Sounders at Houston Dynamo - Gamethread

At 6 PM tonight a potential MLS Cup Final pairing will take the field in a sweatbox. The most popular player on the field will be for the visitors. Clint Dempsey returns to the closest MLS city he could call home as the Houston Dynamo host Seattle Sounders FC. Very quickly the match will not be about Dempsey's presence, but about the ball and 22 men.

Seattle will need to flood the right in an effective matter. This plays into Houston's feet a bit as their offense often revolves around Davis and Ashe, but the Sounders FC short passing and crossing game must come from their most creative players. There is also likely to be a couple guys in the center to use. Dempsey will get a lot of pressure when he has the ball. His shots on goal under pressure will need to create havoc or he'll need to find the open man. He's Dempsey, so that is likely to happen. There's a chance for guys like Neagle, Joseph and Zavaleta in this match to sneak far post for an open shot or two. The one that finishes those gets bumped up the depth chart.

TV: KONG 6/16 (Fletcher/Keller)
Radio: No Radio
Spanish Radio: La Gran D 99.3 FM (Aleman/Hernandez)
Spanish TV: THIS-TV on KOMO2 (Mendez/Alcaraz-Cuellar)

Referee: Baldomero Toledo - MLS Career: 159 games; FC/gm: 25.1; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 56; pens: 60
AR1 (bench): Peter Balciunas; AR2 (opposite): Kevin Klinger; 4th: Daniel Fitzgerald

Disabled List: SEA: Josh Ford, Steve Zakuani, DAL: Peter Luccin; Ugo Ihemelu

Suspended: SEA: Eddie Johnson
Suspended next yellow card: SEA: Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Djimi Traore
Suspended next two yellow cards: Zach Scott, Djimi Traore - HOU: Andrew Driver, Corey Ashe, Boniek Garcia

International Absences: None

Tactical Keys (be yourself and have fun are assumed)

• Set-Play Defense
• Flood The Right
• Far Post Success

Player Matchups

• DeAndre Yedlin v Brad Davis
• Mauro Rosales v Corey Ashe
• Clint Dempsey v the double team

How We're Watching
Scarf: Nos Audietis 2012
Kit: 2010 Electricity
Where I'm Watching: Friend's House after building a fence

Nos Audietis In Somniis | Nos Audietis In Altum

YOU WILL HEAR US

PS. If thread activity demands it we will open a new post at half.