Crunching the Numbers- LA Edition

It is always interesting to check out the numbers after an RSL win. The stats are really starting to feel like they have weight behind them as the team approaches the mid-season mark. There are some very interesting things to look at after the 3-1 RSL victory over the LA Galaxy.

• RSL is currently averaging a goal every 60 minutes. This ties the 2010 team for the best scoring rate in team history. 
• RSL scored 2 goals in the 11 minutes that Devon Sandoval was on the field. He has now played 526 minutes and has been on the field for 13 of RSL's 24 goals or a goal every 40.46 minutes that he is playing. 
• Khari Stevenson leads all RSL midfield players with the team scoring a goal every 50.25 minutes that he is on the field. Javier Morales is second in the midfield with a MpTG of 50.63.
• The combination of Sandoval and Olmes Garcia have now played together for a total of 151 minutes. In that time the team has scored 6 goals for an incredible MpTG rate of 25.10. 
• Garcia has now taken 15 shots this season. With his 4 goals, he has scored on 26.67% of the shots he has taken which now leads the team.
• Surprisingly enough in 101 minutes of playing together, the team has yet to score when the pairing of Garcia  and Joao Plata are on the field together.
• The team has played 433 minutes without Luis Gil being on the field. They have scored 13 goals or a goal every 33.33 minutes. In the 1016 minutes that Gil has been on the field the team has scored 11 goals or a goal every 92.36 minutes

What do these stats tell us this week? I think the most important thing is that when you get the pairing of Garcia and Sandoval together on the field, good things happen. The work rate between these two players is incredible. I really feel that we need to see these two out on the field together some more. Perhaps the Open Cup match on Wednesday would be a great chance to see them again.

A lot of people are very excited about Garcia, and rightful so. He is fast, works hard and is scoring goals. But, I wonder if people understand how effective he is with his shots? Out of the 15 shots he has taken, 7 have been on frame and 4 more have hit either the post or crossbar. That is 73% of his shots! 

I don't know what it is about Devon Sandoval, but the team scores when he is on the field. The team has played 915 minutes without Sandoval on the field, scoring 11 times for a MpTG rate of 83.18. Not only is he leading the team in MpTG at 40.46, he is leading the next lowest player by (Garcia) by almost 10 minutes per goal. Garcia's MpTG is currently at 50.12. He is not the one scoring the goals when he is in, but the team just seems to click when he is in matches. Look for a more in-depth look at Sandoval's stats later this week.

The difference from Gil being on the field to him being off the field is getting greater each week. Perhaps it would not be a bad thing if he has a great U-20 World Cup and the team was able to sell him while his value is high.