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Lobbing Scorchers: We Called It Before Anyone Else (Bonus)
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Lobbing Scorchers is a production of Just Once Media.
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.
Contact: lobbingscorchers@justoncemedia.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Sponsorship
00:00:00
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be real scorcher today. What the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be scorcher. Cabin?
00:00:11
Speaker
Is it cabin? It's cabin? Isn't that kind of wack?
00:00:26
Speaker
that kind of It's not Cavan. Be for real. This is our cold oped. Like Cavan? No, Cavan is so much cooler.
00:00:38
Speaker
Cavan. Cavan Sullivan. It's Cavan Sullivan. That's the whitest name I've ever heard in my life. Welcome to your bonus episode for this episode of Lobbing Scorchers. Sponsored
Philadelphia Union's Victory and Kevin Sullivan's Performance
00:00:50
Speaker
by Cavan Sullivan. We're talking Kevin Sullivan, who had a big night for the Philadelphia Union in CONCACAF Champions Cup. He was playing the Trinidad Navy.
00:00:59
Speaker
so Literally. Caveat there, but you know he did have two goals to assist. honest Honestly, like... competition taken into account. He was doing stuff out there where I was like, all right, I'm i'm starting to see it more. I'm starting to see it more. Like he was absolutely destroying the the members of the Trinidad Navy. for if you so If you don't know, they're literally defense forces, FC.
00:01:25
Speaker
I think, are all of them in the Trinidad-like? I am not sure, but I'm here to perpetuate the narrative that they are. Well, either way, ah Philly won the series twelve Or formerly? Are they formerly there? It doesn't matter.
00:01:38
Speaker
i don't know. 12-0 on aggregate,
MLS Teams in CONCACAF Champions Cup Overview
00:01:40
Speaker
though. You know, that actually, that's ah that's a good place to start the bonus episode, I think. We were going to do some CCC content. And one of the things I was thinking about watching, you know, i was covering Kevin destroying the Trinidad Navy, 12-0 on aggregate. SC Cincinnati had a series that was 13-0 on aggregate against whatever team they were playing. Is there like a point to...
00:02:03
Speaker
That's a good question. It's honestly like the Sounders got a bye, which I was all hyped about. I was like, thank God, you don't even have to worry about any funny business. I mean, some of these teams, it's like essentially a bye. And in fact, you could probably benefit more from playing those games than getting the bye. That's like boost. Well, it's like, you know, it's preseason time for these MLS clubs anyway. Like, you're getting competitive minutes. Play the kids. But you don't have to worry about the result at all. Yeah.
00:02:31
Speaker
Like, I think... Philly and ah Cincinnati might have benefited from not having the bye because they won. they literally Double digits on aggregate,
LA Galaxy's Performance Issues and Overestimated Potential
00:02:40
Speaker
if that happens, I think you could argue pretty strongly that there's kind of like no point in the series taking place. Correct. What are you actually gaining?
00:02:48
Speaker
Double digits on aggregate and you score nine in one game? Yeah. FC Cincinnati's last, their game was 9-0. Like, Like, that's crazy. I think, I mean, I know you have a list of the games, but like the one that i really want to talk about is LA Galaxy. Like, I just really want to talk about LA Galaxy because I watched both of those games. You said you didn't watch either of those two games, which honestly.
00:03:11
Speaker
i watched you have the first one, not the second one. Okay, yeah. So you watched the first one. it was very similar vibes as the second one. The Galaxy were imposing troll ball. they At home, they were Ramsey balling.
00:03:24
Speaker
I'm not joking. Once that second half started, they were absolutely just Ramsey balling. That's interesting. Yeah. you You know what that tells me? they so They suck. They're bad. But that but that Greg Vanney knows it.
00:03:37
Speaker
Yeah. Because... He's not a guy that's going to do that against competition that he thinks his team is better than it can actually beat. And that team is not good. No. Like the one they were playing. Well, that's actually not – they're not good. That's true. Like I think any other team would beat them.
00:03:53
Speaker
they They were pretty competitive in this game. they they had They had a couple of players who I was like – Someone should scout them. They're a team, though, that you would expect any MLS team to be able to handle pretty easily. Like, if you look at roster charges and budgets. They were bell-calling Marco Royce against this random group of dudes.
