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Josh Atencio, American Hero - Ep. 50
95 Plays1 year ago
It’s a US Open Cup dub pod as the Seattle Sounders topped Sacramento Republic FC 2-1 to advance to the semifinals. What would a run to the USOC final mean for Seattle after years of not living up to their dominant early years in this tournament?
Later on, we discuss Seattle’s reported links to a Croatian winger, have a nice laugh at the Cupset that befell Atlanta United and discuss the most important question of all: Who would Ari be rooting for in a theoretical Open Cup match between the Sounders and his beloved New Mexico United?
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsorship
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers is sponsored by Full Pole Wines, a Seattle-based seller. Not only are they a local company, but they've been supporting independent Seattle soccer media since 2011 and are run by Sounders fans. They offer the best boutique wines in the world to members of their mailing list with special focus on their home, the Pacific Northwest. Their model is simple. One, they email compelling offers. Two, you request bottles that sound appealing. Three, your wine arrives at their Soto warehouse and is ready for pickup or shipping. Their Soto tasting room is also open to the public.
00:00:29
Speaker
If you're interested in joining their mailing list or learning more about them, visit fullpolewinds.com. What's
Seattle Sounders' US Open Cup Journey
00:00:36
Speaker
going on, everybody? Welcome to episode 50 of Loving Scorchers. This is Ari Lillianwall. I got producer Noah here with me. For a late night dub pod, Noah, we've got another dub pod. This time, a US Open Cup dub pod. How are you feeling?
00:00:53
Speaker
We are night owls tonight, Ari, because we couldn't sleep without laying down this incredible dub pod today. Yeah, that's right. We're coming at you at 11 PM on a Tuesday to lay down this dub pod. Don't say we don't work hard. That's how dedicated we are to the dub pod. The Seattle Sounders are through to the semifinals of the US Open Cup after a 2-1 victory over Sacramento Republic FC on Tuesday.
00:01:20
Speaker
Josh Atencio scored a goal. Jordan Morris scored another goal. And then it was an exercise in holding on in the second half to advance to the next round, where they're going to take on either LAFC or my boys, my hometown club, New Mexico United.
00:01:37
Speaker
Probably LAFC if we're just talking about the most Likely outcome and we'll get into that later But man, I mean it would probably if the Sounders actually played in New Mexico United that would be Probably the greatest day of my life. Yeah, I'm actually you know I never thought it would actually get this close to happening and now that it's almost it could actually Maybe happen. It's kind of it feels surreal for me
Community Engagement and Listener Growth
00:02:04
Speaker
But before we get into the show tonight, as always, just some quick housekeeping at the top of the show. First of all, thank you to all our paid subscribers. We love and appreciate each and every one of you, especially those of you who have migrated with us in our new partnership with Sounder at Heart. Your support is very much appreciated. And if you're listening to this now and you haven't yet,
00:02:31
Speaker
subscribe to the Lobbing Scorchers YouTube. We're kind of actually cooking. We're up to 240 subs, I think, last time I checked, which we were churning towards that benchmark of 250 that we set a couple shows back. So thank you to everyone who's helping us get there. And we're also closing in on 10K views on our videos I was looking at. So appreciate the support as we try and grow our presence on there.
00:02:58
Speaker
Brian
Strategy and Lineup Discussion
00:02:59
Speaker
Schmetzer said after the game tonight, Noah, he said an article in sounder at heart about not taking the open cup seriously is what convinced him to use such a starter heavy lineup. So I thought that was a good segue to the sentiment that
00:03:16
Speaker
If you want to support this Open Cup run, you should subscribe to Sounder at Heart. You should. Lobbing Scorchers is now a part of the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network. If you want to get the best independent Seattle soccer coverage, consider supporting us by going to sounderatheart.com slash LS. That's sounderatheart.com slash LS. Scroll down to subscribe and support to get 30 days completely free. Every sign up through our link helps support and grow this show. And it helps us get Open Cup dubs.
00:03:44
Speaker
Exactly, exactly. Don't you want an open cup to subscribe to sounder at heart? That was a good segue there. I liked that. Thank you, Brian But let's get into this. Let's get into this dub pod. No, let's do it Seattle was playing at Sacramento Republic FC usl championship side and These games are always I feel like they're always tougher
00:04:07
Speaker
than the MLS team fans think that they're going to be. I mean, you do see some lopsided score lines sometimes, but these games are often quite competitive, and this game was no exception. But let's first talk about a lineup reaction, because I think there's actually a lot to chew on here.
00:04:24
Speaker
When we were previewing this game I was talking about how I would rotate it based on the fact that you just played on Saturday And you probably want to mix and match a little bit get some fresh legs in there But also you know make sure that it's a strong lineup that gives you a really good chance of getting a result But I thought there would be at least some degree of rotation remember I was talking about starting Ruby Diaz I was talking about size and
00:04:48
Speaker
but this this lineup was pretty much as first choice as it gets you had John Bell in there instead of Jackson Reagan who played great yeah yeah he was good he didn't put a foot wrong to my memory but other than that I mean you had you had new who out there
00:05:04
Speaker
You had Yymar out there, you had JP out there. You did have Atencio drawing the start instead of Obed Vargas. But you had first choice starter, famously Paul Rothrock out there.
