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The Cooler Guild: Two goals with a side of brilliant defending - Ep. 37
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Sally Menti and Emeri Adames were ready to shine. A heavily rotated lineup got the job done in San Diego. We get into the goals, the massive save from Claudia Dickey, and more from the gritty win against one of the league’s top teams. Later we cover other results from around the NWSL, briefly discuss the USWNT friendlies, as well as preview the Reign’s next match.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:20
Speaker
I think pulled up. Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to episode 37 of The Cooler Guild. I am Coop Cooper, and joined with me, as always, is my co-host, Van Crisp. Hello. We are recording on Monday, June 9th, 2025. On today's episode, we'll be going over Reign's big, massive win over the Wave, as well as our usual quick look around the league at other results and perhaps a little bit of discussion about the U.S. Women's National Team friendlies. But first, some housekeeping.
00:00:46
Speaker
The Cooler Guild is part of the Sounder at Heart podcast network. You can either listen to us on our public feed or if you're a Sounder Heart subscriber on the private unified feed with the other podcasts on the network. If you'd like to become a subscriber, just visit our page at sounderatheart.com forward slash the Cooler Guild.
Support and Subscriptions
00:01:01
Speaker
New subscribers get 10% off the normal rate and you'll help support everything we're doing. How's it going? Pretty good. Yeah. Busy week. Yeah, it sounds like it. My USLW team had a game on Saturday night and then we play again on tomorrow night, Tuesday night.
00:01:14
Speaker
Who do you play tomorrow? Tacoma. And you played? Tacoma. two days Two times in a row? Cool. Yeah. Yeah. Cool. We won 6-0, so that was fun. Nice. Yeah, the girls are so good.
00:01:26
Speaker
They're a lot fun. That's good. That's good. And they're all super nice.
Humorous Anecdote
00:01:30
Speaker
yeah it was a really funny moment the game it was really hot at the game and so were like had a hydration break and one of our english players came over to the sideline and a player handed her a cold gatorade cold red gatorade and she was like oh this tastes like a melted ice lolly it's disgusting and everybody just like broke out laughing we didn't get your british accent i was not gonna try that i know
00:01:57
Speaker
Anyway. Yeah. It's been busy. How about you? um I don't know. Not much. I've been getting ready for my trip to Minnesota soon.
Travel Plans and Women's Sports
00:02:05
Speaker
um Been looking into it. We were going to go to Blackheart, like I told you.
00:02:08
Speaker
But apparently Minnesota United's like playing that evening. Oh. So um I was hit at Mark, Mark Kastner, you know, because he's out there. And. oh I know Mark. Yeah. beside each other We send each other stuff all Yeah, I didn't realize there is, or i just, I must have forgotten because like the bar name didn't sound very familiar. ah There's a women's sports bar out there. So I think we're going go meet up and watch of their own?
00:02:31
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. So that'll be cool to go check out because we're only in St. Paul, Minneapolis area for like a day and a half or so. And then we're heading up to Duluth. But yeah. I was kind of hoping to go.
00:02:42
Speaker
i was thinking about considering going to the game in Chicago because the rain playing Chicago at Soldier Field that weekend. But don't know. It's just a lot of i traveling is stressful. So oh well. And I'm still having to get everything together at home because someone's staying at our house for the week watching Molly and the du and the cat.
00:02:59
Speaker
Nice. So, you know. Dana going to daycare? Pet camp. But yes, so it's technically a pet. The name is a pet camp. I guess it is an overnight thing.
00:03:10
Speaker
yeah she's going to summer camp she is and everyone really enjoys her there they like she's often i often go in there and people are like oh dana's my favorite i'm not just saying that so i think she enjoys it she's got some people aren't if people are confused why i send one dog away it's because she's got some she's got some problems that like she needs special attention sometimes with people because uh if you don't understand dogs then she it could go things could turn bad and ugly so but she's she's a sweet girl for the most part anyways um we have a very fun game to get into
00:03:46
Speaker
Yeah, the recap let's get into
Reign vs. Wave Match Recap
00:03:48
Speaker
the recap. On Friday night, Rain headed to San Diego to take on the Wave after having a week off from club play due to international an international break.
00:03:58
Speaker
The starting lineup saw heavy rotation, giving a handful of younger and newer players the chance to step up against one of the league's top teams. Despite some fairly nervy moments for Seattle's defense, the first half ended goalless.
00:04:08
Speaker
In the second half, Seattle's own Sally Salimenti found the back of the net for the rain with a fantastic goal to put the team up 1-0. San Diego answered back in the 75th minute with a Cascarino header.
00:04:20
Speaker
It looked like San Diego were about to take the lead, but Claudia Dickey had other plans, coming up with what should be save of the week after shot from Cascarino at the top of the box. um And then the ever popular late goal scorer, Emery Adames, nabbed the final goal of the game in the 88th minute with an oh so sweet left footed shot to the top corner from the edge of the box, playing hero once again for the rain, giving the team their fifth win of the season.
Game Analysis and Power Rankings
00:04:48
Speaker
So great. I cried. Yeah, i believe it. but You seem to cry a lot whenever you text me. It was a trying time.
00:04:59
Speaker
i I will say I didn't expect this game to go the way it did No. Like... Mostly because of the international stuff going on um and the travel and like the starting lineup we had. And I guess I just severely underestimated how ready some of these players were to prove um that they want to be in the starting lineup.
00:05:19
Speaker
um So that was great. Love that for us. Yeah, they really showed out. And two two absolutely stunning goals. Yeah. Someone did post an an article that was like two goals from outside the box. And I was like...
00:05:32
Speaker
i You rewatch them. Maybe they start shooting from outside the box, but they were both inside the box. The very, very edge of the box. but yeah I don't care. They were goals. They were goals. I don't care either. But like they are I think the it was like a power rankings piece that I was reading, and they were like, you can't rely on goals from outside the box from Menti and Adames every week. And I was like, well, they weren't outside the box, so good news.
00:05:56
Speaker
I mean, they were bangers, but ah I got it in them. Also, you don't get to fifth place as a fluke. No, I mean, we're right in the thick of all of it, but we we we don't you don't beat a team as good as San Diego and Casey as a fluke.