00:04:14
Speaker
Like, you've got to be able to to... They win on away goal... Yeah. Aggregate. They only scored one goal in the series. In the whole series. And you know what the other thing this tells me is that, like, you and I were both very confused about the preseason punditry surrounding the LA Galaxy. I'm going through all the rankings and stuff, and we got this. Top five. This pundit putting them above Seattle and
MLS Teams' Paths in CCC: Fair or Not?
00:04:40
Speaker
Nashville. You got that pundit picking them to go to MLS Cup. You got another pundit that's like talking about how they're going to be top three in the West. And I think both of us were looking at this like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Yeah. Like slow it down. Wait a minute. Because you could have got me there maybe if Ricky Pooge hadn't gotten hurt. Yeah.
00:05:00
Speaker
You could have got me there on them being at least very improved. you know Probably not MLS Cup contenders, but they're going to be a lot better than they were last year They're going have Ricky Pooj back. They did trade for Jacob Glesnes. They got Justin Hack. Those are some good defensive players. That's what they needed. But with Ricky Pooj going down again and then the replacement being Jaoel Klaus, there was no way that they were going to be as good as people were saying. They, in the in the betting odds I was looking at before the season, they were like the sixth most likely team in the West to win MLS Cup, according to the the betting pundits.
00:05:36
Speaker
There's no way, man. There's no way. Ricky Puj would have
Michael Bradley's Coaching Debut and Philosophy
00:05:40
Speaker
had to be healthy and playing like an MVP for that to happen. He's literally gone the whole season. And you're telling me that Jao Al Klaus is the big... He looked terrible. He's not good. He looked terrible in this game. He looked so bad. he None of their players looked good. Like genuinely, Klaus looked really bad though. Peck. Joey Pants looks like he wants to go anywhere else Earth. Dude, please get him on the Sounders.
00:06:05
Speaker
I would. go Oh my God, dude. I can't even. Please, please. I can't. You know like LA Galaxy are going to get him. I mean LAFC are going to get him or something like. He's going to go to some team and be way better because he's an awesome player that's rotting away on that team. But just like so the fact that they, like every other MLS team was yeah wrecking shop in these series. Running them. Like like there was the there was two series that went double digits on aggregate, but everyone else was absolutely destroying too. Like yeah I don't remember off the top of my head I have them pulled Galaxy were the only ones that- Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0. Okay, so they were the other one that had a little bit of trouble. They had an away draw, though. Nil-nil.
00:06:47
Speaker
Yeah, like well, and that team was better than a lot of the teams that everyone else was playing. yeah And they also they did end up getting it done pretty easily. like yeah There was no point in that series where I thought that ah that the Costa Rican side, they were playing at a chance. Nashville absolutely destroyed the Canadian Premier League team seven that they were playing. 7-0. LAFC, 7-1. Exactly. like No one else had any trouble at all. And then you got the Galaxy like sweating it out, Ramsey balling it. It was so bad, dude. I was rooting for San Miguelito because they were at least like...
00:07:26
Speaker
There was some passion. There was some, there was some like pure football energy there. Like they were pushing the ball forward. They had this, I think he's number 11 on their team. He's like, ah he was like a wide out. Let me just look on their roster. But like, dude, he was like,
Rising MLS Stars: Julian Hall and Xavier Gozo
00:07:40
Speaker
he was like cooking. He just like was kind of bad at finishing. Like he was just kind to shit at finish. Yeah. Yeah. Armando Cooper. He's 38 years old.
00:07:49
Speaker
Dude was cooking. 88 minutes. He was absolutely putting Cuevas in a fucking like chokehold. This dude could not defend this man.
00:08:00
Speaker
like i I genuinely think that the LA Galaxy are continuing to be a spoon contender. No, like, I was sort of on the page of, like, all right, the Pooj injury chalks them from contention. But, like, I think the Glessonis trade, it makes sense. He's a good player at position in need. Hack is a good player. Like, I can see the vision for those moves being the crux of, like, a more disciplined, defensively sound, not as clown show of a bad news bears unit. Dude, they're It does not look like they have managed
MLS Match Watchability: Recap and Predictions
00:08:40
Speaker
that. I mean, I guess they did. Shocking, Ari. Shocking, Ari. Instead of signing a playmaker, you sign balding target striker who was not that good last year in your DP spot.
00:08:55
Speaker
to To quote unquote ah fill the role of of of Ricky Pooch. I felt like I was taking crazy pills that whole time. Both people were arguing against us. The pundits were. The pundits were all like, they went and got Jaoel Klaus. Who?
