Ship's Log, April 8: 'Mostly dead is slightly alive'
In a season that started with seven of the top 11 salaries on the roster missing time due to injury (or in Yeimar's case, paperwork), the Seattle Sounders looked mostly dead. The start was a bleak 0-3-2 that felt worse than the generally poor play.
Against the LA Galaxy they looked slightly alive. Slightly alive we can work with.
CF Montreal found out what mostly alive looks like. Though the Seattle Sounders aren't likely to dominate 5-nil again this year, there is the potential to look even better than they did on Saturday night.
Saturday's starters only had one of the performance amplifiers start. When João Paulo came on Montreal was already down a player, so his talent maximization was doubly apparent.
When the ball pings around quickly off-ball movement is incentivized. Players rush to open forward spaces because they trust each other. They know they'll be rewarded for surges towards the goal. Then they'll do things that look like they're out of a video game.
How strong was the flow? Jordan Morris tried a behind-the-plant-foot backheel – and scored! There were 'megs, long crosses, darting cutbacks, power shots.
Saturday's win showed a group stronger than its members' individual talents. Lines that shifted composition and organization on the fly, like the famous amoeba of the past, but colored by the talents of the present.
It wasn't perfect. Film session will certainly point that out. There's opportunity for the 16 that took the pitch to improve. There's also opportunity for the team to be better than it was, because slightly alive is only a step on the journey.
Pedro de la Vega is still in recovery. Then we can ask for the gate key.
– Dave Clark
Catching up on Sounder at Heart
Missed the weekend's Puget Sound soccer news? Here are our latest stories
Sounders
- Sounders, start your engines
- Postgame Pontifications: Finally, something good
- Raúl Ruidíaz awarded MLS Player of the Matchday
- Sounders vs. CF Montreal: Highlights, stats and quotes
- Seattle Sounders FC vs. CF Montreal: community player ratings form
Seattle are at FC Dallas on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. PDT on MLS Season Pass
Defiance
Tacoma are at North Texas SC on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. PDT on MLSNextPro.com
Reign
The NWSL took this weekend off for the international window. Jordyn Huitema and Canada face a Reign-less USWNT in the SheBelieves Cup final on Tuesday at 4 p.m. PDT on TBS, Max and Peacock.
Seattle are at Bay FC on Sunday at 5 p.m. PDT on NWSL+
Velocity
Spokane are at Lexington Sporting Club on Sunday at 1 p.m. PDT on ESPN+
Stars (indoor)
Stars were eliminated from the playoffs in back-to-back losses on Sunday.
Purchasing the new jersey or planning to get MLS Season Pass? Use our affiliate links to toss some coin to your bloggers.
Looking back at the weekend's news
Everything else you need to know.
The Seattle Times turns the spotlight on Reign fullback Phoebe McClernon.
Last week Red Bulls pulled out of the GA Cup. In two matches their U-17s were subjected to racist language. Now, Flamengo withdrew from the tournament after one of their players using a banned term. They also allege Philadelphia Union have used racist language. Union are in the final. That's a total of four teams in the knockout rounds that have been alleged to use racist language.
BBC headline on Fishlock: 'She's the best player in the world'
Jaedyn Shaw has next and it's happening right now. She's the first USWNT player to score in her first five starts. She's 19.
Cleveland's NWSL bid group has 12,000 ticket pledges. Reign were one of four teams to average more than that in 2023. Only two teams averaged more than 12k in 2022.
Frank Lampard may take over the Can MNT. His record as a club manager is 83-73-40 (WLD). He's twice been fired by Chelsea.