how he fits in. He is a talented midfielder and was a key contributor to Lansing during the 2019 season. With that said, not knowing the circumstances around why X wasn’t with the team this season and not knowing what the coaches have in store, I’m not sure what to think. I’m putting mixed because this one is truly a mystery to me currently.

Final score: 4 locks, 2 mixed, and 2 gone. The midfield was stacked with talent and players. If we had one area where we had an excess of depth, it was in the central midfield. With Devin, EVD, Toby, and JP as locks to return, and possibly Tyler and/or X, I don’t see much of a drop off in 2021 around our midfield play. This is one area of the field that we seemed to be our strongest.

Let me know what you think! Do you think someone listed as mixed should be a lock? Or should they be gone? Should a lock really be listed as mixed?

Next time: Defenders

Who returns for 2021? Forwards

Since our season was prematurely cut short due to several positive COVID-19 tests, I have seen the question this question brought up. For those unaware of USL League One contracts, most players are on one year contracts with an option to be picked up for an additional year. This column will operate under the assumption that all players are on such contracts and are not guaranteed another year.

To make my predictions, I have decided to use statistics from unionomaha.com to help make this as objective as possible. We all have our favorite players for various reasons, but our hearts don’t always let us make the best decisions when it comes to keeping players. Not everything can be determined by statistics, which you will see when it comes to some of the players.

As you will see, it is hard to decide on certain players based on stats alone. I will also break this up by position groups, again based on how the team has them listed on the website. I think this offers some insight into positions of need moving into the 2021 season.

I will use the following verdicts:

  1. Lock: these are for players that should be considered guarantee resigning.
  2. Mixed: There is an argument to resign this player but don’t be surprised if they’re not back in 2021.
  3. Gone: these are for players that are likely not coming back next season at all.

For this week’s column I have decided to focus on one position group: Forwards. I am reviewing the players that are listed as Forwards and Midfielder/Forward. I am doing this to show my thought process on determining who to keep in this group.

Players listed as either a Forward or Forward/Midfielder alphabetically by first name:

Austin Panchot:

Austin appeared in 9 out of 16 games this season (starting only 1), playing a total of 156 minutes. Austin appeared in 56% of our games registering 3 total shots with 2 on target. That gives Austin a 67% accuracy on his shooting. Austin was also able to tally 1 goal this season.

The number of games you play don’t always tell the whole story, your ability to make an impact when you get the chance completes the picture. Austin played the least number of minutes of any outfield player this season, the only other player to play fewer minutes was Sam Howard. Looking at the number of minutes he was on the field, tells me two things:

  1. Austin was subbed on late most of the time AND
  2. Austin made great use of his time on the field.

2021 Verdict: Lock. I’m not going to lie to you, I was leaning mixed to gone with my verdict prior to looking at the statistics. Looking at this objectively though, how do you not bring back a guy that makes that type of impact with such little playing time? Imagine if we had played a full season! Austin is one of those players that we assume would be gone because he didn’t play much, but the reality is, he makes an impact when on the field.

Christian Molina:

Christian appeared in 11 out of our 16 games this season (starting 4), playing 419 minutes. He is listed as both a Forward and Midfielder on the team website and we mostly saw him lining up on the flank where Evan and Ethan typically were. Does it surprise you as much as it did me that Christian appeared in 69% of our matches this season?

During those 11 games Christian attempted 6 total shots, with 3 of those on target. For a player that is probably considered more of a Midfielder than a striker, a 50% accuracy looks great. I remember hearing that Jay told Christian to shoot more, looks like Jay was right. Christian did manage to score 2 goals and provided 1 assist.

2021 Verdict: Mixed. This may come as a surprise due to the number of appearances Christian made this season but hear me out.

Christian’s ability to play both midfield and forward/winger should absolutely be a reason Mims and company consider bringing Christian back. He looked dangerous at times and contributed to 3 total goals. If he comes back, he’s there as a sub to spell whomever started on the wing.

I can see the staff looking at the roster and seeing a few guys that fit this mold. This isn’t to diminish what Christian brought to the team this year, but sometimes tough decisions must be made. When you think super sub, which name comes to your mind first? I would guess it isn’t Christian Molina.

Elma Nfor:

Elma appeared in 14 out of 16 matches this season, appearing in 88% of our matches, playing 735 minutes. During his time on the pitch he started in 50% of those appearances.

I’m guessing most of you answered the “super sub” question I posed in Christian’s section with Elma Nfor. Subjectively, that is how I also viewed Elma, so it was a bit of a surprise to see that he started in 7 out of his 14 appearances. Elma was subbed off in 6 of the 7 starts he made, meaning he played the full 90 only once.

During those appearances Elma was able to register 21 total shots but only 5 of those were considered on target, around a 24% accuracy. This is not great for a player who is considered more of a Forward than a Midfielder. Elma was able to register a goal and an assist during his time on the pitch.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Another one that may surprise you when you read the statistics. Yes, Austin and Christian were more accurate than Elma. Christian even scored one more goal than Elma, but Elma is the anomaly to the statistical portion of this exercise.

Elma’s intangibles are what make him a lock for 2021. There is a reason you thought of Elma when I asked about super subs, it’s because Elma brings energy and chaos when he’s on the pitch, especially when he is brought on against opponents that are tired. Just look at Evan’s game winning goal on October 24th, Elma was on his back and was able to get the ball to Devin, who assisted Evan. This isn’t something we attribute to either Austin or Christian, and what makes Elma a lock for an extension in 2021.

Elvir Ibisevic:

Elvir appeared in 9 out of 16 total games or 56% of our total games this season. He tallied 270 minutes during those appearances. 3 of those appearances were starts. During those 3 starts, Elvir was subbed off 100% of the time.  

