Seattle Sounders FC’s offense fired on all cylinders on Saturday, finally fulfilling the promise that a roster with its ability gives every time it steps on the field. Hometown hero Lamar Neagle ran the show, scoring two goals.
The Sounders' ability to win second balls were key to each of their last two goals.
Skill decides games. But so does luck. And in a season as short as the MLS season, the luck part could be the difference between making the playoffs and losing your job.
After a week off, it was much of the same for Sounders FC offensively in its 2-2 tie with the Philadelphia Union. The style of play from early in the season is starting to become a pattern — at least with Osvaldo Alonso and Shalrie Joseph out.
Sounder at Heart is nothing without its community. Every now and then, we will give you the opportunity to ask SaH tactician Liviu Bird anything you would like to know about Sounders FC and soccer tactics. This is the first of many installments.
Sigi Schmid started his seventh forward combination in the nine competitive matches of 2013. Those men have combined to score only two goals. Is this really a problem of depth or just misfortune?
Osvaldo Alonso doesn’t get enough credit. With his new central partner, Shalrie Joseph, Alonso has been freed up to have even more of a major role for the Sounders, on both sides of the ball — and both players deserve credit for that.
Recent defensive changes may be forced by game circumstances or be a lasting sign of strategic differences. Regardless they were more complex than just having attacking players pressuring higher on the pitch.
Seattle's attack is significantly broken. It is generating chances, but not generating goals. Much of this is due to injury. Until Martins and EJ play a few games together they need a new way forward. They need a new forward.
It may not seem that way, but looking at the average position maps suggests Sigi Schmid's tactics are more flexible than you might think.
There's going to be a lot of time spent on how that 4-2-3-1 played, because it was different. What was different about it was not that it was used. Sigi Schmid has used that general shape before...
Having not won a match in league play, the Sounders shook up their lineup in a 1-0 Champions League loss to Santos Laguna. Sigi Schmid’s new-look team may not have won, but it took a step forward in what has been an otherwise dark time.
Early in the season the Seattle Sounders were generally an aggressive side. They would score first in their draw. The two losses prior to Saturday's were on counters. Against Real Salt Lake, they lost the initiative, both statistically and mentally.
The Sounders barely missed out on a result last week in San Jose, but Real Salt Lake exploited the team’s weaknesses much more thoroughly. Despite pulling a goal back in the second half, Seattle never really threatened to make RSL’s lead disappear.
There is a creative hole where Fredy Montero spent so much of his time. The ideal XI does not look to have a creative central midfielder in that space. How can Sigi fill it?
At some point this week the Crunchy Power Rankings will be out, but like last week let's just bet that they show Seattle is not one of the worst teams in the league.
Seattle Sounders FC is off to its (tied for) worse start in its young MLS existence. There are some worries, but none of them should be related to the results from three matches.
Over the past two years eleven players that qualified for acquisition through Allocation Ranking. Most are names familiar to any soccer fan in the USA. With the third spot in the ranking who could Seattle grab in 2013?
The Portland Timbers stole a point late from Seattle Sounders FC, tying 1-1 on Saturday. It was a fair result given the play, which Sounders FC saw the better of early, and Portland did the same later on.
Allowing one goal is hardly a disaster, but the Sounders must come up with a better gameplan and have much better execution if they are to make history on Tuesday.
With the Obafemi Martins deal continuing in stalemate is it time to pursue Plan B? What direction should Plan B take? Is it really Plan B?
As of now, and it is a very fluid now, Seattle Sounders FC has roster space open to add players. They may not have much cap space but at the tail end of the roster that isn't important.
Through polling Sounder at Heart writers and a blogger from Seattle's biggest rivals all see the club in the MLS Cup Playoffs again.
The losses of Parke and Montero will hurt the club's top end strength, but deft drafting and trading have it stronger than ever in the midfield.
A fully fit Steve Zakuani, an improving Eddie Johnson and a full season of Mario Martinez could easily more than make up for the goals Fredy Montero would have provided.
The writing seems to be on the wall that a tactical shift is coming, but who slots in where is still an open question.
