As the Portland Timbers have struggled their way to a winless 0-2-4 record to start the MLS season, a decidedly different storyline is playing out for the team’s rivals to the North. The Seattle Sounders (3-2-1) are currently in a three-way tie for second place in the Western Conference and, most recently, pulled out a huge 3-2 victory over previously undefeated FC Dallas last weekend.
Unsurprisingly, superstar forward Clint Dempsey is at the center of Seattle’s strong start. The U.S. national team captain leads MLS with 6 goals, despite missing two games due to a suspension after striking Toronto defender Mark Bloom in the groin.
Some highlights of Dempsey’s early-season heroics include:
-His set-up of Chad Barrett’s dramatic 94th minute goal that gave Seattle a season-opening victory over Sporting Kansas City.
-An epic hat trick against the Timbers that allowed the Sounders to pull out an improbable comeback and salvage a 4-4 tie in Portland.
-Two goals against FC Dallas, including a ballistic free kick in the 22nd minute that leveled Seattle at 1-1.
After being questioned for his passivity and overall lack of dominance for Seattle last season, Dempsey has been observably superior this year to the opposing defenses that have tried to stop him. He has always possessed brilliant ball control, handling and instincts. But he is just now starting to display the full extent of the skill that made him a Premiere League star and placed him firmly in the conversation as the best American-born player to ever play the sport.
Dempsey’s brilliance has always been found in his opportunistic nature. He knows how, where and when to place himself to put himself in the best position to score goals. While he is also an unquestionably gifted athlete from a physical standpoint, it’s this supreme knowledge of the game and tactical awareness combined with his technical skill that sets him apart, particularly against MLS competition.
We can see examples of this in examining his play throughout the year to this point. His assist on Barrett’s goal came after he dinged a header off the crossbar after a cross from rookie Sean Okoli — barely missing the tying goal himself. Two of his goals against Portland came after finding himself with a shot on goal just feet away from Timbers’ keeper Andrew Weber. His second goal against FC Dallas came in much the same fashion, blasting the game-winning score in after a receiving a cross right in front of the goal from Chad Barrett.
Dempsey’s overall goal total is exciting for Seattle coach Sigi Schmid to be sure, but the fact that he is generating so many chances has to be considered the aspect of his play that should put MLS on notice. He is a difficult force to stop and a brilliant finisher when he’s consistently accumulating these chances to score close to the opposing net. Thus far, Seattle has been able to give him these chances and its resulted in a league-leading goal total and the second pace standing in the Western Conference. If he continues to perform at this rate, the rest of the league should be very, very afraid.
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