Three big storylines

1. Somehow it is already Week 10 in MLS, meaning most teams have played 10 games. And by most, I mean 9 of the 24 teams as MLS still has a bit of an unbalanced schedule with three teams having only played seven league matches coming into Week 10. The LA Galaxy are actually leading MLS on a points per game basis, clocking in with a 7-1-1 record for a very impressive 2.44 PPG pace. All four teams averaging what is typically an MLS Supporters’ Shield pace of 2.0 PPG are in the Western Conference and the five best teams by PPG are all in the West. The Colorado Rapids are doing their best to check that conference imbalance with a paltry two points from their initial 10 matches played and look nailed on to the bottom of the table for 2019.
2. Speaking of the Colorado Rapids, they fired their manager Anthony Hudson after only nine games in charge this season. Conor Casey has taken over as interim manager and promptly lost his first game in charge. The Rapids hosted Friday Night MLS this week as they welcomed the Vancouver Whitecaps to town for Casey’s debut. The Rapids really could not have asked for a better opponent to get their first win of the season, utilizing the typically overpowered new manager bump as the Whitecaps have their own off field struggles looming over everything they seem to be doing right now and came into the game with a 1-5-3 record for six points from nine played. However, it was the former Sounders show in Colorado as Fredy Montero had a hand in all three first half goals. Montero scored a goal, provided an assist and a foul for a penalty kick in the first half that ended 1-2. The Rapids showed some resilience in their new manager’s debut, tying it up 2-2 on Kei Kamara’s second penalty kick of the night before another former Sounder, Andy Rose, broke the deadlock with an 87th minute goal to send the reported 10,795 fans home disappointed.
3. ESPN has the rare early Saturday broadcast this week as they will show the New York Red Bulls hosting the LA Galaxy at 11 AM. The Supporters’ Shield leading Galaxy will be looking for their ninth win all time at the Red Bulls franchise, as the series is Red Bulls/MetroStars 12 wins, Galaxy 8 wins and three draws. Despite some controversy over a post match locker room invasion last week at Real Salt Lake, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his second best in MLS eight goals on the season will start the match. On the opposite side, Kaku is still suspended for kicking a ball into a fan.

From a Sounders point of view

After their first trip to Minnesota United’s Allianz Field this weekend, the Sounders will have a full week of rest and recovery from injuries to prepare for their upcoming three games in eight days starting next weekend. The Sounders host the Houston Dynamo on Saturday and Orlando City SC on Wednesday followed by a cross country trip to Philadelphia the following Saturday.

National TV listings

New York Red Bulls v LA Galaxy

Date/Time: Saturday, 11 AM PT

TV: ESPN

Streaming: Watch ESPN

Houston Dynamo v FC Dallas

Date/Time: Saturday, 1 PM PT

TV: Univsion

Streaming: Univision Deportes and Twitter Live Stream of the Week

Sporting Kansas City v Atlanta United FC

Date/Time: Sunday, 6 PM PT

TV: FS1

Streaming: Fox Sports Go, Fubo TV (affiliate link)

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This is your Sounder at Heart MLS Week 10 gamethread. Watch with us.