A turbulent Sounders season continued on the road, this time in San Jose, where Seattle faced a team that for whatever reason has had their number. That was again true in the first half, as a costly Sounders error was converted via a fortuitous deflection into an early Earthquakes lead. Everything changed in the second half, however, as a substitution and some tactical adjustments upended the match, putting Seattle firmly on the front foot in one of the year’s most dominant displays from the Sounders. One-way traffic created massive chances as San Jose created nothing and instead resolutely defended against an onslaught of Sounders pressure. Eventually, Seattle broke through to score, but a number of costly errors inside the box meant that was the only tally, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. A road point is usually a good result in MLS, but this one left a bitter taste as once again a lack of finishing was Seattle’s Achilles’ heel.
What now? Seattle found a tactical setup that worked; look for continued exploration until reinforcements return.
Goalkeeper
Stefan Frei – 6 | Community – 5.7
It’s been hard to rate Frei this season, and against San Jose was no different. With a bendy but not too break-y defense in front of him, Frei only faced three shots, and he saved two. The third was a deflected ball that unfortunately ended up in the net behind him. Frei has conceded nearly every match, a rarity in his career.
What I liked: Two saves and only being beaten on a deflection off a terrible distribution decision should be enough to win a match. Stef had a nice save on a header in the 24th minute and a good catch in pressure in the 59th. He saved an offsides shot as well that isn’t reflected in the stat books.
What I didn’t like: I don’t know how else to say it: Frei looked to react slowly and get his feet wrong in the 32nd minute on San Jose’s goal. He probably shouldn’t be expected to stop a weird deflection, but he’s set his own bar higher than he performed there.
What now? Seattle needs more offense. That’s nothing new and definitely not Frei’s fault. He does look a bit off, as the Sounders find new ways to concede every match. Getting back to their defensive stability would be a positive start for Seattle, and it’s not that Frei has done much wrong, it just feels … off.
Defense
Nouhou – 7 | Community – 6.7
Nouhou had another strong match on the left, combining some solid defense as a wide center back with positive distribution and even some offensive push. He remains less dynamic with his decision making, but it’s hard to fault him for much wrong on either end of the pitch. He had 93 percent passing and five clearances in a tidy evening.
What I liked: This was a balanced match, with Nouhou doing his usual strong defensive work (11 actions) but also adding in some rare offensive additions. He co-led the team with four shots, putting two fantastic shots on goal in the 51st minute, forcing tough saves and adding an attacking element to a resurgent Sounders team via two key passes as well.
What I didn’t like: A poor pass forward in the 15th minute was ill advised, and a minute later he took an unnecessary shot as part of a lukewarm team effort in the first half.
What now? One of Nouhou’s best offensive outings still didn’t produce much, and expecting him to provide offense is a heavy ask. He’s been rock-solid defensively this year, but for a team looking for offense, especially late in the match, there may be sub options to bring on more attack from the back.
Jackson Ragen – 6 | Community – 6.3
Ragen completed 94 percent of his passes, distributing clean around the back for a possession-oriented Seattle team. In the first half he was forced deep defensively, passing nominally wide to teammates or short centrally. As Seattle adjusted, he was brought up the field in the second half, becoming more of a fulcrum and attempting longer, more aggressive passes. Jackson ended with six defensive actions.
What I liked: San Jose didn’t have a lot of second half chances, but Seattle was stretched and pushing for points. In the 72nd minute it took a fantastic defensive transition moment from Ragen to keep that push going. He was terrific in a 1-v-1 spot to deny the Earthquakes, who were trying to put the match away.
What I didn’t like: Ragen’s 75th minute foul in the box seemed completely unnecessary, and for a moment the referee had a chance to hand San Jose a likely win. This is the kind of mistake Seattle does not have the offense to play out of, and the Sounders were lucky a penalty was not awarded.
What now? Ragen can make more dynamic passes forward when the midfield is set up to move to spaces to facilitate that and there’s proper spacing up front. We saw that in the second half.
Yeimar – 7 | Community – 6.6
Another strong Yeimar match saw him grow into the game and start to impact both ends of the field. He used his size and strength to limit any push from San Jose, and cut out a number of dangerous plays before they could materialize. He had 88 percent passing, added three shots, and won five headers.
