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Episode 393: Preview of Sounders-Dynamo
70 Plays2 years ago
Dustyn Richardson of BayouCitySoccer.net (formerly Dynamo Theory) joined us to share insight on Saturday's opponent, the Houston Dynamo.
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsorship
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Full Pull was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime sounder supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, the Pacific Northwest.
Player Introductions
00:00:21
Speaker
Hey, this is Christian Roldan. And Jordan Morris from the Seattle Sounders Football Club. And you're listening to... There's no study at this. Here we go. Come on! Hey, Ocean! Let's go! What a save by Fry! The Seattle Sounders have done it! MLS co-pointers! Here comes Ray D'Ace from the middle to crowd it! The vehicle! And now they truly can't stop the celebrations.
00:01:04
Speaker
Seattle Sounders, the greatest MLS team in history. This is a tiny f***ing doll.
00:01:34
Speaker
Is
Guest Introduction and Game Preview
00:01:37
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of NOS Adietes. I'm Jeremiah Shan. Joining me today is Dustin Richardson of Bayou City Soccer, and we are going to be talking about the upcoming Dynamo Sounders game. Welcome to the show, Dustin.
00:01:42
Speaker
that why you young people call twerking?
History of Total MLS Derby
00:01:52
Speaker
Thanks for having me, Jeremiah.
00:01:55
Speaker
So I was told to introduce this as the, uh, Oh shoot. Now I'm blanking on the name. What was, how do you know, Mark? What's the total MLS, the total MLS Darby? Yeah. So yeah, back in the day, back in the day, some of you are listeners remember the old days of what the 2010s.
00:02:14
Speaker
We used to run Total MLS. We were probably most famous for all of our gifts and stuff of the games. But yeah, it was like me, Mark. I know you had Jimmy on last week that covers Sporting KC, Ian. Yeah, Total MLS Derby is all in a row. So yeah, we kind of have branched off now into different things. So yeah, it's still kind of a running joke with us that this is a Derby, Houston, Seattle, in probably the only way that it's a Derby.
00:02:44
Speaker
Yeah. Well, you know, it's been, it's been an interesting, you know, it's funny, the, the sounders and dynamo do have a fair amount of shared
Sounders vs Dynamo: Playoffs and Open Cup
00:02:51
Speaker
history. As I'm sure, you know, uh, the dynamo had the glory of knocking the sounders out of the playoffs in their first year, uh, in which was payback, I guess, for the sounders knocking the dynamo out of the open cup that year. And, uh, in a pretty exciting game that I don't know how much dynamo fans think about that game, but that is sort of like one of the, uh, lore field games and sounders us open cup history.
00:03:15
Speaker
That's crazy. I would have not thought that the open cup was, has never really, well, the dynamo won it in 2018. Um, right outside of that, the open cup has kind of been a, I don't know. It's just kind of an afterthought to, I think a lot of dynamo fans, it's not, you know, you, you see the kind of the Chicago's, the Seattle's, the Casey's that kind of take it. I won't say seriously. I think they all take it seriously, but just kind of.
00:03:38
Speaker
um play for it a little more maybe so i i'm trying to struggling to even remember that game i remember like a crazy back and forth type game but yeah those were the old days yeah those are definitely the old days i don't know if this will again i don't know that this will spark any memories for you but for us it's known as the zombie jaqua game because uh nate jaqua ended
The Zombie Jaqua Game
00:04:02
Speaker
up playing
00:04:02
Speaker
the end of the last half of the game with a big bandage on his head. And he scored a goal in that game. And I think the Sounders ended up winning in overtime, but it was sort of like the game that created the Starfire sort of like experience for Sounders fans. I don't, again, I don't have no idea. Donovan even think about this game.
00:04:23
Speaker
Yeah. I, I, I vaguely remember that the Jake, I remember the memes definitely like with the blood on the head and the rap and, uh, you know, the crazy, uh, the look, I guess of the Nate Jake, but Nate Jacob, uh, later Houston dynamo forward as well. I think it was actually before that. Wasn't it? I think he came to the sounders from, from dynamo.
