Seattle Sounders 2017 season thread

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Much better this weekend.

I feel like the team clicked a bit and should have scored more if Morris finishing was better. Morris speed was giving NY absolute fits, just needs to work on his left foot and finishing. His goal though was awesome, kudos to Jones.

I do worry that Lodeiro and Dempsey in the same team isn't optimal. I feel Lodeiro is far better centrally. However, I also get that Dempsey gets goals. I'm wondering as the season goes on if Dempsey may ended up being more of a sub player to keep him fresh.

Was impressed with Shipp who I feel is a definite improvement on Fernandez (I feel like Fernandez has really regressed). Also liking Bruin so far, feel he is far more effective than Valdez, looks good at holding up the ball and isn't a DP.

Defensive depth is starting to look a worry. I doubt NY would have scored that goal if Torres had played. When Marshall looked hurt we would have been down to the bare bones...is Alfaro any good?

Fisher getting hurt also isn't good, we need a RB. When is Evans back? That's been 3 games now he has been out.

Given NY's long unbeaten run, they didn't look that great.

Portland are looking really really good, though it is early.

 

[Smurf]

Much better this weekend.

I feel like the team clicked a bit and should have scored more if Morris finishing was better. Morris speed was giving NY absolute fits, just needs to work on his left foot and finishing. His goal though was awesome, kudos to Jones.

I do worry that Lodeiro and Dempsey in the same team isn't optimal. I feel Lodeiro is far better centrally. However, I also get that Dempsey gets goals. I'm wondering as the season goes on if Dempsey may ended up being more of a sub player to keep him fresh.

Was impressed with Shipp who I feel is a definite improvement on Fernandez (I feel like Fernandez has really regressed). Also liking Bruin so far, feel he is far more effective than Valdez, looks good at holding up the ball and isn't a DP.

Defensive depth is starting to look a worry. I doubt NY would have scored that goal if Torres had played. When Marshall looked hurt we would have been down to the bare bones...is Alfaro any good?

Fisher getting hurt also isn't good, we need a RB. When is Evans back? That's been 3 games now he has been out.

Given NY's long unbeaten run, they didn't look that great.

Portland are looking really really good, though it is early.

Alfaro is a solid left footed CB. He's young and a bit inexperienced, but he's good. His development is a big reason why we let the likes of Jimmy Ockford and Damian Lowe leave the club. He's our #4 CB, and really, could be starting for us in a year or so. Marshall can't play forever...same goes for Torres.

Fisher getting hurt is a blow. It likely means we will see more of Svensson at RB, as Evans is out another 3 weeks at least (initial timeline was 6 weeks). I really felt that Fisher was starting to come along too. Defensively he was good, and offensively he was beginning to grasp what Schmetz wants. He just needed to be more decisive in the final third.

I was shocked we got Harry Shipp when we made that deal, because he's a very talented player. Very technical. Not fast (at all), but damn can he play a quick pass. He was a big reason why we made NYRB look so bad.

NYRB is a high-press team, but once you break that pressure, they are vulnerable. We set up to put Jordan in behind, and play technically out of the back. The outside backers were critical. We broke them from outside in. We had an impressive number of 1-2's and Triangles from the Wide Players and the CDM's.

And anyone who is concerned about #6 role when Ozzie retires really shouldn't be...Christian Roldan is an incredible talent and will slot into that role seamlessly. We hit it right when we drafted him. He might also be a factor in keeping Jordan Morris here for an "extended" period of time.

I think our roster right now is pretty good. We have a lot of depth, and thats even considering Evan's fragility. I think we lack a little bit of pace out wide, but with the Joevin Jones emergence, its less of an issue than it was before. There is no issue with Nico cutting in leaving that wide space for Jones. We may still add a player in the summer (maybe even Honda) and I think that'll be fine. I'd like another player with pace, but if Wingo keeps performing, we may already have that option on the squad.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I think our roster right now is pretty good. We have a lot of depth, and thats even considering Evan's fragility. I think we lack a little bit of pace out wide, but with the Joevin Jones emergence, its less of an issue than it was before. There is no issue with Nico cutting in leaving that wide space for Jones. We may still add a player in the summer (maybe even Honda) and I think that'll be fine. I'd like another player with pace, but if Wingo keeps performing, we may already have that option on the squad.

Jones may be the best LB in the entire league right now, also saw a little better our of Svennson so I'm not quite as worried about the RB position as I was when the season started.

Any rotation of Svennson, Evans and Fisher should produce a solid dependable RB.

IMO this club should start rolling if they can stay healthy, which is a big if with so many vets combined with players getting called up all summer.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Happy just to see our named attached to this rumor, what a get for us and the MLS this would be.

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2017/3/31 ... s-gonzalez

 

[Kennedyin92]

Boy, what an ugly game last night all around. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed that Atlanta was totally disinterested in scoring goals and more interested in punishing us physically and earning a tie. No technique, no semblance of strategy, just a cascade of fouls (many of which weren't even called). It's a shame that they got what they came for.

