How the Sounders can win the MLS Cup in 2025.

So now that we've swallowed the very bitter pill that was the Semi-final defeat vs the LA Galaxy it's time to do what all champions do. Ask yourselves what we can do better next time and how to do so. The match vs Galaxy was very much a battle of who could control the right side of the pitch, a battle the Galaxy won. While Georgi Minoungou and Pedro de la Vega were both serviceable on the wings in the playoffs the Galaxy match was proof that if we want to keep Brian Schmetzer (which we should) we have to better assist with his style of play which is to control the game on the right side of the field. One suggestion is to put Morris back in his old spot, but at his age (30) he no longer has that winger pace really needed to succeed. So that should only be a "in case of emergency break class plan" So what options do we have in the transfer market?

A option that's risky but if it pays off could pay off dividends and provide so much value for the club is 700k Lazar Jovanovic. A 18-year old winger who plays for Red Star Belgrade the best club in Serbia in his only 3 senior appearances this season he already has 2 assists. Plus in 8 appearances for the Serbia men's u17 team he's had 4 goals and a assist. We could be uncovering a diamond in the rough and could later sell him on for a lot more money to a bigger European club. Potentially in the 1 of the big 5 leagues. We not only have a Serbian in our back staff to help convince him we of course also have a key Serbian player, Albert Rusnák to help as well. Plus Albert Rusnák might be looking to leave after this season which would be a huge blow but maybe bringing another Serbian in to make him feel more at home could help convincing him to stay here in Seattle.

A option that is more safe but would be pricer would be 23 year old American Taylor Booth. Currently at FC Utrecht in the Netherlands, a FC Bayern reject after a 17 goals and 5 assists campaign in the 23/24 season this year he's underperforming with 9 appearance and no goal contributions whatsoever. We could get the young American on a bargain currently valued a 3 million which is still not half of what we paid for de la Vega. And as Albert Rusnák proved we've had suggest with big European club rejects before.

Our midfield is also worth addressing as we have 2 big stars potentially leaving (Ruidíaz and Rusnák) replacements are worth looking into. Such as Marko Ivezic a 23-year old Serbian playing in the Bundesliga this season with Holstein Kiel whom he played a valuable role in helping them get promoted last season he also did great stuff with FK Vozdovac in Serbia. So could provide both all the external benefits of Lazar while we could get him cheaper after his 1st year in the Bundesliga like Booth. Someone else struggling for time but has MLS experience and very recent experience too, is ex New York City FC and current EC Bahia in Brazil Uruguayan CDM Nicolás Acevedo. Who impressed in the MLS with NYC FC and would be smart to bring him back state side and give him the time and star power he's lacking in Brazil. And while I don't believe Rusnák is leaving in case he does a smart backup option would be Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham if 1 billion is not out of our price range. But if it is then another great guy to consider is Michael Baidoo the 26 year old Ghanaian CAM who plays in Sweden for 1 of the countries biggest club in country in Elfsborg. While he struggled to begin his career in Denmark he has found his feet in Sweden with a 10 goal and 4 assist campaign this year. With the January window on the way and no soccer being played in Sweden because it's that cold, I couldn't think of a more perfect time to swing in and make a move for the guy.

As for other problems if you hadn't guessed from my suggestions as to who to buy for the team I do really believe that this team is getting too old and we should at least begin laying the groundwork for moving on from the current core. I love players like Frei, Morris, both Roldan's and Rusnák and what they've done for the club, it's fact that they're all 30 or over or at least very close. Soccer and the transfer market provides a opportunity a lot of a American sports to give their team which is the chance to transition from a core of players very smoothly with the right recruitment asap. And this is the best possible time to do that recruitment as while they're older they haven't fallen off yet so you can either buy younger guys and put them into rotation to set up to replace them when they do fall off. Or sell a lot of those older guys now and use that money to bring in, in their prime guys who can fit Brian's system like a glove.

Another pattern you might've noticed is very creative players, this could also be fixed with a tactical adjustment. But this year our chance creation was disappointing and it was one of the things that let us down in the semis vs LA Galaxy. Part of that is the product of having a older team especially in the striker and CAM positions. But that won't be helped if we don't buy great attackers to bring those numbers up! We accomplish all this by this time next year we won't be sad that we came so close again but celebrating how much further we've went.