the honeymoon is over

I agree with you on the ref.  What other seattle game did he do?  I recognize his face and remember being mad at him.  But, despite his consistency on both sides for what he considered fouls, it becomes a problem when one side does a majority of the fouling.  I wouldn’t say he cost the game, but how we got called with a hand ball after our player was tripped to the ground was complete BS.

Perhaps it is just me, but it seems like our players seem to hold off too often on taking shots off the first touch lately.  When we receive passes in the penalty area behind the last defender we slow play down a bit too much instead of taking a chance when it is open.

Overall I would say the first half was good to us, it was just unfortunate that the own goal set the tone for the rest of the match.

Team still looks good, but,
Like the color commentator asked during the KC game, why did Sigi change to a more defensive conservative style after three straight shut outs? Lack of nerve or hiding some weakness? Go for it Sigi, sit your outside players and Montero. It appears that Riley, Scott, LeToux, Evans and Fredy could use a rest. Put Ljungberg up top with Nate, put Nyassi and Zaukani in at wing, and replace your outside fullbacks. Keep your lines tight, and compact, Alonso needs to be closer to Ljungberg, and or Montero  all game. Ozzie needs to play higher, let the other DM play back.

Yours is the only match review I’ve read from a Sounders perspective that gives Chivas the credit they deserve.  Good perspective.  Their record is not a fluke.  This is a damn good team.  

I’ll admit to having a soft spot for them because in the past couple of years they’ve become really good at doing so much with so little.   (If I remember correctly, they only have one player — Kljestan — who makes more than $200,000 a year, and that’s just barely over.)   They’re the team that digs through other people’s castoffs looking for that one really valuable player.  And they’re really good at finding them and bringing out the best in them. 

When it came to aggressive play, I think Chivas could tell early on that the ref wasn’t going to call a tight game, and they used that to their advantage.  We could have done the same thing.  We didn’t.   But I like the way you differentiated between hard clean and hard dirty.   Chivas tend to play a very hard game, but usually not a dirty one.  (There are always exceptions, but it’s that way for every team.) 

When push came to shove, Chivas used players and tactics that worked.  We didn’t.  Hopefully we learn something from that and move on.

The ref allowing hard tackles both ways only helps if both teams are tackling hard.  I would prefer to err on the side of not letting hard tackles go as it inhibits the flow of the match and the play of each team’s creative player.  In the end, the fan is the loser because instead of getting attractive, flowing, creative soccer, you get a dull grind.

Let’s face it guys, if Montero scores on that chip he missed then it’s another story.  We are pressing for goals, we stay tighter in the back, etc.  And really, aside from Chivas, nobody else is exactly tearing up the league.  Even with two losses we are at worst tied for second after this last round.

That last paragraph should have read “We aren’t pressing for goals.”  I almost forgot… In Chicago Fire’s inaugural season the won their first two and went on to lose their next five matches.  As we all know, they went on to win the cup.

The players know they have a good team as they’ve won against three opponents.  We know that Sigi is a winner in MLS as he’s taken two different teams to the double.  I think we all can agree that we have solid peeps for each position (when healthy). All we should really worry about is making certain that SFC is getting our full 90 each home match.

Goal scoring:  All they need to do is look at a highlight reel of Barcelona in the final third of the pitch for inspiration.  They run a basic play that they improvise from and is very effective.

This is basic but I think a few of the players need to work on there first touch on the ball.  In all the games so far I think this has been a problem.

The last thing is chemistry and that will come in time.

Zakuani needs to start over Evans. Sounders have scored seven goals with Zak or Nyassi starting and haven’t scored with Evans starting as winger. that’s because Evans is a good defensive center mid but a lowsy winger who doesn’t create chances to score.