Practice Report: New Trialists, Portland Week and Alvaro Fernandez

by Dave Clark on Jul 7, 2011 5:09 PM PDT in Sounders: MLS Regular Season

CARSON, CA - JULY 04: Sean Franklin #5 of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Alvaro Fernandez #15 of Seattle Sounders FC vie for a high ball in the second half during their MLS match at The Home Depot Center on July 4, 2011 in Carson, California. Sounders FC and the Galaxy played to a 0-0 draw. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

The biggest angle throughout camp was the upcoming Cascadia Cup match down in Portland this weekend. Zach Scott (on the upcoming edition of Nos Audietis), Alan Hinton, Brian Schmetzer and of course Roger Levesque were popular today, and those that didn't get grabbed today probably will be tomorrow. There were probably more media today than any week excluding camp opening and just prior to First Kick. When a team is good and about to go on the road to their most fierce rival that will happen. There are some indications that Levesque may be starting on Sunday.

New trialists were at practice, but Mrisho Ngassa has not yet reported.The travel distance from Dar Es Salaam is significant. The trialists were unnamed, with exception of Davis Paul, formerly with the Chicago Fire. The 51st pick in the 2011 SuperDraft talked to Hot Time In Old Town on April 5th. Many trialists will come through, including college kids getting an early look prior to next year's draft.

Today, Alvaro Fernandez talked to us about his first year in MLS, watching the Copa America. Where last year he was mostly a sub shifting from right to left and even occasionally the center, this year he has most frequently been on the left more as a possession midfielder rather than winger. According to the Castrol Index he has performed the 8th best on the season, in all of MLS. The interview was simultaneously translated with thanks to the Seattle Sounders.

SaH: What's your comfort leve like with MLS after playing here for a full year?

Alvaro: I feel good. It was a little difficult back at the beginning, but now I feel great and I'm enjoying it.

SaH: You've settled into a role on the left side, where last year we saw you in various roles in the midfield. How does that compare to how you've been used in the past?

Alvaro: In the last game they put me on the right hand side. You play where they put you and you just do your best. It actually worked out pretty well.

SaH: With the game in Portland, how do you feel about going down there in a new stadium, new field, and probably the most hostile fans you will see here in the United States?

Alvaro: I actually feel good. I think every player enjoys playing in a game like that. Everyone is against you, and you go down there and play your hardest, and you hope for a good outcome. I think we are going to have that.

SaH: How is following the Copa America from afar?

Alvaro: It is a little bit difficult, because I did play for the National Team for a year, and now that I'm watching from the outside and knowing that they are playing in such a big tournament it is difficult to watch from outside and not be there, but it is what it is.

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 1 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

On Flaco's Castrol Index Rating

I saw that earlier today and did a double-take. The index also loves Parke and Hurtado. Alonso and Riley aren’t that much further down.

I really don’t understand that index, though. I mean, good teams seem (logically) to have more members near the top, but some of the people rated highly don’t jive with my casual observation of play.

Look how low it rates Rosales! Virtually anyone watching the Sounders during the last month would have to agree that Rosales, when on the pitch, is among the best players we have. His ability to shed defenders, retain possession, and drive balls into the danger zone is fantastic.

Is it that the index now likes Flaco’s defense (which he’s been providing more than earlier in his MLS career, whereas Roasles doesn’t show up much defensively)? Is it that Flaco has the four run-of-play goals and Rosales doesn’t?

I just don’t get it. If I had to pick between starting Rosales or Flaco, right now I’d pick Rosales and bring Flaco on as a sub once Rosales tired out. The index disagrees. Any thoughts? Am I missing something?

by Orothar on Jul 7, 2011 5:56 PM PDT reply actions

I think that's many people's problems with the index

We have no idea how it’s getting measured/what the formula is to calculate the index ratings.

I would say I agree with you and thought the exact same thing when i looked at it today.

by majora999 on Jul 7, 2011 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree. It is confusing

I just do not like any statistics in soccer except number of goals, clean sheets for defense, and assists (but not assists NBA style). Wahl is one of our best performers this season, and he is @127.

by seattle 13 on Jul 7, 2011 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions

What is wrong with NBA assists v MLS assists?

Also, they use a playing time adjustment, and Wahl gets hurt by that.

