Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Kickoff: Seattle Sounders vs. Minnesota United PLAYOFF GAMEDAY preview!
0 Plays2 seconds ago
It's one last preview of the Seattle Sounders' Round One Game 2 fixture vs. Minnesota United at Lumen Field on Monday. We'll project Seattle's starting XI, and also react to some of the other results that have taken place in Round One.
Follow Lobbing Scorchers:
SPONSORS
Haxan Ferments - Specializing in unique, small-batch fermented hot sauces and vinegars, Haxan Ferments is handcrafted in Georgetown and made with the best local ingredients from across the Pacific Northwest. Use Code LS for a FREE Hot Sauce w/ purchase!
Sounder at Heart - Our network host and biggest supporter, Sounder at Heart covers the Seattle Sounders, Seattle Reign, and MUCH MORE! Subscribe and Support to the BEST independent Seattle Soccer coverage.
Podium Edmonds - Located at 114 4th Ave N, just off Main Street in the heart of Downtown Edmonds, come shop and explore the best menswear in the Pacific Northwest. Tell them Lobbing Scorchers sent you!
Full Pull Wines - Founded in 2009, they the best boutique wines of the world to members, with special focus on our home, the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Sounders Tickets - Get tickets to an upcoming match straight from the club and help support the show at the same time.
MLS Season Pass - MLS Season Pass is back on Apple TV with access to every single MLS match—including Leagues Cup and the entire Audi MLS Cup Playoffs—with no blackouts! Subscribe today to support the show.
MLS Store - New year, new gear! The 2025 MLS jerseys are here, and MLSStore is the ultimate destination for every fan. Every purchase helps support our show!
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
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Streaming Info
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.
Seattle vs. Minnesota Playoff Analysis
00:00:44
Speaker
Good morning, everybody, and welcome in to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. I'm Ari, that's Nico, and we've got a big show for you all here this morning.
00:00:55
Speaker
Folks, it is playoff match day in the city of Seattle, game two. of their round one best of three series with Minnesota United.
00:01:07
Speaker
Who's excited? Who's excited ah to have 76% possession and probably generate 2.46 expected goals and be fighting for their lives to score even one goal against Eric Ramsey and the Loons.
00:01:27
Speaker
Nico, season on the line today, man. How are you feeling? Feeling good, baby. And everybody's hands should be up. Everybody should be excited, ready to go. Because, you know, I i know I'm hearing, you know, rumblings that because it is a Monday night and as Ari alluded there, the... the the rival in front of you might make things very difficult to enjoy. And he might at times feel like you're watching paint dry.
00:01:57
Speaker
and There are having some difficulties with some ah attendance. It seems like that, you know, there's still so a lot of, ah Open seats available. So I'm curious to see what it looks like at Lumenfield today.
00:02:12
Speaker
ah But hey, look, you got to support your team. You got to be there. I expect ECS to be strong in the back, just you know pushing their team through this second game and hopefully push this series to a third game. So regardless of what you might think and the weather and the fact that it's a Monday night, man, let's get out there.
Attendance Concerns and Fan Impact
00:02:34
Speaker
Show up for the Sounders, and let's enjoy this game as much as we can. You told me they there are open seats for Monday night, 7.45 p.m.
00:02:45
Speaker
Weird, right? November. that's That's crazy. It's such a great time to schedule a soccer game. Super shocked to hear that. But, no, yeah, we're going to get into this game against the Loons. We're going to bust out the lineup builder, and we're going to be reacting some of the other results from around Major League Soccer in round one. There was some interesting stuff this weekend. think Seattle and Minnesota are ah are finishing it off the the round one slate here. Is anyone else playing after this? I think think this is it. Everything else is is decided. Monday night footy for the season.
00:03:20
Speaker
ah Before we get into all that, everyone, everyone, please. like the video, uh, comment, subscribe, rate five stars, all that good stuff. Follow us on Instagram. Follow us on Tik TOK, uh, lobbing scorchers.com slash sauce for our hacks and ferments, hot sauce.
00:03:36
Speaker
Uh, and yeah, I think that's all the shilling. Uh, Let's talk some playoffs.
Seattle's Strategy and Tactical Adjustments
00:03:41
Speaker
ah I guess, ah Nico, let's just ah let's just start with how you approach a game two and an elimination game against an opponent like this. Because, ah you know, I was just thinking about it. I'm not sure we're ready for the depths of trolling that ah that we are about to see from a one Minnesota United. Like, this is the thing.
00:04:05
Speaker
They... They play like that at at home. Okay. They play like that at home. We all, we all have seen it twice. Now they play like that at home. And now they're on the road.
00:04:17
Speaker
Like I see no reason why this, this isn't going to get even rowdier out there. I think Seattle might push 80% possession tonight, Nico.
00:04:29
Speaker
ah And we're going to bust out the lineup builder. ah But I think, you know, we've been talking about we saw some success that Seattle had an attack ah when they made the adjustment to push Jordan Morris out wide and bring Danny Musavski on the field.
00:04:41
Speaker
I think the debate is ah whether or not you go with that look from the beginning or if you if you. Stick with what you have been doing and bring Moose off the bench with Jordan at the nine. I know where I stand on that and we're going to talk about that. But I guess just ah in in general, when you ah when you have a team that's going to come into Lumen Field and play, ah let's call it negative soccer.
00:05:07
Speaker
I guess. How are you feeling about. how to, how to tackle this matchup and what's your confidence level at that Seattle can score a goal in this game? Because I know it's probably not very high for most people.
Offensive Struggles and Defensive Challenges
00:05:18
Speaker
i think, I, I think they can get one Nico. I think they can get one. They got unlucky. Okay. It doesn't, doesn't matter. doesn't change the result. Minnesota United and the demon Dane St. Clair, they won the shootout, but, uh,
00:05:34
Speaker
when you get over to XG and mainly it's not, if you look at those chances that Moose had, I think whether he starts or not, if you generate, if you keep generating chances like that, eventually one's got to go in, right?
00:05:46
Speaker
You're not going to get shut out by Minnesota a third or a third straight time. It would be, are they? I hope not. I think ah that after what I've seen this week of training,
00:06:01
Speaker
I feel confident to say that the Sounders should score at least one. They should be able to get one in the back of the net. Hopefully that's early in the game. So it it opens it up a little more.
00:06:12
Speaker
and i don't even know if that might do it right. I mean, considering the fact that you know You have a three-game series, and this team you know is going to know that they have one more. I mean, I don't know how much more they're going to risk necessarily, but I mean, it's going to be interesting.
00:06:29
Speaker
I do think that there are going to be some changes. You talked about the Danny Mussofsky look ah when he was on the field.
00:06:38
Speaker
Additionally to that, Paul Rothrock had a rough game. ah He did not have his best game. you know He had a lot of defensive ah effort and defensive moments that I always think are important.
00:06:55
Speaker
But if the plan is clearly to break down this wall, ah maybe not having Paul there and trying to figure something out where you start with moves up front and you do some changes in that,
00:07:13
Speaker
ah midfield and in and the wingers and and just change it up a little bit could be a good way to get Minnesota off their game and maybe have another guy that gets in between the the center backs and you push Jordan Morris wider where you know he was playing in that second half.
00:07:35
Speaker
And that that might cause some issues for this five-man back line that's going to be very steady. I definitely do not think that crosses are going to be the way to go. And that that tends to be, you know, one of Mussovsky's strengths.
Player Performance and Improvement Areas
00:07:51
Speaker
ah But maybe just having him as a poacher and and getting him making the right runs, those open up some spaces. And this team can...
00:08:01
Speaker
find a way to get the half spaces that at times are left between you know, what Trapp and Triantis do and how deep ah the center back kind of start for Minnesota.
00:08:17
Speaker
And maybe you get a mid-range shot. Maybe you do a couple of things differently. ah But I saw a team this week that has the right attitude. They understand that they're at home. It's the sighting game, something that the Sounders are typically very good at.
00:08:32
Speaker
doing. They, they rise up for this games. They ah understand what it takes mentally to start the game on the front foot. ah So I do believe that at least during the preparation of the week, everything has been done to give this team the best opportunity to win this game. Now, does that reflect on the field?
00:08:58
Speaker
Does that get executed? Does Sinclair have a ridiculous game where he just doesn't allow anything in ah You know, that the defense have been so good because I think Romero, Boxall, and Jefferson Diaz are just great.
00:09:15
Speaker
they're They're phenomenal defenders. and And so do they have a good enough game that they completely limit the Sounders the entire game? I mean, that's a possibility. But I do think that the coaching staff and the preparation into this game has been the correct one.
Confidence in Seattle's Preparation
00:09:32
Speaker
Coldfinger says, I think if we think Schmetzer is going to do anything differently, we are crazy. The expected goals number is why he will do the exact same thing. Now, let's let's let's talk about this because ah I know you say that derisively, but like just ah just just take take the XG out of it because I know that's that's upsetting to some people to ah to talk about when there's a big number and you don't get any goals in the game. I get it.
00:09:57
Speaker
I get it. At the same time, at the same time, if you look at the chances that Seattle had in that game, ah outside of even the two Moose chances, you had Christian Roldan with a header cleared off the line.
