Looking Forward to 2024

After nearly four months without any Sounders content, I am back with a new and working computer! I won't even lie; it feels good to be back.

There has been a lot of Sounders-related news in the last few months since their disappointing loss to LAFC in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Most of it has been transfer-related, coinciding with everything I’m about to write about. With that in mind, let’s get right into it.

Fans were left feeling bittersweet at the end of the 2023 season. While we stumbled to second place in the West, the performances throughout the season were mediocre at best. The defense was one of, if not THE, best in the league, but at times, the attack was USL level at best. However, the worst bit of the 2023 season was the handling of Nico Loderio’s contract saga.

I won’t go too deep into the situation because there are so many articles from so many others, but I will say the Sounders FO handled that so poorly. You don’t treat a club legend like that or let a player like that go for free. Luckily, we won’t have to deal with his revenge since he went to Orlando City SC, but it’s still going to be tough to see him play for literally anyone else in MLS.

Regardless of how bleak last season seemed, there were a few positives! The 2023 season saw the defense become the most feared in the league! Frei was the golden glove winner, and the backline of Nouhou, Ragen, Yeimar, and Alex Roldan did not let anything through (except against the Timbers…. You can’t forget the emergence of the young guns, who proved to be crucial squad members in the second half of the season.

Jackson Ragen elevated his game tenfold and has become the best passing CB in the league after a bit of a rough start. After being stupidly benched until August, Josh Atencio proved to be the critical partner with JP in the midfield. Both have earned themselves USMNT call-ups as well!

Every Sounders fan knew that Obed “Baby Boy” Vargas and Reed Baker-Whiting were ones for the future and would be the guys going forward. Vargas showed how good he was as an actual child in the 2022 season and was vital during the Concacaf Champions League run. RBW showed his versatility last season as he was asked to play LB, RB, and as a winger on either side. I have some thoughts on that, so keep reading! Lastly, the natural fullback, Cody Baker, came through the Tacoma Defiance and the academy and showed he could hang with the big boys before his concussion.

After last season, there is a lot to look forward to, but it was clear that the Sounders needed something more. Something within the roster was lacking, but not even Schmetz could figure it out. In the rest of this article, I will be going through the current roster for 2024 and will give my thoughts and possible suggestions that no one will listen to.

Strikers

There is only one word that sums up what I thought of the attack last year… and that was disappointing. At times, the attack felt fucking unbearable to watch. There were so many times when the midfield and wingers would make runs down the line, and then there would be no one in the middle to get the ball in the net. That was especially evident in the second half of the season. And I know that Heber was a bust, Fredy is old, and Raul can’t stay healthy, but there is no reason not to have anyone in the box to put the ball in the back of the net.

I know people will say, “But Michael, Jordan Morris scored 13 goals for us”. Let’s analyze that a bit, shall we? He played 2333 minutes last season with 27 starts and 30 games played. That means he averaged a goal every 176 minutes (once every other game), which is pretty solid for MLS standards. HOWEVER, four of those goals came from a shitty Sporting KC side, and he only scored four goals after April 1st. That means he only scored four goals in 1900 minutes. And he was playing as a striker for 90% of those matches. Not only that, he was constantly out of position, could not hold up the ball, and could not make those quick runs that we’ve become accustomed to.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Jordan Morris. He’s been a staple for this club and put in so many clutch performances. However, if you think he is the guy to lead the line and lead the team to an MLS Cup run, you need to take off your fan goggles. He would be amazing off the bench, but he is NOT that guy.

If the Sounders don’t go for a new #9, which they will not until the summer, they need to do what they need to get the best out of Raul Ruidiaz. As a pure #9, Raul is miles ahead of Jordan and, when healthy, can still contribute to this team and is still one of the better strikers in the league.

The best way to get the best out of Raul or even Jordan is to switch the formation to a dual striker formation, or a 433, and move Leo Chu and Pedro de la Vega (pending) higher up in the attack. Again, there is no way Schmetz or the Sounders FO reads this and makes that change, but that’s just what I think would be great for the team.

