Well, that sucked.
The Sounders put in a great performance last night only to fall short by 1 goal and were eliminated from the 2011 MLS Playoffs. It's a hard pill to swallow since the team put dug themselves into such a deep hole leading up to the 2nd leg. Who knew a Nick Grabavoy goal and a Tony Beltran save off the line would be the ultimate differences in this series?
I would like to say a sincere thank you to the entire Sounders FC organization. I cannot imagine my season tickets being more worth the tremendous season that I got to experience first hand.
Onwards and upwards though as it were. Lots to do in a short offseason for the club:
- Re-sign Mauro Rosales
- Expansion draft protection list
- Fill 3rd DP slot (if not Rosales?)
- 2012 MLS Superdraft
- Prep for CCL Quarterfinals
My protected 11?
- Steve Zakuani
- Fredy Montero
- Alvaro Fernandez
- Mauro Rosales
- Osvaldo Alonso
- Jeff Parke
- Jhon Kennedy Hurtado
- Mike Fucito
- Sammy Ochoa
- Erik Friburg
- Roger Levesque
Showing posts with label mls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mls. Show all posts
11.03.2011
11.02.2011
Today of all days...
It's been almost 6 months since my last post in this space. Between getting married, buying a house and work, it's been near impossible to sit still much less to sit down and write. However, today of all days I wanted to say something.
Go get 'em fellas. I'll be there doing my best to will you to victory tonight.
Last Saturday, my beloved Sounders FC dug themselves one hell of a hole. As it stands, we are down 3 goals to a gritty, championship caliber opponent with 90 minutes to play. Our heroes have quite the task ahead of them.
However, before we can get the three goals back, we only need one thing- the first one. Once that first goal goes in, all bets are off. All logic will shrivel by the wayside and doubt itself...after that first goal, our "chance" becomes attainable, realistic even.
After that first goal, (with all due respect to them) doubt will climb into the minds of the RSL players as quickly as the confidence will flow throughout the Sounders. The 36,000+ in attendance will become louder and louder...and will start to sense that maybe...just...maybe, we are on the precipice of something great.
One goal...that's the beginning. I'm not saying that one goal will guarantee victory. And no, I'm not saying anything truly logical here. But, I feel that one goal is all we truly need tonight. After one goal- all bets are off.
3.14.2011
Twas the night before First Kick...
Today, I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. (Truth by told, I still feel extremely anxious to open presents even now as a near 30-year old "adult".) Regardless, the reason I feel so giddy with excitement is that the Major League Soccer season kicks off with my beloved Seattle Sounders FC versus the Los Angeles Galaxy tomorrow evening at 6:30 PST (on ESPN).
2011 is set to be a banner year for MLS. Here are a few storylines to know and follow throughout the season:
- PAC NW RIVALRIES: The league welcomes two expansion franchises to the Pacific Northwest soccer hotbed, Vancouver andPortscum Portland. Along with the Sounders, these three clubs will instantly have the best, most intense rivalry in professional U.S. soccer. The Whitecaps have mostly built for the future (sans their stellar and USMNT centerback, Jay DeMerit). However, Portland has honestly done a pretty nice job of mixing youth and experience. As much as it pains me to say it, Portland should be the better of the two clubs overall. Regardless, I would not expect either club to compete seriously for a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Sounders have kept their core unit intact from consecutive postseason berths and look to push for more in year 3.
- BECKHAM'S LAST HURRAH? This is the last year on David Beckham's current MLS contract. There is little reason to think he'll stay stateside after this year and the Galaxy know that. That is why they have loaded up more than ever this season. Newly minted designated player, Juan Pablo Angel, leads their stellar frontline (along with USMNT hero Landon Donovan and Beckham) and their backline may be the best in the league. On paper they appear more talented than the team that won the Supporter's Shield last season. Time will tell if they can go beyond that success and actually go the distance in the MLS Cup playoffs.
- NEW STADIUMS: Two new soccer-specific stadiums will open this season in MLS: Livestrong Sporting Park (Sporting Kansas City) and PGE Park (Portland). These two beautiful grounds add to the growing list of soccer-specific stadiums and signal that soccer and MLS continues to grow in this country.
- PLAYOFF FORMAT CHANGE: MLS Commissioner, Don Garber, recently announced that the 2011 MLS playoffs would include 10 clubs. This would include the top 3 from both the Eastern and Western Conferences along with the next four regardless of conference affiliation as Wild Card teams. In one way, this dilutes playoffs with having more than half of the available teams qualify for the postseason (much like the NBA or NHL). However, this should keep more teams "in the hunt" longer and make the regular season stretch run more competitive.
Now, that you are all caught up...here is my attempt to throw my hat in the MLS season prediction "ring"... (Sounders' fan disclaimer- I have kept these as neutral as possible)
2011 MLS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(*- denotes playoff team; **- denotes Supporter's Shield)
Eastern Conference
1. New York Red Bulls*
2. Sporting Kansas City*
3. Houston Dynamo*
4. D.C. United*
5. Philadelphia Union
6. Chicago Fire
7. New England Revolution
8. Toronto FC
9. Columbus Crew
Western Conference
1. Real Salt Lake**
2. Los Angeles Galaxy*
3. Seattle Sounders FC*
4. FC Dallas*
5. Colorado Rapids*
6. San Jose Earthquakes*
7. Portland Timbers
8. Chivas USA
9. Vancouver Whitecaps
Regular Season MVP: Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy
Rookie of the Year: Darlington Nagbe, Portland
Comback Player of the Year: Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Seattle
Newcomer of the Year: Jan Gunnar Solli, New York Red Bulls
Defender of the Year: Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Eastern Conference Champion: New York Red Bulls
Western Conference Champion: Real Salt Lake
MLS Cup winner: Real Salt Lake
On a personal note, I am still a few months away from keeping this space up on the regular basis that I desire. However, I am going to do my best to post as much as possible until then....
2011 is set to be a banner year for MLS. Here are a few storylines to know and follow throughout the season:
- PAC NW RIVALRIES: The league welcomes two expansion franchises to the Pacific Northwest soccer hotbed, Vancouver and
- BECKHAM'S LAST HURRAH? This is the last year on David Beckham's current MLS contract. There is little reason to think he'll stay stateside after this year and the Galaxy know that. That is why they have loaded up more than ever this season. Newly minted designated player, Juan Pablo Angel, leads their stellar frontline (along with USMNT hero Landon Donovan and Beckham) and their backline may be the best in the league. On paper they appear more talented than the team that won the Supporter's Shield last season. Time will tell if they can go beyond that success and actually go the distance in the MLS Cup playoffs.
- NEW STADIUMS: Two new soccer-specific stadiums will open this season in MLS: Livestrong Sporting Park (Sporting Kansas City) and PGE Park (Portland). These two beautiful grounds add to the growing list of soccer-specific stadiums and signal that soccer and MLS continues to grow in this country.
