Page 2 – Seattle Football

Wijnaldum admits Jurgen Klopp has made him ‘an all-round player’

Netherlands international Georginio Wijnaldum has said that Jurgen Klopp has made him an all-round player during his time at Liverpool. The Dutchman made the switch to the Reds from Newcastle United in the summer of 2016 and he has since made 177 appearances, contributing 18 goals and 16 assists.

Unlike at the Magpies, Wijnaldum has played in a more central role with the Merseyside giants but he has nonetheless made valuable impact. Speaking in an interview, Wijnaldum said that he has become a more complete player under the guidance of Klopp, he told: “I have become more of an all-round player. I am a more complete player now than I was when I arrived. He is a good coach, a coach who improves his players and he is a great person to work with. He is an important person to me in general.”
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Merson slams Michy Batshuayi after Chelsea’s defeat to United

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has slammed the performance of striker Michy Batshuayi following Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League on Monday night. The Belgium international has been sparingly used from the starting line-up in all competitions this season but he had an excellent chance to prove himself against United with Tammy Abraham out injured.

However, that was clearly not the case and the marksman had a game to forget with a number of missed chances to find the net. As a result, Batshuayi was replaced by Olivier Giroud in the final quarter of the game and surprisingly the Frenchman managed to perform much better than him despite playing no competitive football over the past few months.
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Victor Rodriguez grateful for opportunity with Seattle Sounders

Spanish attacker Victor Rodriguez has acknowledged that it was difficult to move on from Seattle Sounders but he had to take the decision due to his own personal concerns. The 30-year-old had a stop-start career with the Sounders with a number of nagging injuries but he managed to bag the MVP award during the 3-1 triumph over Toronto FC in the MLS Cup final.

Speaking to the club’s official website, the former Sporting Gijon man appreciated his two-year stint with the Sounders and admitted that he won’t forget the goal which contributed towards the MLS Cup final success, he told: “It was something incredible. I remember it with a great deal of affection. That day will be marked on my mind forever and the goal I scored it’s probably until this day the most important of my career.”
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Ibrahimovic Likely to Return to Europe, says Galaxy Coach

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is heavily touted for a return to European football with Napoli and AC Milan showing a lot of interest in the player. The 38-year-old’s contract with LA Galaxy comes to a close in the next few months and he has not shown any interest in renewing this deal. Manager Guillermo, who was unable to get the club to success in the play-offs, says that Ibrahimovic is likely to end his career while playing for a European club. At 38 years of age, the Swede does not have a lot of time left in the game.

He has been able to break numerous records since joining LA Galaxy from Manchester United. His time in the American game has been substantially lower compared to other top European players who had played for Galaxy. However,Ibrahimovic has always been a journeyman and it would have been unfair to expect a longer stay at LA Galaxy. Over the years,Ibrahimovic has played for clubs like Barcelona, PSG, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Ajax, and more. Apart from signing for a top club like Milan and Napoli, there is also an opportunity forIbrahimovic to consider uplifting teams like Bologna, who are also showing interest in the player. A return to Milan will be emotional forIbrahimovic, as he spent two years at the club.
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Frank De Boer Disappointed with Loss to New York City

Atlanta United suffered one of the biggest defeats of the season following a 4-1 loss against New York City. This loss at the Yankee Stadium comes just before the end of the regular season. It is a very disappointing result for Frank de Boer’s men. The manager admitted that the players lost concentration and suffered a big defeat as a result. The lack of workrate between the two halves of the game was extremely obvious. Even though the result does not hurt Atlanta’s chances of participating in the play-offs, it is a huge dent to the confidence levels.

Up until this defeat, Atlanta had lost only two games since August. Those two losses against Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew were quickly overcome with wins over Cincinnati and San Jose Earthquakes. The first half turned out to be out against New York, who are able to get a 3-0 lead after just 34 minutes following a hat-trick from Alexandru Mitri. Gonzalo Martinez came up with a penalty just after half-time but the three-goal lead was restored late in the game through Heber. Atlanta remain in contention with the likes of Philadelphia and DC United for the second spot, while New York City are significantly ahead in front at the top of Eastern Conference table.
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Seattle Welcome Roman Torres and Lodeiro for San Jose Clash

Seattle Sounders have more options for the upcoming game against San Jose with defender Roman Torres back in training for the team. Nicolas Lodeiro is also likely to be available considering that his lower back injury could be solved by the use of painkillers. These options are very important for manager Brian Schmetzer following the two disappointing results since beating New York Red Bulls. Seattle have been unable to score in the last two games – against Dallas and DC United – and they have only picked up only one point from these matches. As a result, the team has slipped down the table.

Seattle have a two-point deficit to Minnesota United in the second spot of the Western conference. Since there are just two games left in the regular campaign, the team are looking for a boost going into the games against San Jose and Minnesota United. After being suspended for 10 games due to substance abuse, Torres has just made his comeback. He has started training with the team and the defender said that it was extremely frustrating to be on the sidelines. However, his participation in the game against San Jose will depend on his fitness levels. Nicolas Lodeiro, meanwhile, picked up an injury while playing against FC Dallas in the middle of September. He was unavailable for the loss against DC United, but Schmetzer spoke with positivity about his potential for a comeback.
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