Kickoff: Sounders kick off Leagues Cup and Lionel Messi SUSPENDED?!

Transcript

Speaker: Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. Quite the scorcher today. Well it's gonna be scorcher.

Speaker: Good morning, everybody. Welcome in to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. I'm Ari. That's Nico. We got a big show for you here this morning. We're going to be talking some Seattle Sounders. We're going to get Nico's takes on this Atlanta United game. We're going to be doing some Leagues Cup talk.

Speaker: previewing this Cruz Azul match maybe busting out the lineup builder uh and uh we're gonna hit some national storylines as well including uh suspension for one Lionel Messi and uh the official acquisition of Rodrigo DePaul for them so a lot to get to I'm wearing my Ballard FC shirt Noah and I went to the game last night they're going to the natty so that was fun I'm feeling good Nico how are you doing this morning Hey, what's going on, Ari? And that Lobby's Courches audience excited to be on. Yes, it was a so good weekend. ah I had a lot of soccer, not all MLS, a lot of... um

Speaker: U11, U12 soccer there with my daughter. I was at the Bigfoot tournament up in Snohomish. So um if I look tan or burnt, that's the reason why.

Speaker: But yeah, man, it's was an exciting weekend. some Some good games for sure in MLS. A lot of news as well. So lots to talk about, man. Absolutely. Before we get into it, if everyone could please like the video, subscribe to the channel if you haven't.

Speaker: ah Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, all social media. ah I think that's it. Lobbingscorchers.com slash sauce.

Speaker: Lobbingscorchers.com slash archive for your archive kits. All right, Nico, I was thinking change up the format a little bit this morning. You know, we do.

Speaker: We're going we're going to get to this Sounders game. We haven't caught up since the since this Atlanta game. But I did want to hit a national storyline to to start us off here at the top of the show, because I feel like it's a.

Speaker: this this is This is the big story everyone's talking about league-wide right now, which is that ah they actually did it. Major League Soccer has suspended Lionel Messi for one game for skipping the All-Star game, which on our last podcast, we were theorizing if they were actually going to do. And I said I didn't think they were going to do it. And the reason I said that was because of the way Don Garber was talking about it at his press conference.

Speaker: uh, I, it felt like he was already kind of set in the stage to be like, we're not going to suspend him because it's messy essentially. But then, uh, they actually, they actually did it.

Speaker: He's going to, uh, miss this upcoming game against FC Cincinnati, uh, Jordy Alba as well. Uh, So I guess, Nico, what are your thoughts on the Messi suspension?

Speaker: Is it justified? Were you surprised that they ah did it? What do you think of this whole just situation?

Speaker: It's absolutely justified. If there's a rule, then you should follow it. I was surprised that they did it. I was almost certain that the league was going to bend a knee to one Lionel Messi.

Speaker: And I'm glad that they didn't. ah The reality is, is that when Lionel Messi decided to come to MLS, a league that, you know, as much as it's developed and it has grown, you know, it has certain intricacies that you kind of have to try to understand and and play through.

Speaker: And look, to be honest, I wasn't losing my mind over Lionel Messi not wanting to play and probably doesn't understand what's going on. But I was disappointed.

Speaker: I was disappointed because, look, I grew up with some of the greatest that just love to play soccer. Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona, you know, there's a ton of...

Speaker: Similar situations where both of those guys were playing Eastern charity matches or, ah you know, exhibition matches just because they love to play the game. And I always put Lionel Messi in that stratosphere.

Speaker: And it was disappointing to see him not do it. I heard people talk about get your money and that's, your you know, know your worth. a whole bunch of things that I don't think Lionel Messi needs any more money.

Speaker: I'm pretty sure that he's going to be all right. He's done pretty well for himself. So when, This is your league. MLS is his league. He knows that he is the face of the franchise. He might as well be part owner of of the whole thing.

Speaker: I would have thought that in some sense he would have some pride to go out there and play. And then if not, if your body really can't do it, which is totally understandable, then be at the All-Star game and cheer on the guys and and be part of ah kind of what you signed up for. So it is not about, you know, this narrative of him being this ah monkey in a unicycle, you know, because that's what,

Speaker: MLS once is not that. It's the fact that it is your league and you are the face of it. So go out there and represent because... ah ah No one is saying that your legacy is going to be, it's going to take a hit or scrutinize. But the reality is, is that in MLS, in terms of success, you really haven't done anything. Sure, you won a Leagues Cup, but I mean, have you really won a ah title or all these things? Not necessarily.

Speaker: There's still plenty of time for that to happen. But some of these little steps and moments are things that, would help you, you you your brand, MLS, and kind of everything that you wanted to to do when you got to this league.

Speaker: So I was disappointed mainly on Lin-Manuel's decision of not being part of the All-Star Weekend. Derek Richards, YouTube member for seven months.

Speaker: Appreciate the support, man. ah Yeah, i think the ah I think the issue here is that he no-call, no-showed. He no-call, no-showed the All-Star game, which, you know, we've all wanted to no-call, no-show our jobs at certain junctures.

Speaker: ah But... I feel like if he had just said from the beginning, like, look, guys, like, we've had 47 games already this year. I've played most of them.

Speaker: I'm 38 years old. I'm Lionel Messi. I can't do this. Then that would have been ah unfortunate. But no one, I don't think anyone's going say anything if you're saying you physically can't or don't want to do something. But, yeah, even...

Speaker: If that was the case, then, you know, you could still show up, like you said, and be a part of the occasion. And you yeah yeah i don't think you can just no call, no show that. Like, I was i was watching the Major League Baseball All-Star game a few days ago, and I was thinking, like, what if Shohei Otani was just like, no, I'm good, and then no call, no showed?

Speaker: Like, he would probably get suspended for that, even though he's Shohei, right? So, I mean, I think early and they got a replacement. Right. I mean, that's the that's the whole thing. You're right. Yeah. So but it is.

Speaker: i think the interesting thing to keep an eye on with this is just, you know, a big purpose of the league right now is to specifically keep him happy and in the league and Jorge Moss, their owner.

Speaker: gave a press conference where he said, Lionel Messi is very upset about this ah because, he's you know, he's missing a big game. This but is going to be one of the biggest games of the season. FC Cincy and Inter-Miami are two powerhouses in the East.

Speaker: So Jorge Moss was saying he's upset about it. That quote got a lot of play. ah I don't know how much of that is Lionel. I seriously doubt he's ah flipping tables at his mansion in Fort Lauderdale or whatever over this. I think that could just be Jorge Moss, ah you know.

Speaker: putting it out there that his players ah are like, you know, mess he's a competitor. He doesn't want to miss this game, that type of thing. But ah I think if he gets disgruntled in any way and it affects his willingness or whatever to play in the league anymore, that's where it could be become like a seismic type of issue.

Speaker: I doubt that'll happen. I think he'll probably just serve the suspension. We'll all move on with our lives. But it was it was surprising to see that they actually did it. And he he and Jordi Alba are going to miss this game.

Speaker: so It was probably surprising to him that a league would do that to him, especially a league that you know he's kind of been able to do and and walk and and handle any way he pleases. So he was probably more upset about the fact that he was going to have to serve that suspension. But I don't understand. Part of the statement by Jorge Mas was they't they didn't understand why they would get suspended over an exhibition game.

Speaker: It's like, do you really have to understand it? There's a there's a rule that like you knew. I'm sure that somebody told him, hey, man, if you don't show up, going to get suspended. I mean, that's it's right here. It's like you know a cop stopping me because I had to put my seatbelt on and be like, man, I don't understand why you're giving me a ticket.

Speaker: Because I don't have a seatbelt. Oh, you kind of should because you're supposed to be wearing a damn seatbelt. So it's kind of the same situation. I just don't don't get where, you know, they feel blindsided by this thing. Like, you know, no one knew about it. And and and that's the part where it's it's a bit of that that that ego, you know, it's being Jordi Alba. Like, you know, what? what are you talking about? do we We have to be there. And now you're going to suspend us. That makes no sense.

Speaker: ah so So that's kind of the part of it that I have an issue with. Again, I totally understand that two soccer players that play a bunch of games and they they have come from a bunch of games would feel like their body isn't quite right Because, you know, we we we knew that Buongas played a whole bunch of games, but he's clearly younger, very durable. You know, Mukhtar, same thing, bunch of games.

