Hey, I (kind of) helped with this. To add some data to what Matt said, Portland had 4 players in the 95+ percentile for interrupting g+ for their positions last season. 3 of them left. Two of those were center mids. Cole Bassett was in the 17th percentile for interrupting g+ (this is depressing).

I had a great time attending @americansoccerinsights.com this year. I loved meeting and talking with everyone and I learned a lot. I was nervous to present, but I'm glad I did. The GitHub repository for my research "Valuing the Effect of Off-Ball Runs in Increasing Dribble Success" is linked below.

Major League Soccer Reassures Sponsors And Advertisers That They Will Be Protected From ICE Related Protests www.thenutmegnews.com/current/2026...

In less than two weeks, I will be at the @americansoccerinsights.com summit presenting my research on the effects of off-ball runs on dribbling success, inspired by an episode of the Third Circle podcast by @stirling-j.bsky.social and @martinrafelt.bsky.social

Two uninspiring performances in a row from SDFC. This game would’ve been much more entertaining if Minnesota had beaten them last weekend. #mls

San Diego needs a central dribbler in. Trying to pass around or through Minnesota isn’t working. #mls

It took a goal for them to actually start playing again #rctid

Timbers need some control this half. They’ve not really been able to keep possession since half time. #rctid

Timbers have some really nice warm up kits tonight #rctid

From ‘The Onion’ Editorial Board: It Is Journalism’s Sacred Duty To Endanger The Lives Of As Many Trans People As Possible https://theonion.com/it-is-journalism-s-sacred-duty-to-endanger-the-lives-of-1850126997/

Meme from @martinrafelt.bsky.social on the Third Circle podcast perfectly describes Poch's #USMNT

The reason Daniel Ballard is so good is because he shares a name with the greatest USL2 team in the west @goballardfc.bsky.social #epl-live

The only ethical use of generative ai possible.

This is what would happen if stormtroopers tried to take penalties. #weuros2025

I don’t really get why the Timbers don’t try to possess in the final third. They just play it out wide and cross right to RSL. #rctid

I’m not really liking Portland’s 3 back. They aren’t able to possess in St. Louis’s half because the only players getting forward are out wide + Moreno or da Costa centrally. This also makes it hard to create chances that aren’t crosses, which they aren’t good at. #rctid

I was watching the Timbers play New England last night and saw that Santiago Moreno was gliding past his defender nearly every time - when he was on the left side of the field. But on the right, he was losing the ball. So I looked into it. #rctid #timbers #ptfc #MLS

After the second goal, the #usmnt started to spread out too much and became too static. Luna and Tillman were way too far apart from each other so they couldn’t combine and too far up so they stopped getting the ball regularly.

I don’t know how anyone can argue against this. He created 3 goals and scored another. #usmnt #goldcup

Deeply embarrassing manager

Great article by @838carlisle.bsky.social As fun as it is to see Botafogo beat PSG, the men’s CWC is marred by sportswashing, fascism, and refusal to let players rest, and this time/money could be better spent on furthering the already underfunded women’s game btvc.beehiiv.com/p/one-neat-t...

Nicolas Jackson somehow getting a rating equal to his minutes played

A week ago, I attended Portland Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes. I came into the game knowing pretty much nothing about how the Timbers play and I was pleasantly surprised with how often they tried to attack through combination play. Here’s a thread of some of my thoughts.

Timbers are making me like Phil Neville… This is a tragedy.

How are Thorns getting Concacafed by a team from North Carolina of all places #nwsl #baonpdx

Thorns look way better when they possess in the final third. #nwsl #baonpdx

If I were Thorns, I’d want to get the ball to Sugita as much as possible in the final third to find the short runs in behind. #nwsl #baonpdx

The Portland Thorns coach’s nationality is easily given away by his budget Phil Neville look. #NWSL #PORvNC

Some items of note in here: 'a few weeks ago somebody close to Pochettino put it to me that “they don’t feel the game, don’t smell it.”' 'Christian Pulisic is probably the best US player at the moment. He is extremely gifted, but very little he does is unpredictable; he’s a straight-line runner.'

Thread on my thoughts about Poch’s first real games (mostly the Panama game) as #USMNT manager. In the first episode of The Third Circle podcast, @martinrafelt.bsky.social came up with the perfect meme to describe my thoughts on these matches. (1/x)

Thread on my thoughts about Poch’s first real games (mostly the Panama game) as #USMNT manager. In the first episode of The Third Circle podcast, @martinrafelt.bsky.social came up with the perfect meme to describe my thoughts on these matches. (1/x)

Meme from @martinrafelt.bsky.social on the Third Circle podcast perfectly describes Poch's #USMNT

Wave’s horrible kick off routine that went out for a goal kick vindicated as the Royals keeper proceeds to pass the goal kick straight to the forward. 3-2 Wave now. #SDWave #utahroyals #sdvuta #NWSL

Royal’s left side got eviscerated by the Wave in the first half. Rabano always left 1v2/3 after the press getting so easily beaten (and getting nutmeged 3 or 4 times). #NWSL #SDWave #utahroyals #sdvuta