00:04:47
Speaker
That's right. He was, yeah. And then Will Bruin to Dymo forward straight, went to Seattle. Exactly. We do have some history, right? Yeah, exactly. We have some, we do have some history. Although you kind of have to, that's a, that's a pretty, you have to go pretty far back in the memory hole to find that. Of course, no more Will Bruin here. He's moved across town or across the state for you to Austin. But anyway, this game,
Dynamo's Recent Form Under Ben Olson
00:05:15
Speaker
We haven't, the Sounders and Dynamo haven't played a lot of high stakes games in recent years. And I don't know if this is a high stakes game, but it does seem like a reasonably big game. The Dynamo are looking better than they have in quite some time. And the Sounders are.
00:05:32
Speaker
I don't know, the Sounders are struggling a little bit, but they're still in first place in the Western Conference. The Dynamo also come into this game, having not allowed a single goal in five home games across all competitions. What would you, and of course, Ben Olson is sort of like the architect of this turnaround. What has been the early impressions of Benny Ball in Houston?
Analyzing Benny Ball and Penalties
00:05:59
Speaker
It's funny, early on it was met with some very mixed reactions for sure. People hated it, I think was the first initial things. They went to Cincinnati to open the season and lost, and then they went to New England and lost. And looking back now, that's two of the better teams in the Eastern Conference going on the road and losing to them, not exactly.
00:06:26
Speaker
you know, a damning thing for your season. But since then, they've only lost once. They lost at San Jose. They gave up two penalty kicks. But then, yeah, like you said, at home has been incredible. They haven't conceded. They'd won every game up until last Saturday. They drew 0-0 with Real Salt Lake. So,
00:06:46
Speaker
I think fans, you know, fans want to see, right. The, the attacking type, you know, citing soccer, but at the same time results, it's a results business, right? Like you want, you want to get for the dynamo, especially they've been really bad the last couple of years. They had made the playoffs since 2017. That was the year they lost to the Sounders in the Western conference final.
00:07:08
Speaker
So you think way back then, the Dynamo haven't been in the playoffs. In MLS, that's saying something, right? Like, you know, seven, eight teams in each conference, nine now make the playoffs. So for them to not even finish in the top half of the Western Conference last few years, they're starting to get results now. And I think people are coming around to, hey, maybe this Benny ball is something we can get behind.
00:07:30
Speaker
Yeah. And I, I would think you sort of have to start somewhere, right? Like everyone wants to come in and it just be every coach, I suppose says something about how they want to play attacking exciting soccer. But you do. The reality is that you kind of have to start somewhere. And it seems like very reasonably the dynamo or starting with a more
00:07:51
Speaker
sound defensive structure. They are not exposing themselves in a lot of ways. That said, a lot of the goals both for and against the Dynamo this year have come on penalties. The Dynamo lead MLS with four converted penalties. They've also given up three penalties.
00:08:11
Speaker
Is that just a weird statistical anomaly or is there something about how they're playing that is leading to all these penalties and all and I'll just say the Sounders by contrast have scored one haven't given up any of course I'm now jinxing it but it's you know like it's a difference of six penalties uh for and against
00:08:30
Speaker
It's been really weird. I mean, bossy, who's one of their new signings scored a penalty in four straight games, which was an MLS record, which was like crazy. He'd done it in three games and everyone was kind of joking. Like, I'm just going to get another penalty. And sure enough, like that fourth game, he scores another penalty. I mean, you just don't see that, right? Like four straight games in a row with penalties. And then, yeah, they've given up some penalties on like just some silly,
00:08:54
Speaker
It's just one of those weird things. Maybe it has something a little bit to do with kind of their style. They're kind of this bend but don't break. I mean, people that have seen DC United play in the past, they're pretty familiar with Olson's decade of being there. Like you said, yeah, it's kind of a defensive mentality.
