“I’ve always been hard on myself,” #Sounders midfielder João Paulo said following Tuesday’s training session. “I know when I’m not at my best. I know this is not my best season, not my best moment. But even when I’m not at my best, I’m doing everything I can to help the team win games. I’ll do whatever the team needs and I hope to be back to my level. No one wants more than me to play well. I’m training hard, I’m doing everything I can to get back to that level.”
“It’s time to change that and start winning games at home,” #Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák said. “Ultimately, if you want to be in the playoffs, you have to win your home games. you can’t rely on going to all these difficult places to get points. It’s not bad idea to play the No. 1 team in the West at home and build on what we had a couple of days ago. I think we’re ready.”
“He’s super motivated,” #Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said, noting he nearly picked Kossa-Rienzi to start the recent match against Real Salt Lake. “He’s technically very clean, very good. His tactical acumen is also very good. We didn’t tell him to go inside every time, the timing was really good and his pass completion was exceptional.
“Everyone can see it. The question is if the guys upstairs can see it.”
The #Sounders added Snyder Brunell, Osaze De Rosario, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Antino Lopez and Georgi Minoungo to their roster on short-term callups. They are all available for the XI and 20 tonight.
In year's past #PhoenixRising were a dynamic offense that crushed the opposition by multiple goals. This year they've found a new path to success -- Remi Cabral and only Remi Cabral.
It became obvious long ago that something has to change. Maybe it’s a mindset, maybe it’s personnel. The #Sounders are now more than 40% of the way through their season and are on pace for their lowest-ever point total while posting anemic offensive numbers.
“We’ll see how that shakes out,” #Sounders coach Schmetzer said. “Georgi has played his way into a question about signing him for the year. … He’s got another chance to do something in Open Cup.”