The new MLS season starts today, and with so little change on the Seattle Sounders roster it’s easy enough to feel a little bit bored by the familiarity of it all. Factor in the way the 2022 season ended and the 1-0 result against Al Ahly in the FIFA Club World Cup, and there’s understandable concern that the same team won’t simply be better than last year’s.
There have been some small changes to the roster — Will Bruin’s moved on to Austin, and Héber has joined from NYCFC to fortify the attack — and a tactical tweak to keep things fresh, but ultimately it’ll be the players on the field that determine whether the Sounders are challenging for silverware or facing the wrong kind of playoff streak.