Season Preview: SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

Welcome to my 7th annual MLS Season Preview, this year with dedicated previews for each club. Lets get stuck in with Seattle Sounders FC...



IN:
F Victor Mansaray (11/5/14 - Homegrown)
D Tyrone Mears (12/29/14 - free)
F Darwin Jones (1/9/15 - Homegrown)
GK Troy Perkins (1/13/15 - free)
M Cristian Roldan (1/15/15 - SuperDraft)
F Andy Craven (1/20/15 - SuperDraft)
D Andres Correa (2/10/15 - free)


OUT:
GK Marcus Hahnemann (retired)
D Onyekachi Apam (12/4/14 - option declined)
F Sean Okoli (12/4/14 - option declined)
D Djimi Traore (12/4/14 - option declined)
F Cam Weaver (12/4/14 - option declined)
D Jalil Anibaba (12/10/14 - Expansion Draft to Orlando City)
F Tristan Bowen (12/18/14 - Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft)
GK Josh Ford (12/18/14 - Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft)
D DeAndre Yedlin (1/1/15 - transfer to Tottenham)
M Sean Okoli (1/15/15 - traded to New England)
D/F Eriq Zavaleta (1/26/15 - traded to Toronto)


MANAGER: Sigi Schmid



Last season Seattle won the Supporters Shield, but found themselves at home for MLS Cup Final. Each season they take another step, but have yet to put it all together when it really counted. For 2015, they basically stand pat with what they had last season, and time will tell if it was a wise move or not.

Up front, they return double MVP candidates in Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey, the most potent one-two punch in all of MLS. If they should continue firing, it could be a very good season for Seattle.

In the mid, again we have the same line up we saw last season. The only change may come due to the fitness issues of defensive mid Alonso due to offseason groin surgery, with Andy Rose filling in if he isn't fit enough to return for the start of the season. Pineda returns alongside Alonso, with Pappa and Neagle returning on the wings. How much time steal of the Super Draft Christian Roldan gets with such a veteran presence in front of him will be interesting.

In defense, defender of the year Chad Marshall returns, with the versatile Brad Evans making the permanent switch to CB to partner him. On the right, the departed DeAndre Yedlin will be replaced by English veteran Tyrone Mears. On the left, while many give the role to Gonzalez, Dylan Remick and Andres Correa look to be fighting for time at fullback as well. Really the only source of change for the Sounders, defense could end up telling the tale of their season, as the solid Frei returns behind them in goal.

Overall, not much has changed with Seattle. While they lost attacking presence and pace on the right with Yedlin departing for Tottenham in England, the veteran Mears should add more of a defensive presence. Beyond that it is same as it ever was. While they should score many goals this season, my interest in Seattle has waned as the years have passed. They either need to win MLS Cup, or they need to blow it up and start over.


2014 Western Conference Finish: 1st
Predicted 2015 Western Conference Finish: 3rd


Thank you for reading my Seattle Sounders season preview, feel free to check out any and all of the other previews, and remember, as always, MLS Matters.