Match Recap: Seattle vs Sacramento
00:05:18
Speaker
And then Rusnak and Morris were both out there starting. So this was very much a like, we're going for it. We are taking this seriously. We are trying to get this dub lineup. Also another notable thing about it is Leochu didn't travel.
00:05:33
Speaker
Did not travel. He didn't travel. Not only was he not in the lineup, he wasn't even with the team. Even De La Vega traveled. Yeah. We'll keep tabs on what's going on there. The fact that he didn't travel does not seem to suggest anything particularly positive regarding his future with the club. But we don't know for certain yet, so we'll have to find that out. But it was interesting that he didn't travel. And it was just...
00:05:57
Speaker
The reason that I was thinking that there would be more rotation than this was just because you're so close to the last game that you played. And a lot of these guys put in a shift on Saturday. So that's sort of how I was thinking of it. But clearly, the coaching staff felt like they had to put out the full strength 11 to get this result. And that's exactly what they did. And so yeah, Noah, what did you think when you saw the lineup?
00:06:27
Speaker
I was happily surprised. I loved a Paul Rothrock start. I loved an attention start more than anything though. I feel like we really haven't gotten to see him get his coming out party in a sense like his I'm here.
00:06:42
Speaker
uh he's you know he's been playing behind obed which i respect that obed's been a baller but that was so nice to see him play so well tonight i also loved seeing john bell out there uh i think we you know we kind of touched on it last episode that jackson reagan hasn't been having the best season of his career so seeing john bell out there and seeing him play pretty good stand-up defense uh that was nice to see and
00:07:08
Speaker
right back rolled on, who ended up shifting to defensive mid rolled on. Loved to see that. I was quite surprised with how seriously this lineup was taken, though. Yeah, I like John Bell, too, and I agree with you that it was good to see Atencio out there. You know, he's gotten passed up by Obed this year, but it's not really through anything that Josh Atencio did. I think it's just that Obed's been playing that well. And also, we mentioned it on the last show, but Josh Atencio is going to be an Olympic alternate.
00:07:35
Speaker
So he's off to Paris, I believe, right after this game. So congrats to him. And I hope, I mean, I guess, I want to say I hope that he gets to play because he's only going to get to play if someone gets injured. But if he does get to play, that would be a cool experience for him. And also, I think just to get to go and train with that team and do all that, that'll be good for him as he tries to take the next step in his career here.
00:08:01
Speaker
Let's recap the game itself. The Sounders started out on the front foot, I think, although there was a very near Andy T. Blunder shortly after kickoff where, so he came off his line and left his penalty area to try and get to a ball to clear it, and then he whiffed about as bad as you can whiff. It was bad. And the guy took the ball, and I thought that
00:08:28
Speaker
OK, when I saw that happen, I thought that that was going to be a goal. And you know, that exact type of thing, man, like when you're playing a lower division team like this, that type of like kind of freak moment where you can concede off that that can be what flips these results sometimes. So for that to happen that early in the game and I'm watching that guy take that ball off and after he whiffs the kick, I'm like, oh, this is exactly what you can't have.
00:08:53
Speaker
like this is how you give them life. This is how they get the belief that they can get a result. Um, but luckily Andy T salvaged and he got back there and he got, he got the ball. So that was all that was important, but, uh, that was, uh, not the finest Andy T moment.
00:09:12
Speaker
But Seattle settled into the game after that and they got rewarded with the opener in the 15th minute. Another just filthy ball from Albert Risnek. He springs RBW with that ball. He's just hitting those just dead accurate right now. Like he's just in such good form as a facilitator. Just another great pass.
00:09:33
Speaker
RBW puts in a nice cross that got cleared but right to a tensio and a bunch of space at the top of the area he did the correct thing and he just let the shot rip and When you do that sometimes you get a deflection like that and this time it went into the net and
00:09:47
Speaker
So, good to see Josh Atencio get on the score sheet. That's his first goal of the season. He got an MLS goal last season, his first MLS goal. But he hasn't really been playing all that much this year. He's mostly been spot duty, substitute appearances. So, good to see him get a start. Good to see him get a goal. It's crazy. He has a hundred matches for the Sounders under his belt now.
00:10:10
Speaker
MLS appearances or all the comps? I think just across the board, just per foot mob. So this says senior career. So I would assume across all comps. It's funny how him and Obed are essentially like veterans at this point, even though they're 18, 19 years old. They've been at it for a while now.
00:10:26
Speaker
Seattle kept applying the pressure. They get their second goal just after the half hour mark. Good pass by New Who to find RBW and then RBW this time gets the assist with the RBW to Jordan Morris connection on that play. That was intriguing.
00:10:42
Speaker
He put him through with a nice ball and the Sacramento defender really had no chance at keeping up with Jordan Morris. And then the Sacramento goalkeeper came off his line for summary. I don't know if he just got too excited or what. He wanted to meet his idol, Jordan Morris.
00:10:58
Speaker
I understand when Jordan Morris is running at you full speed, you're admittedly in a tough position, but the course of action that the goalkeeper took there was not the correct course of action. And it didn't work out for him. Jordan rounded him pretty easily. And then, I mean, it's a finish onto an open, into an open net after that. That's probably the easiest goal that Jordan has scored all season, maybe in his career.
