Sounders FC has shown to have an explosive offense all season, ranking second in the league in scoring with 57 goals through 30 matches. However, that open style of play in the attack has led to some scoring chances for the opposition. Lately, that has meant allowing multiple goals in five straight league matches.
While the goals allowed is a concern for Head Coach Sigi Schmid, it’s a tricky situation to rectify because of the nature of the opportunities that have led to those goals.
“We’ve taken goals in a lot of different ways. Sometimes we are a little bit too loose in the final third and that’s something that we’re talking about and addressing,” Schmid said this week. “Part of it comes because we’re a very offensive team and we tend to go forward. Sometimes we leave things a little bit open or we put more energy into that area of the field which is great because we score goals, but we have to find the right balance as well.”
Part of the issue for Seattle has been limited training time to correct some of those mistakes. Four of the five matches came on Sounders FC’s recent run of five matches in 16 days. The only match in that stretch that didn’t see Seattle allow multiple goals was the 3-1 extra time win over the Philadelphia Union in the Open Cup final.
With Seattle’s propensity toward sending numbers forward, it has been susceptible to the counter-attack. Now with a full week between matches, the team was able to focus its efforts on tightening up those gaps and building on the communication along the back line – and throughout the field for that matter – as it looks to return to the form that had goalkeeper Stefan Frei leading the league with eight shutouts through 25 matches.
“We just need to do a better job of putting out those fires and even keeping the ball. If we don’t lose possession, we can’t give those up. At the end of the day, it’s just winning your duels,” said right back DeAndre Yedlin. “We’ve been working on those things and it’s getting better.”
Added defender Chad Marshall, who is in consideration for MLS Defender of the Year with his stellar season at center back, “I think sometimes we get out of shape and we’re so focused on being offensive and scoring goals that maybe we leave ourselves a little susceptible at the back. We’ve talked about it. We know it’s a problem and it needs to be sorted out.”
It is something that Schmid hopes to have ironed out over the next four matches, particular because of the LA Galaxy’s strength in the counter attack and how crucial those moments become in the postseason.
“Certainly playoff games are tight … so we’ve got to make sure we do a good job of keeping teams off the board and I think we can get that done,” Schmid said.
Seattle meets the Colorado Rapids on Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park before returning home to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the fourth full-stadium match of the season.