00:09:15
Speaker
who Really? Not that good. the the the I'm sorry. The St. Louis City reject? You're telling me you got him? Like, no, St. Louis City made out with that deal, dude. Like, i i don't get it. Granted, he did score an absolute banger against New York City FC in the 80th minute. he he Well, he can score some goals, but, like, he had 10 last. I don't know. I don't know. Dude, I don't believe. don't believe. I don't think that that was like as hot a move as everyone was saying. one of the ah Before we move on here just quickly, one of my favorite parts of this game was they were trolling at the corner. They were like trying to play out the game. it was like then They had like five minutes of stoppage time, and it's like 90 plus three. And Klaus is like like using his entire body to get over the ball. And the San Miguelito players are like sticking their foot in, and like one of them like comes to running in and like gets the ball out and kind of like topples into Klaus. Klaus turns around and just like shoves him. and then they like kind of run into the Galaxy bench. And Nassimento, who's on the bench at this point, decides, you know what I'm gonna do
00:10:26
Speaker
I'm gonna have a crash out red card moment. Grabs grabs the like, send me Gilito player and just starts like trying to throw him to the ground. Gets a red card on the bench, is not available for their next Champions Cup game. Which, can we, okay, this is my second part to this.
00:10:43
Speaker
How the hell did they get seeded where they're seeding? Do you know who they're playing next? Do you know who they're playing next? It's someone really bad. Have you ever heard of this team? I would like to know. Yeah, I can't remember. Mount Pleasant. yeah Yeah, yeah. That is a cul-de-sac.
00:10:58
Speaker
They're going to win. Is this not the most micy the Mickey Mouse qualification? Third place in Champions Cup? Oh, here's your CCC qualification.
00:11:09
Speaker
Third place in Champions Cup gets you that? Or not Champions Cup, by fucking League Cup. What? And then you get to play San Miguelito first round, second round, Mount Pleasant? Who are probably worse than San Miguelito. Yeah. vio and Seattle's got to play goddamn Sebastian Berhalter and the gang. That's some bullshit. They're absolute Mickey Mouse, absolute Mickey Mouse run. And the same thing with LAFC. They get to play Alouenze
Week 2 MLS Match Picks and Highlights
00:11:40
Speaker
next. That's at least a more, that's harder than Mount Pleasant. Yeah, like I've literally never heard of Mount Pleasant.
00:11:48
Speaker
I mean, my life if seattle if Seattle goes on a run this year, nobody can say it's a Mickey Mouse path because they're actually playing a real team in this run. I had a couple of Match Day One takes that I wanted to hit Yeah, let's fire them, dude. Let's fire them. I wrote about these in my Sounder and Hard column, but i wanted i wanted to verbally discuss them as well. I also, if we can, I want to go over the the most watchable games this week again like we did last week, if you're cool with that. At the end. I don't have like all that much on these takes. Yeah, you're good. Let's cook all them. Did you see how hard Michael Bradley cooked?
00:12:24
Speaker
Oh, my God. Yes. Dude. Yes. I think Michael Bradley might be... Like father, like son? Like a real coach. like I was so... I didn't know really what to expect from Michael Bradley, the coach. Obviously, his dad's very successful
Episode Conclusion and Future Commitment
00:12:40
Speaker
coach, famously. One of the most successful coaches in the history of U.S. s soccer. And also, Michael Bradley, the player, you know, he played the position that most often i feel like the...
00:12:51
Speaker
so CDM's and center backs often end up coaching. He was like of an elite CDM. So that makes sense. And also it was known as a specifically very like kind of cerebral player. So it all, it all adds up for him being a good coach, but like, you never know, maybe he doesn't know what he's doing. Maybe he's actually bad at coaching right or, or maybe i expected that there might be some kind of learning curve, right? Like he's never, he's still never been a top flight coach before.
00:13:18
Speaker
Broco's out there first game coaching the New York Red Bulls, and he starts a lineup, first lineup in MLS history. Even the Sounders never even did this. First lineup in MLS history with three starters under the age of like 18 or 19, something like that. But what this is what I thought was so interesting about it. he he had Eric Maxim Chupo-Moting, who is a designated player for them, and had a good year last year. 17 goals, five assists. there I don't think there is anybody in the entire country who thought that Michael Bradley would not be starting Chupo Moting in the first game. But he runs out a lineup that has Julian Hall, who is their, like, he's like their Obed, but he's like a striker, but he's like their prodigy young guy young gun coming up. But he started Julian Hall over Chupo Moting. Like yeah he, whatever he saw in preseason or in training camp, he was like, you know what? Like I have a designated player who's making a lot of money. But design a team like but but yeah, he was like, I don't think that him being on the field going to give me the best chance to win this game. Like I'm going to start Julian Hall.
