MLS Footnotes: Seattle isn't underestimating 'desperate' Kansas City
Editor's Note: MLS Footnotes takes you inside the major talking points around the league and across American soccer.
Things could get worse before they get better for Sporting Kansas City.
Long considered among the best-run, most stable, most consistent clubs in MLS, SKC had qualified for the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons — winning one league title and three U.S. Open Cups during that span — before failing to make it last year.
Sporting was expected to bounce right back. They'd topped the Western conference just two earlier under the league's longest tenured coach, Peter Vermes. Two of Vermes' best players (striker Alan Pulido and playmaker Gadi Kinda) were finally healthy after injuries cost both stars the entire 2022 campaign.
It hasn't come close to working out that way. Still winless 10 weeks into the new season, last overall SKC (0W-7L-3T) faces a daunting trip to the Western Conference-leading Seattle Sounders on Sunday (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX/FOX Deportes).
The Sounders — still the reigning CONCACAF champs for another few weeks — have been superb in 2023 after also falling short of a postseason berth last fall for the first time in club history. They've won four of five matches at home, the lone blemish a scoreless draw against MLS Cup holder LAFC, and haven't conceded a goal at Lumen Field. Seattle also trounced Vermes' side, which has scored the fewest goals in MLS history through 10 matches, 4-1 in Kansas City in March.
It looks like a mismatch of epic proportions. Sounders keeper Stefan Frei and his teammates don't necessarily see it that way.
"It's not just wounded animal but a desperate wounded animal," Frei said of Sporting, which split the season series with Seattle last year, during an interview with FOX Sports earlier this week. "The thing in this league is that we still have that parity. Every opponent is still capable of beating you. It's a very dangerous game for us."
Now in his 15th MLS season and 10th with Seattle, Frei has seen it all. So it's noteworthy that he also likes the vibe he's gotten so far from the notoriously slow-starting Sounders.
The Rave Green's season began in early February with a disappointing loss at the FIFA Club World Cup – a defeat that cost them a dream date with mighty Real Madrid. But they've been superb at both ends of the field in MLS play since returning from the tournament Morocco. They sit just a point behind East leaders New England and Cincinnati in the race for the Supporters Shield, which Seattle hasn't won since 2014.
The longer than expected offseason didn't hurt. For a squad that had grown accustomed to playoff runs lasting well into December and high-stakes CONCACAF Champions League contests early the next year, the three-month break finally allowed them to recharge.
"I can't remember the last time we had an adequate amount of off-season," Frei said. "It limits how much you can get away from things or let some injuries heal.
"As soon as we reported to training camp, guys were in shape, guys were hungry," he continued. "It set the tone for us right away. I've been in this league long enough to know that at some point you're gonna go through some dark spells, but it's a lot easier to talk about the Supporters Shield if you build yourself a cushion."
Meantime, Sporting needs something — anything — to spark some confidence and salvage what they can following a miserable start.
"Their guys might want to take a couple more risks, be more aggressive, and cheat a little bit because they need to score," Frei said when asked what to expect on Sunday.
"It's only a matter of time before they find a way to turn things around."
MLS FOOTNOTES
1. LAFC, Mexico's León meet for Club World Cup berth
On Tuesday, LAFC rolled past the Philadelphia Union 3-0 in the decisive game of their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal, taking the 2022 MLS Cup rematch 4-1 on aggregate over the two-leg home-and-home.
LAFC faces Liga MX mainstay León in the finale, with the opener set for May 31 in Mexico. The champs will host the all-important return leg on June 4. "Last spring, Seattle beat León on its way to the continental title.
"Leon was a difficult, difficult place to play," Frei said. "That stadium is tight. It's a hostile environment, and they're a good team. It's going to be hard for LAFC."
2. Almada, Robinson not long for Atlanta?
Atlanta United technical director Carlos Bocanegra shed some light this week on the futures of two key Five Stripes: World Cup-winner Thiago Almada and U.S. national team defender Miles Robinson.
Almada is being eyed by clubs across Europe following Argentina's triumph at Qatar 2022. Atlanta must decide whether to cash in this summer or at season's end.
"We'd love to win a championship this year and we really want Thiago to be a part of that," Bocanegra said of Almada.
Robinson, whose contract expires in December, can commit to any European team as early as July. Atlanta is still hoping to retain him. Almada's inevitable departure would open a designated player slot and allow the club to offer the 26-year-old center back a richer deal than the almost $2 million per pact Nashville gave USMNT CB Walker Zimmerman a year ago.
"We've had good conversations that are ongoing," Bocanegra said of the negotiations with Robinson's camp. "Hopefully he decides to stay here for the long term and continue to be one of the faces of our franchise."
3. U-20 World Cup: Wiley in, Fire pair out
Atlanta youngster Caleb Wiley will join the U.S. squad for next month's FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. The 18-year-oldhas started nine of United's 10 league games this year and made his debut for the U.S. senior team April 19 in the 1-1 tie with Mexico.
U.S. U-20 coach Mikey Varas will be without at least two other MLS regulars next month, though, with the Chicago Fire opting not to release goalkeeper Chris Brady or playmaker Brian Gutiérrez for the tournament.
The final roster is expected to be named next week.
4. Best of the rest
Saturday's 13-game slate doesn't disappoint.
Two of the most successful coaches in MLS history face off when Bruce Arena's New England Revolution visit Bob Bradley's Toronto FC. Inter Miami, which snapped a six-game losing streak last weekend with a surprising 2-1 victory in Columbus, goes for two straight against an Atlanta side fresh off defeat in Nashville.
The one-win LA Galaxy could really use another at home over the Colorado Rapids, while CF Montreal hosts Orlando City just three weeks after a blockbuster three-player trade between the East rivals.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
