Now in their fourth year MLS still hasn’t moved beyond the “Minimum Viable Product” phase with their centralized cookie cutter broadcast. Showing replays of controversial moments effectively is a minimum requirement for an American sports presentation and they simply can’t figure it out.

Submission: South end: Don busted in and said what’s the noise! Whole stadium: You’re just jealous it’s the Orca Boys!

Tough economy out there for PPDA merchants

“MLS stood pat. It was a mistake.” 1000% saw this coming at the time. (Sounders winning it all was bad actually.)

"Sounders allowed the game to become predictable." For me this is what most needs work. They make it too easy for the other team. Seattle is near dead last in Opta's "Direct Speed" measure for passing sequences. Totally agree with @elrolonw.bsky.social this morn calling for more decisiveness.

Philly Union is apparently having a language model help plan their roster. As we can see that’s been going swimmingly…

All credit to Stef Cleveland. Last year it was Steffen, Daniel, Crepeau & Stuver all delivering a season best GK outings to save at least a point vs Sounders. Cabral and now Cleveland have been those guys this year combining for a xGOT allowed - GA of (2.96+2.64)-(1+1) = 3.6 goals prevented.

Shot: “It was when the Sounders and the Timbers and the whitecaps entered Major League Soccer that things took off. That a new Level was reached.”

GGG's Chicago Fire have been in a losing game state for just 35 minutes through nine MLS games this season (via ASA). Is this the year the Fire finally figure it out?

Hassani Dotson got the “tough kid” seal of approval from Brian Schmetzer last night. 54/56 passing - seems like he has already(!) caught up to the one-touch expectation in midfield. A missing piece to just lock it down that Sounders lacked last year. Glad we have him. stats Via @fotmob.com

Literally last month MLS settled a suit with Vancouver for doing exactly this?!?

Had major audio issues across all the games at the same time couple games back too. I hope this is not a pattern developing…

Pretty wild to see Earthquakes defensive progression under Bruce. Felt like the rollercoaster nature of this team was a given. We’ll see how they hold up against LAFC. @futi.live model does a good job of showing the whiplash these last few years.

When Sounders needed goals Brian put Moose on first last night. Moose didn’t play at all last week when they needed just one goal. Did Moose not play last week because this was the same center ref he went ballistic on in Leagues Cup last year?

The gaslighting from the ref last night was abominable. Phantom fouls, issuing a yellow card to the VICTIM of an assault, and then putting up six minutes added when we had just sat through five of a Tigres player laying on the floor because he needed a rest. Concacaf is a clown show.

I’m pretty happy with how the Sounders played soccer today. Tigres on the other hand have no honor and embarrassed themselves in both legs. They are truly the “that guy” of Concacaf.

The team with a mercurial Brazilian player that has a history of checking out big moments thinking about signing a *different* mercurial Brazilian player that has a history of checking out in big moments? What could go wrong!

The referee made zero effort to manage the game or admonish anyone and as a result Tigres just kept escalating. This was a complete opposite experience from the refereeing of Oshane Nation in the América/Nashville. I just want Sounders to be refereed consistently. It is not too much to ask.

Insane to look it up and this is Snyder Brunell’s 11th top flight start. Yeah brother!

vi continues to be relevant in 2026. IYKYK

This guy is out here LinkedIn-posting through it. Actual pressure would have consigned him to the pundits desk already. Supporters are rightfully restless at seeing Colorado and Vancouver and San Diego make good coach choices and it making a huge impact from day one. Timbers could do that too!

Sounders are benefitting from both earned advantages and ‘circumstances’ in CCC: - No R32 games - Secured R8 home 2nd leg vs Tigres - No game between R8 fixtures - Tigres play 1st place Chivas Saturday These are the ‘margins’ @jeremiah.sounderatheart.com loves to talk about. Gotta make it count.

