In a tactic where either Clint Dempsey or Andreas Ivanschitz creates a chance, the opposing defense is too often the winner.
In my last missive, breaking down the Seattle Sounders' loss to Sporting Kansas City into 16 10-minute intervals, I noted that the burden of chance creation has fallen primarily on Clint Dempsey and Andreas Ivanschitz. Seattle managed a reasonable rate of chance creation only in the initial, high-energy start of the game and at the playing-from-behind, depressing end. Two losses further into the season, that relationship persists.