What I liked: Yeimar keeps Yeimaring. He isn’t often thought of as a player who needs space, but he excelled in the second half as Seattle was able to stretch the field, playing to his strengths even more. He wasn’t dispossessed a single time and had a team-high 13 defensive actions, defined by nine necessary recoveries. A 67th minute interception highlighted how fast he can jump passing lanes.
What I didn’t like: A dumb foul in the 64th minute came via an unnecessary push, and gave an opponent on their heels a lifeline via a dangerous free kick. These are the kind of mistakes that can destroy momentum and shatter a positive gamestate.
What now? Seattle had 12 corners (that’s a lot!) and specifically in the 19th minute, Yeimar was among the players creating havoc. When the Sounders have so many set pieces, they must take advantage, and Yeimar looks the most consistent while Jordan Morris is hurt. This needs to become a strength again.
Midfield
Paul Rothrock – 5 | Community – 6.3 (off 73’ for Minoungou)
Rothrock started on the left again, and struggled on the left again. He had only 35 touches in his time (only 14 more than the man who replaced him and who played 54 fewer minutes), but he did manage three key passes and had 79 percent passing accuracy.
What I liked: The biggest positional differences between first and second halves were the wide midfielders, with Jesús Ferreira pulling wider on the right and Paul being more vertical on the left. This created more space centrally that Seattle used to create chances. Rothrock was a big part of that, suddenly pushing high up the left and creating opportunities for himself and others as a vertical threat that was missing in the first half.
What I didn’t like: Without the right side balance that he needs, Paul was lost on the left. Nouhou isn’t the type of distributor to find him, and with Albert Rusnák crowding his side, there wasn’t space until the second half for Rothrock to be effective in the transition moments he excels in. When he did finally find opportunities after intermission, he made some poor choices, like shooting in the 48th minute instead of passing central to a wide-open Danny Musovski for a tap-in.
What now? Rothrock is playing at the level we should expect; it seems it’s only when he’s part of a high functioning team that he can cook. His play mirrors a lot of the team’s struggles.
João Paulo – 6 | Community – 5.7 (off 46’ for Musovski)
JP started in the middle and had a strong half, connecting well with teammates before being subbed at the break to make way for a tactical shift up front. He was ball-dominant, touching the ball 56 times in a half of play, and was extremely tidy (93 percent) in distributing the ball to teammates. He chipped in two key passes to the offensive efforts.
What I liked: At times in the first half, vintage João Paulo was everywhere; in the 26th minute had four defensive plays and distributive moves alone. He roamed from side to side, giving physicality to the middle while playing safe possession passes for teammates.
What I didn’t like: The lack of progressive passing was evident in the first half, as JP and Obed Vargas didn’t move the ball forward effectively. The first half team leader in progressive passes was Stefan Frei (nine), a damning indictment of this team’s ability to move the ball forward. This meant possession was held, but without offensive push for long stretches.
What now? This midfield partnership was strong in possession but lacked the ability to move the ball forward. Combined with the positioning of the wide players, it was difficult for Seattle to create offense. It wasn’t JP’s fault that they improved after he exited, but it was notable.
Obed Vargas – 6 | Community – 6.1
Obed got a new pairing in the first half with JP and did an okay job that consisted mostly of controlling possession and making conservative but accurate passes. This resulted in a high (93 percent) passing clip, but a passing map without many vertical attempts or highlights until later in the second half.
What I liked: In the second half, Seattle (and Obed) got aggressive centrally, finding more space and thrust towards San Jose’s goal. Suddenly, Vargas was looking vertically; in the 67th he had an excellent through ball that had been missing earlier. Two minutes later, he sent a spectacular ball to put Musovski in over the top – a pass deserving of an assist.
What I didn’t like: Obed seemed a non-factor for much of the game, especially in a first half that saw stagnant movement and little direct play or creativity from the middle. Vargas is a quality player at this point in his career, but he seemed to be on cruise control and without much direction until a tactical shift gave him permission and structure to be more creative.
What now? The first half pairing was too conservative, but switching tactics unleashed a dominant Seattle midfield in which Obed was encouraged to be more creative, and he responded with four dribbles (team highest) showing he can be effective, but he needs the right conditions.
Alex Roldan – 5 | Community – 5.1
This match showed the polarity of Alex Roldan. At times he’s essential to success moving the ball forward, at others he makes massive errors that cost Seattle chances, and ultimately goals. This up-and-down match from Alex mirrored the team’s struggles, as once again the game was defined at times by his play.
