Sounders Rudderless and Adrift
A shock goal in the first minute left the Sounders rudderless and adrift. The victims of a first minute surprising orca-like sneak attack from LAFC, the Sounders were the unlucky boat caught out. With the rudder gone, the Sounders were lost at sea and unable to find a way out of their predicament. When given 90+ minutes to find a solution, the Sounders attack just could not hold water.
The first half was full of hope, the reality of the situation yet to sink in. Some good attacking movements down the left, an incisive Vargas cross and a couple chances for Ruidiaz offered a glimmer of possibility. The second half started in a similar fashion and it could be said overall that the Sounders were the better team through the first hour. Joao Paolo was easily the best player on the pitch.
But as time progressed, the reality of being adrift at sea sunk in. There was no clear plan to get back into the game, and find a glimmer of land, a point break so to speak.
The hull and the bones of the Sounders ship, its defense, thankfully held strong. The Sounders weren't going to sink, but they weren't going to get back to shore anytime soon.
Around the 60th minute is when the panic and bad decisions started to kick in. The game became increasingly sloppy and the Sounders were spared the humiliation of a second goal when an LAFC (orca) header inadvertently hit his fin...errr hand, on it's journey into the back of the net.
Decision making became increasingly frantic and the substitution decisions resulted in a great deal of complaints and the scratching of heads. Why take off your best attacking players in Chu and Ruidiaz when you are chasing a goal? Especially to end the evening with Yeimar as a #10/striker?
A change of formation to a back three of Yeimar, Ragen and Nouhou to allow for another attacker seemed the logical choice. But the big question right now is what is head coach Brian Schmetzer thinking? He has gotten his substitutions all wrong all season, and in post game interviews he most just shrugs his shoulders.
To stick with the stranded boat metaphor, maybe he likes it out on the water and would rather not face the realities waiting for him onshore? Perhaps its better to be out on a cruise than to face the reality: that the Sounders have been adrift since April and the season has not been smooth sailing. The team isn't sinking just yet, but very little progress has been made.
The Sounders currently are better at finding excuses than they are at finding the back of the net. What is so frustrating about this state of affairs is that this is clearly a talented set of players who are more than capable of playing against the best.
How can Captain Schmetzer and Co respond to yet another setback and find their way back into Port Winning is anyone's guess. Coming home to Seattle on Saturday, Orlando City awaits and a victory would provide some much needed ballast to the Sounders floundering season.
Off to drown my sorrows, see you all soon!
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