SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. LOS ANGELES FC

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Our close, personal friends, and perennial pains in the arse, LAFC will visit Royal Brougham Park for a Saturday matinee in The Evergreen.

What: MLS league match, Seattle Sounders FC v. Los Angeles FC.

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

When: 1:45 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Saturday 8 March 2025 CE.

At Stake: We’re in 25th place in the league. So that’s less than ideal. This is mitigated by the fact that we’ve only played two of 34 and there’s a long way left to go. Although I think league matches are more expendable than CONCACAF Champions Cup matches, particularly in the early stages of the season, one point out of two matches played is worrisome. A victory would do much to restore confidence. So I reckon it’s confidence itself at stake.

Where to Watch: Sounders FC website says that Saturday’s match is available on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, and also available on Fox and Fox Deportes.

Where to Listen: Sounders FC website says radio broadcasts will be available from KJR 93.3 FM and El Rey 1360 AM. A simulcast on KJR may be available through Apple TV’s audio options. It was last season, so it’s worth looking into, as it’s incredibly difficult to listen to two hours of mindless prattle from the announcers that Apple TV selects, who generally have little to no knowledge of our club, except for what is provided in the match notes.

I’m gonna keep this bit brief today, as it’s not particularly complicated. We are not fond of this lot from Figueroa Street. These are constantly having a wee on our yard, and we’re sick of it. So that ought to set the tone for tomorrow afternoon’s match.

Gather your mates at the ground, at the pub, or at your yard. Support is vital. The lads are a bit down now, and it’s our job to chuff them right back up.

It’s a Saturday matinee against our recent and extremely irritating nemesis, LAFC. Royal Brougham Park day football. Don’t you miss it. GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!!

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

Round and round she goes. Where she stops…nobody knows.

The Good News

Purportedly, as we’ve heard from Longacres, Sounders FC are in a run of bad luck. The type of luck where the ball doesn’t go in our opponents’ net, and sometimes goes into our own. If that’s true, and it sometimes is as football can be a very cruel game, then things will sort out in the fullness of time. So there’s that.

We’ve seen good things from newboys Arriola and Ferreira. Seen good things from de la Vega, Vargas, and Morris. I’m starting to think of Ferreira as the equal or better of Rusnak at the #10. It’s good to be two players deep at that position with zero drop-off in quality.

Home matches are always good, we have the best support in the league, and it shows. As it stands now we need every edge we can get.

The Bad News

Sounders desperately need a backup centre-forward. With Sounders playing in FIVE competitions this season and the stark realisation that Jordan Morris has a 30-year-old human body with all the commensurate limitations that apply. Danny Musovski seems to not have earned the Gaffer’s trust as he was only selected in the team four times last season, and only scored one goal in 24 appearances (502 minutes). It’s possible that Musovski could do the job, but unless he plays more, we won’t really know. Musovski’s best season was in 2023 with Salt Lake, where he was in the team 14 times and set career highs in minutes played (1206), goals (5), and assists (4). In short, we need to find out if Musovski is good enough to be in the squad, and if not, the front office needs to sort matters as quickly as possible. I understand Carlos Vela (age 36, estimated transfer value of €1M) is available. It couldnae hurt to kick the tires on a potential deal for KVC Westerlo and Scotland U-21 forward Adedire Mebude (age 20, estimated transfer value of €1.5M).

Steve Cherundolo managed at youth levels for Hannover 96 for four seasons before becoming Manager at LAFC. In 2022, Cherundolo’s managerial debut for the Southlanders, LAFC won 21 matches, most ever under a first-year MLS manager. In his three seasons at Figueroa Street, LAFC have won an MLS Cup and League double (2022), and most recently, the 2024 US Open Cup. By my calculations that’s three titles in three seasons.

If Sounders FC’s coaching staff are not comfortable with selecting our squad players in the team, then they should be on loan somewhere they can play regularly to earn that trust, and be temporarily replaced with capable players on a limited salary. Don’t get me wrong, Ferreira and Arriola are good players, but if they were our big ticket players in the transfer window, we simply aren’t keeping pace with the rest of the league. Sounders FC front scouting and General Manager Craig Waibel have unfinished work to sort out.

Point blank: With all the fixtures we’re playing this year, it has to be asked why Danny Leyva, Cody Baker, and Stuart Hawkins have not been in the team yet this season in the league. Nouhou can’t possibly play every match this season at left-back. What of Travian Sousa?