00:11:25
Speaker
But nonetheless, I just it was a really nice Sequence good team ball knew who to RBW to Jordan and then that's 2-0 It was early off in the game Noah that I did not really think That it was done and dusted at that point, but I did feel like okay You can see the quality differential between these two teams
00:11:47
Speaker
uh Sacramento really needed to avoid this exact outcome you know falling down 2-0 in the first half hour really all you need to do is um get this game to halftime at 2-0 and then ideally you know get a third in the second half but really just
00:12:06
Speaker
see out the game and mainly maintain control of the proceedings, control the tempo, knock the ball around if you need to, take the sting out of the game and just get it over the line. And getting a third goal
00:12:22
Speaker
in there is important too and we kind of saw why in the second half because it did not turn out to be cruise control at all. Sac Pub, they fought back and they pulled one back pretty close after the halftime break was over, 49th minute.
00:12:39
Speaker
Nuhu, unfortunately, seemed like he lost his guy at the far post. The dude had just a... He had a pretty free header off the corner kick. Pretty easy goal. Nothing really Andy T. could have done about that one. But a lot of the rest of the second half after that goal, it was definitely holding on for dear life. Sac Pub was applying waves of pressure. They had a couple good chances. They almost had the equalizer later in the second half.
00:13:07
Speaker
they sent a ball into the box and a guy was going up for it with Andy T and Andy T couldn't catch it and it popped free and they scored it but the guy who was going up for the ball turned out to be just offside like on the replay he was offside but not really by that much and not to where it really affected the play like all that much other than that he was able to get to get to the spot where the ball was going faster but
00:13:34
Speaker
Another shaky Andy T moment, you know, we'll talk, we'll talk about that. We're not going to do a full on agenda check. We're trying to keep this show pretty short one. It's late at night, but, uh, Andy T had a couple of tough moments in this game. There's no doubt about it. Um, Seattle did have a couple of good chances of their own at the third goal, both off headers. Uh, first one I believe was Yemar off a corner kick from wrist snack that got saved for snacks corners right now.
00:13:59
Speaker
Nasty. Lights out. And then RBW had a cross where Rudy Diaz is a little snake bit right now. I mean, that was a good header. That was really good. That was a good header that a lot of the times he hits that and places it right there. That's going to be a goal. But it was a great save, too, to be fair. Yeah, that's what I was going to say. The goalkeeper, he made a world-class save, honestly, on that one. He kind of atoned for his mental miscue on the Jordan Morris goal from
Key Player Performances and Highlights
00:14:25
Speaker
earlier.
00:14:25
Speaker
So it would have been nice to see Ruby Diaz get that one, but it didn't end up mattering. A couple of brief takeaways from this game, and then we'll get to your questions. I had RBW as the man in the match. I thought he was cooking. He was involved on the sequences on both goals. And he really doesn't get the assist on the intensio goal, but it's his ball that creates the danger. He does get the assist on the Jordan Morris goal.
00:14:53
Speaker
And then he really he could have easily had an assist on the on the Ruby Diaz header So I thought I thought this was probably would you agree with this? I was probably RBW is like best all around game Yeah, he's been playing so much better since coming back from injury and I think just him fitting into this squad so flawlessly has also been so nice to see but this was this was the best game I've seen of him by far and
00:15:20
Speaker
positionally this is like this seems like this is it for him yeah agreed um um just on the topic of the andy t agenda check you know i'm not i'm definitely not going to declare his uh his agenda chalk based off a couple bad moments or one bad or one kind of shakier game but
00:15:40
Speaker
I just what I would say is this is sort of why I was never fully bought into the whole idea that you should just have him replace Stephen Fry after Stephen Fry allows a couple goals that probably should have been saved.
00:15:56
Speaker
Stephen Fry, I don't know. I've been watching him play soccer for so long. There's just kind of a sense of calm and trust that comes with him in goal. And even when he does make a mistake, I've watched him play for so long, I know he's not going to let it affect him. Andy T, maybe he earns that comfort level eventually, but
00:16:20
Speaker
In this game, I was just like, I feel uneasy about this. And I think the whole the whole that like he should replace Fry agenda is is diminished after this
Player Reflections and Experience
00:16:34
Speaker
game.
00:16:34
Speaker
Yeah, no, I agree with you. It's you know, I'll give it to him. Like he's not starting regularly. He is playing for the defiance, I believe a little bit here and there. But yeah, I mean, after Fry put up that just insane performance last week. Yeah, that too. Yeah, it's like it was like night and day as the purveyor of the Stephen Fry is washed agenda. I have to say Andy T may not be quite there yet.
00:16:59
Speaker
And to be, you know, I want to be fair to Andy T like when he was playing earlier this year when Stephen Fry was out, like he was playing really well. And that's why that agenda came to fruition in the first place. So I get that. But I thought this was just kind of a reminder of why the pecking order is what it is.
00:17:18
Speaker
Before we get to questions too, I guess I wanted to just hit on what this tournament run and what making a final would mean to Seattle because they're one game from playing in a final now and they're probably going to have to get by LAFC to do it.
