The fight and much of the spark is missing from the 2008 Seattle Sounders soccer club of the USL-1.
The season-long 'experiment' that is keeping this team alive can only get mixed reviews at this point.
If the idea was to 'discover' new MLS talent through running the squad another year, have we found such players?
If the idea was to keep our current players motivated and in shape, have we been doing that?
If the idea was to defend our league crown, has that been enough to drive the squad on match nights?
Right now it would be hard to defend a 'yes' answer to any of those positions.
The Sounders are a thread-bare squad and the talent we've seen added for an MLS look can be counted on one hand: Youssouf Kante, Michael Rodriguez, and if you are feeling generous, Nik Besagno, who still belongs to RSL.
If 2008 isn't really about 'discovering' MLS talent via the USL-1 campaign, then let's move on to the next possible reason for fielding a side this year. Are the boys motivated and in shape?
Tough call on the motivation part. Mostly it seems like these guys love to play, but it is clear that they are 'up' for the MLS US Open Cup matches, and have been 'down' for league matches for almost two months now.
In shape? Or is that injured and healing? Of course there is no way the Sounders could have held on to this roster without fielding a team, and of course that team needs to run the race of actually playing the matches...but along the way this year we've seen injuries to Roger Levesque, Taylor Graham, Danny Jackson, Leighton O'Brien, Josh Gardner...and a host of other guys, too.
Perhaps it is about defending our title, and the pride that comes with that?
That's the one we have yet to answer. Perhaps this very ideal will carry our boys through the final stretch of seven home matches at Starfire and on to repeated glory.
As we approach August it sure looks like everyone around the club could use a boost of some sort. Will it be via making the Open Cup Final?
Will it be with roster moves before the transfer window closes?
'MLS training camp' is starting to drag. Something's gotta give.
Talk about it at SeattleSoccerTalk.com
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I couldnt agree more. There does seem to be a lower lack of focus, and yerning at the games. Granted we have to most ties which some have been comebacks from the other team, have played more away games than home, and were the last team in the league to lose at home. I just think that if Adrian and company are going to sign anymore of the current sounders like they did with Le toux. Do it now, it might encourage the ones that dont get it to play better, seeing that more than just Le Toux still has a future here after the year.
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