Dave Clark / Sounder At Heart 16 hours ago 
Second chances to rave — Finding right back depth in former Sounders
Charis Wilson - Tacoma Defiance GM Garth Lagerwey has massive organization-wide holes to fill on the right side. Here’s a few players who should get a second look. When budgets get tight people get inventive. It’s how Welsh rarebit (toast with cheese sauce) became an entrée and how chicory became a coffee replacement. In a salary cap league operating through the pandemic, the Seattle Sounders are about to have to get creative — especially on the right side of the organization depth chart. Across Sounders-Defiance-Academy there is only one player whose best...
Sounder At Heart Jan 15, 2021
Seattle Sounders vs. 2020: End-of-season player ratings, #20-#16
Max Aquino / Sounder at Heart A Sounder who departed, and the Sounder acquired in return. #20 Román Torres Realio’s rating: 5.20 in 5 appearances Community rating: 5.63 Regular Season: 5.33 in 3 appearances — Playoffs: 5.00 in 2 appearances MOTM = 0 High = 6 Low = 5 Román Torres returned to the Sounders and, we thought, would strengthen the Seattle center back depth. In actuality, he struggled to find consistent playing time, only showing up late in matches to help hold leads. What I liked: The coaches had the confidence to insert Torres into the center of a...
Sounder At Heart Jan 15, 2021
Swansea City hopes to sign Jordan Morris on loan
Max Aquino / Sounder at Heart The Championship club is currently in position to earn promotion. Jordan Morris could be heading to overseas after all. The Telegraph and The Athletic are both reporting that Swansea City is close to securing a six-month loan for Morris in a hope of securing promotion from the Championship to the Premier League. Swansea currently sit in the second automatic promotion spot, just one point clear of third-place Bournemouth and four points behind first-place Norwich City. The Telegraph story says the deal is nearly completed and that Morris...
Sounder At Heart Jan 14, 2021
João Paulo finalizes transfer to Sounders, report says
Max Aquino / Sounder at Heart Brazilian press insist Sounders met the originally agreed-upon terms. João Paulo has completed his transfer from Botofogo to the Seattle Sounders, according to a report out of Brazil. The move solidifies the Sounders midfield and means they now have 10 of 11 MLS Cup starters under contract ahead of the 2021 season. The 29-year-old Brazilian first came to the Sounders about a year ago, originally on a loan with an option to buy. The deadline to make that decision was reportedly this coming Friday. The Sounders had hoped to renegotiate the...
Sounder At Heart Jan 13, 2021
Seattle Sounders vs. 2020: End-of-season player ratings, #25-#21
Max Aquino / Sounder at Heart The kids, and the kid at heart. #25 Justin Dhillon Realio’s rating: 5.00 in 1 appearance Community rating: 4.76 MOTM = 0 High = 5 Low = 5 Dhillon had a small window to make an impact while Will Bruin was recovering from knee surgery. He failed to take advantage of that tiny chance, and was an afterthought for the remainder of the year. The fact that he only showed up in one late appearance on the season was indicative of how the coaches view Justin’s ability to contribute. What I liked: In his single, five-minute appearance, Dhillon...
Sounder At Heart Jan 13, 2021
Major Link Soccer: NWSL expanding to Sacramento
Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Andrés Pereaa eligible for USMNT; CFG partners with Bolivia’s top club. Puget Sound Sounders entry, Adrian, leaps 9 spots. New York City FC take top spot as eMLS League Series One nears | eMLS Power Rankings | MLSsoccer.com The pink-haired star has produced multiple highlights and appears to be in peak form as the USWNT prepares for its first games of 2021. VIDEO: Megan Rapinoe USWNT return, highlights after 9-month hiatus - Insider MLS / USL While his England women’s side have drifted, the outgoing coach could...
Sounder At Heart Jan 12, 2021
Chris Henderson could be leaving Sounders for Inter Miami
Photo credit - MikeRussellFoto Henderson had interviewed for Miami’s GM position ahead of their expansion season. Inter Miami spent plenty of money, but had little to show for it in their expansion season. Among the casualties were head coach Diego Alonso and GM Paul McDonough. Now, they might be looking to the Seattle Sounders in attempt to turn things around. Sporting Director Chris Henderson is reportedly close to joining Inter Miami in a similar role. The Washington Post’s Steven Goff was the first to report the link, but Soccer by Ives’ Franco Panizo had a...
