Realio’s Ratings: The best offense is a good defense

Last Thursday, the Sounders were coming off a demoralizing final 70 minutes against their previous opponent where they got blown off their own field. So, welcoming a quality LA Galaxy team onto the same pitch had the makings of a disappointing evening. Indeed, it was a disappointing evening, but not for Sounders fans, as Seattle had a two-goal lead in the first ten minutes and entered halftime up three, thanks to an offensive outburst from the defensive back line. A managed second half, allowing only one late goal to a potent LAG offense, and the 3-1 final score meant Seattle Sounders advance to the next round of Leagues Cup and the Galaxy return home disappointed. This tournament has been a rollercoaster for the good guys; maybe what they’ve proven so far is that their unpredictability makes them dangerous. 

For these ratings, I’ll focus on a rating for each player, brief comments, and what that player needs to show in Leagues Cup to make it worthwhile. 

Goalkeeper

Andrew Thomas – 6

Coming off a rough outing, Thomas was solid, and the defense in front of him limited LA’s good chances. He was clean when he needed to be in limited save opportunities: one credited save, a nice catch on a corner kick. Although an 83rd minute goal gave the Galaxy a lifeline back into the match, Andrew and his back line shut down any further chances, limiting momentum and seeing out the match. There were some dangerous chances directly after Seattle took the early lead that could have changed the match had they not gotten a bit lucky, but credit to Thomas and company for taking their opportunities and getting a deserved result. 

Show: Continued strong play like this result, and not the prior one. That means being solid even when the defense isn’t playing near-perfectly in front of him. 

Defense

Nouhou – 7 

Nouhou had a fantastic evening. He defended Gabriel Pec (10g, 10a in MLS) almost perfectly. On multiple occasions, Pec looked to get out on breaks and was forcibly rebuffed by Nouhou, turning back and recycling possession on his wing. Offensively, Nouhou again found the right balance of getting forward and understanding his defensive duties. Early, he pushed forward many times, winning both corners that Seattle scored from in the first 10 minutes. This ability to push into the attack and make smarter decisions shows great improvement from Nouhou. Even better was the game state awareness to not continue to push like a maniac into the attack when up two (and then three) goals, instead cementing his defensive role. He had a frustratingly ugly “shot,” and he should work on not keeping opponents onside during set pieces against, but Nouhou was otherwise excellent against LA. 

Show: This offensive maturity is the new normal, not a fluke. 

Jackson Ragen – 7 (off 75’ for Bell)

Ragen had a great match, punctuated by another set piece goal in the 7th minute, putting Seattle firmly on the front foot. His defending was solid, although there were a number of times when he was beaten and had to rely on the cohesion of the teammates around him to support. After earning a yellow card before half on an aggressive defensive intervention well upfield, he subbed off in the second half having done his job on both ends of the field. He had an open 64th minute header on offense to add to the lead, yet he inexplicably struggles with offensive headers, relying on his cultured feet to score. 

Show: Decision making as strong as his physical play. 

Yeimar – 8 (MOTM)

LAG GOT YEIMAR’D.

Four minutes into the match, it was a tremendous corner kick header from that man Yeimar that gave Seattle an early lead. After the Sounders scored again, it was consistently Yeimar’s defense that ensured Seattle would move forward in the tournament. He was so good, with the goal and three shots in a dominant offensive set piece display, constantly putting the fear into the Galaxy defense on any dead ball. He also added multiple dribbles to help possess cleanly in the midfield. Defensively, he was equally impressive, with 17 actions, popping up all across the pitch to snuff out attacks, with a 78th minute step up to deny Riqui Puig after some fancy dribbling deep into the Sounders defense. Yeimar was a star at both ends of the field. 

Show: Continued influence on set pieces. 

Alex Roldan – 8

The resurgent Alex Roldan has been improving over the past few months and was a killer in this one, connecting with his brother up the wing, showing strong defense, and when presented with an opportunity, delivering a dagger goal deep in first half stoppage time. For years, the best versions of the Seattle attack have come with smart connectivity between the outside backs (most recently Alex) overloading and creating pressure through the wings. Roldan started early in the 25th looking direct to Vargas for a nice chance, earned a 30th minute corner and 35th minute shot before ERUPTING with an audacious curling shot before half off a layoff from his big bro. He had an excellent all-around performance. 

Show: This improved play is the norm, not the exception. More goals are fine too!

Defensive Midfield

João Paulo – 6 (off 70’ for Atencio)

While not an overtly dominant performance from JP, he did all the little things that created a cohesive unit, plastering over some cracks in the center that we saw in the last match. His ability to roam and defend behind Obed was essential in keeping LA off the scoreboard, with a number of important interventions defensively. His 86 percent passing was clean and got the ball into strong possession places when needed, but JP also understood that the Sounders needed to maximize their counter ability after an early lead and did well to facilitate a team that dominated without the ball. 

Show: He can still consistently be the central leader this team needs.

Obed Vargas – 6 (off 75’ for Leyva)

Vargas’ pairing with JP was much stronger this match than last, as Obed combined forward and got three shots in return for his advanced positioning. A great 18th minute pass to a wide Morris was the kind of play he’s consistently making, taking the ball central and pushing it directly into attack. This counter press/attack shape and execution was fantastic, as Seattle understood that even without possession they could be effective in transition, as long as the ball moved quickly off the feet of Obed and others. There were still some issues tracking back defensively, and Vargas understandably needed help with Puig, but as long as he is paired with a strong defensive partner, he excels in those created transition moments. 

