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Frustrated about no signings in summer? So are we
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Another summer transfer window has closed and for the fourth straight year, the Seattle Sounders failed to sign anyone from outside the organization. The Sounders are extreme outliers in MLS and it’s no wonder why many fans are getting frustrated.
Jeremiah and Niko express their own frustrations and while they defend the relative competency of the front office, they also want to see some things change.
Follow Niko Moreno on BlueSky and YouTube.
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsorship
00:00:01
Speaker
Hi, I'm Will Bruin, and I was just recognized as a Seattle Sounders legend. Now I get to do voice reads for the Sounder at Heart podcast network. Here we go. Come on. Hey, O'Shaan.
00:00:13
Speaker
Let's go. What a sorry, Bud Fry. The Seattle Sounders have done it. MLS Cup winners. Here comes Rui Diaz through the middle to crowd it for Seattle.
00:00:28
Speaker
The Saunders rule the region! Seattle Saunders is good! This feels fucking awesome. And Portland can't say it's genius! Nice work on your little
00:00:46
Speaker
Ooch of a gooch! All creatures great and small! Villaviga!
00:00:54
Speaker
you me
00:00:59
Speaker
you know What was the thought process in terms of who you decided to use and you didn't? Ever since I wrote a commentary that we didn't take the overcome seriously.
00:01:18
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.
00:01:32
Speaker
They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.
Sounders' Summer Transfer Window Frustrations
00:01:42
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Nos Adientes on the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network. I am Jeremiah O'Shan. is Friday. am joined by Nico Moreno for what we learned this week for a And we got a kind of a special episode this week where the summer transfer window closed last night, late or early this morning, depending on where you are.
00:02:04
Speaker
And the Sounders didn't do anything. That wasn't a huge surprise, but still a pretty big disappointment, Nico. Yeah, what's going on, Jeremiah? Happy to be back here the training facility. And yes, it's a little bit of a disappointing day. I'm a little bit under the weather, as you might hear, getting over a little bit of a cold. So that's part of it. But...
00:02:29
Speaker
Man, it is kind of, we knew was coming. And if anyone has been following our show, which we hope two or three of you are, ah you're not surprised either. But there's always that sense of like, you know what?
00:02:44
Speaker
Maybe those surprises. Maybe those surprises. Maybe I didn't see it. Maybe it's coming. they're playing it close to the vest. Exactly. Something. And then, you know, the window closes and you're just left behind.
00:02:55
Speaker
ah With that that feeling of and of uncertainty on one end and then of almost disbelief that it's yet another summer transfer window without a signing. Yeah, that's four transfer windows in a row, summer transfer windows in a row that the Sounders have not made a signing from outside the organization. Now, I add that caveat because...
00:03:14
Speaker
They have made some internal signings during these windows. I suppose Snyder Brunel may have actually technically counted as a summer signing because he signed or they announced his signing a few days after the window opened.
00:03:27
Speaker
Not what people have in mind. And I don't want to get bogged down into the minutia of whether or not they what we do know is that they did not make a significant sign and they had not made a significant signing in four transfer windows.
00:03:39
Speaker
And I think what's different about this one is that Every other window, they were very clearly cap-constrained. They had limitations.
00:03:51
Speaker
This time, though... they presume they They really set things up so that they could make a signing this summer. They've been talking about that at the beginning of the season. They wanted to give themselves the maneuverability to bring in a player. They talked openly about wanting to sign a U-22 striker.
00:04:10
Speaker
They pursued, best I can tell, a bunch of different players. They got pretty far down the road on a few signings. Things fell through. And I suppose in a vacuum...
00:04:21
Speaker
you can kind of excuse not signing someone because they stuck to their guns and they just didn't make a signing that they didn't feel like was going to help the team.
00:04:31
Speaker
But where it really starts to fall apart for me and what's really frustrating is a, that it's so many windows in a row. They are the only team. They were one of only two teams, this window who didn't make at least one external signing.
00:04:45
Speaker
The LA galaxy being the other galaxy galaxy. We know we're in a ah total mess. They're almost not, you don't even have to worry about comparing them. And, but more than that, it's that they were so, they they also had these obvious needs at non sort of U22 specific
Recruitment Challenges and Missed Opportunities
00:05:05
Speaker
position. They clearly need another veteran defensive midfielder.
00:05:09
Speaker
Jao Paulo, we still no idea when he's going to be back. There's no reason they should be relying on him to be back. I suppose it's possible they could eventually, could still sign a free agent. But at this point, there's no real reason for us to believe that's going to happen.
00:05:22
Speaker
And it's just it just leaves you very underwhelmed and sort of frustrated that it's like seemingly this ah same the same but slightly different story after year after year.
