MLS 2010 Preview: Seattle Sounders

Tuesday, 23 March 10, 09:10 AM · Comments (0)

Seattle Sounders FC enjoyed a tremendous season in 2009 both on and off the pitch. Their accomplishments set the bar high, both for future expansion clubs and MLS teams across the board. The passionate fans and sold out crowds were a triumph for the sport in America.

For a second act, Seattle must now push the bar higher in its sophomore year. Scoring big goals in big games eluded them last year, and anything short of a deeper run in the playoffs will leave Sounders faithful disappointed.

Only a few small tweaks have been made to last season's roster, the biggest being the addition of Swiss international Blaise Nkufo. He could either be the last piece in a championship puzzle, or just another over-the-hill international player plying his trade in MLS.

Impact Players

The two biggest offensive weapons Seattle has in its arsenal are Freddie Ljungberg and Fredy Montero. Getting these two on the same page from the opening kick against Philadelphia will aid in driving the offense -- provided that Montero can live up to the hype. The Colombian easily has 20-goal potential, though whether he can achieve that will be determined this year.

Keeping Kasey Keller healthy is another important part of Seattle's 2010 hopes. There's not much to speak of behind the former USMNT goalie, and an injury at any point of the season could leave the team scrambling for cover -- Jon Busch anyone?

Steadying the Seattle midfield is Osvaldo Alonso. The Cuban was one of many shrewd pickups by the Sounders front office prior to their first season, and he'll keep fans happy if he cuts down on his yellow card totals. And if he can stay healthy -- Alonso struggled with niggling injuries during various stages of last year.

Big Question

Are Seattle MLS Cup contenders?

After an opening stanza like 2009 -- finishing agonizingly close to a berth in the Western Conference Final -- there's plenty of reasons to be optimistic. It starts at the top, with arguably the best-run club in the league, all the way to the coach. Sigi Schmid knows what it takes to win in MLS, and during his previous coaching stints in Columbus and Los Angeles guided two different teams to titles. If his roster stays healthy, Seattle should be one of the last teams standing in 2010.

2010 Outlook

If you had to put together a shortlist of four MLS teams who can be placed in a "contenders" category, it'd be tough to leave Seattle off the list. Hardly any player turnover from a team that made the postseason in its first season, combined with the coaching acumen of Schmid makes Seattle a legitimate threat. Of course, in a 30 game season anything can happen.

Adding intrigue to the Sounders' campaign is a possible berth in the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League. Not handling that properly could derail title aspirations.

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MLS 2010 Preview: Seattle Sounders

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