Seattle Sounders 2018 Season

[Glasgow Seahawk]

USMNT legend without a doubt.

Sounders? Nah not for me. Felt like he was injured, suspended, or called up for the national team at the worst possible times. Oba brought out the best in him but I feel like Oba was the better player and Ozzy is arguably the true legend given longevity. Montero is probably up there as well, as streaky as he was.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Dempsey retires. Figured something like that would happen.

Why didn't he retire three weeks ago when we could have used his DP slot for Hurtado.

Was thinking this myself. I imagine we still have to pay his contract though.

 

[Uncle Si]

USMNT legend without a doubt.

Sounders? Nah not for me. Felt like he was injured, suspended, or called up for the national team at the worst possible times. Oba brought out the best in him but I feel like Oba was the better player and Ozzy is arguably the true legend given longevity. Montero is probably up there as well, as streaky as he was.

Dempsey scored 57 goals (29 assists) for the Sounders. Martins 43 (23 assists). Montero 60 (36 assists).

Dempsey also scored 6 times in the post season. Montero 0. You can argue for Montero, but it's probably a coin flip. Dempsey won major championships. Montero won US open cups.

Ozzy is a decent CM. Maybe he's a "true legend" but he's rarely been the best player on the field in any game he's played. Maybe he's the "captain" f the Sounders, but can't suggest he's the best.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Ozzy is a decent CM. Maybe he's a "true legend" but he's rarely been the best player on the field in any game he's played. Maybe he's the "captain" f the Sounders, but can't suggest he's the best.

"Best" is obviously a very subjective word, which is why it's hard to quantify.

If you're going strictly goals and production, then the best ever is Montero. As I said he scored more goals in less time than anyone else in club history.

But IMO "best" should encompass more than just goals, and that's why I choose Ozzie. Longevity, toughness, work rate, selfless position, he embodies everything you want in a team leader. Thus why he'd get my vote for best ever.

To me Dempsey is just a nice story, USMNT legend that chose to come here to finish his career.............and had some nice years production wise. Best? Nope, I'd put him down my list behind Montero, Ozzie, Keller, Lodeiro and Rosales.

If you say "best" I need more than just production. I need team leadership, and if we're being honest Demspey was never a great team leader.

 

[Uncle Si]

yes, Ozzy is team leader. But i suggested Dempsey was the best player in Sounders history. Not the most liked. Ozzy was/is a lot of things.

However, he was rarely the "best" player on the field. He did lots of things. But true 6s are hardly more (outside of Kante's amazing season with title winning Leicester) than what you just described.

And the stats are quantifiable.

Ozzy may go down as the everyone's favorite Sounder. Would be hard to convince he was their best ever player.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

yes, Ozzy is team leader. But i suggested Dempsey was the best player in Sounders history. Not the most liked. Ozzy was/is a lot of things.

However, he was rarely the "best" player on the field. He did lots of things. But true 6s are hardly more (outside of Kante's amazing season with title winning Leicester) than what you just described.

And the stats are quantifiable.

Ozzy may go down as the everyone's favorite Sounder. Would be hard to convince he was their best ever player.

This is fair. Your "best" is based on stats and quantifiable traits, and mine is leaning more towards intangible traits like leadership, toughness, things that I think embody the best Sounder ever.

Neither is wrong, and neither is right, that's the beauty of a conversation like this.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Stefan Frei has to be up there? He pretty much won us that MLS cup too. Probably gets ignored as he's a GK.

I think overall Dempsey was the best player but more for what he done outwith Seattle- at Fulham and the USMNT.

On the park for Seattle- Still think Oba was better but people will ignore it as he wasn't there for too long. If Lodeiro gets another championship I think he could/should be up there. Chad Marshall too.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Stefan Frei has to be up there? He pretty much won us that MLS cup too. Probably gets ignored as he's a GK.

I think overall Dempsey was the best player but more for what he done outwith Seattle- at Fulham and the USMNT.

On the park for Seattle- Still think Oba was better but people will ignore it as he wasn't there for too long. If Lodeiro gets another championship I think he could/should be up there. Chad Marshall too.

i don't ignore Oba, but IMO he was always a mercenary type signing that really didn't care about being a Sounder..........he just cared about who was going to pay him the most. Thus bolting for China at the first sign of a bigger paycheck.

Again, this to me is about being the best "Sounder," and that means more to me than just production.

 

[KitsapGuy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/mattpentz/status/1036011573393772545[/tweet]

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Great result but was the ref smoking crack at that marshall red card? Wtf did he see? Worst red card in mls history

 

[KitsapGuy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BigWalt71/status/1036128313960353792[/tweet]

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Nah not for me. I dont think he's a sounders legend. Too many get carried away with his national team heroics.

Zach Scott should though but won't.

 

[hawkfan68]

Great result but was the ref smoking crack at that marshall red card? Wtf did he see? Worst red card in mls history

That was a poor use of cards by the ref. Hopefully, it gets reversed during the week and Marshall can play in the next match. If not, it’s time for Torres to step up. At least they are deep at CB now. They weren’t earlier in the season when Torres was hurt.

 

[Smurf]

Ozzie Alonso is the most important player to play for this club since it joined MLS.


Its not close.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

100% agree

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Smith was an absolute beast yesterday..........biggest pickup since Lodeiro, and it's not even close.

He's not only stabilized the back line, but added some incredible width and danger to our attack. Fantastic signing.

 

[Smurf]

Smith was an absolute beast yesterday..........biggest pickup since Lodeiro, and it's not even close.

