2013 MLS Previews: Seattle Sounders

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OVERVIEW

In each of their first four seasons in the league, the Seattle Sounders have shattered the MLS home attendance record. With a rabid fan base, the Sounders averaged over 43,000 in attendance for each of their 17 games at CenturyLink Field — more than doubling the number of paying customers that attended each Mariners game during the same summer.

Now Seattle must appease those fans with titles. Winners of three of the last four U.S. Open Cups (and a finalist last season, missing out on four straight in a 3-2 penalty kick loss to Sporting Kansas City), the Sounders reached the Western Conference finals last season after losing in the semifinals the three prior years. With their nemesis Los Angeles weakened by the loss of David Beckham and the uncertain return of Landon Donovan, Seattle has the potential to seize the Western Conference and bring the first MLS title to the largest fan base in the league.

But Seattle also backslid from 2nd to 3rd in the Western Conference last season, earning seven fewer points than they had in 2011. Can Sigi Schmid, the first and only coach in the team’s MLS history, take the team to the next level? The opportunities are there, but a plethora of challenges also exist as the Sounders seek the path over that final hurdle to their ultimate goal.

PRESEASON PERFORMANCE

Feb 23, 2013; Tucson, AZ, USA; Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann (24) holds up the Desert Diamond Cup Trophy after defeating Real Salt Lake at Kino Sports Complex. Seattle beat Real Salt Lake 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle spent their training camp in Casa Grande before heading to Tucson to compete in both the Desert Friendlies and the Desert Diamond Cup two weeks later. They played just one match in the friendlies, losing 1-0 to their Cascadia Cup rivals from Portland on a Danny Mwanga goal.

At the Desert Diamond Cup, the Sounders started their campaign with a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution that showed the Sounders were starting to acclimate their new acquisitions well into the team. Their Arizona success continued with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake that qualified Seattle for the championship match before they had even played their final tilt of the round-robin group stage. Without breaking much of a sweat they removed any question of legitimacy in a 2-0 dispatch of the New York Red Bulls, Alex Caskey and Mario Martinez scoring amidst rare flurries in the desert city.

The perfect record in group play send the Sounders to the Desert Diamond Cup final for a rematch against Real Salt Lake. With Marcus Hahnemann in goal, Seattle kept a clean sheet this time against Salt Lake and Caskey scored another goal to make his case for playing time as the Sounders prevailed 1-0 for the preseason title. Two days later they played Mexican club Veracruz to a 0-0 draw, gaining valuable experience against a club similar to their next CONCACAF Champions League opponents, Tigres. The tie concluded Seattle’s preseason at 4-1-1.

ROSTER OUTLOOK FOR 2013

Michael Gspurning, the lanky Austrian goalkeeper who burst onto the scene in 2012 with the third-best goals against average in league history (0.73 per game), is the undisputed starter for the Galaxy in 2013. The Sounders also brought in Marcus Hahnemann, the longtime veteran of English soccer, as a backup to provide another veteran keeper in the mix. Josh Ford is the third option, a strong developmental option who could be the Seattle starter in the next few years.

Feb 16, 2013; Tucson, AZ, USA; Seattle Sounders midfielder Mario Martinez (15) dribbles the ball under pressure from Real Salt Lake midfielder Enzo Martinez (19) during the second half at Kino Sports Complex. The Seattle Sounders beat Real Salt Lake 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

In defense, the fullback slots are filled by Leonardo Gonzalez on the left side and Adam Johansson on the right. Dylan Remick, the team’s 2013 second-round pick, will understudy for Gonzalez, while Marc Burch can also fill in the role if necessary. Andrew Duran offers support behind Johansson on the right. Djimi Traore, an offseason signing and Malian international, should fill a center-back slot but can also sub into a leftward role. Traore will compete with Patrick Ianni and Marc Burch for starting time at the two center positions. They’ll also have to fend off one of Schmid’s favorites, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, who could potentially form a formidable partnership alongside either of the three. DeAndre Yedlin, the team’s first-ever Homegrown player from the Sounders Academy, will turn 20 in July and offers the best potential as a wingback on either flank.

Mauro Rosales tied his single-season club record for assists in 2012, a model of consistency with his second straight year of 13 set-ups. As one of the team’s Designated Players he will set up on the wing opposite Steve Zakuani, the team’s first overall pick in the 2009 SuperDraft, who returns for his first full season after recovering from a fractured right fibula and tibia. Lamar Neagle and Mario Martinez can also play wide behind either player. In the center of the middle line, Osvaldo Alonso is a defensive-minded pivot who offers strong holding ability in midfield. Andy Rose is a younger version of Alonso out of UCLA, providing more holding potential off the bench. Newly-acquired Designated Player Shalrie Joseph, a seven-time MLS All-Star, is a likely offensive counterpart to Alonso. He will have to compete with stalwart Brad Evans for the position, though, and the team has a wealth of depth in midfield. Alex Caskey, entering his second year with the club, will merit looks in attack, as will Servando Carrasco. Conspicuously missing is the team’s third Designated Player, German midfielder Christian Tiffert, who looks to be headed toward a buyout from the Sounders and as amicably a parting as can be engineered between two sides that never actually connected.

Fredy Montero, the all-time leading scorer in Seattle’s MLS history, was loaned for the 2013 season to Millonarios FC in his native Colombia. In comes U.S. men’s national team veteran Eddie Johnson, who joined the Sounders last season after three seasons with Fulham in the English Premier League. In his return to MLS he scored 14 goals and led the team’s offense along the way to the Western Conference finals. Sammy Ochoa and Eriq Zavaleta will probably battle for the other spot in the front line, while the team also has 2012 SuperDraft pick Babayele Sodade and 2013 selection David Estrada to nurture as future starters at forward. Also in the mix could be Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins, who is reported to be close to joining Seattle as the team’s replacement for Tiffert as their third Designated Player.

FINAL NOTES

The Sounders know that nothing short of a finals appearance will fly in 2013. They have the lineup to grab a top-two spot in the Western Conference and ensure smooth passage to the MLS Cup. They should break the league attendance record for a fifth straight season; they will have to fire on all the cylinders at their disposal to reward those fans with trophies in 2013.