00:17:34
Speaker
it's definitely it's the best open cup run that they've had in years and I think it's nice to see in a way just because um this tournament was very synonymous with Seattle's early years in MLS it's kind of how they put themselves on the map and I thought they they created a blueprint with that that
Sounders' Historical Success in the Open Cup
00:17:54
Speaker
Other expansion teams that have come in the league since haven't really followed. Like I feel like Seattle's early MLS days, you know, they probably figured contending for cups and shields right away might be more difficult. But if we put a lot of energy in effort into the open cup, like that's a way to generate excitement and potentially win trophies and kind of build the hype around the club. And they really did that.
00:18:22
Speaker
to great effect and they ended up winning the tournament four times between 2009 and 2014. My first year on the Sounders beat was the 2014 year where they won it and they have four trophies in the trophy case from that and also just like a lot of great
00:18:41
Speaker
fun memorable matches at Starfire like some of my favorite games that I've ever been to have been these open cut matches at Starfire. So I don't know I feel like this year it's kind of it's a chance to kind of harken back to that and like kind of go for this trophy in honor of this club's early MLS roots if that makes sense.
00:19:03
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, for me, I am a sicko. I love the open cup more than I love any. I would be happy if we won an open cup and made the playoffs and then, you know, literally went nowhere. Like genuinely, I would be happy because I am a sicko. I love this tournament so much. But more than that, 10 years since we last won one of these 10 years since we've been in
00:19:28
Speaker
uh this position to be in a final and potentially looking at never having MLS teams in this competition again like that was kind of maybe proposed yeah so why not go up go out on top we would be the only MLS club to have ever won five we would be the second club to have five we would be right at the top if there's one thing i know about sounders fans they like to be
00:19:56
Speaker
at the top they like to say oh we have this and you don't so we should win this it's a great momentum shifter you know there's only two more games we have to play right we either play la or new mexico if we win that game we go to a final and we win and then it's like okay league's cup who gives a shit right
00:20:13
Speaker
But then that that that could roll into leaks cup. Maybe we win leaks cup sick. Maybe we make the playoffs. Maybe we win, you know, MLS cup and this season is already starting to turn around and I don't know Ari. I need this open cup. I need this like I need air to breathe. It would I'm I'm definitely like if they made the final that would be sick. So sick.
Challenges Against USL Teams
00:20:33
Speaker
The other thing I want to do a talk about real quick was
00:20:36
Speaker
Like I already know that there's going to be a lot of takes flying around out there about how embarrassing it is that this game was this close in this competitive, you know, and I just never agreed with that mindset. You know, I find it to be you're not acknowledging and respecting the agency of your opponent when you say stuff like that, but also
00:21:01
Speaker
like these usl sides they're uh i mean they're pro players uh so they're they're pretty good but they're also they're hungry for these yeah like they are coming at you as hard as any opponent that you'll play like
00:21:18
Speaker
Exactly like the chance to knock off an MLS squad you really think they're gonna like just roll over and Let you win because you're an MLS squad then it's not how it works like they're gonna give you everything they have for the chance at pulling off and
00:21:33
Speaker
these cup sets and that's why these games tend to go like this so like you can look at it and say that Seattle had pretty much its first choice MLS lineup out there and they should have rolled over this team but I'm just telling you like that's not how it goes and it's not like I don't think it's embarrassing on the part of the MLS clubs who play in these competitive games
00:21:53
Speaker
to To not blow them out every single time I mean that the other thing like that environment they had at sack sack pub that looks rowdy I've never been there, but it looks really like well their stadium is huge It's like it must have had like 20,000 capacity
00:22:11
Speaker
I think they said it was like 11,000 or something. Oh, okay. So not as big as, as I was thinking, but I mean, it was packed. It looked rowdy. Did not look like a helicopter. Did you see that? They brought the ball in. Yeah. The game ball got brought in by a police helicopter and a dude ascended on a rope and dropped the ball at center field.
00:22:30
Speaker
that's sick honestly that's crazy anyway i just wanted to point that out because like you know i already knew i already know people are going to be cooking on those takes about how this should have been a blowout but like when you're playing a tuesday game after you played on saturday first of all but against a uh a usl squad that would want nothing more than to beat your ass
00:22:52
Speaker
like that's not always going to be an easy game and you have to be professional about it and you have to take care of business. So I give Seattle credit for doing both of those things more than I think anything of the fact that this was a competitive game. I think this was always probably going to be a competitive game and
00:23:10
Speaker
Seattle, honestly, they did what they needed to do, which is get those couple of early goals and give themselves a little bit of margin for error, a little bit of breathing room to be able to see the game out, take care of business, make it to the next round. That's all that matters at this point. It's not like, and you're just, you're never entitled to a blowout win over anybody, but not, not these USL sides.
00:23:31
Speaker
Yeah. And I think too, like, what is, what is the bigger takeaway for me? I don't think that this team a month ago gets this result. What do you think? Thank you for listening to the sound root heart podcast network, which now includes no sunny at this lobbing scorchers and the cooler guild.
00:23:59
Speaker
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00:24:18
Speaker
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00:24:48
Speaker
I think that's a fair shout honestly What I was thinking about was like if they had fielded the rotated lineup like I was saying They probably don't get this result. I mean they they had to grind it out with their first choice guys You know admittedly on a short rest, but
00:25:05
Speaker
Yeah, I definitely think the fact that they're in really good form in the league right now is probably one of the factors that allowed them to play like they did to start the game and then also ultimately see out
Impact of Playing Conditions
00:25:19
Speaker
the result.