00:05:34
Speaker
It does. And... it's not just the needs that you had coming into the window, but it's the needs that have emerged because of injuries to Albert injuries, to Jordan injuries, uh, to Ryan Kent, a guy that you had brought in because essentially, uh,
00:05:58
Speaker
Paul Arriola was out for the season and now Ryan Kent is essentially out for the season. I don't care what Brian it says. 10 or 12 weeks does not leave you a lot of room to come back into a team and and do anything. I mean, best case scenario. Honestly, the best case scenario for Ryan Kent is that he's available once the playoffs start and presumably by that point someone else will have emerged that does like you would hope that Georgie Manungu will take the advantage the the opportunity absolutely like prove he belong he belongs on the field that Paul Rothrock that Pedro de la Vega that you know that you just keep that Jesus Ferreira will be playing in a in a way that says Ryan can't just step back on the field but anyway go ahead I got it
00:06:42
Speaker
No, I mean, that's all part of it. And I think my biggest frustration is that I would argue that right now is ultimately the best time to go and get your future striker. Exactly. The you twenty two that you were going to to...
00:07:00
Speaker
Develop and grow and eventually take the torch from Jordan Morris, right? Because I'm not denying that I'm not excited about what Jordan Morris can bring to the table once he's back, hoping that he's at his top form, top shape.
00:07:17
Speaker
But essentially, this was the window. And the reason of it of ah what I'm saying right now is because the summer window, and this is what we have to get into, I guess, ah is where it's most competitive, right? Because it opens up around the world because it's where all the teams are looking to get better.
00:07:34
Speaker
Everybody wants to start their contracts right now. And so essentially that's why maybe Seattle hasn't been successful is because it's where players are most demand. But right now is when you, everything's open for you to go and get the guy that you want. And I understand- always going to be harder to pull a player away from the middle of their season. 100%. Presumably always going to be easier to get a guy now when they're they haven't like settled in somewhere.
00:08:03
Speaker
Yeah. And that's exactly why I'm frustrated. Although, like I said, we knew about it. And the context there is that they tried to sign several players.
00:08:13
Speaker
But that's an issue with it themselves. If they talk to my account, five different players at the very least, five U22 strikers, and none of them came, that's also a problem, isn't it?
00:08:24
Speaker
It is a problem. I think it's a problem in their recruitment strategy where if you keep running into players who once you... Once you get to a certain point in the negotiations, find out that, no, there they're just not available. like It doesn't even matter what you're willing to pay them. It doesn't matter what the that you're willing to pay their transfer fee.
00:08:45
Speaker
If they don't want to come here, that's part of the recruitment problem. If they're running into this problem repeatedly where they're getting to the point where they're agreeing on a fee, agreeing with the agent on a salary...
00:08:56
Speaker
And then the player says, and I'm not ready to go. Or you have someone like ah in one of these situations where you had ah so someone higher up in the organization saying we're not ready to let them go. Those are problems with the recruitment strategy. Those are things that they should be getting ahead of.
00:09:10
Speaker
And they those conversations shouldn't have started. and I don't think they did. But those conversations shouldn't be starting in July right before the window opens. Those are the conversations that you should be setting up. they should Last summer, they should have been having these conversations with agents and with a player or maybe not with players but they should be finding out who's really available and who's ready to come and whether or not they're like they shouldn't be wasting their time with players that are not interested in coming here and that's i think to me the most frustrating part of this is that they've known they needed to sort of stock their youth setup especially on the offensive side they have the sounders have a great youth setup let's
00:09:48
Speaker
they They've been able to generate a lot of high quality players, but they're not. They're not like like they got a little lucky with Osase De Rosario. Like he and I wouldn't say it's luck.
00:10:00
Speaker
It's their connections that like allowed them to connect to Osase De Rosario. They did a good job of developing him as well. I don't want to discredit any of that, but he's 24 years old. And after him, there's like really no number nines in the in the pipeline.
00:10:14
Speaker
The Yusuke Nome has been playing pretty well for Tacoma Defiance. He's not a number nine. He is an interesting player. He's like kind of a Clint Dempsey style like tweener, but he's not a number nine.
00:10:26
Speaker
That's why they've been targeting these U22 spots as ah for a number nine, because they don't they know they don't have anyone in the pipeline. And it's windows like this one. Where they sure maybe that guy doesn't come in and he doesn't start tomorrow.
00:10:40
Speaker
Maybe he doesn't even play that much this year, but you now you have them already in the team. So next offseason, you can kind of coach them up and maybe you can build something with them. And that's what it's an opportunity.
00:10:52
Speaker
Every window that goes by where you don't sign someone, it's a missed opportunity to build yourself for the future. Yeah, and and to get better, because even if a guy is not willing or is not essentially built to make an immediate impact, it doesn't take it away that maybe it's a different style of of striker, let's say, because that's what we're talking about.
00:11:13
Speaker
And that in games like the one that Seattle has had over the last two games where, you know, there's the blocks, maybe this guy could unlock it. I mean, there's just that possibility. But mainly for me is the fact that
00:11:27
Speaker
I can't necessarily understand why you wouldn't invest right now, even if you're putting yourself in a red situation. and and But they shouldn't be. They just got $9.5 million the Club World Cup. I agree. And and that's the wild part, right? There's all this money that...
00:11:46
Speaker
Seemingly is available. Seemingly is available. And that's exactly why I talk about beating the red. Because I don't know that the economics. I don't have the books. But even if that was the case, even if they were to say, look, we're going to be in trouble.