00:06:10
Speaker
Right. Maybe maybe one time fluke. But now we've proven we can keep up with those other teams. So. Mm hmm. Should we? Should we what? Should we celebrate? Yeah. let's ah Let's pop open some celebratory drinks.
00:06:23
Speaker
So, because it's, we we haven't done a ah ah dub drink in know in a long time I don't think we've done this one this year. we have. Oh, maybe we haven't. I don't know. Okay. Anyway, I felt like this was deserving. Yeah, absolutely.
00:06:36
Speaker
So, carrie cheers.
00:06:40
Speaker
See how good this beer is after it's been sitting in the fridge forever. It's a King Crispy that I brought down to Coop. I don't really drink Pilsners in my defense. I don't think it tastes fine. Yeah, good.
00:06:53
Speaker
It doesn't taste disgusting.
Notable Game Statistics
00:06:55
Speaker
um All right, so we got some notable stats. um This is kind of sweet. Laura Harvey became the first head coach in NWSL history to reach 250 regular season games, and no other NWSL coach has ever surpassed 200.
00:07:09
Speaker
Yeah, incredible. I will say i did rip all of these from the post game in the rain media center. i did see that. But like, a lot of people don't read those.
00:07:20
Speaker
You listen to the podcast because you're not a reader, right? Or maybe you just do it all. This is like the Cliff Notes, but in ah audio format. Yeah, i mean it's fully available to the public if you ever go into the Reign Media Center. There's some cool stuff in there, and you can like find some fun stats. so Yeah, those people are putting it out there for us to tell you all.
00:07:39
Speaker
Yep. So here we are. And another fun stat, Emery Adames obviously scored the Reign's game-winning goal in the 87th minute. It's her third career goal, all of which have come after the 70th minute.
00:07:51
Speaker
Yeah, that's great. That's clutch. Yeah. she feels she She knows when we need one and she gets it. so And the only thing she did for this game, but she started and finished out the game like this too.
00:08:03
Speaker
Yeah, she has a motor, kind of like Meza. She was constantly pressuring in the center backs and just running around. Yeah. youth Youth kid stuff.
00:08:14
Speaker
um And then Dickey had three saves on the night and she moved up to third in club history and saves with 111, just passing Fallon Tullis-Joyce, who has 110.
00:08:25
Speaker
who's a Haley Koppmeyer and hope solar above her. Right. I didn't look, honestly. I believe that's what I saw on the on the info. so Yeah, because I know they did like a little graphic at some point.
00:08:36
Speaker
Yeah. ah Did you want to do the other ones too? Sure, why not? I'll just roll into them. So with Fishlock's assist on the Dames game winner, um it was her first assist of the season and 29th of her career. ah The most in club history and the fifth most all time in league history.
00:08:54
Speaker
29th, huh? Yeah. I would have thought it would have been more. Me too. Yeah. Not to be a downer, but I guess it just feels like I want i wonder if i get if they ever started like counting like second assists.
00:09:06
Speaker
yeah I bet that would make make it look more accurate to what I feel like I've seen over the years. Yeah, and especially with rain goals in this season, this current season, it's usually come from a series of passes. Exactly, yeah.
00:09:18
Speaker
And so there's there's always kind of that. That's why stats can be weird. um And this was Sally Menti's first ever start in her second career game. Super rad.
00:09:29
Speaker
so Super rad. And she's from Seattle. and straight There was a Crossfire shout out on the... ah On the broadcast. Yeah. Crazy. Literally shout out.
00:09:41
Speaker
Anyway. um All right. So positives that we got.
Defensive Strategies Discussion
00:09:45
Speaker
They scored more than one goal. All caps. That's what we've been asking for. Yeah. Finally happened. They needed to because I feel like ah San Diego don't fuck around when they get going.
00:09:56
Speaker
No, they don't. And I felt it was coming like it was kind of like rolling into like curse territory. yeah And i did I didn't want to fall into that. Yeah. that's That's fair. How many goals have we scored this season, though?
00:10:10
Speaker
We need to start making a list of things we should look up before we're Well, part of this is like we're nerding out as we record this too, right? 100%. I'm not going to know 100% of our talking points when we do this.
00:10:25
Speaker
We have scored 11. Still not great. If I look at everything, the only teams that we have scored more goals than is Chicago, ah Utah, and Houston. And those are just by one goals for Utah and Houston.
00:10:41
Speaker
And we're in fifth place somehow. So... Wild. Totally wild. What other positives you did you notice? Did you have? I'm really enjoying this kind of evolution of Jordan Buggs game.
00:10:54
Speaker
Yeah. um i ah pointed it out in the last podcast, just her distribution when she's able to get higher up in the field and get the ball into dangerous areas and help players get forward.
00:11:09
Speaker
I think it really adds a more positive spin on that kind of ah we're not going backwards as much. Yeah, totally. And you get Jordan Bug up there and being able to like kind of drop these dimes.
00:11:22
Speaker
It makes the team a lot more dangerous. And she's kind of saucy. Yeah. Like she can kind of dribble around people and in in a way that I just didn't, I guess, appreciate because I mean, we see do see her do those kinds of moves in the back, but now she's doing it with defenders on her while trying to hit the ball forward.
00:11:39
Speaker
It's really great. And I think that, you know, as highly as we speak of her, or there's room for improvement and she can only get better and better and better. Yeah. And this is just an incredible kind of realization that like she's also capable of this.
00:11:54
Speaker
Yeah. It adds it adds so much. It makes her some such a dynamic player. If she can keep adding these different strengths. Yeah, I think ah I don't see a reason why she's not going eventually earn a starting spot or at least some sort of rotational spot on the U.S. Women's National Team.
00:12:12
Speaker
I don't think that they're playing Sonnet in her beds position when they're playing her back there. And I think ah pairing with Bug and Germa is just a dream. Yeah. So, i'm yeah, I'm looking forward to what her future holds and all that. It was also really fun to see like all the girma so or and not all the girma all the bug signs that people were holding because you know she's from San Diego. I know. She trained with the wave. i know. And they passed up on her.
00:12:38
Speaker
For whatever reason. For whatever reason. Or are we just knew and took advantage and made her made her realize what a good you know role she could have in Seattle. Yeah.
