Sounders look to bounce back with stretch of road matches ahead | Seattle Sounders

The coaching staff also recognizes their significance in terms of match outcomes and how they can impact results as the team looks ahead to the remainder of the season.  

“We have to continue to train what we believe in. I thought at the back end of last season we ended up in second place with a lot of the same group playing a certain way and being really solid in what we want it to look like and that hasn’t quite come out enough lately, especially in the final third,” said Assistant Coach Andy Rose. “So, [we need to] continue to work, continue to give the players confidence, continue in training to really push the levels, push the standards, make sure everybody’s on the same page and bought in and reward guys that are doing that.” 

A couple daunting road tests on the horizon, the team’s mindset is to take it game by game, with their main priority being Saturday’s match against D.C. United.

“All focus has to be on D.C. and really go in there with the belief that we can get three points,” said Rose. “We understand it’s going to be a really tough game. They’ve got a new coach this season, a really good coach, and they play with a ton of energy and a lot of belief. So, for us, it needs to be really thinking about the fundamentals and ensuring that technically, we’re really sound on the ball.”