Year 4: Still a few stars short of Galaxy

Seattle Sounders FC’s fourth season was a success by every measure except the ones that matter most.

Measured against the rest of Major League Soccer, the Sounders did fine. Their 15-8-11 regular-season record was seventh-best among 19 clubs, and they were among the final four in the playoffs.

Measured against their Northwest rivals, they also did fine. Portland took the Cascadia Cup, but that went down to the final game despite the Timbers playing four home games and two away, while the Sounders played two at home and four away. Cup competition is fun, but the truer indication of Northwest supremacy comes from Seattle finishing above Vancouver and Portland in the standings and going further in the playoffs.

The Sounders also shine when measured against other recent expansion teams — with one disconcerting exception. Sounders FC finished ahead of all of the teams that have come into the league after it: Philadelphia, Portland, Vancouver and Montreal. The Sounders ousted 2004 arrival Real Salt Lake from the playoffs. And while the Sounders made the postseason for the fourth time in their four seasons, 2007 expansionist Toronto FC is still waiting for its first appearance.

However, the San Jose Earthquakes, who are one year older than the Sounders, went rushing past them in the MLS standings all the way to the best regular-season record.

The most meaningful measure is that the Sounders still can’t find a way past the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The Galaxy has become the gold standard of MLS. And now, while the Sounders are heading into their offseason, the Galaxy is heading into its third MLS Cup in four seasons. With a win, the Galaxy will go into 2013 as two-time defending champion and with a fourth star above its crest.

David Beckham has announced that the MLS Cup on Dec. 1 will be his last match in a Galaxy uniform, while Landon Donovan has been sending undecipherable signals.

But even if there is a hit to the Galaxy’s current collection of stars, there is no indication the club would toast its successful run and resign itself to mediocrity.

So, if the Galaxy isn’t going to slide back, then the Sounders need to ignite past the Galaxy.

In a quick postseason chat Sunday, general manager Adrian Hanauer indicated that with no Champions League to worry about next season, the club might be freed to upgrade the top 14 players on the roster while de-emphasizing lower-roster depth.

That subtle tweak would make sense. But the decisive difference between the Galaxy and Sounders isn’t the middle of their rosters; it’s the top.

The Galaxy has flourished with a system of stars and supporting cast, while Seattle has tried more of an ensemble approach.

Looking ahead, the club might decide that Steve Zakuani at full health and Mario Martinez over a full season are all that’s needed to take that final step .

But if a status quo roster brings status quo results, then Year 5 could mark a shift in Seattle’s reputation from expansion prodigy to an established club that is always good without ever quite daring to be great.