SB Nation Seattle - LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders: Dumbhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48997/seattle-fave.png2012-10-30T14:18:11-07:00http://seattle.sbnation.com/rss/stream/33341692012-10-30T14:18:11-07:002012-10-30T14:18:11-07:00Coach, players react as Sounders lose to Galaxy
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<figcaption>Otto Greule Jr</figcaption>
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<p>The Seattle Sounders' 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy was one of missed opportunities.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.sounderatheart.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seattle Sounders</a>' 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday wasn't so bad because of the score. The game was painful because of blown chances and injuries.</p>
<p>Forward <span>Eddie Johnson</span> left with a tight hamstring, and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sounderatheart.com/2012/10/29/3571186/la-galaxy-vs-sounders-highlights-stats-and-quotes/in/3335713">Sounders at Heart fears that it could be a lingering problem</a> as the Sounders open their playoff series at <a href="https://www.rslsoapbox.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Real Salt Lake</a> on Friday. <span>Jeff Parke</span> also took himself out of the game, but it is less of a concern and more of a precautionary measure. Said head coach <span>Sigi Schmid</span>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sounderatheart.com/2012/10/29/3571186/la-galaxy-vs-sounders-highlights-stats-and-quotes/in/3335713">per Sounders at Heart</a>:</p>
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<p>"I think we are ready for the playoffs, tonight has to be a good motivator. Sometimes when you get slapped a little bit toward the end of the season it can be a good thing because it reminds you of how that feels and it is a feeling that you don't want to have come back. I think this team definitely has what it takes to make a run at the championship."</p>
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<p>Johnson said after the game that his hamstring cramped up after making some long runs early on. While the injury wasn't as bad as initially feared, he still could miss Friday's game. Schmid said Johnson should be good "for sure" by the second game in the series, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20121030/BLOG06/121039998/1004/sports">Heraldnet.com</a>.</p>
<p>Sounders midfielder <span>Brad Evans</span> said that Seattle had good looks at the net against Los Angeles, but couldn't convert. So too did the Galaxy against the Sounders, he said:</p>
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<p>"They catch you on a break and both teams like to counter attack, so it's going to happen in this game. We were prepared for it and I think that both defenses made good saves, keepers made good saves. I think we were unlucky not to finish a couple of our chances."</p>
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<p>Evans added that capitalizing off those opportunities will be "the name of the game," especially come Friday's playoff bout.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/sounders/2012/10/30/3577950/sounders-galaxy-quotes-recapKevin Zimmerman2012-10-29T08:55:58-07:002012-10-29T08:55:58-07:00Sounders finish third, one point out of second
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<p>After their 1-0 loss to the <a href="https://www.lagconfidential.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">LA Galaxy</a> on Sunday, the <a href="https://www.sounderatheart.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seattle Sounders</a> find themselves as the third seed in the MLS Western Conference as the regular season comes to a close.</p>
<p>The Sounders have been in a fight for playoff positioning throughout the latter part of the regular season and lost out on being the No. 2 seed in the West by just one point. At 15-8-11, the Sounders were unable to overtake <a href="https://www.rslsoapbox.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Real Salt Lake</a> at 17-11-6 for the No. 2 spot behind the top-seeded <a href="https://www.centerlinesoccer.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Jose Earthquakes</a>. The Earthquakes are also the top seed overall in the MLS Playoffs and winners of the Supporters Shield.</p>
<p>The Sounders did fend off the LA Galaxy, who finished two points behind the Sounders for the fourth seed, and the <a href="https://www.eightysixforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Vancouver Whitecaps</a> were the last team into the playoffs with 43 points.</p>
<p>The Eastern Conference playoffs will consist of <a href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sporting Kansas City</a>, <a href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">D.C. United</a>, <a href="https://www.onceametro.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Red Bulls</a>, <a href="https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Fire</a> and the <a href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Dynamo</a>.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/10/29/3571474/major-league-soccer-2012-standingsRonald Clark2012-10-28T23:49:22-07:002012-10-28T23:49:22-07:00Galaxy 1-0 Sounders: Dumb
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<p>Mike Magee's 83rd minute goal was really dumb. The opening the Sounders left Magee to take the shot was dumb. Eddie Johnson's injury on the half-hour was dumb; Jeff Parke's injury on the hour was also dumb. Seattle's inability to hit the target was dumb. Everything about this game was dumb.</p>
