FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution’s use and integration of analytics is the subject of the newest “MLS Insider” from Emmy-award winning Hock Films. The short, titled “The Numbers Game,” was released today on mlssoccer.com.
The feature looks at the utilization of soccer analytics from three perspectives. With cameras behind the scenes at Opta’s New York headquarters, Insider follows Opta’s game analysts as they chart the Revolution’s match against the Chicago Fire on July 12.
Revolution president Brian Bilello, team analyst Tim Crawford and head coach Jay Heaps explain what they’re looking for through the team’s relationship with Opta, and how the raw data is used to help the technical staff.
“Has it given us an advantage? We think so,” Bilello says as the episode opens. “There are specific games that we’ve won over the last couple of years and when we look at the data and what it’s telling us about that opponent, there’re certainly instances where we know it made a major difference in our game preparation and ultimately, we got the result we were looking for.”
One of Opta’s statisticians, Devin Pleuler, later explains what the game data shows, including a special statistic – “expected goals” – that can help, in part, explain the Revs’ early-season five-game winning streak and it’s eight-game losing streak that immediately followed.
But the Revolution aren’t just using analytics on game days. They also use it on the training field through the use of adidas’ miCoach system. GPS-enabled tracking pods are worn by players in special, tight-fitting senor vests which allow the team’s strength and conditioning staff to analyze how players are performing physically and biometrically in real time during sessions during the week.
“That was something that wasn’t around when I played,” Heaps explains. “Quite frankly, coach asked you how you were feeling and you always said, ‘Yeah, I feel good.’ And I think that now players are starting to realize that we can back what they’re saying, but we can say, ‘Hey, you don’t feel so great. I can read here that you’re out of your parameters in which we want you to be in for today’s training.”
Heaps continues, “In terms of the technology, I think that’s what makes our team and maybe gives us an edge in certain areas. I think we take pride in that.”
“The Numbers Game” is available now on mlssoccer.com, along with the entire library of MLS Insider features. Other Revolution-related Insider features include the Emmy-nominated feature on former Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis and his family at the Boston Marathon bombings, as well as a look at the Revolution Academy and its impact on the first team.
MLS Insider’s all-access look at Jermaine Jones’ arrival and impact in New England is expected to be released in the coming weeks.
