Sounder At Heart: All Posts by Jeremiah Oshan

Real Salt Lake provides funny, and good, explanation of U.S. Open Cup

2013-05-26T00:30:42Z

There's no shame in explaining why the U.S. Open Cup deserves to be important to MLS fans.

Chicago Fire refused to roll over in Robbie Rogers trade and MLS is better for it

2013-05-25T17:06:21Z

Ever since it became known that Robbie Rogers wanted to return to playing, and that his extremely strong preference was to do it with the LA Galaxy, there was an underlying assumption that MLS would eventually make it happen. Although there was some level of precedent set in cases similar to this -- United States national team players wanting to only play for their hometown teams -- Rogers' potential status as a gay-trail blazer made it unique.

At one point, I actually said this was a situation that was going to be a rather significant test for MLS: They couldn't waste this PR opportunity but also couldn't appear as if the Galaxy were being given special treatment.

With news all but official that the Galaxy have agreed to send leading scorer Mike Magee to the Chicago Fire in exchange for the rights to Rogers, it would appear MLS managed to strike a near perfect balance. If anything, it would appear that the Galaxy will be giving up more than fair-market value in this deal.

The ultimate winners and losers of this trade will probably not be determined for months or even years, but in the short term no one can argue that the Galaxy got off easy in this thing. On a team that has become known for its superstars, Magee was the one who became a fan favorite. Magee came to the Galaxy in 2009 and promptly made a name for himself by scoring big goals in big games and even pitching a shutout as an emergency goalkeeper against the rival San Jose Earthquakes.

On a team that includes Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan, Magee was the Galaxy's third leading scorer with 16 regular-season goals and their top playoff scorer with six goals since 2011. He was a such an important part of the Galaxy's run to back-to-back MLS Cup titles that it's hard to imagine they would have been able to win either one of their titles without his contributions. This year, he had already scored six goals and was one away from tying his career-high.

Suffice it to say, the Galaxy would have preferred not to give up Magee to acquire a player who has only made six competitive appearances since the end of the 2011 season.

But the Fire knew they had a commodity and, to their credit, weren't willing to simply roll over for the benefit of some immediate PR. In the long term, the league comes off looking much better now than if the Fire had settled for some draft picks and allocation money.

This is the kind of deal we'd expect to be made in any other North American league, given Rogers' on-field credentials. That has to be seen as a positive step forward, especially in a league where credibility is often in short supply.

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Seattle Reign activate Hope Solo from injured list ahead of match against Portland Thorns

2013-05-25T00:24:14Z

Just in time for arguably their biggest match of the season, the Seattle Reign have activated goalkeeper Hope Solo from the injury list. She will be eligible for selection in Saturday's match against the Portland Thorns.

"We are pleased with Hope's recovery. Her experience, knowledge and ability have given the players a much-needed boost," Reign FC Head Coach Laura Harvey said in a team release. "We are mindful of Hope's continued road to full match fitness, but we are happy to be getting her in and around the team and on the field again."

If Solo plays, it will be the first minutes the Reign have received from any of the three United States national team players they were allocated at the start of the year. Megan Rapinoe has just finished her season with Lyon in France and Amy Rodriguez is out for the year while she prepares to give birth to her first child.

The Reign are also missing defenders Kate Deines and Elli Reed, who are both out with sprained right ankles. Another defender, Jenny Ruiz, will miss the game while serving a suspension from a red card she picked up in their last game.

The Thorns, meanwhile, are led by the strike duo of Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair. They have combined for seven goals in seven games.

Earthquakes give fans 3D view of new stadium

2013-05-25T00:01:42Z

Ever since plans for the San Jose Earthquakes' new stadium were released, the most common complaint was that it was just too simple. It lacked the bells and whistles of other stadiums and just didn't compare favorably with the other recently built MLS facilities.

While the release of 3D renderings of that stadium probably won't change anyone's mind, they at least give a much better picture of how the stadium will actually feel. In a word: intimate.

Perhaps more than any other stadium in MLS, the crowd will almost literally be on top of the field. I obviously don't know this for sure, but the angle on the seats seems to be much steeper than anywhere else and the they are as physically close to the action as anywhere.

One of the cooler features, at least to me, is that the supporters' section appears to be a real terrace built under the assumption that people will be standing as opposed to seating. This is a feature that will surely enhance the atmosphere.

There are definitely some downers, as well. The open-ended horseshoe does have a decidedly minor-league feel to it, although it was probably done in an attempt to save money and allow for future expansion. Still, that's a pretty small gripe, especially when comparing it to where they currently play.

No, the Earthquakes stadium may not be the cutest girl at the dance, but she could prove to be the best company.

Suddenly near full health, Sounders have tough choices ahead

2013-05-24T23:03:02Z

Osvaldo Alonso will likely miss Sunday's game against the LA Galaxy. In his place will likely be a starting duo of Shalrie Joseph and Servando Carrasco. As recently as few weeks ago, that would have been cause "sky is falling" level of alarm.

Instead, I'm actually reasonably confident. Sure, Joseph is not as mobile as he once was and Carrasco is obviously not on Alonso's level, but together they make a pretty good team. Joseph's passing is probably as good as any midfielder the Sounders have ever had. Carrasco is a hard tackler, a hard worker and is at least competent moving the ball around.

