Not only would we qualify for next year's CCL competition, but we would get the extra allocation money that comes with it. I'm not sure we could have possibly afforded this year's roster without that additional allocation money, especially once we signed Wilhelmsson. That's going to be a continuing issue next year, even though we have a lot of fairly low-priced young players on our bench. It's just a big luxury to have non-DP players with pretty big salaries like Buddle, Sarvas, and Wilhelmsson.
I actually think we can come out exactly the way we did in the first leg. If you watch the first half of yesterdays match again, you'll see that we played it pretty conservative. We held the ball and took what they would give us. We usually had 8 guys behind the ball (2 lines of four), and let Donovan and Keane press up front... often ending up with all 10 guys behind the ball. The key was that we were judicious about getting forward, and took our chances when they came. In the second half we came out much more aggressively. I loved how our defenders were getting forward when the opportunity presented itself. We basically told Seattle that we knew their one forward could not hurt us. Next Sunday I expect Seattle to come out with a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 and really try to pressure us. If LD is healthy, we should be able to play like we did in the first half, but kill them on the counter. It should be a very open game. We should have plenty of chances. If we can finish them, it will be fun. If we can't, it will be a nail-biter.
I think we play the full team that is healthy. Not only do you want to make sure to get a good result but the team will be rested and looking at a long layoff before the final game. You want players as sharp as possible and a 3 week layoff is not so great. I fully expect a huge Seattle crowd. Whatever else Sounder fans are, they show up and support. They will come out to see Sigi throw everything forward and go for broke. If they get an early goal, the crowd will come alive so it's important to slow down the opening portion of the game and control the ball as much as we can.
Wow! The way the season started, I would have never thought we would find ourselves in this position right now, but the team has been on a roll. I just hope we can cross this last hurdle. My hope is to play DC in the final and finally get a MLS Cup win over them, but first thing first.. we need to beat the Sounders. If we score an early goal, I can see Seattle falling apart and us getting another blowout. Otherwise, Seattle will make us sweat and they will want to turn out a good performance in front of their home crowd.
I've said it many times before: we need to be the ones playing desperate football. We do the "throw everything and two kitchen sinks" honors against Seattle and we'll be fine. Now we are the one playing with everything to lose. And that's when we turn it up.
Yep we are going to need that money to make Omar a good offer otherwise he is so out of here next year.
Very well, then. Back to work, good sir. We have some potheads to arrest next Sunday. Here is an interesting white-flag flasher opinion...from the Guardian. EDIT: And a response...
Isn't it strange to reference "my fans?". A little like talking about yourself in the third person...
Couldn't you give him some teeth? The body is quite menacing. The face - - not so much. On another note, I hope Bruce is preaching "No Red Cards" to our boys.
leave the soft core stuff to hachiko.. that tail/thing is clearly going behind the heel... (isn't it)
Good point LA_Yank. Clearly Geneva took the picture as a Rorschach and projected what she wanted to see.
Yikes! The left leg needs to be rendered a lighter color so it shows in the front of the tail. Or something. It's not my fault!