Monday Sound Check: Is it time to abandon all hope?!?

Transcript

Speaker: Hi, I'm Will Bruin, and I was just recognized as a Seattle Sounders legend. Now I get to do voice reads for the Sounder at Heart podcast network. Here we go.

Speaker: Come on. Hey, O'Shaughness. Let's The Seattle Sounders have done it. MLS Cup winners. The Sounders rule the region.

Speaker: Ooch of a gooch! All creatures, great and small! Rothrock gonna collect it, he does just about, runs into the advertising order. Low to our left, ball goes in! Oh, what cross! And what goal! Where's my copy? got bunch of them in the car. How many do you cost them? 50 bucks.

Speaker: I'll deadline

Speaker: This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Full Pull was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounder supporters.

Speaker: They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.

Speaker: Welcome back to another episode of Monday Soundcheck on the Center of Heart Podcast Network. We are live once again at the Center of Heart headquarters in the International District of Seattle.

Speaker: We are, of course, joined by Adam Race and Nico Morano. Take it away, guys. Thank you as always to the one and all Jeremiah Oshin for opening and co-producing our show. Cause we also got Nad, the stream extraordinaire who's making our show look like it's a network show. So we love that. And look, this is as always Monday soundcheck, the one and only show that's going to make your Monday go from bitter to sweeter. But today,

Speaker: It's a rough one. Today, we're not going to try to sugarcoat anything. Today, we're going to come at you, give you her ah hot takes. I think everyone in this studio... It's fire, no cylinders. And we're all pretty upset about what happened over the weekend in terms of the Sounders.

Speaker: But I'm sitting here you're next to the one and only person that's probably angrier than you are. The only co-host in MLS that I know is more upset than you out there, audience. Sounder at Heart family.

Speaker: So, Adam, how you doing? How you feeling? I know you hurting. Let us know what's up, man. There's no turning today from bitter to sweeter. I'm sorry, Nico. I know that's what we strive to do. It's not going to happen. There's nothing we can say.

Speaker: i can say that this is the most humiliated and deflated i have been perhaps in my entire life as a Sounders fan. And that's what, 16 years, 17 years? Most of my life that I can remember This is the most pathetic showing that I think I've ever seen from the Sounders.

Speaker: I've been trying so hard for weeks and weeks to sing the praises of the talent in that locker room, to sing the praises of Brian Schmetzer, who is, regardless of anything, going to go down as one of the best coaches in MLS history, to sing the praises of the environment in that locker room, the experience in that locker room.

Speaker: They have given me no reason to continue to believe. I'm out of rope. That is all I have. That was 90 minutes that I could barely, barely stomach.

Speaker: We looked like high schoolers playing against prime Barcelona. Vancouver is a very good team. That should never, never happen.

Speaker: Bruno Caicedo looked like God. Bruno Caicedo is a great player. he made Kalani Kosarianzi look like a Tuesday night pickup player. He made him look like me.

Speaker: ah You should be angry. You have full right to be angry. This is the point in the season for for me personally, I might be done thinking about this season.

Speaker: If that's a performance that the team is going to go out and play against one of their Cascadia rivals, not to mention the game against Houston, which was embarrassing in its own way, in a completely different way to go out and outshoot your opponent by 20 shots at home and lose.

Speaker: There's no reason to be optimistic for me anymore. I promise I've tried so hard. I know some of you have thought I've tried too hard to be optimistic. I'm done. You win. The pessimists win. ah And we're coming in hot.

Speaker: That's what it is, man. Go ahead and buckle Enjoy it. Like, subscribe. Let's get people into this chat, man. If you had a... weekend that you're just wondering what am I going to do with all this anger i need to releases somewhat release it somewhere release it into comment section go ahead and get in we're going to try to engage today we might not even talk about the rest of the league we don't care about the rest of the league we'll talk about some things that are related to the Sounders but we were in the British are coming territory the British are here they're swinging at you and it's over I mean it's no longer this is what's going to happen now you're

Speaker: You're in it. You're involved in in the middle of the war. So my headliner for this game is simple. It is Sounders getting embarrassed at home, and now we're from the outside looking in in the playoff race because that's what really happened.

Speaker: The team got embarrassed, and we're going to talk exactly what happened, at least for part of this show, Adam. And let me just say why I think we got embarrassed. This team was coming off a game where they were the better side.

Speaker: Against Houston, this team should have won that game. You could maybe... Obviously, always be upset about the result, but you kind of felt like like we were the better team. This other team just bunkered down. We were superior. We missed chances.

Speaker: We couldn't do it, but but we were right there. well At least the play was in some sort of way a consolation prize of a certain sense or it or give you some sort of validity to a team that has spent all year hoping to get to where they are.

Speaker: Maybe not right now, but what they were hoping to get at some point when he came to the playoffs. But after Brian in the podium told us, everyone, including you guys out there in the world, from the podium, that this team was going to be ready for Vancouver, it is embarrassing that after the very first minute, this team gave up a goal, that after 45, they gave up three. I want to say it was 20 and they had given up three. So it is unexcusable.

Speaker: This team... Looked defeated before the game. Looked checked out in the game. They had no response, no character. it was just hard to watch.

Speaker: A Sounders team that, by all means, should have enough talent to compete. At the very least, compete. The pridefulness and the DNA, basically what comes included to that jersey any time a player puts it on, should be grit.

Speaker: Relentless, right? That's what we talked about. This team was far from that. And that's exactly why we were embarrassed. We're going to talk, and I really want to get into some X's and O's. I want to get into the starting formation that yeah I just didn't agree with.

Speaker: We could talk about the tactics that I thought were a little bit kamikaze-esque. And I'll tell you why in a second. But before that, Adam, I'm going give you the floor. Give me your headline.

Speaker: Give me your thoughts. Where you are. go ahead, Michael. I had my headline very soon into watching this game. My headline for this match is Sounders lose in 55 seconds.

Speaker: I think if you watch that first goal... It could not have been more emblematic of the entire match. From one end of the field to the other, we do everything wrong, and we get exposed by a team that was ready to punish us.

Speaker: They looked more ready than the Sounders have maybe all season. And like I've been saying, Vancouver's a great team. I think that they're probably an echelon above a lot of the other teams in the Western Conference.

Speaker: But there's a lot of parity in MLS. There should never be that kind of gap, especially for a club, a tradition like the Seattle Sounders that has become accustomed to being one of those clubs that is in an upper echelon.

Speaker: And I've spent a lot of this season frustrated at the discourse that the Sounders should be angry even if they finish fourth, even if they finish fifth, because that the the team should be held to a higher standard. And I was pushing that away because I thought that in a lot of ways, this is a season where nothing broke our way. We had the worst injury crisis in club history.

Speaker: We had some games that we very well should have won that just didn't swing our way. And those happen, but they happen more than they usually do. But even in those matches, I still felt like we played better. Houston, Dallas, the second half against Montreal, we could have gotten more than one goal.

Speaker: And I wanted to think that that was just a culmination of all these bad factors. But this is beyond that. This is absolutely beyond the pale. And I agree with you, Nico, that I'm not sure talking about the absolute minutia of this game is really what we need to be focused on at the moment. But I do, if we have a moment in that, I want to watch back that first goal from the Vancouver game.

Speaker: This is... perhaps I would say the worst first minute in club history. We had the first, the worst first half in club history a couple of weeks ago against Montreal. This is the worst first minute we have ever played in so many ways. That goal is humiliating. So Nat, if we're able to get that up

Speaker: from the very start, you have Jordan pushing up too strong. He's treated like a practice dummy, like a cone. They pass it right over his head. Snyder Brunel falls in midfield.

Speaker: Kalani Kosarianzi, he's isolated one-on-one because Jesus Ferreira doesn't think Snyder Brunel is going to fall over nothing, and he's pushed up the field. Not only can Kalani not slow down Bruno Caicedo, but he can't even get in front of him.

Speaker: He gets his legs tangled up. He gets made to look out of place. And he chips a ball up to the top of the six yard box. Jackson, Reagan, and Nuhu, both in the area.

Speaker: both there that's Jackson Reagan's job in this current center back pairing is when a ball goes into the air he has to go and get it because Alex is not necessarily going to do that Brian White is someone that Brian Schmetzer was telling this club before the game get a body on Brian White if you don't get a body on Brian White he's going to score and they don't Nuhu has no chance. He gets absolutely posterized by Brian White at multiple times in this match.

