The Seattle Sounders' preseason roster got just a little bit lighter as they got ready to take off for Florida and Mexico. Although the Sounders didn't officially release an updated roster, Joshua Mayers of the Seattle Times has managed to piece one together:

Goalkeepers (5): Chris Blais*, Josh Ford, Michael Gspurning, Bryan Meredith, Andrew Weber*

Defenders (10): Marc Burch, Andrew Duran#, Leo Gonzalez, Harlinton Gutierres*, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Adam Johansson, Jeff Parke, Zach Scott, Michael Tetteh

Midfielders (13): Osvaldo Alonso, Servando Carrasco, Alex Caskey*, Cordell Cato, Brad Evans, Alvaro Fernandez, Lamar Neagle, Mauro Rosales, Andy Rose^, Amadou Sanyang, Michael Seamon, Christian Sivebaek, Steve Zakuani

Forwards (7): David Estrada, Mike Fucito, Roger Levesque, Fredy Montero, Sammy Ochoa, Babayele Soldade#, O'Brian White

* -- trialist/invitee, # -- unsigned draft pick, ^ -- acquired on draft day trade, underline -- recovering from injury with uncertain timeline

Still not a whole lot of surprises at this point.

Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders FC took the pitch in anger for the first time. While it may only be preseason anger, the number of cards (10 yellow, 1 red) and the puncture wound on Mike Fucito indicate that emotions were high and form was off. While the game ended with both the Vancouver Whitecaps and Sounders netting just one goal apiece, the point of these matches is not to win, but to prepare to win meaningful games.

A year ago, the Seattle Sounders opened their season on March 15. This year, they will essentially do so eight days earlier. On paper that might not seem like a huge difference.

But unlike last year when they opened against a LA Galaxy team that was in the same stage of its season, the Sounders' first opponent will be Santos Laguna, a Mexican Primera side that will have already played nine matches.

Even after bidding farewell to five players, the Seattle Sounders' list 39 players as participating in training camp as the team begins activities in Casa Grande, Ariz. The five players who didn't make the trip were Sounders academy product Darwin Jones, University of Washington product Abdul Aman, goalkeeper Tyrel Lacy, invitee Jonathan Prieto and an unnamed trialist.

Headlines with question marks are always funny, but in this case due to the nature of automated translation and the global nature of football there is little certainty. Indications are that forward Prince Tagoe is no longer with his club. We're talking about a Ghana national team player played in Germany and Serbia during the last season, was heavily connected to the Seattle Sounders at the summer window in 2011, eventually moved to Bursaspor in Turkey.

Adam Johansson was officially introduced to the Seattle media on Friday. Joining him on the call was Seattle Sounders Technical Director Chris Henderson. Depending on how you chose to interpret Henderson's comments and some recent developments, the Sounders are either very close to a finished product or merely just starting to round into shape.

Every single agent should say that their player, particularly one of Alvaro Fernandez' quality, is interested in playing for Palermo, a team in a better league for more money. That Fernandez' agent did so is not a surprise. Palermo is a mid-table team in Serie A this season already on its third coach.

Seattle Sounders players vote to recognize their vision of the MVP and Defender of the Year. This differs slightly from recognition given by Sounder at Heart in that here there are awards for Offensive, Defensive and Young Players of a given season. Still there is a certain overlap.

Osvaldo Alonso's performance in 2011 earned him recognition from both his teammates and readers here.

The young Swedish midfielder is on his way to Swedish club Malmo FF after a one year stay with the Seattle Sounders. Per league policy terms were not disclosed, but the word "transfer" reveals an interesting nugget. Adrian Hanauer did exercise that option and then orchestrated a move. This not only opens cap space, a roster slot and an international slot, but may involve more allocation.

The last few weeks have been pretty brutal for Seattle Sounders fans. Finally, it appears as if some good news is on the way. Multiple sources have confirmed that Mauro Rosales' extension has essentially been finalized and that it could be announced very soon. The contract is expected to pay Rosales somewhere in the neighborhood of Alvaro Fernandez and Fredy Montero, but it is unclear whether or not he will count as a Designated Player.

Ask 10 Seattle Sounders fans who they would like to see protected in the upcoming MLS Expansion Draft and you're probably going to get 10 slightly different answers. Just about everyone can agree that Mauro Rosales, Fredy Montero and Osvaldo Alonso should be protected, but beyond those three there seems to be at least some level of decent.

