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Under the Lights: Can the Seattle Sounders get revenge at Minnesota? (feat. Jeff Rueter)
340 Plays1 day ago
One team has beaten the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field in 2025: Minnesota United FC, who are Seattle's opposition for the upcoming Western Conference road clash in Matchday 29 at Allianz Field. Can the Rave Green keep their ballistic run of attacking form rolling against a Loons side that Seattle is chasing for the No. 3 spot on the West table? We'll preview that matchup, take questions, and welcome back Minnesota-based guest Jeff Rueter, who will give us the scoop on the Loons and talk some other headlines from around MLS.
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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: Lobbing Scorchers Podcast Overview
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. Why the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be scorcher.
00:00:44
Speaker
Good evening, everybody.
Focus on Seattle Sounders and MLS
00:00:46
Speaker
Welcome in to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Under the Lights. Going to be a good show here this evening. We're going to be hanging out, talking some Seattle Sounders and Major League Soccer.
00:00:59
Speaker
ah Later on, we're going to have returning guest Jeff Reuter of the Athletic. Tapping in. ah He needs a little bit of time. Texted him yesterday. I said, Jeff, can you come back on the show? And he said, yeah, but I have an English Premier League fantasy draft at around that time.
00:01:19
Speaker
Can I tap in after? And I was like, yeah, yeah, that's fine. I can kill like an hour. until then. Uh, so we're going to be, we're going be hanging out killing time before, before we get Jeff in here to talk some Minnesota United, we're going to get the update on the loons who, uh, the Seattle Sounders are headed to Allianz field this weekend for match day 29.
00:01:41
Speaker
It's a, it's a big matchup three versus four, two of the best teams in the West duking it out for playoff positioning. Uh, the Sounders are three points off of, uh,
00:01:54
Speaker
Minnesota United's pace right now. So if they win, they'll be in that tie for for third in the West. So... It's a big game.
00:02:06
Speaker
Looking forward to talking to Jeff. We're going to hit some other topics as well. ah To lead it off here, I'm going to play some Christian Roldan audio. ah He talked to ah media today, I believe, at Long Acres. I thought there was some good stuff in there. so I'm going to play that in a minute here ah while we...
00:02:26
Speaker
wait for people to trickle in. And then i was thinking after that, while we're waiting for Jeff, we could hit some more, uh, transfer window discourse. If that's something you guys might be interested in.
00:02:37
Speaker
Noah and I put out a, uh, pod yesterday where we talked about that extensively and it generated some good discussion. think the video has got like 50 comments. So, uh, was thinking we could, uh, talk more about that.
00:02:51
Speaker
See where you, the people are at with, uh, with how this window is shaping up with no, no Ohio and now seemingly no U22 spot to be filled.
00:03:02
Speaker
We can talk about that a little more. ah Some people kind of disagreed with how we think of it, which is fine. I love that. Always good discussion. So we can do that. And then as always,
00:03:14
Speaker
I'll let you guys steer the ship a little bit, whatever questions, topics, aye agendas, observations, or grievances that you might have, drop them in chat. And we can let that dictate what we talk about as well.
00:03:30
Speaker
So that's pretty much the plan. Thank you all, as always, for for tuning in. ah Before we get into it, please like the video.
00:03:43
Speaker
Subscribe to the channel if you haven't. we're We're on the road to 3K subs. We're not particularly close yet, but we've been seeing some good steady growth towards that goal. So thank you to all our new subs and everyone who tunes in each and every week and makes the show go.
00:04:03
Speaker
Lobbingscorchers.com slash sauce for the hot sauce. Lobbingscorchers.com slash archive for your archive kit if you don't have one yet. Both great ways to ah support the show.
00:04:14
Speaker
And ah you can always become ah YouTube member as well. That is a ah another great way to support the show. Uh, Jake, glad you liked the agenda check episode. Hopefully you guys liked that new format. I think that's kind of how we're going to do it from now on for those shows. we were kind of just trying to think of ways to, uh,
00:04:37
Speaker
use more broader topics for that shows as opposed to game analysis where you know we have our post game live nico and i do a lot of game review stuff on uh on kickoff under the lights we're kind of usually previewing the game that's to come so uh we were thinking just for the normal episodes sort of broaden the scope have more general topics and uh kind of basing the whole thing around agenda check seemed like a logical way to do that and I agree.
00:05:02
Speaker
thought it was a good episode, and it definitely it got the comments section cooking more so than it even usually does. So let's get ah let's get right into it.
00:05:18
Speaker
I'll check chat here, see if there's anything that ah we should hit off-rip, and then i'm gonna play this ah Christian sound.
Western Conference Signings Analysis
00:05:25
Speaker
Kyle says, I don't know if anyone else agrees, but I'm stoked about all these big Western Conference signings.
00:05:29
Speaker
So much sweeter to win against the big names. And it seemed like they were all in the Eastern Conference. ah Yeah, I mean, I think ah that's one reason to be to be stoked about it from from Seattle's perspective.
00:05:43
Speaker
ah It is. Always satisfying to beat one of those teams that brings in these big names. And ah we'll see how powerful it makes LAFC in particular.
00:05:57
Speaker
The Whitecaps, I'm a little more... I guess, skeptical of how much Thomas Mueller, Tommy Mule moves the needle for them. He might, he's obviously a pretty generational player in his own right.
00:06:12
Speaker
I just think son is kind of a different level. And i really think that, he He definitely makes LAFC a lot better than they were previously.
00:06:26
Speaker
they' had They've been kind of struggling to find their top LAFC gear that we're used to seeing this year. And I think this probably is going to help them get there, both in terms of what he brings on the field, but also just vibes.
00:06:43
Speaker
It seems like their vibes were, like I said, not not what they usually are. You got Steve C preemptive quitting. You got the team sort of not performing quite. I mean, they've had a good year, LAFC. They're not like a bad team.
00:07:00
Speaker
They're definitely, they're in the mix for a top four spot. But I think this sort of gives them a jolt. So we'll see how it works out. I also think when you spend $26 million, dollars You kind of gotta win kind of got win MLS Cup, don't you?
00:07:21
Speaker
MLS Cup or bust for our friends at the Black and Gold. All right. I'm going to let this Christian audio rip while we wait for for people to keep trickling in here.
00:07:35
Speaker
i wanted to play this. I was listening to all the audio that came out of training today. Brian Schmetzer spoke. Obed Vargas also spoke. I went with Christian, though. I thought he he hit on some stuff that was most of interest.
00:07:51
Speaker
He talks about just the current form the team in the team is in, how they're feeling over this hot streak that they've been on, what to attribute that to, what's working. He talks about Jesus Ferreira a little bit and the role that he's played for the team this season, but also during this hot streak. And then he also talks about a topic that we have discussed a lot on this show, which is, is he ever going to get to rest or is he just going to play every single minute of every single game?
00:08:23
Speaker
So, uh, Let's pull that up right now. Before do that, I'll hit this from Daniel. What do you think about all the new Timber signings? I'll be honest. I have not ah looked into them that in depth. I do know they signed a new DP winger.
00:08:43
Speaker
But it was no one who I had like heard of. to look at and be like, oh, wow, they got that guy. Like, oh, oh this this guy that they signed, what ah what's his name? let's All right, let's actually, let's pull this up because this is important.
00:09:00
Speaker
I'm glad you brought it up. Anytime the Timbs make a big move like this, that has a implications for Seattle. So before we hit this Christian audio, let's let's see but's see what's up with this guy.
00:09:19
Speaker
Okay, well, this is one of them. Okay, they did they they had two. They had two big signings. This isn't even the guy I was thinking of. Felipe Carballo from Gremio, 28-year-old, Uruguay International.
00:09:33
Speaker
He is going to be a designated player. And second MLS stint. Spent parts of last season with the New York Red Bulls. Two goals, two assists in 27 games.
00:09:46
Speaker
So he wasn't exactly lighting it on fire his last time in MLS. But but let me this is the the other guy is the one that I was thinking of.
00:09:59
Speaker
Where is this guy?
00:10:02
Speaker
They signed two DPs? Yeah, okay, here we go, here we go.
00:10:08
Speaker
That guy, you know, so maybe he's good. I don't know. He wasn't that good for the Red Bulls, but maybe he just needed a little bit of a experience in the league, and he'll figure it out with the Timbys.
00:10:23
Speaker
ah this was the This was the other guy, DP forward, Christopher Velde. Greek... from Olympiacos in Greece, 25 year old Norwegian international $5 million dollars bag that the Timbius spent on this guy slots into their attack with the Costa Antony, Jonathan Rodriguez out for the season.
00:10:47
Speaker
Uh, He has 62 goals, 39 assists, and 250 club appearance appearances, playing in Norway and Poland and in Greece.
00:10:57
Speaker
He's featured in Champions League, Europa League, Conference League qualifying, group stage matches, capped once by Norway. So there you have it.
00:11:10
Speaker
Those are the Timbys, two new players, and I have pretty much no insight on them. I'll look into them more. I'll scout them up. I'll see what they're cooking with. ah But as far as just off-rip impressions, don't know much about them.
00:11:25
Speaker
John, you have not missed a lot. All we've done so far is the intro housekeeping and taking a look at the two guys that the Timbys signed this window, which they made ah they made some moves. They got a couple new DPs.
00:11:40
Speaker
So Timbys, stock up? I don't know.
Christian Roldan Interview
00:11:47
Speaker
We'll find out. They got to integrate these guys. They got to find out if these guys are good.
00:11:54
Speaker
Uh, all right. I'm to pull Christian up right now. Let's hear from Christian rolled on.
00:12:01
Speaker
What does he think about this recent run of form that the team has been on? Is he ever going to get to, uh, take a rest? Let's find out. so obviously a good win for you guys. What is, how would you describe sort of the mood around the team? It seems like everyone is just feeling kind of confident.
00:12:19
Speaker
Yeah. Confidence, I think is the word that I use as well. Um, you know, the, the ability to use everybody and and we're getting results at the same time. Everybody feels part of the club. Everybody feels part of the team, ah part of the success of the team. And I think that's, what's beautiful about this run after the club world cup is we've, we've really used everybody um and, and we've gotten a results and we've played well at times. And yeah, there were shaking moments where maybe we needed to close games out, but,
00:12:50
Speaker
the confidence level, that the the idea that we go into games now and thinking we're going to score 2-3 is is quite quite drastic from where we started. you Minnesota is the team right ahead of you in the standings.
00:13:05
Speaker
Does this feel like a, i mean, you haven't really had a game quite like this since the Club World Cup. I mean, does this feel a little different? For sure. ah You know, this feels like a playoff game.
00:13:16
Speaker
and It'll be a tight game. You know, ah this is a team that that allows probably one of the fewest XGs um ah throughout the league.
00:13:28
Speaker
So it's it's going to be ah a battle of defending and then also, you know, getting that one chance. and and possibly ah ah putting the game away.
00:13:39
Speaker
So that's going to be and that's what playoff games seem that way seem to be like. And so the the pressure to to be able to do so get on the road and and and put on your boots and and be able to get a result is going to be really important for us to make some moves in the standings.
00:13:56
Speaker
This team is statistically in like the hottest streak of winning and goals that they probably have been in in in history. You know, what is it about this offense that has put you guys at this level?
00:14:10
Speaker
We've been a lot more fluid. um We've added one more guy in ZTAC this year with Obed, um leaving three guys ah in the back, leaving at times two guys. i mean, we've we've put our center backs in ah in an even higher position.
00:14:28
Speaker
when we're attacking so that we can counter
00:14:34
Speaker
ah defend and transition a little bit better. So yeah, a combination of, of a couple things, but I think that there's belief now, you know, belief that the ball is going to get there. the quality is, has gotten better in front of goal.
00:14:46
Speaker
um You know, it's, it's, it's a few different variables, but I do feel like our, our team has that belief that we're going to score. And, and, and that is, That is a beautiful thing because I think that before we we didn't quite have that.
00:15:00
Speaker
What's special about what Jesus Ferrer does for your link of play and ah possession and his versatility playing various positions? Yeah, he's he's a vital player for us.
00:15:13
Speaker
and He gets us out of trouble. He supports the attack. He creates ah numerical advantages. um And just another link up player. I think his his passing is probably the best in the lead in in our team.
00:15:28
Speaker
ah his His ability to process balls, final third. And then also, i think what what is underestimated about Jesus' game is his ability to press.
00:15:39
Speaker
He gets little nicks on the ball. He relieves us from pressure at times by by winning the ball or or making the play long. i think He's just a well-rounded player for us, and he's been so important for us to continue to have success.
00:15:55
Speaker
How would you describe the way you're feeling physically? i feel good. i know I've had a lot of minutes under my belt. um you know There's times where, yeah, maybe I get tired in a game and you know that that comes with fatigue and the highs and lows of the season.
00:16:10
Speaker
um But I'm in a good spot. I think that you know the guys around me do a whole lot of running. I think Yoshida said how honest we are as a team. And you know that that allows me to be able to do my job a little bit better when everybody is honest and you know, organized. And so, um, you know, when, when I have moments where I feel fatigue or tired, it's about being smart with my running, um, and, and organizing the team, using my voice to, to help out, help myself out, uh, number one, uh, but help the team out by keeping our, our, our team in compact. But, uh, I feel great.
00:16:47
Speaker
And I'm gonna, I'm gonna continue saying that i I continue to tell you Schmetz that because I want to keep playing. And, um, you know, I think that in the end I'll find some time to get some rest after this congestion.
00:17:00
Speaker
You know, before Leagues Cup, you know, you sort of alluded to this, that there were some abilities with closing out games and and maybe some defensive gaps that you guys would have preferred not to have. But it seems since Leagues Cup started, you guys have kind of cleaned up a lot of that. Is that a perception or is that is it fair to say there's been sort of difference?
00:17:22
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like there has been a difference, but, you know, I think it's it comes from playing in meaningful games. I think what our team is is so interesting because we get up for these big games. The Cruz Azul game, for example, I think that was ah that was a game that kind of changed our trajectory with closing out games, with um you know, being better in possession, not losing the ball in tough areas.
00:17:48
Speaker
We really focused in on on those things. So when there's a big game, it seems like we elevate our our game and we've been able to kind of sustain that after the Cruz Azul game. So I'm excited for more meaningful games because I think our team can can live up to those expectations.
00:18:05
Speaker
But now how can we continue that? And so we've been able to, we've seen that, you know, over over the last couple games to to be able to sustain that. When you're in this current form, you know, a lot of the narrative right now when it comes to the transfer window is how do you make your team better and add in more talent?
00:18:23
Speaker
but But when you guys are playing in this form and you guys are in this you know moment, does it feel like there's less need for guy to come in? You know, how do you guys think about that? If you think about that at all? Yeah, I mean, I don't.
00:18:35
Speaker
like it's not my job right like um you know weibel is gonna have to be in charge of that schmidt's gonna be part of that but what i will say is we have injuries you know and and you know when you lose guys for an extended amount of time it's always nice to have talent and because you don't know what's going to happen but what i also will say is we have the i think one of the the deepest rosters in the league right now. and you know, when a few wingers go down, we still have, you know, Pedro Paul,
00:19:07
Speaker
Georgie to be able to come in and and make an impact. You know, Jesus has the backup 10, right? So we have we have a deep squad. And so um it's hard to say, like, yeah, we need players. But um I really believe in this squad. And I think that we can we can get once we get healthy and and everybody's here, we we can be really effective.
00:19:28
Speaker
if anyone knows come us If anyone knows what a championship team is, it's you. Does it feel like right now you have a championship team? We have that ability to win a championship for sure with this squad, but it's about not saying it's about doing it right. it's so It always comes down to that. you know In the past, i've I've felt like, yeah, maybe we've won with not as great of a talent talented squad, and but this this team feels different. And so hopefully we can put that but that to to to play on the field rather than just saying that.
00:20:03
Speaker
Individually,
00:20:06
Speaker
at your moment, you know playing some of the best ball that you've played, um is there still like a notion of or a dream of like the European trip or like the opportunity to go to Europe?
00:20:19
Speaker
And in the same sense, you know what do you feel like your possibilities are with like the US West National team that's kind of a very fluid concept right now? Yeah, I think that um Number one, I always have dreams and aspirations. And if the right opportunity comes, of course, that would be amazing. Right.
00:20:41
Speaker
But I'm also very happy here. I'm playing really good foot footy. I think i'm I'm really happy with the team, um you know, and and my role on the team. But yeah, with the national team, for sure, I'd love to be part of the team. I'd love to compete for a spot.
00:20:58
Speaker
ah But again, I got to continue to play well. and And what helps is when you the team does well, you know most of the time the player does well. So hopefully I can continue in that way. But I still have high expectations and standards for myself. So I'm going to continue to try to get better every day.
00:21:18
Speaker
you. Thanks, guys. Cheers, guys.
00:21:22
Speaker
Good stuff from... ah brian coming out of from Christian there on ah on multiple topics, ah starting with, you know, talking about just the confidence and the belief that this team is, is playing with right now, which I think is something that, you know, we can all see during this recent run, especially, and I think Noah and I were talking about this on the last podcast, but as compared to last year, when there was a lengthy,
00:21:57
Speaker
portion of the season, as we all remember, more towards the start in the middle of the season, where it was like pulling teeth for this team on on offense. And i mean, 26 goals in their last eight games.
00:22:13
Speaker
The team is playing with a ton of confidence. And like he was saying, it's just like the level the level that they're at in attack right now, the goals feel inevitable.
00:22:24
Speaker
was thinking about that too, like during the, during the, the Cholos game when they were down one zero at the half, didn't it still feel like that the equalizer was inevitable? And to me, like it it felt like at least a couple goals were just bound to happen. That's how, you know,
00:22:51
Speaker
that you're playing attacking footy at a very high level. I also
00:23:00
Speaker
like listening to the guys on the team talk about Jesus Ferreira. and i And I know, honestly, I know they're biased, but like the types of praise that they give him, like if you remember Jordan Morris talking about it after the sporting KC game ah and then Christian right there,
00:23:21
Speaker
just talking about how integral he is and like the buildup connecting play and just in general, as a facilitator, the guys love playing with them. And then also I think the key point with that is something that I, I didn't even really think about as much when they made this trade, but it's the two way, it's the two way presence. It's the work rate.
00:23:43
Speaker
It's the energy and it's the pressing. I think the thing that this team is doing at an elite level right now that has helped this run of form as much as anything is, is their press is just smothering people right now.
00:24:01
Speaker
That galaxy game. i mean, they were putting them just under it the whole game as the road team.
00:24:10
Speaker
Really like that game from, for most of the 90 and then, uh, most of leagues cup phase one as well. I thought the press was fantastic. It's just Ferreira is one of the leaders of that.
00:24:23
Speaker
I would say if you watch any of these games, uh, well-rounded, well-rounded skillset and stuff that kind of underscores his value outside of what he's been doing in attack, which I think, ah you know, if we're doing pros and cons of Jesus Ferreira's first year in Seattle, I think over, over the last six weeks or so, there've been a lot more,
00:24:54
Speaker
pros than cons but I think you could look at it and say that just the pure stat sheet production it took longer than we all would have liked to start flowing and it's also ah he has good numbers this year but not like insane numbers but it's the whole it's the totality of it right So I think that's what guys on the team appreciate.
Sounders U22 Spot and Team Strategy
00:25:17
Speaker
That's what I appreciate about watching him right now. As much as what he's doing to kind of fuel the offense, which in the Galaxy game, that was the first kind of glimpse in a while that we've got of him running it instead of Rusnak, who's going out for a couple more weeks.
00:25:37
Speaker
And ah it looked fantastic in the l LA game. So let's just, let's hope he can keep that up.
00:25:46
Speaker
Uh, he said, Christian also said he feels great physically and that he wants to keep playing. So, you know, you'd expect him to say that, um, you wouldn't expect him to say, I'm really gassed.
00:25:59
Speaker
I can't play every single minute of every game. Please God, give me a rest. Uh, but he said he feels good. He said, he's going to campaign to, to keep playing.
