Seattle Sounders Vs. Toronto FC, Match Cards: Projected Lineups, Statistics

by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 29, 2011 4:00 PM PDT in Sounders: MLS Regular Season

As you can see, we have not exactly been hitting it out of the ballpark with our projected starting lineups. A lot of that is out of our control as injuries and players returning from injury have made it pretty tough. Still, we soldier on and keep giving it our best shot. This week, the Seattle Sounders host Toronto FC with two big absences: Steve Zakuani and O'Brian White.

In their place, we're projecting Alvaro Fernandez and Nate Jaqua to get the starts. The other change we foresee is Jeff Parke re-entering the starting lineup for Patrick Ianni. None of these are anything close to guarantees, but it's what made the most sense to us.

You'll also notice that we moved Mauro Rosales to Zakuani's spot and put Fernandez on the right. This just made the most sense to us as Fernandez has not looked as comfortable on the left and we think Rosales could slide over to the other side pretty easily.

Our Toronto FC lineup comes to us courtesy of Waking the Red, SB Nation's TFC blog. They've got a bunch of injuries so projecting a lineup was not easy.

Programing notes: You may notice that when you click on "view full-sized image" you don't get a full-sized image. This is a bug the people at SBN are aware of and are working on. Sorry for the inconvenience. We also continued to alter the stats we're providing as people seemed to want more team stats. So we chucked the tally boxes and tried to give our readers what the wanted. Printer-friendly verstion: Sounders-TFC 0430

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I like the team stats a lot

Also, Gordon has a crazy high PP90 especially for a team that’s done so poorly. I might have to change my preconceptions of him as a player.

by Dizzo on Apr 29, 2011 4:24 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

he has been a very pleasant surprise

I really wasn’t expecting much, but he’s been playing really really well for Toronto. He’s scoring more than his career would suggest. His goals have been a header from a free kick and 2 tap-ins following goalmouth scrambles, probably about 10 yards combined.

It’s his play outside the box that’s so impressive though, his movement and linking of the play has been really impressive.

Managing editor of SBNation's Toronto FC blog,Waking the Red .

by Duncan Fletcher on Apr 29, 2011 8:02 PM PDT reply actions

You also might want to check out Arlo White's scouting report

He focuses in on Gordon when he goes over the 4-2-3-1 system. The link’s below:

http://www.soundersfc.com/media-library/Videos/Features/2011/04-April/110428-Scouting-Report-Toronto-FC.aspx?autoPlay=true#videoplayer

by Dizzo on Apr 29, 2011 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I think I know how you feel about this

But I would go with Friberg ahead of Fernandez, tomorrow. Friberg provides more speed, which I think is important playing on our worn/fast turf.

by PeterJH on Apr 29, 2011 8:03 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Also....

I like our team stats much better than I like theirs….although I wonder how much of that was put down by the 18 S@H selected….Wonder if it would be better to use stats for the selected 18 rather than for our team as a whole since it would reflect the players that are likely to play rather than the injured ones (Zak and OBW probably put up a bunch of our stats, but if they aren’t playing, are we as likely to put those kinds of numbers up?). I’m sure it would take a lot of effort, so I don’t know if it’s really worth it anyways, just an idea though.

by Toxtr3m34u on Apr 29, 2011 8:19 PM PDT up reply actions

sorry.

I replied to Peter’s, not my own….my bad.

by Toxtr3m34u on Apr 29, 2011 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions

lineup and Gordon

I like the line-up you put up. Personally I’d go with Friberg over Evans just for the attack minded, but Sigi will like the added defense. Also, In response to Gordon, if Montero scores 1 more goal, he’ll be right up there with Gordon and if Gordon is the only one on their team that can score a goal, then so be it….I’d rather have a few people that can score than just one (see Toronto’s team last year w/ DeRo). I’d be willing to bet if Friberg plays this game, it’s his chance to score at least one.

by Toxtr3m34u on Apr 29, 2011 8:15 PM PDT reply actions

so Rosales is cleared for tomorrow?

i thought he was a game day decision.
agree on the wingers with Fucito being a sub on the left if behind at half or near the 60th if Rosales is gassed.

for as bad as this week has been this is one of the best sides we could face right now, imo.

by PandG on Apr 29, 2011 9:56 PM PDT reply actions

We in no way know that Rosales is cleared

What we do know is that he looked ok at practice Thursday. Our guess is that he’s healthy, and if he’s healthy he starts.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Apr 29, 2011 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions

My main concern is

When are we going to see the Shale Kits? This will be their 8th match this season without breaking them in. I’m a little scared of how much dust those things are probably collecting, and who knows how many Sounders have dust allergies?? We can ill afford to lose more players to illness/injury.

I was thinking maybe May 14th when Portland comes to town, or maybe they’ll just keep the Rave Green and force them to wear their reds.

by ZippyZebra on Apr 30, 2011 8:31 AM PDT reply actions

I was wondering same thing...

My guess is that we’ll see them when we visit columbus and houston, and you could be right about hosting portland since we probably don’t want to see them in red.

Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter

by Jeremiah Oshan on Apr 30, 2011 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions

How many times did we see the Blues?

And at home, I think only once, as a psychological ploy.

I’ll bet the Shale is @Portland, @Columbus and @Houston. Although the shale may not be different enough for @Portland and so maybe the Yellows there.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Apr 30, 2011 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions

TFC Lineup

Ty Harden is back from suspension and should be in Dicoy William’s spot.

Also I’m not sure why Gagan would be dropped at RB, though I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eckersley take Tchani’s spot in midfield, with Peterson playing up top on the right and Martina going over the left. Though the Stevanović option is a good one too if he’s fit.

by deeplennon on Apr 30, 2011 9:48 AM PDT reply actions

Gargan has only two weaknesses: a) he sucks, b) everybody knows it. Other than that he’s great.

Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.

by Benjamin Massey on Apr 30, 2011 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Sounds like he has TFC starter written all over him.

by deeplennon on Apr 30, 2011 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions

harsh but fair.

Managing editor of SBNation's Toronto FC blog,Waking the Red .

by Duncan Fletcher on Apr 30, 2011 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions

and yet there he is in the lineup. bah.

Managing editor of SBNation's Toronto FC blog,Waking the Red .

by Duncan Fletcher on Apr 30, 2011 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Harden been’s rough all year, Williams has had two decent starts in a row. It’s a complete guess buit it’s what I’d like to see.

gargan, again he’s been rough all year, defensively he’s not bad, but as an attacking threat and for his ability ot pass, he’s really not good, and that’s what Aron Winter seems to want. Right back’s been a problem position all year.
Eckersley’s had a couple of good appearances so I’d expect him to be in the starting line up.

As for Peterson, he’s been playing defensive midfield for most of the season and doing well there, so he’s the most obvious replacement for tchani.

I haven’t got a lineup correct all year, so would be stunned to get this one bang on.

Managing editor of SBNation's Toronto FC blog,Waking the Red .

by Duncan Fletcher on Apr 30, 2011 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions