In his latest entry in his Captain's Notes, Sounders FC defender Brad Evans reflects on the team's first away match of the year at FC Dallas, which ended in a 0-0 stalement, and looks towards the Rave Green's return to CenturyLink Field when it will take on the Houston Dynamo.
Week four, back at home.
In Dallas, we felt as though we were missing some key players. Looking back on that result, we can take the point away and feel okay about ourselves. We were facing a very tough team and even with a man down after Andy Rose took that challenge, it was still a difficult task against that team.
Saying that, we felt as though we should have had three points, but we aren’t too disappointed coming home with one. We played to a shutout and it’s always good to get a shutout on the road. If we keep that up, we will continue to find ourselves on the right side of results on the road in the future.
Now we’re back home, a place that we’ve talked about all week. We have to make it a fortress. Three points is always our objective and nothing changes on that front. We need to come out and play very attacking, pressing soccer. Now that we’re back to full strength, I think it’ll be a great game.
Both teams are returning players from international duty, injuries… it should make for a very exciting game.
Houston is a team with a new coach, so that adds a different dynamic. In watching videotape, they seem very organized and willing to press even away from home. I expect them to come out and even at CenturyLink, they’re going to press and they’re going to try to score goals.
I think they have a solid record and some very good results so far. They’re a dangerous team — fast, physical —very experienced, and they also have a coach who has had experience overseas. He’s coached in some big leagues, and now he’s bringing that philosophy over to MLS and I think you’ve seen a rejuvenated side this year in Houston.
As always at home, we try to stake our claim. Tomorrow, we need to be up for the challenge. Everyone does. We settle for nothing less than a shutout and three points. That’ll always remain our objective and we want to be on the right side of the result.
Go Sounders!