Midfield

I will include our wide players/wingers in the midfield for this section. So that includes Leo Chu, Cristian Roldan, RBW, and our newest Tacoma Defiance signing, Braudillo Rodrigues.

Honestly, in my eyes, the midfield was damn near perfect. When Cristian Roldan was out, the midfield looked disjointed, with Jordan out wide and Vargas partnering with JP. But after Cristian returned from injury, Atencio replaced Vargas, and Rusnak was back in the 10; the midfield was clicking again. Nico being dropped from the starting XI was a shock, but Rusnak was cooking, and we had to let him be the starter. Nico brought the energy from the bench, and the FO was stupid to let him go.

Josh Atencio showed why he needed to be a starter next to JP over Vargas in the second half of the season, so much so that he started nearly every game until the end. Atencio caught the attention of rival fans, and everyone wondered why he wasn’t playing. There were even rumors he wanted to leave! Thankfully, he’s here to stay. After signing an extension just last week, I think 2024 will be Atencio’s season to shine, and he will catch the attention of suitors outside of North America.

Leo Chu was miles better than in his first few years in Seattle. Leo Chu was the best player in the attack, creating many CHANCES. My only gripe with the young Brazilian is his poor finishing. If he works on his finishing, then he has the potential to be the best winger in the league. There is one tiny problem with Leo Chu and the 2024 season… several reports are coming out of Brazil that Flumenese is interested in bringing him back home. I hope the Sounders reject every offer cause him with Pedro de la Vega (pending) on the wings sounds like pure sex.

I don’t need to talk about JP or Cristian Roldan cause they are literally the perfect players for our system. Without them, the team does not function, and that says everything. With our available players, I still think we should switch to a 433 and move Roldan centrally with JP and Atencio. Otherwise, Roldan will have to rotate with Rusnak at the ten or Pedro de la Vega on the right wing. I don’t like either of those options either.

Defense

Our defense was practically perfect last season. We had the least amount of goals allowed, Frei kept the most clean sheets, Ragen upped his game, and we saw some depth pieces come through. The only thing the Sounders needed in defense is better center-back depth (already done) and goalkeeper depth.

The Sounders signed Nathan from San Jose and got Bell in the Re-Entry draft from St. Louis CITY SC. Nathan is an MLS starting center-back but was injured last season. Bell is the only left-footed center-back on the roster and could be a solid depth piece. In my honest opinion, I think Nathan is a much better defender than Ragen and could be a better partner for Yeimar in the long run, but we all know Ragen is undroppable in Schmetz’s eyes.

A backup/deputy for Frei is needed. While Frei was arguably the best keeper in the league last year, he is getting up there in age. He turned 37 last year and has become noticeably slower at times when diving for lower strikes. Jacob Castro is supposed to be that guy, but we should be going after Rocco Rios Rovo from Phoenix Rising in the USL. He would not cost that much and could be a fantastic option for a long time after Frei.

One last thing on the defense: I know that RBW is young, and his ceiling is incredibly high, but he is NOT a defender, even in a Sounders system that allows the fullback to go high up the pitch. His defensive awareness is relatively poor, but going forward, he is fantastic. I think RBW would be better up the pitch as one of the backup wingers behind either Leo Chu or Pedro de la Vega (pending).

With all that in mind, here is my ideal line-up for the 2024 season with the 433 in mind:

Final Thoughts

By all means, the 2023 season was not a failure. I know I’m a bit of a negative Nancy, but even I can admit it wasn’t a failure. There are a lot of positives to look back on, but there was so much mediocrity it’s hard to think of all the happy times. However, I am excited for the 2024 season. I haven’t been this excited about a new season in a while. There is still a lot to work on and look forward to, but this really could be the Sounders’ year. But then again, we say that every year.