Uncle Si wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:
Kind of underwhelmed tbh, would like to have had more creativity or speed in midfield. Does Nouhou get pushed further forward or is he in the dog house?

Doghouse, Nouhou doesn't have anywhere near the technical ability or experience to play wing or mid.

It's official with Smith.

https://www.sounderatheart.com/sounders ... gerwey-kjr

Good signing, but we REALLY needed a dangerous winger so we're not so narrow on the attack. Shipp, Lodeiro, Ruidiaz and Bruin have been playing well, but I absolutely hate Shipp out wide, he's so damn old and slow he doesn't scare any defender into going out wide to defend.

I'd love to see Dempsey out wide for a match or two to see if he can be a little more dangerous and disruptive.

If the Sounders let Brad Smith be what he is, then he adds that width.

You dont typically deploy front line players out wide in a 433 any more. you let them create and interchange and hold defenders in the middle, allowing for deeper players to move down the flanks. Brad Smith (atleast with Liverpool) is that person. He has some pace, but he's also a tactical wingback.

Certainly tucked in wingers (like Lodeiro really is) can move wide during counters. But your group is fairly technical. Keeping them tucked in and forcing defenders to narrow will open up attacking channels for a player like Smith.. if you let him be that.

if you want to play a flat 4 and let hem support the attack, you'd then need wingers with the heels to the touchline. Sounders dont really have those players (MLS really doesnt, to be honest)

Yep, Smith will give them what Jones gave them last year, a far more dangerous left back that can get forward and help stretch the defense and send in crosses.

Nouhou does none of this.

i guess it depends on Seattle's system. Smith coming from Liverpool and then at Bournemouth was deployed as a overlapping wing back. He could slide centrally as well and even played the 6 for Liverpool in one occasion.

You dont see wing backs receiving the ball ahead of the wingers very often in the MLS. But it is something Smith is adept at, and as I said, he has great delivery.

Sgt. Largent wrote:Well this sucks.

https://www.sounderatheart.com/sounders ... sfer-rumor

Garth confirmed today that the screwed up MLS salary restrictions are why they failed to land Hurtado. The max they could offer was $1.5 million and Konyaspor offered a little more which Seattle couldn't match.

Brad Smith gets the start tonight over Nouhou. In fact, Nouhou isn't even in the 18.

holy crap Wayne Rooney

Uncle Si wrote:i guess it depends on Seattle's system. Smith coming from Liverpool and then at Bournemouth was deployed as a overlapping wing back. He could slide centrally as well and even played the 6 for Liverpool in one occasion.

You dont see wing backs receiving the ball ahead of the wingers very often in the MLS. But it is something Smith is adept at, and as I said, he has great delivery.

hows that for an opening run and cross

Uncle Si wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:i guess it depends on Seattle's system. Smith coming from Liverpool and then at Bournemouth was deployed as a overlapping wing back. He could slide centrally as well and even played the 6 for Liverpool in one occasion.

You dont see wing backs receiving the ball ahead of the wingers very often in the MLS. But it is something Smith is adept at, and as I said, he has great delivery.

hows that for an opening run and cross

I like having a quality LB on the field.

SeatownJay wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:i guess it depends on Seattle's system. Smith coming from Liverpool and then at Bournemouth was deployed as a overlapping wing back. He could slide centrally as well and even played the 6 for Liverpool in one occasion.

You dont see wing backs receiving the ball ahead of the wingers very often in the MLS. But it is something Smith is adept at, and as I said, he has great delivery.

hows that for an opening run and cross

I like having a quality LB on the field.

theyre letting him play wide and high. good to see

Ugly, ugly end to the game tonight. Why VAR didn't tell the ref to review the red card is a mystery, as the replay clearly showed Ruidiaz initiated the contact. Regardless, that's 5 wins in a row, 8 unbeaten, and Seattle is now just 3 points behind RSL for the final playoff spot with a game in hand.

SeatownJay wrote:Ugly, ugly end to the game tonight. Why VAR didn't tell the ref to review the red card is a mystery, as the replay clearly showed Ruidiaz initiated the contact. Regardless, that's 5 wins in a row, 8 unbeaten, and Seattle is now just 3 points behind RSL for the final playoff spot with a game in hand.

I think the ref was just trying to get the match over, he didn't want another 5-10 minutes of nonsense as he went to VAR.

Smith was as advertised, amazing to have a LB again that's dangerous on the attack. He was my man of the match. Phenomenal first match here.

On the negative side, we need to see Ruidiaz drop back more often to get involved. He seems content to just stay up top and make runs and wait for service. I wanna see him more active.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

SeatownJay wrote:Ugly, ugly end to the game tonight. Why VAR didn't tell the ref to review the red card is a mystery, as the replay clearly showed Ruidiaz initiated the contact. Regardless, that's 5 wins in a row, 8 unbeaten, and Seattle is now just 3 points behind RSL for the final playoff spot with a game in hand.

I think the ref was just trying to get the match over, he didn't want another 5-10 minutes of nonsense as he went to VAR.

Smith was as advertised, amazing to have a LB again that's dangerous on the attack. He was my man of the match. Phenomenal first match here.

On the negative side, we need to see Ruidiaz drop back more often to get involved. He seems content to just stay up top and make runs and wait for service. I wanna see him more active.

I feel like Ruidiaz gets in good spaces. I kind of want to see him have a strike partner, especially after seeing him set up that Bruin goal in the Minnesota game.

Sucks he's probably suspended next week. Which is BS since Martinez got away with similar when we played Atlanta. Hope Zlatan won't play on turf to balance it out.

As for Smith, he looked good. Great bursts forward and some decent crosses. Makes such a difference having that threat. Hope he stays healthy. Hope his debut isn't an anomaly. Imagine next year if he's permanent and Morris hasn't lost any speed post ACL.

his crosses were decent?

right...

His cross to Roldan at the start of the match was a great cross. Arguably better than anything Nouhou has done all year.

Uncle Si wrote:his crosses were decent?

right...

First run was a brilliant cross.

I was surprised at well Smith dropped inside and moved around, far more than your average MLS right or left back.

You can definitely see that superior Liverpool Academy first touch training.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:his crosses were decent?

right...

First run was a brilliant cross.

I was surprised at well Smith dropped inside and moved around, far more than your average MLS right or left back.

You can definitely see that superior Liverpool Academy first touch training.

Credit to Bounemouth.. i thought he was great.

he had three or four right off the start. first one was fantastic, 2nd one better. also as surprised as you said with the areas who took up on the field.. he ran wide and narrow channels, letting Bruin pick his own spaces. thought the inter play was good

You can see some limitations in his game but im not sure the MLS will expose it as much as theres not as much combination play at pace as the PL.

Uncle Si wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:his crosses were decent?

right...

First run was a brilliant cross.

I was surprised at well Smith dropped inside and moved around, far more than your average MLS right or left back.

You can definitely see that superior Liverpool Academy first touch training.

Credit to Bounemouth.. i thought he was great.

he had three or four right off the start. first one was fantastic, 2nd one better. also as surprised as you said with the areas who took up on the field.. he ran wide and narrow channels, letting Bruin pick his own spaces. thought the inter play was good

You can see some limitations in his game but im not sure the MLS will expose it as much as theres not as much combination play at pace as the PL.

He's sneaky fast too. He ran down Barrios twice, which isn't easy he's got some pace.

Great addition, and sounds like Bournemouth isn't too concerned with calling him back from loan in January. So should be here all next year too.

Sounders are in their annual midseason form. This is going to be a dangerous team if they make the playoffs. Could be 3 straight mls cup appearances...

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:his crosses were decent?

right...

First run was a brilliant cross.

I was surprised at well Smith dropped inside and moved around, far more than your average MLS right or left back.

You can definitely see that superior Liverpool Academy first touch training.

Credit to Bounemouth.. i thought he was great.

he had three or four right off the start. first one was fantastic, 2nd one better. also as surprised as you said with the areas who took up on the field.. he ran wide and narrow channels, letting Bruin pick his own spaces. thought the inter play was good

You can see some limitations in his game but im not sure the MLS will expose it as much as theres not as much combination play at pace as the PL.

He's sneaky fast too. He ran down Barrios twice, which isn't easy he's got some pace.

Great addition, and sounds like Bournemouth isn't too concerned with calling him back from loan in January. So should be here all next year too.

Im wondering what happened at Bournemouth and why he isn't fitting in. It's strange for an English club to loan out a player to the MLS and not the English Championship, where they can keep tabs on him. Wondering if there was some fall out or if they are in no hurry for his development

Uncle Si wrote:
Im wondering what happened at Bournemouth and why he isn't fitting in. It's strange for an English club to loan out a player to the MLS and not the English Championship, where they can keep tabs on him. Wondering if there was some fall out or if they are in no hurry for his development

Not sure, he's certainly got the quality to be starting for Bournemouth.........and I think he was even rumored to be loaned back to Tottenham last year, who he played for before right?

I know he's had some nagging type injuries, maybe the manager at Bournemouth just wanted to get younger at the position. I don't follow the club close enough to know what other LB's they have. But I do know when you're a middle to lower table EPL club, you often go with a youth movement to try and spark some energy and quality into the club to not only compete, but get some interest in your young players.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:
Im wondering what happened at Bournemouth and why he isn't fitting in. It's strange for an English club to loan out a player to the MLS and not the English Championship, where they can keep tabs on him. Wondering if there was some fall out or if they are in no hurry for his development

Not sure, he's certainly got the quality to be starting for Bournemouth.........and I think he was even rumored to be loaned back to Tottenham last year, who he played for before right?

I know he's had some nagging type injuries, maybe the manager at Bournemouth just wanted to get younger at the position. I don't follow the club close enough to know what other LB's they have. But I do know when you're a middle to lower table EPL club, you often go with a youth movement to try and spark some energy and quality into the club to not only compete, but get some interest in your young players.

He was on loan at Swindon before his move to Bournemouth

Bournemouth have a preferred left back. I just think its a long way to send a player on loan unless you have no desire of ever promoting him.

If that's the case, I wonder where the deficiency in his game is. I saw a few times the other night him dribbling himself into trouble, especially in the narrow channels. His combo play wasnt the cleanest. Maybe Bournemouth just figured they were done.

or... i guess they could get him back once the MLS season is over. Easier recall than if he was in championship. If that is the case, i'd like to see more english teams do it

Uncle Si wrote:
If that's the case, I wonder where the deficiency in his game is. I saw a few times the other night him dribbling himself into trouble, especially in the narrow channels. His combo play wasnt the cleanest. Maybe Bournemouth just figured they were done.

When I was reading up on Smith last week, some of his scouting deficiencies was "final third service and crossing."

Well I saw one hell of a cross with his first run of the match Sunday, so not sure I'd agree with that criticism.

Obviously EPL expectations is different from MLS, but their loss and our gain.............I love what I saw.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:
If that's the case, I wonder where the deficiency in his game is. I saw a few times the other night him dribbling himself into trouble, especially in the narrow channels. His combo play wasnt the cleanest. Maybe Bournemouth just figured they were done.

When I was reading up on Smith last week, some of his scouting deficiencies was "final third service and crossing."

Well I saw one hell of a cross with his first run of the match Sunday, so not sure I'd agree with that criticism.

Obviously EPL expectations is different from MLS, but their loss and our gain.............I love what I saw.

maybe its a consistency issue at that level. I remember him having great delivery in his call ups at Liverpool, that's why i posted it here when he got the loan move.

Service issues could be finding feet of target players at pace... but who knows. I thought he was a major force in the game the other night.

Apparently Ruidiaz won't be suspended!

Also Portland and RSL lost. Things are falling our way.

Sounds like Seattle will be facing an understrength LA team this weekend.

SeatownJay wrote:Sounds like Seattle will be facing an understrength LA team this weekend.

No Ibram either now..............which I was tweeting back and forth with whoever runs the Sounders at Heart account on Twitter last night about Zlatan.

He think he needs to travel with the team even if he's not going to play to be available, and I was saying this is the deal you make with the devil when you sign a DP of Zlatan's famous pedigree..............you're not in charge, they are.

Sigi and the Galaxy don't have the balls to bench or make an example of Ibram.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

SeatownJay wrote:Sounds like Seattle will be facing an understrength LA team this weekend.

No Ibram either now..............which I was tweeting back and forth with whoever runs the Sounders at Heart account on Twitter last night about Zlatan.

He think he needs to travel with the team even if he's not going to play to be available, and I was saying this is the deal you make with the devil when you sign a DP of Zlatan's famous pedigree..............you're not in charge, they are.

Sigi and the Galaxy don't have the balls to bench or make an example of Ibram.

100% correct. The amount of jerseys he sells as well, means he's probably untouchable. Rooney and possibly Giovinco are probably the only other players that could get away with that.

As much as I hate turf, it has its advantage tomorrow.

Seattle is above the red line. I repeat, SEATTLE IS ABOVE THE RED LINE. Now let's hope RSL loses tonight so they stay there.

Great game. The Sounders feasted on a depleted Galaxy team. Hopefully they do the same next week against the Timbers.

RSL won As Kevin Keegan once said: I would love it, love it if we beat Portland in Portland next week.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:RSL won As Kevin Keegan once said: I would love it, love it if we beat Portland in Portland next week.

Still plenty of season left, just keep winning and getting points.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:RSL won As Kevin Keegan once said: I would love it, love it if we beat Portland in Portland next week.

Still plenty of season left, just keep winning and getting points.

I have no doubt now we make the play offs barring injury. Schedule is pretty favorable too. Amazing turn around.

Would still like a first round bye.

Wish they would remove the stupid GM vote gimmick for the fans. Ownership will do whatever the hell they want and even if the fans voted against, they'd change the GM's title or something.

Barcelona and Real Madrid do it as usually it involves 100's of millions of dollars in transfers.

Also kind of wish the band would go too, we're not a college football team and it drowns out the ECS.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:Wish they would remove the stupid GM vote gimmick for the fans. Ownership will do whatever the hell they want and even if the fans voted against, they'd change the GM's title or something.

Barcelona and Real Madrid do it as usually it involves 100's of millions of dollars in transfers.

Also kind of wish the band would go too, we're not a college football team and it drowns out the ECS.

They don't have to change the title. It's already built in. Garth isn't going anywhere.

He may not be General Manager, but He'll stay President of Soccer regardless.

Garth isn't going anywhere. He just may get another person on the payroll to assist run the club.

Thats why its lame. Even if they had a vote 2 months into the season when we sucled, he'd be safe
Get rid of the vote.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:Thats why its lame. Even if they had a vote 2 months into the season when we sucled, he'd be safe
Get rid of the vote.

The vote was never meant to be the final say with the GM position. The vote, like other big clubs do all over the world is a way to get the support clubs involved in order to give the owners the temperature of the fanbase in regards to club operations.

It's just an interaction mechanism for fan input, IMO it was never meant to be anything more (nor should it be). Yes it's pumped up to be more than it is, and that's a little patronizing and phony, but IMO it's a good thing.

https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sou ... ng-upward/

Sometimes Lagerway should just not talk, that Pearl Jam quote is weird.

I'm sort of with him on the US open cup, most teams don't care about it.

I do care about the regular season though and while we've went to two MLS cups by peaking at the right time, we made it hard on ourselves and should be aiming for HFA. If we make it back this year, it's likely in winter time NY or Atlanta.

I get we're a salary cap league but it shouldn't be one or the other. I get Sigi's teams peaked too early and fizzled out in the play offs after dominating the regular season (some of thats on him and his terrible tactics in the play offs). I get not every team is last years Toronto and cant spend what they spent. I feel like the Sounders though could and should have had the ability to have both a good regular and post season.

