A string of early-season lackluster efforts has put pressure on Seattle Sounders FC to produce a result against the San Jose Earthquakes The Sounders game with the Earthquakes Saturday is as much a must-win game as there is for the struggling team.
MUST WIN GAME
Three games into the MLS season the Sounders have yet to win a game sporting a 1-0-2 record. While injuries have played a part in the team’s poor early season performance. Central midfielder Joao Paulo has yet to play this season. Albert Rusnak came off the in bench and played 25 minutes in last week’s 1-1 draw with Colorado for his first feature in an MLS contest. Rusnak has been ruled out of Saturday’s game after suffering an injury setback.
A lack of execution on the offensive end has been the big issue for the Rave Green. The Sounders are ranked 27th in goals scored per match with a goal difference of -1 The team has scored two goals and conceded three. Both of the team’s goals have come from two penalty kicks. The only team with a worse goal differential in the league is the Earthquakes. The Earthquakes goal differential is -6 and the club has not secured a single point in four games.
A STAGNANT BUILD-UP
The lone bright spot in the Sounders attack has been Raul Ruidiaz. He has one of the team’s two goals scored this season he has been willing to take chances in the final third. A lack of creativity from the midfield to the final third has been the issue with the Sounders attack. The build-up from the defensive block to the midfield block has been adequate.
Once the ball is in the midfield there is a lack of runners creating space by moving through the opponent’s goal box. When the attacking ball career enters the final third he has very limited options . The lack of choices is compounded by opposing teams settling inside their own goal mouth and daring the Sounders to break them down. A nearly impossible task with no one making creative runs at opposing defenders.
SOLUTION
Forward Jordan Morris has struggled to find pockets between opposing defenders and when he does sit the pocket his teammates are not getting him the ball . Leo Chu has been active from the left wing and his runs inside have created some space but a lack of creativity in the final pass or shot has added to the Sounders’ woes. There is a spacing issue on the right side between the Roldan brothers.
Midfielder Cristian is struggling to find space inside when he gets the ball and brother Alex is crowding him by running inside rather than staying wide down the right flank. The solution? Stop thinking so much. Soccer is a free-flowing fluid game that requires creativity built on technical play. The Sounders payers are thinking too much about what they are going to do rather than just do it.
SCORING NOTES
SAN JOSE
- Ranked 22 in goals scored per match (0.8 goals)
- San Jose Earthquakes haven’t lost to Seattle Sounders FC in their last 5 meetings (4W, 1D).
- Haven’t won a match in 10 attempts
SOUNDERS FC
- Ranked 27 in goals scored per match (0.7 goals)
- Ranked 7 in goals conceded per match (1 goals)
- Raul Ruidiaz has the most shots on target per match for Seattle Sounders FC (2.3
TEAMS OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT
San Jose Earthquakes
Carlos Akapo – Foot (Out)
JT Marcinkowski – Knee (Out)
Niko Tsakiris – Lower Body (Out)
Seattle Sounders FC
Reed Baker-Whiting – Hamstring (Out)
Pedro de la Vega – Hamstring (Out)
Stefan Frei – Hamstring (Out)
João Paulo – Hip (Out)
Braudilio Rodrigues – Hamstring (Out)
Nathan – Not Due to Injury (Questionable)
SOUNDERS GAME NOTES
Following its 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, Seattle
Sounders FC hits the road to take on the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday,
March 23 at PayPal Park (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360
AM).
• Seattle and San Jose have faced off 38 times in the regular season since
Seattle joined MLS in 2009. Seattle holds a 15-14-9 record against the
Bay Area side. The two sides have never met in the postseason. Despite
the positive record, Seattle in winless in its last four matches against the
Earthquakes.
• Seattle currently sits in 13th place in the Western Conference with two
points (0-1-2), while San Jose sits in 14th place with zero points (0-4-0). The
Earthquakes are most recently coming off a 2-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City
last weekend.
• Saturday’s matchup is the first of this year’s Heritage Cup rivalry. Taking
place every year, the Heritage Cup is a competition between Seattle and San
Jose, the two teams that kept the original names the clubs used when they
originally played in the North American Soccer League. Both teams are also
celebrating their 50th anniversary season this year, both being formed in
1974 while competing in the NASL.
• Seattle forward Raúl Ruidíaz scored his 79th goal in all competitions on
Saturday against Colorado, tying him for the most in club history alongside
Fredy Montero.
• Following Saturday’s matchup, Seattle travels to California yet again,
taking on the LA Galaxy on Saturday, March 30 at Dignity Health Sports Park
(7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM).
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