No where in the How To Be A Soccer Fan handbook does it say that things are supposed to be easy. Also nowhere in that fictitious handbook does it state that things are supposed to go according to plan. If the other team gets a red card in the 6th minute of a match, you have to win that game. It’s not easy. It’s not fun. You just have to win that game.

The Sounders didn’t do that. They were lucky to get a point. They got Zlatan’d. They looked good. They looked absolutely dreadful. They were all the things. We were left wanting.

Winners

Getting the point

Funny enough, I was talking with a friend a few hours before the game and I said I would absolutely take a point from this match if it was offered to me. You know, like some sort of lawsuit being settled out of court. We can hire some lawyers, meet at a coffee shop somewhere, sign on the dotted line. Just a point would do, don’t need to play the game.

How naive. Look — getting the point, given where things were at, is objectively a good result. The Sounders were mostly awful, but they pulled out the point. That’s something.

Jordan Morris

A very good counter attack goal for Seattle. 1-0 pic.twitter.com/37FDwM9w4C — Sounder At Heart (@sounderatheart) August 18, 2019

If the Sounders weren’t in a terrible slump, every pundit in America would be talking about how Jordan Morris is playing. Between his goal in Houston, his play against New England, and the runs he made against the Galaxy, he’s back at the top of his form. He’s also rounding out his game with really, really good crossing. Oh, and he’s learned how to use his left foot.

Subs

You know, for as bad as the game was going, at least 2 of the 3 subs had very positive impacts on the match. Luis Silva and Handwalla Bwana brought a sense of urgency to the game that it lacked. Silva was active in dangerous areas. He’ll score a couple important goals this season, I think. Bwana brings directness from the bench. Those two things coupled together was a nice spark.

Losers

Papering over the cracks

In the same ways that getting a draw given the circumstances is good, that those circumstances even existed in the first place are bad. The Sounders have now conceded 11 goals in their last four games. That’s their worst stretch since October of 2013, where they allowed 12 goals in four games. Zlatan absolutely posterized Kim Kee-hee on the first goal tonight and Kim gave up the penalty for Zlatan’s second. The defense needs some sorting out if this team has any hopes of going somewhere in the playoffs.

Hilarious Own Goal

Hilarious own goal. 2-2 pic.twitter.com/n4usn0X2nH — Sounder At Heart (@sounderatheart) August 18, 2019

No words for this. This is just funny. Enjoy it.