Show: Continued ability to drive into the box and be goal dangerous. 

Attacking Midfield

Paul Rothrock – 5 (off 69’ for RBW)

Rothrock got a rare start and was good, but not great in his minutes. Perhaps most noticeable was his 67 percent passing, a clear indicator of his struggles to connect with teammates. A tactically aware player, Paul looks best when he's running off the ball into great positions. When matched up in 1-v-1 areas with the ball and asked to create, he struggled. His essential hustle and off ball movement combined nicely with his defensive intensity, which was necessary to see out the match from a positive game state. 

Show: Whether he’s a starter or best used off the bench as a tactical change against tired legs.

Albert Rusnák – 7 

Unlike his last match, Rusnák was impactful from minute one against LA. Perfect service from set pieces was typical in this match, as Albert dialed up Yeimar in the 4th minute and Morris in the 7th, leading to a muli-goal lead. Especially nice was the diversity of delivery, with Rusnák going short, long, lofted, driven, and every time finding a Sounder at the other end. He showed some great individual skill in the 60th and 64th, with the latter one forcing an excellent save as Albert was denied the goal he deserved. He nearly dribbled the entire LAG squad in the 76th minute as well, but again without the final product. 

Show: More than set pieces as consistent impact, setting up others. 

Cristian Roldan – 7

Cristian showed up on the right wing for this match and was part of the quick, intricate interplay that led to many of Seattle’s best chances through the run of play. His ability to understand the movement of teammates filled gaps and, especially in the second half, helped Seattle defend outward in, compacting the field and limiting LA’s play on the wings. His smart layoff to his brother in extra time of the first half gave Alex a chance to do something amazing, and Seattle got into that position via Cristian’s movement and nose for the ball. A 35th minute shot was a poor choice, having Morris via cutback. There were a few other issues on the ball, but a vast majority of Cristian’s match was defined by the controlled, active movement for which he is known, and he could have had multiple assists. 

Show: The Broldans are back.

Forward

Jordan Morris – 7 (off 87’ for Musovski)

Morris has come into his own as a striker and again showed dynamic ability to impact the match in multiple ways. He started in the 7th minute, rising up LIKE A SALMON to win a header off a set piece, forcing a face save that ended in the net, courtesy of Ragen’s touch. Jordan continued his inspired play by finding moments to hold the ball up near-perfectly, and break-out moments wide, leading to Seattle forgoing possession but finding 21 shots including 12 on goal. Morris had four big chances but also had a few mistakes, or this could have been more of a blowout. The most egregious: missing Roldan in the 68th on a big break and not shooting in the 86th. 

Show: Continued impact on the score sheet every match, regardless of who is on his team or the opponent’s. 

Substitutes

Reed Baker-Whiting – 5 (on 69’ for Rothrock)

Reed entered on the wing and was fairly quiet. The game state was an excellent one for him to enter, as he was part of free flowing, counter attacking and transition moments, but he struggled some to integrate with those around him. For someone as cultured on offense, Reed looked ineffective in the offensive third, making some poor choices with opportunities to create better chances. 

Show: The hype is justified. 

Josh Atencio – 5 (on 70‘ for JP)

Atencio came in to give JP some rest with the match under control. He did a nice job as the more defensive player paired with Obed, and later Leyva. His passing wasn’t as clean as you might have wished, and there was some rust to his overall play that created a few turnovers. Even adhering to his defensive duties, Josh got forward and had a 94th minute shot. 

Show: He shouldn’t be forgotten. 

Jonathan Bell – 5 (on 75’ for Ragen)

Bell came in late for Ragen who was on a card and was mostly nondescript for his time. He played 15 minutes, and LA did score their lone goal on his watch, a great combination play that saw Jon somewhat slow to close down a passing window. Closer marking and some better up-field defending and Seattle would have had their deserved shutout. 

Show: He can keep the score to zero when on the field. 

Danny Leyva – 5 (on 75’ for Vargas)

Danny continues to find time on the field for the Sounders, this time combining with Atencio and looking pretty good centrally. He was clean with his passing, including a number of impressive balls vertically into good spaces. He won all his duels and helped see out the win. 

Show: Defense first capability, then the offensive upside. 

Danny Musovski – 5 (on 87’ for Morris)

Musovski came in late, likely both to kill some time and to get Jordan off the field. He was active defensively, working hard to be part of the match. After a poor offsides play and a turnover, Danny settled in and had good combinations in his short moments on the field. 

Show: Legitimate threat in the box, not some false nine midfield combiner thing he’s been playing.

Referee

Lukasz Szpala – 6

A familiar face joined the match in the center of the pitch, as did an assistant with a familiar yet unwelcome name. Szpala started strong, allowing play to continue when necessary, calling fouls (only 21 needed a whistle), and keeping control. It wasn’t until late in the first half when some weird calls popped up, and there was a distinct feeling of “reffing to the scoreline.” The 45th minute retaliation yellow was instant, and the 45th minute Ragen card justified. The referee team got the offside correct (removing a LA goal). In all, this was a solid job, only offset by a few odd no-calls and a lack of cards for things like Pec punting a ball into the stands. 

Show: He’s here to stay in the upper echelon of MLS refs.

Upcoming: Pumas rawr.

Show: Lumen Field is still not a welcoming location for this opponent.