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First of Many Trophies
Graham explains why Chelsea doesn't do the traditional 4-4-2 and instead uses a three central midfield system.
With the Sounders hedging between 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1, they drift between the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Looking back on Wednesday's historic victory
by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 2, 2010 4:54 PM PDT
in US Open Cup
2 comments
Standing in the east end of Starfire, in the area that was apparently deemed the beer garden, I finally felt like I had my first "I was there when" moment.
I've attended probably eight games this season, checking out matches from vantage points all over the stadium -- from the southeast corner flag to the Brougham End to the press box. I have seen the Sounders play international opponents, lose to a last-place team and beat the team led by their former Designated Player. But I feel like Wednesday's victory over Chivas USA could be the first one I've attended that will go down in history.
While the win over the Fire was certainly awesome, at the end of the day it was just another MLS victory. The win in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup has the potential to really mean something.
In the short term, it gives the Sounders a chance to become the first MLS team to ever repeat as champions of the country's longest-running soccer tournament.
From a historical perspective, I think this game will live on for reasons that go beyond that.
For one, this could very well be the last truly significant match to ever be played at tiny Starfire Stadium. Less than 5,000 people were in attendance, but the Sounders probably could have sold at least three times that if the game was at Qwest and properly marketed. Supposedly, the presale for the final is going very well. Combined with what appears to be more of an open mind to the #trophiesnotfriendlies movement, I imagine that we'll see matches like these moved to the big stadium in the future.
For another, this game represented a major moment for fans of the old USL team. Not only did Taylor Graham start and play a magnificent match at centerback, but former USL Sounders teammate Roger Levesque registered an assist on the final goal. Zach Scott, another USL holdover, was on the 18-man roster.
"It's great," Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer said of seeing players he originally signed for the USL team contribute in such a significant way to this team. "I'm mostly happy for them. They toiled at Qwest and Stafire in front of (much smaller crowds), three games in four nights, crappy hotels, no team meals, like the whole minor-league deal. Now for them to be a part of this big organization and hopefully to be treated the way they want to be treated, I'm just happy for them."
2 comments | 3 recs |
Quick Review: Sounders advance to US Open Cup Final after Beating Chivas USA 3-1
by Dave Clark on Sep 1, 2010 11:30 PM PDT
in US Open Cup
29 comments
The Rave Green of Seattle couldn't have played this match any better. There was great ball movement on both wings, but the exceptional skills of Steve Zakuani really proved the difference. His ball work on the left was instrumental in creating goals. Each of the first two of the match were due to Zakuani's superb play.
Nate Jaqua scored the first and third goal of the match. The third was off of a Roger Levesque feed.
Fredy Montero was so lazy that he scored while laying down today. He laid himself out to reach the Zakuani pass and slotted it past Zach Thornton.
One of the surprises this evening was in the first half when Justin Braun had two opportunities to go one-on-one with Keller and on both occasions instead passed the ball. He just didn't have the scoring mentality this evening. The other, and even more pleasant surprise, was that Taylor Graham and Tyrone Marshall both looked very solid in defense. They were ball winners in the air, at their feet and even laying themselves on the ground on occasion.
In all this was one of the more complete games the Sounders have played. They did it with a mostly best XI against a mostly best XI for Chivas USA.
The victory advances Seattle to the US Open Cup Final for a second year in a row, after four straight appearances in the semi-final.
Much praise must also be said to the Chivas USA supporters who rode 18 hours in a van for a US Open Cup semi-final on a weeknight. Their support was solid, and their camaraderie post-game was great.
Stats and quotes after the jump
Gamethread: Seattle Sounders Hosting Chivas USA in US Open Cup SemiFinal
by Dave Clark on Sep 1, 2010 5:30 PM PDT
in US Open Cup
452 comments
Quick Reference Card with Lineup as Guessed By You | Fortress Starfire | Justin Braun (from DSF)
Remember when Seattle wins this match the Sounders will host the US Open Cup Final at Qwest Field.
Chivas USA has some issues with the number of international players in their regular lineup, and so the USSF rule for the Open Cup about only having 5 "internationals" probably limits them from starting a truly strong squad. It is also Chivas USA a team that has had a pretty bad year. But, they've made the Semi Final and have a solid keeper (one who haunts Seattle) and so they have a chance.
What can Seattle do to win?
1 - Use Wing Speed to Create Width - Yes, I know Starfire is narrow and plays narrower, but width is really about space. One way to create space is to use fast wing players to make those deep runs and stretch the defense. Whether or not they have the ball this still pulls a defender away from what can become a very crowded center.
2 - Stop Justin Braun - To quote the DSF story linked above about him "Think Brian Ching, only younger, bigger, faster and packing more athleticism." That's a pretty good player. I'd stop him probably by just marking him with one of the bulky centerbacks. Tyrone Marshall would be my favorite in that role. Aggressive, with a reputation for fouling, Marshall's veteran wiles could slow Braun down, and then the lack of space means help is always near.
