The Sounders have just concluding their training session at Qwest Field. After we got some time with Freddie Ljungberg and Sigi Schmid, and both seem pretty settled on Ljunberg making his MLS playing debut Saturday against Real Salt Lake.

"I've been feeling good, so it shouldn't be a problem," Ljungberg said. "I'll probably play a part of the game at least, so we don't overdo it the first game. I'll be there and I'll play part of the game for sure."

Bringing Ljungberg off the bench also suits coach Sigi Schmid.

For one thing, Schmid sounded uncomfortable about benching anyone who contributed to that 3-0 start over New York last week. And then, there's also the matter of simply easing Ljungberg back in after this hip surgery, recovery and return to fitness.

“I think at this stage for us it makes more sense for him to come off the bench in this game," Schmid said. "We’ll see how the game goes, because the one thing we don’t want to do at this stage is push too early and push too hard and then suffer a setback, things have gone very well. His recovery has been phenomenal from that kind of surgery. He’s been back quicker than anybody expected, even Freddie himself I think and for right now it’s a matter of being smart, knowing that we’re in game two of a 30 game season and we want to make sure that he’s around for the other 28.”