00:10:10
Speaker
You had Neymar with a great look off a set piece that almost went in. ah there was There was the other one that Christian had where Dane St. Clair went God mode and made in an an insane save, honestly. That could have easily been a goal.
00:10:25
Speaker
And then... You have the two Moose chances. One point blank right in front of goal. We've seen him finish that all season. Another one, a header this time ah from right in front of goal. We have seen him finish that all season.
00:10:41
Speaker
How much better chances do you want? Like, honestly, honestly. And how much could you have really done differently to generate better chances? I'm not saying it was like a banner off offensive performance, but the game plan, the tactics, and the chances, they were there.
00:10:57
Speaker
They were there. Those, especially the Moose chances stand out, but it wasn't, it wasn't like there was just no other chances for the rest of the game. And you're right. Minnesota United does have a great defense and they got the clean sheet, uh, in that game. So more power to them.
00:11:12
Speaker
Uh, they did not They did not hold Seattle like completely without without chances. And, in fact, Seattle had the better chances to win that game, I think, playing on the road against a team that is going to play like that no matter what venue they're in. I've seen some Loons fans doing the – yeah
Playoff Pressure and Defensive Strategies
00:11:37
Speaker
Well, Seattle won MLS Cup without taking a ah ah shot on goal, so how about that? That was one game.
00:11:44
Speaker
That was one game on the road in negative 10-degree weather yeah where the entire squad was injured. There are circumstances where trolling is acceptable. ok They play like that every game.
00:11:56
Speaker
That's just how they play. So there that is that that is apples to oranges comparison. ah But getting back to my original point, I don't think you need to necessarily reinvent the wheel here. I don't even feel – I would like to see them start the game with the look with Moose up top because i feel I felt like the offense looked a lot better with that.
00:12:14
Speaker
But even if they choose to do that as a, you know, bring him off the bench as a super sub and and run the original look – ah The chances are going to be there in this game. It's just a matter of if you can if you can finish them or not. And I think getting ah getting a goal early as ah early as you can or in the first half, so they have to not play like that.
00:12:33
Speaker
As long as it's 0-0, they're going to play like that. But if you get ahead of them, they they can't they have to chase the game. They can't sit back. but They will still try. But ah to the extent that they do it when ah when it's a scoreless game,
00:12:46
Speaker
draw. They're not going to be able to do that if you just if you just get on top of them early, get a goal in the first half, and make them chase the game. So, you know, I know there's a there's going to be a lot of, there's been a lot of, like, let's let's blow up all the all the tactics, let's change everything, Schmetzer's not going to adjust.
00:13:05
Speaker
I really don't think, like, wholesale, full-scale adjustments are, are what's going to make the the difference here. The difference is just finish off one or two of the chances that you generate. And you can probably beat this team. They're good at
Mentality and Individual Performances
00:13:20
Speaker
defense.
00:13:20
Speaker
They have a God tier goalkeeper. They, they can't score unless it's a set piece. They can definitely score off a set piece, but from open play, man, they got nothing. They have, they have nothing. What do they have? Nico, am I, am i crazy? How do you see all this?
00:13:34
Speaker
No, look, I agree with a lot of what you said. Clearly, We cannot dismiss what the Sounders did right in the first game, even in the first half, although the chances were not clear chances. And I think that the team could have done more to finish finish force St. Clair to some saves rather than just creating half chances, which you know you hate. Half chances don't really give you a lot.
00:14:02
Speaker
But the buildup to those chances, at thought was was great. And I think that there were a lot of moments that Seattle did break down down wall. They just weren't able to put the ball on frame. And To your point, I do think that a lot of what needs to be done right is just certain players raising up their specific independent performances.
00:14:25
Speaker
I thought Obed didn't have a great game. ah he He just wasn't as involved defensively. Maybe you got to give a little bit of credit to what Minnesota does, but I thought that he needed to be a lot more involved, a lot higher up the field, being a guy that stepped into the 18 a lot more. He stepped into the 18 offensively once on a decent opportunity once.
00:14:44
Speaker
And he needs to do just a lot more of that. Like I just mentioned, Paul Rother did not have a good offensive game. Ferreira got kept off the ball a lot. I thought that when he did have it, he was good.
00:14:54
Speaker
He was important. He created those link-up plays, those slip-through passes that he's been just so good at. So although I understand where the comment is coming from about Brian Smetzer just being true to his form, his tactics, what he does, I think in this one, after hearing him talk about, look, we need to just have it all on the table.
00:15:18
Speaker
There's nothing that I'm taking off the table. We need to just have whatever it is that we can do out there to win this game. I do believe that there are going to be changes at the very least in personnel.
00:15:31
Speaker
I think Jordan Morris has been so good at creating chances for this team since he came back from his injury, even from the ninth position, right? But just being a guy that gets in the right positions that when he gets to the end line, has been very good about picking up his head, finding that back pass, finding some dangerous passing in front of the goal that,
00:15:56
Speaker
if you no longer clearly have someone that can do the Pedro de la Vega type of things, and although Georgie might be a guy that you do go to a lot sooner in this game to start off, maybe having Jordan out wide gives you a lot more of that Pedro experience dangerous play, ah being a guy clearly that can also ah get into the 18, make the right runs.
00:16:23
Speaker
Maybe he's not as good in the 1v1 moments, but he's got the speed to be dangerous enough to get to that end line that I do believe that that's going to be a big chance for for Schmetzer. We're going to start off with Danny Masovsky.
00:16:35
Speaker
We're going to push him in. We're going to make sure that he ah anchors back at least two of those center bags. And then we're going to try Jordan out wide. We're going to continue to have Ferreira to give us some of that more cerebral and control in the midfield and being a guy that clearly is very effective in the pressing moments, which I do think Seattle's going to do.
00:16:59
Speaker
The moments where you do pin back Minnesota,
In-Game Adjustments and Set Pieces
00:17:03
Speaker
they're going to push. They're going to be selective on when they press high because they created some moments in that first half with some good pressing.
00:17:10
Speaker
And I don't think that should be overlooked because if you do get Minnesota to give up the ball in a vulnerable position and you don't allow them to get back and and have more numbers behind the ball – you can create some good opportunities for yourself. So I do think that that's part of the reason what Ferrer is going to be there.
00:17:30
Speaker
But I think that you will see wrinkles. You will see personnel changes in this specific game to just make yourself feel like you did everything you could to win this game.
00:17:42
Speaker
I do believe that Brian's going to go to his bench a lot sooner if his initial setup doesn't work out. So I think that you will see Georgie Mnuchin going to feel quicker. i think that you will see Paul Rothler coming in as a,
00:17:55
Speaker
Spark plug off the bench, something that he has done in the past, something that he does well. He doesn't need a whole game to get into the game. He could just come in and just switch it on. So I do believe that Brian is setting up this game to be, we're going to hit him with everything we have in the first 45 minutes.
00:18:13
Speaker
And if that doesn't work, by the 56th minute, we are making changes. We're bringing everything else that we have on the bench and we're going to try to get this game. Seattle is going to be on the front foot. They understand that. They know that they're going to have possession, but it's going to be of about possession with purposeless, not to mention set pieces.
00:18:32
Speaker
As good as Minnesota has been on set pieces, Seattle created some really good chances with their own. So being able to distinguish the moments where you can affect the game and you could really put this team under duress. A lot of those set pieces are going to give you those opportunities. So ah just to kind of conclude, I get the comment, but I think that you will see some changes in what ah the Sounders and Brands muster do in this specific game.
00:19:03
Speaker
The Hebrew Hammer says to keep saying, yeah, but Seattle was the better team. We don't need to change while playing. Minnesota is a great way to lose again to Minnesota. And look, I get it. I get it. Like, ah like when you're coming off a ah ah game that that was that frustrating to watch.
00:19:19
Speaker
I understand where the where the sentiment comes from. comes from But like my question would be. to all of you. How much better of chances can you ask for or do you want than the ones that Moose had at the end of the game?
00:19:34
Speaker
How much better chances could you want for your for your striker that's led the team in goals and who's who's finished those exact – he hasn't been missing those all season. He's not been missing those.
00:19:47
Speaker
He unfortunately missed two in that game. But, like, the idea, like, oh, man, Seattle lost that game because they couldn't break it down a packed-down defense. It's this guy's fault. It's that guy that guy's fault. Schmetzer can never break down ah ah a low block. They broke it down.
00:20:02
Speaker
They broke it down. like i don't Just because they didn't score, it doesn't mean that they didn't that they didn't break it down. Again, you don't have to look at the XG if that's ah if that's triggering for you. just look Literally just look at the highlights of the two chances that Moose had at the end of the game and like tell tell me like what better quality.
00:20:24
Speaker
of chance do you want Yeah, Ari, I know I get it, but let me play devil's advocate here. yeah I do get the frustration and and it's clearly the fact that at the end of the day, you didn't score and and you weren't able to when you had the opportunities to create better chances, right? I mean, this all goes back to what I mentioned, independent performances, right?
00:20:48
Speaker
That Paul Rothbrook opportunity that's created by that link up play and that you know positive passing patterns in those intricate spaces, You know, that's an opportunity that should be taken just just better.
00:21:01
Speaker
ah Moose, yes, he he does get in in two good opportunities. I don't know if I could ask him to do a lot more on that header because the ball was coming in so hot It was not as easy as people were making. yeah that That's a tough ball. The ball is coming in at at pace. so So to keep that on on frame, you would expect ah an MLS striker, especially one that's had as good a season as ah as Moose to still put that on on frame. But it was not like the easiest thing ah of all time when it's coming in with that pace.
00:21:32
Speaker
Right. ah But, but, you know, that then the, the, the other one where he ah puts the ball near post, ah you know, is that easy? No, but could he have done better? You know, perhaps he could put it a little bit higher. He could make it more difficult for, for that keeper to stop it. You know, Sinclair is a phenomenal keeper, but you know, can you change it up on him?
00:21:51
Speaker
I thought that Albert could have used a lot more of his mid range shot abilities that, that they didn't do. So I get the frustration. Um, you know Playing devil's advocate, because they like I said, I do believe that the Sounders did not have an awful game. I thought that they did what they could with what they had.
00:22:09
Speaker
And a lot of times when you do have a team that plays so well compact and you know I talked to the guys this week, Jordan and Jesus, and everybody's talking about, look, there's there's barely any room to move the ball around.
00:22:24
Speaker
So when you do get those moments, you've got to put them away, right? So that's going to be the mentality going into this game. So that's the frustration from from the fan base is, look, at the end of the day, this team has kind of lost a lot of that dangerous play. And we knew it was going to happen.
00:22:40
Speaker
You know, Pedro is a guy that does a lot for you. So what can you do to replicate it? I think that you've done some of it, but maybe Brian could do more. And I think that you might see that with
00:22:57
Speaker
Jordan Morris playing that wide. And so that's what i hope that the, am I back? Yeah, you're back. You froze for me for a second. I don't know about everyone else, but you're back now. ah Yeah, I don't know. my I got full bars here. But um anyways, just I think people might see a little bit more of that, a more aggressive team, ah team that maybe is trying a lot more things.
00:23:19
Speaker
Bryant said something interesting. In the first LAFC-Austin game, the goal came off of an own goal. It's just a Hollingstead goal. End line pass, just looking for anybody's foot.
00:23:31
Speaker
And he found the defenders. I forgot. Maybe it might have been Pereira trying to clear it. And he goes in and on goal. Brian kind of mentioned at the end of ah the scrum with us that he wishes that the Sounders would have just put more dangerous balls into the 18.
00:23:45
Speaker
georgie so like Georgie scored one of those in the game against Minnesota in Seattle. That's how they got one. You got to take them where you can get them against these guys. Yeah. Exactly. Just forcing them a lot more, making them make more mistakes. Even if you have to play a little bit more direct at times and just kind of look for the secondary balls, you got to be able to do that. You just got to be more aggressive. So talking about things that the Sounders could do better is that just create more moments in that 18, create havoc, just...
00:24:14
Speaker
ah Force them to mistakes. Don't be afraid to take a ah shot, even if there is four or five jerseys behind that, right? I mean, you got to just be able to take those shots.
00:24:24
Speaker
And I think that's what you will see out of the Sounders here today. They scored two goals against this team the first time that they played. That was the only game at home that they lost. all year, but they did score two goals against them. And, uh, we actually, we went back and looked at the, uh, the second one on, ah on Thursday on under the lights, uh, which was a goal that KKR actually scored.
00:24:48
Speaker
Uh, but, the The way they got those goals in that in that first game in Seattle was ah there was the Georgie own goal where he just slams across into the mixer and he gets and he gets the own goal.
00:25:01
Speaker
But then the second one, it was one of those rare times when you're playing this team where they won the ball back. I think they didn't show the full highlight, but I'm pretty sure they won the ball back in a situation where Minnesota wasn't already set and they put a ball over the top to, ah to De La Vega, who was playing at the right on the right. And these days, they got a ball over the top to ah De La Vega.
00:25:28
Speaker
Minnesota's defense was scrambling and unbalanced. De La Vega sends a low cross in. And while they're scrambling, ah KKR makes like a late run into the box. And, know,
00:25:39
Speaker
He scores it. So that like that to me showed, you know, there's going to be probably, i don't know, five times maximum in this game where you have those opportunities. And, you know, it's not easy necessarily to to score off those, but ah outside of, ah of like of set pieces,
00:25:58
Speaker
that's kind of the That's kind of the only way. like when they When they have it all all set, I'm not going to say it's impossible, but it's just very the degree of difficulty on breaking that down is extremely high. it's probably It's one of the hardest things to do in the sport anyway, and then you're going against a team that's just so committed to it.
00:26:17
Speaker
it's It's just not easy. So you gotta you kind of got to get a little creative with it. Maybe you draw some up some new set pieces, try and beat them at their their own game.
00:26:28
Speaker
But when you do when you do have those opportunities, you just got to be clinical and be efficient because they're going to be few and far between. And if you don't get at least one of those, it's going to be hard to just score in this game. Nico, what do you think of ah this whole Ramsey ball business? Because, you know, we all hate it. It's not fun to watch.
00:26:47
Speaker
The discourse after... Game one where, you know, their fans were yucking it up about how they grinded out a 0-0 at home in a playoff game and won on PKs. That's fine.
00:27:00
Speaker
That's fine. You know, I've called it i've called it ah several things at different junctures. I think dishonorable is the word I've used to describe it. ah But, you know, we had ah we had Jeff Reuter, Minnesota-based soccer journalist who covers the Loons, not like on the beat, but that's the team that he watches the most and knows the most about. and he was sort of explaining to me where Eric Ramsey is coming from with all this, which is that I guess the situation is kind of like he feels limited by his by his personnel. you know They sold Tawny, ah which was one component of it, but they also there was supposed to be, I guess, a plan where they brought in reinforcements in one of the last transfer windows that would allow them to play. you know I'm sure they would have this style kind of to some extent, but the way I kind of read it is there the the vision is to be a team that's more...
00:27:53
Speaker
that that plays like this, but in a more normal way, like ah like the Portland Timbys. The Portland Timbys are a team that absorbs pressure and counters. They have been for a decade plus at this point. But they also, like, you know, we're not like the biggest Portland Timbys fans around here. But they there's an element of their of their tactics and their game plans week in, week out, where they actually ah try and play the sport a little bit, even though it is at the at the at its core an absorb pressure and counter style team,
00:28:22
Speaker
But the way I read it is they kind of want to be more like that style of team, but he feels like he doesn't have the personnel to do that. And so he has resorted to this, whatever, whatever this is.
00:28:35
Speaker
And look, man, like we we don't have to like it. We don't like it. I don't like it. No one likes it But ah the reality is like he has got the he's got a team that ah does not have the firepower so really to really really mess with a team like LAFC or Vancouver or even Seattle.
00:28:56
Speaker
I would argue, did it did they look like a dynamic high powered offense in that game one? Did they were they were they generating chances all over the field? ah No, they they created they they created one really good one, and he came off of a defensive mistake, a little of miscommunication between Jackson Reagan and Yammer.
00:29:17
Speaker
ah It's a little bit eager getting back into this game, and it creates a moment where I think it's home wanted, the one that gets behind them, and it creates an opportunity for them. But no, they didn't. That was a good chance. I'll give that. That was a good chance. Yeah.
00:29:32
Speaker
they arguably Yeah, no, and it was created off of a moment of- That was it, though. That was it. That was it.
00:29:43
Speaker
Right. No, but but to your point, look-
00:29:47
Speaker
I used to be a guy that was very against this sort of tactic. And, you know, I grew up on the beautiful game and, you know, playing a certain way and being a position-based team and pleasing the fans that are there to see it.
00:30:04
Speaker
But in South America, it is normal for us to see a lot of this type of ah tactics. You know, ive I think I've said it before in this show, and I certainly have said it in the sound of our heart, atmosphere.
00:30:16
Speaker
And it's ratonero. You know, it's, it's you know, they call rat ball or whatever you want to call it, but it's something that that gets you titles. And because at the end of the day, soccer is about winning games and winning titles.
00:30:30
Speaker
People embrace it, right? I mean, it's just the way it is. ah And you don't have to be limited just on talent. I mean, you look at a team like Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone has always been a defensive-minded coach.
00:30:44
Speaker
It's not pleasing. It's not exciting. But he's playing Real Madrid. He's playing Barcelona. He's got to be able to give his team a chance to win. So because of that, i I don't hate it.
00:30:56
Speaker
I think I admire the teams that can perfect a tactic that will get you wins. And, you know, I said this on Thursday on soccer down here because, you know, it's based out of Atlanta.
00:31:08
Speaker
If I was able to tell Atlanta fans who are dying for just feeling like they're a winning team again and dying for a title and maybe break the curse of the Martino, if I was to let them know, look, I can guarantee you a title next year.
00:31:27
Speaker
you're going to win. But I have to say that it has to be with Eric Ramsey and playing Eric Ramsey ball. Every Atlanta United fan would sign that piece of paper.
00:31:37
Speaker
I mean, that that that would be without a doubt a common... reasonable thought process and just say, look, I don't care how we win a title. I just need one.
