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Kickoff: Can the Seattle Sounders find redemption vs. San Diego FC?
327 Plays13 days ago
After grinding out a 1-0 win vs. FC Dallas in Matchday 15, the Seattle Sounders return to action against one of the best clubs in the Western Conference with Wednesday's midweek clash against visiting San Diego FC.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Introduction and Show Promotion
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or LobbingScorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:00:22
Speaker
Well, sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. What, the scorcher today? Well, it's gonna be scorcher.
00:00:44
Speaker
Good morning, everybody.
Memorial Day Special and MLS Weekend Review
00:00:46
Speaker
Welcome in to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. I'm Ari. That's Nico. Happy Memorial Day. hope everyone's having a great holiday so far, and it continues to be a great holiday.
00:00:58
Speaker
ah But there's no holiday for us here at Lobbing Scorchers. We've got a big show for you here this morning. We're going to be talking about Seattle's 1-0 win over FC Dallas. We're going to be previewing their midweek match against San Diego FC.
00:01:12
Speaker
And we're going to be jumping around the league for ah reaction on some of the other results that took place in Major League Soccer. Nico, how are you doing on this Memorial Day morning?
00:01:24
Speaker
yeah Happy Memorial Day weekend, Monday for everybody. Having a good good day. Just starting off with ah maybe a little bit too much rain because it was such a nice weekend. But, you know, I got my coffee on one side. We got a win on the other.
00:01:39
Speaker
it was ah as a good weekend for MLF. There was some fun games out there. was a little bit of a late night because like to catch 90 minutes. So I cut out the LA Galaxy game, cut a couple of other games. So it was was good. It was a good weekend.
00:01:53
Speaker
Yeah, excited to talk about this game with you and also this San
In-depth Analysis of Seattle vs. FC Dallas
00:01:57
Speaker
Diego game. a Big game, one of the best teams in the league, a team that handled Seattle pretty easily last time they played. So we're going to get into all that.
00:02:07
Speaker
Before we started off, Derek Richards getting us started with a $2 super chat. All right, Derek. Thanks for calling into the postgame live. That was a great call. ah But let's ah let's start with this FC Dallas game.
00:02:22
Speaker
Nico, a 1-0 win that ah I think it's fair to categorize as an ugly win. So I guess what's your what's your takeaway from this Seattle Sounders winning ugly? Because I think there's two ways you could look at it.
00:02:34
Speaker
You could look at it in a way that... ah they should have been able to handle that FC Dallas team easier with them coming cross country from New York on short rest from an emotional open cup game and them historically struggling in Seattle.
00:02:49
Speaker
ah And you would want to see them jump out to a lead and maybe get more goals than one goal and all that. You could say all that, ah but you could also ah look at it like, ah In MLS, you do have you have to win games like that sometimes. You have to be able to win ugly.
00:03:05
Speaker
And I think you could argue that it's actually the sign of a good team that they were able to win a game like that. How do you see it? Another sign of a good team is that the opposition just plays you in a deep block, puts you in chokehold and hope that you never get up. And that's kind of what a Dallas tried to do. They just made it difficult for ah Seattle as the game came along for them to continue to get good opportunities. I think Seattle starts it off well. And I think that the intensity was there. The opportunities was there.
00:03:36
Speaker
I thought it was an encouraging game for Jesus Ferreira. not the big game that I was hoping for, not the big game that I expected from him, but still i thought it was extremely encouraging. The positions he was getting into, the areas he was getting into, the chances he created.
00:03:52
Speaker
i thought that finally we were able to see a setup where him and Albert can coexist and that's encouraging. But when it comes to what you just mentioned, mean, yes, it was an ugly win. There's no doubt about that.
00:04:06
Speaker
Seattle, Perhaps could have been a little bit sharper when he came to that final pass, that final decision. i thought maybe they could have taken more advantage of said pieces. But at the end of the day, Dallas was going with a plan.
00:04:20
Speaker
We are coming from a huge road trip. We're tired. We've got, you know, another game coming up here midweek. we're just going to play very conservative and we're not going to give Seattle a lot of space. And as the game went along, they continue to drop deeper and deeper and deeper.
00:04:38
Speaker
And when Seattle wasn't able to capitalize on those opportunities they had early, then the game was just at Dallas's pace, which was not fun soccer, but his soccer that ah is effective for a team that clearly sees that they're limited, that clearly sees that there's a better team in front of them.
00:04:56
Speaker
And, uh, If anything, when it comes to the Seattle Sounders, you have to give them credit for not getting desperate, ah not allowing certain moments in the game to go the other way.
00:05:10
Speaker
um You know, very easily in those moments when you're getting very comfortable with the ball and you continue to push your line forward and you continue to put numbers down. forward to try to break down the other team.
00:05:22
Speaker
That's when mishaps happen. That's when a counter can happen, especially with a guy like Anderson Julio, and they were unable to do that. I thought that they did a good job on Farrington, keeping him at bay as well.
00:05:35
Speaker
ah hu A guy like Lucho Acosta and Patermuza could have made a difference. Yeah, sure. But I feel like they would have played differently. They would have opened up a little bit more. So the setup was always going to be this, right?
00:05:47
Speaker
I said going into this game that if Victor Musa was not going to be on this game, they were going to play in this 4-4-2 diamond, where at times it can get very defensive when you play ah in a deep block. And they did that. So all in all, I think that Seattle comes away with a good win.
00:06:10
Speaker
deserved win, an earned win. I want to make that very clear, regardless of whether it was a PK in the 88th minute or not. it is an earned win because Seattle controlled the game. They controlled the tempo.
00:06:22
Speaker
They were able to keep Dallas from having any chances. Or maybe there were two, ah one from Romero that Stefan Frey with his 400 game has a ah great save.
00:06:35
Speaker
And then another one that Abubakar does his best impression of Panama Roman Torres and is up there somewhere. and just puts a shot in that I don't even think he knew where that shot was going. He just hits it hard and he hits the post.
Seattle's Tactical Insights and Challenges
00:06:50
Speaker
But aside from those moments, I think Seattle was in complete control. Probably the biggest downfall or the the biggest concern is just Yamer Gomez-Andrade's injury.
00:07:03
Speaker
That's a tough one. That's a tough break. He had been dealing with some pains and aches, but he's such a competitor. He's such a gladiator. He'd been playing just about every minute of every game. he was second in minutes only ah behind Christian Roldan, and now he gets hurt. Hopefully, it's not a prolonged injury.
00:07:24
Speaker
Yeah, ah I don't fault FC Dallas for ah employing the tactics that they employed. If I was coaching that team, I probably would have done the same thing.
00:07:35
Speaker
um But as the home team, it's here. I think there's value, honestly, in playing a team that's sitting in a low block like that and putting all their numbers behind the ball and, ah you know, figuring out how to break them down.
00:07:49
Speaker
That exact thing is something that a lot of teams do when they come to Lumen Field. That was a one of the most blatant instances of it that I could think of. But a lot of teams do that. And frankly, this team has struggled to break teams down like that ah in recent years.
00:08:06
Speaker
And ah that's a game. I think someone mentioned it to Albert Rusnak after the game, but I think that's a game that last year's team, at least the team at the start of the year, that probably those are the games that ended up as zero zeros and we all came out frustrated.
00:08:20
Speaker
So I'm definitely, ah I'm not going to wave off a 1-0 win when I was one of the people that was complaining about how they couldn't pull out those wins exactly like that last year.
00:08:31
Speaker
ah Let's talk about this one from chat, and chat from Scantron33. I feel like we were bailed out by the penalty. Why am I wrong? ah Yeah, so, I mean, let's talk about just the concept of a bailout. i don't I don't consider this one a...
00:08:46
Speaker
bailout What i what i consider a bailout is a game where you get outperformed. The other team outplays you and deserves to win the game. And then you get a ah ah fluke penalty like that.
00:09:00
Speaker
And it gives you the win, even though you didn't deserve it based on the run of play. I don't think you could argue that FC Dallas deserved to win that game based on the run of play. They I mean, they almost get the ah draw right at the end there off that shot from a booboo car. But I mean, that's just an insane shot. Like if he hits that one, I think you you tip the cap. And then at that point, you can ah be critical of them not getting the second goal that would have rendered that a moot point.
00:09:27
Speaker
But like when he pulls one out, that that would have been a goal of the year candidate if he had hit that. So it's not like that was a super high quality chance that the defense yielded or anything like that. ah But yeah, to me, it just doesn't fit the category of what I what i consider a bailout.
00:09:40
Speaker
I consider a bailout, again, a game where you got outplayed and then won anyway, based on like ah whatever the case may be. In this case, it was a ah fortuitous penalty, admittedly.
00:09:51
Speaker
ah But if we're looking at either the underlying numbers or just the eye test from the run of play, I don't think they got bailed out. Do you see that any different? Absolutely not. I think bailout is a wrong interpretation of what happened.
00:10:07
Speaker
And just by the definition, I would have to disagree. Always opinions are valid and it's your opinion. That's totally all right. But I do not agree with that take. I would say that they earned a PK.
00:10:19
Speaker
I think that they, and there were several chances where they earned that ability to try to make something happen, make something out of nothing because Dallas was giving you nothing.
00:10:30
Speaker
When I mentioned set pieces, i mean, that's one thing that you're trying to do is either get a ball into the right runner or perhaps create a PK. And that's what happens here.
00:10:40
Speaker
ah It's clearly there. The defenders hold in Jay Bell. That could have been a PK by itself, but he doesn't. I mean, he's holding it by one hand and I don't know why he just opens up his arm. It's a valid PK. So to me is an earned PK. And when you earn a PK and you create that possibility, I can definitely not call it a bailout. And then same thing goes for Albert Rusnak. mean,
00:11:03
Speaker
I heard a lot of comments about, oh well, he missed the sitter. Well, look, every player misses the sitters. And and if they aren't missing any sitters, then they're playing at Man U or Man City or the Bundesliga. I don't know.
