Spring Schedule 2013

Thanks trying to figure out my schedule so if needed I will let you know.

Nothing new on UP road games yet. UNC and ASU have their fall schedules out though.

UP played its final Spring game against OSU. A-Fan and I (Among a few other Pilot faithful) went down to Corvalis and caught the match.

Result was a 2-1 win to close out the Spring season. the Beavs scored first on a good effort from Richardson. UP answered on a PK by Amanda ( Micaela taken down in the box) and a 1v1 break by Amanda that lead to a pass and finish by Micaela. More later.

This isn't so much about the game as it is an attempt to quantify it and a review of a stat APP.

I did a little experiment today at the game. There is a relatively new APP out that helps measure stats called Soccer Meter. Chris Henderson from AWK is using it for the NWSL matches. I used the free version, which doesn't produce as many stats, and you can't save and print them, but before I worried about that, I thought I'd see if it was something I would use and how easy it was to use. Most of the data entry involves just tapping the screen each time a team/ player gets a FIRST touch on the ball. Subsequent touches by the same player don't count, although time of possession by one team and other data is deduced by the data entry. A completed pass, for instance, is two consecutive first touches by the same team,.a pass string would be three or more passes( adjustable, but the default is 3.)

First the results.

First half:
Portland.......statistic..........Beavers
291...............first touch.......246
188...............pass count.....143
65%............pass comp %..58%
17:07...........time of poss....17:01
50%............poss. %...........50%
25................pass strings...18
6...................shots................3

Second  half:
Portland.......statistic..........Beavers
267..............first touch.......209
185...............pass count......128
69%............pass comp %...61%
16:46..........time of poss....15:43
55%............poss. %...........45%
25................pass strings...19
7...................shots................4
2..................goals.................1

I had to write down the stats for each half in the free version. I know I made mistakes, sometimes hitting the wrong side of the ledger. I corrected the ones I could, but I'm not sure if that corrects pass strings or other stats.

The stats show a pretty even game, which was generally true but for some things that aren't apparent. UP had by far the majority of possession in the opponent's end, especially in the first half, which the APP doesn't track. OSU actually did a bit better in that category in the second half. 

Shots are a bit arbitrary, it was harder than I thought to count what was a shot and what was a header over the end line, for example. I was conservative.

Also, it's not clear what you do with inbound plays, for instance, or for cases when both players get a touch on the ball. In those cases, I defaulted to counting the result of the next touch twice, somewhat arbitrarily. That might be a wrong way to track it. I'll try to find out what Chris does.

And this being the free version, it doesn't track whether a shot was on goal or not. The paid version allows that entry and more.

It might be as useful to only count first touches in the opponent's end of the field, since many passes on both sides were just among defenders unchallenged. I think it might be a better measure of offensive initiative. Attacking third might be even better, but, their being no lines on the pitch for that, it is another point of ambiguity.


Anyway, it was fun and not really intrusive to your viewing experience. You don't have to look at the iPad or iPhone. If anything, it makes you concentrate a bit more.

I'm going to spring for the $3.95 version and try using it different ways.

I am sure Geezer's wife was hoping that if he started using this app at Pilot games that he wouldn't have as much time to express his dissatisfaction with the officiating. She is going to be disappointed. He can keep stats and still find time to point out to the officials their deficiencies.

The app is fun, but not being able to distinguish between offensive and defensive touches does make the result a bit misleading. The majority of the Beavers touches were in the defensive side of the field until the last 15 minutes or so of the second half. A lot of their offense consisted of trying to get the ball to their star Jenna Richardson. The Pilot defensive backs did a great job of containing her.

DJ went down early in the second half and stayed down for several minutes, but did leave the field under her own power with a slight limp. The Beavers played their usual physical game. The Pilots responded in kind which was nice to see although a little unnerving with only 1 field sub available.

When DJ went down we were speculating whether Dees would make an appearance in the field....DJ got taken down when she passed a player for the ball after catching the OSU player from behind. Her long strides really gobble up ground.

There were some uh...energetic OSU students in front of us who were randomly questioning calls. At one point they challenged the ref's call on a ball out of touch right in front of them. Cruz came over to take the throw and gave them a huge smile up close and personal, with her back to the ref