 

[TransGenderHawkFan]

Boy, what an ugly game last night all around. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed that Atlanta was totally disinterested in scoring goals and more interested in punishing us physically and earning a tie. No technique, no semblance of strategy, just a cascade of fouls (many of which weren't even called). It's a shame that they got what they came for.

Iwouldn't be happy if I were them. 3/4 of the Sounders starting defense was sidelined.

 

[Uncle Si]

They are an expansion team and really dictating play in each of their games.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

They are an expansion team and really dictating play in each of their games.

Atlanta is not your normal lame duck first year expansion team, they've amassed a solid roster with Pirez two very good YDP's in Villalba and Almiron......and Guzan is on his way.

0-0 is usually not a good result in your home opener against an expansion team. But being short handed against a good club in Atlanta who I think is going to stay at the top of the east table all year? Not great, but not terrible either. You can also tell Morris isn't 100%.

I found it a pretty entertaining back and forth match.......and if Dempsey hits that header that went off the bar it's a different story.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Frustrating game. Thought Morris didn't look 100% and Lodeiro's passing wasn't great. Atlanta felt like a dirty team and the ref wasn't interested in carding too many players, in turn letting them away with murder. That tackle on Roldan was a red.

Would like to have saw Bruin either start or come on earlier. Dempsey seemed to terrify them when he came on.

Is it just me or has Fernandez just became a complete waste of space? Felt like every play broke down when he touched the ball. Really lost my patience with him.

Thought the defense played well considering it was filled with rookies or players out of position. Would have been pissed though if Jones had scored for Atlanta at the end.

Roldan was the standout player, was really impressed with him.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Is it just me or has Fernandez just became a complete waste of space? Felt like every play broke down when he touched the ball. Really lost my patience with him.

I said this when we signed him again, Fernandez does absolutely nothing for me. He's a deep bench player at best now at this point in his career, certainly shouldn't be starting.

Shipp was the the player I was most disappointed in Friday, he was atrocious. Never go into the flow of the match, could never link up with anyone and got dispossessed constantly when he did touch the ball.

So yes, I'd much rather see Bruin in there if Schmetzer can make that work formation wise over Shipp.

 

[Smurf]

Is it just me or has Fernandez just became a complete waste of space? Felt like every play broke down when he touched the ball. Really lost my patience with him.

I said this when we signed him again, Fernandez does absolutely nothing for me. He's a deep bench player at best now at this point in his career, certainly shouldn't be starting.

Shipp was the the player I was most disappointed in Friday, he was atrocious. Never go into the flow of the match, could never link up with anyone and got dispossessed constantly when he did touch the ball.

So yes, I'd much rather see Bruin in there if Schmetzer can make that work formation wise over Shipp.

Shipp was decent, actually. The player that really failed to impress was Lodeiro.....he lost the ball 19 times in the first half alone....and no, thats not an exaggeration, thats a fact. He was awful.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Felt like Wondolowskis goal was inevitable despite the fact I don't think San Jose deserved it. Such a really crappy goal to lose.

Again some really sloppy passing from both teams, two weeks in a row now but I think there was something weird with the field conditions.

Getting a bit worried that Lodeiro and Dempsey can't play on the same team right now. Constantly getting in each others way and making the same runs. Feel Lodeiro is less effective further right. I'm hoping they figure it out with more games but if not they may need to rethink tactics.

Morris needs to be more influential and more involved. Teams are terrified of his speed when he gets good passes but it doesn't happen often enough at the moment.

Kudos to Svensson filling in, he's doing okay in a non natural position.

Not sure about Fisher, I wasn't impressed with him at RB and don't think he is a long term answer there.

Ozzy was a beast!

 

[Uncle Si]

That had to hurt a bit

 

[Smurf]

That had to hurt a bit

A lot.

 

[hawkfan68]

Another slow start to the season for the Sounders. It seems they start off slow the past few seasons. Hopefully they finish like they did last season. Morris needs to learn how to finish goals like Montero and Wondo did. He has great runs but can't seem to finish. It's like a WR in the NFL who has world class speed but can't catch.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Feel like we are setting up too defensive. I think the current formation will work great in the play offs when we are trying to keep games tight and go for away draws but right now need goals and wins.

Shipp is playing too centrally as a wide player.

Would like to see 442 for a stretch with Bruin and Dempsey up top, Morris wide,

 

[knownone]

I hope I'm wrong... but it's starting to look like everything I feared about the Brian Schemetzer hiring is coming true.

 

[Uncle Si]

I hope I'm wrong... but it's starting to look like everything I feared about the Brian Schemetzer hiring is coming true.

which was?

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I hope I'm wrong... but it's starting to look like everything I feared about the Brian Schemetzer hiring is coming true.

Schmetzer hasn't changed, he has new players, Dempsey's back, etc......so it might take him time to figure out tactically how to find the right formations, tactics and lineups.

He's not a magician, but IMO Schmetzer is a much more flexible manager than Sigi ever was. So I think he'll do what he did last year, figure it out as the season progresses and not just stay with the same rigid tactics.

 

[SeatownJay]

Now this is the Sounders team I've been wanting to watch all season.