00:11:16
Speaker
But this is clearly a player that's very good. And sure, he's going to miss some chances. But getting on top of that penalty marker with and the game on the line, essentially, in your home stadium, there's a lot of pressure. It takes a big-time player to put away big-time PKs. If not, ask Ricky Puj and Javier Hernandez and a whole bunch of other players that are dead awful at PKs.
00:11:40
Speaker
ah Albert Rosnack puts it away. I think that's a earned goal as well. It's a good point, and I'm glad you ah brought that up because, ah you know, you always get the PKs don't count crowd.
00:11:53
Speaker
PKs are not ah given in the way that I think they get talked about sometimes. ah Like, yes, it's a situation where the shooter has a huge advantage and should be expected to score, ah but that adds to the pressure of it, you know? Like,
00:12:08
Speaker
I think a PK is one of the most high-pressure moments in any sport. And like when you like when you think about the circumstances of this PK, you have a very frustrating game where you're outplaying the other team, but you haven't scored.
00:12:22
Speaker
ah the ah The ensuing discourse, if they 0-0 that game, that's got to be creeping into your mind a little bit when you're walking up to the spot. ah So that's a high pressure moment where he came through and hit the game winner.
00:12:36
Speaker
ah The celebration. I mean, he was he was letting it all out there. He threw his jersey into the stands. I was a little confused about that at first. But then when he explained it after the game, Nico, when he was saying he was saying it was just ah pent up frustration about how the game went.
00:12:51
Speaker
I was like, that actually that actually makes sense. Yeah, man. i I liked it. I love the fact that he was passionate about it. Look, Albert is a very even kill guy. I mean, he's as cool as the other side of the pillow.
00:13:05
Speaker
He's never going to be too high and too low, whether he has great performances in a row or he's in a bit of a rut. He's always going to be even killed But slowly, and although he'll never admit it because we've asked him multiple times, is this your team? He's playing like this is his team. He's playing at an MVP caliber.
00:13:22
Speaker
And the the passion there is just frustration that through those comments, he missed the sitter. The team had a whole bunch of opportunities. they tried They felt like they had the game in control, but without being able to finalize those chances.
00:13:36
Speaker
And when he puts that away, man, it all goes blasting out. And and I thought it great. I love the passion in Albert. I want to see it more. and And to me, hey, man, I got to applaud it. What I don't applaud is the fact that
Player Highlights and Emotional Moments
00:13:50
Speaker
Alex and the Sounders have to go and and get him another jersey because apparently there's jerseys on the side, guys. We need to wait to figure we'd figured that out. If a player wants to throw a jersey, we need to make sure that there are additional jerseys out the field.
00:14:04
Speaker
Well, so did you catch the ah the full story of what happened? did not. So he threw the jersey into the crowd and you know a fan caught it.
00:14:15
Speaker
And like you said, Alex Roldan goes and retrieves it, gets it back to him. There was an no replacement jersey. So if the fan had been playing hardball and trying to keep it, I don't know. Rusnak might have had to finish that game out with no jersey.
00:14:28
Speaker
ah But after the game, he went back over there, gave the jersey to the same fan who caught it. And it turned out that it was one of those fans who was there through the, like, first-time free ticket initiative that they're doing or whatever.
00:14:42
Speaker
So whoever that was got a great memory out of that. I love that he went back over there and gave it to that same fan. that That's awesome. That's, like, one of those – you give someone like a moment that they're going to remember forever with that. So that was pretty cool.
00:14:56
Speaker
And it was a fun little by-product of that, ah of that whole celly. ah Kenny is coming in chat with these Christian rolled on stats. So let's shout these out a hundred percent dribbles, eight out of nine long pass and cross dispossessed zero times 13 out of 15 duels, one no fouls 13 out of 15 duels, one.
00:15:18
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, he was man of the match for me. Another just like, monstrous game. I think he might've heard like some of the discourse about how his performances early in the season were maybe more uneven than we've come to expect because I mean, man, like he is, ah I know it would never happen ah for a player that plays that position to get in the MVP discussion, but I i really think he's playing at ah as high a level in the league as anyone at that position right now.
00:15:48
Speaker
Yeah, Christian Roldan in the last two games has been phenomenal. And, you know, we've always talked about where he's best fit, you know, throughout his career. i think his versatility is what's made him so important for this team.
00:16:02
Speaker
You know, we've talked about him being out wide and, you know, he led Punk of Champions League in that CCCL ah for the Sounders to win it. He was the assist leader playing on that white side.
00:16:15
Speaker
ah But now, at this particular time, I've always thought he was, this was his position. ah Ever since even he was a young guy, i thought that he was going to be Ozzy's replacement. He was going to be the one that kind of held the torch for him moving forward.
00:16:30
Speaker
and But, you know, because the team has needed him to play so many other places, ah it's been fine. I've always thought that he had the IQ. He has the the motor. ah He understands the game in a certain way that he could play just about anywhere.
00:16:44
Speaker
But to me, this was always his position. This was where he was going to shine. And although... One of the reasons why he liked to play a little bit forward, and he has liked that in the past, is because, you know, but when you play center midfield, you do a lot of the dirty work. You don't get the highlights. You know, it's kind of – it's a very ungranted position where, you know – not There's no thankfulness for that position.
00:17:07
Speaker
But he's really come up and been just incredible, right? I mean, it's not just the amount of space that he covers, and it's not just defensively, but offensively he's done a lot. hit three He did ah well against Dallas. There were times where he was breaking lines with the ball, ah switches immediately, trying to switch the point of attack,
00:17:28
Speaker
I thought he was very good. So I love the stats. I think that he was phenomenal. Second game in a row. And, uh, him and Ovid specifically are creating this great duo where they play off of each other. And if Christian is feeling saucy and wants to get a little bit higher, Ovid is going give him that opportunity. He's going to sacrifice his positioning on the field. They're always staggered and he's going to allow them to cook.
00:17:56
Speaker
And the same thing when Ovid Bargis is still in it, then Christian is going to draw back a little more and let him cook. Although Christian is supposed to be the guy that's deeper on the field, but they just go off each other extremely well.
00:18:08
Speaker
13 out of 15 duels won. I mean, that is an excellent stat. His ball winning is second to none right now, which that has always been one of his strongest attributes. But I just feel like what he's doing right now with ah how like how many extra possessions, like how much extra possession he's essentially stealing and in the areas of the field that he's doing it, it's elevated the the level a lot.
00:18:36
Speaker
Scantron has another detail on the root snack Jersey story heard that he also swapped the Jersey at halftime. So that is why there wasn't a placement ready. That would explain it. Uh, but I think, ah I think the way that it worked out was actually for, for the best with him going back to the fan. I think that that really tied the whole thing together.
00:18:57
Speaker
um Nico, the next topic I wanted to hit with you is, uh, uh, I think what i what I consider to be the biggest concern around this team right now, which is what they're going to do for this, at least in the short term here, at the number nine position.
00:19:14
Speaker
um Danny Mussovsky. Well, I guess first of all, so Moose misses this game with... ah do Do you know what the injury is and do you have any concept on the timeline if like if Moose is going to be able to play midweek or are they going to have to roll without him again?
00:19:28
Speaker
Yeah, have a theory, but they've been very... coy about what's really happening. And Brian called it a muscle injury.
00:19:40
Speaker
i think in the injury report, it was like hip or something like that, that they, I think that that's what they put out there, but he's had some back problems. And that's what me and Jeremiah kind of pressed Brian a little bit about it.
00:19:52
Speaker
He didn't say whether it was a back injury or not, He called it muscular injury. So to me, there is something there. He's been on and off at times where he doesn't have a full week of practice.
00:20:04
Speaker
And this has happened for about a month, month and a half. So is it chronicle? Is it something that he's kind of dealing with? You know, we've heard of players dealing with pains and aches all the time. So I do think that there's something there.
00:20:17
Speaker
We want to get some clarification from Brian, hopefully this week. But it it is something that he's been dealing with. Again, that there's are there are times where he specifically is off to a side, kind of doing separate work. And it has to do with this either lower back or or hip or something around the area that could be something that concerns people.
00:20:38
Speaker
To me, it seems pretty unlikely that he's going to play against San Diego. If he does, great. I mean, that's your that's your starter, obviously. But let's talk about ah what they should do in these in a situation where they don't have him again.
00:20:55
Speaker
In this game... Well, there's no should, really. There's one option. I mean, i don't i don't think i don't think so. I think there's two options. Like, in this game ah against FC Dallas, they started Jesus Ferrer there, which I think that is the ah that that is what I would have done. Like, whatever people want to say about how that hasn't looked super great so far this season.
00:21:16
Speaker
I think in this situation where you're down your top two strikers, ah you got to you gotta give it a run and see if he can be the guy to... to fill that role and to be fair you know he called it what he thought was his best performance at that position so far this season and i agree i agree with that like it looked i think what you said is accurate and he and rusnak look like they're figuring out how to not play the same position a little bit more he looked like he was playing more as an actual nine as opposed to like a dual 10 or whatever
00:21:48
Speaker
And he did almost score twice. He gets the header off the off the Ryan Kent cross. And then there's that that scramble in the box where I just I still don't know how that's not a goal. But those are at least two high quality chances where he looked close to scoring, which I think is at least progress from what we have seen when he's played that game.
00:22:11
Speaker
that position. But then you have, ah you have Osaze come in later and ah he misses it. He has a breakaway saved where he was offside anyway. But Nico, what I wanted to do is ah we had a national pundit, Matthew Doyle, his, ah his like Monday rap column dropped this morning and he had a section on this exact topic.
