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The Seattle Sounders Season is Already a Success - Ep. 123
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After two losses to Austin FC and Inter Miami and a draw against LA Galaxy, the Seattle Sounders are more than likely not going to have home field advantage going into the playoffs. Will they bounce back this weekend? How are Lobbing Scorchers feeling about the playoffs and do Agenda Check.
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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
Episode Introduction
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. Wipe the scorcher today. Well it's gonna be scorcher.
Setting the Stage: Seattle Sounders' Recent Matches
00:00:43
Speaker
What's going on, everybody? Welcome to another episode Lobbing Scorchers. We are recording this on a Tuesday morning between the Seattle Sounders' last-second 2-1 defeat at Austin FC and their upcoming MLS match against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Lumen Field on Saturday.
00:01:02
Speaker
Noah, it's been a few weeks since we've laid one of these down together, and I feel like a lot has happened, a lot has changed. ah How are you feeling? 2-1-L at Austin, squads hungover.
00:01:15
Speaker
and We're talking about how to deal with the hangover, and we're going to be doing that. We got our most scared of in the playoff rankings we're going to get to, but ah how are you feeling, I guess, coming off ah coming off what was a disappointing game?
00:01:29
Speaker
Yeah, well, you know, first of all, have to apologize to everyone. i was on yellow card accumulation suspension ah last episode. So, you know, we had to sub Tim Foss, who did a great job on that episode. So hopefully you all enjoyed that.
00:01:43
Speaker
um And second, you know, maybe Maybe I'm in the minority here, but it's like, was this not always inevitable? Was this not always inevitable? You had literally the hardest road trip all year, and then you had to play a team who was surging and, like...
00:02:01
Speaker
looking kind of good now. um It sucks. It's tough. It feels bad, but something we'll get into in our agenda check is do we still think the Sounders have a chance at making the playoffs?
00:02:14
Speaker
So I'm not going to give away exactly how I feel about
Sounders' Playoff Chances: A Realistic Outlook
00:02:16
Speaker
that. But honestly, Ari, like, I just it's these are two games that I'm going to forget about. It's like ah it's like, ah you know, you show up to work and you have a couple of bad weeks because, you know, you just got to promote. I don't know.
00:02:33
Speaker
I don't know. You got a promotion and you're like still figuring out what to do next. so Maybe that's a terrible analogy, but I have... i I see where you were going with it. I see where you were going with it. It was a bit of a hungover analogy and in ah and much the way the Seattle Sounders play.
00:02:50
Speaker
Correct. Has been indicative of a hangover on the field. We're going to talk about all of it. I got five agendas written down, and then we're going to hit our most scared of rankings. Got six clubs written down for that. The idea there is we're just going to be...
00:03:06
Speaker
we're going talking about how Seattle could stack up against these teams in the playoffs. It might be preemptive because they haven't technically clinched yet, but we're going to operate under the assumption that they'll be able to get ah like the three to four points more required between now and the end of the season.
00:03:21
Speaker
that at least get them in. We'll see what seed they are. Uh, but we're going to be talking about how they stack up and yeah, kind of assessing how we're feeling about Seattle's playoff chances at this juncture, ah where they've demonstrated uh, an extremely high level at their, at their peak.
00:03:39
Speaker
But I think, uh, what was the word you used? Inevitable and that an inevitable come down is, uh, what we're dealing with right
Podcast Network and Sponsorships
00:03:48
Speaker
now. So, uh, we're gonna We're going to assess it all, but before we get into all that, I do have to let you all know that Lobbing Scorchers is a part of the Sounder at Heart podcast network.
00:03:57
Speaker
you want to get into Seattle soccer coverage, consider supporting us by going to sounderatheart.com. No, what's that link? Sounder at heart.com slash L. s Scroll down to subscribe and support.
00:04:10
Speaker
Scroll down to subscribe and support to get 30 days completely free. Every sign up through our link helps and support and grow this show. ah The hundred sounder at heart sub milestone has been reached, but it is still now more than ever a great time to become a member.
00:04:23
Speaker
Uh, shout out to our sponsors hacks on ferments posy podium ends where football wines my data removal uh please sub to the youtube uh and follow us on all socials including instagram and tick tock and uh watch our league's cup final documentary that dropped a couple weeks ago and at this point now i guess but uh still go watch it if you haven't built not bought out now uh not in theaters but uh on our youtube channel so maybe one day maybe one day but yeah if you haven't peeped it yet can go relive the league's cup final came out great uh and lobbying scorchers.com sausage course
00:05:04
Speaker
to get our hacks and ferments hot sauce. I think that's it. Should we, should we lay down the ah pod five minute?
Agenda Check: Key Discussion Topics
00:05:10
Speaker
and Absolutely. Layer down. All right. ah We're going to stick with the format that we've been going with the last few episodes where we kind of just based the majority of the episode around our world famous popular segment, agenda check.
00:05:26
Speaker
Uh, so I got five written down. If more come up as we go, we can, uh, we can take it as it comes. But, uh, let's start with one that I think is on a lot of people's minds right now. This is a first time agenda, but no, ah given what the, what the team has been going through right now, which is uh, at this point, it's not even hangover watch. They're this they're hungover. That's a self-admitted.
00:05:49
Speaker
Hangover at this at this point. Paul Rothrock said after the game, he said, we're dealing with the hangover.
Sounders' Performance Analysis: A Hangover Effect?
00:05:56
Speaker
I think that was his exact quote. it's becauses of the pop I mean, it's he's ah you know, when you toss back a few too many and you wake up and the first thing that goes through your mind is like, I know what um I know what I've done.
00:06:09
Speaker
I've made my bed. I know what I've done to myself, what I did to myself last night, and I will be paying the consequences. That's essentially the situation that the Seattle Sounders are in.
00:06:21
Speaker
That's what happens when you drink champagne out of a big-ass trophy. Yeah. You know, like, i don't know. Like, it's, you know, it happens. I guess, and I guess that's the first thing we can talk about. This is the Sounders can still win MLS Cup agendas despite the hangover that they're...
00:06:36
Speaker
that they're going through. uh, I guess the notion of inevitability was, is was this avoidable? Because to me, it, uh, it just felt like we, we all saw what happened in 2022, right? We all saw what happened.
00:06:51
Speaker
And i i as soon as the champagne popped in, in the locker room and, uh, everything died down, I was like, all right, the come down is usually, it's usually a real thing. Like, I don't know how you, uh,
00:07:07
Speaker
how you reckon with that, especially with the injuries that this team has had. So ah I don't know. It's like maybe maybe stuff like how the Austin game ended didn't have to happen, but that game wasn't going to be the prettiest of games anyway.
00:07:21
Speaker
the ah The Miami game felt shocked from the jump. I mean, do you think that there's anything that could have been done to prevent this, or is this just sort of the cost of doing business when you make a – a deep run in in-season tournament.
