The 2019 season starts tonight, @ 7pm PT, against newcomers FC Cincinnati. Jordan Morris is expected to get his first MLS start since Sept. 11, 2017.

Jordan Morris is officially back.

Welcome back Jordan Morris! And he learned how to use his left foot!

Victor Rodriguez was on fire. Easily the best player on the pitch last night. Nice start for the Sounders.

Great performance. Hope like crazy that Morris and Rodriguez stay healthy this year.

Was the crowd down? Saw the hawks nest was tarped. Or have they opened more if the upper deck?

hawkfan68 wrote:Victor Rodriguez was on fire. Easily the best player on the pitch last night. Nice start for the Sounders.

With Morris giving us tremendous width down the right, the combo of Smith and Rodriguez down the left should be a game changer..................again IF all three can stay healthy. Which is a big if for all three players.

But great start to a season, finally. Hopefully this is a sign of not starting slow and digging ourselves a hole seemingly every year.

Yeah thats the fear. Smith looks like he's made of glass so far.

If V-Rod stays healthy he's probably worth the DP slot.

Morris- just needs to watch the hamstrings.

Another week, another win. I think it's safe to say the Sounders aren't going to need a massive second half surge to make the playoffs this year. If everyone stays healthy I think we're challenging for our second Supporter's Shield.

2 games in and supporter shield talk?

Ok..

But, lots of early positives to draw from.

Well MNU is 2-0, both games on the road. They play their first 5 on the road. Saw something never seen before yesterday... San Jose man-marked every player. 10 players each with a man marking assignment.

It was disaster of course

Uncle Si wrote:2 games in and supporter shield talk?

Ok..

I gave up irrational negativity for Lent. Now it's all about irrational positivity.

SeatownJay wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:2 games in and supporter shield talk?

Ok..

I gave up irrational negativity for Lent. Now it's all about irrational positivity.

Damn it...


Here i gave up loose women.

The Sounders already have six points in March. That's more than the last three seasons combined and ties a club record for points in that month.

I think this is our strongest line up. Under Schmetzer we usually start slow and get hot at the right time. This season is uncharted territory. All to do with injury luck. If we stay healthy, get a summer reinforcement or too, no reason we cant make a shield run.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:The Sounders already have six points in March. That's more than the last three seasons combined and ties a club record for points in that month.

I think this is our strongest line up. Under Schmetzer we usually start slow and get hot at the right time. This season is uncharted territory. All to do with injury luck. If we stay healthy, get a summer reinforcement or too, no reason we cant make a shield run.

I agree with strongest lineup, at least strongest lineup to start a season.

This is really the first year I can remember that we haven't been desperately holding on treading water waiting for the summer transfer window because of a big void in the lineup or unplanned key injury.

Also- that's two games in a row where the hawks nest is tarped. Is attendance down? If so, why? Was hoping it would keep growing. I worry the split from the hawks for ticketing etc was a mistake.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:Also- that's two games in a row where the hawks nest is tarped. Is attendance down? If so, why? Was hoping it would keep growing. I worry the split from the hawks for ticketing etc was a mistake.

The Sounders attendance stats have them right at their season average from last year (38K), so not sure what's going on.

I don't think you can buy season tix for the Hawk's nest area can you? Isn't that for single game tickets only? So maybe once we get into nicer weather and more walk up and single game seats are sold they'll open that section up.

Any chance its keeping the intimacy of the MLS games? Pretty sure most stadiums only max in the 20ks?

Uncle Si wrote:Any chance its keeping the intimacy of the MLS games? Pretty sure most stadiums only max in the 20ks?

For playing in a football stadium, Century Link is pretty damn intimate. Very good sight lines, and we know about the noise. But no, I don't think the Sounders really care about capping the capacity to protect intimacy, they'll sell as many season tickets as they can.

Obviously we'd all prefer a soccer specific stadium. I just don't see that happening any time soon.

With this ownership group and Seattle’s political climate, I don’t think we’ll get a soccer specific stadium in the next two decades. It would require the Sounders to pretty much finance everything.

Another game, another win. This team is so fun to watch when everyone is healthy.

SeatownJay wrote:Another game, another win. This team is so fun to watch when everyone is healthy.

Defense was pretty sloppy after going up 3-0. That needs to be corrected.

This Sounders team is jumping on opponents early. Very refreshing to see. Rodriguez is really a magician out there. 3 matches and 9 points. Keep it up guys!

