Seattle Sounders 2016 season thread

[Sgt. Largent]

Sigi's the one that insists on playing Joevan Jones, Zach Scott & Nelson Valdez. He's the one that insists on playing Morris out of position. Name one young player that has developed and improved under Sigi, because I can't think of any. He needs to be the first one gone before this organization can move forward.

Yedlin, Ozzie, Montero.............off the top of my head.

I was all for Sigi getting fired last year, but who else is he suppose to play? He didn't sell Oba, he didn't keep dinosaurs like Evans and Scott. He didn't pay and put faith in a rookie and brittle target forward that's 5 years past his prime.

Sigi is Sigi, but if we're handing out blame for a disaster of a season, it starts at the top, ownership and Lagerwey.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Sigi's the one that insists on playing Joevan Jones, Zach Scott & Nelson Valdez. He's the one that insists on playing Morris out of position. Name one young player that has developed and improved under Sigi, because I can't think of any. He needs to be the first one gone before this organization can move forward.

Yedlin, Ozzie, Montero.............off the top of my head.

I was all for Sigi getting fired last year, but who else is he suppose to play? He didn't sell Oba, he didn't keep dinosaurs like Evans and Scott. He didn't pay and put faith in a rookie and brittle target forward that's 5 years past his prime.

Sigi is Sigi, but if we're handing out blame for a disaster of a season, it starts at the top, ownership and Lagerwey.

To an extent but sticking with 433 when it is working is on Sigi, playing Evans at CB is on Sigi- i'd rather develop a youngster there at this point. Not dropping guys like Joevin Jones is on Sigi. I also feel he has relied way too much on Roldan and Kovac who just aren't good enough right now. They may be in the future but not today.

Playing guys like Morris and Valdez wide isn't working.

It's also on the GM but to me there are no prospects coming through from S2 that look like they could be potential difference makers or have gave me the belief they can be good when they have played in the first team. That is damn worrying for one of the oldest teams in the league.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Sigi's the one that insists on playing Joevan Jones, Zach Scott & Nelson Valdez. He's the one that insists on playing Morris out of position. Name one young player that has developed and improved under Sigi, because I can't think of any. He needs to be the first one gone before this organization can move forward.

Yedlin, Ozzie, Montero.............off the top of my head.

I was all for Sigi getting fired last year, but who else is he suppose to play? He didn't sell Oba, he didn't keep dinosaurs like Evans and Scott. He didn't pay and put faith in a rookie and brittle target forward that's 5 years past his prime.

Sigi is Sigi, but if we're handing out blame for a disaster of a season, it starts at the top, ownership and Lagerwey.

To an extent but sticking with 433 when it is working is on Sigi, playing Evans at CB is on Sigi- i'd rather develop a youngster there at this point. Not dropping guys like Joevin Jones is on Sigi. I also feel he has relied way too much on Roldan and Kovac who just aren't good enough right now. They may be in the future but not today.

Playing guys like Morris and Valdez wide isn't working.

It's also on the GM but to me there are no prospects coming through from S2 that look like they could be potential difference makers or have gave me the belief they can be good when they have played in the first team. That is damn worrying for one of the oldest teams in the league.

Do you honestly think changing the formation would improve play?

Our backline's a mess, our midfield's a mess, and other than Dempsey we have no one that can score consistently. I honestly don't think formation is the issue here. Talent is the issue, as in we have very little of it.

Frei, Dempsey, Morris and Torres if he's healthy..........other than that this team needs a complete overhaul............no formation change would save this dumpster fire.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Sigi's the one that insists on playing Joevan Jones, Zach Scott & Nelson Valdez. He's the one that insists on playing Morris out of position. Name one young player that has developed and improved under Sigi, because I can't think of any. He needs to be the first one gone before this organization can move forward.

Yedlin, Ozzie, Montero.............off the top of my head.

