Sounders v Los Angeles – Meaningless Statistical Guide to the Game

Hallo faithful readers. Time for the only thing worth reading on this site, our meaningless statistical guide to the Sounders game. We have a doozy of pointless trivia this week, so while you’re still awake here goes:

Galaxy have tied all three of their away games this season. And half their home games. They got their first win last weekend, round about the same time Sounders were getting their first draw. The two sides have never met which means they have never drawn. Yet.

After this home game, Sounders FC will play two consecutive road games for the first time ever. On average Galaxy score and concede a goal every 70 minutes, whereas on average you’d only have to wait 63 minutes for a Seattle goal, but 158 for them to let one in.

Of the nine goals LA have scored, they have scored three each with the left peg, the right peg and the head. That is quite an odd statistic, and hopelessly uninformative. Sounders still haven’t conceded a headed goal. That’s actually quite helpful in understanding how well the side defends. Both sides have a defender called Marshall, but LA’s Yohance Marshall is out with a medial collateral ligament sprain. Ouch.

Freddie Ljungberg's Dog Amadeus
Photo: Greg Roth

When leading at half-time, Seattle always win. When trailing at half time, they always lose. When winning at half time, LA also win, but when trailing they always draw. Of course. When Sounders have scored first, they emerge victorious. LA have not had a road win in the league since June 14th last year, an incredible 13 games. Then they proved themselves “Kings of California” with a 3-0 victory over San Jose.

After this weekend’s Texas derby, Dallas’s next two games are at home to the sides here in this game. Absentee Fredy Montero leads Sounders FC in goals, shots, shots on goal, fouls suffered and offsides. It’s a great chance for someone else to poach the lead off him. It won’t be Steve Zakuani who stubbornly refuses to foul anybody.

Landon Donovan leads LA in almost everything with five goals, three assists, nineteen shots, nine on goal, 13 fouls suffered and seven offsides. This suggests LA might not be any good without him, so if someone’s going to get a red card, it should be for a foul on Landon, rather than something soft. Probably better not to though. LA have seen three reds this season.

LA have only failed to score once this season and they drew that game 0-0 with Chivas. Six of the nine goals LA have scored have been in the last 15 minutes. This suggests Sounders won’t be able to relax as they perhaps did against San Jose. Seattle have conceded half their goals in the same 15 minute period.

LA have no Washingtonians in their squad but Sounders have four Californians, proving that they ARE coming here taking our jobs. Sigi doesn’t count. He’s European.

Jhon Hurtado will turn 25 a week from today. Five of LA’s 22 man squad were born in March. Tristan Bowen and Sanna Nyassi share the same birthday. LA are a far taller side than most Sounders have played. Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, Jovan Kirovski, Edson Buddle, Stefani Miglioranzi, Gregg Berhalter, Alan Gordon and Tony Sanneh, are all outfielders who are 6′1″ or more. If Sounders don’t concede any headed goals on Sunday, it will be a major achievement.

American legend Landon Donovan was actually born in Ontario, CA. But the CA stands for California not Canada. Bet he gets teased a lot about that.

Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid have 191 MLS wins between them and 76 draws, most of which have been obtained this season by the Galaxy.

Sigi has won three and drawn two of his games against his former club LA. Los Angeles are now unbeaten in five games. Seattle’s ever presents are Evans, Marshall, Alonso, Hurtado, and for LA, Landon Donovan, Omar Gonzalez and Sean Franklin haven’t missed a minute. Tristan Bowen and Julian Valentin are the only Galaxy players not to have appeared at all.

Last Wednesday, LA played a 2-2 draw with Salt Lake without getting caught offside. Steve Zakuani has played 339 minutes without committing a foul. Seb Le Toux has committed one foul in exactly four hundred minutes. Every LA outfielder has committed a foul.

Four Sounders have scored against the Galaxy before, Jaqua, Marshall, Evans and Jarrod Smith. Landon Donovan has played against Seattle and he has also played in Seattle for USA. In his four appearances with the USA, he scored six goals. In 2002 at Safeco, Donovan scored twice in a 4-0 win against Honduras. In 2003 against Venezuela at Qwest Field, he came off the bench for a goal in a 2-0 win. During the 2005 Gold Cup Donovan scored twice as a substitute in 4-1 win over Cuba and once again in a starting role against Canada, both at Qwest Field.

While with the San Jose earthquakes, Donovan played in two US Open Cup matches against the Seattle Sounders. He came on as a substitute in a 4-3 overtime win in 2002 and a 1-0 loss in 2003.

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