Live Sounders FC chat

Join Seattle Times Sounders FC reporter Matt Pentz to talk the upcoming Rapids match, another 2-0 USMNT-Mexico result and Major League Soccer as a whole as the league heads towards May.

3rd & 7 37yd

Should you happen to be on a computer and not out in this sunshine, my weekly Sounders FC chat is live

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:02:50 PM
any idea why Jones and Craven didnt start v OKC?

by chotts fired 4/17/2015 8:04:38 PM
Likely to stagger the lineups over the two-games-in-three-nights road trip. S2 played in Tulsa Thursday and face OKC Saturday. Not a lot of recovery time

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:05:34 PM
I was just out in the sunshine and I walked by the stadium. The construction of the new sections seem to be coming along. Is there a timetable on that? Are the sounders planning full stadium games or has that been canceled due to the construction?

by jj 4/17/2015 8:06:37 PM
This has been a recurring question, and one I wish I had a better answer to. Last I checked, there has still be no official decision made from the club on the full-stadium games. I can't imagine the construction precludes them from, say, 95-percent stadium games if they so desired.

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:08:35 PM
From what I've been told, though, the club does traditionally take their time in announcing those dates. And that the full stadium games have usually been pushed later in the season when the weather is more predictable

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:09:12 PM
Howdy Matt! Nice to chat with you once again. First Question I have is, do you see Leo Gonzalez starting at left-back again at any point this season, or does Dylan Remick have the spot pretty much secured?

by SeanQuinnSportsCWU 4/17/2015 8:10:47 PM
Glad to be here. I think for the time being, it's Remick's spot to lose. But given the young defender's bouts of inconsistency last season, it's always nice to have a veteran there waiting in the wings

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:12:37 PM
How about that goal for the USMNT by Stanford sophomore and Seattle Sounders academy product Jordan Morris.

That and DeAndre Yedlin starting made me proud of the entire Sounders organization.

by Vuvuzela 4/17/2015 8:12:40 PM
It sure has been a banner year-and-a-half for the Seattle soccer community. Composed finish from Morris, and also good to see Yedlin finally break into a Tottenham squad in EPL action

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:14:38 PM
Was Colorado's result last week just a fluke? 3 road points for Seattle seemed guarantee until last week's game.

by jj 4/17/2015 8:14:41 PM
Colorado's four goals were certainly a fluke, given that it hadn't netted a single tally in more than 10 hours of game action beforehand. Its ability to pick up points was less so. The Rapids
have barely been watchable this year, but they've allowed just two goals -- the best mark in MLS

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:16:29 PM
any input on how you think we can get people to stop shouting YSA at the opposing keeper? I hear other teams supporters do it to.

by chotts fired 4/17/2015 8:18:13 PM
As with all instances like this, I think that self policing from the crowd around those doing the shouting goes a long way

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:18:41 PM
What do see, based on how we've played so far, as being our biggest weakness? Or our biggest need for the summer transfer window?

by TheDutchman9 4/17/2015 8:19:51 PM
More support for the forwards. No Sounder but Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey has scored yet this season, and both Lamar Neagle and Marco Pappa have been spoken frankly about needing to be more productive. Seattle needs more help from its current wingers or add some reinforcements from the outside

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:22:18 PM
I think that has for the most part died out at CenturyLink... I know I don't say it and never did.

by TheDutchman9 4/17/2015 8:22:24 PM
I'd gotten that impression from fans, too

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:22:32 PM
Second question from me, and this one is a crazy thought one, but after the Sounders spotted Querétaro and Ronaldinho at the team hotel in Houston a while back, would it ever be possible for the Sounders to snag Ronaldinho in the future? As an attacking midfielder, he could fill the void as Gonzo gets older (even though Ronaldinho is 35 and older than Gonzo). It's a crazy thought, but then again, so was the rumor that we got Dempsey (which turned out to be true).

by SeanQuinnSportsCWU 4/17/2015 8:22:34 PM
Well that photo-op was pure coincidence, as Queretaro just happened to be in town at the same time. Ronaldinho has been a pipe dream for the league as a whole for quite some time now, and the longer it goes, the less likely it is to be realized. Barcelona-era-Ronaldinho was one of my personal favorite players growing up, so I'd love to see him in MLS. But those rumors have long since edged into believe-it-when-I-see-it territory

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:25:05 PM
You think Morris will sign this summer or return to Stanford for another year or so?

by TheDutchman9 4/17/2015 8:27:06 PM
Morris doubled down yesterday in our phone conversation that he's committed to staying at Stanford for his junior season. I don't see that changing

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:28:17 PM
Hey Matt! Thanks for doing this...
With his recent performance with the USMNT, do you think Jordan Morris will snub the Sounders and jump straight to Europe? Hope DeAndre is telling him to stay and play 2-3 years with in Seattle!

by SSFC_Rumors 4/17/2015 8:31:27 PM
No problem at all. And while I think it's remote, I do think a straight jump to Europe is a possibility. The more visibility on these types of stages, obviously, the more likely he is to show up on another club's radar

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:34:04 PM
So with your thoughts on needing help on the wings, what are your thoughts on the van der Vaart rumors? Think we could poach him from SKC?

by TheDutchman9 4/17/2015 8:34:12 PM
In general, I'm not a fan of situations in which one team does all the leg work to bring a player to MLS only for another to swoop -- see: Jones, Jermaine. It's an unfortunate side effect of the single-entity structure. I prefer van der Vaart as a centrally-based creator, anyway

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:37:24 PM
What are your thoughts on the two expansion teams and how they're doing so far? I'll be in NYC in a couple weeks and plan on catching Seattle play NYCFC. How do you like our chances for that game?

by jj 4/17/2015 8:37:29 PM
I will be there in New York myself, actually. I'm very much looking forward to my first Yankee Stadium trip. NYCFC has already begun crashing back to earth after its hot start, which is to be expected. Orlando City looks to be a playoff competitor from start to finish -- especially in this Eastern Conference. That was a dominant performance in Portland last weekend

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:39:00 PM
Alright, folks, questions are slowing down so I'm going to wrap this up. Get out and enjoy your weekend, and follow along live with me during the Sounders' road match at Colorado tomorrow evening

by Matthew Pentz, Seattle Times 4/17/2015 8:43:03 PM