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Seattle Gets the World Cup: Can the USMNT Back Up the Hype?!
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In this episode, we’re back and kicking off our coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as it arrives in Seattle! The biggest tournament in the sport is finally here in the city, and we’re getting into everything that comes with it. We start with the USMNT, breaking down their group-stage hopes, expectations, and where they stand heading into a massive tournament where the pressure is officially on. Then we preview every group-stage World Cup match coming to Seattle, including Belgium vs Egypt, USA vs Australia, Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, and Egypt vs Iran – a slate that will see some of the biggest global superstars face off in Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne and Egyptian superstar Mo Salah.
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Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused live morning show. Join Ari Liljenwall and Niko Moreno live on YouTube every Monday, at 8am Pacific to kickoff your week with the inside scoop on the Seattle Sounders and Major League Soccer. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Pulso Sports' Niko Moreno. Grab a coffee as we talk about the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Introduction and Partnership Announcement
00:00:00
Speaker
As you know, we are big fans of supporting small business, and we have partnered with Seattle coffee roaster QED Coffee to bring a full spectrum of coffees to our listeners. Matt, the owner, is a diehard Sounders fan and inaugural season ticket holder who can often be overheard talking about the latest match while he works behind the bar.
00:00:19
Speaker
From light roasted single origin offerings all the way to your classic diner blend, QED has the best coffee for the best fans in MLS. Thankfully, you don't have to live in Seattle to get great coffee.
00:00:30
Speaker
QED's high quality coffee subscription service offers our favorite blends right to your door. at lobbing scorchers.com slash coffee first time subscribers can get 25 off your order and additionally qed is offering lobbing scorcher supporters 25 off site-wide with code ls74 what are you waiting for visit one of their three locations in mount baker west seattle and three tree point or go to lobbing scorchers.com slash coffee and use code ls74 at checkout This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on youtube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to youtube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or lobbingscorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:01:21
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be real scorcher today. Quite the scorcher today. Well it's gonna be a scorcher.
World Cup Fever in Seattle
00:01:42
Speaker
Good morning, everybody, and welcome to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff presented by QED Coffee. I'm Ari, that's Nico, and we are out here at the Sounder at Heart studio in the ID, and we have got a very special show here this morning because, folks, we are going to be commencing.
00:02:00
Speaker
our coverage of the 2026 world cup, or as Noah likes to call it, the 2026 FIFA world cup. The countdown is officially on Nico in just a matter of days. The biggest sporting event on the planet comes to Seattle. Lumen field is taking center stage.
00:02:16
Speaker
for the world cup. And I got to say, I think Seattle landed one of the stronger tournament slates of any host city. I mean, we got four group matches. We got two knockout round games set to be played right here in the Emerald city. And that includes a U S men's national team game. So we're going to be talking about all of that here this morning, uh, and more Nico.
00:02:35
Speaker
What's up, man. It's good to see you. It's been a couple of weeks. We were off last week. Uh, but how you doing world cup time in Seattle? Let's go. I'm feeling good, man. You know, had to get up early today. So, you know, we just make sure to get it going. Early coffee, cold shower.
00:02:54
Speaker
God, you know, over here parking wasn't bad, which I was very surprised in ah And yeah, man, just excited. Just driving into the city, you could feel... the world cup fever, right? I mean, you could, you could see the signs. yeah I saw a couple of people with a couple of Scotland jerseys just right here, which was kind of cool. So yeah, just people are starting to really get out there and, and show their colors, the team that they like, the team that that they reside with. Maybe it is some sort of a situation where your parents are from here or there, or you're just, just picking the team, just enjoying it. So I definitely see it. I feel it. So I'm ready to go, man. Yeah, no, I'm starting to feel that buzz too. And for me, especially, you know, now um that I found out I'm getting to actually go and get credentialed for a couple of these games, I'm pretty pumped up for that as well. So ah without further ado, Nico, let's get into it. Before we do jump into it, I do have to let you all know, as always, that Lobbing Scorchers kickoff is presented.
00:03:51
Speaker
by QED Coffee, our favorite Seattle-based roaster, coffee shop, and coffee subscription service. ah You can visit them in person at one of their three Seattle locations or online. Lobbingscors.com slash coffee. Use code LS74 for 25% off anything across the site. If you haven't gotten your ah QED coffee subscription, what are you waiting for? Lobbingscorchers.com slash coffee. But all right, Nico, so here's what I want to do here this morning. The first thing I want to do is a little USMNT
USMNT Performance and Expectations
00:04:19
Speaker
punditry. Let's talk about the Yanks.
00:04:21
Speaker
the U S men's national team, uh, take a little pulse vibe check going into the world cup, how we're feeling about the squad. Uh, and then later on to close out the show, we're going to go through, we're actually going to preview and give our thoughts of all four group stage matches that are going down in Seattle. So that's, we got Belgium, Egypt on June 15th, USA, Australia, as I mentioned on Friday, June 19th, uh, then it'll be Qatar versus Bosnia on the June 24th. And then you got Egypt, Iran on Friday, June 26. So honestly, I think that is my first takeaway. Nico is we got a good, we got a good slate. These are all pretty intriguing high level matchups. And they gave Seattle one of the U S men's national team games, which I think shouldn't be slept on as a, as a significant thing. They're they're not going to give the U S M T games to a city that they don't think is going to do it up the right way. And I think we all already know that Seattle is going to do it up the right way, but That's what I have for the rundown. And then you know, if other stuff comes up as we go here, we can hit that as well. But does that sound good? Nico, you ready to dive into it? Let's do it. All right. ah
00:05:30
Speaker
let's Let's start with what I said, this kind of just vibe check on the USMNT. And I'll start just by giving my take on where things stand with the Yanks going into this tournament because i don't think it's any secret. you know Some people might call ah call me a hater of the USMNT. I prefer the term skeptic. I think I've been skeptical of this USMNT generation for a while now. And it's not just in a they haven't gotten results kind of way. It's more in the sense where I got... to the point where I felt like the whole golden generation label was, you know, a bit premature or, you know, i just started to take issue with that label. And i well, because to me, I don't know if you disagree, but it just, it's felt like a team that's being talked about as if, as if they've actually achieved something at the international level, when in reality, they haven't really done that yet. And over that time, it just created a bit of a disconnect because, you know, the performances didn't always match the the branding, the results. But then there's also just been a broader vibe issue with the team that I've talked about a lot.
00:06:30
Speaker
I think at times they felt a bit entitled in the way that I was talking about for a group that hasn't broken through yet on the world stage. And then you combine that with the inconsistent performances, mixed results, general sense that things weren't really clicking when it mattered most.
00:06:43
Speaker
i think it's been hard to fully buy in i don't think i'm alone on that i think a lot of people kind of feel what i'm saying with that uh and then you know you have the outside noise that comes with that the online discourse uh the anonymous usmnt trollbot energy you know that just makes the whole thing feel even more toxic and harder to engage with in a normal way so for a long time i've basically been in this place of i'll believe it when i see it with this team if this is really the golden generation prove it And the way I look at it, Nico, now this is their opportunity to do that. And I will say this with all that said, ah I've always said with this team that I'm willing to be proven wrong. If they want to prove me wrong, go out on the field and do it, put in the performances and get the results. And
00:07:24
Speaker
I'm curious to what you thought of these last two friendlies that they played, because I, I will say, I thought these last two friendlies against Senegal and Germany were genuinely impressive for different reasons, but you know, not just in the sense that they got results, but how they actually played. Right. And against Germany, especially they were going toe to toe with the top tier team. There was a section of that game at the, like from midway through the first half to the end of the first half where they had Germany in hell. They really did. Like, I don't think there's any way around it. They didn't look out of place doing it.
