The Review: Seattle Sounders at Sporting Kansas City

It can get worse. It’s very important to remember that things can always get worse. The reason why you need to keep that in mind is because when things are bad there’s the temptation to go nuclear and meltdown the entire thing. Instead of focusing on the next steps, self-perseveration and panic set in. Instead of being clear-minded, fear and trepidation take over.

The thing is, ‘getting better’ takes action. Effort is required and rewarded when you take action. So far this season, that hasn’t been the case for the Seattle Sounders. Perhaps it’s hubris, naivety, stupidity, and/or laziness that have led us to this point, but we’re here and it needs to be taken seriously. The path forward needs to be carefully considered and the smartest ideas need to win out.

The Sounders are bad. A lot of the discourse around the team is toxic. Let’s talk about it.

Dissecting the Narrative

There’s a really funny trend that develops whenever the Sounders have a bad streak. No matter what you say or write on a podcast/blog post, people will always say you need to be crueler and meaner to the team. I feel like I’ve been very fair this season to the Sounders, but even my patience is running thin. So, let me just state something very plainly: the 2-1 loss on Saturday night to Sporting Kansas City was absolutely pathetic. There’s no way around it. In a season of bad performances, that one takes the cake by a mile.

SKC was winless in 10 and had lost seven games in a row. The Sounders even started the game strong, took the lead, and still managed to lose. It’s not like Sporting woke up or anything. They took a bunch of low-quality shots (the combined xG on their goals was .04) and managed to score twice because Seattle were lazy and lackadaisical for most of the 90 minutes. It’s just not good enough and it needs to get better.

What Happens Next?

Changes have to be made, but what can be done in the short term is limited. It’s worth keeping in mind that despite how it feels, the Sounders aren’t that far out of the playoff picture. Things could turn out “fine” for this season. There are talented players on this roster, the expectation is that a big addition can happen this summer, and the rest of the teams around them are pretty bad.

Now, when I say that, this isn’t presented as an excuse for anything. It’s just the reality of MLS. With that said, this reality can’t be seen as positive outcome for the club. The fans are upset and bored, the roster is stagnant, and the vibes around the club suck. Winning a Champions League title two years ago bought the club and its decision-makers a lot of goodwill and patience, but that’s running out. Mediocre isn’t acceptable and that needs to be addressed soon. In order to get better, you have to take action.

We’ll see if they have what it takes.