I was all for Sigi getting fired last year, but who else is he suppose to play? He didn't sell Oba, he didn't keep dinosaurs like Evans and Scott. He didn't pay and put faith in a rookie and brittle target forward that's 5 years past his prime.

Sigi is Sigi, but if we're handing out blame for a disaster of a season, it starts at the top, ownership and Lagerwey.

To an extent but sticking with 433 when it is working is on Sigi, playing Evans at CB is on Sigi- i'd rather develop a youngster there at this point. Not dropping guys like Joevin Jones is on Sigi. I also feel he has relied way too much on Roldan and Kovac who just aren't good enough right now. They may be in the future but not today.

Playing guys like Morris and Valdez wide isn't working.

It's also on the GM but to me there are no prospects coming through from S2 that look like they could be potential difference makers or have gave me the belief they can be good when they have played in the first team. That is damn worrying for one of the oldest teams in the league.

Do you honestly think changing the formation would improve play?

Our backline's a mess, our midfield's a mess, and other than Dempsey we have no one that can score consistently. I honestly don't think formation is the issue here. Talent is the issue, as in we have very little of it.

Frei, Dempsey, Morris and Torres if he's healthy..........other than that this team needs a complete overhaul............no formation change would save this dumpster fire.

Put it this way, I don't think it would have made it worse. 2 up front could allow more chances to be created, 4 or 5 in midfield could give the defense a bit more protection.

Agree with you on the rest though, it's not like we aren't trying. We just aren't very good.

There's a big question mark on Torres. No one knows how he will play post injury and he only played in what 2? Games pre injury, one where he was solid and one where he gave away a penalty. It's not even a Thomas Rawls or Jimmy Graham situation where they had a track record pre injury, we literally have no idea how good he will be in MLS after a run of games.

 

[SeatownJay]

Instead of trotting out the same line-up that doesn't work, running out players who are out of position or just plain bad, Here's a 4-2-3-1 I'd like to see.

Frei
Fisher - Alfaro - Marshall - Mears
Friberg - Roldan
Ivanschitz - Dempsey - Kovar
Morris

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Wouldnt mind seeing Alfaro get a run.

That midfield is super short on quality. Friberg is a squad player and a bit of a headless chicken but works hard. Roldan and kovac are raw and i dont feel they bring much impact right now.

Ivanschitz hasnt been great lately.

If we dont bring in reinforcements i wouldnt mind evans in midfield.

 

[knownone]

We've got a lot of average midfielders, who can create decent chances, but not high percentage chances. That's sort of how it bares out statistically as well. The Sounders are top 10 in chances created; bottom 10... dead least in chances finished. Does Brad in the midfield help us score goals? maybe, but I doubt it would make a difference.

Sigi talked about that discrepancy today. The Sounders had 22 shots against LA, only 5 were on frame. This brings up the question - is it finishing? or is it creativity?

A few years ago I was watching the Armenian National Team, I don't recall who they were playing, but that's not relevant. The commentators were talking about Armenia with and without Mkhitaryan. Armenia's midfield with Mkhitaryan on the pitch averaged 1 more assist per game, not including Mkhitaryan's assists. The reason? Mkhitaryan ability to create from seemingly everywhere, forced the defense to always key on him, opening up space for other creative players to flourish.

The reason I bring that up is this; who on the Sounders scares the oppositions defense?

Go through the roster and compare Sounders starters to other teams around the league. Is anyone that out of place? I don't think so. So why does a guy like Dempsey have 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 matches, against better competition, yet just 2 goals and 0 assists in 11 games with the Sounders.

It doesn't make sense to me. I think that's why I liked the Mkhitaryan commentary. I doubt it would be that easy, but maybe adding a single creative force like Mkhitaryan, could make Seattle's role players actually play like themselves, and maybe just maybe make this team feel a little more dangerous than a dumpster fire.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

There's a big question mark on Torres. No one knows how he will play post injury and he only played in what 2? Games pre injury, one where he was solid and one where he gave away a penalty. It's not even a Thomas Rawls or Jimmy Graham situation where they had a track record pre injury, we literally have no idea how good he will be in MLS after a run of games.