00:22:31
Speaker
So I was going to share his take and then we can react to it and see if we disagree. ah So I'm going to pull that up right now. And I'm just going to read what Matt wrote about this topic and then we'll give our
Debate on Player Roles and Team Strategies
00:22:45
Speaker
thoughts.
00:22:45
Speaker
ah So he hits on the Yamar injury first, ah but then he says, as for the game itself, another entry to add to the Jesus Ferreira doesn't really work as a number nine for the Sounders tome that we've been collectively authoring.
00:22:59
Speaker
With both Jordan Morris and Danny Mussovsky sidelined with injuries, Ferreira got the nod up top. That marked his only second go as a number nine since March. And while I think his performance was better than those early struggles, this isn't the time for moral victories.
00:23:12
Speaker
This is a time for goals. Ferreira thus far has provided none. So does Osaze De Rosario, who's been a man among boys at the MLS Next Pro level and who's found chances in his brief run for the first team thus far.
00:23:23
Speaker
Get the start on Wednesday against San Diego or maybe even when Seattle hosts Minnesota next week on Sunday Night Soccer. And Matt says, i wouldn't bet against it. Ferrer's a good player, but he's clearly more of a playmaker at this point. Seven assists in 1,100 minutes across all competitions, so it's not like he's not productive.
00:23:39
Speaker
And the Sounders have a lot of data that says they function better as a whole when a true number nine is on the field. To that point, as soon as DeRosario came on in this one with eight minutes left, he pinned both Dallas center backs back with his box movement, which allowed Seattle to pour more numbers forward, which meant their crosses were all a bit more dangerous, which meant Dallas had more trouble dealing with them, which led eventually to the game's only goal when Osaze Uruhide batted away Albert Rusnak's service into the box.
00:24:06
Speaker
Pretty sure this was the first time two Osazes have been on the field together in an MLS game. Rusnak stepped up, potted the PK, and won the game. He's now got seven goals on the year. So I think what he hits on there ah with how, you know, Osase didn't get a goal either, but just in terms of what he brings as a physical presence and how that allows the offense to run a little bit differently than Ferreira at the nine, he at least is presenting the case that Osase might merit a start there in at least one of these next two games.
00:24:39
Speaker
And, uh, I'm not against it, Nico. I'm not. Like, I think there is something to what he's saying in that you got a situation where both players are unproven as far as their ability to score from that position for Seattle.
00:24:55
Speaker
ah But you have ah two guys who bring two different things to the position in terms of their presence there. And he's just more of a traditional target striker.
00:25:05
Speaker
So, I mean, it's tough because, you know, do i Do I trust Osaze to be carrying the goal scoring load in MLS games right now? I mean, until we see until we've seen him do that, I can't really say that.
00:25:19
Speaker
ah But I agree with what Matt was saying as far as how the offense looked after he subbed into the game and what he can bring to the table as ah more traditional number nine than Ferreira.
00:25:30
Speaker
What do you think of that take? I disagree. I thought that the Sounders were more dangerous in the first half than they were in the second. And I thought there were more dangerous with Pereira for a large part of that first half than they were at the end of the game, ah despite ah the ah play that he does kind of bring up.
00:25:47
Speaker
ah That's one. at Number two, Brad Smiths are having... he there's been times where he has Osase and he's rather put Rothrock up top than put Osase. I think Brian doesn't quite trust him just yet to play the position.
00:26:06
Speaker
He'd rather go with Rothrock. I think that Ferreira, if anything, it's time to make a break. And if... We want as an organization and as a club and as a coaching staff to have a guy that could potentially, we could potentially unlock him as the number nine.
00:26:25
Speaker
We've got to give him repetition and numbers with this new informed group and with this team. players that he hasn't had in the past.
00:26:36
Speaker
So build up continuity, allow him to make the mistakes, get it right, figure it out. Again, I thought it was encouraging the positions that he was at. He didn't put it away. I'm not going to deny that.
00:26:48
Speaker
There were moments that he could have been a lot more aggressive on his runs into the box. But to me, it's a work in progress. And I would rather not Not just I would rather, me personally, because I do would rather try for ah one more time specifically against this San Diego squad that's coming up on Wednesday.
00:27:04
Speaker
But the fact that he was brought out in the 66, 67 minute tells me that he will get the start once again on Wednesday. If obviously that line behind him is healthy, right?
00:27:17
Speaker
Pedro's healthy and Rothrock is healthy and everybody's good to go. I think that you'll see for one more time on top. What did you think when ah they made the first subs and they were running the, they, they brought ah Georgie and Rothrock on and it was like, they were running the Rothrock, like nine thing for a few minutes before they brought Osaze on.
00:27:38
Speaker
ah Because for me, I even thought in the moment, I was like, why not just bring Osaze on right now? Like, i They must be seeing something in training with this setup with Rothrock playing there where they feel like it can work in a game. They would not be running it ah if they didn't feel that way.
00:27:57
Speaker
ah but when they ran that and it felt like it felt like the level didn't change or elevate. And i think it's just kind of tough to run that setup without like a, at least some sort of true nine or target nine, or just a guy that has experience playing that position. Like, are you, are you, ah are you with that idea that they've ran the last couple of games at all? Cause I'm, I don't know. I feel like I'm kind of not.
00:28:25
Speaker
I don't like it. I don't like it, but Brent's explained it. He wants a guy that is constantly running behind the back line. he He likes the fact that Rotherk's going to make runs even when he is, maybe he might not see the space. He's going to force the space.
00:28:42
Speaker
And Brent seems to like that. He understands that if anything, Rotherk's going to give you a lot of keeping the the center backs press very deep, making them work. And he seems to like that.
00:28:55
Speaker
um And the other thing that comes to my mind whenever I see that happen is, they're not seeing something out of Osase just yet. Whether it's they don't want to put that much pressure on him, which i don't think is the case.
00:29:08
Speaker
I just feel like there are still things specifically on defense. And we all know that the Sounders, especially Brian Smetzer, he wants that center striker to press in certain moments and to do certain things.
00:29:23
Speaker
And thought Ferreira did that well as well in in in this one. He creates, I think, two opportunities on a repressed moment. And I think maybe they're not seeing that from Osas just yet. And therefore, he'd rather have a guy like Rothrock that's going to close down.
00:29:35
Speaker
And whenever they either press on their 4-4-2 or at times when they press with three, Rothrock can maybe give you a little bit more. And that's why you see those moments. But the reality, and I'm not going to shy away from it, is that there isn't a...
00:29:52
Speaker
real solution. There isn't a sad guy that you could say, here's my guy. It's supposed to be Danny Masovsky. He's heard. We know what happened to Jordan. And it goes back to the fact that if you can unlock Pereira, now you're going to have a guy that you can for sure trust.
00:30:10
Speaker
And that's why you are seeing that constant use of him up there. And I think that's why you will see him again on Wednesday is because you got to figure it out. And if it doesn't work, then at least you gave him three or four games to figure it out. Look, Sanders are fifth and nobody's going to remember ah if, you know, they get another draw on the weekend because they just came from getting an ugly win.
00:30:35
Speaker
But at least we're getting data of what and where and how we can use Ferreri. And to me, that's worth more than anything. Because unless you're really hoping that your starting nine for Club Rock Cup is Osase or Rothrock, then you've got to try to figure out what's going to happen if Musavski can't go.
00:30:55
Speaker
i don't see Jordan coming back anytime soon. and So having another option, looking at that, a guy that has more experience and is very talented, hopefully you can figure that out.
00:31:07
Speaker
i think i'm uh i think i'm pretty much on that same page as well i think on wednesday what they should and will do is run ferreira starting there again and uh kind of gets to the point that kw made here ah love me some matthew doyle but not always going to agree with him i think jesus is a few more reps from showing us he can perform in the nine role caveat is we need pedro and ryan on the wings to help create ah Yeah, no, I like i agree. I think ah like you were saying, Nico, it's worth running it more with the like actual first choice guys, which like ah the games in San Diego and St. Louis, where Ferrer was playing the number nine that have scarred people.
00:31:51
Speaker
he was not He was not playing with that full capacity. And also back then, he was a lot newer to the team and hadn't had the training reps either. So I think we saw enough in the in this FC Dallas game, at least at the start of the game, to where it's definitely worth continuing to to run it in the short term here, out of necessity as much as anything else.
00:32:18
Speaker
Like, that's... ah that's the reality. And the funny thing about the discourse is that the people that right now are heavily criticized in Pereira and wanted to pull the plug are the exact same people that wanted Danny Mussovsky in a USL team or shipped anywhere that's not Seattle.
00:32:39
Speaker
And those same people are now, where's Danny Mussovsky? He's the GOAT. He's got to take, you can't give Jordan Morris his position back, right? I mean, Moose has got to be your guy. So again, when we go to just hyperbolic,
00:32:52
Speaker
takes and we rush into things, that's when things kind of go off a little bit oddly. when you are a coach and you're an organization that's serious, you got to take and give somebody the time to get adapted. So for me, repetitions of real competitive games is what Ferreira needs.
00:33:13
Speaker
And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But you at least give him those minutes where you could honestly say, hey, you had your chance. We figured it out. It didn't work. Now we look for another option.
00:33:26
Speaker
And I think what what you were saying earlier about ah like his pressing and his work rate plays into it as well. I was ah i was pleased with how he was ah how he was providing those other things in in the Dallas game, even if he' still it still wasn't as goal dangerous as I would have liked before.
00:33:46
Speaker
Brian Schmetzer is certainly taking stuff like that into account. And I think you could be right that maybe Osaze isn't there in providing some of those like kind of more well-rounded aspects of the position, which that might not get...