00:12:49
Speaker
So that was that was one thing that I really took from the game. um And, you know, we kind of have here on the notes, the defense as a whole. Yeah, for sure. I mean, McLaren. Really good game.
00:13:00
Speaker
There is, I had noted about, she also had a saucy moment, which I i don't know if I've seen something like that from her before. it was near the end of the first half. She was like facing pressure. i think there was like... three people coming at her kind of and she kind of just like I don't know like under pressure and all that stuff she kind of just like dinked the ball away from them and like turned out of it um and I got real nervous at that moment because the first half had a lot of a lot of kind of uh stuff that that made me think I didn't know if we were gonna get out of there okay and I think because of the back line and what they were doing back everything to to hold off San Diego it worked perfectly frustrating them doing stuff like that was great
00:13:39
Speaker
Yeah, it was definitely... There were some nervy moments, but I think kind of like in the KC game, it was the fact that those nervy moments didn't cause big mistakes.
00:13:51
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, for sure. So I think there's some growth there, which is nice. ben Ben, don't break. Yeah. but That's kind of what you need to see from a defense because... You're never going to be able to shut down every single team every time and, you know, completely limit stuff. So like if you can take on pressure and let another team have possession like they did in this game and shut down their key players, that's going to get you really far in this league.
00:14:16
Speaker
Yeah. And I think that it it really says a lot about the defending, you know, from the forwards to all the way back to Claudia Dickey that they're they had so much possession and Claudia Dickey only had to make three saves.
00:14:30
Speaker
Yeah. One, mind you. One ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous save. Mind you, is just like awe-inspiring. Yeah. but possibly Possibly save of the year. It could be up there for that at least. Should be. It's good save. And it's, a you know, if you're going to win close games like this, your goalkeeper usually has to come up with one thing. Uh-huh.
00:14:49
Speaker
Yeah.
Player Development Focus
00:14:50
Speaker
So. ah Yeah, I mean, rolling rolling into Dickey. um She's also a huge positive from this game. San Diego had scored in the first half for six games straight, and she kept that from happening. Mostly, I mean, the back line was a big part of that, but yeah.
00:15:04
Speaker
And again, we'll talk about this in the negatives, but no goals given up in the run of play. so And the goal, there's nothing she could have done about it so It was a really good header.
00:15:17
Speaker
yeah but the hilarious thing was was after she made that ridiculous save they they hit the smoke button for the pillars behind yeah they thought that was in they thought that was in sure it was actually pretty surprising and like pretty lucky that it didn't hit off of her and go in oh i know i was i put that on my nose i was just like lmao that almost went in though off her back i got real lucky there yeah um other positive i had we saw a lot of different people starting because of this international bullshit with having to play on friday and a bunch of people traveling from like what tuesday um so mint i notably i put minty in adames obviously adames played very well played the whole game
00:16:07
Speaker
Yeah, it's funny because I had pointed this out. I think it was a few games ago when we were discussing why like Adamus isn't starting. oh yeah. We were kind of ah thinking, well, maybe it's this. literally said that. And a lot of times I feel like I'm talking out of my ass.
00:16:23
Speaker
Because I didn't play soccer like people do. feel like it was an educated guess. I mean, i think I mean, because just knowing Laura Harvey in the way she plays, it just made sense. That's like that seemed like the only thing that was stopping her.
00:16:37
Speaker
But the point that I was making is it seemed like a Dom is back then or was it like a couple weeks ago, maybe more than that. We were talking about a Dom is not starting. And I said, like, there's a there's a pretty good chance. that she's not starting because Laura Harvey's not seeing what she wants to on the defensive side from Adames because she expects every player to put in that effort on the other side.
00:16:55
Speaker
Not that Adames doesn't try to do that, but it's part of her game that she needed to improve. And as Laura Harvey had pointed out in the presser that the way that Adames plays and because she's so young, she's maybe never had to really develop that part of her game.
00:17:09
Speaker
as much because she's just so fast and so technically good yeah she's just been so dominant offensively yeah she hasn't needed to really perfect that part yeah so this this kind of gives me um some hope and encouragement hopefully that um we'll see some more from adamas um as far as starting and kind of maybe even finishing games out and getting her more comfortable with that because she is She is a very, very lethal player to have on her team. And if we can get her to score some goals that aren't late as well.
00:17:40
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it'll be a great day when she scores a goal and it's not after the 70th minute. Yeah, yeah. And then Sally Menti, I mean, came out of nowhere kind of for us.
00:17:51
Speaker
But based on comments from others, it sounds like everyone's kind of known the talent she has, but just rips an absolute absolute banger. And she came in and didn't look nervous at all to me, at least.
00:18:02
Speaker
She was taking take it on challenges. She ended up getting a yellow card, which like, you know, I'm seeing her, you know, put her put in some grit and into, to the you know, this performance. and And they were not playing an easy team.
00:18:16
Speaker
No, they're not an easy team to play against. I didn't think San Diego was going to be good this year. But um just because I thought with all the changes that they were still kind of working with in the chemistry just kind of was lacking last year.
00:18:28
Speaker
It's hitting now for them. um And kind of like how RAINN have been performing this year when they have a really big ah challenge, they step up. this They truly stick to the game plan. The focus is completely there.
00:18:41
Speaker
And the fact that these players um who don't usually start were able to do that was just a joy to see. Yeah, I mean, and it it just speaks to the confidence that their, you know, teammates and the coaching staff and everybody around them gives them.
00:18:57
Speaker
And i think that when you're able to kind of go to the depths of your benches of your bench and pull out a winner. Granted, i will say this.
00:19:09
Speaker
There was market improvement when they made subs. Yeah. And that's something that kind of worries me, but also doesn't because we were able to hold them. Yeah. But there is that kind of, okay, well, they weren't really productive until those moves were made.
00:19:25
Speaker
But it is nice to see, you know, deep bench players start a game and hold a team off until yeah you can get some, you know, backup in. Yeah, for sure. Any other positives you want to on?
00:19:37
Speaker
No, I just really loved this game. Yeah, it was a really nice way to start the ah the lovely weekend that we had with weather. Mm-hmm. Just put me in a good mood. Yeah, until now when I'm upstairs here recording this and i'm sweating.