Honestly, I wouldn't even push Torres to come back this year unless he's 100% healthy with zero risk. Why? So he can help us stay out of last place? No reason to push his timetable.

 

[Uncle Si]

We've got a lot of average midfielders, who can create decent chances, but not high percentage chances. That's sort of how it bares out statistically as well. The Sounders are top 10 in chances created; bottom 10... dead least in chances finished. Does Brad in the midfield help us score goals? maybe, but I doubt it would make a difference.

Sigi talked about that discrepancy today. The Sounders had 22 shots against LA, only 5 were on frame. This brings up the question - is it finishing? or is it creativity?

A few years ago I was watching the Armenian National Team, I don't recall who they were playing, but that's not relevant. The commentators were talking about Armenia with and without Mkhitaryan. Armenia's midfield with Mkhitaryan on the pitch averaged 1 more assist per game, not including Mkhitaryan's assists. The reason? Mkhitaryan ability to create from seemingly everywhere, forced the defense to always key on him, opening up space for other creative players to flourish.

The reason I bring that up is this; who on the Sounders scares the oppositions defense?

Go through the roster and compare Sounders starters to other teams around the league. Is anyone that out of place? I don't think so. So why does a guy like Dempsey have 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 matches, against better competition, yet just 2 goals and 0 assists in 11 games with the Sounders.

It doesn't make sense to me. I think that's why I liked the Mkhitaryan commentary. I doubt it would be that easy, but maybe adding a single creative force like Mkhitaryan, could make Seattle's role players actually play like themselves, and maybe just maybe make this team feel a little more dangerous than a dumpster fire.

Mkhitaryan is one of the best CAM's in the world.

Its like asking how the Sounders might be better if Ozil, Coutinho, James Rodriguez, or even Suarez, played for them. Of course better players will make the others around them better. And these players, plus Mkh, play an essential role in igniting a team's attack. Everyone feeds off them when they have the ball.

the Sounders aren't in the market for those types of players. Really, the MLS is not in the market for those types of players. There is a distinct lack of that 8/10 role not only in the league but in US soccer as well. Certainly the league needs it.

So then it comes down to development. And that is something I think the Sounders will have to do on their own.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

So then it comes down to development. And that is something I think the Sounders will have to do on their own.

To be fair, both Yedlin and Morris have now come up through the Sounders system in one form or fashion, so that's two extremely talented players, which is more than most MLS teams have developed.

IMO the missing link over the past two years has been the foreign scouting. Where are the new batch of Montero's? Ozzie's? and Flaco's? What happened to taking advantage of the new under 23 DP rule by doing some insane overseas scouting to find young players?

If the MLS is every going to move away from the "retirement home for old stars" stigma, it's going to have to not only develop American soccer players, but be more active in getting good young foreign players as well.

 

[knownone]

We've got a lot of average midfielders, who can create decent chances, but not high percentage chances. That's sort of how it bares out statistically as well. The Sounders are top 10 in chances created; bottom 10... dead least in chances finished. Does Brad in the midfield help us score goals? maybe, but I doubt it would make a difference.

Sigi talked about that discrepancy today. The Sounders had 22 shots against LA, only 5 were on frame. This brings up the question - is it finishing? or is it creativity?

A few years ago I was watching the Armenian National Team, I don't recall who they were playing, but that's not relevant. The commentators were talking about Armenia with and without Mkhitaryan. Armenia's midfield with Mkhitaryan on the pitch averaged 1 more assist per game, not including Mkhitaryan's assists. The reason? Mkhitaryan ability to create from seemingly everywhere, forced the defense to always key on him, opening up space for other creative players to flourish.

The reason I bring that up is this; who on the Sounders scares the oppositions defense?