If, for some reason, Mauro Rosales can't start, I'm totally comfortable with Mario Martinez and Brad Evans being the wide midfielders again. Martinez has vastly improved even over the past few weeks and Evans has played so well as a wide midfielder, I'm not sure his starting spot is in question even if there's a fully complement of players.

The biggest question mark at this point is what does Sigi do with Lamar Neagle. In the past two games, he's scored three goals and he's been the Sounders' most consistently dangerous player throughout the six-game unbeaten streak. As crazy as it sounds, he may actually be on the bench at least for one game.

This upcoming trio of games -- at Galaxy, at Tampa Bay and at Chivas USA -- will really test Sigi's ability to juggle lineups. As we've talked about previously, Evans and Eddie Johnson will be gone after the Galaxy game. Sigi recently revealed that Mario Martinez would, in fact, be sticking round through the Chivas game, which makes things a little easier. It's also looking as though Osvaldo Alonso could be back in time for the Chivas game, if not sooner.

Which brings me to the question I spent all this time ramping up to: Who do you want to see start these next three games?

U.S. Open Cup: Sounders will visit Tampa Bay Rowdies in third round

2013-05-22T02:10:13Z

The Seattle Sounders' road to a fifth straight U.S. Open final will start out in the longest way possible. The Tampa Bay Rowdies beat VSI Tampa Bay 2-1 on Tuesday in the second round, meaning the Sounders will be forced to make a cross-country flight following their match against the LA Galaxy on Sunday.

Further complicating matters is that the first cross-country flight will take place over Memorial Day weekend, and Sounders coach Sigi Schmid suggested they have so far been unable to find direct flights to accomodate the entire team. He even joked that some would have to take the bus. The Sounders then need to be back in LA for a match against Chivas USA on June 1 and a reserve game the next day.

The assumption would be that some of the Sounders would spend the entire week in Southern California, with a team of mostly reserves going to Florida for the Open Cup game.

Injuries, international call-ups could slow Sounders' momentum

2013-05-22T01:07:34Z

The Seattle Sounders will be at least a little short-handed when they face another big test on Sunday against the LA Galaxy. Osvaldo Alonso has essentially been ruled out and Steve Zakuani does not appear to be ready to return this week, either. On a more positive note, Leo Gonzalez seems to have recovered and Mauro Rosales was able to participate as a neutral in Tuesday's practice.

The most glaring concern is obviously Alonso, who suffered what the team is calling an adductor strain and came out of the match around the 30th minute.

"It's something that we don't know exactly how long it will take," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told reporters following Tuesday's training session. "It's an injury that he's had before. He feels it isn't as bad as when he had it once before, so he was able to work out inside. He was already on the bike today, so we'll see.

"This weekend, probably not very likely (that he's available). There's a chance against Chivas, and then we have to go day by day as we get through and move forward this week. The MRI showed there's no extreme pull or strain, but it is what we thought it was."

Missing Alonso for one game is obviously bad enough, but the situation could get much dicier if he's out much longer than that. After the Galaxy match, the Sounders will lose Eddie Johnson and Brad Evans to national team duty. They could also lose Mario Martinez, although it might not be until after the Chivas USA match on June 1. The latest indications are that Obafemi Martins will not be called up for Nigeria's upcoming qualifiers.

The Sounders then have one more league match on June 8 before taking a break until June 22.

At that point, they could feasibly lose DeAndre Yedlin who is still expected to get called up for the U-20 World Cup that starts on June 21. If he's called up, Yedlin could miss as many as four Sounders matches.

"Right after Toulon, they go into their camp in Portugal, and then they go straight to the youth world championships," Schmid said about the U20 team. "I think DeAndre's chances -- I don't know if he's on the final team or not -- are certainly there to be selected for the final team."

The final complicating factor is the CONCACAF Gold Cup. That tournament runs from July 7-28. It's still unclear whether or not Honduras will call in their "A" team, but Martinez is definitely a possibility there. US head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has said he won't call in players to both the qualifiers and the Gold Cup, which seems to suggest Evans and Johnson are in the clear. The Sounders play four matches between July 6-28.

Brad Evans added to United States national team roster

2013-05-21T18:07:11Z

Brad Evans has been added to the United States national team roster ahead of a rather busy stretch of games that will include two friendlies and three World Cup qualifiers, including one at CenturyLink Field. He will join the team shortly after the Seattle Sounders play the LA Galaxy on Sunday and could remain with them until the June 18 qualifier against Honduras.

Although Evans has seven national team caps and was called up as recently as earlier this year, this is a bit of a milestone for him. Until now, all of his call-ups were for friendlies, the Gold Cup or when the full team was otherwise not being called in. This would seem to be an indication that Evans is at least in the running to earn a spot in Brazil, assuming the US qualifies.

While Evans might not be the sexiest pick, it does make sense. Whatever Evans lacks in offensive acumen, he makes up for with his versatility and ability to read the game. Both are qualities that Jurgen Klinsmann obviously appreciates.

This is also an indicator that Evans is in the midst of what is probably his best season. Not only is he moving all over the midfield, but he's showing a creative side that hasn't always been there. His two-assist performance against FC Dallas was his first multi-assist game of his career and he now appears to be coming into his own as a indispensable part of the offense.