Sounders Swap Tape for Mindset Talks Before Finale
Seattle's coaches replaced a usual video session with a team psychology discussion ahead of a must-win regular-season finale against LAFC.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Soccer
The Seattle Sounders coaching staff skipped game tape at their first training session after a 5-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps, instead asking players to list two or three things that would help them win. The Sounders do not control their own playoff qualification and must beat LAFC in the regular-season finale.
Why it matters
Coaches felt the team's psychology had taken a hit after the loss, and recent results have turned a stretch of games against beatable opponents into a tailspin. For Seattle fans, the finale will determine whether the club reaches the postseason.
The Sounders lost 5-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps, while LAFC has gone 1-3-4 in its last eight matches and is 2-5-7 since the end of Leagues Cup. Whether the club's suggested training changes will help it reach the playoffs remains unclear, as qualification still depends on results from other clubs.
The players
Seattle Sounders
Seattle's Major League Soccer club, founded in 2007, is the team at the center of this story and has played in MLS since 2009.
LAFC
Los Angeles Football Club is an MLS team that is the Sounders' opponent in the regular-season finale and is currently sixth in the standings.
The details
Coaches replaced the group video session with a discussion of team psychology, and Steven Lenhart, a mentality coach advisor, asked players to list two or three things that would help them win. Those suggestions will be merged with the existing game plan to build a training program covering team drills, individual drills, and film work.
Timeline
Sunday: LAFC lost 3-1 at home to Minnesota United, leaving LAFC sixth in the standings.
Saturday: The Sounders play LAFC in the regular-season finale.
Season Trajectory
This is only the second time in the Sounders' 18-year MLS history that the club has entered its final game without control of its playoff destiny. The finale against LAFC will decide whether a season that once looked secure ends in postseason qualification or disappointment.
Sounders fans should track the finale against LAFC, since a win may still not guarantee a playoff spot if other results go against Seattle. The Sounders could qualify with as little as a point, while a Sounders win could still fail to qualify if the LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids, and Portland Timbers also win.
The takeaway
Playoff math can hinge on other teams' results even after a club controls its own finale, so fans should watch the full standings, not just Seattle's match. The Sounders' coaches are betting that rebuilding team mindset will matter as much as tactics in the final game.
What happens next
The Sounders play LAFC in the regular-season finale on Saturday, which will determine their playoff qualification.
Further reading
For more on the club's season, see Seattle Soccer coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sounder at Heart.
