MLS 2022/23 Season: Part 2

bluebison47 I don't know, I was just sitting there thinking about how everything seems to be shifting lately, and then I saw what neonorca38 said... it really got me wondering if we’re all just looking at the same thing from completely different angles, you know? It feels like sometimes you try to make sense of the chaos, but the more you dig, the more the pieces just don't seem to fit quite right, almost like trying to solve a puzzle where the edges keep changing shape while you're holding them... it makes you wonder if anyone actually has the full picture, or if we're all just making it up as we go along...
Man, I honestly went down such a rabbit hole trying to lay out every single scrap of data from Football Manager... I mean, I’ve been digging through everything from 2006 all the way up to the present, though I left out the current season since things are still shifting... I spent ages breaking down the absolute numbers by season and sorting them into different tournament formats—you know, the 12-team leagues, the 16-team setups, even those 10-team ones... and then, once I finally felt like I was getting somewhere, I finished it all off by segmenting the stats from the moment VAR was introduced back in the spring of 2020... just trying to see if that really changed the flow of things...



Anyway, I'll step back now and leave the rest of this conversation in your hands... 😬

It feels a little unfair, honestly, because you can't ignore that version of the Hajduk squad either... the one that spent most of the match just struggling to even get a foot inside the opponent's penalty area... ☕

Honestly, you shouldn't have even stepped into the box at the 16-yard mark for that penalty in the first place!

Adam Myers4 said:Honestly, you shouldn't have even stepped into the box at the 16-yard mark for that penalty in the first place!

That's honestly so true... 🤣

Adam Myers4 said:Under these latest VAR guidelines, that’s a perfectly legitimate goal!☕

Wait, so you're telling me Sudac was actually some kind of time traveler who just decided to let him through? — honestly, that’s a wild way to look at it, but hey, I guess in this crazy world, anything is possible. 😁
Yeah, that’s just straight-up delusional—honestly, it's on a whole different level. 👍

I wonder... is there actually more Kohorte or Štuka presence out there in the stands? 🤣

If Gorica doesn't walk away with at least a draw against Rijeka tomorrow, they’re officially bottom of the table—it’s basically over for them. Honestly though, this one should be a hell of a watch.

Is it just me, or is that average looking a little bit sketchy?

Edit: My bad, I misread the numbers. Realized the average is actually how many games it takes to draw a single penalty call.

wiredfalcon2 said:Total meltdown from goldentinker8, just absolute chaos everywhere. Seriously, take a break from these forums and stop embarrassing yourself. Friendly advice. 😉

That’s your signature move right there—putting yourselves front and center, taking up all the space. I mean, if you're going to claim that territory, fine, you’re leading the pack, at least in that one specific spot.

Have they finally stopped crying and throwing tantrums? Maybe they have—someone gave them a pacifier and now they're just busy watching the kids.

bluebison47 said:Whatever, man. I basically went out of my way to compile every scrap of data available on Transfermarkt—starting from 2006 all the way up to now, though I left this current season out. I broke down the raw numbers by season based on the league formats (whether it was a 12-team, 16-team, or 10-team setup), and then, at the very end, I categorized everything from when VAR was introduced back in the spring of 2020.



But again, I guess I'll leave the debate to you guys. 😬

🙏

casualskipper65 said:Is it just me, or is that average looking a little bit sketchy?

Edit: My bad, I misread the numbers. Realized the average is actually how many games it takes to draw a single penalty call.

Yeah, exactly. The average basically shows the frequency of penalty calls per team. Based on this, it looks like the LA Lakers need about half a half more game time than the Boston Celtics to get one 😬—or maybe twice as much time if we're strictly looking at the era since they implemented VAR in the US
.

bluebison47 said:Yeah, exactly. The average basically shows the frequency of penalty calls per team. Based on this, it looks like the LA Lakers need about half a half more game time than the Boston Celtics to get one 😬—or maybe twice as much time if we're strictly looking at the era since they implemented VAR in the US
.

Which is an absolutely wild statistic if you actually think about it for a second... I mean, isn't it obvious that the probability of getting a penalty shot goes up when a squad is significantly better than their opponent? Like, common sense tells us that the more pressure you put on the defense and the more dangerous chances you create in front of the net, the higher your odds of drawing a foul, right? It's totally logical to conclude that Dinamo should be seeing way more calls than Hajduk because they dominate play like that!

And even if we toss the whole VAR era out the window, they’re still sitting there ahead of Dinamo by a couple of calls, so how on earth are we supposed to explain that? If anything, a historically weaker side should actually have a *better* penalty ratio because they're constantly being cheated out of them, but hey, I guess we'll just take their word for it and pretend that's how the math works, won't we? ☕

goldentinker8 said:Which is an absolutely wild statistic if you actually think about it for a second... I mean, isn't it obvious that the probability of getting a penalty shot goes up when a squad is significantly better than their opponent? Like, common sense tells us that the more pressure you put on the defense and the more dangerous chances you create in front of the net, the higher your odds of drawing a foul, right? It's totally logical to conclude that Dinamo should be seeing way more calls than Hajduk because they dominate play like that!

