Seattle Sounders - The best XI to start the season

Pedro de la Vega was the only significant addition to the Sounders this offseason. The young Argentine player will have to carve out a role for himself in the team that ended the previous season on a high note. The rest of the signings were mainly to provide cover for the starters. However, these new players also increased the depth of the Sounders squad. The Head Coach Brian Schmetzer now has reliable backups for every position.

1. Goalkeeper (GK)

The veteran GK Stefan Frei is going to his 11th season with the Sounders. He just got his contract renewed after a very good season in 2023. With Stefan Cleveland departure, Andrew Thomas and Jacob Castro will fight for the backup spot.

2. Right back (RB)

Alex Roldan, the younger brother in the Roldan duo, secured a contract renewal and his position is not under threat. However, he faces competition from Cody Baker, a dependable substitute who replaced Alex in few matches last season.

3. Center back (CB)

Yeimar remains the backbone of the defense, having won the "Defender of the Year" award for four years in a row. Stuart Hawkins, who joined from Tacoma Defiance last year, is one of the backups, but Nathan has more experience and could replace the Colombian star if needed.

4. Center back (CB)

Jackson Ragen, who had a solid first year as a starter, should keep his position. Xavier Arreaga remains an option despite the rumors that the Sounders would trade him. The newly signed Jonathan Bell can also play as a CB.

5. Left back (LB)

Nouhou has earned the fans' admiration with his consistent excellence on the left back. He is indispensable in that position. Jonathan Bell, a versatile player, has also played as LB in all the pre-season games so far. Reed Baker-Whiting was the backup LB last season, but he is more suited for the midfield.

6. Center Midfielder (CM)

João Paulo anchors the midfield with his skill and experience. Danny Leyva, back from his loan spell, could be his alternate unless he is loaned out again.

7. Right Winger (RW)

This team relies on Cristian Roldan's spirit. He was sorely missed in the previous season when he could not play. Dylan Teves and Paul Rothrock are the likely substitutes for him as young talents. However, Pedro de la Vega or Léo Chú might also fill in the RW position.

8. Center Midfielder (CM)

Josh Atencio secured a contract extension after impressing as JP's partner in the latter half of the 2023 season. Obed Vargas and Sota Kitahara are two other promising youngsters who can play in the central midfield role.

9. Striker (ST)

The striker position is highly contested right now. Raul Ruidiaz, the second-highest scorer in Sounders' history, was replaced by Jordan Morris last year. But Morris has also had trouble finding the net. Danny Musovski was brought in to add more depth and challenge for the spot.

10. Center Attacking Midfielder (CAM)

The designated player Albert Rusnák became the successor of the club's legend Nicolás Lodeiro. Pedro de la Vega is the only other player in the roster who can fill in the number 10 role if necessary.

11. Left Winger (LW)

Léo Chú performed well in the 2023 season, but he faced some difficulties in the playoffs. Pedro de la Vega, the newly signed Young Designated Player, is expected to become the regular starter once he recovers from his injury, but Chú will still get some chances to play in the meantime. Bradilio Rodrigues is another alternative for the LW position.

In order to give the head coach Brian Schmetzer more options, the General Manager decided to shake up the roster. Schmetzer rarely used his substitutes in the final matches of the last season, indicating that he lacked confidence in the bench players to make a difference on the field. The starters often looked tired and overworked but had no reliable backup.

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