00:07:54
Speaker
And that felt kind of new compared to their performances in the last window, certainly. and that has always been the case in those kinds of games. And, you know, even that ah that Jedi Robinson goal, man, that felt like a big moment. That felt like an important moment because at that point it was 1-0 and ah Germany had scored two minutes into the game. And, you know, we're sitting here thinking...
00:08:13
Speaker
All right. Same thing as always. Once you put them up against a normal power or a big world power, they're going to crumble. They're going to wilt. And that's what it's going to be. And when Jedi hit that goal, that felt like a, that kind of felt like a statement to me. That felt like a, like a Jedi Robinson and the USMNT saying like, no, this isn't going to go down like that.
00:08:33
Speaker
We're not intimidated by you. And I liked that. I thought that was impressive. So I feel like they're about as locked in as you could hope for. The last two performances were actually pretty good. And I think all things considered, the vibes are actually pretty improved from where they were even a couple weeks ago. Nico, I'll give you the floor. What do you think of the USMNT going into the World Cup? Yeah, look, ah first of all, yeah I do disagree. And I've been on the opposite end, which is it's nice that we both have kind of completely different outlooks into it. Because like a golden generation just means that it's...
00:09:06
Speaker
your your collective group of most talented players. And I think that because this is the first time ever since I've been watching soccer and obviously, and USM and has been put together that there are these many European level type players. I think that's where the golden generation lies, whether they completely are successful with that. That's the pressure.
00:09:28
Speaker
And that's, that's where, you know, like I found a victim to it last world cup. I was extremely high. That was a younger team, but, when you're talking about your golden generation and all of this players with this ah potential that you've maybe never seen before, you've had really good players, the, the deuces and the land ends. And, you know, you have a really good teams that have performed at the world cup level, but the golden generation is something that happens in every single national team. i know that Columbia just recently went through one and, know,
00:10:04
Speaker
You got to be able to maximize that. You got to be able to, like you said, use that not just as a name and not just as a recognition, but you got to use it to actually do something with it because there's nothing that devalues that name of a golden generation if you're not putting in that the results. And so...
00:10:24
Speaker
To that, I think that now the level of pressure doubles because not only do you have a golden generation of players and all these talented individuals and um a team that has high expectations, but now you're hosting.
00:10:41
Speaker
Now you're at home. Now this is supposed to be your tournament. you know South Korea was fourth when they hosted. right Why not the USA? Why can't this team not be a dark horse? Because obviously...
00:10:54
Speaker
the golden generation is specific to the U.S. Miss national team, right? It doesn't mean that they're the greatest team in the world. doesn't mean that they're the best team in CONCACAF. Nothing of that nature. It just means that this is the a collective group of players that is extremely talented. And I think that I would agree with that. Now, in the last couple of friendlies, I've seen them correct the course. They've taken steps in the right directions. Hasn't been perfect, but it's been...
00:11:23
Speaker
Good in in these aspects. One, concepts concepts and principles of play, both against Senegal and against Germany. I thought that the team knew and understood the way they wanted to play. With on the outside, Robinson and Dest, that is a duo that...
00:11:39
Speaker
Funny enough, Mauricio Bochino had not really had ever until just recently, right? So you're able to see what those guys can perform. Pulisic was the big question mark.
00:11:51
Speaker
I've said this once, twice, I'll say it a thousand times. For a team to be able to get far in this type of tournament your top players need to play at the top level and Pulisic was a player that over the last six months had been struggling he had not scored before that Senegal game until December of last year and that was at the club level and at the national team level you heard stories about Pulisic all about the wrong things nothing in regards to him just being this player that had all this responsibility So just having him score and having him look once again like the face of this team, El Capitan America, Captain America, that's what they call him in in all of you know his ah Spanish media,
00:12:38
Speaker
He is their best outlet, their most creative player, and you saw that in the last two games. But if you want to talk specifically about the Germany game, and you talk you touched on it a little bit, I like the intensity. I like yeah the the grit. I like the, you know, he got a little chippy there at the end, right? and There's a tackle from Timothy Weah, then guys come up and he gets feisty. Love that. But mainly...
00:13:06
Speaker
Look, the US national team was better than Germany for like 70 minutes. Yeah. Like the start of the game, it wasn't great. There were problems. There's still some holes. you um Look, Miles Robinson, to me, has looked out of place, has looked like he's in over his head. And that's just me. I know that the goal is not just on Miles. I get that Matt Freese could have made a plate on that ball, and that's totally true. But Miles could not allow that player to get...
00:13:33
Speaker
that free, right? i mean, you're talking about Havertz. You're talking about but one of the best players in that team. The least thing you can do is get yourself in between the ball and the cross and and the player, and and and he doesn't do that. So there's been mistake after there mistakes from Miles Robinson. I'm still not sold on Tim Rehm either. I think that that's...
00:13:51
Speaker
a vulnerable position for the UNSF national team. But overall, overall, I thought that regardless of losing this game, the team was dangerous. I thought that Balligan was strong. I thought Timothy Tillman was was good. And going back to the concepts, I think that this 3-4-2-1 does work well with the the double tents, the double pivots.
00:14:15
Speaker
Who is going to be that person that that that really takes over that position next to Adams? I'm still not totally sold on it. I see a team that has a lot of fluidity where sometimes McKinney drops and Tillman pushes and sometimes Tillman stays because he's the guy that's supposed to be that far right next to Adams. I personally think that Tillman should be a little bit higher of the field, but that's okay. ah When you're talking about Adams,
00:14:40
Speaker
Understanding space and and attacking where the pressure is coming from your opposition. That's all good and well. And that is optimal soccer. That's Pep Guardiola type of stuff.
00:14:53
Speaker
And now that could work at the group stage. And and I don't mind it I don't mind you being that bold and and and having that sort of. approach to the game. But once you pass the group stage, you might have to be a little bit more pragmatic. You might have to put in a ah Christian Roldan. You might have to really be able to defend, right? Because right now, like Seba Bellhalter. Tillman sometimes in that role. But it It looks too open for me. It looks a little bit too vulnerable for this team to get caught up in transition moments. But overall, I think that pushing a team of the quality of Germany gives this team momentum, gives this team confidence. and And I like what I saw.
00:15:40
Speaker
What do you think of a Pochettino?