00:14:30
Speaker
Like, and he did it, which, and it cooked and it cooked Julian Hall scored two goals yeah in the first half. yeah They won the game, bossed Orlando city off the field for a lot of that game. And they did almost blow the lead, but like they had three teenagers out there on the road and won the game. But I just thought, man, the moxie, the moxie on Michael Bradley to do that, sit in the designated player in the opener for the 18-year-old, the 17-year-old, and then to have it pay off with him scoring a brace, I'm like, okay, Michael.
00:15:03
Speaker
Yeah, cook, dude. Okay. Shit. Like, that is That's... The type of situations where I'm kind of of the belief that the coach at the end of the day does not matter nearly as much as the roster he's given, but there are ways. And we've seen Schmetz do this too in the past, like with the Rui Diaz thing, like where you have to show courage of your convictions and like start a young guy over a guy who's making way more money and like not base your decisions on what someone's roster status is or how much money they're making. Like respect, dude, he went out there.
00:15:38
Speaker
And throughout the lineup that he believed in, and it pay that's why you do that. That's why you do it. That's why you do that. That's why you don't. Because if it pays off, dude, you look like an absolute genius. But also the odds that ah that it's going to pay off, I think, are a lot greater than a lot of coaches yeah think. like that that The lesson to me with that is like you should always, if you trust what you see on the training ground. like If you see the team performing at a much higher level with the young guy not making as much money than the guy who's make it who's a lot more experienced making a lot more money, just play the young guy. Play him. play him just And like ah most of the time you'll actually end up getting rewarded for that. That was an example of it. But also, I mean, you know,
00:16:19
Speaker
We could end up seeing Michael Bradley be a total buffoon and maybe it's just like ah he threw a dart at a board and we end up being like, man, he actually sucks as a coach. But after one week, I was like, that I like that. It takes something. like it takes he's He's trying something in your opener.
00:16:39
Speaker
That's not necessarily easy. It did give me hints. of the Seattle Sounders versus Austin FC game. Yes, but like they're not walked so these guys could run and but their guys were actually like their guy was scoring the goal. Yeah, no, he has came in and save that game. Exactly. Yeah, their guys. Yeah, no, their guys were I think Julian Hall might be one of the better up-and-coming young players in the league. Man, I forgot to bring this up when we were talking about RSL, but one of the guys that they do have, have you watched Xavier Gozo at all? No. Okay.
00:17:21
Speaker
this is the Damn it. Didn't bring it up on the normal plot. Is he a Backeye? I think probably if he's not already, he's going to be, he's that type of profile. You're predating, you're predating the bots here. They might be on it. I don't know. But like, he is the one guy who like only watches youth soccer. He is nasty. Like if there is one guy that can hurt the Sounders on Saturday, that would be him. But like him and Julian Hall, I think are two of the young guys in the league right now where I'm like, they're going to be going to Europe for a lot of money. All right. That was, that was honestly all I had. We can hit this watchability thing. Yeah, let's do that, and then let's get out of here. Let me pull it up really quick. We went last week.
00:18:04
Speaker
um I thought we did pretty good. should we go What were the results? like There's no like technical results. Oh, I thought that was part of the thing. We we we we were figuring out a way to do like a technical result, but I think it's more fun to do like a vibes-based. Did we think we beat it or not? so We picked, because we were cooking. I think we cooked a little bit.
00:18:26
Speaker
So we did um Spoon Bowl. Yeah, that was the outside the box. How did that one perform at five? ah The earthquakes just absolutely demolished Sporting KC. Which made the game Yeah, I think of watchability as like back and forth, more competitive, more like a blowout is like not always the most watchable thing. so that did not cook in the way that I was like hoping. Yeah. But it was like the quakes were fun to watch, I guess, in the game.
00:18:58
Speaker
yeah And I always enjoy the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts suffering, and they have maybe the most sorry roster I've ever seen. It's so bad, dude. It's so bad. And then we did Portland versus... Cook. That was one. We definitely beat the bot with this one. Nailed that because it played out exactly how he said. Just two kind of counterattacking, high-octane offensive teams that don't really play a lot of defense going at it at ah at Providence Park. And yeah, combined for for your five goals, three, two Timbys, and also the Timbys got the winner like right at the end. yeah so it it was exciting. like That was perfect pick.