00:31:49
Speaker
And so because of that, I, I am not as against it. ah Although I do understand it again, I am one that enjoys a different type of soccer, but at the same time, I understand that it's about winning the games. And so to what ah Jeff had been saying, who, you know, i love Jeff's work.
00:32:09
Speaker
I think that's that's true. I mean, this is the Minnesota team that has missed on some really important DPs over the time, right? They're probably still feeling the sting of the Bebello-Reynoso disaster, right? no Yeah, they still don't know where he's at.
00:32:25
Speaker
I mean, this is a guy just with a whole bunch of like problems outside of the field, but... yeah Regardless of, I remember Garth would always tell me, when you miss on a DP, it's like in NFL, someone misses on a first-round draft pick, and it hunts you for years to come, right? Because you've spent X amount of money, you've spent X amount of resources, and it it does drag along, especially in a salary cap type of league. So with all that said, super long-winded.
00:32:54
Speaker
I do think that Jeff is right and that Eric Ramsey is ah doing what he can with this team. But at the same time, I think that what started as a um Resourceful tactic Suddenly became an identity And that identity has put them where they are And they're And they're going to continue to do that Because he's playing for for Keeps, he's playing for wins He's not playing to please anyone Other than his bosses And his fan base And you know you saw the the Loom Stadium I mean it was packed So they clearly are drawn by the success But
00:33:32
Speaker
They're loving it. They're loving it, course. They have they're loving it they this role as like the trolls of the playoffs with Dane St. Clair, the demon, kind of a face of it. like yeah now it's And I understand it, man. I i really do get i get it. you yeah And maybe Sounder fans are the they would not get it because they have the the distinct pleasure and privilege to be but Following a team that has been successful for decades And they've always been an entertaining team They've always been a protagonist But other fan bases can't say the same Yeah, no, ah the ends justify the means I guess, it's soccer nihilism You know, you just do whatever it takes to to get the W So can't fault them for that But that's also why, like, as far as... ah
00:34:23
Speaker
crashing out about their, their style of play. I mean, I'm going I'm going to talk about how I don't like it and I find it dishonorable, but I mean, it just is, it just is what it is. That's what they're going to do. They, they have their bit, they have their role there. They're leaning into it and they're going to lean into it even heavier in a road game.
00:34:40
Speaker
ah If you think they're not just watch what happens tonight. It's going to be bad out there. it's ah It's not going to be bad. think one thing, i think ah one Another specific,
00:34:55
Speaker
um I guess, aspect of the game that I'm looking into that could be a double-edged sword for um Minnesota is that they play, in my opinion, better defensively. um When Jaboa's not there, but obviously Jaboa gives him a threat only offensively, or right? That's the only way that they can score, right?
00:35:17
Speaker
Because when Lott plays as a false nine or whatever, he just plays so deep, right? And and he's a guy that is really a leader in in in this team, has been for a very long time, probably the most consistent player that Minnesota has had over the last couple of years.
00:35:32
Speaker
He's the guy that they go to if they need something. They go to Lott, right? So... Having Yeboah back 100%, Hassani Dotson being back already, I'm wondering if Eric Ramsey would feel like he might need to start these two players, and does that change the dynamic a little bit of things? You know, Trapp is a guy that...
00:35:52
Speaker
You know, I've never found interesting, but the under this system has played very well because he's a conservative player. he is a player that can ah thrive off of a system like this one. So do those changes kind of make things a little bit different and give Seattle a little bit more room to work with?
00:36:08
Speaker
I'm not sure, but that's something that I'm going to be looking into. What Eric Gramsci decides to do with the starting 11 is going to be, you know, one of the things I'll be looking for. To your earlier point about the whole Reynoso situation, perhaps ah starting their path onto this Ramsey ball thing, you know who was ah missing their DP nine for pretty much all of this season and their DP 10 for a lengthy portion of this season, the Seattle Sounders, you know, who also scored 80 goals, all comps in one leagues cup, the Seattle Sounders. So it's not, it's not everybody. It's not everybody that has to do this.
00:36:47
Speaker
You made your own bed and now you're trying to troll your way to an MLS cup, which, ah which might work. And like like you said, Nico, like teams have won titles doing stuff like this, you know, Atletico Madrid, I think is a good example of a team that ah leans into this style of play.
00:37:05
Speaker
Although I would argue not to this like, I would argue this is about as extreme as as I've seen it, but yeah, i don' I don't, I mean, I don't know. I don't know where I was going with that, but like Minnesota United. Yeah. Sorry. I lost my train of thought, Nico, but that's that the Atletico Madrid and all them. the are Okay. This is what I was saying.
00:37:26
Speaker
I don't think they're, I don't think they're going to win MLS cup playing like this. I've been, I've been saying it and you know, it is possible. And to be fair, man, it is the best chance that they've got, but I think eventually you run into a team that ah like, let's be let's be honest, the Seattle team's a bit diminished right now.
00:37:44
Speaker
the The most important guy that they could have in taking on a team like this, they they don't have like, I think if Pedro de la Vega is fit and healthy and plays in that game one, and it goes roughly a similar way.
00:37:57
Speaker
He's the one who's been stepping up in those moments and just kicking the absolute shit out out of the ball and scoring these goals in when, when they're in a situation where they need one, that's been the guy who is able to come up with those individual moments. They don't have that right now.
00:38:11
Speaker
Guess who Minnesota United is going to be a plan at some point if they're trying to get to MLS cup. LAFC with Sun Hyung-min and Denny Bawanga or the Vancouver Whitecaps with ah Thomas Mueller in the gang. At some point, this is going to run out, man. Like you, you can ride it as far as it takes you. Congratulations. You might, you probably are, you're not probably, you know, not yet, not yet.
00:38:37
Speaker
You might get by Seattle in this series. let's see if you Let's see if you get by LAFC in Vancouver. Let's see. Let's see. I seriously doubt it. Yeah, that's difficult.
00:38:48
Speaker
It's going to be interesting who handles the ball if they play LAFC because LAFC likes to play against the run of play. They like to and go off of the counter. They're they're probably the Yep, yep. They're probably the best transition team in the league right now with, you know, those two monsters up there, right? I mean, they Song and Buonga are just a scary pair when it comes to transition moments. I mean, there are literally – there is no better duo in that sort of moment than those two. So, yeah, I mean, it'd it'd be interesting who has the ball if that's the case. But what we're hoping is that the Sounders win tonight –
00:39:26
Speaker
that they give themselves a chance in the third game and that they're able to, you know, finish up strong, right? There are things that are going to continue to be the same. ah We talked to Bryant Smetzer. We questioned him heavily on whether or not he would bring in Andrew Thomas at the end of a game. And he did not seem to care about what we thought or, you know, the questions that we had. Tell the people what he said.
00:39:47
Speaker
He, without saying no, I'm not going to do it. He basically... had his goalkeepers back, Stephen Fry, as he should. ah But I felt like he did it in a way where it was clear that he had made up his mind, that he did not want to bring in Andrew Thomas. He talked about Stephen Fry...
00:40:11
Speaker
Kind of paraphrasing here, but he said something along the lines of, I would like to remind everybody that Stefan Fry saved the penalty kick from ah Michael Bradley in 2016.
00:40:24
Speaker
That's almost 10 years ago. i mean, so it's kind of hard to bring up. Then he said, you know, he stopped two just recently, but one got waved off because he stepped off his line. So it wasn't two, it was one ah So, but, you know, I think he was doing what he could to just, um,
00:40:42
Speaker
I don't know, proof his point, proof his case that he thought that the Sounders' chances were just as good with Stephen Fry on goal Andrew Thomas on goal.
00:40:54
Speaker
He also said something along the lines of the data on Andrew's not quite there. So like when the data is a lot more on Andrew Thomas, I also thought that was odd. but But I think what he's doing just... He's won seven out of eight shootouts.
00:41:09
Speaker
That's the data That's good data Maybe he's talking about data on a first team level But I don't know He's clearly doing I get it I get it Both me and Jeremiah, you know, we asked it in different ways. And ah in both of them, he just – he didn't validate it. He was just kind of like, no, I mean – I think J.O. asked it in a way of like, you know, what's the downside?
00:41:39
Speaker
but What's the downside of bringing in Andrew Thomas? Yeah, and he just – didn't say what the downside were of it. he He just kind of went on with what he had kind of mentioned on on the terms of the the keepers. And, you know, he did say something about the moments that you bring him in and ah having a a goalkeeper that hasn't warmed up going into PKs.
00:42:01
Speaker
And then he kind of shielded himself by saying, look, we brought in Danny Leyva. And he, you know, didn't really play a lot and then he kind of missed his PK. And, ah you know, so is that similar or something like that?
00:42:19
Speaker
In my research with, you know, resources outside of MLS, some that are former MLS coaches, that there is a clear thought process that goalkeepers Don't have as much pressure as the the shooter and that it's a lot easier to be ready to be a goalkeeper off of, you know, at the end of a game than it is to be a guy that's going to kick ah a penalty kick. So, uh,
00:42:49
Speaker
Again, this is just Brian's master stop process. You got to respect it. He ah clearly has won a lot more than you and I have. yes but But I am allowed to not agree with it. And and I don't agree with it.