- PLAYOFF FORMAT CHANGE: MLS Commissioner, Don Garber, recently announced that the 2011 MLS playoffs would include 10 clubs. This would include the top 3 from both the Eastern and Western Conferences along with the next four regardless of conference affiliation as Wild Card teams. In one way, this dilutes playoffs with having more than half of the available teams qualify for the postseason (much like the NBA or NHL). However, this should keep more teams "in the hunt" longer and make the regular season stretch run more competitive.
Now, that you are all caught up...here is my attempt to throw my hat in the MLS season prediction "ring"... (Sounders' fan disclaimer- I have kept these as neutral as possible)
2011 MLS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(*- denotes playoff team; **- denotes Supporter's Shield)
Eastern Conference
1. New York Red Bulls*
2. Sporting Kansas City*
3. Houston Dynamo*
4. D.C. United*
5. Philadelphia Union
6. Chicago Fire
7. New England Revolution
8. Toronto FC
9. Columbus Crew
Western Conference
1. Real Salt Lake**
2. Los Angeles Galaxy*
3. Seattle Sounders FC*
4. FC Dallas*
5. Colorado Rapids*
6. San Jose Earthquakes*
7. Portland Timbers
8. Chivas USA
9. Vancouver Whitecaps
Regular Season MVP: Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy
Rookie of the Year: Darlington Nagbe, Portland
Comback Player of the Year: Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Seattle
Newcomer of the Year: Jan Gunnar Solli, New York Red Bulls
Defender of the Year: Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Eastern Conference Champion: New York Red Bulls
Western Conference Champion: Real Salt Lake
MLS Cup winner: Real Salt Lake
On a personal note, I am still a few months away from keeping this space up on the regular basis that I desire. However, I am going to do my best to post as much as possible until then....
9.15.2010
Nights like last night...
Nights like last night's 0-2 Sounders defeat at Saprissa are so hard.
For the first 35 or so minutes of the match, I sat here in my living room with a confident smirk on my face. The Rave Green were having their way with the Costa Ricans and a goal felt imminent. Then, Leo kicked through a loose ball and his cleats ran into an opposing player. Intentional or not...warranted or not, that single moment all but effectively ended the Seattle Sounders run in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League.
It was a harsh turn of events for all of those that bleed Raven Green. Lucky for all of us, we still have so much yet to play for this season. With the U.S. Open Cup FINAL at Qwest Field on October 5th and the MLS playoffs beckoning, the stretch run is just beginning. Some other thoughts:
- I am really looking forward to getting Blaise back on the pitch for our offense. After Leo's red card last night, his presence still wouldn't have mattered. However, we need the big Swiss striker to hold the ball up this weekend against a stout Columbus Crew.
- Another tactical change that Sigi seemed to allude to last night was his inclusion of El Flaco into central midfield. It was interesting especially considering that down a man, I thought a defensive minded Nate Sturgis was surely meant to stay in the match until the end. However, El Flaco was inserted for Sturgis to create an offensive spark. His influence and class certainly gave the Sounders a glimmer of hope last night despite being down a man for 50+ minutes. I would love to see a midfield that looks like this come Saturday: Zakuani, Alonso, Flaco, and Nyassi.
- I heart Ossie Alonso and his PK attempt last night was well taken. However, after Fredy Montero was fouled to cause the PK, I was shocked to see Ossie be the one to step up and take the shot. Fredy was given the armband last night as a sign of his maturing leadership on the team. Now, I wonder who emphatically a Montero PK conversion would have even furthered that leadership on the team.
-----------------------------
On a totally unrelated Sounders note- check this video out: Dying Bravely. It's going to tug at your heartstrings if you are any kind of a USMNT supporter. Until next time...
- DTRT
For the first 35 or so minutes of the match, I sat here in my living room with a confident smirk on my face. The Rave Green were having their way with the Costa Ricans and a goal felt imminent. Then, Leo kicked through a loose ball and his cleats ran into an opposing player. Intentional or not...warranted or not, that single moment all but effectively ended the Seattle Sounders run in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League.
It was a harsh turn of events for all of those that bleed Raven Green. Lucky for all of us, we still have so much yet to play for this season. With the U.S. Open Cup FINAL at Qwest Field on October 5th and the MLS playoffs beckoning, the stretch run is just beginning. Some other thoughts:
- I am really looking forward to getting Blaise back on the pitch for our offense. After Leo's red card last night, his presence still wouldn't have mattered. However, we need the big Swiss striker to hold the ball up this weekend against a stout Columbus Crew.
- Another tactical change that Sigi seemed to allude to last night was his inclusion of El Flaco into central midfield. It was interesting especially considering that down a man, I thought a defensive minded Nate Sturgis was surely meant to stay in the match until the end. However, El Flaco was inserted for Sturgis to create an offensive spark. His influence and class certainly gave the Sounders a glimmer of hope last night despite being down a man for 50+ minutes. I would love to see a midfield that looks like this come Saturday: Zakuani, Alonso, Flaco, and Nyassi.
- I heart Ossie Alonso and his PK attempt last night was well taken. However, after Fredy Montero was fouled to cause the PK, I was shocked to see Ossie be the one to step up and take the shot. Fredy was given the armband last night as a sign of his maturing leadership on the team. Now, I wonder who emphatically a Montero PK conversion would have even furthered that leadership on the team.
-----------------------------
On a totally unrelated Sounders note- check this video out: Dying Bravely. It's going to tug at your heartstrings if you are any kind of a USMNT supporter. Until next time...
- DTRT
9.10.2010
Thoughts from last night: SSFC v. RSL
Before I head to work on this cloudy Friday- a few thoughts on last nights' SSFC v. RSL match:
- Was it just me or did Ozzie Alonso and Kyle Beckerman completely dominate this match? Those two were absolutely all over their opposition and imposed their will on this match from the beginning. Sans Keller's beautiful save on Robbie Findley's horrid PK- Alonso and Beckerman were the main reason why this ended up being a scoreless draw.
- About that Findley PK: Definitely a deserved PK due to Parke's trip, but didn't the ball go out of bounds just before that? The play was on the opposite side of the field from where I was sitting, but I coulda swore...and as I tweeted yesterday- I really hope that Bob Bradley was watching last night. Here's to Robbie Findley never being called up for the USMNT ever again. Cheers!
- The Sounders attack seemed more than a bit disjointed last night. Is fatigue starting to set after a pretty congested schedule over the last month? Or is this just a bump in the road? I personally feel that it's not a coincidence that our attacking struggles the last couple matches mirror Blaise N'kufo being out with an injury. Many of my fellow supporters have been somewhat critical of the Swiss striker due to a lack of Swiss-based goals up to this point. However, it became more clear to me last night why he's so critical to our attack. Jaqua did a pretty decent job last night being that the target man. However, he wasn't able to hold the ball up nearly as effectively as Blaise has been doing the last month or so. Blaise's physical presence and ability to hold the ball at the top of the 18 has opened up so much for the team offensively. I wonder if the result would've been better against the stingy RSL defense if Blaise would've been available for the tie.