What I liked: Alex completed the most passes on the team, won the most duels, and had two shots. He did a lot right, especially when he had 30 more touches than any other Sounder while returning 88 percent completion on 72 completed passes. He also had seven clearances, and his 19th minute header forced a save far post.
What I didn’t like: There is no excuse for the pass he attempted in the 32nd minute. There were better options wide, but instead Alex forced the ball towards a central João Paulo. This pass was stolen, and after an admittedly unlucky deflection, converted. These kinds of mistakes are killing the Sounders, who have no margin for error.
What now? Alex can be an essential ingredient to the team’s success. It shouldn’t be necessary that he plays perfectly for the team to get positive results, but right now it feels that way.
Attacking Midfield
Albert Rusnák – 8 (MOTM) | Community – 7.2 (MOTM)
Rusnák, like the Sounders, got a slow start as he played centrally but drifted to the left to find the ball and bring teammates into the play. As the tactics shifted and Seattle became more space conscious in the second half, Albert started to rev up, dialing up teammates before calling his own number to ensure the team earned at least a point. He had four shots, five key passes, and 92 percent passing in a masterful effort for Seattle.
What I liked: With Seattle making moves in the second half, Rusnák was dialing up key passes everywhere, whether it was putting Rothrock in direct in the 48th minute or finding link-up plays with Jesús and the Moose. When isolated on the far side in the 80th minute, he used his underrated dribbling ability to create space around a defender and absolutely smashed an unsaveable shot into side netting.
What I didn’t like: Albert was as guilty as anyone of having a quiet first half, outside of a nice 19th minute corner kick. He led the team with a pitiful four progressive passes completed in the first half as the spacing didn’t work. With as many set pieces as the Sounders had, it was rough watching multiple corners go wasted by Albert (like in the 62nd minute) on a night when his delivery was not up to expectations.
What now? Somehow understated because of his personality and playstyle, Rusnák has the second-most key passes in the league, is tied for second-most assists, and now has two goals, making him 9th in the league in G+A. Not bad.
Cristian Roldan – 7 | Community – 6.4
For a half, Roldan was an ineffective shuttler on the right who frequently tucked inside, helped possession, and outside of an early corner kick earned on a hustle play, rarely attacked directly. In the second half everything changed, as Cristian moved back a line and became more influential and attack-minded. He responded by going 6/8 on long balls, stretching the field and creating space with his vision and distribution from a deeper, central point. He ended with the second-highest 92 touches, with an assist and two shots while pulling the strings in a much improved second half.
What I liked: Moving Cristian central changed the shape of the team, adding vertical thrust through the middle and immediately improving Seattle’s play. He earned a 74th minute shot and 80th minute assist, quickly moving the ball to the opposite side of pressure and finding Rusnák in space to work. The ability to quickly transition through the middle was almost entirely due to Cristian’s introduction centrally.
What I didn’t like: In the first half Cristian played as a second central attacking midfielder, ceding the wide areas and instead overlapping with both Rusnák and Ferreira. This meant spacing issues, a lack of use on the width, and with players behind not capable of finding vertical passes, the entire offense was stagnant and negative.
What now? If he starts anywhere but in the defensive midfield in the immediate future, the staff is watching a different game than I am.
Forward
Jesús Ferreira – 6 | Community – 5.4
Jesús started at forward, but played more of a false nine again, and again it was a struggle to fit into the team system. When switched outside he came alive, living in the half spaces and finding connection and drive on the right. He ended the match with two shots and a key pass offensively, and many more impactful connections that were a big part of the second half Sounders improvement.
What I liked: A tactical switch of Jesús to the right gave Seattle a balanced playmaker on both sides of the field with direct options, and suddenly the spacing made sense. Almost immediately, Jesús started dealing, with an incredible 51st minute pass nearly setting up a goal right out of halftime. He did excellent work on the wing, attempted a team-high 13 progressive passes in the second half alone, earned both his shot attempts and consistently set up others.
What I didn’t like: The first half didn’t work tactically, with Roldan, Ferreira, and Rusnák all occupying similar spaces, and the offense paid for it with too compact spacing. Jesús found no one willing or capable of playing him through, and when he roamed around for the ball he didn’t have success working the possession game in any impactful forward ways. At forward, he only received a single progressive pass, compared to six in the second half.
What now? It’s clear that the tactical setup didn’t work in the first half, but there was a lot to learn about the second. If Jesús can get more confidence in his shooting, he could be effective on the wing.