00:19:38
Speaker
perfect pick I think that was a really good pick. um who we we had We were a push on the first two, but what was our number three? i think it might have been... ah let's see. there was ah So we had LAFC Miami as number one. And then i think we had... to we have Houston, Chicago? Yes, that was another one. Which I think that wasn't as perfect as... ah as a Portland Columbus, but yeah kind of a similar idea. And, uh, it had an exciting ending. And I think my take about the dynamo having a good offense this year might be, i think this Guilherme guy, this new yeah sign this guy, I never heard of him before. So he scored both of their goals in this game and, uh, they got him. He's Brazilian and they spend a bunch bunch of money on him and he has a lot of pedigree. And so, like, I read up on him a little bit, watched his highlights and was like, damn, I think the Dynamo might have actually swindled something here. yeah And then he looked really freaking good in this Chicago game. So that was a good pick. And then we had, which what was the other one? I can't remember. we That was it. that's we Those were our three different ones. And then we had we had l LA and why
00:20:55
Speaker
We had LAFC and Miami, and we had LA and NYCFC. Which that turned out to be like a laugher. Yeah. But it was a good game. Like, it was fun. don't know how, like... I don't know how good it was, but like I think it was it was the right pick for the number one that's watchable. think if only one of the teams is watchable, that still kind of counts. yeah it looks I think the only one ah that we missed on that was like much more watchable than we predicted was Dallas-Toronto. That was actually one of the most watchable games. like I had fun watching that. We missed that. like ah I think the lesson there for future prognostications is like...
00:21:32
Speaker
Teams that have kind of good offenses but are bad at defense, yeah that's like kind of who to pick with these. Yeah, no, I completely agree. Well, let's let's rate what the bot did this past week, and then we'll we'll determine if we beat the bot or the bot beat us for MLS match week one.
00:21:53
Speaker
Watchability selected number five, Colorado Rapids versus Seattle Sounders. We were both at this match. How'd you like it? I thought it was an incredibly unwatchable match because of the officiating. This was game was bad. One of the most unwatchable matches I've ever seen in my life. yeah because ah But ah not because of anything of of either of the teams. it was just because of what happened with the delays and the VAR and the officiating.
00:22:20
Speaker
So horrendously unwatchable for the first half. Second half was better. ah And the Sounders did get a very sick goal, but I don't Definitely not. They were bullying the Rapids, man. Like that was, i don't think it it was. It was watchable. Like if you're a Seattle person, then yeah, it was pretty watchable. But it wasn't like, it was nothing like, I think Portland,
00:22:45
Speaker
I don't think it was anything like any of those kind of games. Like, I think i think this one failed. I think we'd be on our number five. I think we beat the bot. We beat the bot on number one. Number two or number four for the Watchability bot, they selected St. Louis City versus Charlotte FC. This was our biggest, like, this is going to be a stinker game. Like, this is this is not going to be interesting. It was.
00:23:10
Speaker
And it wasn't. It sucked. Yeah. Yeah. It sucked. It was not a good game. ah St. Louis, it was a draw. It was a 1-1 draw. Charlotte arguably comes out of that looking bad.
00:23:21
Speaker
um But my GOAT, Pep BL, did score a goal. So that was good. That's a fine result for them. like They were the road team, but it was not anything. It was not an interesting matchup. It was honestly like one of the worst games. It was one of the worst games of the week. So I think 2-0 us versus the bot. Okay.
00:23:41
Speaker
Number three... ah Yeah, number three. Whitecaps versus RSL. not Not that good. Not that good a game. Not that good a game. Whitecaps won it 1-0. And RSL really did not do anything. They were starting a bunch of 16-year-olds. And Vancouver, honestly, probably should have won that by more, but got a little unlucky. And it was just not that interesting.
00:24:08
Speaker
Yeah. So I think for us... 3-0 us versus the bot. The bot's going to have to do a little bit of recoding here because the last two are pushes. We both selected LA Galaxy versus New York City FC and l LA FC versus Inter Miami as our top two. So we we we went we went clean sheet against the bot this week. So get wrecked, bot. Get wrecked, bot.
00:24:33
Speaker
We have made our selections. We are about to bully the watchability bot. In week one, we demolished them. Three mil, clean sheet.