Elvir did not seem to take advantage of the limited time he had on the pitch recording 6 total shots (less than a shot attempt per game). However, Elvir was accurate when attempting shots having 4/6 shots considered shots on target (67%). Unfortunately, Elvir was not able to create any goals, recording 0 goals and assists this season.

2021 Verdict: Mixed. Elvir was presumably signed because he played for Jay at UNO. He is still young at 22 years old, and he has time to find his shooting boots. When Union Omaha plays a full schedule, it will allow the time for a player to find his stride. Elvir has shown that he can be accurate when given the chance to shoot and likely needs more time on the pitch to find his groove. With the team not being at a full roster and Elvir being 1 of 2 true Forwards, it makes sense to bring him back for another season.

Elvir did not maximize his time given and I could see the coaching staff believing Elvir is surplus to the requirements while looking for an out and out goal scorer for 2021.

Evan Conway:

He scores his own wayyyyyyyyyyy! Evan Conway!

Evan quickly became a hero in Omaha scoring our first ever goal, our first game winning goal, and scoring the last goal of the season. He was also named to the USL League One First Team!

Evan appeared in, and started, every single match this season and played the 3rd most minutes on the team at 1,294. If they gave an Iron Man award, Evan would be our winner. Starts and appearances aren’t everything but there is a reason Evan was the ONLY player this season to start in every match.

Evan tied for the most total shots this season with 31. 14 of those 31 shots were on target, or 45%. 45% accuracy over 16 games is damn good. Evan also contributed with the most goals this season (6) and tied for the second most assists (2). Statistically speaking, Evan did what we expect Forwards/Wingers to do, he either popped them in himself or he set others up.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Was this one even up for debate? Evan is likely going to be one of the first guys offered an extension for 2021. Outside of a team from a higher league offering a boatload of money, expect to see our Number 11 flying up and down the pitch next season.

Juan Mare:

This first paragraph for Juan is going to look very similar to Elvir’s. Juan appeared in 9 out of 16 games this season for 56% of the games, Juan played a total of 237 minutes during those 9 appearances. Juan also started 3 out of those 9 appearances and was subbed off 100% of the time.

Juan managed 9 total shots, with 6 being on target for the same 67% accuracy that Elvir and Austin had. Much like Elvir, Juan was accurate when shooting but was unable to register a goal or an assist during his time on the pitch.

2021 Verdict: Mixed. Juan was brought in because he was young and had a lot of raw talent. I’m sure this season was frustrating from a personal perspective, considering his lack of minutes. Juan, much like Elvir, is young and hungry. Another year in Mims’ system will do him wonders. Same thought process here, Mims has several roster positions unfilled and only 2 players listed as pure Forwards. Juan was similarly accurate when on the pitch and during a full season would have more opportunities to show his skill.

Juan also did not maximize his time on the pitch, and I could see the staff looking towards greener pastures. Let me put it this way, don’t be surprised if we only see Juan or Elvir back next season.

Final score: 3 locks and 3 mixed.

The narrative all season for Union Omaha was the lack of goals scored. As you can see, our Forwards or Midfield/Forwards contributed to 10 of our 20 goals this season. At first blush that seems fantastic, but if we break it down it isn’t as great as we hope. 60% of those goals scored came from Evan Conway and none of them came from players that are seen as true, lead the line forwards. If Union Omaha wants to finish in a playoff position in 2021, they’re going to need more contributions from those players I was mixed on bringing back.

Let me know what you think! Do you think someone listed as mixed should be a lock? Or should they be gone? Should a lock really be listed as mixed?

Next time: Midfielders

Who returns for 2021? Defenders

Welcome back, this week we continue to move down the field and look at our Defenders!

As a reminder, the players discussed today are all listed as Defenders on the team’s website. This week I will continue to focus on key stats that are traditionally attributed to Defenders: tackles, interceptions, and duels. The club separates duels and aerial duels, but for ease of breaking down each player, I will be combining those stats into one category.

As a reminder, I will use the following verdicts after making my statistical case for each player:

  1. Lock: these are for players that should be considered guarantee resigning.
  2. Mixed: There is an argument to resign this player but don’t be surprised if they’re not back in 2021.
  3. Gone: these are for players that are likely not coming back next season at all.

Players listed as Defender alphabetically by first name:

Daltyn Knutson:

Daltyn was one of the defenders that was able to be very versatile throughout the season and part of a trio with very similar stats, making them very interchangeable. He played across the backline and was able to go forward on occasion. Daltyn played in 11 games, starting in 9 of those while playing a total of 871 minutes and was never subbed off. While he was considered a defender, Daltyn was able to attempt 7 total shots, with 3 on target (43% accuracy) but did not score a goal or provide an assist. I point these stats out because it shows Daltyn was more versatile than we realized.

Daltyn also finished within the top 10 in passing attempts on the entire team, completing 78% of his 376 passes. In addition to having a high completion percentage, 40% of his pass attempts were forward, meaning Daltyn was getting the ball out of our defensive third.

Defensively Daltyn had 30 clearances (2nd on the team), 4 blocks (tied for 3rd), 12 interceptions (7th), and attempted 14 tackles while winning 9. Daltyn participated in 114 total duels, winning 79 of those or 69%. What this shows me is that Daltyn was winning the ball defensively and, pairing these with his passing stats, getting the ball back down the field. In my book, this is exactly what you hope for from a defender.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Daltyn’s versatility was key this season with a smaller roster and when needing depth. He played well in all areas of the field and should continue to help anchor the backline in 2021. Additionally, Daltyn began gaining starts in the XI during the stretch run, which shows he worked and earned the spot as the season went on.

Damia Viader:

Dami is another example of a very versatile player. On paper Dami is considered a defender but let’s be honest, he was at home on the wing and midfield. Dami played in 13 matches (thanks for the broken ribs Chattanooga), starting 12 of those matches, Dami’s lone non-start was a substitution appearance after recovering from his broken ribs. Dami played 1,049 minutes, one of 6 players to play over 1,000 minutes this season.