In 7 all competition appearances in 2026 Paul Rothrock has 5 goals from 7 shots on target on just 9 total shots. 5 goals from 9 shots?!? That is golden boot level efficiency right there. "We have Paul Rothrock" continues to manifest.

Last year I wrote for @sounderatheart.com about how this Sounders superpower in Leagues Cup was the developmental players seizing their moment when given the opportunity. We’re seeing it again with Antino Lopez who’s contributing to clean sheets by playing within himself. 59/60 passing last night.

Big Judd Fan

I think Doug nails the situation and I sort of wonder whether in the moment the “perfect” player comment from Poch on Cristian Roldan was meant to emphasize exactly this aspect of his play.

Four or more clean sheets in the first five games to start an MLS season was rarer than I thought per ASA (back to 2013). With the exception of the Crew who won MLS Cup in 2020 (and those five games spanned 7 months), none of the other teams on this list even made the playoffs... Weird!

What struck me about this move is the confidence. In a trophy window and about to go up against a Mexican Gigante minus a DP where you need super subs. But I also very much saw this coming. From last September’s @nosaudietis.sounderatheart.com post-Leagues Cup question thread:

I too endorse Mogis-maxxing for the kids

This felt like an important gut check episode that covered so much ground and historical perspective.

One interesting sub-theme to the MLS Western Conference being more competitive this year is those making it so are a number of 2DP/4U22 models and teams with relatively sparing DP minutes being logged overall. Bruce is getting so much juice from his squeeze.

I know it’s just spring but may have found song of the summer

If there is one thing I’ve learned is that if a project is struggling, adding a bunch of new trainees always helps, especially if they’re being paid and you’re not, and they’re the reason you’re not being paid

The relative home strength of everyone involved is what makes this competition compelling. The reverse holds true too: 0 mx wins in five away chances vs MLS in 2025. 1 win in four chances in 2026 (PHI is worst team in MLS right now so doesn’t tell us a whole lot).

Seattle people

One thing this makes me think about is keeping the developmental pipeline relevant. How will young players find opportunities on first team if the gap to starter becomes too big or the cap allows GMs to simply ignore this group of players. What does MLS want its floor to look like?

Sounders’ goal scorers and assists tonight were were all from subs. Rothrock’s goal last Thursday was also as a sub. Kalani’s game winner at STLC was as a sub. Paulie had two goal contributions in gameday 1, also as a sub.

Inter Miami has been playing all three DP's the full 90 all season. I get the idea. But no Berterame synergy has emerged. And they looked tired when it mattered. After last year's Cup run Allende with zero goals feels like a scandal. Oops.

Nice to see the acknowledgment of the work Sounders have been putting in and to see them on a list with the big boys, particularly after such a strong showing from the next gen of developmental players last Sunday.

Disappointed not to see anyone with the current “hot hand” on this roster. Brian White with a real shout. Calling Ragen feels obvious. And why do I have this feeling that overlooking Jesús Ferreira as a creator who has found his club team groove will look really stupid once all is said and done?

Apples to apples, Neville's GPG should be getting more PPG.

Apparently Bruce scouted Paul too and was not happy about his team “falling asleep” on the goal.

Postgame Paul Rothrock called out the Sounders Video Analysts and a subsequent discussion with Jesús Ferreira with setting the stage for the movements that led to his goal. +1 for the nerds @americansocceranalysis.com

This is a doubly crazy tilt given Sounders are usually the ones coming out way ahead on corners

Love to see Sounders just being more efficient with their attacking moves this year. All four MLS games in 2026 under 5 passes per shot. That happened just a few times last year.

Tino > Timo

😃

Buckling up for the Bruce Arena Experience against a rotated Sounders lineup. Could get weird! (Team Tendency Model Percentiles via @futi.live )

I’m really interested to see Petković get real minutes. Last time Sounders faced SJ while juggling CCC it was going great until it wasn’t. (Shudder.) Need to minimize the chaos today.