About team Depth

by Sounder At Heart on Apr 13, 2009 8:57 PM PDT in Major League Soccer Comment 2 comments

So the Sounders Reserves played against that club from that city to the south today.

For me though the conversation from this is really about the depth that Adrian Hanauer has assembled thus far. Sure there are a few rookies on the pitch (ok, four all at wide positions - Karkas, Brown, Zakuani and Nyassi), but there of the center four (Ianni, Wahl, Sturgis, King) there is a ton of experience

King has 11 starts and 13 appearances as a sub with 3 goals in MLS and related competitions.
Sturgis has 35 starts and 2 subs with zero goals
Wahl with 32 and 6
Ianni with 30 and 21 and a goal.

Levesque has four appearances
Kevin Forrest never made an appearance last year in MLS related play (League, Playoff, Open Cup, SuperLiga, etc)

The starters in a Reserve match carry 80 starts and 49 substitutions in their history and five goals. Only three of these players could be called regulars with the big club.

The substitutes on the other hand had even more experience.

Vagenas came on as a sub in a Reserve game. He carries 211 and 28 with 17 goals.
Ely Allen was also a sub had 12 starts and a sub with one goal.
Taylor Graham another sub with 19 and 24 and a goal.

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That’s a lot of experience. But they lost 3-2. And to hear Falk tell it, it should have been much worse.

Of course, it’s a reserve game, and they’re sort of like moral victories; they don’t count for much. But you’d think we’d fare a bit better, with all that depth.

Speaking of depth, what’s your take on Sigi’s dealings with it vs. KC? We can only really look at the first 30, but it seemed to me that depth bit him. I like Evans, but he seemed ineffective and wasted out wide, and his absence in the middle was noticeable—I think it contributed to much of our trouble in the first half. Depth is great, but right now it’s messing with our on-field dynamic. We have too many players that are too good to ride the pine aluminum.

Would Sigi experiment with other formations (3-5-2) that would keep Evans in the middle (that leads to all kinds of other questions), or consider benching Evans for someone more accustomed to the wing?

It’s a nice problem to have, but it’s an annoying problem to have, too. We don’t have a clear best XI.

by Cornchops on Apr 13, 2009 9:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I was surprised that Sigi didn’t want Evans out wide on the left. I read his quotes and immediately thought the shape would be awful with Alonso, Freddie and Evans all in the middle and no one on the left.

I would give Brad another match to show that he understands this role as well as he does the CM spot.

by Dave Clark on Apr 14, 2009 6:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs