Seattle Sounders 2018 Season

Sgt. Largent":2e69ryr1 said:

SeatownJay":2e69ryr1 said:

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.

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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.

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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":24ygm0e9 said:

his crosses were decent?

right...

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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":3mogd5az said:

Uncle Si":3mogd5az said:

his crosses were decent?

right...

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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.

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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":3j6a39r8 said:

Sgt. Largent":3j6a39r8 said:

Uncle Si":3j6a39r8 said:

his crosses were decent?

right...

Click to expand...

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.

Click to expand...

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.

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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":3fnkfueo said:

Uncle Si":3fnkfueo said:

Sgt. Largent":3fnkfueo said:

Uncle Si":3fnkfueo said:

his crosses were decent?

right...

Click to expand...

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.

Click to expand...

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.

Click to expand...

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.

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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":2rj2bgwj said:

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

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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":ojp8bl0r said:

Uncle Si":ojp8bl0r said:

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

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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.

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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":2xpv9x61 said:

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.

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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":30ei1p30 said:

Uncle Si":30ei1p30 said:

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.

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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.

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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.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/kbaxter11/status/1030162965784190976[/tweet]

SeatownJay":2znq3261 said:

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

[tweet]https://twitter.com/kbaxter11/status/1030162965784190976[/tweet]

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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":2nxhxcyw said:

SeatownJay":2nxhxcyw said:

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

[tweet]https://twitter.com/kbaxter11/status/1030162965784190976[/tweet]

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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.

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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":3bouhaqz said:

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

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