00:07:32
Speaker
and I mean, I think that's part of it for sure. Like it's inevitable. Go look back at every single team who has won a mid-season trophy. I'll give you like 90% of the time you're going to drop a couple of matches or you're not exactly going to be up to the level of where you normally are.
00:07:50
Speaker
It's just a mental thing. Like you, you have to understand too, that like that team gave everything to win leagues cup. They had all of the buy-in from every single player on that team to go and win that.
00:08:02
Speaker
And it's, you know, I think it's normal to, to celebrate that. And it's a little hard to wake up the next day and, Okay, well, we've got to start it all over and do it again. and we've got to fly to the hardest road trip in the entire country against the people who we literally just played.
Playoff Strategy: Resting Key Players
00:08:20
Speaker
I mean, let's let's discount the Galaxy game. I mean, the the Galaxy game was brutal as well. But flying all the way down there and then... Yeah, they put the beat they they they put the beat down on you. Like that felt very inevitable to me.
00:08:34
Speaker
um And, you know, it's a cost of doing business partially. And also, I think that this is like a little bit. i want I mean, this is a little copium for you, Ari. A little copium here that's what we're here for you. That's what we're here for. That's what we do.
00:08:51
Speaker
It's a little rest and recovery before they make their playoff push. I think that after that Galaxy game and they didn't get those points and they really had to push hard to get points to get home field advantage, I kind of felt like, all right, just just rest them. Let's just have everyone rest and mentally refreshed and just reframe this so we can go into the playoffs and actually have an opportunity to make a run at it.
00:09:17
Speaker
Now, I'm disappointed because there is There is no way that I want to have to go to LA again and play Denny Bawanga and Hunman Sun and, you know, the rest of those fellers.
00:09:32
Speaker
That sounds awful. But, you know, sometimes you got to do what you got to do. And so I think that this team, especially with Jordan Morris coming back and getting healthy, especially with the amount that they're allowing Pedro to to rest with his tendonitis and get him ready for this run,
00:09:50
Speaker
Maybe it feels a little bit like as long as we make the playoffs, we're going to do what we can once we get in that position in that tournament mode to get there and finish the job. And I don't know if it's going to happen. Like if I was a betting man, which I am absolutely not, I wouldn't bet on it.
00:10:08
Speaker
But I would never also count out Brian Schmetzer. I said that in League's Cup. People were like, oh, this is an insane draw. They're going have to win every game. And i was like, you know what? Yeah, it is. But, like, I would never count out Brian Schmetzer.
00:10:19
Speaker
And I would definitely never count out the Seattle Sounders in a playoff. ah So it's it's scary. But I don't think that it's, like, unthinkable, right? here's ah Here's how I'm coping.
00:10:32
Speaker
Here's how I'm coping with the... with the hangover. I was thinking to myself after this Austin game, you know, it's a pretty, it was a disastrous ending. It was catastrophic. And Lenny, you obviously have to see out the one, one, the one, one there. ah But ah you know, was thinking, I was just thinking, you know, they were five sec, literally five seconds away, literally five seconds away from seeing that out at one, one.
00:10:58
Speaker
And in which case I was all ready to get on the post game live that night and be like, you know what? Is 1-1 the greatest result of all time? No, but I feel better about where things stand after that performance in the 1-1 than I did previously. That was going to be my takeaway. That was going to be my takeaway because ah while ah while the 1-1 wasn't going to be that good of result, I felt like the performance offensively in this Austin game was actually...
Sounders' Offensive Potential in Upcoming Matches
00:11:29
Speaker
was actually pretty good. Like the the chance generation, it looked a lot more like the team that we had been watching. Didn't they have like almost three XG? They did. Yes, I'm excited that they did have almost three XG. But it looked like it. Like they played like a team that was ah that was generating really good, really high quality chances.
00:11:50
Speaker
The only reason they didn't get more than one goal in that game was because Brad Stuber went there. He went God mode. He went God mode. He's been known to do that. He's been known to do that, and he did that in this game. Some of the saves he made were – the one he made on Georgie at the end was just like, I mean, all right. What are you going to do?
00:12:06
Speaker
Yeah, what are you going to If you're going to make that one, then it might just be the day of of Brad Stuber. So should that – if I'm thinking about about it logically, rationally, you know,
00:12:19
Speaker
ah Should the fact that they gave up a very silly, bad, catastrophic goal at the end of the game change that, what what that takeaway would have been about that performance just because they bungled it right at the very end?
00:12:30
Speaker
i don't i don't know I don't think it should. you know If I was going to say that I felt like I was in ah better place based on the performance at 1-1, then i don't think I really don't think that that's you you assess it that differently just because they gave up the goal at the very end for two one It's bad.
00:12:45
Speaker
It's bad on the table. It's bad. ah It's bad like that. It happened on the field, but it's not. ah I don't think it's ah more of an indictment on the status of the team. If I thought the team played decently well in the Austin game and you know, the Miami game, I just, I throw away. I throw in the bin entirely. I don't care about that. ma After I did score in that game, he did score in that game. nothing else hit goal But like, I like that game was all, I,
00:13:14
Speaker
I was probably tripping to ever think that there was an alternative outcome for that game, but the Austin game, i thought they played a, ah a little better and ah it doesn't help where they are on the table right now, but it does help as far as my, ah my propensity to think that they actually could still make a,
00:13:33
Speaker
playoff run. And like you said, i just, I've learned not to get a but bet against this team in tournament play, even if they don't get on field advantage. Like I will tell you that too. Like they haven't been a super great road team this year, especially not lately, but I don't, I mean, when you put the Seattle Sounders in a tournament,
00:13:54
Speaker
they they can sometimes often go God mode. So I don't think ah the yeah the playoffs are chalked. It just might feel like it right now because of the hangover. But i mean we remember it's going to be a lot harder if they don't get home field advantage. I will say that. But even I think even in that event, it's not impossible that they that they work this hangover off and get back to the team that we watch play in League's Cup and going into League's Cup.
00:14:22
Speaker
Well, and it's not guaranteed that you win just because you have home and field advantage. I mean, go look at that Galaxy game that we just played. I don't know. There's been plenty of games at home that we've dropped the dumbest possible points. And then there's been road games where it's like, all right, three nil, let's go.
00:14:38
Speaker
Like, you know, i think that obviously it is a factor and it's an important factor and travel is an important factor. And you want to have MLS Cup at home. You don't want to have to go to fucking...
00:14:49
Speaker
Charlotte like no one wants that no no one wants to play MLS Cup final in Charlotte I'm sorry no disrespect to the Charlotte fans you're great I love pet BL RIP to all of his ligaments but like we don't we don't need to go to it needs to be in a real city you know and so like I understand uh I understand the uh that's gonna get clipped so hard that's gonna be locker room material for those guys over there but they're they've been going off too Yeah, I do. I do actually rate Charlotte. But ah I wanted to ask as a part of this, too, like the West is so tight right now.
00:15:25
Speaker
Like, I truly feel like home field advantage is chalked. Like, I just did. I don't think it's physically possible. It's physically possible, but it's just it's very unlikely, especially with with how LAFC is playing. It would require them like cooling off. i don't really see why or how that would happen.
