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Jackson Ragen Aerial Ace - Ep. 60
167 Plays4 months ago
It’s an incredibly special show this week as we have both a Dub Pod and an LAFC L Pod in the same show. We do our game review of Seattle’s 3-2 victory at Minnesota United, hit our Agenda Check, take your questions and preview the upcoming LAFC Open Cup matchup.
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Transcript
Sponsor Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers is sponsored by Full Pole Wines, a Seattle-based seller. Not only are they a local company, but they've been supporting independent Seattle soccer media since 2011 and are run by Sounders fans. They offer the best boutique wines in the world to members of their mailing list with special focus on their home, the Pacific Northwest. Their model is simple. One, they email compelling offers. Two, you request bottles that sound appealing. Three, your wine arrives at their Soto warehouse and is ready for pickup or shipping. Their Soto tasting room is also open to the public.
00:00:29
Speaker
If you're interested in joining their mailing list or learning more about them, visit fullpolewants.com.
Welcome and Episode Overview
00:00:35
Speaker
What's going on, everybody? Welcome to episode 61 of Lobbing Scorchers. This is Ari Lillianwall. I got producer Noah here with me. And Noah, we got a real, real special show this evening. How are you feeling? Man, they don't they only make moments like these every once in a while, every once in a while. It doesn't matter what else is going on in Sounders Land, but a week is so special on so many fronts that
00:01:03
Speaker
Nothing can take this joy away from me, Aria, nothing. It's a great day. It's a great day here at Lobbing Scorchers. We're very excited to record this one. Very special show as we have a Sounders dub pod and an LAFC L pod in the same show. And not just, we don't do an LAFC L pod every time they take an L, but they took an L in another final. So we're going to break that down and just have a good time with that. And the Seattle Sounders,
00:01:32
Speaker
They also went to Allianz Field, took all three points off Minnesota United, 3-2 victory. Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak were back at it. Jackson Reagan scored a really nice goal. So we're going to dive into both of those games. We are going to hit our agenda check. We are going to take your questions. And we are going to jump around MLS and talk about some other results from Match Day 29.
Anniversary Event Reflections
00:01:58
Speaker
So yeah, excited to get into all that.
00:02:02
Speaker
Before we begin that, we did want to say thank you to everyone who came to the Sounder at Heart One Year Independence anniversary celebration event at Fast Fashion in Soto. Noah and I both made the trip down there for that and got to meet a lot of you that support Sounder at Heart and listen to our show.
00:02:22
Speaker
that was awesome it was really great to meet everyone that we hung out with there we got to go up and give a little our little spiel and did we did a live agenda check which was pretty fun but yeah no it was just it was great to meet everybody there and i appreciate like all the kind words that everyone gave us and just cool to meet people who
00:02:43
Speaker
listen to the show and support the show and I got some good feedback too like people were telling us the type of stuff that they enjoy and that like you know what they think makes good content so just all around good times at Fast Fashion and Noah I really hope we get to do something again like that soon.
00:03:01
Speaker
Yeah, I was one blown away by the fact that Jeremiah trusted us with his corporate card to rack up the charges on pizza and drinks. But two, that everyone who came up to us was so happy and excited. And when I asked how many people knew who we were, when everyone in the room raised their hand, I was
Podcast Network and Support
00:03:19
Speaker
shocked. I was like, more than I thought. Our small little podcast? Our tiny little show?
00:03:23
Speaker
Yeah, no, that was awesome. Also, great to meet the hosts of the Cooler Guilds. Really, really great show covering Seattle Rain, so definitely tune into that. Really awesome podcast. That's also under the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network.
00:03:41
Speaker
Speaking of which, Lobbing Scorchers is a part of the Sounder at Heart podcast network. If you want to get the best independent Seattle soccer coverage, consider supporting us by going to sounderatheart.com slash LS. Scroll down to subscribe and support to get 30 days completely free. Every sign up through our link helps support and grow this show.
00:04:00
Speaker
We have a goal right now folks. We're at 27 subs on sounder at heart comm slash LS our goal We just want one. It's just one more 28. I know there's one person out there that will go to sounder at heart comm slash LS and help us on the long and harrowing road from 27 to 28 who will be our game are
00:04:22
Speaker
Who will be our, you're the Yamar sub, if you're the 28th, that's a special distinction that no other sub would get. But with that, we are going to read through the names real quick of all of our paid subs, because we love and appreciate you guys that much. Kenneth Wade, Joey Pascanelli, David McCoy, Owen Mason, Dan Pavato, Samuel Fout, Ian Mitchell, Christopher Smith, Norm Bonnier, Thomas Martin, Greg Hoker, Chris Malley, Andy Hill, Mike Lentini, Nate Bonnier, David Rodriguez,
00:04:48
Speaker
My nephews, CJ and Miles Maranakis, Mark Ottinger, Zach Heckman, David Pope, Brian Morton, Claire Berger, Robert Sink, Tyler Nakatsu, Steve Hewson, and Choska. Thank you all so much. You're much appreciated. SounderAtHeart.com, slash, L-S, someone become our EMR.
00:05:07
Speaker
And also, if you're listening to this and you haven't done so yet, subscribe to the Lobbins Coorchers YouTube. The road to 450 is already done. I just looked at it. We're at 450. So we literally got from the road to 400 to 450 without even having to plug it. So that means this is exciting though. This is the road to 500, which I've been waiting for this one.
00:05:28
Speaker
Really, one of the things I want most in life, Noah, is just a thousand subs on the Lavender Scorchers YouTube. That would be pretty sick. Yeah, we're well on our way to getting there and we appreciate, once again, the new audience that's discovered us on YouTube. I really, it seems like we've
00:05:45
Speaker
We've infiltrated a crowd that didn't know about us before, and a lot of people from other fan bases, which I think is cool. We're a Seattle show, and most of our listeners and viewers, I would imagine, are Sounders people. But it's been kind of fun seeing people in the comments that are fans of other teams, but still tune in and like to start dialogue with us. We welcome, even
Seattle Sounders Game Analysis
00:06:08
Speaker
if we clown on your favorite team, which is likely that we have and will at some point,
00:06:15
Speaker
We welcome you into our community and you can clown on us and on the sounders if you want Yeah, it's all good-natured here. Don't worry. There will be equal opportunity hating at some point. There definitely will be but uh Thank you to everyone who has subbed to us on YouTube. All you have to do is press a little button. It's free All right. No, let's get into this dub pod. Let's do it. This is a good dub. It's good dub for the sounders
00:06:40
Speaker
3-2 at Allianz Field over Minnesota United. Pretty good performance, I thought. Let's do our lineup reaction to start it off. And there's really not much to say here. It's just nothing different. This is how they've been rolling with Paul Rothrock as a first choice starter. Leading the team. Yeah, that's old news at this point. But again, until De La Vega is fully fit and ready to go, this is probably how they're going to line it up.
00:07:06
Speaker
as a first choice. But we're going to get to some De La Vega takes because he played in this game and he played a pretty prominent role. I thought this was the best De La Vega game so far. So we'll get to that. But first, let's do our goal breakdowns. Seattle took the lead in the 12th minute. Jordan Morris.
00:07:26
Speaker
stayed hot. Really bad pass by Jefferson Diaz. The story of Jefferson Diaz in this game was a tragic and harrowing one. He made the giveaway on this play that led to Seattle's goal. He tried just an ill-advised switch. I'm not really sure
00:07:45
Speaker
like why he attempted to, he was like deep in his own end but like just trying to switch that was not necessary and I think it was Christian who won, picked it off pretty easily, won the header straight to Obed and then from there it was on, great pass from Obed, threaded that ball right through, really just a great synergy right there between Obed and Jordan Morris.