<p>There's no better way to put things, and no greater lesson to be learned. This was a dumb game, and hopefully the dumb things that were out of the Sounders control don't come back to haunt them. If they do, well, that would be dumb.There's a whole lot of dumb to go around, and most of it could have been avoided had the Sounders managed to close down Magee and keep a clean sheet. But not all of it, and perhaps not the most important parts of it.</p>
<p>Put simply, the volume of dumb overwhelmed the seawalls of not-dumb. And sincere congratulations to the LA Galaxy for pushing the storm surge and Real Salt Lake for floating serenely while a swell of dumb ebbed serenely offshore. Because this entire situation could have been fairly easily sidestepped, and the Sounders chose the most difficult path possible.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/10/28/3570144/sounders-lose-a-dumb-game-in-a-dumb-way-to-a-dumb-team-hope-cycle-ofAaron Campeau2012-10-28T10:00:27-07:002012-10-28T10:00:27-07:00Sounders vs. Galaxy: Match Preview
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<figcaption>Otto Greule Jr</figcaption>
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<p>With the Western Conference semifinal matchup against Real Salt Lake set, it's tempting to consider this evening's game against the LA Galaxy somewhat meaningless. But when considering what a win could do in terms of improving Seattle's CONCACAF Champions League qualification chances and their odds of hosting the MLS Cup, the importance of these final three points becomes much clearer.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sounderatheart.com/">Seattle Sounders</a> close out the 2012 MLS regular season against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lagconfidential.com/">LA Galaxy</a> this evening, and no matter what happens they'll be facing <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rslsoapbox.com/">Real Salt Lake</a> in the Western Conference semifinals; that much has been set in stone for more than a week. And clearly, both teams will put "leave this game as healthy as we entered it" near the very top of their list of objectives for the evening. But while the LA Galaxy have little to play for other than pride, the outcome of his game could have a significant impact on the way things shake out for the Sounders both this season and next.</p>
<p>A point would give Seattle second place in the west meaning Seattle would host the second leg of the semifinal, while a win would earn the Sounders third-place in the overall standings, meaning a place in the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League should either <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/">Sporting Kansas City</a> or the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.centerlinesoccer.com/">San Jose Earthquakes</a> make the MLS Cup final, as well as a much better chance of hosting the final themselves should they make it that far. While the playoffs clearly take precedence over anything else at the moment, there's a lot to be gained by the Sounders from taking three points from this game.</p>
<p>Given that the Galaxy have much less to play for, are battling more serious injury troubles and have to face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.eightysixforever.com/">Vancouver Whitecaps</a> in the play-in game mid-week, they're unlikely to start a lineup that's especially close to full strength. It would be little surprise if all three of <span>David Beckham</span>, <span>Robbie Keane</span> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110934/landon-donovan">Landon Donovan</a> don't make Bruce Arena's first XI for this game, and even a reserve-heavy lineup similar to the one that defeated Metapan in El Salvador on Thursday wouldn't be too much of a shock. But there's no way of knowing for sure how strong of a team the Galaxy will field until the lineups are announced, meaning that <span>Sigi Schmid</span> will only be guessing when he picks his own team before kickoff.</p>
<p>With the above in mind, it's reasonable to expect the Sounders to start a team that's close to full strength, but with certain key players omitted; <span>Leo Gonzalez</span> and <span>Patrick Ianni</span> have both been participating in full training this week, but with both recovering from recent injuries it's very unlikely that they will play. <span>Mauro Rosales</span> is easily the most fragile of Seattle's attacking core and his presence was dearly missed in last season's playoff loss to Real Salt Lake, so it would be little surprise to see him left out of the lineup. With that being said, there's a case to be made that the risk of injury to Rosales or any other of the Sounders key midfield and attacking players is remote enough that it's offset by the need to see this team continue becoming more comfortable as a unit and to build off of the positive momentum that's been gathering as of late. It's certainly a more complex situation than to think that there's one right and wrong approach, and there's no one better suited to make the decisions on this matter than the team's head coach.</p>
<p>No matter what happens, the Sounders have looked very good in recent weeks and have shown themselves capable of competing with every team in the league. Despite losing all three regular-season games against the Earthquakes each could have easily swung the other way, and no other side in the league has made the case that they should be clear favorites over Seattle in home-and-home series. This is a very good team that seems to be hitting its stride, and they have as good a chance to win the cup as anyone else in the league. But there are some very compelling reasons to treat this game as something only slightly better than a nuisance, and it will be interesting (and potentially telling) to see how the players respond. </p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/10/28/3565786/la-galaxy-vs-seattle-sounders-match-previewAaron Campeau