Live Sounders FC chat

Sounders FC beat reporter Matt Pentz will be resuming his weekly soccer chats Friday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. PST ahead of a busy weekend in Major League Soccer.

3rd & 7 37yd

Good afternoon from Starfire Sports Complex, where I'm posted up for the next hour or so to talk soccer. Fire away

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:30:24 PM
What's your gut feeling on when Alonso will be ready to go this season?

by RedRover 3/13/2015 7:36:27 PM
The two-week break between MLS matches should help, and Sigi says Alonso should be back in training in some capacity starting Tuesday. If not by the Dallas game at the end of the month, I'd expect a return in early-April at the latest

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:39:09 PM
Matt, many analysts always discuss how not having Ozzie in the Starting 11 significantly hurt our team. Obviously, Ozzy is a huge contributor to our passing game, but what are your thoughts on not having Ozzy/letting an Azira or a Rose starting and how it affects our performance as a team, and can we find great success without an Ozzie Alonso. Also forgive me, my computer is lagging in the chat.

by SeanQuinnSportsCWU 3/13/2015 7:39:21 PM
While Azira ably filled that hole against New England, let's not get ahead of ourselves. A Revolution midfield without Jermaine Jones and Lee Nguyen isn't a true test

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:40:27 PM
Alonso is still the best option to fill that role for now. See: the first leg of the Western Conference finals in Carson. How the depth chart shakes out from there re: Azira, Rose and Roldan should be interesting to watch

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:41:56 PM
do you see Pappa remaining in a regular starting role all season? After the way he played in the opener, I say let him play all the time.

by andy 3/13/2015 7:41:58 PM
Unless the Sounders go outside the club to bring in another option on the wing, it's hard to see anybody displacing him from that starting role. Pappa and Neagle went back-and-forth as the preferred true winger last year. Both played very well on Sunday night

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:43:22 PM
Its nice to see there being alternate transportation options to get to starfire and i assume that is both S2 and MLS Sounders?

by gstommylee 3/13/2015 7:44:19 PM
The MLS and USL clubs have been closely aligned -- understandably -- on just about every kind of logistic

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:45:00 PM
After just one match, it looks like Mears has settled in nicely with the team, what are your impressions?

by doug 3/13/2015 7:45:02 PM
I would agree with that assessment. He and Pappa seem to have already developed an understanding on the right, which is not an easy balance to find for a guy coming from overseas. Again, though, I'd recommending waiting to see how the lineup looks against a team that can provide more of an attacking threat than the weakened Revs

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:47:07 PM
Matt, can MLS clubs really sign a fourth Designated Player? If so, do you see the Sounders going out this summer and signing a big-name central defender?

by SeanQuinnSportsCWU 3/13/2015 7:47:35 PM
As far as I know, the fabled fourth DP slot is still nothing more than conjecture at this point. I'd hold out for official word -- or at least more momentum with the rumors -- before heading too far down that road. For now, I know the Sounders are committed to the Evans/Marshall pairing

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:49:10 PM
Do you know when CONCACAF Champions League groups/matches will get announced for the 2105-16 edition?

by daveyboy 3/13/2015 7:49:20 PM
No date on the draw just yet, but I'd expect something close to last year's which was May 28

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:50:27 PM
I know there are some UEFA Champions League quarterfinals left to play, of the teams remaining, who is your pick to win it this year? Also, do you have a dark horse that could go all the way?

by PaulK 3/13/2015 7:51:01 PM
Hard to go against Bayern Munich as the favorite, and Paris Saint-Germain just made a strong case as a potential dark horse. I'd also keep an eye on whichever side survives the Juventus-Dortmund matchup next Wednesday. Juve is loaded -- Pogba, Vidal, Pirlo, Tevez -- and Dortmund is (finally) peaking

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:52:57 PM
Any plans to open the entire stadium this year? Does the construction in the south end play any part in the decision? Seems like the FO is running a little late in announcing if they are

by Strubtweets 3/13/2015 7:53:08 PM
As of this week, no official decision had been made on the full stadium games. I would, however, expect an announcement relatively soon. What I don't know is how the construction play into things

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:54:05 PM
Is there a Matt Pentz 2 in line to cover S2, does Times have a plan for those games?