Pochettino's Management Style Discussion
00:15:42
Speaker
Because, you know, I think that's another situation that I was skeptical of at first. And I think it did start kind of rough and there have been some ah rough performances, but i think as it stands now, right before, as we're going into the world cup, I think my, I've kind of finalized my take on him and, uh,
00:16:00
Speaker
I don't know. I think I kind of I like him. I kind of like him. I like his whole vibe. ah I think the first thing I like about Pochettino number one is, ah you know, when he talks about the whole calling in MLS players versus Europe debate. And I guess just the way he's handled the player pool in general, you can very much tell he came in as an outsider objective with no kind of preconceived notions or agendas. And, you know,
00:16:28
Speaker
The rosters that he's been calling in are just very reflective of how he views the player pool. And in that way, some of the quotes that he's given, you know, Noah and I always ah joke about it. Like he sounds like us talking about MLS sometimes. ah He multiple times has unprompted in his press conferences gone on diatribes about how You know, people tell me that I shouldn't be calling in MLS players. I should only be calling in people from Europe. And those people have no idea what they're talking about. I know what I'm looking at. I know that ah these MLS guys I'm calling in are at the level. And anyone who disputes that has no idea what they're talking about. ah Those are all things that...
00:17:07
Speaker
I would say. And so from where I sit, I'm like, yeah, I mean, cook poke pochettino. I didn't, uh, I didn't know your ball knowledge was like that, but kind of in all seriousness, like, uh, I think what that does is that that gives you clear eyes.
00:17:22
Speaker
Right. And you can see that in his call-ups and specifically like, uh, I think my favorite example of it is, you know, you've got your starting midfielders, your center mids of Weston McKinney and Tyler Adams, but know who do you have behind that? Who are you going to call up to ah spell those guys? If you need to, the combination of Christian rolled on and Sebastian Berhalter is a phenomenal idea for that role on the team.
00:17:46
Speaker
And the fact that he actually had the courage to look at it and be like, No, like i I know what I'm seeing here. These are two guys that I know are at the level and can contribute to this team. These are who I'm going to call in at this position group. I know a lot of people feel like that is a thin position group, but I can respect that. I can respect that. You know, it's like, thank you. You see the same things in Christian Roldan that we all do out here week in, week out. And you're actually applying that to your call-ups. I think that is a demonstration of ball knowledge and I can appreciate that. And i also just think his whole vibe of how he kind of just doesn't give a shit is already talking to AC Milan
00:18:20
Speaker
Like that's not always ideal, but in this situation, i think that it kind of works for the job he's been tasked to do. So what's what's your Pochettino take, Nico? I'm curious. I like Poch. I've always liked ah the way he handles his business. Like as a man, he is on filter, unapologetic a lot of times.
00:18:40
Speaker
Do I have some issues with the way he built his roster? Yes. Do I think he has inconsistencies within his own thought process? Absolutely. Because, you know, for me, I love the fact that you're looking at a team and you're saying, look, I don't care where you play. It's about whether you're in good form, whether you are a good fit for my system, whether you're going to be a guy that's not going to play for Team Me, but for Team USA. i love that. I like the fact that he's adding this whole um
00:19:11
Speaker
you got to have love for the bats, right? he He talks about it in every single talk to the players, in every single press conference. That's what it's about. It's about being prideful and having this common goal with a group of group of individuals for a bigger, larger thing. And I love that. he he talks about the passion and and he wants his teams to be, you know, high in intensity. And I like that. But the inconsistencies have been a guy like, look, I don't want to just bash on one guy, but To me, Miles Robinson is not one of the best center backs in MLS, has not been in the best form over the last six, maybe 12 months.
00:19:50
Speaker
So to me, his call-up is the one that I wonder why, and and I don't really get enough from Pochettino in terms to defend that call-up.
00:20:02
Speaker
um I feel like... If you were going to go MLS, a guy like Gazo would have been at least someone that you were going to be able to put in a game late. You're chasing it. You need somebody to make something happen. Maybe you add him on. Now, the the the clear and obvious answer was adding another six.
00:20:17
Speaker
Adding one more holding midfielder, because right now it's only Tyler Adams and Christian Olden. Love k Christian Olden. Love Adams. But having one more guy, just in case things go out of whack, yellow card, red card, injury.
00:20:30
Speaker
knock on wood that it doesn't happen. But, you know, a guy like Eddie Morris or Tasman or, you know, go go outside of that and, and just add one more piece and take away from a guy like Robinson that, that to me just doesn't feel like he necessarily earned it. So maybe I'm going to get heat for that. I just, that's the way I feel about him specifically. Now,
00:20:55
Speaker
Do I think that Pochettino, in his way of looking at things, is putting the best team together? And that doesn't always mean the most talented team in every single position or having guys from the highest leagues. Yeah. And I think it's going to work. And you've seen progressive, ah you know, adaptation of each one of these players to play the way that Pochettino wants.
00:21:20
Speaker
But when it comes to the big stage, when it comes to facing Paraguay, game one, That's when we're going to be able to really, and and I hate to say it that way too, because we're going to justify the results, but that's where you're going to be able to really judge Pochettino, whether it was all just word of mouth or if the players really bought in of what he was selling and whether the tactics are there for him to put this team as far as maybe a semifinal. Look, I've said this ah just recently on on Fox 13. If you were not going to be bold,
00:21:56
Speaker
about this team when you're hosting a World Cup, you have your golden generation, you have your big big time, big name, big salary head coach leading that squad. You have Pulisic once again doing his thing. You got Jedet Robinson, you got Sergio Nodes, you got Timothy Weah.
00:22:18
Speaker
You got to be able to set the standard high. So why not? Why not have that as their ultimate goal? So how far and how close Pochettino gets there is really going to set and write his name in the history books, whether he was worth it or he was a bust.
00:22:38
Speaker
Magno has been a member for three months. Appreciate the support. He says, you think Tim way will start looked like he was trying to send a message when he got subbed in. Yeah. In the Germany game, he did look like he was trying to send a message. He was out there scrapping, you know, I don't really think of Tim way as ah much of a scrapper like that, but he definitely felt like he was trying to bring a bit of an edge, a chip on his
USMNT Key Players and World Cup Strategy
00:23:00
Speaker
shoulder. And like, you know, like we've been talking about, I think this team has a,
00:23:04
Speaker
has needed that. So I don't know if he's a, a starter on this team at this point, it seems like he's more of ah a depth piece, but I kind of like him as a, as a depth piece who can kind of bring that pace and dynamism off the bench. And, uh, you know, if he wants to bring a little bit of an edge to it as well, I'm all for it, Nico. But, uh,
00:23:23
Speaker
All right, I think, oh yeah, no, please. Yeah, I don't think he will start. And I really like Timothy Weah. I think he's extremely, he's he might be your most dangerous player from that that side and playing that closely to the touchline. But Sergino's best ability to also be a player that goes into those inside channels and becomes a guy that's arriving late into the box, like you've seen him. I think that there's a really good understanding of what Pochettino wants to do. And I think what really took Timothy out of the starting lineup wasn't necessarily Sergino Dest, but it was Alex Freeman, who has been phenomenal. He has been so good. like him. Yeah. So good. Just physical. He's so athletic. Like he can cover so much ground. He has looked great in La Liga.
00:24:09
Speaker
ah He's a guy that I was high on ever since he was in Orlando, and people were questioning whether or not he was going to do good at the European level. And he has been phenomenal. and He's been really good, real solid with this team. You might see it in the formation as a 4-2-3-1, but you know it varies, right? I think most of the time he plays like a 3-4-2-1.