Speaker: But at the end of the day, it's just about nobody was going to ask Lionel Messi to play 90 minutes. And to put the team on his back or Jordi Alba to do the same, I mean, you're going to go to kick the ball around for a little bit.

Speaker: Same thing you do in your backyard with your dog and your kid or whatever it is that Messi does in his free time. The same thing here, right? And you it's more just about the principle, right? But again, part of me also kind of felt like as I started my comment with the competitiveness of Benal Messi, I thought it was going to be there.

Speaker: And it wasn't. Garber's quotes on this have been pretty funny, both his press conference and then the statement after the fact where he's he's kind of trying to have it both ways, like propping up Messi at the same time as being like, we have to suspend him.

Speaker: But he was saying all this stuff of like, you know, it's like we have to do this because this is technically the rule. But he's He even said, like, we're going to look at that rule.

Speaker: we think that it actually it might actually it might actually be unfair and we might change it because of this situation. i don't know. It's like, dude, you you could just say that he broke the rules and that you're going to suspend him for it like you.

Speaker: I feel like it looked a little silly to try and like do that at the same time as you're enforcing the rule or whatever. But I don't know. I guess he kind of feels like he has to do that.

Speaker: Before we get into the Sounders stuff, I we do i did want to hit one more Inter-Miami story that we haven't talked about yet, which is that the Rodrigo DePaul move went official. He's going to be an Inter-Miami player.

Speaker: Uh, so they have another, he's not technically a Barca boy. He's an Atletico Madrid boy. Uh, but he's, he he's Argentina boy. He's a yeah. Argentina boy. He's in the Barca boy conglomerate. Now I had, tell me what you think of this idea real quick. Uh,

Speaker: I was thinking of like a reality show called messy in the Barca boys. And it's like, they all live in the, in the same house, like, like big brother or MTV is the challenge. And then it's ah like chronicling their lives in, and you get all the like drama in house drama and stuff.

Speaker: And I think that could, I think that could hit like a behind the scenes messy in the Barca boys. Cause they, I mean, at this point they've got a whole group of them with Rodrigo to Paul added, but, uh,

Speaker: I'll tune in. I mean, I settle for a hard knocks yeah situation in Miami, right? How cool would that be? you Just having the the background stuff on on what the Barsa boys are doing. and Yeah. you you You follow, you know, Luis Suarez to his house and talk to his family and bring it back. I mean, I'm down with some hard knock stuff. that That's on the Jorge Mas dream too. Mr. Jerry Jones of MLS. Yeah, he he probably loved that.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah, no, but ah I guess what I wanted your take on was, you know, when I were talking about this, he's convinced that ah that this is like corrupt and they're cheating. I'll give my take real quick and then you can give yours, ah which is that Inter-Miami, they are cheating.

Speaker: They are cheating. And the extent that the how they're cheating is that like having Lionel Messi on your team terrible. cheating like it it gives you ah leverage to do stuff that other teams simply cannot do and this is another example of that getting a player like Rodrigo DePaul on their roster when they already have ah squad of Barca boys so that is it gives them like an advantage as far as like what roster rules they're technically breaking I mean I hate I hate to be that guy but I'll continue to be that guy like I they're

Speaker: When I look at this situation with their roster, it is a loophole to be able to ah get him on loan as like a non-DP or whatever. And then he's going to become a DP.

Speaker: But that's when Sergio Busquets is scheduled to come off the books. So they have Messi, Jordi Alba, and Busquets as DPs right now. They're bringing DePaul as a non-DP. And once Busquets comes off the books, he's going to escalate to a DP. That's three DPs.

Speaker: So they're in the like parameters there. And there's also, there are examples, there's a lot of examples of teams doing stuff like this, but just no one gives a shit because it's not a player of this this type of status uh my buddy armand kafai who has a substat called footy analytic musings noted a uh sub to that by the way he noted a couple of these um which is that uh the new england revolution pulled a similar situation again like this is no one talked or cared about this but they at one point were able to keep carly skill gustavo bow and veroni uh all together ah with

Speaker: uh tomas chancolay right their their new dp forward they had those four guys on the books at the same time with gustavo bow eventually leaving and then chancolay like escalating so that's like an analogous situation pepiel is in a similar situation at charlotte fc right now where he's not a dp but once uh someone else comes off the books or whatever he's got escalators And even Seattle, the Seattle Sounders famously, I mean, they've had rules bent in the past with like Clint Dempsey. So that's kind of another thing is it's like, you know, sometimes sometimes they do stuff like this and Seattle has benefited from the past, but also the concept of a player not being a DP and then escalating to a DP.

Speaker: I mean, we saw that, right, with ah with Jordan Morris. So, like, I just, I don't see what actual... When they had Blaze Matuidi and six other DPs, that was a violation of the roster rules. They were not in parameter there parameters there, and they wouldn't spoon.

Speaker: But, like, Diko, am I missing something? Like, are they... Is there a rule that they're... actually technically bret there's a difference between a loophole which is what this is and actually being in technical violation of what they're allowed to do like do you see that differently like is there an actual rule that's being broken here No, not at all.

Speaker: And if there is any club that knows and understands, one, the rules, and two, the repercussions of not following exactly as they're supposed to is Inter-Miami. They've been hit with that before, ah where trying to find loopholes has resulted in some sanctions and some issues. I think they understand that. They know it.

Speaker: ah To your point, there has been a ton of acquisitions throughout the last five to 10 years that sometimes there's things under the books. There's things that we can all maybe speculate that there is some and odd or or that they there may be some pushing the ah rules, but if it's within the system and you're able to ah manage and and ah either reallocate certain ways about the structure of of the salary cap and as you mentioned, the loan, and then you know by the time that it's no longer loan, that there's an open spot, then it's all good. I wouldn't call it cheating. I just think that

Speaker: it is a bit of a edge that some clubs have ah to their own credit, right? I mean, Miami was able to get Lionel Messi,

Speaker: So sad. You got to kind of understand that everybody's going to want to play with Messi. You're going to get the best prospects out of South America. You're going to get great talent like Rodrigo DePaul and Alba and Luis Suarez trying to come in and fit in some sort of way ah to the salary cap space.

Speaker: What I would say is that in order to stop these teams from making this elaborate lies or or elaborate ways to find measures to add additional talent, you know, maybe MLS should just add another DP spot and that would kind of end certain things.

Speaker: I am a salary cap guy. i don't need to add the reasons why. you follow me, you know. um but at the same time, you know, an additional DP, you know, might stop this sort of situation from rubbing people the wrong way.

Speaker: um And so not cheating. but good The regular departing is fine. i still don't think that this move is going to put Miami above the East. I don't think that this move makes them the best team in the East. I don't think that it,

Speaker: I don't think that it effectively fills the huge holes that this team has to be a balanced squad. Defensively, there's still a sham. Rodrigo DePaul's a very good player, but he's more of an eight.

Speaker: Even if ah he he is a ah very physical, strong defensive player, very smart. There is, you know, questions about conditioning and questions about a whole bunch of stuff that um he's got quality. Absolutely. He's a,

Speaker: great talent and, you know, he's worked with Messi. He understands what Messi likes to do, wants to do. ah But when I look at that squad and I look at the the lack of defensive presence, both on the midfield and and the lack of talent defensively on that back line, I just think that they're going to have a lot more holes to fill either way. So it's a good move. It's one that, as always, puts MLS in this global scale.

Speaker: because it's not every day that you get to bring in 30-year-old Jago DePaul, not like a retired player, but a guy that still has plenty in the tank. But I just don't think it's like a move that's going to put Miami as the favorite in the the East, in my opinion.

Speaker: Derek coming in with the $2 Super Chat. Thank you, Derek. You the man. Appreciate you as always. Yeah, I mean, I get why it's tilting. I get why it's tilting. It feels like they're playing a different game than anyone else right now. Like no other team would be able to do stuff like this.