Substitutes
Danny Musovski – 6 | Community – 5.1 (on 46’ for JP)
Musovski was an inspired halftime sub, added to change the tactical setup, and it was a brilliant move. This added a direct forward option, encouraged Rothrock to stay much higher, put Jesús in a clearly more comfortable environment, opened up the middle to be run by Roldan, and turbocharged the team on both ends of the field. Everything worked almost to plan, as Danny played central and direct and got big chances for himself and the team for most of the half. Unfortunately, he didn’t put any of his chances in the back of the net. Statistically, he had four shots, completed 88 percent of his passes, and only needed 17 touches to drive the offense.
What I liked: Moose was an immediate improvement for the team shape, but he also played well himself. Immediately after the half he won a free kick, then displayed excellent holdup in the 53rd minute to bring the attack up to him. His break and smart control in the 65th was another notable moment. He was clearly playing all out, as an 88th minute diving header attempt was a brave try that almost worked.
What I didn’t like: Good movement and positioning earned Moose the best chances of the night for the Sounders, and he couldn’t convert. No chance was bigger than when Obed put him in alone in the 69th minute and instead of chipping the ball with a keeper stranded in no-man’s land, he tried to dribble and squandered a massive chance. Another chance in the 83rd was also saved, either of which would have completely changed the match.
What now? Having your forward get the bulk of the xG is usually a good thing, but Moose squandered the Sounders chances at all three points and he must be better. Judging by this performance, he should continue to get time up front.
Georgi Minoungou – 5 | Community – 6.2 (on 73’ for Rothrock)
Seattle made the most of their subs as Minoungou came in and again showed incredibly dynamic play, adding instant offense to the team as he created big chances and was better than the man he replaced. In limited time he had two shots, four key passes, and the most assist potential in the match.
What I liked: Good Georgi immediately set up Moose for his 75th minute shot, and four minutes later dialed up Ferreira for a good chance. His brilliant pass in the 92nd minute deserved to be a game-winning assist but was pushed wide.
What I didn’t like: Bad Georgi had a few moments when a fancy dribble created space but was followed with an errant cross, or, like in the 86th minute, his own shot was so comically bad it went out for a throw-in on the opposite side of the field.
What now? Georgi has that magic in him that can create big chances without the need for teammate assistance, and it’s a massive game-breaking skill. He doesn’t have the consistency to be a full starter and looks much better in these late, regulated appearances.
Subs 3, 4, 5 – (Subs? What subs?)
The second match in a row without using more than two subs says something about the team’s confidence in the bench options, especially with one of those subs being a halftime move.
What I liked: Not being afraid to make a big change at half was fantastic. Recognizing tactical adjustments, and putting the team in a position to excel was brilliant. All respect to the professionalism of JP, who played well, but was sacrificed for an offensive push.
What I didn’t like: With as much as Seattle dominated, there might have been a way to get more offense on the field late. Getting a road point is generally a good result, but as tipped as the field was, moving a defender off for Danny Leyva or Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, or even putting on a more aerial threat like Jon Bell for the twelfth corner attempt might have been worth the risk.
What now? Hindsight coaching is easy. The staff clearly has a group they trust to be on the field. Without fixture congestion, there isn’t a huge justification for moving guys “just because.” If we had put one of the big chances into the net, no one would be questioning the subs.
Referee
Guido Gonzales Jr. – 7 | Community – 5.4
The ref had little to do with this match, calling even fouls and plenty of them (31 total) but only needing to hand out three yellow cards to keep firm control of the match.
What I liked: An 8th minute advantage play that gave JP a chance to pass before bringing the ball back was a textbook execution of this rule.
What I didn’t like: In the 22nd minute there was a hard foul stopping the ball that didn’t involve any soccer play. This moment deserved the cheese.
What now? This was a frustrating match to watch, but this time it wasn’t because of the refereeing.
San Jose Earthquakes MOTM
Daniel had a whopping eight saves in this one, turning what should have otherwise been a loss for his guys into a gritty draw. He parried over in the 18th, dealt with two Nouhou lasers in the 51st, got the better of the Moose in a 1-v-1 in the 69th, cleanly saved Cristian's strike from distance five minutes later (that could easily have been spilled for a tap-in by a lesser keeper), and was only eventually (finally!) beaten by a perfect Rusnák effort late on.
Upcoming: The second away game in a row against new team San Diego FC, who are outperforming expectations. This is the type of game Seattle tends to dominate.
