[Yoshou]

Seattle Sounders (WDl) @ Real Salt Lake (lWl)
When & Where: 6PM, Saturday, 8/8 @ Rio Tinto Stadium

TV: KONG 6/16, Direct Kick
Radio: 97.3 KIRO FM, 1210 AM Ke Buena
Online: 97.3 KIRO FM, Match Center

Sounders roll into Salt Lake City (Well, okay Sandy) after getting their asses handed to them last Sunday against the worst team in the division. After playing in the first half of Wednesday's game against Barca, it looks like Ljungberg will be on the pitch against RSL. The Sounders also seem to have solved their left back problem with the addition of Costa Rican national Leonardo Gonzalez.

RSL was expected to win the division at the start of this year, but have failed to live up to expectations so far this season. They are, however, only 6 points behind the Sounders and have the fifth best home record in the league, while the Sounders have the sixth worst away record.

RSL injuries & suspensions:
OUT: FW Yura Movsisyan (Injury);
DOUBTFUL: DF Robbie Russell (Injury)

Sounders injuries and suspensions:
OUT: DF James Riley (Red Card);
OUT: GK Chris Eylander (Injury);
OUT: DF Taylor Graham (Injury);
OUT: MF Michael Fucito (Injury)

Questions for the match:

1) Will the Sounders get over the funk from the last two MLS regular season games and return to their winning ways?

2) Who is going to play in Riley's spot?

3) Is Ljungberg fully recovered from his migraine?

4) Evans. Ljungberg, and Hurtado all have 4 yellows, will one of them get a yellow and miss out on the last game of this road stretch against the Galaxy?

[Yoshou]

I think I made a post without an error in it! Sweet!

Now, on to the game:

1. I'm not too hopeful about this game. The Sounders have played extremely flat since the Chelsea game and I'm not sure an away game against RSL is the best way to solve this problem. RSL has been quite good all season at home, both in record and fan support, and let's face it, the Sounders have sucked on the road. Next week isn't looking any more promising, so if the Sounders want some points on this road trip, they'd better notch at least a draw against RSL.

2) I'm thinking last night's sub for Riley is a good hint at who is going to be playing right back. Wahl. Let's hope Wahl does a better job at right back than he did at left back.

3) Ljungberg was completely flat for the first quarter (half of a half) of last night's match and I suspect he's still feeling the effects of the migraine he got the last time he was down in Sandy. I'm sure he'll be the best player on the field as per usual, but certainly not back to his 100%

4) I'm fully expecting at least one of Evans, Ljungberg, and Hurtado to get their fifth yellow on Saturday. Ljungberg has shown himself to be a whiny little bitch towards USSF refs this season and I'm afraid that reputation will make Saturday's ref more likely to fling up a yellow at the first sign of disagreement. Hurtado can be a bit of a dirty player and there have been a number of cases where he could have gotten a card, but either got away with it, or the ref just called a foul.

And since I didn't ask a question about this in the first post... How excited is everyone to see Leo on the pitch in Rave Green? I know I'm stoked.

[guelch27]

Leo was amazing last night. I think he has a little bit of gelling with the team to do still, but definitely a solid pick-up. The guys got great control and he did an awesome job covering the runner-up footballer of the world. I'm certain when we can get our defense all in one game we should be alot more solid. Now we need to rethink our finishing.

[Main Man]

Leo was very impressive. Wahl was not. Anyone know if the surgery to attach a left foot to Zakuani was successful?

[guelch27]

It didn't appear so last night. May be scheduled for today along with a frontal lobotomy to change his habits a bit. You'd think Sigi would tell him if he sees him way out in front of everyone and he stops so he can do a step over and kick it in front of him to sprint one more time he'd bench him. The guys a rocket but he does that every time. Why not just keep the speed up and put a shot on goal one on one with the goalie?

[Main Man]

WTB left winger with a left foot

[scott47a]

I put this in the "other teams" thread a couple days back, but it's worth repeating here:

Real Salt Lake has a winger from Argentina in town by the name of Nelson Gonzalez on trial with the team. Quotes from coach Kreis from http://keepinitrealsl.blogspot.com/

On Nelson Gonzalez:
"Yeah. He's a player that I saw initially on a trip that I took to Argentina early December and saw him in a training match, and I really liked what he's about. I could tell just by watching him play that he's a no-nonsense kid, he's a hard-worker, and had a real strong mentality. And so this year we were looking to add somebody like that during our window here. Somebody that we're not looking to throw into the lineup, but somebody that we think has a bright future. And we think that maybe that could be here. So I think it's a nice addition for us."

On Gonzalez' position:
"Actually I think he could play three positions for us in our current tactical scheme. He could play left wing, left back, and holding midfield. I saw him play at left wing, and in a holding midfield spot."

Gonzalez arrival is in addition to Dutchman Rachid El Khalifi who has officially joined the team since we last faced them and may play Sunday.
Here's a video of El Khalifi playing elsewhere:

Rachid El Khalifi on Vimeo

Rachid El Khalifi on Vimeo

[SenordrummeR2]

Originally Posted by Main Man

WTB left winger with a left foot

I think that is what the majority of MLS teams want right now. They seem to be a scarce commodity.

How many Sounders fans will be making the trip down? Should be a good game, and is one I've been looking forward to all season. Hope to see you there!

[ness77]

When Wahl subbed on last night, he played center back (his natural position) and Ianni slid out on the right. So barring something weird, I'd expect Ianni to get the start there on Saturday.

[WestSeattle]

Leo made mistakes, he could be ingled out as the chief culprit in the first goal. Still, I get the opinions offered here about him - and I agree with the overall point that he seems like a genuine upgrade.

Personally, I liked how physical he was and how big he is. If the refs will let our defense play a little rugged, we'll be fine...but we are clearly the kind of MLS defense that does like to get a little chippy. Hurtado and Marshall use their boots when defending, looks like Leo does too. I don't mind, it can work well.

My concern for the Utah game is this: RSL is improved...and they would love to get revenge for the embarrassment they suffered in Seattle very early in the season. Also RSL is one tough team to beat in Utah. The stack is against us in this one.

I think we'll see a better performance this time around (can't get any worse than last week can it?; but the improved performance may not result in a win. An early goal would be nice, to get the goalless monkey off our back, we've gone an awfully long time without scoring.

There is a good chance either Chivas/Colorado get a win out of their head-to-head match, and a good chance the Galaxy win and Houston gets six points this week. So if we lose, the standings could look pretty ugly on Monday. Not only would we be in fourth, we'd be 12 points off the pace to the conference leader, and only two points ahead of the fifth place team (Salt Lake).

So this might be the week, we realize the playoffs in Season 1, we're a pipe dream after all.

This game is big. How will we respond?