On a frigid night in Nashville, Tennessee, the Boys in Gold managed a 0-0 draw against the New England Revolution that left fans hopeful about the future.
While the Nashville attack was disjointed at times and couldn't quite find the final ball inside the box, the build-up play - spearheaded by 19-year-old debutant Matthew Corcoran - was excellent and demonstrated to fans that not all scoreless draws are created equal.
Nashville took chances going forward, and their defense remained strong as the Revolution seemed out of ideas and never threatened the Nashville goal. It’s not a result that will lead Apple TV's MLS Wrapup on Sunday night, but as long as this team continues to improve, it’s a great place to start.
.09 expected goals per shot
After having success in their buildup play, Nashville SC struggled to generate quality chances inside the box. They made nine passes into the attacking penalty area, with only three coming from crosses.
However, Nashville's attackers were relatively sloppy once the ball entered the box. They missed open runners and took low-quality shots. We know that expected goals (xG) can be falsely inflated by volume; for instance, 13 shots led to just 1.1 xG, and it’s hard to argue that Nashville deserved a goal since only one of those chances had an xG higher than 0.2.
An average rate of 0.09 xG per shot would have tied for the second-lowest average across MLS in 2024. That must improve if Nashville want to achieve their goal of 50 goals this season.
Shotmap via Fotmob. xG via FBRef
19 touches in the box for New England
Nashville fans still know and appreciate strong defense, and they should take pride in how the backline performed on Saturday. The Boys in Gold put a wall around their box, allowing New England just 19 touches in the penalty area, which ties for the sixth-fewest Nashville conceded in 2024.
New England’s difficulties getting the ball into the box hampered their offense, resulting in a meager .04 xG per shot, which is tied for the lowest average allowed by NSC since 2023.
345 progressive passing distance for Matthew Corcoran
Matthew Corcoran progressed the ball a total of 345 yards on Saturday night.
"Progressive distance" is defined by FBRef as the total distance in yards that completed passes traveled forward. While 345 isn’t an eye-popping number, Corcoran is the 30th player to achieve this mark for Nashville. The other players who have reached this milestone, though, are what makes it really significant.
The two players who have surpassed this mark more than 10 times are, of course, Anibal Godoy and Dax McCarty. Corcoran's data comes from an incredibly limited sample size but, it early signs indicate Nashville finally have a player capable of advancing the ball through the midfield again.
Gold Star of the match
Andy Najar
The young midfield duo of Corcoran and Wyatt Meyer is rightfully receiving praise, but for me, Andy Najar was the best player on the pitch for Nashville. The Honduran international was solid defensively and made contributions going forward.
Najar is the first Nashville player since Randall Leal in 2022 to complete 100% of his dribbles while attempting at least five. It’s great to have him back in MLS, and he’s already found his midseason form with some eye-catching stats:
Passes completed: 49/63
Chances created: 2
Expected assists: .24
Passes into the final third: 11
Successful dribbles: 5/5
Duels won: 9/17