Speaker: So it it does feel, but like, I i don't, i have a hard time blaming them for doing it. If it was if I was in their position, I would leverage everything. What they have with Messi and the Barca boys is the exact Same way they would be silly not to the team Yeah but what and why is it tilted Though like I mean Seattle has been successful without having to bring Ibrahim Ibrahamevich or Terry Henry or Andrea Pirlo or Lampard Or Drogba uh you know, if if certain teams want to go out there and get those players, then that's totally fine. I mean, you know, Columbus did it the right way with bringing in a guy like Cucho Hernandez and and that's all good and well. That was done within the structures. Nobody, you know, batted an eye to that and that put Columbus at just a monster of a team and we all see what Columbus is without a guy like Cucho. So,

Speaker: you know There are better things to go go and get out there. If Miami wants to go spend ah ridiculous amount of money on a 30-year-old midfielder, then let them go do it. There is ah plenty. And like I said, ah just the way...

Speaker: that the East is placed right now, I still think that Cincinnati is better. I still think that there is potential for Philadelphia to, within their own system, just take over the East. They've been so good with Cornell at the head of that that project. So to me, football will remain and and let them do what they do.

Speaker: Wade says it's tilting because they're able to leverage their ownership back and design players that won't look at any other teams. I think that's sort of what it is, is it's like, it feels like they're, it feels like they're doing stuff that other teams don't have the ability to do, but it's like, yeah, that's, that's what happens when you get a player like Leonel Messi. Like if I, whatever team that I was, I'm a fan of, I would expect them to do.

Speaker: I would be, I would be tilted if I was a fan of inter Miami and they weren't trying to maximize all the leverage they could to build a, to build a super team. The most successful teams in this league are the ones that are able to, you know, game the cap fine in like either find value, like production greater than what you're paying for it, which is, uh, something like clubs like a Philly union or even Seattle have been able to do to, to great effect.

Speaker: This is a situation where they got the best player ever. And, uh, They're reaping the rewards of that, not just for the Barca boys or Rodrigo DePaul, but like you mentioned, like all the South American prospects that they've been able to get.

Speaker: I'll be interested to see how much it moves the needle for them on the field. Because I tend to agree, like their defensive issues or like go beyond just one defensive midfielder. I mean, Rodrigo DePaul specifically, though, I mean, this guy was dubbed by the press after the World Cup as Messi's bodyguard, like essentially on the on the field.

Speaker: So he does have like a type of skill set and presence that they need in midfield for sure. is he Is he alone enough to fix those issues?

Speaker: We're going to see. they better They better hope so because right now they're having a good year. They're up at like 1.8, 1.9 points per game. But, you know, that's – ah they're They're like the fifth best team in the East this year, like even with Messi. Yeah, and all of it is very Messi dependent. So it really is all about Messi. I mean, he had, what, like seven out of eight games with Brace and, you know, he kind of put this team on his back and you know offensively is kind of messy and everybody else because Luis Suarez continues to decline.

Speaker: Segovia has been good, but it's not necessarily a guy that's fighting for the golden boot. So a lot of it is going be very messy dependent either way. So again, I think that there's a lot of holes for this team that still needs to be filled. But made Rodrigo, definitely an upgrade, absolutely makes the team better.

Speaker: i just don't know if that balances the whole squad. Yeah, it'll be interesting to find out. All right, Nico, let's get into the Seattle Sounders.

Speaker: ah Coming off this match at Atlanta United, 2-2 draw. Frustrating result because they swore a goal in the 96th minute that looked like the game winner.

Speaker: And a lot of novelty to that go-ahead goal. A new who to Osaze goal, which didn't have that on the pregame bingo card. I would not have...

Speaker: Not have called knew who putting one right on Osaza his head for a 96 minute, go ahead goal. Uh, and then Alexi Marin Chuck hits an absolutely insane equalizer on the last kick of the game. So Seattle drops those two points, uh,

Speaker: Nico, I did a whole post-game live about it. What were your thoughts watching watching how that game went, starting with the first half that was not good, and then a second half that was a lot better, where they performed well enough to put themselves within five seconds, literally, of getting what would have been a really good road win.

Speaker: And then Miranczak hits that goal, which for me, like... I said this at the time and now a couple days later, I kind of, I feel the same way. Like if he's going to hit that, he's going to hit that.

Speaker: Like that's, Props. I don't know what to say. That was like, you you can't hit it any better than that. You definitely can't save it. So ah it was unfortunate. And I think there are things that Seattle definitely could have done better, possession especially in the first half to so it wouldn't have come down to a play like that because they just drew one of the worst teams in the league.

Speaker: But ah also, you know, they win they win that game 99 times out of 100. Marin Chuck just hits an insane shot. And by the way, ah like that guy is considered ah by their fan base to be a huge bust. And league wide, he's considered like one of the bigger busts of a DP in the last couple years. They spent 10 plus million dollars on him.

Speaker: uh haven't got gotten much out of him individually and haven't had any team success with him as a centerpiece certainly and also i thought he was like especially bad and especially in the second half of this game he would he had a notably bad game and then comes out with that so i mean when you have a 10 plus million dollar player sometimes they're going to do stuff like that but uh i guess overall nico how did you uh how do you size this one up uh with seattle dropping those two points right there at the end right, before we break it down, and my overall conclusions is that Seattle can't keep dropping points.

Speaker: And I understand what you mean about circumstantial moments and the fact that Marichuk had a fantastic shot. but But to me, ah this is just a pattern that they've had in the past.

Speaker: You know, you go back to the Charlotte game. There's a bunch of games this season where... The Colorado game. inability to just manage the game, manage those last seconds. I mean, Osas' goal is, well, like the 96 minute or something. it has to be, it has to be the game winner. It has to be. I mean, you have to be able to put that game on a freezer and a cooler and keep the ball and do things around it to not give the ball up, uh,

Speaker: Nuhu has the and I'm not believing him I'm just saying that when Nuhu had the ball and he's about to do a throw in my guess is that he's going to drop it back to Thomas or to Yamar and he he goes far with it and as if he was trying to get it to the other side and it's just you're just conceding possession to the team that's trying to get the goal.

Speaker: And then the Sounders have no other way to finish that game than to just drop deep and allow all this real estate for Atlanta to get on them. so So to me, and I understand that Brian Schmetzer is going to be, um he's going to want to be positive about the way that second half went about and the fact that Osasa got a goal and Pedro had a ah good second half.

Speaker: But at the same time, man, you got to be able to be kind of upset about the way that game ended. And, you know, him saying that, you know, there was nothing that that they could do, that just...

Speaker: I don't like it. I just think that from holding possession to the weight that nobody closed in on Marichuk, there's so much space for him to just hit that ball. Osas is right there. He should have been able to ah go at him and and and make him either play negative or or not be able to take the shot or at least, you know, whisper in his ear and, you know, whatever.

Speaker: You know, something that scares this guy off. He should not be able to take that shot with that much time and put it where he put it. So championship teams don't lose these sort of games. Championship teams need to play 90 minutes.

Speaker: And that's the standard that I have for this Sounders team. ah Just a lot that went wrong in those last couple of minutes. So to me, huge drop points. When I look at where this team is in the standings right now, and you look back, like you said, a Colorado game, there's a Portland game. There's the Charlotte game. There's a bunch of games this season where if Seattle had been on point, they should be number one in the West.

Speaker: um So, you know, take it for what it is. But, but I wasn't pleased with the way that game ended at all. ah Despite, you know, them fighting through the adversity of a first half where a movement was very stagnant, uh, the midfield had some issues. I thought that there were, uh,

Speaker: both Obed Vargas and Albert Rusten were able to find the half spaces, but when they would get the ball in those half spaces, it was a bad touch or, um maybe a bad moment. Even when they got the ball out wide, Alex Rodin blocked shot, uh, on the other side, Pedro as well, maybe not as involved.

Speaker: Uh, Jesus Trevor did not have a good first half. He, he might've had a good game, uh, to be quite frank. Um, So all those things clearly were also caused by a Atlanta team that had a lot of numbers behind the ball, that they were motivated by the fact that they have continuously dropped points, that they wanted to get this right.

Speaker: ah They've had huge issues by not getting that early goal, and they got it against the Sounders, but a goal that I thought Reed Baker-Whiton I don't know what he's doing when, when the ball bounces and he allows, I don't know it's Almiron to beat him to that ball, but that Reed's got to get there. we Reed's got to not allow that, that first initial bounce to get behind him like that.

