Montero has three goals in Seattle's first
two games. Aaron Weinberg / NSS
The Sounders now sit atop the Western Conference after defeating Real Salt Lake on Saturday, March 28 in Seattle. Goals by Nate Jaqua (17’) and Fredy Montero (77') were enough to see the newest MLS club go undefeated and post two shutouts in two games.
After two games, here is an evaluation of the Sounders and how they played from offense to defense, and what they should continue to emphasize.
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FORWARDS
Hats off to Jaqua for creating the initial spark of the first half for the Sounders. In the past two games, Jaqua has provided pressure up front and has done many of the intangibles as a post-up forward and was rewarded with a poacher’s goal, turning a Steve Zakuani cross into the net with his knee.
Jaqua will continue to pressure up front and will be rewarded for his efforts, but Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid will have to keep his minutes down to keep his forward fresh. It’s a long season and it will be hard for Jaqua to play that hard consistently for long periods of time. Jaqua played all of the first game and 71 minutes of the second. Keep an eye on his playing time in the next few games.
Montero also proved that last week was no fluke as he was a constant threat playing behind Jaqua. Real made a point to foul Montero early in the game. Real midfielder Kyle Beckerman received a yellow card in the tenth minute. Montero was not discouraged by physical play, which is a good sign, but he will have to show he can play through those tackles to stay involved in each game.
MIDFIELD
Another player who provided intangibles for the Sounders was Osvaldo Alonso, who played in a holding midfield role. Real’s play-making midfielder Javier Morales had a hard time creating for his team because Alonso was disrupting Salt Lake’s buildup through the middle of the field.
Zakuani also looked impressive in his professional debut. Seattle was able to isolate Zakuani on the left against Real’s Tony Beltran, and he looked confident when he took on Real’s defenders. The fact that he is in Schmid’s mind as a starter will only help the rookie grow and improve his game.
The introduction of Freddie Ljungberg also gave the home fans a look at the potential offensive combinations that Schmid has at his disposal.
DEFENSE
Hurtado gets carded during the Red Bulls game.
Aaron Weinberg / NSS
The Sounders have shown their resilience in defense, posting two shutouts in two games. The pairing of Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Tyrone Marshall in center defense has been formidable. Both defenders are strong in the air and can also win one-on-one tackles on the ground. Hurtado and Marshall have been smart on the ball and helped the Sounders when the team was defending deep in their own territory.
Goalkeeper Kasey Keller was recently named MLS Player of the Week and there is no doubt why. Keller made five key saves against Real, including a heart-stopping one-on-one against Real’s Yura Movsisyan in the second half. The shot stopper always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and when the Sounders’ defense is flat, he is there to back them up.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Seattle does not dominate matches from start to finish, which is understandable, however there are some areas that must show improvement.
Both New York and Salt Lake were able to pin the Sounders in their own half for long periods of the game. Both opponents also created goal-scoring opportunities against Seattle. Real out-shot the Sounders 13 to 12, and dominated possession for extended periods in the first and second half. Movsisyan’s speed was a clear problem for the Sounders defense and Morales began to find more space between the midfield and defense as the game wore on.
If Seattle wants to reduce the threat of opposing offenses, they will need to be able to keep possession after defending deep. This responsibility should fall to the Sounders half-backs, James Riley and Zach Scott, who need to do a better job of playing the ball forward and wide, rather than through the middle. Marshall and Hurtado are responsible for clearing away in the center, and Riley and Scott, as well as the midfielders, should be pushing up the field after possession is won.
Seattle has the players to stretch opposing defenses all over the field. A lot of the Sounders buildup going forward was through the middle, but many teams can be exposed from the wide positions. With a big player like Jaqua in the middle, he would thrive on crosses coming from either side. Playing from wide will also help prevent counterattacks by the opposition.
Reach Jesse Amorratanasuchad at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
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