Babayele Sodade Sounders Second Round Draft Pick

by Dave Clark on Jan 12, 2012 12:08 PM PST in Sounders: Draft

In the second round of the MLS SuperDraft the Seattle Sounders went for an athletic goal scoring forward in UAB's Babayele Sodade. Standing 6'3 and 195 Sodade's test for the vertical at the Combine went higher than they were prepared to measure. A dual citizen of the USA and Canada he trained with the Canadian Olympic team in 2010 and is competing for a roster spot while they attempt to qualify for London 2012. The four year senior netted 29 goals and assisted on 11 others.

Another C+ rated player by Maureci, Sodade and Duran both were in his top 26. An athletic large forward with a background in Ontario, Canada he is quickly similar to O'Brian White.

For Seattle he comes into compete with a shallow forward corp and offers another mix to the tactical plans that Sigi Schmid can make. In what comes as little surprise his twitter account follow numbers are exploding.

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Comments

GREAT pick.

A steal at pick 34.

by nicktjacob on Jan 12, 2012 12:12 PM PST reply actions

I'm more excited about our 2nd round pick than our 1st

I think the Sounders should trade out any first round picks from here on out unless it’s a top five pick.

by Dizzo on Jan 12, 2012 12:14 PM PST reply actions

Looking at the picks separately doesn't do the FO justice

Duran isn’t a sexy pick but Ives Galaracep said he may end up being the cream of the crop on defense among this year’s defenders not named Wenger. He had a good combine and showed that he can play RB. He may have been a reach at 15 but he wasn’t going to be available at 34. Ultimately the FO got two solid picks with American citizenship that fill the two biggest developmental holes on the team and didn’t cost the team anything. For me that is an amazing feat considering where the Sounders were picking and the lack of defensive depth in this draft.

by Abbott Smith on Jan 12, 2012 12:38 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Fair enough assessment

I just feel like they can get value by trading out of the first round into the second. Every year they have what seems like a very different and unique draft list leaving many of the players they want still on the board in the 2nd round.

by Dizzo on Jan 12, 2012 1:47 PM PST up reply actions

After the first 10 picks...

Typically there is very little difference between low first round and second round picks in MLS. You are correct that many years the depth of the Sounders scouting enables them to leverage a late first first round pick into a value added second round pick. This year I think it enabled them to shuffle their picks and still get their targets.

by Abbott Smith on Jan 12, 2012 1:59 PM PST up reply actions

Huh

Ives knows something about soccer?

by gkleiban on Jan 12, 2012 3:03 PM PST up reply actions

He's got a website and everything!

Go banana!

by Disco_Stew on Jan 12, 2012 3:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Watch a little video of this guy

and just try NOT to get excited about having him on the team. He’s raw, yes, but holy crap, what a physical talent.

by Kingdomer on Jan 12, 2012 12:15 PM PST reply actions

a Physical

forward is something Seattle needs up there imo.

by gstommylee on Jan 12, 2012 12:21 PM PST up reply actions

100% agree

by Kingdomer on Jan 12, 2012 12:31 PM PST up reply actions

Would you not

put Ochoa in the category of ‘physical’ forward? I thought that was one of his major appeals.

by expatB on Jan 12, 2012 1:09 PM PST up reply actions

he was large

but not as physical as Fucito

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by Dave Clark on Jan 12, 2012 1:16 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Fucito is physical in a fairly unique way

(my estimates)
He’s in the 10% in the league for speed.
He’s also in the top 10% in the league for useful strength.
He’s also fairly short and not great in the air.

Ochoa is taller and much better in the air (he had some great headers in limited time)
He also seemed to have good stamina and defensive pressure (as does Fucito)
He doesn’t have much top end speed

OBW is tall and as fast as Fucito
He’s not as good in the air as Ochoa (from what I saw of both)
He doesn’t provide much defensive pressure compared to Ochoa/Fucito

I have no idea how Sodade will fit into this rotation/depth, but am interested to find out.

by CMC_Stags on Jan 12, 2012 1:37 PM PST up reply actions

Ochoa

What I thought I noticed from Ochoa wasn’t that he was necessarily good in the air, but as a TF he was able to box out the defender and win the ball without even needing to jump.

Fucito never even bothered to go for balls in the air. He and Montero are clearly best paired with a TF.

by BDobbs on Jan 12, 2012 2:45 PM PST up reply actions

I'll run the numbers again, but IIRC Fucito won more headers in the Playoffs

than Ochoa did. And I should add in all of the final matches.

