Ship's Log, September 28: In search of Miracle (Max)

Dave Clark -

"What do you have worth living for?"

At the late stage of the season, there are a few types of teams remaining – those eliminated, those playing spoiler, those seeking the Cup and those who need a miracle.

Seattle Sounders do not slot easily into those groups, or maybe frustratingly so into the group that needs a miracle. A team with so many trophies sets a rather high bar for itself. A "failed" season can be one where they are merely good enough to get close to finals, but never appear.

Sides like Austin, Dallas and St. Louis are seeking miracles to just make the postseason. Teams like Vancouver, Portland and Minnesota are seeking miracles to host a playoff game.

That isn't the standard here.

Seattle is a win away from earning a playoff spot and a handful of wins from hosting in the first round.

Winning playoff games, not just hosting them, is the expectation.

Right now, that would take a miracle – one that has to come from the second tier of the team.

Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnák are performing well enough. Each compare well to the best 9s and 10s in the league (not Messi, though).

The defense is clearly capable. It's the fourth best in the league by raw goals against (Houston, tonight's opponent, is 3rd). Seattle is 3rd by xGA (Dynamo are 6th). By G+ Goals Added against the Sounders are 5th (Houston is 9th). If you aren't convinced in the defense at this point, maybe because they make errors once in a while, like every team – the Crew have a top-two defense by every measure and they do things like clothesline attackers to go down a man.

But the offense hasn't been great.

The third-best attacker is Paul Rothrock. He's been much better than any expectation.

LA Galaxy have four attackers with 10 or more goals and five or more assists. RSL sold one of their best, but Anderson Julio and Diego Luna are still better than what Seattle has. Colorado's Cole Bassett has a strong 9 goal and 7 assist season.

LAFC's third best compares to Rothrock, for now, but there's a decent chance that Oliver Giroud becomes their second option (he hasn't scored in MLS play yet).

Who is going to be Seattle's miracle?

Who can accompany the deft play of the swashbuckling Rusnák and the pure strength of Morris?

Saturday night's match against Houston is a fine time for someone to rise up and show their true love of the team. To point that sword, with nary a waver and stare down one of the better defenses in MLS.

The run-in is brutal. Two opponents are competing for that fourth home-field slot. The other two are Cascadia opponents ready to pounce above Seattle if anyone falters. Oh, and three of those four are in the next 8 days.

Pay close attention tonight to Paulie, Georgi and just maybe the once-heroic attacker Cristian Roldan. Those three are going to be who puts Seattle on the road of conquest.

"It'd take a miracle"

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Catching up on Sounder at Heart

Here's what you missed on the site this week.

Sounders

Next match: Saturday night at 7:30 pm PT hosting Houston Dynamo on MLS Season Pass. The Sounders make the playoffs if they win, OR if Seattle draw vs. Houston AND Dallas lose/draw vs. Orlando, OR if Dallas lose vs. Orlando AND Austin lose/draw vs. Salt Lake.

Reign

Next match: Sunday afternoon at 3 pm PT hosting Bay FC on KONG and NWSL+. Reign cannot be eliminated this weekend, but they are five points below the playoff line and Bay FC (9th on tiebreakers).

Defiance

Next match: Sunday night at 7 pm PT hosting Houston Dynamo 2 on YouTube. Defiance are two points short of winning a third-straight Pacific Division title. They'd need to pass LAFC2 and The Town in their final two matches.

Spokane

Zephyr are on the road for the first time, heading to DC Power on Sunday at 11 am PT on Peacock+. Zephyr have 5 pts in 4 played, while Power have 2 points in five.

Velocity play next on Wednesday at Nick Hexum-owned Union Omaha. That match is at 10 am PT on SWX and ESPN+. Omaha already clinched and are pursuing another trophy. Spokane is in 7th, but in easy striking distance of home-field in the first round.

Looking back at the news

Everything else you need to know

Traffic is going to be tough in the region this weekend.

From the 3rd Degree's Hate Watchers Guide to the Weekend on Seattle not having re-signed Brian Schmetzer yet.

Look, the guy is only the most successful coach in the history of your club, even if you include the NASL team in that history. Why he’s not been extended, why he has to answer questions it, all feels like an ownership that is in the mood to prove to themselves and their fans who the real geniuses were all along. Sort of like how Jerry Reinsdorf got rid of Phil Jackson in 1998, immediately after the Bulls won six NBA titles in eight years.

Earlier this year Christine Sinclair retired from Canada. She's now declared that she's done with playing club soccer at the end of the year, as well. She'll retire as one of the most potent scorers in soccer, at any level.

Why left-wing German club St Pauli are selling their stadium to fans: 'It's the home of the people'. Lumen Field is not for sale.

Chris Henderson to Atlanta rumors are heating up.

The Men's Club World Cup venue announcement is at 2 pm PT today. Expect 8-12 venues with Seattle being one of those. The Sounders are on the clock. FIFA has already started celebrating Seattle's soccer history.

Disgraced former Chicago Red Stars head coach Rory Dames was named 400 times in the Yates report on systemic abuse in the NWSL. He's no longer listed at the SafeSport database for reasons no one seems prepared to explain.

Oliver Giroud isn't having fun traveling 20+ hours a month.

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