Jesus Ferreira had a career year in 2022, not only by his own standards but respective to MLS and FC Dallas standards as well.
Below are graphs comparing his 2022 season to other MLS top scorers, best XI players, and previous FC Dallas attackers.
Ferreira has played multiple positions during his time at FC Dallas but really exploded when deployed as the 9 with clinical finishing and volume scoring.
Baseline Stats vs Top Scorers
Non-Penalty Goals:
In 2022, Jesus Ferreira was tied for the league lead in non-penalty goals, scoring 18 times. FC Dallas only won one penalty all year, in March vs Nashville SC.
Non-Penalty Goals + Assists:
Jesus’ 6 assists of the year, when added to his non-penalty goal tally, sits him tied with MLS MVP Hany Mukthar at 24, 2 behind Brandon Vazquez who finished the year with 26 after 18 goals and 8 assists.
In-Depth Stats vs MLS Best XI
The in-depth stats below will use measures such as expected goals, or xG, which essentially means the likelihood of scoring a goal from a certain shooting position based on the positioning of the defenders. Expected assists function similarly to expected goals.
Non-Penalty xG + xA per 90 minutes:
The graph below measures a player’s expected goals plus expected assists per 90 minutes, with xG accumulated from penalty kicks excluded, highlighting a player’s match productivity. Jesus finished a strong second among the MLS Best XI attackers in this category.
Goals Above Expected
Goals above expected is a way of measuring an attacker’s clinical ability, with a greater number of goals above the expected value indicating a more clinical finisher. Jesus lead the league in goals above expected in 2022, a huge accomplishment for a 21-year-old.
Goals From Dribbles
Jesus Ferreira scored 4 goals from successful dribbles, more than double the next-closest top goal scorer. A notable example of Jesus scoring a goal from a successful dribble came against LA Galaxy early in the year.
Versus Past FC Dallas Attackers
Former top FC Dallas strikers are the comparison for Jesus in the following section, seeing how he stacks up against FC Dallas’ best attackers in the last 5 years.
Last 5 Years: Non-Penalty Goals + Assists Per 90 for FC Dallas Single Season
In 2019 Zdenek Ondrasek edges out Jesus’ career year on a per-90-minute basis, but over the 2022 season Ferreira comes out far clear of the past.
Last 5 Years: Non-Penalty Goals + Assists for FC Dallas Single Season
All-Time: Non-Penalty Goals + Assists Per 90 for FC Dallas Single Season
Jesus’ 2022 season also stacks up as one of the greatest of any FC Dallas attacker of all time, coming in second in both G+A per 90 to Jeff Cunningham’s raucous 2009 season and to Jason Kreis’ record-setting 1999 season.
The Takeaway
Jesus’ electric 2022 season is part of what propelled FC Dallas to 3rd place, but the biggest takeaway from his performance this season is his finishing ability. Scoring 6.5 goals above expected is an elite accomplishment and demonstrates his ability to play and score as a striker.