Alex Roldan emerges as viable option at centerback

RENTON — Slowly but surely, the Seattle Sounders’ centerback situation is improving each week. After being down to one available natural centerback against Austin FC, Jon Bell was available against the Columbus Crew and Yeimar Gomez Andrade will at least travel to Sporting KC this weekend. Kim Kee-hee will likely be available by next week.

In the meantime, Alex Roldan has also emerged as a perfectly viable option. Although he had never started a game at centerback before the Austin FC match, Roldan has now played two straight matches in which he’s barely put a foot wrong while making several outstanding plays.

“There’s some nuances to the position — set pieces, height, it’s always handy to have guys in that particular arena — but he’s done really, really well,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said following Thursday’s training session.

Playing Roldan on the right also allowed Jackson Ragen to move to the left side, which is particularly useful for the way the Sounders like to build out.

“He’s used to having the ball at his feet, making good decisions,” Schmetzer said about Roldan. “It’s just a little bit of a more attack-minded look. Jackson’s finding passes, Alex is finding passes. It’s a pretty possession, exciting right side of the field."

The mystery of Kansas City

Looking at Sporting KC's advanced analytics, this might be one of the worst teams in MLS history. In American Soccer Analysis' entire database that goes back to 2013, no team has a worse xGD (expected goal-difference) per game than KC and only the 2013 Chivas USA are worse by xPoints per game. That's mostly the fault of their defense, which is allowing a frankly hard-to-believe 2.05 xG per match, .16 more than any other team in the database.

Yet, the actual results are far more mixed. Riding a three-game unbeaten streak, Sporting KC are just three points out of a playoff spot and only seven points behind the fifth-place Sounders.

Among their wins this year are one in which they managed to beat the LA Galaxy without taking a single shot (possibly the first time that's happened in any notable league) and another last week where the Rapids had an xG advantage 5.25-.5, the largest single-game difference in the ASA database.

"That just shows the club hasn't given up," Schmetzer said. "Even in the depth of a long, frustrating season, you always measure players based on performance, but also effort."

Sending good vibes to Garth

Atlanta United announced on Thursday that President Garth Lagerwey would taking an indefinite leave of absence after he was diagnosed with cancer. Although there were no details about the nature of the diagnosis, the team's release did say that "the prognosis of a complete recovery is encouraging" and Lagerwey declared "I shall return."

Prior to joining Atlanta United, Lagerwey spent eight years as the Sounders' general manager, helping to deliver two MLS Cups and a Concacaf Champions League title.

"Garth played an integral part in our club's story," the Sounders said in a statement. "But more importantly than that, he's a thoughtful person that leads with integrity and care for others. We know that Garth is approaching this battle with the same strength and determination that define his contributions to our game."