Seattle Sounders 2018 Season

[Uncle Si]

Why were they tired though? I didn't understand the philosophy of chasing the back line and stretching yourselves wide. Could've stayed compact for 60-65 minutes and waited for the Chivas to get impatient.

It was just a poor set up and game mentality.

They didn't go for the away goal, but didn't seem to want to be compact either.

They were tired cause they were chasing the ball the entire first half with no possession without Lodeiro, Chivas was running circles around our mids and defenders, especially the outside FB's.

That spells tired, frustrated and put a fork in any chance of a cohesive offensive push in either half.

Which I asked.. "why?"

Why are they chasing the ball with a one goal lead in the away tie. It was a terrible set up, especially with their best forward and midfielder not available.

They lost, and deserved to

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Why were they tired though? I didn't understand the philosophy of chasing the back line and stretching yourselves wide. Could've stayed compact for 60-65 minutes and waited for the Chivas to get impatient.

It was just a poor set up and game mentality.

They didn't go for the away goal, but didn't seem to want to be compact either.

They were tired cause they were chasing the ball the entire first half with no possession without Lodeiro, Chivas was running circles around our mids and defenders, especially the outside FB's.

That spells tired, frustrated and put a fork in any chance of a cohesive offensive push in either half.

Which I asked.. "why?"

Why are they chasing the ball with a one goal lead in the away tie. It was a terrible set up, especially with their best forward and midfielder not available.

They lost, and deserved to

Your asking me a chicken or the egg type question.

You're blaming some sort of tactical gameplan by Schemtzer to play bunker ball, and that's not what I saw. From the first minute the Chivas mids were winning every 50/50 ball and had an insanely lopsided possession.

How were the Sounders suppose to muster any sort of offensive attack without possession?

Why? Cause IMO without Lodeiro and our starting FB's, we couldn't possess the damn ball. Eikrem, Wingo, Roldan, Svensson, Francis and McCrary?

Really? Those are the mids and outside defenders Schmetzer thought could match up with a quick speedy technically superior Chivas side?

Believe me, I'm not defending the garbage lineup Schmetzer ran out there. Where the hell was Nouhou, where the hell was Leerdam.

While we're at it, where the hell are Rodriquez and Ozzie? Those two dudes have been hurt for what feels like six months. Why are they still inactive?

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Genuinely feel that was the first game we've really missed Joevin Jones. Either at LB or using him as a LM. We never replaced him.

 

[Uncle Si]

Why were they tired though? I didn't understand the philosophy of chasing the back line and stretching yourselves wide. Could've stayed compact for 60-65 minutes and waited for the Chivas to get impatient.

It was just a poor set up and game mentality.

They didn't go for the away goal, but didn't seem to want to be compact either.

They were tired cause they were chasing the ball the entire first half with no possession without Lodeiro, Chivas was running circles around our mids and defenders, especially the outside FB's.

That spells tired, frustrated and put a fork in any chance of a cohesive offensive push in either half.

Which I asked.. "why?"

Why are they chasing the ball with a one goal lead in the away tie. It was a terrible set up, especially with their best forward and midfielder not available.

They lost, and deserved to

Your asking me a chicken or the egg type question.

You're blaming some sort of tactical gameplan by Schemtzer to play bunker ball, and that's not what I saw. From the first minute the Chivas mids were winning every 50/50 ball and had an insanely lopsided possession.

How were the Sounders suppose to muster any sort of offensive attack without possession?

Why? Cause IMO without Lodeiro and our starting FB's, we couldn't possess the damn ball. Eikrem, Wingo, Roldan, Svensson, Francis and McCrary?

Really? Those are the mids and outside defenders Schmetzer thought could match up with a quick speedy technically superior Chivas side?

Believe me, I'm not defending the garbage lineup Schmetzer ran out there. Where the hell was Nouhou, where the hell was Leerdam.

While we're at it, where the hell are Rodriquez and Ozzie? Those two dudes have been hurt for what feels like six months. Why are they still inactive?

Im not asking you anything... apologies if I led you to believe I thought you were the coach

Im questioning the approach going into the away tie. They clearly went after the ball, chasing down the wide channels.. they clearly tried to string passes together early on and were unsuccessful, forcing their players deeper into the spaces to defend. Why did they need an offensive attack without possession? Its actually silly to suggest that should be a part of the game plan without those players. And honestly.. do you not watch other teams score goals without possession (Leicester won a premier league title with an average of 35% possession)

why waste the energy or the space.

They don't need to bunker it. but they certainly couldve had a much more concerted and consistent gameplan going into the game.

I saw a team unsure of how it was going to defend, attack or execute what ever game plan was being asked of them.