00:43:02
Speaker
And hopefully it doesn't cause the team. Now, to to to his point, the first game was not lost because of Stefan Fry. I mean, that that we can be... all we couldn't agree on, right? Not even not even in the ballpark of of the reasons. And I thought it was silly that people were suggesting as much, but that can be true. And you can also i think that subbing in what's effectively your PK specialist, which is something a lot of teams do, yeah gives you a better a better chance to win than like the data. If we're going to talk about data, you know, Stephen Fry, God love him, 2016 MLS Cup MVP, one of the best, if not the best goalkeepers in the history of the league.
00:43:40
Speaker
he He also, it's something like he's faced 73 penalties in his career in MLS play. 68 of them or something have been scored. That's the data I'm looking at. The other data I'm looking at is Andrew Thomas is ah is a menace on PKs and has won seven of the eight shootouts that he's been involved in. you know So, i mean, i could... ah I could go on about the about this topic, but I've made my um made my own opinion clear on it. I will say, Schmetz being all wishy-washy about that, that actually I don't think that means he's not going to do it. That could be diversionary.
00:44:17
Speaker
and That's what J.O. thinks. J.O. thinks that he left the door open. Yeah. I don't think so, but we'll see. He left the door open, and ah I honestly, I don't know what he's going to do if it comes to it. Let's just hope it doesn't come to it.
00:44:31
Speaker
But ah to me, it just seems like a very obvious ah equalizer because I think outside of just the fact that ah Andrew Thomas has a better track record ah in these situations, you're also going up against a guy in Dane St. Clair who, this this is his thing, man.
00:44:47
Speaker
This is his thing. This is what he does. you all We all saw that shootout. That was a mismatch, man. Like, let's be real. that was That was a mismatch. You had one guy who was entirely in his element, strutting around the penalty box, ah going up to the spot. That's not in the right spot. He's not allowed to have that there. Of course, he misses the PK. He's going up to Danny Leyva. If you miss, you lose.
00:45:08
Speaker
And then he misses like that. you're You're going against a guy who's doing all this shit. ah Stefan Fry, that's never really been his like disposition or personality and like a goalkeeper to be great at PKs.
00:45:20
Speaker
You need that demon in you that ah that Dan St. Clair has in that Andrew Thomas has. So it's just a way of I don't know. I just think it gives you a. ah a better chance to win. And there's just a very like simple, if it was an either or a situation where to have Andrew Thomas in the shootout, you had to start him. Then yes, it becomes like a trickier calculation, but you can literally, if you think Stefan Fry gives you the best chance to win in regulation, you start him.
00:45:45
Speaker
Then you make a sub in the 89th minute where you put your PK specialist in in that and that, and that's it. What's the problem? What's the issue? Like, it seems like it's, uh, uh, you know, J O made the case of like your, your,
00:45:59
Speaker
basically telling Steph Fry that you don't trust him. like That's... what are we What are we talking about here, man? like that's this is This is pro footy. like we're not We're not like... We're not getting people's feelings here. this is We're trying to win a playoff game.
00:46:13
Speaker
and And I haven't asked them directly, but I feel like... I know Steph pretty well as as ah as an individual, as a as a person. And and i don't ah he seems like a very self-aware person. He's so intellectual. you know he He's so confident in who he is as as as a person, as a goalkeeper, that I don't know if he would take it wrongly that you're going with should the younger guy, the guy that has clearly been better on PKs.
00:46:46
Speaker
guys practice pks all the time all the time and everybody talks about Andrew Thomas being this very difficult guy to score on from PKs. it's It's just common knowledge, right?
00:46:59
Speaker
So I would think that Steph knows. So why I don't think he would take it personally. And he might be even in for it because Steph has always been a team first guy and he wants to see his team succeed. And if that gives them the best chance to get out of that situation, i think he'd have no problem. He'd be cheering from the ah the bench.
00:47:21
Speaker
Rosie says it wouldn't matter if Andrew Thomas is brought in if the players don't convert their PKs, which, yes, that is true. But that is another element to this that ah I heard. talked about it. yao and it Was J.O. and you or J.O.? I think it was J.O. and Aaron that I was listening to who were talking about the effect that it has on the shooters.
00:47:40
Speaker
If it's in their head that they're not confident that the... ah that the keeper is going to save the other shots. And, I think they, uh, you saw that play out in the, in the game. The example they were talking about was, uh, did you see, did you catch how after Jackson Reagan made his PK, he like looked over at Steph and he was like, on, staff one like, come on, Steph, like, let's go. And it was, it was not like, uh, come on, buddy. Like you, uh, you got this. It was like a, come on, like,
00:48:10
Speaker
I just made one, like, let let's go, please, like, save a couple of these. if if you don't If you don't have it, like, the confidence in your mind that that the other team's going to have any saved or or miss any, then that probably affects you as a shooter, does it not?
00:48:26
Speaker
ah Yeah, you could say that. I wouldn't necessarily agree completely with it. I just thought that St. Clair won the mental battle.
00:48:37
Speaker
when he came to the Alex PK, usually experienced ah shooter for a PK will tell you that you have to put the pressure back on the keeper.
00:48:50
Speaker
So the keeper comes in, he moves your ball, he's complaining to the referee, he's taking 45 seconds out of it, he's getting you off your game. If you see what Alex did, he immediately went back, shotish shot his shot.
00:49:05
Speaker
the way you put that back on him is you make him wait. you You just sit there. Maybe you go and you rearrange the ball. You sit there and just look at the ball a little bit. Allow him to just not have that that that that moment where he like took you off your game.
00:49:20
Speaker
Take a second deep breath in, and then you shoot the ball. I feel like he rushed it a little bit once Sinclair did that. Christian Roldan, unfortunately... he got and they got He got in their heads, man. He got he got in their but so So I would put a board on the shooters and not necessarily on, you know, the mental process of whether your goalkeeper is going to stop it or not. And then when it comes to Christian Roldan, I just think he has been, he's been lacking confidence on, on, on, on the penalty kicks.
00:49:44
Speaker
He just has, he's in his head as well. He's in his head where he put it, the strength where he put it in just tells me that he was trying to force it a little bit. Maybe he switched his, ah where he was going to put it.
00:49:57
Speaker
And at times when you do that, You want to go a little softer. If you see that the goalkeeper has already gave you a an indication of where he's going, just kind of soften the touch and put it there.
00:50:09
Speaker
He just smacked it. And obviously it hits the post. So I just think that there was more on the shooters and credit to Sinclair than anything that had to do with stuff. But but but I get where where where Joe was coming because...
00:50:25
Speaker
You do want to feel confident that, okay, I made a mistake and then my goalkeeper going to have it because maybe i have less pressure and maybe that's where he's going. If I know that I got this goalkeeper that's going to make a stop, ah maybe take my PK a little bit more confidently.
00:50:40
Speaker
but but But I would put it more on the shooters than on Stefan Fry. At the end of the day, we don't need to add anything else other than what we've seen out of Andrew Thomas in League's Cup, what we've seen out of Andrew Thomas in Open Cup, what we've seen out of Andrew Thomas in training, what we've seen out of him in MLS Next Pro.
00:50:56
Speaker
I mean, just the way that he handles himself overall in between the the the posts, that's what you want out of a goalkeeper in PKs. And you mentioned it, you alluded to it, just because we're saying that Steph is not great at that. We're not, it's not a knock on them. It's just what it is. Right.
00:51:15
Speaker
Yeah. I said this on Thursday, last Thursday, uh, Shaquille O'Neal was the most dominant player in the NBA, but you knew he couldn't shoot a free throw to save his life.
00:51:26
Speaker
That's just the whole of this game. But he's still a phenomenal, legendary player with Stephen Fry. He's such a great goalkeeper in every facet of it, except for PKs. And that's all right.
00:51:38
Speaker
You've got to understand that that's the reality. And if you have a specialist, shoot, you bring him on. Give yourself a better chance. Yeah, i fully I fully don't mind him starting the actual...
00:51:50
Speaker
game because I think there's, ah you know, Andrew Thomas has been really good this year. I think we all feel great about him as the future number one, but I think Steph does a lot that people don't necessarily realize as far as like keeping everyone organized.
00:52:02
Speaker
His communication with the CBs is second to none, commanding the box, his shot stopping his elite, all that stuff I think is still true. He might've been like slightly down statistically this year compared to what he normally is.
00:52:16
Speaker
ah But, you know, Jeff and I were looking at the, uh, at the rankings and he came out as like a ah st solid middle of the pack goalkeeper as far as his underlying numbers and all that and then so that's that's fine it's whatever but then also you throw into the leadership and communication stuff and that I mean that's who I want out there for a playoff game but like it's a situation I think where if there if it does come to PKs which hopefully it doesn't you can have it both ways all right Nico let's bust out this lineup builder and project how we think the Seattle Sounders are going to line this up against Minnesota United tonight at Lumen Field.
00:52:54
Speaker
I want to give us some credit that last time we went 18 or 19 deep and we missed one out of the whole thing, by the way. We missed one of the substitutions that was KKR instead of two. But aside from that, we hit the 11 and we hit the substitution. So yes for the lineup builder.
