With six regular-season MLS matches remaining in the 2015 campaign, Sounders FC is heading south to square off against the San Jose Earthquakes for the third and final time. With key players returning to the mix, the club is battling for playoff position in a crowded Western Conference.
SoundersFC.com talked with Elliott Almond of San Jose Mercury News to preview this Saturday’s matchup at Avaya Stadium.
Same Teams, Different Matchup
I think everything will be different as these two teams meet this weekend. If San Jose can win, there’s a four-way tie with Seattle, Portland and Kansas City for that final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With seven or eight games left – the Quakes have seven left – every game counts for points now.
A New Look for Seattle
Seattle strikes me as a completely different team than anyone imagined at the beginning of 2015. When you look on paper what Seattle has been able to do with its roster…this is an MLS Cup kind of team as long as everyone remains healthy. We will see that for the first time this weekend as everyone looks to be available, except for Ozzie Alonso due to yellow card accumulation.
San Jose is quite the opposite right now. They have lost centerback Victor Bernárdez. He and Clarence Goodson were having standout years in MLS in central defense. Victor is now out with a hamstring strain that occurred versus Philadelphia. Dominic Kinnear will have to make choices about what to do. He doesn’t have a natural substitute for that position.
It’s awful timing for them, as Seattle will be bringing a packed roster. Any time you face Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, you want to be able to bring out all you’ve got, and the Earthquakes can’t do that this weekend.
I don’t think the first two results of the season will have any bearing on what we see this Saturday at Avaya Stadium.
Questions Remain
It’s tough to say what kind of lineup the Earthquakes will put out on Saturday, given the questions that remain. One of the biggest questions is if central midfielder Aníbal Godoy – who has been playing with Panama during the FIFA break – will be available, as there have been reports he picked up an injury during those friendlies. We don’t know if there’s truth to the reports and the team hasn’t been able to see him yet. He really has transformed this team. He’s played in four games and they’ve won those four games.
This is a team that lost to Philadelphia last week. It’s not quite a wake-up call yet, but it was a reminder that even at home in the middle of the playoff race, they have to be on point for the full 90 minutes. In my estimation, despite the Sounders frustrating July, they are one of the better teams in MLS and it’ll be a challenge for the home team this Saturday.