00:09:14
Speaker
They kind of counter at times, they look for set pieces. They scored on a couple of set pieces as well, Hector Herrera's free kick, Hector Herrera's corner. Yeah, it's kind of like defend, sit deep a little, play for set pieces type thing, which I guess is going to get you some penalties at times.
00:09:35
Speaker
Right. Well, the flip side to that is they are, they rank at, they're tied for the least amount of open play goals in MLS. They only have four open play goals. Is this, that suggests that there's a certain plottiness to the style of play. Is that an accurate depiction? Very much so. Yeah. You're going to, you're going to see a Dynamo team on Saturday
Hector Herrera's Key Role
00:10:01
Speaker
that
00:10:03
Speaker
plotting is good. Yeah, they're very strong in midfield. I mean, I would argue they're they're midfield three of Hector Herrera, Coco Karski and Arthur who they picked up from Columbus is up there in MLS, you know, as one of the better three midfields in the league. So they play through them a lot and then their defense has been sound.
00:10:26
Speaker
Sebastian Ferreira, who was their number nine designated player last year, they broke the club's transfer fee. He just doesn't really play anymore. He's kind of been frozen out. They've been playing Corey Baird and Olson continually will say, you know, it's his work grade and it's the defensive things he gives us.
00:10:45
Speaker
It's it's just an it's a very mismatched offense like they're just kind of trying to stick Cory Baird as a number nine Which he's not really he's a wing and then they have Yvonne Franco who they signed this year who's kind of a winger too And they keep kind of rolling him out there sometimes I mean bossy who's more of like a cam number 10 type player, but he's playing wing They it's very plotting. Yes
00:11:11
Speaker
And Hector Herrera, who was considered, I think, pretty widely one of the big busts of last season. I mean, he was a player that came in with a big name on a big salary number and really didn't do much positive last year, seems to be fitting in much better this year. And it does seem a bit like the team is sort of built around him. Is that a fair assessment?
00:11:37
Speaker
It's definitely Hector's team and definitely built around Hector. Like you said, last year he came in and, I mean, nothing for nothing. He was a bust, you know, he was, he was coming from Atletico Madrid. He was supposed to be, you know, this kind of savior, which in reality, you know, one guy wasn't going to save a club. Right. Um, but he came in from, you know, he was playing in the champions league against Manchester United. And then a month later he's in MLS type thing. Like.
00:12:03
Speaker
But he was injured a lot last year I think at Atletico Madrid and he came here I think nursing some injuries and there was the World Cup last winter which he was going to be a part of so I think there was part of him that kind of was like
00:12:18
Speaker
using this as kind of a fitness thing last season. Um, let me just get to the world cup and, uh, we'll, we'll go from there, but he's completely different this year. Yeah. He's transformed it himself, I think. And this team, you know, it's, it's crazy. He's been, if you look at all the metrics and different stats and stuff, he's arguably one of the best midfielders in MLS this year. And it's, it's night and day from last year.
00:12:43
Speaker
And what should Sounders fans or what's worth watching about?
00:12:50
Speaker
the player that's known as Ache Ache. You know, he with with Olson here last year when her came, Paula Nagamura was the coach then got fired shortly after and they finished with their interim Kenny Bundy, who was the Dynamo two head coach, was the interim last year. So her was kind of playing as a six playing deeper, which is not really what he is this offseason. I mentioned they signed Artur from Columbus, who's you know, kind of that.
00:13:17
Speaker
uh prototypical number six so it's allowed hector to be kind of more free for free form uh kind of eight slash six type players so hector's kind of all over the place you know he'll he'll pick up the ball from the back line he'll get forward a little um he's on set pieces but just his passing is still you know world class his vision um every every game he'll make a pass and you're like
00:13:42
Speaker
Wow, that's that's crazy. So just having Archer, I think, behind him has just freed up his game tremendously. And so, you know, looking at the stats here, I don't see any forwards who have goals. Is that is that right? Yeah, so, yeah, it's like I said, it's Cory Baird's been kind of playing as the de facto number nine and he's not a forward.
