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Their only constant is mediocrity

Sounder at Heart March 7, 2026
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St. Louis City SC is bad. Their sudden surge onto the scene their opening season can overshadow memories of how bad they struggled in year two and year three. Year four does not look better. That first year was exceptional on the table, but there were signs it was going to get worse. The dual-scoring leaders finished with 10. According to Fotmob their G exceeded xG by 19! The expected GD that year was negative 9.

They fell, pretty hard. They're on head coach three, with two interims who didn't get the gig. Their all time leading scorer was shipped off (and is playing better with Galaxy). The remaining attack has never hit double digits in a season.

City (called that despite being in media market 20 in MLS) is the Roman Bürki club. That's their defining characteristic, more so than the uneven and unsuccessful attack or a system or their quite energetic fans.

This is likely the easiest of matches on the road trip. Seattle's biggest challenge will be to score – made even more difficult because the Sounders winger corp is down up to four players. At least the match isn't at elevation, nor in extreme heat, nor in extreme cold and the tornados passed through the region yesterday rather than today.

All the depth need do is beat Bürki like they could not beat Cabral in Sandy, Utah.

St. Louis City is a test that a team that wants to host playoff games must pass.

Eduard Löwen is out this week, for the worst of reasons. Fuck Cancer.

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Catching up on Sounder at Heart

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Sounders

Next match: Saturday, March 7 at St. Louis CITY SC | 5:30 pm PT | Apple TV

Training reports and match prep

  • Everything you need to know about Sounders-St. Louis City
  • Sounders' winger depth already getting tested
  • Paul Arriola says he’s fit enough to start
  • Injuries and absences ahead of St. Louis
  • Opposition Scouting report: St. Louis City
    • Ryan Sailor visits the White House and injury updates

Recaps from the 2-1 loss

  • The Curse of the Wasatch Valley continues
  • Tactical Rewatch: Fumbling toward ecstasy
  • Realio’s Ratings: Unsettled in Sandy

Other stories

  • Leagues Cup schedule 2026: Sounders will open in Mexico
    • Lobbing Scorchers: Seattle Sounders Make MORE Leagues Cup History?
  • Panic Rankings: February 2026
  • Hanging with the Roldans

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Next match: Sunday, March 15 at Orlando Pride | 1 pm PT | Victory+ (a new free-to-view partner of the NWSL)

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Next match: Sunday, March 8 at Houston Dynamo 2 | 4 pm PT | MLSNextPro.com

  • Strong February for U17 and U19

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Looking back at the news

Everything else you need to know

  • Editorial: Keep up efforts to fund new downtown stadium (Everett Herald)
  • Home field advantage in MLS was never a mystery – but its sudden return is (Tactics Free Zone)
  • 2026 Primary Window GAM Release (Footy Analytics Musings)
  • USL emails players about union resignation procedures as strike looms (The Guardian)
  • USL Season Previews & Projections (USL Tactics)
  • Seattle 'thinking about' Iran 100 days out from FIFA Men's World Cup (Seattle Times)
  • Kraft Sports and Entertainment to cover gap in security costs for FIFA World Cup matches (WJAR) But the town of Foxborough says the plan lacks specificity
  • Marc Lasry Invests in NWSL’s NC Courage at $155M Valuation (Sportico)
  • Portland Thorns hire ex-Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn to usher in 'new era' (New York Times)
  • Wilmette asking Evanston to nix 17 Chicago Stars games at Northwestern’s Ryan Field (Chicago Tribune)
  • Wafcon 2026 postponed just 12 days before kick-off in Morocco (BBC)

How to start playing D&D (Full Moon Storytelling, me)

Discussion in the ATmosphere

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