00:26:15
Speaker
So we ah I think if there's a concern I have right now, it's just the mileage that's on the double pivot, both he and Obed. How sustainable is it?
00:26:27
Speaker
can you Can they find plan Bs if necessary, if one of those guys has to rotate
00:26:38
Speaker
or miss time for whatever reason?
00:26:43
Speaker
That does feel a little dicey. I think there's a reason that that Schmetz runs that every single time without fail. And it's working for now.
00:26:55
Speaker
But I think, doesn't it feel like even in the last like
00:27:01
Speaker
two, three weeks, I think Christian even admitted it right there. You've seen signs of it at times.
00:27:11
Speaker
but it was at least a good to hear him say that he's made it to this point in the season, feeling good, ready to take on the, the stretch run, make a run at leagues cup here. And then at the end there also didn't close the door um potentially going to Europe, which that's something that's been talked about in his career and never happened.
00:27:36
Speaker
He, uh, he made the call that he's good with being a sounders lifer, which I think that was a phenomenal call. I love that call. There is always the, ah you always wonder though, especially like watching the club world cup this summer, like, man, you could, you could have put him in La Liga in the Bundesliga this whole time. And he probably would have been,
00:28:04
Speaker
one of the best players at that position. I don't know. Like that's what he showed to me at the club world cup. People can laugh at that. USMNT people who have voiced their anti-Christian agendas might not like that, but that was kind of the beauty of the club world cup to me watching him play that well against teams like that kind of erased the doubt.
00:28:33
Speaker
as to what his level is.
00:28:36
Speaker
And yeah, a lot of people aren't going to like the take from Jake, but he should he should call up Christian.
00:28:49
Speaker
He should. It's not like they ah
00:28:57
Speaker
are looking like world beaters right now. Might actually help them out a little bit.
00:29:05
Speaker
The man deserves a call-up.
00:29:11
Speaker
um All right. You guys want to do some more transfer window discourse? We can do that.
00:29:22
Speaker
If you don't, and there's other topics you want to hit, feel free to drop them in. We're not tied to it.
00:29:32
Speaker
But I did want to follow up a little bit kind of on the ah discussion that Noah and I had. It generated some discourse, which is always good.
00:29:42
Speaker
And I think the yeah kind of the crux of it is the the writing appears to be on the on the wall here.
00:29:54
Speaker
That the U22 spot is not going to get it filled in this window. So how do we feel about that?
00:30:03
Speaker
is that ah Is that a huge disaster? Is that a failure? Is that going to sink the season? Did they need one more piece in the form of this U22 to really compete and contend for trophies this year? And um you know I'll just start off the discourse.
00:30:21
Speaker
I'll just start off, which and this is so I sort of kind of already gave my take on this on the podcast, but you know listening back to the discussion, reading the comments, here's kind of where I stand.
00:30:36
Speaker
This is just how I feel. Everyone's entitled to feel their own type of way about it. The way I feel,
00:30:46
Speaker
they keep if they keep playing like this, like they're playing right now, and they sustain this level,
00:30:56
Speaker
i'm not going to I'm not going to care that much one way or the other if they if they filled this U22 spot in this window. They do need to fill it. And I do think in general there is truth to the fact that like if you're going to be a high roller team in this league, you have to be able to drop a bag every now and then.
00:31:17
Speaker
You do. You can't just never drop a bag. And that seems to be their strategy right now. seems to be there strategy right now Never drop the bag. And long-term, I don't think that's sustainable. But as far as this window goes right now, like the the way I look at this is the level that they've been playing at over these last 10 games, that's that's all I want is for them to play like this.
00:31:50
Speaker
Like when I think about
00:31:55
Speaker
what I want the team to look like in order for it to be able to, uh, to win trophies. These last 10 games, that's, that's pretty much it. My criteria, I think for success, which I think is something instructive to, uh, outline in a situation like this. My criteria for success is number one, be one of the teams that's relevant and competing for trophies and ultimately winning them.
00:32:31
Speaker
That's the most important thing.
00:32:34
Speaker
And then secondary to that is be like, be fun to watch score, score goals, do fun little one touch intricate combination play stuff like they've been doing, do that score goals,
00:32:52
Speaker
A lot and also sometimes like the ones that de la vega scoring also do that. And then when games. When trophies.
00:33:03
Speaker
Those are the things that for me personally are my barometers of. Of success.
00:33:11
Speaker
So.
00:33:15
Speaker
I think a lot of this, how I feel about it, is going to be determined by how the rest of the season goes. If they finish off this Leagues Cup run and win Leagues Cup and then make a run at MLS Cup and win that too, or are in the mix for winning it,
00:33:34
Speaker
i just I just don't know why the roster... construction or whether every U22 spot is filled or how much money they've spent, it stops mattering to me at a point at ah at a certain point where where the on-field performances and results are where I want them to be.
00:34:00
Speaker
Now, this 10-game stretch has been incredible. It's the best 10-game stretch of footy I've ever seen the club play. It is only 10 games. They have not been at that level for this entire season.
00:34:14
Speaker
I don't necessarily expect them to stay at this level for the rest of the season, but I have full confidence that if they are at or close to this level, they will be in the mix. They will be relevant. They will be contending. They will be playing for trophies, which that's step one.
00:34:32
Speaker
The criteria I was just talking about. It's the first thing.
00:34:36
Speaker
Be one of the teams. That's really about it. That's really going for trophies. Part of that, I think, is finishing in the top four in the West, getting home field advantage in the playoffs.
00:34:50
Speaker
But you got to actually win them. Christian said it at the end of his interview there. they They have what they need to do that. It's just a matter of actually
00:35:02
Speaker
doing it.
00:35:06
Speaker
So all that being said,
00:35:10
Speaker
ah
00:35:13
Speaker
I look at what the what the product is on the field and what the results are and have been as how I judge these things. And if it was a situation where they were underperforming, not taking results, their points per game was down like below 1.5.
00:35:36
Speaker
They're not really in the mix for top four in the West. They weren't scoring goals. and they had this open U22 spot, I'd be like, yeah, you got you gotta to fill it this window.
00:35:50
Speaker
Team's not where it needs to be. They're not contending. They're not in the mix.
00:35:59
Speaker
The way I see it right now, mean, this team's on the best run they've ever been on.
00:36:06
Speaker
If they...
00:36:09
Speaker
come to the conclusion that whoever they scouted up
00:36:15
Speaker
after no Ohio isn't the right target. They feel like sign, like signing someone would be doing it just to do it.
00:36:28
Speaker
Then they should, they then they should not fill it.
00:36:32
Speaker
That would not be a prudent allocation of the resource.
00:36:41
Speaker
So a lot of this a lot of this, I think, is just to be ah to be determined.
00:36:56
Speaker
But as far as Craig Weibel goes,
00:37:01
Speaker
we can we can we can talk about Craig Weibel. I know people were asking for the Craig Weibel discourse. I mean, we went through the track record on the podcast.
00:37:11
Speaker
And i mean, I do think as a starting point, if you're being, if if we're honestly evaluating his his record with no agendas or priors,
00:37:28
Speaker
I think you got to give him credit for
00:37:33
Speaker
some of why like this team has been able to do what it's been able to do this year, which is not easy to do, by the way. I don't think it should be taken for granted that this team is fourth in the West with a realistic chance at making a run at first or second in the West, and then also it was by far and away the best club in either league in League's Cup Phase 1.
00:38:01
Speaker
while also not having their starting number nine, who's a designated player for pretty much the entire season.
00:38:12
Speaker
And also just a myriad of other injuries they've had this year to center back, to the to JP in the midfield.
00:38:21
Speaker
Albert Rusnak right now, Ryan Kent right now, Stefan Fry with the concussion. You could go down the list.
00:38:31
Speaker
This team has had so many injuries this year that
00:38:40
Speaker
for a lot of other teams, if you just list them out like that, they could and would be used as like a just write it off. Well, whatever, too injured.
00:38:53
Speaker
We can't be expected to maintain as high level. without those injured players as we were with those and injured players. That's just MLS. That's the roster.
00:39:05
Speaker
Seattle has not been beholden to that. Like we should, we should not take that for granted. And the only way, man, like the only way you're able to do that is if you have a very strong, very deep roster.
00:39:22
Speaker
And I think the roster right now, it's it's the first time it's been in a state for an extended period of time where it's Craig Wibes, mainly like his imprints on the new moves and like where the direction of the roster and the team are going.
00:39:38
Speaker
And i think
00:39:44
Speaker
you have to you have to credit the front office. It's not just Craig Wibes, but like the scouting staff. the analytics guys, and yes, the general manager.
00:39:59
Speaker
They have a lot to do with why the roster is where it's at. And, you know, you got pundits out there right now calling this the deepest team and and MLS history.
00:40:14
Speaker
See, I see, I see, uh, Ben's finally bringing back the, uh,
00:40:21
Speaker
the Soundert Hart article from the beginning of the season that... to See this? this
00:40:29
Speaker
Like, it actually... That point that was being made actually looks pretty good right now. that's what's That's what's funny about it.
00:40:39
Speaker
Like, he might have been cooking. And maybe you did just have. I mean, don't I'm just... I'm just saying, like, the... ah The on-field results have to inform how this stuff is evaluated.
00:40:57
Speaker
And feel like it's being, that part of it is just being ignored in some cases. Like derisively bringing up that sounder at heart headline.
00:41:09
Speaker
The results on the field right now are are bearing that out.
00:41:17
Speaker
They're bearing that out. The team has been devastatingly injured all year. And because of the depth of their roster, not only has it not tanked their season, they're having pretty much as good a season as you could have hoped for, even with the, I would say in league play.
00:41:38
Speaker
Ideally, I would like, you and if a league season is going like how I want it to go, They're up more they're more like 1.8, 1.9 points per game. They're at 1.64. um But they've also dropped a lot of points in silly fashion that would have them up there. I think you could argue that their level has been pretty close to that.
00:42:03
Speaker
So that's one thing I think you have to take into account.
Sounders' Depth and Performance Discussion
00:42:08
Speaker
And then their Leagues Cup form was phenomenal.
00:42:13
Speaker
They're 7-0 and 3 with like 32 goals in their last 10 games or whatever.
00:42:32
Speaker
Here's the thing, Ari. We were one signing away from being absolutely elite. Instead, he wasted that DP signing on Rusnak. I will concede that Rusnak is performing, but like, come on. We can do better.
00:42:45
Speaker
I don't know about the ah the premise the one signing away premise.
00:42:51
Speaker
I don't feel as but like that's as as clear cut. I feel like any U22 signing that they make right now would be more with the premise of like,
00:43:06
Speaker
this is with an eye towards a future building block as opposed to we're bringing this person in to put us over the top and right now. um I think the team is playing pretty indisputably at an elite level right now, at least over these last 10 games.
00:43:26
Speaker
I don't know what's like, we'll see if they sustain it, but I don't know like what signing that they could bring in that would like meaningfully up the level from what it's, what it's been.
00:43:39
Speaker
over this last recent run. So, you know, I get like a lot, again, a lot of it's going to be defined by how the rest of the season goes and if they win these trophies or not, but I don't see the, I don't with how they're playing right now, I don't see the urgency of the, of the U22 like that.
00:44:01
Speaker
I think that's where you get yourself into trouble sometimes.
00:44:10
Speaker
Oh, okay. Right. All right. I i i glossed over the Rusnak part of that.
00:44:18
Speaker
I mean,
00:44:22
Speaker
people are, i don't I don't, we don't need to make it like a brigade thing. Like people are entitled to feel like Rusnak is this kind of tier below the real, real top DPs in the league.
00:44:37
Speaker
I just don't agree with that personally. And I think, you know, we at Lobbing Scorchers have made our stance plenty clear on that. But I think that narrative, again, it's not, that narrative to me does not take into account the actual production that we've seen from the player and that the level that the offense we've seen get to with him as the focal point.
00:45:04
Speaker
Like,
00:45:08
Speaker
in this theoretical upgrade over Rusnak situation, would this theoretical player have had them score 35 goals over their last eight games instead of 25? Like,
00:45:29
Speaker
I don't know.
00:45:36
Speaker
To me at this point, like, where snack has very much shown that he can be a carry the load number 10 in this league.
00:45:47
Speaker
That can be a focal point of a very dynamic, very productive offense that can contend for, for trophies. And that's the most important thing to me. Again, winning games, competing for trophies and winning trophies.
00:46:05
Speaker
If they're doing that, I don't care who the number 10 is. It can be Albert Rusnak.
00:46:14
Speaker
It can be one of you out there. If they're playing like this,
00:46:22
Speaker
that's the outcome I want. that's like ah That's what I think every team is chasing is the ability to field a team that can play at a level like that and do it consistently.
00:46:37
Speaker
So
00:46:41
Speaker
that's how I feel about it.
00:46:47
Speaker
The designated player issue with Seattle is we have an impossible time keeping all three on the pitch at the same time. I mean, that is that is facts.
00:46:56
Speaker
I don't think that that's barely happened at all this season, unfortunately.
00:47:04
Speaker
The injury thing is is real. i also don't really know what you do about that. I know people have their conspiracy theories about the training staff and all this stuff about how Seattle gets injured at a higher clip than everyone else, which I don't know is true.
00:47:26
Speaker
But like to me, what's what like the season that Jordan Morris has had it's It's just bad luck. Like, I know that's not, it's what maybe be more satisfying to like try and find someone to blame, blame the trainers.
00:47:44
Speaker
I don't know. It would be nice if the if the team could stay healthy, healthier than they've been this year.
00:47:55
Speaker
But that is not the case. But again, it's kind of, you know what it's given us is it's given us a chance to
00:48:03
Speaker
see if this team's depth was what it was billed as going into the season.
00:48:10
Speaker
And right now it is more than keeping the team afloat. It's got the team as the hottest team in MLS. So
00:48:24
Speaker
i I'll be interested to see if they can sustain this level. i don't know if we're going to see stuff like seven goal games
00:48:35
Speaker
or four zero wins on the road versus teams that are, and they're not playing the LA Galaxy this weekend, playing one of the better teams in the league. But I think in that way, this game this game in Minnesota is going to be another good test. It's one ah one of the best teams in the league, so all the goals are going to count.
00:48:55
Speaker
i think I think we're all on the same page with that. The Loons right now are are one of the teams where it counts. The Galaxy obviously are not.
00:49:11
Speaker
So if they can they can beat Minnesota and play an attack at a similar level to that they they've been playing,
00:49:27
Speaker
we're going to start getting closer and closer to me personally getting to the point where I'm like, i why do I care about a U-22 this window if they're playing like that? Like, I don't think...
00:49:41
Speaker
If I really thought that one player was the difference between them being able to contend for trophies and not, then I would feel differently about it. i don I don't think the roster's in that situation.
00:49:52
Speaker
And in fact, I would argue that if you don't have a target that you believe in lined up, then the roster's at a point where you don't you don't need to you don't need to do it.
00:50:05
Speaker
You don't need to do it. Panic signings like that, that's what gets you in trouble and sets you back. Clearly they believed in Noah, Ohio. They thought he could be
00:50:17
Speaker
be a guy that, as Craig talked about, slotted in and contributed right away. But if they don't have that guy, they had a couple other deals fall through as well. There was like a 19-year-old Serbian guy that Sounder Hart reported.
00:50:34
Speaker
they were They were looking at heavily. But if none if if none of those guys came through,
00:50:43
Speaker
I would just, i mean, I would just wait.
00:50:53
Speaker
Ferrer's playing better, but he's still our third highest player, highest paid player on the team, putting up Rothrock numbers while playing multiple attacking positions. He gets paid more than De La Vega enrolled on. I mean, Rothrock numbers are, are good numbers.
00:51:07
Speaker
and First of all, that's another, like a,
00:51:13
Speaker
thing that's like said derisively that's actually a compliment
00:51:19
Speaker
putting up rothrock numbers but i like honestly i uh your point is taken that uh again i would say if there's something that maybe hasn't popped with ferrera to the degree that we would have hoped it's just the raw stat sheet production he's only got three he's only got three um mls goals uh i mean i do think
00:51:43
Speaker
Like if I, if I, if I can be honest and say that the stat sheet production or like at least the goal scoring hasn't been necessarily what we hoped it would be. We should also all be honest and acknowledge that he does have 13 goal contributions, all comps this year, which is solid.
00:52:03
Speaker
That's good production for a high-term player. If you want to take his secondary assists away, that's fine. It's got 11. Um, um But I also think that we've seen him be a lot more productive in the last few weeks.
00:52:20
Speaker
And also Leagues Cup in particular, he had like eight goals that that were called off for offside, which I think it's important to point out contextually there that like three of those, it's not like he was the one who was offside.
00:52:39
Speaker
It was like borderline 0.2 millimeter calls on the guys who played made the runs that like assisted him, but it's, it's not like he was
00:52:52
Speaker
offside and like poaching those by getting an unfair advantage. And they're like, no, these were, these were really good, well-executed runs within the flow of the offense clinical finishes that, that got disallowed because of someone else, not even what he did.
00:53:10
Speaker
So he could have, i would argue he's a little unlucky to not have more goals is the point.
00:53:17
Speaker
And I still think that, uh, we're going to look down at the end of the year and the, uh, the statue production is going to be, is going to be good. It already is pretty good.
00:53:28
Speaker
Not as many goals as we, as we would like, but it's still pretty good.
00:53:41
Speaker
Jeff, Jeff Reuter of the athletic and that's right. Should be joining in, uh,
00:53:47
Speaker
Oh, he just ah texted me a few minutes ago and he said he'll be on shortly. Hell yeah, Jeff.
00:53:57
Speaker
Excited to get into that. Talks in Minnesota United. um One of the weirdest teams in the league, in my opinion. They're really good, don't get me wrong. Not weird in like a bad way.
00:54:11
Speaker
Just... very, ah very novel tactics, as we talked about last time. And then, ah you know, Jeff is a ah national writer.
00:54:23
Speaker
So you guys got questions outside of just sounder specific to stuff, we're going to get into into those topics as well.
00:54:41
Speaker
Allianz Field, that's one that I need to ah that i need to get to.
00:54:48
Speaker
Text Jeff back real quick.
00:54:54
Speaker
Hopefully his fantasy draft went well. But ah yeah, I am going to ask him his take on Greg Wives. we'll do We'll do more transfer window discourse. The transfer window discourse is ah hot right now. It's the discourse of the moment.
00:55:14
Speaker
even Even when the team's 7-0-3 with a plus 58 goal differential in their last 10 games.
00:55:23
Speaker
I get it, though. I get it. Not trying to be dismissive of the transfer window discourse.
00:55:32
Speaker
Because, like, it is, I, like I said, I do think
00:55:40
Speaker
that is at some point they're going to have to drop a bag.
00:55:44
Speaker
They're going to have to drop a bag. I mean, you know, like, you know, this is what I was thinking about. This is the comparison that I would make. Derek Richards, first super chat of the night.
00:55:55
Speaker
Thank you, Derek. You're a maniac as always. Appreciate you, man. Thank you for the five.
00:56:03
Speaker
ah The Philly Union.
00:56:06
Speaker
The Philly Union, i think, are a team that Seattle is kind of giving me similar vibes right now. The Philly Union don't drop bags.
00:56:20
Speaker
They don't. And a lot of the discourse in their fan base has been like kind of similar to what we're doing in Seattle right now in that it's sort of like, you know, they're always one of the best teams in the league or they're, they've been one of the most consistent teams in the league last five, six years.
00:56:39
Speaker
But they don't, they haven't really won trophies. They won the shield in the COVID year, I think. But other than that, they haven't been able to get it over the line.
00:56:52
Speaker
For how savvy they are, for how well they moneyball, for how good their youth development is.
00:57:01
Speaker
They don't really have trophies.
00:57:06
Speaker
So it's like, for their fans, it's like, man, if you guys just spent money, which they don't, could you like be to the next level?