If there is one thing learned in 2011 it is that the Seattle Sounders staff knows how to find and utilize midfielders. From a defensive midfielder who grew into more, to MVP quality play from a minimum salary player who bought into the phrase "trust us" the team is stacked with talent in central third.

Fredy Montero and Alvaro Fernandez were a big part of the Seattle offense in 2011. (Getty Images)

I had every intention of doing this revisit sooner but things happen as you know. Today, we'll finally wrap up this positional rankings revisit with a look at the forwards.

To recap, here the midfield, defense and keepers.

Dave: Bumped to front page for general awesomeness. Though I've disagreed with the author on this subject our conclusions are the same.

On several recent occasions in SounderAtHeart comment threads I have found myself buried in discussions over the relative passing abilities of Brad Evans and Erik Friberg.

Mike Magee, David Beckham and Robbie Keane were the difference makers for the Los Angeles Galaxy as their quick counters and excellent set-piece work was able to pick apart the piece-meal defense of Real Salt Lake. RSL fought hard to disrupt the Galaxy, but didn't have enough in the tank late to push through.

By Kirsten Schlewitz / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent
Sorry guys, but I refuse to give up my standing whisky atthe dive bar date in order to wait until Houston Dynamo – Philadelphia Unionand Los Angeles Galaxy – New York Red Bulls are finished and I can give you adecent recommendation for the MLS semi-finals.

Seattle stands to lose an important player in the expansion draft. (Getty Images)

I don't think many folks expected to see this list so soon. With the Seattle Sounders exiting the playoffs last night after there 3-2 (on aggregate) loss to Real Salt Lake, the list had to be made. Boy, Montreal has to make the most of this too as the Sounders stand to lose one quality player.

When a perfect game was needed, the Seattle Sounders merely put forth a great game. Saturday's first leg carried over only one element, the physicality. For the most part it was matched, but in the end Real Salt Lake advanced from the two leg aggregate series. Two goals were not enough, two goals were enough for a win and honor.

Real Salt Lake carried a three goal lead into the second leg against the Seattle Sounders and they would need the whole thing before the end of the night. Seattle attacked from the first whistle and kept pressure on RSL until the final whistle. The home team controlled the game and almost all of the possession but were held back by some early injuries.

Our various writers here had a little discussion about what lineup changes we'd want to see. The thought was to make a lineup card for you that would show a Sounder at Heart preferred lineup and a Real Salt Lake likely lineup due to the injuries to Jamison Olave and Nat Borchers. With Jason Kreis not sharing the status of those two besides the decision being held until tonight their side of the card would be incomplete.

LA and Seattle had two of the top midfields in 2011. (Getty Images)

It has been a couple weeks since I revisited my 2011 positional rankings. I got caught up in the 2011 Expansion Draft lists something I will likely continue on today.

Today, we're looking back at the midfielder rankings.

Álvaro Saborío scored two for Real Salt Lake, and the Seattle Sounders reacted with frustration to their 3-0 loss in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals. RSL dominated from the early minutes, pounding eleven shots at Seattle's geriatric keeper while holding the Flounders to exactly zero shots on target for the duration of the match.

Two of the top three teams in Major League Soccer during the regular season square off in the opening match of the MLS conference semifinals (10pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

The No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake will look to win at Rio Tinto Stadium in game one of the two-game series to put pressure on the No.

With the red cards, penalties and an own goal in the last two matches there isn't much that can be taken from the previous two meetings between these sides. Even the issue with the 2010 contests has been addressed, as the Seattle Sounders substitution patterns have dramatically improved in 2011 over previous season.

The biggest lineup news is that Mauro Rosales will not travel for the match at Real Salt Lake. That basically assures that the Seattle Sounders will have Lamar Neagle on the left and Alvaro Fernandez on the right. That move will of course shift the substitution plan a bit. Something that is already adjusted because of the higher elevation in Sandy, Utah.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

And then there were eight.

With the new, much-discussed wild-card round now a thing of the past, MLS fans are back to the traditional eight-team bracket they've seen in the postseason since the league's inception.

UPDATE III: Alvaro Fernandez will not be called up to the Uruguay national team, after all. On Monday, Fernandez confirmed speculation that the injury he suffered in last week's Western Conference semifinal would make it impossible for him to play in his country's World Cup qualifier against Chile on Nov.