3 - Score a Goal - Yeah, I know. But Zach Thornton has Seattle's number to this point, so its time for something different. Lateral ball movement should help. But this is a monkey, a mountain of a monkey, on Seattle's back. They need an early goal in order to not be thinking late "we'll never get one."
4 - Play Mike Fucito - Because seriously, he's already got a stoppage time winner, and if Stephen King is going to go down in Sounders lore, why can't "the Harvard kid?" Mike's low center of gravity, thick frame, pace and proven scoring ability scream for a game at Starfire.
There is no TV
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Streaming at www.SoundersFC.com with Arlo White on the call
This is your Gamethread
Match Day Quick Reference Card: Sounders vs. Chivas USA
by Jeremiah Oshan on Sep 1, 2010 2:24 PM PDT
in US Open Cup
20 comments
Projecting lineups for any U.S. Open Cup game is difficult. Once it gets to this stage, that may be even more true. I'm not sure it's safe to really assume anything.
What we decided to do was go with the group on this one, at least for the Sounders lineup.
The overwhelming picks were Kasey Keller, Steve Zakuani, Nate Jaqua, Tyrone Marshall and Leo Gonzalez. Fredy Montero, Nathan Sturgis and James Riley also received relatively clear decisions. Where it got more contentious was at the second CM position, right wing and the second CB.
Jeff Parke narrowly beat out Taylor Graham; Miguel Montano got the nod over Mike Fucito; and Osvaldo Alonso is inserted via veteran tiebreaker over Mike Seamon.
Chivas USA uses a lot of internationals, so they're lineup is really guesswork since their normal rotation has eight and they can only use five in this match. It looks like they'll barely have enough U.S. players to field an 18-man team, and that will include several very young players with almost no experience.
Here's the printable version: Sounders vs. Chivas, USOC semis
Tiered Power Rankings and MLS Awards Tracking
by Dave Clark on Sep 1, 2010 8:06 AM PDT
13 comments
SBNation's weekly MLS Power Rankings are out again with only two major changes, both to California teams. This week also sees the launch of the Monthly Awards tracking.
In the Awards tracking two Sounders appear, one as the leading MVP candidate. And a former Sounder shows up as the leader for the Comeback Player of the Year.
Inside the Starfire Fortress
by Jeremiah Oshan on Aug 31, 2010 5:01 PM PDT
in US Open Cup
1 comment
Stephen King played in a grand total of 15 competitive matches during his slightly more than one season with the Sounders. His official MLS record shows less than 500 minutes spent on the pitch in Rave Green.
Yet, many Sounders fans have a special place in their heart for a player who never even made the 18-man roster during the first six matches of this season.
The reason is relatively simple.
King's goal in the fourth minute of overtime during last season's U.S. Open Cup semifinal against the Houston Dynamo sent the Sounders to their first Open Cup championship match -- after the USL team had fallen in the semis each of the previous two seasons -- and allowed the Sounders to win a trophy during their first season in MLS.
It was also the biggest highlight in a match full of them. From the collision that caused Nate Jaqua to play most of the match with a bandage wrapped around his head (and begat the Twitter personality @ZombieJaqua) to the equalizing goal Jaqua scored in the 89th minute to King's eventual game-winner and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado's overtime ejection, the match is considered by many who were there to be the most exciting ever played in the Sounders' still young MLS history.
That it was also played at tiny Starfire Sports Complex hardly seems to be a coincidence.
1 comment | 2 recs |
Fredy Montero: Putting the 'Artist' Back in 'Trequartista'
by Graham on Aug 31, 2010 3:27 PM PDT
in Major League Soccer
13 comments
I was inspired to write on Montero by Kirsten's post on Seattle regional. Thankfully, we can go into a little more depth on tactics and formations here, so I can build off what she's already written.
It's funny how fast things can change. Barely four months ago, Sounders fans were calling for Fredy Montero's head, and now we're all writing him love notes. So what's changed? It certainly appears that he's playing with more passion, more fire, but those are weak explanations used to deflect questions rather than attempt to answer them. Montero is probably a little fitter, yes, but hard work and improved stamina alone do not explain the amazing transformation we've seen from the 23 year-old Colombian, who has metamorphosed into a leading league MVP candidate despite spending the entire first half doing more or less nothing.
July 11th was the turnaround point for the team's season. In the three games prior to the 1-1 draw against FC Dallas, the Seattle Sounders had managed to lose to DC United at home and then to the Philadelphia Union and Los Angeles Galaxy away. Since, they have secured seventeen out of twenty-one possible points in MLS play, and they did it while playing beautiful, fluid football. Montero was at the centre of it all.
What else happened on July 11th? A certain highly-paid player who had featured prominently for Seattle was dropped from the lineup - for good. In his absence, Montero has taken on the role of creative attacker along with his habit of poaching goals, inserting himself into the very middle of all the Sounders' best moves. It's hard to dispute the evidence here; no sooner was the other player off the field than Fredy was on fire.
13 comments | 8 recs |
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