00:15:42
Speaker
So, yeah, they I mean, it is if you just look at where it's at right now, they are five points off LAFC and LAFC has ah game in hand and they are looking like the scariest attack in the entire league right now.
00:15:55
Speaker
Dude, Hunman Sun and Bawanga are like best friends, like roommates. They're like their best friends. They look like Oba Deuce, like playing with each other. They if you have 14 goals in the last five games. It's bad. It's bad.
00:16:06
Speaker
I literally said this on Twitter. I said they regened Oba and Deuce. Like this is not fair. They just they just respond. It's like adding Sun to the team was already such a boost for them anyway. And then it turns out it's like Batman and Robin. like They were just meant to play together, i guess. So it's really it's disconcerting. They look way better. He's supercharged their team.
00:16:30
Speaker
Buonga looks like he has... like love for the game again. Yes. Cause we were talking about this like last year and this year we were like, dude, get him off that team. Bring him to Seattle. Like, yeah, he's done. He's cooked the man. And even all this year, this year, their fans at points have been like, this guy is this guy like fully bought now. He's like, he's back. He's fully back. He's going to win the golden boot. He's flipping around that he's going to win the golden boot. it's like It's ridiculous. But, you know, i like like to that point, ah if you when Seattle played LAFC in the playoffs in 2019, I didn't think they had a chance to go on the road and win that game.
Western Conference Standings and Matchups
00:17:05
Speaker
That was the year they had Carlos Vela score 34 goals and have 15 assists. And they had a plus 48, whatever it was, goal differential. As good as this LAFC team looked,
00:17:16
Speaker
looks right now that 2019 team looked pretty much just as good i don't really see that big a difference in how ah what their level looked like it was at back then compared to what it does now so that like even if seattle had to go on the road for a four or five matchup at l lafc against that team it's you never you never know like especially this uh especially seattle these seattle teams they can win games like that it's not guaranteed but could happen I mean, it's just crazy to me that like this, we could end up as low as seventh.
00:17:48
Speaker
Yeah. Just like, it's like so totally possible. I mean, between, between seventh and fifth, which is where the sounders sit right now is literally three points.
00:18:00
Speaker
So, you know, that's a little bit crazy, but that said, I also wanted to ask like, regardless of positioning, I still personally think that the Sounders are in the the top tier of Western Conference teams.
00:18:16
Speaker
Like, I really do think that, like, it's the Sounders, LAFC, San Diego, and the Whitecaps. Like, Minnesota, like, sure, know that you have an agenda. Save that for the rankings. like, I do think that those are the teams that are, like, genuine scary teams. And the rest of them are, like...
00:18:36
Speaker
You know, the three headed the three-headed dragon and one of them's like, boo. Yeah, yeah. All the other teams are boo, you know, so. Yeah, that's kind of how I see it as well. And I think, like, I still, based on what we saw in League's Cup, I think Seattle's level is, I rate them in those teams, but they're not, like, with those teams on the table because of how many points that they've needlessly dropped.
00:19:04
Speaker
this year there's been so many like i could i could think of like 10 to 12 points where if you just like simple better game management at the very end of the game and instead of dropping those points you take those points you're up like where minnesota and vancouver are like easily so that's what's frustrating about it it does that's that's my biggest concern i think going into the offseason is that like That's kind of you have to close out playoff games like you have to preserve yourself in those moments.
00:19:35
Speaker
And I understand that they did well in in Leagues Cup to not even have to do that. But it is a little good. That's like my only concern right now is is that is the defending and generally speaking, closing out the game.
00:19:50
Speaker
that's been there that's been their bugaboo this year yeah the level has been good the quality of the footy has been good it's just these individual like game situation moments where uh i mean i've rattled off the list a lot of times but you know the charlotte game the rapids game the galaxy game the atlantic game this austin game there's probably three or four more games that i'm not even thinking of it's like the charlotte game ah Was there
Goalkeeper Controversy: Fry vs. Thomas
00:20:17
Speaker
another Charlotte game? I don't know. I don't know. There's a lot of games is the point. I get the idea.
00:20:22
Speaker
Noah, where are you at on the ah goalkeeper controversy? It came to the forefront again in this game. Andrew Thomas made an insane save at the end of the game that looked like it was going to preserve the 1-1.
00:20:37
Speaker
And just in general, it felt like was – ah relatively sound performance defensively until the uh until the very end they obviously concede that first goal in the uh 36 minute off the really bad giveaway by jackson reagan but other than that it felt like it was uh it was a solid enough performance defensively until the very end uh and then andrew thomas makes an insane save and they give up the game winner but uh Do you feel any differently after this game regarding the the goal goalkeeper controversy or where are you even at to begin to begin with? well How are you feeling about it?
00:21:16
Speaker
Yeah, i mean, i i am it's a tough situation, but only if you are a nostalgic person. Uh, that's truly what I think. Like I am fully bought in, in the idea that like, listen, I think Steph is incredible and amazing and has done so much for this club, but I think that it's time to start Andrew Thomas.
00:21:38
Speaker
think it's time. I think it's time. And I don't think that it's because Steph has somehow lost an insane amount of steps or looks like a terrible goalkeeper or any of that. But there comes a point where ah it's time to pass the torch. And there you can't tell me that that League's Cup run from Andrew Thomas was not impressive and was not a perfect way to build his confidence and bestow upon him the honor of becoming the starting Seattle Sounders goalkeeper.
00:22:06
Speaker
We already know. We already know what's going to happen. When Steph's done, you put in Andrew Thomas. But I don't want this to be a Raul Ruiz Diaz situation, man. I just, I really don't.
00:22:18
Speaker
Because it tainted my view of Raul. Like, for for a season. I was just like, dude, what is this guy doing on the team? What are we doing? Like, I don't want this to become a Brad Guzan situation where you're like, this guy needs to be, someone needs to remove him physically.
00:22:35
Speaker
Like he needs to get off the field. And I don't think that that would happen with Fry necessarily, but I think since his concussion, it's been pretty clear that he has at least lost a little bit of a step. I still think that he's a very talented starting quality goalkeeper.
00:22:50
Speaker
And frankly, like if he doesn't want to be a cheerleader on the sidelines or be a sub or any of that, I understand it. And if he wants to go play somewhere else, I think the Sounders should let him do that. But it's so clear and obvious to me.
00:23:05
Speaker
That it's time to allow the guy who's going to take over to take over. He doesn't... What is he? He's like 36, 37. Not 37. 26, Yeah, he's 27. 27, I think. Yeah, so like... Dude, he's prime age. He's been training. He looks good. I don't understand... won PK shootout. Yeah. And...
00:23:24
Speaker
he's been training he looks good like i don't understand um go me want a pk shoot down yeah and and like And you have to imagine he's going to be the starter next year.
