Seattle goes for it's fifth win in a row as they take on the Dallas Burn. Wait, what? No nickname? Well that's awfully limiting for a literary genius like myself such as the children and maps. What were we talking about again?
Oh right. FC Dallas. So neither team is playing their ideal starting 11 tonight. Much like how last week Seattle fielded at fully reserve left side of the pitch, this week it's the right that seems exposed. Typically it's an automatic to pencil Alonso into the starting lineup, but as I predicted in a post last week (that's right, seer in the house!) he needed to get some time off the field this week. He has played every Sounders minute this year, and we need him at full force against Salt Lake.
Clearly the Salt Lake match has been the focal point when creating this lineup. Six players from Saturday's match against the Union are taking the starting 11, and only Meredith and Rosales will be expected to start in that game. Salt Lake, on the other hand, is starting a group similar to their best XI.
I should probably feel more urgent about this game. It's Texas, and it's Dallas, a historically strong team. Sure, they are playing a soft roster themselves (no Brek Shea is a plus) but the side has been about as good as Seattle the last few years, or so it has seemed. But for whatever reason, even with Alonso sitting, this feels like a game in which the Sounders should roll.
Look for Rosales and Johnson to link up a few times, and, Lord Fucito willing, a couple of those will go on early so Sigi can give a few minutes to Carrasco or, perhaps, Cordell Cato.