It was poor.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Im questioning the approach going into the away tie. They clearly went after the ball, chasing down the wide channels.. they clearly tried to string passes together early on and were unsuccessful, forcing their players deeper into the spaces to defend. Why did they need an offensive attack without possession? Its actually silly to suggest that should be a part of the game plan without those players. And honestly.. do you not watch other teams score goals without possession (Leicester won a premier league title with an average of 35% possession)

why waste the energy or the space.

They don't need to bunker it. but they certainly couldve had a much more concerted and consistent gameplan going into the game.

I saw a team unsure of how it was going to defend, attack or execute what ever game plan was being asked of them.

It was poor.

It absolutely was poor.

But your only option for offense if you can't get possession is the counter and/or over the top balls. Which is what the Sounders were trying to do, just terrible low percentage poorly timed and passes over the top balls to nowhere.

With who up top? Dempsey. He can't run to space, he needs Lodeiro to service him, if not he's useless.

No Morris, no Lodeiro and no starting outside backs = the narrow dysfunctional garbage offense you saw Wednesday.

So if you would of liked something different tactically Si, please explain how that was to happen with that lineup.

 

[Uncle Si]

I dont know enough of your roster to determine what was possible. But im sure your manager had better options than what he sent out.

Hell, i've seen centerbacks play striker in situations like these. But you say Dempsey can't play without Lodeiro... does Lodeiro play long balls to Clint to move forward? Is there not a true #9 on the Sounders that can utilize hold up play to retain possession and transition into quick counters? Is Lodeiro the only player who can hit an accurate pass over 20 yards in the air? Do you think counter soccer needs to throw the ball into the green grass behind the backline where everyone runs to it? 1/2 of England play with a true 9 that just brings down 40 yard passes to start counters.. every match.

The point here is that your lineup and coinciding tactics didnt match the environment or need. It was poorly thought out, clearly poorly trained and even more poorly executed.

From what I watched, i could not discern a plan. I don't care what the roster looked like, the manager didn't have a plan.

 

[SeatownJay]

Clint Dempsey needs to retire. He brings nothing positive to the team any more.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Worrying. We looked really under prepared today.

Torres and Roldan look way off the pace. Nouhou got beat for pace, when that happens he doesn't have much else.

As for Dempsey. Gtfo with that crap. You threw your team mates under the bus with that bs.

We're barely stringing 2 passes together in midfield. I know our depth sucks but the formation isnt working. Even with 11 men we could have been down 2 or 3.

We need another forward asap. No messing about till August. Do we even have one for next week?

If this form continues, big questions need to be asked of the GM and Schmetzer.

 

[SeatownJay]

We need a striker. We need Alonzo, Lodiero and Rodriguez to get healthy ASAP. And we need to give Dempsey his walking papers so we can use his money and DP roster spot on a player that is actually worthy of it.

 

[Uncle Si]

That game was lost before Dempsey took his ball and went home.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Got to agree. It's been a tough week. Chivas are not a good team this year.

Too many injuries and players out of form isn't good though. We need Roldan to step up with Lodeiro out and he hasn't.

Torres has looked a liability.

Shipp provides nothing.

Jury is out on Wolff but in his starts he hasn't done much. I'm clinging to that sub appearance in the CCL where he played well.

McCrary, Wingo and Francis don't look starter quality.

Jury is out on Kee-Hee this early on but in those subs appearances I seen him get burned, Alfaroesque.

Bwana had a good debut.

Neagle is gonna have to play forward next week unless Bruin is back. Even then we are asking a lot of Bruin to step up and score every week. He did great last year but its a tough ask.

 

[Uncle Si]

Saw Tyrone Mears at the MN United home opener this weekend. Had a great game.

They are an interesting squad. Some good pieces, decent ideas, very slow build up though.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

That Zlatan signing by the Galaxy smacks of desperation. They haven't been great since Keane etc left and now have competition in LA from a team who have started well. Ibrahimovic is done. Yes he'll score in MLS but not sure he's worth the huge salary.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Got to agree. It's been a tough week. Chivas are not a good team this year.

Too many injuries and players out of form isn't good though. We need Roldan to step up with Lodeiro out and he hasn't.

Torres has looked a liability.

Shipp provides nothing.

Jury is out on Wolff but in his starts he hasn't done much. I'm clinging to that sub appearance in the CCL where he played well.

McCrary, Wingo and Francis don't look starter quality.

Jury is out on Kee-Hee this early on but in those subs appearances I seen him get burned, Alfaroesque.

Bwana had a good debut.

