Defense stepped up in win over Kansas City
May 25, 2011, 3:11 PM | Updated: 4:19 pm
Editor’s note: Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid will blog weekly for the Sounders page on 710Sports.com. Check in each week to see coach Schmid’s thoughts on the team.
Winning in the last minute is both a tremendous high and a great strain. We all suffer and endure – the players, staff and you the fans for 90 minutes. We are sad but we will never stop trying. Then when you score the goal in injury time euphoria breaks out.
Kansas City was the highest scoring team in the league in per-game average. So I am proud of our defense, especially with this being the first time they had their DP Omar Bravo and their talented winger Smith on the field at the same time. They also concentrated on their defending since they had been the worst team in MLS in this category. They had a conservative game plan and sat back to make our attacking play very difficult.
We are still working out the kinks with new personnel and trying to develop their cohesion and understanding of each other. We also need to find the right mix of players in the attacking end.
But it is coming.
Now it is time to play another team Dallas that is very focused on their defending. It does not get easier. With the loss of their star player David Ferreira, they have consolidated their team defensively to stay in games until their offense gets untracked. Playing away from home, they will make that a priority.
Then we go to Salt Lake City. Three games in a week to face a rested Salt Lake team. This is another team that is adjusting to the loss of a key player – Javier Morales. They too are focused on their defending. We need to make good use of the ball in this game since we are playing at altitude and also playing our third game in seven days. Keeping possession will be key in this game.
Your support on Saturday was great and I know you will be there again in full voice for Wednesday against Dallas.
See you there.