- Considering RSL is (in my opinion) the class of the MLS right now and we definitely were off from an offensive perspective last night...I'll take a draw. It was the right result and not an entirely terrible one.
------------------------------
One more thing...many of you read that one of the Sounders Pac NW soccer neighbors, the Portland Timbers, put up a billboard promoting their 2011 inagural season just a few minutes south of Qwest. This has certainly stoked the rivalry to another level, but I'm certainly not upset about it. As a fan of the game, I welcome it. Next year's inclusion of the Whitecaps and Timbers will bring a TRUE soccer rivalry to MLS for the first time. It's a great thing for the sport in this country.
And as a Sounders supporter, I welcome it as well. Bring it on Portland. I have full confidence that we'll do our talking on the pitch next year.
- DTRT
- Was it just me or did Ozzie Alonso and Kyle Beckerman completely dominate this match? Those two were absolutely all over their opposition and imposed their will on this match from the beginning. Sans Keller's beautiful save on Robbie Findley's horrid PK- Alonso and Beckerman were the main reason why this ended up being a scoreless draw.
- About that Findley PK: Definitely a deserved PK due to Parke's trip, but didn't the ball go out of bounds just before that? The play was on the opposite side of the field from where I was sitting, but I coulda swore...and as I tweeted yesterday- I really hope that Bob Bradley was watching last night. Here's to Robbie Findley never being called up for the USMNT ever again. Cheers!
- The Sounders attack seemed more than a bit disjointed last night. Is fatigue starting to set after a pretty congested schedule over the last month? Or is this just a bump in the road? I personally feel that it's not a coincidence that our attacking struggles the last couple matches mirror Blaise N'kufo being out with an injury. Many of my fellow supporters have been somewhat critical of the Swiss striker due to a lack of Swiss-based goals up to this point. However, it became more clear to me last night why he's so critical to our attack. Jaqua did a pretty decent job last night being that the target man. However, he wasn't able to hold the ball up nearly as effectively as Blaise has been doing the last month or so. Blaise's physical presence and ability to hold the ball at the top of the 18 has opened up so much for the team offensively. I wonder if the result would've been better against the stingy RSL defense if Blaise would've been available for the tie.
- Considering RSL is (in my opinion) the class of the MLS right now and we definitely were off from an offensive perspective last night...I'll take a draw. It was the right result and not an entirely terrible one.
------------------------------
One more thing...many of you read that one of the Sounders Pac NW soccer neighbors, the Portland Timbers, put up a billboard promoting their 2011 inagural season just a few minutes south of Qwest. This has certainly stoked the rivalry to another level, but I'm certainly not upset about it. As a fan of the game, I welcome it. Next year's inclusion of the Whitecaps and Timbers will bring a TRUE soccer rivalry to MLS for the first time. It's a great thing for the sport in this country.
And as a Sounders supporter, I welcome it as well. Bring it on Portland. I have full confidence that we'll do our talking on the pitch next year.
- DTRT
9.03.2010
In a row?
That's right Sounders fans...our beloved Rave Green Army has given us a second FINAL in as many MLS years of existence.
I was uber-excited about watching Wednesday night's match for a couple reasons: 1) it was the USOC semi-final and 2) I was hooking up my new laptop to my TV HDMI style for the first time to watch the match. Here are some quick hitting observations that stood out to me during the match:
- FINALLY! We scored a goal against Chivas USA as an MLS franchise. It only took us about 370+ minutes, but it finally happened off the boot of Nate "New Mr. Open Cup" Jaqua.
- More on Nate- dude added his fifth goal of this year's competition (3 matches) later on in stoppage time and it fast helping ease the pain of watching our U.S. Open Cup hero of yesteryear, Seba LeToux, score all those goals for the Union this year.
- Ozzie Alonso is the best defensive midfielder in MLS. I have had a serious man-crush on #6 for a while and Wednesday night only strenghtened...well, you get the point. His vision to get the ball to Zakuani on the second goal by Fredy Montero was a thing of beauty and something (I feel) that didn't get appreciated enough at the time. Ozzie (on the whole) still doesn't get as much appreciation as he deserves. Say what you will about the Ljungberg effect or Montero's hot streak, but Alonso's influence on this run of grand Sounder form cannot be underestimated.
- As for Fredy, dude was right up with Alonso as the best player on the pitch against the Goats. He was dangerous and continually one step ahead of the Chivas defenders (and sometimes his teammates).
The Sounders are at New England for this weekend's fixture. Sigi and the guys have already taken care of business against the Revs once this year...let's hope that we do it again. We sit on 32 points right now in the league table and probably will need at least 42 or 43 to get into the playoffs yet. There are definitely three points for the taking this weekend...I see the Sounders taking them all.
 |
| Thanks to SoundersFC.com for the pic. |
I was uber-excited about watching Wednesday night's match for a couple reasons: 1) it was the USOC semi-final and 2) I was hooking up my new laptop to my TV HDMI style for the first time to watch the match. Here are some quick hitting observations that stood out to me during the match:
- FINALLY! We scored a goal against Chivas USA as an MLS franchise. It only took us about 370+ minutes, but it finally happened off the boot of Nate "New Mr. Open Cup" Jaqua.
- More on Nate- dude added his fifth goal of this year's competition (3 matches) later on in stoppage time and it fast helping ease the pain of watching our U.S. Open Cup hero of yesteryear, Seba LeToux, score all those goals for the Union this year.
- Ozzie Alonso is the best defensive midfielder in MLS. I have had a serious man-crush on #6 for a while and Wednesday night only strenghtened...well, you get the point. His vision to get the ball to Zakuani on the second goal by Fredy Montero was a thing of beauty and something (I feel) that didn't get appreciated enough at the time. Ozzie (on the whole) still doesn't get as much appreciation as he deserves. Say what you will about the Ljungberg effect or Montero's hot streak, but Alonso's influence on this run of grand Sounder form cannot be underestimated.
- As for Fredy, dude was right up with Alonso as the best player on the pitch against the Goats. He was dangerous and continually one step ahead of the Chivas defenders (and sometimes his teammates).
The Sounders are at New England for this weekend's fixture. Sigi and the guys have already taken care of business against the Revs once this year...let's hope that we do it again. We sit on 32 points right now in the league table and probably will need at least 42 or 43 to get into the playoffs yet. There are definitely three points for the taking this weekend...I see the Sounders taking them all.
4.04.2010
SSFC v. RBNY thoughts and player ratings
Ugh.