00:08:09
Speaker
for Jordan to make the run, Obed to recognize it, hit the pass perfectly through, perfectly weighted for Jordan to run on to, creates a total breakaway one-on-one opportunity with Jordan and Dane St. Clair. And with the form that Jordan's in right now, he's not missing that. That's 10 league goals for him this season, seven assists for Obed, and that's when you're on the road. And Allianz is a hostile environment. That's a tough place to play for however much the loons have been struggling lately. Not an easy place to play.
00:08:39
Speaker
And if you can score in the first 10 to 15 minutes of the game in a road game in a tough environment like that, you have absolutely passed your first test. So credit to Seattle for scoring 12 minutes into the game. Unfortunately, they could not keep the lead. So I think after you take that lead, your next test to pass becomes getting the game to halftime still in the lead. And it looked like they were not going to be able to manage that because
00:09:08
Speaker
Minnesota United got a penalty kick in the 24th minute There was there's a lot of people complaining about this call. I mean, this is a really bad challenge by Yamar Just unnecessary and I mean, I don't know it to me It looked like he kicked the shit out of the guy in the back of the leg if you knew who had done that No one would have been complaining. Let's be real exactly and like also it's just it's
00:09:33
Speaker
guys like I know people were like doing the gymnastics to try and talk about how pro referees has done Seattle wrong like in this situation but it's like for me a play like this always comes down to like risk reward you know
00:09:48
Speaker
What are you risking by going into the challenge versus what are you gaining even if you get your preferred outcome, which he was just trying to clear the ball. But he went into it wildly. He kicked the shit out of the guy. And it's not worth it. He should not have gone into that challenge, especially up a goal on the road. So just not a good challenge. I've got really no issue with that.
00:10:14
Speaker
being given as a PK and then uh kelvin uboa converts the penalty so one one uh but credit to seattle for a very good response um go ahead gold just four minutes after that um jackson reagan noted dp number nine jackson reagan uh with a great header but another just
00:10:34
Speaker
Absolutely perfect assist by Albert Rusnak here What's really impressive about some of these assists that he's been racking up lately? I think is the range that he's showing he is he's ranging way out there. He's got like Steph Curry range on these and To be able to like that's a very lethal attribute because I think like so for the one in League's Cup that he hit to Rothrock that was from way out there, too There's been a few of them that where he's just way way out there. I think you know
00:11:03
Speaker
Defenders really they're not really expecting him to be able to hit it Like that that well from that far away, and I think they figure you know if if he does put it in there It's from far enough out where it could get cleared, but he's just hitting them head on and this was another example definitely very very good
00:11:23
Speaker
finished by Jackson Reagan, though. There's some debate on this play if he was trying to cross it to Jordan or if he was trying to head it on target. I'm going to choose to believe he was trying to head that on target because I mean, it was an awesome finish. And I think I'm going to get to this in the agenda check. But we've talked we talked a little bit earlier this season and I think even last season about how the next phase of Jackson Reagan's development is using his size on set pieces or service into the box in this case.
00:11:52
Speaker
And he's gotten a couple goals in the last couple weeks. I know the first one that he got in League's Cup against the Galaxy, that wasn't a header, but it's nice to see him be an attacking threat. I really feel like that's a facet of his game that he can develop and really that's what can take him to the next level, I think, as a player.
00:12:13
Speaker
So just seeing him finish a header like that was awesome, great finish. Minnesota United equalize again though in the 56th minute, so after halftime. So he made, Kelvin Yeboah made a good run on this play and it seemed to me like once he was in on goal, Yemar was the guy on him again and he couldn't really contest it the way he might have otherwise because he was on a yellow.
00:12:37
Speaker
Yeah, so he couldn't really I think he I think he actually made the right play there by not Doing anything that could have dog sewed him or got him the second yellow It's tough like those are moments where oftentimes you see a defender kind of make the wrong decision and so I think he did make the right call, but it led to a
00:12:56
Speaker
led to a nice finish by Yeboah who that was his MOS debut. Dude he's nasty. He's pretty nasty. He's one I'm gonna be tracking. Yeah no like exactly that's what I was thinking I was like okay this guy has my attention he won the penalty he converted the penalty and then he scored that goal you could tell it was funny he was like he hasn't played with any of these guys yet and there's a lot of times where it looked like he was
00:13:20
Speaker
trying to make runs and they weren't either weren't seeing him or they didn't have it timed up correctly and he was getting annoyed at them but like they'll they'll get that understanding and i think uh that's definitely there's a positive for the loons from this game it's that he they really uh since reino so the reino so debacle since reino so went missing since he was doing drug deals down in columbia or whatever alleged we don't know where he is to this day but um
00:13:46
Speaker
They haven't really been able to get their attack back to producing like it was when they were built around right now. So definitely a good performance from that guy. But then, Seattle gets the game winner, 76th minute, Roosnack again. The loons couldn't fully clear the ball into the box. He gets it at the top of the area. Just a beautiful shot. Great goal. Up for MLS goal of the week. Up for MLS goal of the week. So I think you can still vote for Roosnack if you haven't yet.
00:14:16
Speaker
But, yeah, I mean, the guy is just, he's been in ballistic form for the last, like, couple months now, him and Jordan both, and it continued in this game. Both the assist that he had and the goal he had were, I mean, world-class. There's a world-class assist and then a fantastic finish in a big spot for the game winner.
Player Highlights and Criticism
00:14:35
Speaker
Seattle takes all three points at Allianz Field. All right, no, I'm gonna hit my rapid-fire takeaway. Let's do it. And then you can let me know what you think of these.
00:14:44
Speaker
Takeaway number one, it's funny, no one from the anti-roost snack brigade was in my mentions after this. Yeah, where they at? It's funny how that works, you know, like every time Seattle loses, they come for me.
00:15:00
Speaker
Anytime he has a great game like this, they don't say anything. I don't know. They're silent. I don't know. I'm not trying to start anything. It's just an observation. Well, I mean, I did post a little meme. There was, like, silence Rusnak haters. A designated player is talking. And I did get an essay in my mentions just straight up about it. Yeah, no, it's like this is still a hot button issue. There is a sounder, a hard commenter, who a lot of people just disagree with my Rusnak takes.
00:15:27
Speaker
I think everyone rates players differently, so no one's necessarily right or wrong, but I do rate them, so that's my opinion. And if you disagree with that, you're welcome to keep flaming my mentions about it every time the Sounders lose. But the thing that I would ask is if you also show up when they win and when he plays well.
00:15:47
Speaker
Let's do our De La Vega takes. De La Vega played, he had like a pretty good shift in the second half or like good size shift and I came out of this as excited about him I think as I've been. I thought he looked really good and in particular I didn't hit out in the recap.
00:16:07
Speaker
But the ball that he put in to Jordan on that breakaway at the very end, that showed to me what this guy can do. That has great vision on that. Another great run by Jordan. It really should have been a goal. It was kind of a crazy play. Jordan got the breakaway saved, and then it deflected to De La Vega. And honestly, man, I wanted him to chip it.
00:16:33
Speaker
I was on my feet, dude, I was on my feet. I wanted him to chip it as soon as he could. That's like, that's when you have them the most scrambling and out and unbalanced, right? Yeah. So if you like, if you have the tech, it would be a really hard shot, but like a designated player like that, I think you got to just hit that first time. I mean, I don't know. It would have been an insane shot if he had done that. I think I selfishly just wanted to see him do it.
