Seattle Sounders 2017 season thread

[Glasgow Seahawk]

I like this idea...

http://www.espnfc.us/story/3046696/...-to-mls-side-atlanta-united-on-six-month-deal

and this...

http://www.espnfc.us/story/3046743/...er-cristian-colman-as-young-designated-player

Yeah I like the U24 DP rule, but it's been very hard for MLS clubs to compete for the top underage talent with the bigger leagues. Some good players have come into MLS....................Torres, Diaz, Castillo, and a couple others I can't remember at the moment.

The problem with the Sounders I think is they're not big on just getting a player on loan, they want their rights via transfer. Like I said very few clubs are willing to part with their young stars outright, the most is like the Walkes signing, 6 month loans.

Not saying it fits the Sounders model but I like the idea of MLS teams taking chances on young talent, whether in purchase or loan.

The Spurs thing is real interesting. I'm certain they passed up many Championship offers for the player only to send him to America. Would love to hear the reasoning.

Surprised the Sounders don't have a link up with a top EPL team. City and Chelsea seem to stock pile all the best young talent then never play them as they also sign big money players and need instant results. City especially have had a few decent players in their reserve team they've let out on loan, they have like 28 out on loan right now and from experience guys- Roberts, Denayer, Guidetti (now left but using as an example) would do really well in MLS. A lot of these players needs games and I think in this case the MLS season would benefit them as they could get games during the summer when the European leagues are over and go back to parent clubs not long after the european season restarts.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Surprised the Sounders don't have a link up with a top EPL team. City and Chelsea seem to stock pile all the best young talent then never play them as they also sign big money players and need instant results. City especially have had a few decent players in their reserve team they've let out on loan, they have like 28 out on loan right now and from experience guys- Roberts, Denayer, Guidetti (now left but using as an example) would do really well in MLS. A lot of these players needs games and I think in this case the MLS season would benefit them as they could get games during the summer when the European leagues are over and go back to parent clubs not long after the european season restarts.

Weren't we suppose to have signed the Tazmanian Messi and start a pipeline to African Lyon?

j/k.........I think the Sounder's have tried to establish relationships with elite clubs, but unless there's an ownership or upper management relationship, it's hard to get in line with dozens of other 2nd and 3rd tier clubs all over the world trying to do the same thing.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

I usually just watch international soccer because I have no idea who the players are. My question is.... Will the Sounders be in the hunt for a playoff berth like the Mariners or are they the real deal if they fix a couple things like the Seahawks? I understand they won the MLS title last year. So will they still be serious contenders this year? Soccer is even more fluid then baseball or basketball let alone football. So I'm curious.

Sounders are pretty much always perennial contenders. They've always made the play offs. While there is a salary cap, the Sounders have the biggest support and bring with it a top team expectation so that missing the play offs would be a catastrophe. They can also spend a bit more on their designated players salaries than a lot of other mls clubs.

For years they had really strong regular seasons only to fall apart in the play offs. Last season they almost didn't make the play offs, fired their coach and signed Lodeiro and went on a nice run of form making the play offs and playing great defense.

I don't think they need too much tweaking to repeat. Possibly another winger and some full back/defensive depth. After that it's just players staying healthy. As with anything the play offs always require a bit of luck.

By international soccer do you mean like EPL/Bundesliga or national team? National team football can be pretty brutal to watch, especially friendlies and qualifiers. Players don't have the familiarity of playing with each other on a regular basis so there is less flow. World cups etc can be a bit better to watch but the quality seems to have dropped a bit as the club game becomes more dominant and has all the money.

European/South American club soccer is stronger but Americans do the MLS a disservice. I don't think the standard is always as bad as made out. It is a lower standard but always will be due to the salary cap and the EPL pays very mediocre players a lot of money which in some peoples eyes makes them good players. However, I've seen just as many good games in MLS as the EPL and saw just as many brutal games. People just buy into the hype and marketing of the EPL here but a lot of the 'top' games recently have been brutal such as the merseyside derby.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Surprised the Sounders don't have a link up with a top EPL team. City and Chelsea seem to stock pile all the best young talent then never play them as they also sign big money players and need instant results. City especially have had a few decent players in their reserve team they've let out on loan, they have like 28 out on loan right now and from experience guys- Roberts, Denayer, Guidetti (now left but using as an example) would do really well in MLS. A lot of these players needs games and I think in this case the MLS season would benefit them as they could get games during the summer when the European leagues are over and go back to parent clubs not long after the european season restarts.