I mean...Happy Easter everyone! I sincerely hope that a lovely holiday is had by all today. However, past the holiday...I feel...ugh.
Last night, our beloved Sounders welcomed the New York Red Bulls into "Green Hell". Thirty six thousand of the most loyal soccer supporters in the country screamed and cheered their hearts out...and the Red Bulls calmly navigated their way through with a workmanlike, 1-0, result. Here are a couple thoughts on a match that I would like to forget about ASAP or sooner:
- The Sounders set pieces were horribly executed. Ljungberg's free and corner kicks were mostly off target. What makes it worse is that we set a team record for the number of corner kicks executed (12) last night. Twelve corners served up....zero goals.
- RBNY newcomers, Joel Lindphere (Estonian national) and Tim Ream (very comfortable looking rookie), are LEGIT.
- Pat Noonan will definitely help.
- Read a good piece on Prost Amerika this morning campaigning for Patrick Ianni's introduction into the starting lineup. I can't say that I disagree with sitting Marshall in favor of our best set piece asset.
- And finally, WHY WAS FREDDY MONTERO PLAYING WIDE THE MAJORITY OF THE NIGHT!?!?!!?!?
.............................................
Player ratings:
Keller - 7; Made some excellent saves and decisions last night in goal. Even the one that went in was off the top cross bar.
Riley - 6; Fairly active and came forward well, especially in the second half.
Hurtado - 6; In decent form all night, but I'm still waiting for the dominant defender he was last year to show up.
Marshall - 6; Defending was solid throughout, but missed a possible equalizing header mid-way through the second half.
Gonzales - 6; Again, solid. I still feel he should take more chances coming forward. He was subbed late in the game for much needed offensive support.
Zakuani - 7.5; Dangerous all night long until he was subbed for Nyassi. His improved ability to work the ball into the middle of the pitch has been the best asset for Sigi's offense.
Evans - 5; Very quiet game from the US international.
Alonso - 6; Ozzie had a solid game overall, but never really was able to control the midfield with Evans as per usual.
Levesque - 4; I love the mustache and the timely goals from last season, but Roger needs to start...on the bench. He had a some badly misplaced passes that hurt last night. Subbed for Noonan in the 56th minute.
Ljungberg - 6; Created plenty of chances, but his service was subpar on free and corner kicks. Glad to see he is feeling better after being kneed in the tailbone last week.
Montero - 5; Not sure why Sigi had Freddy dinking with the ball wide of the box for the majority of the night. Definitely did not play to his strengths. Uninspired performance.
Subs:
Noonan - 6; Newcomer injected some good energy after being introduced. Should start next week over Levesque and show more.
Nyassi - 5; His introduction into the game was unexpected being that he replaced Zak. However, Sanna didn't impact the game like he did last week against Philly.
Estrada - N/A; Late offensive-minded sub. Not in the match for enough time to make an impact in his MLS debut.
NEXT MATCH: @ Real Salt Lake on 4/10 at 6pm PDT
I mean...Happy Easter everyone! I sincerely hope that a lovely holiday is had by all today. However, past the holiday...I feel...ugh.
Last night, our beloved Sounders welcomed the New York Red Bulls into "Green Hell". Thirty six thousand of the most loyal soccer supporters in the country screamed and cheered their hearts out...and the Red Bulls calmly navigated their way through with a workmanlike, 1-0, result. Here are a couple thoughts on a match that I would like to forget about ASAP or sooner:
- The Sounders set pieces were horribly executed. Ljungberg's free and corner kicks were mostly off target. What makes it worse is that we set a team record for the number of corner kicks executed (12) last night. Twelve corners served up....zero goals.
- RBNY newcomers, Joel Lindphere (Estonian national) and Tim Ream (very comfortable looking rookie), are LEGIT.
- Pat Noonan will definitely help.
- Read a good piece on Prost Amerika this morning campaigning for Patrick Ianni's introduction into the starting lineup. I can't say that I disagree with sitting Marshall in favor of our best set piece asset.
- And finally, WHY WAS FREDDY MONTERO PLAYING WIDE THE MAJORITY OF THE NIGHT!?!?!!?!?
.............................................
Player ratings:
Keller - 7; Made some excellent saves and decisions last night in goal. Even the one that went in was off the top cross bar.
Riley - 6; Fairly active and came forward well, especially in the second half.
Hurtado - 6; In decent form all night, but I'm still waiting for the dominant defender he was last year to show up.
Marshall - 6; Defending was solid throughout, but missed a possible equalizing header mid-way through the second half.
Gonzales - 6; Again, solid. I still feel he should take more chances coming forward. He was subbed late in the game for much needed offensive support.
Zakuani - 7.5; Dangerous all night long until he was subbed for Nyassi. His improved ability to work the ball into the middle of the pitch has been the best asset for Sigi's offense.
Evans - 5; Very quiet game from the US international.
Alonso - 6; Ozzie had a solid game overall, but never really was able to control the midfield with Evans as per usual.
Levesque - 4; I love the mustache and the timely goals from last season, but Roger needs to start...on the bench. He had a some badly misplaced passes that hurt last night. Subbed for Noonan in the 56th minute.
Ljungberg - 6; Created plenty of chances, but his service was subpar on free and corner kicks. Glad to see he is feeling better after being kneed in the tailbone last week.
Montero - 5; Not sure why Sigi had Freddy dinking with the ball wide of the box for the majority of the night. Definitely did not play to his strengths. Uninspired performance.
Subs:
Noonan - 6; Newcomer injected some good energy after being introduced. Should start next week over Levesque and show more.
Nyassi - 5; His introduction into the game was unexpected being that he replaced Zak. However, Sanna didn't impact the game like he did last week against Philly.
Estrada - N/A; Late offensive-minded sub. Not in the match for enough time to make an impact in his MLS debut.
NEXT MATCH: @ Real Salt Lake on 4/10 at 6pm PDT
3.26.2010
Sounders FC Game 1: Player ratings and a few thoughts...
"SEATTLE SUNSHINE! SEATTLE SUNSHINE!"
Those words are typically chanted by the ECS when the sky opens up during SSFC matches...much like last night. Let me assure you- by all Pacific NW measures, last night was an extremely "sunny" evening. After yelling and supporting for a full 90, my gf, brother and I were soaked from a consistent downpour throughout last night's Sounder MLS opener. IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT.
On to the player ratings:
Kasey Keller- 6; The captain didn't have much to contend with last night sans having to tip one 20 yard screamer over the bar mid-way through the first half. The little he did have to deal with though, he took care of business.
Zach Scott- 5; Mediocre at best last night. He mishandled several passes in the first half, but did get better in the second.
Jhon Kennedy Hurtado- 7; He and his counterpart, Tyrone Marshall, ensured that all Union attackers had a hard time last night. I was especially impressed with his seemingly improved ball handling and passing in the back though. Solid performance.