00:24:45
Speaker
Better, more watchable games from the mouths of the pundits. But they they tweaked the algorithm, Ari. They've changed the algorithm. And I think it might be a harder time for us this week. But let's start out with our number five pick for the most watchable game for MLS match week two.
00:25:05
Speaker
Who do we have? I don't know, who do we have? We have Philly versus NYCFC. Yeah, no, I think, ah I mean, you got the East Coast rivalry component there. ah You got a Philly team that ah kind of don't know what to make of them. Obviously, they just took a 12-0 aggregate in CCC. But that was against the Trinidad Navy. And they honestly, there's a lot of question marks with them. But they do have Kevin Sullivan, who just had his breakout game and is one of the most exciting prospects in the league. So that is what that makes them more watchable, I think, ah in itself.
00:25:48
Speaker
And then you got an NYC team that... ah They don't have as much star power right now as they usually do, but they're always a team that's going to have like some scrap and attack and be able to counter on you playing in the Yankees outfield. So I think that there could be some good back and forth East Coast rivalry vibes going on there. Yeah, I like the pick. I really do think that it's going to be interesting to see if Kavon plays or not.
00:26:13
Speaker
Because, I mean, this is an opportunity for him to play and maybe even score. they're playing like they're They're playing him this year. Like, he's, like, not a we stick him in when we have to. He's, like, in their rotation. So that'll be interesting. How did we do this last week? Did we did we look one and then the other? I think i think we just gave ours and then the Okay. Number four for our most watchable Vancouver versus Toronto, the Canada Derby, the most important Canada Derby Montreal. I'm so sorry you don't exist, but you want us to see it anyway.
00:26:47
Speaker
How are we feeling about this game? I think we're both like this is a rivalry game. So it's interesting. But I think i think Vancouver's going mollywop on them. Canadian Derby, one team is way better than the other. i think Vancouver probably will mollywop them. Toronto, they're bad, but they did they scored a couple of nice goals against FC Dallas on the road. So I think they they might have enough in attack to like make it a fun game to watch, even if they end up losing by multiple goals. Yeah.
00:27:17
Speaker
I dig it. Moving on to number three, Nashville versus FC Dallas. This is one we were we were sad. we We wish we would have picked the FC Dallas-Toronto match last week because we were really excited about just the back and forth play of that game.
00:27:37
Speaker
Do you think that's going to be similar here? I think Nashville might run a run on but I also think Dallas does have the power to score. They they have Petr Moussa. They have some attacking threats.
00:27:48
Speaker
This one could be like a five five final. Yeah, I mean, i think Nashville is a significantly better team. They look insane. Like, they ah their CCC series, they also demolished, but then also they scored, like, four goals in their MLS opener, I think. So they're they're just, like, looking like a wagon. And then Dallas, low-key, the Pitar-Musa-Logan-Farrington duo has real juice. Yeah, it has juice. Like, they're going to both score a bunch of goals this year, and I could see them...
00:28:20
Speaker
getting headlines as this like potent one-two punch. They really look like that. So I think that that could ah that could result in a pretty like back-and-forth attacking matchup. Number two, most watchable game in week two, Inter-Miami versus Orlando City. This is controversial, Ari. I think a lot of people would have put this at number one. It's Messi. It's the Florida Derby. It is Orlando City who continues to have Miami's number. Will Messi play? He's never played in Orlando ever.
00:28:56
Speaker
He's never played in Orlando ever. Will Messi play in this game? That's the question. How are you feeling? I mean, i think he's going to play. they know They never don't play him if he's healthy. He's playing in whatever weird friendly that they're playing tonight. Messi will definitely play Darby game. Orlando looks potentially kind of bad. They lost to the Red Bulls team 16-year-olds that we were talking about. So that's kind of a bad start to the season for them. But like I feel like Orlando-Miami games are always kind of lit. That's so yeah that's sort of the thought process there.
00:29:35
Speaker
Our number one for match week number two. I think this is two of our favorite teams in the Western Conference, to be honest, just like intrigue wise.
00:29:47
Speaker
The Houston Dynamo versus LAFC. It doesn't seem like on paper this would be a good matchup, but the Houston Dynamo aren't the Houston Dynamo of old. They are different beast and they are good. And I think they have a chance, especially playing in Houston to give LAFC who's been playing in champions cup a run for their money.