We’re playing way too narrow. It’s something that desperately needs sorting out.

The Side I Would Select

Time to rest the side for Mexico City on Tuesday. We have made quality depth in the squad. We have only to decide to use it.

GK     Thomas

LB     Sousa

LCH    Bell

RCH    Hawkins

RB     Baker

LDM    Leyva

RDM    Joao Paulo

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Minoungou

CF     Musovski

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

I expect the selection will be the same as it was for the 2:0 defeat at Salt Lake, provided Kossa-Rienzi is available.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Bell

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Kossa-Rienzi

LDM    Cristian

RDM    Vargas

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Minoungu

CF     Morris

Intangibles

Rotation.

Or lack thereof. I wouldnae attempt to play ours 60-90 minutes on Sat and then expect them to put in a full shift at altitude three days later. That would be manifestly stupid.

Officiating.

Drew Fischer will be the match Referee on Saturday afternoon.

SEA record with Fischer as Ref: 9-10-3

LAFC record with Fischer as Ref: 7-3-3

Offseason transfer spend.

SEA: €1.45M

LAFC: €7.88M

General notes on personnel

LAFC transfers IN:
Terry - academy

Long - re-signed

Ebobisse (San Jose) free

Marlon - re-signed

Holm (Celtic) loan

Jesus (Estrela da Amadora) €4M

Delgado (LA Galaxy) €385,000

Tafari (FC Dallas) €290,000

Yeboah (Columbus Crew SC) free

Smolyakov (Polissya Zhytomyr) €2M

Under (Fenerbahce) loan €1.2M fee

Saldana (KFUM - Kameratene Oslo) free

LAFC transfers OUT:
Atuesta (Palmeiras) end of loan

Darboe (Bayern Munich) €1.5M

Duenas (Houston) free

Kamara - released 

Muller - released

Murillo (FC Juarez) free

Musto - released

O’Brien (Nottingham Forest) end of loan

Rosales (CD Guadalajara) free

Sanchez (Austin FC) free

Vela - released

Angel (San Diego FC) €190,000

Campos (Cruz Azul) €3.8M

Bogusz (Cruz Azul) €8.5M

Olivera (Gremio) €4.3M

Bombino (San Diego FC) loan

Comparison against common opponents

n/a

Know Thine Enemy

LAFC as they lined up against Columbus in their 3:0 victory in the CONCACAF Champions Cup at Figueroa Street on 4 March.

GOALKEEPER

Hugo Lloris, 38

France (145/0)

Notable Clubs: Nice (72/0), Lyon (146/0), Tottenham Hotspur (361/0), Los Angeles FC (35/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Developed by Cedac Cimiez and Nice. Won Coup de France and Trophee des Champions with Lyon. Won the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Nations League with France. Named Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year three times. Named to Ligue 1 Team of the Year three times. Won a US Open Cup with LAFC.

DEFENCE

Sergi Palencia, 28

Catalonia

Notable Clubs: Bordeaux (25/0), Saint Etienne (6/0), Leganes (71/0), Los Angeles FC (52/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Developed by CF Badalona and FC Barcelona. Won a US Open Cup with LAFC.

Aaron Long, 32

United States (35/3)

Notable Clubs: Sacramento Republic (2/0), New York RB (139/12), Los Angeles FC (51/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Played his university football for UC Riverside (71/13). Won an MLS League Championship with NYRB. Named USL Defender of the Year in 2016. Named MLS Defender of the Year and MLS Best XI in 2018. Named to CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI in 2019. Named to CONCACAF Champions League Best XI 2023. Won a US Open Cup with LAFC.

Marlon, 29

Brazil

Notable Clubs: Fluminense (81/0), Barcelona (2/0), Nice (23/0), Sassuolo (65/1), Shakhtar Donetsk (12/0), Monza (28/0), Los Angeles FC (7/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €3.5M

Notes: Full name: Marlon Santos da Silva Barbosa. Developed by Fluminense. Won a Copa Libertadores and a Recopa Sudamericana with Fluminense. Won a Copa Del Rey with Barcelona. Won a Ukrainian Super Cup with Shakhtar Donetsk. Won a US Open Cup with LAFC.

Ryan Hollingshead, 33

United States

Notable Clubs: FC Dallas (193/18), Los Angeles FC (95/12)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Played his university football for UCLA (81/16). Won an MLS League Championship and US Open Cup double with Dallas in 2016. Won MLS league and MLS Cup double in 2022 with LAFC. Won a US Open Cup with LAFC.

