Analysis: What’s going wrong for the Sounders this season, and how can it be fixed?

RENTON, Wash. – The Sounders rolled out their championship lineup last Saturday with two changes. Only center back Xavier Arreaga and midfielder Nico Lodeiro were missing from the starting XI that won the CONCACAF Champions League trophy in 2022.

A roster that looked fierce two years ago couldn’t defeat a Cascadia rival that Seattle hadn’t lost to at Lumen Field since 2016. But most who’ve followed the Sounders have seen the combination hasn’t worked in a year, at minimum, making the 2-0 loss to Vancouver predictable, regardless of Seattle finishing the match with nine players because of two red cards.

Frustration is quickly turning to apathy. The majority of the 30,550 in attendance left the stadium after the second goal on Saturday as Seattle (1-4-3) is off to its worst start since joining MLS in 2009.

MLS closed its primary transfer window Tuesday, making young designated player Pedro de la Vega the biggest signing with an approximate $7.5 million transfer fee. The promising playmaker is out with a hamstring injury.

Whatever happens until the next transfer window opens in July is the result of leadership digging into its beliefs. Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer is consistent in thinking the team can play to its reputation, general manager Craig Waibel thinks impactful additions will create a spark and majority owner Adrian Hanauer said pinpointed spending is effective.

“I’ve said this for 15 years, our goal is not to spend the most amount of money or buy the most expensive (player),” Hanauer said earlier this month. “I take pride in building a roster a different way and having people that think smarter, different, out-of-the-box. We’ve always been leaders in sports science and data and analytics. That has provided a competitive advantage. We’ll look for the next competitive advantage.”

Money doesn’t buy championships. The Columbus Crew won the 2023 title, and their $15.3 million guaranteed salary compensation was among the least expensive last season, according to figures provided by the MLS Players Association.

The Sounders’ roster totaled approximately $19.2 million, while Inter Miami topped the charts at $39.4 million.

Still, it seemed Hanauer would bump the team’s player budget up a notch after signing a 10-year facility and jersey naming rights deal with health care company Providence Swedish last year. It also seemed any funds would go toward a proven striker, not a playmaker who can finish.

Schmetzer wanted to give forwards Jordan Morris and Raul Ruidiaz a chance to jockey for the role up top. Ruidiaz, who’s in the final year of a designated-player contract that paid him $3.2 million last year, earned the spot and has four goals.

But the Sounders’ offense isn’t improved. They’ve been shut out four times to teams they’ve handled in the past with rotated rosters.

“Raul, to his credit, has worked awfully hard,” Schmetzer said. Multiple injuries contributed to Ruidiaz netting a career-low five goals last year. “What is his skill set? He’s maybe a possession guy, clever, get the ball in the attacking third and that’s where he’s at his best. He had a ball from Albert (Rusnak) in the 27th minute (against Vancouver), and instead of running in behind, he kind of stops because he just doesn’t have that anymore.”

The 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy on March 30 stings because the conference rival had one of the best transfer windows in the league.

The addition of wingers Joseph Paintsil (approximately $9 million transfer fee) and Gabriel Pec (approximately $10 million) have the Galaxy atop the Western Conference.

Paintsil has four goals and four assists, while Pec has two goals and one assist.

FC Dallas (1-5-2) is a counterpoint. It paid a club-record $9.7 million fee to acquire striker Petar Musa and is 13th in the West. The Croatian international was shut out in a goalless draw against the Sounders earlier this month and has two goals and one assist overall.

The season is still young, though.

“Maybe deploying resources on a player isn’t as effective as deploying resources somewhere else,” Hanauer said. “We’ll always balance that with the end-goal to compete for championships like we think we did last year – although we came up a goal short – like we did the year before in winning the Champions League and we still think we can do this year.”

Hanauer’s approach is likely necessary this season. His club truly outgrew the partnership to train at Starfire Sports in Tukwila, Washington, and office shutdowns during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced his front-office staff to primarily work remotely the past three years.

Allocating approximately $68 million to transform a former Boeing corporate office space into stunning headquarters for the entire club should have a massive payoff. Season-ticket holders had their opportunity to attend training and get glimpses of the facility Wednesday.

“Physical infrastructure – these buildings, the care we can give the players – is huge,” Hanauer said. “Players talk. This facility is now viewed as top of class in MLS, which is super important for recruiting.

“There is a reality to the fact that, as a business, we’re trying to generate revenue, and revenue pays for people and infrastructure and players, so it’s finding that balance. The partnership (with Providence) overall helps in all aspects of building a great club.”

Waibel thought the team had enough to make it through the opening of the schedule to assess needs for when the summer transfer window opens July 18. He’s currently scouting in Europe.

Historically, the Sounders have made their headlining signings during the league’s secondary transfer window. After trading Arreaga to New England on Tuesday, the Sounders have approximately $1 million to spend, according to Schmetzer.

Waibel’s predecessor, Garth Lagerwey, always had an accounting trick to land highly touted players and get them under the cap. He was the architect behind the CCL championship lineup.

Those players are still dynamic, individually. Waibel’s additions of center back Nathan and forward Danny Musovski have even made an impact as reserves. Forward Braudilio Rodrigues (hamstring) and defender Jon Bell (coach’s decision) haven’t made any appearances.

None provides what the Sounders are missing. Sure, the team won the prestigious regional title, but in 2022 it missed the postseason for the first time in franchise history because it couldn’t score. It didn’t advance in the postseason last year because it couldn’t score.

This season’s rash of injuries can’t even be used as an excuse. The players targeted to score – Morris and Ruidiaz – aren’t finishing. Morris has one goal in eight starts.

What will it cost the Sounders if they don’t spend money to fix their on-field problem?

“We are never going to make every fan happy with anything we do in just about any decision,” Hanauer said. “I’ve come to terms with that over the course of doing this for 22 years. I try to focus on what I think is right for the club and community.”