00:24:30
Speaker
and And Freeman just adapts so well and he can get high. He can break lines with the ball. His distribution has been really good, really good on set pieces. So I think that's kind of what went out because I've heard a lot of people say, well, why don't you play the four, two, three, one with Sergino as a right back and Timothy way as that winger.
00:24:47
Speaker
Look, that that used to be a thing. I think that that is something that we we all would like to see or have looked and and liked in the past, but yeah, Adding Freeman gives you a real lockdown defender there when you go into that three men setup in the back line. And when you have Tim Ream and you have some of these other question marks, you're hoping Chris Richards is back, right? That is a huge just pillar of what this team can do defensively. But but Freeman does a lot of great things for you when he gives you a little bit of ah of a safety blanket that you need. So as long as
00:25:25
Speaker
Team Ream doesn't get too isolated and set an island. You know, I think that USMNT can be okay, but I don't think that Timothy Weah is going to be a starter for this team. All right, Nico, I got one more USMNT question for discussion before we move on to these match previews of these group stage matches in Seattle. ah But before that, though, someone was saying we got 10 likes on the video or something like that. That is not acceptable.
00:25:49
Speaker
I'm going to need that number to be way higher. Pump us up into that algorithm. Like the video, sub to the channel. We're about to hit 3.4K, I believe, on ah YouTube. So the road to 4K is still going strong. And sauce us a follow on Instagram and TikTok as well while you're at it. But ah all right, Nico, to close out the USMNT segment here this morning, I have just one question.
00:26:12
Speaker
for us to discuss right now. And what I want to talk about is expectations. What is the minimum result that would make this world cup a success for the USMNT? What do you think they have to do for us to come out of this tournament saying, bang, that's how you hosted up.
00:26:27
Speaker
That was successful. The sport in this country has now advanced past what it was previously. What do you, what do you think would constitute that? I think you've got to get as far as the sixth game at the very least. And you've got to lose to a powerhouse. You've got to lose to a Belgium, a Spain. you know the the The whole point and the only roadway to a Cinderella story from this US national team, if we could say Cinderella story,
00:26:59
Speaker
would be if they are first in their group, right? Cause that gives you the easiest pathway to get in as far as they do. But you know, if they're second and they're able to put a couple of really good performances in the playoffs and that kind of changes things, it's all about who you lose and the way you lose to sometimes in the world cup. But to me, that sixth game would be the marker that that that I would like at the very minimum to see from this team. That's where I would set the bar. Uh,
00:27:26
Speaker
But again, I think the objective has to be at least a semifinal. So that's the way I'm going to set it I think that's fair. I think for me, it's about you gotta you have to make it further than you've been making it just off rip. okay So that means there has been one U.S. team that's made it to the quarterfinals. right That was in 2002. They need to at least equal that in terms of how far they make it. If they make it out of the group and then bomb out immediately in the first game, in the first knockout game, that's not, that's not a success. Like that is nothing different than anything past generations have done to really differentiate yourself. I think you've got at least make it to the quarters. And man, I think, I do think this team should be able to on talent and ability, make it to the semifinals, like you're saying, but I think the quarters has got to be the bare thing.
00:28:19
Speaker
minimum for this group for this to be considered a uh a successful tournament and i think as far as how how they play though like watching the senegal game in the germany game i was thinking you know just play like that play like that at the tournament and then you'll at the very least uh clear the bar of not embarrassing yourself and embarrassing the entire country because you know that's the thing about the world cup is it's like it's not just your own reputation on the line and your career and your individual career as a player, it's your entire country reputation on the line. If you make embarrassing mistakes, you embarrass all of us.
00:28:55
Speaker
That's a lot. That's a lot of pressure, you know? So hopefully they're able to deal with that. hopefully they're hopefullyly they able to channel that in, uh, into a sense of urgency with this, you know, with all this talk about the golden generation, uh, I've been questioning, like, you know, do these guys really feel the weight of the fact that this is kind of for most of them, this is their last best shot to play in a world cup while they're still in their physical primes. A lot of these guys aren't going to get to play in another world cup. Some of them might like a guy like Gio Reyna might, but anybody who's, you know, in the age age range in their late twenties right now, this could be it.
00:29:27
Speaker
If you're 27, 28, 29, 30 years old and you're playing in this world cup, this is probably it for you. So I hope guys like Tyler Adams, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKinney feel the way to that. And I think that was kind of the encouraging thing about these last two friendlies is they looked like they were playing like they did feel the way to that. I think Tyler Adams specifically, he's been flying around. I like how he's playing. So, you know, I think that's good. They just have to go out and execute it come game time. Yeah. And you're going to have to find a way to be,
00:29:56
Speaker
better defensively. But I think if there is one more question mark that I see in the roster, because I used to think that Balligan was going to be without a doubt the nine. Ricardo Pepe looked really good in the tentacle game, looked really good at just attacking space and creating space and holding up and linking up. I mean, you know, as much as I like Balligan, I feel like a lot of times he...
00:30:25
Speaker
Depends a lot of its speed. And like you saw against Germany on the 1v1s, sometimes you just can't beat somebody just that simply. And when the game gets really difficult like that, I don't know if, if if let's say against Paraguay, week one, the the very first game, a team that is used to playing with deep lines, deep block, that is coached by a very pragmatic and you know very defensive-minded coach,
00:30:54
Speaker
do you bring in a guy like Ricardo Pepe and just have him occupy the center backs and really push and really press? So I don't know what your thoughts there are on that, that nine. Cause Hadjit writes another one that has been really good in terms of form with, with his club. But I think the race is Pepe and, and Molly. Yeah, no, I definitely think that's the race. And where I'm at with that is,
00:31:18
Speaker
I don't know. I think Balogun's pretty clearly the ah the starter. I just think he has ah skill set to him that, frankly, I don't know if any U.S. number nine that I can think of in recent memory has that at the level that he does. And I've been a skeptic of him at times, too. But I think in the last...
00:31:36
Speaker
few times he's been called in, you can really see that he is, he's got a level to him that I don't think any other number nine in our pool does. Uh, but I agree with what you're saying about Peppy. I think his stock is back up. Uh, Peppy, I think, I think his stock was down for a while. Shout out Reese Reese loves Peppy. Uh, but, um, I think Peppy stock is back up. And, uh, I think just kind of a rotation of Peppy Baligan for this tournament.
00:32:02
Speaker
that's what I would do. So I think that is what they're going to do with Balogun as the starter and Pepe is kind of the super sub. And I'm down with that. I think that's a fine plan. i got Any, any last thoughts on ah the USMNT, how they're doing, going into the world cup expectations, players. We haven't talked about Christian at all yet. Real quick to close it out. yeah wonder how are you How are you feeling about his stock and his role going into this? Congratulations and for making the team, by the way, I know we've already said it, but he deserves to be on this team.
00:32:31
Speaker
And you think he doesn't argue with the wall. He clearly does. And I think the fact that Pochettino, the fact that Pochettino came in from the outside with no agenda and came to that exact same conclusion, that's to frankly end the debate about it, Nico. It really should. We shouldn't even have to talk about whether he deserves to be there. If,
00:32:50
Speaker
a coach of the stature and the name value that everyone wanted, a Pochettino sees the same things in Christian Roldan that we do, then I think it's time to just accept that this guy is a good player. He's at this level. He deserves to be on this team. I'm stoked he's on this team. And I think it really doesn't it seem like that Pochettino actually...