Weren't we suppose to have signed the Tazmanian Messi and start a pipeline to African Lyon?

j/k.........I think the Sounder's have tried to establish relationships with elite clubs, but unless there's an ownership or upper management relationship, it's hard to get in line with dozens of other 2nd and 3rd tier clubs all over the world trying to do the same thing.

Sell the big bright lights of America . Admittedly this would work more in New York, LA or Boston but still (plus Seattle will still have appeal). I'm sure some players would jump at the chance of living in the USA compared to living and playing in toilets like Stoke or the various crap holes that a lot of Championship teams play in. Living in the states and in Seattle playing in front of 40,000+ people shouldn't be a tough sell, especially if it's only loan spell.

and...before people say players would be put off by Trump etc...the UK has May and the uncertainty of brexit on the horizon.

 

[Uncle Si]

Bayern, Barca, Arsenal, Chelsea, Club America and City (that I know off hand) all of have very profitable relationships with MLS clubs.

However, these relationships are very involved. Arsenal, Bayern and Chelsea, for example, have set up coaches and training programs in MLS developmental academies. They are essential sowing the seeds of growth in those systems hoping to benefit in the long term. It's not much different than the Affiliation program MLS clubs use with their local youth clubs, albeit with a much larger financial obligation.

What I had hoped would come of it, and maybe what we might be seeing with the Spurs loan, is these bigger clubs sending their players here for more development, trusting that their own staffs working with the MLS clubs could do a better job with the player than Hartlepool...

The quality of the MLS rises a bit, and young American players may see avenues for bigger opportunities elsewhere by playing in the MLS rather than the Dutch league or Championship..

Long ways away, but still a possibility

 

[SeatownJay]

Si, you work with the MLS academy system, right? I know that MLS academies have exclusive rights to kids in their "territory", but can they also sign kids from elsewhere? What about signing foreigners, is that allowed?

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2017/1/27 ... i-comeback

Something to keep an eye on. I felt when he came back, a lot of his issues seemed to be mental and he looked a shadow of the player he was pre injury. If he could get back to any sort of preinjury form it would be a great pick up.

I really like him as a broadcaster though, I think he is better than Keller with his analysis.

 

[Uncle Si]

Si, you work with the MLS academy system, right? I know that MLS academies have exclusive rights to kids in their "territory", but can they also sign kids from elsewhere? What about signing foreigners, is that allowed?

All of the Academy programs world wide now can only sign players with residences (I believe) 150 miles of the home base until they are 14 (maybe 15). Then the players can board at the Academy. Now players under 14 can move their families to the area and be eligible. Two of my young players recently did that, moving from Minneapolis to Kansas City.

 

[Josea16]

I usually just watch international soccer because I have no idea who the players are. My question is.... Will the Sounders be in the hunt for a playoff berth like the Mariners or are they the real deal if they fix a couple things like the Seahawks? I understand they won the MLS title last year. So will they still be serious contenders this year? Soccer is even more fluid then baseball or basketball let alone football. So I'm curious.

Sounders are pretty much always perennial contenders. They've always made the play offs. While there is a salary cap, the Sounders have the biggest support and bring with it a top team expectation so that missing the play offs would be a catastrophe. They can also spend a bit more on their designated players salaries than a lot of other mls clubs.

For years they had really strong regular seasons only to fall apart in the play offs. Last season they almost didn't make the play offs, fired their coach and signed Lodeiro and went on a nice run of form making the play offs and playing great defense.

I don't think they need too much tweaking to repeat. Possibly another winger and some full back/defensive depth. After that it's just players staying healthy. As with anything the play offs always require a bit of luck.