00:23:36
Speaker
But i don't I don't know because Brian is married to this idea that Stephen Fry is the best goalkeeper at MLS. And it's just not true. Well, I don't think that's where he's coming from with it. I think he's coming from like a a place of earned equity. like Sure, sure. Steph has done so much for the...
00:23:56
Speaker
the club, he's the captain of the team. He's been an MLS cup and MVP. And as a coach, you probably feel like you have to give an equity to that. Otherwise, like ah if you're not going to kind of reward players for, for what they've done in like the most important situations, then maybe you think that sends the wrong message.
00:24:17
Speaker
So I think that's more, yeah i like it. definite I definitely understand why it's a tough decision. for a coach. As far as the on-field implications of it, yeah I've kind of come to a place where I don't think... if's That's not going to make the difference. Who's in the goal for these games ah for the rest of the season in the playoffs isn't going to be the difference between if they win MLS Cup or not.
00:24:41
Speaker
I'm confident with both of them there. I'm confident with both of them. But like I think there is something to what you're saying about the principle of it. like if you all If you already know that...
00:24:52
Speaker
uh andrew thomas is going to be starting next year and going forward then does it not make more sense to give him the lion's share of the starting minutes now ah to you know minutes are what get you better and you need him to be playing at as high level as possible going into next year, uh, if he's going to take over this as a starter, which I think everyone expects him to.
00:25:15
Speaker
So if that's the case, shouldn't he be getting the majority of the minutes now? I think there's a, there's a very, uh, good case for that, but I will say it is, uh, i don't ah I don't think it matters that much, like I said, from an on-field results standpoint, but it is an interesting coach dilemma.
00:25:32
Speaker
It's probably the toughest positional kind of dilemma competition that i and that I've seen Schmetzer have to weigh. And it does seem like he is ah he's gone to the Fry is the number one, like and Andrew Thomas is the backup.
00:25:47
Speaker
Fry would have started the Austin game, but he got sick, I guess, as I understand it. So it seems like the decision got made. Yeah, it feels like ah when when they when you draft a rookie quarterback and then they go, oh, it's a competition in the locker room. But yeah it's also like Aaron Rodgers is your quarterback.
00:26:06
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? Like, you're like, oh, dude, it's totally a competition, man. I i swear, like, they're they're fighting it out. They're both so good. No, you're bullshitting. You're bullshitting.
00:26:17
Speaker
And I think it's silly. Like, I think it's silly. Like, I don't quite get it. Raul shouldn't have been... Whatever. It's just... that This is something that they continue to do. This club loves to do. They love to, like, one or two years too long, play a player, start a player, hold on to a player. It's... But it's like... It is... I can understand how it's tough, though. Like, a guy like Nico or Raul, it's like...
00:26:40
Speaker
They have those are the guys that won you can't have champions league like there has to be earned equity to. Yeah, to if you come through and win the club trophies like that, which stuff right has done as much as anyone.
00:26:54
Speaker
So absolutely definitely a tough ah tough decision. ah All right. The next agenda, this is the Sounders are playing with house money agenda.
Is the Season a Success Post-League's Cup?
00:27:03
Speaker
I've been kicking this one around. Some people call it cope. Some people call it rationalizing. And I say that that's correct. that could be That could be what it is.
00:27:11
Speaker
That's what we're here to do. Essentially, yeah, we cope. We rationalize. That's what we do. ah But i think there you know there is, with this hangover talk, It's worth talking about whether how we would feel about an outcome where Seattle, I think we all expect them to make the playoffs. It's just a matter of if they have much of a chance at ah ah going especially far when they get there. And I think I've been preemptively coping with the potential outcome that it's not a very uh fruitful playoff run this year with the with the hangover taken into account and the injuries and everything else uh but what how do you feel about the notion that what they accomplished in leagues cup not just winning the trophy completing the trophy case uh but just the spectacle of the whole game ah having having everyone watching 70k in the building
00:28:07
Speaker
while you take down Lionel Messi, the theatrical nature of it, the Rothrock storyline, everything that went into what I think anyone would agree was one of the greatest runs in club history, if not the greatest, given how it ah culminated.
00:28:23
Speaker
do that Do they really need to make to MLS Cup and win MLS Cup as well? to make the season a success or is it already a success, uh, based on what they did in, uh, in leagues cup. And i will, ah I'll tell you where I come down Noah, which is that I think this is, this is one of the things that makes how soccer does it kind of a unique sport is you have tournaments, tournaments,
00:28:47
Speaker
during your league season that allow you to play for trophies while while your league season is going. And it's not the playoffs are not necessarily the be all end all.
00:28:58
Speaker
They are the most considered the most important thing. I think most people consider MLS Cup the most important domestic trophy but it's not the be all end all you have these other tournaments and i think part of the perk the benefit that comes with being the team that wins one of those in-season tournaments is you don't have to look at playoffs as the total be all end all yes yes you want to win and mls cup in any given year uh but if you are realistic about it and realize that you you're not gonna
00:29:30
Speaker
When when and MLS Cup every single year doesn't work like that, then if you have a season like this where you win an in-season tournament, I think there's it's not cope. We're rationalizing to say that ah the season's already a success and you're playing with ah house money in the playoffs.
00:29:47
Speaker
That is the that's the perk you get is you get to be able to ah say that by winning one of those tournaments. tournaments. And then not to mention, I think the way that they won this tournament in particular was just so sick. It was the, it was probably the coolest game in the history of the club. If it's not the coolest game in the history of the club, it's in the top two to three, without a doubt. The only ones you could put up there are cup 2019 and and CONCACAF Champions Cup Final 2022. Those are the three that are ah that in the discussion, and they got that done, and because of that, I'm with this agenda. I don't care. People can call it COPE. They can call it preemptive COPE.
00:30:25
Speaker
They can call it, like, lowering the bar, or you're not you you don't have high standards. You got to win everything. i don't i don't care. Like, this season is already a success, and if they make an MLS Cup run, that's great, but if they don't, it doesn't change that.
00:30:42
Speaker
Yeah, well, I think it's funny. like People in 2020, I remember this very vividly, ah were crashing out and saying the whole season was a failure and that they would have given up winning CONCACAF Champions Cup to just make the playoffs.
00:30:55
Speaker
And I was like, are you... Okay. Like, are you good? Like, what are you talking about? Like, I think that ah it's a what are you doing right now? Like, are we are we involved in the conversation for this? show Like, people are people are greedy. That's fine. Like, i don't think there's anything wrong with that.
00:31:14
Speaker
But personally, i come down on like, man, when you look back and remember a season, you look back and remember moments first and then trophies. And I feel like both this season has had so many good, fun moments and weird moments.
00:31:31
Speaker
And it has a trophy and it has the narrative of completing your trophy case. It has the narrative of, you know, beating Messi in a final. It has the narrative of absolutely slapping the champions of CONCACAF after they slapped you earlier in the season. I didn't even mention that. Yeah. There's so many like great moments already this season.
00:31:55
Speaker
And I'm not going to sit here and say that like I'm not going to be disappointed if they like bomb out of the playoffs or that like I'm not going to be... ah or that I'm not disappointed that they're not in a position to have home field advantage. Like there's obviously there's, there's things that I can still be frustrated about, but also be like, this season is very clearly a success.
00:32:17
Speaker
They set out to win this trophy and they want it. They set out to win Congress champions cup. It didn't happen, but like, You have to win trophies. If you want to have a successful season, you have to win trophies. And I feel like they did it.
00:32:29
Speaker
They did it. They did it in emphatic fashion. What else could you ask for? You're not going to win every trophy. It doesn't happen. It doesn't happen. This season had the greatest single match performance in club history, I think. 7-0 over Cruz Azul.
00:32:45
Speaker
Would anyone even argue that? like In terms of... ah how how well they performed compared to what the opponent was and what the expectations were. ah The greatest goal in club history, Pedro de la Vega, in that game.
00:32:58
Speaker
Would anyone argue that like i that? That was one of the best goals that's like ever been scored. Ever. yeah like That's how good a goal that was. And then you had the ah the greatest like spectacle of a match in club history taking down Massey in front of 70K. I'm supposed to be mad about that if they don't make a playoff run too i mean what are we actually talking about this it's just i think it can be a hard psychological hurdle for people to get over to think about like oh if you don't if you don't make a run through the playoffs and win mls cup like the season can still be successful but that's where that's what is unique about about our sport compared to other i mean the nba is like copying it now right they have like the
00:33:41
Speaker
and NBA cup or whatever but that is what's unique about ah about this sport is you have stuff like ah in this case CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup where you can uh you can make or break your success based on those in 2022 was still definitely a successful season even though they cratered out after it but uh i'm ah I'm fully with this agenda and I'm i'm goingnna keep ah im going to keep harping on it. And it's likely that we're going to have to keep harping on it because the team is now hungover and a few of these other teams in the West, which we're going to talk about, look really, really good.
00:34:15
Speaker
But again, like it's also, i don't even think, this is not me preemptively chalking the playoffs i think even with how things are going right now if there is a scenario where they're able to tap into the level that we saw in leagues cup i i put this team up against anybody still even uh even lafc with this demonic duo that they have working right now i think this next one can be pretty quick noah but i did want to check in uh on it i did find myself uh When Obed Vargas was making his 50 yard run through the entire Austin FC defense, and he missed the shot at the end of it by just, just a little bit. But while he was making that run, i was thinking to myself, the price is going up.
00:34:59
Speaker
The price is going up again. i mean, i wish he had finished it, but God, that was a hell of a run. He also had another one in this game that was not quite that good, but similar to that.
00:35:10
Speaker
I've said it before. I'll say it again. he's ah he's He's evolving. He's leveling up. He's becoming more powerful. And $35 million. dollars I mean, I don't even know. Like, he...
00:35:22
Speaker
every week it's like there's a new thing in his, in his bag. That run was like, ah you know, what reminded me of kind of a little bit was a member when Gio Reyna had that one against Mexico. The Obeds wasn't like quite that good, but it was like same kind of ah idea. Like it's so fun to watch when a guy's just, you can't get, you can't touch him.
00:35:40
Speaker
You can't touch him. He was out there. Yeah. Yeah, dude, he's he's like 38, 39, maybe even 40 million at this point. Like, ah you can't tell me that that kid couldn't go play ah starting at Atletico Madrid.
00:35:54
Speaker
um Whatever Johnny Cardoso is getting paid, pay that kid, the pay this kid double. that's That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. That's, I mean, there's... He's insane. He's scoring now. He's doing it. Like, he's just, he's what, what can the kid not do?
00:36:09
Speaker
Like put him in goal. He's safe. Like he, he probably makes him safe. It's like, I don't know what to tell you. He's, he's an asset. He's about to go win Mexico, a, a world cup, you know, like, i don't, I don't know what to tell you. Let's talk about that real
Future Stars: Obed Vargas and Snyder B
00:36:22
Speaker
quick. Actually. I hadn't thought of that as a discussion point, but ah he and RBW are out for the U 20 world cup.
00:36:30
Speaker
I was talking to Jackson felt about this, but, what do you What are you hoping to see as far as cover for Obed? Because i'm I'll tell you, like a lot of people, I think it it ah terrifies them to think about this midfield without ah the complete double pivot, and especially without any any lineup without Obed or a Christian in it.
00:36:52
Speaker
seems kind of scary ah but i think i'm i think i'm more just fully there with snyder b probably than than most people are i think most people ah rightfully you know want to see a little more it's a small sample size he's looked good it's been impressive but he's very inexperienced can he really carry the load of uh of obed vargas while he's gone i don't know if he's gonna play up to obed's level that he's at right now where he looks like a $40 million dollars player.
00:37:23
Speaker
ah but I'm, uh, I just fully, I trust Snyder B to be able to start any given game and the team's level to still be high. Like I, I feel like I've seen, i enough from him to be able to be confident in that. Maybe that's preemptive, but I don't think so.
00:37:38
Speaker
Uh, do you have any other inclination for what you want them to do other than just what I'm saying, which is unleashed Snyder B or are you on the unleashed Snyder B train? I mean, dude, unleash Snyder B. I mean, I think that he we've we've been on the forefront of ah hyping our boy up.
00:37:55
Speaker
I think that he has clearly shown that he has the the level to play in these games. The experience is something that will come. Give him minutes. And I got to be honest with you. Like if if the reality of this team is that nothing can happen without Obed Vargas and Christian Roland being on the field at the same time, then you're you're cooked anyway.
00:38:16
Speaker
You're cooked anyway. So i like give him give him reps. Like just let it happen. Let him play. I think he's looked great. Obviously, like there's been times when like...
00:38:27
Speaker
he makes a giveaway and that turns into a, into a, into a, you know, a scary opportunity, but he's also a kind of guy who's young and he's going to make those mistakes and he's going to track back and he's going to do. Also got like people were, people were saying that like harping on the one giveaway he made in the Miami game or whatever. Not you, but some people yeah were, were like citing that as like, he's not ready yet or whatever. I could name you a few other guys who had giveaways in that game that were,
00:38:54
Speaker
plenty more experienced than Snyder B. Okay. He was not the only one in the Miami game who was committed. You looked better than Christian. Hold on. Let's be, real let's be serious, but let's be real. can not um you looked I mean, in that game, he looked 10 times better than Christian rolled on. I mean, that's just,
00:39:09
Speaker
That's just the truth. Also, side note, I saw i made the joke that Christian Roldan was playing like the USMNT fans thought he plays in that Miami game. I literally saw one of those USMNT hater bot aggregator accounts post his FOTMOP rating on Twitter and be like, oh yeah, you want this guy on the national team? And I was like, of course, bro. Of course. They're on Haterwatch 24 goddamn 7. It's insane. But no, dude, I think i think he is... Snyder is...
00:39:39
Speaker
You have to get him reps. You have to get him reps. Knowing that Obed is going to leave, what what what what other option do you have? You need to get him reps. And I think Danny Leyva's good, too. I think you can put Danny Leyva in there and, like, whatever.