00:19:50
Speaker
Negatives. um You know, Mike Watts. He made a comment. Did you catch this? He made a comment during the game when he talked about like how hard refereeing is. And he's like, and that's what they say about announcing.
00:20:02
Speaker
I think he's been listening. he Someone's been telling him me about our podcast. But it's like... don't disagree. It must be really hard because you can't do it. don't think you... Yeah, I think... there I wouldn't say... I don't want to be too harsh, but like...
00:20:17
Speaker
I just think that you, I do think commentating is an art form. And I think that like, to me, I just want to see or hear, guess, more care and effort and put into it.
00:20:31
Speaker
Doing Taylor Swift song titles, that doesn't, that doesn't speak effort to me. Yeah. It's just the volume and the cadence and the shouting. The shouting, yeah. The shouting is really something.
00:20:43
Speaker
the pulling stats out of your butt 12 times that don't mean anything and then talking about random stuff while the game's being played. Yeah. Focus on the game. I don't need to hear other stuff. I will say he did get Meza's name right.
00:20:57
Speaker
Yeah, finally. So, like I said, maybe he's listening to our podcast.
Broadcast Commentary Critique
00:21:02
Speaker
Yeah. or someone's telling him he got our memo uh which i'm fine with like i say these things in hopes that these things improve i'm not like out to get anyone except for maybe the portland thorns yeah but exactly like with all the media laid on claudia dickey last year yeah i really just wanted her to get better yeah i am all for praising her now mike watts if you get better i will sing your praises Yeah, because it's not like he hasn't, like he I mean, he there's moments where he maybe he doesn't know the players as well he's as he should, but like he has been around the league a long time. I think he has skills that don't get. stop yelling at me. Yeah, I don't want to be yelled at, which is funny because I was on i was in the comments of ah watching some highlights from the weekend and I sent it to you. ah
00:21:49
Speaker
The comment was, ah ah, that screaming commentator again. And like, you didn't even need to ask who it was because you knew who it was. Yeah. I mean, i we're probably being a little too mean, but at the same time, I don't know. I'm just, I'm here to try to make the end of me. So like I want to see it be a really good product and these kinds of things I think need to need to change.
00:22:09
Speaker
Yeah. He's just not it. uh okay game related stuff um negatives goal we had a goal the goal that we gave up was on a corner kick uh right after maria sanchez subbed on which is so funny because i had said to alex was like oh no maria sanchez is subbing on and then i was like oh no maria sanchez just assisted a goal as she
00:22:32
Speaker
uh yeah that is kind of there ah i mean it was just bad defending That set piece defending and cross defending.
Defensive Depth Concerns
00:22:40
Speaker
And there was even a cross that came through in the first half where they left like two players wide open far post.
00:22:48
Speaker
Yeah. And it kind of just ah fortunately bounced around. Yeah. And I was just Oh God, thank God that happened because otherwise we would have SOL, you know? Yeah. It was ah very very, I was scared.
00:23:00
Speaker
You're not getting b in the run of play, which is great. And I think that's a very, you know, its something that the defense can be very proud of. But you got to start. And we didn't have Heidema in the game.
00:23:11
Speaker
hey And obviously her ah ability to use her head is a huge positive. yeah'm not saying set pieces and stuff im not saying that maybe it would have prevented this goal. But, you know, it's one of those things where you got to figure out, OK, well, if you can't get the ball um marking this player on this side, maybe you want to.
00:23:31
Speaker
rearrange yourself know where the run's going it was a really good header so i will say that yeah ah sometimes there's only so much you can do Yeah, they got scored on, which has happened this year, obviously.
00:23:46
Speaker
But unlike other games this year, they've been able to come back and score another goal. Yeah. But and that's just something I noticed during the game is like, OK, we've got to maybe figure out how to be a little bit more comfortable when crosses and and corners are coming in.
00:24:01
Speaker
Other negative I had put down depth at center back. I mostly put this down because lou Barnes got a yellow. um And then I was like, what the fuck are we going to do? And I know we can kind of switch the formation for sure. But like, I do think if we have like an injury or someone gets suspended for yellow card accumulation or someone gets a red card or something like that.
00:24:23
Speaker
I'm just a bit nervous about what we're going to be looking like back there. think that's it. A realistic concern. ah But also, I think when you've got a player... i mean, you've got Jordan Bug and you've got McLarenan.
00:24:39
Speaker
Yes. um So if you're paying the five back, right, it's McLarenan, Bug, and Lou. But I think that you've got players like Shea Holmes that could slide into there.
00:24:50
Speaker
Emily Mason could do it. And that's maybe something I'd like to see try. Exactly. And I think maybe... well, we need to start winning games by more than one goal so that maybe these changes can ah be tried.
00:25:04
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. I think that's a it's a legitimate concern. and And I also think similarly that that we might be a little light there, but mostly just in um current experience, not because we don't have people that can't do it.
00:25:18
Speaker
Yeah, i think for me, it might just be a matter of seeing them get more minutes in those positions for me to feel comfortable. That's understandable. ah The last thing I had put down was the ref getting in the way. which is it was so funny. It the very first like 10 minutes.
00:25:32
Speaker
Alex was just like, this ref is like really in the way. And I wasn't really noticing. And then I sure enough was like, what the fuck? He's getting in the way. And then like shortly after he like the ball hit him. Yeah. And then like on our goal he's like scrambling to get out of the way.
00:25:45
Speaker
um Don't know really much you know we could do about that. But I was like, this ref hopefully is going to go watch back the film. Because that's ah I have seen this kind of happening with a few other refs this season. But was he really in the way or was he close enough not to miss a dumb call?
00:26:01
Speaker
yeah how many how many dumb calls were there um how many dumb like big referee mistakes were made in this game yeah i mean that's another way of looking at it but like yeah i don't know i mean i just feel like if the the the the players kind of have to work around it ah yeah i mean you got to stay out of the way and there's there's a way to do it i think that when you're noticing it it's a problem yeah anyways that was the last negative i had put down do you have anything else No, I think I think and we took positives out of this game. For sure.
00:26:30
Speaker
And it was nice to see, you know, kind of a different team take control. And like you said earlier, be confident and take on the number two team in the league and and come out with a win.