Neagle is gonna have to play forward next week unless Bruin is back. Even then we are asking a lot of Bruin to step up and score every week. He did great last year but its a tough ask.

All correct, but Lodeiro is the key to any success if we're going to make it to the summer transfer window with any hope of staying in contention until we can find a DP striker.

Our midfield is absolute garbage without him.

 

[Uncle Si]

That Zlatan signing by the Galaxy smacks of desperation. They haven't been great since Keane etc left and now have competition in LA from a team who have started well. Ibrahimovic is done. Yes he'll score in MLS but not sure he's worth the huge salary.

He'll sell uniforms and draw a big crowd. He'll also score a ton of goals at this level.

But Ibra has always been a shoehorn type striker. He's very unconventional in how he approaches his positioning and makes himself available. You build a team around his style, not wedge him in. Will be interesting to see how he does and subsequently how LA does

 

[Smurf]

Re: Dempsey starting up top.

No. We literally don't have a better option than that. I'm furious. After the Morris' injury we are 1 deep at Striker.

Dempsey can't play a #9. He can't stand between the CB's. He drops back behind the #8 and wonders why everything is compressed in front of him.

Without Will Bruin. This team has no option but to play a 4-6-0. And I'm being serious. We have no one that can do it.

Lamar Neagle? Can't do it himself.

Seyi Adekoya? Dude has like 6 first team minutes, and I think he's injured right now.

Henry Wingo? Dont think so.

We might as well let Roman Torres play up there.

Unacceptable roster management by Garth here. We've been light up top for some time, and its costing us games right now. Not sure we can go until the Summer window without another striker.

Sorry I haven't been around much. Between Life and my Fury at the roster, there hasn't been a lot of positives to say.

 

[Uncle Si]

a 4-6 is essentially what you just said Dempsey does.. drop down off the back line and collect possession with the cms.. the issue here seems that if/when he does, the 8 and 10 don't know where to go (they would try and take advantage of the space vacated by dempsey).

When Spain ran the false 9, it was effective because of their possession abilities in the center of the field, but also because any of the 6 mids (and wide backs) would look to run in behind the back 4 as they tried to figure out where all their offensive responsibilities disappeared to. David Villa and/or Fernando Torres would routinely pop up in the center mid lanes, the half spaces, rotate wide and then make runs back through the space if/when the ball left.

Barca did it a bit differently.. they'd just possess the hell out the ball in front of you, using the 6 man overload, and the run right by you when you took a chance defensively.. or work it slowly until your back was inches from your own goal.

The key here is do the players understand how to move themselves out of the way (which, there is only one place to go, and its forward). I have no idea, but can guess, that Seattle does not have the technical ability to pull off one of the more complicated formations around

Im wondering if a 4 diamond 2 would benefit them more. not sure who your wide mids would be, but they'd have to be runners

Hope all is well Smurf. its a long season. dont let a slow start get you down

 

[Smurf]

a 4-6 is essentially what you just said Dempsey does.. drop down off the back line and collect possession with the cms.. the issue here seems that if/when he does, the 8 and 10 don't know where to go (they would try and take advantage of the space vacated by dempsey).

When Spain ran the false 9, it was effective because of their possession abilities in the center of the field, but also because any of the 6 mids (and wide backs) would look to run in behind the back 4 as they tried to figure out where all their offensive responsibilities disappeared to. David Villa and/or Fernando Torres would routinely pop up in the center mid lanes, the half spaces, rotate wide and then make runs back through the space if/when the ball left.

Barca did it a bit differently.. they'd just possess the hell out the ball in front of you, using the 6 man overload, and the run right by you when you took a chance defensively.. or work it slowly until your back was inches from your own goal.

The key here is do the players understand how to move themselves out of the way (which, there is only one place to go, and its forward). I have no idea, but can guess, that Seattle does not have the technical ability to pull off one of the more complicated formations around

Im wondering if a 4 diamond 2 would benefit them more. not sure who your wide mids would be, but they'd have to be runners

Hope all is well Smurf. its a long season. dont let a slow start get you down

and there is the problem.

We don't have any wide players who are runners. all of them are pretty slow, technical players.

The Roster doesn't have the options to adjust styles.

 

[Uncle Si]

That Zlatan signing by the Galaxy smacks of desperation. They haven't been great since Keane etc left and now have competition in LA from a team who have started well. Ibrahimovic is done. Yes he'll score in MLS but not sure he's worth the huge salary.

Ibra...

Already showing the massive gulf in class between the top players in the world and the rest. What a debut.

 

[hawkfan68]

3 matches in, the Sounders still haven't scored a single goal but they are on a streak of getting players ejected in 2 straight games. Not a great start to this season at all.