There’s a lot to digest here, so I’ll focus on what I consider to be a few key statistics. Those would be Passing Success Rate, Passing Success Rate (Opponent’s Half), Long Passes Per 90, and Crosses Per 90.

Keep in mind that some of these statistics will be skewed due to an unbalanced USL schedule to start the 2018 season. A total of seven teams have only played one game thus far. Those teams are: Atlanta, Cincinnati, Indy, Louisville, North Carolina, Ottawa, Penn, and Pittsburgh.

Passing Success Rate

The best in this category are as follows: Ottawa-87%, Bethlehem-82%, Charlotte-82%, and North Carolina-82%.

When analyzing this stat, it’s important to keep a couple things in mind. First and foremost: two of the top four teams here, Ottawa and North Carolina, have only played one game. Another interesting bit to share is that North Carolina (581), Ottawa (533), and Bethlehem (526) are averaging the most Passes Per 90. To see those teams leading in both of those categories speaks volumes to the quality of those teams.

For those curious about the bottom of this category, here are those figures: Nashville with 67%, Atlanta at 64%, and Pittsburgh’s rate being 62%.

Passing Success Rate in Opponent’s Half

Unsurprisingly, you will see overlap between these first two categories of statistics. The top teams here are exactly the same with a bit of a variation in the order. Topping this list: Bethlehem with 77%, North Carolina at 76%, and Ottawa & Charlotte tied with 74%.

The bottom of the list finds Atlanta bringing up the rear with 50%, Pittsburgh at 52%, and Charleston & Nashville are tied with 58%. Seeing two expansion teams here shouldn’t be surprising.

Long Passes Per 90

This is a statistical area that I believe can show a lot about how a team will operate. Originally, I felt like a team that averages fewer long passes might possess the ball more. Shorter passes might directly correlate to more possession. Based on the numbers, that is somewhat the case, but not always.

Two of the three teams that average the fewest amount of long passes are also averaging the most possession. Those teams are New York with 52, Charlotte at 53, and finally Toronto averaging 65.

When you compare those three teams’ possession with their Long Passes Per 90, there is a mild correlation. New York and Charlotte have averaged 55% possession.

Toronto is on the other side of this spectrum. They are averaging 46% possession through two games.

For those curious about the top of this list. Charleston is at the top with 88, Louisville had 84 in one game played, and Richmond has averaged 83 in two games.

Crosses Per 90

Like Long Passes Per 90, I think this is another telling category. While New York has averaged the fewest Long Passes Per 90, they are currently averaging the most attempted Crosses Per 90. New York is averaging 23, Tampa Bay is right behind them with 20, and next up is North Carolina at 18.

Out of those three the team with the highest Cross Success Rate is North Carolina with an impressive 28%. The asterisk beside that rate and average is that North Carolina has only played one game.

Of the teams that have played two games, Charleston and Charlotte rank the highest with 12 Crosses Per 90 and a rate of 29% of those crosses are successful. Those averaging the least Crosses Per 90: Ottawa with two, Atlanta at six, and Cincinnati only attempting seven in one game.

In conclusion

Will these numbers hold up or look completely different in a few weeks? Only time will tell, but I’ll be sure to update and share my opinions where appropriate. I’m guessing that we’ll see some interesting trends develop.