MLS Western Conference: Seattle Sounders’ odd tactics, Minnesota United’s depth & more on each team

Welcome back our two-part weekly MLS column here at Backheeled, where we break down all 29 teams in the league. 

I’ve got the West. Ben Wright’s got the East. The Houston Dynamo and their gorgeous possession play have my heart. Let’s chat about the latest for each Western Conference squad, shall we?

To read up on the East, check out Ben’s rundown.

MLS Eastern Conference: Aleksei Miranchuk impresses for Atlanta United, FC Cincinnati rebound & more on each team

We’re dissecting every MLS team in the Eastern Conference.

BackheeledBen Wright

Austin FC

Result: 1-0 loss vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

It’s never a great time to drop points at home to a conference foe, but Saturday was an especially poor time to falter in front of the crowd at Q2 Stadium. Now with just seven games left in their regular season campaign, Austin FC officially sit below the playoff line.

Josh Wolff’s team was toothless in the attack against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

With attacking midfielder Sebastian Driussi starting up top for the third consecutive game while actual strikers Gyasi Zardes and Diego Rubio started on the bench, they struggled to turn final third entries into actual chances. Given how poor Zardes and Rubio have been in 2024, I’m not against the idea of tweaking the personnel in hopes of maximizing the amount of talent on the field from the jump. Still, Driussi was a non-factor at the top of Austin’s 4-3-3 possession structure.

It wasn’t just Driussi that tripped up against Vancouver. Dani Pereira had a brutal game in the No. 6 role, finding space behind the Caps’ front two and in front of their dual No. 8s, but almost never nailing any of his long switches. Without sharp progression from Pereira, new DP winger Osman Bukari didn’t see nearly enough of the ball. And when he did get on the ball? Well, uh…

Bukari is clearly talented — and this Austin FC squad is stronger now than they were to start the year — but there’s work to be done.

Colorado Rapids

Result: 3-2 win at FC Dallas

You can get a feel for what Chris Armas’ attacking gameplan might be just by glancing at his starting wingers.

Last week, Armas had Cole Bassett and Djordje Mihailovic interchange deeper between the left wing and No. 10 positions while Calvin Harris pushed high on the right wing. Those players helped create an intentionally titled 4-2-3-1 shape, with the goal of pushing Harris high to exploit the space behind Philly left back Kai Wagner.

Armas used Harris on the right wing again this week, but slotted Jonathan Lewis into the starting left winger role. The goal? Blitz FC Dallas on the break. What Harris and Lewis lack in end product, they partially make up for with their lightning speed in the open field. With those two streaking forward in transition to either side of Mihailovic, Colorado hoped to move the ball into the space just behind the wingbacks and just outside the center backs in Dallas’ 3-4-3.

It took about 40 minutes for Armas’ winger picks to lead to a goal against the Union in their last match. This time, it took 10.

It’s no secret that the Rapids’ wingers aren’t all that goal dangerous — none of them have more than five goals this year. That Harris and Lewis are in positions that play to their strengths is a credit to Colorado’s system. 

FC Dallas

Result: 3-2 loss vs. Colorado Rapids

Those of us that spend hours watching MLS every weekend often find ourselves wondering what teams would look like if they had four Designated Players instead of just three. FC Dallas fans might just content themselves with getting one DP back into the lineup these days. 

Petar Musa, Jesus Ferreira, and Alan Velasco were again missing from the starting lineup on Saturday as they recover from injuries. Without meaningful attacking difference-makers (with respect to Logan Farrington, who has been an asset this year) at the top of Peter Luccin’s 3-4-3, there’s only so far elite progressive midfield play can carry you. Asier Illarramendi changes games with his smooth play next to Show in the middle, but the veteran is having to carry too much of the load for Dallas right now.

That should change soon — all three DPs subbed on during the second half and Musa snagged a goal. 

But will the key pieces stay healthy for any sustained period of time? If the rest of 2024 is any indication, the answer to that question is “no”. And even if the DPs are on the field, will the center backs hold their ground in the back? Allowing three goals at home against the Rapids on the back of some brutally poor decisions inside their own box doesn’t point to a ton of positives on the defensive end.

The aesthetics of Dallas’ possession play are high right now, but I have genuine concerns about almost everything else.

Houston Dynamo

Result: 2-0 win at LAFC

Take a bow, Houston, because you just played an incredible game of soccer.

This meeting with LAFC was always going to be something of a revenge game. LAFC dumped Houston out of the playoffs last year. They’ve been the hottest team in the West this year. They’ve been the most balanced. They have absurdly strong top-end talent. For Houston, LAFC serves as a benchmark for their own contender status — the Dynamo will have to beat a team of LAFC’s quality to have a chance at a trophy before the year’s end.