Who: Seattle Sounders vs Real Salt Lake Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA When: 7PM, Saturday, May 12 Watch: KING 5 Listen: KIRO 97.3 These games are coming fast and furious, but, thankfully there is a bit of a break for the team after this game. Can the Sounders make it 6 wins in a row against RSL, a team that has historically been poor on the road? RSL will be without their starting GK as well, so we'll get to see which team has the best backup. It could also be a face off between the two best defensive MF in the league. Injuries on both sides are minimal and it should only be a matter of fitness as to who starts on Saturday. RSL is currently one point ahead of the Sounders, but the Sounders have three games in hand. So the lead could just be a mirage if the Sounders are able to convert those games in hand into positive results. Get ready for a chippy game as both teams play a physical game defensively, but try to control the ball on the offensive side. This game will be won in the MF, so here's hoping Honey Badger is ready to take it to RSL and own them like a cobra.
Oops forgot the predicted lineup, but don't worry, here is Yoshou's Guaranteed to be Wrong Predicted Lineup: -----------Estrada-----------Montero-------- Fernandez-----Evans/Alonso------Rosales Gonzalez----Hurtado/Parke------Johansson -------------------Meredith------------------- Almost full lineup. Johnson was the only offensive starter to play the whole ga,e, so I'm predicting game off for him.
Why you think Estrada's going to start over Johnson? Just because EJ went a full 90? Hm, okay I guess that's a good point. I kind of get the feeling Flaco has played his last match in a Sounders jersey, and we're just Ljungberging him to keep him healthy until the ink is dry (that's solely based on a hunch..). And anyway, Caskey's been playing great in his absence. Otherwise, there's not much suggesting a different line-up than you penciled in. Maybe Ianni in to mark Saborio? Burch played well at LB on Wed...
I think this is good. Olave has a weak spot against speedy forwards. The difference is we like Fernandez and he has a good relationship with our captain. He also makes a good connection with the rest of the team. However, I wouldn't mind selling Fernandez this summer if this means we could get a million dollar CAM. The one that's really worth million dollars. This wont work because this means that you might leave Espindola open.
I really hope EJ is fit to start. I'm looking forward one day to see EJ, Montero, Rosales, Flaco, Alonso, and Evans all on the field at the same time for significant minutes.
Imagine all those guys fit and Zak at full strength. That's a lot of fitness to ask for all at once, but it's nice to dream.
Yeah, you're probably right... which is too bad. Olave is starting to show his age, and if you saw Brettschneider absolutely statue-ize him and score, just imagine what EJ would do. EJ is pretty frantic and unpredictable, but if he has one talent-- it is making everyone else appear to move in slow-motion.
Maybe they should do some CrossFit. Get on that Paleo diet. Do 5000 pull ups. Then they wouldn't be a bunch of pussies anymore.
looks like DC has suspended Scott for the RSL game for that tackle on Castillo http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2018188860_zach_scott_suspended_one_game.html
Well, not only that. Have you seen Oduro's (NOT) Goal of the week candidate. I don't think that Nyarko's cross is that good, but Olave seems to be clueless and don't know what to do, and he also let Oduro have a huge amount of space. However, RSL is not LA/Houston. RSL have more than one excellent CB's. What's worse is that Borchers did not play against Fire so he'll be well rested. But Montero might be able to keep him busy.
i'd really like to see our "best XI" soon...but if flaco's not ready, keep him out till he is. if it's a "we're selling him...waiting for the ink to dry", then just get it over with & don't drag it out for months
According to the local journalists, Flaco is going to be available tomorrow, the question is just whether he'll be on the bench or starting.
Well you're not going to see Zak for awhile... but if Flaco is good to go, I'd like to see something like: -------Johnson----Montero------- Flaco-------Caskey---------Rosales -------------Alonso----------------- -Burch--Ianni--Parke---Johansson -------------Meredith--------------- Sometimes Hurtado makes great plays and sometimes he's just clumsy and hacky. Ianni has played really well when's he's had a shot. And Caskey has been fantastic... he's tended to drift into the middle when we stuck him on the wing, so why not just play him there? Like I said-- I'm only throwing that out as a conspiracy theory... not as a story of substance. Just remember how the George John and Omar Gonzalez deals worked out... Dallas told everyone they'd sold John, then the deal evaporated, everyone was confused, John had to fly back to America, and the Dallas team imploded. That was really the turning point of their season. Then Omar went to try out in England and tore his knee first day. I'm only saying the last time we put a big name player on the auction block, this is exactly what we did then too.
Sounds like Ianni is having an MRI today on his back so he's most likely out and i'm guessing we see Leo and not Burch given the roation that Sigi has been going with. Also if Evans is fit there is no way that Sigi sits him with a full week off coming.
Oh man... didn't see that one coming. Better to sit him now than risk aggravating a groin injury. If they had Morales, we be totally screwed. But they don't.. Both Andy Rose and Carrasco are good tackling holding MFs... but obviously they're no Alonso. Anyway, it occurred to me that all the teams so far have come here (this year) to "play like RSL"-- try to keep lots of possession, especially behind midfield, but then not really throw numbers into the offensive 3rd. It'll be interesting to see how the "Real" RSL fares.
SEA XI: Meredith; Johansson, Parke, Hurtado, Burch; Alonso, Rose, Rosales ©, Estrada; Montero, Johnson Bench: Weber, Carrasco, Caskey, Cato, Duran, Fernandez, Levesque.
The only one that getting abuse is beckerman's hair Ross: Beckerman's hair is a work of art Keller': one mans art is another man's garbage
I don't mind that. Its just that WE lost to another good team. If we can't beat good teams out of our own conference then i see another early playoff exit.
I feel like we were pretty unfortunate to not win that one. EJ needs to stop worrying about being fancy and just play. Rosales struggled a bit later in the game and doesn't look like he's fully fit yet. The good news is that, in my opinion at least, Rose had a good game. Fernandez came off the bench and did alright and Caskey continues to impress me. I'm sure you've heard me complain about this before, and I'll complain about it again, but Sigi waits too long on subs. This was just one of those games where I feel like the guys gave their all and made one big mistake.