Last night at Quest the European Champions demonstrated how the beautiful game can be played. The passing, the impeccable timing, the ball control, the use of space and movement off the ball were so much fun to watch.
The game was one of the few times that its looked like Sounders had been playing together for 5 months, (unfortunately the 4-0 loss at San Jose was one of the others). Barcelona’s game comes from a whole different plane, they are the champions of Europe and with Messi have maybe the best finisher in the game today.
Watching a player receive a 35 yard pass, completely kill the momentum of the ball with his first touch, and hit the runner with an inch perfect pass with the second touch is amazing. When defending Barcelona works so much harder than the MLS teams in getting the ball back, they are very aggressive in taking away space and closing down passing options.
The Sounders were never going to win, but close to 67,000 people made it a special night and got to see a really good team show how the game can be played. I don’t think anyone walked away disappointed.
Leonardo Gonzalez played his first game for the Sounders last night and marking Messi was a hell of an introduction. He’s a very experienced attacking defender, who’s played in the World Cup for Costa Rica. He may be part of the answer for taking some of the defensive duties from Ljunberg and Jaqua, freeing them up to be a little more creative in the middle of the field when the team breaks forward. If he can create a good understanding with Zakuani and Montero he can make them even more dangerous going forward.
Once again the front office has made another great signing to fill an obvious hole. Gonzales could be the piece that turns the Sounders from a good club that can be inconsistent, to a side that will be a true contender.
After a bad loss to San Jose they have another away game in Salt Lake City Saturday. It’s early to call it a must win, but 3 points against one of the sides in the play off race would go a long way to securing a place in the logjam that’s developing behind Houston in the west.