00:16:56
Speaker
But instead, I mean, I'm not necessarily faulting him for what he did, which was take the ball down and try and line up a better shot because he had St. Clair scrambling again. But he just didn't. He was not able to like get a clean look at it and St. Clair was able to save it. And then before Atencio could run onto it, Minnesota got it cleared. But it was that's
00:17:19
Speaker
I mean, that's a good sequence and it's just nice to see him healthy playing and then central to a dangerous sequence like that. I mean, what did you think of De La Vega? I enjoyed it. I mean, I think, again, something that we have both kind of cemented as our signifier for good and great and, you know, top tier DP is
00:17:39
Speaker
when they actually make an impact on the game. We saw with Obed, we were like, okay, we see the vision. Once he gets to the next level, like we can, we can co-sign this. So I'm just waiting for it to get there. Did he get a goal, like the sickest goal I've ever seen in my life robbed the other week? Yes. Was that almost another goal right there too? Yes. But like, I see the vision once he gets on that stat sheet, once he puts that ball in the back of the net, like,
Supporting Independent Soccer Media
00:18:05
Speaker
I'm ready to go hype mode. I'm ready to go like over like right him right him, you know, up there with the best. But I'm waiting a little bit. I'm just I'm trying to be cautious. Sorry. I'm scared. I'm a little I'm a little nervous. Yeah. I mean, OK, did I did we talk about the the BWP's new take on the on the last show or was I talking to people at fast fashion about that?
00:18:25
Speaker
I think that might have been a fast fashion, which you guys should have been at, so you missed it. So the national pundits have actually been covering Seattle quite a bit lately. And Bradley Wright Phillips, I know we were talking about how he was giving Seattle more love. But he writes columns for us at MLSSoccer.com. And he wrote one the other day that was about the
00:18:50
Speaker
It was like summer signings that can make the biggest impact from around the league. And he gave De La Vega an honorable mention of he's not a new signing, but him coming back and getting healthy could function like a new signing for Seattle. And BWP, who
00:19:08
Speaker
I don't always agree with his takes, but I definitely respect his ball knowledge. I mean, the guy is one of the highest scoring MLS strikers of all time, played the game for a really long time. So when he's talking about a player, I at least listen to him. And he was saying, based on what he's seen from De La Vega, he writes him as a player. He thinks that he looks very dynamic in the small sample size that he's seen. And his ultimate takeaway was if De La Vega
00:19:31
Speaker
gets back down the stretch here in healthy and inform. He said he doesn't think anyone's going to want to play Seattle in the playoffs. So we'll see if that pans out. But that is not my take. That's a take from the national pundit class. So I'll be interested to see if there's anything to that. But I do think it's worth noting that an analyst like BWP, who played the game for as long as he did at as high level as he did,
Encouragement for Listener Support
00:19:56
Speaker
Um, that his takeaway from watching De La Vega, even in that limited sample size is that he rates him as a player and thinks that he could be a game changing impact. Thank you for listening to the Sound Rithart podcast network, which now includes no sunny at this lobbing scorchers and the cooler yield. We've been independent since August of 2023.
00:20:24
Speaker
need your support to make sure it continues. Although this podcast is free, it's only made possible by your continued support. Memberships start as low as $25 a year, which not only helps make podcasts like this one happen, but also gets you access to everything we produce. If you're able to support us at higher levels, starting at $75 a year, you gain access to a host of other perks
00:20:47
Speaker
Most notably, entry into our members-only Discord where the smartest, funniest, and most engaged commenters share their thoughts and ideas. To find out more, just visit centeratheart.com and click the subscribe button in the top right corner. Thanks for listening!
00:21:10
Speaker
I mean, hey, BWP. I wasn't familiar with your game, my guy. I didn't know. He's turned from hater to lover real quick. I think he listens, Bradley. Come on, Nepal. Yeah, exactly. This is the same BWP that he had the agenda about how they were fraudulent and not only beating up on bad teams. So we'll keep tracking the national pundit class and see what their takes are on the team down the stretch.
00:21:38
Speaker
New Who wanted to talk about New Who. I thought New Who was excellent in this game. This was definitely my favorite New Who game of the season. God, he had this one move that in the first half, I'm interested if you remember this one.
00:21:57
Speaker
So he was defending this guy one on one, out wide, and the guy was trying to move, he was trying to push the ball around him and then run around New Who and run into space. And New Who just knew exactly what the guy was gonna do. And he knew what the guy was gonna do before I think the guy even knew what he was gonna do. And he was at the spot that the guy was trying to run to.
00:22:21
Speaker
within 0.2 seconds of the guy trying the move and he just Stonewalled him right there and the guy it was just like a brick wall and it went out for Went out for a goal kick shielded him right off it Just excellent defending on that play and really all game He was he was on it with his defense. I know he got a early yellow card so people will dock him for that but I
00:22:44
Speaker
I thought aside from that, he was pretty much flawless and he played in the past that led to the De La Vega through ball to Jordan. So anyway, anytime new who has a good game, I try to point it out because he
00:23:02
Speaker
You know, people act mind blown at like what his value is. That's that's his value right there. Like that was a that was a great game. And honestly, I mean, he had 80 percent passing, too. Like I know that's a big I think the forward most movement and like accurate like he had one accurate long ball.
00:23:17
Speaker
But his passing was still pretty accurate. And like I thought exactly what you said, he locked him down pretty well. You know, I'm giving him his flowers here. All right. Okay. I think there's no way that you could like watch that game and not give him is one of the best players on the field.
00:23:36
Speaker
Last takeaway, the loons are pretty bad. They're getting better though. I guess a little bit, but I'm just kind of disappointed in them because I thought this new coach that they hired, I thought they cooked on that hire, which I think they still might have, but they were up in third or fourth place for a while with
00:23:55
Speaker
even without Reynoso and they were playing Robin Laud at the 10 and it was this kind of fun little story of Timo Pukki and not really producing and being injured and Reynoso going missing and then they were still punching above their weight but they've just really tailspun and this was you know and I don't bring this up to like take away from Seattle's victory at all because you know you play who's in front of you and you got to get the dub they got the dub it was a good dub
00:24:20
Speaker
But more just as someone who was following Minnesota United earlier in the season and was impressed with what they were doing, I mean, their defense is a little rough right now.
00:24:35
Speaker
yeah that's i mean i think that's i see them as a potential like and and i know this is an la galaxy podcast apparently so but like la galaxy esque in the sense that they're building this really good attack like they the pieces are there in the in the attack
00:24:51
Speaker
especially with this new signing dude. Yeboah is nasty. I'm excited to watch him play. He had some swag and juice to him too. Yeah, he's pretty fun to watch. I hope he doesn't lose that and I hope that the Loon's keep that up.
00:25:07
Speaker
their defense is abysmal. It was LA Galaxy of last year and two years ago it's S. I forgot to mention that Jefferson Diaz, the guy who hit the switch that led to Seattle's first goal, was also the guy that got beasted by Jackson Ricken on the header.
00:25:26
Speaker
on the on the game winner it was a great shot by rusnak but like he should not have that much space and time to line that up like a player of his quality you're asking you're asking to get bammed on if you give him that much time and space yeah i do have a question about this game a little bit because i was thinking about it in in
00:25:45
Speaker
as a runway for this next match against LAFC and how, okay, you're up early, you tie, you know, up again, back to a draw, and then finishing out the game in the later half of the match. For resilience mentally, or maybe even just like game plan wise, how do you think that's gonna play into this LA Galaxy, or LAFC game, sorry, Galaxy on the Brain, at Starfire?
00:26:13
Speaker
I mean, I definitely think not just how they closed out the game, but just the result in the performance in general. It gives you a boost and it was necessary psychologically after how League's Cup ended for sure. But I think there's something to what you're saying as far as this LAFC game might be a game where you get punched in the mouth. Maybe you go ahead and you give up that equalizer.
00:26:37
Speaker
or they go ahead and you have to come back. So I think a road game like this where it took grinding it out in mental fortitude and managing the game late in the game with the lead where you're going to have to absorb pressure against a desperate opponent, that was good reps to get in for before an elimination game like this. So I do think it definitely doesn't hurt to
00:27:01
Speaker
It's much better to go into this LAFC game on the heels of a game like that, especially with how it played out, than it would be if they were going into it off the League's Cup game where it just got destroyed by LAFC. Yeah, I mean, I'm excited to see how they use this momentum. I was listening to Nos Arietes, shout out to our boys, and they were talking about how
00:27:23
Speaker
The focus that Brian Spencer seemed to have was let's get kicking back on the regular season games, keep our position, bring it up, try and fight for that home playoff game and use that as momentum, put all of the chips on the table against LAFC, which the more that I've kind of stewed on it, and I guess we can get to this in the game preview, but I'm feeling more confident.