Sounder At Heart Jan 12, 2021
Kelyn Rowe signs with Sounders, report says
Photo by Emilee Chinn/ The Federal Way native is apparently coming home. Kelyn Rowe is finally coming home, it appears. The Federal Way native has reportedly signed a free agent deal with the Seattle Sounders, culminating a flirtation that goes back to at least 2010. #Sounders have signed free agent midfielder Kelyn Rowe, per sources. The 29-year-old has spent the bulk of his nine-year MLS career with #NERevs, with 16,370 league minutes to date.— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) January 12, 2021 It took a bit longer than anticipated, but the Sounders have been showing...
Sounder At Heart Jan 12, 2021
Jordan Morris says ‘some conversations’ are ongoing about a potential move to Europe
Max Aquino / Sounder at Heart The Seattle Sounders attacker reiterates he’s open to “the right move.” Jordan Morris is 26 years old, one of the top offensive players in the U.S. national team pool and coming off his best professional season. He’s also helped lead the Seattle Sounders to four MLS Cup finals and two titles during his five professional seasons. By any reasonable metric, he’s achieved everything he could have hoped at this point in his career. So, it makes sense that he’s constantly being asked if he’s considering a move to Europe. Whenever...
Dave Clark / Sounder At Heart Jan 11, 2021 
3XIs Depth Chart: Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports Sounders brass cut out the midweight during the offseason. It couldn’t be more obvious that they need to sign warm bodies. With a flat salary cap, assuming the CBA talks get worked out, the Seattle Sounders face a lot of challenges toward maintaining their dynastic history of performances heading into 2021. After the waves of cuts back in December the roster sits at just 19 players. For the sake of this update to the Depth Chart, we’ll assume that the João Paulo is back. Everything about his transfer drama seems to be about the...
Sounder At Heart Jan 11, 2021
Looking back on Sounders’ first-ever trip to the championship game
Photo courtesy of Adrian Webster Think this MLS Cup loss was painful? The 1977 loss to the New York Cosmos was probably worse. Was the crash in Columbus the most disappointing, hard to stomach loss for a Sounders team in a final? Or is it more gut-wrenching to see your team bested in a close, nail-biting contest with scores of chances for both sides? Dozens of chances? In a final? Yup. It was the first for the Sounders, 43 years ago in the 1977 final for the North American Soccer League, “Soccer Bowl ’77.” In Portland, of all places, as the NASL used neutral sites...
Sounder At Heart Jan 11, 2021
Seattle Sounders vs. 2020: End-of-season player ratings, #30-#26
Among others, a wide player with a penchant for creating (but also missing) great scoring opportunities. This was one of the strangest years and subsequently weirdest Sounders seasons ever. Throughout last year I continued to rate each player for every match. This series of articles will present a recap of Realio’s Ratings for 2020, with players ranked in reverse order from 30 to 1. The ranking is from all MLS matches they played in this season, and I’ve included thoughts on each player going forward. Please feel free to ask if you want more in-depth data on these players,...
Sounder At Heart Jan 7, 2021
Gonzalo Pineda turns down D.C. United job, report says
Photo by Steph Chambers/ Likely means that Pineda will return to Sounders bench. Gonzalo Pineda will likely be returning to the Seattle Sounders bench after talks between him and D.C. United broke down. According to a report in the Washington Post, Pineda was offered the job but the two sides could not come to terms. With Brian Schmetzer reportedly having agreed to terms on a new contract, Pineda’s status was the biggest question mark in terms of keeping the coaching staff intact. Update on D.C. United coaching search: Seattle assistant Gonzalo Pineda will not get...
Sounder At Heart Jan 7, 2021
Bold Sounders predictions for 2021
One of these guys will win MVP, according to Mark Kastner. | Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports Our staff looks into their crystal ball to see what might happen in the year to come. We’ve now flipped the calendar on 2020 and can start looking forward to 2021. Our staff has a few predictions for the year ahead: Sounders will host MLS Cup Sounders will be back in the MLS Cup Final and they’ll host it. That isn’t a big stretch of the imagination but these next few are a bit more peculiar. The Sounders will have five game-winners by a player not currently on the roster....
Sounder At Heart Jan 6, 2021
Major Link Soccer: Greg Vanney takes charge of LA Galaxy
Photograph by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via MLS backpedals on wanting to terminate the current CBA; Covid cases skyrocketing in English leagues. Puget Sound 27th ranked Adrian, representing the Sounders, is a rookie on the eMLS circuit. New York Red Bulls start 2021 season on top| MLSsoccer.com Seattle’s eMLS pro played Vancouver, KC, Cinci, and had a bye last night. 2021 eMLS League Series One Schedule and Results | MLSsoccer.com Within the league office, sources said officials have floated the price tag of $2.5 billion each for two expansion teams in the near...