MIDFIELD

Timothy Tillman, 26

United States (1/0)

Notable Clubs: 1FC Nurnberg (6/0), Greuther Furth (80/2), Los Angeles FC (59/8)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Developed by ASV Zimdorf, 1SC Feucht, Greuther Furth, and Bayern Munich. Won a German Supercup for Bayern Munich (as an unused substitute). Won a US Open Cup with LAFC.

Marco Delgado, 29

United States (6/0)

Notable Clubs: Chivas USA (37/2), Toronto FC (181/15), Los Angeles Galaxy (91/5), Los Angeles FC (2/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by Pomona United, LAFC Chelsea, IMG Academy, Cosmos Academy West, and Chivas USA. Won MLS Cup and MLS League double in 2017, and  three Canadian Championships. Won MLS Cup with Los Angeles Galaxy.

Igor Jesus, 22

Brazil

Notable Clubs: Flamengo (20/0), Estrela da Amadora (13/0), Los Angeles FC (2/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Full name: Igor Jesus Lima. Developed by Goias and Flamengo. Played five times for Brazil at youth levels.

FORWARD

Denis Bouanga, 30

Gabon (45/11)

Notable Clubs: Lorient (38/10), Strasbourg (18/5), Tours (36/16), Nimes (35/8), Saint-Etienne (97/26), Los Angeles FC (72/41)

Estimated Transfer Value: €10M

Notes: Developed by SO Maine and Le Mans. Won MLS league and MLS Cup double in 2022 with LAFC. Won CONCACAF Champions League Golden Boot (7 goals) 2023. Named to CONCACAF Champions League Best XI 2023. Won 2023 MLS Golden Boot (20 goals). Twice named to MLS Best XI. Won a US Open Cup with LAFC.

David Martinez, 19

Venezuela (1/0)

Notable Clubs: Monagas (34/5), Los Angeles FC (19/4)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Full name: David Enmanuel Martinez Morales. Won a US Open Cup with Los Angeles FC.

Jeremy Ebobisse, 28

United States (1/0)

Notable Clubs: Charleston Battery (5/2), Portland Timbers (88/26), San Jose Earthquakes (109/34), Los Angeles FC (2/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Produced by Bethesda SC. Played his university football for Duke (37/9).

Familiar Faces

Former Sounders FC Coach Ante Razov is a Coach with LAFC.

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Castro, Baker, Bell, Burney, Gomez Andrade, Hawkins, Kim, Kossa-Rienzi, Nouhou, Ragen, Alex, Sousa, Joao Paulo, Leyva, Cristian, Rusnak, Vargas, Arriola, de la Vega, Ferreira, Morris, Minoungou, Musovski, Rothrock.

LAFC from:

Lloris, Ochoa, Hasal, Bombino, Long, Hollingshead, Segura, Tafari, Palencia, Marlon, Chanot, Delgado, Yeboah, Igor Jesus, Tillman, Martinez, Terry, Holm, Giroud, Ebobisse, Ordaz, Bouanga, Wibowo, Gonzalez, Hughes, Under.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC -

OUT: Baker-Whiting (hamstring).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

LAFC -

OUT: Dellavalle (thigh).

MATCHDAY DECISION: Chanot (head), Holm (ankle), Igor Jesus (illness), Tillman (illness).

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

No players suspended for either team.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC Reserves play their first match in the MLS Next Pro season tonight against LA Galaxy Reserves, Friday 7 March at the William Rolland stadium, in Thousand Oaks, California. Good luck, lads! Do us proud.

The Sounders FC Reserves have had some recent transfer activity, signing five new players from 3-6 March. The new signings are listed below. Welcome to The Evergreen, lads!

Midfielder Ryan Baer (age 23, West Virginia, superdraft)

Defender Demian Alvarez (age 22, Seattle Pacific/Seattle University, Ballard FC,  superdraft)

Midfielder Joonmo Kang (age 23, Ansan Greeners, FSV Mainz 05, Dynamo Dresden, SpVgg Greuther Furth, FC Ingolstadt 04, and Suwon FC)

Midfielder Peter Kingston (age 23, Seattle University, Washington, Ballard FC)

Midfielder Charlie Gaffney (age 21, Pennsylvania, Ballard FC).