Go through the roster and compare Sounders starters to other teams around the league. Is anyone that out of place? I don't think so. So why does a guy like Dempsey have 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 matches, against better competition, yet just 2 goals and 0 assists in 11 games with the Sounders.

It doesn't make sense to me. I think that's why I liked the Mkhitaryan commentary. I doubt it would be that easy, but maybe adding a single creative force like Mkhitaryan, could make Seattle's role players actually play like themselves, and maybe just maybe make this team feel a little more dangerous than a dumpster fire.

Mkhitaryan is one of the best CAM's in the world.

Its like asking how the Sounders might be better if Ozil, Coutinho, James Rodriguez, or even Suarez, played for them. Of course better players will make the others around them better. And these players, plus Mkh, play an essential role in igniting a team's attack. Everyone feeds off them when they have the ball.

the Sounders aren't in the market for those types of players. Really, the MLS is not in the market for those types of players. There is a distinct lack of that 8/10 role not only in the league but in US soccer as well. Certainly the league needs it.

So then it comes down to development. And that is something I think the Sounders will have to do on their own.

100% agree with what your saying.

However, I wasn't trying to make the argument that Seattle needed a player of Mkhitaryan's quality. I believe the relative quality of a guy like Lodeiro or Romero in MLS could have a similar affect as Mkhitaryan with Armenia. In some ways we've seen this happen with Giovinco, his creativity forces you to defend Toronto differently as a team, and ultimately just having Gio on the pitch helps Toronto score more. Gio isn't going to have that impact in Europe.

For most of us it's kind of a No Sh*t statement to say Better players lead to more goals and that's true.

I'm just trying to be optimistic, that adding one of these DP midfielders will be enough to open up space for Dempsey to be Dempsey.

 

[Uncle Si]

Completely understand... and you nailed the type of player that the league (and US) need to bring out the better skills in their players. That 8/10 player and skill set, with the creativity in passing and runs, ability to promote the attack or maintain possession, score and assist and win balls high up the field to initiate transitions is something this country has completely struggled to manufacture and develop (or attract) in any of its levels. Gio is a perfect example as you pointed out.

The best route for that type of player will be developing from the Academy. I hope atleast...

 

[JSeahawks]

Well, they seem to be doing something right tonight. Of course, playing a man up after 4 minutes doesn't hurt.

 

[SeatownJay]

Well, they seem to be doing something right tonight. Of course, playing a man up after 4 minutes doesn't hurt.

They're also basically playing Dallas's B squad tonight. That said, it's nice to see them remember how to put the ball in the net.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Much needed result. Hopefully a turning point and not too little too late. Was at the game so never saw a clear view of the Dempsey red. Deserved or not? Thought the RB tonight had a good game along with Morris and Roldan

 

[Smurf]

Much needed result. Hopefully a turning point and not too little too late. Was at the game so never saw a clear view of the Dempsey red. Deserved or not? Thought the RB tonight had a good game along with Morris and Roldan

100% a red card. No doubt about it.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Dallas obviously didn't care about this match, and their lineup showed it..............but hell, just play the kids from here on out, at least the younger players bust their asses and give 100%.

I at least enjoyed seeing the energy on the pitch, and Roldan is turning into a quality player right before our eyes. Super impressed by his run of late.

 

[SeatownJay]

Sounds like Lodeiro may be joining the club next week.

http://www.sounderatheart.com/2016/7/15 ... -next-week

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Hope he's not as injury prone as i've heard. Need some fresh blood though.

 

[knownone]

I've watched quite a bit of Lodiero lately. I hope people don't expect an Oba like impact. Lodiero is kind of similar to Diego Valeri. He's not overly flashy, probably not gonna wow you very often with wundergoals, he's got world class vision, and even better ball control.

With that said... His skill set should be enough for 10 goals and 15 assists a season in MLS.

I hope he works out well. He definitely fits the mold of what most of us thought the Sounders were missing.