Depth Chart Heading into Two Week Road Trip of Four Games
With the injury to James Riley, and the many other long term injuries, a team that has once been seen as deep is now stretched to fill the 18 man roster. In the next two weeks Seattle will travel thousands of miles (it will vary highly based on how many times they decide to return home). It is a two week stretch that will challenge the team to field a healthy 18, and will finally determine Seattle's ability to make it out of the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.
The Trip
@ San Jose, Costa Rica - 3,400 miles between cities (travel will be much further due to lack of direct flights)
@ Columbus, OH - 2,000 miles (also no direct flights on standard air)
@ Monterrey, Mexico - 1,900 miles (no direct flights as well)
@ Chicago, IL - 1,700 miles (hey, there are actually direct flight for this one)
It has been a while since a depth chart update, and we'll look at this one by role groupings (Forwards, Wingers, Center Mids, Fullbacks, Centerbacks) and go five deep in each role based on the current health of the team and recent usage patterns. We'll list Goal +/- per 90, Shots +/- per 90 and Points per 90 (2*G+A = Pt). All stats are for League Play only. Sources for Plus/Minus, for PP90.
FORWARDS - Fredy Montero (G P/M -0.1, Sh P/M +1.5, PP90 1.35), Blaise Nkufo (1.3, 1.8, 0), Nate Jaqua (-0.3, -4.7, 0), Roger Levesque (0.2, 0.4, 0.36), Mike Fucito (1.8, 5.5, 3.83)
WINGERS - Steve Zakuani (-0.2, 1.7, 0.97), Alvaro Fernandez (0.5, 4.2, 0.78), Sanna Nyassi (0.2, 6.7, 0.34), Levesque, David Estrada (-3.1, -2.1, 0)
CENTER MIDS - Osvaldo Alonso (0.0, 0.4, 0.13), Nathan Sturgis (-0.1, 2.4, 0.09) , Michael Seamon (-0.6, -4.6, 0.29), Alvaro Fernandez, Leo Gonzalez
FULLBACKS - Gonzalez (-0.2, 1.9, 0.15), Zach Scott (1.3, -2.2, 0), Tyson Wahl (-0.4, 0.0, 0), Sturgis, Patrick Ianni
CENTER BACKS - Jeff Parke (0.1, 1.4, 0), Ianni (0.0, 2.4, 0), Tyrone Marshall (-0.4, 1.8, 0), Taylor Graham (0, 0 ,0), Sturgis
KEEPER - Kasey Keller (-0.1, 1.3, 0.04), Terry Boss (0.0, -10.0, 0)
INJURED - Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Peter Vagenas, Brad Evans, Pat Noonan, James Riley.
Bolded players are Starters. Standard font are Rotationals. Italics are Substitutes.
At Center Mid and Centerback we have two players clearly out of position, but capable. Leo Gonzalez played a LDM during a single US Open Cup game. Sturgis could spot a few minutes at the centerback, but if the team needs him there the amount of injuries in the game is probably so high that Seattle won't be winning the match.
This is my interpretation of what Sigi is likely to be doing at this time. It is notable that Miguel Montano still isn't playing, though with the injuries I expect he will be traveling. Seattle is still 3 starters down, and if that feels familiar, it is.
Is there anywhere you think I'm wrong?
Who would you move up if you were the coach?
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Like that Fucito's points per 90 are still hilariously high
I think that’s a very accurate depth chart.
What I’d like to see is more Fernandez from the midfield, and/or seeing what Seamon can do from center-mid as an alternative to Sturgis. Fernandez has good vision and his passing should be better now that he knows the speed of his teammates. Putting Zak and Sanna on the sides during one of the CCL games would give us tremendous speed.
I’d also like to see more Levesque… but things are fairly crowded up front right now.
Writer: CougCenter Twitterer: @GradyClapp
by Grady Clapp on Sep 11, 2010 11:56 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Two weeks ago
Keller said maybe October.
Yesterday, Sigi said Playoffs if at all.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I hope not to see Hurtado
Not that I don’t think he’s awesome as a CB, but I really, really don’t Seattle to rush his recovery.
What is Noonan's injury?
I thought we just weren’t playing him.
by chrisperry1983 on Sep 11, 2010 12:33 PM PDT reply actions
listed as adductor strain
If the Sounders sign someone in the next four days it will be by moving Noonan to the IL/DL/IR/whatever-its-called-this-week
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Roger Levesque just mentioned on Sounders FC weekly radio show
That 20 players are traveling to Costa Rica then Columbus. Obviously someone could meet the team in C-bus if they needed to, but which two healthy players don’t make that trip?
Montano is the easy answer, and maybe the fact that Fernandez is in Uruguay with his wife and newborn means that is the simple answer.
Are there two others that you expect to not travel?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Why is Montano in the dog house?
He was getting significant minutes earlier. It can’t just be because of his stupid red card – do you have any information?
I second this!
It seems more and more common that Montano is not on the bench, not even suited up at times. Where is he? Has he even been traveling with the team? It’d be interesting to have
Fernandez
Zakuani Montano
Although Nyassi is probably the better option, with Montano the midfield would play a much more open game.

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