Offensively Dami was dangerous throughout the season. He attempted 351 passes, completing 74% of them. He contributed 1 assist. Dami also attempted 5 shots, with 2 on target or a 40% accuracy. These stats don’t seem to show that Dami was an offensive threat but the intangible with Dami was his ability to get forward and draw defenders to him. Dami is also the only defender in the top 5 on the team with chances created at 21 in his 13 appearances. This is where you see Dami’s contributions to the offense come to light.

Defensively Dami contributed 12 clearances, 2 blocks, 23 interceptions, and attempted 37 tackles while winning 24. Dami had 151 total duels winning 94, or 62%. The vast majority of Dami’s duels were with the ball on the ground.

Combining all Dami’s stats, I feel that his defensive stats, particularly his duel stats, explain my intangible comment in the offensive section. Dami was able to intercept or tackle to win the ball AND was able to win one-on-one duels with the ball on the pitch. He then used those opportunities to create the 3rd most chances on the team.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Dami was on the League One Team of the Season First Team and it was well deserved. Not many players are locks in everyone’s minds but I’m guessing you walked into this article knowing that Dami was a lock.

Ferrety Sousa:

Sousa was another player that grew into his role and into the team as the season went on. He went from being an energy sub late in games to a starter and captain towards the end of the season. Plus, he has a pretty sweet backflip celebration in his arsenal. Sousa played in 13 matches, starting 7 of those while playing 735 minutes.

Sousa attempted 279 passes while completing 76% of those passes. In addition, 50% of Sousa’s passes were forward! Sousa had 8 total shot attempts, with 3 on target. He scored 1 (amazing) goal but did not contribute an assist. Looking at the passing stats, and once you see these defensive stats, you begin to see why Sousa was so important to this team.

Defensively Sousa had 12 clearances, 2 blocks, 11 interceptions, and attempted 19 tackles while winning 13 (68%). Sousa was in 85 total duels, winning 49 for a 58% success rate. Specifically, Sousa won 10/11 aerial duels (91%) this season. I point out those three percentages to highlight where Sousa was the most effective. What these defensive stats show me, is that Sousa was aggressive in his defensive duties. He won a high percentage of his tackles and duels, and that aerial duel stat is impressive for a player that stands 5 foot 7 inches.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Sousa not only proved his worth throughout the season but earned the trust of Jay Mims by getting handed the captain’s armband at the end of the season. Sousa is one of our older players at 29 years old, but his veteran presence and his steady play are something we need on a team with younger players. If Sebas is truly gone from this team in 2021, then Sousa needs to come back and captain this team again.

Illal Osumanu:

Illal is the type of defender I love to have on my team. He does a lot of the dirty work and doesn’t care if he gets the individual praise at the end of the day. He has a job to do and he does it at a very high level. Illal played in 15 matches this season starting in 14 and playing a total of 1,305 minutes, second only to Rashid Nuhu.

Illal’s passing is the first area where you notice he is a step above his backline mates. Illal completed the most passes (497) and had the highest completion percentage (91%) on the team. That is an amazing stat no matter where you’re playing on the field, but for a defender to meet those marks is phenomenal. The next closest in completed passes was Midfielder Devin Boyce with 452, a full 45 passes less than Illal. On top of such a high passing accuracy, 148 of those passes were forward meaning Illal was not only completing passes but also moving the ball out of Union Omaha’s defensive third.

Illal also turned in team leading stats on the defensive end. He led the team in clearances (58) and blocks (11) while tying for second in interceptions (16). Illal was also able to win 8/10 tackles attempted for an 80% success rate. Illal was involved in 96 total duels while winning 68 for a 71% success rate. What does this tell us? Defensively Illal was able to stop attacks and, when combined with his passing stats, he was able to get the ball up the field to help start the attack. All hallmarks of a great counter-attacking team.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Illal was anchored the backline for the majority of the season, only missing one match this season. While playing the 2nd most minutes on the team, he was able to amass team leading stats. Look for Illal’s option to be picked up for 2021.

Jake Crull:

Jake Crull is the second of my trio of defenders that have very similar stats from the 2020 season. This type of continuity only helps Union Omaha when a full season is played and depth may become an issue.

Jake played in 13 games and started 11 while playing 926 total minutes, sound familiar? Jake completed 421 passes (4th on the team) with a 75% completion rate. 52% (219) of Jake’s passes were forward and he completed the second most long passes on the team, behind only Rashid Nuhu.

Jake was also in the top 5 for clearances (18), in the top 6 for blocks (4) and interceptions (13). Jake won 9/13 tackles he attempted and was involved in 82 total duels, winning 45. Much like Daltyn, Jake was a solid defender this season. He quietly accumulated stats that put him in the top 5 in major defensive categories, which is what you want from a defender.

2021 Verdict: Lock. If Daltyn’s stats and performances are enough to make him a lock, it’s hard to say any different for Jake Crull. He’s a young defender who only has room to grow and he is already on that path. Look for Jake to be back with the Búhos next season.

Luke Hauswirth:

The final member of my interchangeable trio. Luke Hauswirth played in 11 games starting 9 while playing 738 total minutes. Luke successfully completed 269 of his passes for a 76% completion rate. Much like the other 2 in the trio, Luke used the long ball and forward passes more often.

Luke’s defensive stats are right up there with Daltyn and Jake. He had 15 clearances and 15 interceptions (both top 5 on the team), however, he was not credited with a block this season. Luke successfully completed 10/16 tackles and was involved in 94 duels while winning 47.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Did you think I’d break up the triplets? Luke deserves to have his option picked up just as much as Daltyn and Jake. The three of them are very interchangeable and allow Jay to rotate his backline, without losing anything statistically.

Nathan Aune:

Nathan Aune played in 4 matches while starting 3 and playing 271 minutes. He saw the pitch the least of any defender this season. While on the pitch he completed 131 passes for a 73% success.

Nathan was also credited with 6 clearances, 1 block, and 6 interceptions. He won 2/4 tackles he was involved in and was involved in 43 duels, winning 24. Nathan just did not see the pitch enough to make a huge impact.

2021 Verdict: Mixed. Nathan could easily be brought back for 2021. He’s a younger defender who was playing his first professional season. He’s the tallest defender we have at 6 foot 4 inches, which could make him more of an aerial threat next season. His lack of playing time could be attributed to finding his way as a professional.

Nathan could also easily be gone next season. Losing him doesn’t change your defensive core and Union Omaha could find other young defenders to fill in as depth positions. While he was the tallest defender, his aerial duel win percentage was barely over 50%.

Final score: 6 locks and 1 mixed.

It’s really difficult to see many of our defenders not getting an extension in 2021. They were part of a defensive effort that only gave up 15 goals all season and was routinely considered one of the best defenses in League One. With Dami, Sousa, and Illal all consistently starting and having three additional players that can play anywhere along the backline, returning this defense for next season makes the most sense.

Let me know what you think! Do you agree with my locks? Do you disagree with any of my picks? What would you change?

Next time: Goalkeepers

Who returns for 2021? Goalkeepers

Welcome to the final article in this exercise! This time we will look at our Goalkeepers!

As a reminder, the players discussed today are all listed as Goalkeepers on the team’s website. This week I will continue to focus on key stats that are traditionally attributed to Keepers: saves, goals against, and clean sheets.

As a reminder, I will use the following verdicts after making my statistical case for each player:

  1. Lock: these are for players that should be considered guarantee resigning.
  2. Mixed: There is an argument to resign this player but don’t be surprised if they’re not back in 2021.
  3. Gone: these are for players that are likely not coming back next season at all.

Players listed as Defender alphabetically by first name:

Brian Holt:

Brian Holt was a midseason announcement, along with Manny Lira, that did not see any game action.

2021 Verdict: Mixed. Some of you readers may not have even realized we had a third keeper on the team. Brian seems to be on the roster to fill the emergency keeper role but also to help coach the other goalkeepers. I’m not 100% sure what the team will do with Brian. Much like Manny, I can see them resigning him at some point in the off-season, just to have a third keeper on the roster. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brian wasn’t resigned as a player either.

Rashid Nuhu:

Who keeps the shots out? Our number one choice at keeper most of the season was Rashid Nuhu.

Before we get into stats let’s talk a little about intangible items with Rashid. He was a vocal leader on the field commanding and demanding of his backline. Those in the Parliament end could hear Rashid yelling instructions to his defenders. On the flip side, Rashid also gave you moments where you were left scratching your head. He is a fiery player and very passionate but his red card against North Texas was out of anger and there were times where he didn’t totally trust his backline. Rashid was named to the USL League One Second Team for the season.

Rashid played in and started 15 matches this season totaling the most minutes played at 1,311. His lone missed game was due to his red card suspension. Rashid completed the 3rd most passes on the team at 451 only a 46% completion percentage. Keep in mind that includes 348 long passes, which are statistically lower percentage passes. This isn’t uncommon for a goalkeeper and shouldn’t be considered a huge negative.

Defensively Rashid had 8 clearances and won 100% of his tackles attempted (which was only 1). Rashid was also involved in 15 total duels winning 12. Specifically, Rashid went 5/6 on his aerial duels. Rashid conceded 13 goals this season giving him a .87 per game goal against average. Rashid faced 45 shots while saving 32 for a 71% save percentage this season. He was also able to keep 6 clean sheets.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Rashid Nuhu should be considered one of the easiest locks for this team next season. He was clearly our number 1 choice at Goalkeeper and was second only to Dallas Jaye of Greenville in most statistical categories. There isn’t much more to say about Rashid at this point, he should be considered a guaranteed lock with his contract option.

Sam Howard:

Every team needs a capable and good backup Goalkeeper. Sam Howard appeared to be that for Union Omaha. In a shortened season Sam was able to make 2 appearances with 1 start playing 127 minutes. Sam’s first appearance was to finish up the game against North Texas and his start was while Rashid served his red card suspension.

In his two appearances Sam attempted 38 passes with a 48% accuracy, similar to Rashid’s season stats. Of those 38 passes, 27 were long passes. Sam conceded 2 goals (one in each match) while facing 4 shots and saving 2 for a 50% save percentage. Sam did not keep a clean sheet this season.

2021 Verdict: Lock. Sam Howard did what we expect a back up keeper to do. He came in against North Texas, after a red card, and played well. He was able to preserve the draw while down a man and had a big save in the game. He also led us to victory against FC Tucson the next match while Rashid served his suspension. Overall, Sam played well in tough spots and the coaching staff had the confidence in him to play when Rashid couldn’t. I look for the team to pick up his option for next season, especially when we have bigger areas of need throughout the outfield.

Final score: 2 locks and 1 mixed. Our goalkeeping position should look very similar in 2021. We have one of the best Keepers in the league in Rashid Nuhu and a very good backup, should the need arise. I don’t see much turnover here because we have good depth and Jay will need to focus on building more depth in the outfield positions.  

Final team score: 13 locks, 9 mixed, and 2 gone.

That’s it for my review of the position groups and determinations on where we will stand moving into 2020. I hope you have enjoyed these articles and I look forward to seeing where I was right and (most likely) where I was wrong.

Let me know what you think!

Data Dump: #EVD4MVP Special Edition

Ethan Vanacore-Decker via Union Omaha Facebook

Hello and welcome to the only article you need to read if you have a vote for MVP. As the founder of the #EVD4MVP movement that is sweeping the nation (Buho Nation), I want to bring the case full circle and show why Ethan Vanacore-Decker is the only choice for the 2020 USL League One MVP award.