00:11:58
Speaker
I don't know why you wouldn't do that. why would you not? if you So right now, let's look at where the Sounders are. The Sounders are in a ah League's Cup semifinal. They are in position to potentially be top four in the Western Conference.
00:12:10
Speaker
Why not? Like, if you're going sort of send a message you. And I think that's the thing that... frustrates me to the most is that fans see this in action and they are like, well, everyone else is doing something. And quite literally, everyone else yeah is doing something. You look at the just let's look at the top six teams in the Western Conference.
00:12:30
Speaker
All of them made at least one notable signing. they Some of those teams had way less salary cap space in the Sounders. Some of them had more. And yes, some of those teams, in in order to make those moves, they let they sent players away.
00:12:45
Speaker
Vancouver White Cops sent away Pedro Vitae. ah the Minnesota United is shipping players out as well as bringing players in. LAFC had to move some pieces around. Look, I'm not going to sit here and say it's like they were doing it with free money, but that's part of what I think fans see is they see those teams are getting creative. Those teams are figuring out ways to get things done. Why can't we?
00:13:05
Speaker
And I don't have a rebuttal. I don't have a rebuttal for that. And I don't at the end of the day, really. And I and i think there's probably I'm sure there's some body of research that suggests that teams that are overly active in the summer transfer window undermine themselves. You know, we can look back at RSL last year.
00:13:23
Speaker
They, everyone said, Oh, they won the transfer window. And then they fell apart because they basically over, they overdid it. Right. So I'm not saying this headers need to blow the roster up or anything, but like, man, find a way to sign some, find one guy
Financial Constraints and Team Growth
00:13:36
Speaker
that you can think can help this team.
00:13:39
Speaker
Yeah. And if that was the, the, the obstacle was the the summer window, then maybe they should have added more in the, in the winter window. i mean, there's always ways that, that I just find myself not being able to ultimately excuse what's going on. And I'm not taking away from the fact that the team has found great form, that the team has a quality talented roster.
00:14:04
Speaker
It's still, I think like, like I'll give you an example. Yeah. Backfield today came out with a ranking of the 30 teams. Sounders ranked 29th of um the transfer window. yeah ah The only team that was below them was DC United, who probably overpaid. They actually you know they overpaid for Caden Clark. yeah And then above the Sounders is LA Galaxy, who all they did was ship away John or they essentially completed the the move for Jonathan Perez. But hey, they got a million and a half dollars for up players that wasn't really in their plans.
00:14:33
Speaker
Good business. Yeah, but it's... I don't know where I was even going that other than the point out that backfield had us 29th out of 30 teams. And it's hard to argue. Yeah. Well, to the point that I was trying to make was that, you know, we still know that they're one of the deepest teams. That's what I was going to say. It's like they in within the context of this calling the Sounders 29th.
00:14:54
Speaker
They said the Sounders still have one of the deepest teams. But go on. I'm sorry. No, no. so So that's that's exactly what I'm not trying to dismiss. Yes. And both things can be true to the point of.
00:15:06
Speaker
I understand that things have worked, that the the foundation that they have in their academies is phenomenal. The players that they do get at a lower price are great. But if you were just to commit some money into this project, it would just take it to a whole new level and it would essentially make you more comfortable saying, hey,
00:15:28
Speaker
Look, we we we we did what we could to make sure that when you're facing LFC against a guy like Son and Buonga and, you know, this Irish guy they just got, I mean, that you're going to be able to compete to the best of your abilities.
00:15:41
Speaker
That if you're going to go against a Vancouver team that got a guy like Thomas Muller, that's going to be a difference maker that you can compete. it also By the way, they also signed a belgian like ah a guy who was ah a regular a veteran of the Belgian league, and they signed a guy who was a veteran of Bundesliga centerbacks who were going to help bolster their de defense. And Peru, Quispe, they signed a Peruvian winger who is more of a depth guy, but still. Right. And these are probably mostly depth pieces. And I get that. And I and I don't know that I can look around the league and identify a whole bunch of players who I'm like, well, I wish the Sounders had gotten that guy. ah I'm sure there are some.
00:16:20
Speaker
The you know, and actually, one example is probably this Irish guy that the LAFC just signed on a loan who, i you know, I don't know what his purchase option is, but the fact that they they brought him in is a testament to them. And, you know, LAFC is out here.
00:16:35
Speaker
making deals all the time. And I, you can't sit here and say that LAFC isn't equally competitive. Cause it's like, it's tempting to say, well, the teams that are more, that are more active in the summer transfer window are also the teams that are not doing so well, but that's just not true. FC is Cincinnati who came into this window with virtually even tighter way. like They virtually had no space on their salary. I think they had the least amount of salary cap space of any team outside of the galaxy at the start of the season.
00:17:02
Speaker
And they you know they they traded away DeAndre Yedlin. They moved pieces around. They figured out a way to loan in Brenner, a player who they just. Udinense. For Udinense. ah They made a bunch of moves. FC Cincinnati, the team that probably had the least amount of salary cap space, the team who is also leading the supporters shield, found a way to bring in a bunch of players.
