Previewing Houston Dynamo vs Seattle Sounders with Sounder at Heart
(image via Seattle Sounders FC)
The Houston Dynamo return home from their West Coast trip for a home match Saturday night. We talked to our friend Jeremiah Oshan from Sounder at Heart to get some insight on the Seattle Sounders ahead of tomorrow’s match.
Bayou City Soccer (BCS): Danny Musovski has, I'm sure, been a welcome surprise this season. What is about his game that has helped him fit into this Sounders team so well in 2025?
Sounder at Heart (SaH): Musovski isn't a flashy player, but he understands the assignment and is ruthless in that pursuit. He's willing to make a ton of unrewarded runs and he's constantly in good positions. It's tempting to say he's on a heater right now after scoring in four straight games, but it's more that he's just doing a lot of repeatable actions.
BCS: Seattle is among the lowest xGA in MLS this season. What has made their defensive unit so strong this year?
SaH: It's the same stuff that allowed them to lead the league in the same category the last two seasons. They've got a solid centerback with two very mobile defensive midfielders in front of them. This year, they've also tasked Nouhou with more of a third centerback role. That gives them four extremely mobile players in the defense who can cover tons of ground and snuff out attacks.
BCS: There must be something about Houston that Paul Rothrock enjoys because he seems to always score here, How has Rothrock's development gone and what makes him such a vital piece of this team with 11 starts already in 2025?
SaH: Rothrock has a reputation for being more of an effort guy, and it's true that he never lacks in that department, but he's sneakily creative too. He's very good on the dribble and dogged in front of goal. He's been mostly playing as a left wing back, replacing Paul Arriola, this year. It's not a perfect position for him but it's been working OK.
BCS: The Sounders have lost some big names and brought in some names like Ryan Kent and Jesus Ferreira. Have there been any tactical adjustments from Brian Schmetzer that have stood out this season?
SaH: The biggest change has been moving into more of a 3421 formation, replacing the more traditional 4231 of previous seasons. Ferreira has mostly played as a second 10 and while he's not been scoring, he has shown himself to be a smart and creative playmaker. Kent has only recently started getting minutes but is coming off a very impressive performance against St. Louis. If he's on the field, the Sounders are usually back in their 4231 shape, though.
BCS: Are there any injuries or suspensions that could impact the lineup this weekend?
SaH: Jordan Morris (hamstring) is definitely out, while Jackson Ragen (hamstring) and Ferreira (adductor) are likely questionable. My assumption is we'll see the same lineup as St. Louis.
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We want to thank Jeremiah for his time and wish our friends in Seattle the best of luck tomorrow.
