Whitecaps Friendly Preview and Open Thread
by sidereal on Feb 4, 2011 12:46 PM PST
in Sounders: MLS Regular Season
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Call it a friendly; call it a preseason game; call it a scrimmage; call it whatever you like. It's the first game action for the 2011 squad (and hopefuls) who I'm sure will be happy to take a break from beating each other up to beat up someone else, and as a special bonus that someone else is a member of the Legendary Cascadia Rivalry™.
The match starts at 3pm local and the official site will be liveblogging the action. Feel free to use this as the game thread. Here are some storylines to consider during the action:
- Roster Battles - Sigi has emphasized roster competition during this preseason, and with good reason. By my count there are only 4 positions of the 11 where we don't have a backup that's been at least a semi-regular MLS starter (those are GK, RB, LM, and CDM for those who want to check my math. And maybe 3 if you count Ianni as the CDM backup). Players are battling for starting spots, and behind them players are battling for backup spots, and behind them players are battling to make the Reserve team. This game should be a big showcase for players to make their mark.
- Okoli - There have been rumblings with the words 'HGP signing' drifting around the Sounders newsosphere for the last couple of weeks and Okoli's Letter of Intent to Wake Forest (which had his verbal commitment) has yet to show up in a fax machine, as far as has been reported so far. It might seem slightly strange to sign a young player to a deal when the roster is already so deep, but he's definitely training with the senior team rather than with the Academy right now. If he makes an appearance in this game, that might be a hint at how seriously Sigi is looking at him.
- Tetteh - The Sounders' freshly minted Generation Adidas signing plays as an attacking minded left back. Is his defense good enough to play LB in MLS, or does he make more sense as a backup for Zakuani further up the left sideline? Let's see where he plays (assuming he plays) today.
- The Caps' attack - It's universally agreed that Vancouver is thin up front, especially since their first overall pick can't actually play for the team until near the end of the season. 86 Forever's Ben Massey has a post up today on that very topic. Today we'll get a first look at how potent (or not so much) they look in the offensive third
Have at it
Update 1: Starting lineup Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jeff Parke, Danny Earls, Miguel Montano, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani, Mike Seamon, Fredy Montero, Mike Fucito. Interesting because it's kinda sorta a starting XI, but with Earls at LB, JKH not in, Montano on the right, and the Montecito pairing up top (and Seamon, who got added late).
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Another hockey scrimmage
Three periods. Nice to be able to see more players, though only 15 minutes more than a full 90.
Are they trying to bring Vancouver along slowly?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Somehow Vancouver managed to score twice on RSL
It’ll be interesting to see how they do vs us. Sure, preseason games and their wacky line-ups and subbing mean little in terms of what’ll happen in the real season, but I was still surprised to see them get 2 vs RSL.
Is it going to be on the radio, or strictly liveblogged? No tv/streaming either right?
La Vecchia Signora Forever!
Text only
MLSSoccer is also covering it (textually) here:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/join-live-chat-sounders-whitecaps
Nos Audietis
Massey's article makes the Vancouver forward situation sound pretty grim
It just seems like for all of the wheeling and dealing that went on with the expansion draft that they were planning on signing more players than they have already. I feel like they must still be looking for someone to add, right?
Or maybe they plan to fight Columbus for the #2 draft pick?
by Dizzo on Feb 4, 2011 2:27 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I think Toronto might have something to say about that pick
when it’s all said and done this season. A battle for the bottom of the heap shaping up in the Great White North?
I'd love to see the Canadians run the top of the draft 1-3-4
I think you can guess who would fit nicely at number 2
line up
Sounders FC Starting Lineup: Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jeff Parke, Danny Earls, Miguel Montano, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani, Fredy Montero, Mike Fucito
Just wait nine months...
It never gets old.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
by 108Ultra on Feb 4, 2011 3:04 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Would it kill the Sounders
to video stream this? Just have an intern on the top of the bleachers with a tripod and a HD video camera. Yes, my SSFC withdrawal symptoms are getting pretty bad.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
Sigi said it wasn't going to be 1st/2nd team
and it clearly isn’t.
Some guys may wind up as deep bench, while of course certain starters are playing.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
High Pressure
Love reading this
Mike Fucito forces the Vancouver defense into a turnover
I want that often this year
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
MLS live chat is copying all of their content from Matt's liveblog
word for word without crediting him. Nice.
Nos Audietis
They're not there
Which is why they have to crib play by play from the Sounders and speculate about NYRB signings.
Nos Audietis
At least they are providing the content they promised.
Baby steps right?
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
from what im seeing from matts blog
it looks like montano is very active today.. he is also sounding like he is doing a good job
i know he is working really hard.
he only went back to colombia for a month. the rest of the time he was here training and when he was there he was also training and working out
That’s good to hear. I hope he’s able to get out of Sigi’s doghouse and get more playing time this year.
yeah same.
he was extremely frustrated by the end of last year on the lack of playing time in regular seasons and in CCL
End of the 1st third, no score
ChewyMento the most dangerous player according to the text I read. Expect wholesale changes after the break.
