Seattle Sounders 2015 Season Thread

[Sgt. Largent]

. I feel like Deuce is more concerned with the USNT than the Sounders.

Why do you say this? Jurgen called him in, and Clint went. Simple as that.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

. I feel like Deuce is more concerned with the USNT than the Sounders.

Why do you say this? Jurgen called him in, and Clint went. Simple as that.

World cup is over, he's probably too old for the next one. Sounders are paying him a lot of money while he is away with the national team and i'd like to see him focus on it more than a mickey mouse Gold cup, especially given our striker situation. The Gold Cup is played every 2 years, why not every 4? It's pretty much always going to be competed between Mexico and the US barring major upsets. Would just like a bit of loyalty to the club team that are paying the bills, especially as they allowed hi to go on loan to Fulham in his first season.

 

[Smurf]

. I feel like Deuce is more concerned with the USNT than the Sounders.

Why do you say this? Jurgen called him in, and Clint went. Simple as that.

World cup is over, he's probably too old for the next one. Sounders are paying him a lot of money while he is away with the national team and i'd like to see him focus on it more than a mickey mouse Gold cup, especially given our striker situation. The Gold Cup is played every 2 years, why not every 4? It's pretty much always going to be competed between Mexico and the US barring major upsets. Would just like a bit of loyalty to the club team that are paying the bills, especially as they allowed hi to go on loan to Fulham in his first season.

1. Gold Cup isn't a mickey mouse tournament. Winning this tournament earns you an entry into the Confed Cup the year before the World Cup. Its an important tournament. Who cares that its played every 2 years? The Euro's are only ever 4 because they need 2 years to figure out who gets to play in them with all of those qualifiers.

2. I'll give ya the fact that the tournament is mainly competed between the US and Mexico (Canada is the only other nation to win one)....I still really enjoy the tournament, I like seeing how other nations in our region are developing.

3. When a player is called in by his national team, I expect him to answer the call and leave to play for his national team. I don't care about age, club situation or anything. They get called, they answer. It is always an honor to put on the shirt of your nation and I don't ever expect Clint to not answer the call. If he ever does, It will be the last call he will get (unless for injury).

4. Him going on loan to Fulham helped us pay for him. They payed portion of his salary meaning that amount isn't on our capped number for that season. Him going to Fulham arguably helped the team more $$ wise than it did for Dempsey's fitness (He played very sparingly on a relegation doomed team).

 

[Seabhac]

I am a Sounders Fan but not a USMT fan (Although I do want to see them progress and win the WC some day).

I think that the MLS will continue to be considered a "Mickey Mouse" league globally as long it allows its best teams to go without it's best players for the greater good of USMT.

The Gold Cup should be played every four years like every other continental competition. Merge it with South America. Have qualification groups so the minnows can be weeded out. Make it meaningful and then I MAY be happy with it destroying the MLS for a month.

The other option is plan the season around International tournaments.
How about have the whole league not play DPs during International competitions.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

. I feel like Deuce is more concerned with the USNT than the Sounders.

Why do you say this? Jurgen called him in, and Clint went. Simple as that.

World cup is over, he's probably too old for the next one. Sounders are paying him a lot of money while he is away with the national team and i'd like to see him focus on it more than a mickey mouse Gold cup, especially given our striker situation. The Gold Cup is played every 2 years, why not every 4? It's pretty much always going to be competed between Mexico and the US barring major upsets. Would just like a bit of loyalty to the club team that are paying the bills, especially as they allowed hi to go on loan to Fulham in his first season.

1. Gold Cup isn't a mickey mouse tournament. Winning this tournament earns you an entry into the Confed Cup the year before the World Cup. Its an important tournament. Who cares that its played every 2 years? The Euro's are only ever 4 because they need 2 years to figure out who gets to play in them with all of those qualifiers.

2. I'll give ya the fact that the tournament is mainly competed between the US and Mexico (Canada is the only other nation to win one)....I still really enjoy the tournament, I like seeing how other nations in our region are developing.

3. When a player is called in by his national team, I expect him to answer the call and leave to play for his national team. I don't care about age, club situation or anything. They get called, they answer. It is always an honor to put on the shirt of your nation and I don't ever expect Clint to not answer the call. If he ever does, It will be the last call he will get (unless for injury).

