Eliot McKinley
@eliotmckinley.com
Soccer nerdery at American Soccer Analysis and (occasionally) Massive Report. Throw-in aficionado. he/him
eliotmckinley.com
eliotmckinley.com
Since I wrote this @michaelarace1.bsky.social interviewed with Henrik Rydström where he answered:
- #Crew96 will probably play 3 CBs because that's what the team knows- but may go to back 4
- Zawadzki is CB for now
- Habroune can play as AM, 8, or 6
creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...
- #Crew96 will probably play 3 CBs because that's what the team knows- but may go to back 4
- Zawadzki is CB for now
- Habroune can play as AM, 8, or 6
creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...
February 17, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Since I wrote this @michaelarace1.bsky.social interviewed with Henrik Rydström where he answered:
- #Crew96 will probably play 3 CBs because that's what the team knows- but may go to back 4
- Zawadzki is CB for now
- Habroune can play as AM, 8, or 6
creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...
- #Crew96 will probably play 3 CBs because that's what the team knows- but may go to back 4
- Zawadzki is CB for now
- Habroune can play as AM, 8, or 6
creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
@akeaswaran.me made this neat graph of a quick strength of schedule model. Really interesting to see how relative difficulty between the front and back parts of the season may drive narratives. Neville might find his seat pretty hot, while Varas is my pick for COTY winner w/ a likely hot start.
February 17, 2026 at 12:10 AM
@akeaswaran.me made this neat graph of a quick strength of schedule model. Really interesting to see how relative difficulty between the front and back parts of the season may drive narratives. Neville might find his seat pretty hot, while Varas is my pick for COTY winner w/ a likely hot start.
I’ve written some articles that took months of research and writing on nitty gritty soccer analytics topics. But nothing has ever come close to being as popular as my transformer-based QSMNT tweet generator shitpost from back before ChatGPT was a thing. www.americansocceranalysis.com/home/2022/6/...
February 15, 2026 at 2:13 PM
I’ve written some articles that took months of research and writing on nitty gritty soccer analytics topics. But nothing has ever come close to being as popular as my transformer-based QSMNT tweet generator shitpost from back before ChatGPT was a thing. www.americansocceranalysis.com/home/2022/6/...
You'd think that hating soccer would disqualify someone from running Major League Soccer. Given their actions it appears that not only it doesn't, but it is a qualification for getting the job.
February 11, 2026 at 6:12 PM
You'd think that hating soccer would disqualify someone from running Major League Soccer. Given their actions it appears that not only it doesn't, but it is a qualification for getting the job.
Fancy Stats commissioned a bunch of articles about the 2018 World Cup from American Soccer Analysis writers.
I will not apologize for any contribution I have made to the shift from open play to set piece scoring.
www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-s...
I will not apologize for any contribution I have made to the shift from open play to set piece scoring.
www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-s...
February 4, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Fancy Stats commissioned a bunch of articles about the 2018 World Cup from American Soccer Analysis writers.
I will not apologize for any contribution I have made to the shift from open play to set piece scoring.
www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-s...
I will not apologize for any contribution I have made to the shift from open play to set piece scoring.
www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-s...
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
Pod drop: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...
We talked to @armankafai.bsky.social about the ASI Summit and some of the top tier research going on there. Then we got weird on MLS roster rules.
Available wherever you get pods.
We talked to @armankafai.bsky.social about the ASI Summit and some of the top tier research going on there. Then we got weird on MLS roster rules.
Available wherever you get pods.
ASA Show - Arman Kafai Recaps ASI Conference and MLS Roster Shenanigans
Podcast Episode · American Soccer Analysis · 02/04/2026 · 1h 17m
podcasts.apple.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Pod drop: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...
We talked to @armankafai.bsky.social about the ASI Summit and some of the top tier research going on there. Then we got weird on MLS roster rules.
Available wherever you get pods.
We talked to @armankafai.bsky.social about the ASI Summit and some of the top tier research going on there. Then we got weird on MLS roster rules.
Available wherever you get pods.
Now updated for some errors and recent moves.
Orlando with a big drop with Alex Freeman and Luis Muriel departing.
Seattle at the top after I corrected for the re-signing of Stefan Frei.