Speaker: He just... We look like cones. And it's not acceptable. And we have to stop making excuses for it after this. I've been trying to make excuses for it.

Speaker: I'm out of excuses. This is the thing for me, ah Adam. It's under our family world. Whenever a team is unable to correct the same mistakes all season, it's hard to feel bad. It's hard to make excuses.

Speaker: And it's hard not to point at coaching. I don't know. in And everybody has an opinion. But I don't know in what a world we can exonerate Ryan Schmetzer for this. He certainly didn't exonerate himself. And we'll talk about that a little further in the show.

Speaker: But when in the very first minute your team is not ready to go, when they allow a transition moment to this of this magnitude to happen,

Speaker: Colónico Sarienzi, I don't want crucify him, but that is a horrible play. In the first minute, it's probably when you get the most leeway to make a foul. If you really are unable to stop Bruno Casero, because he is a good player, and he's probably better than any player in the Sounders wide areas.

Speaker: Foul him. Take him down. You cannot allow him to just cruise into the back, putting in a perfect ball. And on the other end, you have... What's Jackson Reagan? 6'8"?

Speaker: ah You have a Nuhu who is built like a truck, like a F-150, and you can't body Brian White? Look, I know he's good. I know he's good.

Speaker: That's 100 goals for the man. he got it going on, but Nuhu's better. Nuhu's better than that. I mean, you got to be able to just... Put your body on him. that That's as simple as that.

Speaker: You know, I just, I don't get how you could be so flat so early. i don't understand how you allow Vancouver to just fall over this team the way that he did.

Speaker: And, you know, maybe we have to be mindful of the amount of clips that we show here for the Yeah, make sure we don't get copyright strike here. ah But ah without a doubt, this team just look unprepared. And I hate to say that, but this is why I call this a kamikaze approach to this game.

Speaker: I was concerned when I saw the starting XI that Hassani Dasson was not part of this rotation, part of this XI. Because if there's anyone in this team that's going to win some ball, some possession in the middle of the field that's going to be able to defend, that's going to give you a mindset of another disruptor, another six.

Speaker: You know you needed that going into this game because Vancouver is so good on the ball. And the fact that you decided to go with Snyder Burnell in a game where you're going against a much better team than against Houston, where you started, Hassani Dotson,

Speaker: doesn't make a lot of sense. Now, I don't want to say I don't understand why Brian might have thought that that was a good idea because my thinking is that he believed he could outpossess Vancouver.

Speaker: But all due respect to Snyder Burnell, that's a tough responsibility. I don't know if if that's enough for you to be able to do that. Now, his particular set of skills are on the offensive end of the ball. He did he had moments, although i thought he had a or horrendous first half.

Speaker: I thought he got dispossessed. ah You know, he's culpable. I know he slipped, but, you know, if he gets to that ball ah before that that counter in the first minute, that play doesn't happen.

Speaker: So, you know, he's involved in it regardless of, whether it's his fault or not. And look, the turf was crappy. I'll say that. And there was, everybody was slipping all over town in that particular game, but he's culpable for it. So it's difficult for me to understand that.

Speaker: Secondly, pressing as high as you did against Vancouver, right off the first minute doesn't make sense to me. There's such a good team when it comes to building on the bat that they just, they cut you up like a hot knife through butter. I mean, they,

Speaker: had no issues beating you through the press. So should have this team maybe play more in a mid block. That's what I thought they might've done. Cause you want to make them uncomfortable with the ball, but you don't want to give them the ability to use the wide areas and in their quick play in the way that they did.

Speaker: So, When you don't have players that are very good defensively and you're trying to press that high, Ferreira is supposed to be that guy that is very good pressing in the front end of the of the team.

Speaker: He didn't have a good game necessarily when he came to that specific side, but that there there was also no collective play. So to to just finalize this piece of tactics approach in the starting 11, let me say this, and I'm going to be very honest.

Speaker: You knew going into this game that you were grossly, grossly

Speaker: out-talented by Vancouver. Everyone knew that they were the better team. They were the better team on paper. They were the better team because of their their format, because they just have that system so well in place because of their results.

Speaker: So there was a need for Brian Smeister to just change the tactics a little bit. You can't go business as usual when you have a team that is so much better than yours. And secondly, and more importantly,

Speaker: Look, this team was hurt from that gut-wrenching loss against Houston. And as much as we like to think that players don't need a reason or or a motivation to get up for a game like this one, that's bullshit.

Speaker: Because this team has had bad result after bad result. There's no belief in the tactics, maybe? And that's why I asked Brian what I asked him, and we'll get to that later. But the reality is that there needed to be more to get this team up for this game.

Speaker: And it just didn't happen. It just didn't happen. And, you know, Nico, you're so great at talking about the minutia and the tactics and the 11. And I completely agree. i don't think it was the right 11 necessarily.

Speaker: but it wasn't a ridiculous 11 to me. I don't think Snyder should be starting this game. I think Asani should be starting this game, but that's not close to what it comes down to. That's not even, that's not even a 1% of what it comes down to. And our job is to come on here and to try to really explain why these things happen.

Speaker: And we can do that through what we believe is the best team out there, what we believe the best tactics are out there. But what, hurts the most about this game is that I think that game was completely beyond any of that.

Speaker: Brian put out an 11 that made sense. ah and and enough sense enough sense he put out an 11 that has a lot of talent jesus ferreira is a very talented player jordan morris at his best is a very very good player knew who has been a great fullback for the sounders for a while christian rolled on he's still one of the best sixes in mls and he is the lifeblood of this team there's good players out there who would be good players on any mls team

Speaker: And they looked like they would have been the worst player on any MLS team in that match. That is something that goes beyond necessarily what we can explain with tactics or selection.

Speaker: There was a lack of desire. There was a lack of mentality. And at the end of the day, Brian Schmetzer did not prepare his team for this match.

Speaker: And he has no more time. There's no build into the season. There's no even build into a run towards the playoffs. We've had that. That's been happening.

Speaker: We thought he had turned it in the right direction. And it was not the case. I want to bring up. ah what happened after that New England game. i was so happy back then, Nico. Everything was sunshine and rainbows, big smile on my face.

Speaker: I felt like I was watching the team that I'd grown up watching. um Nat, if we can if we can bring up my take from that game, a take which at the time I don't think was ridiculous, but I think is relevant right now.

Speaker: All right, I get it. I like it. So some kind of ability. So that brings me to my headline yet.

Speaker: Nico, which is similar to yours, obviously, which is the Seattle Sounders are back. Watch out. like you might You know, you talked about buy and sell on Friday. I know it might be premature for me to watch that performance and be all in on this team right now and to buy, buy, buy. But like you said, I'm maxing out my credit card. I'm applying for another credit card. I'm driving my FICO score into the ground. I'll never be able to get a house, a car. I don't care.

Speaker: I am all in right now on this team. That was as good a performance as I've seen from them all season under the circumstances. right It's a good Eastern Conference in New England. You get the idea.

Speaker: i had very good reason to believe what I believed at that time, but guys, it just wasn't the case.

Speaker: Look at that. I fell for it. Look at that. I fell for it, guys. I fell for the belief in this team. I really, really thought that that was the moment that they were able to turn it around.

Speaker: New England is a good team. They're on a great run to finish the season. I don't know what happened in that 90 minutes. I don't know why we haven't been able to replicate it, but it's just not there.

Speaker: And I don't think it's going to be there against LAFC. I don't think it's going to be there if we make it in the playoffs. And frankly, and don't care. That performance, I don't care about the 2026 season anymore.

Speaker: The only thing I think we could do to make this... a season that we can look back at with any level of positivity, even like crack a smile about this season, is if we make the playoffs and we play Portland and we beat them.

Speaker: I think that's the only realistic thing, because we're not going to win MLS Cup. if you're going to win MLS Cup, you have to be at least close to teams like Vancouver. And it was proven that we're not close.

Speaker: We're nowhere near the Vancouver Whitecaps. And the Vancouver Whitecaps are not the frontrunners for MLS Cup. They're the frontrunners in the West. And we're nowhere near the level. We're not going to make that run. i know I've been talking playoff runs the last few weeks. Brian has kept saying this is a team that no one wants to face in the playoffs.

Speaker: Everyone wants to play the Seattle Sounders right now. There are teams praying, please, Seattle, make the playoffs. I want to play you in the play in. I want to play you in the first round.