00:25:19
Speaker
Which is not a bad thing and again like you're playing away you're playing on a field that you have Literally and probably never played on in your entire career a field that looked chewed up and burnt and hard You're playing with a game ball that you don't normally play with you're playing with this really in my opinion I've played with these balls before those Nike balls their dog shit They get all these grooves and then we play on that hard surface like you could tell in the first 10 minutes It's like you're feeling it out. You're feeling out the stadium energy. It's hot
00:25:48
Speaker
Right. You just played two days ago. This is a good result. This is a good result. And this this team that they were facing is is not a team that you should be like just brush off. Yeah. I mean, I know SAC pub they're struggling in the league right now, but that's kind of I was reading the quote sheet that they sent me and their coach was talking about like how even though they lost this game, like he's hoping that they can take some sort of galvanizing effect from it just because of how hard they fought, how competitive the game was.
00:26:18
Speaker
Let's
Future of Leo Chu in Sounders
00:26:19
Speaker
jump into questions. Noah, thank you all for submitting. This was on short notice. You know, I sent out the tweet right postgame. We're recording this on Tuesday night, so appreciate the fact that so many of you submitted. You know, we can't always get to all every single one, but appreciate you getting the discourse flowing. And yeah, Noah, let's dive in. What do we got?
00:26:39
Speaker
Jumping into the questions here, we've got this first one here from Nat Lang. Will Leo Chu play another minute for the Seattle Sounders? If he's not traveled for Open Cup games and there's rumors swirling about a winger signing, it seems like he is toast. Yeah, he might be toast. We'll obviously keep tabs on that.
00:26:59
Speaker
You know, Schmetz did have quotes after the game where Leo Chu got subbed out about how, you know, it was because he wasn't playing up to the standard that he set last year and he knows that he's a good player and that he's seen that he's a good player and he just wants to draw that out of him, which, you know, you could read into that and think that he's kind of talking about, like, he's trying to motivate him ostensibly to play again for this team.
00:27:24
Speaker
But I don't know don't the vibes just feel like he's been he's been pissed off every time he gets subbed out of the game It just seems like there's been a lot of headbutting going on. He's not necessarily happy with Whatever it is his role how things are going when he's on the field He hasn't been in great form when he's been on the field this year. Anyway, he also got injured earlier this year, but Yeah, like
00:27:52
Speaker
Honestly, if I had to bet on it right now, like I think the air I would say I think the air is probably over That's just what it feels like. Yeah, be wrong Yeah, and you know, I don't have a problem with a player being frustrated I don't have a problem with a player being frustrated in their own form I don't have a player being frustrated with the coach but that's just not gonna fly with Brian Spencer Like I'm said that that's just the truth
00:28:13
Speaker
That's not gonna fly at this club. That's not gonna fly with most coaches. And it's definitely not gonna fly when you're in kind of the dogshit form that you're in. He has no room or leg to stand on with the roster and the depth that they have right now. When Paul Rothrock is competing for minutes with you, please, in beating you. Sir, please, excuse me. I don't care that you're at U22 Initiative signing. You need to figure it out.
00:28:43
Speaker
or you know what get on you know get get going that's fine i i honestly have been a fan of leochu since they signed him but i just don't know i just think i think the era is done mutually and i think that's probably a good thing agreed
00:28:58
Speaker
Coming up here from US Open Cup fan, Jeff, do we know if this next game will be at Lumen or Starfire and who would we rather face? First question, I mean, I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure Starfire, like these Open Cup games, they hold them at Starfire for a reason, which is that they can pack them at Starfire. Like they only, they get
00:29:20
Speaker
You know four to five K to buy tickets to show out starfire. That's like a that's a packed house That's a sellout like a crowd like that even if you drew a bigger crowd for this game at lumen like I don't know how much bigger it would be so that's why they have them at starfire and Like I don't know there's there's a whatever you think of that like I think that it adds
00:29:44
Speaker
Character and like content to it. Yeah, that's why I think the Starfire open cup games are awesome. Like I love it So I mean I have not heard anything different other than that. They would be playing this at Starfire. Who would we rather face? I mean You would rather face New Mexico United which as probably the biggest New Mexico United fan
00:30:05
Speaker
the
Potential Match-up: Seattle vs New Mexico
00:30:06
Speaker
state of Washington and one of the probably top ten biggest New Mexico United fans in the United States like I don't take joy in saying that but Like it's the choice between a usl squad and Arguably the best team in the league right now with power rank a time of it one like there's something uniquely terrifying about Bwanga there really yeah I don't want to like when that guy gets out and running like
00:30:35
Speaker
You want no part of that. I still have seared in my memory the goal that he scored against us in the playoffs last year I just like I literally was at that game I turned to my girlfriend and I say god he's so good like I couldn't even be mad I couldn't even be upset it was just so good. Yeah, I am
00:30:54
Speaker
hoping that we get to face New Mexico United, not because I think that they'll be easier per se, I just think that I need to see Ari have the best day of his life. That would just make me happy. Yeah, exactly. We'll talk about it in a bit, but it's a potentially very significant moment in my life.