00:33:10
Speaker
kind of has a role for him. Like the last world cup in 2022, everybody made such a big thing of Berhalter. I think he used the term vibes at one point and everyone was like, Oh, so he's only getting, ah called in because he's a vibes guy, which first of all,
00:33:27
Speaker
Like I know the term vibes guy is easy to mock, but like in all seriousness, if you don't think vibes and energy and chemistry are really important in situations like this and tournaments like this, then I think you are very much telling on yourself that you you just don't know what goes into this stuff. Like once you reach a certain type of level, the talent levels even out and things like vibes and energy and chemistry, those can be the differentiators. So yeah,
00:33:56
Speaker
even if he wasn't playing and was brought in as a vibes guy, there's absolutely a role for that. And that was kind of more what his role was in 2022, but it does seem like Pochettino thinks highly enough of him as a player that if there is an opportunity to give him actual run in this tournament, it seems like he's going to do it. Like I expect Christian to actually play more minutes at this tournament this time around than he did at the last one. do you see that the same way? Or ah do you think he might be in more of like a buried on the depth chart type of situation? No, think there's no question mark. i mean I think anyone that is doubting whether or not Christian Roldan is going to have a significant role within this team is either blind or just doesn't want to see what's really happening. Because we just talked about the necessity for his skill set, right? He is the only other six. along Tyler Adams. So when anything happens, you need to rotate.
00:34:50
Speaker
You need to change things up. You need to add someone to close out a game. That's going to be Christian. old then There's no one else, right? We talked, but you know, we're both stuck about Gio Reyna playing as a, as a defensive player in the midfield. That, I mean,
00:35:03
Speaker
That's not what Gio Reyna does at all. Tillman, obviously another player that's better going forward. McKinney, right? All these other options. Berhalter. Berhalter plays with Kubas right next to him in in Vancouver. Kubas does that that role of that that real six. So he is going to have an impact. Now,
00:35:22
Speaker
There's been a lot of slander because of the friendlies, as it always happens for any of the and MLS guys. But you got to remember that in that Senegal game, Christian Rodin comes in the second half. There are 10 changes. There's 10 subs that that that that happen within the time that...
00:35:40
Speaker
Christian Roldan goes in. That changes everything. Changes the dynamic, changes the chemistry. You got to kind of get back in the game. And I thought that Christian settled into his game later in that second half when he came in. So for me, the beauty about the Christian Roldan as a player for your system is that even when maybe he comes in and he has a bad turnover or he doesn't quite get to a specific ball he sees it he recognizes it and that he's going to give you twice the effort and i thought he did that against senegal i thought that he really came back into his role keeping the shape, being disciplined, coming back, covering space, tracking down players. Defensively, after I thought he was good there at the end of that Senegal game. So yeah that's what you're going to get. And to get in the mind of Pochettino, you've got to understand that all of his teams, whether it's at Espanyol, Southampton, or Tottenham, he likes having teams that...
00:36:40
Speaker
have a different level of physicality and that they are defensively sound. So the, the, the role dance, that's exactly the type of player that he loves to see.
00:36:52
Speaker
Like we can sit here and talk about all of the ah marketing and all of the, the, um, all of the highlights that maybe he put toward a guy like Luna that, you know, had that grid and, you know, he gets hit in the face. That's the biggest snub. That's the biggest snub there. But, you know, that is an egregious snub in my opinion, but there's always going to be a snub. Yeah, no, no, and and and he was, like, injured and all these things, or he was coming back from an injury. But what I wanted to say is that the thing that really put Luna on the map for Pochettino, in my opinion, wasn't necessarily just all the play on the ball. It was the intangibles. It was the other stuff. And that's why i think Christian Rodin is such a lock-in. And I guarantee you that push comes to shove, and Pochettino needs to close down a game.
00:37:44
Speaker
He will not doubt, he will not hesitate to use Christian O'Donnell. So to me, he is going to be a guy that's going to have a lot of minutes. Now, that also could be a double-edged weapon, right? Because we all love Christian O'Donnell. have no problem admitting that i want Christian O'Donnell to do well.
00:38:02
Speaker
That's a big responsibility because when your name gets called, your number gets called, you better be able to perform because no one forgets what happens at a world cup. You do not want to be Chris Wondolowski. You do not want to be all of these players that have had bad moments in world cups because they will remember no one will ever forget it. So Christian Roldan,
00:38:23
Speaker
I hope he does well. I think he'll do well, but there's a lot of responsibility on him as well. There's a lot of responsibility on him. There's a lot of responsibility on this whole team. This is, ah this is, it's going
Preview of Upcoming Matches in Seattle
00:38:36
Speaker
to be interesting, Nico. It's going to be historic and we'll see if they can, if they can live up to the hype. uh all right to uh close out the show here this morning miko let it let's preview all of these group stage matches that we have got taking place at lumen field in seattle before we dive into that everyone again please like the video like comment subscribe rate five stars follow the channel get us to that 3.4 and uh help keep growing the show thank you for the we're gonna give them a little leeway too because we we haven't been doing the monday shows and i know that We missed it last week. Okay. We missed it one week. and I appreciate you all bearing with us being off last week. I will tell you guys this, I've been, uh, moving for the last week or two and it, I have been, a had a hell of a time. I feel like I've lived like six months in the last two weeks. I'm going to have to do a just pod about that sometime, uh, coming soon, but we're not, we're back at it and we're back locked in for the world cup. And, uh, you know, if there's Sounders news ah as well, that merits it. We'll, uh, we'll be covering it all. So, uh, we're not going anywhere. We're back at it, but yeah, uh, Well said, Nico. ah Ari versus landlord rant. Yes, exactly. Except not landlord rant. Rant at person who totaled my car on Capitol Hill.
00:39:48
Speaker
Not cool. Whoa, what? If you're watching or listening. Yeah, going to have to do a show about that. um i wasn't in it, to be clear. there na but still. is you know go yeah throw away Two weeks ago, I had a car.
00:39:59
Speaker
Now I don't have a car. It's fine. It's whatever. Who needs a car? material possession. ah All right. Nico, let's go through these Seattle matches to close it out here because i'm I'm looking forward to all of these games, honestly. It's really cool that they gave Seattle these matches this good of matchups with this big of teams. So ah let's start with the first one we got here. Monday, June 15th, Nico at Lumenfield. It's going down Belgium versus Egypt. This is the star power game of Seattle's group stage. You've got Mo Salah, one of the most recognizable players on earth going head to head with Kevin De Bruyne, the man himself, KDB and a Belgian side that remains one of Europe's most talented teams. Belgium is going to be favored here, but you know, Nico, whenever Mo Salah,
00:40:46
Speaker
is involved whenever he's in the mix. Egypt has got a chance. So the way I would size this one up is ah Belgium has the better team. Egypt has the most dangerous individual player on the field. KDB notwithstanding, you know, they have the two most dangerous individual players on the field. But ah the point is, Salah,
00:41:05
Speaker
can give you that moment of individual brilliance in any given game. So you've got the favorite, but you also get a global school, global superstar who can, uh, turn a whole match on his head with one moment. And, uh,
00:41:17
Speaker
when we're sitting at Lumen Field watching this game, every time that Mo Salah gets the ball in space, you're going feel that. So I think as far as like just head to head star power, international global superstars, it doesn't get much better than this, even though both of these guys are a little bit older. Nico, what do you think of ah Belgium, Belgium, Egypt coming up at Lumen Field?