00:53:13
Speaker
You guys are going to want to pay attention to this because this is about to be on point. Honestly, i think this is one of the harder ones to exactly predict because it's a question of ah if do you run your normal stuff, which...
00:53:30
Speaker
you know you had it You had a couple of good chances, but I feel like the best chances you had with your with your regular 11 out there, one was off a set piece. ah you did have Christian did have that really good one. that's st clair St. Clair made a ah good save. like He's beasting right now. He's in form.
00:53:45
Speaker
ah But the question is, do you do start running your regular stuff, or do you just go with what you adjusted to from the start? you know We had people in chat earlier know questioning the wisdom of ah starting Morris out wide. I mean, I don't, I don't know about you guys, but ah I thought by far and away, i don't even think it's debatable by far and away. The best choices, chances of the game were generated by Jordan Morris playing from out wide. Like, so there at least is a logical argument for ah starting him at right mid in this game, but that would be, that would be a pretty big deviation from how they've been running it. Like all year, he hasn't really been playing out wide at all.
00:54:22
Speaker
So yeah, yeah and i think And I think another argument for it, and look, I get that it seems odd specifically because Jordan has been working so hard to perfect his craft at the nine and he has done it well there.
00:54:38
Speaker
But at the end of the day, when you're facing a team that's this good defensively, and this is something that kind of came to mind over the weekend because the the the the notion that Danny Mosaski, who started his game, is pretty evident looking at the the week of training.
00:54:58
Speaker
And I wasn't really feeling it. And now that I've had the weekend to go over it, when you have this good of a defense, maybe having your more capable, higher ceiling attackers all in one is going to give you the best bet of scoring, right?
00:55:16
Speaker
And as much as we love Paul Rothrock and what he does, A lot of what we like of him is those that that energy, that havoc. ah you know he He does score goals, no doubt about it, but is his ceiling higher than Jordan Morris at the wing?
00:55:33
Speaker
Not really. so so just just think about it that way, right? You're putting your double-digit scorer up top despite his limitations, right? You try it. You test it. That's the best you have.
00:55:46
Speaker
And if it doesn't work, then you change back to what you already know. So that's I think that's another argument for why Jordan Morris would be a good choice to start off this game against Minnesota.
00:55:59
Speaker
All right, let's go through this, Nico. I think it's pretty straightforward until you get to the front four. I mean, is there any changes from this back six that that a zero to make? Yeah, I mean, people were saying i get maybe a KKR shout.
00:56:11
Speaker
I think in a game like this, Alex Roldan is going to get the the nod. And I think that's fine. Like he's been Alex has had a fantastic year, so I don't have any issues with that. I think the only one that I validated ah or I thought it was a it was a good thought was Reed Baker Whiting for New. and clearly i mind that I wouldn't mind that.
00:56:34
Speaker
Only because... if you if that point If you know that you're not going to get tested defensively and that's number one trade and you can have someone that could more effectively do overloads on the left side, Reid would be the guy. However, I don't think that that's going to change. um I think that perhaps just the peace of mind that if there is a transition moment and you get caught off balance, knew who could be there,
00:57:04
Speaker
ah that just makes it a little bit better for Brian. So I don't think anything changes in that back six. I think the RBW thing is an interesting shout for the exact reason that ah you just laid out.
00:57:17
Speaker
I do think New Who is ah is going to get the start, and I'm cool with that as well. But I will say if it's a situation where they're in like the 60th or the 65th and it's still freaking 0-0, which is a decently likely scenario against this team, just bring RBW on right away. Like, don't don't wait for it. Like, you got i mean, season's on the line here. You've got to – if you're chasing a goal in the last 30 minutes of the of this game, you've got to be you gotta be going ganglion. If you're going to go out, go out swinging, baby. go za swing Exactly. And that that is what that is one thing that, ah you know, playing playing against a team like this has really underscored that you can respect about the Seattle Sounders that if they are going to go down, they are going to go down swinging. They're not going to down swinging.
00:58:01
Speaker
playing like this, playing this Ramsey ball. they're They're not going to do that. So I at least will stand on that. ah All right, Nico, who do you think starts at ah and left mid here? i i i kind of feel the same way about ah Georgie in this situation as RBW. Like, i doubt he's going to start, but get him on early if you're you're still chasing a goal. I just think this matchup is much better for him than Rothrock. It's a matchup thing to me. But who do you think starting at left mid?
00:58:33
Speaker
This one I kind of struggle with a little bit Because you know if you want Jordan to be If put Jordan out wide then Ferreira's dropped So do you put him to the left? but Well that's kind of the thing right So I initially thought that maybe Jordan should be on the left Because he is going to be It's going to be lot easier for him to cut inside and hit it with his right, his preferred foot.
00:58:53
Speaker
But when I went back and looked at the tape and what Brian probably wants is just more volume and creation and more opportunities for Danny Masovsky. You need Jordan on the right where he could make those passes, where he has gravitated – both You know in the austin game uh creating opportunities there just in the last game so i think that you're going to be Having to place ferrera on the left uh and i Having him to work out on that side That that's sort of how i saw it too but uh I wasn't i mean i don't know he just hasn't played there a lot this year you know Yes i don't think he's played there at all actually now that i think about it All right so this is uh
00:59:37
Speaker
This is how we think they're going to do it chat.
00:59:43
Speaker
Ferreira, left mid, Morris, right mid, Rusnaga, the 10, and Moose up top. ah So, I mean, do you think that that is a that that is the right play here, Nico? Because...
00:59:59
Speaker
a lot of people A lot of people are saying they would rather have Ferreira. like what do you They would rather have Ferreira at the 10 and drop Rusnak and then not sure what the plan is at left mid in that scenario. Probably.
01:00:13
Speaker
probably no No, no, no, no. I don't like that. And look, I get it. Look, at i had to talk myself into this working out ah because of the things that I've already laid out.
01:00:25
Speaker
the reasons I've already laid out, but I just don't want your highest ah offensive contributor to be deeper down the line. To me, just doesn't give the Sounders the best chance at winning.
01:00:40
Speaker
Not to mention the fact that the dynamism and the defensive um notion that that that both teams Obed and Christian have developed over this year. you You don't want to be without that because regardless of how defensive Minnesota is, don't, don't, don't get them twisted. They're going to take that opportunity to beat you on a counter that they, Oh, that's their whole thing. yeah So if you have an opening where,
01:01:10
Speaker
um A guy like Albert who gravitates offensively is a little too high and you put Christian on an island and he can't get back enough and you're out of position that maybe knew who is is cheating a little bit higher up the field.
01:01:24
Speaker
i mean, you just don't want that, right? I feel like you could not make too many changes. And if there's anything at all that has been perfect, right? or just about this season is the pivot work for the Sounders. That's been the the heart and soul of this team.
01:01:41
Speaker
So why change that? ah Because of what we just said, right? If you're going go down, go down with your best on the field, go down swinging. You need those two guys there. So yeah I just would disagree with that, but I get it. I understand that we all see the the game differently, but but I just wouldn't do that.
01:01:58
Speaker
um I'm going to say something unpopular as well, but this is ah this is true. The other thing with Rusnak and why he needs to be on the field, it's a and set pieces. That's one of the biggest only ways that you can score on a team like this. And I know the narrative around Rusnak is that he lost it on the free kicks and on the set pieces.
01:02:18
Speaker
I and unfortunately have to inform a lot of you that that has not been true for like well over a month now. He's been back to being really, really good on set pieces. He's got a few assists off them in the last few weeks.
01:02:30
Speaker
I think his his delivery has been really good lately, especially can hit them he can hit them accurately from deeper than most as well. He gives you an ability to...
01:02:42
Speaker
to uh stretch those out from range a little bit that uh i don't ferreira's set pieces are good they're they're solid but i don't think he can range out quite like rusnak can and that's that's one of those little things that can give you an edge in a game like this i'm sorry i'm sorry i know some of you are not gonna like that but uh the narrative of like rusnak set pieces are bad i i don't know what to tell you that hasn't that's not true anymore it's just like it's literally not When you said dropped, I thought dropped a line. You want him dropped the 11 completely? I mean, that's just ludicrous. Both of those were suggested. That's ludicrous. There was a couple suggestions of ah dropping him from the lineup entirely and moving Jesus 10. And then there was at least one I saw of dropping him back a line. Oh, come on. I mean, that's just not something that ah they haven't played him back a line since like 2022.
01:03:30
Speaker
two They did win Champions League famously with him ah with him doing that, but it's just that it's not something that they would do at all, ever, I don't think. So that's ah that's kind of the situation.
01:03:43
Speaker
um Yeah, no, I know, i know James. I know. like It's not paying him 2.5 for dead balls. He did have 20 goal contributions this year. but He did. also James, come on, James. There is no way that you have looked at Albert's game this year.
01:03:59
Speaker
and not thought that guy is playing more dynamic, that guy is doing more on the ball, that guy, ah he has really stepped up his game this year, James. and And I get that you are a guy that's never seen it you know, for Albert, but believe you me, that that as a guy that is there all the time, i have been impressed with how he has developed his game, right? I mean, he he really has been a guy that now is doing a lot more. He's covering a lot more field.