00:34:00
Speaker
talked about as much, but it's something that factors into a decision like this.
Fan Experience and Expectations
00:34:05
Speaker
Uh, Mason asks traveling this week and attending my first Sounders game against San Diego, anything I should 100% check out game related or not.
00:34:14
Speaker
Uh, first of all, uh, that's awesome. First Sounders game. It's going to be, uh, it's going to be a good one. it's against one of the best teams in the league. Uh, as for anything that you should a hundred percent check out, uh,
00:34:28
Speaker
i think the march of the match march to the match is the first thing that comes to mind emerald city supporters uh do a uh what's the word uh like a ceremony type walk uh to the match from pioneer square before every home game and it's a lively scene they got drums they're singing and uh it's really you really feel like you're in the uh heat of seattle soccer when you're at a march to the match and then really ah i mean i think I don't know. I haven't got, I've basically never gone to a game as a fan, but I think what I would do is just go to pioneer square and walk around, see if there's any like cool bars nearby that look like they might be fun.
00:35:09
Speaker
And really, yeah, just kind of ah take in the whole scene of the area on game day ah for this last game with it being a noon kickoff. I took the bus down to, to pioneer square, like,
00:35:23
Speaker
well before the game and was doing that and just kind of walking around and taking it in. And it was great. So that would be my recommendation. Nico, you have anything more like specific than that? ah Yeah, I thought that you hit it right on, but I would say get there early. i mean, it's a 530 kickoff.
00:35:37
Speaker
And if you go to the main concourse on the first floor, ah there's always like cool little things. Sometimes there is, ah you know, like photo opportunities with guys like Brad Evans and Kellen Rowe. Sometimes Roman has been there.
00:35:52
Speaker
There's like little games that you can kind of play. That kind side of the the back entrance, you or that is that the main entrance, the main parking lot in front of the ah stadium where the band sets up and things, a lot of good food there as well.
00:36:09
Speaker
ah So just get there early and enjoy kind of the festivities. Like you said, at Pioneer Square and do the march and then right in front in first floor of the main course, as soon as you walk into the stadium, there's always like cool little things that they have going on there. So I'd say that, and depending on, you know, what you like to eat, there's just about everything that you want. You got, you know, good steaks there at 13 coins. You got some sushi opportunities there, just good tacos. So the food down there is always good.
00:36:38
Speaker
I think Derek actually has the, uh, has the right recommendation here, Mason, go eat a tot stramy at tot's delicatessen right by the March, uh, and go to temple billiards for your pregame bar.
00:36:49
Speaker
Tots is a, ah is it tots or tats? I always call it tots. Tots delicatessen is a great shout. Uh, so I went to Philadelphia for the first time last year and I, uh,
00:37:01
Speaker
Uh, one of the things that I was really intent on doing was getting a Philly cheesesteak. Cause I'd never had like an authentic one. I was like, I gotta to go see what this is all about. And I got one and I was like, Oh wow. Wow. I have never had anything like that. That is awesome.
00:37:14
Speaker
Uh, so I had never been to tots, but when I got back, I was looking up where I could find like a ah West coast version of that. And it turns out it's an authentic East coast deli in pioneer square,
00:37:25
Speaker
ah I haven't had the tot strami, but the Philly cheesecake steak. Have you ever had it, Nico? It's so good. Anybody who likes sandwiches as much as I do knows Tats, and that's a good place. That's a good call.
00:37:39
Speaker
The pastrami is great. It's as close as you get to ah New York pastrami sandwich um in Las Bodegas, you know, type of. ah Situation on there really flavorful Really good And then Temples That's always a good time That's where you probably Will meet the biggest part of your Sounders fan base So both good shouts Absolutely Tots and Temple That's what I would do That's what I would I dig it um Let's hit a couple more from chat and then move on to our next topic, Nico.
00:38:08
Speaker
ah First, another one from KW. So many instances where it's clear Weibel needs to continue to prioritize the striker position in their search for the U22 signing. Nico, have you heard anything as far as a Like if they're going to use this Club World Cup window maybe to get this U22 that they've supposedly been scouting up?
00:38:30
Speaker
Or like what is the status of that either in the timeline of them ah filling that spot or positionally what they're looking for? Yeah, there's no rush.
00:38:41
Speaker
that That's quite honestly the... the conclusion that i've gotten every time that i've talked to those who handle decision making at the sounders organization ah they don't want to rush into a player just because you have the 10-day window doesn't mean you got a pressure by or panic by ah the the striking position is the top of the priority list don't don't get it twisted that is absolutely top of the priority but they're looking at options at midfield uh I think that there're you know there's a couple of names that I'm not going to share, but there's a couple of very interesting strikers that fit what this team needs of what you just said.
00:39:22
Speaker
ah Physical, fast, with with that ability to hold play a lot of the target type of striker that you're kind of looking for.
00:39:33
Speaker
ah But I think that what they're seeing in Osase, at least in terms of overall potential at one point, has made him think that maybe they'll go for ah More of a Raul Radias type, where he is lot more mobile and he can do a lot of other things, mid-range shot. So the two guys that I'm looking at right now, one is more of a strike more of a target striker.
00:39:56
Speaker
The other one is more of a, i don't want to call it second striker. That's a bad reference. But it's more of an agile type of striker. On a scale of one to day on Jovolec, how do you rate this target striker without naming the name?
00:40:13
Speaker
That's tough. That is tough. Is the guy that you could see making an impact like that early is it more developmental? Yes, but both are. Both are guys that are going to come in and perform.
00:40:25
Speaker
Both guys have enough matches and minutes that they're already in progress. I mean, there are leagues in... So I don't name the league. There are a lot of leagues where you start at 16, 17 years old.
00:40:39
Speaker
So this guy's at 20 and 19, I believe ah they already have a lot of competitive minutes. So yes, the guys that they're looking for are absolutely proven talents that are going to come in and perform.
00:40:53
Speaker
You hear that chat? That's exciting. It's exciting news. Looking at, ah looking at you 22s. Do you think they're just real quick? Do you think they're going to use this club world cup window at all? I,
00:41:04
Speaker
My question about it is like, I don't know. It seems like I know every team in the who's in the Club World Cup has access to this window or whatever. I just with it this close to that, it starts in ah like two weeks.
00:41:18
Speaker
Like, are you really going to bring a new guy into the team, get him acclimated, get him like ah fit and get the chemistry with everyone else in time to actually make an impact in the Club World Cup?
00:41:31
Speaker
a hard time seeing that. That's a fantastic comment because, you know, I continue to see this ridiculous like takes and videos about how this team needs to get a striker for the Club World Cup.
00:41:43
Speaker
and they need to go get a 30-year-old Vardy to come to this team or something like that. Vardy's pushing 40. It makes no sense of all these takes that I'm seeing because you don't build your roster to win or do what in Club World Cup. I mean, let's be serious.
00:42:02
Speaker
we We're hoping in every MLS team, and most teams in this tournament are hoping to maybe get a surprise win, compete, get their players to have that moment to play against the best of the best that is going uplift your team level.
00:42:19
Speaker
But nobody's going to plan the year into we're going to go win club or cup because unless the Sounders are going to be able to bring Holland and Lucho Diaz and, you know, three other players, they're going to have no chance. So it's a I want to call it dumb. I'm going to call it naive.
00:42:36
Speaker
It's a naive idea that the whole reason why you want to get a U22 striker is to do something in the Club World Cup. No, that's not the reason. youre bringing You bring U22 so he can help you in the playoffs, in League's Cup, in the future, just as the guy that's going to be the new Jordan Morris, if you will, once he's up and gone.
00:42:59
Speaker
That's why you go. You build for the future. You don't build... For a tournament that you're likely, very likely going to get through the first stage I mean, it's simple as that There's been so much discourse of How, you know, like They didn't strengthen the roster enough to compete Come on, come on We're talking about PSG, folks There's no individual signing
00:43:30
Speaker
That you could make not one. Not one would meaningfully change the outlook, your outlook versus teams like PSG or Atletico Madrid. There's just not, you would have like, like you were saying, like you would have to sign like eight guys.
00:43:46
Speaker
I think, to like actually move the needle in that way. And you would have had to do it like way, way before this to actually have a chance at like getting the team functioning together before the tournament. So that ah that discourse is, it's pretty funny. I think. night I mean, either Miami has Messi, Busquets, Alba, Luis Suarez, all of the stuff that all of these same people would love to have.
00:44:11
Speaker
And they can't even beat Orlando. And what you expect them to go where in the club world cup. I mean, come on guys. It's there's this concept of like, Oh, we, we, we have to just have a winning mentality.
00:44:25
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Nobody wants to lose a game and you want your guys to compete, but you gotta be a realist and understand that you're kind of out of your zone. And even with that mentality, it's a lot better to play with a chip on your shoulder and get a couple of results. Cause I've seen it happen in the old format of club world cup, whether, you know, it was, uh, San Pablo Flamingo or any South American team that played that tournament. And it used to be three games and you were in the final.
00:44:51
Speaker
Now that's not the case. So it was a lot harder to go ahead and go win a group stage and then play after that. So it just, the concept of, we need to just tell the people that we're going to go win this tournament.
00:45:05
Speaker
To me, that sounds like you want to be lied to and, and, I think that's dumb. I really do. You want to have a winning mentality. Of course, you want to compete in every game you play. You also have to live in reality.
00:45:18
Speaker
yeah We live in the in in ah in the real world, and there's just... ah I mean, i don't know. There's that, that discourse has remained funny to me for, it's been going on all season. and Uh, let's hit this one from Jake.