There was some puzzling decisions in the off season, some that may have sunk our season if Schmetzer hadn't kept the team together and staying positive. Feel like the front office really took their eye off the ball.

Re-signing Dempsey was odd- he'd been injured a ton before hand and to be honest he limits Lodeiro's effectiveness. His salary for this year could have been better spent.

Waiting too long to get a DP was also an issue, should have got at least an MLS veteran (like another Bruin) as a stop gap the moment Morris went down.

I'm also questioning why we re-signed Torres.

Will give the Wolff Eikrem signing a pass, sometimes signings don't work out.

The summer signings have been decent so far.

Next season has some big decisions. Torres, Alonso?, Dempsey. That's some big salary there.

I agree with most of what you wrote Glasgow.

While I'm not a huge fan of Lagerwey, I'm also not a huge fan of firing GM's after two straight trips to the MLS Cup. So a little perspective is needed this year.

But if I'm giving him a grade for 2018? It's a D, he did a terrible job of rounding out the roster last off season, especially at outside back. Jones had one foot out the door for the ENTIRE 2017 season, Lagerwey should have found a Smith type long before two weeks ago.

Going with two young developmental outside backs have hamstrung this club all season, and Morris's injury only made that error more glaring.

So we'll see, if we can get into the playoffs and do some damage now that we're far more dangerous on offense with Ruidiaz and have a quality LB in Smith, I like our chances.

Rodriguez has re-hurt his hamstring. He's been snake bit with injuries...

Last night wasn't very kind to the Sounders, as Vancouver, RSL, and SKC all win. Still, if Seattle can beat Portland tonight they'll jump up to 5th in the standings.

Seven. Straight. Wins. Unbeaten in 10. Seattle is now in 5th place and they knock Portland below the red line.

Eff yes. Great win in a tough venue against the big rivals. Win our 2 games in hand and we are 3rd. Tough game next week though.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:Rodriguez has re-hurt his hamstring. He's been snake bit with injuries...

Every year we should give out the Brittle Brad award. Given to the player who embodies all the injury prone soft qualities of Brad Evans.

Your 2018 Brittle Brad Award Recipient, Victor Rodriguez!!

Dempsey has got to be in that running. I feel there is either more to it and he retires or has a mutual contract termination out of nowhere in the coming weeks or he comes back for one last big moment in a play off game or something and gets that goal that breaks the club record. Something like Landon Donovans last hurrah (before we came out of retirement again).

For what we are paying him, I still hope really can get something out of him before the end of the season. Comes back as a rejuvinated impact sub. Something, anything.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:Dempsey has got to be in that running. I feel there is either more to it and he retires or has a mutual contract termination out of nowhere in the coming weeks or he comes back for one last big moment in a play off game or something and gets that goal that breaks the club record. Something like Landon Donovans last hurrah (before we came out of retirement again).

For what we are paying him, I still hope really can get something out of him before the end of the season. Comes back as a rejuvinated impact sub. Something, anything.

Dempsey had 10 goals last year and has been productive every year until this year. We're paying Rodriguez 1M, and he's yet to be healthy and productive here.

Great win yesterday. Kim Kee-Hee had his best game as a Sounder (IMO). He had a tremendous impact on the result.

Dempsey retires. Figured something like that would happen.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote: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.

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Glasgow Seahawk wrote: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.

all that said...

best USMNT and Sounder ever (?)

Uncle Si wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:

Glasgow Seahawk wrote: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.

all that said...

best USMNT and Sounder ever (?)

Definitely best USMNT. I put him ahead of Donovan because Dempsey had a very nice career for Fulham (I think he's still their all time goal leader?), which Donovan was content to stay in the MLS and not challenge himself overseas.

I know that's not USMNT stats, but IMO it's what separates the two players talent wise and what they meant to US soccer.

Sounder? No. IMO it's Ozzie, but I'd allow Montero if you're strictly talking production. He had more goals in a shorter span than Dempsey.

I wonder if Dempsey will get a final runout in one of the upcoming USMNT friendlies to allow the fans to say goodbye.