I. MVP Criteria
An MVP award is given to the player who was most valuable for the entire season in the whole league. Usually this is an award given to the best player on the best team, but that is not always the case. For the purposes of this article, I am trying to make the case that the most valuable player in the league is the one who contributed more than any other player did in giving his team a chance to win a championship.

2020 was the second season of USL League One, so we really only have a single data point from last year to create a model from. The 2019 USL League One MVP was Arturo Rodriguez of North Texas SC. The simplest case for his MVP award is this: He led the league in assists with 10, had 7 regular season goals (top 10), led the league with 78 chances created, and his team finished top of the table. Overall, he was involved in 32% of his team’s goals.

From this I think we can establish some criteria for our list of candidates: top 3 in assists, top 10 for goals, top 5 in chances created, and a top 2 finish in the league for their team. And to be considered, you need to meet 3 of the 4 criteria.

II. 2020 Candidates
Using our criteria above let’s see who our candidates are:

  1. Alex Morrell: 5 goals (6th), 6 assists (2nd), 34 chances created (3rd), 1st place
  2. Ethan Vanacore-Decker: 3 goals (16th), 6 assists (1st), 28 chances created (5th), 2nd place.

Seriously that’s it. Even if you expand the net out a little bit you still don’t really pick up any candidates.

That said, you know the league will offer us five candidates so here are the other three I think they will select: Michael Vang: 4 goals (9th), 2 assists (16th), 26 chances created (6th), 7th place; Emiliano Terzaghi: 10 goals (1st), 0 assists (last), fewer than 10 chances created, 4th place; Greg Hurst: 8 goals (2nd), 2 assists (16th), 19 chances created (17th), 5th place. If you are looking for a dark horse candidate I think Arturo Rodriguez could sneak in there again. You can check their stats below:

All of these candidates have flaws in statistical categories, their league finish, or both. Kudos on a great season to all of them, but let’s eliminate them and move on.

III. Chances Created
Opta defines Chances Created as, “Assists plus Key Passes (the final pass or pass-cum-shot leading to the recipient of the ball having an attempt at goal without scoring).” Although the League has a leaderboard for this as one of their four major offensive statistical categories, I think it is the category we should put the least weight in.

I’m not saying it doesn’t matter (it does) but it shouldn’t matter TOO much. When the final calculus is done, if you’re creating a lot of chances and are not appearing on the leaderboard for assists like Charlie Dennis or Marco Micaletto, then your teammates are letting you down by not finishing the chances you are creating for them and your team is probably not succeeding. 

So while Alex may have created MORE chances than EVD, EVD’s chances paid off more often. Could we say that EVD’s chances created were better than Alex’s because they more frequently led to goals? Sure, but any MVP argument that is being decided by chances created is probably flawed. So, this is the last time I’ll mention it.

IV. Assists
These are baked into chances created, and each player had 6. EVD won this title because he played fewer minutes than Alex on the season. Obviously, being the assist leader is important, and the previous MVP was the assists leader as well. Every assist means a goal created, and you can’t win without scoring goals (ask Forward how things went at Hart Park this season).

The margin here is pretty small, but not as small as the league made it seem. EVD played 119 fewer minutes than Alex, which is more than a full game. Additionally, EVD won a penalty that was converted by another player, a small detail we MUST take into account. I will continue to talk about that as its own category, but I view it as an assist.

V. Goals
Even though the MVP award last season went to the best creator, goals are important. However, Alex Morrell’s 2 goals in a meaningless game against the worst team in the league should not fool voters into thinking he was somehow more valuable on the season.

Greenville clinched their spot in the final on Oct 3rd against Orlando City B, and they clinched home field advantage before their game on Oct 18th against Union Omaha. Greenville’s final regular season match was away to Orlando City B. Win, lose, or draw the Triumph was playing in the Final at home. Alex Morrell scored 2 goals in that game, goals that did nothing to shape the season Greenville had. Wikipedia defines garbage time as “the period toward the end of a timed sports competition that has become a blowout when the outcome of the game has already been decided.”

The Triumph’s game against OCB was the definition of garbage time, and Alex’s goals were garbage time goals. The margins between these two players are thin, but this should not be the deciding factor.

VI. Home-Away Splits
League One has some terrible travel that tends to affect teams when they are away and give a strong home field advantage. So a potential way to tell these two apart might be their home and away splits: who performed better in a more difficult environment.

Home:
Alex: 1 goal, 3 assists.
EVD: 0 goals, 3 assists, 1 penalty won.

Away:
Alex: 4 goals (2 garbage time), 3 assists.
EVD: 3 goals, 3 assists.

The unbalanced schedule had us playing at Hart Park while Greenville played at Osceola County Stadium. Alex Morrell used that to his favor by scoring 2 goals there, but overall, both players were very impressive away from home.

VII. Goal participation
Another way to determine how valuable a given player is to the team is goal participation: what percentage of overall goals scored did the player score or create. Greenville had 24 goals on the year, Alex Morrell participated in 11 of them (5 goals, 6 assists), or 45.8%. If we factor out “garbage time” games against UO and OCB, Alex participated in 9 of 19 goals or 47.4%. Union Omaha had 20 goals on the year, EVD participated in 10 of them (3 goals, 6 assists, 1 penalty won), that is 50%. Clear advantage to EVD, who was involved in more goals by percentage no matter how you slice it.

VIII. Points earned
While goals are important to each individual game, the results from each game matter in the table. In a draw, every goal scored in a game matters, while in a win ALMOST every goal matters. I took goals, assists, and penalties won metrics and determined how many points the team earned in games where a player contributed to the scoring. The total points earned and percentage of total points earned will help us understand how valuable each player was to their team’s successful season.