Nos Audietis
2nd period lineup
Seattle’s lineup for the 2nd period: Bryan Meredith. Corey Attaway, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrcik Ianni, Leo Gonzalez, Alvaro Fernandez, Brad Evans, Erik Friberg, Trialist, David Estrada, O’Brian White.
Looking forward to evaluating ‘Trialist’. Okoli maybe? Prieto?
Nos Audietis
2nd period lineup
Seattle’s lineup for the 2nd period: Bryan Meredith. Corey Attaway, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrcik Ianni, Leo Gonzalez, Alvaro Fernandez, Brad Evans, Erik Friberg, Trialist, David Estrada, O’Brian White.
I’m going to guess that trialist = Neagle or Prieto
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I'm figuring out how to make it Okoli
If Estrada’s playing MF instead of FW there’s an opening there.
Nos Audietis
Okoli has played some CAM too
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
i wish they would name the trialist..
it could be baptiste
Seems to be a policy.
Matt’s explicitly stating that they won’t name people not under contract
Nos Audietis
That could tip an opposing team's hand
and Seattle would lose the opportunity to sign
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I don't understand that
They report on how they are doing in camp, and it’s not any secret that they are there. Is it really just a smokescreen to prevent other teams from making offers and preempting the Sounders’ negotiations?
It all comes down to the Discovery Claims process
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Flashback to 2010...
I am totally having deja vu from last year, as 2010 was my first season really getting in to the team (had partial season tix ’09, full in ’10).
Just for fun, I pulled up the recap from that Arizona scrimmage v. Whitecaps:
http://www.soundersfc.com/News/Articles/2010/02-February/Sounders-FC-3-Vancouver-Whitecaps-2.aspx
Note who gets name-checked in the game summary: Nyassi, Sturgis, Neagle, and Marshall.
Two became first XI regulars when injuries started mounting (and players who were subsequently lost in the draft – our star fringe players, we might say?)
One who wasn’t picked up but looks to be a very bright possibility again after another year of maturing.
One who was dropped and resigned in the re-entry draft.
Not a whole lot to go on, but seeing as pre-season is really all tea leaves at this point anyway, I thought it might be interesting to see how things went last time around…
Tetteh at left mid. That answers that.
Full lineup is trialist-heavy.
Third Period lineup for Sounders FC: Josh Ford, Roger Levesque, Leone Cruz, Zach Scott, Tyson Wahl, Trialist, Servando Carrasco, Trialist, Michael Tetteh, Trialist, Trialist
Nos Audietis
SInce we hold Okoli's rights
would they be able to say his name or does he fall under the “trialist” tag?
they have named the trialist in camp
why cant they name them for the game
It is
silly that seattle doesn’t name their trialist
i think its
Trialists: Seedy Bah (Outside mid), Jon Prieto (CM), Lamar Neagle (FW) and Kerry Baptiste (FW)
possibly
The trialist the sounders have acknowledged are Kerry Batiste, Lamar Neagle, Jonathan Prieto, and Seedy Bah. Okoli is there but im not positive that he counts as a trialist.
Sigi had said that everyone in camp would get playing time
So…. maybe that was Okoli in the 2nd? Or maybe Prieto then with Okoli playing right now?
Not that any of this really matters. We’ll see who makes the cuts.
do we know
when they are planning on making the next round of cuts? when they return from AZ?
sigi said possibly before they go to florida
but they only want to make cuts when they are 100 percent sure
When they come back from Florida
is when they will have to trim the roster to size.
It will be interesting to see how the IL is used.
honestly id rather cut some of the veterns
then use IL.
because there salaries still hit our cap.. and it looks like those who will be on it at the beginning of the season (Jaqua, Noonan, Graham) all get a lot of money and are replaceable
I don't think Graham makes much
He was making $57,750 in 2010. His salary is hardly a reason to cut him. He played very well for us in Open Cup and CCL games. Noonan, on the other hand, made $96,000 and played far worse IMHO.
Jaqua is capable of 10/10 in all competitions
You don’t cut that.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Of course but he's certainly worthy of IL
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
They won't cut him
but he could be a trade candidate. The Caps with their vast wasteland at forward might give us a good bit of allocation money for him.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
haha seriously!
will we finally find out who it is
There are going to be video highlights up later tonight...
Is it really going to be that difficult to figure out who was playing?
well if the reason for keeping
the names a secret is so that other clubs wont try to swoop in and sign them, I highly doubt they will release names if one of them scores, that would only increase other clubs interest
If they really
want to go all out they will blurr out the faces of the trialists on the video highlights like they do on Cops.
Finishes 1-0
White cross to Estrada backheel to Evans, so I hear. We’ll link to video highlights when they show up.
Nos Audietis
New this year
Other clubs have done so in past
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Tough or Dumb?
I love this line from Danny Earls on his shin-guards:
Danny Earls just showed me his shinguards … they are just cardboard with tape wrapped around them. “My shins aren’t the best for it, but I’ve done it ever since I was a kid,” he said.
He is in Arizona
Carrying a minor injury.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
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