The View from Seattle – Budding rivalry renewed as Sounders host Dynamo

Houston, Texas — The Dynamo will go to Seattle this weekend and face possibly their toughest test of the season so far in the Seattle Sounders.

Century Link field is one of, if not the most, intimidating places the Dynamo will play this season — 40,000+ Sounders fans will be packed in. But Dynamo striker Giles Barnes — back from international duty with Jamaica — says that Owen Coyle will be prepared accordingly:

“[It’ll be] exactly what he’s used to. That European, [English] premiership kind of feel. The’ve got good players, fans are great facilities are great as well. There’ll probably be 60,000 people in there but he’s used to that from the premiership and from playing so it’ll be very easy for him.”

One thing that won’t be easy to get used to for Coyle will be the fact that the Sounders play on a turf field and not a grass one, something that “the gaffer” wont have come across before. “

The surface is different from grass, plays differently too” said Coyle of the surface at Century Link. “You think about these things, of course you do, but we’ll prepare for the game the same game we would that’s going to be against a quality side regardless of playing surface.” However, the Dynamo head coach does think that playing on turf could be an advantage for his side this weekend.

Coyle told prostamerika.com “Yeah, [turf could be an advantage] it’s key that you pass the ball to because it can run away from you at times on the turf. So, as we do with opponents, looking at strengths and weaknesses, that also applies to the field. We’ll look to impose ourselves on the game as best we can.”

The Seattle Sounders could be without up to 3 first team players this weekend when the Dynamo come to town. U.S. Men’s National Team international Clint Dempsey is nursing a hamstring strain, Obafemi Martins a quadricep contusion and Osvaldo Alonso is rehabilitating from groin surgery.

One bit of bad news for the Dynamo is that scorer against them last season, Marco Pappa, will return to the side this weekend. Tyler Deric, after winning his 3rd MLS Save of the Week in a row is unfazed who plays and who doesn’t — for him any result in Seattle is a good result.

“Whoever they put out there — I watched the game last week and they had tonnes of chances, they’re a good team all the way around — is going to truly be a tough test for us” said the homegrown Dynamo goalkeeper adding that he’s not concerned about the Dynamo’s recent attack struggles “we’re getting decent results and the goals will start flowing, if we stay patient it’ll come.”

The Dynamo have been rather anaemic on offense this season — not helped in the last game vs Colorado by having a 50% fit Ricardo Clark, and four international players away — and the Dynamo sit last in MLS in average shots per game (8) and average shots on target per game (2). Returning Dynamo Forward Giles Barnes doesn’t think there is much to worry about yet, though.

“If you look at the chances we’ve had its about being more clinical” the Jamaican international told prostamerika.com, “it’s about having some imagination sometimes. Sometimes the safe ball for me is a little too safe, some of the best players in the world just because of their imagination they’ll see things and try it. Maybe thats what we need to do.”

Dynamo fans will certainly be hoping that Barnes and Will Bruin can capitalise on the chances they are creating for now. Last week out versus Colorado the Dynamo had great work ethic, but couldn’t create.

When Chandler Hoffman came on in the 83rd minute things changed for the better, because Hoffman was playing more as a second striker than he was a right winger. In short, there was better link up play with two players up-front. With all that in mind, I’d still expect the Dynamo to line up similarly to how they lined up against LA Galaxy after getting a hard-fought result at StubHub paying the 4-5-1 with 3 holding midfielders.

The Dynamo traveled Thursday to the west coast this week compared with Friday when they went to LA. Coach Owen Coyle says this is all part of a learning curve that he’s been on since coming to MLS.

“In England you can travel in the morning, sleep in the afternoon and play at night some games! I thought it was important that we went a day early it gives us a chance to set up and train Friday get the players into a routine before the game.”

Coyle also confirmed that Ricardo Clark is “coming along nicely,” and that “he certainly feels better this week, than he did the same time last week.” The “gaffer” didn’t give too much away but Coyle did tell prostamerika.com that “Rico’s Rico. He’s got the heart the size of a lion.”

Likely Line-Ups:

Houston Dynamo (1-1-2): GK Deric; DF Sarkodie, Taylor, Rodriguez, Beasley; MF Boniek Garcia, Ricardo Clark, Nathan Sturgis, Luis Garrido, Brad Davis; FW Giles Barnes.

Seattle Sounders (1-1-1): GK Frei; DF Mears, Scott, Evans, Gonzalez; MF Azira, Pineda, Roldan, Rose, Neagle; FW Barrett.

Injury Report:

Houston Dynamo: DaMarcus Beasley — L hamstring strain (trained 4/2); Ricardo Clark — R costochondral fracture (trained 4/2).

Seattle Sounders: Osvaldo Alonso – groin surgery (trained 4/2); Clint Dempsey – R hamstring strain (trained 4/2); Chad Marshall – neck strain (trained 4/2); Obafemi Martins – R quad contusion (trained 4/2).

Tonight’s game will kick off at 9 p.m. CT and will broadcast live on ROOT SPORTS Southwest (8:30 p.m. pregame) and can be heard on Yahoo Sports Radio 1560 AM and La Ranchera 850 AM (Spanish).

The View from Seattle – Budding rivalry renewed as Sounders host Dynamo

Follow Scott Nicholls on Twitter: @scottnicholls