And even if we toss the whole VAR era out the window, they’re still sitting there ahead of Dinamo by a couple of calls, so how on earth are we supposed to explain that? If anything, a historically weaker side should actually have a *better* penalty ratio because they're constantly being cheated out of them, but hey, I guess we'll just take their word for it and pretend that's how the math works, won't we? ☕

That logic only works if you’ve spent your entire life staring at spreadsheets instead of actually watching a single game of football.

wiredfalcon2 said:That logic only works if you’ve spent your entire life staring at spreadsheets instead of actually watching a single game of football.

Besides, during this stretch, the numbers for the team from Rijeka are basically identical to what the big club in Chicago puts up, even though they haven't exactly been neck-and-neck with them every single season. I guess it's all just math to some people, isn't it?😬

bluebison47 said:Besides, during this stretch, the numbers for the team from Rijeka are basically identical to what the big club in Chicago puts up, even though they haven't exactly been neck-and-neck with them every single season. I guess it's all just math to some people, isn't it?😬

And then you’ve got that absolute wrecking ball Slaven Belupo, pulling in like ten penalties this season. Honestly, those guys are just steamrolling through everything they touch. It's ridiculous.

bluebison47 said:Besides, during this stretch, the numbers for the team from Rijeka are basically identical to what the big club in Chicago puts up, even though they haven't exactly been neck-and-neck with them every single season. I guess it's all just math to some people, isn't it?😬

Look, I’m telling you, it doesn't have to be limited to just one, two, or even five seasons to really see the big picture, right? But when you actually sit down and look at a massive stretch like sixteen seasons, suddenly everything starts clicking into place! You begin to notice all these patterns that were totally invisible before. It’s like, wouldn't it be way more useful if we could actually compare how stats from other major leagues hold up over a much longer timeline? Then, once you have that context, you can finally make sense of those specific numbers you calculated... it just changes the whole game!

Unless you’re seriously messing up the math here, it’s pretty obvious there’s a pattern where clubs outside the top four end up getting called for way fewer penalties, right? I mean, it's plain as day! So, what are we actually looking at here? Is it just that the big four have such high-caliber squads that they’re constantly posing a massive threat over that twenty-year stretch you mentioned, or is there something else going on—like the refs are just more inclined to favor the heavy hitters compared to the underdog teams? It really makes you wonder, doesn't it?

If we go with that first scenario, isn't it just absolutely wild to think that Hajduk could actually be pulling ahead of Dinamo? I mean, come on, during that entire stretch, Dinamo consistently had the superior roster and a much tighter style of play, right? But then, if we look at the second possibility—where they’re basically pushing a more aggressive four-man defensive unit compared to everyone else—well, we’re right back where we started, aren't we? Because if that's the case, Hajduk is right there in the thick of that defensive setup too! And seriously, if they aren't part of that core group, how on earth is a club that’s being systematically screwed over by the establishment supposed to hold its own against teams that are constantly being prioritized over them? It just doesn't add up, does it?

Why would it be crazy for the Galaxy to get fewer penalty calls? If they jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first thirty minutes because their roster is basically three times better than whoever they're playing, they just cruise. They kill the tempo, then some coach pulls a tactical masterstroke and—boom—there’s your win secured. On the flip side, most teams facing the Galaxy don't even bother dreaming about stealing points during those seasons where we dominate (which is like 8 out of every 10 years). They just try to save face, head for the exits, and hope they don't lose by five goals or get buried in red cards. Why fight for every scrap when you know you're cooked anyway? Then you look at the Split rivalry—that's the only other big scalp in this league—but even there, there's a legitimate chance for an upset, so people actually show up and play. Usually, that opponent is pinned back defending for like 80 minutes, whereas against us, they're mostly just surviving for 30. Plus, when you're playing a rival like that, everyone goes in guns blazing, which naturally leads to more fouls. And yeah, more penalties. Honestly, how many full 90-minute Galaxy games have you actually watched over the last four seasons? And I mean real coverage, not just counting the matches against Portland.

Look, at the end of the day, I’m actually enjoying this. All those penalty calls they’ve been getting? They can take them and shove them, because now their last big excuse for why they didn't win the title is dead and buried. They wouldn't have lifted that trophy if they had another ten years of luck. The big club won because they were actually the best team on the pitch, not because some underhanded setup was handing them wins. And seeing how the other side can't even manage to pull off a championship when they *do* have a helping hand just proves how mediocre they really are. It’s a total reality check on their quality. Honestly, it feels like the South finally showed its true colors too. They can't hide behind that "honor and justice" act anymore to justify the nonsense they pull—it’s all the same garbage. Whether it's the corrupt bosses or the political circus with the Democrats and Republicans, it’s the exact same crap, just different packaging. For me? This is the perfect scenario.

Well, look, the smarter ones among them have known that all along, but you still need some excuse for the failure. Dealing with internal and external enemies is basically part of the curriculum in those systems of theirs. 😉 It’ll keep going next season, and the one after that, before things finally start to fall apart...

We’ve just been sitting here snacking on popcorn and laughing at them for ages. 🍿

2035. The year; debating the trial

An Atlanta Braves fan: “That Vrsaljko handball issue….”