00:45:32
Speaker
If one, one, and one was good enough from our road trip, what do we need from our three game homestand? Two wins, one draw, zero losses. Um, I think, I think a two, Oh, and one would be, uh, I'm not optimal, optimal, obviously would be three, Oh, and Oh, but with the knowledge that you're playing, ah two of like the top three teams in the West right now over these next two games. I would, I would take a two on one. How do you feel about it?
00:45:58
Speaker
Absolutely. A hundred percent. I mean, this San Diego game is going to be probably the toughest one. Although Minnesota, i think that they're a team that understands that way they like to play and they are tough to break down and and they're very good on the counter.
00:46:14
Speaker
But the Soros and Diego, and they do it a lot better, in my opinion. I mean, you just saw them. ah I guess they kind of got given up. that they They got given that equalizer. Garces just kind of it gives them that that equalizer, honestly. But San Diego, in general, is a very good team.
00:46:32
Speaker
And I'll probably take a draw in this one and then hopefully go beat Minnesota, who you've... owned here at home. So, you know, that that two wins, one draw, I think that's minimum of the average. Yeah, absolutely.
00:46:47
Speaker
That's what I would take. i'll ah I'll kick one more from chat to you, Nico, and then let's talk about this San Diego game more. Manny asks, what's the point of signing Osaze to first team when the team is planning on signing another player his age to a team that runs one striker? So now you are running four strikers for one position. what do you think of that?
00:47:06
Speaker
ah Well, one is depth. Two is that you don't really have four. You know, you're hoping that Ferrer becomes that, but Ferrer has kind of talent is that you could play him in a lot of other positions. We're talking about getting him a custom and ready to be your nine and be a true nine, be a true option because I don't like the true nine...
00:47:25
Speaker
take I mean, you know you could be a striker in many ways. You're still a striker, but more of a target guy, more of a guy just running this specific system. So you wanna get him accustomed to that. But the importance of depth as well means that you could move him around, right? I mean, you're hoping that La Vega is healthy all year long and you're hoping that Rusnak's healthy all year long, but you wanna keep those guys.
00:47:49
Speaker
Not to mention, okay, I'm gonna give you guys something. Let's just say, and we've been saying this with Jeremiah for a very long time, Pedro de la Vega is the most asked player when it comes to other teams' interest.
00:48:05
Speaker
He's been since Spain, right, since the preseason. You want to bring in another guy just in case, you know, what if the right offer came for Pedro? What if somebody said, hey, you know what, I'm going give you $10 million for Pedro.
00:48:19
Speaker
How about you get eight, nine, you know, what would be your number? You've got to have a roster that potentially could do that. And that's where maybe you move Ferrero down to the wing and you do other things.
00:48:31
Speaker
So you add another player because one, do you have a lot of tournaments coming up. You are a a team that wants to win every tournament that they're into. that you know The club, we already talked about that. Not necessarily that.
00:48:43
Speaker
But you want to have a deep team, but you also want to be able to be able to withstand a departure if that was to be the case. What would your number be for De La Vega?
00:48:55
Speaker
You go and then I'll give mine.
00:48:59
Speaker
Eight. I was going to say the same thing. If it like kind of anything over what you paid, low key think I would, uh, I would do that as much as I like what I've seen from him at times this season.
00:49:14
Speaker
Uh, I don't know if it's like, I don't know if he's popped to the point where if you had eight to $10 million dollars on the table, if I wouldn't take that, I don't know. yeah the I think he's been really good.
00:49:27
Speaker
And i I thought he was very good against Dallas. He was the one guy that was also additionally to how good Albert was. I thought that he was the other guy that was pushing and that was moving.
00:49:38
Speaker
and That was making things happen. I think that he's starting to really understand the way his teammates play. So he's getting in positions where they aren't typically at. He's great on overlaps.
00:49:49
Speaker
I think that he's done really good, but you know, $8 million dollars and you know, you have other options there and maybe That helps you also figure out how you're going to replace Ovid when he certainly does go, because he will go.
00:50:05
Speaker
and how do you replace that? So there's a lot of moving components here. And that's why I find it hilarious and amusing when people just kind of talk about switching players like this is a FIFA game or tactical manager or whatever it is that people play these days on ah their phones or PlayStation or whatever, because it doesn't work like that. You've got to be thinking always ahead. You've got to be thinking, what if this guy goes?
00:50:32
Speaker
What happens with this i'm amount of money? How much money am I going to really going to be able to use out of this cell? So there's a lot of components of why you would go and get a U22 striker for the future.
00:50:43
Speaker
And although Osase has been He is very interesting and he kind of feels like he is going to become a player. You got to bring in somebody else that's also going to be there with him. So that's why you would bring that other U22 striker.
00:50:59
Speaker
Kenny asks, what's the lowest you'd go for De La Vega? i would say, i would say eight, maybe seven. Yeah, I think eight's the minimum for me, eight and up.
00:51:10
Speaker
And look, man, Darussi was awful, and he went for to rear play for like 10. yeah And he he was dead awful at the end of his time in um Austin.
00:51:22
Speaker
Velasco in Dallas, he got he did some things, but he was not good, and he's been awful in Argentina. Oh, I didn't know that. Absolutely hate him, that very woke up.
00:51:35
Speaker
Those are the things that maybe you could, you know, hey, you know, look at this guy. Look at this highlight reel. Check it out. And look, I want to keep Pedro here. i really I really do hope that things work out for him. But I understand but concerns.
00:51:48
Speaker
And if I have concerns, then maybe I get rid of that if I get enough back. So that's why I bring it up. If Austin FC got $10 million dollars for disgruntled Driussi, who was openly talking about how he didn't want to be on the team anymore, then they should get $20 for De La Vega. He might not be producing like fully like a DP right now, but he you can at least see the ah the the talent and the dynamic ability. Where Driussi, at that point, you hadn't seen that for like two years.
00:52:20
Speaker
Andy was talking about how he hated his own team and didn't want to play there. And they still got $10 million. dollars That's still one of the... um most like That doesn't get talked about enough. It doesn't get talked about enough how they got $10 million dollars for that guy. ah Nico, let's talk about San Diego FC a little bit because ah this game, it ah presents a chance at redemption for the Seattle Sounders.
00:52:41
Speaker
We all saw what happened the first time these two teams played in San Diego at Snapdragon Stadium. That was one of Seattle's worst losses of the season. um That in the LAFC away game, I think, are the two that come to mind that went off the rails so far this year.
00:52:58
Speaker
And ah San Diego, at that point, they were kind of this surprise expansion team that was playing a lot better than people thought they would. But it was an open question at that point as to if they could sustain it. They did take a brief little downturn where it wasn't looking as hot, ah but they've put it back together. And me just by the eye test, this is one of the best teams in the league.
00:53:18
Speaker
They play some of the best attacking footy in the league. ah And Nico Chucky Lozano. I mean, I don't, I don't, so I don't think he played the in that first game. I'm, I believe he was out with injury and now he might've came on. in the second half maybe yeah maybe it was like i was right around then where he was coming back but he had not emerged as uh the full chuki yet uh and uh i mean nico this guy is ah one of the most dynamic players in mls right now i'd watched him play a fair amount for el tree over the years and i was always impressed with him as a player but
00:53:55
Speaker
kind of getting to watch him more week week out. ah He's pretty electric. In this last game against the LA Galaxy, man, I mean, he scored the game winner, but the to play that caught my eye was the one where he, l LA won the ball and was getting back yeah loose on the counter.
00:54:12
Speaker
And Chucky Lozano is just absolutely busting it. i did I didn't know he had wheels like that. he was He looked like like DK Metcalf, like running a go-route, tracking this guy down, and wins the ball off the guy, and ah then gets going the other way and draws the foul and draws a yellow card.
00:54:33
Speaker
ah Like, just a great play. Like, that's what you need from your DPs and your impact players. A play like that, it's not that's not even like ah like technical ability. That's all just like...
00:54:46
Speaker
heart and force of will. He plays the game so hard, plays with his hair on fire, and he is going to be a handful to deal with. like There's no doubt about it.
00:54:57
Speaker
ah But I think that's that's exciting in a way for Seattle to have the chance to match up against a player like this. See if you can stop them. ah But it's not just Chucky. They hit on Anders Dreyer as well.
00:55:08
Speaker
ah They've got a couple other these Danish guys who look really good. And really, ah Mikey Varus just has them playing really good, aesthetically pleasing, productive footy.
00:55:19
Speaker
So it's one of Seattle's tougher matchups of the season. No question about it, which is ah kind of crazy to say because they're an expansion team that's just getting rolling. And I don't think they were predicted to be this good, but they are.
00:55:31
Speaker
what What have you seen from San Diego FC this year ah since they last played Seattle? Yeah, first of all, just for the record, Luke Chucky did play. He actually is the one that puts that the third goal right before the half in the 3-0 beatdown that the Sounders got down there.
00:55:51
Speaker
So, yeah, i can I didn't remember either. i knew that he had been involved, but I didn't know in what way. ah just looking back at just the lineup, I realized that That goal right before the second half, it's on a counter, and he just completely slays right between the center backs and puts it away.
00:56:10
Speaker
So, yes, look, this team just as good when it comes to their concepts as they were um before. Just – better, sharper, right? So everything that they were doing, right, they're pressing, they're counter, ah they're a team that's not afraid to hold the ball as well either. They can possess the ball as well as they can counter you.
00:56:29
Speaker
I think a guy like Godoy has been incredible for this team because he gives them experience, he gives them take, he gives them distribution, he's a guy that's going to get guys going. Dreyer's a guy that on set pieces going to be unreal.
00:56:42
Speaker
If you go back to that game against Seattle, I'm hoping that we learn our lesson when it comes to restarts They're a team that is very clever and they want to take a advantage of moments where it's a quick set piece, where there is a corner or a set piece, they're going to quickly take it. They're going to to get you off balance.