01:04:30
Speaker
He's being more aggressive on the ball. He's getting red cards. I mean, just everything. I have no issues with Albert. And I think that if there's a year that he's earned that DP status is this year.
01:04:45
Speaker
Yeah, no, I mean, ah like, it's almost, it's like, yeah might be fun to talk about, but it's kind of pointless talking about an 11 where he's not in it. It's just, know yeah yeah we afraid should keep it in the parameters of like the reality of what Schmetzer would actually do and dropping him from the lineup.
01:05:01
Speaker
ah Or dropping him back a line, it just isn't something you would do Nor nor should he do that But ah anyway, there you have it I'll entertain a lot of the the takes right Starting Jordan up top and And Georgie on the left And Ferreira on the right And that ah Reed for New Who and you know even Albert at the you know at the aid you know I'll entertain a lot of stuff But having him off the field It's just crazy. I mean, you'd fire a coach that is not going to start one of his best players.
01:05:31
Speaker
Clearly, statistically, one of your best offensive contributors or your best offensive contributor overall. And keeping him off the field is just crazy, man. James, you you know just don't do that.
01:05:44
Speaker
Yeah. ah All right, there you have it, folks. That is the Lobbing Scorchers projected starting 11. ah it's a This is a different front four. than they They have not run this all year, and ah but I do think that... And that's a fair concern. you're trying to get ahead of it and go with what was working at the end of the last game, with the knowledge that they're going to play exactly like they did in the last game,
01:06:11
Speaker
I don't, I don't mind throwing the curve ball and you know, if it's not working, you can always make in-game adjustments. So if this is how they run it, I would be cool with it. And then just hopefully it doesn't get to PKs and the, the and Andrew Thomas were Steph Fry specialist. Do you summon your specialist debate? I would rather it just not come to that, but Zach says, see y'all next season. though The people are not feeling confident, Nico, after, after that last game. And yeah,
01:06:41
Speaker
I get it. I get it. Like that, that game was frustrating to watch. And I, I trust me. I think we all feel similarly coming out of it, but I also, I think to say, see y'all next season. I think that's given this team a little too much credit. They, they have beat Seattle three times this year.
01:06:59
Speaker
Fair play to them. they got They got it done in game one, barely. They are not like this impenetrable wall that cannot be ah be scored on. Seattle made them look like that a couple times this year. Yeah, no, i yeah that's true. But I guess i get you know when you paint it like that, I mean, the the odds are kind of with them, right? they they've They've beat this team.
01:07:23
Speaker
Minnesota has beat us, ah the Sounders specifically, three times in a row. They've done it away. They've done it at home. like I get the lack of confidence, right? ah I do think that this team has a chance. I really do.
01:07:40
Speaker
But, but I don't think it's crazy to think that this could be the last game of the season. I think that's going to be on your mind. Yeah. because they've proven it on the field, man. So it's a tough one. It's difficult because as much as I do believe that the Sounders are doing everything they can to change things up for this game, and I do believe that they have enough to score one, there is just this looming cloud of if Minnesota is completely impenetrable today or if they take it to PKs where they have clearly an edge,
01:08:20
Speaker
You know, that there's a lot of things that could go Minnesota's way, man. I mean, that there really are. ah Got a super chat here from James here that I missed here earlier. Sorry, James. ah We disagree with your Albert Rusnak takes, but we we appreciate your support.
01:08:33
Speaker
ah This one's for you, Nico. He's asking, what's the idea with RBW as a U22? He only makes one hundred and fifty eight k ah ah I mean, he he's obviously going to get a a a a bump on on his pay. He is going to get a a a a contract.
01:08:53
Speaker
um' I'm like blanking here. Did did he already get an extension? i'm RBW? Yeah, he did he yeah yeah did. Yeah, exactly. So, no I mean, I think he's going to continue to be here. i think that he's going to continue to grow.
01:09:06
Speaker
um I do believe... in my mind that there's going to be a market for new who in the off season. So RBW might be your starting left back next season.
01:09:20
Speaker
If there is a, an offer out there that you can take for new who ah new has been great. um But a team that I feel like it's turning towards being more of an attacking team, ah you know,
01:09:37
Speaker
I think Reed fits and as much as he really needs to work on his game, especially defensively and more importantly, physically to to take the load off, take the load on of really being an everyday starter, which has been a concern because he's gotten hurt. He hasn't really been able to play consistently throughout a season.
01:10:02
Speaker
ah I think he's a guy that you're hoping that turns into that, that develops into that. ah All right, Nico, just a few minutes left here and then we'll ah we'll call it a wrap. Let's talk about some of the other results from around the league because ah pretty much everyone else is done with round one at Seattle and Minnesota ah finishing it out tonight.
01:10:22
Speaker
I don't think there's anyone else. No, you got San Diego, you know, Portland pushed it to three. there's Okay, there's a couple game threes. There's a couple game threes. So I'm wrong about that. But as far as the game twos, the game two slates will be done after the after tonight.
01:10:40
Speaker
laura what ah what What caught your eye from from round one, Nico? I mean, ah like you mentioned, the Timbys, they ah they were up against it against San Diego. And honestly, you know, to be fair, I don't think they're that good, but they've been more competitive, I would say, in this San Diego series than I and i expected. I think most people expected San Diego to just wax them.
01:11:01
Speaker
And it looked like that was happening in game one. They were up 2-0 to one and then went up a man for a really long time. ah But the Timbs hung with it, didn't lose that game that badly. And then ah it look they were also down 2-1 the very last second of ah of Game 2, and their season was about to be over. But they got the equalizer and then and then won the shootout.
01:11:23
Speaker
So ah they're they're still scrapping it out. But to me, Nico, that series says more about the fact that I think San Diego might be a little more vulnerable than people think.
01:11:34
Speaker
If you look at their record over the last couple months heading into the playoffs, it was, it was something it was i don't know, it was like 8-6-3 or something like that, which is like solid but not incredible. And it was not what not what they were doing earlier in the season when they were lighting the league on fire.
01:11:49
Speaker
They've had this chuky drama. He came back. He scored the goal that looked like might send them to ah to the semifinals. ah So it seems like they've weathered that situation. He looked he looked happy. The guys were celebrating.
01:12:02
Speaker
with them so maybe they've made it past that but it's still you don't want off field locker room drama with your superstar player in the middle of the playoffs. That's never what you want. Uh, and, uh, I just think them getting pushed to the limit by the Timbs like this, it it is credit to, uh, the Timbs. I'm not saying that it's not, but I think it also, if San Diego was as much of a like powerhouse contender as they looked like at times this season, they, they would have taken care of this series. Uh,
01:12:32
Speaker
I think already. So I don't know. What do you think of what we've seen from Portland, San Diego? I think if San Diego would have kept the law ski that this, ah this, this series would have been over.
01:12:44
Speaker
But the reality is, is that in both game one and game two, San Diego just struggles to put the ball in the back of the net in this one. You got to credit Phil Neville for changing it up completely and doing two things. One playing way more direct, way more direct to the point where,
01:13:00
Speaker
You know, from the goalkeeper passing all the way through the back line and just fighting for the secondary balls, looking for Anthony consistently, looking for Kelsey. basically putting in the pressure on on on that back line that stays so high for San Diego.
01:13:16
Speaker
And it worked. The other thing is that they were physical and they muddied this game and they they fouled and they hit. San Diego, the team that thrives on a high tempo, on on um the rhythm of the game going at a certain pace, there were 13 fouls in the first half, in the first half of this game.
01:13:39
Speaker
And it was just very slow and and they never allow San Diego to really get on a rhythm. And, the timbers with a lot, I think what I would call more, more desire and, and, and, and one than, than real technical ability.
01:13:55
Speaker
They really pushed the game far ah San Diego, clearly the better team gets moments where it's, it's, it's the integral passing is one, two, three, four. and There's a through ball.
01:14:06
Speaker
And, and I think that San Diego got way more chances, more opportunities. They get a, A second goal that gets taken away from Dreyer for being on an offside position in a moment where San Diego ah does great repress. They get the ball back and Dreyer's unable to get himself back onside.
01:14:26
Speaker
But at the end of the ah of of the game, the substitutions by Phil Neville, ah that that kind of rigidity, physicalness of the game really played into account.
01:14:41
Speaker
The fact that CJ Dos Santos had a... Scary moment. I mean, he, he got knocked out of the game. I don't think there's any, uh, you know, foul play or, or ill will by Kelsey, but he, you know, puts his foot right on, on the face of, uh, CJ Dos Santos. He's looking for the ball and CJ goes down and he smacks him unconscious.
01:15:03
Speaker
He gets carted out of the game. And I think that was ah also a, a, a, a switching moment, a momentum shifting moment for, for San Diego that depends a lot on CJ. um But Timbers, they push it.
01:15:16
Speaker
They go to PKs. They get a goal in the very last minute ah minute from an unsung hero, ah someone who I never thought would be the guy that gave the equalizer, Gage Guerra.
01:15:30
Speaker
Did not have him on bingo cards at all. No. he I don't even know who that is. Who is that? I don't know. I didn't know. Before this game, I didn't know who that was. Literally don't who that was. Lifts himself up on a set piece corner kick.
