SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. REAL SALT LAKE

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. The Salt Lake come down from their mountain perch and rarefied air, to play at sea-level. For a change. We haven’t forgotten the 2:0 defeat. We have a warm welcome waiting for you lot. Cheers.

What: MLS League match Seattle Sounders FC v. Real Salt Lake.

Where: Royal Brougham Park, Occidental Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

When: 7:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Wednesday 29 May 2024 CE.

At Stake: Sounders are currently in 18th place in the league table on 17 points, 17 points adrift of leaders Inter Miami. With a victory midweek over the Salt Lake, we could reach as high as 14th place. In order for this to happen Kansas City (v.VAN) must win, and Houston (v.COL), Philadelphia (v.TOR) and DC (@MTL) must do no better than draw. Should we be defeated Wednesday night, we could sink as far as 22nd place. Aside from the ups and downs table maths, the Salt Lake are 3rd place in the league, so it’s a benchmark game to assess our current level of competitive quality. That is the most important factor currently.

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV. Remember that you have the option of selecting the KJR radio simulcast as alternate audio for home matches. This setting can be changed using the control layer of the stream.

Where to Listen: 93.3 KJR FM and El Rey 1360 AM.

Real Salt Lake. I am so sick of losing to this lot. That said, imagine how much the Gaffer and the lads hate losing to them.  And just the name of their club - the idea of royalty in Utah, I mean…aside from the Osmond family, it’s just absurd! And their kits that look like they were designed by children during a finger-painting session. So much to dislike.

All pettiness aside. This club are extremely difficult to beat. However, I come bearing good tidings. We have more than enough talent to beat that lot. One of the ways we improve our chances at victory, is our incomparable support. The best fucking support in the league. And I expect it be loud. Sooooooo loud. Is it out of the question to try and trip the local seismic instruments again? I think it’s time for a warm welcome for the Salt Lake…to Green Hell.

If you can make it to the ground, link up with your mates and definitely do that. Failing this, you know the drill. Pubs and dwellings for stories and tellings. Houses and flats for pints and cats. Boats and ships for pie and chips. Positive psychic energy only for our Boys in Green.

It’s midweek football, under the lights at Royal Brougham Park. GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!! GET IN!!

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

Today Sounders FC will honour Sounders and United States defender,

Jimmy McAlister, the Sounders 1977 NASL Rookie of the Year. Good on ye, Jimmy!

The Good News

Sounders FC are 5-2-1 in our last eight matches in all competitions. It’s difficult to argue with positive results. In particular, Rusnak’s slide-rule through-ball to Morris was encouraging as it’s the one of the few goals we’ve created from the run of play. If we can do more of that, it’s going to be a lot more difficult for the opposition defence to handle us.

Sounders FC have only been defeated once at home this season (1-4-1). The Sounders’ defence is tied for 6th best in the league.

For once, we were allowed a three day turnaround before the midweek fixture. That should be just enough time for physical recovery if training is light.

Josh Atencio has been pronounced fit and is available for selection. I’d expect to see him as a sub. A sensible thing to do would be to use Josh to replace Cristian who has seen heavy usage these last 11 days.

Pedro de la Vega is a matchday decision, but at least that’s better than no chance of being able to play. We’ll see him as a substitute if he passes a late fitness test. The sooner de la Vega returns to full fitness, the better it will be for both Pedro and the club.

Sounders are 12-2-5 all-time in the league when RSL comes to visit. I like those odds.

The Bad News

In the last three matches, Sounders FC have had five shots on goal…total. That’s an average of 1.67 shots on frame per match. This number is way, way too low. If we go back as far as Portland (5 shots on goal) and LA Galaxy (5 shots on goal) we were doing a bit better in this regard. If we’re going to challenge the best teams in the league, this has to improve.

It’s been a tonne of matches in way too short a time. Three matches in eight days. Who’s fit to responsibly run-out for Wednesday? Sure there have been three turnaround days between the St. Louis game and Wednesday, but a few of our players, specifically Ragen, Cristian, and Alex, have seen heavy usage over the past eight days. Is it responsible to play them? Counterpoint: How could you justify not playing them against the 3rd placed team in the league?

Salt Lake haven’t lost since 8 May when New Mexico United put them out of the US Open Cup, and haven’t lost in the league since 9 March, when they lost to Colorado at Sandy. In the league, Salt Lake are unbeaten in their last 11 matches (7-4-0).

Salt Lake are the statistically more likely team to score two goals, as they literally average two goals a match, and are second in the league in goal scoring with 30 goals. The Sounders sit at 12th best in goal scoring, having hit 18 this season.

Salt Lake are even defending better than we are, albeit by the thinnest of margins (0.07 less goals conceded/match).

