Devin Ruff's Soccer Analytics Blog

The following piece is for a project in which I was required to watch the first half of the 10/18/2017 Chelsea v Roma UEFA Champions League match. My goal was to dissect Chelsea’s formation and touch a little bit on the possession, defense, and scoring opportunities. Here is the link to the diagrams I have … Continue reading Old Match Analysis: Chelsea v Roma, Oct. 18, 2017 – Importance of Possession, Defensive Organization, and Putting Away Scoring Opportunities

I have chosen to use Columbus Crew SC of the MLS as the club to analyze for this project. Last season, Columbus lacked production on the wings. Their outside backs had a great season getting forward and helping in the attack, but the wingers provided little results. Columbus is currently out of a coach, with … Continue reading Why Columbus Crew SC Needs a Winger – and Who They Should Go After

I chose to discuss Wil Trapp of Columbus Crew SC of the MLS for this entry. Trapp is a center defensive midfielder (CDM) for both Columbus and the U.S. national team as of recently. To assess his strengths and weaknesses in Wyscout, I would first check out the statistics section.   The heat map is … Continue reading Short Scouting Report on Will Trapp using Wyscout Platform

Wyscout offers a wealth of knowledge to anyone related to professional soccer. This is a great tool with many components. The user can look at both team and individual data.   When analyzing teams, users can watch videos of entire matches or specific events. These events include, but are not limited to, goals scored, goals … Continue reading Wyscout Platform Key Components

I have chosen to use Atlanta United of the MLS for this entry. If I were to prepare for their upcoming title match against Portland, I would begin by looking at Portland’s most recent matches. I think that one of the most important features that Wyscout offers for someone analyzing teams is the formation analysis. … Continue reading Short Scouting Report on Portland Timbers for MLS Cup

As discussed in The Numbers Game, soccer is a sport that is driven equally by skill and luck. Most of us who avidly follow the sport fell in love with it because of the thrilling delayed gratification of a goal. Sports like basketball, baseball and American football provide an abundance of scoring, which consequently allows … Continue reading The Development of Successfully Utilizing Analytics in Soccer