00:30:10
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think this Houston team had a quietly good offseason, which they they had a lot of moves over the offseason, which lot of people think that's always a good thing. It's actually a bad thing when you need to have that much turnover. So on one hand, like, I didn't really know what to make of them. But on the other hand, like, they made they got Mateus Bogus, who's proven in MLS. But then this new DP, Guilherme, who they got from ah Brazil or whatever, like...
00:30:40
Speaker
I looked him up when they signed him over the offseason, and I was like, I think this, if I had to pick one of these new DPs who's coming in that's maybe not getting talked about, that's going make more noise in the league than people expect, this is the guy. Like, I think he's really good. And then he came out there in their first game of the season and bam, two goals on the Chicago Fire and literally won them the game. I think he's legit. And we know already know that Bogus is legit. We already know that... ah Benny O had kind of his Brian Schmetzer arc where he went from like a defensively minded coach to randomly his team is now like playing this incredibly beautiful team oriented attacking soccer. Like his first year, I feel like randomly. Remember that when Victor Herrera's first year where everyone was like,
00:31:24
Speaker
Are the Dynamo, like, hella nice? Are they good with it? Dude, the way that they would build up to their goals was, like, a thing of absolute beauty. Yeah, you'd see the highlights and be like, what did I just... Did I just watch, like, Real Madrid slice up? No, it looked like prime Barcelona. Yeah. Like, yeah, it was crazy. And it like, they couldn't always...
00:31:43
Speaker
hit that, but like they would have these individual goals where you were like, I literally feel like I just watched Real Madrid slice up a low block. like yeah That's what I just watched. and like I think what their whole goal over the offseason was like, we need to get back to that. like We kind of lost that last year. Let's go out, get Guillermo. We're going to get Bogus, and then we're going to be like the Dynamo that sliced and diced you again. and They kind of looked like that against the fire, and I think this new DP is really good. i think they're gonna be fun to watch all year. I've been saying it, and then we all know that LAFC is...
00:32:13
Speaker
imminently watchable. So I feel most confident about this. I think this is a really good number one and it may shock people, but like, this is the game I will be watching. I think we're early on this dynamo thing. I think a lot of people still are like, it's Hugh, the Houston dynamo. They were kind of bad last year, yeah but like, I think they're, I think, I think they're cooking. I think they're there. The pot, the water is in the pot.
00:32:35
Speaker
The stove is on. Ben O. Ben is like a changed man, I guess. He is. Remember his DC teams were like horribly unwatchable? They were so bad. And now with Houston, he's like very watchable. Yeah. Sometimes it just takes a move.
00:32:47
Speaker
All right. Let's see what the bot has picked. Number five, Ari, I think you're going to hate this one. San Jose earthquakes versus Atlanta United. Werner's debut is the headline. The 3.9 XG machine he's walking into is the story.
00:33:05
Speaker
Earthquakes add Werner to the machine. That's already humming. Atlanta proved the worst season in history is actually over. All right. So the bot is really high on the quakes because they performed well offensively last week.
00:33:18
Speaker
maybe Maybe the bot is right on that. I don't know. I feel like when you lose Espinoza and who else did they lose? They lost someone else. They're in shambles. They lost Espinoza and Chicho Arango over the offseason. They bring in Timo Werner, but like I don't know. Okay, yeah, they whooped up on Sporting KC week one. know. That is probably the worst team in the league right now. so There's some under 30 teams they could whoop up on Sporting. I am not going to crown San Jose for racking 3.9 XG against the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts. They're going to need to show it more before I buy that. ah
00:33:57
Speaker
But i but like for me, this actually is a watchable one because... I, schadenfreude, hate watch Atlanta United all the time. yeah so bo and you're watching the... And, you know, maybe I'm overlooking the Quakes here, but if if the Quakes go out there and bam the hell out of Atlanta, that would be watchable for me, I don't know for everyone else. I just think this is two question mark teams. Like, Atlanta United, i don't even think it's a question mark. They're bad. And the Earthquakes have yet to play anyone with this new team, and the Timo Werner debut, like...
00:34:32
Speaker
is that going to go as expected? Like, don't know. I'll say this about the Timo Werner thing and the Hamas thing. It's a very cheap way to get positive press and positive punitry. At the end of the day, like,
00:34:47
Speaker
34-year-old Hamas and 29-year-old Timo Werner, who hasn't been good in three years, probably not going to save you. like That's just the reality. I completely agree. Number four, the Bot Selects, Vancouver Whitecaps versus Toronto FC.