Tyrone Marshall- 7; Consistently won headers and worked a full 90 to say the least. Kept his cool...for the most part too.
Leo Gonzalez- 5; Played well, but didn't necessarily standout. Did start the ball movement for the first (wonderful) goal though.
Steve Zakuani- 7.5; This kid is so talented and with each game he reveals more and more of it. His brilliant moments (crosses on the Evans goal and the missed shot by Levesque moments later) greatly outnumbered his not-so brilliant moments (several dispossessions). If this match is any indication, Zak is in for a breakout season though.
Roger Levesque- 5.5; Stache did well with his placement on the pitch and possession of the ball throughout. Should have capitalized on a two different clear cut goal scoring opportunities though.
Osvaldo Alonso- 7.5; Ozzie controlled the midfield. His "assist" (looked more like a shot) on Montero's goal was a screamer. He is as consistent of a midfield force as there is in the entire league.
Brad Evans- 8; My man of the match. Tirelessly worked a full 90 and made a great run and finish on the season's first goal. A standout performance.
Freddie Ljungberg- 7; Solid and the heart of the offense throughout. Got shaken up and Sigi made a good call to get him out of there at the 60 min mark. I seriously did not see why Philly coach, Piotr Nowak called him out for "diving" and "dishonest" play last night. Poor loser I say.
Fredy Montero- 7; Worked hard for the majority of the night. If it wasn't for his fearless diving header, I would rate him lower though. Still dinks with the ball too much and ultimately lets the defense catch up to the play.
SUBS
Sanna Nyassi- 6; Great speed and vision during his time in the match. I see good things from him this year. Should have gotten a PK call in the dying moments of the game too.
Mike Fucito- 6; Tirelessly worked for possession and almost added a third goal towards the end.
..................................................................
As JACKED as I am over this opening win, tonight will be dedicated to my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes and their quest for a Final Four berth. For all of your UW fans that are heartbroken, there is plenty of room on the O-H-I-O bandwagon for you! :-)
Those words are typically chanted by the ECS when the sky opens up during SSFC matches...much like last night. Let me assure you- by all Pacific NW measures, last night was an extremely "sunny" evening. After yelling and supporting for a full 90, my gf, brother and I were soaked from a consistent downpour throughout last night's Sounder MLS opener. IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT.
On to the player ratings:
Kasey Keller- 6; The captain didn't have much to contend with last night sans having to tip one 20 yard screamer over the bar mid-way through the first half. The little he did have to deal with though, he took care of business.
Zach Scott- 5; Mediocre at best last night. He mishandled several passes in the first half, but did get better in the second.
Jhon Kennedy Hurtado- 7; He and his counterpart, Tyrone Marshall, ensured that all Union attackers had a hard time last night. I was especially impressed with his seemingly improved ball handling and passing in the back though. Solid performance.
Tyrone Marshall- 7; Consistently won headers and worked a full 90 to say the least. Kept his cool...for the most part too.
Leo Gonzalez- 5; Played well, but didn't necessarily standout. Did start the ball movement for the first (wonderful) goal though.
Steve Zakuani- 7.5; This kid is so talented and with each game he reveals more and more of it. His brilliant moments (crosses on the Evans goal and the missed shot by Levesque moments later) greatly outnumbered his not-so brilliant moments (several dispossessions). If this match is any indication, Zak is in for a breakout season though.
Roger Levesque- 5.5; Stache did well with his placement on the pitch and possession of the ball throughout. Should have capitalized on a two different clear cut goal scoring opportunities though.
Osvaldo Alonso- 7.5; Ozzie controlled the midfield. His "assist" (looked more like a shot) on Montero's goal was a screamer. He is as consistent of a midfield force as there is in the entire league.
Brad Evans- 8; My man of the match. Tirelessly worked a full 90 and made a great run and finish on the season's first goal. A standout performance.
Freddie Ljungberg- 7; Solid and the heart of the offense throughout. Got shaken up and Sigi made a good call to get him out of there at the 60 min mark. I seriously did not see why Philly coach, Piotr Nowak called him out for "diving" and "dishonest" play last night. Poor loser I say.
Fredy Montero- 7; Worked hard for the majority of the night. If it wasn't for his fearless diving header, I would rate him lower though. Still dinks with the ball too much and ultimately lets the defense catch up to the play.
SUBS
Sanna Nyassi- 6; Great speed and vision during his time in the match. I see good things from him this year. Should have gotten a PK call in the dying moments of the game too.
Mike Fucito- 6; Tirelessly worked for possession and almost added a third goal towards the end.
..................................................................
As JACKED as I am over this opening win, tonight will be dedicated to my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes and their quest for a Final Four berth. For all of your UW fans that are heartbroken, there is plenty of room on the O-H-I-O bandwagon for you! :-)
3.23.2010
The rest of my 2010 Sounders predictions...
I have decided that writing comments for my picks is a futile task. Humbly, I will admit that the rapid decline in the write-up quality was laughable so I simply am giving it up.
Thus, I will finish this exercise with the game information and a simple prediction. However, I feel it is VERY much worth noting that I pick up my predictions in a point of the schedule that could be very significant. July 15 is projected to be the first available date that Blaise Nkufo will be available to the team after his international duties are fulfilled.
Nkufo represents (what many feel is) the most glaring piece missing to the Sounders arsenal- a true target forward. Nkufo is an internationally renowned striker whose nose for the goal should give the Sounders the added firepower and goal-scoring to push far into the MLS postseason this year. So, without further ado...here goes nothing:
7/15- @ D.C. United (prediction = draw) 6-3-8, 26 pts.
7/25- v. Colorado (prediction = win) 7-3-8, 29 pts.
7/31- @ San Jose (prediction = draw) 7-3-9, 30 pts.
8/8- v. Houston (prediction = loss) 7-4-9, 30 pts.
8/14- @ Chivas USA (prediction = win) 8-4-9, 33 pts.
8/28- v. Chicago (prediction = loss) 8-5-9, 33 pts.
9/4- @ New England (prediction = loss) 8-6-9, 33 pts.
9/9- v. Real Salt Lake (prediction = win) 9-6-9, 36 pts.
9/18- @ Columbus (prediction = draw) 9-6-10, 37 pts.
9/25- @ Chicago (prediction = draw) 9-6-11, 38 pts.
10/2- v. Toronto FC (prediction = win) 10-6-11, 41 pts.
10/9- @ Kansas City (prediction = win) 11-6-11, 44 pts.
10/15- v. Chivas USA (prediction = win) 12-6-11, 47 pts.
10/23- @ Houston (prediction = draw) 12-6-12, 48 pts.
...............................................................................................