Speaker: And, and, you know, obviously, Mergames Andrade is a little bit late to close that pass from Latte Latte. Is it, Fortunate or luck the way that bounce went for Atlanta sure but I'm thinking why did the ball get there why did the ball get to Lada Lada in that specific position and and the number one cause is Reed Baker White not being able to get that bounce right on that far pass to his side so A lot of things in that first half that went wrong, and that's why credit the Seattle Sounders for coming in the second half with a lot more intensity, moving the ball better.

Speaker: um Pedro's goal, you know, it's ah is very him, right? I mean, he he's kind of cheating the system, and i think Brian talked about it. He's kind of not not not as far back as you he should, but it was one of those moments where there's a clearance by Pedro,

Speaker: yay mar and I'm going to give Yamar a little more credit. I think that he was looking to put that ball to Albert, but Albert and and the defender kind of both clash at each other and the ball bounces past both and Pedro has the speed, the athleticism and the composure to put that ball away. That that composure was phenomenal and That finish to me was outstanding. The finish to me tells me that Pedro's confident. He has two guys on his right side that he could pass the ball to, but he wants to be that killer.

Speaker: He wants to be that game breaker. And he puts that shot perfectly through Brad Ruzon. So to me, Pedro de la Vega... Deserved that goal and I love his mentality right now that killer instinct that he is currently on is what this team needs ah So, you know big game for him big moment in that second half ah But again, I think that the Seattle Sounders for all that they did well should have ended this game with three points Traveling back home.

Speaker: Yeah, I think the concern and the frustration coming out of this game like you mentioned is like the The pattern of it, like similar stuff that's happened multiple times this season, even before this game.

Speaker: The Charlotte game to to start the year is a game that they were seconds away from winning. The Colorado game, they were up 3-0 at home. at home and ended up drawing that game.

Speaker: And then this game, you drop two more points on the last kick of the game. We were talking about with J.O. That's six points right there where if you just give them that, they just close out all three of those games, one of which they were ahead by three goals at home.

Speaker: They are up at the ah top of the West. So there's one way you could look at that of like ah based on the overall quality of how they've played. This year, as far as putting themselves in position to get all three points, they ah they could be a ah top of the West team, ah but they're not. they're and They're in fourth because of these issues with closing out games. And i think...

Speaker: That's, ah I mean, that's the thing that they got to correct if they want to win any trophies. Cause like you said, come playoff time, crunch time, when you're playing the other elite teams in this league, you're going to be in situations ah where you have to hold a one goal lead in all likelihood at different junctures.

Speaker: And it's, it's just, it's just mentality. Like it's not like ability or talent. It's mental fortitude. Which, ah like, i I did want to talk about Atlanta United ah real quick because i did think it was funny how the this game played out how I predicted on our show, if you remember.

Speaker: ah i said that Atlanta United might score first in this game, but don't worry about it. it's It's like the Chicago Fire. They're going to find a way to ah ah give up the leveler.

Speaker: which, Nico, even with as poorly as that first half went, at halftime, i was literallyter there was no part of me that had any expectation that that game was going to win one zero or that Atlanta was going to end that game 1-0 ahead. But what i this is what I wanted to talk about, which ah we ah we also talked about this on the preview show in terms of like how their season has been going recently.

Speaker: But, like, the way they play when they get the – when they get a lead is just misdefined to me. That's the eighth time this year. Eighth time. And this is why I was able to predict it.

Speaker: Eighth time this year that they've been ahead one zero I think, and then not ended up holding the lead. And it so it's like, why does that happen? you Like, you know, it's it's mental fortitude stuff that we're talking about.

Speaker: But, like, dude – when you When you get the opening goal in the seventh minute, there's a lot of game left. You cannot like play like you're closing out a road game with a one goal lead and 10 minutes left from the seventh seventh minute onward.

Speaker: That is not going to work. You are going to blow that lead every time. that's like You can't make it that far. and not You can't even make it 50 or 60 minutes living like that, especially as the home team, let alone 83.

Speaker: eighty three So, ah I just, I don't know. When I watch that team, I'm just like, why? Why? You're the home team. You're up 1-0. You got and an own goal to go ahead, which, yeah, I think it was ah it was a fortunate deflection for them and unlucky for Seattle.

Speaker: But they created that goal by making a dangerous opportunity. And ah they also had a couple of other chances in the first half. So I don't want to i don't think like fully parking the bus is necessarily an accurate way to describe what they were doing. But what they were what they were doing, what they were perfectly content when they had the lead to see Seattle the ball and let them and let Seattle knock it around in their end all day.

Speaker: And they did a good job in the first half. of making sure that it was like possession without purpose for Seattle. But again, like eventually that's gonna crack.

Speaker: If you are playing like that the whole game and you're only up one goal, all it takes is one transition opportunity like De La Vega got got, like we saw. And you're you're going to blow that lead. So I don't know. I'm just sitting there. Like, I mean, I was happy to see it because i knew i knew if they kept playing like that, they were going to blow the lead.

Speaker: So that was sick. But it's also like, why? Why? Why are you playing like that at home? Like on the road, I could see it maybe a little more. But like, and also if it was one time. But like, i you know, I watch them every week and they do that like all the time.

Speaker: So I don't like, what is what is up with that? Like, why are why do they play like that? That's because they don't have an identity, Ari. This is that a team with a lot of names that has a non-existent soccer module. They don't don't know what they want to do.

Speaker: I said this before this game. They're a reactive team rather than a proactive team. They kind of just go off of what they can do. We talked to Felipe Cardenas about this whole thing.

Speaker: ah Interest from Atlanta United on Pedro de la Vega and that those inquiries were made before the club World Cup through the world ah World Cup as well, because the team has no wingers currently. they They don't have any wingers. The width of this team is provided by the fullbacks.

Speaker: And even then, it's not good enough. Right. I mean, it's out or on the left is. At times he had been Saba ah is a, at times he had been Lennon. Sometimes it's Ronald, which is crazy that that's the guy that's going to be giving you any sort of width.

Speaker: ah Clearly Almarone is more of a pocket winger. So, you know, he's going to work in those inside channels. So, they don't they don't have any wing play. that They're not a very dangerous team when it comes to creating from wide positions.

Speaker: ah Sure, they have the lot-to-lots, and they have a guy like Marin Cech, and they have Marone, but at the same time, I mean, that's very limited, and you've seen that through... the whole season for Atlanta United. And when, it and last, lot even hasn't been clinical in front of goal and stuff. So this is a team that's in serious disarray before this game, Ronnie Dalla called his team soft and that he lacked character against Charlotte.

Speaker: And that's another reason why I've thought that the Seattle Thunder should have gone to Atlanta and won this game. We talked about it. I thought he should have been a big win. I thought it was going to be a three, one win. and And it just wasn't. So those are part of the the things that,

Speaker: make me frustrated because you weren't the better squad. You were a team that knows what they want to do with the ball. You weren't able to do it ah in that first half. um Not that having quality players is not going to make things difficult, but you were the much better team in this game and you weren't able to show it on the field.

Speaker: Defensively, that's a poor team. They're an awful team defensively. i thought there were moments where Seattle's press, Throughout whole game was ineffective in general senses. There were moments where they were able to get the ball back, but they weren't able to create off of them.

Speaker: ah So I just, I think that there's a lot the Seattle Sounders did not do as well as they could have. Individually, I think that you goff you have to, Lord, you have to get Christian Roldan some rest.

Speaker: Because in this one, he was very sloppy in the first half. Still good in other parts of the field because this Christian Roldan, he's a baller. He's a baller. So he's going to, going defend balls. He's going to get you the ball back. He's going to grind. He's going to work. ah you know He's like Rihanna's song. But at the time and same time, he is doing mistakes that he doesn't typically do, and a lot of it has to be exhaustion.

Speaker: um so So for me, you've got to be able to find him some rest, man, because it was not his best game. Again, I thought Reid, in an opportunity to solidify himself over New Who on the left side, was not good.

Speaker: And, you know... Knew who comes in. he just didn't just get the assist, but he was good defensively. So once again, we go back to, you know, he's redoing enough to win that that position.

