Brian Schmetzer is
another amazing feat after the other, after juggling a series of oddities and
at times a serious slump; many thought that this campaign the Seattle bunch was
not going to make it to the postseason.
Still do not discard
this bunch as one battling one and after showing off their mettle in the
playoffs.
Coming to the first
half facing off in a Cascadia Derby against a battling Vancouver Whitecaps, the
Sounders edged these with a second leg rout of 2-0.
After seeing their fate
and foe in the semifinals missing out to an injury prone Portland squad a possible
Cascadia showdown, the Rave Greens were to face off against a momentum riddled
Houston Dynamo.
Seen as a tough
semifinal series against the Lone Star Boys Schmetzer and company knew of the foe
he and his bunch were against and by making many improvisations in his lineup,
he came and conquered with a 2-0 win.
Returning home were
these Sounders are one tough group to beat, here they had already sealed half
of their ticket and with ten knowledge of knowing their nemesis in a repeat of last
year final, but ninety minutes were in the way of such celebration.
Once again, the
rookie mistakes performed by the Dynamo Boss and the push of the Rave Greens
showing off their arsenal in their attack marked the difference in the end with
a 3-0 rout and for a final score of 5-0.
As last year is a
second go between the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC.
Coming to this match,
the Sounders are very aware of being the final underdogs as well for many the
Western Conference squads were not too strong in this campaign, giving a slight
advantage to the Eastern Conference squads.
As Toronto after
displaying a one of a kind campaign, these come as the heavy favorites to win
it all, but nothing is written or assured.
Still we have a whole
ninety minutes of match that promises to be a very tight one and both squads
defenses giving up very little opportunity to one another’s strikers to make
their all-around moves, once again a very stingy score we are about to see.
However, when I mention
weapons, it comes to my mind the likes of the Seattle initial eleven coming
with various weapons to inflict all sorts of dangers and advantage in these, despite
the traditional and always effective 4-2-3-1 formation.
With Seattle’s manager
Brian Schmetzer always putting a foursome in his backline with Chad Marshall
and possibly Roman Torres and on the side’s rookie sensation Nohou Tolo and between
Gustav Svensson or Kelvim Leerdam.
Here will be toes up
for Schmetzer come game time and who will be fit for the occasion as the
leaning balance can be in favor of the Swede international as Svensson
contributed with a goal so far in the postseason.
Defensively I see
Seattle very solid and in the goal keeper position Stefan Frei has a solid
advantage over the TFC Alexander Bono as more reliable and performing without
any pressures versus Bono’s first time.
The midfield work divided
in Cristian Roldan and Nicolas Lodeiro, these latter one playing the role of
defender and game orchestrate he is pure poison to the opposing defenders that
see in him a real threat whenever he touches the ball.
These two juggle their
game between defense and offense.
In the offensive
threesome with Victor Rodriguez in lieu of Jordan Morris injured but back from
the DL, Clint Dempsey and Joevin Jones between Rodriguez and Jones Schmetzer
will have to decide who can he replace with his rookie sensation in Morris.
As the midfield is,
the core of Seattle’s attack for the Red Boss this are will be one to
concentrate his efforts and be a spoiler in not allowing the Seattle Boys any
liberties, especially if they shut down completely.
In the frontal attack,
Will Bruin is causing all sorts of havoc and delivering important goals that
have put the Sounders in the spot they are now and if allowed to display his
game and not stopped cold by the TFC defenders he can deliver a wondrous game.
At the end both squads
come very even and prepared for Saturdays big and main event with one looking
for their first and the other to repeat, my wish is that we do not have to
witness another annoying penalty prone final.
Post Contents and Property of Fern Mc
Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos Credit and Property of Seattle
Sounders FC 2017
Photos Credit and Property of © 2017
Major League Soccer
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