Time to do the thing again. Who we excited about right now that might have nat implications? Freese has a lot to gain with our weak goalkeeper position.......as does pretty much anyone else who wants to apply for the job. The FCD-Seattle shuffle of players is interesting.........the Revs-SJE shuffle feels much less interesting, but who knows? Sands going to St Pauli was a welcome surprise, hopefully Tolkin too he feels like hes the next one on the transfer list. Hopefully Farrington keeps doing the thing, hopefully Duncan can do the thing again. Forwards are always welcome that are in form. And just freaking watch JeBo go off with the LAFC change of environment, that would make so much sense
#1 The main story to watch for in 2025 will be can one of the American goalkeepers surpass and replace Matt Turner who is rotting on the benches of Europe and should be considered a dangerous liability if we must proceed with him going into 2026. Our primary options are Matt Freese, Roman Celentano, Patrick Schulte, Chris Brady, and Zack Steffen. Maybe an older Brad Guzan. Maybe a young prodigy in Gavin Beavers, Andrew Rick, Adam Beaudry, or Duran Ferree. We have options but someone needs to step up. #2 I’d say it’s make or break for a lot of this most recent u-20/ Olympic cohort. Players born before 2005 need to step up and make a name for themselves or they quickly will fade into MLS lifer obscurity. Guys like Luna, Gutierrez, McGlynn, Quinn Sullivan, Clark, Neal, etc. fit this bill. These players need to actually breakout this season. Not just be a promising player. But a difference maker. Grace period is over. #3 Who will be our young surprises this year? After some promising seasons, we seem to have hit a bit of a drought of young bucks who impress enough in MLS to earn a move to Europe. Even the most promising players in the 2005 and 2006 class, they seem to have either stagnated (RBW, Cremaschi), or switched nationalities (Buck, Vargas, Esmir). Honestly, I think those years have turned out to be mostly a bust for us, and if we are to look for future national team difference makers it’s going to have be from the younger cohorts. #4 What will be the situation with Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson, and Tim Ream. The center backs. Like it or not but we are in a position where we will have to still count on these MLSers when it comes to our national team. And their form should be monitored. Similarity, Brandon Vazquez should still be monitored too given the injuries of Wright, Sargent, and Balogun.
note his xG was apparently 4.03 since self-appointed Very Smart People consider that "analysis" 🚨Rayados tiene negociaciones avanzadas para vender a Brandon Vázquez a Austin FC. ⬇️https://t.co/YYC2MfuJxh pic.twitter.com/lndJ4GO9fL— César Luis Merlo (@CLMerlo) January 1, 2025
If Ferreira does move to Seattle, he's really likely to be one to watch. I suspect his performances are going to be much-discussed. If he gets back to 2022/23 form, but does it for Seattle, its going to be really high profile. Farrington's season will likely depend on whether Musa is still there. There are rumblings about both Velasco and Musa being of interest to clubs in this window. It could be a total overhaul in Dallas. We'll see. If Musa goes, then it's game-on for Farrington. 🚨➕ More info on Petar #Musa: the 🏴 clubs that asked for info on him are #NottinghamForest and #Leicester.💰 #FCDallas are open to evaluating offers over €18m for his possible farewell, as already reported.🤝 @valentinfurlan_ https://t.co/CVydhrWWU3— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) January 1, 2025
Leicester and Forest have allegedly asked about Musa. I know back in the summer Bogert said Dallas would sell but only if Musa said he wanted to leave. It does kind of feel like Dallas is in many ways looking to rebuild. Not just cause of their trades, but also cause of hiring Eric Quill as coach. Quill was involved with North Texas before going to New Mexico.
Bogert and Jeremiah Oshan says the Ferreira deal is done. If he’s healthy, I expect him to have a good year. The Seattle supporting cast is better than what he had in Dallas. The only question I have is how he gets deployed.
Goalkeeper: Beavers(19)RSL: great situation platooning with MacMath(now 33!). Can GB move to starter?Rick(18)Phi: Will get games while Blake's away with Jamaica Callender(27)Mia: Locked in starter. Will get plenty of high-profile matches with Messi. Needs to shine. Freese(26)NYC: had a major breakthrough. Needs to keep going forward. Brady(20)Chi: quiet year. Can GGG help him progress? Celentano(24)Cin: ensconced started on elite team. Can he make a quantum leap? Schulte(23)Clb: ditto
Seattle will have a ton of games to play in 2025 as they're going to be in the Club World Cup, Leagues Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup, etc. Even if Ferreira is just showing up as a #9 to compete with Morris, there will be lots of opportunities. I mean, one can imagine all sorts of formations in which one could play Morris and Ferreira at the same time as well. Ruidiaz and Morris started games together last year. Combined calendar years 2022, 2023, 2024 across all competitions? Ferreira and Morris have very similar goal contribution totals. Combined they've got more than 100 over those seasons. Both very productive. A little over 50 each. ...............but Morris is now the wrong side of 30. Ferreira only just turned 24. Arriola, if he's part of that deal, will also be an interesting one. People act like he's 35 and running on fumes. The guy is 29. A fresh start for him will also be interesting for him. Cuz I can see him making a little bit of a comeback.
