Sounders FC won both the 2014 regular-season opener and Saturday’s finale on late goals by substitutes. Those were just a couple of examples of the numerous in-match changes made by Head Coach Sigi Schmid that led to success throughout the year.
Including U.S. Open Cup matches, a Seattle substitute has recorded the game-winning goal or assist on eight different occasions in 2014. That number speaks to the depth Seattle possesses, as well as the decisions Schmid makes near the end of matches.
“I always run through scenarios before the game,” Schmid said after Seattle’s 2-0 win on Saturday, when Marco Pappa scored both goals after entering the match with 17 minutes to go. “If this guy’s struggling, this is the guy I’ll bring on. And then we’ll see how the game goes and when is the right time.”
Pappa, who started nearly every match he played in his five years with Chicago, is one of several talented attacking players that Schmid can use to fill just a few starting spots. As is the case with every player, the Guatemalan midfielder admits he wishes he could start every match, yet he and his teammates understand that a main reason the Sounders have found so much success – two trophies already this year – is that they have more than 11 players capable of starting.
Schmid said he talked to Pappa before the game about his decision, explaining that his lineup depends on the opponent and situation. All Seattle needed to clinch the Supporters’ Shield was a draw.
“I have to respect coach’s decision,” Pappa said. “Of course I want to play – that’s why I decided to come back to MLS. …I want to keep pushing in training and keep showing that I want to play.”
With so many players competing for starting spots during training, the Sounders are constantly making each other better and improving the overall quality of the team.
At the forward position, veterans Chad Barrett and Kenny Cooper are stuck behind the highest-scoring duo in team history. They have waited their turn and come through when their names were called. Cooper scored game-winning goals in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal and a regular-season win over FC Dallas, both of which were after he came on as a substitute. Barrett, meanwhile, scored three times as a reserve during the regular season.
Lamar Neagle had a stretch in August in which he was a substitute for three straight matches. The Federal Way native stayed patient, earned a starting spot again, and tallied an impressive four goals and three assists after that stretch.
In the upcoming Western Conference Semifinals, the Sounders will face either Dallas or Vancouver Whitecaps FC, two teams that tend to attack in wide areas. Whether it’s as starters or substitutes, both Neagle and Pappa will likely play key roles in the series.
