Snooze fest in Frisco

This is precisely why we should never say, “We’re back!” after just one good game. Everyone who said that jinxed it. The Sounders fell flat in Frisco after a 0-0 draw against a bad FC Dallas side Saturday night. There seems to be an ongoing trend among these two: they go out and play the most boring football match possible.

On a slightly more positive note, the Sounders kept another clean sheet to add to Frei’s collection, and the keeper recorded his 300th appearance for the club!

Match Recap

The Sounders are so back! Or, so everyone thought. The match itself felt like a tale of two halves. The Sounders created a few good chances in the first half after an early chance fell to Eugene Ansah in the 6th minute, forcing a good save from Stefan Frei. Jordan Morris looked slightly more dangerous than expected, with two of the best chances for the Sounders. He nearly had the opening goal in the 30th minute, but Dallas goalkeeper Paes made a goal-line save, and the rebound bounced along the line before ultimately heading out for a corner kick. Then, in the 41st,  Morris decided to be a playmaker and whipped an excellent cross from the right side for Cristian Roldan at the back post, but Cristian failed to make good enough contact on the ball, which led to another missed chance.

Dallas was significantly more dangerous in the second half, with forward Petar Musa forcing Frei into another incredible save just minutes after kickoff. Sebastian Lletget nearly had a goal for Dallas in the 53rd as he had a virtually open header with Nouhou trailing after losing his man, but the header went wide of the post.

Jordan Morris and Raúl similarly had a chance just minutes after! This time, it was Roldan serving in a cross from the right side as the ball found Jordan for a header at the back post, but his header went into the ground and out from there. The Sounders somehow failed to register another shot for the rest of the match. And that was the end of it.

Minus a few exciting moments for both sides, the match was relatively dull. While most would be happy with a point on the road, we shouldn’t expect this level of mediocrity, especially after the beatdown we gave to CF Montreal last week. You have to take all three points against a side as bad as FC Dallas is this season.

I’m sorry, the Sounders are boring

For years, the Sounders have been THE team everyone wanted to model themselves after. We used to be a fun and dynamic side that could put away nearly every team in the league. We saw some of that last week against Montreal. Although they were tired and homesick by that point, that’s beside the point. We still saw what the Sounders used to give fans and what the potential could be for the future.

They did the opposite of that against Dallas. 

While they were the more dominant side, they still couldn’t create any solid chances on goal, nor could they finish the very few they did. They’ve been this way for the last year and a half, and it doesn’t look like it’s getting any better. I could be wrong, but they could kickstart their season once Leo Chu, Pedro de la Vega, and Joao Paulo are fully fit. But until they actually start getting consistent results, I’m afraid the margins will continue to get smaller and smaller.

Where are the subs?

“I thought the team was playing okay,” We could have gone for the win and really gone for it, but sometimes a point is a good point. That contradicts my feelings emotionally. They were creating a couple of chances and thought some guys could win it in end.”

WHAT

If this is the mentality of the manager, then it’s no wonder the team is where they’re at now. Instead of bringing on subs that could change the tide of a match, he stuck it out with his guys who were already tired and underperforming. I understand that keeping those players on the pitch can instill confidence and loyalty, but you have to act like a manager and bring some fresh blood in. Raul wasn’t getting through the Dallas defense, Jordan was one-dimensional aside from one good chance, Nouhou had a slight knock from the last game, and Cristian was invisible minus one good cross and a missed sitter.

Schmetzer had players like Cody Baker, Leo Chu, and Musovski on the bench, who could have come on MUCH earlier and had an instant impact for the Sounders. While Musovski came on in the 86th minute, that was nowhere near enough time for a striker to make an impact.

I’m not going to spend this time bashing Schmetz. He’s a good coach and usually knows what to do to get a win. But I will criticize his inability to do what it takes to go for a win against an opponent who had no business getting a point at home.

What’s next?

The Sounders have an incredibly tough schedule ahead of them. Starting this upcoming Saturday, as they take on their Cascadia rivals and current Cascadia Cup holders, the Vancouver Whitecaps. Despite losing 1-3 to the LA Galaxy, the Whitecaps are one of the most inform teams in the league and play some of the most exciting brand of football that MLS has seen in a long time. The Sounders have statistically been the better side in their 50-year rivalry, but that does not mean they are guaranteed a win.

Knowing their schedule is about to get even harder, the Sounders need a little kickstart with a win against the Whitecaps. They absolutely cannot afford to keep playing boring football and not picking up results. Simply put, they must start putting points on the board before they turn out like every other mediocre club.