For a fan base that can often go into panic mode anytime something goes wrong in league play, this summer has made them apoplectic. With memories of two MLS Cups in five years and an unprecedented Concacaf Champions League trophy in the rearview mirror, calls can be heard all over the dark spaces in social media to fire the coach, sack the players, burn the whole thing down and start fresh.
Given that many of these players are signed through 2023 and the Sounders still have a Club World Cup to play for, that sentiment seems premature. However, analyzing the recent past and future of the Sounders’ schedule will not only identify that expectations for these past 11 games might have been too high, but also that expectations for the final 6 games might be too bleak.