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+----- Thread: GRADED: (Part 2) You Drive McRae-zy: Why the Analytics Say Cal is CM #1 (/showthread.php?tid=10405)
GRADED: (Part 2) You Drive McRae-zy: Why the Analytics Say Cal is CM #1 - GedgeBrah - 2026-08-08
Part 2: You Drive McRae-zy: Why the Analytics Say Cal is CM #1
- For now
The Academy season is done, and the SSL S27 draft class is nearing draft day. To recap, the following players are CM competent/eligible, and I'll be diving into where big Cal McRae sits amongst them all.
In part 2 I'll be exploring the numbers behind the aspects of support play.
Cal McRae - Atletico Medellin
Callum Wiggins - PS Jakarta
Butters Stoch - Stockholm IK
Leif Janson - Stockholm IK
Peg Bittner - Port Royal FC
Teddy Fantobens - PS Jakarta
Thomas Thunder - Port Royal FC
Tobias Gruber - Atletico Medellin
Note: Although all are competent central mids, not all are currently plying their trade in the middle third for their clubs.
Part 2 - Support Play
Passing and Crossing
- Quite a homogenous group in terms of passing success. The average pass completion rate is 85.3%, with the highest at 88.4% (Peg Bittner), and lowest at 82.2% (Tobias Gruber). Cal sits at 3rd overall with 85.7% success rate on 61.2 passes attempted per 90 (second highest)
- Cal most clearly excels in key passes -- averaging 3.12 open play key passes per 90, above the next highest of 2.23.
- When expanding that to all key passes (not just in open play), Cal still leads with 5.62 per 90. Nearly double the next best in Leif Janson at 3.09.
- Despite not playing in a traditional wide role, Cal leads the group in total crosses attempted per 90 with 14(!). This includes at 37% success rate on crosses in open play.
- These numbers eventually culminate in McRae sitting second in overall chances created per 90 with 0.88. A group average of 0.73, and Thomas Thunder leading with 1.31 chances made per game.
The Lowlights
- Despite Cal's heavy role in lead-up play and pack leading key pass numbers, there has been some difficulty in this converting to end product.
- Cal sits 5th in overall assists with 0.25 per 90. Thomas Thunder leads the group with 0.46 per 90 for the more high powered attack of Port Royal FC.
Thanks for joining me on another quick look at the S27 central mid draft group, this time with the lens of support play.
Although the the eventual final product wasn't class leading, Cal still has left a big impression in terms of intent and set-up involvement. Watch out for when things start clicking in the next part of his SSL journey.
Adios
RE: (Part 2) You Drive McRae-zy: Why the Analytics Say Cal is CM #1 - DivogoJota - 2026-08-09
403 words plus a $200,000 bonus.
I greatly enjoyed the usage of data, as well as the evaluation of said data. The bonus reflects this analysis. Fantastic read!