00:41:36
Speaker
I think it's going to be probably the the most exciting game. And as you said it, the most star studded game, if you will, going to be quite honest. I,
00:41:48
Speaker
I think the sled was fine. And I think what really puts it over the edges that, or tilts the scale to the good side is the USMNT game. But, you know, I would have liked a Columbia, you know, ah a Portugal, maybe, ah I don't know, an England game. That would have been kind of cool. But but for what it's worth, this is the game that I think a lot of people are going to be marking their calendar along the one for, of course, the Australia-USM national team. But look,
00:42:16
Speaker
I think Doku would have something to say about being the most... Yeah, that's fair. know like He's a lot of people's pick to be like MVP of the whole thing. Totally. And he should be. He is a guy that is just a highlight reel. He is a magnet for your eye. you know He can do absolutely everything. he he has the speed. He has that the change of pace. He can put it away. so I believe this Belgium team is is good enough to win this group. So I do have them beating Egypt. I think it's going to be a difficult one. I do. I think that Egypt has a really good ability to at times hold the ball and and withstand that midfield. Belgium is clearly going to be, in my opinion, the the the protagonist, the one that's going to keep the ball. So can Egypt just battle it out, overpopulate it and not allow a guy like Doku to to get off and and be able to get behind their their back line? We play a little bit on the counter. So.
00:43:15
Speaker
It's a tough task for Egypt. I don't think it's impossible. Yeah. But to me, this Belgium team has had some inconsistencies. they have And they have had some inconsistencies in their World Cup qualifiers. had some inconsistencies with some individual play. They have a phenomenal goalkeeper, which keeps you in every game. But...
00:43:34
Speaker
I'm just not as blown away out of this specific Belgium team, but it's going to be a really good one. And I think that Belgium will win this one. yeah I think predictions wise, I like a two, one Belgium type situation, but again, you know, with most Allah involved that can, that is one of the bigger equalizers I could think of, but ah yeah, Nico, I'm going to this game. I'm excited for it because ah You know, I've talked about this before. McAuliffe in chat says KDB future sounder. That was something I campaigned for at one point, ah not from a name chasing perspective, but because when people ask me the the team that really made me fall in love with this sport originally, the one I always point to is the the Belgium team at the 2014 World Cup, Nico, the one with ah peak Eden Hazard and Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne at his apex, their golden generation.
00:44:26
Speaker
God, I loved watching that team play a 2014 Belgium counterattack. I think that is the pinnacle of football. And that was kind of right when I was getting first, like fully immersed in the sport and just watching that that team specifically in that world cup. That was when I really came to the final conclusion, like God, this is the greatest sport on earth. So I'll always have an affinity for Belgium for that. I don't really like care if they win or lose, but I love watching him. And because I have that personal affinity for them, I think getting to go see them in person, especially in a game like this against a team like Egypt with a player like Mo Salah, this going to be a good one. yeah Look, if if I get to pick one player to keep here with the Sounders, that is a little bit older and none of the...
00:45:09
Speaker
Jeremy Doku type of players. right Give me Lukaku. You know, he's still a guy that could put it away. Lukaku in MLS? Let's keep him here. let's go Because look, the Sounders are going to get a first look at all these guys because they are going to do a a friendly game prior to their start of...
00:45:26
Speaker
their their campaign so i'm that's not official but that's kind of what we had been told at one point so if that's true that sundry are going to be able to see these guys up close maybe let's let's keep these guys for the transfer window imagine with all the ambition discourse that we've done this season like we do every season and then they get lukaku or kdb what are you going to say then it's not going happen they're too broke but we can dream can't we uh all right nico up next We have got on Friday, June 19th, the United States of America, the USMNT, the Yanks against Australia.
00:46:01
Speaker
And Diego, I guess I'll just give my take on where things stand going into this game. This is what I have. The US is better, but Australia is exactly the kind of team that can and should make you nervous. Okay. On paper, I think the US should win this game.
00:46:18
Speaker
They got more talent. playing at home expectations through the roof, hype through the roof. But I, you know, I don't, i didn't really know much about this Australia team. So looking into them a little bit, they're dangerous opponent because they are disciplined.
00:46:33
Speaker
They are tough defensively and they're not going to be intimidated. If the U S plays to their potential, they'll win. It's that simple. If the U S has one of those games where the attack stalls and they can't finish, this could get and uncomfortable in a hurry. This is the exact type of team that can sort of put you into a dog fight when you don't want to be in one. And when you feel like you maybe shouldn't be in one. So that's, uh, that's kind of how I see it. And then, you know,
00:47:00
Speaker
I think overall, like I was talking about earlier, I i don't think this U S team for being objective has earned the benefit of the doubt for me to say, when they go into a game against a team like Australia, oh, well, you're for sure going to run them over your way better than them. You've got much better players.
00:47:15
Speaker
I don't think they, they, they have to show that they have the status and ability to be thought of in that way. I think that's one of the biggest things that I'm going be looking for at this tournament. You're going into a game against an opponent that you should theoretically have overmatched on talent. We all saw the level that this team was playing at against Germany and against Senegal.
00:47:34
Speaker
All you have to do to beat Australia, I think, is is tap into that level. But that can be easier said than done, especially against a team that knows how to play as an underdog. So that's sort of how I'm sizing up this one. What do you think of U.S. s versus the Aussies?
00:47:52
Speaker
The US was national team is the better team. I think that they're the more put together team. I feel like they have to come in here as favorites, as heavy favorites. I've been able to see Australia quite often because they play Columbia in the last window. have to play Mexico. And I wasn't up to impress. I think that they're a physical team. I think that they can play pretty well in a deep block. I think that they're...
00:48:16
Speaker
way to success is going to be set pieces every time. They seem like a one-trick pony where they want to play real vertical, real quick on the ball. Fit to Ray, who's their speedster up top. But they're very vulnerable in wide areas. Colombia dismantled this team. I think it was a beatdown, and they did it out wide. Mexico really put them in some predicaments as well. And Mexico...
00:48:39
Speaker
with some rotating pieces and and still not quite there for Javier Aguirre. They beat this team 1-0. So do I think that the U.S. national team is the better squad? It comes in better form and and has the tools to dismantle Australia? Absolutely. but But do not put it...
00:48:59
Speaker
as as a win on the on on the list, because underestimating a team like this one, as you mentioned, all it takes is that one goal to go in, you park the bus, and game's over, right? And and it's going to be on the USPAS National team to be able to break that down, and that can get dicey. That that can absolutely get dicey for this team. So, to me,
00:49:21
Speaker
It should be a win. I think this is one of the games in the um group states that I'm not worried about personally, but you know anything can happen. but But this is one of the games that, to me, the US national team is best equipped to to to win, and and they just don't match up with Australia. I think that US national team is going to dismantle this team, according to what I've seen from them in the couple of friendlies and kind of what I know about the team so far.