Speaker: We're the laughingstock right now. And we deserve to be. I think we need to start thinking about the club's direction as a whole. We need to start thinking about the sprint season, the off season, and the next full season.

Speaker: Cause I just don't think there's any salvaging 2026. That's right. This team is likely not going to, could be missing the playoffs. So we're going to talk about that here in little bit, but, For the meantime, let's get this man some super chat. Let's get him a brand new white tee. just put Sharpie to tee for your entertainment. had buy a new pack from Costco just for this bit. Let's get this man some super chat. Let's get it going, guys. Let me back my t-shirt. You are on it. You guys on the side for us? well what what you You have to have some really big takes about this whole thing. Well, ah I guess i could I could pass on some takes. I was going to try to explain the scenarios that the Sounders are facing. I don't know. What do you what do we want first? Scenarios or Let's get the scenarios out of the way so that we can... agree. Yeah. All right. So the Sounders, by losing this game, the score...

Speaker: Embarrassing. The score ended up not being as big of a deal from a tiebreaker perspective as i and a lot of other people originally thought because the centers were in great position goal difference wise going into the game. They are not in such good goal difference position anymore.

Speaker: But ah when as a reminder, wins are the first tiebreaker in the playoffs. They are currently one point behind the Galaxy who are in seventh. They are tied on points with both the Timbers and the Rapids for eight and nine.

Speaker: But they have one less win than both of those teams. So the simplest scenario for the Sounders to get in is that they win and that any one of those three teams drops points. If they do that,

Speaker: they will move into the playoffs, potentially as high as seven. ah There is also a scenario where they could pie and get in.

Speaker: It's a little bit more complicated in that case because they would need both of the Rapids and or they need at least one of the Rapids or the Timbers to lose.

Speaker: And i guess even if if RSL lost, they are, I'm sorry, if the Galaxy lost to RSL, whatever. a Point being, I'm not going to get into all the permutations, but this the point is the Sounders need to do better on Saturday than at least one of the three teams ahead of them.

Speaker: So it's not crazy. i would I would imagine, I haven't actually looked at the percentages, but it's probably a little better than, know, it's probably somewhere around 50% Sounders are likely to get into the playoffs. ah Very, I would say if they win, they're,

Speaker: percentages of getting into the playoffs shoot up now one of the other complicating factors in this thing is that none of those teams are playing all three of them are on the road but none of them are playing opponents that have a lot to play for anymore the galaxy play ah rsl that's maybe their best hope because rsl still is is alive in this playoff if they beat the galaxy i think there's a good there's a i'm not sure they're guaranteed to jump in but there's a decent chance that they would jump in because they are two points behind the sounders And they are.

Speaker: Yeah. They can jump. And then the Timbers play at Austin. Austin, of course, has nothing to play for, but they've had nothing to play for it for a while. So who knows? Maybe that doesn't matter.

Speaker: And then the Rapids are playing at Dallas. Dallas is stuck into the number two spot. They are likely not going to put a lot into this game. But they might. Who knows? So there you go. there Those are the scenarios that could get the Sounders in. But i'm I'm with Adam.

Speaker: I don't know that the Sounders certainly don't deserve to get in right now. I don't know if it really changes anything about how we feel about this season. I suppose there is some there is a scenario where the Sounders could play the Timbers. And I suppose if they beat the Timbers in the play-in game, that would give us some emotional weight to getting into the playoffs but it's not going to change the value of this season and so i think that you're i think you guys are both right that this has just been the last three games especially or the last and the last four games have been such a failure by everyone involved uh

Speaker: If you had told me four games ago that the Sounders were going to finish fourth and be have home field advantage in the first round, I would have believed that over they're going to finish. They're going playing for their lives going into the season finale.

Speaker: And, you know, I think we can we can find blame to go around on this one. I did think that one thing that was really notable in the postgame, which I'm sure you guys will we'll get into at some point, is...

Speaker: there was a level of defeatedness in the players in Brian. Yeah. They didn't really, there was a, we heard a lot of, I don't knows. We heard a lot of, you know, Jordan said something like, you know, this is a learning moment, but we've been having a lot of these learning moments. We're supposed to have learned by it, learned from it by now.

Speaker: And we can't, what do we do? We can't be talking about learning moments in the second season. No, not at all. And to lose two Cascadia cup, man. i mean, what's the other funny stat to come out of this game And I've been on long enough at this point, but one of the funniest stats come out of this game is the Sounders finished. Oh, and four. Oh, no points from the Cascadia cup. That's the first time that the Cascadia cup has actually been contested that a team did not get any points.

Speaker: There was a in 2020, the Whitecaps played five games and lost all five of those games. Cascadia Cup technically was not contested that year because the Whitecaps were not playing any games at home. They were playing games at ah RSL. If you remember, they were playing home games at RSL.

Speaker: And and so this is this is a history making failure for the Sounders. They tied the record for the most goals allowed in Cascadia Cup play. They had the worst Cascadia Cup goal difference, minus 11.

Speaker: And if you take out those four games, the Sounders actually had a 39 to 31 or 30. They had a plus eight or nine goal difference outside of the Cascadia Cup games. The Cascadia Cup games are supposed to be some of their most important games that they play all year.

Speaker: And they did not look good in any of them. In any of them. This is such a massive failure that it's hard to really contextualize.

Speaker: And I'll let you guys go from there. No, no, I love it. And and thank you for that, because you kind of bring it all back into a circle because though we could talk about this game all day. i do want to say a couple more things about it, but it's what it means for the next game.

Speaker: It's about what it means for the spring season. and And kind of, again, he goes back to this is the... last game of the season and we still don't know who is Brian's best 11 or or he who he wants out there. And it's it's hard to understand.

Speaker: i get the injuries and I'm not saying that's not a ah factor, but sometimes you got to be able to figure it out. And in this particular game, I don't want sugarcoat it. Look, Kalani Kosariensi had a horrible game, and he wasn't just defensively, but on offense. Last game, he wasn't very effective on offense either. And when you are supposed to be the guy that gives this team width, you were supposed to be the guy that made Bruno defend and pinned him back a bit, and you want him to to get him going. All you gave him was a highway.

Speaker: to attack because that side of the field was attacked all game, whether it was Alex Rodin at the end of the game or whether it was Kalani Kosariensi. That was the way they were going to go. They were going to put it through that side.

Speaker: And it was hard to watch. ah Brunel on the second goal. he he has a front row seat to watch Ryan Gold put the ball in the back of the net. And that nobody's chasing the runner. He's so wide open. He could have tied his shoe, looked up and scored that goal.

Speaker: And it doesn't matter. So all of these things just lead me to just have a hard time understanding the the disconnect, right? And,

Speaker: It all goes back to Brian. And if we could bring up the clip of of just the question I asked him, because again, it it is about what he told us this team was going to be going into this game.

Speaker: The lack of of intensity, ah the the lack of a team that had urgency and that, yes, they got hit with a what first minute goal that just,

Speaker: damages, everything you had going into that game, but you got to be able to get off that. You got to be able to move through that. And you, you feel like you have enough experienced players in the field to get through that.

Speaker: And you were just unable to do so. So if we could play Brian's clips or at least the clip on, in regards to that, but That was in some way my question. So let me try to rephrase it up because, you know, you talked about those big money guys, you know, and, and, you know, how concerning is it that after, you know, two years of Jesus Ferrer, who was a blockbuster move for this team, one of those big money guys, as you said, is still not a guy that maybe you can count on to get you back into a game where, you know, you you need goals and you need him to, you know, be at his best. You know, how concerning is that for him as a player and the way he fits into your system or the the team?

Speaker: Oh, look, I'm not going single him out. There were other players that make a lot of money that haven't had good performances, but I haven't necessarily pulled him out for different reasons. There's a reason for Jesus. This was his third game in his week coming back from injury.

Speaker: Okay. So should he have made more impact in the game? Yeah, I think so. And I will tell him that. But I also think Jordan wasn't great in the first half. I don't think Christian was good in the first half.

Speaker: I don't think Jackson was good in the first half. I don't think Nuhu was good in the first half, but some of those positions I couldn't change. And so my choice here as a coach for the fault the last game is to make sure that I put on the guys who, yes, are going to make a difference, but can't be blinded by money. I have to put the guys on that I think are going to help me win the game.

Speaker: Thank you, Coach. That's all we have on.

