LUMEN FIELD - In the midst of a snowy end to February in the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Sounders opened their 2023 Major League Soccer campaign in front of 30,032 with a 4-0 shutout of the visiting Colorado Rapids, a dominant victory that drops the Rave Green atop the Western Conference as the week drew to a close.
Prior to the match, questions swirled regarding the availability of DP forward Raúl Ruidíaz after head coach Brian Schmetzer conceded that he was “day to day” during midweek training. In his stead, offseason pickup Héber, acquired from NYCFC for a reported fee of $400k in General Allocation Money, started and picked up his first goal in the Emerald City.
Elisabeth Adams Photography | House of Sounders / Area Sports Network
The forward capitalized on a nicely played low cross from Nicolás Lodeiro to tuck home his first for the club in front of the raucous Emerald City Supporters as he wheeled off into the Seattle night towards a Brazilian flag.
Deputizing as a lone striker in Brian Schmetzer’s usual 4-2-3-1, he was far more similar as a tactical fit to Ruidíaz than Will Bruin, allowing for the Sounders’ usual tactical trends to come to fruition throughout the match.
In a Sounders team that often struggled when their Peruvian gem was injured last season, it was a delight to see an attacking performance such as Sunday’s, where a forced level of change resulted in an array of patterns emerging.
Of particular tactical interest was a mid-first-half position swap featuring Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan.
The former, nominally a left-sided winger dedicated to take-on and bursting past players since his decision to sign with his hometown club as a rookie in 2016, would go on to capitalize on a Lodeiro through ball, setting up (who else?) Roldan for the opener.
The heads-up play, one that Morris said postgame was,”(happening) naturally in the flow of the game”, exemplified the tactical diversity of a Sounders side returning to MLS play after the bitter disappointment of 2022. It was a fluid, dynamic movement that would shift during the match, and would prove key to the victory.
While concerns remained after 2022 saw the Sounders drop several one-goal matches, the apparent first-choice backline was solid throughout. Second-year pickup Jackson Ragen started and thrived alongside Yeimar Gomez Andrade in the heart of the defense, the same pairing as seen three weeks ago in Morocco.
Nouhou, a potential weak point starting at left back, vacuumed up any Rapids forays down their right flank, and while he was relatively ineffective going forwards, it’s evident that the imbalance is something Schmetzer and his staff have chosen to work with. Michael Barrios was frequently frustrated, kicking out at the Cameroonian defender, and was eventually withdrawn in the 71st minute.
Emma Morgan | House of Sounders / Area Sports Network
The compensation for Nouhou’s defensive prowess saw Alex Roldan maraud down the right flank. As his brother drifted inside, seeking combination with a full-strength midfield, the El Salvadorean staple found himself largely responsible for the Sounders’ right-sided creation.
The dynamic shifted when Morris had shifted onto the right, as Alex would take a reserved role with Morris opting to stay wide on his preferred right foot.
The recognition of his teammates’ tactical differences led to the creation of two goals - one where Morris sprints ahead of Roldan, taking the space, and another where Cristian is able to make an inside-out run, meeting the ball wide for a cross that’d eventually find Morris.
As the match came to a close, with the Sounders flying past the Rapids defense time and again, the senior players were withdrawn in favor of a youthful showcase.
By the time the referee signaled for full-time, four of Seattle’s front six were 22 or younger, something Schmetzer said was intentional. He said postgame, “Giving those guys opportunities in games like this is important for their development…it’s the evolution of our sport”.
Seattle will remain at Lumen Field ahead of next week’s matchup with Real Salt Lake, who prevailed over the Sounders’ Cascadia rivals Vancouver Whitecaps, 2-1 on Saturday night. The matchup, a rematch of the last postseason game to be held in Seattle, provides a chance for Schmetzer’s men to make a home stand.
Elisabeth Adams Photography | House of Sounders / Area Sports Network
He followed up the win in a press conference after the match, saying, “We do want to make this place a fortress”. That began tonight, and they’ll do their best to continue in a week’s time, but for now, they’re satisfied atop the table.
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