Seattle Sounders 2015 Season Thread

[Uncle Si]

So I was just reading the MLS Power Rankings article on ESPN. I have to be honest, it felt like a lot of the names are re-hashed.

So, MLS (Sounders fans), who are the exciting players in the MLS this season?

I'm excited to see Altidore and Bradley together, I think they'll both have big years playing off each other. Not sure if Orlando will be good or not, but they should at least be exciting to watch with Kaka, Mwanga and Shea.

Yeah, but these are not "exciting" players, just pros.

If we did this list for the Prem, for example, we would not start with Danny Welbeck, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Stuart Downing.

You crack me up Si, you ask open ended questions, then crap on people for not following some unexplained rules to your vague question.

I think most soccer fans would categorize players like Kaka, Jozy and Bradley as "exciting" to watch. Sorry I didn't bring my crystal ball today to divine what you were thinking when asking the question.

No goalkeepers?

Big baby. How is that crapping on you? Altidore and Bradley are established players, fine pros. Exciting? Certainly you know the difference. Kaka is old (still good, and will help the league, as will Gerrard) and Mwanga scored 1 goal in the last 2 years. Fine, you find a target striker, physical CM, 32 year old former international and guy with 1 goal in 2 years as exciting. I was hoping for something newer, fresher. I suppose Mwanga fits this. Sort of a Zakuani type player?

Who are the Goal scorers? Guys that can take people on 1v1? Great passers? Players with flair.

 

[Smurf]

I'm excited to see Altidore and Bradley together, I think they'll both have big years playing off each other. Not sure if Orlando will be good or not, but they should at least be exciting to watch with Kaka, Mwanga and Shea.

Yeah, but these are not "exciting" players, just pros.

If we did this list for the Prem, for example, we would not start with Danny Welbeck, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Stuart Downing.

You crack me up Si, you ask open ended questions, then crap on people for not following some unexplained rules to your vague question.

I think most soccer fans would categorize players like Kaka, Jozy and Bradley as "exciting" to watch. Sorry I didn't bring my crystal ball today to divine what you were thinking when asking the question.

No goalkeepers?

Big baby. How is that crapping on you? Altidore and Bradley are established players, fine pros. Exciting? Certainly you know the difference. Kaka is old (still good, and will help the league, as will Gerrard) and Mwanga scored 1 goal in the last 2 years. Fine, you find a target striker, physical CM, 32 year old former international and guy with 1 goal in 2 years as exciting. I was hoping for something newer, fresher. I suppose Mwanga fits this. Sort of a Zakuani type player?

Who are the Goal scorers? Guys that can take people on 1v1? Great passers? Players with flair.

3 of the Sounders most exciting young Talent will be getting their minutes with S2.

Pablo Rossi - He's an attacking center midfielder with a touch of flair, and the ability to score from distance.

Victor Mansaray - The youngster left the Sounders first team in Arizona early...so he could finish highschool. He's big. Strong. Fast. And can score. I'm excited to see him play more.

Darwin Jones - Dude is fast. Just blazing. A striker I think the club is transitioning into a winger.



As for the rest of the league.

Darlington Nagbe is really entertaining to watch...the rest of his team is not...but when the dude is on the ball its fun.

I'm excited to have Brek Shea back in the league. He's a player who is capable of some special things.

Erik Hurtado, Kekuta Manneh, and Darren Mattocks should get batter. They are pretty exciting to watch.

Giovinco will entertaining to watch (but probably fits your blah established label).

 

[Uncle Si]

And of course Altidore scores two on his debut to further reinforce I don't know what I'm talking about...

Thanks for the list Smurf

 

[Smurf]

And of course Altidore scores two on his debut to further reinforce I don't know what I'm talking about...

Thanks for the list Smurf

Jozy may have scored two that game...but Giovinco was on point...but IMO the best player on the pitch that match was on the other side. Rivero looks to be legit.


Also, that looks to be a really small list I gave you. As the season grows on I'll keep ya updated on players I like as I get back in the swing of things.

 

[Smurf]

Orlando City and NYCFC just kicked off. 62k in attendance.

Villa and Kaka looking to put on a show.

 

[razgriz737]

Great way to start the season, even if it was against an injured NE. Pappa was fantastic all night long. Mears looks to be very promising. Can't say enough about Clint and Oba. Overall I'm very happy.

 

[Trenchbroom]

Great way to start the season, even if it was against an injured NE. Pappa was fantastic all night long. Mears looks to be very promising. Can't say enough about Clint and Oba. Overall I'm very happy.

Pappa looking FINE! What a great match!

 

[hawkfan68]

Incredible game last night. Never can get tired of the chemistry between Pappa, Martins, and Dempsey when they are on. They were on fire last night.

 

[Seabhac]

Great Opening night last night. Atmosphere was brilliant. Football was excellent. Third goal was a thing of beauty.
[youtube]qXQyoDDlWWY[/youtube]

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Great way to start the season, even if it was against an injured NE. Pappa was fantastic all night long. Mears looks to be very promising. Can't say enough about Clint and Oba. Overall I'm very happy.

Yedlin may be lightning fast, but Mears was brilliant at not only his crosses, but using his experience on WHEN to get forward and when not to............which was always a big problem for Yedlin, picking his spots.