00:57:17
Speaker
For me, the i think the idea that the Philly Union
00:57:24
Speaker
have a model that like can't get over the line, can't win trophies. I mean, I was at MLS Cup 2022 when they lost in penalties to LAFC. That Philly Union team was good enough to win and MLS Cup.
00:57:38
Speaker
The team they put out there that year was of the caliber that they could have done it. They almost did do it. They were a freaking Gareth Bale, who was a part-time professional golfer at the time,
00:57:54
Speaker
BAM to goal that sent it to penalties right at the end of the game. Otherwise they would have, they would have won that MLS cup. So I, you, it it can be done to do what they do and just never spend money and at least put out a team of the quality that can win a trophy.
00:58:16
Speaker
But I think their fan base, like it is fair for them to feel like
00:58:23
Speaker
They're overly committed to the money ball and they're, they don't do like the extra stuff.
00:58:30
Speaker
That's truly needed to compete for trophies. Week in week out is Seattle.
00:58:37
Speaker
kind of in danger of falling into that type of identity of of a club that is very savvy, has fantastic infrastructure, youth development, but when push comes to shove, they can't win the game or the big games when they matter.
00:58:56
Speaker
That's one of the things we're going to find out through the rest of the season. But I also think The big difference is between Seattle and Philly is the Philly Union.
00:59:11
Speaker
They are committed to their model and their identity and all that, and they've used it to ah great effect, and they've built a great winning club, but it's fair to point out that they that they don't have the trophy case to back it up.
00:59:32
Speaker
Seattle does have the trophy case to back up how they do things. That's kind of, that's another thing I find myself thinking sometimes is like, you know, do I wish they would spend a $20 million dollars bag like some of these teams are able to?
00:59:47
Speaker
Yeah.
00:59:50
Speaker
They've also been to four MLS cups, won two of them. and are the only team to win the modern incarnation of Champions League.
01:00:00
Speaker
So, I mean, if you're going to if you do that...
01:00:09
Speaker
Now, it is it has been a couple years since they've won a trophy at this point. And all those trophies I just mentioned, they did they did come with DP players that they spent a lot of money on.
01:00:29
Speaker
But like the money they spent on Ladero and Rui Diaz, it was a lot, big bags, but it wasn't and MLS transfer record breaking type of money.
01:00:43
Speaker
That is for sure.
01:00:48
Speaker
So, I mean, this is this is really, This Leagues Cup run in the playoffs this year, are the that's the chance for them to really show their they proof of concept and that they don't necessarily need to
01:01:11
Speaker
be the splashiest club in the transfer window to make it happen.
01:01:19
Speaker
But I think, you know, they are going to They can't put it off forever.
01:01:27
Speaker
They are going to have to drop another bag eventually. They haven't dropped a big bag since De La Vega. They tried to drop a little bag on Noah Ohio. Didn't work out. So.
01:01:40
Speaker
We're going to find out. ah Folks.
Jeff Reuter's EPL Fantasy and Obed Vargas Feature
01:01:45
Speaker
We have got tonight's guest. In the lobby. Very excited. to talk to him about Minnesota United major league soccer and a myriad of other topics that, uh, we'll let you all dictate some of, uh, let's bring him to the stage right now. It's Jeff Reuter.
01:02:04
Speaker
He's a senior writer at the athletic and he is a returning guest. We had him on lobbying scorchers, uh, last time Seattle played Minnesota United. We're bringing him back. Uh, Jeff, thanks so much for hopping on at this late hour.
01:02:19
Speaker
ah first, first of all, everyone is wondering, How did the ah English Premier League fantasy draft no the come out? Are you are you thinking that you're going to win it all this year or are you going to be toiling away in the wooden spoon territory? yeah Yeah, there are some years. Thanks for having me back, by the way. This is awesome. And this is great because it's the first time I've been on since I went to Seattle.
01:02:42
Speaker
Yeah, so we we were hanging out IRL at the Club World Cup. Yeah, so this feels right. This feels correct. ah It's funny, like you asked me if I want to do this and I had an auction that kicked off at 7 Pacific, 9 Central. And right now it's 90 minutes later. And I'm like, OK, yeah, we'll be totally fine.
01:03:00
Speaker
Starts off most logos for $92. You have $250 budget. People are like throwing money around whatever. Long way to say I'm only a third of the way through it. Oh, you're going you're still going. Which is great. but like Oh, multitasking. We can live draft.
01:03:13
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I front-loaded a little bit. I've got Florian Wirtz as my like lead guy. I've got Eze from Crystal Palace. I got Phil Foden. I got Alisson. I've got Dan Byrne. I've got Evan Nielsen. like I've got exactly $28 for 12 dudes.
01:03:29
Speaker
So we're in the bargain bin at this point. So it's a great time to be on. I think that that's kind of how you, an auction, that's kind of how you got to do it. You got to splash big on like, there's that select group of guys that you know are going be like the the needle movers. And then yeah it's like the Seattle Sounders. You got to money ball it. It's a very MLS model, right? Yeah. You got to money ball it. You can't be dropping too big a bag. You got to.
01:03:53
Speaker
No, course not. Supplement it. But and it sounds like i didn't i hadn't heard of a couple of those guys that you didn't drop. But it sounds like a you got a potent squad. Yeah, I think so. Phil Foden, that's a good one. it's like good I got him for 33 and most were going and like playmakers are going for 70 in this league.
01:04:09
Speaker
But it was one of those where it's like, you know if you've ever done like a fantasy auction, NFL or baseball or whatever, it's the same sort of format where it's like people go $1, $2, $3. And then suddenly one guy's like, all right, let's get over with. Let's get it over with $30. Exactly right.
01:04:22
Speaker
So Phil Foden was one of those. And I hit 33 and everyone just shut up. And I was like, wait, is this way too much? And then Declan Rice went for 51. And I was like, oh, I'm fine. I'm totally fine. yeah oh it's ah yeah and That's the stack squad. All right. Yeah, it's good. ah Good fantasy analysis segment to ah to start it off. Yeah, why not?
01:04:43
Speaker
I've got my Premier League predictions done as well for the website if you want. Oh, okay. Yeah. i' effort We can do that. But anyway. Well. We'll applaud some scorchers. Yeah, let's do it. i Excited to talk about some Minnesota United with you, for sure.
01:04:56
Speaker
yeah Big game, obviously, this weekend. Three versus four. Playoff positioning on the line. And really, I'm i'm excited to see how these two two teams stack up compared to the last time they played, which Minnesota United, only team to win at Lumen Field this year.
01:05:13
Speaker
Funny enough, their only win ever at Lumen Field, too. so Yeah. And that to me, that was... ah That was back when Minnesota United, it was still like they were playing well, but it was still sort of an open question.
01:05:25
Speaker
And at least for me, watching them come into Lumen and win that game like that, i came out of that like, okay, this team is ah probably for real. But ah we' let's we'll talk about Minnesota United in a minute, but I did want to give you a chance, Jeff, to ah plug your, you did an Obed Vargas feature, correct? Right.
01:05:42
Speaker
for Was that Club World Cup? I can't. That was post-Club World Cup, postla actually. Oh, yeah, all-star, all-star. Most people went to Austin assuming that they were going to be tracking is Messi here or not.
01:05:54
Speaker
And I instead sat down with Diego Luna and Obed Vargas, and I had a much better time. That's the important content. So, yeah, you you got to interview Obed at All-Star, wrote a ah wrote a feature about him yeah on The Athletic.
01:06:08
Speaker
oh Why don't you just tell us like, ah you know, what it was like getting to sit down with Obed? What'd you what'd you think of him? And also what the story was about and sort of what you were trying to highlight with it as far as kind of telling his story and how he got to where he's at now.
01:06:25
Speaker
Yeah, I think like it's weird because like I come and in at this where I'm not doing the daily coverage of you know Sounder at Heart and all of these other outlets that are doing amazing coverage on the ground. So it's like usually when like a national writer like myself will drop in to talk to a player or a specific team, there's this kind of like, OK, have you actually been paying attention?
01:06:46
Speaker
Are you telling the same stories that everyone's already told? So there's like kind of a fear I have about that where it's like, I don't want that. I don't want to go in and, you know, be like crazy. This guy's from Alaska and then he committed to Mexico. How did that happen? Right? Like it's it's just it's overdone. So like lately, I'm just letting them talk like they're soccer players.
01:07:05
Speaker
And it's amazing to see how much more energized they are when they don't feel like, OK, I'm doing this for like same story, broader audience. So I've got this rehearsed and like you can see it when you talk to him, first of all, for his age, you know, 19 at the time, like.
01:07:19
Speaker
remarkable interview, great quote, really present, really clearly, like actively searching his brain for the answer, really transparent, like admitting like, I don't think you would see many professional athletes openly use the phrase people pleaser to describe themselves, right? Like it just it's it's such a like showing more of your heart than usually like a professional athlete will. But like, i you know, i really appreciated that he did say like. And so as a result of that decisions like US versus Mexico get even more difficult because I don't know what people are going to who I'm going to, you know, satisfy with this decision, who I'm going to upset and then later saying like his ex US youth national team teammates.
01:07:58
Speaker
we're calling him a traitor and texting him like the day that he announced that he would be making that one time switch. So getting that vulnerability, I really appreciate it. I think a lot of young athletes usually want to play it more guarded, but also like talking tactics with him and and much more like what inspires your actions using a specific like using a takeaway off of an opponent in order to generate chance creation yourself. And so like make that progressive dribble and say like, yeah,
01:08:23
Speaker
Teams are usually stretched wider when they attack and they kind of condense in the shell when they defend, which is true. So catch them before they actually kind of solidify. And so like the way he's thinking about it, I think is encouraging as well. Like he's really watching for these sorts of like, how do I exploit this rather than relying on the raw athleticism and technical ability, like a lot of young players. So I'm incredibly high on Ovid Vargas.
01:08:44
Speaker
um Really, really good conversation with him. Good to, you know, I saw his family after the game for a little bit afterwards and they were, you know, really really nice and really kind of really proud of him too. Like they're all still wearing Fargus jerseys in the hotel lobby for about an hour and a half after the game, which is really, really cool. But um yeah, glad that he was there. It would have felt really strange if the Sounders hadn't had a single all-star this year. So, you know, better late than never. And i think he was definitely a worthy selection at this point.
01:09:11
Speaker
I was actually cool with it when I saw they didn't have any all-stars because of, ah you know, how many games, how many tournaments, how many how many cups there are. There's a cup for everything. You got this cup, that cup, leagues cup, open cup, my you know. So i this was one year in particular where, you if they and especially obed too he's been playing every single game when he did make it was like oh man another game for obed but uh you know being an all-star is unique opportunity and it was a good career milestone for him i'm gonna drop this link to the feature in question in the chat right now if you guys want to uh thank you check out jeff reuter's obed vargas feature there it is give that a uh
01:09:55
Speaker
give that a read. Yeah. I mean, the, the rise of Obed has certainly been one of the biggest storylines with Seattle this year. We debate the transfer fee every, every week.
01:10:07
Speaker
And really i think he and he and Christian, they make up what I think is the best double pivot in the league. But I will say the, even the last few weeks I've been saying, I think, I think he's evolving.
01:10:21
Speaker
I think he's getting more powerful. I'm seeing like new, elements to his game that he hasn't even hadn't busted out of his bag yet. and And especially like in advanced roles, right? Like just exactly what he can do and how he reads. It's like his technical ability. Yeah, sure. he can do flicks over guys. That's great.
01:10:39
Speaker
We thought we could he could do that, but it's like his discerning this and like he's he's better at passing in the final third than Roosnock even right with when you look at his accuracy and what he's like. That's incredible. that's That's like really difficult to do. I would not be better than Albert Bruce, not going to find a third. Right. I think most midfielders would not be frankly to be absolutely serious, like in an MLS level.
01:10:57
Speaker
Yeah, no, I know. Like just this the stuff he does in possession as well, like the way he can ah get out of adverse situations, his dribbling, like you said, his ah I think his game as a facilitator in the attack is just leveled up and it's ah it's kind of scary.
01:11:14
Speaker
Honestly, it's just like how good he's gotten. like, wow. this sir You know, we all know how high the ceiling was and is, but i think it might be even higher than ah then we thought, which is which is exciting. I'm just curious to, ah do you have a ah take on what league would be the best for him?
01:11:33
Speaker
We've been saying like Bundesliga or I like La Liga. That's the one that feels right to me. But like when you watch him play. yeah Keep going. No, keep going. But I think you're absolutely right. Well, i was I was just going to ask, like, when you watch him play, is there, like, a league that you think fits his skill set the best?
01:11:49
Speaker
I think La Liga and maybe to a lesser extent Serie A, like, all these leagues change, right? The little customs of, like, Serie A is just kind of nacho and sit back and defend and La Liga is open. Like, they're all kind of dated, right? Bundesliga is more physical than other leagues.
01:12:03
Speaker
But with La Liga, it's like, a lot of players who come from South America end up in La Liga. Right. And, and when you look at the players who do, that means it's a mix of like that grit, that tenacity. And, and people understand this maybe a little better. Like if they watch the club, world cup, which you're, you're, your audience will have more likely than any other show I'll do.
01:12:22
Speaker
Right. Um, cause I don't do shows in Miami and l LA ever. Uh, Like it's, it's that mix. It's not just the flair. It's that sort of like you tackle in your instincts to immediately get up and maybe you're, you know, chest first into the guy who tackled you and asking him what he's about.
01:12:38
Speaker
Maybe you throw a fist. Maybe you're just showing that you're good for it. Right. And I think that there's some of that, like, continued commitment to just staying active. And obviously this goes out the window if you're an attacker on Barcelona or Real Madrid. But I think by and large, you see a lot of that sort of mentality flourish in La Liga. It's part of why like people like Johnny Cardoso, but maybe don't love him yet because like he he shows that a fair amount when he plays, but not always. There are always kind of some shifts where he looks really nervous and he looks really kind of afraid of the game, especially with the U.S. men's national team.
01:13:10
Speaker
Um, when I talked to Obed, I did ask him, like, what leagues would you say you want to play in? And he would like his next step to be outside of the big five in Europe. He would like it to be sort of an intermediary. And I feel like he's maybe seeing what, um, You know like lessons you'll see where a lot of this U.S. s men's national team wants to just be on the biggest club possible, it seems like. Right. Regardless if they play or not. And I think he kind of observing the generation where it's like, OK, yeah.
01:13:36
Speaker
But if you go to that club, you may be getting 20 minutes a game. Right. And then if you're not impressing in those 22 enough to step into the lineup. They're looking at guys who could. So I think that intermediary step to Portugal or the Netherlands makes a lot of sense where it is a leap in quality from MLS like the championship. Your mileage may vary, right? Aiden Morris going to Middlesbrough like you're just seeing a different style of the game. But I don't know if he's necessarily leveled up as much as people hope from Columbus, despite being one of the best midfielders.
01:14:05
Speaker
If you look at his underlying numbers in the championship in his first year, um I think I want to see him in kind of more like a true first division. I want to see him come up against like, players who are also going for that next step, right? It's kind of like a double A to triple A thing, not saying MLS is like a double A circuit, but you know I mean? where you just kind of look and say like, this is the next step in his evolution. It's not too much of a step where I don't think he could get minutes right away. Because I think if you're Mexico or if you're just like an Obed Vargas fan now, you want him to continue to play. You don't want to suddenly go from 30 games of regular season plus other competitions playing 80 minutes plus like he's doing now to suddenly dropping down to 20, 25 minutes a week.
01:14:45
Speaker
I think that's a good intermediary step for him. I think that he could start at that level or if he goes to one of the bigger clubs, um you know, not necessarily like a Benfica size or a PSV, but maybe like just below where you're looking at like Ajax and Sporting and Porto, like work into the rotation. And then even below that, when he gets more like the conference league qualifiers or whatever, he could start on that level right away. So.
01:15:07
Speaker
i'm I'm very high on him. I'll be really curious to see the valuation. There haven't been many two-way midfielders who have moved from MLS ah to Europe. and And like Tyler Adams kind of forever like spoiled the well on that one because it was like Red Bull putting money from one pocket to the another. So his price was four mil.
01:15:23
Speaker
Aiden Morris, I think, goes for four, four and a half mil. So like, I don't know what the Obed Vargas valuation is. Tom Bogart, I'm sure would. But like, I think it would generally be just above Aiden Morse, especially when you consider Obed's got over 100 professional games at a first division level before turning 20 years old.
01:15:40
Speaker
Like that sort of thing is going to really impress a team and give him peace of mind about his ability to acclimate. I think he's worth 10 plus million dollars, but I'm biased. ah I think the air to be says is ah is a good shout. I think that's like a good middle ground, like you said, of a high enough level where it'll really like push him.
01:16:01
Speaker
and like up his level and up his game, but like probably more of a chance at playing and starting and getting consistent minutes than he may if he tried to go to ah one of these clubs that the other guys from the golden generation uh went to but uh yeah all right jeff let's ah let's talk about some uh let's minnesota united and uh chat if you guys got any questions national national writer here so any questions about uh uh mls as a whole or see if i'm paying attention or not this is your time to like yeah out yeah um go ahead and drop them in and uh well if they're good topics of discussion we'll we'll hit those
01:16:43
Speaker
ah But let's start with ah give give us the update on ah Minnesota
Minnesota United's Tactics and Performance
01:16:47
Speaker
United. And specifically, i i'm I'm curious what you think about where things stand as far as like, you know, I'll be honest.
01:16:56
Speaker
I've been a skeptic. I've been I've been a bit of a skeptic. i the The last time these two teams played, I was doing the research into all the like possession tactics and sort of how novel that is and that how kind of unique they are in the scope of MLS in that way. And then also come to find out that they're apparently one of the best teams in the world at set pieces, like not just in MLS, but like anywhere. Right, or or MLS history even, right? Like the scale of it, it kind of defies like comprehension almost for an MLS team do this, yeah.
01:17:28
Speaker
To me, when I was looking at that, I was like, all right, clearly they got something going and they are taking results and executing at a very high level. But like the question becomes sustainability. And also, ah can you like when it comes down to it and you're competing for trophies, you're playing in the playoffs, ah tournament soccer and the competition level is way higher.
01:17:52
Speaker
can this type of like, uh, thing see you through. And, ah I don't know. I just, I just wasn't, I wasn't sure about it. I wanted to see more.
01:18:03
Speaker
They beat Seattle and I was like, all right, that's still, that you know, that is an impressive result and they're still going pretty well, but that is just one game. Let's see if they can keep it up. You know, I was open to being proven wrong, but it just, uh,
01:18:17
Speaker
it It felt a little gimmicky to me and I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but you know, I gotta say pretty much since then, they've pretty much kept it rolling and they still have looked like one of the, uh, one of the best teams in the league. I mean, they're, they're the thing with the set pieces is just insane. Like,
01:18:33
Speaker
yeah Every loons game that you watch, they're going to get like one or two goals off this stuff. it's like it doesn't It never fails. So that's pretty remarkable. And also, you know it just seems like a team that's very confident in their identity.
01:18:49
Speaker
and they got a coach who knows how to get them to execute that identity at an extremely high level and frankly they're one of the teams most like that i watch week in week out and i feel the most like confident that they're going to be able to take results because of uh of everything that i just mentioned So I guess, where do you stand as far as if these these tactics and this style that Ramsey has going, like whether it's sustainable and like ah now that you've seen this much of the season, do you think that this is a ah trophy contending team as currently constituted?
01:19:27
Speaker
Yeah, um I think a lot of really good observation there, just in terms of like, it seems gimmicky. It seems really difficult to say. But then there's a part where you get the sample size and it's like, well, if 15 opponents continue to get foiled by throw-ins, maybe the throw-ins are working, right? yeah And so what's been interesting is that lately teams are finally figuring out a way to...
01:19:48
Speaker
improve their odds. This sounds like overly simplistic. It's just throw as many of your own defenders and midfielders and forwards into the box. So there are more players where it's harder for them to find a target with Michael boxes, long throws.
