2014 Season in Review: October

Seattle Sounders FC entered October having taken back the title that they loaned out for two years. They also entered as favorites for the Supporters' Shield and with a sure spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs for a sixth straight year. The month did not quite go as planned.

October 5th, 4-1 over Colorado Rapids

It took just 33 minutes for this match to be over. By that time Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and Marco Pappa each had a goal. It came for surges forward that were as beautiful as this game can be.

The purge of 2013's bitterness was gone. Seattle dominated as much on this fair day in October as they were crushed just over a year prior. Obafemi Martins notched a brace and the club tried to force the hattrick. That was their biggest failure on the day.

Nineteen wins with three games to go and history seemed already written.

October 10th, 1-nil loss to Whitecaps, goodbye Cascadia Cup

With the chance at the regional trophy Seattle blew it. It was only a single goal by Manneh, but the spirit of a fanbase slackened. It will be another year before the trivalry trophy is back in proper hands. Oshan referred to this as a gut punch.

The team agreed. Despite dominating play, they just could not take advantage of an inferior side that was desperatefor points and a playoff slot.

"It is what it is. We have to forget about it we have the next two games [against LA]. We lost the Cascadia Cup, but we have the playoffs coming up so we have to look forward now." - Osvaldo Alonso in quotes.

The Sound of Soccer and the capitol of Cascadia is stuck holding back the hordes both to the North and South.

The Shield would come down to LA and Seattle. It was a two-leg series without the aggregate scoring.

October 19th, 2-2 draw with LA

The first half felt horrible. It was another time falling behind to the nemesis. By the 50th minute the Sounders trailed by two goals and the LA Galaxy could be confident in stealing a trophy from Seattle. Obafemi Martins did not care for this narrative and took over the second half. Oba assisted on both the Dempsey and Lamar Neagle goals.

It was the kind of play that contributed in a such a variety of ways that the momentum for ObaMVP increased. He would not win the award, merely finishing second and making the MLS Best XI.

The Sounders returned to Seattle needing just a point to take the Shield and rid themselves of a demon called Galaxy.

October 25th, 2-0 win over Galaxy - Supporters' Shield to Seattle.

Marco Pappa took a transformation late in the year. Possibly Guatemala's best player Sigi Schmid saw him as a sub. No game confirmed that decision like the decision to bring him off the bench to win the Supporters' Shield. Without his goals the Shield is still won, but on a rather boring 0-0 draw.

Pappa gave us all excitement. His first goal was beautiful. Oba assisted, because that's what Oba does. It was playground stuff. Clint earned a secondary helper.

"Marco has his own talent. Clint, me, the other players, it's what we do in the training ground-we do it for fun in the training ground. We just bring everything to the game and we'll bring what we can prove and we did work today." - Martins in quotes.

His second goal is something that is never supposed to happen. The roving keeper is a fascinating subject. When it works it is a quirky fun session. When it fails you are Penedo.

Pappa even gave Penedo two chances to make the right decision. Oops.

Damn, it feels good to have a Double. That's what October taught us. Shields are nearly as much fun as Cups.

Photo: MikeRussellFoto

Player of Month

Marco Pappa scored the goals, but Obafemi Martins was the best player on the team during the month. He had two goals, several assists and showed that effect that a high effort forward can have in defense.

Next up: November and the MLS Cup Playoffs