Alex Morrell (including garbage time): 7 games, 21 points, 60% of points GVL earned on the season.
Alex Morrell (excluding garbage time): 6 games, 18 points, 51.4% of points earned.
Ethan Vanacore-Decker: 8 games, 20 points, 69% of points earned

The goals created by EVD created more of Union Omaha’s points on the season than Alex Morrell did by percentage of total. And if you exclude those garbage time games, total points as well.

IX. Game Winners
There is nothing more spectacular than a dramatic game winning goal. For the purposes of this exercise, a game winner is defined as a goal that is the difference between winning and drawing. In a one-goal game that is pretty obvious. In a multi-goal game it is the first goal scored.

Alex Morrell: 2 goals, 4 assists
Ethan Vanacore-Decker: 2 goals, 3 assists

Alex has the advantage in this category, but the slimmest of margins: just one assist. However, if you look at those wins as a percentage of the total wins the team earned, once again EVD has the edge. EVD provided more game winners as a percentage of wins than Alex Morrell did.

Alex Morrell: 6 game winners on 11 wins total. (54.5%)
EVD: 5 game winners on 8 wins total. (62.5%)

X. Rescued Points
All of Alex’s goals and assists that factor into the game winner category took the margin from 0-0 to a winning position or became game winners after Greenville gave up a late goal.

On the other hand, Ethan had multiple games where his game winners came after the opponent had drawn level. The stakes are raised in a situation like this, and the drama is increased. Put another way, Ethan “rescued” points for his team on multiple occasions, where Alex did not rescue any points all season. Here is the list of EVD’s rescued points.

North Texas (Away): Assist to draw level after going down 1-0.
North Texas (Away): Goal to draw level after going down 2-1.
FC Tucson (Home): Assist to win the game after giving up an equalizer.
Fort Lauderdale (Away): Goal to win the game from 2-2, after UO gave up 2 equalizers.
Greenville (Away): Assist to win the game from 1-1, after UO gave up an equalizer.

To summarize:
Alex Morrell: 0 points rescued.
EVD: 10 points rescued.

XI. Contributions that didn’t affect the outcome: aka fluff
Earlier we introduced the concept of “garbage time” for the League One season, but what about individual games? In a league with the primary tie-break as wins, the difference between a 1-0 win and 3-0 win is very little. So let’s look and see if either player had production that was the cherry on a sundae instead of the ice cream.

Alex Morrell:
07/19: A to Ft Lauderdale: Assist (2-0 win)
10/03: H to Orlando City B: Goal (2-0 win)
10/24: A to Orlando City B: 2 Goals (4-1 win)

Ethan Vanacore-Decker:
10/03: H to Tormenta: Assist (3-0 win)

So let’s adjust the stats to see what they look like if you strip away the fluff.
Alex Morrell: 2 goals, 5 assists.
Ethan Vanacore-Decker: 3 goals, 5 assists, 1 penalty won.

Said another way, if Alex Morrell had 3 fewer goals and 1 fewer assist, Greenville Triumph has the same season. If Ethan had 3 fewer goals and 1 fewer assist, Union Omaha doesn’t finish second. When you are trying to determine who is most valuable, meaningful contributions to results is vital and EVD did a better job of it.

XII. Conclusion
So let’s review. We know that in the past MVPs have led the league in assists, scored goals, and been on very successful teams. Both players meet that criteria. We have two players extremely close together statistically. Alex has a slight edge in goals, Ethan has a slight edge in assists. Greenville finished higher on points, but both teams had the same chance for a championship. To separate this we had to dive into the details.

Alex’s two “garbage time” goals against OCB give him the lead on paper, but when we dive in, we see EVD is the stronger candidate. EVD has a higher goal participation percentage: 50% to 45.8%. EVD participated in a higher percentage of the team’s points earned on the season: 69% to 60%. Alex created 3 more points via game winning goals or assists than EVD, but EVD’s game winning contributions account for a higher percentage of his team’s wins. EVD rescued 10 points on the season, while Alex rescued none. Finally, EVD had less fluff with 3 goals, 5 assists, and 1 penalty won contributing directly to results for his team, while Alex only had 2 goals and 5 assists that contributed directly to results.

The point of the most valuable player award is to recognize the contributions of the player who was most VALUABLE to his team on the season. It is clear from the statistics laid out above, that despite the similarities on the surface between the two players, EVD’s contributions simply were more VALUABLE to Union Omaha than Alex Morrell’s were to Greenville.

In closing, if in assists he leads the league, vote EVD for MVP; if the goals win, you gotta vote for him. #EVD4MVP

Courtesy of ode shirts

Data Dump: Ft Lauderdale (Home)

Wooooooooooo boy. We ducking did it. It’s been a few days, and I’m still not sure it seems very real. I’ve been thinking about what to write since I got home on Saturday night and there is honestly nothing else besides that goal that matter from this game. So instead of a normal Data Dump, let’s just break down that goal.

1) Was that the most Elma play of the year or what?

I can’t have been alone when I wondered why Tyler David was coming off the bench in the 89′. It’s absolutely nothing against Tyler, rather the entire concept of a like for like defensive midfielder swap at that point of that game was…interesting. But in the highlight there is TD, with his only touch of the game, winning the ball back and passing it straight to Elma.

It’s hard to put into words just how much intangible benefit Elma brings to the field. Don’t forget Elma played a vital role in the build up to our first goal, passing to EVD and drawing the defenders away from Evan. But this play topped that one for sure.

Elma takes a few touches and ends up on the ground. He then spins around, without getting up and perfectly places the ball into the path of a streaking Devin Boyce in the box.

2) The cross from Boyce was good enough.

A few fun facts about Devin. One, this is his second game winning assist of the season, and Evan Conway scored both of them. Two, on our goal of the year, he started that attack by winning the ball off of a throw-in and making a perfect pass to Elma even though he got absolutely clobbered.

