Analysing potential NYCFC transfer targets using GSN Reports.

First I’m going to outline how to read these reports. There are four key sections used:

SRC is “the eye test” measure of a players ability. It’s passed through several scouts and a player is rated based on what these scouts see.

Potential/capability of development is probably the most interesting metric in these reports because we are looking at younger players. There is no upper limit here, so the higher the number, the greater the future potential.

+/- is a statistic that you may be familiar with from other sports - however in this context +/- looks at the positive actions a player makes compared to the change in scoring. Considering the base of 100 - anything above this is good and anything below this is not good and something NYC want to avoid in their players.

Finally, level of play is another useful factor to consider. It allows us to look at a level of experience a player has played so far in his career. For NYC and the players we are going to look at, it’s useful because the Front Office may be wanting players to either build experience or bring in players that have played at a higher or similar level. For example a signing like Pirlo brings a great deal of experience and has played at the highest level - so there’s no doubt he’s able to play in Major League Soccer.

Finally, the GSN Index is a combination of all these four factors. It means that you can compare a player with any other professional to see what their current and future quality is. For me it’s difficult to fully trust a black box like this - but in this analysis it serves as a useful metric to compare the potential transfer targets of NYCFC. Onto the players…

First I’m going to take a look at Rónald Matarrita, the left back who plays for Alajuelense who NYCFC have been linked to recently. His report will also serve as an introduction in how to read the GSN reports.

In this report I’ve numbered the different sections 1 - 4. They relate to the following:

1. Section 1 is the +/- metric explained a bove. For Matarrita he’s currently underperforming compared to his average +/- across his career. Given other +/- statistics of potential targets he could be compared more easily.
2. Section 2 shows the GSN Index of Matarrita in the different positions he has played in previously. To me this shows that he is far more adept at being an attacking wide player than a defensive one. Taking into consideration Yankee Stadium’s very narrow field then this may be something to consider the effectiveness of Matarrita compared to the pitch dimensions he currently plays on at Alajuelense.
3. Section 3 shows Matarrita’s GSN Index overall. It takes the highest GSN Index value from his best position (shown in Section 2 to be left midfield) and then shows what his future GSN Index value is likely to be. These are aided by an indicator of what league level his quality currently is and what his future quality is going to be like. For Matarrita, GSN don’t see him being more than an average player in a league like MLS in the future. Something for NYCFC to consider.
4. Finally, Section 4 indicates the four different sections outlined previously. His current SRC is that of an average main league, but the low level he’s been playing at previously and low potential are warning signs to me.

So that’s Matarrita’s report looked over. For NYCFC a report like this created by GSN is just one input that I’d look to use in Front Office recruitment. It’s also something that the league office should considering using too, to ensure that teams are bringing in players that are going to advance the league forward and not low the talent pool overall.

Below are the GSN reports of the three players I identified in my last post. First up I’ll compare defenders Shay Facey and Ellis Plummer.

From these reports, Facey and Plummer are very similar players. Their +/- scores for their entire career are practically the same, with both players best positions being at Centre Back. Plummer is probably the player I’d go for this season however, given he is a better left-back option than the aforementioned Matarrita - and NYC has enough right backs meaning Facey’s versatility is not required.

The only key differentiator between the two players is their potential. Plummer is seen by GSN to have lower potential overall - but apart from that these players are remarkably similar.

If I’m NYC, overall I’m bringing Plummer in as centre back cover or to start at left back.

Finally above is Bersant Celina’s GSN report. His +/- is exceptional according to GSN and he’s only 19, meaning that he has extremely high potential also. The versatility he offers up front could be extremely useful for a NYC side going into its second season.

Furthermore, a player of Celina’s talent would not cost the club anything against the salary cap if he takes one of the roster spots 21–28 - making him a no-brainer if available, as there’s unlikely to be any similar players available to NYCFC that cost nothing against the salary cap.