I feel like the middle and stretch run portion of the season will be extremely tough for the Sounders. They will have U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions League group stage matches AND MLS regular season matches to contend with throughout this time period. Their legs will tire and their committment to each competition will be tested. However, I see them finishing towards the top of the table with the possibility of sneaking away with the Supporters Shield (league's best overall record).
Furthermore, I feel that the Sounders have the potential to reach and win the MLS Cup this year. They are a very chic pick to do so in most other soccer blogs and prediction columns:
24th Minute (TFC fansite)
MatchFitUSA (one of my personal faves)
DailySoccerFix (CNNSI's Steve Davis' personal blog)
However, putting aside my personal bias and the above promising prognostications- the Sounders are realistically looking at (potentially) an EXTREMELY successful season.
Now, we have under 48 hours until kickoff! I cannot wait to join 36,000 of my closest friends on Thursday at the Xbox Pitch. :-)
Thus, I will finish this exercise with the game information and a simple prediction. However, I feel it is VERY much worth noting that I pick up my predictions in a point of the schedule that could be very significant. July 15 is projected to be the first available date that Blaise Nkufo will be available to the team after his international duties are fulfilled.
Nkufo represents (what many feel is) the most glaring piece missing to the Sounders arsenal- a true target forward. Nkufo is an internationally renowned striker whose nose for the goal should give the Sounders the added firepower and goal-scoring to push far into the MLS postseason this year. So, without further ado...here goes nothing:
7/15- @ D.C. United (prediction = draw) 6-3-8, 26 pts.
7/25- v. Colorado (prediction = win) 7-3-8, 29 pts.
7/31- @ San Jose (prediction = draw) 7-3-9, 30 pts.
8/8- v. Houston (prediction = loss) 7-4-9, 30 pts.
8/14- @ Chivas USA (prediction = win) 8-4-9, 33 pts.
8/28- v. Chicago (prediction = loss) 8-5-9, 33 pts.
9/4- @ New England (prediction = loss) 8-6-9, 33 pts.
9/9- v. Real Salt Lake (prediction = win) 9-6-9, 36 pts.
9/18- @ Columbus (prediction = draw) 9-6-10, 37 pts.
9/25- @ Chicago (prediction = draw) 9-6-11, 38 pts.
10/2- v. Toronto FC (prediction = win) 10-6-11, 41 pts.
10/9- @ Kansas City (prediction = win) 11-6-11, 44 pts.
10/15- v. Chivas USA (prediction = win) 12-6-11, 47 pts.
10/23- @ Houston (prediction = draw) 12-6-12, 48 pts.
...............................................................................................
I feel like the middle and stretch run portion of the season will be extremely tough for the Sounders. They will have U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions League group stage matches AND MLS regular season matches to contend with throughout this time period. Their legs will tire and their committment to each competition will be tested. However, I see them finishing towards the top of the table with the possibility of sneaking away with the Supporters Shield (league's best overall record).
Furthermore, I feel that the Sounders have the potential to reach and win the MLS Cup this year. They are a very chic pick to do so in most other soccer blogs and prediction columns:
24th Minute (TFC fansite)
MatchFitUSA (one of my personal faves)
DailySoccerFix (CNNSI's Steve Davis' personal blog)
However, putting aside my personal bias and the above promising prognostications- the Sounders are realistically looking at (potentially) an EXTREMELY successful season.
Now, we have under 48 hours until kickoff! I cannot wait to join 36,000 of my closest friends on Thursday at the Xbox Pitch. :-)
3.20.2010
Sounders season preview cont...
So I decided a while back that I wouldn't finish my season preview until a the MLS-Union labor negotiations were decided. However, this morning I woke up to read Grant Wahl's tweet about a deal was set to be announced later today! So here are my much abbreviated season predictions for the 2010 Seattle Sounders FC campaign (leaving off from my earlier predictions- a 3-1-2 start; 11 pts):
5/1- v. Columbus (prediction = loss) Columbus is coming off a favorable showing during CONCACAF Champions League action and I feel this form is going to continue on into the early MLS season. Probably our toughest fixture at home in the early going.
5/8- v. LA Galaxy (prediction = win) I originally had this as a draw, but being that Donovan will probably be at USMNT pre-World Cup camp- I feel good about our chances to get a favorable result at home.
5/15- @ NY Red Bull (prediction = draw) I feel that NYRB will be a MUCH improved team this year. Angel was not at full fitness for the majority of last year and that hurt their attack immensely. There are still some question marks about their back line, but in their new Red Bull Arena I can only see a draw here for our first trip there.
5/22- v. San Jose (prediction = win) We had a very favorable record against the Earthquakes last year...until they smacked us around in SJ, 0-4. Something tells me the Sounders are going to remember this and get some revenge.
5/29- @ Colorado (prediction = draw) We had a favorable draw result last year in our trip to Colorado. The Rapids have a dangerous offensive team led by oft-called upon USMNT striker, Conor Casey, but I feel a draw coming out of this fixture.
6/5- v. NE Revolution (prediction = draw) We struggled mightily against New England last year in both our matchups. MF Sharlie Joseph is amongst the best in the league and should have probably won the MVP over Landon Donovan last year. A draw here would be disappointing, but likely.
6/10- v. DC United (prediction = win) This is the last fixture doe us before the World Cup break. This fixture last year produced the MLS game of the year in my opinion. However, in the end it was a frustrating draw. I feel we can go into the break on a high note.
6/27- @ Philadephia (prediction = draw) This will mark the opening of the Union's new PPE Park. The home team and supporters will be jacked for this match, but I feel we can sneak out with a draw due to our defensive quality.
7/4- @ LA Galaxy (prediction = loss) Depending on how far that the USMNT gets in the World Cup, Donovan may or may not be back in the lineup for LA here. Either way, we outplayed LA in this fixture last year...it's very hard to do that in back to back years away from home.
7/11- v. FC Dallas (prediction = draw) This match pits two of the best up and coming teams in the Western conference. A draw seems fair here.
Predicted season record up to this point: 6-3-7 (25 points)
..................................................................................................................
While I'm predicting soccer matches...here is my take on the upcoming UEFA Champions League matchups:
Barcelona v. Arsenal- This draw will produce some of the most fluid and beautiful soccer of the year. Either way, Barca is the best club in the world and will outlast Wegner's young and promising club. (Barcelona, 4-2 agg)
CSKA Moscow v. Inter Milan- Jose Mourinho has Inter playing extremely well and there may not be a MF in better form at the moment than Dutch international, Wesley Sneijder. Too much Italian quality here for the Russians. (Inter Milan, 3-2 agg)
Lyon v. Bordeaux- This all-French quarterfinal has two in-form clubs pitted against each other. These two clubs are also fighting with a slew of other clubs for the Ligue Un championship during this time. I have watched both of these clubs and Lyon impressed me the most with their timely finishing. It will be close though. (Lyon, 4-3 agg)
Manchester United v. Bayern Munich- What a tremendous draw this is for a quarterfinal. Rooney v. Ribery. English football supporters v. Bundasliga Supporters. I feel that ManU will win its fourth straight EPL title this year, however Bayern Munich has been in world class form. They haven't lost a league match since September! I'm going for the upset here. (Bayern Munich 5-4 agg)
5/1- v. Columbus (prediction = loss) Columbus is coming off a favorable showing during CONCACAF Champions League action and I feel this form is going to continue on into the early MLS season. Probably our toughest fixture at home in the early going.