00:31:14
Speaker
OKB asks, Baker Whiting's skill set is more suited to a winger than a fullback, especially in our system. Ari, how do you see Baker Whiting's positioning? Yeah, I think that's a good take. I think I like him. I almost like him more on the wing than I do at fullback, too. I know he's got a pretty good two-way skill set, and I think they probably figure the most obvious path for him to get first-team minutes is at fullback, as opposed to the wing, where you have all these guys already.
00:31:44
Speaker
but I just I really like what he brings to the table in an attacking sense and Like you saw a member of the play He had tonight where he got out and running and it was just him one-on-one with that guy and he was mossing him and the guy turned He ended up going to ground and making like a last ditch block. Yeah, like that also that could have been another like there was a
00:32:08
Speaker
four times in this game where RBW very feasibly could have had an assist and he did get one. And really like I give him like an assistant spirit for the intensive goal. Cause he made the combination play with wrist snack and sent in the ball that ended up being the goal.
00:32:27
Speaker
so just a really good game from him and I think that his upside as a winger is that's real like I don't we'll see if he makes it to Europe which supposedly the scouts the pundits they think that RBW is headed there eventually that's not that's not my assessment
00:32:46
Speaker
That's just what the scouts and the pundits say. So I'll be curious to see what position that's at, but I hope it's like in a more advanced position and he has a future as like a, as an attacking player and not necessarily like a wide defender.
00:33:02
Speaker
Yeah, I loved seeing him in this position. I mean, he's been playing more up. But yeah, regardless, I know the coaching staff understands that he's defensive minded just as a player. So he's going to get back regardless. So I think playing him up the field
00:33:18
Speaker
is a great thing because he's young. He's going to get back and he's still going to go and make that run anyway. So you just get a little bit more defensive, um, insurance, I guess, in a way with playing him up forward and then still getting someone who can play off of him well. And then maybe, you know, someone like new who, who maybe, maybe you don't necessarily want.
00:33:37
Speaker
Going all the way up into the box Although he did make some good passes tonight and some really terrible ones as well. But uh, yeah, I don't know he's He looks so good, man. I'm I understand what the pundits and the scouts were saying. Yeah, I understand what they were saying and
00:33:54
Speaker
This one comes from Nerf Herder. Christian Roldan is the best defensive mid on the team and it's not even close. His talent is wasted on the wing. He could even be the best defensive mid in the whole league. Ari. That's honestly what I used to think about Christian Roldan. And when they moved him to right mid, I didn't really like it because I thought it was moving him out of his best position. And I actually, I have a different take on this. I think the right back thing is actually kind of genius.
00:34:23
Speaker
Yeah, like I think first of all is the best way to like fit him on the field when De La Vega is healthy is actually Perfect for his skill set because what he has that you can use that defensive mid those defensive mid characteristics and those right mid characteristics and Get him on the field in a first choice 11
00:34:42
Speaker
Yeah, I love him in the right back position. I think that he is, he's the perfect like, I mean, okay, listen, like he is not the best defensive player I've ever seen in my life by any means, but also neither is new who, but what he gives you is those, those passes, that progression forward, the way that
00:35:03
Speaker
He's just naturally good at fitting into any position you put him in I swear you could put him yeah at head coach And he would win you games like he is so dynamic and able to play off of his teammates so well I think that he is invaluable he needs to be on the field and I agree with you like if Right back is the only place that he can fit shit put him in a goalkeeper for all I care keep him on the field That oh, I guess we actually I have one more for you re
00:35:31
Speaker
Sounders or New Mexico United if it came down to it Yeah, that's a good question. A lot of people are have been asking me to me I mean some people might not like this guys, but like I
00:35:45
Speaker
I have to go with New Mexico there. It's weird to think that I would be actively rooting against Seattle in a game, but this is such a potentially unique occurrence. For anyone who doesn't know, I'm not from here. I'm from New Mexico originally. I came to Seattle as an outsider.
00:36:06
Speaker
got welcomed into this whole scene by you, the fans, which I've always really appreciated. But you understand, Noah, as someone who grew up here, there's nothing like that hometown loyalty. You can't escape that. It's part of you. And that's why the connection I feel to New Mexico United, it's honestly different than any sports fandom that I've ever had, because I feel like such a deep connection to my hometown.
00:36:36
Speaker
And also, I worship the team because when I grew up there, we didn't have any big pro sports. We have a AAA baseball team, which is where New Mexico United plays at that stadium. But it's AAA baseball. They're fun games, but no one really cares all that much about it. But when they brought New Mexico United to the state, it just took off in a way that I never
00:37:04
Speaker
knew was possible in my home state and I mean if you haven't seen like they they have they lead the USO in attendance every year the games are crazy the fan base is crazy and the team is performing really well this year we're actually in first place in the USO Western Conference and look like one of the best teams in the league so yeah it would be tough and
00:37:29
Speaker
At the end of the day, I think it would be a situation where no matter what the result was, I wouldn't feel too busted up about it. If the Sounders lost that game to New Mexico United, I wouldn't be bamming on the Sounders.