Ochoa showed little ability to get physical and was dominated by Olave.

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by Dave Clark on Jan 12, 2012 3:06 PM PST up reply actions

I don't know many forwards that can out-physical Olave

I still think that not starting Fucito in the game at Rio Tinto was a tactical error as Fucito at least could out-quick him (and I had more faith in Fucito’s endurance at altitude and it’s effect on Olave for the return leg).

My memories are of the headers on or close to on goal that Ochoa had late in the season that I remember thinking that Fucito, Jaqua, etc. would not have been able to do.

by CMC_Stags on Jan 12, 2012 3:22 PM PST up reply actions

Though that was a small sample and I may be too easily forgiving his other shortcomings

by CMC_Stags on Jan 12, 2012 3:23 PM PST up reply actions

Fucito out physicalled Olave

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by Dave Clark on Jan 12, 2012 4:13 PM PST up reply actions

don't run the numbers dave...

You’re too good to look at a two-game sample size and make any definitive statement.

Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.

by Jeremiah Oshan on Jan 12, 2012 3:40 PM PST up reply actions

I'd run their full seasons

Ochoa didn’t win many headers in my memory (of all games, even Reserves). Fucito won more than expected, by even me.

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by Dave Clark on Jan 12, 2012 4:14 PM PST up reply actions

Question: Is "winning headers" winning balls in the air and headed shots both?

Follow up: Is there data available that shows shots, shots on goal, and goals as broken down by taken with the head versus foot?

by CMC_Stags on Jan 12, 2012 4:40 PM PST up reply actions

answers

yes
yes

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by Dave Clark on Jan 12, 2012 7:13 PM PST up reply actions

Where do you get said data?

by CMC_Stags on Jan 13, 2012 11:14 AM PST up reply actions

Well, i got it from the chalkboards

but they pulled last year’s chalkboards from MLSSoccer.com

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by Dave Clark on Jan 13, 2012 3:48 PM PST up reply actions

I should note

I’m a huge Fucito fan, I was just referencing from memory balls from Keller that Fucito and Montero generally weren’t winning in the air and spent more time playing the body of the defender instead… sometimes leading to a foul.

Other than that, I think given playing time, Fucito could potentially be as good as Montero is in most aspects of his game.

by BDobbs on Jan 12, 2012 9:37 PM PST up reply actions

OBW had a couple of amazing goals in the air.

Better than Ochoa. Small sample size thoug.

by SoundersForever on Jan 12, 2012 2:58 PM PST up reply actions

Sadode will sit on the bench ...

… and (hopefully) play some Reserve Games

Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about new players, and hope both our picks prematurely blossom….but it’s a fool’s errand to think they will have much of a role this year. Many Round 2 players get cut….so I hope he just perfoms well enough to make the team and get time with Reserves and has a chance to grow with the team….if we’re lucky this year, he gets on a few 18’s and comes in during the last 15 minutes when we’re down and trying to get the late equalizer (it’s be nice to have his height when we’re banging balls into the box (oh dear, can I say that?)).

by InternetCharlie on Jan 12, 2012 3:42 PM PST up reply actions

Well

here’s the thing White is still recovering from the blood clot. Cause of that i see Sadode (assuming he makes the team) have role has back up to Ochoa but thats just my opinion.

Unless seattle has another striker coming thats better than Sadode i don’t see why (based on my first impression) Sadode wouldn’t make the team.

by gstommylee on Jan 12, 2012 8:30 PM PST up reply actions

Sigi compared him to CJ Sapong.

Who i was hoping Seatlle would somehow trade for so perfect!

"The fans are excited. And the stadium, well, it ignites with explosion."

by DarthGreedo on Jan 12, 2012 12:36 PM PST reply actions

A few things that struck me

in watching some of his highlights from UAB:

1. He scored a lot of his goals from some crazy angles.
2. For a bigger guy, he seems to be really good with his feet. He set up a lot of his scoring opportunities by beating defenders one on one with his dribbling ability.
3. He seems to like to put a lot of pressure on the central defenders. A few of his goals came from stealing the ball away from a CB on poorly weighted back passes.

by Randy Meeker on Jan 12, 2012 12:41 PM PST reply actions

Absolutely LOVE this pick.

