Welcome to the Matchday 22 installment of the written version of the Lobbing Scorchers Agenda Check, where each week we take a look at the status of various agendas that we either would like to push ourselves or notice permeating among the fan base surrounding particular Sounders players.
Let’s dive in.
The Anti-Albert Rusnák Agenda
Agenda status: Diminished
Perhaps no Sounder has been under a greater microscope this season than the Slovakian, with a seemingly weekly debate about his status as a Designated Player and whether he’s truly a high-level No. 10 in MLS. While that debate is a valid one, in the last few weeks Rusnák has quietly been playing some of the best ball of his Sounders career.
He logged two more assists in Matchday 22’s comeback win vs. FC Dallas, giving him nine helpers for the season. That puts him well on pace to surpass his career-high of 14 he set during his time at Real Salt Lake, which is frankly the exact type of output you want to see from your DP No. 10. His service into the box these last few weeks couldn’t be much better, especially on set pieces. If he keeps producing at this clip, there will actually be a decently strong case that he’s worthy of being a DP centerpiece on this roster after all, which is kind of funny given some of the rhetoric that’s been espoused this season.
Starting Obed Vargas
Agenda status: Heavily strengthened
You’ve all seen the assist that the homegrown teed up for Jordan Morris on that game-winning goal. I’ve watched it myself at least 100 times.
With each passing week, Vargas further solidifies this as his breakout season in MLS, but I think this was his finest moment so far given the circumstances. The question with Vargas at this point is just how high his ceiling ultimately is. I still don’t think he’s close to it yet, which is a scary thought.
Jeremiah Oshan