Is Will Bruin hurt? Has he even played this season so far? Not that he’s needed at this point.

Sorry I haven't been around much at all. Life has been crazy lately. Here's my notes thus far:

- V-Rod looks like an Elite Player this year.
- Morris is a much improved player. He is playing with a ton of confidence, and he is playing a lot smarter this season.
- Bruin is healthy and been in the 18 every match. Offense is on fire so he hasn't been needed.
- Ruidiaz is ON FIRE. With as limited as touches as he gets, he's been killer with his chances (the one wiff aside). 8 Shots on the season, 6 on target, 3 goals.
- We've given up a few too many goals for my liking.
- Roldan is doing awesome in the middle of the park.

It is incredibly refreshing to have a full squad of healthy players.

hawkfan68 wrote:This Sounders team is jumping on opponents early. Very refreshing to see. Rodriguez is really a magician out there. 3 matches and 9 points. Keep it up guys!

Is Will Bruin hurt? Has he even played this season so far? Not that he’s needed at this point.

Bruin was expecting a baby over the weekend, so that's why he didn't travel with the team.

Watching this dynamic of an attack is awesome to see, especially so early in the year. Just think what this attack will be able to do if everyone stays healthy and continue to play together? Awesome.

But I agree with Schmetzer in regards to not putting teams away. Leaky defense and the penchant for letting up after early scoring has to be worked on. Obviously a good problem to have though.

We're crushing it so far. I still worry about depth should injuries bite but so far so good. Western Conference teams haven't looked great so far and in the east Atlanta are struggling under DeBoer.

I get Portland are playing all their games away but they look like they have a cup final hangover so far. If they have a ton of home games later though they can probably turn it around pretty quick.

I think MN Uniteds quest for the Supporters Shield is dead...

But ill be at the Sounders/United game at Allianz in May

Sounders-related news today. All US Open Cup matches will be available on ESPN+ starting this year.

SeatownJay wrote:Sounders-related news today. All US Open Cup matches will be available on ESPN+ starting this year.

Good to hear.

If MLS ever wants the Open Cup to matter, it needs to start doing things like this to elevate awareness and interest.

Sounders sign 15 year old to youngest 1st team contract in MLS history.

https://theathletic.com/907940/2019/04/05/

Sgt. Largent wrote:Sounders sign 15 year old to youngest 1st team contract in MLS history.

https://theathletic.com/907940/2019/04/05/

Probably team history, not MLS history.

FIFA has changed the rules that you cannot sign a pro contract until your 16th birthday.

Freddy Adu was 14 when he started playing for DC United

Kid must be something. Typically no rush, but they must have felt they needed to get him on the books to a. keep him from signing elsewhere right away, 2. to ensure they are part of the fee if he's ever transferred later in his career.

Uncle Si wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:Sounders sign 15 year old to youngest 1st team contract in MLS history.

https://theathletic.com/907940/2019/04/05/

Kid must be something. Typically no rush, but they must have felt they needed to get him on the books to a. keep him from signing elsewhere right away, 2. to ensure they are part of the fee if he's ever transferred later in his career.

He's a Sounders Academy product that led them to the U17 USSDA National Championship. He's spending this weekend at the USYNT U17 camp and should be on the roster for the U17 World Cup next month.

SeatownJay wrote:

Uncle Si wrote:

Sgt. Largent wrote:Sounders sign 15 year old to youngest 1st team contract in MLS history.

https://theathletic.com/907940/2019/04/05/

Kid must be something. Typically no rush, but they must have felt they needed to get him on the books to a. keep him from signing elsewhere right away, 2. to ensure they are part of the fee if he's ever transferred later in his career.

He's a Sounders Academy product that led them to the U17 USSDA National Championship. He's spending this weekend at the USYNT U17 camp and should be on the roster for the U17 World Cup next month.

Lot of those kids (i mean almost all) arent signing first team contracts though, even at 16/17.

Says alot

No Ruidiaz for the Sounders tonight. Hopefully Will Bruin does well filling in for him.

hawkfan68 wrote:No Ruidiaz for the Sounders tonight. Hopefully Will Bruin does well filling in for him.

He's looked pretty good so far.

Spring is a fickle B. Today's weather in Commerce City, CO, is 78 and sunny. Tomorrow's game forecast? Blizzard conditions, with heavy snow and wind gusts up to 60 MPH.

