With Wednesday’s friendly, Sounders look to take another step on their long journey forward
Let’s start by saying it’s only preseason.
Still, going 0-3 may have give Seattle Sounders fans and some players pause as to what’s going on and how to fix it. With all three losses coming by one goal, it could just be a matter of bad luck.
After all, it’s preseason. Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer is taking the nothing-to-see here approach.
“It’s another preseason in the books. It’s behind us, it’s passed us,” Schmetzer said Tuesday at the team’s Tukwila training facility.
“I think the preparation and the way we planned everything after three games was better. I mean last year, we were scrambling to get a couple of games in at the last minute. This preseason it’s all planned: Saturday, Saturday, Saturday. I think Organizationally we did a good job, the proof will be in the pudding as far as the organizational stuff goes. But we feel confident in that going forward.”
Even before the 2019 MLS campaign officially kicks off on March 1 vs. FC Cincinnati, the Sounders will host their lone preseason contest on Wednesday in an international friendly vs. Club Nacional de Football at 7:30 pm at CenturyLink Field.
After a lengthy stay in Tucson, Schmetzer knows his team is glad to be home. It also means it’s a time to sharpen up.
“We gave the players a couple of days off and now we get back to work,” Schmetzer said. “Tomorrow is a work day and it fits within our program. We have a day off, then a re-entry day then a work day. It falls right into place.”
Hopfully in that category of falling into place is the status of forward Jordan Morris.
Morris, who missed the entire 2018 regular season due to an ACL injury, played an average of 67 minutes in two of the three Tucson matches. Although he did not score or record an assist, Schmetzer wasn’t worried.
“It’s good, he’s stayed on the field and hasn’t had any setbacks with his injury,” Schmetzer said. “All of that has been a positive. Switching him over on the right side instead of the left side like he played some with Nelson Valdez in 2016. Having him play some spot duty up front and playing with two forwards, all of those nuances we’ll continue to work on.”
Along with the Morris injury, health and fitness have been issues Schmetzer has focused on so far. The season stretches to October, so it’s all about preparing for the long run.
“I think it’s always hard to gauge in a sense that games are what really kind of drive that fitness and you have to be 90-minute fit and there’s a reason for that saying,” Schmetzer said.
“I think all of the guys without our league will tell you it’s all about how fit you are in September and October this year. That’s the real measuring stick, now you get a little flexibility. You don’t want to overshoot your mark and you want to be able to make sure they’re fit and healthy as well.”
This story was originally published February 20, 2019 at 10:56 AM.