00:37:47
Speaker
Yeah, but I would be I would be thrilled I will honestly be thrilled which I don't know it's weird It's a weird situation to be in as a fan like I never considered that it might actually I mean I considered that it could happen in this type of scenario But it's kind of crazy that it actually lined up to be a possibility like this I kind of like I can't believe it
00:38:04
Speaker
Let's get an indie 11 and new Mexico United open cup final. How sick would that be? I like, honestly, like I pretty much unconditionally, unless Seattle's involved route for the U S L clubs over the MLS claims every time. So, um, that would be like if a U S L club actually won the open cup, that would be a great day.
00:38:28
Speaker
It'd be so good. It'd be so sick. Well, it's like it's possible because you have two of the worst, the two worst teams at the well, I guess they're not the two worst because San Jose, but sporting and FC Dallas are going to go have a mid off tomorrow to see who's going to face in the 11.
00:38:45
Speaker
And that's a good side of the bracket. Like there's a high likelihood that indie 11 and the final pub made the final. Like that's happened. Yeah. They made the final a couple of years ago and lost to Orlando, but it's not like impossible. I'm here for it. I'm here for it. Well, thank you all for your questions. We appreciate you for lobbing them and loving them expeditiously quickly. Yeah. Much appreciated to everyone who got the discourse flowing as always. Um,
00:39:14
Speaker
All right, we just had a couple more news items at the end of the show here that we wanted to hit and then we'll get out of here for episode 50 transfer rumor Noah Transfer rumor the sounders have been linked to a player and Tommy scoops didn't even report it Tommy scoops didn't report it who reported it
00:39:30
Speaker
It was
Transfer Rumors and New Signings
00:39:31
Speaker
someone, someone on Twitter, someone on Twitter has reported that the Sounders are pursuing a Croatian winger by the name of Dario Speakich. I don't know if that's how you say his name, but that's that's what I'm going with. We're not Croatian. He is a winger with Dinamo Zagreb.
00:39:52
Speaker
I am just flying off the cuff here. I know absolutely like nothing about this guy as a player other than what I saw on Wikipedia, which is it looks like he
00:40:03
Speaker
plays in Croatia and has scored a decent amount of goals in his career. He's 25. But I think more the takeaway is the fact that we have this rumor at all and that Seattle is actively in the market for players, which I wasn't even sure about.
00:40:27
Speaker
Yeah, he's a I will give a little bit more context here. He is a two way winger. He plays on both sides of the field. So he's kind of a good piece that you can kind of fit in wherever you need. He's a year removed from a seven goal and four assists season. So he's productive.
00:40:45
Speaker
And yeah, he was often used as a substitute. So it's pretty, I don't know who, you know, if it's for value, we really can't make a huge signing. We just don't have the transfer budget or roster spots for it. So if you could get this guy on like a tam or a gam and like
00:41:05
Speaker
Why not? See if he's any good. Yeah, I'm with it. Um, wanted to talk about this, uh, other open cup results because it was hilarious. Uh, the reason that indie 11 is in the Sammy finals is because they, they bamed on Atlanta United, Atlanta United is out, get them out of here. This is
USL Team Upset and Upcoming Fixtures
00:41:24
Speaker
kind of what I was talking about. Like I love it when the U S L teams actually pull off the upsets. It's incredible. And
00:41:31
Speaker
it's also for me personally it's kind of extra sweet because I have a lot of Atlanta United Schadenfreude it's not because I really have anything against them or their fans or the city of Atlanta per se I just have always felt like when they when they came into the league initially in like 2017 2018 and they had these really great teams with Joseph and Miguel Almeron and they
00:41:56
Speaker
They really I mean they were bawling out they won MLS Cup in their second year in the league They put up crazy points totals. I feel like they got a little like too big for their britches. Yeah They're fan base like most certainly They kind of took on a reputation of Kind of the reputation that Seattle fostered early in their MLS existence, you know the Seattle invented thing so which
00:42:25
Speaker
Don't really harbor anything negative towards that. I just have always thought that it was funny when they When they lose and then I've also I've enjoyed their downfall into Not only are they a mid-mos club right now, but they are like a pretty actively bad Club right now Which if you look at the money that they've spent like on guys like Tiago, Omada and you can even go back to Ezekiel Barco They splash
00:42:52
Speaker
so much money on these transfer fees and it seldom really works out almata was a hit but. He was a hit in the sense that he was individually productive and scored some really sick goals but he wasn't really a hit in like making their team. Successful or creating a winning team and they also did ganzo panetta little dirty so.
00:43:15
Speaker
I thought it rocked that they got bammed on by the U.S.L. squad and are out of it. And also the own goal that Dax McCarthy scored on themselves. That was a really funny own goal. So I'm sorry to Dax. I like Dax. He's honestly like an MLS legend. He is. He's been playing since before I was born actually. He's pretty much. But that was a tough highlight. That was so funny because he just looked at it and was like, okay, whatever.
00:43:42
Speaker
Like it was so that that was so funny to me. Also, Caleb Wiley's final game with the club being an open cup loss in the 11. Yeah, he's off to. Well, he's off on loan, but he's off to Chelsea and they're going to loan him out somewhere. One of those classic. Yeah. Yeah. A big club and then loan you. Exactly. They did the Gaga.
