Seattle Sounders: 5 Questions for the 2017 Season
By Paul Taylor
2) Will Jordan Morris take his game to the next level?
Morris entered the 2016 season with huge expectations on his shoulders. Apart from being one of the most highly regarded US football prospects in years, he had signed the richest homegrown player contract in MLS history.
In that respect, you could tell the pressure initially got to the 21-year, who went scoreless in his first five games. In fairness this wasn’t all his fault, with the sudden departure of Obafemi Martins on the eve of the season, along with Sigi Schmid employing a new formation. (Anyone else almost forgotten about those two guys already?)
However, once Morris broke his duck in a 2-1 win against the Philadelphia Union, he was off to the races, scoring in four consecutive games. By the end of the season, he had a team-leading 12 goals, plus two more in the playoffs.
The thing is though, expectations demand so much more from the Seattle native. At least in that respect, he is better-placed to succeed in 2017.
Apart from now having more experience, Morris is playing in a more settled Sounders’ team and has learned to link up effectively with the likes of Lodeiro. Combined with his ability to play in several positions, he looks primed to take his game to another level this coming season.