00:27:45
Speaker
I definitely feel better about it than I did after watching LAFC wax Seattle in the style pat lumen field. But I mean, yeah, I don't know. We'll talk about that in the preview, but it's definitely it's going to be a good game. All right, let's hit this agenda check. I got four written down. You can tell me if I'm forgetting anything. The first one I got is my Jordan Morris Albert Rusnak one, two punch tops and MLS agenda, which I think I declared it dead like
00:28:13
Speaker
I don't know if I declared it dead on the show. I declared it dead for sure in my own head just because I watched a Columbus Crew game and saw Kucho and Diego Ross. I think you might have said that on the pod. Yeah, I did. So yeah, I was like, Ooh, okay.
00:28:27
Speaker
It wasn't really a strong or passionate agenda to begin with. You were lobbing a scorcher with that one. I was lobbing a scorcher with that one, and I test ran it, and I don't believe in it. But I mean, they were ballin' again in this game. The agenda, it's like a...
00:28:45
Speaker
there's like a faint pulse for this one after like they have to keep doing it but um i mean they were both uh they're both really good in this game again and both got on the stat sheet again rusnak got two more gold contributions jordan should have had two more goals now he's up to 10 goals so uh like yeah no i mean kucho and uh
00:29:06
Speaker
Kucho and Diego Rossi are on their own level right now. Bwonga and Bogus are certainly on a much higher level, I think, than anyone on Seattle has operated on this year. So yeah, you don't need to flame me. I definitely understand all that. But they are continuing to play really, really well. So there's that. I think there's an argument to say that if you're looking at duos in the MLS, oh, I said the MLS. Oh, god. That's push-ups for me.
00:29:35
Speaker
in MLS period, I think that you could rate them. I think they would be, maybe they're not in the top tier, maybe they're in the second tier or third tier, but like, I think, I'm just saying, I agree with you. I think that they have the ability to continue to pump and play even better, especially when De La Vega gets back. There's more legs to it than people are giving it credit for. That's what I'll say. We got one YouTube con. I need to stop reading these. Stop reading
00:30:03
Speaker
We got one YouTube comment that was like, LOL best one, two in the league, like ridiculous take. Someone did hit that to you in person as well at the... Not that ridiculous. Look at the stats from the last two months and then tell me how ridiculous it is. There we go.
00:30:20
Speaker
This is a throwback one, but a few weeks ago I had a Jackson Reagan worry meter. I think it was after the Chicago game where he got lost by that guy, and I felt like I was just seeing too many individual mistakes. There was the red card. He conceded a penalty this year. The Chicago game I thought was pretty rough, and I was
00:30:42
Speaker
Quietly a little concerned like not not panicking. Yeah quietly a little concerned But that's drastically diminished in my opinion. He's played much much better over the last month or two really and I think him establishing himself is like an aerial threat in the box like a goal dangerous CB That's a potentially very very significant development if this team adds that
00:31:07
Speaker
it like that would be really good yeah I mean he's a Michigan man through and through all right he knew big ten season was back and he said you know what I'm gonna score some points all right Michigan plays this weekend he said I'm playing the weekend before this isn't preseason boys we are upping the score we're upping the agenda shout out to our boy Jackson Reagan worry meter destroyed it's pretty destroyed best CB in the goddamn league are you that's a good agenda yeah I'd have to change
00:31:36
Speaker
to change it to that. I mean, that header was nasty though, dude. That really was. That really was. That was one of the better CB goals I've seen this season. Again, taking into account the distance that Rusnak hits that ball into the box from, and then winning the header and placing it where he did, I mean, just a great play. There we go. All right, I call this one the Sounder at Hard Staff Anti-New-Hoo Agenda, of which you are a purveyor, but there's also several other purveyors that we frequently...
00:32:11
Speaker
Anyway diminished like I said we already went over it but knew who was great in this game and really I feel like I don't know I had like we haven't really been talking about this or him all that much these last few weeks I think that
00:32:23
Speaker
had to sign that he is playing pretty well. But I think after the whole drama, he really came back and has been playing a lot better. I mean, you haven't heard me complaining about him. I think in the last few episodes I've been praising him more than I've been down on him and like, you know,
00:32:41
Speaker
I got it. I'm not going to lie. He's been playing really great. Yeah. No, he was, he was great in this game. Um, and then my final one is the $10 million for Obed or Craig way. Craig wives hang up the phone agenda strengthened 20 mil 2030. I mean, the price just keeps going up. Uh, his assist to Jordan.
00:33:02
Speaker
Dude, it was like a near image of that first assist from this season where he just like bounce that beautiful ball through. I know it's a little different, but like just mentally in my mind I felt that same feeling of like dude, this guy he's like a laser guided missile like he just he can slot that ball in.
00:33:21
Speaker
Oh, God. Seven assists this season. That's like that would be great output for him at 18 or he's 19 now, right? Yeah. That would be a great output for the whole season. He's got he could very feasibly hit double digit assists. Yeah, I wouldn't wish from a player that plays his position. That is fantastic. I mean, that's like that's the type of output JP was putting up, like in his heyday, you know? Yeah. So just again, the kid every week, he does something new that
00:33:51
Speaker
He just keeps ascending. I gotta ask you because I know this one's a tough one Would you rather sell him on let him have his big dreams in the in the prem or in Europe period? Or do you do you throw as much money as possible to get him to stay? I would I would sell him on man. I would sell him on I think I think this team needs to Do more outbound transfers like that's
00:34:18
Speaker
Part of the reason that they haven't had as much roster flexibility lately is because there hasn't been any of those. Yeah, true. So if they get an offer, a bag for Obed, I would definitely take, as much as it would suck to have him not play for Seattle anymore, it's just in principle, I want to see the team do more of that stuff. I think that's how you can really increase flexibility and bolster your roster.
00:34:46
Speaker
And this is the exact type of player you can do that stuff with. And also, I think it's doing right by him because, I mean, even out of my own curiosity and just for his sake, I'd be curious to see what level he can really go to and still thrive, still be a potentially elite player, which he's looking like an elite MLS player right now. I don't know, maybe that's a little early on that, but I haven't really seen much this season to dissuade me from that.
00:35:15
Speaker
I think there's I think he's been playing great all year Yeah, I don't think any MLS team would be unhappy to to have an Obed on their roster Like I am excited to see my question to to like add on to this a little bit I'm gonna drag this out because I think it's an interesting topic Him going to League at Metis. Is that a better move than like him going to? like a I don't know where else you might go like maybe like a Norwegian league or like somewhere else in Europe, but maybe like lower tier and
00:35:44
Speaker
Right, I see what you're saying. Because how much better is League of Mechis for moving a player to Europe than MLS at this point? I mean, if they bust out the bag, first of all, then I think you got to take it. But also, I think the thing to factor in with that is I think he really wants to go to League of Mechis. That's like his dream is to play in that league. He talked about that when he made the switch to Mexico at the international level.