Speaker: So it's it's really interesting hearing Brian talk in this postgame presser, and he keeps bringing up something has to change. Something has to change. That's what we're all thinking. I'm seeing um in the chat right now. First of all, shout out Derek Richards for the five and shout out to Eddie Jarvis for the five. That will cover the shirt. Thank you. um that it does get to a point where you just think, what do we need to do to fix this? What do we need to do to change? And Ryan does, I think, the correct thing in this press conference where...

Speaker: He takes the responsibility off of the players and he says, it is my job as a coach to make sure they know what they have to do to make sure they are ready for their opponent and ready for the match.

Speaker: It is my job as the coach to put the best players out there to pick the best starting eleven And there's nothing for Brian to hide behind at this point.

Speaker: And he is very upfront with that. And he is very upfront with saying something has to change. And Nico, I know you had thoughts on on what perhaps reading into that a little bit and trying to decipher maybe what exactly Brian means by that.

Speaker: I just think Bryant sees that he's unable to deliver his message the way he wants it and the way the guys receive it. And going into a rivalry game and and being that flat that early and ah whether it's about slow starts in the first halves or self-inflicted wounds coming out of the back,

Speaker: He knows all this stuff. He's worked on it. We see it in training. But the fact that that doesn't reflect on the field has to make him feel like he is not doing his job right. And seeing the feet in Brian is not usual. and And I hate to see it, to be quite frank.

Speaker: But that's the way he holds himself accountable. Now, he didn't say, look, I'm part of the issue. But when he mentioned the fact that, you know, something's got to give. I think he puts himself in that. Like, am I the problem? You know, am I what needs to change to get this team going in the right direction?

Speaker: And I don't want to sit here and make him the the primary problem with this team or or this game particularly. Individual mistakes are absolutely part of this. Even in the fourth goal, I think Deky doesn't check. It's kind weird because he checks his shoulder. He sees Laborda coming, and Laborda still pick his pockets.

Speaker: And then Laboda, the center back, who he's phenomenal to be quite honest, but he gets forward. The center back gets clear all the way to the top of the box. And then he's the one that finishes that play. That's unexcusable. So there are responsibilities when he comes to the players, but...

Speaker: Brian, without a doubt, is a big component in this. And if he's unable to bring in the right tactics so or at least get the guys to buy in on what he's selling, it's a problem.

Speaker: There's been times where before I've talked about a message going stale. from coaches, that's a real thing. These guys in robots. They got to believe in the guy that's in front of them.

Speaker: Look, ive I spoke to El Pio Herrera a lot of times. I've talked to Pinto, one of the most fiery coaches in this planet. Those guys talk about the importance of your team believing.

Speaker: You've seen Pio Herrera losing his mind on the sideline. I'm not saying that's what you got to do. But sometimes he does it. You know, I talk to him and he's like, still i do it because the team needed it. They needed me to just lose my mind and grab my hair. So it looks like Goku. Like he he just needed needed to do that at that particular time. So.

Speaker: Brian understands that he's part of what needs to get figured out. And so I don't want to say that he's saying going to step away or there there needs to be a change there. But I thought it was.

Speaker: interesting to see that indication from him, to leaving that up to anyone's you know ah understanding. It's up for interpretation. And I absolutely agree that this is about as depressed as Brian has looked.

Speaker: And it's funny because i after every one of these press conferences, I've been throwing together a quick a quick little quote thing to post on the Sounder at Heart Instagram. And when I do that, I grab a ah screenshot to to put the quote below.

Speaker: And I'm looking back at these that I'm posting and I'm looking at these screenshots of the press conferences of Brian and of Albert and of Christian and Jordan. And it's starting to get to the point where the Sounder at Heart Instagram feed is just bunch of depressed faces, just a string of sad, sad men.

Speaker: um And I would love to play the clips of Jordan and Christian ah For those who don't really know how the media tends to work for these Sounders matches, when they lose a game, they put out two of four players, I would say. It's almost always Christian Roldan talks.

Speaker: ah You often see Albert Rusnak talk. albert or ah Andrew Thomas gets out there pretty often, and Jordan gets out there pretty often. This is some of the team leaders in the locker room and people that the Sounders feel confident about.

Speaker: from a PR perspective of putting in front of the media after a loss that they're going to give the good answers and they're going to be cheery enough and be, you know, able to say, Hey, this didn't go our way, but we will get them next time. It's good in the locker room. And, you know, Christian and Jordan know the messaging they're supposed to put out.

Speaker: They don't look like they believe in it in this press conference. We just have one clip for me of Jordan and Christian. You can play those now, Nat. Our lives are coming up here. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's... We got to learn. don't even what to say. We got to learn from this one. and and But but we we say that after every loss. And then for some reason, we're not learning from from these moments, whatever whatever that is. So, um yeah, i mean, some results, I guess, have to go our way now. And and we have to win at home.

Speaker: um Look, we we we still feel like we're a really good team. We still feel like we have... really good players we don't i don't have an answer to why a game like this happens or the portland game earlier this year happens or you know i don't really have an answer to to to why and that's the the jordan morris clip but yeah we'll take a second just to talk about that one because i think that one it tells the story i like what christian said a lot as well but with jordan morris It's like this level of defeat in his voice where he knows what he is supposed to say. he knows what his job is to say, is to go out there and say, we're going to learn from this.

Speaker: And it just looks like he can't do it anymore. He knows that there's something deeper than that. He says it right there. You can kind of hear a mumble before he gives his answer. Like, i don't even know what to say.

Speaker: I don't blame him. I feel bad that two players have to go out there and answer to the media after every single game. um And... He gives the answer that he's supposed to give, which is we're going to learn from this. But then he he kind of breaks character for a moment and he says, hey, we say this every week and it hasn't happened. And I'm really glad he was able to come out and say that.

Speaker: It's very telling because it's true. They say it after after the Houston loss, after the Dallas loss, after the Montreal draw, they've been saying the same thing. And it's easier after those because you know that you at least maybe deserve better than what the final scoreline put forward. So you can, as a player, say that if we pick up one more little thing, we will be there.

Speaker: Sure. There's nothing to pick up from that. That puts you back at the very start. You're you're nowhere near where you need to be. And he knows that it's really, you know, i don't want to speculate too far into the mind of Jordan Morris and Christian rolled on, but they Jordan looks so beaten down and he, he just, he says we have quality in the locker room. We have good guys in the locker room. And on paper, that's true. Like I've been saying, there's really talented players for the Seattle Sounders. There has been for the whole history of this club. There's always been real quality in the locker room.

Speaker: But at at a point, it doesn't matter. And it seems like Jordan is maybe believing that they are at that point. We can play the Christian one now as well.

Speaker: we need We need to bring intensity, whether it's... um a rivalry or not, this team, I believe lacks a bit of intensity and it's on us leaders to, to bring it out of our guys.

Speaker: um today was another example of, of, of lacking the desire. Um, and, and that's, uh, that's non-negotiable, honestly, in professional sports and, uh, non-negotiable, non-negotiable if you play for the Sounders. And so I expect a big reaction from our guys, uh, against LAFC. And, um,

Speaker: Yeah, I think when it comes to rivalry, it's especially important because these teams are going to bring it. and and you know, it is a rivalry for a reason. This is our MLS minute presented by Continental Tire, the longtime supporter of American soccer.

Speaker: I'm David Goss here, and it's going to be tough to try and stick to a minute or get even close because we are one week away from decision day and we are so excited. All week at Soccerize, we're going to have your coverage of all of the playoff scenarios, previews of the matches to come, analysis of what's gone right and wrong for some of these teams and for the sad teams. What can't you Atlanta San Diego SKC.

Speaker: Don't worry. On Thursday, we're going to do a look back on what went wrong in your season and what to look forward to. So I'm going try and speed through to get as close as I can to an MLS minute here. And I have to start with Nashville. 91st minute winner against the Red Bulls at home. They tied Miami for the most points in an MLS single season the day they lifted the shield in front of their fans.

Speaker: Next week with a win or a tie, they would be the sixth team in 10 years to set a new points record in MLS. It was a strong weekend behind them in the east. Miami came from behind to win at New England. That moved the South Florida squad to second in the east ahead of the revs and Chicago right behind them got a win out west to stay ahead of Charlotte. in the fourth, fifth seed for home field advantage. Cincinnati beat Philadelphia. That clinched their playoff spot. They're only one point behind Philly in six. And the crew clinched their playoff spot as well for the 3-1 mauling of D.C. United and now sit ahead of Orlando, who, yes, have qualified for the playoffs, but are now in ninth

Speaker: place All of this is thanks to New York Red Bulls, and NYCFC, and Toronto, who were all eliminated this week in more embarrassing fashion than the team before them.