The pass here is maybe not the best pass Devin has ever attempted but it was good enough. And even more impressive when you considered he hits it first time without ever controlling the ball. One of my favorite parts of the ESPN+ video is that JP Scearce looks like he is trying to do his best ‘Hand of God’ impression to bring down the cross.

Now, the alternative angle from field level view (thanks Alec Carstens) whatever JP does with his hands looks a lot less suspicious.

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

3) Mr. Clutch confirmation.

Although I haven’t confirmed this, I can only assume Evan read last week’s Data Dump and said to himself “time to put an end to this conversation.” Hard to get more clutch (in the regular season) than scoring in stoppage time to go the final. This is Evan’s 5th game winner of the six goals he has scored for Union Omaha. (Fun fact, if the ref in the Ft Lauderdale game calls that handball instead of ignoring it, it could be six for six for Evan.) All game Evan looked the most likely to score on the pitch, hitting the woodwork early on, flashing a shot just wide in the second half. The patience needed to watch the ball bounce several times, get in position, and finish was superb. It might not win any beauty contests, but as a fan this goal will be forever memorable as it goes to live next to this one in my mind.

I’m watching my team in the final on Friday, what about you?

Elo Rankings: Week 15

As if this could get any more wild, here is the final standings of the season for Elo. We’ll do a full recap after the final!

TeamWeek 15Weekly ChangeSeason Change
North Texas16162341
Greenville Triumph16131382
Union Omaha1551751
Forward Madison1529-81
Chattanooga Red Wolves15171915
FC Tucson1499022
Richmond Kickers147904
South Georgia Tormenta147718-11
New England II1473-34-27
Fort Lauderdale CDF1426-7-74
Orlando City B1303-33-106

3 Questions: Ft Lauderdale (Home)

Ahhhhhhhh yes, the final home game of the season. According to this excellent article I read on Friday, we’ll know what exactly we are playing for around the 30th minute of first half. My throat gets dry just thinking about the drama. I was tempted to just ask one question, but this game is going to be a little more complicated than: “do we win?” so here are the usual three questions:

1) Do we come out tight or loose?

One of the things I’ve been most impressed with about this team this season is that it gives consistent effort in any situation. Check out their reaction in Statesboro, GA after going down two goals. But, if they were ever going to get flustered and try too hard, this would be that game. Staying true to our identity will be critical to any success.

2) Can we keep a clean sheet?

In our 3-2 win in Fort Lauderdale, we were unfortunate to give up two goals. Given this is our field, and we have a generally good defense, I’d think we could. Some additional reasons: a) it is our only shot of tying Forward Madison for second most clean sheets in the league b) our guys deserve it, they have had a lot of rotation throughout the year, but they have been consistently great, and c) it would help our goal differential. Now I realize that goal difference will not come into play at all, but if we are on the outside looking in, I’d like our goal differential be as high possible for off season moral high ground purposes.

3) If the stakes change, does the game change?

The crowd is gonna know if we’ve got a shot at the final or not around the 30th minute. The adrenaline flows just thinking about it. If we have a shot, does the crowd perk up? If we don’t have a shot, does interest drift elsewhere? Do the players know? Does Jay tell them? Does the stadium announcer make an announcement about it? Only if we have a shot? Is there a murmur as the other game goes final? So many questions in this vein, but the most important one in my mind is “do we all fully appreciate how great this ride has been?” I’ll be there tomorrow night appreciating at the top of my lungs.

Never Say Die

Hello Union Omaha fans!

We’re at the most fun and heart-wrench inducing point in the season. Our final home game, decision day, potentially the end of our historic 2020 season. Going into Saturday against Ft Lauderdale CF we have a huge opportunity to give the season the ending we deserve, but to do so, we need some help.

Richmond (Home) vs Chattanooga (Away)

The biggest help would come at the hands of the bone breaking Chattanooga Red Wolves. Our loss there earlier in the season was a gut punch, literally, and caused Dami to be sidelined for our next few games. Will CRW gives us the hand we need? Playing at home at City Stadium gives Richmond a solid advantage, as I’m sure the Red Army will be out in socially distanced force, but not one that Greg Hurst and Alex Mangels won’t be able to handle. A tie or a CRW win here leaves the door open for Union Omaha. Looking for a CRW win puts us in the best position and here’s how I believe they can do it.

  • Shut down Terzaghi
  • *Yoda voice* Down Terzaghi shut
  • Don’t let Terzaghi score
  • Get Greg Hurst 3 goals to tie for 1st in the golden boot race

You get the gist. Both keepers are strong but with 2 leaders in the golden boot race up against each other, that’s where I see the fight coming.

North Texas (Home) vs South Georgia (Away)

Now had you asked me 3 weeks ago how I’d have thought this game would have gone, I’d have been very pessimistic. Tormenta had looked rough all season, particularly ravaged by COVID, and ultimately missing something to get the needed results. North Texas on the other hand had recalled some key players and fought their way back into contention, even while some other podcasters had crossed them off.

Provided we win, this game doesn’t matter, however, I’d love to see the Tormenta who ravaged NE2 4-0(a score line NE2 is very used to this season) bring that late season fire and force NTSC to drop some points. A tie or loss here is enough for UO to advance with a tie, if NTSC wins, Union Omaha will need to secure 3pts against Fort Lauderdale.

Union Omaha (Home) vs Fort Lauderdale (Away)

This is the game we need to win. Without a win here, our season is done, finished, kaput. Going into this game our fate is still up in the air due to the kick time of Richmond and a result for that game will not be announced until roughly the first hydration break at Werner Park. Did I say we needed to win? I did? Good, we definitely need a win here, that rules out any chance of North Texas getting into the final, regardless of the Richmond score. The lads have looked in fine form lately, newcomer Toby Otieno has provided the spine in the midfield we didn’t know we needed, with Dami back in fighting shape and our defense looking as solid as ever, I’ve got very high hopes.