00:36:13
Speaker
That's why I think if I had to put a guess right now on what the suitors are going to be and what league will eventually make an offer that Seattle would at least have to very seriously consider accepting. I bet it's going to be a League of Meccy's Club. What I think would be cool, man, is like especially just watching League's Cup and seeing seeing the bigger teams like Club America and Monterey. I don't know if any of them. I know Monterey had a
00:36:39
Speaker
Allegedly potentially like that would be a sick opportunity for him like to go to one of those teams where? They're I mean Club America like I already knew that they were the most popular club like on the continent like fan base wise Yeah But like watching those League's Cup games just really like they're following is crazy right like so I think I think Obed like going to a team like that would be super cool to see for him and I think he could Drive there like I think he could go to a team like that and like play and
00:37:07
Speaker
Yeah, you know no I agree. I think he would be a Really useful tool in Mexico, and I think he could have a great career there I think that it would be a good stepping stone for him to Europe I don't think it would be any better than MLS But I think what it will do is put him in the crosshairs for the national team And I think that playing on the national team would give him a better chance of going over to Europe and honestly honestly
00:37:34
Speaker
I think that would be so sick because he could genuinely like in this phase of the mexican national team being so like Let's just say a dog shit like they the fact that they could have a super good young prospect that comes to liga mechis Just switched over is like clearly like very interested in this project
00:37:55
Speaker
build him up like dude that could be such a sick story and they're trying he talked about that too when he was talking about why he made the switch I think they're trying to like they're trying they're doing a generational yeah so I think it would be cool to see him be a part of that and I do think I was thinking like maybe this is aiming a little too high for now but like Bundesliga at some point like I could see it yeah I mean he listen Mexican gold generation yeah by Vargas
00:38:22
Speaker
Could be, could be. That's another, that's a good one to keep in mind for your future agendas. All right, let's, we got some questions, Noah. We got questions. Yeah, let's hit questions here. What do we got? What do we got? Well, thank you all for your questions while I frantically pull these questions up because I was, I'm hopelessly unprepared sometimes. There's not all that many this week. Yeah, but. For Dubpod, there's always fewer. Right. People really like to blow my mentions up after they lose, but we got a few, so let's dive in.
00:38:51
Speaker
Yeah, okay, this one comes from Mike good win all goal scorers had a good game fry a little shaky brushing off the rust question mark How hard to hard to see how gas everyone was towards the end of the game? While they were winning the agent experience won out but for how much longer um, I guess maybe this is a roster build question, but let's just hit the fry part because I think I think the fry take is the spiciest and
00:39:16
Speaker
Yeah, he might have been a little rusty. I don't know. I mean, one of the goals was a penalty. And then the other goal, I really don't think he could have done anything. There was, I think what you're probably referencing is there was a couple of plays where there was a long service coming into the box and he looked like a little hesitant coming off his line. Maybe there's like a couple where he like punched when maybe he should have just caught it type stuff. But overall, I don't, I didn't come out of this game like super concerned about the goalkeeping to do.
00:39:45
Speaker
No, I don't think the goalkeeping was really an issue. I mean, one of them was a PK. Fry's not a PK saving goal. That's like not his talent. I think maybe if you had Andy T in there, maybe one of those goals potentially on a fraction gets saved. Just the way he plays. We've talked about it like Fry will just sit and take that space no matter what. He's not moving. And then Andy T is going to just run at you like a bull. Maybe who knows? Maybe they score another, you know,
00:40:12
Speaker
I think that's kind of the thing with goalkeeping is they're both pretty talented, but I think I still rate Fry, number one, over Andy T. So I don't think I really saw the shakiness. I think he had a fine performance. I don't think it was anything out of this world, though. This next one comes from TIE Fighter. Should Seattle hit LAFC with the 3-5-2 on Wednesday? Honestly, I feel like Seattle isn't far from being really good, but LAFC tactical setup is hard to counter with our 4-2-3-1.
00:40:42
Speaker
See, I think the way that you conventionally think about these tactics is a little out the window at a Starfire game. Yep. Like it really it's going to change. It changes the way both teams have to play. And it makes it makes the idea that what's kind of cool about it is it makes the idea of like sitting back and bunkering like you're playing defensively. You literally can't because it's too narrow and the pace of play is way too fast. So like
00:41:12
Speaker
I think that is a contributing factor to why Seattle has been so hard to beat there over the years is because they know how to play at this field. And visiting opponents, it's kind of satisfying, honestly, because they can't do that. They can't do what they do at Lumen, which is just sit back, try and absorb pressure, and hit Seattle on the counter. That's what every team that has ever come to Lumen Field has essentially done. And some of them do it to great effect, such as the Portland Timbers and LAFC.
00:41:40
Speaker
But at Starfireman, you can't do that, and it should make for a very entertaining game if nothing else.
00:41:48
Speaker
Yeah, no, I don't think that I don't know what they'll do. I don't know what will be the best way to line it up. But I think that this is the best opportunity to beat LAFC simply because their tactic that is cracked as hell and can beat the sounders no matter what you can play it on this field. You will get scored on, though. And it would like it's just not.
00:42:12
Speaker
the place to play that and it's definitely not with all of the fans that are gonna be there. I mean I think this thing is basically sold out and like the fans are on top of you breathing down your neck. The fact that we're literally like I'm gonna be able to throw like like throw a fit and scream in the stands and Giroux is gonna be able to hear me an ear shot like just from where my seats are like I could call him like
00:42:35
Speaker
I don't know, French, like derogatory, and he would be able to hear me. Like, I just think that all of the atmospheric things, the fact that I don't think LAFC has ever played at Starfire, have they? No, I don't think so. Like, you really can't understand that field until you've played on it. And I think that with that said, whatever formation you play, you have a way better chance of taking on LAFC with their bunker tactic.
00:43:02
Speaker
This next one comes from SounderVibes. Will Jmo pass Raoul on goals this season? I think that's just across the board goals all time. I'm not exactly sure what they're both at off the top of my head. But I think they're like, they're, I think they're pretty close. Like Raoul was like 80 something, right? And Jordan's at 80. I think he's at 80 and 86 is Raoul or 79 and 86, something around there. There's like,
00:43:27
Speaker
seven six or seven. I don't know if he'll catch him this season, but he'll probably get pretty close. He'll probably get pretty close. Yeah, it is possible if they play in an in like if he scores this next game and then maybe plays in an open cup final plus
00:43:46
Speaker
maybe one or two playoff games, I think that there is a possibility. That said, I don't know. I don't think I'm super confident that it'll be this season, but I can tell you, as long as he doesn't explode his knees, he's gonna pass him at some point. There's no way he won't do that. This next one comes from Zombre. How far away is Albert Rusnak from being the second best Sanders DP of all time based on production, assuming Niko is a clear number one?
00:44:16
Speaker
Well it depends if you mean statue production or trophy case production
00:44:26
Speaker
I mean, so you're like the competition. I think Oba would be in there. Oba would be in there. Dempsey obviously would be in there. Oba had 30 total goal contributions one season. That's the highest goals plus assists in a single season. They played way less games than we play now. Albert's at 19, I believe.
00:44:51
Speaker
And I think, I think Nico's best season was like 20, 20 something. I don't remember. I think the discussion over like best DP, best signing has got to include more than stat sheet though. Like I take winning heavily and like end your influence on winning. And that's why Nico is like far and away, the clear number one. And Nico also was central to the Champions League trophy, which Rusenak was too, to be fair.
00:45:20
Speaker
So that's a feather in his cap. But I think it's almost like more by default just because there's not that many to pick from.
00:45:36
Speaker
I don't know. That's an interesting debate. I'm going to have to think about that one. Yeah, I think I think you can definitely rate him in the top five right now. Hands down. Stat sheet production. Statistically speaking, he's up there with the best of them. I think that his you have to take into account Champions League.
00:45:55
Speaker
Yeah, and like but his legacy with fans too is pretty rocky like I think no, I don't think there was ever a Nikko debate like was there ever a Nikko debate? I don't remember one happening. I mean he was just so clearly like one of the best players in the league right away that There was just no debate yeah to be had whereas
00:46:20
Speaker
Rusenak came in and the team struggled quite a bit and when the team is struggling invariably the highest paid players are going to be under the microscope. Yeah. Well, that's a really good question though. We should think about that for a agenda check coming forward. I think we're going to leave it there with the questions as we cooked pretty good on that. Thank you all for your questions at Ari Lillian Wall on Twitter. Drop your, your love, your hate, everything in his mentions. Thank you all as always to everyone who submitted.
