After three games, the Seattle Sounders have earned zero points and scored zero goals. The problem isn’t just that they’ve lost their first three matches, it’s that they’ve played so poorly to start off the season.

In its most recent loss to Montreal on April 3rd, the Sounders played lackadaisical against a squad that is sitting at sixth in the Eastern Conference table. The problem’s seem to set in after halftime as the squad was unable to keep possession of the ball, giving the Impact better offensive opportunities.

“We could have been sharper,” Roldan said Tuesday. “Sometimes we are playing too lackadaisical. At home we really need to take it to a team. If we can play quick, play fast once we win the ball, we’re in a positive manner. When we start playing it through the back and when we start playing it just to keep possession, that’s when we struggle a little bit.” — Andrew Harvey, Sounder At Heart

Cristian Roldan, quoted above, is a Sounders’ midfielder.

So what exactly is Roldan talking about when he says “Sometimes we are playing too lacadasical.”? Watch this below clip on two of Seattle’s better scoring opportunities in the match.

Le duel ⚔️ Impact Média | Si vous devez choisir un arrêt-clé d'Evan Bush, ce serait le quel?

The Duel ⚔️ | Which of @ebushel1's saves was the most important? #IMFC pic.twitter.com/015bvOUqop

— CF Montréal (@clubdefootmtl) April 5, 2018

In both those clips, the Sounders offense gets into a situation where they have the numbers advantage but Montreal’s defense is able to get into a position to stop the ball and recover it when it ricochets — particularly in the second clip. When the offense is generating so few chances,  the team has to be able to convert those into goals…but unfortunately they haven’t through the first three matches to date.

The good news is that Seattle has played the fewest matches in the Western Conference and they’re only a win away from jumping into 10th place and two wins away from getting into playoff positions. But if the offense continues to struggle, it’s going to be a long season at CenturyLink Field.

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