01:20:00
Speaker
And it's like, yeah, no kidding. and But the reason teams weren't doing that is because usually now if you're defending a set piece, you want what one if it was a throw in you know, for the first eight weeks, no one was even treating them like they were going to be a set piece, right? It was just a throw in.
01:20:15
Speaker
And then the next phase of it was, OK, we're going to have an adequate number, but we want to still do what we always want to do when we defend set pieces, which is set up for a counter. So we want to, if you're LAFC, Denny Bwonga is always on that side of the field anyway, right? But you're probably going to have like a string puller.
01:20:29
Speaker
um And then now Sun Hyung-min, even further alongside Bwonga, and you probably have whoever you're most confident as a midfielder is kind of that all-time quarterback, sort of like I can spray the ball wherever I need to.
01:20:39
Speaker
That's how you're setting up. So you're choreographing not just what's in the box, but who you're leaving out and where they're setting up. But now teams are just saying it's not worth it Like if we're going to concede a goal off of a throw and a flick on header and then ah like an emphatic kick,
01:20:53
Speaker
Every single game is like it' what's the point of the counter tax? So that's difficult for Minnesota. there There are teams who are also trying to, like, jump when they're doing the long throw ins. But I think it's just more consistently teams are starting to adjust by recognizing that they can condense, especially because in all other phases of the game, Minnesota doesn't want the ball.
01:21:15
Speaker
And it's something that the players pretty openly will say they don't like about their own game model. Like if you're talking so weird, it it is so weird. No one gets into soccer as a kid wanting to not touch the ball.
01:21:29
Speaker
And there's a certain point where you say my skillset means that I'm best off the ball. I'm a center back here. I go, I'm a goalkeeper, whatever. But most of the time you want your team to be in control of a game, which means that you have the ball and, know,
01:21:42
Speaker
What's difficult is when your set piece reliance gets out and it was getting out already before teams were already starting to adjust before John Mueller, a former colleague at the athletic wrote it as a freelance for the guardian. He hits you know, his project footy should be debuting soon. Definitely check it out. It seems like something that's going to be like fantastic for like live soccer, updating, whatever F U T Anyway, John Mueller wrote this piece about how they're the best at set piece team in the world.
01:22:06
Speaker
And it, You know how it goes on MLS season pass on Apple TV. ah If there is like an easily to contests thing that they can say over and over again during a game every 10 minutes, say, you know, those are the best set piece team in the world. They'll say it. Okay, well, now every team is watching the same broadcasts when they're doing their research. They'll hear this.
01:22:25
Speaker
So they're glomming onto it even more. And teams are responding. Minnesota now has only won two of their last five. And I know that that's like a really like whatever. That's a solid. I think it's two in all competitions. It's like two wins, two losses and a draw.
01:22:40
Speaker
It's fine. But it is not like as you can't beat us because we have our shtick as it used to be. And maybe that harsh reality came sooner than expected, but I would argue it actually came at the right time for them because you still have, you know, how many games from here now, I think,
01:22:56
Speaker
eight games of the regular season, counting the game this weekend against Seattle, where they can figure out how do we readjust so that by the time the playoffs roll around, teams aren't doing the exact same sort of stuff.
01:23:07
Speaker
um This game will be a really interesting litmus test for them. I think that the first game in early June was the proof, not just proof of concept about the game model, but the proof that they were a contender. They hadn't when we were talking last, they hadn't really had a signature win.
01:23:20
Speaker
Well, they got it at Seattle's expense. And now Seattle will be coming back. Minnesota is probably gonna be wearing those beautiful legacy kits that ever I saw you guys. So know I had rave reviews for them, right? Like oh fire they're great. So they'll be wearing those this weekend, in probably because they're inviting back 50 years of ex-Minnesota pro soccer players from the kicks all the way through the NASL era of Minnesota United are going to be showing up either before the game or at halftime or whatever for, you know, round of applause. It will be a really cool moment.
01:23:46
Speaker
um I don't think much of the current team is going to be like impacted. There isn't going to be like an ex-teammate there. Like, you know, if you retire or if you like add Ozzy Alonso to the Ring of Honor, are you going to have some of his ex-teammates who are still in the locker room a little bit misty about it, right? Whatever the case may be, none of that here.
01:24:01
Speaker
um But I think Minnesota is going to be susceptible. And I think that Seattle is very much on an ascendancy when you look at recent form, obviously. But also when you look at just like the caliber and the consistency of caliber. Another thing that Obed had said is like, now we watch tape and I'm like, we should win every game three, zero against MLS teams because we know what we can do against Botafogo against PSG. Yeah. Against Atletico Madrid.
01:24:29
Speaker
We don't talk about that one as glowingly, do we, but like, we know what we can do. We know that we can contain some of the most difficult opponents in the world. So why aren't we doing this against, you know, no disrespect. Why aren't we doing this against Austin FC?
01:24:41
Speaker
Right. So they're they're really like kind of flipping it on the galaxy this year. You know, the latest sort of victim. And obviously, I don't know if Cruz Azul is ever going to recover from what they've experienced in this League's Cup.
01:24:53
Speaker
But I don't think Minnesota is going to be quite that unaware. Again, the game model is very safe. It's very pragmatic. It's very exploitative. But I don't necessarily know if that's going to be enough to slow the role of a Sounders team that's won four in a row.
01:25:06
Speaker
So it's going to be a really good matchup. I think Seattle will be able to get more of the ball than they usually enjoy enjoy away from Lumen. um That's just the nature of playing Minnesota United. Even when they're at home, they're not going to go for 50%. They're going to go for 40 maybe.
01:25:19
Speaker
So they should have their looks. They should have their opportunities. I think it's going to probably be the game of the weekend. Just as I'm looking at the MLS slate, it's such a no brainer. Three versus four in the West. And I think that there's a point to prove for both sides. So yeah.
01:25:33
Speaker
I'm looking forward to it overall. I think should be a really, really good game just from like a quality of game perspective. They're usually goals in these matchups too, between Minnesota and Seattle. If I remember, there aren't a lot of like zero zeros and one zeros.
01:25:45
Speaker
Oh, yeah, it's a ah it's a tasty matchup. There's there's no question about it. I think there's ah there's something to what you were saying about like the Club World Cup and sort of the effect that it's had on Seattle's level. I mean, they've been so sharp ever since that tournament. And yeah, I think there is an element of like...
01:26:04
Speaker
once you've been out there in the heat of it against PSG, it makes everything else feel easier. Because that's just like, the level of your opponent is obviously world class, but it's also like, your your level is like, it has to go up because because of the opposition that you have. And like, ah we were listening to some Christian Roldan audio at the start of the show. And he was talking about just like,
01:26:31
Speaker
the confidence and belief that the team is playing with right now. I think ah an element of that is, could be attributable to just the fact that they played in that tournament and then also kind of showed to them, showed to themselves that they could hang in games like that. I honestly think it has really helped the team in that way. i think so too. I think so too. And I think that they've actually been the biggest beneficiaries like Miami and LAFC are benefit. Like if they're going to benefit the rest of the year, it has more to do with Rodrigo DePaul and Sun Hyung-min.
01:27:01
Speaker
than it has to do with the Club World Cup, right? Like LAFC, I think, should leave that Club World Cup, you know, feeling frustrated by the performance that they put in and feeling like they left something out there, right? Just like the quality of performances. They didn't really have like...
01:27:13
Speaker
You know, I think Seattle versus Botafogo, like ah the result didn't show because no other results were positive or neutral. Right. But at the same point, I think that was the one you look back and you say, like, this is proof that the Seattle solid.
01:27:24
Speaker
See, and see how I can't even say the team Seattle Sounders can ball. Right. And you look at Inter Miami versus Porto and it's like, OK, if you get the right calibration between their youth and you have the opportunism of Messi, you can take down a team from Europe. Right. That is a signature when no other their MLS team can claim and competitive formats.
01:27:40
Speaker
For the Sounders, I think it's just much more like we weren't embarrassed against any of these opponents. We held our own. We did OK. And we are better than our next opponent because our next opponent is not either in the quarterfinal of the UEFA Champions League every year or a you know fringe candidate for the Copa Libertadores. Right. So.
01:27:59
Speaker
It's been really, really good for them. I think that they've kind of flipped the switch at the right time as well for them. Just again, when you're looking at nine games left from Seattle's perspective, starting with the Minnesota game until decision day, I think that bodes well for them as well.
01:28:12
Speaker
um I got to say, man, this is the latest in a season I've ever felt like so confident in my MLS Cup pick. and Which was, which was Seattle, which was Seattle over. I want to say Columbus, like just navigating their bracket. And that part I'm less, but it's it's always like, who cares if you got the runner up or not? You know i mean like it's like, if you predicted who won MLS cup, that's such a rarity with this. The crew, the crew are, so they're always in the mix. if i could That they'll be a pick that could pick could hit.
01:28:39
Speaker
yeah um Let's hit a few from from chat here. We're going to start with Zippy Tuna because it's a super chat. Thank you for the five, Zippy Tuna. Appreciate you as always.
01:28:49
Speaker
ah He wants to know, Jeff, does Mini want to play away in the playoffs? Their play style is almost better away from home if at home and the other teams sit back. That's an issue. I was actually thinking about this exact kind of question when I was looking at the home-away splits.
01:29:05
Speaker
Usually in MLS, it's like pretty uniformly balanced. The home record is way better than, and then it's sort of just like a scrap to see who can grind their way to five. I always think of it like you can win five between five and eight of your road games.
01:29:23
Speaker
That's like benchmark number one. And then you throw a few draws in there, take care business at home. You'll at least be chilling as far as making the playoffs. And then you'll have to like build on that to get in the top four and stuff. But ah Minnesota United,
01:29:38
Speaker
ah they're their home record is actually worse than their away record. Again, I think this is the third straight year, and this which is funny because that goes back to the Adrian Heath era. 6-4-3 at Allianz this year, which is not that good a record.
01:29:51
Speaker
They won a home game two years ago, I think. Yeah, go ahead. Sorry, it was like future... This is better than that. I mean, 6-4-3, but that is that's not a good home record, really, for an MLS club that fancies itself a contender like this team does. right And the reason that they've been able to still be number three in the West, 44 points, is because they're 6-2-5 on the road, which is a fantastic road record for an MLS team. That's, that's about as good as you can hope to do on the road in this league. So they're an elite team on the road, but only six, four, and three at home to like, so two zippies question, like is, is this the style and Eric Ramsey tactics?
01:30:31
Speaker
is it like Does it make you a better road team than home team? And does that like sort of change the way that you look at like if home field advantage like affects them in the way usually yeah everyone else?
01:30:42
Speaker
It's interesting. I like the question a lot. It's something I've wondered a lot. And I think last year I actually did write so much. like They will be the first round matchup nobody wants of teams five through eight.
01:30:53
Speaker
Right. And that ended up playing out quite well. They swept a third seed at RSL who granted Chicho Arango decided check out for the season at early July, forgot how to shoot from there. And then they sold Antres Gomez, but ah still advanced through there.
01:31:06
Speaker
And I've talked to a couple of guys on the team about this, this year. And it was just like that experience. It seemed like the spoiler. It was pretty natural for you guys. Like, yeah, the midfield's always been very thin for you guys. You haven't had a good number six since Ozzy Alonso.
01:31:17
Speaker
ah Surely it would be okay. And all of them are, are like, no, we want to be home. And part of this is like, you want to control your destiny. I think that you have to keep in mind here. The question isn't really just, are they better at home in the road? They're better at on the road. So they will do better if they're on the road, right? It's like, okay, fine.
01:31:34
Speaker
But now you are going up against not again, none of this is just trying to throw shade at like any other teams, but you are not going to St. Louis this year. You're not going to Kansas city, right? When you're in October or November at that point, maybe you are in early October, but ah Once you get to the playoffs, you are going to San Diego, Vancouver, Seattle, LA.
01:31:51
Speaker
Those are teams one, two, four, and five right now. So if they drop down out of that, that's your most likely to host Portland would be the next stand. And I don't see Austin and Colorado making that sort of leap. So we'll stop the conversation there.
01:32:02
Speaker
Uh, I don't think you want to be in a position where you are gambling on set pieces on opportunism with your Boa and Oloche and on um defending well, if you're having to go to San Diego, Vancouver, Seattle or L.A.
01:32:18
Speaker
I think that they realize that the advantage that they would have over most teams on their average day on the road. is still lesser than those teams will have as an advantage at home.
01:32:29
Speaker
Right. It's it's not all it balances out, right? Like these are independent variables from each other. You can't control the other one by saying we're better on the road. So they want to be at home because this year what the Minnesota United fan base has realized is that like it's it's that sort of thing where it's like newcomers to soccer don't really know when to cheer all the time unless the ball went in the net.
01:32:49
Speaker
Right. Or a goalkeeper made a fantastic save. So you get these sort of like weird kind of polite applauses. If you get like a really good kind of hip check, defend, shield the ball, keep it in play and then kick it back up the line. Right. Those sorts of things.
01:33:00
Speaker
But everyone in that stadium knows a throw in in the final third is time to stand up and treat it like a corner kick in a minute. Yeah. and stand up, wave your scarves. If Dane St. Clair is approaching the midfield line to take a free kick, everyone is standing up.
01:33:13
Speaker
You have this like really unique atmosphere that's been fostered by that style of play. And it also means then when you're passing triangles around inner Miami around the field, everyone's really into it because they've done their warmups. Basically they've learned that like, Hey, when my neighbor cheers, everyone else is going to cheer. I might as well do the
Tani Oluwache's Career and Aspirations
01:33:30
Speaker
same thing.
01:33:30
Speaker
The atmosphere has never been better at all. Yance field than it is in 2025. So i think in that respect, they want to control their destiny. This is another thing that like I talked with Obed was like, we need to finish a second.
01:33:42
Speaker
Period. We don't want to be in another scenario where we have to go to Carson and it's a game of inches, right? Like we want to be the ones who are ensuring that we control the bracket. And I think every team realizes that in this format, I don't care what happened Miami last year. i don't care what happened to Columbus last year.
01:33:56
Speaker
ah RSL, same thing, right? It's still better to be the team with the chance of playing two home games if it goes to three games, right? The whole first round. And then also having better control of the bracket, depending on how it balances. So I think Minnesota would rather...
01:34:11
Speaker
I think if I'm looking at their priorities, because you also asked if they're a trophy contender um earlier, I think they're the front runner for the US Open Cup at this point. So there is a trophy on offer that they're in there. They have hosting priority through the rest of it. They host the semifinal against Austin and then whoever wins the Western Conference will host the final.
01:34:28
Speaker
So from their perspective, they'll look at that and say, there's our first trophy and that's their dress rehearsal for the bracket. um And then from there, we'll see, right? Because the other thing is, if you make a final and you lose, it can be really difficult to bounce back. If you make a final and you win, maybe sometimes you feel like you've achieved something, which you have, congrats.
01:34:44
Speaker
But it might take like a little bit of edge off of your playoff push. It'll be really interesting to see how they balance those two once the Open Cup finally resumes in September. um I know that we had the other quarterfinal, the East, the make-up date this week, but um you know the semifinal isn't until September. So we'll see how that kind of...
01:35:03
Speaker
adjust their planning and fitness and these sorts of things. It's only two more games though. So it shouldn't impact them too much. I would guess Minnesota still wants to make sure they finish in the top three, ideally in the West.
01:35:15
Speaker
Newman wants to know any update on the transfer offer for the Minnesota forward. He's talking about, Tony Oluwache, who, uh, is having a fantastic season. Uh, one of the players to watch in this matchup or really any matchup that, uh,
01:35:31
Speaker
Minnesota United is playing in. I think he's got like 10 goals, eight assists, just a very dynamic, fun to watch, productive player. And that has resulted in ah a lot of overseas transfer buzz.
01:35:44
Speaker
And I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, but they got an offer from La Liga side. Was that right? uh via rail or am am i thinking that no i think it was maybe hitafe i know tom confirmed what club i'm thinking of alex freeman alex freeman oh yeah which would be by the way like to have like in a like u.s international on via real like that's one of those things that just doesn't there are like certain clubs right where it's like i can't believe that there's like an American player on that club, right? I don't really know how to describe it. It's just like you see it in the kit.
01:36:13
Speaker
It's kind of weird that Johnny Cardoso is going to Atletico Madrid. That's a great example, actually, right? It's just one of those clubs that doesn't usually interact with North American players, period. ah Besides Hector Herrera, I guess.
01:36:24
Speaker
um As far as Tani goes, so he's in a spot that I think a lot of other players right now in MLS are, which is that...
01:36:37
Speaker
The World Cup is a very realistic possibility for them, but not a guarantee. And so Obed's kind of the same way. But Obed, when I talked to him, I never got the sense he's thinking about 26. Even when I asked him directly, like, does this window moving now matter more than the winter? He's just kind of like, I want the right move because my career isn't over in 26 in so many words. It's like, yeah, I hope not, too.
01:36:57
Speaker
It shouldn't be. There's no reason i think it will be unless something absolutely awful happens. and I'm going to stop talking or else I'm never going to be allowed back in Seattle. ah As far as Tani goes, Canada has a lot of really good forwards.
01:37:08
Speaker
So he's up in contention. Jonathan David will make the squad. We know that. yeah Kyle Laird probably is kind of like a, almost like a legacy pick, which kind of demeaning, but like his performances with Canada for the last five years, pretty much since qualifying for 22 have not been of his usual caliber. He's definitely on the lane, but he's probably still a front runner.
01:37:24
Speaker
And then you're getting into prompts. David again to Daniel Jebison, Tony Olwache, he needs games. Tony Olwache needs goals. He needs assists. He has a better chance of getting that probably in Major League Soccer with Minnesota United not changing his club situation than if he goes to, as Tom reported, a top half team in La Liga or a team of the championship where if he hasn't scored in four games, here comes Sam Vokes or someone off the bench that you haven't heard of in seven years, right?
01:37:48
Speaker
Who's suddenly going to be you know, eating his lunch. And he can't afford that right now. He simply is at and too pivotal a point for his career because the 26 World Cup is so important to Oluweshe.
01:37:59
Speaker
where I don't think what it would take is kind of that perfect move, which is, it's so rare that the market presents this where it's both you will play.
01:38:11
Speaker
And this is an upgrade over like your, your caliber. So you will look to be of a higher standard. You're playing at a higher level and you're playing as often as you do now. I don't know if I'm a La Liga team.
01:38:23
Speaker
which I'm a man, I'm a boy, I'm not a club. But like if I was running one, I don't think I would start Tani Oleshay. Like, I just think that right now there's just still too much that you would need to see. There's too much he hasn't proven yet in his, in his ability of him versus a certain level of ah opponent.
01:38:43
Speaker
I'm not taking that gamble yet. So you probably are looking at more speculative clubs. You're looking at clubs that want him for 900 minutes rather than 2100, like he'll get this year or more. um I would be surprised if he'll move this year because I think that he's being very selective. i think Minnesota also doesn't want to replace a striker for a third straight summer. They brought in Tim O'Pukki and...
01:39:00
Speaker
So that 22 or 23, they brought in Kelvin Yeboah last summer. I don't think that they want to go through that song and dance yet again. um And that, that partnership between Yeboah and O'Shea is great. Like they, they crack jokes in the locker room after games, you know, like when one of them assists the other one, they both celebrate, like they both scored it.
01:39:17
Speaker
which is great, like so rare for a strike tandem to have that. um When Anthony Marcander scores another goal from left back, they're both like telling him like stop scoring. Neither of us can play left back. Like you're going to take our job, which is like just it's a really good locker room right now where I don't know why you would want to complicate it um from Minnesota's perspective. So I would be surprised if Tani leaves. But if he does leave, I'm assuming it's because it's a club that expects to play him.
01:39:40
Speaker
He's 25. So that's honestly, that's a little older than I thought that he was. Yeah. It's it's like Ajimang, right? Where it's kind of like, this is the point of your career where if you're going to make that move and still be seen as upside for the next move or the next contract, even after the next two years, 18 months, you got to do it now.