Speaker: Out West, Vancouver have clinched first, so they are going to host all the way through. at least the Western Conference finals they crushed their cascade rival Seattle 5-1 who are now in serious trouble of not even making the postseason Dallas San Jose and St. Louis still sit in the two through four spots with Houston and LAFC behind them but here is where it gets interesting The LA Galaxy started this weekend in 10th place.

Speaker: They now sit in 7th. They could still clinch LAFC ahead of them. but They travel to RSL on Decision Day, who currently sit in 11th place, two points behind the Galaxy.

Speaker: All of the LA Galaxy, Portland, Colorado Rapids, Seattle, RSL, and Minnesota are still alive on D-Day for the final three spots in the Western Conference playoffs. And this was all thanks to a wild Sunday night, which ended with Minnesota knocking off LAFC 3-1 on the road to stay alive, and Portland jumping from 13th to E with their victory over the Houston Dynamo.

Speaker: That sounds like a lot. It is. We are so excited to break it all down at SoccerWise all week. So join us on socials as well as on the podcast or on YouTube. And this has been your MLS Minute as part of our SoccerWise Media Collective sponsored by Continental Tire. We are proud to work with the best local soccer media partners across the country.

Speaker: Thank you for listening to the Sounder Heart Podcast Network, which recently added Monday Soundcheck to our roster of shows. Soundcheck airs live on Mondays at 1 p.m. You can watch it on our YouTube channel or listen to it at your convenience, however you consume podcasts. It joins a roster that already includes Nos Adietes, which airs on Wednesdays and Fridays, and the Cooler Guild, who cover the Seattle rain. If you like what you hear, please consider becoming a member of Sounder at Heart.

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Speaker: We're also looking for sponsors. Send an email to partners at pnwsoccermedia.com and we'll get you all set up. Thanks for listening. And with this answer, it's important to note that A talking point after every single loss is, was this the tactics? Was this the 11?

Speaker: Or was this something to do with how the players are showing up to the field? And a coach and a locker room never ever, this is PR 101, you never go out there and say,

Speaker: they didn't put in enough effort unless you really truly believe it. And Brian Schmetzer has defended his locker room to the ends of the earth, really his entire tenure.

Speaker: He has always said, The guys in there believe. The guys in there want it badly. And the players have said the same. And I have been inclined to believe them for all of this season.

Speaker: There's no way to believe that message after that match. And to Christian's credit, he does not say that. He says the team didn't have the desire. That is a huge alarm bell that the leader of this team, the leader of this team, Christian Roldan,

Speaker: is going to go out in front of the press. And you can tell that even in that moment, it's kind of ah it's hard for him to say it. He's like, I think a bit of of fire was was lacking there. That is a big moment for Christian to come out and say something like that, because that is something that is, the world has to be crumbling for them to go after.

Speaker: the fire and the commitment of the players in a game. I want to shout out Sean is here for the food for the $5. He said we had some highs, but our lows were rough. However, I'd be hard pressed to say wholesale change is necessary.

Speaker: Time to look at 2027 retool. And that is really what is so difficult about this situation. you know that there are great players on this team. Dejan Jovolic, at his best, he's a goal per 90 striker. Easily, I would say, with the right service, with the right system around him, he is a top five striker in MLS.

Speaker: Christian Roldan is still... one of the best sixes in MLS. There's a reason he was on the U.S. men's national team squad. You saw how much this team struggles without Christian Roldan in midfield.

Speaker: He's one of those old guard guard players that I think is absolutely still at the level and above the level, perhaps, of many other sixes in MLS. Outside of that, you start to look around and you think, we thought this was a group of guys that was able to compete at the Sounders level.

Speaker: Can you believe that anymore? Is how much change can we need or want going into the sprint season, going into 2027? How do you move forward? Is it a retool? Is it a rebuild? what do you think, Nico? Look, I want to say one thing. It's it's pretty obvious that.

Speaker: Christian is but being pretty honest out here. And Jordan Morris, who he had an okay game. I think he saves his game by that goal that he had, which I think was one of the few positives this game had.

Speaker: It's a 22 pass possession that lasts almost two minutes. That's what the team needed to do early. They do it a little bit late. He puts the ball in the back of the net, but he looked, as you mentioned, angry.

Speaker: and And earlier, i don't know who is the person who commented, but... He said we have too many nice guys or something to that effect. And I do feel like that that's a big problem with this team.

Speaker: And I think that Christian Roldan is a guy that could be a little bit angry. He could do a little bit more fouling throughout the broadcast. They said that the Sounders have the least amount of yellow cards. I'm not saying that you have to be the team that gets all the yellow cards in bad positions. But at the same time, you should never be the least. You got to be able to bring in that shoulder. You got to be able maybe not not not get silly yellows, but ah definitely that that physicalness that New England game, I believe in that first half, they had like 10,000 very least. that's the sort of team that needed to be in a game like this one that just never showed up. So when Jackson Reagan is getting manhandled, when Alex O'Donnell was a very physical player, it's not doing his thing. When you don't have another guy next to Christian O'Donnell helping him out, because you're right.

Speaker: there is this thought that this team needs a six. I think that's true, but it's gotta be the replacement for Christian, but Christian is supposed to be that six, especially when there's no Hassani Dotson next to him.

Speaker: So there are problems moving forward, but the reality is that this team should have enough with what they have to put it together because it goes back to coaching that there's been moments where this team has figured it out, has been able to put away teams like new England and then you can't replicate it as you mentioned moving forward. So,

Speaker: What needs to change? Unfortunately to me, the system might have to change. Maybe get away from the double pivots. You got to be able to figure out if you need two wingers because the wingback situation or the fullbacks that get forward, it's not working. It hasn't worked over the last three games.

Speaker: It hasn't worked against top teams like... Vancouver, that do what you want to do but better. We don't have an Ocampo. Ocampo is exactly what this system needs.

Speaker: A guy that's going to be great on the ball, he's a goal scorer, he could put the ball in a dime. That's what you need out of this. So when you don't have that, you've got to be able to change it up. And that's kind of my grind with this whole thing where you know we continue to maybe bag on Jesus himself. bag on Joe Bullidge, bag on Christian, bag on Jordan. But look, if they're not being put in in a situation to succeed, that that has to go on the coaching a bit. So moving forward to me, you got to figure out if you have the players for the system, you got to build a system around the players and not vice versa. And you got to go out there and get yourself a couple more players. We've talked about left back. You got to give Nuhu someone that,

Speaker: ah forces him, that that competes with him. Because Nuhu today, he doesn't care, you know, like what happens. I mean, um but I'm not saying he's going in there saying, I'm just going to play Neely Willie, but he has no pressure.

Speaker: There's no one going to take over his position. Paul Arreola can come in and do ah a very good job as a wingback, but he's not a guy that I think you could say, hey, that's what I want him to do, because you probably want him higher up the field.

Speaker: So you got to get out there and find a replacement for Yemar Gomez-Andrade because Alex is not the the the right guy. Stu came in, didn't have a great game. He's young. He's learning. he He's part of one of the goals where he gets forward. I think the last one, the fifth goal, he gets forward. He gets dispossessed. Teams are out of bounds. You get an easy goal on the 18.

Speaker: So all those things have to, something's got to give. something You got to be able to change it around. I have no doubt that Jovlich is the man. He's the guy. He's someone that you want to build your your your system around, but you have to be able to play for the players.

Speaker: So, obviously, i don't want to talk about the spring season just yet, but I will say this before we talk about the LAFC game.

Speaker: Should this team, I mean, no no team, and let me let me put this in front of it. Let me put this caveat. No player, GM, or coach is ever going to admit or say, I'd rather not go to the playoffs.

Speaker: But I'm going to ask J.O., I'm going ask you. To me, the the making the playoffs has never been the bar, has never been the objective. It's what you do beyond that.

Speaker: That's not even in the question now because to me, Nico Moreno, making the plane is not the playoffs. Getting past that game into the playoffs is the playoffs. That's already a long shot right now. I mean, there are ways, as you heard from Jeremiah, that this team can get in immediately, straightforward.

Speaker: But right now, this team doesn't control its own destiny, which is sad. But does this team, i don't want to talk about you whether you deserve it or not, But should this team make the playoffs? Because, I mean, if you don't, maybe it's an easier way to get to the root of the problem. or You make more changes.

