Match Analysis: Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 1 Seattle Sounders

Saturday’s Cascadia showdown featured two teams adapting to new formations at different speeds: the Seattle Sounders still struggling to find chemistry in the 4-3-3 and the Vancouver Whitecaps who looked quite comfortable in a surprise 4-4-2. Though Seattle dominated the ball for most of the match, maintaining 60% possession, they failed to consistently create dangerous chances. Instead, they often left themselves vulnerable to counterattacks from Vancouver. The game was ultimately decided on two (questionable, depending on who you ask) penalty calls in favor of Vancouver but they weren’t total flukes. Both decisions came after strong build up play from the Whitecaps and, while potentially fortunate, were part of Carl Robinson’s counterattacking game plan.

Seattle Sounders - After opening the season with three straight losses, Sigi Schmid must be beginning to worry about how his team is gelling in their new 4-3-3. The three forwards have hardly shown the kind of attacking chemistry that the Clint Dempsey/Obafemi Martins duo thrived on. With three attackers typically used to playing center forward or striker roles, Seattle’s attack became intensely narrow, relying solely on fullbacks to provide width. The 4-3-3 didn't fare much better in defense, either. Midfielders and forwards consistently mixed up defensive assignments while others were consistently caught upfield.   

Clint Dempsey - Sigi Schmid has given the wily vet free license to roam as the left-sided attacker in the formation. Throughout the game, Dempsey popped up wherever he could find space to receive to ball, spending stretches on the left, centrally and on the right flank. In theory, this should put pressure on the opposition to track him and pull defenders out of position. Despite Dempsey’s constant movement, Vancouver was largely able to maintain their shape and stay compact defensively.

On the other side of the ball, Dempsey showed little interest in tracking back and closing down Vancouver’s right sided attackers. This should come as little surprise as the 33-year-old has spent nearly all of his time with Seattle as a striker with little-to-no defensive responsibility. Ivanschitz, who is set up to cover for Dempsey in the midfield, is also liable to roam around the formation. This lead to frequent defensive miscommunication and allowed Vancouver players to run free down Seattle’s left flank. Here’s one of many examples of such a mix up:

Both Dempsey and Ivanschitz were caught ball-watching and allowed Pedro Morales run unmarked into the final third. Bolaños ends up overhitting the pass and Morales can’t make a play but this still illustrates some of the defensive instability on Seattle’s left flank.

Jordan Morris - Asked to play wide in a 4-3-3 for the first time in his career, the young forward has had a rocky start to the season. It’s clear from his movement and instincts that Morris is far more comfortable playing as a center forward in a 4-4-2. He fulfills his defensive roles diligently but in possession he often occupied the same space as Nelson Valdez. This made it very easy for Vancouver's backline to stay compact and keep all the Seattle forwards marked in the box. The few times Morris did move wider in possession did pull Whitecaps' defenders out of position and showed some of the benefits of the new formation:

Though Morris initially lines up in the middle, expecting Tyrone Mears to cross into the box, he then runs wide, dragging Tim Parker with him. This creates spaces for Roldan to slip a ball into Valdez. Kendall Waston sticks tightly to Valdez and ultimately makes the tackle but this sequence still shows what Seattle’s attack can look like in the 4-3-3. They don’t settle for a low percentage cross and instead used smart movement to open up space in the box. If Sigi Schmid hopes to succeed with this formation, these kinds of plays need to become more frequent.

Vancouver Whitecaps - As Seattle struggled to adapt to a new formation, Carl Robinson’s side looked rather comfortable in theirs. The Welsh coach unexpectedly (before the match, Opta struggled to figure out who was lining up where) deployed a flat 4-4-2 in the match after relying on a 4-2-3-1 for the large majority of his tenure. This formation switch paid dividends as the Sounders struggled to break Vancouver’s lines and in attack the Whitecaps’ wide midfielders found themselves with space on the flanks.

Courtesy of Opta Dashboard on mlssoccer.com

Defend deep and counter - Robinson’s squad sat in a low block and looked to counter quickly with both center forwards, Blas Perez and Octavio Rivero, providing an outlet for long passes. Due to Seattle’s lack of width in attack, the Whitecaps could easily stay compact out of possession. The backline tightly marked the Sounders’ three forwards, allowing their opponents to complete only 5 of their 34 crosses. Additionally, Pedro Morales and Matias Laba were able to control the area directly in front of their own box. The two South American central midfielders prevented Seattle from completing any passes into the box from zone 14.

Though both of the Whitecaps forwards in this match could be classified as target strikers, Robinson's men didn't just try and ping balls of the strikers' heads on the counter. Rather, when Vancouver regained possession, they used a mixture of long passes to Pérez and Rivero (who frequently found themselves in space) and quick combination play up the flanks. Christian Bolaños, Frasier Aird and Pérez were particularly active attacking down the right, combining in the space left when Dempsey and Joevin Jones pushed high upfield.

Blas Pérez - Initially thought to be a depth signing, the 35-year-old striker proved he still contribute in a starting role for an MLS team. Even without taking a single shot, the Panamanian menaced Seattle all game with his savvy movement and strong hold up play. Whether you agree or not with the two penalty calls, Pérez had a hand in both of them, providing a perfectly weighted pass for the first and make the hard run for the second.

With Vancouver sitting so deep, they needed Pérez's presence high up field to contribute to the team's build up. While Pérez can distribute with his back to goal, he often found enough space in Seattle's half they he didn't need to battle defenders for the ball. He could simply receive the ball with minimal pressure and either play in a teammate or turn up field himself.

Conclusion - While three games is still a relatively small sample size, Seattle has yet to see benefits from its new formation. The continued lack of chemistry in the attack and reliance on hopeful crosses from fullbacks are concerning signs for Schmid’s team. If the Sounders don’t build on the few bright spots in the match and start gelling better in the near future they should seriously consider transitioning back to their 4-4-2 from previous seasons.

On the flip side, Carl Robinson’s men exhibited some tactical flexibility after suffering two losses to begin the season. This wrinkle gives them the opportunity to show off some of their new found depth at forward while keeping opponents on their toes. They may have caught a lucky break with the first penalty decision but created several dangerous opportunists and ultimately executed a game plan to perfection.