4. Him going on loan to Fulham helped us pay for him. They payed portion of his salary meaning that amount isn't on our capped number for that season. Him going to Fulham arguably helped the team more $$ wise than it did for Dempsey's fitness (He played very sparingly on a relegation doomed team).

If only Mexico and the US can realistically win it, i'd say it's mickey mouse. After Mexico (who haven't been great lately) and Canada (who suck) you are up against mostly an assortment of third world Central American and Caribbean teams with a fraction of the resources and population of the USA but have the odd good player. On top of that, look at the state of the pitch and the stadium not being full and tell me that's a first rate competition? I'd honestly say i'll be shocked if the US don't win the tournament.

As for Confed Cup, yeah it's nice to be in but I don't think it's important. No one really remembers the winner of it and it will always be overshadowed by the world cup. It's soccer to watch when there's nothing else on with some decent teams. I also don't get why the Gold Cup winner doesn't just enter automatically, even if the tournament was every 4 years.

I think if the US wants to become the best, it has to beat the best regularly. I'd like to see them (and Mexico) move to the South American conference, kind of like what Australia did moving to Asia. It might be bumpy for a while and there is a danger we don't qualify right away for a WC if put in a tough qualifying group but over time I think the USA will be top dogs. The country also has to really unite taking to the sport rather than just pockets like the PNW. I think Atlanta getting an MLS team is a start to that. The south produces a lot of our best athletes and if they can get it, that would be huge.

I think every 4 years is enough. If the Euros were every two years on top of a WC year there would be an outcry from club teams. The Barcelona's, Madrids and Manchesters of the world would be seriously pissed at their star players on high salaries having the risk of injuries, suspensions (Suarez at WC) and no rest on top of that. I think soccer is about to come to a major club vs country crossroads if the Qatar WC is in winter. I think having the Gold Cup every two years is also making a mockery of MLS. It's stars players being gone for at least a month of the season every year for 2x Gold Cups, WC and Confed Cup. I'm sure Euro based clubs would like their American players to be rested and have a pre season under their belt for the season ahead.

I'm not saying he should have snubbed the call up but for longevity purposes i'd have preferred he went on hiatus like Tim Howard till the end of the season until the WC qualifiers come. I think his position is safe in the US team for a bit. No way is Altidore or Wondolowski in any place to keep him out and Eddie Johnson is retired. Maybe Morris in a couple of years but that depends on how he progresses. I just think right now that the Sounders are in a time of need. We are really struggling for goals just now. Dempsey, hasn't won a lot of trophies in his career and staying to help in the SS and play off seedings would help that.

I can see where it would help financially having that loan move but I don't think it benefited him as a player playing for an awful Fulham team- other teams maybe. Would rather he had rested up, it would have made him sharper come WC time and for the Sounders.

 

[Smurf]

I am a Sounders Fan but not a USMT fan (Although I do want to see them progress and win the WC some day).

I think that the MLS will continue to be considered a "Mickey Mouse" league globally as long it allows its best teams to go without it's best players for the greater good of USMT.

The Gold Cup should be played every four years like every other continental competition. Merge it with South America. Have qualification groups so the minnows can be weeded out. Make it meaningful and then I MAY be happy with it destroying the MLS for a month.

The other option is plan the season around International tournaments.
How about have the whole league not play DPs during International competitions.

1. As a Sounder fan you must understand the important role the national team and the MLS plays in the growth of our sport. It is critical that the level of play in the United states improves, from the domestic league to the national team. The success of the national team is a direct reflection of American soccer and one that the world see's. Despite losing to Belgium in the world cup, we gained a lot of respect for how we are growing our game. That is important.

2. MLS clubs have a higher emphasis on bringing in national team players to the league. The teams wants those players for obvious reasons (Quality, Marketing). With having those players means losing them from time to time for national team duty. It is known factor which the teams are more than OK with. The Sounders can't stop tweeting about Clint Dempsey's goals in the Gold Cup. We are not the only team impacted by missing players, IIRC around 85 players are missing from their MLS rosters due to the Gold Cup, twice as many from the World Cup. To raise the quality of the game, you need quality players. Quality players play for their national teams.