00:57:01
Speaker
That's the way they run their games, right? is They have a lot of speed up top, so they want to be able to just, at times, play you very direct, either win that second ball on the repress or just get you off your your you your moment where your lines are at.
00:57:16
Speaker
And then that's where they got guys going behind the line. So Chucky, clearly the most productive player for this team. And it's not just the goals, it's the assists. is the way he breaks down and stretches out defenses.
00:57:29
Speaker
So a very complete team that has a lot of options and that also plays very good defensively when they have to. So not an easy game for Seattle, especially coming up the midweek game.
00:57:40
Speaker
they weren in San Diego wasn't as good as ah maybe I've seen him in the past in this last LA Galaxy game. Once again, at the LA Galaxy are a team that...
00:57:52
Speaker
They're just dying to give up games. And in this one, it's no different. the They score on a very good Fagunda's goal, I think in the 38th or something. And then in the 40th, they give up the equalizer immediately against San Diego. And then to make things worse worse and compound the problems, in the 93rd minute, there is a a quick ball that Garces could bring down.
00:58:19
Speaker
he could... ah hit to the sidelines you can do anything with it he whiffs it and passes it perfectly to the san diego player creates the counter and then two kilo sano just puts it away and and and if you look back at that specific play le galaxy has five guys back there so it's And still, Lozano is able to head that ball in, in the second post, because everybody runs to the near post and Chico Lozano just puts it away. So LA Galaxy, probably not the best measurement stick there, but at the same time, San Diego is just that.
00:58:57
Speaker
They're gonna force you into mistakes. And if you give them easy goals, they're gonna take advantage of So Seattle has to be very poised, very controlled.
00:59:09
Speaker
I would like to think that they want to control the tempo of this game as well, but the best way to not lose towards the Diego team is don't shoot yourself in the foot. Do not create mistakes because they will take advantage them.
00:59:22
Speaker
Yeah, if if I were to make the case that San Diego might be ah more vulnerable than usual, ah just for the sake of argument.
00:59:32
Speaker
ah Yes, they are coming off a big win over the Galaxy, ah but they were fighting for their lives for a lot of that game. and The Galaxy had them one zero and then, of course, like you said, immediately give up the equalizer, 1-0.
00:59:47
Speaker
Honestly, I just want to break down that last goal even more because that that sequence, I think, was the 2025 L.A. Galaxy in a ah in nutshell. ah Like, let' let's just ah set the stage for the situation that they were in right there on that last play where they gave up the game winner. It's one one. It's the 93rd minute.
01:00:07
Speaker
You're oh, 10 and four. A draw doesn't do that much for you, but if you get a draw there, you just drew LAFC, you can at least hang your hat somewhat on ah grinding out draws against two of the better teams in the West, including two in-state rivals. You need to see that game out, needless to say.
01:00:29
Speaker
Their left mid, whoever in his end. and He's in his own end. All he needs to do is just hold the ball, recycle it, just keep the ball, knock it around.
01:00:41
Speaker
ah And instead, the whole thing starts when he hits a ah switch with his off foot for no reason all the way across to Gabriel Peck.
01:00:53
Speaker
ah The San Diego guy cuts out the pass and ah kind of clears it way up in the air. And it goes down to Amiro Garces, who there's no one around him.
01:01:04
Speaker
There's not like he's literally all alone. All he has to do is either head it the other direction or chest it down, control the ball, knock it back to the goalkeeper or clear it.
01:01:16
Speaker
Like there's so many options of what he had to do in that situation with no pressure on him. Instead, what he does is flail at it and a back pass directly to the San Diego guy. And the thing is drier.
01:01:30
Speaker
Yeah, to Dreyer. ah so And you do have to credit San Diego absolutely for capitalizing on that. And I think, ah like you said, that's... Like, some of the giveaways that Seattle's been ah been committing lately against a team like FC Dallas, you can maybe get away with that in that situation against FC Dallas at home.
01:01:51
Speaker
ah You're not going to be able to get away with that kind of thing against this team. This team will punish you for that. ah But they... I mean, the LA Galaxy, God love them. I mean, that you couldn't have, ah if they were trying to gift San Diego the game winner, like that's what they would have done.
01:02:10
Speaker
So it was a good win for San Diego, definitely not taking away anything from that. And they are one of the best teams in the league. And one of the reasons they're one of the best teams in the league is because when they get opportunities like that, they they capitalize on it and they Punish you ah but it was uh very like Hard-fought competitive game um Against an la galaxy team that's the worst Team in the league right now so And to your point i mean in the 88th minute uh uh Marco Reus has two chances in front of goal in the same play.
01:02:43
Speaker
One is the the back pass to him, which he whiffs completely, and then somehow it ricochets back, and he can still not put it away. He puts it over the top of the post. So um that's the LA Galaxy in a nutshell, right?
01:02:58
Speaker
Missed opportunities. Their DP's not playing at a DP level. Their young guys not playing at their... potential and a team that defensively is a mess. Garcés might be the player that I've seen digress the most from year one to year two because he was a baller last season in this MLS winning team.
01:03:20
Speaker
And then all of a sudden he can't do anything right. and This is not the first mistake of the season. He might have four opportunities. Yeah, that exact thing, not that exact thing, but like stuff like that has happened to him.
01:03:33
Speaker
It happens to him every week. I think he's yeah right now. i I don't think he's this bad of a player. Like i like he very good last year, i think it's like he's got the yips right now.
01:03:44
Speaker
Like i I just can't explain. If you haven't seen that play, you got to go look it up because it is. I mean, for me, it was funny. If I was an l LA Galaxy fan, which I'm not, it wouldn't be funny.
01:03:57
Speaker
But it's like, good Lord, man. Like, can you see out of one one boys? Jesus Christ. ah But going back to San Diego, though, I mean, this is a team, their midfield is very balanced.
01:04:09
Speaker
but We talked about Godot, right? Yeah. Travers Koff, I believe he's Danish. he This dude is so good. He's he's all underrated ah like the key to their team.
01:04:24
Speaker
Fundamentally so sound, so secure, great on the ball, hard to dispossess, doesn't make bad passes. And then you've got De La Torre, who's been a baller as well. i mean, he's the one that gets that that first goal for San Diego.
01:04:41
Speaker
He's movement on the ball. San Diego's always that third pass. You always got a good runner. When they make the triangles, the third pass, there's always a runner. and And that's the way they beat down this LA Galaxy team because the fluidity of this team is unreal.
01:04:57
Speaker
When it comes to either transition moments or just possession play, the way they move the ball is so efficient that you have to know where everybody's at. You've got to be accounting for everybody because the way Dreyer moves side to side, because he plays as their nine, but obviously he is a ball of nine. He'll move around, he'll shift, he'll switch. Sometimes Lozano will be that guy that has that run into the 18. I mean, they do so many things well that you've got to account for where everybody's at at all times.
01:05:28
Speaker
what ah What double pivot would you take? Seattle's Christian Obed or San Diego's De La Torre Sarkov?
01:05:38
Speaker
I'll go with with our guys, although last time they were ran over this exact same midfield, completely destroyed our pivot. ah But I would take our guys just in terms of what Vargas can do, what he's up most potential, and the way and form that Christian Rodan is currently in, which was not that of, i don't know, five weeks ago, four weeks ago when we played them.
01:06:05
Speaker
Exactly. I think if there's if there's hope in this game that the performance will be better, it's that ah the double pivot specifically, i think that San Diego game was the worst that it's ah it's ever looked, and it's looked pretty excellent since then.
01:06:21
Speaker
So they'll need to keep that rolling, but assuming that ah they can maintain their current form of these last few weeks, I think it'll be it'll be a good matchup. I mean, I think this might be the ah two best midfields in the West, right? I guess you got to put a the Whitecaps in there, obviously. they They have the best out of – Oh, yeah.
01:06:43
Speaker
But – They just did it against RSL. That's unreal. Yeah. They were down two goals to zero in the fourth minute. yeah And Vancouver was still able to be composed, be Vancouver.
01:06:56
Speaker
White gets you one. There's a PK. He gets you two. And then Pedro Vita just puts the third goal in a gorgeous shot from outside the 18. That's the Vancouver ball, baby. They're in every single game.
01:07:08
Speaker
Team of Destiny, man. like that That Pedro Vite game winner, like it's like you just almost like knew it was coming. but like That's the level that they're on right now. It's it's crazy. There's just like such a big separation right now, I think, between them and like the the next tier in the West. um They continue to be incredible.
MLS Highlights and Team Performances
01:07:27
Speaker
ah Let's segue that into talking about around the league a little bit more, but before we do that, why don't we hit this one? Another from KW realistic starting 11 for Wednesday. I think it's worth going over that because of ah the YMR injury and the debate over what they're going to do at the number nine. So I guess Nico, let's start with the back line.
01:07:47
Speaker
ah Who do you think the CBs are going to be in this game? with Yaimar out. Do you have any read on if Jackson Reagan will be ready to play any minutes? Or I mean, I imagine it's going to be Kim Ki-Ki-Hee, John Bell.
01:08:00
Speaker
It is going be Kim Ki-Ki-Hee, John Bell. Although Jackson is ready and he he actually felt fit to play this game. You need game rhythm. You need some minutes. So I would expect them to perhaps come in in this game, late in the game, and and get them some competitive minutes.
01:08:18
Speaker
But I would expect it to be J-Bell and Kim Keehee. ah I wouldn't be surprised, actually, if they went back to their three-man back line, perhaps. um don't I don't love it, but I'm guessing that Grant Kent would not play this game or at least not will not start it.
01:08:37
Speaker
So I could see a couple of changes in that in that sense. Yeah, so I think you're looking at Steph Alex Roldan, and New Who with ah John Bell, Kim Kehe, centrally, Christian Obed, double pivot.