I was hoping Seattle didn’t bring Rusnak back and slipped Jesus into the 10 spot but that’s not what the best writers are reporting. Maybe Jesus will have to convert to wing.
There are reports that Inter Miami is bringing in a goalkeeper actually... Callendar was certainly a disaster at times in 2024 More rumors linking Nahuel Losada, Argentine goalkeeper, with Inter Miami.He currently plays for Lanús and is well-regarded there.Miami want to have a different option between the sticks apart from Drake Callender. pic.twitter.com/br4UPx7L3t— Luis Mazariegos (@luism8989) December 17, 2024
Who knows? it'll be very interesting. They're going to be paying a lot to acquire him, and his salary will be pretty hefty. ~2 million GAM, Leo Chu, plus an international spot for Ferreira. And they're also taking on Arriola apparently as part of the deal. You're probably not paying that pricetag for a reserve forward. You're paying that for somebody you want to play a key role for you. One could as ask whether it'll be Ferreira as the #9 and Morris on the wing.......................... Dallas tried Ferreira everywhere. They played him on the left wing, on the right wing, as a support striker, as an attacking central midfield, etc. He was the most impactful, BY FAR, as a #9. Heck, the guy was the Golden Boot winner at a Gold Cup as a #9. We keep trying to turn him into something different. I'm not sure I understand why. In 2022, he was the 4th leading goalscorer in the league..........AS A #9. Same number of goals as Brandon Vazquez in fewer minutes.
Given his age, fitness history, productivity, development, and skill set, starting Morris at striker makes the most sense. Ferreira will be able to start anywhere along the '3' in 4231.
He just needs to give a 3/4 discount. It would be great to have him go to team tbh. I’m with you, I’d have the guy who scored about a goal every 2 games over two whole seasons as a 9, play the 9. There’s no law saying you can’t play 2 like Philly or Red Bull or Cincy and I hope they do. I was ok with him taking the Rusnak spot because that was often a second striker anyway, playing in the 2 out of possession and staying very high.
We'll see. We don't really know. I just see it as a Ruidiaz replacement. I mean, they're paying a ton to get Ferreira. If Ferreira does the same thing he did with Dallas, but for a higher profile club like Seattle, I think the narrative around him is going to change a lot. My gut feeling is that he's there to be a #9. Lots and lots of games for Seattle in 2025 and Morris is now the wrong side of 30. Even if the two are just rotating matches up top, there are going to be a lot of games to play. Neither have been beacons of health in their careers either. Morris is running around on 2 reconstructed knees. Ferreira has had a bunch of smaller injuries, mostly muscle injuries, in 2023 and 2024 that seemed to sap him. Hamstring injury. Thigh/hip injuries. Can they get on the field at the same time? Yes. Certainly. Schmetzer played Ruidiaz and Morris together at times. But when you look at Seattle's roster as of right now, who are the #9s? They've got Pedro de la Vega as a winger. Paul Rothrock had a breakout season as a winger. They're acquiring Arriola supposedly, and they're going to be paying him a lot. He's a winger/attacking midfielder. Braudílio Rodrigues is a left winger. Rusnak is the attacking midfielder. Where are they thin? Center forward. That could change with other moves in this window.
Seattle has sometimes played the 3-4-1-2, that is the formation the used to hang around and steal the AET playoff victory against LAFC. That formation would also take the best advantage of their personnel allowing Jesus up top along with Morris, Rusnak underneath in the #10 and C Roldan in the CM slot. Jesus Morris Rusnak|Vega Arriola Vargas|Atencio CRoldan ARoldan Tolo Regan Yeimar Frei
Seattle generally play 4231 Vargas has had transfer rumers Musovski and Ferreira would be the back-up 9s ----------------------Morris--------------- ------Ferreria-----Rusnak-----Rothrock----- ---------------Atencio-----Roldan----- ---Tolo------Regan------Yeimar-----Roldan--- -----------------------Frei--------
They ran it a lot with Cristian as the 10 in 2021 so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them do what you suggest but they probably want to get De La Vega on the field to start.
0 goals and 1 assist in 12 MLS starts for de la Vega. Browsing through his numbers from the Argentine league....6 goals and 4 assists in 43 starts in the attack. And the Sounders paid $7.5 million?! Garth Lagerwey has well and truly left the house. Maybe they'd confused Lanus for Leganes(La Liga). Wow.
I have Rusnak or DL Vega at #10. I know they have not yet re signed Rusnak but he was their most productive attacker last season and I know DL Vega has had injury issues and he is certainly not looking like the Loderio replacement many were hoping for. I guess we will need to wait for all the moves to be finalized.
They put him back in the lineup as soon as he was fit last year. Schmetzer has shown that he will bench a DP but I’m sure he’s going to get a fair shot. FWIW, he’s a dynamic dribbler and was a big part of the Argentine U23 squad before he got hurt.
Guessing Ferreira. Rothrock, and Roldan will eat up the majority of the minutes on the wing. Hopefully, Vega can provide some depth.
I’m expecting Roldan to play the 6, he was great there as Seattle had the best record and defense in the league down the stretch.