Speaker: i don't know. ah So all those things of individual effort throughout the game were just hard to watch, man. It it was just not the Sounders best game in this one.

Speaker: Yeah, no, especially in the first half, which, you know, i can i can live with a poor first half in an east coast on an East Coast road trip if you end up winning the game. you know And that's how I felt at the when Osaze scored that go-ahead goal.

Speaker: And at that point, I was like, that's you know that's got to be the game winner. I was like, all right, like first half is whatever. like it's ah It's a long road trip, even if it is a bad team.

Speaker: if you have, if you have one poor half, but you come back and you take the three points, then all is forgiven basically. But then you draw the game and and now you go back to it and you're like, man, like if you hadn't gotten, if you hadn't fallen behind against this team in the first half and kind of let them close up shop like that and make it. So every single time you had the ball in their end, they just had everyone behind the ball and five, six, seven guys in the box and anytime there was a cross in and then they weren't allowing Seattle to play through the middle at all either. Every time Seattle tried to play through the middle, it felt like it was like a turnover.

Speaker: So ah definitely. yeah frustrating game like but definitely positives to take away from it as far as de la vega that's a that's a uh a designated seven million dollar designated player moment once again that he has for a second game in a row and you just uh you're just i think you're starting to see him kind of solidify himself on this team and feel more comfortable and really like do the stuff that we all know is in his bag like that you and i have seen a training a lot and that We've seen in games at different times, but those are when i think about what you need from a designated player to be successful and compete for trophies in this league. It's guys that make game-changing games.

Speaker: plays, move the needle, make impact plays that affect results positively and maybe get you points in situations where you otherwise wouldn't or shouldn't.

Speaker: And he's looked like that type of player the last... two games. So again, caveats acknowledged, like it's only two games against San Jose and Atlanta, but you do need to build towards the type of player that they need him to be.

Speaker: He needs a baseline like this to start from where he starts making those plays and coming through in those moments. And ah that's why like, you know, when Noah and I were going back and forth on the, ah on the caveats, because, you know, I felt like he was doing the doesn't count defense.

Speaker: talking points a little bit but yeah he is he is right that it's like you can't crown him the savior based off of two games but my thing i guess is just like uh if we're gonna if we're gonna sit here and say like point it out when he isn't performing to that level or producing to that level on the stat sheet like we have pointed out as something that's perhaps hamstrung this team at times this season ah then I want to give him credit if he does start to look like that type of player.

Speaker: And he has over these past couple of weeks. So I'll give him credit for that. And also ah hopefully he can just continue to, ah to build on that because that would be a big time ceiling razor.

Speaker: ah But ah Nico, before we get into this, Derek coming in with the gifted membership, like der Derek's ah Derek's carrying the load. Super chat wise.

Speaker: This morning. So right, Derek. Yeah, we you are today's federal Vega. You're the designated player of this episode of Lobbing Scorchers kickoff. But what you were mentioning lineup wise, I think is a good segue into the next topic that I wanted to hit.

Speaker: which of course is Leagues Cup, which is starting on Thursday versus Cruz Azul, familiar foe at Lumen Field. So what what I wanted to do is ah in in a bit here, we'll talk about how we think they should line it up for this game, bust out our trusty friend, the lineup builder,

Speaker: Yeah.

Speaker: but before we do that i wanted to talk a little bit just about how seriously we think seattle should take this competition and how much weight we put on it as far as if they can make a run may or if they can win it what the implications of that would be aside from the prize money and the champions cup spot like Just how it how we should perceive this tournament and how much stock, how much weight, and how much effort they should put on it. Before we do that, I mean, we got P. Magno coming in with the $5 super chat. Thank you so much. Appreciate you.

Speaker: Let's hit this question he's got and then talk some Weasel's Cup. Nico, you should take this one because you're probably more plugged into this than me. Where are we at with Snyder Brunel? Schmetz made it sound like he would be signed by now a few weeks ago. wondering the same thing. I thought it sounded hard reported that that was imminent and that I haven't heard anything since. What's up with it? It just hasn't been announced, man. That's what it is. They are pushing it back farther and farther out. But ah for all accounts, this is all done and well. They were going to announce it last week. They didn't. They're going to probably announce it this week.

Speaker: Yeah. a lot more, I guess, i don't know it's more time, but for whatever reason, they just haven't announced it. ah But it's done. Brian Spencer has acknowledged it ah Christian will then acknowledge that he talked about the reasons and the things that ah Schneider can do for the team. So consider it done.

Speaker: It's just about, hasn't been officialized just yet. yeah um But, you know, he's a a good player. he's going to be in the rotation. He's probably going to benefit out of, um,

Speaker: Leagues Cup. I have a man. I really i put stock in in any international tournament. But at the same time, I understand that the all be all for the Sounders should be right now, specifically considering injuries and things.

Speaker: It should be the league.

Speaker: With the additional caveat that, you know, you have a couple of players that have had a ton of minutes. You have not been able to switch out. um But at the same time, Brian Smetzer has mentioned that the Sounders are always going to compete in any tournament. They're going to want to get wins and I believe them.

Speaker: um So it's going to be really hard to, for you and I today to, with the lineup builder, figure out the 11, because we're going to try, we're going to try baby without looking at practice to figure out,

Speaker: The yeah physical component of of where these guys are at, it it it might be kind of hard, ah but I think that there will be rotation. I would like to see a whole lot of Georgie Manungu in a Leagues Cup. I really do. i think that this is a tournament where he...

Speaker: could use some minutes, could use some confidence. The same thing goes for Ryan Kent, just to kind of figure out where he's at, what he can do. um I have said, and I said it on Friday on what we learned this week, that I want to see more Manungu than I want to see Ryan Kent.

Speaker: And that's only because I know that Manungu is going to be a guy that the team will have next season. Nungo's a guy that we need to nurture and and and grow and develop because he's a huge, ah you know, very raw talent that needs to continue to get better.

Speaker: With Ryan Kent, I do not see... Much of a possibility that he'll be here next year So maybe you get what you can Out of him but he's not a guy that I'm Worried about figuring out for next season Because I just don't see a way That he'll be here next year And he hasn't shown enough right now to be a guy That I'm dying or or would be saying Hey you guys need to keep him So that's why I want to see more George Menungu I want to see some Danny Leyva Osase you know he's a guy that Again i he gets the goal ah But

Speaker: I don't know. There's more that needs to be done there. So maybe you do see him to see where he what other things he can do. On the air, he's a boss. And I think that if I have a moment where I need a set piece, that I need somebody to get to, he's a guy that i definitely want on the field.

Speaker: But a lot of the other stuff is is problematic. um We're probably going to see a lot of Danny Musavsky. He was not good against Atlanta. He really struggled. Yeah. All in all, when he will get the ball in the link up, he just had a hard time not getting services in as well.

Speaker: But ah we do want to try to figure out what's up up there, including maybe adding Ferreira up there. So there's going to be a lot of rotation, ah but...

Speaker: I still think that Seattle should and will want to win Leagues Cup or get far in in in a tournament where the Sounders have done historically well. and Even if you go back to the showcase where we went to the final in Vegas against Club León.

Speaker: Yeah, no, exactly. Michael Pogson coming in with the ah five gifted memberships. Thank you guys so much for all the support this morning. Appreciate each and every one of you. You're the ones who ah make the show go. So thank you.

Speaker: ah Yeah, I'll just I'll reiterate my take on League's Cup, which is that. if If the Seattle Sounders make a run to the final and and they win it, then it's a very important and distinguished trophy, great tournament ah that is highly significant and a big-time addition to the trophy case.

Speaker: ah If they get grouped or eliminated earlier on in the tournament, cynical cash grab doesn't matter. Don't care about it. It was just... It was just to get ah some lineup rotation and ah you can rest guys. And that's all it was. And I don't care. no one cares.

Speaker: that's a That's my take on Leagues Cup. We got another another super sticker. Matthew Malcolm this time. Thank you so much. Oh, man, they're just rolling in. Rolling in on this Monday morning episode. Appreciate you guys.