00:17:23
Speaker
Like, I'm sorry, if they can do it, why can't the Sounders? Yeah, and they're swinging for defenses, right? So ultimately, the the reality is is that another window went by without bringing in a player of that category.
00:17:35
Speaker
There are still possibilities that Seattle goes and gets a free transfer. Yeah. A guy that's a free agent or has just recently ended a contract. Yeah. Seattle with Ryan Kent have you know seemingly been pretty good at finding that sort of player, but it's clearly not going to be a guy that is going to make anybody excited.
00:17:54
Speaker
i mean, right. You know, a midfielder is an important role. you You said it best. You can't expect... Or we can't think of ah of a future in which JP is being asked to play 90 minutes or be an everyday rotation sort of guy. And you need that sort of midfielder.
00:18:12
Speaker
So but that ultimately would be a ah smart move. But it doesn't negate the fact that he kind of feels like there was a missed opportunity once again on a summer window. Yeah, and they do have – so September 12th is the roster freeze date, which means is that literally you can't make any more changes after that. So they have you know a couple weeks, three weeks to try to find someone. I would really like to think – and I guess somewhat this is a plea to the Sounders.
00:18:39
Speaker
I don't think I need – like, man, if there is a free agent out there that you can fit, go sign them. Plea. Yes. I am so like They have a real need here, and that is to find some depth at central midfield.
00:18:54
Speaker
I'm not asking for a home run signing, but go find a minute eater, especially. And and I realize one of the challenges is that you got to find someone that Brian's actually going to play.
00:19:05
Speaker
that's That is a real challenge. Brian is not someone who is easily won over. But you bring in a Ryan Kent. We saw it with Ryan Kent. He sees the talent right away. He understands this is a player who can be a difference maker.
00:19:17
Speaker
He starts playing as soon as he... you know So it's it's not like it's not like Brian is so dead set against new things that he won't play players who... Now, I realize that there's a maybe a little bit more of a challenge when it's a young player who doesn't have as much of a a proven track record as Ryan Kent did.
00:19:34
Speaker
But go find the the central midfielder version of Ryan Kent and bring him in right now. like I think that would do go a long way. But I think there is, like we've said, there's a larger issue that is also at play here, which is every other team is essentially indicating to their fans, we're willing to do whatever it takes we We don't want the optics to look like we just sat on our hands and did nothing.
00:20:02
Speaker
And i guess there is some way you can talk yourself into saying the Sounders are doing the right thing by not pandering and not just making a signing for the sake of making a signing.
00:20:15
Speaker
Even though, honestly, at this point, I would take them signing someone for the sake of making a signing. But I just think there is... like if Let's just say the Sounders don't beat the Galaxy in the semifinals.
00:20:29
Speaker
I don't see how you look at this window as even worse. yeah let's like If they go out and they win League's Cup, great. Hey, everyone's going to be happy about it. That doesn't really change anything, but at least you can point to that. But that puts a lot... like i remember this time last year, we were talking to...
00:20:46
Speaker
Craig, he talked. ah which This is a separate thing, which we can get into. a little frustrating that Craig didn't talk to us today. We don't know when he's actually going to talk to us. Seems like this is the time when you want to get out in front of it and say, hey, this is the this is our reasoning.
00:21:01
Speaker
But whatever, we can get into that. But last year, the day after the window closed, he had a press conference. And he pointed out that of the teams that were in the playoff spot, which the Sounders were at the time, no one else other than LAFC was both in the quarterfinals of the League's Cup and the semifinals of the Open Cup.
00:21:18
Speaker
So what do they do? They lose to LAFC in the League's Cup. They lose to the LAFC in the Open Cup. And, you know, they they made it to the semifinals of the West or they went to the Western Conference finals.
00:21:29
Speaker
But you also couldn't help but feel they were missing a piece that they needed that one more piece, that one more wild card that can maybe push them over the top. And I just hate thinking that they're going to be back in that position again.
00:21:42
Speaker
And, you know, i could talk myself out of thinking so much of last season as an equal only because the level of play has been so much better this year, right? Yes. Last year, you just felt like the team got there with just grinding out games, just barely staying in games. And, yeah you know, eventually Jordan Morris gets a good goal and, and you know, you push through.
00:22:06
Speaker
But right now, you talk yourself into into saying, hey, you know, we're in a pretty good run of form. You have a a very talented group of players. But it's about the future.
Youth Contracts and Financial Transparency
00:22:18
Speaker
Exactly. It's about what what about what's next? Exactly. What about next year? the Is Danny Wasofsky the future for this team? that I don't think so. No. Osase, I think he has a ceiling, and there's nothing wrong with saying that. i think he's going to be a productive player that can continue to contribute, but he's got a ceiling. He's not your everyday guy. he's not goingnna he's I think the other thing is he's not – neither Danny nor Osase are – like, let's just – say Jordan Morris is their starting number nine, you still want someone to push him.