He's not only stabilized the back line, but added some incredible width and danger to our attack. Fantastic signing.

Absolutely agree. I think he's had a huge impact. I'd say that Kim Kee Hee is turning out to be a monster signing as well. Dude is keeping Roman Torres on the bench.

One thing to keep in mind with Smith is that he is here on a Loan. He is with us through the remainder of the season and the playoffs, but Bournmouth have the ability to recall him in the January window. If they don't, he is here until the Summer window next year. After that we would have to renegotiate for him, and potentially a permanent transfer...the issue is...he is expensive. Unless there are some big Salary Cap changes coming, he is probably out of our price range.

That being said, he appears to love being here, the area, and the fact he's actually getting minutes. So maybe that will help in negotiations.

This is a very rare signing for Garth, who is normally a very long term thinker when it comes to the roster...but Brad Smith is 100% a "Lets win right now" signing.

 

[hawkfan68]

Smith was an absolute beast yesterday..........biggest pickup since Lodeiro, and it's not even close.

He's not only stabilized the back line, but added some incredible width and danger to our attack. Fantastic signing.

Absolutely agree. I think he's had a huge impact. I'd say that Kim Kee Hee is turning out to be a monster signing as well. Dude is keeping Roman Torres on the bench.

One thing to keep in mind with Smith is that he is here on a Loan. He is with us through the remainder of the season and the playoffs, but Bournmouth have the ability to recall him in the January window. If they don't, he is here until the Summer window next year. After that we would have to renegotiate for him, and potentially a permanent transfer...the issue is...he is expensive. Unless there are some big Salary Cap changes coming, he is probably out of our price range.

That being said, he appears to love being here, the area, and the fact he's actually getting minutes. So maybe that will help in negotiations.

This is a very rare signing for Garth, who is normally a very long term thinker when it comes to the roster...but Brad Smith is 100% a "Lets win right now" signing.

Don't they have some money now that Dempsey has retired? I wouldn't mind the Sounders giving him the DP spot vacated by Dempsey. That may help keep him permanently in Seattle.

 

[Smurf]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BigWalt71/status/1036128313960353792[/tweet]

This is definitely an American Culture vs Soccer/Football Culture difference. It's pretty rare around the world to have Jersey Numbers retired in Soccer, and when it happens its usually posthumously.


Personally, I don't think his number should be retired....but if we start down the road where its being discussed...IMO that opens up a can of worms because a list of players immediately come to mind...

17 - Fredy Montero - Tied All Time League scorer. 3 More overall. No playoff goals. More assists.
6 - Ozzie Alonso - 4 Open Cups, 1 Supporters Shield, 2 MLS Cup Appearances, 1 MLS Cup. Heart of the team.


Honestly, I'd prefer we not retire numbers...but I think everyone should know the legendary players who wore the number.

After Deuce got here, DeAndre Yedlin gave up the #2 for him...and adopted the #17...because that was Fredy's number...

 

[Smurf]

Smith was an absolute beast yesterday..........biggest pickup since Lodeiro, and it's not even close.

He's not only stabilized the back line, but added some incredible width and danger to our attack. Fantastic signing.

Absolutely agree. I think he's had a huge impact. I'd say that Kim Kee Hee is turning out to be a monster signing as well. Dude is keeping Roman Torres on the bench.

One thing to keep in mind with Smith is that he is here on a Loan. He is with us through the remainder of the season and the playoffs, but Bournmouth have the ability to recall him in the January window. If they don't, he is here until the Summer window next year. After that we would have to renegotiate for him, and potentially a permanent transfer...the issue is...he is expensive. Unless there are some big Salary Cap changes coming, he is probably out of our price range.

That being said, he appears to love being here, the area, and the fact he's actually getting minutes. So maybe that will help in negotiations.

This is a very rare signing for Garth, who is normally a very long term thinker when it comes to the roster...but Brad Smith is 100% a "Lets win right now" signing.

Don't they have some money now that Dempsey has retired? I wouldn't mind the Sounders giving him the DP spot vacated by Dempsey. That may help keep him permanently in Seattle.

Interesting you bring this up. If Dempsey had retired a few weeks earlier (when the window was open) we likely would have been able to sign Paulo Hurtado, a Peruvian Winger. We got outbid by a Turkish club, but we offered everything we had available.

I honestly don't think we would have had Dempsey on the roster next season regardless. He signed a 1 year, $1.6 Million dollar deal before the start of this season. Almost a $3 Million dollar pay cut. Garth has been holding that DP slot in his pocket for over a year waiting for the right player for the long term. They bought down Ozzie's contract to bring in Ruidiaz. We will also have Eikram off the books, if we don't already.

I have a hard time thinking they would spend DP money on a Defensive player. Almost no one in MLS uses their DP's that way. Vancouver have Brek Shea, who they play at LB at times, and Colorado have Tim Howard....outside of that I cant recall another team with a player in the back 4 or GK.

I think with that space available they will look to bring in an Outside midfield player, similar to Hurtado. As much as I like Smith, and I think the club likes Smith, I don't think they will use that spot on him.

It will be an interesting off season though.

Another Expansion Draft (FC Cincinnati)
There are a rash of players on expiring deals:

Chad Marshall - Retire or resign or move on?
Cristian Roldan - How much will it cost to keep him?
Stefan Frei - Club offered him a TAM Contract in 2017, but MLS refused it.
Gustav Svensson - Currently on a TAM
Will Bruin - Is he worth the cost (making 350k)

I suppose there may be money for Smith next year...but I'm not sure I would be comfortable losing the players we might lose to make it possible.