Speaker: But yeah, I mean, like, you know, I'm being a little facetious, but the way I see this tournament is that what i what I really think that they should do and are probably going to do is in these group stage games, these early games, they're rotate get guys run that need it get guys minutes that need it get and give guys rest that need it we've talked so much about how the christian no bed double pivot just needs a break this is a perfect opportunity to do it in these uh in these early games and you uh you see how far that can take you if it can take you out of the group and then it's sort of how i feel about open cup too like any tournament that's going on in season like

Speaker: The further you make it, the stronger starting theoretical starting 11s that you put out. And if they're if they're may in the quarters semis and it looks like they make a run at the final, um then I honestly do want to see them put like the stronger starting 11s out there and try and win it. Why not? like If you're right there with a chance to win a trophy, whatever the trophy is, you may as well go for it. And like with this one in particular, ah you know, people might not like it, but it's here to stay like the partnership and the relationship in general between these two leagues.

Speaker: That's something that they are very intent and have put a ton of money ah into trying to foster. So it's this tournament's going to be there for the foreseeable future. Seattle almost won it in 2021 and lost to Club Leone in that final in and Vegas.

Speaker: So if you can put this one in the bag, like it's it's another trophy. And then also another thing ah I was saying is just that if you if you do If you do just win it, then it kind of lessens the, yeah I guess, pressure or importance on future iterations of this tournament where you can be like, all right, we already won it. So if you don't win it in a given year, then it's like not that big a deal.

Speaker: People might not think it's that big a deal anyway. and People are entitled to care about it however much they want to. But for me, it's like if you if you make if it looks like you have a genuine chance at making a run to the final and potentially adding this trophy, you should do it.

Speaker: You may as well. There's no reason. The reason not to would be to be like, we got to we got to save everything for ah for league play. But, you know, one of the big selling points of this team is the depth to be able to do stuff like this, like contend in a tournament like this ah when you're putting out an 11. That's theoretically not your strongest.

Speaker: And i think ah I think the depth has shown itself. this year I do like the fact that Seattle hasn't had their DP number nine at all this year, pretty much.

Speaker: ah And a lot of the other injury issues that they've had at times with the, with the center back group as well. ah And that they're still top four in the West.

Speaker: I think that is a testament to that. They have the depth to be able to get out of a group like this, even if they're not playing the double pivot. Although I'll be interested to see what they do with that because they don't have JP.

Speaker: So with that in mind, Matthew coming in with another $5 super chat. Thank you. ah Don't fight the oligarchs. Learn how to work with them to achieve more benefit the squad. yeah exactly sometimes you have to embrace the uh oligarchy this is one of those situations they're i mean they're like i said they have that oligarch class has a ton of stock in this tournament so it's not like it's not like this is a situation where they're still like testing out the tournament and it may or may not be there so like if you win the trophy it's uh not gonna mean anything because the tournament won't exist in a couple years like is they're gonna be playing this thing every year for the rest of eternity so

Speaker: You may as well win it one time. Nico, before we bust out this ah lineup builder, anything anything else on just like the importance or stock that they should put on this? No, i like I said, I would put a lot of stock in it. um and I've always said that

Speaker: Championships and titles is what ah this team needs to get to acquire. I know that it is something that Brian s Spencer hasn't had in quite some time. And quite honestly, this sort of tournament is the easiest way to get a a a trophy. It's lot easier to win.

Speaker: eight games and or seven and being a final rather than having to, you know, play entire season to ah get to the p playoffs, win the playoffs, win a final.

Speaker: I mean, it's, it's a lot more difficult to win your domestic league. So it could create a chance for this team to, to get some, some silverware, but at the same time, just looking at the the current state of the squad and we'll talk about it moving forward. Cause I, I don't know how much rotation will be at least for this first Cruz Azul game. That's probably your toughest game.

Speaker: Um, Seattle's just in a difficult situation when it comes to the rotation of players, but I think that is a good chance. i think it's a good opportunity that the team should try to take. Cruz Azul, the same team that Seattle played in CONCACAF Champions Cup earlier this year, got that's the team that they got eliminated by.

Speaker: ah Do you have any read or intel on what their situation is as far as are you expecting them to play ah rotated side, what type of form that they've been in since CONCACAF Champions Cup and how that might affect Seattle's chances of taking the result in this match?

Speaker: and They're going go full in just because they they just started their Klausura, right? They just started the new season. They have only three games in. ah They're going to use this to get their right squad, not to mention the fact the Liga MX teams, they like this right here.

Speaker: And and in in that money side, It's given by league's cup, you know, you, you want to get as far as you can to just get another bonus. So ah to me, they're going to go full on.

Speaker: The team is basically the same with the exception of Giacomo keys. And I think El Toro Fernandez has gone there too. ah Where did Giacomo keys go?

Speaker: I can't remember where he went, ah but, but, but he's no longer there. Oh, didn't know that. And yeah, I do think that this team, by all accounts, has its core still there intact.

Speaker: and And they're going to just be a ah difficult team to play, just as they were when they came here. From defensively all the way down to, ah you know, Charlie Rodriguez and the rest of the squad. I think that this is a quality team that ah Seattle knows they're going to have to be very good defensively good against if they want to be able to get a result.

Speaker: um' I'm seeing Giacomakis on Wikipedia as as he is still on Cruz Azul. He's still there? He could be. Maybe he's on the cusp of being out, but he he hasn't played. yeah I mean, he is a ah he is a mercenary. Like, that guy, he'll play wherever. So who knows if he's going to be on the team. But, I mean, either way, like, any any game against Liga Mekki side like this is – you know, I, the, the reason that I don't mind this tournament is because, I've said it before, like the reps against teams like this make, you make you better. So for a guy like Georgie, who just the number one thing he needs right now that he's not getting because of where he's out on the depth chart is reps.

Speaker: So if you can get him those against competition like this, that's a great way to, uh, to development, develop him and elevate his level. So to me,

Speaker: Obviously, i want them to ah make a run and try and win it. But also another thing I'll be keeping an eye on is just how a player like Georgie performs. Like you mentioned, Ryan Kent, it's another opportunity platform to get an evaluation, ah a deeper evaluation on him.

Speaker: So, especially for these group stage games, I'm going bust out the lineup builder right now, but especially for these group stage games, i want I want to see a lot of rotation, first of all, but I'm going to be watching to see how those rotated pieces are, they're like, they're form regardless of result, I guess. You know, if they take a negative result, but ah Georgie or Danny Leyva look incredible, that would still be a positive to take away, no matter what happens in the game. So,

Speaker: ah A tournament like this that's another thing That I'm that i'm looking at but let's Yeah so so just just going back over here sounds like Jocomacchi has not played with the team at all ah He's effectively out He just hasn't gone anywhere Okay so he's not going to playing Charlotte's been Trying to get him Trying to make a European leap But yeah he's definitely on the Cups of of leaving and That's lu see not surprising, to be honest. But right, let's try and project ah project this lineup.

Speaker: Like you said, this is going to be probably a fool's errand because we don't know how Schmitz is going to handle this. But we can kind of look at it from the lens of like what we want to see or what we would hope. Okay.

Speaker: that Schmetz would do and not necessarily like, I think I learned my lesson from, ah when we projected the rotated lineup for one of the, I think the Colorado game and then it just was the exact same 11 as, as it always is.

Speaker: So, but I think, I think he actually is going to rotate to a lot more effect. So this will be interesting to look at. Uh, all right. This is just the, uh, the default one.

Speaker: So we're gonna and we're going to, going to, uh, ah change this up a lot. It's going to any team goal, right? like There's stuffh still in protocol. um What do you think they do at ah and left back on Thursday versus Cruz Azul? Is this an RBW situation or a J-Bell situation?

Speaker: We had this wrong for the Atlanta game. i I said that it felt like uh j bell was for like schmetz's first in the pecking order behind new who and especially i was thinking for a road game maybe you put the more defensive option there and then he started rbw do you think rbw gets run out there again or or is it going to be j bell or is it going be new who after new who new who played well coming coming off the bench didn't get ejected and got an assist and was uh fine on defense i think so uh do you think new who gets back in the 11 here

Speaker: i think who gets back in the 11th in my opinion yeah and uh you know i think he's still in the process of earning his uh his equity and his role back but like i think what he did in uh in atlanta jokes aside like that's that's that's what he needs to do uh go out there incident-free, God willing, and contribute to the success of the team, which, which let's be fair, he did he did do that.