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

by Dave Clark on Jul 7, 2011 6:30 PM PDT up reply actions

I think they are both missleading

In NBA, the passer receives credit for assist even if the player who receives the pass makes a basket after dribbling the ball. Last twenty years, it is similar in soccer, both, FIFA and MLS. I just find ridicules that any player should get credited with assist if someone else score from rebound if original shot was on target. For example, Montero has a golden opportunity and opposing keeper deflects it or the ball hits the post and Rosales scores from that rebound; Montero is credited with assists even though he never had intention of passing to anyone. Or, Wahl takes corner, Montero heads the ball, and Rosales scores, both Wahl and Montero gets assist. It seems to me, one too many. In cases like that, you can have a team with more assists than goals scored.

by seattle 13 on Jul 7, 2011 7:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Players do not get assists off of rebounds

Though MLS does use a secondary assist, similar to the NHL, not the NBA

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

by Dave Clark on Jul 7, 2011 7:25 PM PDT up reply actions

depends who is keeping the stats

NCAA counts assists off of rebounds and some previous world cups used to do that (not sure about the last one, but 1990 and 1994 for sure).

by seattle 13 on Jul 7, 2011 8:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Isn't the point of an assist that you put your team in a good position to score?

I think that in the situation you describe—Montero shoots, Rosales scores off the rebound—an assist is well merited (even if it is not currently counted as an assist) because Fredy forced the defense into doing something that put the Sounders in a position to score. In soccer, I have always thought of assists as giving credit to players creating dangerous situations, never really as who the best passer in the league is. And I don’t understand why multiple assists on one play is inherently bad, either. It’s a team sport and it can often take more than two players to break down a defense.

by ubelmann on Jul 8, 2011 4:55 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

not to beat a dead horse

but Sounders official site or US Soccer counts that as an assist. I do not know how MLS counts it. I remember Nyassi’s second goal against Crew in US Open Cup Final where Zakuani is credited with an assist after he hit the crossbar and Nyassi scored from the rebound. See links below:

http://www.soundersfc.com/Matchday/Matches/2010/Season/US-Open-Cup-vs-Crew.aspx

http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Lamar-Hunt-U-S-Open-Cup/2010/10/Seattle-Sounders-FC-Repeats-as-Lamar-Hunt-US-Open-Cup-Champions-with-21-Win-against-Columbus-Crew.aspx

by seattle 13 on Jul 8, 2011 7:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Wondered the same thing

A lot of what I saw seemed to point out that if you got a late start in the league you end up lower. Also, the more gOals you get, the higher you end up (a la Henry). Also, it seems the spread of goals over the year matters too. A hot player like Brek Shea of lately scoring a lot of goals, isn’t rated as high as Henry who has scored fewer goals recently, but has done it consistently over the year. I think clean sheets rate highly, like goals, which means defenders have a better chance as being higher up too. Add in goals for defenders (like parke’s) helps him rate higher. Also, team wins has to help a defender too.

by Toxtr3m34u on Jul 7, 2011 8:44 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Here's the Sigi quotes for the day - including that OBW may be back for Rapids match

Sigi Schmid – Sounders FC Head Coach

(On today’s training…) "The main thing after a day off is it always takes a day to get back in the rhythm and the run of it. So you try not to be too critical and too small with them in terms of hitting all of the little details because they are going to be off, they’ve had a day off. The most important thing today was to get everybody out there running around a little bit, touch the ball a little bit, compete a little bit and I think from that standpoint it was a very good practice."

(On the days leading up to rivalry match against Portland Timbers…) "I have a lot of respect for John [Spencer] as a coach. I know we said a lot of things back and forth but I think he is a really good coach. I thought he was a really good player and I’ve always liked him and I enjoy the banter as well. Right now we are focused on making sure that we are ready for Sunday’s game and we are going to go down there and we want to play really well."

(On the fans in Portland…) "We are definitely going to feed off their fans. It’s going to be great motivation for us. Obviously we are going to have some fans there and we know that they had to work hard to get those tickets and get into that stadium so we want to reward them. But there’s definitely, going into that environment and knowing the kind of atmosphere that it is, it’s something that helps spur us on in our effort as well."

(On Portland Timbers recent form…) "You’ve got to ask John [Spencer] that question. Obviously it’s a little bit similar to when we came into the league that first year. I think early on we got off to a great start. There was a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of adrenaline going through everyone’s veins so you got off to a really ambitious start almost. And then reality sets in, the day to day grind sets in and then things change a little bit. We stumbled a little bit and then we caught ourselves. So they are a team right now that’s going through that same process, that’s just a normal growing process."

(On Sounders FC road record…) "It’s been a good run and our mentality has always been the same, although the first year our road record wasn’t what I would’ve wanted it to be. But the way I always approach the road with this team, with every team I’ve coached in MLS is we are going to try to play the same way we play at home. We’re not going to try and change. We’re not going to go into a shell. We’re not going to sit back and only look to counter. We’re going to play our game. It’s served us well. I think the team is confident when they step on the field on the road and I think they are excited for this road game, just because of the crowd and the atmosphere that’s going to be there."

(On O’Brian White…) "This was the week that we wanted to put him into training full-out. I think Sunday is probably a little early for him still but hopefully by the time we run into Colorado he might be able to come off the bench. We will just have to see how he does this week and the beginning part of next week."

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

by Dave Clark on Jul 7, 2011 6:50 PM PDT reply actions