01:39:56
Speaker
So I understand the urgency from that side. But the World Cup is such a weird factor for these transfers. Yeah. If the World Cup was in Qatar again, if it was in Russia, if it was in Brazil, if it was in South Africa, I don't know if it's playing in the back of the minds of these guys of Diego Luna, who I also spoke with about this.
01:40:12
Speaker
I don't think it's doing as much to their decision making as it is when it's North Yeah, seems to me like he he's got a pretty damn good thing going in ah in Minnesota United. It's just like a a perfect fit. He's producing.
01:40:25
Speaker
Like you said, definitely the vibes and culture around the team sound really strong right now, and he's definitely a
Seattle Sounders' Roster Strategy
01:40:33
Speaker
part of that. All right, Jeff, are you ready for some transfer window discourse? Let's it. Because that's what we're doing in Seattle these days. And, you know, it makes sense because the transfer window only has – a few days left in it and uh it doesn't look like seattle's gonna do anything but we'll uh we'll use this from uh stick and wiggle to uh start us off great name i'm sorry that's an excellent name
01:41:00
Speaker
So he he says, Jeff, how useful do you think the U22 slot on an external signing is for a ah for a team like Seattle, which is a ah relevant topic right now because the big mechanism that Seattle has right now that they could use to bolster the roster is a U22 spot. sure they They technically, people point out sometimes they technically have...
01:41:24
Speaker
all three of them open. I don't think that's an exactly right way to frame it because ah it's like, whether it's open or not, or like whether you can actually use it or not is based on like other cap stuff as well. yeah And then also I think there ah with how many Academy guys that Seattle brings through,
01:41:46
Speaker
They were there talk of them doing this with Obed, but like using those spots on a player like that to like ah minimize their cap hit or whatever. That's honestly like if they if if Obed wasn't going to get sold and go to Europe, that is what they should do with ah with this spot. That's like by far the but like I think Obed wants to go to Europe. So there I think they should have go to Europe. But like that's the thing.
01:42:10
Speaker
He's got as much if not more interest right now from Mexico. Yeah, but he doesn't want to, he said he doesn't want to do that. It's not a priority. He'll, he'll play there if he can. And I'm sure that if there's a point where if Seattle's not offering DP money or you 22 money at a certain point, but a club in Liga Mackey's is, yeah, you're goingnna have some hard conversations there, but you're right.
01:42:28
Speaker
Europe's the priority. And so, i think if he doesn't get a move this summer I think you resign him and you use that slot on him because I think that the hit rate right now what you're seeing in Major League Soccer is the U22 initiative was hatched so that teams felt more incentivized and less exposed if they were signing essentially DP level salaries or transfer fees especially the transfer fees less the salaries given the age and you know usually experience necessitates wages um
01:43:00
Speaker
you were having this like scattershot hit rate when you have a yeah bunch of teams who are signing like 20 year olds from Argentina, obviously in Brazil, but then South Korea and then South Africa um and Uruguay.
01:43:16
Speaker
it's like these nations, it makes sense. If you have like a bona fide youth international from one of these countries, that's a perennial qualifier for world cups or, you know south africa south South Africa's case, a contender in AFCON.
01:43:29
Speaker
You want to get the next best talent. You want to basically do what Atlanta did but earlier, and you bring in Miguel Almiron before everyone catches wind that he's actually of a high standard, and then you flip him, you sell him, you repeat the process. And that's what it was hatched to.
01:43:45
Speaker
was to tell more teams, correct you can do the DP thing that we're used to doing. Yes, you saw Toronto win with a core of Jovinko, Bradley, and Altidore who are all over 30. You could do that too if you want to.
01:43:55
Speaker
But you could also do this 2 plus 4 variation. You could do a three three but if you do the 2 plus 4, we'll give you a little bit more gam to make it you worth your while so we get more of these speculatives. The players who are hitting are not those guys. That's the thing.
01:44:06
Speaker
The U22 initiative has been very good for teams that want to retain domestic talent and offer them wages they wouldn't usually do because they weren't willing to use TAM, which was a finite resource and not specific to any age group or experience level, you know, like a senior budget for supplemental.
01:44:24
Speaker
And you wouldn't use a DP on these guys, too. But now RSL can confidently lock down Diego Luna to a contract that previously they would have never offered. ah The Colorado Rapids have actually weirdly been probably the best team at the U22 initiative right now. And it's what Danny Leva, Ted Kudipietro and Cole Bassett.
01:44:40
Speaker
Like that's great. That's who's Danny Leva is on, on Seattle again. He's on Seattle. Sorry, it's Josh Atencio. Josh Atencio, yeah. Leiva went on loan, right? Like, was that a year? He did. ah Like, last year, two years ago, he did go on loan. But now it's a... You see how I get them confused now. But it's Josh Atencio, who's on their U22 initiative as well. And now they have an open U... Well, basically, Kevin Cabral is gone.
01:45:03
Speaker
um They lost Georgie. They didn't want to lose Georgie. And now they're kind of trying to decide, do we go two plus four and go for another U22 because it's working so well? Or do we try to get more designated players to kind of make up? that's a fun scenario for them to figure out only in major league soccer. are you asking that specific question? Right.
01:45:18
Speaker
For Seattle, I think Obed, if you can keep Obed, I think that's better than losing Obed and taking a flyer on a 20 year old who's never lived or played outside. Oh yeah. I mean, without a doubt, it just yeah comes down to like, uh, I think what Obed wants for his career, the way I've been kind of thinking of it,
01:45:39
Speaker
is that he's been pretty clear that he at least wants to try going to Europe. and he does with with that in mind, like, I'm sort of thinking of how they use this U-22 spot, like, as bringing someone in from the outside and not...
01:45:58
Speaker
using it on Obed, although there are other guys like RBW and Snyder Brunel coming up who you could argue might at some point, it could be good to use that mechanism on them. Maybe, but I feel like it's different with Obed because I think that if you were to do a cash trade, he'd get more than Philly got for Jack McGlynn, which I think was like up to $4 million dollars if he had certain performance metrics.
01:46:21
Speaker
I think Obed's proven himself more than Jack McGlynn has. So I think that right now, I like your $10 million dollars valuation. i disagree with like, he's the same as Aiden Moore, so four and a half. So what's let's say seven and a half, $8 million. dollars That play, I don't know if you're getting seven and a half, eight million dollars for Reed Baker Whiting, right? Like at maybe like even at any point of his career, just because of the position he plays and because he's not in the national team yet.
01:46:44
Speaker
And maybe he will get there. um And then we have that conversation. But I think for squad building purposes, it's more likely he ends up on a very high senior salary, right? And then Obed is the one that you would say most teams would treat him like a high TAM, maybe a U22 initiative and then eventually a DP if he stuck around the league.
01:47:01
Speaker
So I think you have to kind of look at it and just say, He is also more valuable than alternatives because he knows the system, because he loves seat playing in Seattle, because he works really well with Christian Roldan in the engine room.
01:47:12
Speaker
That's invaluable. Like continuity and consistency and dependability is so much more valuable than this guy's highlight reel looks really cool. And he's in a press conference today saying he loves taking shots from outside the box.
01:47:23
Speaker
So let's go and get him because he's played in Greece and Poland, right? Like i would so much rather have the keep your guys who you've developed and who are now playing it at an international level. 10 times out of 10.
01:47:35
Speaker
I'm kind of torn on that, I guess, because i get on one hand, like, you know, I want him to pursue like the level that he wants to to go to and and like follow his dreams and all that.
01:47:50
Speaker
But also, like he is so valuable to this team, and I would love to keep him. But again, I think yeah that's my thought if he doesn't get offers. If he gets offers, if he wants the offer, if it's a right fit for him, and the valuation is meeting whatever you know Craig Weibel and whatever the rest of the organization is saying, this is what we think Ovid Vargas is worth, I'm with you.
01:48:12
Speaker
all like At that point, let players advance in their careers when they're ready to, um and when the offer presents themselves. right and Because then... 10 other players will see that you treated that player well and want to follow that path.
01:48:23
Speaker
So it's self-sustaining in that way because you are a club that treats players well. So like everything I just said before that, if he doesn't get that offer this summer, right because then he could still get an offer again this winter.
01:48:35
Speaker
But you also know that you can count on him down the stretch and possibly into 26 and beyond. Well, okay, let's take the Obed component out of it for like the purposes of this kind of next topic. Because I think you know the debate going on in Seattle right now It was...
01:48:53
Speaker
you know it was how how should they use this u22 spot yeah and really like uh you know with the state of the roster what what do they need and you refer me i can hear you i just have get grab a water bottle right now so i can hear you Oh, okay. Okay.
01:49:14
Speaker
Basically the, basically the debate is how they, uh, how they should allocate this U22 spot. And really like, I think the implications of what it kind of means, what it would say if they go through another transfer window and they don't make a big splashy move where they don't work, not even that big a splashy move, just drop in some kind of bag.
01:49:37
Speaker
And they were linked to Noah, Ohio, And it looked like that, you know, they threw down an offer. They seemed like it was they were very confident in this target that they wanted to bring them on the team, but it didn't end up panning out. There's reports of a couple of other targets that they had that also didn't end up panning out. So it looks like we're getting to the end of another window and they're not going to make a big move.
01:50:02
Speaker
It kind of like plays into this whole discourse of the last like really since they got De La Vega. Well, but like they haven't they haven't really been spending right like big transfer fees since Pedro de la Vega was the last player that they did that with. So it's kind of, it started some like, are they broke discourse? Are they as ambitious as they, as they used to be? And like, does is this like not filling this U22 spot? Is that like a commentary on that? Is that an indictment on all that? And honestly, you know,
01:50:37
Speaker
I get it from the stance of like, um yeah, like ah you watch LAFC drop $26 million dollars on, ah on sun and really just there's been a lot of like Kevin Denke's FC Cincinnati broke the transfer record for minute. Yeah. Yeah. Latte lot. You got clubs now that are willing to spend this type of money that Seattle just hasn't historically done.
01:51:02
Speaker
It does not appear. like they will become that type of club who drops transfer fees like that. So I guess I'm curious as like it ah and out neutral outsider who looks at this stuff from like a national perspective.
01:51:18
Speaker
but When you look at Seattle's roster and then also I guess just kind of their approach to these things ah do you think their aversion to spending money does that strike you as like a commentary on their ambition compared to what it used to be or do you fall more on the end of like the ends justify the means. Cause that's kind I was sort of talking about this at the top of the show, but like the way I kind of put it is like when they're playing like this, like they've been, that's like they're playing right now, like since the club world cup seven, Oh, and three, but not, not just like the 10 games,
01:51:57
Speaker
unbeaten, but really just how dominant, yeah the manner, like how dominant they've been, how fun to watch they've been, how many goals they're scoring, just the all around vibes as around the on-field product over this last stretch of games has been fantastic.
01:52:13
Speaker
um So I find myself asking like, if that's what the outcome is and like they have to sustain it. And I think whether they win trophies will be determinative, but like if, if they're, if they're playing like this,
01:52:26
Speaker
what What do I care about a U22 spot? right like that's yeah like And that's the onus is on them. to like The way I feel about it is, like all right, if you're not going to spend a lot of money like some of these clubs, like it doesn't even have to be a $22 million dollars bag, but like if you're not going to spend like that, ten yeah or yeah and or drop any mean you better you better win. You better still play well. you better still be fun to watch. You better still be contending.
01:52:54
Speaker
Right now, That is what they're doing. But they're also in a situation where a lot of the... There's been a lot of national media that are calling this the deepest roster in MLS history.
01:53:07
Speaker
I think I wrote that this preseason too. Yeah. yeah So like if that is what the situation is... then I find it hard to like get too worked up if the, if this U22 spot is filled or not, because what I care about at the end of the day is if they're winning games, if they're contending for trophies and if they're winning trophies and like the,
01:53:32
Speaker
i I see a roster right now that I don't know if it's the deepest in MLS history. I can't really speak to that as much. Like I do, I do know that franchises histories of rosters. I agree. I do know that it's arguably the deepest roster in the league right now. And I also know that it's been getting like, uh,
01:53:50
Speaker
Like the level that they're at right now, to me, that's like what you're always chasing. That's what you want, like is to be able to like play at that level, be that aesthetically pleasing, be this fun to watch. Yes. And if you can get there,
01:54:05
Speaker
Then I great yeah when you got there. And I also think, too, when you have depth like this, it gives you more leeway to be able to be like, all right, no Ohio said no to us.
01:54:17
Speaker
We didn't get our other targets. ah We don't we're we don't need to necessarily like panic sign someone and. get like ah a target or a player that we don't, we aren't really fully convicted in. That's something that I wouldn't want them to do.
01:54:32
Speaker
So like, how do you, how do you think when you look at that's a perfect entry point, because I think that when you look at the balance, there's a couple of things. I think 22 was obviously an inflection point, right?
01:54:44
Speaker
Just for the squad overall, where it was like, this is not a squad that's guaranteed to get in the playoffs anymore, but it's a squad that can win in CONCACAF. Okay, what do you do with that? Well, the decision was pretty much, okay, we're going to phase out, you know, like Ladero had already left and that was his final year. Rui Diaz. That was his last year. Yeah, that was his last year. Okay, great. So perfect, like kind of passing of the torch moment, right?
01:55:03
Speaker
um Rui Diaz obviously took around a little bit longer, but then you have... Every like the core is still there of a clear top four top five teams. So you can't really rebuild and there's no such thing as like a true strip it down and rebuild it in Major League Soccer, right? Like it's weird when CF Montreal announces they're going into a rebuilding phase because it's like and that's not a phrase MLS teams have ever used, right?
01:55:27
Speaker
But that's kind of what it would take because there is so much stability among this core. And yes, there's been a lot of a fair amount. I won't say a lot from the team that won the CONCACAF Champions League.
01:55:41
Speaker
But I think that there is is also still a lot of tendency to prioritize players.
01:55:50
Speaker
Proven ability in Major League Soccer and the idea that there are fewer variables that could backfire from someone if they have already been of a best 11 caliber in this league than if we're spending more money to bring someone in who has never been in this league before.
01:56:06
Speaker
And I agree with the philosophy. Like I have a series that I pull up every off season called moves I like, which is exactly what it says on the tin. And two years ago, was Danny Musavsky signing. I had to bring it up tonight.
01:56:17
Speaker
And then this year it was Jesus Ferreira. And then to a lesser extent, I think is it Paul Ariola maybe, but like, I think it was mostly about the Ferreira side of it, where it's just like, how many teams would want what he did in Dallas and say that they're willing to pay $7 million dollars for a 22 year old or however old he is now to do that.
01:56:35
Speaker
Okay, great. It's, it's that like classically say, if it's like, it's just Ferreira for it's Jesus senior from Brazil. Like how differently are we talking about him? Right. um It's that same kind of thing. When you look across the squad is just, I get the frustration, but it's sustainable. And part of it is,
01:56:52
Speaker
you don't want too many variables that are going to unsettle what you've already built. And they've built something that's really, really good. They've got an academy that quite like, they don't get the love that Dallas gets, which I think that's a bit dated by the way, on the Dallas Academy front. They they should, I, I kind of have been workshopping this agenda, but it kind of, I feel like, ah good at at this point, Seattle's youth development should be,
01:57:17
Speaker
Whenever people talk about that, they always say Dallas and Philly as the yeah as the gold standards. but here's i've I've said that too, but Seattle is is in that discussion. and What I like about Seattle's success right now is that when you look at, okay, why does everyone say Dallas? Well, Ricardo Pepe came through it. Okay, that's great. Wes McKinney played in it.
01:57:37
Speaker
Luxury players. That's really cool. MLS teams are not playing academy kids in luxury roles. Still, like it is rare to see when Chicago is actually willing to put Brian Gutierrez in the hole as a number 10 rather than saying you have to play off to the left and do some kind of recirculating things as a secondary guy or an advanced midfielder.
01:57:56
Speaker
But you're still in like kind of a double pivot. So you better defend to kid. You've got the best legs. like You've got the freshest legs of anyone on this team. um I think when you look at it from like a perspective of.
01:58:08
Speaker
Seattle's Academy, there's like a clear like We are trying to get all around players who can play in the midfield, who can also, you know, some of them will drop back. Some of them will be better off as a fullback because one foot is much stronger than the other and they have more athleticism. The technical abilities are perfect.
01:58:24
Speaker
me introduce you to Rebecca Whiting or whatever. Right. And I think it's worked really well. um I know I mentioned him twice. I'm a big fan of Rebecca Whiting. I put him on my 22 under 22 ballot last year, I think is number 20 or 21.
01:58:34
Speaker
Like, I think that he is um very much of the caliber, but I would like an academy that actually can get me a dependable starting fullback. So that I don't have to go into the market because MLS teams don't like spending on defenders, but how are you going to get a decent defender if you're not willing to? So you're making compromises and paying an $800,000 salary and maybe a $1 million dollars transfer fee for a guy who's coming over from England or Greece or something.
01:58:57
Speaker
I'd rather have the Academy kid. I think that's what's successful. It's more like RSL than Philly. Philly is another one that has a kind of similar top heavy, not as much depth necessarily. I know there's like,
01:59:09
Speaker
Nathan Harrell there are a couple of other guys who have really come through in those sort of like supporting starting roles, if that makes sense. I'm talking fullbacks a little bit like your second center back. um Maybe you're just your box to box, non technical midfield or whatever the case may be. These guys who they're the less glamorous roles, but they're very important roles. Goalkeepers. Another one of them.
01:59:28
Speaker
I I like an academy that knows how to develop those players, too. And I think that your ability to depend on your academy to bolster your depth and the quality of your team is better than if you're constantly waiting for the second coming off of Alfonso Davies, which is the alternative, which is I am so determined to have the sequel to the Davies transfer that I'm kind of ignoring the development of like the finer aspects of defending and off ball work, whatever the case may be.
01:59:57
Speaker
So I like the academy a lot, but I think that also does play in then to the squad building. where I want to give those chances to those guys. I don't want to burn U-22 slot because I want a 5% increase on the caliber of my left back.
02:00:14
Speaker
I'm, you know, I'm no Mark Kastner, but like I have been like an an open new who skeptic for quite some time, right? And like, i don't think I want to spend a big transfer fee on that if I can produce a player in that role in the academy, because then you can save that slot for another midfielder if you have to replace Obed and you can get someone of a similar profile.
02:00:36
Speaker
Or if you want to have Christian doing more advanced work again, don't know why you would do this, but six months ago, if you weren't confident he would be a good successor to draw Pedro is like the true number six, then you could use the U22 to maybe get like a prospect who could come into that and he can start right away and it'll advance his career moving forward.
02:00:52
Speaker
um I like the way they operate. I like the savviness of it. And I like the trust that's implied about their academy and their ability to scout from within major league soccer, if not their own hierarchy to not just buy really expensive lottery tickets because you saw that the highest kickback is, you know, bet a better payout than kind of the sure thing that you already have, which is $5 in your hand or whatever.
02:01:17
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, yeah, I honestly, i ah I understand where segments of the fan base are are coming from with wanting the team to break the bank a little bit more.
02:01:28
Speaker
And, you know, big splashy acquisitions, transfer fees, that stuff is fun. And it ah totally is stuff that they've... done at different points. I mean, Clint Dempsey was one of the bigger ah acquisitions transfers of that era. Ladero and Rui Diaz, not cheap players.
02:01:47
Speaker
De La Vega is a $7 million dollars player. So for me, like and it does speak to the importance of infrastructure, like youth development,
02:02:02
Speaker
And also, i think, ah you know, one thing Seattle benefits from is just a really strong culture that I think it starts with Brian Schmetzer. ah But that's that's something that allows you to do stuff like ah you don't need to go sign a winger from overseas if you can develop Paul Rothrock into a player who like yes gives you that exact same production.
