ST. LOUIS CITY SC v. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Are you looking for some good barbecue, a chance to gawk at the Gateway Arch, and a chance to see the wages of some of the worst state policy in America? Boy are you in for a treat, as the Sounders FC head to Citypark to face St. Louis City on a Saturday night.

What: MLS league match, St. Louis City SC v. Seattle Sounders FC.

Where: Citypark, Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri.

When: 5:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Saturday 25 May 2024 CE.

At Stake: The club will see this as a must-win match as Sounders trail St. Louis who are currently in the last MLS Cup western qualification berth with our Boys in Green two points adrift. It really is far too early to be talking about such things though, with only a bit more than a third of the season played. The larger reality is that it’s possible for Sounders to ascend as high as 17th place in the league table. For this scenario to come to fruition Sounders must win, Nashville (@MTL) and Orlando (v.CLB) can do no better than a draw, and DC United (v.CHI) must be defeated. Should Sounders be defeated, we could drop as low as 25th. Sounders FC are currently in 21st place in the league table, 17 points adrift of Inter Miami.

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

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

Support, as always, is vital. If you can get to Citypark, link up with your ECS and Sub-group people. For us here in the Evergreen it’s all about watching on the telly, hope, and belief. We must will the lads on to victory. It’s what we do. It’s in our bones. Although from time to time there may be despair, there is no quit amongst our numbers. Positive psychic energy must be beamed all the way to the middle of the country.

Best strap in. It’s Sounders football, under the lights on the hostile ground of Citypark. UP THE SOUNDERS FC!

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

The Good News

We’re getting results of late. That can’t be argued. In the league and also, I’m pleased to report, in the US Open Cup. Sounders are 2-2-1 in their last five in the league, 4-2-1 in their last seven in all competitions. It seems we might be turning the corner, leaving behind an extremely patchy start.

Raul Ruidiaz seven goals in the league are cause for celebration. We’ve been fortunate that Raul has remained healthy, and has played in 13 of our 14 league matches, and was in the team 11 of those 13 matches.

Credit to the Gaffer for selecting Nouhou, Cristian, and Jon Bell in the team for the USOC midweek. It was a solid team, and also Kossa-Rienzi was a shrewd selection and got to do a star turn with that highlight-reel goal. It was a stronger team than I thought we’d see, mostly comprised of Sounders FC squad players - but seeing Bell, Cristian, and Nouhou in the team was a good sign. I didn’t think it would be enough - I’m glad I was proven wrong in that instance. I know I often criticise the Manager’s match selection and both the context and timing of his substitutions, but I’ll grant we’re getting more positive results than not…for now. As long as the side is thriving, I am content.

The Sounders defence continues to hold, tied for 6th place in the league in goals conceded.

St. Louis are the statistically more likely team to concede two goals.

St. Louis are experiencing a crisis of form after dropping their last two matches (LAFC and @CIN) by a combined score of 5:1. Before that St. Louis had only one loss in 11 matches.

The Bad News

Our recent return to winning ways is the hickory veneer on the clapboard of reality. In the league, we have been shut-out in six of 14 matches. That’s being shut-out in nearly half our league matches. In the Cup, we are getting results, sensational and exciting ones at that, but both those matches we were one bad break away from defeat.

Apart from Raul Ruidiaz seven goals, Jordan Morris has two, and no other Sounder has more than one. Sounders FC are 12th in the league in goal scoring.

Nouhou is out this match as he must serve a one-match ban for being sent-off against Vancouver on 18 May. He was eligible for the US Open Cup match because disciplinary cards from league matches do not apply to matches in other tournaments.

St. Louis are the statistically more likely team to score two goals.

St. Louis has only lost one time at Citypark this season (3-3-1). Sounders FC have only two away victories in eight matches (2-1-5).

St. Louis is not participating in the US Open Cup, the cowardly wankers that they are, and thus have had a full six-day turnaround, as opposed to the Sounders FC who had a match midweek.

What a goal from this lad midweek, yeh? What a bright future he has with us. (photo credit: pac-12.com)

The Side I Would Select

Anyone that didn’t play 60 or more minutes midweek should be able to play at St. Louis, barring a late injury in training.

Rationale: Wouldn’t play Cristian after 61 minutes midweek on two-day turnaround. No sense in risking injury. Maybe as a sub, or sub him off at half-time, but you’d want him to play reduced minutes on so little rest. It’s just responsible to have Vargas in that holding role instead. I’d have de la Vega at right-forward, the sooner we get him integrated the better. Obviously, if Pedro is still hurt or not 100% he should sit out this match. Everyone else in place as you would normally expect. Likely they can go again in four days time for the return match against the Salt Lake at Royal Brougham Park.

GK     Frei

LB     Baker

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM   Vargas

LF     Morris

CAM   Rusnak

RF     de la Vega

CF     Ruidiaz

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

I’d say Brian goes the full bore. No reason not to, as there should be enough recovery time before the Salt Lake match. He said in the presser that the Roldan brothers are durable and play well on short rest, so I’d expect to see both of them. In general, expect the most experienced selection humanly possible. Look for de la Vega to come on somewhere around the 70 minute mark, perhaps for Cristian as he went 90 minute midweek in the Cup, with Vargas dropping back a line to hold.

GK     Frei

LB     Baker

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM   Cristian

LF     Morris

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Vargas

CF     Ruidiaz

Intangibles

The referee for Saturday’s match will be Lukasz Szpala.