By international soccer do you mean like EPL/Bundesliga or national team? National team football can be pretty brutal to watch, especially friendlies and qualifiers. Players don't have the familiarity of playing with each other on a regular basis so there is less flow. World cups etc can be a bit better to watch but the quality seems to have dropped a bit as the club game becomes more dominant and has all the money.

European/South American club soccer is stronger but Americans do the MLS a disservice. I don't think the standard is always as bad as made out. It is a lower standard but always will be due to the salary cap and the EPL pays very mediocre players a lot of money which in some peoples eyes makes them good players. However, I've seen just as many good games in MLS as the EPL and saw just as many brutal games. People just buy into the hype and marketing of the EPL here but a lot of the 'top' games recently have been brutal such as the merseyside derby.

EPL and our national teams. I'm working when MLS is on and I don't have cable/satellite so can't record anything.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

This rumor seems to be gaining some steam, now that Kiyotake is for sure gone from Sevilla

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2017/1/28 ... a-sounders

I liked this move when it was rumored last year, so hopefully it happens. Kiyotake is a very versatile mid, although he and Dempsey prefer the same position.......so if he does come here AND Clint is back in full, it'll be interesting to see what formations Schmetzer uses. Not a bad problem to have.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Where in midfield does he play? We just signed a swedish defensive midfielder, im guessing as a backup replacement for friberg.

Ozzy, roldan and lodeiro and possibly dempsey...where is the space in the middle? We will have shipp pm one side and maybe morris but central misfield is a bit cramped outside of depth players.

Have the FO finally gave up on the idea of trading ozzy? They admitted they tried to early last year then he hit form.

 

[knownone]

From what I understand, the front office was never actively seeking to trade Ozzy they were just open to offers.

Kiyotake brings a lot of what Ivanschitz brought. He's got great vision and the ability to play the perfect ball from just about anywhere, great service and accuracy on his crosses. He can play every advanced position (including forward) and he's a threat to score from anywhere. Much like Lodeiro, Kiyotake tends to be at his best when the ball goes through him. He doesn't offer much in the way of pace and from what I've seen doesn't display a lot of effort on the defensive end either.

So, If this is truly the guy Seattle is after, it might be a sign that we are moving towards a much more possession-oriented style of play. A style that relies on the free roaming creativity of Kiyotake, Dempsey, and Lodeiro, to create space/passing lanes for each other while using the threat of Morris to stop teams from crowding and suffocating them in the middle. Think 2010'-14' Spain - Lodeiro fills the Xavi role, Kiyotake is your Iniesta, Dempsey is Pedro, and Morris is Villa. It's hard to say how well it would work, Lodeiro isn't nearly as adept a defender as Xavi, and Dempsey probably can't cover all the ground of Pedro... It is, however, something we've never seen in MLS and would be at the very least interesting to see how backlines adapt and defend against DP quality creative players, who are good in tight spaces.

To my eyes, Kiyotake is more of a Dempsey replacement than compliment at this point. Either way, if you can add a quality AM in his prime you probably do it regardless of fit... especially knowing Dempey's long term future is relatively unclear.

 

[Smurf]

Kiyotake would join Dempsey and Lodeiro in the 3 behind the top striker. Roldan and Ozzie holding behind.


Nico would play on the left, Dempsey in the middle, and Kiyotake on the right. All three players would be allowed to interchange and move wherever there was space.

 

[SeatownJay]

Sounds like Seattle has picked up some defensive midfield depth.

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2017/1/29 ... v-svensson

 

[Chapow]

Apparently, "several outlets" have reported that Kiyotake would prefer to go home (Japan) if/when he leaves Sevilla.

http://www.sounderatheart.com/sounders- ... ders-japan

Supposedly there have also been offers from Mainz in the Bundesliga and Aston Villa among others.

I'm thinking this Kiyotake to Seattle thing is seeming pretty unlikely. Sure, you never know, but chances don't seem very high at this point IMO. At the end of the day, if the guy wants to go home, there's not much you can do. If he's OK with not going home yet, sounds like he's going to be fielding offers from at least a few different clubs/leagues.

 

[Uncle Si]

Kiyotake would join Dempsey and Lodeiro in the 3 behind the top striker. Roldan and Ozzie holding behind.