00:35:04
Speaker
The last Canadian club to lose an MLS Cup final and back and come back with sharper one- I'm going to try that again. The last Canadian club to lose an MLS Cup final and come back sharper won a treble. Vancouver has that energy.
00:35:19
Speaker
Whitecaps, prove MLS Cup hungover is a myth. Toronto, prove they have a pulse. I mean, it's kind of like a they're already dead situation. Like if they beat up on Toronto, everyone's going to be like, yeah, okay.
00:35:33
Speaker
And if Toronto beats up on the Whitecaps, I think people are just going to say, well, they're in steing Champions Cup. So it's week two. Yeah. I mean, Derby game can always have the potential to be watchable ah because we have it in the same position. exactly. So, I mean, it's there. The quality is there. We'll see.
00:35:55
Speaker
Number three, Minnesota United versus FC Cincinnati. James Rodriguez might debut. A third of the roster new. Okay, so bot really loves these debuts, like Timo Werner. Yeah. Okay, all Yeah. James Rodriguez might debut.
00:36:11
Speaker
A third of the roster is new. He's going to debut. Okay. James Rodriguez will debut. A third of the roster is new. 1900 will hold their breath for the first pass. Minnesota are in a new era, a new voice, a new 10. Prove it means something. In Cincinnati, win here and serve notice. Trophy or bust means business. but yeah The Hamas thing is just not doing it for me right now. Like, i I'm fully open to the possibility that he, whatever he does have left in the tank would be enough to make him fun to watch in MLS. I think it would be fun to hate watch this game.
00:36:46
Speaker
Yeah. Like, to see if he can actually do it. Because I, honestly, I think he might have a Pirlo-esque... That's how I feel. And he can prove that wrong. And also he is coming in like he was actually playing well in Liga and Mequis, but not like not that well, not like the P. Comis. Well, like I expect him to come in and produce like a Tam Liga and Mequis winger that any random team could assign. That's essentially the player that they're getting right now, as far as I'm concerned, until he shows that he can be this, like, MVP that everyone seems to think he'll be automatically because he's hummus. But, like, I don't know. I don't think MLS works like that anymore.
00:37:28
Speaker
i don't i don't I don't even want to watch this game. I don't want to watch it. I don't want to watch this game. I don't like I don't like it. i don't like it Number two, the Houston Dynamo versus LAFC.
00:37:41
Speaker
Boguch faces the club that built him. Son and LAFC just dismantled the defending champs 3-0. Dynamo, prove the rebuild is real, not just expensive. LAFC, confirm the Coliseum wasn't a one-off.
00:37:54
Speaker
We had this as one, so we we pretty much agree. We rank it higher than the bot. yeah So if this is the ultimatum, we're we're we're beating the bot. Number one, would you guess what it is? It features the greatest player to ever play the game. Lionel Messi and the Barca boys playing Orlando City SC. The defending champs just lost 3-0. Their star tried to fight a ref. Orlando's defense has 90 minutes collective.
00:38:21
Speaker
Perfect. First points. First proof the defense can survive for Orlando. And title defense starts now or the narrative writes itself for Miami. It's the Florida Derby. Number one.
00:38:33
Speaker
It's the Florida Derby. It'll be interesting. I just don't think it's going to be number one. I have a feeling that they're just the bot's just going to pick Inter-Miami every week because have Messi. Which...
00:38:44
Speaker
You know, we picked we picked it as number one with that as part of the logic last week. ah But, like, I mean, I think what could happen in maybe some people consider one-sided blowouts watchable. i don't I don't think of it like that.
00:38:58
Speaker
I think this has the potential for Inter-Miami. They're going to be pissed. yep They just got absolutely slammed on by LAFC. Orlando, low-key, are looking like they might be bad. yeah They just, they lost to the average starting age 16.4 New York Red Bulls. So I just think this could end up being messy and and company just absolutely slaughtering Orlando, which is not that watchable to me.
00:39:27
Speaker
I completely agree. We will get back to you next week, let you know what's the most watchable. But for now, we're going be strapped into this couch and ah turn it on the TV.
00:39:40
Speaker
That's it. That's all we got. Thank you all for tuning into the bonus episode. We love you all, our YouTube members, some of our most valuable supporters. we We love and appreciate each and every one of you. And we're going to keep grinding these bonus episodes all year, hopefully. So thank you for tuning in. Catch you for the next one. Bye.