00:39:51
Speaker
ah you know I know he's more of an advanced role, but in a situation where you don't have Obed Vargas and you need some some rotation, I think you can work around Danny Leyva's wall. Snyder B literally looks like like the next Obed so far. I don't want to like put that on him preemptively, but when you have a demonstration of like a ceiling like that already ah with a lot of, it's similar attributes, I think for sure, in terms of ah his ability to kind of get out of pressure, always make the right pass.
00:40:24
Speaker
He, I feel like he is very good about being a proactive player. uh, passer and ball progressor and all that. That's one of the things I like about him. That's one of biggest assets well. His field vision is honestly better than Obed's was initially, I feel like.
00:40:37
Speaker
It could, like, it could be. He already, he has, uh, already has two goals in MLS. Like, I, I think it, uh, in addition to being the, the right decision to get him more minutes, it's like the more fun one for us to, it's always fun to watch, like, the, the next guy, you know, come up. So, he's a rock.
00:40:59
Speaker
What'd you say? He's our new Rothrock for the podcast. Yeah, i yeah you know I was saying kind of new Obed, but new Rothrock. I mean, in terms of our hype. like we I feel like we we've both, from the jump, been ah tossing the hype behind him. Like, let's see. We want to see Snyder B play. We want to, you know.
00:41:16
Speaker
So get Snyder B some help. Get Snyder B out there, and that'll be your cover for Obed. And then, like you said, work Danny Leva in there.
00:41:27
Speaker
as well. Uh, last agenda i had here, and then we can do these, uh, who were most scared of in the West rankings.
Evaluating Competition: Minnesota United and LAFC
00:41:35
Speaker
Uh, I mean, I just wanted to cook on my anti Minnesota United agenda a little bit because, uh, I've been, I've been saying that, uh, I don't believe in that team. I don't think they're going win a trophy playing, playing the way that they play.
00:41:47
Speaker
And, uh, Austin FC proved that true for their 0 for 1. Minnesota United are 0 for 1. They were playing kind of more like a normal soccer team in that ah U.S. Open Cup semifinal against Austin, but they had it at home, and they were kind of doing their Minnesota United thing, and they lost on a one hundred and twentieth minute game winner to an MLS next pro striker who also bammed on. He had the assist on the one that Seattle gave up.
00:42:18
Speaker
So apparently that kid is like going God mode, CJ, whatever his name is. He bammed on both Minnesota United and Seattle. ah But I've been saying that I didn't want the loons to get rewarded for what they've been doing this year.
00:42:33
Speaker
The more I watch them play, the more I've just been like, I don't, I don't, I don't like this. I don't subscribe to it. I don't think this is real footy. And, They're 0-1, so thank you to Austin FC for doing that, even though they did BAM on Seattle in the next game. I was happy to see that happen in the Open Cup.
00:42:50
Speaker
And now it's going to be Austin. It's Austin versus Nashville at Q2 Stadium. ah That's going to be lit, but I don't know. ah the minnesota law is the i mean, like losing to the Fire that's embarrassing the fire have the same amount of points as seattle this year which is crazy which i think it actually shows that uh greg berhalter might actually be a good coach is what it might show at least in mls yeah i mean i i don't think that's he's got the chicago fire at uh like a respectable record and point total that's not easy to do
00:43:28
Speaker
And when they lost seven to zero to Nashville or whatever that was, remember his sad presser? Like, yeah, dude, he was like, we're all their arrow might already be chalked. And then it turned out that, he's got them. He's had, they've had a pretty good year, but I mean, your point stands Minnesota United,
00:43:47
Speaker
With how, with how good they've been this year, results wise, you'd expect them to be able to handle that Chicago team. And maybe finally, maybe finally the blueprint is out. The teams are going to put a stop to this because it's just like, I don't know. Like, don't you think they're, those tactics are, have you ever seen that in MLS? Like to the extent that they're doing it, obviously we've all seen teams that are ah content to yield possession and then hit you on the counter. The Portland Timbies have been doing that for their entire MLS existence.
00:44:16
Speaker
That's not new, but like just the extreme to which they do it is just, it's, it's so out there. I, it's terrible. I mean, it's, it's, it's football terrorism. Okay.
00:44:28
Speaker
Send this guy back to, to, to England, let him go Manchester United him championship team. We don't want this kind of soccer in our country.
00:44:39
Speaker
we need to We need to make MLS great. Any Loons fans that might listen to Lobbing Scorchers, get in the comments. tell us what Tell us if you support this. I wouldn't support this. If Schmetz was coaching this, I would be like, no. this How would it be fun to sit in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in one of the most beautiful stadiums in the goddamn country, You're sat there under that old school, old timey clock.
00:45:02
Speaker
The sun's coming down. It's a beautiful late afternoon in the, in the twin cities. And you just got to sit there and watch the other team have the ball. the British guy. Tell him to not have possession.
00:45:16
Speaker
I'm sorry. This is America, sir. This is America. In America, we keep possession. Okay. We knocked it around. i More than seven or less than 70%, man. Like, come on.
00:45:31
Speaker
That's not real. others You're not, you're not real. Not real. You're not real. You're not playing soccer. You're you're playing football. But it's just, it's just it's case I have to admit, it's been a good bit like how, you know, I've been saying this pretty much since they played Seattle and they're second in the West. They have 54 points. Like they've been one of the best teams in the league results wise.
00:45:52
Speaker
But then you watch the games and it's actively upsetting to me. The game is gone. Like if we're going to talk about the game being gone, the game is gone. the Game is actually gone. ah All right. Noah, let ah let's close it out with these. Well, let's take an ad break.
00:46:07
Speaker
Yes. Take an ad break. Take an ad break. Then we'll be right back and we will close it out with our most scared of in the playoffs rankings. This episode of Lobbing Scorchers is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based cellar.
00:46:21
Speaker
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00:49:21
Speaker
All right. This is a new segment that we're going to debut here. And I don't even know if we're ever going to bring it back. It might just be for for this show. ah But he figured it might be worth I did this a little bit on my, ah my ship's log column newsletter thing for sound at heart where I looked at the top four in the West and wrote down some takes that I had on them but we figured we'd take it into.
00:49:46
Speaker
into podcast form and talk about uh just how we're kind of sizing up the uh seattle's competition in the western conference and who's going to be the biggest threats on their potential road to and mls cup and i think it's a good time to do that because really we're at the point in the season where identities and tactics and star players all that we already know all that and uh we're close enough to the playoffs where who's in, who's getting into their best form might be who has the best chance to make a run. So I got six teams written down here that we're going to, to just some takes on. I got LAFC, Vancouver, San Diego, Minnesota, Austin, Portland, Noah, out of those six teams, who are you most afraid of in the Western conference playoffs?