Speaker: So that's to me, that's like, you know, it's not the highest bar in the world, but he cleared it. So ah i wouldn't I wouldn't hate it if he starts here.

Speaker: ah You know, let's just hope that he doesn't get a red card. and no and And Brian, you know, he alluded to the fact that he's going to need... to be good defensively against Cruz Azul. And that to me means let's probably not be as adventurous on the left side and let's have our, you know, essentially best one-on-one defender out there.

Speaker: Despite the issues, despite the mistakes, the liabilities and things, I think he's still the guy that if anyone's going to lock down that side is likely going to be a new. So, yeah, I think that's why.

Speaker: ah what about ah what about cb like do you you put J-Bell in one of these spots? or do you ah do you just I feel like CB is one where you can theoretically ride your you're normal pairing, especially because both these guys are still relatively recently coming off injury and you're trying to get them back 90 fit.

Speaker: If I'm looking at it, I feel like they he might he might just run Jackson Reagan and Yamaha. Yeah, I am 95% sure that he'll run it back. To your point, chemistry, you need to, once again, recandle that. You have to make sure that ah That stays positive. That's got to give you some continuity.

Speaker: ah This team has no one in that center back group that moves the ball as well as Reagan does. after that that In the Atlanta game, he put a couple of gorgeous balls through into half spaces that unfortunately went nowhere in that first half.

Speaker: But he was one of those guys that I thought had a very good game. and And same goes for Yammer. Despite the own goal, despite ah being slightly late to close down a lot to lot on that goal, I think that he was important. I think he was crucial ah to keep a lot to lot at bay.

Speaker: So I think he's a guy that stays. James says, do not want to see Yamar in this tournament. If he goes down, it's a as a disaster for the regular season. and I mean, i lying yeah i like I agree that it would be a disaster for the regular season if he But you are going to get him out of there. Believe me.

Speaker: Well, there'ss there's that, but there's also... You have to you have to balance, like the fear of him getting injured again with the with the reality that if if he's not getting like regular minutes to get fit that actually I would say increases the chances that he could get injured when you when it does come back.

Speaker: So that's it's tough. It's like ah you are risking him every time put him out there like any other player. But you also need to get him fit and be able to make it through these games without getting without getting injured, which, you know, keeping him out, that could increase it when he does come back type thing. So it is, I don't i don't envy having to make those decisions, but I also, I think ah i think he i think he runs this duo in this game.

Speaker: ah What do you think about right back? you think yeah I think this is probably a KKR situation But I could also see him I don't know, i don't which which one, Alex or KKR?

Speaker: um I have a hard time with this one Because, you know, logic Tells me that The pivots should rotate And that If anything, you could probably do KKR here And put Alex Roldan Maybe in the Christian Roldan role dand rule But at the same time, i don't know if Cruz Azul is the team that I want experiment against.

Speaker: So... So to me, i think it's going to stay the same. And maybe we should just do KKR just to make it interesting. And maybe let's put Alex on the Christian role dance spot just for... Well, because the double pivot is going to be the the thing that I think is kind of the hardest to predict. I don't know what they're doing. Yeah. And that's what's going to essentially move everything around, right? Because if you've got to give Christian some time off, you're going to have to figure out how. And Alex is the only guy that I think you could...

Speaker: do there in order to get it right. But if that stays the same, then Alex is going to play that right back position. The only way to replace a Roldan is to put in another Roldan. So let let's just do it just for fun. let just Just for fun.

Speaker: like like i do I do think that i do think you this is this is like a opportunity to see if this works, ah which I think I've said that I think it's the it's probably the best option they have with the JP injury. And like, dude, i christian I don't want to see Christian play one minute in the group stage. I know that's probably he's probably just going to start him every game. But he might start this one. you like name If he's starting any game, he might be this one. But but let's you and I do it different with our lineup.

Speaker: And let's leave it like this. Caveat acknowledged that it's probably going to be just Christian and Obed again. But, you know, I agree. Dare to dream. dare i mean, at a certain point, like you were saying, like in the, in the Atlanta game and really these last few games, ah there's been just like fatigue type mistakes that Christian rolled on just never makes. So hopefully i i would not start him in this game, but it's also clearly in recent weeks, like the load management has not been taken into account with that situation.

Speaker: But ah I think this would be cool if they did it. Who do you, so do you think it's, think it's Obed beside Alex or? Yeah, I think it's Obed. I think Obed stays just to figure out how works.

Speaker: ah If I'm tinkering with Christian, I'm just going to let Obed. Not to mention that Obed, despite him having a lot of ah minutes as well, he's had some times off. He, you know, went to the All-Star game, only played a couple of minutes and, you know, not a lot.

Speaker: I thought that ah despite him not having his best game against Atlanta, That recovery run that he does to stop Latte Lott in a breakaway moment. Oh, that was sick. Is to be applauded. i mean, you know, it's not that. I meant to mention that. Running down, ah you know.

Speaker: Budabaker. Budabaker. It's not almost there, but then I just thought it was phenomenal the way he just cut the field. Latte Lott has, you know, 10 yards on him and he just.

Speaker: get some without fouling, I may add, without fouling, just completely delays the play and stops that. So I think that Obed starts this one. That was insane. That was one of the best defensive highlights of the season.

Speaker: And that's one of those ones where when we're talking about like scouts in Europe and why Obed's stock is so high right now, like, yeah, it's the technical ability and ah ah his attributes as a facilitator and ball progressor and helping the attack.

Speaker: But scouts are looking at stuff like that when you're freaking busting it 60 yards against Latte Locke, the fastest dude in the league, sprint speed wise. And you you track him down and like you said, cut out the chance without fouling him.

Speaker: Incredible play. God, he's just he's so good. All right. So we're going with the Alex rolled on Obed double pivot. I would be excited to watch that, even though I do hope Obed gets. ah What do you think? What do you think they would do in a situation where Christian and Obed aren't in the 11?

Speaker: Like, who would it be? I think. I really do think that it's going to be Alex and Danny Leyva. Yeah. on Unless, you know, JP's back, right? yeah We heard that to possibly be three weeks now, two weeks before he gets back. But without JP, I think is it would be Alex and and and Danny Leyva.

Speaker: and that That's all you really have left in store ah for now. I mean, it would be. not not just disrespectful, but it'd be like, man, like really, if you play Schneider and Alex over Alex and Leyva, right? The guy just got promoted. He's 18. I mean, I think that Leyva would be the guy there.

Speaker: Yeah, no, i ah I agree. Everyone listen to Azurata. Let's get more likes on the video. Yeah, I haven't plugged that since the top of the show. Everyone watching right now, everyone in chat, give the video a like. let's get the you know Let's get this one to at least 50.

Speaker: Maybe we can get it to triple digits. Who knows? But yeah, please like the video. Get us in that. I'll go. Uh, all right. How do you think that they line up the front four Nico? This is going to be the interesting question.

Speaker: ah for me, I got Ryan Kent right here. do you see that any different?

Speaker: Uh, uh, I mean, look, if Paul Rothbard was, was fit, um, I think it'd be Paul. Um, but you know what? I mean, to me, yes, you're right. I think Ryan Kent, uh,

Speaker: Would go there but with how good Pedro has been i might just put Brian Ken on the right side And see how That like that i like works out Let's do it let's just have some fun here I think that is something worth trying.

Speaker: I think that is something worth trying. just It worked with De La Vega. You just moved him to the other side. Now he looks like a god. Maybe maybe ah Ryan Kent looking like a god again. All it takes is for him to switch sides. And De La Vega, I honestly, i wouldn't mind necessarily him Starting here just to like just to keep him in that confident rhythm that he's in right now If he has another good game against an opponent like this, it will only boost his confidence and his stock in general Yeah, you pulled him in the what 67 68, you know, yeah, they they pulled him rather early um Maybe 70th, but but but I he he definitely got pulled off early So i think Petra starting again is very possible

Speaker: I agree. ah i don't i don't know if he's going to do the moving Ryan Kent to the right side yet, but let's ah let's let's ah leave it like this. I like this.

Speaker: I'm pretty sure Rusnak is going to start again. What I would want to see, I want to see at least a little bit in this tournament, Danny Leiva get some run that spot. Me too. I want to see that. That's something that they need to find out if that works.