00:22:47
Speaker
and There's no way Danny Masofsky and Osazi De Rosario, or at least I shouldn't say that. I don't think those are going to be the players that push him to keep him honest, to keep him motivated. And it's not, he's going to stay motivated. That's not ah the issue, but he is. I mean, he's going to be like right now. He's going be coming off a shoulder injury.
00:23:05
Speaker
we He's still in a sling. We thought he was going to be out of the sling by now. We don't know when he's going to be back. and And as much as we love Jordan Morris, there has to be that plan for the future. And he's 30.
00:23:17
Speaker
And yeah you you have to understand that ah if you're going to bring in a guy, just like we said, every time that you allow another window to go by, it's less time for a guy to come in and get involved and adapt and all of those things. So it just feels like...
00:23:33
Speaker
there's a level of, man, I hate to say it like this, but you know, it's, it's complacency. Yeah. There's a level of complacency. It does. And so, and and I think,
00:23:48
Speaker
I'm reluctant to I know exactly what you're saying here, and I'm reluctant to say complacency because I do think there is a sense in the front office of they know they need to do something. Yes. But what they don't I don't think they feel like there is a lot of pressure to do something.
00:24:03
Speaker
And I don't know why that is. be And I and I almost wonder if there is a little bit of a disconnect between basically what the front office and by the front office. In this case, I'm talking about the talent evaluators.
00:24:15
Speaker
Craig, Sean Henderson, ah Tyler Cox, ah Henry Browner, the guys that are doing the scouting that are making. And I think that what they're saying is, look, these are the players that we think can help us.
00:24:28
Speaker
And if you're not willing to raise our budget, then we're not going to compromise on what like we're not going to just go out and sign someone who we think. And then on the other side, I think there is pressure. I think I think Adrian is very aware of the optics of going for consecutive windows without signing someone. I don't think he's happy about not signing someone, but not so. But yeah at the same time, I don't know that he's raising the budget.
00:24:51
Speaker
I don't know that he's saying, OK, if we can't get the guy we want for two million, can we get the guy we want for four million? And so I think there's a little bit of a disconnect between one side basically holding firm to saying, we just don't think we can, like these are the players we think fit in this price point that can help us.
00:25:10
Speaker
And we're not going to lower our standards. And on the other hand, they say they have the budget saying, this is the budget. We're not going higher. And I think what you and this is where you end up. And so I don't think it is a liquid budget. I don't think it's ah a budget that has a lot of movement, that it's like if we find the right player, we can get more money.
00:25:25
Speaker
And and i don't know, maybe i'm maybe I'm mischaracterizing it, but I just- No, no, no, but but but but you you're definitely onto to something there because what when I mean complacency, I do mean it from that level. Right. From the higher ups that I base my entire you know argument on the fact that you're not willing to commit money, even if it's money that you don't originally have. you know In the world of soccer, I mean, they happen in South America all the time.
00:25:51
Speaker
These guys are working on the red. all the time. Right. Right. And so that's what I feel like that the level of capacity goes because when you talked about a guy like Milo Slukovic.
00:26:01
Speaker
Yeah. Who's a guy that according to you. Yeah. He did all of the the the check marks. Yeah. I mean, yeah you exactly. that the the The markers were there. a thought that he was a high value guide.
00:26:14
Speaker
But then he goes and goes to a loan. Right. Right? So what why not a loan here? right Right. Because he's a $5 billion player per transfer market ticket for what it is. But if he got loaned somewhere, why don't we loan? what what right Was that offer? Was that not? Those are the things where I'm like, it blows my mind that they're – all these teams that find a way to just do things and, and the Seattle centers seem to be unable to.
00:26:39
Speaker
Right. And I think one of the problems, like one of the things I've heard is that founders are only interested in loans where the option to buy is realistic. So like they aren't interested in buying and taking a player like Lukovic on a loan.
00:26:52
Speaker
If the option to buy them is $10 million. Right. what mean? Because they're like, well, we're not going to pay $10 million. dollars Like we want to we want to we want an option that's realistic. And so I don't know. Maybe it makes sense. Right. And that there is a logic there. But it it also I think it creates it it does create this sort of inertia of like I don't I don't know what the purchase option on this on this Irish kid that the the LAFC signed.
00:27:15
Speaker
Maybe it's high. Maybe it's too high. I don't know. Andrew Moran. Andrew Moran. Thank you. And, you know, and he looks like a really interesting player. He's had some success at the championship. He's under 20. You know, he's he's an under 22 signing. Yep.
00:27:26
Speaker
That's the kind of player the Sounders should be targeting, I think. and And that's, you know, there's there's only probably a handful of players out there that I look and go, that's a guy I would like really like to see. this that like I don't think there's a ton of players that other teams have signed where I'm like, oh,
00:27:41
Speaker
and I'm not including designated players in this because the centers didn't have a designated player spot to open. so And that's ah that's a whole other issue. That's a good physical reminder. ah like The centers were trying to thread a needle to some degree. It was like they had a U22, they have u twenty two spots I guess and this is three ultimately, right? mean, you have three.