00:50:36
Speaker
i Give your answer and I'll get mine. Yeah, I think right now, just in their current form, I have to say LAFC. I know there's a lot of people who are going to say San Diego, it's San Diego, it's San Diego. I've seen San Diego be vulnerable.
00:50:53
Speaker
What I haven't seen is Denny Buonga and Hunman's son. I haven't seen it. I haven't seen it. And so it scares me. I'm scared of what I don't know. We haven't played this team with them on it.
00:51:04
Speaker
And they, they, they're doing the same thing that made the sounder successful was we are going to score so many goals that it doesn't matter what the hell else happens. And. When you can't stop that and you have a Sounders team that just defensively is not like they were the last two seasons, that scares me the most.
00:51:24
Speaker
They scare me the most. They do. They like they are in playoff mindset. Every single player on that team is like, I'm having fun playing soccer. need to do And then they're just killing you. like They're strangling you at the same time.
00:51:38
Speaker
like They are having fun. murdering people yeah and you can't like what are you supposed to do against that I don't know I'm jealous of the chemistry that those two strikers have I want that in my life my personal life I'm not even talking about on my team I want someone to look at me like Denny Buonga looks at Hunman's son like that's where I'm at and that's why they scare me the absolute most out of anyone in the West it is ah It's tough to see Denny Buonga, the evil demon himself, spawned from the very gates of hell.
00:52:11
Speaker
It's tough to see him this happy. You're right. he's on He's cloud nine. And there's really like there's no other answer to the question right now. They have, between the two of them, 14 goals in their last five games.
00:52:24
Speaker
Those are all 14 goals that the team has scored. But ah it's certainly an ominous sign that they've combined for that many. ah LAFC is the first club in MLS history to have a player score hat-trick in three consecutive games.
00:52:41
Speaker
Danny Buonga scored two of those. Sun scored the other. ah So it's just it's just not good. It's not good. It's elevated their team like in a way. I think ah we all expected them to score more goals with Sun on the team, ah but the whole vibe thing...
00:53:01
Speaker
Like, you're right. Like, they all, it's like this combination of glee and psychotic destruction of the opposition.
00:53:12
Speaker
And, yeah, I mean, I guess we might have to do discourse after that potential playoff series on if Seattle should have spent $26 million dollars on ah on whoever it was because that like that uh that was money well spent for them that guy looks insane they look like a dynamic duo from hell and they are definitely like they're only in fourth is the funny thing like they're only on fourth right now but they're definitely the western conference front runner like i don't you i think uh
00:53:45
Speaker
I guess let's talk about the Whitecaps and where they ah they fit into that because they did they made a little splash of ah of their own, and they would be my pick for second. like do you have a different take for for who would be second between San Diego and Vancouver?
00:54:00
Speaker
I feel like I'm more scared of San Diego just because I've seen what they're able to do, and like when that team is on, I think they're more scary than Vancouver, who... i like they made moves that made them worse. and And the same thing with San Diego, I guess, as well. So I think it's like a 2A, 2B situation. Like, they're both equally scary, but, like, I'm not... It's a known entity, you know what I'm saying? It's like a known entity, whereas ah b belongga the the Bawanga evil demon spawn, I don't even, like, I'm praying on my rosary.
00:54:35
Speaker
I'm, like, physically scared. Like, I'm reading Bible passages to try and, like, excise this demon.
Playoff Contenders: San Diego, Vancouver, and Others
00:54:42
Speaker
Yeah, my question with San Diego is it's not about their quality or their level at this point. I mean, Anders Dreyer, he might be the best non-messy player the league right now.
00:54:55
Speaker
Yeah, honestly, give him ah give them MVP. Obviously, Chucky Lozano as well is insanely good. And when their when their attack is firing on all cylinders, it is it's just as scary as LAFC's, to be honest with you.
00:55:10
Speaker
But I do think there is ah there's a reason like you pretty much never see an expansion team win a trophy. And it's because no matter how good your level is, and this San Diego well team's level is way higher than like when St. Louis was trying to do this a couple years ago. That team that St. Louis team was probably never winning a trophy.
00:55:30
Speaker
The San Diego team is way more, no offense, St. Louis fraud watch, St. Louis. created fraud watch, but ah the San Diego team's not fraudulent. But like, I think when you get in a tournament setting, it can be like ah you see Seattle in those settings benefit so much from having so many reps together in these situations, in these moments.
00:55:55
Speaker
I could name a lot of a lot of playoff games or Champions League games or this year, Leagues Cup games that experience like really matters. I mean, you got guys on just using Seattle as an example. These guys have been grinding these games together for years in some cases.
00:56:12
Speaker
when you are a entirely new team and it's your first year together and you have to go up against these teams like Seattle and LAFC and whoever, whoever else it might be who have been together and have been through the battles like as a team, it makes it a, it gives, I think it skews the advantage towards the team that's got that experience and they don't have that experience.
00:56:36
Speaker
But I will say like, if there's any expansion team or relative newcomer type team, that I've seen in the last few years that, that I think could, could buck that trend and make a run. It's this San Diego team. I mean, they, I think their, their attack, like I said, is just as good as LAFC's on their day.
00:56:56
Speaker
And they're, ah they're a decent defensive team too. It's not like they're just i all about throwing numbers forward and trying to score on you. Like they're pretty well-rounded team, but I would rate, I rate Vancouver slightly above them.
00:57:09
Speaker
i think Thomas Mueller it's it's kind of similar to son. Doesn't it feel like he's just kind of a merchant, bro? I'm tired of talking about this guy. He's a P. Okay. got get on the Hat trick off penalties. What it, what, I, what, what are we doing?
00:57:24
Speaker
What are we doing? i PK merchant. I'm not scared of him. I'm not scared of him. I'm not, I'm not really scared of him on the field. I think he he's, ah as a player, it's whatever, but like,
00:57:36
Speaker
their vibe their vibes, it's not Mwanga Sun level vibes, but it does feel like they got a vibe boost from it. And I think that is a real thing. like It's ah irrespective of if he's a PK merchant, which I think you're low-key kind of right. He is PK merchant. He's a Bro, they were, i when I saw the headline, ah Thomas Muller, first MLS hat trick, was like, oh shit, he still got it. I click on it and it's three PKs.
00:58:03
Speaker
I'm like, there's no way you're promoting this right now. Wasn't it two out of the three? Or maybe it was two and then like a corner, like a header or something, right? I think it was two out of three, but it was still pretty funny.
00:58:14
Speaker
Yeah, I was like, you're you're you're trolling me right now, MLS. You're trolling me right now. They beat the Philly Union seven to zero Which I don't think that means that much because it was basically like the Phil Union Academy Yeah.
00:58:30
Speaker
yeah But still, like... That's ah the Philly union are about to win this Porter shield. So that's still an impressive win. And they're also going to win the, the, they're going to win the Canadian championship and that's going to like, you know, that's a Mickey mouse trophy too, yeah yeah canada but it's going to help their, their vibes. They're going to win that for a fourth straight time.
