It appears the Seattle Sounders have remembered how to win soccer games again here this season.
Seattle has had a wild ride this season. Earlier in the year they rattled off eight straight defeats before drawing their next five games. Now, Seattle is suddenly one of the hottest teams in MLS. The Sounders arrive at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday night riding a four-game winning streak, that has launched them up the standings in the Western Conference.
For FC Dallas, the timing isn’t particularly great given the collapse that Eric Quill’s side showed over the weekend in Charlotte. Dallas had a 2-0 lead before giving up three late goals to lose 3-2, snapping a six-game unbeaten run.
The two sides already met once this season, with the Sounders picking up a 2-1 victory in Washington. This one not only serves as a rematch but it could end up being a potential playoff preview.
Let’s dive in.
Tactic Style & Shape:
Seattle has always been comfortable adapting to the opponent under Brian Schmetzer. That is even more evident when they have their main players healthy, too.
The Sounders generally operate from a 4-2-3-1, with Cristian Roland and Hassani Dotson providing stability in the midfield, while Albert Rusnak connects the attack. The Sounders can build patiently through the middle of the field, but it’s equally comfortable playing forward quickly when an opponent leaves space behind its midfield.
And their attack is suddenly loaded with options. Dejan Joveljic gives Seattle a traditional penalty-area striker, Jordan Morris provides pace and direct running at defenders, while Rusnak operated between the lines. Then you have former FC Dallas players Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola, who have provided different levels of flexibility this season.
Key Player: Cristian Roldan
Yes, there are plenty of attacking players to highlight, but no one influences the Sounders the way that Roldan does.
The veteran midfielder has been one of the most important pieces of Schmetzer’s system for years, and his value becomes particularly obvious when Seattle is playing well.
He doesn’t need to score or assist to influence a match, either. Roldan controls the tempo of the game, helps the defense maintain its shape and provides that connection between the backline and attacking midfield to keep the ball moving forward.
Key Matchup: Ramiro vs Albert Rusnak
If there is a place in this match where Dallas needs to win, it is the battle in the midfield.
Rusnak remains Seattle’s most dangerous creative players, especially when he receives the ball between the opposition‘s midfield and defensive lines.
He enters this weekend with 14 assists, including two in the win over New England last weekend. His ability to find runners, deliver dangerous service and recognize openings around the penalty area makes him the guy to slow down.
Ramiro will likely be tasked with being the guy in the Dallas midfield to limit what Rusnak does on and off the ball. The veteran midfielder needs to disrupt the passing lanes into Rusnak and keep him from opening up against the Dallas defense.
Availability Report1:
Suspended: none
Out: Pedro de la Vega (quad), Nikola Petković (knee), Paul Rothrock (hamstring)
Questionable: none
International duty: none
Quick Notes:
All-time vs FC Dallas: Seattle has a 5-7-7 record in all-time regular season meetings in Dallas.
Current form: We mentioned the form above, four-game winning streak that sits in a nine-game unbeaten run.
Where they're at in the standings: After spending most of the summer below the playoff line, Seattle is now in 7th place with 41 points.
Three keys for FC Dallas
- Don‘t let Seattle control the midfield: Seattle’s recent run has been built on its ability to control the middle of the field. They have a balance to their midfield that is capable of creating a lot of good chances. Dallas cannot allow that group to dictate the momentum in this game. They need to make them work from less comfortable positions rather than allowing guys like Rusnak to operate freely between the lines.
- Make their defense work: While the Sounders are healthier defensively than they’ve been in a while, it doesn’t mean Dallas should sit back. Petar Musa needs to be active in this one, as he will likely be back in the starting lineup. Get him involved early and find ways to pin Seattle’s defense back with quick counters.
- Finish the job this time: Saturday in Charlotte was a pretty painful reminder of what happens when Dallas doesn’t close out a match. Seattle is too experienced to give the same types of opportunities up to. October is a demanding month already, but Dallas has to show they can handle these types of moments.
Want to know how Dallas should line up to exploit exactly what we just broke down? Our weekly ‘What to Watch For’ will tackle that later this week. Sign up free and we'll send it to you before kickoff.
1 Note: MLS has an injury report deadline that doesn’t hit until the day before each game. Our scouting reports will include last week's report and will be fully updated the day before with our injury report for FC Dallas.
