Below are the 2018 MLS season forecasts using data from games through May 27.
Some key points up front:
- Union playoff chances: The Union now have a 36.1 percent chance of making the MLS playoffs, up from 29.0%.
- Bethlehem playoff chances: The Steel are up to a 42.6 percent chance to make the USL playoffs, down from 52.5%.
- Largest movers: The Los Angeles Galaxy gained the biggest boost in performance expectations for MLS, and LAFC the largest drop.
- Plus/minus: The two top players in the league, in terms of their teams’ goal differentials when they’re on the field, are the New York Red Bulls’ Sean Davis and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Interactive Charts
Philadelphia Updated Stats
This following chart shows the Union’s 2018 stats, as compared with typical winning and losing teams.
This following chart shows the Union’s stats against Real Salt Lake, as compared with typical winning and losing teams.
Power Rankings
The scores used for these rankings are the expected points-per-game for all league opponents both home and away.
SEBA has Philadelphia increasing from 14th to 13th.
Currently, Philadelphia’s performance expectation is set by the following distribution of minutes:
Philadelphia +/- for 2018
Philadelphia Plus/Minus
Shows the goal differential for each player while they were on the field
MLS +/- for 2018
Playoffs probability and more
Philadelphia has increased from a 29.0% to a 36.1% chance of making the playoffs.
Next is the distribution of Philadelphia’s points against the MLS East’s sixth seed in all the simulations.
The Union remains at a 0.2% chance of winning the Supporters’ Shield.
The Union increased from a 0.8% to a 1.3% chance of winning the MLS Cup.
Philadelphia’s chances of having a U.S. Open Cup win increased from 3.4% to 4.8%.
The 2019 CONCACAF Champions League qualification from the U.S. was supposed to be the 2017 & 2018 winners of the U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup. This is why Kansas City has already qualified. However, since Toronto (not eligible for a U.S. qualification slot) won the MLS Cup, that slot (and any other future Canadian or Kansas City wins) will be given to the club with the most regular season points over both 2017 and 2018.
Philadelphia increased from a 4.2% chance to a 6.0% chance of qualifying for the 2019 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League.
The following are Philadelphia’s odds at different prizes over time.
The following are the probabilities of each final playoffs placement for Philadelphia.
The following shows the summary of the simulations in an easy table format.
Next is a table showing the difference between this forecast and the last forecast.
The following shows the difficulty for each team’s remaining schedule. Higher values means an easier remaining schedule.
The following shows the expectations for upcoming Philadelphia matches:
Model Validation
The following shows SEBA’s model error compared with random guessing. To do this, we save forecasts for the entire season’s games for every forecast’s data, and update the error charts all the way through the season.
Lower error is better.
USL
Power Rankings
SEBA has Bethlehem increasing from 18th to 17th.
Playoffs probability and more
Bethlehem decreased from a 52.5% to a 42.6% chance of making the playoffs.
Bethlehem decreased from a 1.0% to a 0.4% chance of claiming the USL regular season title.
Bethlehem’s odds of winning the USL championship decreased from 2.8% to 2.1%.
The following is Bethlehem’s odds at different prizes over time.
The following shows the probability of each post-playoff ranking finish:
The following are the simulation averages in an easy, combined format.
The following is the strength of remaining schedules for each team. Higher values mean an easier remaining schedule.
The following are the upcoming expectations for Bethlehem matches.
NWSL
The following are the projections for the 2018 NWSL season.
The following shows the remaining strength of schedule, as we project. Higher values represent easier remaining schedules.
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