02:02:25
Speaker
And I'll tell you what, don't you love watching that guy succeed too? Yes. As much, if not more. It's better. It's better because he's like a Seattle guy. The 21-year-old you hadn't heard of who came from another league didn't make it because, like you know, came through an academy and didn't find a landing spot in Europe. So came over to try to lick his wounds.
02:02:41
Speaker
This is just it. It's just like there is talent in this country that I think a lot of teams overlook. And that's why you'll see these weird like $850,000 salary guys who are playing 400 minutes a year because they had one good season. They had one good highlight reel and they just want to assume that's better than what they have in house.
02:03:00
Speaker
I think Seattle has done a very good job of trusting what they've got. It's one of their biggest strengths. I was, uh, I was excited. I got myself excited about the potential of no Ohio joining the team, but like, you know, I don't even want to do 22 number, uh, nine at this point, give me Osase, give me Osase De Rosario.
02:03:20
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. it should Slightly tongue-in-cheek, but honestly, like... But like, honestly, it's just like, if you just need to spark off the bench for 20 minutes, right? Like, yeah why are you using real resources? I know then that the kickback is okay, but they're not using it anywhere. But they have the freedom to do it whenever they need to.
02:03:36
Speaker
yeah If you talk to any sporting director in Major League Soccer, if they don't have the current best roster, by their own definition, Major League Soccer, and 90% of the time or more, they will admit they don't.
02:03:50
Speaker
If they don't, they will openly quickly tell you we have this many guys out of contract this year. We have this many guys on loan. We have this many guys that are on it that like we've loaned away and are you know going to be moving on. from They love to show you the flexibility and coming windows so that you can kind of signal to teams like.
02:04:10
Speaker
We're a credible buyer or whatever the case may be, or to signal the fans as well, like, don't worry, it'll get better. We can maneuver. you get into an LA Galaxy situation like this last offseason where you've overplayed your hand and now you have to kind of work it back for the next year.
02:04:26
Speaker
You're so much worse off. So like I think it makes sense to have that sort of rainy day fund and that maneuverability with your squad rules because things change so quick in this league. And again,
Craig Weibel's Impact on Sounders
02:04:38
Speaker
if you sell Obed and you don't have any of those resources available to you, who are you bringing in?
02:04:44
Speaker
You just got rid of Josh Atencio, not Danny Leyva, as I clarify, as you clarified for me, right? Like who else are you bringing in? and Snyder, but Snyder, Brunel, Snyder, Brunel. That's the answer. It might be within, right?
02:04:55
Speaker
But like, If, if you lose him in the middle of a potential and MLS cup run, which they're in the midst of this midst of this year, it's misty in Seattle all the time. That's the cliche, but you don't want to gamble by saying we didn't have the resources to make up for it because we had Obed on a relative bargain because of the production he can do.
02:05:15
Speaker
We can't find what he can do at that price anymore. Zip. Yeah, has a good question here, Jeff. Did you say I'm going to go get a water and you went and got a beer? I'm bi, which means I got water and beer.
02:05:26
Speaker
Oh, okay. So there we go. Yeah. um Kind of related to this topic, do you have any ah takes on Craig Weibel? Because that like that that has been a ah another red-hot topic of discourse in recent days because of the fact that it looks like they're not going to use this U-22 spot, this window. And he's really, he's been a target of derision going back a couple years.
02:05:56
Speaker
And it date it dates back to the... The manner in which he got the role, kind of. Is it a Gerald Ford scenario where it's like you were never elected for this office? you kind of maybe Maybe there was some of that. I don't remember that. There are all the Gerald Ford fans in the chat. and a good Gerald Ford reference. didn't that's That's why you turn into Lobbing Scorchers under the lights, folks. You never know when the Gerald Ford reference is going to... But no, I don't think that was as much it as much as like his the start to his tenure.
02:06:26
Speaker
ah it kind of looked like ah there was some swinging and missing going on. You can start with bear. right yeah yeah this is yeah this is where you get into the like going with the trusted component can backfire like that's great example so so bear was like he was supposed to be the moose will bruin role and uh that one did not work out so that was like strike one where people are like what was that craig wives what like you got a bear in here coming off an acl and he like scored one goal his entire time here like so right yeah that was number one then you had a situation i might be skipping over some stuff but like you had a uh you had a situation the big ones were de la vega's first year they but they spent seven million dollars on him he was brought in with all this like hype and like kind of you know first player for seattle to wear the number 10 since ladero there's weight of expectations that come with that and last year was like a lost year for him where he was injured the whole time yes but uh also i think people any like the the cameos he did make didn't look all that great and so people were very quick to be like oh see like it doesn't even matter like he was not like good anyway and this is all with like uh kind of starting from the premise of like craig wibbs is terrible
02:07:47
Speaker
so like Right, which and you've already showed your hand, right? Yeah, but so De La Vega's first year being a bust kind of ah played into that. And then, like honestly, to be fair, ah like the De La Vega thing going into this year was an open question. Then you also had his his backup striker signing after Hebert, Danny Musavsky, who...
02:08:10
Speaker
Going into this year. Yeah, but like last year, he was injured and only had like one goal one assist. And so that that honestly Moose was getting talked about as already decided as a ah as a swing and a miss.
02:08:25
Speaker
I get it. I understand how like the discourses always work. like It's fair. It's fair enough. But then on top of that, you had this Jesus Ferreira trade, which on our show, you know we we are MLS sickos here and had watched a lot of Jesus Ferreira on FC Dallas.
02:08:43
Speaker
So for us, we saw the Ferreira trade and we were like, that is one of the best trades I could think of. Totally. It's so funny. It's actually so funny. I remember because I had Ferreira as it moves I like again, yeah right? Yeah.
02:08:54
Speaker
The comments, minimal, whatever. See, thought it was MLS coverage. I know what what it is, what the reputation is these days. I don't like the association I have with it. um Total Soccer Show. I do it every week on Tuesdays to talk Major League Soccer.
02:09:05
Speaker
Every single week I cover Major League Soccer, I promise. The... the The thing with Ferreira was the U.S. men's national team discourse yeah precedes the MLS discourse 10 times out 10.
02:09:17
Speaker
Exactly. And so you will have he was shit in Qatar, so I would never want him on my team. OK, he didn't perform in three appearances in a World Cup when he should have never been the starting number nine for the U.S., but he was the one Berhalter could trust to actually be healthy and on the field.
02:09:37
Speaker
Like it's not his fault. He was still the young player of the year in major league soccer in a league that had players from other countries. It's not just that you were saying he was one of the best young Americans in a month. was one of the best young players in major league soccer.
02:09:49
Speaker
yeah Right. So like, why would you not again, strip away the nationality and just think of him as a Brazilian. You're so excited for that. And you get the extra benefit of he scored the thing with a bear.
02:10:00
Speaker
I kind of wondered if that was sort of like a, it almost was like trying too hard to be the like, see how savvy this is. We went and got a guy who scored double digits two years in a knee ago.
02:10:12
Speaker
And now we'll be the team that brings him back to glory, even though we've seen the tape of him post knee injury. And it's like, wow, this guy can't cut it at this level. Right. Like it's almost like trying to get to like,
02:10:25
Speaker
Oh, you forgot to ask the training staff if this was a good idea, basically. Right. And if like kinesiology, if you looked at his body before the injury and after, do you have the confidence he can get that extra step that seems to be missing because he looks comfortable with the body, with the changes that have been made with the surgery, these sorts of things.
02:10:45
Speaker
it's really important to do. It didn't seem like they did that. That was the fatal flaw there. Right. Musavsky, like he had some familiarity Weibel. And I think that there was more like, look, I know it's a little less interesting than signing a guy who won MLS cup once, but at the same point, like, come on, like he's, I trust him. I know what he can do. He's going to be very cheap and I can depend on him off the bench. I'm only looking for the will brew or I'm looking for 20, 30 minutes. Right. Um,
02:11:09
Speaker
um He's perfect for that. And like I look at it like my colleague Michael Cox had branded it the plan B striker, I think is such a perfect way to do it because you're just like, well, this isn't working. And so let's just go for the trusted hand who's doing a little bit of a simpler game usually. And that's not a criticism. That's just more of a you've refined it.
02:11:26
Speaker
where you know exactly what you're going get when he steps on the field. I think it's more robust than that. I think he's proven that this year that he's actually found that level. But when you were looking at where he was taking his shots from in the four years before he signed with Seattle, perfect number nine stuff.
02:11:39
Speaker
His movement is great. He just has a knack for getting to the penalty spot, basically. And then like Essentially, that's the perfect place to kick a ball, right? That's why they put it there, basically, while also giving the goalkeeper a chance. The perfect place is right in front of the net. I know, I know. It's one yard away, and Kai Kamara still missed it once.
02:11:53
Speaker
But I think you can you can confidently project that you can get play to move to enough of an extent where you will create that space and have an availability to pass that ball.
02:12:05
Speaker
to him every single game. And so if he can score that, what are we talking about here? Right. And that's why I think like with Weibel, it's like this seems a little bit more like instructions that are coming kind of top down, kind of like this is what we're willing to spend this year. What can you make with it?
02:12:20
Speaker
And that's fine. um I still think that he he's incredible. I know for a fact he's incredibly respected in Major League Soccer. I think that a lot of his peers at other clubs really do respect him and they don't talk about him in a way like because we know we can get a really good trade off of him. You know what i mean Like there's some where they're just like really nice guy. And if I buy him the right bottle of wine, his starting left back is mine whatever, right?
02:12:42
Speaker
um It's fair. He understands the league. That's really all you can ask for. um I personally, I still have a lot of Craig Weibel stock just for him as a decision maker. I think that he's still very, very good for it.
02:12:54
Speaker
Yeah, like i so I was on our last podcast, I was kind of trying to go through all the ah recent moves and sort of grade them out based on how they're looking now, because this year we've gotten a better idea of it. And yeah so, yeah, I mean, you had, at least recently, La Vega, Musavsky, and then the Ferreira trade, and then there's the Ryan Kent transfer as well.
02:13:19
Speaker
I think those those
Key Player Contributions and Transfers
02:13:20
Speaker
are like... the big ones that i'm I'm sort of taking into account yeah when I'm, ah when I'm looking at it with the, ah with the Ferreira trade specifically, I think they're part of, part of the negative reaction to it was like you said, the USMNT association that people have with him, but that is meaningless. The USMNT has nothing to do with nothing your, like how good you are at the club level.
02:13:45
Speaker
And if you're looking at purely how he is performed, at the club level in MLS. He is ah was a best 11 player at one point for FC Dallas. And also, like, ah you know, anyone who's watched as much FC Dallas as you and I have over the last few years and saw play, which is a lot, yeah.
02:14:06
Speaker
more than most and more than most people should but like i think anyone who did watch that amount of fc dallas uh saw that trade and was like that is a great move that's a great move and that's why i and i i felt so like confident in that based on his track record and how much uh that i i've watched him play that even when he was struggling to start the season i was never worried about it i was the one who was like preaching patience and uh Right now that I think that trade is look absolutely fantastic, like yeah both in terms of like what they gave up for it and what the deal was and then also what they're getting on the ah on the field right now. He the.
02:14:48
Speaker
He has started to produce more on the stat sheet, but like, it's just to have a player who you can have Albert Rusnak go out with an injury and your plan B is to just slide Ferreira in there. And then you have the offense look like how it looked against the galaxy.
02:15:04
Speaker
Not every MLS team can do that. Very few MLS teams could do that. Very few MLS teams can do that. And the reason they, one of the reasons they were able to do that was because they traded for Jesus Ferreira and he is a versatile, adaptable player who is just talented enough that you can slide them in, in a situation like that.
02:15:26
Speaker
And your level doesn't drop off from when your DP number 10 is in there. So i think like, yeah, all along way of saying, ah like, for... And I've been sort of ah kind of cowardly not taking a a passionate stance.
02:15:43
Speaker
Listen, my friend, patience, like, the, like, let's get more evidence route almost always pays off. Because then you're like, now I've seen it. And you don't look wrong. It's just like it's a bigger moment when you... Side with the herd, right? Like, it means something to the final. And my thing going into this year was, like, until we see what the outcomes are with De La Vega and the Ferreira trade, like, those are going to be a lot of what determines, like, how his record is judged. So, if those two things hit, then we got... It's very simple. If those two things hit, we got it. You got to give him credit for it. You can't just, like...
02:16:18
Speaker
correct dismiss it you can't say that like the gm had nothing to do with it like no if de la vega and ferrera turn out to be ah to come good on the on their potential or what you thought you were hoping to get when you acquired them then i think you got to give them credit for it and looking at those in particular i think the ferrera trade is proving to be as good a move as as we thought it would be and de la vega as far as he goes i mean it's still like a relatively kind of a recent right it's like it's but like it hasn't been looking this good for that long so i agree if he like fizzles out or uh doesn't maintain this level then uh then we'll have to reevaluate it but i gotta say like as it stands right now i mean he looks like one of the best players in the league right now like over the last few weeks uh He looks like that player who can genuinely break a game. Right. And it's term that our friend Matt Doyle uses that I like in the context of major league soccer, because it's like every team with a DP slot, you're challenged to find one or two of them.
02:17:25
Speaker
And so how often have we seen teams not do that? And it's what holds them back from being truly great Cincinnati in 2024. It's what like catapults them to being above the actual, some of their parts LA galaxy in 2024. Um,
02:17:41
Speaker
I think that when you look at it, like, and I don't know. I think with De La Vega, it's so interesting because so much of what he does seems to be just like, how confident is he in his touch that day?
02:17:56
Speaker
and like, is he playing on the left the right? Since they moved him to the left, he has been absolutely on fire. Again, this is a Mark Kastner had at first moment for me, but like, yes, on the left and others did too, I'm sure. But like, let's get Marcus too. I'll give Mark credit for that. He was on that train. Yeah, he was on that really quick. And I think that he was right.
02:18:14
Speaker
And I think it's just like there's this this thing Pochettino refers to as like dominant eye. And I think it's such horseshit of like a player would be bad if his dominant eye isn't cutting in field. So he knows where to move the ball to. And it's like, I don't think it's that easy. Right. I think that.
02:18:31
Speaker
optometrists would have been like, you know, the new set piece coaches, you know, in terms of like specialist hires, I think that that would have already been ahead of the curve and Pochettino would have been a coach of the caliber who could have influenced it that way if it was that big of an advantage.
02:18:44
Speaker
I digress. so I think it is much more on the left side. It's just more natural. it it's just like things flow more he doesn't seem as in his head again i'm sorry for comparing this like national team it's like christian politic where it's like you put him on the left he's trying too hard he's trying to figure out what he wants to do he doesn't look like a natural there you put him on the right and he's just kind of playing on free flow and it's just it's more fun to watch it's more successful because it's a player on instinct and instinct will always be quicker than like A or B or C in your head, right? It's like why coaches in preseason try to drill in positional play models if that's what they'll do.
02:19:18
Speaker
They want their signings done early before preseason. The teams that are signing late are a little more willing to just see how it goes, usually. um I like De La Vega.
02:19:29
Speaker
I think that Again, unlike um others, maybe be i did have more of that. Let's get more of a sample on De La Vega because of the injuries last year.
02:19:39
Speaker
I just thought it was never a fair comparison to just really say, let's write this guy off because he keeps getting hurt and then he will miss this many long shots. And then what do we do with this guy? like you can coach shots shot selection into a guy and i think that with de la vega now you're seeing him when he gets a consistent run of games and he knows whistle blue done with that 80 minute shift but i know i'll get another 60 plus in five days and so i have that confidence rolling into training that next into regeneration the next day into training and to walk through and to travel and then into the next game right like
02:20:13
Speaker
That routine goes so far. it Like you talk to players who are used to being those like fringe guys. I actually i was I hung out with one of them earlier this month in MLS right now. And and he was just like, you know, it's it's a rare season where I'm like,
02:20:28
Speaker
always starting to the point where it's like relief when I, so when coach comes to me two days in advance and says, I'm leaving you out the lineup for this one, because it's a good opportunity to get your backup some reps. Like that suddenly hits so much harder where this, this player was like, I can golf now. Like I know that I don't need to be doing my, like my, my personal workout a little harder to try to make up for missing that lineup because you have that internalized. If I'm not starting, I'm failing sort of mentality. Like it's just,
02:20:55
Speaker
It's all these like finer nuances where I think we take it for granted, looking from the outside and just being like, yeah, of course, Pedro de la Vega is starting like every week right now. He's a designated player. It's major league soccer. You're supposed to start your designated players.
02:21:07
Speaker
He couldn't do that last year. He can do that this year. I think that continuity actually does go a long way. Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, just to just to put a bow on the um the Craig Weibel thing, ah I mean, with all for all the for all the talk about ah his record that's gone on and stuff, when I like when i actually go through the moves like that, mean,
02:21:32
Speaker
De La Vega, Jesus Ferreira, and Moose, who we didn't even talk about that much. But like that's that is one of the best values in the league right now. If you just like think about what he's done this year, it's like you know we were talking about how ah how they were able to slide in Jesus Ferreira for Albert Rusnak and how most um MLS teams don't have the ability to do that.
02:21:56
Speaker
right They haven't had Jordan Morris at all this year. So how have they been able to still get like 17 or I think they have 18 goals from the number nine position this year, like in totality. How are they able to do that? I mean, that's how you got to give it to him. You got to give it to him. They scouted up Danny Mussovsky and he like,
02:22:18
Speaker
has scored 12 goals all comps like and i get that it's i get that it's danny musovsky so that doesn't sound like uh that's sick but 12 goals is 12 goals and like i i guess it's just when i look at his uh his recent record it's actually like kind of good and i will say too like big of true it's kind of good even even if you're uh yeah warm on craig wibes for whatever reason for whatever reason i think there there is like a subset we've been seeing it in our comments like people think that he's like abjectly incompetent and stuff like like i see that and to me i'm just like are we really being like fair-minded with stuff like that no but have you been on the internet in 2020 yeah i get i get it but
02:23:10
Speaker
ah These things don't operate in isolation. Like, look, Danny Musavsky has 10 non-penalty goals in MLS this year. yeah you look at it, that's as many as Chupo Moting. And, like, I'll tell you what, this is actually sadly perfect because I thought Chupo Moting was one of the worst signings of the offseason. I was not that, yeah. i was I wrote, like, again, I understand that the athletics and MLS coverage isn't what it used to be.
02:23:34
Speaker
But, like, if we have that sort of, like, we want to write this thing, they won't stand in our way still. But like, we have to make a case for it, right? And mine is that, you know, Chupo Moteng, Because he played for Stoke City. The Stoke City team that got relegated, by the way, the last were in the Premier League, like nine guys have played in MLS from that same squad.
02:23:54
Speaker
It's like one of my favorite weird quirks where it's like everyone's like pepguardiolas ah Pep Guardiola's Barcelona is now taking over MLS. And before that was like anyone who had played for Ferguson at Man United or Arsene Wenger and Arsenal would always have an offer for Major League Soccer. Like weirdly, it's the Stoke City team as well.
02:24:11
Speaker
Chupo Moteng hadn't played more than 900 minutes. in any season for like almost a decade. And he was given a designated player contract. And I thought it was like hot nonsense to like, like just like what are the Red Bulls doing? They're throwing away all the goodwill that they had.
02:24:26
Speaker
Chupo Moteng scored a brace four days ago, like Chupo Moteng scored a brace against New England. And like he is a little bit hot and cold when you look at his record where he'll score three games in two and then he go three games without a goal. And that's just life as a striker.
02:24:39
Speaker
But it's not a good designated player in per se. Right. You want the dependability factor. Right. But I would guarantee you that Red Bull fans are more optimistic about how that is going than I've gathered before this show and before what you've said, which only validates what I felt, that the Musavsky thing is seen as a fluke.
02:24:58
Speaker
Like... goals are goals, man. Like you don't want to be late to the Brian White party. You don't want to be late to the Chris Wanda Lowski party. And I'm not necessarily like saying like this is the second coming of Wando because like I don't know if we'll ever see one. I don't know if that record will have broken Ari.