In a year where Major League Soccer had some outstanding coaching jobs, five MLS coaches are listed on the ballot of finalists for MLS Coach of the Year.
Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America handicapps the field for the Major League Soccer Coach of the Year.
When MLS sends out its ballots for the end-of-the-year awards, clearly stated is that selections should be based on performances in league matches, with all external competitions -- Open Cup, Concacaf, friendlies, etc.

Sigi Schmid put out what looks to be his First XI in a game that didn't matter for the Seattle Sounders. As preparation for the MLS Cup Playoffs the match against Chivas USA was solid preparation, except for the possible injury to Mauro Rosales. On goal one Mike Fucito played the target role drawing three defenders before bouncing the ball out to James Riley who popped it up and over to Fredy Montero in a one-on-one.

BY JONATHAN VERA

CARSON, Calif. – Playing a game with nothing on the line, the Seattle Sounders went into their match against Chivas USA on Saturday night looking to stay healthy and looking to keep up their recent outstanding form heading into the MLS playoffs.

It's a very Pacific Northwest kind of day here in Carson with fog billowing therough the stadium and several hundred Sounders fans in the stands outcheering the home crowd.

Seattle has started pretty much a full strength lineup: Kasey Keller-James Riley, Jeff Parke (who has returned from concussion) Jhon kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez-Alvaro Fernandez, Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Mauro Rosales-Mike Fucito, Fredy Montero.

Saturday night's game will be one of those where in a decade there will be twice as many people in the stadium as CenturyLink Field actually fits. Celebrating an American Legend in wearing a Seattle Sounders kit will do that. Much less significant is the contest for the Golden Boot featuring Fredy Montero and Chris Wondolowski, the MVP runs of any of three Sounders (Montero, Osvaldo Alonso, Mauro Rosales) and the least significant trophy Seattle can capture in a year the Heritage Cup.

Now that a result isn't necessary tonight, the lineup is a lot more in question. What we know is that Kasey Keller will start on a day celebrating he and the fans. We also know that Jeff Parke is out and Mauro Rosales will be in the 18. Considering that the Seattle Sounders really like winning in front of home crowds the thought here is that Sigi Schmid will be starting a close to Ideal XI, but that Rosales only gets a second half run.

Big win on Saturday, eh?

Now, for some perspective.

• Seattle played without their top three scorers. Fredy Montero, Alvaro Fernandez and Mauro Rosales have combined for 24 goals and 20 assists this season. Seattle may be the league's deepest team, but that's still a big gap to fill.

Big win on Saturday, eh?

Now, for some perspective.

• Seattle played without their top three scorers. Fredy Montero, Alvaro Fernandez and Mauro Rosales have combined for 24 goals and 20 assists this season. Seattle may be the league's deepest team, but that's still a big gap to fill.

The Seattle Sounders lost 2-0 this weekend to the Philadelphia Union while missing their three most creative offensive players. The Sounders played a game the average MLS team would be proud of. However, without Fredy Montero, Mauro Rosales and Alvaro Fernandez, the Sounders needed to out work the Union to secure the victory.

Sigi Schmid's side lacked its best three technical and creative force in the game Saturday night. Forced to use the natural central midfielders (Brad Evans and Erik Friberg) at the same time and deploying Pat Noonan as a withdrawn man the Seattle Sounders did not threaten the Philadelphia Union goal as they typically do.

For much of the first half of Saturday night's Seattle-Philadelphia match it looked as though the short-handed Sounders would still find a way to knock off the visiting Union at CenturyLink Field. Unfortunately for the reigning U.S. Open Cup champions, they squandered too many quality scoring chances, giving Philadelphia continued life.

Hey there Union fans. I normally do these at Sounder at Heart and offered to throw it up there for your use. You can hover over or click on many of the data points and learn even more. The lineups are the best guess of the SaH crew and Scott. Sorry about the time and station being for Seattle fans, but you should know when/where to watch.

Sigi Schmid is going to have to find offense from different spots with Fredy Montero out due to his last Yellow. Mauro Rosales and Alvaro Fernandez both have injury issues that could see them with spot time, but it would be surprising if either start. Unlike the last injury wave (Herediano here) there are more healthy options in the midfield.