3. The MLS uses a non-traditional summer schedule. The Majority of the rest of the world uses a Fall/Winter Schedule but for a variety of reasons (Climate, marketing) we do not. This means that international competitions are usually scheduled when the rest of the world is not playing. The timing of the Gold cup is not an issue. If anything its the timing of the MLS season...but that is another conversation.

4. The Gold Cup is CONCACAF's prize (Played every 2 years). The Euro's are UEFA's (played every 4 years). The African Cup of Nations is CAF's (played every 2 years). Copa America is COMNEBOL's (played every 2-4 years, changes quite frequently). OFC Nations Cup is OFC's (played every 2 years). AFC Asian Cup is AFC (played every 4 years).

No one plays their championship every year (only COMNEBOL will next season for their centennial celebration, which the USA is hosting and invited to participate.)

I would prefer to bypass a year of qualification, where players will still miss club time, and just play it during 1 month. Easy. Done and dusted. Non issue.

5. We are the only club who was missing DP's...only 1 of them was due to the Gold Cup. It just happened at a bad time for us. Ozzie was out with an injury, Oba went down, Deuce got suspended and then Gold Cup....TFC is missing Bradley and Altidore for a month, and relying on Giovinco to carry them.

 

[Smurf]

If only Mexico and the US can realistically win it, i'd say it's mickey mouse. After Mexico (who haven't been great lately) and Canada (who suck) you are up against mostly an assortment of third world Central American and Caribbean teams with a fraction of the resources and population of the USA but have the odd good player. On top of that, look at the state of the pitch and the stadium not being full and tell me that's a first rate competition? I'd honestly say i'll be shocked if the US don't win the tournament.

As for Confed Cup, yeah it's nice to be in but I don't think it's important. No one really remembers the winner of it and it will always be overshadowed by the world cup. It's soccer to watch when there's nothing else on with some decent teams. I also don't get why the Gold Cup winner doesn't just enter automatically, even if the tournament was every 4 years.

I think if the US wants to become the best, it has to beat the best regularly. I'd like to see them (and Mexico) move to the South American conference, kind of like what Australia did moving to Asia. It might be bumpy for a while and there is a danger we don't qualify right away for a WC if put in a tough qualifying group but over time I think the USA will be top dogs. The country also has to really unite taking to the sport rather than just pockets like the PNW. I think Atlanta getting an MLS team is a start to that. The south produces a lot of our best athletes and if they can get it, that would be huge.

I think every 4 years is enough. If the Euros were every two years on top of a WC year there would be an outcry from club teams. The Barcelona's, Madrids and Manchesters of the world would be seriously pissed at their star players on high salaries having the risk of injuries, suspensions (Suarez at WC) and no rest on top of that. I think soccer is about to come to a major club vs country crossroads if the Qatar WC is in winter. I think having the Gold Cup every two years is also making a mockery of MLS. It's stars players being gone for at least a month of the season every year for 2x Gold Cups, WC and Confed Cup. I'm sure Euro based clubs would like their American players to be rested and have a pre season under their belt for the season ahead.

I'm not saying he should have snubbed the call up but for longevity purposes i'd have preferred he went on hiatus like Tim Howard till the end of the season until the WC qualifiers come. I think his position is safe in the US team for a bit. No way is Altidore or Wondolowski in any place to keep him out and Eddie Johnson is retired. Maybe Morris in a couple of years but that depends on how he progresses. I just think right now that the Sounders are in a time of need. We are really struggling for goals just now. Dempsey, hasn't won a lot of trophies in his career and staying to help in the SS and play off seedings would help that.

I can see where it would help financially having that loan move but I don't think it benefited him as a player playing for an awful Fulham team- other teams maybe. Would rather he had rested up, it would have made him sharper come WC time and for the Sounders.

Gold Cup every 2 years means that players are gone from their club teams LESS time than they would be with the Euro's. The only difference is the time is condensed. Between the Euro's and the World Cup national team players are playing meaningful soccer almost year round. Qualify, Competition, Qualify, Competition. Its the cycle of European international competition.

