To keep this recap of the Sounders’ trip to New England brief:
Holy hell that was an abomination.
If you want to relive that cavalcade of incompetence and indifference, go right ahead. Personally, I’m going to wipe it from my memory with alcohol.
So thank you, gin, for helping me forget:
• The Sounders’ backline and midfield suffering through a truly unfortunate performance.
• Players who appeared just … tired. Which is understandable after a come-from-behind game on Wednesday followed up by a long, long cross-country flight.
• Chemistry that simply wasn’t there – no Clint Dempsey-Obafemi Martins telepathy. No Lamar Neagle being in the right place at the right time. No nifty crosses from Marco Pappa. It all vanished.
• Bad luck on some shots and rebounds that would have been goals on any other day.
In a long MLS season, every team is going to stumble through the occasional 90 minutes in the Twilight Zone.
Sounders fans have seen this before. Just be thankful it happened in mid-May and not in the middle of a playoff run or against the Portland Timbers.
With that match forgotten, I’m saved from making some absurd proclamations about this team and its players.
You won’t hear me saying that DeAndre Yedlin is suddenly somehow an awful right back who shouldn’t even be starting in MLS, much less being considered for a trip to Brazil. Is he a finished product? No. Is he young and damn good? Yes.
You won’t hear me deride Brad Evans’ performance at left back. Why? Because he’s not a left back. Regardless of how you feel about him playing right back for the national team, remember that he’s filling in for the two hobbled left backs who were unable to start.
You won’t see me type “#SigiOut.”
You won’t hear me panicking about the team’s playoff chances.
Why?
Because it’s May.
Because the Seattle Sounders have a deep roster loaded with incredible talent that shouldn’t be doubted because of one awful game.
Because this is still the same team that strung together a recent five-game winning streak.
Because they’re at the top of the table.
(image courtesy of David Butler II/USA Today Sports)