The danger men for Salt Lake are Arango (13 goals) and Carlos Andres Gomez (7 goals). Julio and Luna have hit three goals apiece. Arango also has eight assists, Luna has seven, Carlos Andres Gomez has four, and Crooks has four. So many of the club’s primary attackers, can damage you with a killer pass, as well as scoring goals.

Ruidiaz leads the Sounders with seven goals. Morris is next with three. No other Sounder has more than one goal.

Rusnak has five assists to lead the Sounders this season. Cristian is second with three assists. Ruidiaz and Vargas have two assists each. This is decent, but the creativity must improve in attack. We can only score so many goals from set pieces, penalties, and fortuitous bounces in the Penalty Area.

The Side I Would Select

Despite heavy usage, my selection is probably going to mirror the Gaffers. What would be different is how I would use substitutions. Alex, Cristian, and Ragen should probably get subbed sometime between half-time and the hour mark - regardless of the score.

Rationale: The gamble of using primariliy squad players and Sounders FC Reserves players in the midweek cup-tie paid off. Thus most of the first-choice players should be fit to play 70-90 minutes. Nouhou is an easy selection, he was suspended last match and has had that additional time to rest. Vargas, Gomez Andrade, Morris, Rusnak, and Joao Paulo played zero minutes midweek. They should be good to go on the three-day turnaround. The only questions are Alex, Cristian, and Ragen. They have seen a tonne of usage over the last 11 days. Is the three-day turnaround enough time for physical and chemical recovery? I’d sub all three somewhere between half-time and the 60th minute.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH     Ragen

RCH     Gomez Andrade

RB      Alex

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM    Cristian

LF     Morris

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Vargas

CF     Ruidiaz

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

No reason why the first-choice players can’t play in this one. The only question is how to use substitutes and mind usage to prevent injury.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB       Alex

LDM   Joao Paulo

RDM   Cristian

LF     Morris

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Vargas

CF     Ruidiaz

Intangibles

Referee for the midweek fixture against Salt Lake will be Sergiy Boiko. Boiko has only 21 matches officiated in MLS, but has 120 matches officiated in the Premier Liga, Ukraine’s top division.

Record of Sounders FC in matches refereed by Boiko: 0-0-0

Record of Salt lake in matches refereed by Boiko: 0-0-1

General notes on personnel

Salt Lake transfers IN:

Silva - free agent

Bonilla - draft

Barajas (Charleston Battery) €230,000

Katranis (Piast Gliwice) €275,000

Crooks (Middlesbrough) €1M

Matthew Bell - draft

Gozo - reserves

Moisa - reserves

Quinton (Columbus Crew SC) €188,000

Salt Lake transfers OUT:
Benitez - released

Kreilach (Vancouver Whitecaps FC) free

Caldwell - retired

Musovski (Seattle Sounders FC) free

Nyeman  (SK Beveren) end of loan

Loffelsend (Colorado Rapids) €91,000

Savarino (Botafogo) €2.45M

Rubin (Queretaro) loan 

Pierre (Colorado Springs Switchbacks) loan

Lambert (San Antonio FC) loan

Comparison against common opponents

LAFC 2:1 SEA

RSL 3:0 LAFC

(against LAFC: SEA 0-0-1 -1, RSL 1-0-0 +3) edge RSL

SEA 1:1 COL

RSL 1:2 COL

RSL 5:3 COL

(against COL: SEA 0-1-0 0, RSL 1-0-1 +1) edge RSL

SEA 0:2 VAN

SEA 1:1 VAN

VAN 1:2 RSL

(against VAN: SEA 0-1-1 -2, RSL 1-0-0 +1) edge RSL

PHI 2:3 SEA

PHI 1:2 RSL

(against PHI: SEA 1-0-0 +1, RSL 1-0-0 +1) even

LAG 1:0 SEA

SEA 0:0 LAG

LAG 2:2 RSL

(against LAG: SEA 0-1-1 -1, RSL 0-1-0 0) edge RSL

DAL 0:0 SEA

DAL 3:3 RSL

(against DAL: SEA 0-1-0 0, DAL 0-1-0 0) even

STL 1:2 SEA

STL 1:1 RSL

RSL 3:1 STL

(against STL: SEA 1-0-0 +1, RSL 1-1-0 +2) edge RSL

Know Thine Enemy

The Salt Lake as they lined up in their 3:3 draw at Dallas on 25 May.

GOALKEEPER

Zac MacMath, 32

United States

Notable Clubs: Philadelphia Union (103/0), Colorado Rapids (31/0), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (8/0), Real Salt Lake (87/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €400,000

Notes: Developed by IMG Academy. Played his university football for Maryland (65/0).

DEFENCE

Alexandros Katranis, 26

Greece

Notable Clubs: Atromitos (49/0), Mouscron (8/0), Hatayspor (22/1), Piast Gliwice (64/0), Real Salt Lake (12/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €500,000

Notes: Developed by Atromitos.