Speaker: ah Maybe, you know, get into a playing game where, you know, you're going get embarrassed. I mean, I don't know. To me, i want this team to make it. I really do. ah Just so they have one last chance at figuring out where they are in for me to go into the office and saying they had every chance they had, they they got, they they got every, they had every chance to show this fan base, to show the league, to show the team, that the coaches, the GM, that this was what their ceiling was.

Speaker: And they weren't able to do it. But to you, there's a lot of people out there that are saying, I'd rather the the Sounders not make the playoffs at all. I'd rather them just, be done. And that way there'd be more changes is a is hitting rock bottom.

Speaker: What's your thought? I, as I said earlier in the show, the discourse around wanting to not make the playoffs is something that I've been fending off for weeks and weeks and weeks for months, really at this point.

Speaker: I'm there. I hope that we win against LAFC and I hope every team above us wins as well. I hope that we show something to the home fans. I like that. Because at the end of the day, we pay for the damn tickets.

Speaker: We show up week after week. Do something. LAFC sucks right now. Just win one. i don't think... I don't think we deserve to be in the playoffs.

Speaker: I don't think it matters if we're in the playoffs because we've shown we're nowhere close to the level to do anything in the playoffs. Go play a couple more games, maybe one more home game. Who cares?

Speaker: I don't care at this point. I think what needs to happen is that season to end and for thoughts to start to be swirling around the heads of of management, of the fans, of the players, the coaches.

Speaker: i think the longer you put off thinking about the future, the harder it's going to be. Making the playoffs would put that off a little bit.

Speaker: And honestly, I think the Seattle Sounders in 2026 making the playoffs ah is an argument for MLS to start rethinking how their playoff systems work. because there's just no world in which this team deserves to be there and even gains that much from being there.

Speaker: So to all you people who have been saying that we don't need to make the playoffs, it doesn't matter if we need to make the playoffs. And I've been saying, no, no, I'm telling you, this team is good. This team can make a run. Brian's been playing this team is is one that no one wants to face.

Speaker: As I said, everyone wants to face this team in the playoffs. If we don't make it, nothing will change. Let's just hit the reset button.

Speaker: Get the hell out of 2026. ah Jeremiah, I do want you to get on here and give us a take of, you know, you have a a broader sense of, you know, what what the team has done, the ins and outs.

Speaker: You obviously are a big voice here in in the Pacific Northwest. I tend to think that this team, ah you know, right now is going to have a difficult time making any sort of noise in the playoffs ah when you're a team that knew exactly what you couldn't have Vancouver do, and you still weren't able to do it.

Speaker: i have a hard time thinking that they're going to be able to do it against the LAFC. I hope they do. But where do you fall in this whole conversation about whether or not this team, you know, is it better to make the playoffs? Is it better to make the playoffs? You know, where do you fall?

Speaker: Well, I will say that for as bad as the Sounders have been, the LAFC has not been much better. No. I guarantee their fan base comparably frustrating. That is factual. They just lost three to one at home United.

Speaker: minnesota united And that was a flattering score line. They were down 3-0 in stoppage time. And they got a golasso from Denny Bwonga, I believe, to just get it to 3-1. So they they have their own problems. So the Sounders certainly are capable of putting together a ah winning performance against LAFC.

Speaker: Whether not that's enough or not, will will you know we'll see. I went through the scenarios of how they can get in. It's not that far-fetched. Mm-hmm. At this point, it feels like the best case scenario for the Sounders is that they is that they were to maybe win play-in game and get into the playoffs. But that's not going to... I'm someone who would rather have games than not have games oh sorry it wasn't uh it wasn't buonga it was uh sergio vasquez yeah uh but either way uh the i would rather have games than not have games i'm never going to be someone who says let's just miss the playoffs

Speaker: but there's a selfish part of me that wouldn't mind it either getting the to start early start on the off season. But look, I want to make the playoffs. I don't have very high expectations for them.

Speaker: I, you know, a couple weeks ago, i I would have said, I love a matchup with, with FC Dallas. I would have been willing to take a matchup with Vancouver whitecaps. I do not want any piece of the whitecaps right now.

Speaker: ah So, I mean, if they were to win win the play in game, they would have the whitecaps waiting for them. That seems like, That seems like a bad ah ah recipe for disaster. I'm not looking forward to that at all.

Speaker: So, you know, I suppose if they can get into seventh, they could play Dallas. Dallas, I don't know. I do not have much expectation of this team. I don't have a good explanation. I will remind everyone that the GM vote is still open.

Speaker: ah You should exercise. And if you also the real election is tomorrow. And so you can, I would put your ballot in the mail if you're in Washington, get it done in the mail. Sorry.

Speaker: Put it in a Dropbox. yes Someone blew me up for saying vote by mail. You got to put in a Dropbox. The mail, not I don't even know that if it goes in the mail, it'll get counted right now. So if you have not voted in the Washington elections, please go submit your ballot to your closest Dropbox. I'm sure you can figure out how to find a Dropbox.

Speaker: But the GM vote is open through this game. It's going to be consequential. You know, I've said that i voted, I have cast my vote to retain Craig Weibel, at the end of the day, I just cannot look myself in i could not look myself in the mirror and say he deserves to be, my vote should be that he be fired because he his performance on the whole is not really all that different than Adrian's or or Garth Lagaway's. And but they all sailed to renewal.

Speaker: to renewal but I don't blame anyone for wanting change for the sake of change at this point. And i do think that, you know, the messaging so far has been, we're going to use the sprint season as a as sort of like ah an assessment period to get ready for 27, 28 right now, that feels like it would be be a mistake if they, I don't know that they can afford to have the performance that they had this year and then potentially waste another season.

Speaker: So I do think they have to go into 27 with the expectation that they're going to compete. I don't know exactly what that means. I suspect there's going to have to be some changes I'm with you. I think they need a new, I think they need someone to compete at left back.

Speaker: I think they're going to need a Yamar replacement. I think they probably need, they need someone to emerge as a playmaker on the wing. Maybe that's Pedro de la Vega. i don't have a lot of expectation for that, but they do need, they really do desperately need a more dynamic player coming off the wing. Cause that has been probably the most,

Speaker: glaring air glaring glaring omission from the team this year it's just they've had almost no playmaking at all and you know to the degree that sebastian gomez was able to do it he's done it but i i guess hope that paul rothrock at times has done it too uh but he's been hurt a lot so you know the the the problem right now is they have a lot of guys who maybe could do it but no one that's shown that they can do it over an extended period of time Yeah, no, I i completely agree.

Speaker: Adam, I know you had yeah some going on here. Well, first of all, another super chat. want to give a shout out. Agbor Kuna with the $5. You can blame the midseason slump on injuries. The late season slump falls on the coaches. I do agree with that.

Speaker: He asks, is this next game Brian's final game as head coach? No. i I do not see a world in which this is Brian's last game as head coach, no matter what happens. I think he is too established. I think we said this about a month ago, like, oh, if the worst happens, if the Sounders don't make the playoffs, is Brian truly, truly on the hot seat? I don't believe so.

Speaker: I think, honestly, I think it would have to get to the point of multiple seasons like this one or scandal for Brian Schmetzer to actually truly be on the firing hot seat.

Speaker: um But, I think Brian will step away before he gets fired. I agree. If it gets really awful, I agree that I think he would step down. I don't see him. And Jeremiah and I did a buy or sell segment in our last show of what we learned this week.

Speaker: And neither of us think that Brian will be here beyond the spring season. So I stand on that. I... even more now seeing the way things played out over the weekend, hearing Brian himself, he has nothing to prove.

Speaker: I honestly think he could, you know, start tarnishing his own legacy by, you know, getting bad results and stuff. I just think that he has nothing to prove and he could just walk away from this spring season. You know, it's a short one. It's 14 games.

Speaker: He could probably stay here as he figures out what what's what's the next move. ah But I do feel like, there is a world in which they just move on. And I don't think Freddie Juarez is the guy that ah wouldn't, you know, I think that he is going to continue to grow his career as a assistant coach. I really like him. I think he's great, but I do feel like he likes that role.