Nico would play on the left, Dempsey in the middle, and Kiyotake on the right. All three players would be allowed to interchange and move wherever there was space.

That would be a terribly slow group of attacking mids...

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Kiyotake would join Dempsey and Lodeiro in the 3 behind the top striker. Roldan and Ozzie holding behind.


Nico would play on the left, Dempsey in the middle, and Kiyotake on the right. All three players would be allowed to interchange and move wherever there was space.

That would be a terribly slow group of attacking mids...

Kiyotake's only 27, and pretty damn fast.

Definitely not a true winger like IMO we need, but he's versatile and would do well out wide I think............for sure has enough pace for the MLS.

 

[Smurf]

Kiyotake would join Dempsey and Lodeiro in the 3 behind the top striker. Roldan and Ozzie holding behind.


Nico would play on the left, Dempsey in the middle, and Kiyotake on the right. All three players would be allowed to interchange and move wherever there was space.

That would be a terribly slow group of attacking mids...

I've given up on the idea of Team Speed.

Its Jordan or nothing.

 

[Uncle Si]

Kiyotake would join Dempsey and Lodeiro in the 3 behind the top striker. Roldan and Ozzie holding behind.


Nico would play on the left, Dempsey in the middle, and Kiyotake on the right. All three players would be allowed to interchange and move wherever there was space.

That would be a terribly slow group of attacking mids...

Kiyotake's only 27, and pretty damn fast.

Definitely not a true winger like IMO we need, but he's versatile and would do well out wide I think............for sure has enough pace for the MLS.

I didn't say he was old, and he certainly is not pretty damned fast.

Any width that a combination of Lodeiro and Kiyotake would provide would be cursory... they are attacking midfields. If you run those three together it would be more like Smurf suggested, with the three of them moving in and out of the central channels to pick up passes from the back. your outside backs would have to become very adept at moving up the field to provide possession support in the wide attacking areas. Chelsea/Liverpool do the same thing with their mids and backs.

Certainly the quality is there. But pace is the one thing the MLS has a lot of. those three would have to be very creative and Morris would have to be a very active central striker to release into the diagonal channels left open with those three popping up into central areas.

Just my take. It's the formation I like to teach my players and use at both high school and Academy. I don't use two true DMs either. One 6 to sit and hold while the 8 can run into any channels vacated by the 3 CAMs. I find it easier and less predictable than two 6s who either both sit or both only leave under certain conditions. Again, Liverpool and Chelsea do something similar (and can be seen LIVE on NBCTV this afternoon!)

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Kiyotake would join Dempsey and Lodeiro in the 3 behind the top striker. Roldan and Ozzie holding behind.


Nico would play on the left, Dempsey in the middle, and Kiyotake on the right. All three players would be allowed to interchange and move wherever there was space.

That would be a terribly slow group of attacking mids...

Kiyotake's only 27, and pretty damn fast.

Definitely not a true winger like IMO we need, but he's versatile and would do well out wide I think............for sure has enough pace for the MLS.

I didn't say he was old, and he certainly is not pretty damned fast.

Any width that a combination of Lodeiro and Kiyotake would provide would be cursory... they are attacking midfields. If you run those three together it would be more like Smurf suggested, with the three of them moving in and out of the central channels to pick up passes from the back. your outside backs would have to become very adept at moving up the field to provide possession support in the wide attacking areas. Chelsea/Liverpool do the same thing with their mids and backs.

Certainly the quality is there. But pace is the one thing the MLS has a lot of. those three would have to be very creative and Morris would have to be a very active central striker to release into the diagonal channels left open with those three popping up into central areas.

Just my take. It's the formation I like to teach my players and use at both high school and Academy. I don't use two true DMs either. One 6 to sit and hold while the 8 can run into any channels vacated by the 3 CAMs. I find it easier and less predictable than two 6s who either both sit or both only leave under certain conditions. Again, Liverpool and Chelsea do something similar (and can be seen LIVE on NBCTV this afternoon!)

Well we won't have to debate this much longer, cause I highly doubt Kiyotake's coming here now that all the rumors says he wants to go back to Japan.