Philip Quinton, 24

United States

Notable Clubs: Columbus Crew SC (13/1), Real Salt Lake (5/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €300,000

Notes: Developed by FC Portland. Won MLS Cup with Columbus Crew SC.

Justen Glad, 27

United States

Notable Clubs: Real Salt Lake (228/13)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Developed by Real Salt Lake.

Andrew Brody, 29

United States

Notable Clubs: Real Salt Lake (94/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Developed by Real Salt Lake. Played his university football for Louisville (61/9).

MIDFIELD

Braian Ojeda, 23

Paraguay (8/0)

Notable Clubs: Olimpia (28/1), Defensa y Justicia (10/0), Nottingham Forest (3/0), Real Salt Lake (50/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3.5M

Notes: Developed by Olimpia. Won a Paraguayan Primera Division title with Olimpia.

Emeka Eneli, 24

United States

Notable Clubs: Real Salt Lake (36/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €250,000

Notes: Developed by Columbus Crew and Ohio Premier. Played his university football at Cornell (60/20).

Matt Crooks, 30

England

Notable Clubs: Huddersfield Town (1/0), Rangers FC (2/0), Rotherham United (89/18), Middlesbrough (102/20), Real Salt Lake (13/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Manchester United and Huddersfield Town.

FORWARD

Diego Luna, 20

United States (1/0)

Notable Clubs: Real Salt Lake (49/8)

Estimated Transfer Value: €4.5M

Notes: Developed by Palo Alto SC, San Jose Earthquakes, and Barcelona Residency Academy. Has represented United States at youth levels (22/5). Won CONCACAF U20 Championship with United States.

Cristian Arango, 29

Colombia (2/0)

Notable Clubs: Envigado (71/7), Millonarios (65/24), Aves (19/1), Tondela (16/1), Los Angeles FC (51/30), Pachuca (11/5), Real Salt Lake (26/19)

Estimated Transfer Value: €5.5M

Notes: Developed by Envigado. Won Taca de Portugal with Aves. Named MLS Newcomer of the Year 2021. Won an MLS Cup and League double with LAFC in 2022.

Carlos Gomez, 21

Colombia (2/1)

Notable Clubs: Millonarios (49/9), Real Salt Lake (44/8)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3.5M

Notes: Full name: Carlos Andres Gomez Hinestroza. Developed by Millonarios. Won a Copa Colombia with Millonarios.

Familiar Faces

Salt Lake forward, Ilijah Paul, played for Crossfire Redmond (f/k/a Washington Crossfire) (6/3). Played his university football for Washington (39/11) and San Francisco (1/0).

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Baker, Gomez Andrade, Hawkins, Nouhou, Ragen, Alex, Atencio, Baker-Whiting, de la Vega, Joao Paulo, Kitahara, Leyva, Rusnak, Vargas, Morris, Cristian, Kossa-Rienzi, Minoungou, Musovski, Rothrock, Ruidiaz, Teves.

Salt Lake from:

Beavers, Tomas Gomez, MacMath, Glad, Katranis, Oviedo, Quinton, Tommy Silva, Barajas, Brody, Caliskan, Chang, Crooks, Eneli, Carlos Gomez, Gozo, Hidalgo, Julio, Luna, Ojeda, Palacio, Vera, Arango, Matthew Bell, Jacquesson, Paul.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC -

OUT: Bell (hamstring), Nathan (quadriceps), Rodrigues (hamstring), Leo Chu (adductor).

MATCHDAY DECISION: de la Vega (hamstring).

Salt Lake -

OUT: Bonilla (knee), Holt (hamstring), Ruiz (knee), Marcelo Silva (hamstring), 

MATCHDAY DECISION: Hidalgo (hamstring), Vera (back).

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC: No players suspended. Nouhou out next match if booked.

Salt Lake: No players suspended. Arango, Crooks, Eneli, Carlos Gomez, and Katranis are out next match if booked.

Fun Fact

The Sounders FC will honour the life and legacy of famous actor and martial-artist,  Bruce Lee on Wednesday night. It doesn’t get any cooler than that.

Sounders FC Reserves defeated Houston Dynamo Reserves on the strength of a late Houston own-goal. Fahling and Brunell scored for the Sounders Reserves. In the team for the Sounders Resrves: Castro, Bowen, Lopez, Aguilar, Sousa, Brunell, Bettache, Minoungou, Tsukanome, Fahling, De Rosario. Substitutes used: O’Malley, Brito, Aquino, and Brun. The victory sees Sounders FC Reserves in 9th place in MLS Next Pro on 17 points, six points adrift of Philadelphia Union Reserves. Well done, lads! Back on track!