00:46:47
Speaker
All right, Noah, it's time. We're going to debut a brand new segment on the show right now. Oh no. Okay. Let's do it. It's called the LAFC choke again celebration segment. Uh, that's right folks. Columbus crew are league's cup champions after blitzing LAFC three one at lower.com field. It wasn't quite that lopsided.
00:47:08
Speaker
LAFC had tied it after Luigi Roo scored a second half equalizer but Cuccio scored again in second half stoppage time and then LAFC was throwing everyone forward on like the last play of the game and Columbus got one more breakaway Jason Russell Rowe with the final with the finish to make it a 3-1
00:47:27
Speaker
Final all right. I'm gonna do my rapid-fire takeaways on this and I do I want to preface this by by saying that uh, I appreciate we both appreciate the LA FC fans that have You know been commenting and like listening to the show We appreciate that like everyone's got a good sense of humor about everything. Yeah, and like honestly
00:47:53
Speaker
There's no amount of clowning that we could do on LA FC that LA FC Can't throw right back at us given the fact that LA FC is 7 0 and 2 in their last 9 against Seattle now We'll see what happens in this open cup game Seattle has a chance to flip that script a little bit in which case God like this is one of the things I was gonna bring up but this is such a good opportunity for Seattle to like twist the knife right here under knocking them out again and I
00:48:19
Speaker
you have a good opportunity to do it because they're coming off a super deflating and emotional loss on a really short turnaround at Starfire. So this is a golden opportunity for Seattle. I don't know if they will capitalize on it based on their recent track record, but it is lining up quite nicely. But anyway, the point is,
00:48:41
Speaker
We're going to clown on LFC a little bit here Don't worry guys. I just bought me an ARI matching Columbus Crew League's Cup champion shirts that we will wear on the next podcast Shout out to shout out to the crew and Wilford Nancy. We stand Nancy. We look on lobbing the scorchers best coach in the league the crew own LFC the
00:49:02
Speaker
As much as LAFC owned Seattle, the crew own LAFC in the same way. It's the chain of command. They can't beat them. They can't get by them. They lost an MLS Cup to them last year. They played them at their own building a couple weeks ago, lost five to one, and got handled pretty comfortably at lower.com field. Again, it's their bogey team.
00:49:25
Speaker
Steve see sees Wilford Nancy and he cowers in fear and shame his down his leg and do anything about it LFC also loved to choke in finals. Yeah, it's their greatest passion in life and in sport the only time they didn't was against another team who And they barely won that yeah, let's be real like Gareth Bale bailed
00:49:47
Speaker
them out. No pun intended. Um, but like it's just, it never gets old. It never gets old, especially with how much LAFC has been owning Seattle lately. Like it's just great because they own Seattle. Like they beat him in the playoffs last year, lost MLS cup. Uh, they had like the best season of all time in 2019. They choked the Western conference championship to Seattle. Um, they choked their actually the, the Sanders didn't play in the MLS cup that year.
00:50:14
Speaker
or Western Conference Championship. Yeah, they didn't. They didn't. That was twenty nineteen. No, they didn't play. I don't think they play here. They won breath. No, I don't. Oh, oh, I was doing a twenty twenty. I'm sorry. This is oh God. You're good. You're good. Okay. They choked Champions League in twenty twenty two.
00:50:31
Speaker
And now Leagues Cup in 2023. Like you mentioned, the only one that they won was the 2021 against the Philadelphia Union, which fair play to them. They got the LAFC can't win a final monkey off their back. But I mean, really that's four out of five finals that they've been in as a club that they've choked and that is funny.
00:50:57
Speaker
It is hilarious. Especially because the last two times it's against the crew who, I mean, they're just kind of, they're running the league right now. Kucho and Rosie, like I said, I mean, I think they're easily the best one, two punch in the league, all due respect to my agenda. So yeah, I'm not looking forward to playing them. And frankly, like I, I, I really feel strongly about this Noah. If they hadn't gotten poisoned, they would have won champions cup.
00:51:24
Speaker
you know i think they would have i don't want to agree with that just simply because i will never i will never accept that that was the reason i just i can't i purvey that you purvey the the poisoning story it is good lore it is good i don't know if like i think i've been clear that i don't think i actually believe in it but i'm still down to prevail
00:51:45
Speaker
Yeah, okay, you know what I can co-sign that yeah, they hadn't been poisoned Ari if they hadn't been probably win that given a bad chicken leg They would have won. Yeah, and probably banned like 20 to 0 The Philly Union also this is this was just so great is so funny Philly Union replaced
00:52:02
Speaker
in the third place game in front of nobody in front of you see that there was like four fans against the colorado rapids who had I mean the rapids had a great tournament yeah they did and they won third place and the rapids are now going to champions cup love the Philly Union are not so you had both of the
00:52:20
Speaker
The fumblers. The fumblers. Yeah. Both fumbled their their final league's cup games. Just great content. Incredible. Like you cannot you can't script these things. No. You can't script these things. But you can because we know what's going to happen. We know what's going to happen. If you're LAFC and you're in a final. Was there any part of you that thought LAFC was going to win that? Like I don't I don't. I was pretty sure they were not even because of anything about LAFC. I just think the crew are on their own level right now, especially playing at home. But like
00:52:50
Speaker
Like LFC they had J. Roo out there. He even scored a goal. Yeah, and didn't matter Boonga was held off the score sheet and Yeah, you had another choke job I did want to debate one more thing on the crew that I have written down. Let's do it. Are they a dynasty? That's what some people are talking about. No They've won They won the covid cup they won MLS cup and they won leagues cup and
00:53:17
Speaker
I think they either need a final second place, but they didn't win it true. Seattle is a dynasty because they won it yeah. I think if the crew if they had won that champions cup.
00:53:27
Speaker
then yes, unquestionably. But because they didn't lose it, they need one more MLS cup, a champions cup, or I guess another league's cup maybe. And they need one more trophy is my point. One more, and then your dynasty. But they're definitely the standard of the league right now.
00:53:47
Speaker
The level that they're playing at their roster build their whole organization like they are without a doubt on top of the league at the moment I don't think there's any question about that after after this last game. Yeah, and Like they definitely they had they very much I think have a chance like if they win MLS Cup this year Then I'm gonna be like, okay. Yeah, this is like right ST right now. Yeah, I think there is an undeniable like Undeniable
00:54:16
Speaker
I don't know even what to what to call it. There's some kind of undeniable evidence that would get them to be a dynasty, and I really do think that it was Champions League like I think if they would have won CCC qualified for you know the club World Cup and been in there, I genuinely think they probably could compete pretty well in that.
00:54:34
Speaker
They probably would not do bad. Yeah, and I think that oh they did they get a spot in that cuz they're on leagues cup Oh, no, I don't think so. I don't remember who's getting that because there's a host spot available, right? Oh, okay. We'll have to look that up. Yeah But regardless regardless like I I'm pretty sure they don't go to Club World Cup. I feel like I would know that yeah, I think you would too, but there is like a
00:54:59
Speaker
I just feel like they're almost there because people talked about people talked about Atlanta like this and then three years later They were fucking dog shit, and I don't mean to hate. I just mean like Just let's let's let's let's give them. Let's give them maybe like one or two more years if they can stay honestly I didn't have multiple trophies. That's true. They only have the MLS come and this team this team has
00:55:21
Speaker
I mean, I'm counting the covid cup, I guess, even though that's not really the Wolford Nancy era. But that is that is a cup that they've won in the last like era. So right. I don't know. Well, my take my official take on that is one more trophy. It just has to be a major one. So MLS Cup or maybe like if they win the shield, I would. Oh, yeah. Frankly, like I would. I just think they need one more.
00:55:44
Speaker
Yeah, I mean they're close though. They are close and that would be a trio if they won shield and champions. No, what is it called? And MLS. Is that a more impressive trio than than open cup trio?