00:26:41
Speaker
Yeah. And now they're not number two anymore. They sure aren't. We helped. We helped with that. Trendsetters. That's right.
00:26:49
Speaker
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00:27:02
Speaker
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00:27:15
Speaker
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00:27:31
Speaker
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00:27:42
Speaker
So the post-match pressers, they had Sally Menti and Lou Barnes. ah that There was kind of an overarching theme. There were a couple with both press conferences with the players and Laura. But there was a lot of just the players, Laura, all thought how ridiculous it was that people were all over the country, all over the world, from a Tuesday game to supposedly be available for a Friday match.
00:28:07
Speaker
Like, that's just insane to me. We talk about player health and safety, you know, and like the league says they want to put that number one. They're not doing that when they do shit like this. No, it's not like they're not planned. It's this is the most planned thing that you Yeah, everyone knows that this last game is like this Tuesday or whatever. And these Friday night games are kind of stupid anyways for but many times to do to make them so regular for a lot of teams sucks for. Yeah, it's terrible.
00:28:32
Speaker
So the fact that they did it with this, I just feel like knowing like the league is not the people at the top of the league are not making themselves look good.
Player Logistics and Well-being
00:28:40
Speaker
Yeah. So Lou said ah wild players have to travel from countries like Wales and Germany and then have to play two days later.
00:28:46
Speaker
We train for a week without half of the team. yeah Isn't there like studies starting to show too with like ACL tears and travel maybe being related? i don't know about that. I just think it's known that overextending, you know, any part of your body for huge competitive matches so close together is suboptimal.
00:29:08
Speaker
For sure. There was a bunch of other stuff that they kind of talked about. Lou talking about how this is the fastest rebuild that she's ever seen a team do and the fact that they're doing it so well. Like, that's encouraging. um She also said she cried for both of the goals. Same girl. She was, like, so proud of these players showing up and doing the thing, seeing everything that she's gone through over the years still be on the field and playing with them.
00:29:32
Speaker
Pretty, I mean, that's just, like, that, yeah, I would be emotional for sure, too. Yeah, I think that she's kind of realizing that she might be passing the torch and that's got to be difficult as a player. Yeah, but it was cool to see her and, and you know, in that presser together. And Menti was mentioning that she coming out of college, she had an injury.
00:29:50
Speaker
So she was doing some rehab for a while, wasn't able to be in preseason with the team. And so to kind of be where she's at right now is it just such a good testament to like how good she probably is.
00:30:04
Speaker
Yeah, we'll see if they're... guess I'll just bring this up with the Laura um comments, but um Laura had talked about with Menti that they had a plan for her short term to go... um They signed her short term and they planned for her to go on a loan. Yeah, because she's only signed through the end of June.
00:30:20
Speaker
Yeah, so they told her, you know, or Laura Harvey told her, change the plan. This certainly, this game certainly didn't hurt her her chances of getting something, some new contract or something like that to stay with the team, which I'm excited about. Because if we have a player like that, i mean, we'ves it's no so secret we've had issues scoring. Yeah. To see someone that hungry and able being able to take a shot like that is great. um Sounds like she took notes from the sideline at one point for not taking a shot earlier in the game.
00:30:49
Speaker
It's kind of, I just, I was just thinking about this. It's really funny to me. Maybe not. i don't know. But it's an interesting thing. Our bangers from outside the box or close to outside the box. Edge of the box. Yeah.
00:31:00
Speaker
Have pretty much all been youngsters. Or yeah, in their first goals a lot of times. You know, so I mean, I'm glad those players are inspired with that confidence. But at the same time, like, why the fuck isn't anybody else doing that?
00:31:15
Speaker
True. Why isn't anybody else taking these opportunities to like try something? Yeah. So if that's the way we're going to score goals, that's the way we're going to score goals. Sure. We need to be creating more dangerous opportunities and not relying on this sort of habit bangers every week. But at the same time, like, why not create that opportunity?
00:31:35
Speaker
Yeah, I don't care if that's like becomes a part of our game. I feel like we see that become part of the game in a lot of European teams. Yeah. And it doesn't always happen over here. I would say Sentinel is trying to change that narrative.
00:31:50
Speaker
um So like, why not start with us? we maybe Maybe make a team of of players that are willing to shoot because that's the thing. Shoot or shoot. Right. And I want to I want to keep that mentality going. but and when you have players like maddie dole and uh lindby adolo players that can really be quick and clean stuff up if it doesn't work out or if it it pings off the bar have them ready gets into that you know dangerous position they can be ready and they can take advantage of it for sure for sure so i don't think it's a bad thing no i don't think so either but it's just funny i was just thinking about that and i was like oh yeah it's been bug adama's mentee
00:32:25
Speaker
yeah fine by me the bug was so crazy anything else from the you got from the lou barnes mentee presser no um but i mean i kind of talked about laura and her comments on mentee um did you see the pin she was wearing i did was nice she had a little pride flag pin Laura just talked about how the game plan was to frustrate them and to hurt the team in transition, executed it perfectly.
Laura Harvey's Game Plan
00:32:52
Speaker
um And it was on the broadcast. It was funny rape because it was right before San Diego scores, just talking about like, if the rain pull us off, this will be and absolute masterclass of Laura Harvey. Granted, they gave up the goal, but they still got in their goal. So... It seems to be that when they were they are able to execute the game plan... Yes. And obviously, right? You have to have a good game plan.
00:33:12
Speaker
Yes. And especially coming up against these teams that are performing very, very well in the league, you have to find a way to disrupt their flow.
00:33:23
Speaker
And they were able to do that. And I think... She was talking about, um you know, moving forward, the team needs to be solid defensively and good in transition, which they did have a couple couple opportunities in transition. But she said they're going to use the summer to hone in on being better on the ball.
00:33:41
Speaker
yeah Like, OK, it's summer. But we have like a month off. I know. So that's what's going to be the focus for the month off. And i think it I think that's important that she brings that up because I do think we can see that that is a weakness.
00:33:55
Speaker
um I do think that this game that we play, i think it could be sustainable if everyone's able to execute. It's just a matter of can we do it in the playoffs in higher pressure situations. Well, I think it's just about expanding on what we currently have, right? Yeah. So you've already got that as a really solid part of your game plan.