Speaker: Precky, it's not an option. So maybe, you know, an Andy Rhodes, we'll see what happens. This is totally to talk about all that. But the the reality is, is that going into this game against l la of c You at least want to see some fight. You at least want to see this team be competitive, be able to

Speaker: build on ah on something in some degree to to what's going happen next season, whether you get into a playing game or not. I think that's just an added bonus, but I just can't sit here and honestly say that I have any confidence in this team doing anything beyond that playing game The things that I want to see on Saturday is, first of all, Paul Areola should be starting at left back.

Speaker: I don't think New Who should play another minute this season. That was a terrible performance. And not only that, because players have bad performances, great players have bad performances.

Speaker: But as we said earlier, it just looks like he doesn't think he can get displaced. he he He's playing right now. He always plays free. That's what Nuhu does.

Speaker: But there is a point where you need to send a message to a guy like Nuhu and say, you cannot have a game like that. and just play the next game, start the next game. I think Paul Areola should start at left back. I know it's not his preferred position.

Speaker: It's the only guy we have. I've liked Paul Areola at left back this season so far. I think that one of the biggest mistakes Brian Schmetzer has made this season tactically is the fact that Paul Areola has...

Speaker: not played as many minutes as he has a note from that, but Paul Rothrock may be available for that game. Brian did allude to that because he would have been possibly available for this Vancouver game. And he had the flu just like Jackson Reagan had a couple of weeks ago.

Speaker: i would love to see Paul Rothrock get into this game as well. I think that he is a Sounders hero, and I think he deserves, at the very least, one last chance to show that he's ready to jump back in and cause a spark on this team.

Speaker: um I want to see the players booed coming out of the tunnel. And fair. I want to hopefully not see them getting booed going into the tunnel, but that is on them.

Speaker: This is the problem with that. thought process though and I love it I absolutely do when it comes to the meaning behind it but shoot if we're going off of this game then Alex ain't starting Jackson ain't starting Brunel would I don't think he should start Kalani's not starting so that that that's a lot of changes and that would go against everything that I've been trying to preach was it which is Brian just took too long to have a cohesive unit. So I think you got to double down and go back to the team that played against Houston, that at least was competitive, that at least had some sort of, uh, uh, way in offensively and kind of woke up there, the second half, uh,

Speaker: I just want to see it done over again, just done better. If any changes need to happen, in in my opinion, is maybe Alex, put him back a right back and and and just go go go with Stu and see if the young'un moving forward next to Jackson, see what he can give you in that last game. Maybe that's not going to vote well when ah you know this team has a guy like Buonga, but look, the way he'll see him using Buonga as a nine,

Speaker: I don't like. ah To me, Buonga is most dangerous as a winger. And I feel like that's one of the big misconceptions and one of the biggest problems with this team is that they haven't been able to play Buonga where he wants. They haven't been able play Sonny where he wants. And they don't they they haven't had a nine for a very long time.

Speaker: For a very long time. So... I like the the the way he could vote for the Sounders, but I'm already thinking about next season. And maybe it's the wrong way to look at it, but I at least want to be able to give a high stake game to a guy like Stu. I want to see Alex where he plays best.

Speaker: I've said it at least six times this episode alone. Kalani hasn't been good offensively when it comes to that delivery into the box. You need him to be better, whether it's underlapping or overlapping. You got to get him there.

Speaker: I need to see a Susan there again, regardless of whether you like them or not, because he is supposed to be the guy moving forward. And if he's not, and if he's not, because I also asked Brian Smetzer this,

Speaker: Is it concerning that after two years, after two years, Ferreira is still not a guy that you can count on to finish off a game, regardless of how he was playing or not?

Speaker: To me, that's concerning. He's supposed to be a guy that has some DP clauses. He was the Black Buster acquisition of the moment.

Speaker: I could put it a little bit on Brian when it comes to not being able to unlock him. And this all goes back to something that I've said. Even when Raul was here and Nico was here, you cannot go into a playoff. You cannot go into a play-in.

Speaker: You cannot go into dire need games when you haven't empowered your team and and empower certain players to take the lead in those games. Everybody talks about we don't have this Ozzy Alonso-like. We don't have this guy that's going to be in every tackle.

Speaker: To me, it was supposed to be Hassani. But you haven't empowered him to do so. You haven't given him constant play time. You haven't said, hey, Hazani, this is your role.

Speaker: Allow Christian to just get a little bit forward. You're going to be the sixth. You're going to come in and just slight tackle and and bite guys like Luis Suarez. Like, you're going to be a dog. going to bark at every single time. or so but But if you haven't done that, then then that's on you as a coach. So I just want to see a similar 11. You've already made your bed, Brian. So now you've got to sleep in it. you You can make changes because what's the what's the other possible option? Are you going to put all the...

Speaker: the The Harfeld guys, are you going to start Peter? Are you going to start Paul Rothrock? Paul Arriola, I like. I think that's a good shout. I would still play him higher up the field.

Speaker: ah But again, it is something that it's a huge problem for this team going against ah LAFC moving forward. yes Stuart Hawkins should be starting this match. We saw... I mean, from a perspective, I think Stu Hawkins, like you said, should be getting these high-intensity minutes now because although he might not be the number one center back going into next year, that's probably not going to happen as we've seen, but he is a big part of this future.

Speaker: um But... stew hawkins has to be starting mostly because alex rolled on absolutely needs to be on the outside there's there's no other place uh for alex rolled on to be i i don't know why brian has been so insistent on alex rolled on at center back and he's been bitten for it thank you derek for the one dollar donation we appreciate it um hell i mean put the decoma defiance out there to be honest with you I know i want to see consistency. I want to see consistency. But I know that you had a bit of a segment that you wanted to get I think that, look,

Speaker: We are Sounders fans first. We are Sounders reporters first, but also we are MLS reporters. We are MLS media. This is supposed to be a joyous time. It's decision day. You know, this is something that the league always builds up to. So maybe we can play into that just a little bit and see what we think is going to happen on decision day and where we think the teams are going to finish specifically in the Western Conference. What our predictions are for the finishes.

Speaker: um I'll start out here. Obviously, Vancouver has already clinched that top spot. I think that FC Dallas gets it done at home and finish second in the Western Conference.

Speaker: I think that Minnesota are a blip a little bit. They've had some little shocking performances over the last little bit. ah They are the opponent of third place San Jose. I think San Jose get that win.

Speaker: I think St. Louis do get back to form fully against Houston. um So that would be Vancouver, Dallas, San Jose, St. Louis as the top four.

Speaker: And really, I think that's been the trajectory. It's been on for a while. However, ah it's surprising at this point, thinking about where we were a couple of weeks ago, that Dallas are by far the favorites to finish top two. I mean, St. Louis, they can't finish top two anymore. And we were saying a couple of weeks ago that St. Louis and Vancouver were on another echelon. St. Louis have lost four in a row.

Speaker: They're winless in their last five. it's It's pretty shocking. But I saw in that Houston game midweek against the Sounders, that was a rotated Houston team for the record.

Speaker: um But I don't think that that team is very good. um They were at a point this season quite good. They had some great form. I don't think that that is for and you even him they i think they they turned out to be pretenders they will end up finishing fifth in the western conference i do believe that the sounders will win on saturday i don't think it matters and like i said before if everyone above us wins and we don't make the playoffs i'll have a smile on my face but

Speaker: I think that the Seattle Sounders will win on Saturday against l LA. And I think that the LA Galaxy will beat Real Salt Lake. I think that's my one where it maybe goes against what I'm thinking. But I think l LA does have some players in there that are made for moments like this. And i think they will get it done against a Real Salt Lake team that is fighting at the heels of the play-in game.

Speaker: So I think it'll be l lac dropping below or excuse me on goal difference they're way above um la so they would still stay even though they'd be even on points with the galaxy but his wins right it'd be wins and l la or i guess that would that would tie it and then it would go to goal difference after that and then l lafc would have would have a ah ah point there so i think lafc will finish sixth i I didn't believe in the Portland Timbers a couple couple weeks ago, but they have shown us something.

Speaker: It's been very impressive what the Portland Timbers have done to go and get that win against St. Louis. They're on a three-game heater. They're playing an Austin team that's bad. I think Portland gets out of the play-in, and I think that play-in ends up being LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids.

Speaker: I would have Colorado winning that play-in game. That's where I see the West finishing out. What do you think about the West, Nico? Yeah. I don't really care about the top of the West because it's honestly, unconsequentially, it doesn't matter. it It really is what it is. I'm going to focus on the the the teams getting in.

Speaker: ah And unfortunately, i do think that the Sounders will draw against LAFC. I have a 1-1 draw in my book. It's going to be a frustrating game.