Great first match.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Great first match. We still miss Ozzy a good bit but Azira done okay. Evans was okay at CB baring a few poor clearances but I think he will improve there with more games. He's certainly not any worse than Traore and Hurtado (it wouldn't be hard), maybe even an improvement.

Dempsey looks really sharp and energized. Shows you how much difference having a break in the off season without world cups/ european loans can make.

 

[SeatownJay]

Great first match. We still miss Ozzy a good bit but Azira done okay. Evans was okay at CB baring a few poor clearances but I think he will improve there with more games. He's certainly not any worse than Traore and Hurtado (it wouldn't be hard), maybe even an improvement.

Dempsey looks really sharp and energized. Shows you how much difference having a break in the off season without world cups/ european loans can make.

An animatronic scarecrow would be better than Traore or Hurtado. Evans was solidly average and nice to see.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Evans was solidly average and nice to see.

True but not sure if Brittle Brad can last even half a season playing the physically demanding CB position.

Dude gets hurt all the time playing mid, can't imagine he'll last getting knocked around as a smaller CB. I think I counted 5 or 6 times he hit the turf last night and was slow to get up.

 

[Smurf]

Magical night.

Evans and Azira preformed better than expected.

Chad Marshall was dominant.

Mears played intelligently, and elegantly.

Leo was rock solid.

That third goal was just beautiful. Absolutely top notch.

 

[Uncle Si]

Evans was solidly average and nice to see.

True but not sure if Brittle Brad can last even half a season playing the physically demanding CB position.

Dude gets hurt all the time playing mid, can't imagine he'll last getting knocked around as a smaller CB. I think I counted 5 or 6 times he hit the turf last night and was slow to get up.

His distribution from that position was awful. Not just the obvious passes to the other team, but even spraying balls away from open players, unable to play fluidly to the front feet of his mids, over hit and under hit passes that pulled open players out of their space. If he is going to stay there, he will need to improve.

From an outsider's perspective the game really lacked an intensity on the field. The atmosphere looked wonderful, as always, but the play seemed more pre-season than I would have hoped. Probably alot to do with the opponent.

Dempsey looks refreshed (was that a dive? looked it, but haven't seen a good replay outside the one highlight video). No international play has helped. Interested to see how he is playing in June.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Dempsey looks refreshed (was that a dive? looked it, but haven't seen a good replay outside the one highlight video). No international play has helped. Interested to see how he is playing in June.

Here's a better look at it;

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2015/3/8/ ... e-cut-back

Some embellishment, but Agudelo definitely got his foot in there.

 

[Uncle Si]

Dempsey looks refreshed (was that a dive? looked it, but haven't seen a good replay outside the one highlight video). No international play has helped. Interested to see how he is playing in June.

Here's a better look at it;

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2015/3/8/ ... e-cut-back

Some embellishment, but Agudelo definitely got his foot in there.

Straight pen, and rash from Aguedelo. Cant reach with your boot in the area unless you are 100% certain you know the ball is available.

 

[Smurf]

Yeah, Pen was definitely a sure fire pen.

As for Evans....I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt here. It was his first game in the new position and he hadn't practiced in 8 days (CBA Negotiations). His distribution was a bit off, but I know it will improve. Distribution from the back is one of the reasons Sigi wants Brad back there. From this game I was more looking for his positioning, his ability to read the game, and his physicality.

For the most part he was where he was supposed to be, and when he wasn't Chad was covering him....speaking of Chad Marshall...everyone saw that step over he did right?

eerrrr...anyway, Brad made some good plays by simply reading the game. The fact that he saw the pass to an open player not named Alonso or Pineda instantly makes him a more dynamic player than we previously had in the back in terms of passing. Once he gets into form we will see his passing improve, and his ability to pass out of the back be a very important asset to the team.

as for physicality, he won some ball in the air, we made a few solid tackles, and generally held his ground.


Granted, small sample size...but I think the Brad Evans experiment will be a success...Especially if he continues to get to play alongside Chad Marshall..


on another note, here is the best headline in Soccer right now: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/03/mls-ope ... un-fun-fun


As for the quality of the play....New England was missing their two best players in Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones. Those two players are the heart beat of their club. Its unsurprising that their play was overall pretty lack luster.

 

[Smurf]

In expansion news:

Minnesota United are emerging as favorites to gain MLS expansion of those left in the "bidding". With strong fan support, and supposedly a new outdoor stadium in the pipeline it looks like the northern US could be adding another team to the mix.


In Sounders news, Ozzie Alonso looks like he will rejoin training with the club next week. So expect Azira and Pineda in the middle of the park vs San Jose.

 

[Trenchbroom]

In expansion news:

Minnesota United are emerging as favorites to gain MLS expansion of those left in the "bidding". With strong fan support, and supposedly a new outdoor stadium in the pipeline it looks like the northern US could be adding another team to the mix.


In Sounders news, Ozzie Alonso looks like he will rejoin training with the club next week. So expect Azira and Pineda in the middle of the park vs San Jose.

They are going to expand to a cold weather city with an outdoor stadium? Does this indicate that MLS will moving to the "normal" soccer schedule like the rest of the world, or are the Sounders going to have to play in -10 degree weather in Minny in February?