by CmonYouOrns 3/13/2015 7:54:07 PM
Ha, you're talking to him. I'll be doubling up and trying to hit S2 for most (if not all) home games. Expect an advance feature ahead of next weekend as well as game coverage. I'll be at Starfire for the opener

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:55:03 PM
Do you see the style of play changing this year? With Evans in the back line and Marshall comfortable on the ball, I could see a more possession-based approach.

by Brooks 3/13/2015 7:55:09 PM
Evans' skill on the ball is one of the motivations for moving him back there to begin with, to provide a bit more of an attacking sense to the back line. Seattle certainly looked better building on the ground on Sunday then when it tried to go over the top like it did in the first 20 minutes or so

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:57:03 PM
So MLB did the whole Will Ferrell thing yesterday, I say let's get him to play a few minutes at different positions in matches for MLS teams next preseason. I see him being quite an eccentric goalkeeper. :)

by Billy 3/13/2015 7:57:05 PM
I know at least one MLS team likes this idea: twitter.com

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:57:54 PM
Prediction for this week's game? Our results with SJ have been hit-or-miss

by jj 3/13/2015 7:58:03 PM
I know the 'Quakes have had Seattle's number, but with SJ so in flux, I expect Saturday to go a bit more smoothly from a Sounders perspective. 3-1 Seattle after grinding through an ugly first half

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 7:58:58 PM
Taylor Twellman asked Don Garber a tough question (How can MLS become a league of choice for players with a $4M salary cap). Garber gave a politicians non answer and Twellman let him off the hook.

by PlayOutside 3/13/2015 7:59:03 PM
Can the media press Garber for an answer?

by PlayOutside 3/13/2015 7:59:06 PM
That's easier said than done. Watch any Garber press conference, and he's very smooth at evading when he doesn't want to give a straight answer. I would agree with your initial point, that that's something the league really has to take a look at if it's trying to take that next step

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 8:00:05 PM
Just don't expect Garber nor the league owners to cede that point

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 8:00:24 PM
If you had to pick either NYCFC or Orlando City to make the playoffs, who would it be? Or maybe the East is still so bad they both will make it.

by KeithT 3/13/2015 8:00:26 PM
I will say that I don't think there's room for both. But honestly, after watching one game, I have no idea which looks more like a playoff team. NYCFC looks hard to break down, which can be an underrated virtue in MLS, and Orlando City's D was shaky. From an aesthetic aspect, I'd love to see Orlando make a push. That midfield created some real sparks in the opener

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 8:02:40 PM
I do not think US soccer is there to where MLS can be fine with a much higher salary cap. I mean 10m dollar's price range That was part of the problem why the original NASL league collapsed they were spending money on talent than they can support.

by gstommylee 3/13/2015 8:02:42 PM
Maybe so, but then wanting to be respected alongside the top leagues in the world -- and calling the national team coach out for suggesting otherwise -- begins to ring a little hollow. MLS wants to have it both ways sometimes

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 8:04:13 PM
Mears, does provide one thing that Yedlin didn't fully develop yet. An ability to provide a good cross into the box.

by gstommylee 3/13/2015 8:04:29 PM
While nobody can argue that -- given Yedlin's raw gifts and Mears' age -- Yedlin is the better prospect, a case can be made that right now, Mears is a more complete defender

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 8:05:43 PM
You think NYCFC is gonna get kicked out of Yankee Stadium? Been getting some bad press in the last couple of days.

by jj 3/13/2015 8:05:45 PM
Given the Yankees' stake in the team, getting booted seems doubtful. But this is a hard lesson for the league for budging on its commitment to its soccer-specific stadium requirement

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 3/13/2015 8:07:06 PM
Why was SKC allowed to appeal the red card, i thought you couldn't appeal red cards if it was due to a 2nd yellow.

by gstommylee 3/13/2015 8:07:26 PM
Is Neagle fully recovered from the knock he took against NE?

by Dezz 3/13/2015 8:07:42 PM
To me, I also think it has to do with fan support. While soccer is rapidly growing in America, I wonder if the overall viewing of the sport has something to do with it. American Footballhad some of the highest salaries because the fan support is so huge. I wonder if more Americans support soccer, the income will increase thus the salaries also increasing.

by iSeanQuinnSportsCWU 3/13/2015 8:08:00 PM