SeatownJay wrote:Spring is a fickle B. Today's weather in Commerce City, CO, is 78 and sunny. Tomorrow's game forecast? Blizzard conditions, with heavy snow and wind gusts up to 60 MPH.

So the weather in Colorado today is bad enough that the game has been postponed until September.

https://www.soundersfc.com/post/2019/04 ... nt-weather

Allianz field opens tomorrow. Skipping it because, well... 18 inches if snow. Will be there next week and then may 5th against the Sounders.

Stadium looks incredible.

Edit... stadium is incredible. Absolutely stunning outside. Intimate yet loud inside. Grass field too... in MN.

Really excited

And... on queue... ozzie alonso with the first ever goal at Allianz

Will Bruin starts for Raul again and scores twice. In other news, Ozzie scores the first goal in Allianz Field history for MNUFC.

Maybe youre just blocking my posts. Whatever.

4 goals in 7 minutes. Stadium is amazing.

The 5th goal is something that will be seen for a few years to come

Uncle Si wrote:Maybe youre just blocking my posts. Whatever.

4 goals in 7 minutes. Stadium is amazing.

Sorry, didn't see your edit.

And just after praising Bruin he leaves the game with either a groin or hamstring injury.

Uncle Si wrote:
And... on queue... ozzie alonso with the first ever goal at Allianz

That's gonna be the MLS Goal of the Week, it was a brilliant strike..........awesome to see too, I love me some Ozzie. Good for him, and good for Minnesota.

Was a good game. Bruin, Roldan and Rodriguez were great. Thought Kim got absolutely abused by Altidore though until Torres came on. Also felt Frei ould have done better with the goals.

Injuries have forced the Sounders to play Harry Shipp and Roman Torres. This equates to a piss poor first half and being down 2-0. Right now it’s looking like the Sounders first loss of the season.

Torres showed why he's no longer a starter for this team. Although it wasn't all him. The entire team looked flat and out of sync.

Two things we learned from this match.

1. Vela is the real deal.
2. The Sounder's attack desperately needs Ruidiaz, for not only his skills but so Morris can stay out wide where he's most effective.

That was rough.

Lodeiro and Rodriguez had rough games which didn't help. Torres was a disaster and sold 2 goals. Kim has been a bit iffy recently, had a tough go of it against Toronto and struggled this week, he probably needs Marshall beside him.

Morris isn't a forward and he was missed out wide.

We really need another forward. Ruidiaz and Bruin are good players but having only 2 reliable forwards in the squad isn't good.

Also felt like several players gave up after the 3rd which is worrying.

We need to beat San Jose mid week and get back on track

If Marshall isn't a go for the Earthquakes game, it might time to play Abdul-Salaam or Campbell. Abdul-Salaam was the defender of the year in 2016 season with Sporting KC. He couldn't be any worse than Torres or Kee-Hee.

That was a weird one. Fun game but damn.

Its piss poor roster management only having 2 forwards. Creating chances with no one there due to both being hurt. Is there not even a prospect in tacoma.

Defense has got really slack as well, especially leerdam and kim in the last few weeks. That's worrying.

On the plus side the subs helped us come back. Shipp and smith did great when they came on. Annoyed we dropped 2 points, we had chances but so did San jose who hit the post twice. Ruidiaz better be back soon or get an effin forward in.

Bwana did well. He's still learning and made a few wrong decisions on breaks but the potential is there.

Glasgow Seahawk wrote:
Its piss poor roster management only having 2 forwards. Creating chances with no one there due to both being hurt. Is there not even a prospect in tacoma..

Schemtzer would tell you Morris is a forward, but I get what you're saying.

Unfortunately this is just the nature of the MLS, there's a major dropoff once your starters get hurt. Depth is the first thing to take a hit with such a low cap...........and that's what we've seen these last couple of matches. When everyone's at full strength, we're a dangerous side, when guys start missing matches, this is what it's going to look like.

I think most of us said after the 2nd or 3rd match that we were all bullish on this roster, EXCEPT if the injury bug hit. Well, it's hit a little.

Its frustrating in the sense that there isn't even some journeyman to fill in. No Neagle type or Chad Barrett.

I used to think Morris could be a forward but the last few games have shown he's far better out wide.

I'm a bit worried Ruidiaz injury is worse than they are letting on. There was tweets with him in a boot.