00:49:49
Speaker
They should do that, but we'll see if they can do that. It's going to be, we're going to get a very good indicator right off rip. If this team is kind of ready to take a step to the next level, like we've been talking about, or if it's going to play out similarly to what we've seen in world cups in past years. That's right. from this team uh nico up next we have qatar versus bosnia and herzegovina on wednesday june 24th and uh i am actually weirdly excited for this one nico and i'll tell you why because during world cup qualifying i was actually watching the playoff match between bosnia and italy
00:50:28
Speaker
ah which was funny to begin with because Italy was fighting for their lives, trying not to miss out on the World Cup again. All they had to do was beat Bosnia, which turned out to be a much more difficult task than they possibly could have fathomed. And they didn't end up pulling it off. And Italy missed out on the World Cup again, which was funny. But also just watching that game, dude,
00:50:52
Speaker
The atmosphere, the game was in Bosnia. The atmosphere looked absolutely insane. It looked like the craziest game of footy that's ever been played, like in terms of just a bloodthirsty crowd and, you know, how hard both teams were going. It was just a spectacle, man. I had an electric time watching that game. And my takeaway from that was like, first of all, watching Bosnia play in that game.
00:51:19
Speaker
every single guy looked like he was ready to freaking die on the field. And my, my thought watching that game was like, that's what I want the USMNT to ah play like, because that's what it takes to win in games like that. They're playing a team. Italy is way more talented than them. ah but the crowd just gave them such a boost and they played so inspired and they were going so hard. They ended up winning the game. And then the other funny thing about that was, uh, when it went to PKs, uh,
00:51:50
Speaker
you know, the Bosnia has a chance at the game winning PK and the guy's striding up to the spot to ah take it. And I'm like, Oh, is that Esmir Baratarevic or the New England revolution homegrown? And so I'm like, Oh shit. Now I have the MLS angle to this. And I was just laughing because I'm like,
00:52:08
Speaker
Italy's entire world cup dreams, the fate of their entire country comes down to a kid who was playing in front of 8,200 people at Gillette stadium the year before this.
00:52:19
Speaker
and he goes up to the spot and I'm like, please honestly just make it for the memes And then he did. He absolutely smashed it. Rips his Jersey off whole crowds going crazy.
00:52:30
Speaker
That game was fun to watch. And that made me feel like, you know, this Bosnia team, they're like the feel good story of this world cup, or at least one of them. And they're one of my bandwagon teams. They feel like one of those teams that's riding a wave. They just survived two pressure cooker playoff matches, knocked out Italy, have a squad that's just playing with a ton of belief. If you're looking for the match where you'll adopt a team for 90 minutes, Bosnia might be it. And that's where I'm at with Bosnia. What do you think, Nico? Look, I'm i'm with you. I actually, one of my hot takes off of the the last segment I did for for Fox 13 was that Canada will get grouped And I have Bosnia and Herzegovina finishing second in that group because I do believe what you just basically said is that this is a team that's used to playing against higher opposition. I like their young players. Amardetik is really good. There is a kid, 21-year-old from PSV that that I really like. They got the old man still up top scoring goals. Dzeko, baby. Dzeko. I played with him on FIFA 2010.
00:53:36
Speaker
man, that guy, you know, I don't know how he does it. And he could be 40, 50, and he might still be able to just put him away. i like the goalkeeping. I think this is a team that understands their limitations and and and really knows how to um ah really shell those and not allow themselves to to get into foot races necessarily. um so so to me, ah between A big fan base, which was news to me, really, especially in Seattle. I had just recently went to a park, and apparently there was like this pre-funk party to like get people together and organize a walk to the game. And there's going to be like a concert prior. I mean, they're they're really organizing between the the people, the fan base, and the talent in the field. I'm really excited about this game. I'm i'm totally with you. Qatar is probably the team that I've seen the least. I remember them from the last World Cup, though. They're an interesting team. They gave the U.S. a hard time. And they're interesting because isn't their whole roster domestic, pretty much?
00:54:39
Speaker
Isn't that their thing? but but but that but But there's also a lot of naturalized players as well from like other other sites. But but they are ah an interesting squad. But to me,
00:54:51
Speaker
When it comes to the level of play and in some of the physicality that this Bosnia-Herzegovina team has, that's one of the games that I have Bosnia winning, no doubt about it.
00:55:03
Speaker
um But the bigger thing for me in this Bosnia-Herzegovina team is how far can they make it? Man, I really do think that they're going to be a surprise in that group in Canada. Maybe they make it as a best third because you do have the possibility in this new format. is If you're one of the best third teams, then you yeah you're able to go in. But I would not be surprised, people. I would not be surprised if this Canada team with a Flores out, they just lost the other team. Bombito. Bombito's out.
00:55:36
Speaker
Obviously, Alfonso Davis is not 100%. Eustachio was just getting back into the rhythm of things with LAFC. I think Jonathan Davis is not in ah in a great um um moment in in his career. They look so vulnerable. They play Uzbekistan. I watched that game, yeah and I promise you that if it's not for Crepeau, Uzbekistan would have put like two or three on them. So,
00:56:02
Speaker
They just look very weak. And and I don't think i don't know if Jesse Marsh, because of the injuries, hasn't quite realized that he might have to just change the formation and and change some of the concepts that he has in. Maybe he's just going to go in with what he has. But man, ah Canada, to me, it's really a slippery slope right now.
00:56:24
Speaker
I'm telling you, man, these Bosnians, they they play the game. Every single guy on their team plays the game. Like it's the last game of soccer that they're ever going to play. And I think that matters not in that it guarantees that you're going to make a big run.
00:56:37
Speaker
But what it does pretty much guarantee is you're not going to embarrass yourself. That's what that does. And I just, I really like that team. I have a lot of respect for the way they play. Like they don't do it on elite talent. they They're one of those teams that does it on on a heart and grit.
00:56:55
Speaker
And you'd be surprised how far that can take you sometimes. I mean, it, care oh man, I really encourage anyone who was who never saw that game to go back and watch the highlights of that playoff game.
00:57:06
Speaker
ah between Bosnia and Italy. That I'm, I was one of my favorite games of footy I've ever seen. All right, Nico, last one to close it out here. We have got donto done Egypt versus Iran. So Egypt is going to have two games here in Seattle. They are staying in Spokane actually, and flying over making the quick flight for the games. ah So ah this will be an interesting one because, you know, we talked about Egypt, but i don't know if um they qualified unbeaten. And they feel like they can make the knockouts this time. And I don't think they've ever done. They haven't ever done that. So that this is an Egypt team. That's got real ambitions for this. ah But if you look at Iran, I didn't really know much about them, but I I've been researching into them a little bit. They've low key been pretty good for a while. Did you know they've qualified for four consecutive world cups? And then their, their thing is they're they're very difficult to play against.