00:44:01
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. So, I mean, pretty funny. I love it. I love it, man. Sorry, Atlanta. Sorry that we ruined soccer for you. It was hilarious. And honestly, I'm just glad that Seattle didn't suffer the same fate at the hands of Sac Pub because then we wouldn't be able to laugh at Atlanta because it's the same thing happened in Seattle. But now that Seattle beat their U.S.L. squad, we can enjoy the shot in Freud.
00:44:27
Speaker
Let's talk about Austin FC a little bit because that's the game coming up for Seattle this weekend in match day 26 Austin FC mid-team not that good. No They've been up a little bit though. They've been on the up a little bit this season compared to where they were last season I think Josh Wolf was already trying to dunk on the pundits at one point and
00:44:48
Speaker
But I mean if you look at where they're at their ninth place right now, and they're only one point off Seattle's pace But I mean Seattle has honestly been pretty mid most of the season so that could should kind of That should kind of give you an idea of the form that Austin's been in But they also I mean they're they have a net they have a minus six goal differential. They've taken a couple really lopsided defeats and really their team to me it seems like
00:45:14
Speaker
they have Sebastian Giorucci who has been he's one of the most talented players in the league but I was just looking at his stats and he's not having that big of a year he has seven goal contributions which this is a guy that as recently as like two years ago was talked about as a like
00:45:31
Speaker
Surefire MVP candidate and I mean to be fair like he was that good. He was producing like that I think he's been slowed by injuries a little bit this year and just in general when you build your entire team around one guy and you have nothing to support him that's just not really a recipe to be contender or be anything more than mid and
00:45:53
Speaker
You know Nashville did it to pretty decent results with any MOOC tar, but like look at where they're at now They just fired their coach and they took one They had one of the worst I forgot to note this on the show last week, but they had one of the worst haves I think I've ever seen an MLS team play they got scored on four times in like 13 minutes by the timbers or that's How do you do that to you?
00:46:18
Speaker
I mean the Timmy's like when they get in there like counter-attacking. Yeah, they scored a lot of goals this year But like still though like that. Yeah, they got they got four hung on them. So foreign 14 is Anyway, that was a Nashville tangent. But the point is like This Austin team is pretty much for UC or bust They do have they do have Jossie's artists
00:46:42
Speaker
I was going to say, yeah, build your team around him, you know, okay. So you say that jokingly, but he actually had a brace in their last game, which they won. And, uh, he moved into 10th on the all time MLS goals list. So, uh, maybe Jossie is getting hot, but it was funny because I saw that he scored that.
00:46:59
Speaker
And I was like, Oh, Jossie is still there. He's still on that team. They signed him like a couple of years ago and it's not like he's been banging in like a ton of goals. But anyway, we'll see how they wind it up. But the point is Austin FC is in ninth place with a negative six gold differential.
00:47:20
Speaker
The one thing I will say about this game, though, is Q2 Stadium is not an easy place to play. It's one of the more hostile road environments in MLS, I would say. Their crowd goes crazy. It's a really nice stadium. And there's six, two, and three there this year, which is, I mean, they have more home wins this year than Seattle does.
00:47:44
Speaker
So it's not like beating them and their place is impossible, it's just harder than it would be if you were hosting them. But I think a result is definitely attainable in this game for Seattle given the form that Seattle's been in these last few weeks, which has been very, very good.
00:48:04
Speaker
Really, all you have to do to take points in this game is shut down Drusi as best you can. He might get you for a goal. He's a very good player. But a point is possible in this game, and maybe even three points in this game. If you remember, Seattle once went to the stadium against this team with a bunch of 16-year-old academy kids and Raul Rui Diaz, and that was the game where Rui Diaz scored the insane banger from
00:48:32
Speaker
Like midfield which I think that was his best like when I look back on the Ruby Diaz time That was like the apex of it. Yeah, especially because of the context of it with There was the youngest starting 11 in MLS history. They had five teenagers in the starting 11 including Obed who was 15 and
00:48:53
Speaker
Yeah, that's insane so I remember that that was I was honestly a legendary game that was That was honestly one of my favorite sounders games ever it really was that's the purpose hilarious Yeah, it's the perfect encapsulation of Raoul to where he's like no no no I'm gonna lead our children into battle And then he scored it was off that goal to yeah that goal that was yeah, so
00:49:18
Speaker
Hopefully they can pull some similar theatrics. But going into this game, they're not going to have five teenagers starting this time. So in theory, they should have a better chance at getting three points than that game, which they did.
00:49:36
Speaker
Um, unless you had anything else, Noah, I think the action about do it for, uh, episode 50. It's late at night. I'm getting tired. My brain's going. Let's get out of here. Let's do it. Um, thank you all so much for tuning in. 50 episodes. You know, I didn't acknowledge it at the top of the show, but that's a milestone show for us.
00:49:55
Speaker
You know, I say it every week, but we just really appreciate all the support, all the listenership that we get. Our numbers are still going up and we just, you know, motivates us to put these out when we know that you all tune in every week. So we love and appreciate all of you.
00:50:13
Speaker
Like, comment, subscribe, rate, five stars. Share with teenagers. Wait, no, wait, we'll leave, but not like that. Sub to the YouTube, sub to the TikTok, Instagram, whatever, all that. Thanks for tuning in. Until next time. Peace.