00:28:00
Speaker
And I think that's another thing is that, look, if you're going to not use your resources and you're going to say, look, all these resources we didn't use are going to help us keep the team together next year.
00:28:10
Speaker
OK, so show me Obed Vargas signing a new contract. Show me Reed Baker Whiting signing signing a new contract. Show me Paul Rothrock. Like, get those things done. And then you can say, look, this is where the money went.
00:28:24
Speaker
And I think what's killing people is that they don't know where this, where is this money going? How is it? Show me how it helps keep the team together. Don't just tell me that it helps keep the team together. And so I think there needs to be some more transparency. There needs to be some more ah openness. And I think they need to actually do some of this stuff. They can't just talk. Like last year, we were talking about how, okay, well, some of this money is going to go to Jackson Reagan, who needs to sign. Okay, fair enough. They got that done eventually.
00:28:50
Speaker
But it's funny because last year they were also talking about, well, maybe we re-sign Obed Vargas. Maybe we re-sign Rebecca Whiting. And they still haven't gotten... still waiting. Right. We're still waiting a year later. And so, like, get these deals done. And and I would hate... like but Honestly, the biggest disaster that the Sounders could could have right now is that...
00:29:11
Speaker
they get into a fight with someone like Obed Vargas over ultimately not that much money because they don't want to pay him the max for you 22. And then he whites out his contract and they don't ever collect on the, the potentially huge transfer fee that he will eventually move for.
00:29:30
Speaker
Like they, they should not be playing games with players like that. Like if you're not going to, if you're not going use all your transfer budget, on one end, you can't also be cheap no on the roster. No, 100%. And that's a priority. you something that Right now is the time probably to do it. Exactly. Today. Today. you know Take it out right now and just put the presser and say, hey, and look, we just signed Oban Vargas to a max contract. Right.
00:29:57
Speaker
Cool. And that is not going to make people happy again, but at least it makes sense of, oh, well, there's some money going somewhere. Exactly. Exactly. And so that's kind of the thing. I think both you and I are sitting here
Impact of Complacency on Brand and Competitiveness
00:30:12
Speaker
knowing that, look, because we also don't want to take the scandalous road of like, this is the worst team ever. And Craig Weibel doesn't know. These are competent people. Yeah. Craig Weibel doesn't know anything and all these things that make absolutely no sense because...
00:30:27
Speaker
the team is where there are right now. And they are, they've gone in such a good winning streak because of the build of the roster and what those competent people have done to put it together.
00:30:39
Speaker
Ultimately, the problem is that there isn't enough money to compete right now. and And that seems to be the biggest problem, but the whole thing about this team doesn't score. And, and that's why, you know, you need to go out there and get somebody.
00:30:52
Speaker
I'm not even worried about that. The team has been scoring at a rate that they haven't in forever. No, this, They're getting it from a whole bunch of different places the that the system is working. So you don't got to shit on one thing to shit on the other.
00:31:05
Speaker
you you You can respect the game of what they've done so far. things can be true. Two things can be true. And then you can really be honest about just saying, hey, you know, it'd be great to just see them maybe go the extra mile, swing for those home runs and not just singles and doubles. Yeah, I totally agree. Like, I think you can feel both that the Sounders front office did a really good job building this roster, that the coaching staff did a really good job maximizing this roster and that there's still more.
00:31:30
Speaker
There's still a higher ceiling that they can get to that they that. And that's what is so painful about this is that they've made so much out of what they have. Why not throw a cherry on top of it? Why not you know bring in an extra player?
00:31:43
Speaker
Why not? do something that's just going to get fans excited. And I think that's the other, that's the other part of this is that let's put aside the roster building part. Let's talk purely cynical PR type stuff.
00:31:56
Speaker
The Sounders have not been able to make a big signing like that. Basically since Pedro de la Vega, And maybe you can even maybe go farther than that, where they've been able to just roll out the red carpet of saying, look how excited we are to bring in this player. Because even when they brought in Jesus Ferreira, it was still like, OK, that's a nice move, but that's not really what we were expecting.
00:32:19
Speaker
Ryan Kent, same thing. That's a nice move. Not really what we were expecting. And I think that's... One of the things that's frustrating is that the Sounders are out here and they're playing the best soccer, the most entertaining soccer they've maybe ever played. At the very least, i think this is the most ah entertaining team since the heyday of Obadus in 2014.
00:32:42
Speaker
And the crowds aren't that big. They are a fraction of what they were back in those days. And I think a big part of that is because fans just haven't had more enough opportunity to get excited about the stuff that isn't the soccer.
00:32:56
Speaker
Like, the soccer is good. Like, I'm not going to shit on that at all. And we can talk. We can, in the second segment, I want to talk to you a little bit about soccer and talk to you about the game on Wednesday and and sort of looking ahead.
00:33:09
Speaker
But I think we have to remind, I think one of the things that the Sounders maybe need to be reminded of is that most of the year, there's not soccer to talk about. It's talking about all the other stuff that's going around this team, and they don't give us enough to get excited about there.