The area that concerned me the most this season had been our ability to finish. Mr. Cabbage Patch himself, Evan Conway, has changed my tune by breaking away from the 1 goal per player trend and giving us a team leading 5 goals on the season. That being said Ethan Vanacore-Decker sneaking up there at 3 goals on the season and 6 assists is nothing to laugh at. With all of our lines shored up, I think we’ll be seeing an explosive team ready to show Omaha what they deserve.

Now for the bad guys… Ft Lauderdale CF. Helmed by Omaha native and US U-23 coach Jason Kreis, being led in scoring by golden boot contender and Creighton alum Ricky Espin-Lopez, this is a bit of a homecoming for some big names. They’re young, they are pros, and they are dangerous. Hopefully they don’t acclimate to the Nebraska cold quickly.

As welcoming as Omaha is as a metro, this is the time to be complete bastards. Kick them out! Send them packing with a big “L” on the record and 3,000 fans cheering a 6-0 Omaha win(Conway wins golden boot with 6 goals and Terzaghi with none). This game has the makings of a do or die, and as Parliament will tell you, “Búhos Never Say Die”.

One last thing to leave you with today, my wife has adapted the words of this video for every big Union Omaha game so far this season. I don’t think there’s a better time to listen to it than now.

Vamos Búhos!

Data Dump: Greenville (Away)

Well, we did it. We beat the previously undefeated-at-home regular season champions, at their place. Not at the start of the season but 13 days before the Triumph will host the USL League One Championship game. In winning the game we ended the season of our bitterest League One rivals (Chattanooga, New England, Wauwautosa). And while we won’t be headed into the last game of the season controlling our own destiny, this isn’t 3 Questions, so that isn’t really relevant to this column. Let’s dive in.

1) Who keeps the shots out? Nu, Nu, Nuhu!

One of the greatest pleasures that I have experienced from Union Omaha is getting to know a ton of new awesome people and share my passions with them. I’d like to introduce one of them now: Data Dump’s Anonymous Goalkeeping Consultant. (DDAGC for short). DDAGC and I text about games pretty regularly and I always enjoy the goalkeeping report. DDAGC points out is times when Rashid isn’t living up to his potential mixed in between healthy doses of praise and routine admiration of his clinical distribution skills. I thought this was by far Rashid’s best game of the season, and since making a season-saving-save eight minutes into stoppage time can distort one’s feelings, I wanted a take from DDAGC and this is what I got.

“Nuhu proved why he is one of the best in league one last night for sure. My thoughts on Nuhu: His two clutch saves to keep Omaha on top (one in the first and the last minutes of the second). Nuhu’s ability to manage his box and manage the game in general is always a key attribute Nuhu adds to the defense of UO. The difference today was that he made two big saves keeping his team on top. Putting this all together saw UO’s ability to defend be unbreakable. The score easily could have been 5-3 GVT but Nuhu made every save he could possibly make only allowing Pilato’s banger that was not possible to save.”

First of all, Rashid made four saves on the night, now if I was a more reputable or competent journalist, I would be able to figure out if that was the most saves he had all season. But I do know he was averaging less than two saves per game, going into this match. So let’s figure this was at or near the top of his saves per game this season.

Second, FotMob said Greenville had FIVE Big Chances in the match. Opta defines a Big Chance as: “A situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one on one scenario or from very close range when the ball has a clear path to goal and there is low to moderate pressure on the shooter.” So Rashid needs some credit for the fact Greenville only got a single goal on Sunday.

2) Who is Union Omaha’s Mr. Clutch?

Obviously, this is the home of #EVD4MVP, and next week expect the full case as a special edition Data Dump. But, after I got done screaming at my television as Evan Conway’s shot beautifully curled into the back of the net and got over the 20-30 minutes of anxiety that followed, I started to wonder who had the most game winners for Omaha.

Fun fact: we’ve won seven games, SIX of them were by a one goal margin. I went through all seven games and figured out the goal scorer and the person who assisted. Here is that chart:

HomeAwayGame Winning GoalGame Winning Assist
Union OmahaNorth TexasConwayEVD
FC TucsonUnion OmahaEVDunassisted
Union OmahaFC TucsonMolinaEVD
Union OmahaOrlando City BConwayBoyce
LauderdaleUnion OmahaEVDMolina
Union OmahaTormentaConwayOtieno
GreenvilleUnion OmahaConwayEVD
Game Winners for Union Omaha

Three names appear on that list more than once. We’ll honorable mention Christian Molina and remind you to vote Christian for goal of the week. That leaves us with two players: Evan Conway and Ethan Vanacore-Decker.

Evan’s case: Four of his team leading five goals have been game winners. He has no game winning assists, although his two assists both came in games he scored in.

Ethan’s case: two of his three goals were game winners. One of those was unassisted. He has three game winning assists and they were on the game winners for arguably the three most memorable wins of the season.

I’m glad they are both Owls. Who do you think is Mr. Clutch for us?

3) Possession and shots.

Real talk, that was probably the most enjoyable game to watch all year. It was a couple of great defensive teams throwing offensive haymakers at each other. And it cemented (at least in my mind) our skill as a counter attacking team. So let’s just check in on a couple of Data Dump favorites before we wrap up here.

General stats: Greenville Triumph (Teal) v. Union Omaha (Black)

Did we lose the possession battle handily? Oh yeah we did.

Attack stats: Greenville Triumph (Teal) v. Union Omaha (Black)

Did we take a ton of shots? Yeah we did. And they were on target at a rate right in line with our season average? Yes! (37.5 in this game to 38.6% on the season). Did we win?

Heck yeah we did. Hope you’re still savoring it as much as I am.