02:25:13
Speaker
I don't know who the player is who is spending their entire career and scoring as consistently. Like you would need to genuinely have a guy where like he only started popping off at 25 or 26. So no other league in the world is going to value him as highly as and MLS teams will value him.
02:25:30
Speaker
Right? Like, because even if he signs Zlatan and he can score 25 a year, he's going to need to play like eight years. Right? So like, yeah, huge digression.
02:25:41
Speaker
But to pull it back to like to scale, Musavsky is one of the most successful genuine number nines in MLS this year. He's scoring at a rate that much more famous number nines.
02:25:52
Speaker
Olivier Giroud, Luis Suarez started the year in Major League Soccer. Neither of them comes close to his goal record. It's the efficiency. Like, it's insane. More than Kevin Denke, who is a record signing one point note. More than Lottie Loth, more than Joel Klaus, more than Chicho Arango, more than Ariel Martinez. Like, these are guys who I think are generally rated to be much higher of caliber. Kelvin Yeboah.
02:26:14
Speaker
um Then there's Suarez. I'm scrolling down now. Leo Campana. I think that most MLS fan bases would be more hype if these guys were scoring more goals. None of them have as many goals as Danny Mussovsky this year.
02:26:26
Speaker
Yeah, and it's not like ah it's not and it's not inflated production like compared to his performances type situation. He grades out like... at the top of the league in every metric that you could look at for ah number nine in terms of like his output uh and how efficient he is with the chances that he gets so again like that's uh i mean that's just phenomenal record transfer fee on brandon vasquez and made him one of the highest-paced strikers mls before doing his knee four goals
02:27:00
Speaker
Yeah, like it's just funny how these things work out. like yeah What are we talking about here? If you transferred Latte, lot like didn't show the names and just showed the underlying numbers of ah Latte Loth and Moose, it's like it's just not even close. So, I mean, it just – it is what it is. ah I think – Like the idea that ah Craig Wabs is like incompetent. I, I, I mean, maybe people have like different definitions of that word than I do, but my, bla my thing at this point with this discourse is like, uh,
02:27:34
Speaker
It's just what you're saying has got to be backed up and reflected in the on-field results, like the record, the points per game. And like, that's how I grade these things. Ultimately, at the end of the day, it's like, how is the team performing on the field?
02:27:51
Speaker
Like, if you have an abjectly incompetent front office, you're not... in the top four in the west and the best team out of 36 in leagues cup like the the just what's happening on the field just does not line up with that and so like if your analysis is just totally ignoring that then i just can't really yeah get behind it but uh anyway that goes both ways whether you're like the old money ball of the movie scout who's like he's got like you know ugly girlfriend can't have confidence. None of his friends or one of his teammates showed up to his birthday party.
02:28:23
Speaker
Like, you know, like that old school, I believe it when I see it sort of like way of viewing the game. Or if you're like, I know I incorporate a lot of data into my writing. Right. But if I went like all in and I was like a data analyst who didn't watch games, it's worth as much.
02:28:38
Speaker
Right. Because you are missing so much in the middle to your point where it's like you need a bit of both like a player's tape could be off the charts. Like I think I'm Derek Etienne, this is a good example.
02:28:50
Speaker
He like led in a ton of, we, we had like ah a trial period in like 23 with like ah a startup company that was trying to track off ball movements and advancing into open space. It was really interesting, but it was so nebulous. It's like, we couldn't find an audience for it. I did a couple of trial pieces with it. If you just Google, like, cause search on the athletic as shit. Like if you just Google like the athletic and quotes and then Jeff Reuter and then Julian Gressel, you'll pop up as one of them were about him moving off the ball.
02:29:17
Speaker
Um,
02:29:20
Speaker
Derek Etienne Jr. is like world class at off ball movement. And if you were to look at that, you would say with the day's game, you have like your dominant winger who's either inverted scoring goals or kind of facilitating and like setting up chances, and whatever.
02:29:34
Speaker
And then the other guy needs to create space and be like, keep them honest kind of guy. You don't want two guys like that. Like when I was watching the Club World Cup, there was a stretch where I think it was Ferreira, Rusnak and Ryan Kent were all starting in a wing. This might have been Botafogo.
02:29:47
Speaker
And it just didn't work because all of them kind of wanted to like facilitate and no one was opening. It was only when Paul Rothrock came in that the offense really, the attack really started whirring. And that's when they started like out generating chances on Botafogo. And this was before the goal to air, like around the time the goal too.
02:30:03
Speaker
And they still were having that sort of success. Right. So like to that point, you need that balance. Derek Atien looks world-class if you look at certain numbers and then certain MLS teams will say that they would never give him a single look because they've watched the tape.
02:30:17
Speaker
yeah I just got inspired on that one. I don't know, man. No, it's it's a good shout. i ah I hadn't thought about Derek Etienne in a while, but I do remember when i remember when Atlanta United got him and everyone was like, wow, that's like a really savvy. And then that it did not.
02:30:34
Speaker
no it didn't out that well it wasn't uh yeah uh all right jeff i got a couple more from chat do it for you here and then we can uh we can start to wrap it up thank you so much for uh uh hopping on late night and spending all this time with us i know uh i appreciate it and our audience let's do one of these before or during the playoffs if if you'll have yeah oh absolutely yeah no we'll get you we'll get you back on again soon All right. We got one from Zippy here. Thank you for the $2, Zippy. Appreciate you.
02:31:03
Speaker
ah He wants your opinion on Osaze de Rosario. Looks the ah real deal. And yeah, I mean, this has been a been a fun little subplot here, both because, you know, a young number nine scoring goals is always exciting.
02:31:17
Speaker
But this one is cool because, you know, Dwayne DeRoe, one of the best MLS players ever. One of the best Canadians ever. one of the best canadians Ever.
02:31:27
Speaker
And so like when they when they acquired Osaze. It's soccer country now, folks. That means something. When they got Osaze, everyone was like, oh, that's D-Rose Kid. That's kind of interesting. I mean, but no one really knew. His career path up to the point that he got here was not like super. but He was not like a super highly regarded player.
02:31:47
Speaker
prospect, ah but he was dominant in MLS Next Pro for Tacoma Defiance and finally got to the first team this year. And everyone was still kind of like, OK, I mean, let's see what he's got. But a lot to prove.
02:32:01
Speaker
And he's got three goals in his last like four or five appearances or something. And ah yeah, he but I mean, they've been They've been like big goals. Like he got the, what should have been the game winner at Atlanta, but it wasn't because Alexi Marinchuk randomly decided to go God mode and stop for once. But Osaze scored the go ahead goal in, in that game.
02:32:26
Speaker
ah The one he just got in leagues cup was a really big goal. They were down one zero in the second half of a leagues cup game against Cholos where, ah If they lost that game, they would have been out of the out of the tournament.
02:32:41
Speaker
And he brings it back, combines with Ryan Kent to get the equalizer in that game. He also was one of the many players who scored against Cruz Azul. But I think it's just like... ah It's very intriguing. Well, first of all, that day yeah yeah but like, it's very intriguing because, ah you know, like I said, any young number nine scoring goals, but also the D-Row connection for me, I'm like,
02:33:09
Speaker
I legitimately think that like the genetics there, like already give you a meaningful leg up. Like, I mean, if you just think, if you think about guys, like it's not just yeah hype. It's like Bronny does read a game real well. He just can't execute the same. Right.
02:33:25
Speaker
Fine. Right. But like, it it helps if you're watching that much tape, you will pick up something. and Yeah, well and if you think about guys like Jesus Ferreira and D-Ro, who like their their dads are both MLS legends, but it's like you can, you at least, especially when you watch Ferreira play, like all the kind of like nuances and little...
02:33:48
Speaker
things that that he does as kind of a smaller guy who's not necessarily like a big physical presence like you can just tell that he grew up in the game and david ferreira imparted a lot of this stuff on him with d-ro you have a situation where he is like a really uh big physical presence probably like more than more than duane i would say like Yeah, I don't think Dwayne could have that. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, like Osase is like like a big dude, and ah he like the goal he scored against Atlanta, it's just like he's just bodying. a
02:34:22
Speaker
Like he's just standing there, and the defender can't do anything about it because he's just got that kind of presence. And he's just like smart, intelligent movement, clearly very good in the air, dunked on the guy ah in the Cholos game. So, ah yeah, what have you thought of the rise of Osase for Seattle, and do you think he can keep it up?
02:34:40
Speaker
It's fun. That's great. I love it. Leagues Cup means nothing to me if it isn't fun. Let me start with that. Like I have been, if there are a hundred Leagues Cup skeptics, I am among them. If there's only one, it's me.
02:34:53
Speaker
Like I wrote columns about this when the Open Cup was going to be in jeopardy about it. That like the night of, I like, It's like weekend before Christmas. And it's exactly why they picked that Friday because it was like no one's going to care on December 21st.
02:35:08
Speaker
And I was like up until one o'clock with my editor at the time, Alex Abness. We're like, no, we're right in this column. And then like stuff trickled out afterwards and momentum. It was like really cool. And a lot of that is like the League Cup just doesn't do it for me in the same way. And it just doesn't like I think that the only reason competitions outside of a league can sustain is if they're interesting.
02:35:29
Speaker
Osase makes the League's Cup interesting to me, which is a success. Look, I just don't know. Like sometimes you look and it's like if he's 19, it's like, where have you been? and it's kind of like the Diego Luna case, like when he started really kind of banging in with El Paso locomotive.
02:35:48
Speaker
Yeah, it was just like, OK, you dropped you weren't part of the Quakes Academy, so you had to go the alternative route, which was Barca, Arizona or whatever. And then El Paso and now you're in Real Salt Lake, right?
02:35:59
Speaker
That happens much more often. Alex Freeman, you were an academy. you Your technique matched the growth spurt you had earlier in your life and now here you are, right? Like we've seen those. Asazi is 24, right?
02:36:11
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's why I sent it. So like, it's a little different where it it feels more like a I mean, it feels like a super draft pick that's really kind of picking up in year two or three, right?
02:36:22
Speaker
And that's cool. And that also projects to be a guy who can contribute an MLS level. And that's a success. If you identify that in a tournament like Leeds Cup, the Leeds Cup was worth it to the club because they have,
02:36:34
Speaker
more depth in the final third and they know that they have another variable they can throw besides Musovsky as a plan B striker or if that's Jordan's capability in the playoffs you know whatever the case may be you have another one you have another club in your bag that's excellent um I mean, like look, I don't know if he's going to be ah you know the real deal, as as Zippy's asking here. I don't know if he's going to be Quadwapoku, right?
02:37:00
Speaker
like People thought Poku was going to be a generational talent for Ghana. That's a good name drop, yeah. you know like Where is he still? I think he retired. He was in the USL for a little bit here. um I made my 12 picks, by the way, in my fantasy draft. I did really well. this was probably this This really focused me in chat, having the...
02:37:20
Speaker
the sideshow here. um Quadwopoku has not played for a club since 2020. That's nuts. So he popped off for those who don't who aren't part of the streets. In 2015, quadwopoku was signed by New York City FC as an expansion club from the Atlanta Silverbacks, a club that was then coached via Zoom by Eric Winalda because he wouldn't travel to practice.
02:37:39
Speaker
um True story. New York City, not very good. They expected to be better. They had David Villa. They had Frank Lampard. They had Antoine Pirlo. The latter two didn't show up till the second half of the year. They were kind of crap. So they were playing other guys. Tommy McNamara, that was kind of his first real breakout, and he's had a decade thereafter in MLS for it.
02:37:58
Speaker
Guadalupe Poku had about a 12 game stretch where he was better than every player in MLS, including Jovinko and Dempsey and Bradley and Altidore and everyone who was in the league at the time.
02:38:11
Speaker
Quadro Poku was the guy like and just could not stop him from scoring, from making an influence. He's voted on the MLS 2424. And I think he went from like nothing as a 21 year old to like three.
02:38:24
Speaker
And this is like a panel of people who watch a lot of MLS. Right. And so thereafter, then he gets sold surprisingly for $700,000 to Miami FC, one of the few transfer fees I've ever reported in my career because I saw the paperwork.
02:38:42
Speaker
And it's like it never worked for him thereafter. It was just like so clear that like that was the the pinnacle of it, both because that was the performances he had, but that was the amount of focus he had.
02:38:54
Speaker
I think Osase has more than that. So that's in his favor, too. I don't think he's going to be a quadruple. But it was very fun to talk about Garboku in the year 2020. I was just an MLS fan at that time. I didn't have the playoffs. Is there another player with that exact same name?
MLS Trades and Player Dynamics Discussion
02:39:10
Speaker
Are there two of them? Yeah, there are like two. yeah Okay. Because I think there's one that is still in MLS.
02:39:16
Speaker
uh which is that when you first said that name that's who i thought of i know that well there were also two damaduros who passed like ships in the night like for one season it was like the final season that the one who played for eight teams and was part of montreal like when they were in that like yeah the heights of the canadian classic uh and then there was one who was like a holding midfielder of like a usl championship standard who had like a can of corn and an mls for one year and they swapped shirts after a game which is that's a a good bit yeah that That was, that's like the league has never recovered. That's like how as good as that day I liked when they, when they had, uh, Diego Luna go hang out with the actor, Diego Luna. And they were like, yeah, content. You always got to capitalize when those, uh, opportunities.
02:40:00
Speaker
Yeah. i might But yeah, that's, we had and a po a Poku name drop, uh, Gerald Ford. Gerald Ford. night We've covered all the bases here too tonight. po all right ah a fly and so I'm going to change the title of this stream from Kwamdu Bupoku to Gerald Covering everything from Kwamdu Bupoku to Gerald Ford.
02:40:22
Speaker
In all caps, like that's the scandal. Yeah, and then we'll I'm going to do a thumb that's got like Gerald Ford, but he's like... Yes, that's doing like Pogface or whatever. Yeah, that'll be perfect.
02:40:34
Speaker
All right, we got one more for you, Jeff. This will this will bring us home. Kyle R., what is the worst trade of the year in MLS? What are the... Do we have like a list?
02:40:47
Speaker
First of all, there's no second. Because FC Dallas...
02:40:54
Speaker
I'm laughing because it's just like, it's not even, I thought it was a good trade and by the way. yeah I thought it was bad where it's just like everything was perfect.
02:41:05
Speaker
I thought it was a really good trade. I actually thought it was great. If I had to rank who I thought came out ahead, I thought it was Cincinnati because they opened it up and they were able to bring in someone who would better accommodate Kevin Denke rather than like hoping that Denke would work with Lucho and that they'd share nicely. So I thought that like they won. They also, I think made more money.
02:41:22
Speaker
Like, No, they didn't. They lost money, but it new nullified itself in a way where I thought it was good. And I thought that Dallas was next. And because Portland just took the money at that time, they hadn't signed David Acosta yet.
02:41:35
Speaker
Whatever. Now it's like the Lucho thing shook up the fates of three different clubs. You don't get this very often in Major League Soccer, right? These teams don't interact with each other at an important enough level.
02:41:46
Speaker
You're trading like a starting midfielder for $800,000 of game. Like, I'm sorry, that's not going to change who's winning MLS Cup this year necessarily. It's in the margins, but it's not that like Luka Doncic just got traded to the Lakers moment.
02:41:58
Speaker
You know what I mean? This is really close to that because you have like Cincy again. We're going to recalibrate around Kevin Denke. We're going to make this a little more soluble. So we know our midfield can reach him. They've had a lot of injuries in midfield.
02:42:12
Speaker
Thankfully, they did this work. I think with Lucho, they'd be much worse off right now. Good for them. Portland Evander was miserable. David Costa comes in, maybe fifth game model battle. Now they're trying to bring in more guys who can add that like unpredictability to not be so like constipated in the final third or whatever, where you just know what you need to do, but you just won't.
02:42:31
Speaker
Um, And then you have Dallas who like was like, this is it. This is what's going to make us come back from like, Oh, he's going to combine with Pete Darmusa. So let's trade him and Paul Areola. If we got to get rid of him too, fine. So there are two of your four starting forwards that you've just gotten rid of because Lucho is coming to town.
02:42:51
Speaker
And then you're like, we brought in Petar Moussa to replace Pepe, but now he's going to be again, Ferreira and Areola, but he also has to be like even more important than Ferreira was.
02:43:02
Speaker
So he we're going to put everything around him. We're going build our game model and we're going to hire a coach, I think, before him who has never coached, bless his heart, like the ego of Lucho Acosta that he has had since before he won. I think that was an issue.
02:43:17
Speaker
It's notoriously so. It's once PSG like made a like kind of half hearted transfer offer for him and then backed out at the last minute. Pablo Maru had a fantastic story. But if you Google again in quotes because you can't use search on the website, I digress.
02:43:33
Speaker
They moved so many mountains and committed so much to this that for it to fail so spectacularly is just like so. her Like Shakespearean, almost Greek tragedy levels of just like everything seemed to fall into place, but you forgot that you You forgot to check if you wanted to go to Argentina and Fitz Hart really wanted to go back to South America.
02:43:57
Speaker
And that was always what he wanted to do last winter. And then there were moments where like I've heard this from someone who played against him this year. he was openly saying like, I don't fucking want to be here.
02:44:09
Speaker
i mean, and like telling people like it was just like the worst body language and the worst, like you don't even have to get in his head as an opponent. Like his head's already beaten. Like he wasn't, his heart was never in it.
02:44:23
Speaker
I feel so bad for Dallas fans because it's just like the only thing that could have gone wrong was that Acosta no longer wanted to play in MLS and they just happened to get him at the moment he decided he didn't want to play in MLS anymore.
02:44:36
Speaker
Like it's awful timing. it's It's like the worst possible timing for that. There was there was like a lot of debate about that at the at the time. like ah you know Was it a good move for FC Cincinnati? he had He had been so good for them. And then there was the Portland aspect of it.
02:44:56
Speaker
and You know what's really funny? I just talked about the scale of Calamity Dallas is in there four points out of playoffs. Yeah. That's kind of, that's kind Because that's Major League Soccer. Yeah, exactly. i mean, honestly, Eric Quill, maybe shout out New Mexico United, might be coaching there if he gets them in the playoffs during this like.
02:45:13
Speaker
That was Phil Metals case two years ago, I think. Yeah, when it was like Gonzo Higuain in his final games, like rocketing them into the playoffs, like Didier Drogba with Montreal. Yeah. Honestly, what a ah what a move by Cincy, though, because they they moved off of Lucho Acosta at the perfect perfect time and then replaced him with a player who is even better. He didn't win MVP. Yeah, exactly. It was because of where he played, so if I go to a better team...
02:45:42
Speaker
And beat Messi in the East. There we go. I'm MVP. Perfect timing. But then even ah even the Portland perspective, I'm a DaCosta truther. like I actually think i think he's good. I think he's really good. like I know ah even the sentiment from their fan base is kind of like, man, like we had Evander, and this guy's fine. Isn't that funny? It's like every fan base.
02:46:01
Speaker
Yeah, they're always perpetual disgruntled. They're a Messi fan. That's telling that I said Messi fans. They're Miami fans who are just like, move off this experiment. i'm I'm embarrassed to be the club that people mock. It's like, you literally have literally have Messi.
02:46:17
Speaker
yeah you can't like You genuinely can't please everyone here. yeah but like Yeah. I mean, i could ah i could see how ah how a Timbi's fan could feel like DaCosta has this pretty pronounced downgrade from Evander. And I think he is from the sense of like, he's not going to do... There's less than sexual soccer, right? Yeah.
02:46:38
Speaker
He's not going to do the spectacular goals out of nowhere type stuff. But it's like Rusnak versus... Exactly. I think there is something to ah to a player of more of the style of DaCosta or Rusnak than any Vander or like who's the... i was Ricky Pooj.
