Ship's Log, May 27: Two-line pass

Dave Clark -

During this Sounders surge they've done a few things well.

And yes, they're surging. A single loss in the last eight all-competition matches (4-1-3) is a surge.

Much of this run of decent is due to good fortune. They've done enough to put themselves in position to win. Taking early leads shifts gamestate, which we all know by now.

They're also playing downhill much more. The attack is more vibrant, gaining effectiveness by being less patient. The dull, lifeless offense may not be gone. In the first half on the road at St. Louis they didn't take advantage of their few chances to counter. Seattle's ability to possess to death is established, but only effective once a lead is obtained.

The real changer, and the potential for the roster as constructed to succeed, is based on who can pull off the two-line pass.

Albert Rusnák still has that.

Pedro de la Vega has the ability, as well. Plus, he's closer to full health.

There are others on this roster who have done it before. Maybe they can't do it every game, but doing it once in a while can set Jordan Morris, Léo Chú and maybe Cristian Roldan free again.

Players like these aren't at their best when they need to create on their own. They are dependent on a team who sets them free. They're the antithesis of a Dempsey or Ruidiaz. You won't see magic from nothing (Oba did both, just ask Andy Rose).

If you want reason to hope, beyond just results, it's that the Seattle Sounders sent an iconic throughball to Jordan.

During the doldrums they did not.

If Clint Dempsey was the example of a high-touch player that needed to be involved at every phase and Obafemi Martins was the example of a low-touch talent who needed little support to change games, Jordan Morris is the touches-don't-matter, supported runs do.

Finally, the Seattle Sounders have players on the field who can support runs.

During the dour days to start this season his runs were unsupported. Morris would be set "free" by sending a ball to him on his own against half the opposition with no runners in support. He'd pause and wait for support, because only the most dynamic talents in the game go 1-on-5 and score.

But now, he doesn't need support. That throughball was a rapier through the heart of a defense.

Albert, Pedro and a few others can do that for Jordan or Pedro or Cristian or Léo.

Let's not pretend it's a fix for a team that must compete for trophies. But it's a fix to set the Seattle Sounders up for the future where their summer moves make them ready for multiple Cup runs.

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Catching up on Sounder at Heart

Here's what you need to know about how our teams performed.

Sounders

Next match: Wednesday night Seattle hosts Real Salt Lake (7:30 pm PDT on MLS Season Pass). Sounders are 4-6-5, +0 and 9th in the West. Salt Lake is 8-2-5, +13 and 1st in the West (3rd Shield).

Reign

Seattle has the next weekend off for an international window. Six Reign players will be with their national teams.

Defiance

Next match: Friday night Defiance play at Ventura County (formerly Los Dos) at 7 pm PDT. Defiance are 5-4-1, -1 and 6th in the West. Ventura are 5-3-2, +6 and 4th in the West.

Velocity

Next match: Spokane host a friendly against the Chivas U-23 on Sunday at 6 pm PDT. Defiance loanee Antonio Herrera doesn't appear to have played yet for the Chivas youth team.

After their weekend draw with Greenville Triumph in the USL Jägermeister Cup, Velocity are in second in group play, outside of the knockout round.

USL2 teams

On Friday night Ballard, West Seattle and Tacoma Stars won. On Sunday Tacoma picked up a road win while Olympia and West Seattle earned draws.

Current title contenders in the Northwest Division of USL 2

Looking back at the news

Everything else you need to know

We're light on reading this weekend. It's an American holiday with significant meaning to this author. I continue to miss Drob, Travis, Mike and Dan. I should have known you all longer than I did.

Project 8 to set $1.5M team salary cap, each club to have 7 international roster spots. That puts them a little bit under the average in the English Super League (at roughly 60k $US average), significantly below NWSL and almost certainly above the US Super League.

The US men first went through qualifiers to reach a World Cup in 1934. This is how they did it. (tl;dr - they beat Mexico)

Sounders are charging up the power rankings (16th in Broadway, 12th in ASA xGD/90, 15th in ESPN). Being in the middle wasn't the expectation, but the rate of improvement after the pathetic start is notable.

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