The Seattle Sounders have been struggling on the defensive front for some time, with new holes in the back line being discovered every game. On one hand, it’s sort of a good thing that none of the issues plaguing the back four directly are that noticeable. It’s hard for other teams to try and break a team down if they can’t exactly put their thumb on why they stumble at times. But on the other hand, there are holes back there, and the source of them may actually lie in the middle of the field.
Plugging the Sounders Defensive Holes
Early in the season, I wrote about wasteful turnovers in the middle of the pitch, leading to quick goals for the Sounders opposition. You can read about it here. One of those pesky Chivas USA goal last weekend came from exactly that; a careless turnover in the middle of the pitch. But this time, it was Chad Marshall. Why was he even dribbling the ball that far up the field? This led to a 3 v. 1 breakaway on goal, and poor Jalil Anibaba was left to try to deal with it on his own.
So, to simply put it, stop turning the ball over in high-risk areas; in front of the goal or in the middle of the pitch when there are no players back to cover for the mistake. That’s the most noticeable pattern I’ve noticed when it comes to goals scored against Seattle, and it’s something that shouldn’t happen in a professional league. The 16 year-olds I coach know better than to turn the ball over in those areas. The only reason they do is because lack of focus, and maybe the same thing is happening to the Sounders.
The defensive line and midfielders need to ratchet up their focus if they are to fill the defensive holes that have appeared. The key to the Sounders success this year has been the tandem of goal scorers that have thrived in the system that Sigi Schmid has put together. But the key to surviving in the playoffs will be a solid defense. Djimi Traore and Leo Gonzalez still aren’t completely healthy. Zach Scott is banged up after coming down awkwardly on his ankle a week ago. Chad Marshall can’t do it alone, and Anibaba hasn’t really had enough first team time at centerback to be completely effective there. The addition of Oneykachi Apam, the Nigerian defender, is nice, but he won’t be fit enough for weeks. My prediction is he was brought in as a stop-gap, but also as another mentor to the younger defenders.
In reality, every game is a must win for the Sounders if they want to maintain their position at the top of the table. This weekend’s game at Colorado is the easiest one to win, considering that DeAndre Yedlin and Clint Dempsey may be gone for the home matchup against the Vancouver Whitecaps. I’ll be watching the backline closely this weekend, and more importantly if the turnover issue has been corrected. It’s getting exciting in the world of MLS and you should probably tune in.
Seattle Sounders v. Colorado Rapids (12:00 PM PST on JoeTV)
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