02:46:58
Speaker
like yes don Yeah, sure, sure. I was talking about this actually a couple weeks ago with Matt Doyle where it was like... They're like really two number tens. If you really have to strip it down, there's European style number tens and South American style number tens.
02:47:10
Speaker
Right. And you hear that. it's like, yeah, sure. This all makes sense already. It's like very tactical versus very like individual and heartfelt. Right. And that's the South American way or whatever. And it's like if you go from a very good South American style, he's a romantic. He's going to have some minds. If you go to a very good European style, like to cost a rusnak, whatever.
02:47:26
Speaker
like it isn't going to be like as it's it's going to hit different. Right. and And you're just going to kind of take it for granted maybe a bit more because you're not saying ooh and ah as often, even though they're making the right decision. Right. Like I think that version, like, I don't know, you can win with both. Right. But it's just like if you have one, you kind of miss the other. And then when the the more like romantic style is having a five game skid where they haven't scored, then you kind of miss the dependability of, well, at least Ruth's not got his goal. Right.
02:47:55
Speaker
so I don't know. Yeah, and I think to me, ah another difference is that, like, ah guys guys like Evander and Ricky Pooj are very fun to watch.
02:48:06
Speaker
They score phenomenal goals. They do the type of impossible stuff that you pay to go to the stadium every every week. With every turn. Yeah, and, like, Evander, like, he – he moves the needle. Like he helps you win games every week with the stuff he can do. And we all saw that Ricky Pooge is a force multiplier in that way as well. Really fun to watch.
02:48:29
Speaker
ah
Seattle Sounders' Current Form and Strategy
02:48:30
Speaker
But there is a give and take where ah like Ricky Pooge specifically, very fun to watch, very talented, does a lot of cool stuff, can be pretty reckless, can get dispossessed pretty easily. ah He'll try these passes that are very audacious and look awesome when they come off, but they don't always come off and they're More South American than European. It's why he's here. Yeah, it leads to kind of chaotic game states. It leads to other teams getting counterattacks.
02:48:57
Speaker
And it's just, it's exhilarating, but it's not as controlled. Whereas a player like Rusnak or David DaCosta, they're super clean and they're always going to make the right play, the right pass.
02:49:12
Speaker
And they're not going to lose possession that much. They're not going to try passes that have a very low percentage of hitting as often. And there you're going to be able to keep possession a lot more.
02:49:25
Speaker
And I think like what the sounders like about a player like Rusnak is he allows you to control game state and tempo a lot more. Whereas like, ah and that's why I don't understand like, thing by the way about like if yeah no one's watching the fire as much as they used to right now um but like philip zinkernoggle is another one of these guys who like anders dryer kind of style but like he's very much just that like kind of first touch survey make the right decision every time whether comes off or not whether it's like more on if his teammate makes the run or if the defense is prepared than him ever hitting that ball with the right speed and trajectory like it's it's beautiful to watch in its own way too once you get used to the like familiarity and consistency with which they're able execute
02:50:06
Speaker
Yeah, and that's that's one of the things that I've come to appreciate about
MLS Viewer Engagement and Scheduling Issues
02:50:10
Speaker
Rusnak is that, like, you can you can just count on him to do make the right play, make the right pass, and really just kind of like, set the tempo more and not like and not be – like, people talk a lot here about, like, oh, I – we need, we need to upgrade off Rusnak to get a player who's more like Evander.
02:50:33
Speaker
But it's like, I think there's more of like a give and take with that than people probably realize. And honestly, like with, so De La Vega is a player who's much more in the mold of an Evander or a Ricky Pooj.
02:50:45
Speaker
And, uh yeah schmetz has pointed out at different times that he doesn't necessarily like how far de la vega pushes that in in certain instances or sometimes he'll like just be trying to do all this crazy dribbling and like and i can see that over guys stuff and right like they're they're kind of too pervade like prevailing tactical approaches that a lot of people take, which is like total football, which is like all 11 have to do something. And then there are some that are genuinely like two or three of your panic stations defenders and a stay at home goalkeeper.
02:51:19
Speaker
and the rest of us are going to have some fun. And so you're sending seven out there and keeping three for stability and they can all work, but they all have their trade offs. And it's like Seattle's a team that's really well built for everyone to play a part in it. It's working really well. It's very Columbus crew under Wilfred Nazi sort of stuff. And especially actually CF Montreal under Wilfred Nazi where they have like fewer of those like Diego Rossi types.
02:51:38
Speaker
um If you have one, you envy the other again. And it's like maybe that's it. But if you have too much of the wrong side of it in it, you can maybe have more of the dependable types and one ten. But if you have like or one of the I don't even know how to say the same words, like you also use like a basic acidic sort of scale here because it's like you can throw it out of balance and you can make it. So even if you're trying to throw in more of that kind of like unpredictability, if you have too much of it and other players who can't adapt, maybe that's what it is. It's adaptability versus the consistency of repetition of these sorts of decisions.
02:52:15
Speaker
um I think that I can understand where if you have too many players who are trying to change the game as it's flowing, it gets a little harder to control it and have that confidence that your team is built for the result.
02:52:27
Speaker
If you don't have the defenders, like one of the biggest issues for Seattle right now, is tracking back defensively. If they're caught on the counterattack, they can be more susceptible because they're kind of veteran. And also they don't have a lot of mobility with their youth. Their youth is much more about technical ability and their positioning, mental side.
02:52:42
Speaker
But I don't think they have the athleticism as much as other teams in MLS. The times I've watched Atlanta struggle, both in the Club World Cup And in MLS, our times where they're having to do that sort of like we advanced our line of confrontation too high up and now we're caught unaware and teams are beating us in transition or um short field sort of we've, you know, like we can simulate these sorts of things too.
02:53:03
Speaker
And so if that's the thing, you can't have guys taking too many risks in the attacking side because your defense isn't built for that. Your defense doesn't have the personnel to handle that, right?
02:53:14
Speaker
So I think it's a bit of one and all the other. Like as I hear that, it just... Sorry, again, full tangent, but it makes a lot of sense with what I've seen about the Seattle Sounders this year. I think I've watched already a much more dedicated lens to Seattle this year than any of the last, I'd say four or five, um because there's more of this stuff that really fascinates me about them where it's not like, i mean, maybe you peter vermis's kansas city is an example where like after 16 17 a lot of people weren't watching them as closely because nothing changed right it's it's like it just it's a big league man we can't watch all 15 games every weekend right and you just find these consistencies where it's like if kansas city's falling down the table of relevance and catching them less often because the matchups aren't as sexy right um seattle's matchups look very sexy this year and so like just like as i see it like
02:54:03
Speaker
A lot of that is that consistency and it's that the attack doesn't take risks. The defense can't account for. And I think that that's 90% of the game of soccer is finding that balance. Yeah. You, what can you exert while still being able to absorb what comes next?
02:54:17
Speaker
Yeah, I think that's a good way of putting it. Zippy coming in with the $2 again. Thank you so much for the support tonight, Zippy. Appreciate you. He says, again, thank you both for chilling with us tonight.
02:54:28
Speaker
Thank you all for for chilling with us. ah Let's wrap it right there, Jeff. I mean, we just ripped for like two hours. That's great. think we provided ah ah our uh our share of content uh thank you for tapping in and spending all this time with us and much appreciated awesome always yeah i always like to get your insight on you know not just the loons but the uh the whole league and yeah uh honestly you you know you don't need we don't even need to make it like you're the loons guy like we're gonna we'll find thank you other it's been like five years since i've been the loons guy
02:55:03
Speaker
It's also like how it's like i' still sometimes people will be like the USL is going for pro rel. It's like I haven't reported USL in three years. Right. like
Session Wrap-Up and Future Considerations
02:55:10
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Anytime. You know, like if it's if it's MLS, if Seattle specific, if it's men's national team, women's national team, Holly.
02:55:17
Speaker
Appreciate you, man. Yeah, we'll we'll we'll get you back on soon enough. But ah thank you for hopping on for this one. Looking forward to this game this weekend. Three versus four. It's going to be some and it's like good stuff. It's so quiet. But like because of League's Cup, we've lost so much track of this. I'm trying to find a way to write this.
02:55:37
Speaker
but like It's a fun stretch run this year, like both conferences. It's not settled. Who's going to finish one, two? There's no clear runaway supporters shield. There's a golden boot race and we're being forced the fucking Leagues Cup down our throats at the same time of it.
02:55:52
Speaker
And it just it kills me. This is the thing. It's the momentum halter that no league can afford. and it's at the worst time and now they're integrating it into the stretch run of mls like come on it's a worse scheduling gaff than having the first and the second round of your playoff split by an international break this is even worse i think uh all all true all good points but uh with the with seattle making a run uh i think it's a great tournament it's a very significant trophy if they add it to the trophy case then i think it really sticks their game as the best team in uh in conca calf
02:56:28
Speaker
But if they if they don't make it out of the knockout rounds or they lose the final or something, then, yeah, ah ah cynical money grab, pointless tournament, doesn't matter, never cared mattered because of Messi.
02:56:42
Speaker
And, yeah, exactly. So that's ah that is where I stand on ah League's Cup. Hell yeah. All right, Jeff. Thanks again, man. I'll let you go. We're coming up on ah three hours on the stream here. Good work.
02:56:54
Speaker
Great shift tonight, man. Yeah, much much appreciated. And we'll catch you we'll catch you soon. I know the whole audience appreciated it as well. so Thanks. That was awesome. Yeah. to you soon, man.
02:57:04
Speaker
Take care. That was Jeff Reuter, senior writer from The Athletic, spending like two hours with us here on Lobbing Scorchers. That was awesome. Hopefully you guys enjoyed that. Hit a lot of ah A lot of topics in addition to the Seattle Sounders. so So that's what these Under the Lights shows are for.
02:57:26
Speaker
Going off on tangents about Gerald Ford or whatever whatever the case may be. I'll hang ah ah around for a few more minutes here. If you guys have any more questions or topics for for some rapid fire, feel free to send some in. But going to get out of here pretty soon.
02:57:48
Speaker
Go to bed.
02:57:51
Speaker
Get ready to take on take on the world tomorrow. P. Magno, thank you for the $2. Appreciate you guys for all the supers tonight. um thoughts on the Pulisic drama uh so yeah I admittedly have not followed it like that much um but from what I understand he he has been beefing with Tim Howard and Landon Donovan for a while now because they're podcasters now they're like me
02:58:31
Speaker
they ah They get on the mic and fire takes all day. It's a pretty good podcast, honestly. I don't listen i listen to it sometimes. but Tim Howard and Landon Donovan have a podcast where they basically... I mean, they've been hard on the ah on the Golden Generation, I think.
02:58:49
Speaker
that's sort of the crux of this is that the golden generation has not lived up to that moniker. And there was a situation where Tim Howard and Landon Donovan essentially questioned Pulisic's buy-in and really like his dedication to the team and to the program.
02:59:10
Speaker
And, Pulisic was very offended by that. It was because he didn't show up to the gold cup this summer and instead chose to like stay back in Europe.
02:59:25
Speaker
And a lot of people were kind of questioning his dedication based on that, but Tim Howard and Landon Donovan most prominently. ah So they were beefing over that. I think Pulisic's dad got involved.
02:59:36
Speaker
And then I think what Magno's talking about is didn't... didn'
02:59:42
Speaker
Paul Cunningham, put out like a documentary he's a filmmaker now put out a documentary. Cunningham, About himself and ah what the headline I saw was that they called.
02:59:54
Speaker
Paul Cunningham, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard evil. Paul Cunningham, questioning his dedication to the USMNT so. I mean, I'll just give my take. I can give my take because, I mean, I don't think it's any secret that I'm i'm not like the biggest fan of this USMNT player pool.
03:00:17
Speaker
They rubbed me the wrong way, man, on like on a few different levels. But I think in general, the issue with them is like, they're just kind of this aura of entitlement.
03:00:31
Speaker
That's the only way to so put it. Entitlement. Think that they are God's gift to the game. God's gift to the USMNT.
03:00:43
Speaker
ah And it's unearned confidence. It's unearned like status that they've put on themselves. It is. They haven't won anything. If anything, they are they are less accomplished as it stands right now than the Tim Howard, Landon Donovan iterations of the USMNT.
03:01:04
Speaker
That is just where things are at with how they have performed on the field. And you know what?
03:01:15
Speaker
it's fair to it's It was fair to question Christian Pulisic's dedication to the team for not showing up to the Gold Cup. He's got the World Cup coming up that this country is hosting, and that team is not ready for that at all.
03:01:32
Speaker
They're not. They looked a little better during the gold cup, but like if they go out like how they have looked in the Pochettino era and they play like that at the world cup, like that's going to be bad. Like that's going to be embarrassing, not just for them, but like for us as a, as a country, like they have a lot of reputations on the line beyond just their own. Okay.
03:02:05
Speaker
They got to go out there and compete with dignity next summer. And the fact that Pulisic didn't go to the Gold Cup, you can say it doesn't matter. you can say it's a CONCACAF tournament. it's It's the principle, man. like You're the captain of the team. You're the face of the team.
03:02:20
Speaker
you don't you You don't even have to play.
03:02:24
Speaker
But there's no way that like you can tell me he shouldn't.
03:02:30
Speaker
Go to camp or whatever. Integrate with the team. Be the captain. You're the captain. Be a captain.
03:02:41
Speaker
So, like, you know what I would say Pulisic and Tim Weha and all them that are feuding with the former USMN tiers?
03:02:53
Speaker
Like, you know how you guys can, you know how you guys can solve this for yourselves?
03:03:01
Speaker
Play better. Win games.
03:03:06
Speaker
Actually live up to this golden generation moniker that you have just not lived up to.
03:03:16
Speaker
The team isn't good enough for you to act like you're above going to the gold hub. It's not. The product on the field and the results that they've taken are
03:03:31
Speaker
what What have they won? What have they accomplished? Okay. So that's stuff that they should reflect on. All right. I mean, I can sit here and give my take on it, but the simple reality is that the perception of that team as entitled underachievers is a self-inflicted and be not going anywhere.
03:03:56
Speaker
until they like show that it should be thought of differently on the field.
03:04:06
Speaker
And until then, this golden generation whole player pool of these guys that
03:04:15
Speaker
are playing for these big clubs,
03:04:20
Speaker
but not really doing anything. like until until they ah Until they just play better, it's not going to change. And it shouldn't change. They like they they deserve it. like They deserve that reputation.
03:04:31
Speaker
It is self-inflicted through
03:04:37
Speaker
how they how they act off the field, which is super like holier than thou and entitled, and how they've performed on the field, which is not good.
03:04:51
Speaker
I don't know. I don't know how else to say it. Like
03:04:57
Speaker
the results are just the results and they're, they're like laughable.
03:05:04
Speaker
I thought this summer was like, I thought the gold cup was a little better, but that was all like the,
03:05:12
Speaker
that was like the, all the young and hungry guys like Diego Luna, Diego Luna looked like you cared about playing for the USMNT.
03:05:24
Speaker
that is That's the type of guy that I would want to be captain. na aia Not a documentary filmmaker.
03:05:38
Speaker
what's even What's he putting a documentary out about? I'm not going to watch it, but... Anyway.
03:05:50
Speaker
Anyway. That's my take on the Pulisic drama. ah You don't want Landon Donovan and Tim Howard to
03:05:59
Speaker
to talk shit about you? Play better. Maybe show up to the Gold Cup and like do something on the field.
03:06:08
Speaker
Maybe don't have like a lead-up to the World Cup that's basically just everyone being like, wow, this team is not ready for this. This is not good. I don't know.
03:06:19
Speaker
I'm kind of done with those guys. I have been for a while.
03:06:29
Speaker
The USMNT Golden Generation Player Pool are a bunch of guys who, like, if you ask them their take on, like, the the COVID vaccine, they would be like, oh, I don't know about that.
03:06:42
Speaker
I don't know. Have you done your research?
03:06:49
Speaker
It's a bunch of those guys.
03:06:53
Speaker
couple of them were at the U.S. Capitol.
03:07:02
Speaker
Not actually, but may as well have been. I mean, I don't know. They could be friends with Andrew Carleton.
03:07:12
Speaker
Yeah, no, that's exactly Zippy. That's like, that's, I don't, I don't like him. I don't fuck with him. I would not hang out with any of those guys.
03:07:32
Speaker
They were at the Capitol in spirit. they did They did not agree.
03:07:36
Speaker
They were passionately not accepting of the results of what happened. And they were ready. They were ready to take a stand for change.
03:07:54
Speaker
I'd hang out with Donovan before. I respect, I respect Landon Donovan. he yeah you know Say whatever else you want about him. he put on He put on for the country. He laid it on the line.
03:08:09
Speaker
He cared.
03:08:13
Speaker
Do these guys care?
03:08:17
Speaker
Doesn't really seem like it.
03:08:22
Speaker
All right. I've been i've been ah hitting it for three hours, so I'm going to get out of here. I'll hit ah prediction. i hate I hate predicting MLS. um i'm feeling it I'm feeling a draw for this.
03:08:39
Speaker
I think that this is going to be the biggest test yet of Seattle's recent run of form. And to me, i don't know. this could This could end up being wrong.
03:08:54
Speaker
But, and like you never know what can happen in an individual game, but I feel pretty confident in like the sustainability of what they've been doing on offense. Like I was saying earlier tonight, like doesn't it feel like when you're watching the attack right now, like the goals, the goals feel inevitable.
03:09:11
Speaker
It doesn't feel like pulling teeth.
03:09:16
Speaker
And like if they're going to score, it's going to like come out of nowhere. like To me, they look good for two to three goals a game. And if they just keep generating chances like they've been generating chances, I think they'll score a couple in this game. I like their chances of getting like two goals.
03:09:32
Speaker
ah But this this Minnesota team, it's so hard to shut them out ah because... They're I mean, they're really good on the counter.
03:09:43
Speaker
They have ah they have really good strikers in their hyper lead on set pieces. So I just could I could see it being a game where Seattle's ah offense plays pretty well again and they get a couple goals. But Minnesota ends up getting a couple themselves and it's like a two to that sort of how I. That's how I would predict it.
03:10:04
Speaker
But.
03:10:07
Speaker
if there's, if there's anything working in Seattle's favor towards winning this game, it's that Minnesota, they're not, they are a very good team. They're not that good at home. Six, four and two is like a, that's like actively bad home record for an MLS team.
03:10:21
Speaker
Their road record is elite for an MLS team, but their home record is not that good. So I don't know if that's their style or if that's just kind of a variance thing or what, but,
03:10:36
Speaker
they're They're more vulnerable at home than you would think for a team that's as good as they are and as high up on the table as they are.
03:10:50
Speaker
it ah it is Yeah, it's a three-hour stream, baby Sea Orca. jeff Jeff Ruder and riffed it for like two hours. But yeah, it's always worth the watch.
03:11:05
Speaker
Always worth the watch.
03:11:11
Speaker
But that is going to do it for me. I went three hours on on the last one. two or one of the last ones but that was the last half i was watch along in the galaxy game this was just straight riffing so uh i am going to i'm gonna call it on that though uh thank you guys as always for tuning in love and appreciate every single one of you some of you were here for the majority of these three hours thanks for hanging out Uh, shout out Jeff Reuter for hopping on again. Another great interview.
03:11:45
Speaker
Uh, if you haven't yet, check out the podcast that we put out, uh, on Tuesday or no, was that yesterday? We put out a podcast, go check it out if you haven't yet.
03:11:58
Speaker
Uh, and then, uh, I'll be back at it. on Saturday for postgame live following this Minnesota game. It's going to be good one. It's going to be breaking down a matchup between three and four in the West.
03:12:11
Speaker
Playoff positioning on the line. All that good stuff. And then it's league's cut mode. Knockout rounds, baby.
03:12:23
Speaker
The grind doesn't stop. All right. Like the video.
03:12:31
Speaker
Rate five stars. Rate reviews. so Sub to the channel. Sub to the channel. Road to 3K subscribers. I will catch you guys this weekend for postgame night.
03:12:41
Speaker
Peace.