Player Ratings and other thoughts

Hey Everyone!

Here’s my first blog post for this season...Unfortunately a few games late! I figured I would start off with my thoughts from our win on Saturday as well as go through some player ratings.

Overall, I think we played a pretty good complete game. However, in all honesty, if it was not for the amazingness that is Kasey Keller, we probably should have drawn, perhaps even loss. The Sounders defense is pretty solid, but we made a few mistakes that easily could have led to goals, but we were bailed out by Kasey.

Mauro Rosales is the creative playmaker that we have missed the first two years. Offensively, we have always been good, but not great. Always missing one piece of the puzzle. Rosales gives us that creativity that can unlock opposing defences. The big questions now for upcoming games is what does our formation look like with Montero back on the field?

Player Ratings

Kasey Keller- 9

Made several key saves, especially the save on follow up of a free kick. He also had a nice stop on 1 on 1 a few minutes later. Those were great saves, but he was also very good coming out on crosses, which is usually an area he can be a little weak in.

Jeff Parke- 6

Ultimately was responsible for the lone Chicago goal. In the end, it wasn’t great defending all cross the board. Chicago got a free cross off, and Parke let his defender get goal side of him, and Chaves finished well. Other than the goal, he played very well. Won pretty much everything in the air and pretty solid in most other areas of the game.

John Kennedy Hurtado- 7

Hurtado had a solid game, but he still looks like he is settling into the team after his injury from last season. Was bailed out by Kasey Keller when he got caught letting his mark slip in behind him.

Leo Gonzales- 6

I am a little torn on this rating, I think he could be a little higher. Leo can get beat with speed, but he usually recovers well. He also gets hung out to dry a tad by the way the sounders play. Zakuani does not really play like a traditional winger, he is more of an attacking left side midfielder. In the end, Leo played well, got beat a few times, but nothing that ended up being that critical. Rating is a bit lower because he did get beat, but recovered well at times.
James Riley- 7

Solid game over all. Did a pretty good job controlling Marco Pappa, who can be a handful. Pappa is probably one of the better attacking midfielders in the league, so Riley did a commendable job shutting him down.

Steve Zakuani- 8

Steve did a good job of running at the Fire defense when the opportunities presented themselves. Ultimately, this concluded with a well taken goal after great link up play with O’brian White. Defense leaves a bit to be desired at times, but I don’t think the team really is asking him to be a defensive force.

Brad Evans- 5

Evans does a good job of linking up between the offense and defense and is great at making late runs into the box. Overall, I think had a solid game, albeit relatively quiet. He has great work rate that I love, but I think there is a lot to be desired on the technical side of his game. He plays well, but nothing all that spectacular, in my opinion.

Osvaldo Alonso- 8

Alonso was all over the place in the middle, as normal. He does a fantastic job getting back on defense, especially helping cover the left side for Gonzales. He broke up numerous attacks in the middle of the field, and then does a good job jump starting our attack. Had a few giveaways this week, but his solid defense this week makes up for it.

Erik Friberg- 6.5

Solid game over all. Great work rate and dig a good job getting up and down the right side of the field. He does a good job getting his crosses off, but needs to do little bit better job connecting his crosses to other players. Would have a higher rating if he had finished the tap-in goal following Rosales’s header

Mauro Rosales- 7.5

Very good game for Rosales. Great cross to O’brian white for the first goal, and should have had another assist to Friberg later on in the 1st half. He gives the team a good creative presence that they have been desperately lacking over the last 2 years. You could see that he tired out as the game wore on, but for the time he was in, he played quite well.

O’Brian White- 8

O’Brian White could be on the cusp of being a really great player for the Sounders. However, he scored two goals in two games, so lets wait and see and make sure he has sustained success. However, he pulled off the target striker quite well. White was very active winning balls up top, and holding up play to get the midfield involved. Also, his ability to head the ball towards goal looks to be quite good. His goal was world class. Its incredibly difficult to get as much power on the ball as he did. White is a player to watch carefully as the season goes on. I don’t think he is a superstar in the making, but he might be on track for a good 10 goal season. Had it not been for Kasey Kellers saves, he would be Man of the Match for me.

Man of the Match- Kasey Keller


I will give my thoughts on the Substitutions and a few other things tomorrow.