5/8- v. LA Galaxy (prediction = win) I originally had this as a draw, but being that Donovan will probably be at USMNT pre-World Cup camp- I feel good about our chances to get a favorable result at home.
5/15- @ NY Red Bull (prediction = draw) I feel that NYRB will be a MUCH improved team this year. Angel was not at full fitness for the majority of last year and that hurt their attack immensely. There are still some question marks about their back line, but in their new Red Bull Arena I can only see a draw here for our first trip there.
5/22- v. San Jose (prediction = win) We had a very favorable record against the Earthquakes last year...until they smacked us around in SJ, 0-4. Something tells me the Sounders are going to remember this and get some revenge.
5/29- @ Colorado (prediction = draw) We had a favorable draw result last year in our trip to Colorado. The Rapids have a dangerous offensive team led by oft-called upon USMNT striker, Conor Casey, but I feel a draw coming out of this fixture.
6/5- v. NE Revolution (prediction = draw) We struggled mightily against New England last year in both our matchups. MF Sharlie Joseph is amongst the best in the league and should have probably won the MVP over Landon Donovan last year. A draw here would be disappointing, but likely.
6/10- v. DC United (prediction = win) This is the last fixture doe us before the World Cup break. This fixture last year produced the MLS game of the year in my opinion. However, in the end it was a frustrating draw. I feel we can go into the break on a high note.
6/27- @ Philadephia (prediction = draw) This will mark the opening of the Union's new PPE Park. The home team and supporters will be jacked for this match, but I feel we can sneak out with a draw due to our defensive quality.
7/4- @ LA Galaxy (prediction = loss) Depending on how far that the USMNT gets in the World Cup, Donovan may or may not be back in the lineup for LA here. Either way, we outplayed LA in this fixture last year...it's very hard to do that in back to back years away from home.
7/11- v. FC Dallas (prediction = draw) This match pits two of the best up and coming teams in the Western conference. A draw seems fair here.
Predicted season record up to this point: 6-3-7 (25 points)
..................................................................................................................
While I'm predicting soccer matches...here is my take on the upcoming UEFA Champions League matchups:
Barcelona v. Arsenal- This draw will produce some of the most fluid and beautiful soccer of the year. Either way, Barca is the best club in the world and will outlast Wegner's young and promising club. (Barcelona, 4-2 agg)
CSKA Moscow v. Inter Milan- Jose Mourinho has Inter playing extremely well and there may not be a MF in better form at the moment than Dutch international, Wesley Sneijder. Too much Italian quality here for the Russians. (Inter Milan, 3-2 agg)
Lyon v. Bordeaux- This all-French quarterfinal has two in-form clubs pitted against each other. These two clubs are also fighting with a slew of other clubs for the Ligue Un championship during this time. I have watched both of these clubs and Lyon impressed me the most with their timely finishing. It will be close though. (Lyon, 4-3 agg)
Manchester United v. Bayern Munich- What a tremendous draw this is for a quarterfinal. Rooney v. Ribery. English football supporters v. Bundasliga Supporters. I feel that ManU will win its fourth straight EPL title this year, however Bayern Munich has been in world class form. They haven't lost a league match since September! I'm going for the upset here. (Bayern Munich 5-4 agg)
3.13.2010
Preseason soccer in the USA
As a Sounders fan, I was very disappointed with their Thursday night preseason result against arch-rival Portland. However, the inept offensive display by my beloved Rave Green and Blue was somewhat offset by a few other EXTREMELY encourage statistics/facts.
Total attendance for Thursday night's friendly: 18,606 (average regular season MLS attendance= 16k)
Number of traveling Portland supporters: 400+
General weather throughout the match: Cold and rainy
Considering that these facts are tied to a MLS preseason match is simply unprecedented in this country. These numbers would be encouraging for any other MLS regular season match or even some regular season MLB games! However, Seattle showed once again why it is truly earned it the moniker: Soccer City, USA.
I cannot help but wonder how this town will react if the players union does indeed decide to strike...but something tells me that the supporters chant, "Sounders til I die..." probably will ring just as true either way.
Total attendance for Thursday night's friendly: 18,606 (average regular season MLS attendance= 16k)
Number of traveling Portland supporters: 400+
General weather throughout the match: Cold and rainy
Considering that these facts are tied to a MLS preseason match is simply unprecedented in this country. These numbers would be encouraging for any other MLS regular season match or even some regular season MLB games! However, Seattle showed once again why it is truly earned it the moniker: Soccer City, USA.
I cannot help but wonder how this town will react if the players union does indeed decide to strike...but something tells me that the supporters chant, "Sounders til I die..." probably will ring just as true either way.
2.04.2010
Seattle Sounders FC 2010 Season Preview: Part I
I’m working nightshift this and next week at the warehouse so I have been afforded the unique opportunity to sleep in and spend the late mornings and early afternoons at home. This allowed me the opportunity to be looking through my Twitter page that is mostly populated with tweets from soccer bloggers, actors from the show “Community” and my beautiful girlfriend at around 11:00 a.m. the other day. At that time, the newest tweet was from the MLS Insider Blog and it stated that the 2010 MLS schedule was to be released the following day. You see, I am a proud 2010 Sounders FC season ticket holder and have been waiting to see when the Sounders would be playing who for a good while now.
So needless to say, when the schedule was released the next day I was glued to it. I was analyzing when our tough match ups would be, how often they would be broadcast on ESPN2 when away from home and what home games I may not be able to attend. My thoughts are now collected.
Anyone that follows soccer in the US will tell you that Seattle undoubtedly claimed the title of “Soccer City, USA” last year based on their passionate following of the Sounders. The team embarked on an unprecedented inaugural season which was highlighted by a U.S. Open Cup trophy and a MLS playoff appearance. The club was also a mere 2 points from claiming the MLS Supporters Shield which is awarded to the team with the best overall regular season record. Needless to say, this sophomore campaign is littered with high expectations. Despite the fact, that we still about 50 days from the season actually kicking off (and rosters are not even CLOSE to being finalized), here are my early thoughts on the 2010 campaign…
March/April (The Kick Off)
FIXTURES:
3/25- Philadelphia Union
4/03- New York Red Bulls
4/10- @ Real Salt Lake
4/17- Kansas City Wizards
4/22- @ FC Dallas
4/25- @ Toronto FC
This season marks the first time in MLS history where the schedule is “balanced”- meaning that every team will play a home and home fixture with each of the other 15 teams in the league. I have broken down the campaign into five sizeable portions. Last year, the Sounders burst out of the gate like Seabiscuit at 3-0-0. The first five weeks of the season provides an ample opportunity to get off on the right foot in the race for the Supporters Shield and the playoffs.
