Seattle Sounders: Jordan Morris may not be enough

Jordan Morris is an incredibly talented young man and one that will undoubtedly have a big part to play in the success of not only the Seattle Sounders, but also the United States Men’s National Team. But there is a certain aspect of Morris’ game that makes it hard to rely on him.

Morris is an incredibly raw player that’s a bit rough around the edges. He wants to outmuscle you and outrun you. There is very little about his game that screams ‘refined’.

There’s nothing tragically wrong with that, he is still immensely valuable, but to lean on someone like that puts a team at risk. Many have pointed to the stability of Christian Pulisic as the balance point for the USMNT. For as unrefined as Morris is, Pulisic is the definition of refined. He is composed, intelligent and makes clever runs as if it’s a science.

The problem with Seattle is that they don’t have Christian Pulisic to balance out Jordan Morris. In fact, since parting ways with Obafemi Martins, Marco Pappa and Lamar Neagle, the Sounders have only added Andreas Ivanschitz. While the Austrian is a fine weapon – and a refined, reliable one – he is just one man.

Which leaves Seattle at the whims of Jordan Morris. It took awhile for Morris to open his goal account, but he has since scored in three straight and eyes breaking the rookie record with his fourth straight.

Yet, Morris is not even being fully fitted for the striker role yet, as he has spent just as much time out wide. In those times, Seattle has turned to Nelson Valdez, who has made four appearances at striker and has yet to tally a goal.

So perhaps you’re seeing the problem. It’s Jordan Morris or bust, which I pointed out earlier in the year. But the problem is expanded by the fact that even when Morris is on his game, Seattle still isn’t producing enough around him. They have won two of the three games he has scored in, but the aggregate goal tally is four to four, indicating that Jordan Morris is not enough to lift Seattle to a more positive position.

Part of the problem has to be Clint Dempsey, who has traditionally been the stability that Seattle lean on. Dempsey has not been a major player in Seattle’s success thus far and as such, it has remained as “Morris or bust” with an added facet of, even when Morris is clicking, it still may be a bust.

The Sounders are putting a lot of faith in one young man, but it may not be enough to rest the success of the season on.