00:34:20
Speaker
Have them score as little goals as possible. We're doing a fairly good job at that. But then on the opposite end, you've got to, you know, as much as I talk about, oh, it didn't matter that we had 36% of the session or whatever. It does matter.
00:34:33
Speaker
And in other games, it will matter. And so I think that just building on that solid defense of the team already has and just adding other strengths, you know, like maybe taking more shots, maybe figuring out how to get that ball slotted in to the penalty spot. Somebody can be running in on it.
00:34:52
Speaker
Like we haven't scored off crosses like that used to be ah huge thing for the team back in the original Huerta days, you know, with Pino and everybody. We got such good crosses in and that just does not seem to be a part of the Reign's game plan. Maybe not game plan, but like just not a strength that the team has.
00:35:11
Speaker
And I'd like to see that be incorporated more, especially if we get Huerta back and that becomes a possibility. And if Adama is capable of starting Laura's eyes, I guess.
00:35:22
Speaker
yeah So yeah, I mean, Laura also went off about, know, if the league wants to keep players safe and if that's their main goal, then they can't be doing this kind of
League Scheduling Criticism
00:35:32
Speaker
crap. Yeah.
00:35:33
Speaker
Agreed. Anything else you want to add on to the match before we get into the cooler player of the match? No, i think I'm good. All right. The cooler player of the match is brought to you by the doctor's office, a great little 12 seat bar on Capitol Hill.
00:35:45
Speaker
The owner is a big fan of the rain and is proud to be our first sponsor. We had a discussion about this. we ah We tend to have a discussion unless it's that unless it's really clear. yeah I mean, I guess sometimes the discussion is, is it Mez or someone else? Mez didn't start.
00:36:01
Speaker
So, yeah, we weren't sure. um I don't know. I think there's a lot of standouts for this for this match. But I think ultimately and sometimes sometimes the player of the match does match cooler player the match.
00:36:13
Speaker
um And when you get a game winner in the fashion that she did, i think this this week we we we had ah decided and agreed upon Emery Adames. Yes. And for me, it was not only the game winning goal, but just her tenacity throughout the entire match.
00:36:31
Speaker
Yeah. Pressing hard, even when the goalkeeper is having the ball and you're like to save your energy and she's on now. I think it just it just adds a little spice to the team when when you've got somebody working hard and like that. She's a fun player to watch.
00:36:45
Speaker
It'd be nice to be able to get her on the field more. um So I'm I'm hopeful that this game is kind of a. Something that kind of jumpstarts that a bit more. Catalyst, if you will. Yeah. So congratulations, Emery. Thanks again to our sponsor, The Doctor's Office. The Doctor's Office is the best place to grab a drink before or after a rain match. Book your appointment today and go try their Beachcomber Paloma cinnamon, guava, and butter.
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00:37:08
Speaker
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00:37:13
Speaker
Check out their Instagram at TDO Seattle or better yet, go drink there in person. Cheers. cheers like ah other nwcell results did you watch most of these games i can't remember which game of which game did i watch i watched the bay p most of the pdx bay game um that was the main one like the weather was so nice this weekend that i really wasn't trying to watch too much on tv but i did go watch the highlights from all of them i was busy from like 1 p.m saturday till midnight so Yeah, I did go watch all of the
NWZL Game Observations
00:37:44
Speaker
highlights.
00:37:44
Speaker
It was a fun weekend, I would say, for NWZL. Yeah, the Louisville-Utah game. So Louisville won three to two And Mozingo, this is her third straight game with a goal.
00:37:56
Speaker
So Utah's got something to look forward to there. If they can get out of the bottom. Right. Well, it's hard to do that when Emma Sears is just absolutely slapping bangers. That's goal of week for me.
00:38:07
Speaker
That goal was so fucking good. So good. if you haven't seen it, go see it. It's so good. um It did seem like it was a close game and I thought it could have anyway, but utah got a red card. 73rd minute was a double yellow.
00:38:19
Speaker
and then there was a game winner in the 85th floating header. The keeper just couldn't. I don't know. for Do you think her position? Did you see that one? It wasn't her position. it was her footwork. Okay. Yeah. Just trying to reach back and get up, but there was no chance from where she was at to get it well she's kind of falling by the time that she got there. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, um i did watch this game, the Gotham game.
00:38:43
Speaker
It was funny because when I got to the USLW game, like the players were talking about it. Yeah, I saw a lot of chatter about this game. Part of me thinks, I mean, this isn't if you look up how karma actually works i guess maybe this is how karma works because we didn't ever talk about the champion the conca calf champions cup or whatever a league whatever they call it for us um but there were some shenanigans from gotham on that penalty that they got from sonnet people were laughing about it i didn't think it was funny i thought it kind of fucking pathetic yeah um but i i feel like gotham's kind of got what's been coming to them for some of those things
00:39:19
Speaker
Yeah, it was just all kind of a bit confusing. um So Casey scored two early goals um from Michelle Cooper and Chuinga. So it was like, OK, Gotham's going to have to come back and like fight fight to come back into this match.
00:39:34
Speaker
And it seemed like every time they'd go forward or try and like get back into the game, it was like... Oh, nope. Astaire was offside. But was she really involved in the play?
00:39:46
Speaker
and then there was a handball that like, I feel like in 75% of other games, they would have called a handball on penalty. But I don't know their view of what a handball is in this league is so convoluted that you're like, well, it's 50 50.
00:40:00
Speaker
Yeah. So they got one back, but yeah, Casey overcoming it two one. I think this, I mean, Gotham's been on fraud watch. I don't care that they won that trophy. What even is that trophy?