As a matter of fact, I think this was a very solid draft for us. May not have been high profile sexy GA picks everyone wanted, but Sounders get an A from me. Both of these guys are on the roster come march.

...

by SoundersRiot on Jan 12, 2012 12:45 PM PST reply actions

lost count

how many does this make on the roster?

by jmitchell on Jan 12, 2012 12:54 PM PST reply actions

27 signed players.

Neither draft pick is on the roster yet. So, these two, Ngassa, and Cado are in the mix for our last three roster spots. We could “Neagle” one of draft picks for this year.

by @Thomas513 on Jan 12, 2012 12:57 PM PST up reply actions

hmm

we may have roster space for all 4 depends on if anyone starts on the IL.

Dave, any possibility that Zak or OBW start the season on the IL?

by gstommylee on Jan 12, 2012 1:07 PM PST up reply actions

Yes there's a chance

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by Dave Clark on Jan 12, 2012 1:17 PM PST up reply actions

I could see both starting the season on the Short Term Injury List

Which would still allow them to be available for CCL matches but they would have to sit out at least the first 6 MLS matches (which neither may be fit for anyway).

From the rules:

(L) SHORT-TERM INJURY REPLACEMENTS
A team with a player who has a short-term injury can replace that player on its roster, while remaining responsible for the full amount of the injured player’s salary. A player can be placed on the short-term injured reserve list once another player has been signed as a replacement (provided the team has budget space). Note that the injured player will have to sit out a minimum of six MLS League matches before he can rejoin the team’s roster. International player limits still apply at the time a short-term replacement is made (with the player being replaced not counting against those limits).

My larger question is at what point do the Sounders waive OBW if they don’t think he will recover from his clotting problems? Last season his salary was significant (over $100k) and I can’t see them keeping him at that price if there are still health concerns.

by CMC_Stags on Jan 12, 2012 1:46 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

I think we'll see some other invitees as well

I’m going to guess we some familiar names back to compete for spots such as Cruz, Knight, etc… Roster competition will be fierce for these new draftees.

by Dizzo on Jan 12, 2012 1:51 PM PST up reply actions

Probably

but i do hope Sodade makes the squad especially with the uknowns of when or if OBW returns.

by gstommylee on Jan 12, 2012 1:54 PM PST up reply actions

Could also displace a player like Sanyang

The draftees will be competing for both open spots and with bubble players. Both of today’s picks have a couple advantages. They both have US citizenship and both provide roster depth where the Sounders are thin. They will need to earn a spot, but they have a solid shot of doing that.

by Abbott Smith on Jan 12, 2012 2:33 PM PST up reply actions

Sodade

has more of an advantage cause questions on when/if White gets back to where he can play.

by gstommylee on Jan 12, 2012 2:37 PM PST up reply actions

Duran

If Duran demonstrates he can play RB, he could split 2nd team duties there with Scott, freeing Sivebaek to challenge for his preferred position at RMF. Duran is also a CB.

by Abbott Smith on Jan 12, 2012 3:41 PM PST up reply actions

Given that he shoots a lot...

…consistency will likely be an issue. But judging from the video, he’s athletic, has a terrific first touch and knows how to dribble in traffic. All good things to see from a guy at his size (esp. the first touch).

by Samuelson on Jan 12, 2012 12:58 PM PST reply actions

Really like the pick

Depth at a position of need. Big, fast and athletic. What’s not to like for a 2nd round pick?

by Miki Turner on Jan 12, 2012 12:59 PM PST reply actions

So stoked about this pick!

Can’t wait to see what this guy can do in the air on crosses from Mauro and crew!

Also, did anyone else notice that at the combine they were using a basketball style vertical jump measurement. Try to hand the ball as high as possible? A guy with longer arms might not necessarily be able to get his head on a ball before another guy who tested lower at the combine.

Either way this new kid looks like he has the beef where a lot of defenders are just going to get out of his way!

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by seattle dude on Jan 12, 2012 2:22 PM PST reply actions

They normalize for arm length

Long or short arms is irrelvant for vertical testing. You first reach as high as you can, and they set the bottom of the sticks at that level. The only way to game the vertical jump is to have ‘alligator arms’ when you set the sticks.

It’s true that vertical jump may not translate into getting more headers…a short player with big vertical (Nate Robinson), could be out-headed by a tall person with little vertical (Manute Bol – RIP). Being tall with big vertical is the best!

by InternetCharlie on Jan 12, 2012 3:49 PM PST up reply actions