The Seattle Sounders could introduce three new players to their lineup Sunday, while also welcoming back Obafemi Martins from a two-month absence, all as Brad Evans reorients himself to another new position.
That’s a lot of moving parts for a team heading into the final 10 games of its Major League Soccer season while dangerously flirting with the playoff red line.
“It’s forced cohesion at this point,” Evans said. “It’s a bit like the national team, I guess: You bring guys in at a certain time and expect them to play at a top level. We’re all good enough pros to know that when you come in, the game remains the game. Sometimes formations are different and players are different. Does it take time? Yeah, of course. But at the same time, I think we’re all professional enough to put in the work.”
The club seems confident that the changes are upgrades. Expected to make their Sounders debuts are forward Nelson Valdez, arriving from the German Bundesliga; midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz, arriving from Spain’s La Liga; and central defender Roman Torres, arriving from the Panama national team.
“This whole week of training has helped,” Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said Friday. “A lot of guys adjusting time zones and things like that. Torres, he only got here on Tuesday so he’s had two training sessions — probably the newest guy in terms of settling in. Ivanschitz is settling in also. We’re happy with all that.”
The team also is happy about the expected return of Martins, who remains a club co-leader with seven goals despite not appearing in a league match since June 13. He suffered a leg injury in the U.S. Open Cup loss to Portland, but trained fully last week, and pregame indications point to his return.
Evans’ shift fits a couple of needs: opening a spot in the central defense for Torres, while also patching the defensive midfield hole created by Osvaldo Alonso’s hamstring injury.
Evans had moved from midfield to defense at the start of this season and asked only that he be allowed to remain there for the entire season. However, as team captain, he dutifully relented when Schmid approached him about another shift.
“Always later in your career you’d like to settle into one position,” Evans said. “But the reality is the team needs what the team needs right now. I’ll move in there and play it as I should and go from there.”
If it’s any consolation for the Sounders, their opponent this weekend is Orlando City, an expansion team that knows a thing or two about trying to develop cohesion on the fly.
The Lions got off to an encouraging 1-0-1 start with an opening draw with expansion brothers New York City FC and their inaugural MLS win over Houston. However, they come into this match with a 7-10-7 overall record and one win over their last seven games.
Their goalkeeper is South Sound native Tally Hall, who played at Gig Harbor High School. But their primary calling cards are on the attack: Brazilian designated player Kaka, the 2007 FIFA world player of the year who leads the club with four assists; and former No. 1 overall SuperDraft pick Cyle Larin, a 6-foot-2 forward who leads the Lions with 11 goals.
“As a first-year club I think they’ve done tremendous,” Evans said. “They’ve obviously built a fortress at home. Liken to what we did the first year, I think they’ll probably find themselves in the playoffs if they can get everybody healthy and raring to go. Obviously up top with Larin, he’s having a phenomenal year. Kaka brings a different dimension to anybody’s team: so shifty and experienced. With the two defensive midfielders, they like to shut it down and keep the ball wide with (Aurelien) Collin in the back, he’s a stalwart in the air. We’ve got to be good with our passes and finding gaps and stick to our guns.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