The MLS “First Kick” match-up pitting them against the expansion Union is going to be more challenging than most people expect. This will be the first match in the Union’s franchise history and nationally televised on ESPN2 which only adds to the pressure. However, the atmosphere inside of Qwest Field will be absolutely electric (among the best sporting experiences in the country) and I see the Sounders riding that excitement to the first win of the season. Prediction: Win.
Next up will be Red Bull New York. They were the Sounders’ opponents in their opening 3-0 victory last year on ESPN2. RBNY have completely overhauled their roster after a extremely disappointing 2009 season. They hired former Swedish national, Hans Backe, as their new manager, but still have ace forward, Juan Pablo Angel. Angel should be better this year due to being fit again, but the Sounders should continue to defend their home pitch to move to 2-0-0. Prediction: Win.
The first road trip of the season takes the Sounders to Salt Lake City to take on the defending MLS Cup champion, Real Salt Lake. The Sounders were basically outplayed by RSL last year in their visit to Sandy. Their back line could not seem to contain the speedy Robbie Findley and ended up breaking on a counter attack which left Kasey Keller helpless. This is RSL’s home opener and all signs point to the Sounders being happy with a draw out of this fixture. However, I can certainly see SSFC dropping all three against the defending champs here as well. Prediction: Loss.
The next three fixtures are to be played over just nine days and with the team starting at home, then flying to Dallas and finally ending up in a packed BMO Field to face Toronto. The KC fixture is a rematch of the odd match that found our beloved keeper, Kasey Keller, red carded for an out of the box handball last year at Qwest. As long as that occurrence does not happen again, SSFC should get the positive result. Prediction: Win.
The trip down to Dallas last year was a match that saw the Sounders create numerous chances, but little to actually show for it ending in one of many frustrating draws. However, the Hoops are a young team viewed to be on the rise led by their not so young 2009 Golden Boot winner, Jeff Cunningham. Prediction: Draw.
Until 2011, when Portland and Vancouver enter MLS, there really is only one other group of supporters that truly rival Sounders’ fans in terms of overall passion. Those supporters happen to hail from Toronto. Dwayne De Rosario leads a club with new manager and former Tacoma Star, Preki. Preki managed a gritty Chivas USA last season and managed a stellar 2-0-1 record against the Sounders last year. Despite the Rave Green getting all three points at BMO last year, I see a more level result here in 2010. Prediction: Draw.
OVERALL predicted start: 3-1-2 (11 points)
So needless to say, when the schedule was released the next day I was glued to it. I was analyzing when our tough match ups would be, how often they would be broadcast on ESPN2 when away from home and what home games I may not be able to attend. My thoughts are now collected.
Anyone that follows soccer in the US will tell you that Seattle undoubtedly claimed the title of “Soccer City, USA” last year based on their passionate following of the Sounders. The team embarked on an unprecedented inaugural season which was highlighted by a U.S. Open Cup trophy and a MLS playoff appearance. The club was also a mere 2 points from claiming the MLS Supporters Shield which is awarded to the team with the best overall regular season record. Needless to say, this sophomore campaign is littered with high expectations. Despite the fact, that we still about 50 days from the season actually kicking off (and rosters are not even CLOSE to being finalized), here are my early thoughts on the 2010 campaign…
March/April (The Kick Off)
FIXTURES:
3/25- Philadelphia Union
4/03- New York Red Bulls
4/10- @ Real Salt Lake
4/17- Kansas City Wizards
4/22- @ FC Dallas
4/25- @ Toronto FC
This season marks the first time in MLS history where the schedule is “balanced”- meaning that every team will play a home and home fixture with each of the other 15 teams in the league. I have broken down the campaign into five sizeable portions. Last year, the Sounders burst out of the gate like Seabiscuit at 3-0-0. The first five weeks of the season provides an ample opportunity to get off on the right foot in the race for the Supporters Shield and the playoffs.
The MLS “First Kick” match-up pitting them against the expansion Union is going to be more challenging than most people expect. This will be the first match in the Union’s franchise history and nationally televised on ESPN2 which only adds to the pressure. However, the atmosphere inside of Qwest Field will be absolutely electric (among the best sporting experiences in the country) and I see the Sounders riding that excitement to the first win of the season. Prediction: Win.
Next up will be Red Bull New York. They were the Sounders’ opponents in their opening 3-0 victory last year on ESPN2. RBNY have completely overhauled their roster after a extremely disappointing 2009 season. They hired former Swedish national, Hans Backe, as their new manager, but still have ace forward, Juan Pablo Angel. Angel should be better this year due to being fit again, but the Sounders should continue to defend their home pitch to move to 2-0-0. Prediction: Win.
The first road trip of the season takes the Sounders to Salt Lake City to take on the defending MLS Cup champion, Real Salt Lake. The Sounders were basically outplayed by RSL last year in their visit to Sandy. Their back line could not seem to contain the speedy Robbie Findley and ended up breaking on a counter attack which left Kasey Keller helpless. This is RSL’s home opener and all signs point to the Sounders being happy with a draw out of this fixture. However, I can certainly see SSFC dropping all three against the defending champs here as well. Prediction: Loss.
The next three fixtures are to be played over just nine days and with the team starting at home, then flying to Dallas and finally ending up in a packed BMO Field to face Toronto. The KC fixture is a rematch of the odd match that found our beloved keeper, Kasey Keller, red carded for an out of the box handball last year at Qwest. As long as that occurrence does not happen again, SSFC should get the positive result. Prediction: Win.
The trip down to Dallas last year was a match that saw the Sounders create numerous chances, but little to actually show for it ending in one of many frustrating draws. However, the Hoops are a young team viewed to be on the rise led by their not so young 2009 Golden Boot winner, Jeff Cunningham. Prediction: Draw.
Until 2011, when Portland and Vancouver enter MLS, there really is only one other group of supporters that truly rival Sounders’ fans in terms of overall passion. Those supporters happen to hail from Toronto. Dwayne De Rosario leads a club with new manager and former Tacoma Star, Preki. Preki managed a gritty Chivas USA last season and managed a stellar 2-0-1 record against the Sounders last year. Despite the Rave Green getting all three points at BMO last year, I see a more level result here in 2010. Prediction: Draw.
OVERALL predicted start: 3-1-2 (11 points)
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