editors note: I want to thank Steve Lilly for sending this to me, and apologize for getting this up so late in the week. Hopefully he’ll forgive me and give us an updated standings after this weeks game. For a stat nerd, this is really interesting reading, and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did!

Have you like me ever wondered the true value of a goal? If not then I suggest you pick another article to read!

Is there even a true value for a goal, or is it purely a goal is a goal is a goal and no matter how many and when they are scored they just count as a goal? Some people may value style above all else, a bicycle kick as opposed to a 2-yard tap in to an empty net. I don’t think that is the case so to try and determine the value I have taken 13 factors and tried to rate them to produce a total value. I then applied those factors to the NASL season to date (Spring and Fall) to see what would happen.

Scenario Value Take the lead 10 Equalizer 8 2 goal lead 6 Pull within 1 4 3 goal lead 2 Pull within 2 2 Other 1 Take lead last 10 min. 6 Equalizer last 10 min. 4 Away Goal 1 Individual 2nd Goal 1 Individual 3rd Goal 2 Individual >3rd Goal 3

If you look at the resulting table the top 2 players in goal value very quickly illustrate how different factors weigh in to make a difference. Christian Ramirez of Minnesota justifiably leads the table with his 13 goal tally having a value of 41.27 but right behind him is Ty Shipalane with only 4 goals but a value of 41.00, these two are well clear of the pack with nobody else with a value exceeding 30.

Name Goals Average Value Total Value Ramirez 13 3.17 41.27 Shipalane 4 10.25 41.00 Picault 8 3.66 29.25 Kleberson 8 3.39 27.13

So what is it that brings the value of Ramirez and Shipalane so close together? For that you need to look at when they scored their goals;

All of Shipalane’s 4 goals came in wins, 3 of them were the only goal in the game and 2 of those were away from home, including a goal in the 90th minute, and his other goal was the 2nd in a 2-0 victory. So looking at how the value is calculated he was rated at 17 for the last minute only goal of the game away from home, 11 for his only goal in the other away game, 10 for the only goal in the home game and a