00:14:10
Speaker
And he's not really a, he's not really a, a goal thread. He's, he's kind of a pressing defensive type guy. Um, but yeah, the, the goals have come from bossy. He bought bossy has five, I think four from the penalty spot has to, uh, Paraskia has one. They, they, they're kind of a black hole up front.
00:14:34
Speaker
And then, uh, two players who have sort of light sounders are not in light. Uh, Brad Smith has strong sounders ties, but only recently got back into the team after coming back from a, I think an ACL injury. Right.
Dynamo's Lineup Challenges
00:14:48
Speaker
And then hate Schmidt had been on trial for the sounders, but has, has gotten a lot of playing time for the dynamo.
00:14:55
Speaker
Yes, unfortunately Schmidt tore his ACL. So he is out the rest of the season. He was doing really well. Um, he came in and they had, they signed Smith to be the left back and he wasn't going to be ready. So they kind of needed a guy to plug in while Smith was still rehabbing and Schmidt was that guy I did really well. And.
00:15:14
Speaker
got hurt in San Jose. It was a San Jose game. So since then, they've kind of been piecing it together. Franco Escobar, who they signed also this offseason, I think they've added 16 players. This offseason was crazy. But Franco Escobar, who played for Atlanta and LAFC, primarily a right back has been playing left back.
00:15:36
Speaker
Um, so he has kind of been the, the left back just out of, out of necessity. Um, but yeah, Brad Smith has come back. He actually started in the open cup game this week. So looks like he's, uh, if not full fitness, close to full fitness. So I think.
00:15:53
Speaker
Olson has talked about kind of a three back three with wing backs being Smith and then moving Escobar back to his natural right side. So I think that's eventually what they want to play once Smith is kind of ready and it looks like he should be fairly soon. Maybe Saturday he gets another start.
00:16:11
Speaker
And so you mentioned the open cup game, like the Sounders, the Dynamo heavily rotated, unlike the Sounders they won though. What impact does that end up having on Saturday though?
00:16:26
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know if it has a lot. That was a question that I had for Olson, but we didn't get to. They only started one of their, I would say, regular starters, Ethan Bartlow, who's one of the center backs. Actually, another Seattle tie went to UW. Oh, there he goes. We interviewed him this week. I asked him if he was a Sounders fan. He said he was until he got to high school, but then he started playing the Sounders Academy, so he didn't like him as much.
00:16:52
Speaker
Right. Yeah. He went to crossfire if I remember correctly. Yes, correct. Yeah. So he started in the open cup game. They took him off at halftime though, so he should be good to go. They're pretty thin at center back right now. Teenage Hadebi is injured. They put him on the injured list. Bartlow and Hadebi have been playing as the two center backs.
00:17:11
Speaker
So they have a young Brazilian that they signed he was with their second team last year Mikhail Who started he got his first start last week against RSL looked good another shutout. So he he fit right in So, I don't think the open cup necessarily will have a big say on things that yeah, they didn't play Herrera Karski any of the kind of big-name guys at all And then a couple guys got some cameos late. So it should be close to a full full first choice 11 if you will
00:17:43
Speaker
Very good. Well, that's about all I have, Dustin. Thank you so much for doing this. Where can people read you?
Transition from Dynamo Theory to Bayou City Soccer
00:17:51
Speaker
How are things going at Bayou City Soccer, which is the former dynamo theory?
00:17:57
Speaker
Yeah, formerly Dynamo theory. So we kind of went off on our own once all the SB Nation stuff went down. So yeah, you can catch us by CitySoccer.net, by CitySoccer on all the social medias, Twitter and Instagram and the likes. Yeah, we're covering Dynamo, Dynamo2, Dash, a lot of stuff going on in Houston this summer, Gold Cup, World Cup coming up, as you guys know too. So yeah, it's gonna be fun.
00:18:24
Speaker
Well, good stuff, Dustin. Thank you for joining us. I am Jeremiah O'Shan signing off on behalf of Nos adiates. We will catch you next time.
00:19:28
Speaker
We love you. Let's win another one!