00:58:50
Speaker
So I'm a, never want it. Thomas Muller. He's about to, Yeah, that's a good point. If Messi was really going to take over MLS, how has he not won the Canadian championship?
00:59:02
Speaker
that's the I always felt like it is a little silly. like There's three teams in the tournament, and then there's like these CPL teams. so it's like I get it. it's not ah You don't have a lot of teams to compete for it, but is it really like the same thing as the Open Cup where there's like hundreds of teams?
00:59:23
Speaker
No, like not even close. I don't want to ah be dismissive of our Canadian brethren. Listen, we're both Canadian. when i when i see know When I see Toronto FC or Vancouver lifting the Canadian championship every year, I'm like, there was only two other teams that you were playing for that.
00:59:42
Speaker
This could have been like an in-season tournament. This could have been just whoever gets the most points in um MLS wins it. You know what I'm saying? Like a Cascadia Cup type thing. Yeah, exactly. Like, I mean, maybe, maybe the CPL teams feel like they want to want a shot at that. Forge was in the final like two years ago or something. Yeah. Forge made the final one year and they were just playing the Whitecaps, I think tied on aggregate at one point.
01:00:08
Speaker
So they, they made it to the semifinals, but I do listically no one is going to win that besides an MLS team. So I do like the early games, though, where it's still like negative 100 degrees and they're playing on like literally a frozen high school football field.
01:00:24
Speaker
Yeah. And those are greats ah you're like, dude, this is why are you doing this? who Who? Why are you playing this tournament? It's for Canada, dude. It's for Canada, man.
01:00:34
Speaker
Oh, Canada, Maple. All right. Out of Austin. We talked about Minnesota, but I think Austin and Portland are the, ah are the other teams that are in the mix.
01:00:45
Speaker
I, I'm not afraid of, are you afraid of Minnesota in a playoff game? Because i feel like I'm not afraid of them, but also that style I could see being effective i mean we've seen We have seen it be effective against Seattle.
01:01:00
Speaker
i like I don't want to be. like i think yeah I'm just going to take the delusional route and say it's not going to work. It's not going to happen. I don't care what the sample size is. Seattle should have different thetle should have won that game when they played. They should have won that game. they they Minnesota gave them the ball the entire time, and they struggled to know what to do with it, I feel like, for a while. But...
01:01:22
Speaker
Like, on the balance, Seattle had the way better chances, and they did the bit. They trolled and got the set piece. That was it. Like, they trolled got the set piece, and Seattle couldn't quite get... a Couldn't finish any of their chances. But they really... They shouldn't have...
01:01:38
Speaker
That should not have been an L. That should not have been an L. You can't tell me that once the playoffs come or like knowing that the playoffs are coming and knowing that Minnesota is going to be playing, that there there isn't a whole group of like stats nerds and tactics experts that are like in a war room somewhere in l LA or Seattle right now, like locked in there analyzing all of the film, like going crazy. They've all got... like the The five o'clock shadow, they're shaking in the corner, like...
01:02:08
Speaker
they haven't conceded. They've conceded 80% possession in every game. How do we break that? Like you, there's going to be some fucking dweeb that's going to figure out how to break this. And like, I just don't, I don't know. I like it. There's no way. I think it's already happening. I think it's already happening. Like they've been, ah they've been figured out to an extent and this is going to be put to a stop.
01:02:29
Speaker
Eric Ramsey is going to be back in England yeah where you know it because Brexit means Brexit. Wow. Like how many times do we have to say it? It's not going to work out. Yeah. ah but we're even What were even talking about? they How afraid you are in Minnesota.
01:02:44
Speaker
i think I think if ah Seattle played Minnesota in the playoffs, I wouldn't love that matchup because of how we saw that first game go, but I definitely i would not feel like, oh, whoa, I don't want can't win. Also, why are they in the way? i don't even care if it's in Allianz field. Look at how they play at Allianz field. They play like they do on the road at Allianz field. So that they literally, if you look at their record, I am getting back on the agenda.
01:03:08
Speaker
If you look at their record this year, they have a worse home record at ostensibly one of the like best home field advantages in the league than they do on the road. Why do you think that is? it's because they play like a road team when they're at home anyway. ah What about Austin and Austin and Portland? Do you fear the, how how are you feeling on the Timby stock right now? Austin? If they like, that's just like, I always am unhappy to play in that matchup, especially in the playoffs because like,
01:03:40
Speaker
It doesn't matter if they're bad. Yeah, they they love nothing more than to absolutely make that game their Super Bowl. That's the lifeblood. That's their lifeblood. Yeah, like that's their whole bit. It's like, oh yeah, you won Leaks Cup. well you what you have it well We beat you in your house like seven times, bro. like Honestly, when Seattle... You're not even clocking it. We're putting it down, dude. like We have like seven stars, and those stars are from beating you at home, bro. like What are you talking about?
01:04:10
Speaker
MLS is back cut, by the way. You can't win it. when ah When Seattle hung the CONCACAF Champions League banner and then lost to Portland 3-0 at home. That was actually a good bit.
01:04:22
Speaker
It was good. night I hope they do it again. i hope they do it again. Like raise the Leagues Cup banner against Portland. um that Do it. it's And then watch how they respond to that. That'll will put the fire of a thousand gods in them and they'll score five goals. I guarantee you. 100%.
01:04:40
Speaker
ah hundred percent Yeah, no, I fear I fear Portland the same. I think as if you're awesome, like I think Austin is in better form right now than Portland. I think that they have looked good.
01:04:51
Speaker
They grinded out that result. But like that, those are two teams that this I know i if you're in a playoff man like you. If you can't get it done against those two, fine. Just get out anyway, because I don't want to be any more games. I can almost live with that more. You know what? I'm going to be like, all right, we're good.
01:05:09
Speaker
I'm good, because I was not about to see what was about to happen against the Demon. The Hangover what might just be insurmountable at that point. and yeah you know At that point, we'll ah we'll take the cope and rationalization as it as it comes. but I don't think it necessarily... i'm i'm not i'm not calling it chalked.
01:05:28
Speaker
Just yet. I know it's been one point from three matches since the League's Cup final. That's not great. But Whitecaps, we're going to find out how they stack up against one of these teams because Vancouver is coming to town on Saturday.
Vancouver Match Preview and Conclusion
01:05:43
Speaker
And ah that's going to be a good game. I'm looking forward to that one. But no, I think we can call it right there. We just laid down an hour long show. And that's pretty much all I had today.
01:05:54
Speaker
Unless you had anything else that you wanted to hit. uh start georgie start georgie uh i'll be back at it for under the lights thursday 7 30. uh need to hit up michael mccall for that reminds me yes try and line him up uh so definitely don't miss out on that we'll have our uh post game show on uh on saturday i see no reason why wouldn't have that on the normal schedule Like, comment, rate five stars, sub to the channel, lovinscorkers.com slash sauce. Anything else that ah that we need to plug before we get out of here?
01:06:30
Speaker
Watch the doc. Watch the doc. All right. Catch you guys on Thursday. Peace. Peace.