01:15:42
Speaker
He gets up. Undefended, uncontested, puts the ball in the back of the net. They push it to to the PKs. And if you're mad about the PKs, go watch this set of PKs because they were just dead awful from San Diego. it's no bad and they And they lose the game. And Cisnega, who came in for Dos Santos, actually was balling out in the PK shootout. He made a couple of really good saves on the Timbs.
01:16:07
Speaker
And San Diego was banging theirs into the 27th row. What was up with that? um Nico, is it about to happen to Inter-Miami again?
01:16:18
Speaker
ah They beat the shit out of Nashville in game one for like the sixth straight time that they played. ah Messi has scored more goals against that team than any other MLS team. And really after game one, it just looked like, you know, Nashville, nice year for them. They won the Open Cup.
01:16:31
Speaker
They don't seem ready for this smoke at all. And they have not against Inter-Miami really at any juncture. that they've played them. I thought they were going to get sweat. They literally on decision day played at the, at Geodas park in Nashville and inter Miami hung five on
Nashville vs. Inter Miami Match Recap
01:16:46
Speaker
them.
01:16:46
Speaker
I didn't really see much reason, just vibes and confidence wise, why game two would be any different. Nashville goes, goes out there and wins it to one. And honestly, it should have been a little more comfortable than that. They were taking it to inter Miami.
01:17:00
Speaker
They had it to zero until really late in the game. i'm about to look at what minute inter Miami scored, but it was, it was one of those situations where it was two. Yeah. Messi got literally 90th minute. So that it was, they essentially had him to zero for a lot of that
Inter Miami's Playoff Pressure
01:17:14
Speaker
game.
01:17:14
Speaker
And i just think this is, ah i still think inter Miami probably wins game three back at home. But God, the pressure on them is immense.
01:17:25
Speaker
They, Messi signed a contract extension. So even if they crash out of the playoffs again this year, he seems to be happy playing there. It's not like he's going to leave, but they cannot, they cannot lose this game.
01:17:36
Speaker
A year after Atlanta United did it to them in round one, nash this Nashville team is a better team than that Atlanta team
Nashville's Strengths and Miami's Struggles
01:17:44
Speaker
was. That Atlanta team was actively bad. This national team's at least a good team, but like you can't,
01:17:49
Speaker
If you're Lionel Messi and the Barca boys, especially with Busquets and Jordi Alba retiring, you cannot go out and round one of the playoffs two years in a row, especially this year when you also bottled the League's Cup final in Seattle, famously.
01:18:06
Speaker
still think they're going to win, but what do you just make of the pressure that they're under here? This is going to be a fun little game. I'm going to be watching this one. I just think it shows you how unbalanced and how...
01:18:18
Speaker
ah inconsistent they have been regardless of where they are in the standings. When it comes to just their ability to execute their concepts, they're just a very vulnerable team. And if they really depend a lot on can they outscore the opponent? And in this one, there were opportunities missed my agenda. There were opportunities missed by Messi himself.
01:18:39
Speaker
There were opportunities missed by Suarez. And they just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net. And when you do that and you're a team that lacks defensive composure, at Nashville you know
Exploiting Defensive Weaknesses
01:18:49
Speaker
will take care of business. And and I thought that they did.
01:18:52
Speaker
Nashville needs to do better to limit ah what spaces they give out when they are in possession. um Clearly, it's a B.J. Callahan thing where they're going to hold the ball and pass it around vulnerable sides of of the field, but but they just can't give any any issues to it. However, I think that if Andy Nahar continues to push as high as he does, continues to give those overloads,
01:19:18
Speaker
There's very little that Inter-Miami can do to hold them back because they just don't have those two-way players. I continue to think that Rodrigo DePaul is meh.
01:19:28
Speaker
I mean, he's just mad to me. I agree. That is not, that is not, and he's going to be a DP next year. Yeah, I think Ajende is very inconsistent. No defense there. i think Rodriguez is the guy that's really come up strong. I really like what he does on the attack in him, but another guy that can't defend.
01:19:45
Speaker
He's like, i he's Allende. He's basically just Allende. That's the same guy. That's right. That's right. Absolutely. Ajende 2.0. so So it's really a team that if you can put him under duress, if you can continue to get Mukhtar in the right positions, if your midfield can...
01:20:04
Speaker
prevent moments for Lionel Messi to get completely loose. You could limit this team. I have Nashville going through simply because of the components that I feel like need a team needs to go over.
Coaching and Adaptability in Playoffs
01:20:18
Speaker
Coaching to me goes to Nashville. Identity and balance goes to goes to Nashville. Talent level, inner Miami. Um, but But the last one is ability to um adapt to different situations.
01:20:35
Speaker
And I think Nashville has that. So for those three aspects that I look for teams in the playoffs, I feel like Nashville have. And so I think that they'll beat Inter-Miami and they'll get through.
01:20:46
Speaker
Obviously, that goes against what everybody else thinks is the messy factor is a team that, you know, can't just tear it up. A team that dismantled you in game one.
01:20:57
Speaker
ah but But I do feel like BJ will have his team ready to go. And I think that they'll be Miami.
Humorous Speculation on Player Reactions
01:21:01
Speaker
Can you imagine the Suarez crash out that we're going to get if they if they lose that game? like i was watching I was watching game two, and you could tell he was just he was just teetering. Messi too. Messi too, but a Suarez crash out is it's like its own genre. Oh, yeah. crash out And you could tell that ah he was getting there. I think I figured out what it is, which is just that... like he is pathologically incapable of playing in a game where his team is losing without just, just going mentally fully off the rails. He can't, that's fair he can't fathom the notion of his team being behind in a game.
01:21:39
Speaker
And if there's any sort of extended period of time where his team has any sort of deficit at all, he just, he, he crumbles. He goes fully, he goes full crash out. And we saw what full, full crash out means.
01:21:52
Speaker
And I think that ah if they if they lose this game at home, we might get like another really good Suarez crash out. Who knows what that's what that guy is going to do? ah you know He could bite you. He could spit on you. It's just anyone's ballgame at that point. And if they lose this game to Nashville, he's going to be ah in that in that place.
Chicago Fire's Playoff Journey
01:22:12
Speaker
You did have the Philly Union taking care of Chicago, an unceremonious end to... ah ah Chicago Fire season that we had, ah you know, they were Noah's dark horse MLS Cup pick, which I thought actually wasn't a bad pick. Like they were looking really good down the stretch of the season and had momentum coming into the playoffs and pushed Philly to the limit, honestly, in Philly in the in game one.
01:22:36
Speaker
Unfortunately, they became the Chicago fire again in game two, but I will say i was, you know, i was thinking about the Chicago fire season and the the step forward they took ah forward this year was actually meaningful.
01:22:49
Speaker
I think when no they're a serious, they're a serious team now. Like they're an actual, they're an actual team. Like if the way I was thinking of it was last year, Seattle played Chicago last year and going into that game, I was literally like,
01:23:02
Speaker
joking around about how not worried I was about the game. I even said, I was like, they're going to score first and don't even consider worrying about it. They will blow the lead. I i i guarantee you if they score first, they will not hold the lead. And that's exactly what happened in the game. So they went, they basically went from being a meme team to now they're like a real, they became a real team this year. And for them, that's like a important step.
01:23:23
Speaker
Yeah, what I would say is that you know people were trying to put it on Greg Bellhalter and all these things.
Goalkeeping Challenges and Lessons
01:23:29
Speaker
The reality is that this was his as off this was a game of a tale of one half, and that one half was affected by Brady being unable to go at goalkeeper and Jeffrey Gall having one of the worst ah games a keeper can have, two giveaways with the ball at his feet.
01:23:50
Speaker
ah You know, one that gets, he gets dispossessed. The goalkeeper gets dispossessed in the 18, puts the ball away. The second one holds the ball too long. tries to clear it that the the clearing gets blocked and he gives another easy goal. I mean, you can not win a game when your goalkeeper, your substitute goalkeeper is having those sorts of issues. And Philadelphia is a team that they're going to take it away. If you give it to him, that was so bad. That was one of the craziest goalkeeping performances I've ever seen, but all right, folks, unfortunately I got to take off now.
Seattle Sounders' Future and Coverage Plans
01:24:22
Speaker
but thank you all for tuning into another banger episode of log and scorchers kickoff.
01:24:27
Speaker
Uh, This is it. This is it, folks. This could be a wrap for the 2025 Seattle Sounders. If it is, hopefully that's not decided in PKs.
01:24:38
Speaker
I can't watch Dane St. Clair strutting around the Lumen Field curbs like that. But, you know, that's so it's very it's very possible. There's a real possibility that the regular season will end tonight for Seattle.
01:24:49
Speaker
If it does, I mean, we won't be going anywhere. We'll still be covering the playoffs. We'll be we'll be jumping into offseason content and stuff. But I don't even want to talk about that right now. because there's still a game to be won and a ah a game three potentially to be played. Who's excited to go back to Minnesota?
01:25:06
Speaker
More Ramsey ball. Woo-hoo! It's going to be fun for everyone involved. But I'll catch you all at Lumen Field tonight, and we'll see you for the post-game live.
01:25:17
Speaker
Catch you all there. i love you all. Peace.