01:08:54
Speaker
ah How do you think they're going to line up the front four having just played on Saturday? ah Like I said, I don't know if Ryan Kent is to play this one, so I would think Paul Rockthrock on the left, Albert in the middle, De La Vega on the right, and Ferreira up top.
01:09:11
Speaker
I like it. I like it. I think that's a strong 11. That's definitely an 11 that ah can reasonably be expected to compete for ah a result and a win in this game, even against a San Diego team that is ah flying high right now.
01:09:24
Speaker
ah Nico, let's jump around the around the league a little bit. We just talked about the Vancouver game. ah But I mean, yeah, that was just another fantastic performance from them. ah Like,
01:09:36
Speaker
they Like you said, they went down 2-0 10 minutes or whatever into the game, and it's just they're just never out of it. like Even when they're losing, you still feel like they're going to win. like That's what it – I don't know. it's It's crazy. It's just what it feels like right now. and ah They got the CCC final coming up, and I continue to think that they have a ah great chance. i mean do you have any other takes ah takes on the Caps CCC at all?
01:10:02
Speaker
I think that they're going to win. And I've said this, they are heavy favorite when it comes to the odds. Cruz Azulis is the heavy favorite, and therefore Whitecaps are the heavy underdogs here.
01:10:17
Speaker
But just looking back at what I've seen from both teams, there's a huge... I don't know if it's misconception because of, I guess, the history of what the Vancouver Whitecaps have done, which I guess is fair compared to Cruz Azul.
01:10:31
Speaker
But to me, This is set up perfectly for them to just put it on Cruz Azul play with a chip on their shoulders, put all the pressure on Cruz Azul.
01:10:42
Speaker
They're praying at home. They're the team that everybody hope expects them to win. It just has Sorensen ball written all over it where they're going to come in. And just like they did Miami, surprise them and take it to them. And then when it's all said and done, play real humble and play.
01:11:02
Speaker
It's another day. It's another win. I mean, they are that sort of team where they're professional. they They know what they're about. They don't care what the opposition says. They don't care about the noise around.
01:11:13
Speaker
They're just the Cavs, baby, and they just win. if I'm looking at just at it just purely from a quality of the team and quality of the footy perspective, I think Vancouver is like clearly a better team, even if they lose this game. Like, I don't think I would see that differently. I think there's like ah a lot of times in a game like this, the, the quality is sort of like a 50, 50 toss.
01:11:35
Speaker
I think in this situation, it's pretty clear that the team that, uh, has better personnel and is playing better soccer right now is is the Caps, which is just, ah I mean, it's still just a crazy story. Like, if you told me before the season that they were going to be a lot better than people expected, I'd be like, okay, I mean, they have a pretty good roster and maybe the Sorensen guy is a good coach.
01:11:57
Speaker
But, I mean, I just could not have fathomed them being one of the best MLS teams I've ever seen. And that is exactly what they are. Uh, Nico, uh, the inner, um inner Miami was playing the Philly union at Subaru park.
01:12:11
Speaker
And, uh, it looked like they were headed for another kind of embarrassing loss to be honest. And then, ah messy went messy. He hits an insane free kick in the 87th minute to salvage them a three, three draw, which I believe they came back from three, one.
01:12:28
Speaker
ah so they, they got a, uh, better result than it looked like they were going to get. And I think it's encouraging for them to see messy, have one of those messy moments.
01:12:38
Speaker
There's kind of nothing like nothing like it when it's late in the game like that with a one goal margin or if it's tied or whatever, and he's standing over the free kick and you're just like, he's probably going to make it. and then he usually does.
01:12:50
Speaker
that will never cease to be massively impressive to me just uh how he's able to do that like as consistently as he is ah he i mean we saw it when he first got to mls when he was playing cruz azul in leagues cup and he uh he hit that it was like one of the first free kicks he ever took as an mls player and he just bammed it ah So I guess that was good to see for them. But I think you could also look at it like, I mean, they were pretty close to getting run off the field again before they brought it back.
01:13:20
Speaker
What did you think of ah that Philly Miami game? I think that the same mistakes still stand for that team. And although it might be a moral victory that you force your way back into this game, Philly should have ended before uh,
01:13:39
Speaker
ah second goal for Miami, it should have been 4-1, if not five one I think that Barribo got in a bunch of positions. Their rest defense was atrocious.
01:13:50
Speaker
I'm talking about Inter-Miami. I think that in the midfield, they got out-balled by Philadelphia. And yes, the the goal by Messi ignites and kind of gives you this inertia that It essentially ends in a Segovia fantastic goal for the equalizer, but that does not take away for how poorly they played overall. I thought that Philadelphia dominated the game. They controlled the tempo of the game.
01:14:17
Speaker
And if not because they weren't clinical, they should have won this game. Yeah, I agree. it was ah It was a good comeback for Inter-Miami for sure.
01:14:28
Speaker
ah But given how their form has been lately, ah they need to string some wins and just better performances together. like I think that was a case of a result that did not necessarily match up with the performance and who was the better team, which is yeah continuation of what we've been seeing from Inter-Miami.
01:14:45
Speaker
No, and people were talking about, oh, you know they're possessing the ball, they're doing this, but their possession on the ball was inefficient. They were just kind of passing the ball back. They weren't really getting chances, not until the end of the game.
01:14:59
Speaker
ah On the other side, Philadelphia was playing their game, their style, what they wanted to play. Cornell was getting everything he wanted out of the and his team. And with a lot less possession, they were a lot more dangerous throughout the game. So ah to me is once again a Miami team that should know what is in front of them, should know what Philadelphia does well, what they don't do well, and they're unable to execute it on the field.
01:15:25
Speaker
And you get the magical Messi and you kind of live off of that. But that dependency of those moments is why this team is where they are right now. Nico, it looks like the next coach that is on the hottest, the the coach that's on the hottest of seats in MLS right now would be Olaf Melberg. I think that's his last name.
01:15:47
Speaker
Olaf in St. Louis is on the hottest of seats in MLS. They lose again one zero at Colorado. And I'm honestly, frankly, surprised that the change hasn't been made already. I mean, just because I was seeing some media reports that, uh,
01:16:03
Speaker
that that change was coming. And I think it still is. Have you been tracking the sort of downfall of St. Louis this season that much? And I mean, I don't know how many, how many, and how many days left as the St. Louis coach do you think o office but he might get the rest of the season just because ah I'm not sure if the,
01:16:27
Speaker
the front office that decided that it was a great idea to let go of ah a Cornell that had this team moving forward that put him at the top of the West at one point.
01:16:39
Speaker
And then you decide to go for kind of an unknown of some sort and a guy that was going to come in play very defensively. now you're going to just boot him and just kind of accept that you were that wrong.
01:16:51
Speaker
St. Louis is I'm not saying this as a disrespect, but they're not the highest market team in in terms of like the expectations. and You know, they're more of a newer team.
01:17:02
Speaker
So to me, they're just going to kind of let it ride. But soccer's been uninspiring. He's been unable to use Shonda Silva. He's been unable to use and continue to develop a guy like Pompeo.
01:17:15
Speaker
ah Tosher, he has a breakaway where he should have been able to think how he was going to finish in five, six different ways and does the worst thing possible, holds it too long, puts right at the keeper.
01:17:30
Speaker
This team is just imploding. And although Malberg's inability to motivate is there, as long as they continue to be competitive, sadly, I think that he'll keep his job.
01:17:43
Speaker
See, I don't know if... i would I would be surprised if they ride it out for the season, if it stays relatively close to how it's been going lately. just be It's a tough watch right now. is. We saw it in the ah in the Seattle game, ah but like...
01:18:00
Speaker
The thing about the negative tactics is ah you can get away with it if you are staying competitive and you're at least taking some results. So if they get it to the point where ah it maybe still doesn't look super great, but they're taking more points than they are, then yeah, maybe they ride it out. But right right now they're in a situation where they're employing negative tactics every week and then still losing games and then still losing games where they're giving up. Like if this one was only one zero, that was a more St. Louis type of game, but like the Seattle game, they gave up four goals while trying to employ negative tactics.
01:18:34
Speaker
You can't really, you can't, ah you can't live like that. Like you just. No, they got smoked by Minnesota. I mean, it was a three zero beat down. It could have been more. ah But again, he's just a team that doesn't create enough opportunities and doesn't have and doesn't play enough good defense to balance that out or to say, well, you know, they don't they don't go offensively a lot, but they're great defensively.
01:18:58
Speaker
That is not the case. Yeah, exactly. ah What did you make of LAFC drawing 2-2 at CF Montreal? ah I like, nowhere I'm kind of of two minds on it because on one hand, like I get that CF Montreal is one of the, they're, they're arguably the worst team in the league right now, other than the galaxy.
01:19:18
Speaker
ah So you could look at it and be like, Oh, what a terrible joke of a result for LAFC. I don't like, no matter how bad ah team is like ah those road trips where you're traveling that much. And then, you know, you're going to Montreal and,
01:19:33
Speaker
Those are not like easy games to win as a West Coast team, regardless of how good or bad the team might be. ah So I think from that perspective, it's honestly not like the worst result of all time for LAFC.
01:19:47
Speaker
But it is still, they were down 2-0. they They came out in that game so flat. like a little disturbingly flat for a game where you have the opponent way overmatched on talent, even with that road trip.
01:19:59
Speaker
So I kind of don't know what to, ah what to think of it on its own, but I think when you, it's funny because LAFC and Seattle right now have the same record, exact same record, same point totals, same everything.
