After a miserably wet and dreary 2-1 loss at New York City FC in June, the Sounders fell into a tie for seventh place in the Western Conference with a record of 5-7-4. After the loss, captain Osvaldo Alonso was very pointed with the club’s performance.
“No excuses. We have to play better,” he said.
They certainly have.
Two months later, the Rave Green are on a torrid sprint to the top of the table and haven’t lost since. With an eight-match unbeaten run, Seattle is one positive result away from matching its record streak of nine contests without a loss. Here are the eight key things to know about the team’s form.
1. 400 Minutes & Counting
With the 1-0 win over Sporting KC last Saturday, the Sounders have not allowed a goal in 400 minutes – the longest such streak in club history. Stefan Frei’s four consecutive shutouts sets a team record, as well. Interestingly enough, though, Frei is still nearly 100 minutes shy of the club's individual streak for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal.
2. Instant Impact
Fullback Kelvin Leerdam made his MLS debut in the 54th minute against D.C. United on July 19, with the Rave Green losing 3-1. Leerdam helped Seattle storm back to an improbable 4-3 victory and has been a mainstay on the pitch since. In 390 minutes of action at right back, Leerdam has helped Seattle outscore opponents 11-0.
3. Other New (And Old) Faces
In addition to Leerdam, Seattle signed three other players during the Secondary Transfer Window. On July 30, the Sounders signed 28-year-old midfielder Victor Rodriguez, who spent the previous nine seasons in Spain. The club also traded for midfielder Lamar Neagle, who is now in his unprecedented fourth stint with Seattle. In the final hour of the window, Seattle acquired veteran midfielder Calum Mallace from Montreal.
4. Don't Tread
Thirty-four-year-old Clint Dempsey is showing no signs of slowing down – in fact, he’s in one of the best stretches of form in his storied career. Since his stoppage-time equalizer at the Portland Timbers on June 25, Dempsey has six goals and two assists in his last five MLS matches.
5. No Ozzie, No Problem
Despite losing stalwart midfielder Osvaldo Alonso to a knee sprain in the first half against Colorado on July 4, Seattle maintained this impressive display of form. The captain was sidelined for four full matches, with the Rave Green holding a 3-0-1 record in his absence. He returned in a reserve role last Saturday against Sporting KC.
6. Schmetzer/Lodeiro Era Turns 1
In the middle of this streak, we reached the one-year anniversary of Nicolás Lodeiro’s arrival and Brian Schmetzer’s promotion to head coach. Since signing with Seattle on July 27, 2016, Lodeiro has recorded seven goals and 16 assists in 36 league matches, plus another three goals in six postseason matches. Schmetzer, meanwhile, has led the club to a record of 18-9-11 in league play and helped guide the Sounders to their first MLS Cup.
7. All Aboard The Nouhou Express
Of the 10 MLS matches Nouhou has played in during his rookie season, seven have come during the eight-match unbeaten run, including four starts. The 20-year-old from Cameroon starred for S2 last season before emerging as a legitimate left back option for the First Team this summer. With Nouhou at fullback, Joevin Jones, who ranks first on the club with 10 assists this season, can be pushed to the wing, which gives Schmetzer plenty of speed and athleticism on the left flank.
8. For Club And Country
With the recent form of the Sounders, it’s easy to forget the club was missing players due to international play just a couple of weeks ago. It paid off, though, as three Sounders reached the Gold Cup final, with Dempsey and Jordan Morris facing Oniel Fisher and Jamaica in the championship match on July 26. Morris scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute – on an assist from Dempsey, of course.