I agree that to be better, we need to play better opponents, but being the kings of CONCACAF has bright spots. Qualifying for the world cup is a big deal, moving to a more difficult confederation likely means missing a world cup...or at least a bigger possibility of it. Australia left OFC for AFC over not having a spot in the world cup. I would rather qualify in CONCACAF then miss a tournament.

Leaving CONCACAF isn't the answer. But I would like to see us join more COMNEBOL competitions (Copa America next year is a start)....its also worth nothing that CONCACAF has invited COMNEBOL countries to the Gold Cup.


Confed cup is hugely important. Its a major tune up competition for the world cup. US's performance in 2009 definitely helped us in 2010.
As for Fulham, Dempsey wanted to go. It helped us out. Its what he wanted. So we let him go. I would have preferred he rested...but he wanted to go.

 

[Seabhac]

I am a Sounders Fan but not a USMT fan (Although I do want to see them progress and win the WC some day).

I think that the MLS will continue to be considered a "Mickey Mouse" league globally as long it allows its best teams to go without it's best players for the greater good of USMT.

The Gold Cup should be played every four years like every other continental competition. Merge it with South America. Have qualification groups so the minnows can be weeded out. Make it meaningful and then I MAY be happy with it destroying the MLS for a month.

The other option is plan the season around International tournaments.
How about have the whole league not play DPs during International competitions.

1. As a Sounder fan you must understand the important role the national team and the MLS plays in the growth of our sport. It is critical that the level of play in the United states improves, from the domestic league to the national team. The success of the national team is a direct reflection of American soccer and one that the world see's. Despite losing to Belgium in the world cup, we gained a lot of respect for how we are growing our game. That is important.

2. MLS clubs have a higher emphasis on bringing in national team players to the league. The teams wants those players for obvious reasons (Quality, Marketing). With having those players means losing them from time to time for national team duty. It is known factor which the teams are more than OK with. The Sounders can't stop tweeting about Clint Dempsey's goals in the Gold Cup. We are not the only team impacted by missing players, IIRC around 85 players are missing from their MLS rosters due to the Gold Cup, twice as many from the World Cup. To raise the quality of the game, you need quality players. Quality players play for their national teams.

3. The MLS uses a non-traditional summer schedule. The Majority of the rest of the world uses a Fall/Winter Schedule but for a variety of reasons (Climate, marketing) we do not. This means that international competitions are usually scheduled when the rest of the world is not playing. The timing of the Gold cup is not an issue. If anything its the timing of the MLS season...but that is another conversation.

4. The Gold Cup is CONCACAF's prize (Played every 2 years). The Euro's are UEFA's (played every 4 years). The African Cup of Nations is CAF's (played every 2 years). Copa America is COMNEBOL's (played every 2-4 years, changes quite frequently). OFC Nations Cup is OFC's (played every 2 years). AFC Asian Cup is AFC (played every 4 years).

No one plays their championship every year (only COMNEBOL will next season for their centennial celebration, which the USA is hosting and invited to participate.)

I would prefer to bypass a year of qualification, where players will still miss club time, and just play it during 1 month. Easy. Done and dusted. Non issue.

5. We are the only club who was missing DP's...only 1 of them was due to the Gold Cup. It just happened at a bad time for us. Ozzie was out with an injury, Oba went down, Deuce got suspended and then Gold Cup....TFC is missing Bradley and Altidore for a month, and relying on Giovinco to carry them.

The League owes more to the Sounders than the USMT - Sorry, but Seattle is leading the country in showing how to support your team. Actually I could be said that USA Vs Panama WCQ in Century Link was the turning point in USMT support - Before that USMT were outnumbered by opposition fans at almost every home game.

The OTHER Conversation is the timing of the league - And that may be where the solution lies.
I love Internationals - been to 3 World Cups and numerous qualifiers. But - Would I be happy If Wayne Rooney had to go play for England against Crapsylvania the week United were playing Liverpool? Nope.

Certainly out west winter games are no problem - Is the Midwest and Northeast colder than Russia? Are Regional Leagues or Domed Stadiums the long term answer? I don't know.