Orlando with a big drop with Alex Freeman and Luis Muriel departing.
Seattle at the top after I corrected for the re-signing of Stefan Frei.
January 30, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Now updated for some errors and recent moves.
Orlando with a big drop with Alex Freeman and Luis Muriel departing.
Seattle at the top after I corrected for the re-signing of Stefan Frei.
Orlando with a big drop with Alex Freeman and Luis Muriel departing.
Seattle at the top after I corrected for the re-signing of Stefan Frei.
With less than a month until the 2026 MLS season starts, rosters are getting finalized.
Chicago, Austin, Columbus, and LAFC are largely running things back.
Toronto FC finally decided to rebuild after years of bad results, returning fewer than 50% of minutes from 2025.
Chicago, Austin, Columbus, and LAFC are largely running things back.
Toronto FC finally decided to rebuild after years of bad results, returning fewer than 50% of minutes from 2025.
January 26, 2026 at 4:12 PM
With less than a month until the 2026 MLS season starts, rosters are getting finalized.
Chicago, Austin, Columbus, and LAFC are largely running things back.
Toronto FC finally decided to rebuild after years of bad results, returning fewer than 50% of minutes from 2025.
Chicago, Austin, Columbus, and LAFC are largely running things back.
Toronto FC finally decided to rebuild after years of bad results, returning fewer than 50% of minutes from 2025.
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
A piece worth your time, from @jeffrueter.bsky.social: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
A Saturday and a state killing: soccer as Minnesota is torn apart | Jeff Rueter
On the whims of Fifa’s Peace Prize winner, a life usually so focused on sports has found anything but peace
www.theguardian.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:37 PM
A piece worth your time, from @jeffrueter.bsky.social: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
RIP Nashville Magnolia trees.
January 25, 2026 at 8:56 PM
RIP Nashville Magnolia trees.
I highly recommend listening to @michaelarace1.bsky.social’s interview with new #Crew96 coach Henrik Rydström. A very interesting guy. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
The Crewcible
Soccer Podcast · Updated Weekly · Welcome to The Crewcible! A Columbus Crew podcast from Disrespected Media and thedisrespected.com
podcasts.apple.com
January 22, 2026 at 5:13 PM
I highly recommend listening to @michaelarace1.bsky.social’s interview with new #Crew96 coach Henrik Rydström. A very interesting guy. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
Continuing the tradition, I have compiled an end-of-year overview of the soccer analytics content that I liked the most in 2025. This edition includes pointers to about 200 resources, including research papers, blog posts, news articles, podcasts, and webinars.
janvanhaaren.be/posts/soccer...
janvanhaaren.be/posts/soccer...
Soccer Analytics 2025 Review – Jan Van Haaren
Collection of the soccer analytics content that I liked the most in 2025!
janvanhaaren.be
December 29, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Continuing the tradition, I have compiled an end-of-year overview of the soccer analytics content that I liked the most in 2025. This edition includes pointers to about 200 resources, including research papers, blog posts, news articles, podcasts, and webinars.
janvanhaaren.be/posts/soccer...
janvanhaaren.be/posts/soccer...
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
NBD…just four bananas in one.
Quad-Banana.
Quad-Banana.
December 26, 2025 at 10:12 PM
NBD…just four bananas in one.
Quad-Banana.
Quad-Banana.
The most MLS thing of this 2026 MLS draft may have been Colorado using the 6th pick, which they received from Toronto in exchange for an assistant coach and a video analyst, to select a player already in the Colorado Rapids system.
December 18, 2025 at 9:54 PM
The most MLS thing of this 2026 MLS draft may have been Colorado using the 6th pick, which they received from Toronto in exchange for an assistant coach and a video analyst, to select a player already in the Colorado Rapids system.
I took this photo walking home with my son when he was in pre-K. Among other things, it might explain some of the decrease in walking/biking.
December 17, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I took this photo walking home with my son when he was in pre-K. Among other things, it might explain some of the decrease in walking/biking.
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
Check out @americansocceranalysis.com
for this year's edition of my MLS Superdraft Big Board. This year, there's more depth and more room for discovery. Also, for college soccer fans it includes ALL Division 1 players regardless of draft eligibility.