00:33:24
Speaker
Like, the you got to give Q13 a reason to put- Talk about you. To talk about you. You got give the Seattle Times a reason to put you on the front page. Look, the Sounder Hart's going to talk about the Sounders. That's a given.
00:33:37
Speaker
You know it. But there's it a whole... But, like, everyone doesn't read... Like, as much as we like to pretend, everyone does not actually read Sound or Heart. There's a lot of fans who have that do not... take us in.
00:33:48
Speaker
And part of it is that there's all these other avenues to reach people that are not getting reached because partly because they are not making splashy signings and getting out into the world and doing all the other stuff.
00:34:00
Speaker
and And not as that's the most important thing, but that's one of the tentacles of the apparatus, right? i mean, that's one of the things that you need to be mindful of, right? I mean, LAFC ultimately with Sun's you know, marketing level. I mean, just killing it. Just, you know. Killing it. And he puts you at a different level. And in my my, not my fear, ah but ah if if I was an owner of of the franchise, you know what? It is my fear because yeah I don't have to fake, like, I don't want the team to do good.
00:34:32
Speaker
is that you're hurting the brand. Right. Is that now you are the the San Jose and the Colorado Rapids of the Western Conference? Because both of those teams have been busting their behind getting some big players. Exactly. Colorado just got Paxton Aronson.
00:34:47
Speaker
Right. And they got Navajo. They bought him for $7 million. And they went and got Zach Steffen and Vines and all these USMNT guys. If that's what you got to do to make a splash, then do it. And maybe...
00:35:01
Speaker
There is a sense of it doesn't always translate to wins. And um um I'm totally on board with that. I'm totally board with that. You look at Portland, and they have done a whole lot of buying over the last three seasons.
00:35:11
Speaker
And they have nothing to show for it. But at the same time, there is a level of thinking, you don't need to change your philosophy. Continue to do what you're doing, right? You have this foundation, this infrastructure.
00:35:25
Speaker
Use it to the best of its ability. Because if you're somebody else, then... You know, you can go places that you haven't gone right now. That's all I'm saying. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think that's that's well put.
00:35:36
Speaker
I think that's that's that's good. i mean, I think that's exactly right. I think that's exactly right that this is a team that is just leaving. you know, I use this analogy in a column that I have out. The Sounders have left being on the bone and you can't be surprised that people that the fans are hungry.
00:35:52
Speaker
You know, I love that. They, they, they, there is just, you know, there's more here and they're not, you know, they're not doing what they can to maximize it. And it's, you know, it's too bad. It's really too bad.
League's Cup Victory Against Puebla
00:36:05
Speaker
ah I don't know. I still like this team. I'm still excited for this team, but I'm not going to pretend that this is not a disappointing day no and that they should be out there trying to do more. And I think we have to, you know, and I like this is putting pressure on them on some level. Like they like hopefully that they see like they hear the frustration and they go, OK, maybe this free agent who we didn't feel like we really needed. Maybe we we bring them in.
00:36:32
Speaker
and and And thank you for doing that because it brings me back to the reality that we're not sitting here or I'm not sitting in here after that rant and killing the Sounders' chances to win Leagues Cup or get far in the playoffs.
00:36:46
Speaker
I am a true believer that collective can be talent and collective can be individual play. I just asked Christian straight to his face, right? And even though I messed up, that that first question going to bother me.
00:36:59
Speaker
but But, you know, I did ask him about, you know, can the collective play, you know, beat when you hear Son in LAFC, in Mueller, in Vancouver?
00:37:10
Speaker
And he said, yeah, look, we'd love to have those players. We'd love to have those big time players that, you know, that make a difference, that change the game. But our... you know, or thing is is the collective play. And I think that can get you far.
00:37:23
Speaker
And I really do believe that. and And I really think that they can win League's Cup. But at the same time, that's not necessarily the the the only way that you're going to continue to progress this team.
00:37:36
Speaker
And, and, Assuring that avenue, right? Because me saying that they can is not being as sure as I would be if there were certain players already in this team.
00:37:48
Speaker
And so that's all I want. That's all I think that the Seattle Center should shoot for more. Yeah. And i'll I'll just end with this is that every summer. Or not even every summer. All the time. We keep being we heap hearing from people.
00:38:00
Speaker
ah The Sounders just want to win 54% of their games. they're They're just like the Mariners. bubble bla Blah, blah, blah, blah. And the Sounders clearly are not just like the Mariners. The Sounders have won a lot more in a lot less time than the Mariners ever have.
00:38:13
Speaker
the The Sounders are a very successful organization. We don't have to pretend that. But the reality is that that is the narrative that's out there. And it's on the Sounders to sort of change that. Five years ago, no one would have said the Sounders are just like the Mariners.
00:38:26
Speaker
Nope, never. But that's one of the... And I'm not trying to like drag the Mariners here. And by the way, the Mariners had a pretty good... ah ah Summer... Transfer for windows. Transfer window. What do they call it there?
00:38:38
Speaker
Hot stove. i don't know what they call it. I can't remember. I should know this. I i used to be a baseball guy. But... The Sounders need like they I think they need it's on them to change narrative.