00:56:00
Speaker
I mean I think so man like because of the level of competition that you're playing just plain and simple but if they can do that dynasty all right let's preview this LFC game we did a little bit in the question segment but we can get some more takes out here if you've got any yeah
00:56:21
Speaker
You know, I can't bring myself to like pick Seattle in this game just because the recent track record against LAFC is so one sided. But like I was saying, like if there's any game where you could flip this, if there's any game, it's this game. You've got them coming off.
00:56:39
Speaker
one of the toughest losses of the season. They're not going to be fully rested. Nope. There is literally, I don't think there's any chance that Jeru plays at all because not only would Steve C not have the courage to play him on at star fire to begin with, he tweaked his knee. Yeah. He tweaked his knee and the old man, the league's cut. Did I not say he was going to explode his knee at star fire? So it would be canon for him to play. And they're, they're not going to play him. So that's like, you don't even have to worry about that. Do you play belong?
00:57:08
Speaker
Dude, he can play it. That dude's fine. That dude's made of kryptonite. The only thing that can stop him is himself. I think Steve C might try and- Super sub? Super sub. I think he's going to try and rotate it a little bit and bring Bwonga on early mid second half. That's what I would do if I were him. He knows the fitness and health of his players, obviously, better than I do.
00:57:35
Speaker
I just I would get I would be nervous. I would be nervous about putting him out there like we've seen like remember when at the red card wedding when like everyone was blowing their hamstrings out and Oba like Oba never really like came back from that yeah, so I mean in they have they have Kai Kamara who I'm I feel like I'm almost positive has played at Starfire before maybe I'm wrong, but he's played for every team in the goddamn league so that the percentage of chance that he plays like Kai Kamara here like I think
00:58:04
Speaker
Christian is Christian over available or he's still I doubt they I doubt they play lorries yeah well I think all of theirs out injured still oh is yeah okay potentially well we'll see how they wind it up yeah but like the point is even okay even if that he does less rotation than we think like they're their legs are probably not going to be
00:58:27
Speaker
fully there. No, no, no. And especially for a game that require like the level of endurance that you have to have to like hang with it in these Starfire games is it's even more than your average professional soccer game. Right. And you have to play Paul Rothrock, the Starfire merchant. Exactly. There's a couple of Starfire merchants that are probably going to be seeing the field for Seattle in this game. I think Andy T might be one of them.
00:58:51
Speaker
We all know what Andy T does in the open cup at Starfire. So like really like like I said, man I'm not predicting that they're gonna win because I'll kind of I'll believe Seattle can beat this LFC team when I see it. Yeah, but The stars are aligned for them to have a chance that's that's my optimistic. Do you think Pedro de la Vega plays? Oh
00:59:14
Speaker
I could maybe see him getting a little substitute cameo. Maybe they don't want to do it because they're worried about him getting injured on the less than ideal turf. This would be the match for him to make an impact though. This would be the match for him to cement the start of his legacy. Think about it.
00:59:35
Speaker
injured, struggling, coming back, bamming what it means the most. It could be a storybook night for the kid. It could be a storybook night. I would love to see him get some run and make an impact on the game. That would be great. But I don't know. How are you feeling going into this one?
00:59:53
Speaker
Shit, I don't want to play LA FC again. I didn't want to play him last time. I didn't want to play him ever I am NOT excited even on short rest. We know what LA FC can do We said the same thing the last time when they made the run to the Champions League lost We were like, oh hangover easy and then the same squad rolled out like four days later they played in the final and just demolished a team like I
01:00:16
Speaker
don't look forward to this match, but I also do at the same time because there is always just some shit house that happens at Starfire. It's going to be packed. It's going to be a great environment. Um, I love the open cup, so I'm going to be there for the vibes.
01:00:32
Speaker
I am hoping that we get to get the dump pod, but I'm not holding my breath. Yeah. You know, but you know what is another factor that could play in Seattle's favor here is that, uh, like, so I have this memory of, uh, the 2019 Western conference championship, which I've talked about a lot because it was a great night, best winning club history.
01:00:52
Speaker
But, you know, I was pretty sure LAFC was going to win that game. That was the year they put up a plus 48 goal differential. Carlos Vela had 34 goals, 15 assists. Their team was insane that year. And they were heavily favored in the game. I was pretty sure that LAFC was going to win.
01:01:08
Speaker
But I do remember feeling like all the pressure is on them, and Seattle's got nothing to lose. They can just go out there and play free. And if they lose, no one's really going to think all that much of it. They were playing the greatest MLS team of all time at that point.
01:01:30
Speaker
so they like they don't there's no there was no pressure on them in that game and i really i believe i still believe looking back on it that they played like it right played like they had nothing to lose and i and uh i think they're i think there's like
01:01:45
Speaker
There's a lot to that sometimes like when you when no one expects you to win and you're playing like a juggernaut opponent that everyone thinks is gonna wipe the floor with you and has Has gotten the better of you the last time you played or you know in that case it was they had this historic season everyone thought they were unstoppable like you can use that to your advantage and play stress-free
01:02:10
Speaker
like not have the pressure on you and that can manifest in a good performance sometimes. I think that's a lot what happened in 2019 and I feel a similar vibe to this in the sense that there's a lot of pressure on LFC in this game because
01:02:28
Speaker
They just bombed out of another tournament in the final, had a chance for another trophy, lost again. And now they're flipping around right back to another tournament where if they win, they go to another final. If they get knocked out of both of these tournaments in like a four day span,
01:02:46
Speaker
That's not that's just not good vibes. That's not good vibes for the club. That's not good vibes for the fan base So I would be a little nervous if I were them Especially coming into starfire where you know that only two other MLS clubs have ever won in this tournament I don't care how good you are like that's still gonna be a hard game. Yeah, so
01:03:08
Speaker
Like I said, I'm not I don't bring any of that up to say that Seattle's for sure going to win. I'm just trying. I'm coming up with pathways to why they could win. And I honestly think there's there's something to that. Yeah. I want to ask you to just a little bit on the heels of this. Who do you want more sport in Kansas City? The club of professional wrestling enthusiasts or indie?
01:03:31
Speaker
India a hundred percent. Yeah, I think we would go to Indy. I would probably go to India. We would be okay. Here's the thing. Okay. Here it is if Indy wins Live pod at Indy I'm down Done. Okay, we just shook hands on that. You could actually beat the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts They could they did just lose to New Mexico United though. So
01:03:53
Speaker
Well, Mexico United is the one of the best teams in the U.S. It's true. All right. Unless you had anything else on
01:04:04
Speaker
on this open cup game. I was going to hit winners and losers and then we call it for episode 60 wins. Thank you. All right. Um, winners and losers from match day 29 winners. I got the San Jose earthquakes to zero wind at real salt lake. Yeah, they banned. That's an unexpected result. Um, but I bring this up for another reason, which is that RSO they're, they're not on full fraud watch yet.