There's some exciting players coming in 👀
for this year's edition of my MLS Superdraft Big Board. This year, there's more depth and more room for discovery. Also, for college soccer fans it includes ALL Division 1 players regardless of draft eligibility.
There's some exciting players coming in 👀
The 2026 MLS SuperDraft ASA Big (Dash)Board — American Soccer Analysis
By Paul Harvey The MLS Superdraft in many ways kicks off the offseason, as most teams have yet to make any real signings. Even though many of the draft picks will never play for their respective fi...
www.americansocceranalysis.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Check out @americansocceranalysis.com
for this year's edition of my MLS Superdraft Big Board. This year, there's more depth and more room for discovery. Also, for college soccer fans it includes ALL Division 1 players regardless of draft eligibility.
There's some exciting players coming in 👀
for this year's edition of my MLS Superdraft Big Board. This year, there's more depth and more room for discovery. Also, for college soccer fans it includes ALL Division 1 players regardless of draft eligibility.
There's some exciting players coming in 👀
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
It was a magical time to be a #Crew96 supporter under Wilfred Nancy. @calebdenorme.bsky.social returns from his slumber to pay tribute to the former boss.
massive-report.com/2025/12/03/w...
massive-report.com/2025/12/03/w...
Wilfried Nancy: The Man Who Made Columbus Believe Again
There will never be another manager like Wilfried Nancy. Throughout the history of MLS and the Columbus Crew, it is hard to argue that one man has had as much of an impact on a team as Nancy has on…
massive-report.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:52 PM
It was a magical time to be a #Crew96 supporter under Wilfred Nancy. @calebdenorme.bsky.social returns from his slumber to pay tribute to the former boss.
massive-report.com/2025/12/03/w...
massive-report.com/2025/12/03/w...
This morning in our TN-7 precinct there were 3 other voters besides my wife and I, which is 3 more than there normally are on non-presidential election days.
So maybe she's got a chance.
So maybe she's got a chance.
December 2, 2025 at 2:47 PM
This morning in our TN-7 precinct there were 3 other voters besides my wife and I, which is 3 more than there normally are on non-presidential election days.
So maybe she's got a chance.
So maybe she's got a chance.
The most uniquely American tradition at my Vietnamese immigrant in-law's house is the pho that made from what's left of the Thanksgiving turkey.
It’s how you end up with language like “paperwork American” or the idea that Thanksgiving turkey is some sort of natural ethno-national tradition that certain other groups are incapable of ever appreciating
November 13, 2025 at 10:18 PM
The most uniquely American tradition at my Vietnamese immigrant in-law's house is the pho that made from what's left of the Thanksgiving turkey.
This is going to completely disrupt the elementary school match word problem industry.
After 232 years, the U.S. Mint has produced its last-ever penny
U.S. Mint In Philadelphia Presses Final Pennies As The 1-Cent Coin Gets Canceled
The Treasury Department expects to save $56 million per year on materials by ceasing to make them.
www.huffpost.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:43 PM
This is going to completely disrupt the elementary school match word problem industry.
Reposted by Eliot McKinley
I'm much more of a "team goal" guy than an "individual banger" guy but this shit's stayed with me for 15 years.
Still my favorite thunderbastard in MLS history. Has a level of intentionality to it that few goals have ever matched.
What a player, what a career.
Still my favorite thunderbastard in MLS history. Has a level of intentionality to it that few goals have ever matched.
What a player, what a career.
November 9, 2025 at 1:32 AM
I'm much more of a "team goal" guy than an "individual banger" guy but this shit's stayed with me for 15 years.
Still my favorite thunderbastard in MLS history. Has a level of intentionality to it that few goals have ever matched.
What a player, what a career.
Still my favorite thunderbastard in MLS history. Has a level of intentionality to it that few goals have ever matched.
What a player, what a career.
What's even crazier about this game is that FC Cincy's one shot logged by the scorekeepers requires a very generous definition of a "shot".
#Crew96
#Crew96
November 3, 2025 at 7:28 PM
What's even crazier about this game is that FC Cincy's one shot logged by the scorekeepers requires a very generous definition of a "shot".
#Crew96
#Crew96