All I know is that every goal that Dempsey gets in the Gold Cup is a goal that the Sounders are missing and so far that's cost us 9 points against shit opposition. (yes PDX are Shit)

Can't I just be mad about this without having to defend myself?

 

[Smurf]

I am a Sounders Fan but not a USMT fan (Although I do want to see them progress and win the WC some day).

I think that the MLS will continue to be considered a "Mickey Mouse" league globally as long it allows its best teams to go without it's best players for the greater good of USMT.

The Gold Cup should be played every four years like every other continental competition. Merge it with South America. Have qualification groups so the minnows can be weeded out. Make it meaningful and then I MAY be happy with it destroying the MLS for a month.

The other option is plan the season around International tournaments.
How about have the whole league not play DPs during International competitions.

1. As a Sounder fan you must understand the important role the national team and the MLS plays in the growth of our sport. It is critical that the level of play in the United states improves, from the domestic league to the national team. The success of the national team is a direct reflection of American soccer and one that the world see's. Despite losing to Belgium in the world cup, we gained a lot of respect for how we are growing our game. That is important.

2. MLS clubs have a higher emphasis on bringing in national team players to the league. The teams wants those players for obvious reasons (Quality, Marketing). With having those players means losing them from time to time for national team duty. It is known factor which the teams are more than OK with. The Sounders can't stop tweeting about Clint Dempsey's goals in the Gold Cup. We are not the only team impacted by missing players, IIRC around 85 players are missing from their MLS rosters due to the Gold Cup, twice as many from the World Cup. To raise the quality of the game, you need quality players. Quality players play for their national teams.

3. The MLS uses a non-traditional summer schedule. The Majority of the rest of the world uses a Fall/Winter Schedule but for a variety of reasons (Climate, marketing) we do not. This means that international competitions are usually scheduled when the rest of the world is not playing. The timing of the Gold cup is not an issue. If anything its the timing of the MLS season...but that is another conversation.

4. The Gold Cup is CONCACAF's prize (Played every 2 years). The Euro's are UEFA's (played every 4 years). The African Cup of Nations is CAF's (played every 2 years). Copa America is COMNEBOL's (played every 2-4 years, changes quite frequently). OFC Nations Cup is OFC's (played every 2 years). AFC Asian Cup is AFC (played every 4 years).

No one plays their championship every year (only COMNEBOL will next season for their centennial celebration, which the USA is hosting and invited to participate.)

I would prefer to bypass a year of qualification, where players will still miss club time, and just play it during 1 month. Easy. Done and dusted. Non issue.

5. We are the only club who was missing DP's...only 1 of them was due to the Gold Cup. It just happened at a bad time for us. Ozzie was out with an injury, Oba went down, Deuce got suspended and then Gold Cup....TFC is missing Bradley and Altidore for a month, and relying on Giovinco to carry them.

The League owes more to the Sounders than the USMT - Sorry, but Seattle is leading the country in showing how to support your team. Actually I could be said that USA Vs Panama WCQ in Century Link was the turning point in USMT support - Before that USMT were outnumbered by opposition fans at almost every home game.

The OTHER Conversation is the timing of the league - And that may be where the solution lies.
I love Internationals - been to 3 World Cups and numerous qualifiers. But - Would I be happy If Wayne Rooney had to go play for England against Crapsylvania the week United were playing Liverpool? Nope.

Certainly out west winter games are no problem - Is the Midwest and Northeast colder than Russia? Are Regional Leagues or Domed Stadiums the long term answer? I don't know.

All I know is that every goal that Dempsey gets in the Gold Cup is a goal that the Sounders are missing and so far that's cost us 9 points against shit opposition. (yes PDX are Shit)

Can't I just be mad about this without having to defend myself?

I would say USMNT support changed when we isolated the important matches from visiting support (I.e. The hell away from the boarder). IMO it started in Columbus...then in the Seattle game we up'd the ante....


Feel free to be mad, I just don't think its worth getting mad about. It's just the situation we have to get through, and the Sounders are a quality enough side without Dempsey, Evans and Pappa to get the job done.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Wonder how Dempsey is feeling, sitting on a bench for the Panama game, watching the national team field a reserve side while his club team hit the skids form wise.

