Several months ago I wrote about a number of ways to visualize how often different players appear together. Since that writing I’ve continued to explore this question, and have revisited an older plot design that focuses on a single player and his or her teammates. This focus brings a measure of clarity that I would like to explore… Continue reading Comparing players’ teammates
Tag: players
Experiments in plotting player performance
How do you evaluate soccer players? Is there a way to examine a given player, in the context of his or her team, regardless of their position on the field? This is an issue that I’ve been somewhat preoccupied with this season, and the question has led me to put together a plot style that… Continue reading Experiments in plotting player performance
About player combinations
The question of player combinations has fascinated me for some time. The topic is predicated on the belief that a team is, more than anything else, the aggregation of its players. Coaches have an impact, but it is the players on the field. More than individual players, even, I have been looking for ways to understand… Continue reading About player combinations
Ashtone Morgan, and Columbus players with 100 appearances
Toronto FC made a bit of history earlier this month when defender Ashtone Morgan reached 100 appearances for the Canadian club. This is noteworthy for several reasons, both good and bad.
Plotting individual playing time against goal difference
I started working with a new type of impact plot tonight, looking specifically at playing time compared against team goal difference. Dots representing each player are plotted along two axes: the horizontal axis records how much of the season the player has seen, while the vertical axis indicates the team’s goal difference during the player’s time… Continue reading Plotting individual playing time against goal difference
Revisiting player use in World Cup qualifying cycles
Just before the start of the World Cup, I posted an exploration of the United States’ roster through its last five qualifying cycles. Now that the tournament has finished, here is an updated version that includes the four games played by Jurgen Klinsmann’s team.
Examining players used in World Cup qualifying cycles
The American roster for the World Cup has been named, and the intense discussion over Donovan’s exclusion (and that of Eddie Johnson before him) has begun to subside. This seems an opportune time to look back over how this World Cup cycle compares to the last few.
Looking At Player Sizes
A week or so ago a friend of mine posted this chart of NHL player sizes, and it struck a chord with me. So, I tweaked it a bit, and turned it into an interactive tool showing MLS players. Clicking the image above will show you the Crew’s roster at full scale, while the complete… Continue reading Looking At Player Sizes
Visualizing Players … as books?
I had some time this morning as I waited to leave for work, so I put together a quick test of StackView, a tool developed at Harvard to allow for easier browsing of library collections. I’m still working out some kinks, but this may end up replacing the current card-based display for players on this… Continue reading Visualizing Players … as books?