Speaker: LAFC is going to start with the first goal. We know how the Sounders have a hard time with that. And essentially the State of Sounders will tie it up, keep us entertained, give us belief, give us hope, and then they will just not do enough.

Speaker: So that's kind of the way i see it happening. Therefore, I think that they get that they don't make the playoffs. I think that Colorado and Dallas are going to do each other a solid and draw as well.

Speaker: So I think that um Colorado gets in. I think LA Galaxy get in. um And I think Portland will win their last game and they will be ahead. They'll be the one to jump the LA Galaxy in in the last day of of decision day.

Speaker: I think RSL falls off and I think Seattle falls off. And I think Minnesota is unable to do it as well. Oh, yeah, and and correction, I excuse you, but the Sounders, with that win, they would jump ahead of the Colorado Rapids, and they would play that play-in game against LA Galaxy. i not I mean, like, we could win that game. LA is not good. yeah Neither LA team is good, but I think we'd get bounced in the first round if we do win that playoff game. Yeah, look, I'm not saying the Dallas and Colorado are going to do the infamous ah Columbia versus Peru game where they're whispering around each other, and Falcao and Paolo Guerrero are like...

Speaker: all we got to do is tie. All we got to do is tie. And they just kind of just pick up and just kick the ball around. ah Ultimately. What did that say right there? The plane after Seattle. Oh, and the international break as well. That is another thing is that the plane comes right after the international break. Players are going be coming fresh off the plane and getting in. Uh,

Speaker: Look, a week ago, I would have gotten into all the discourse of like, you know, what the play-in game would be and what it would mean and what what chances we would have in And as I've said in this show, i'm I'm over it. I don't think that that is what the fans care about right now. I don't think that's what the fans should care about right now. um Yeah, it's... that There's too many teams that are better than us in the West.

Speaker: ah And we're the Seattle Sounders. We're not... I hope that we make the second round this year. that's Have you ever gotten into a season with the Sounders and been like, it'd be great if we made the second round of the playoffs this year? Has it ever been the expectation? No. No.

Speaker: No. It's always been more. It's always more. we've said that he over and over again. I've always said nobody should be throwing a parade because this team's making the playoffs, that alone a play-in game as a wildcard team. And that's why I feel like as much as the format and the way teams get in MLS is so...

Speaker: naive and and easy to a certain extent because there's so many teams getting in and you see it with some of these possible scenarios where you know Jeremiah just told us that this Sounders team could get in at seventh. I mean, that would be just outrageous. Undeserved. Right? So undeserved, right? But that's just the way it is. However, I do things that i do think that in this last game the season, I don't want to call it poetic justice, but I will say that The overall way you finish this season is going to result in in in in what's going to come to fruition in those games. That's why I have l LA Galaxy winning the game against ah RSL. That's exactly why I do think that Colorado and Dallas, for better for worse, they're a very evenly matched team. This new Colorado, this is the Colorado that, as much as you said, San Luis, you're right. They're kind of falling off a little bit. They were able to beat that team 1-0. They're extremely defensively sound.

Speaker: Love what Whitaker's been able to provide to this team. Our friend Georgie Manungu has been putting up a couple of really, really good games. So I do think that everything's going to play out in the way that you foresee it. And Portland, man, look, that 3-1 win over Houston was great. And Velde has really come in into this team. And he's always had the The talent, the the the finishing product, but he's a betting consistent. I think he's too impulsive. He's easy to kind of get off the game mentally when you kind of get in under his skin. He's been able to really quiet that down. ah Vincent Jensen is a guy that they brought in to be a goal scorer. And as much as he hadn't done much before this game, aside from, of course, the historic hat trick, thought he played very well. Defensively, they've kind of put it together.

Speaker: They have options. They have a deeper bench. My guy Diego Chara came in from the bench in the very last minute of the game just for the applause. And the yellow carcass, you know, it's Diego Chara. He's got to come in and hit somebody in the back of the leg. So they do have all these components that I think have, and I'm going to get killed for this now i just think about it because this a Sounder podcast. But that's the reality, man. Unfortunately, when teams observe it, it is what it is. And the Sounders just as of lately just haven't.

Speaker: One last thing I will say is that and really hope that what Jordan told me, an angry Jordan, by the way, when I asked them if there was a possibility of this team quitting or how do you keep this team from quitting or breaking apart, is true.

Speaker: Because I have a really, really hard time believing that there isn't some sort of finger pointing, that there's players just really... Not just frustrated, but in a in a state of disbelief and indifference going into this game. I hope that that's not the case, but it'd be a human emotion to feel that way after you put your heart and soul into the whole season and now...

Speaker: You thought that there was hope. You thought that after the New England game, you were going to be able to climb the standings and you see yourself fail and free fall and free fall. That's actually the word that I use when I asked Jordan the question.

Speaker: And he told me there's no quit in this team and that we're a tight-knit group. I hope that's the case and that at the very least against LAFC, if there's nothing else, if there is nothing else, they could lose that game.

Speaker: But I want to see fight. I want to see a team that is relentless, that that pushes, that that is getting in LAFC players' faces, that is kicking buonga in the back of the neck. Like, I don't care. You want to see this team fight.

Speaker: So I want fighters right there out there. I want a team that has pride for the the jersey, but mainly pride and respect for the fan base. That is the last possible, pause possibly the last game of the season at home.

Speaker: Make it worth their while. the The fan base deserves at least that much. Effort, entertainment, and a good performance.

Speaker: The result, we hope that is there, but if it's not, a at the very least, want to see that. us fans have been put through hell in 2026 in a way that I don't really remember it happening ever before in the club's history. And I absolutely agree with you, Nico, that no matter what the result is, i have them winning and still not making it. You have them drawing and not making it.

Speaker: No matter what the result is, What Brian said in the press conference after very defeatously saying that the playoffs are now a stretch. I don't think he should have said that. It's still like a coin flip that we make the playoffs.

Speaker: But my point is, Brian said that the team has one last chance to go out and show the fans that they can compete. And that's absolutely true just on a human level.

Speaker: It's very sad that we've gotten to the season. To the end of the season, we're starting to think about things on more of a human level and less of a winning level. They just need to show that they care and that they are at the level and that they have the potential to make it worth our damn time.

Speaker: Because there's been so many games this season where I've shown up to Lumen and I've been in a bad mood for 90 minutes and then I've been in a bad mood the next week. And that's not what this team should be doing.

Speaker: It's not what this team has done for most of their history. They need to prove right now, right now, that that is not a precedent that they're going to set.

Speaker: i love it. I love it. Lastly here, see if we have any more comments here. We thank you for Derek Richards for the two. Rilos FC says, I'm hoping they unveil their super secret hybrid clone of Ozzy and Jao Paulo next season for the six. I am also excited for that. Yeah, the the the question, Donald Shelton says, Alex is the six, Christian is the eight.

Speaker: think Alex should be on the fullback position. I'm not going to agree with that necessarily. there's ah I mean, there's a million things we could shift around. and the And all of you guys' as comments, these are all very well thought out. Of course, we always appreciate everyone putting stuff in chat right now.

Speaker: ah Nat's holding up his phone and saying, we cannot become the DC United of the West. I think a lot would have to go wrong for a long time for that to happen.

Speaker: but If you don't get worried about it now, you're on the path. So let's get off the path. Polo Magno, $2 says, go Hawks. Oh, one last thing I do want to say. The Seattle rain got it done at home on decision day and made the playoffs.

Speaker: Let's go rain. Tune into a Seattle rain game. It's more fun than watching the 2026 Seattle Sounders. seattle sounders a lot more fun.

Speaker: Yeah, I love it. With that, we just want to i say thank you to absolutely every single one of you that commented. We appreciate all the feedback. Thank you to all of our sponsors. Thank you, of course, to J.O. and our guy Nat in in the back end, just producing the hell out of this show. We are excited to...

Speaker: continue to have this be a ah phenomenal Monday show for that for you guys. But for that, we need you guys. We need you guys to help us with comments, write ah best reviews on on on podcasts, help us with the algorithms, all of that just so our content, everything that we provide you guys just gets an even broader audience. We appreciate you guys, but the family could always be a little bit bigger.

Speaker: That's all I ask. So with that, I am Nico Moreno, Arolo, here with Adam Race, J.O., and Nat. We'll see you guys next week.

Speaker: Let's go, and Sounders.