00:58:01
Speaker
Uh, the, when the U S played them in the last world cup, remember that, that was a difficult game, man. That was zero, zero into the second half. And Pulisic had to kind of brute force a game winner in there to win that game. And that's what plan, uh, this Iranian team is, is like, they turn matches into battles.
00:58:18
Speaker
Uh, so I guess a way to put it would be Belgium. Egypt is the star power match, but this might actually end up being the one where there's the most on the line in terms of deciding who goes through in the groups. And then also, ah you know, I think the scales are tilted a little towards Egypt in this, ah in this situation. And Iran, certainly, i don't think they have an individual player who's at the tier of match winner of Mo Salah, but they're very difficult to play against and they're very difficult to beat. So I don't know when I, when I look at this one, I'm like, man, you know, I would pick Egypt if I was doing a prediction, but I think they're going to get a run for their money here.
00:58:59
Speaker
Yeah, the the thing about Iran that I really like is the continuity of the squad and the continuity of a group that's just cohesive. So they might not be the most talented group, but they are difficult to play because they do have that understanding of play, right? And that what I've said this for just a lot of soccer games, but when do you understand your identity and you have an identity of play, it's difficult to to really get around you. so So to me, look, I ran as much as,
00:59:30
Speaker
As you mentioned, they don't have the superstar power. um I ah saw them this mantle Costa Rica, a team that's pretty well ah in in the CONCACAF area known, 5-0.
00:59:44
Speaker
um zero And so that they could really put it on on on on a team. But personally, it's about the coaching, and it's almost coaching. And I don't want to get geopolitical.
00:59:54
Speaker
but But I think that there is a ah level of motivation. No, that's a thing. That's a thing. That's going to push you through yeah to just be like, we're going to play like our lives are on the line. yeah And I feel like that makes Iran a very interesting team to watch in this World Cup. Yeah, ah absolutely. ah You got ah you got a prediction for that one?
01:00:17
Speaker
I got a draw on that one, to be honest. You got a draw. That's kind of how i feel with that one, too. The other ones, I can kind of get myself to a place where I can predict ah a winner. But that's the one where I'm like, man, like I really don't know what's going to happen in that game. Me and me put together a little little bracket action. Yeah, a little bracket action. that we We ended up having...
01:00:37
Speaker
That as a draw But look um I know that you know a lot of people may Might not know a lot about Iran But they got some but players in Olympiacos No they're a legit team yeah theyre They got players in Europe that are that are In really good shape and form So they they might surprise some people You don't make four consecutive world cups without knowing what you're, what you're doing. So, uh, completely agree there. all right, there you have it folks. There's your previews for every single group stage, uh, world cup match in Seattle. Uh, and there's going to be a couple knockout round games after that. So once those are established, uh, I'm sure we will be covering those as well. But ah Nico, that's all I had on the program here this morning. Did you have any kind of final thoughts on ah on the World Cup coming up in Seattle, USMNT or otherwise?
01:01:28
Speaker
No, ah other than I think it's ridiculous that FIFA wants to get rid of reusable and portable bottles. of that names Oh, you know what I thought was the funniest? you Have you guys seen how they, ah you know, because Lumen's not a sponsor, they had to block it. sure So it just says, field.
01:01:48
Speaker
You want to go to the field? Yeah. Games at the field. I was hoping the least they could do is spray paint, you know, because it's supposed to be Seattle field. I thought they would at least spray paint that into the tarp. Seattle field on the top, not just field. What are we talking about here? Not even Not going to field. Or you could just block out both of them.
01:02:06
Speaker
yeah Maybe they wanted it marked as field, but you know you would think people would be able to figure that out. But but I think my final thing would be this. All of you out there, first of all, of course, thank you for watching and continuing to grow this show. But if you are someone that really enjoys the game, or maybe you're just a casual fan, maybe you're a hard and zold ECS every weekend you're at the games,
01:02:31
Speaker
If you're unable to go and watch these games because it's way too expensive, go to the fan zones. Go watch these games in a bigger scale. Enjoy the way that the city is going to turn into this melting pot of culture and and passion and and chance and and people doing different things.
01:02:50
Speaker
really diversify your outlook of the game and create core memories man i i know that as a kid growing up the world cup was always the most fascinating time and i can almost feel hear music smell things that that i had as a nine-year-old a ten-year-old in specific moments when i was watching the world cup because i loved the game and and those core memories you can just go back to them immediately so really enjoyed us take your kids kids out ah Go to the the festivals. ah Get on the barge. Go to Westlake Center. There are some that are in in the outskirts as well. I know in Renton, downtown Renton, they have their own little like mini pits with this huge screen. Go watch it with people. Enjoy because you don't get this...
01:03:38
Speaker
You might not get this ever again. This is really ah a bigger event than anything you've seen before because it's in a global state. So enjoy it. Really get out there and show everybody how serious the that the Seattle soccer scene is and how much we enjoy the game.
01:03:55
Speaker
Absolutely. Well said. I don't have anything to add to that. And we're going to be, we're going be out here. We're still kind of figuring out the fine points of exactly what our coverage is going to look like. ah But you know, I'm going to be at a couple of these games, at least hopefully all of them, but I know I'm going to be at a couple covering them. So ah it's going be fun. Looking forward to it ah real quick. Nico, someone in the chat was giving us a hard time. The, uh,
01:04:18
Speaker
club over country front earlier in the show, which I'll just say on that right now, like we were in world cup mode right now. So we're going to still be covering the Sounders when there is stuff to cover, but I'm not going to like go out of my way to ah cover something where there's no news to cover. But I will ask you this Nico, because this actually was a very a fair question before we get out of here. Do you have any updates on Pedro de la Vega or Yimar Gomez on Dr. ah Nothing that I haven't said already. Yemar is scheduled to be completely back as soon as the the break is over.
01:04:57
Speaker
um So he should be at least available for the first game after the break. Pedro de la Vega, as I mentioned, he's in a... more scaled rehab. And although he has time off, like every other player has off because of the CBA and, and they have their time off. He is on his own particular kill rehab mode where he's doing things on the side. And,
01:05:24
Speaker
The last time I spoke to him, he did not see himself immediately back right after the break. So I do think that is going to be three, maybe four games into the the next part of of the season before he's really back. um you I know that it's a bone injury. So that the thing that we've been hearing is that as soon as that bone is healed and it's ready, you could be out there. But there are other components when it comes to your muscles, revamping everything, getting back, not just in shape and and conditioning, because he has been kept conditioning, but it's game ready, game fit, game rhythm, all those things that feel like they're going to take some time.
01:06:01
Speaker
And you don't want to get a guy all of a sudden that hasn't been playing complete minutes into the field, right? So I would say that maybe... three games into the next part, you might see him 15 minutes, get some time, i get some partial minutes, but I don't think that they're going rush when it comes to better level.
01:06:20
Speaker
All right. Thank you for that update, Nico. We are going to get out of here on that. Thank you all so much, as always, for tuning in. Please like the video, sub to the channel, and subscribe to QED Coffee, our title sponsor as well, lobingscorchers.com slash coffee. That is the best way to support the show and Lobbing Scorchers as a whole. ah We will be back at it during the World Cup. I'll let you guys know what's going on with that. But until then, we out. See you next time. Appreciate you all. Love you all. Peace.