Philadelphia Union Vs Seattle Sounders: Three Questions Preview With Sounder At Heart

The Philadelphia Union are hoping to resolve some problems that they faced when the New England Revolution were able to not only double their goals on the season, but also hold the visiting team to a whole bunch of nothing offensively.

This weekend, the Seattle Sounders come to Chester, PA. The Sounders are also having some struggles and will look to right the ship versus the Union.

To preview tomorrow's game, we talked with Dave Clark of Sounder at Heart, SB Nation's Seattle Sounders site. Dave has posted both sets of answers over there, so feel free to check out my responses to his questions on SaH.

BG: Seattle has struggled to produce on the field this season despite a talent laden squad. Five points from six games is not what fans or the team would have wanted to start 2013. What's gone wrong to have put the Sounders at the cellar of Major League Soccer?

SaH: It's all about finishing. Seattle is about league average in creating chances. They defend as well as any club in the league. They are a strong passing team. The Sounders just don't finish.

Part of that is due to absences and injuries. Unfortunately that will continue throughout the year. When Eddie Johnson and Obafemi Martins are on the field together they should be a strong forward pairing. It has not happened enough, and likely won't this weekend. Instead the "other" forwards will need to come through. If Seattle gets goals the win. They just aren't getting goals to this point in the young season.

BG: Steve Zakuani recently went in for blood tests. What's his status for Saturday?

SaH: His blood test will not block him from playing. His groin might. The key is to realize that Seattle is playing with one wide mid as a pure attacker and the other as a more box to box guy. So whether he starts or not the style of play will be similar.

BG: How will the Sounders handle Jack McInerney? The New England Revolution thwarted his goal scoring efforts by throttling a weak Union midfield. Can Seattle replicate that strategy successfully?

SaH: If Jack Mc's success is dependent on service he won't have success against the Sounders. The Seattle midfield will likely feature all three of Osvaldo Alonso, Shalrie Joseph and Brad Evans. The worst of the bunch is a fringe US National Team player. Alonso replaced Joseph as the consistent D-Mid in the Best XI.

Seattle has done a decent job of owning the midfield. They are structured for it, They also have some pretty good centerbacks and a great keeper. When forwards beat them they have to be creative or step out of the zone of what they normally do.

BG: Scoreline prediction and possible starting 11?

SaH: 2-1 Seattle.

Gspurning; Gonzalez, Traore, Hurtado, Yedlin; Alonso; Zakuani, Joseph, Evans; Neagle, Johnson