Felt as soon as Azira came on we weren't going to win. I don't get what he offers. If Oba doesn't come back soon, i'm going to want the US to lose the quarter finals so we get Brad and Deuce back. We didn't really look like scoring barring the bar chance.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Perkins did really well filling in tonight though!

 

[Seabhac]

OK so far...A Shit Referee (USOC) and the USMT have cost us 12 points and more than likely the Supporters shield.
At least the Timbers got found out tonight.....

 

[CurryStopstheRuns]

OK so far...A Shit Referee (USOC) and the USMT have cost us 12 points and more than likely the Supporters shield.
At least the Timbers got found out tonight.....

Cool your tits sister. We are only three points back of the lead with a game in hand.

 

[Smurf]

Ugly game....Always seems to happen vs Chicago.


Not Dempsey's fault we lost this game. We lost this game because of poor decision making, poor play, and horrible tactics.

2 strait matches where our best player going forward has been our RB. That is very rarely a good thing. The 451 doesn't suit our team. It is too radical a difference and our midfield is struggling. We have a billion center midfielders on the team and they look lost 80% of the time. No one knows when to go forward, or take the space. They keep waiting for someone to drop into the hole and its not happening. We end up passing along the back until we are forced to clear it.

Yes we are missing players, but elite teams and elite coaches get by when they have to without them (See: LA Galaxy, Bruce Arena).

Sigi is dead set on playing the best 11 plays he has available, and its obviously not working. Pineda has been awful (pretty much all season too), Neagle is playing too many minutes, Rose has the worst touch I've ever seen....We've been horrible.

I am perplexed as to why we havent let Darwin Jones start a match up top next to Barrett to get a new dimension to our game. We have zero speed. No one is afraid of us breaking because of it.

 

[hawkfan68]

Ugly game....Always seems to happen vs Chicago.


Not Dempsey's fault we lost this game. We lost this game because of poor decision making, poor play, and horrible tactics.

2 strait matches where our best player going forward has been our RB. That is very rarely a good thing. The 451 doesn't suit our team. It is too radical a difference and our midfield is struggling. We have a billion center midfielders on the team and they look lost 80% of the time. No one knows when to go forward, or take the space. They keep waiting for someone to drop into the hole and its not happening. We end up passing along the back until we are forced to clear it.

Yes we are missing players, but elite teams and elite coaches get by when they have to without them (See: LA Galaxy, Bruce Arena).

Sigi is dead set on playing the best 11 plays he has available, and its obviously not working. Pineda has been awful (pretty much all season too), Neagle is playing too many minutes, Rose has the worst touch I've ever seen....We've been horrible.

I am perplexed as to why we havent let Darwin Jones start a match up top next to Barrett to get a new dimension to our game. We have zero speed. No one is afraid of us breaking because of it.

Well said. I missed tonight's game, I had to attend a wedding reception, but Smurf pointed out exactly the things I've been frustrated with regarding the Sounders.

 

[Seabhac]

OK so far...A Shit Referee (USOC) and the USMT have cost us 12 points and more than likely the Supporters shield.
At least the Timbers got found out tonight.....

Cool your tits sister. We are only three points back of the lead with a game in hand.

What's that about your mother's tits?

 

[CurryStopstheRuns]

OK so far...A Shit Referee (USOC) and the USMT have cost us 12 points and more than likely the Supporters shield.
At least the Timbers got found out tonight.....

Cool your tits sister. We are only three points back of the lead with a game in hand.

What's that about your mother's tits?

Removed because of breast cancer.

 

[Seabhac]

OK so far...A Shit Referee (USOC) and the USMT have cost us 12 points and more than likely the Supporters shield.
At least the Timbers got found out tonight.....

Cool your tits sister. We are only three points back of the lead with a game in hand.

What's that about your mother's tits?

Removed because of breast cancer.

Well you shouldn't be making tit jokes to strangers on the Internet then should you?

 

[CurryStopstheRuns]

Your comments lack intellectual prowess.

 

[Seabhac]

Try the mensa board if you want intellectual prowess