Speaker: There's a lot of theories that his best position is actually in that more advanced role ah because what Danny Weva does well, you know he's not the fastest guy in the world. He's not ah the most physical defensive presence in the world, but he is a very good long passer. He's got good through balls. He's a good he's good facilitator.

Speaker: So I think those are all attributes that lend themselves well to that position. I don't think they would start him there against Cruz Azul. I mean, do you think there's any chance that they ah run Ferreira in the center there? or It feels like they just yeah they they ride Rusnak at this spot pretty much unless they're unless they absolutely can't.

Speaker: No, I think that is more likely for them to run Ferreira at the nine than it is at the 10, to be quite frank. um And I think you're right. I would like to see Danny there at least one game.

Speaker: ah Not in this one, obviously. But I think that Danny Leyva, if anything, you need to figure out what he could provide you. And and yes, I think not just the through balls, the cerebral component. You know, he's got a high IQ, ah but set pieces. I think he's one of the best set pieces takers on the team.

Speaker: yeah And therefore that being Albert's role ah think that Danny could you know provide That's and kind of cool to just see it one time To see how it works out As far as the nine goes I do I think they're gonna I think they're gonna run Ferreira Like uh It could like Moose has been starting and I think he's earned that even though, like you know, like you mentioned Atlanta game wasn't necessarily his best game, but mean, he's the, ah he's been the line leader every situation where Jordan Morris hasn't been able to play, which has been most of the season.

Speaker: So it could be a Moose game, but I think this is kind of a situation where you can both get one of your best players on the field and do a little experimentation with,

Speaker: with trying to get him more run in a different role to get him more reps there, especially playing with Rusnak there instead of the wide channel. So, I mean, I guess I want them to run Ferreira.

Speaker: Me too. Up top in this game. I don't i second that. Let's put him there. I second that. I think Danny struggled. I think that, you know, that the... The aggressivity and the the decisiveness in Ferreira has grown.

Speaker: adam Like I said, in in in that the Atlanta game, it was it was it was like it was very difficult. And he played the nine for like, I don't know, six minutes, six minutes. 10 minutes after some changes or maybe for Osase came on, obviously didn't get a lot more than I think one opportunity off of the right side that he can't quite get. He gets to the spot in the 18, but he can't quite settle it down.

Speaker: ah But yeah, I would like to see Ferreira. I think that you need to exploit that. I, I think that he is slowly getting a lot of confidence. He's learning what this group is about. in it And, you know, we asked them, I asked them about whether his success was because of where he was being played or more because of at the, finally just that chemistry getting with with the team and knowing what players are going to be.

Speaker: And, you know, he he alluded to that, that that's a big component. So I think if you put him up there, it'd be interesting to see how it plays with how good and, um Defiant on the ball Pedro La Vega has been you know I think that they all Touch the ball very similarly i think that him and La Vega have a good report So yeah I like to see it man why not Chat does not like the Ferreira at the nine Idea ah Look the the the logic is ah First of all like

Speaker: the last The last time that he played up there, he scored a game-winning goal against one of the best teams in the league. So I think building on that ah trying to build on that makes sense because the reality is you unique with with Jordan out long-term here, you need a contingency plan besides Moose.

Speaker: And there's not a lot of ironclad options for that, i guess, other than Osaze, who is still just very unproven. So I want to see Osaze get run up top too, but like you, I mean, i understand people are still scarred by the St. Louis game and the, ah in the San Diego game, but you need to, this is an opportunity to find out if this works. And if it, if it does work, you have a viable option

Speaker: like when Moose can't go or you need to ah yeah you need to rotate him out. And like put Opsase out there, like against Cruz Azul, like, no, you're not going like, we if even if you want them to do that, he's not going to do that. That's not even like, to me, that's not even like we're talking about because it's just not something that will will be, I can...

Speaker: I don't want to say guarantee. Maybe Schmetz, maybe Schmetz pulls one out of the bag that we're not expecting. Maybe he does it. I seriously, seriously doubt that he starts Osaze in a, ah in a league's cup group stage match against Cruz Azul. And the reality is too, like, uh,

Speaker: Ferreira has been in good form for like a month now, guys. Like, that's objectively true. So, I mean, the the Atlanta game, it wasn't a great game for him. It was a bad a bad game for the whole offense in the first half.

Speaker: But he has been producing and providing final product for the last few weeks. He's looked a lot better as part of this attack. So that's and that's another reason why like the logic of running him there, I think, makes sense. yeah And look, guys, if there's anything that hasn't changed in Cruz Azul, it's that back line.

Speaker: And let me assure you that Danny Mussovsky's game doesn't... um doesn't match up well with whether it's the three-man back line that, um, Cruz who can't play in or, uh, you know, two center backs in the four-man back line, uh,

Speaker: Piovi and Willardita are physical. They're more athletic. They are more experienced. They have more international minutes. I mean, this these two guys are fantastic. And even when they play with the three-and-back line with Lida in the middle of those two, that's a tough lineup, man. I mean, ah they're coming from a 4-1 win over Leona. Leona is not like this amazing...

Speaker: brute attack force, but there's still a quality team up top, man. And those those three men, they they make it difficult. I think that the only way to really get around those three or two is dragging them out. And I think Ferreira could do a lot of that. You're going to have to play in the half spaces.

Speaker: You're going to have to play with your back to goal. ah You're going to have to get your wingers involved. um There is going to have to be a collective effort to, to score goals on this, this team.

Speaker: Not to mention that ah with Kevin Mier being you know,

Speaker: um fearless and and and as much of a gambler as he is being a goalkeeper. He's had a couple of boo-boos already in this season because he sometimes is a little bit too confident on the ball.

Speaker: A guy pressing like Ferreira can lead to some really good moments. And we all know that Ferreira is the better defensive pressing player attacker or or nine than Danny Mosavsky. So to me, it feels like he fits better into this game.

Speaker: But again, I am not Brian Smetzer. I'm just kind of giving you what I think leading up to this game. No, it's a good point about the ah two-way presence because that is as as much as chat doesn't like it.

Speaker: That's something that Brian Smetzer takes into account. Ferreira is very good at pressing. He is a high work rate player and he's he's good on defense. Like he's a two-way player, ah in it more so than Moose So that's another reason why, regardless of what ah any of us want them to do, i think, you know, we also have to think about what what the coaches are, uh, are evaluating and they are taking that stuff into account. And, you know, as far as the notion that Ferrer at the nine is just a total bust and we have no evidence of that working, I don't even really need to go back to the FC Dallas days, uh, where he had success there. He literally, he started there and scored a game winning goal against San Diego FC, like two or three weeks ago.

Speaker: Like that's, I, The idea that it's been like a, ah it hasn't, it hasn't like, there's no recent track record of it working at all is just not true.

Speaker: So like, i don't I don't know if it's the best option in the world, but with Jordan Morris out, it's something that you at least do have to try. You have to. So I think that they're going to do it in this game. Probably Zach does want Georgie in there. So let's, let's just do that just for kicks and ah see how we like how that works.

Speaker: ah Where is he? What is Georgie even on font mom? What the hell?

Speaker: How do you spell his name there? Oh, oh it's cause he's on Tacoma defines. i See, I would like this. I like that, too. I like that, too. Absolutely. I like that, too.

Speaker: And hopefully, you know, hopefully we did we see Ryan Kent get a lot of run in this tournament, even if he doesn't necessarily start this game. ah But no, I mean, I think that i think this lineup's kind of fired. This lineup can and hang with Cruz Azul. So...

Speaker: We'll see if they can do it on Thursday at Lumen Field. ah All right, Nico, I got to get out of here. So we'll call it right right there for this episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. Thank you guys all so much for for tuning in. Thanks for all the super chat love and the gifted memberships this morning.

Speaker: Love and appreciate all of you. a We'll see what the ah what the pod under the lights schedule is this week with the Thursday game. There's going to be some tinkering.

Speaker: ah Follow me on on Blue Sky for timing and information on that. And we'll ah we'll have some stuff out before the game.

Speaker: And wo bla we'll be talking after the game as well. Nico, appreciate you as always, man. And I'll catch you soon. Thank you, guys. Have a good one. See you guys. Peace.