St. Louis record in matches refereed by Szpala: 0-0-0

Sounders FC record in matches refereed by Szpala: 1-2-0

General notes on personnel

St. Louis transfers IN:

Olivares - reserves

Durkin (DC United) €278,000

Totland (BK Hacken) €455,000

Dyhr (FC Midtjylland) €500,000

Kijima - draft

St. Louis transfers OUT:

Creek (FC Tulsa) free

Schneider (Indy Eleven) free

Bell (Seattle Sounders FC) re-entry draft

Nelson (LA Galaxy) free

Stroud (DC United) undisclosed fee

Bartlett (DC United) undisclosed fee

Perez (Birmingham Legion FC) loan

Gioacchini (Como 1907) €2M

Comparison against common opponents

STL 1:1 RSL

RSL 3:1 STL

RSL 2:0 SEA

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

ATX 2:2 STL

STL 1:0 ATX

SEA 0:0 ATX

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

LAG 3:3 STL

LAG 1:0 SEA

SEA 0:0 LAG

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

STL 2:2 DC

DC 0:0 SEA

(against DC: STL 0-1-0 0, SEA 0-1-0 0) even

STL 0:0 DAL

DAL 0:0 SEA

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

STL 0:2 LAFC

LAFC 2:1 SEA

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

Know Thine Enemy

St. Louis as they lined up in their 3:1 defeat against Cincinnati at John Street on 18 May. St. Louis played in a 4-4-2 shape.

GOALKEEPER

Roman Burki, 33

Switzerland (9/0)

Notable Clubs: BSC Young Boys (2/0), FC Thun (4/0), FC Schaffhausen (9/0), Grasshoppers (110/0), SC Freiberg (34/0), Borussia Dortmund (176/0), St. Louis City SC (46/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Developed by FC Munsingen and BSC Young Boys. Won a Swiss Cup with Grasshoppers. Won two DFB Pokal and a DFB Supercup with Borussia Dortmund. Named to MLS Best XI 2023. Named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year 2023.

DEFENCE

Nikolas Dyhr, 22

Denmark

Notable Clubs: Midtjylland (69/2), AC Horsens (17/0), KV Kortrijk (1/0), St. Louis City SC (6/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Stensballe IK, AC Horsens, and Midtjylland. Dyhr has played for Denmark (43/3) at youth levels.

Joakim Nilsson, 30

Sweden (14/0)

Notable Clubs: GIF Sundsvall (30/2), IF Elfsborg (84/5), Arminia Bielefeld (85/3), St. Louis City SC (17/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3M

Notes: Developed by IF Algarna and GIF Sundsvall.

Kyle Hiebert, 26

Canada (1/0)

Notable Clubs: St. Louis City SC (36/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Linden Woods SC and WSA Winnipeg. Played his university football for Missouri State Bears (88/6).

Akil Watts, 24

United States

Notable Clubs: Louisville City FC (34/0), St. Louis City SC (19/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €500,000

Notes: Developed by IMG Academy, Portland Timbers, and Mallorca. Watts has played for United States U17s (17/2).

MIDFIELD

Celio Pompeu, 24

Brazil

Notable Clubs: St. Louis City SC (39/4)

Estimated Transfer Value: €750,000

Notes: Developed by Ceara, Botafogo, Fortaleza, and Cedar Stars Rush. Played his university football at Virginia Commonwealth (21/8).

Hosei Kijima, 21

Japan

Notable Clubs: St. Louis City SC (6/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €200,000

Notes: Developed by IMG Academy. Played his university football at Wake Forest (63/9).

Njabulo Blom, 24

South Africa (2/0)

Notable Clubs: Kaizer Chiefs (55/0), St. Louis City SC (32/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.2M

Notes: Developed by Kaizer Chiefs.

Aziel Jackson, 22

United States (1/0)

Notable Clubs: North Carolina FC (12/1), St. Louis City SC (38/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by New York RB, Toulouse, and Crossfire FC. Named to MLS Next Pro Best XI 2022.

FORWARD

Joao Klauss, 27

Brazil

Notable Clubs: HJK Helsinki (33/21), Linzer ASK (42/15), Hoffenheim (4/0), Standard Liege (33/7), Sint-Truiden (8/2), St. Louis City SC (32/15)

Estimated Transfer Value: €4M

Notes: Developed by Internacional (Porto Alegre), Juventude, and Gremio. Won a Finnish league title with HJK Helsinki. Named Finnish League Player of the Year, won the Golden Boot (21 goals), named Striker of the Year, named Breakthrough of the Year, and named to the Finnish League Team of the Year, all in 2018 for HJK  Helsinki.

Samuel Adeniran, 25

United States

Notable Clubs: Seattle Sounders FC (4/0), San Antonio FC (30/16), St. Louis City SC (29/10)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by Belenenses. Won a CONCACAF Champions League title with Seattle Sounders FC. Won a USL Championship title and USL Cup with San Antonio FC.

Familiar Faces

St. Louis forward Sam Adeniran played for Sounders FC Reserves (38/15) from 2021-2022, and for Sounders FC (4/0) from 2021-2022.

St. Louis midfielder Aziel Jackson saw Crossfire FC as one of the stops on his development tour.

Squads

St. Louis from:

Burki, Lundt, Blom, Dyhr, Hiebert, Markanich, Nerwinski, Nilsson, Parker, Totland, Watts, Yaro, Alm, Durkin, Jackson, Kijima, Loewen, Ostrak, Pearce, Celio Pompeu, Adeniran, Glover, Joao Klauss, Thorisson, Vassilev.

Sounders FC from:

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

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time, modified by comments from the Gaffer’s presser this afternoon)

St. Louis -

OUT: Olivares (illness, we’ll say german measles).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Sounders FC -

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

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

St. Louis: Parker is out next match if booked.

Sounders FC: Nouhou is out this match as he must serve a one-match ban for being sent-off against Vancouver.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC Reserves will attempt to snap out of a two-match losing streak when they kick-off against Houston Dynamo Reserves at SaberCats Stadium on Sunday 26 May at 4 p.m. PDT. Good luck, lads!