01:04:25
Speaker
But they're on they're on tentative fraud watch of and what I mean by fraud watch in this case is just like I Have been talking about them and they have been getting talked about like they are in the LA FC kind of In that in that tier more than they've been talked about in the second tier like a result like this like
01:04:45
Speaker
2-0 to the worst team in the league at home. I know it's MLS and like crazy results can happen all the time and all that but Like they had a really bad leagues cup to New Mexico United knocked them out of open cup. There's just They lost to the rap like they also have shown signs of like when Chico is out they really there's a huge drop-off like even more than Most teams when they lose like they're deep. I'm just saying I'm just saying
01:05:08
Speaker
Like there's fraud watch starting tentative tentative fraud. I'm not even gonna say it's fully started yet, but it's like simmering Got it simmering. It's it's you've put the pot on the stove Next winner. I hate to do this, but LA galaxy Marco, do you hate to more Marco Royce debuted and guys it was pretty electric goal and an assist in like 10 minutes That Ricky Puigal was
01:05:33
Speaker
So good so good. This is what I'm saying like this team plays The best ball like some of the best ball in the league like when they are on that goal is a perfect example and Marco Royce set it up great finish by Ricky pooj I mean they they only beat Atlanta United 2-0, but it could have been a lot worse and
01:05:54
Speaker
This Royce thing is like not for novelty. No, you know like he's I Mean God like that debut. He's he was nasty with it. Yeah And then I had the New England revs just because they put a five spot on see that was wild at Montreal so I don't know if that that Probably says more about Montreal than it does about the revs, but it's still a really crooked scoreline
01:06:22
Speaker
Losers I got DC United bottom of the Eastern Conference bammed on by FC Dallas at home four to three so Tough for my boy Troy Lassain. I still think they should give him another year I don't know if the DC fans or have him on the hot seat yet I think it's a situation of the problem is the roster more than the coach. Yeah, I am admittedly biased as Troy Lassain, but
01:06:47
Speaker
I want them to get an off-season where they can retool and repower a little bit and then see what Troy can do with a better squad than this. Because really, this DC team has just been like, been teke or bust.
01:07:02
Speaker
He but he had that heater where he was scoring like four headers a game and yeah, but they looked unstoppable Yeah, like well they they looked really good in attack because he was banning multiple times every game But their defense has been a mess all year Steve Birnbaum retired. Yeah, they're just they're down bad. Yeah Nashville SC speaking of down bad they lost 2-0 to Austin who Austin are not that good and Nashville SC it's just like
01:07:26
Speaker
How the mighty have fallen. I mean, I guess they weren't really like ever that mighty. But Haney Mukhtar is not having like that great of years. Multiple like this, like an MVP candidate every year is one MVP. And they don't have that. I mean, they do have a coach now, B.J. Callahan, but he just got in there and the USMNC bots favorite. Yeah, exactly.
01:07:46
Speaker
They just have it seems like they just have a really long way to go before they're back into Like legitimate contention. Yeah, their roster doesn't look like that great either No, and like frankly for a roster like that Gary Smith is like not a bad coach. He can kind of he can kind of
01:08:07
Speaker
he's like a little like got that Benio DC United era ball yeah like about him like where he can have you punching above your weight and maybe this is kind of a random take but maybe Gary Smith didn't get enough credit I mean I think people were puzzled when he got fired a little bit
01:08:24
Speaker
Yeah, I mean I got it because it felt like it had run its course and gotten stale a little bit, I guess. They were never going to ascend with him as the coach, but he gave them a floor that they were able to play at that it seems like they just don't have anymore.
01:08:41
Speaker
And then Atlanta United my last loser. I don't know how much you I follow them really closely because Like I paid a sub to like the AJC five stripe final and everything and so I'm a big-time Atlanta United We do like five final. Yeah, five stripe final is great. You should sub to them. But um, they're like basically tanking right now like
01:09:05
Speaker
You know they sold almada and jakamakis, so they like Did that's their two main attacking DPs centerpieces that were gone. They brought in this new DP from Russia who? He seems good, but it's like this is the thing this is like kind of my thing when people are so sure they want to move off of Russ snack the the guy that you
01:09:32
Speaker
There's no guarantees with the replacements right and like it's like basically 50-50 unless unless you are like super sure that your replacement is better You got to be real sure otherwise like you're in this situation like that Atlanta's in where they're bringing this guy in
01:09:48
Speaker
They have to integrate him with the team, which is its full process. You never know how guys are going to acclimate to the league. It's just you're leaving a lot up to chance. So maybe I'm being too risk averse on the Rusniak stuff. And honestly, if you find someone who's better and you know for sure that he's going to be better, then yeah, move off him and sign the replacement. I just think that is a riskier game than people will give it credit for.
01:10:14
Speaker
I've seen a lot of these situations where the new DP replacement comes in and doesn't hit. And that can really mess you up for a long time. So it's not always as simple as we think that I think we can find a bigger name or a guy who's going to produce at a higher rate than this guy. And they're guaranteed to just slide right in and immediately give you a lead production.
01:10:41
Speaker
The way I think of it, if you have a guy who's pushing 20 assists across all comps like Rusenak, and he's not like 35, you're better served to keep riding that than you are of taking the risk of finding a new guy who you don't know. And I think this Maron Chuck guy, that's his name for Atlanta United, they're in a situation where it's gonna take a long time before they even know if it's the right guy, and what are the percentage odds that he really is that guy? What are the percentage odds that he's even better than Almada?
01:11:11
Speaker
I don't think that high Amado was really goddamn good. So yeah, I'm not willing to make any any quite like any assertions or assumptions off of 29 minutes of play. Frankly, I thought about it's not about judging how he played in his first game. It's about like like
01:11:32
Speaker
like how likely do you think it is that he is going to be an elite level DP in the league? And my point is that you just don't know. That's fair. You don't know. He definitely could. I'm just saying it's definitely not a given. He's not a given. I mean, that's soccer, right? It doesn't matter what league you're in. Sometimes people play, like you could have a Premier League player
01:11:52
Speaker
Oh God, now I'm going to blank on his name, but the guy who plays like insane in the euros, then comes home and plays terrible security. Yeah, Shakiri. Okay, thank you. It's like yeah, you have like a Shakiri right, like that dude doesn't care about his club team at all, like wherever he goes is a scam, but
01:12:11
Speaker
You just never know but I honestly think I trust Garth a lot more than I Think most people do that's like I think he should like like this is Garth's opportunity to like really cook there Which has not gotten an opportunity and like dude, they blew it up. They blew it up and they dropped bags of cash like I'm excited to I
01:12:33
Speaker
I want to see what they do. I'm a give them a little run before I hate on them. It's gonna suck. If you put together a fucking ragtag group, it's gonna suck. They sucked before they had these deep, these new, you know, these new signings. So it's not gonna, it's not gonna just immediately change.
01:12:48
Speaker
I think people don't appreciate how insane it was that Nico came here and then immediately started bawling and this team turned around immediately. I think that might have given some Seattle fans a skewed note. It's like, you need a new number 10, you just go out and buy them and you plug them in and it's hyper elite for five years. That's just not normally how it goes. Now, like I said, this Atlanta guy,
01:13:15
Speaker
he could come in and be the best number 10 in the league in which case like fair play and for Atlanta you just you never you'd never have like full certainty with these things so I also think that was kind of a tangent on Rusnak but that's I think that sort of explains like how I think of it and that my hesitation of moving off a guy who's producing like he is when you really you don't know that you don't know for a fact that the replacement is going to be able to replicate or exceed that
01:13:44
Speaker
Yeah, it's also a good bit that he came from Atalanta to Atlanta. That's just like a good transfer bit, I think. We didn't talk about that, but that was pretty funny. I think that's why they picked him. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, that was it. Yeah. All right. Unless you got anything else, I think we can call that a wrap for episode 61.
01:14:06
Speaker
Go to sounder at heart one more one of you one Thank you as always to everyone for tuning in We love you guys. We love our paid subs. We love We look at the listenership numbers, and we love what we're seeing week after clearly re reads your comments
01:14:28
Speaker
Appreciate you all. Unfortunately, I do read the YouTube comments. So honestly, I can't help myself. So if you want to clown on me and you put it in the YouTube comments section, I will see it. But in all seriousness, on that note, thank you to our little YouTube community that we're fostering. We appreciate you guys too. We love you guys. We're looking forward to just further establishing ourselves on there. And these video podcasts that we've been putting up there, the viewership's been pretty good.
01:14:57
Speaker
Much love to our new audience. Rate, comment, subscribe, like, follow. Share with platforms, share with everyone that you know. Share with your Atlanta United friends. Shout out to our LAFC friends. Hopefully you're not too pissed at us this week. Until next time, we out. Peace.