00:40:12
Speaker
i mean, it'll be a very good tournament in like a few years. Yeah. Right now it's just kind of. It reminds me of like the first few years the NWSL trophy, like final the championship. It's just not, not much, not much. You're in it. You're going to play two games and maybe. Yeah. That's kind of silly to me. but like i get it like you have to start somewhere so i'm not gonna be like too angry about i get it but just not a great accomplishment as much as it will be later fair oh this game was fucking brutal to watch it was yeah so orlando orlando versus houston
00:40:48
Speaker
and houston stayed in this game and it was all because of abby smith yeah balling she was incredible now she was incredible this match and i i know i mean i don't see how anyone starts over her i was gonna say i don't sorry jane r james gamble yeah she might need to find a new team which there are plenty of teams that need better goalkeepers so absolutely ah but she kept a minute for basically the entire game night for the last 30 seconds But in true Pride Month fashion,
00:41:24
Speaker
a dyke gets the game winner. Dyke gets the game winner. That's right. Not a dyke, Cory Dyke. No, I think she's actually straight. I looked up at her Instagram. Love that for ah for us, though. yeah, it was definitely... i Abby Smith like dropped her knees and I was like, girl, you held on for as long as you could.
00:41:45
Speaker
I also think the whistle maybe could have been blown sooner. But whatever. It happens. ah So Bay PDX played? Yeah. I just watched the heater highlights or whatever you want to call those are.
00:41:58
Speaker
absolute banger from alanson which we love when a former rain player gets a game winner against portland that was a crazy a lot
Controversial Handball Discussion
00:42:08
Speaker
that was a crazy angle she got on that if you haven't seen that goal for baby crazy angle but as a goalkeeper you don't get scored on your post so well you do if you do this week if you're portland yeah it was i talked to a co-worker yesterday yesterday no today today's monday um you didn't work yesterday no i didn't should go hard on tuesdays though uh but uh was talking to a co-worker this morning we were talking about ah soccer games from the weekend and she's like i watched the portland game and god they're boring and i was like oh koop and i call them boring fc
00:42:43
Speaker
I will don't think they've been super boring recently, like before this match, maybe they kind of, I couldn't call them that, but back again. No, the big goalkeeper played really well too. So I didn't see this angel city game. So angel said he played Chicago.
00:42:56
Speaker
Good on you, Chicago. Trying to scrape something back. They tied two to two. There was no listener either. Nope. ah The only real notes I took from this was Schlegel hit a banger.
00:43:10
Speaker
A banger. I know we've said that like several times this week. It was good week for WSL. There were some great goals this weekend. Yeah. There was a really interesting no handball penalty review ah to the ball.
00:43:24
Speaker
It was really interesting. So it was in Angel City's box. So... And this ball comes in and two players, Emma Vignola and somebody else, but they kind of come together and the ball pops up and it hits Emma Vignola's hand and it's like way up high.
00:43:43
Speaker
And apparently, but but it was so funny because on on the video, you can see the ball hits both players and then it bounces on the ground and then it bounces up and hits her hand.
00:43:54
Speaker
a And it's like, okay, okay. I know that it's not a handball if it bounces off her and goes straight to her hand. But does it make a difference if it hits the ground?
00:44:05
Speaker
I guess it does because they said no penalty. But that was kind of disappointing for Chicago. ah Spirit played North Carolina. That was a three to one win for Washington Spirit.
00:44:17
Speaker
i fucking I don't know what's going on with Jaden Shaw. It's not good. I think i don't know if his North Carolina needs to do stuff, like get better players in, because I don't want to see this happen to Jaden Shaw.
00:44:29
Speaker
We all know how good she is and how she's capable of being. yeah has me a little worried. there was no and they They lost, and they didn't even have Ashley Hatch or Trinity Rodman. They're both having back problems now.
00:44:40
Speaker
um Ashley Hatch joins the bad back club. yeah no no kidding honestly i mean i guess not though because they're up three they want still got three goals without ashley hatch i know uh monday oh yeah well that first but i was like get gift monday and scores again we say it every week yeah Yeah, she's ah she's a talent and it's going to be really ah scary to see where she up. Yeah.
00:45:08
Speaker
I'm getting a little sick of um people, like anytime there's like a hot player on the market, everyone's just like, oh Spirit's looking to sign her. Just like, the Spirit have enough players and Michelle King doesn't need more players to sign to Leon. But because they're talking about me official because she might be coming back to or coming to the MWSL. And I was like, I don't feel like the Spirit need her.
00:45:29
Speaker
No. Anyways, Casey Murphy. Oof. Bit of a struggle this game for her. You keep saying that every week. Yeah, it's tough. It's tough when your defense doesn't really have your back a lot.
00:45:40
Speaker
Yeah. But anyway, that wraps it up for all the NWCell results this weekend. US Women's national team played. That's why we didn't have an episode last week.
US Women's National Team Victories
00:45:49
Speaker
Victory over China and Jamaica.
00:45:52
Speaker
Most notably, two goals for Lynn Biandolo. as a sub. In one game. Yeah, as a sub. Yeah. Good old brace. Love that. ah Looking like vintage. Being Dolo.
00:46:04
Speaker
The thing that made me upset, though, we didn't get a Claudie Dickey start, which I think to me speaks to Emma has... She's committed to Fallon, Tolis Joyce, which is fine. I'm not upset about that. Fallon's great. She's a great human from everything I can tell and a great goalkeeper.
00:46:20
Speaker
But what if something happens to Fallon? I think we do need to get some experience in on whoever we decide is going to be the backups. Yeah. I mean, i'm no I'm no national team coach, but these are international friendlies.
00:46:34
Speaker
Especially in that position, I realize that you're trying to decide who you got, but you've literally got Fallon Tullis-Joyce on the roster. You've got What's-Her-Face, that other player that, anyway, and Claudia Dickey.
00:46:46
Speaker
Fallon's got, what, three caps? Not many. The other goalkeeper, what the fuck's her name? mcglynn and then you've got claudia dickey on the roster with zero i'm that just doesn't bode well for the team as in general so i don't understand why as a coach you don't even bring her in for a half it's not your goalkeepers having to do much Yeah, we all know that this isn't these maybe aren't the best games to like get looks at your goalkeepers anyways, but like they do need to be able to at least feel comfortable in that setting, right?
00:47:19
Speaker
Yeah, just get your first cap, get it out of the way. Get your, you know, have that so it's no longer your first appearance for the team. wait Yeah, the last thing we need is like we're in some sort of tournament and something, you know, hopefully doesn't happen to your starting keeper. And then they're just like, oh, something happened to her.