01:20:13
Speaker
And it feels like their season, both among their fan base and nationally is getting talked about as like, uh, more of a disappointment than Seattle or Portland, who also is right there with almost the exact same record where I think Portland and Seattle nationally, and at least, you know, for me, ah their seasons have had ah blips like with Seattle you point to the to the San Diego game and the l LAFC away game and you say all right like they definitely had a couple that were bad and got away from them but on the whole their seasons getting talked about as going decently well I think but LAFC isn't like why do you think that is
01:20:57
Speaker
Just the expectation is the bar that you set. And it is a team that is expected to just dominate completely. And I think that there's a lot of part of the discourse here in Seattle that's still not happy, even and as me and you both know.
01:21:09
Speaker
yeah and it's And it's just the the bar that you set. LAFC set that extremely high ah with the championships, with the type of players they've been able to bring in for their team.
01:21:22
Speaker
And that's just the expectation. And although I will... honestly say that Montreal is probably the team that I watched the least in MLS this season. thought they played a very good game. I can't compare it to many others that I've watched them play. I think Prince is very good and and they were in front and and they put LAFC on their heels where I feel like LAFC's midfield is very vulnerable.
01:21:47
Speaker
And although Igor De Jesus has done a very good job of solidifying that along with Delgado, I still just see a team that has a hard time game managing, whether they're down or they're up, being able to get back in the game or hold the lead.
01:22:01
Speaker
And LAFC just doesn't have the level of time that they've had in the past. And that's why you hear a lot of those the discourse of just people that are unhappy with the way they're playing and and they're not destroying teams. And honestly, they haven't been as entertaining as they used to be. And both you and I know this.
01:22:18
Speaker
And I also think that there's a little bit of a dark cloud called Gerundolo's on his way out. So it's kind of like, but what is it with this guy that, I mean, are is he full in? Is he not full in?
01:22:31
Speaker
All those are question marks that kind of were added and inflicted boons by Gerundolo and LAFC within themselves. They did get a ah the elusive Olivier Giroud goal. They did. It was kind of a very lucky bounce, but yeah, he got it. You know, a goal's a goal for all for him at that point.
01:22:51
Speaker
ah Nico, I think we can we can start to wrap it up here. ah Was there any other results? I guess ah real quick, we could, I watched ah the Atlanta United Cincinnati Sunday night soccer game last night with, ah with Noah and Colton. And you know, I'm on, I'm on perpetual Atlanta United downfall watch.
01:23:11
Speaker
ah They do get a big win over fc Cincinnati. Their first win in like, ah like eight games or something like that. So they're off the schneid. They ended that streak. They got the win.
01:23:22
Speaker
They, ah they banged in four goals. Yeah. I don't know how much of that game you caught. ah it wasn't the most convincing 4-2 I've ever seen like i've seen. Like, they were still doing the thing where when they score a goal, they sit back and, like, just let the other team ah get on top of them.
01:23:44
Speaker
And they they let it get go from 2-0 to two one and then 3-1 to three two conceding both of those goals, like, in the very near aftermath when they scored.
01:23:56
Speaker
ah So, I mean, look, I'm not... ah I'm not going to take away from the fact that they got a big win and they got and they scored four goals. But ah I don't know. I didn't come out of it like convinced of ah of a turnaround based on like the game state and how they were shipping goals right after they scored.
01:24:12
Speaker
ah Did you catch much of that game? Yeah, cut the whole game. It was a step in the right direction. And this is why I say that. It was the best half of 45 minutes that I've seen out of Atlanta United probably the entire season. I went back and I looked at some of the games they've had this season where, you know, I'm i'm thinking that they're going to get ahead and they're playing well.
01:24:33
Speaker
And I came to the conclusion that it is the best half that that I've seen from them. They were up to zero. They were handling the ball. They should have had three. One by El Maron. And then in the second half, a couple of big misses from left to left.
01:24:46
Speaker
But it still felt at halftime, 2-0-1. so zero lead by Atlanta United. Like you were just waiting for things to go wrong. And the fact that in the 48th, right after you start of the second half, that goal comes in, you immediately were like, oh, here goes.
01:25:04
Speaker
Here comes. The mistakes started happening. They have a hard time holding the ball possession, ah but lucky for them. And I thought that fortune had a fantastic game. yeah ah I think that it was one of the better,
01:25:16
Speaker
Sliss games that we've seen. I'm not a huge, I'm not huge on them. Not necessarily my favorite player, but it still wasn't good enough. I mean, there were mistakes, you know, Miles Robinson scoring on his old team was kind of fun.
01:25:27
Speaker
There were things in the second half that were exciting, but in terms of what I want to see out of Atlanta United, a lot of question marks to lie defensively. I thought that they were put in binds consistently.
01:25:39
Speaker
I thought that, um, Guzon had to get him out of a lot of troubles. I think he had seven or eight saves across the 90 minutes. The biggest problem for Atlanta is not up top, is in the back.
01:25:53
Speaker
And there needs to be something done for it because Ronnie's not going to be able to live up many of those games. And sure, Cincinnati is a fantastic win. i You were able to get the win. And um a guy like Denki, that although he's Cincinnati's top scorer, he still misses a lot of goals. and therefore, it makes me think that if Atlanta United goes against more clinical offensive player, then they're going to be in trouble. So it's a step in the right direction. Nobody should be throwing a parade over the scoreline, but at least you see some sort of life from a team that seemed to be deadlined.
01:26:31
Speaker
I thought it was funny that Apple TV picked Brad Guzan as their man of the match for that game because i thought i thought he was actually pretty bad. He made seven saves and a couple of them were good saves.
01:26:44
Speaker
But especially on Cincy's second goal, you like ah he think he didn't know which way to dive. Maybe his site was blocked. So he just kind of like tipped over. I don't know. Not having a very good season. And I didn't think he had that good a game.
01:26:59
Speaker
Marin Chuck had two assists. Like I thought that was an easy pick. I don't know what we're, don't know what we're doing there. Like they they just looked at the stat sheet and saw seven saves and we're like, there it is. One of those was a good saves man of the match. I don't know.
01:27:11
Speaker
No, Martin chicks connectivity and just not just the assist, but he's over a link of play was very good. in it And it's probably the best I've seen from him in a long time since his first season with Atlanta.
01:27:24
Speaker
Why did Chris Henderson leave Miami again? ah i think it was, as far as I know, it was just because... Because he's got the trend right coming.
01:27:35
Speaker
Yeah. Believe you me. He's in a much better position, better pay, ah more respected. Working with Mark again. but in a situation that eventually will be ah lot better.
01:27:47
Speaker
Miami right now, is better understandings doesn't mean they're better as an organization.
Show Wrap-up and Audience Engagement
01:27:52
Speaker
Yeah, no, it was it was interesting because it's like, well why would you leave Messi and the Barca boys? You got a good thing going there.
01:27:59
Speaker
ah But then we and we see how their season has started to go this year. i mean, I almost wonder, we were like, Noah and I were questioning some of the stuff they were doing over the offseason as far as the the dispute that Messi got in with the with the sporting director.
01:28:15
Speaker
They install his academy like mentor godfather as their sporting director, which i out of all the inter-miami talk that we've had of them kind of taking a downturn in recent weeks, I feel like that aspect of it hasn't gotten talked about enough.
01:28:33
Speaker
They have a guy as their sporting director now who has absolutely no experience in MLS at all. He's literally, his connection is that he ah he mentored Messi at the Barca Academy when he was a kid, and they've just been like best friends his whole life.
01:28:48
Speaker
That was his qualification for that job. So, I mean, i don't know if we can gauge how exactly that's worked out so far, but... Doesn't appear to be all that well And then even the Mascherano thing, I don't know Maybe Chris Henderson saw all this stuff happening And he was like, I don't think this is Going to work, so that maybe that Played into it, I don't know And honestly, he got no respect Chris Henderson would never say it because he's a gentleman But he got no respect down there damn All right, Nico, i think we can wrap it up right there. Thank you all, as always, for tuning in to Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff.
01:29:27
Speaker
ah Please, if you haven't already, like the video. I got to remember to say this earlier. Like the video. ah Subscribe to the channel if you haven't. If you haven't subbed to the channel, I have no idea what you're doing.
01:29:39
Speaker
ah Subscribe to Sound Your Heart. Like, comment, rate five stars. Tell all your friends. Tell all your so all your family. ah We will, ah um we're gonna, I'll see what's going on with the pod schedule.
01:29:53
Speaker
It might be a little different this week with the what the game with the midweek game. Wouldn't have a lot of shelf for the normal dub pod, but I'll talk to Noah about that. Follow me on Blue Sky if you haven't, and I'll ah keep you updated. Nico, before we get out of here, anything that you have that you wanted to promote or plug for Pulso or Soundert Heart or anything else?
01:30:14
Speaker
but what one One last thing about the week, I really appreciated Gary Kindis ceremonies that they did in Sporting Kansas City. Obviously, a player did that got taken away far too young. thought it was fantastic that the players and the game in general was so good as well. You know, they were able to do the 3-3 against New England that was kind of boosted by that motivation there.
01:30:40
Speaker
And i thought it was unreal. ah In terms of... ah plug anything.
01:30:46
Speaker
I'm hoping to do maybe something on Wednesday, maybe pregame show or something like that. Not sure it's an early game, so we might do something like that. i and Obviously, on Friday, we're going to have what we learned this week with Jeremiah O'Shann. We should be fun because we have a game to talk about, actually.
01:30:59
Speaker
we We don't always have that opportunity to do so. And then, of course, on Monday, Lobbins, Coaches. Oh, and Thursdays, soccer down here from 7.30 8.15 on SDH. on sdh Scott, thank you for sending us off with the $2 super chat.
01:31:16
Speaker
Appreciate you. Appreciate everyone for the support and tuning in. And we'll ah see later this week. Yeah. Yeah.