00:47:38
Speaker
Now you're coming on for the first time ever. Wasn't that like two World Cups ago? The Netherlands goalkeeper got injured in the group stage and they had to put on a player that had like one cap for the rest of the tournament. That sounds very familiar. Yeah. And I don't want to be in that situation personally if we don't have to be.
00:47:54
Speaker
and you don't get a lot of these games so it it makes it a little bit difficult you don't yeah we don't get a lot of these games but we do have them every so often enough that we should definitely be putting in someone else at some point yeah hopefully we see that in the next next camp yeah anyways i think that's pretty much it for for the yeah non-rain woe so talk next rain match that we got coming up rain versus i had to try so hard not to put chicago red stars but the chicago stars saturday june yeah so stupid but june it's 14th saturday 2 p.m on ion this fun fun game is going to be at soldier field too my me yeah that's why i'm mad i'm not going i forgot to talk about how shitty the field looked in san diego oh yeah i feel like that's just like a given
00:48:41
Speaker
Yeah, I had it in my nose, but I was just like, ah we all know the field is shitty there. So it's just what it is, what it is. um Chicago's record, 1-8-2. The only one that they've gotten was over Bay FC, and that was the game that Ludmila got a brace Yeah, she went ham.
00:48:57
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, as ham as Chicago can go. She's good. When she gets into areas, like, when if she can be unlocked, like, she's good. Yeah. what do you want to see from this match? A win.
00:49:10
Speaker
A comfortable win. and don't think that's a big ask, hopefully. i don't know, but, like, the Soldier Field thing kind of adds this, like, element that I'm not sure, like, is this the the game that Chicago shows up?
00:49:24
Speaker
I feel like they've proven they're not going to. I don't know. we They also just tied a team that we got slaughtered by. Okay. Well. So they're not terrible.
00:49:35
Speaker
We tied Angel City, but that was like early and the season. Yeah. And we had a lot of our key starters, our usual key starters, didn't play as many minutes this week. I'm just saying, I think they're going to I would hope that the rain win the match, but I don't think it's going to be as easy as maybe i would have thought it would be ah month ago.
Reign vs. Chicago Match Preview
00:49:58
Speaker
We've never had a comfortable win this season. Yeah, maybe just a wish for a comfortable win would be fine, but I think it's gonna be harder than... Because Chicago was shit at beginning of the year. Mm-hmm. I mean, they're terrible, but... Who do you want to see start... who What forwards do you want to see start...
00:50:15
Speaker
And what midfield do you want? Like, who are they? Because we've got, you know, i mean, I guess Meza will definitely be starting, right? Yeah. And then i guess my question is, like, do you want to see McCammon? Do you want to see it go back to, like, do you want to see Montessir? Because Coco, I think Coco actually had a sneaky good game.
00:50:33
Speaker
Yeah, I would agree with that. Oof. i oh Tough question, huh? Yeah, I'm trying to think about when I was watching a Chicago game, what I saw. Obviously, you start Meza.
00:50:46
Speaker
um I think having Coco in adds a different element to the game that would be helpful against the Chicago team. i think i think you put in lynn right put in lynn adama i almost want to put adama's off the bench just because she played the full game yeah i think adama coming off the bench is fine i think you give doline yeah and doline should have ah some pretty good support there too since it's so close to her home so i think you do that i think depending on if james turner is recovered uh you get her back in there
00:51:20
Speaker
I mean, McCammon played fine, but McCammon was not a part of any goal scoring opportunities. And I think that we're going to need to score multiple goals in this game to make it through with a win.
00:51:30
Speaker
So I think you put James Turner back there. Get the James Turnham as a show back on. I'm still on the fence about Shea Holmes. I am too. There was a I will say she seems to be getting herself in some pretty dangerous positions when she gets forward, but she doesn't seem to always have the audacity to try things.
00:51:49
Speaker
Yeah, um because there is a early early chant like she was left wide. You saw that chance right in the very beginning of the last game. She was oh almost identical to the goal that she scored. yeah Yeah, and why did she not fucking shoot it?
00:52:03
Speaker
I don't know. That one drove me nuts. What drove me nuts also above that was the commentary being like, well, she doesn't usually play up here. like, did you not fucking watch the game two weeks ago in this exact same goal goal she scored? Ugh, annoying.
00:52:15
Speaker
Anyway, um yeah, that it's that kind of thing where you're just like... Yeah, I just, I feel like I hope, I mean, they have to be pointing this out when they watch video, like watch back these plays. They have to be seeing like this and Shay and like then like turning to Shay and being like, you got to shoot there. Because like, I was crazy how open she was.
00:52:37
Speaker
Well, and I think it it definitely helped that like the angle was like pretty spot on from the from the camera. So yeah, I would say I got to see you more from Shay Holmes. i'm not as old as I was on her in the first game for sure.
00:52:49
Speaker
Yeah, it was like preseason looked good. First game was great. And then it just kind of like has kind of, I wouldn't say slumped. I would just say plateaued. Yeah. Okay. Well, hopefully they win.
00:52:59
Speaker
Yeah. Well, we'll be back ah next week. Yeah, I'll be recording for Minnesota more than likely. So hopefully everything travels well and does well there. But live from Minnesota. like We won't be live. Anyways, thanks again to our sponsor, The Doctor's Office.
00:53:15
Speaker
If you want, you go follow us as always on social media. We're on Blue Sky and Instagram, Cooler Guild Pod. ah You can also send us an email. We'd love an email. We haven't gotten an email in a while. we would love one. ah You can email us at thecoolerguild at gmail.com.
00:53:27
Speaker
You can also visit us at sounderatheart.com forward slash thecoolerguild. You probably aren't getting emails because you're not replying to them and everyone's like mad about it. Fair. Or they're sad. They're probably sad. Fair. I'm sorry.
00:53:38
Speaker
Yeah. We're also on YouTube, youtube.com forward slash at thecoolerguild. We'll have most video episodes up there. van's audio video has kind of been walking for this one so maybe not this one um but we will be working on what's going wrong wherever you're listening please go rate five stars uh till next time i'm coop i'm van stay cool y'all stay cool y'all
00:54:16
Speaker
spot and then I shook my pants out and it was a beetle well okay we are recording oh fuck