00:38:49
Speaker
They're sort of like falling into this trap of being known as like a money ball team of being known as a cheap team of being a team that sort of like talks a big game but doesn't necessarily walk the big game when it comes to sort of like their place in the market.
00:39:04
Speaker
And the reality is the Sounders are a big market team. No one, very few. No, i don't i I don't think any market in MLS is as ready to get excited as Seattle is ready to get excited for the Sounders.
00:39:17
Speaker
If the Sounders get to a League's Cup final, I wouldn't be surprised if they sell out the stadium or at least pack in 50, 60,000 people. No one else really does that. And why not give people the what they're asking for?
00:39:32
Speaker
or to stay with the Mariners reference, we need our big dumper. we We don't have, um we we don't have a big dumper. We don't have that guy that's just going to be exciting. That's going to just hit home runs.
00:39:42
Speaker
And like you said, even they went out there and they got Josh Naylor and they got you in a Suarez. I mean, they would have had a good transfer window. The Sounders, they did some things in the, in the off season. And I'm not going to not give him credit for that. As we mentioned. And, and I, I like what Jesus is doing.
00:39:59
Speaker
I think that he's going to continue to get, uh, better and be more influential in this team with what they have, I really do think that they're going to create some problems.
00:40:09
Speaker
ah And don't allow the Puebla and the Minnesota games also like track you down from understanding that it doesn't matter who you are. Any team can be wrapped around in that sort of game that is just difficult to win. i thought that the Sounders against Puebla did it did well. I don't know if we're going to get into that. No, we'll do it. We'll we'll take a break and we'll come back and we'll we'll talk about that. well there you go but but But that's all in all I know. think you and I are both in the same page of we we wanted to get this out there. That that is a reality or at least i did. Let me not talk for you.
00:40:42
Speaker
I wanted to highlight the fact that we understand the problem and we see the concerns and we agree with a lot of them. Yeah, exactly.
00:40:53
Speaker
And I will say, i just got a text from the Sounders saying that Craig Weibel is going to be available on Sunday at the game. So we will hear from him before this gets too far down the road.
00:41:04
Speaker
Doesn't mean that any of this isn't any more relevant, any relevant as it is now, but we're going to take a break. We are going to talk about the game and we're going to talk about, look forward a little bit. You're listening to No Sardietes, part of the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network.
00:41:20
Speaker
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00:41:33
Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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00:42:47
Speaker
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00:43:05
Speaker
Hacks and Ferments is a proud sponsor of the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network. Welcome back to Nos Adietes. So we don't need to... we've We've done our bit on the summer transfer window.
00:43:18
Speaker
Let's talk a little bit more about the actual games. So the Sounders played Puebla on Wednesday. They advanced in a shootout.
00:43:30
Speaker
Uglier game. Maybe the ugliest game... I've seen the Sounders play at Lumen Field with the one exception. i don't know if you remember this back and I think it was 2011. They played a Panamanian club called San Francisco in the, uh, in a, in a, in a CONCACAF Champions League qualifier.
00:43:49
Speaker
And San Francisco was like a tiny, tiny club who had absolutely no interest at all in playing. They were rolling around. They were faking injuries. Nate Jaqua finally broke through in like the 110th minute or something like that. and the Sounders won.
00:44:01
Speaker
But aside from that, I don't know that I've seen a team that was so interested in just gumming up the game. They had no interest in playing. But you know what?
00:44:12
Speaker
Credit to Puebla. Absolutely. Because they no one's under their job is not to entertain the fans. Their job is to advance. This is a team that has had has been awful for two years, basically.
00:44:26
Speaker
They saw this as an opportunity to get into a League's Cup semifinal. It would have been a big deal for them. I don't begrudge them at all. But that was not a fun game to watch. that I mean, that was, like I said, just the centers had something like 80% of possession.
00:44:44
Speaker
I think Pueblo only took five shots. And they just were not at all. They didn't want to play. Yeah. And look, and people got caught up with the fact that they got more shots on on goal yeah than the Sounders.
00:44:57
Speaker
But that happens when you have eight players in the box. I mean, I think I counted a total of like six or seven blocked shots yeah for the Sounders in the 18. Like, right they're going towards goal.
00:45:10
Speaker
so Two things there. Yes, I think that you got to credit Puebla. La Rata Bravo did a great job at getting the guys ready to just push the game to PKs.
00:45:22
Speaker
And, you know, he mentioned that he did it in a certain specific kind of way, overpopulating the midfield, keeping the ah pivots at bay, utilizing the the spaces in between the pivots to just make it more
Disciplinary Issues and Goalkeeper Praise
00:45:35
Speaker
difficult for them to come in.
00:45:37
Speaker
But the reality was that it was just, let's bunker. And that's hard to beat. It don't matter how how you paint it and French it up, you bunker the whole and the game. And there they had some big center backs.
00:45:49
Speaker
I'm actually surprised that they have not been better defensively. like i think So what's funny is that Puebla, historian at least under their previous coach, ah had played a pretty expansive game. They wanted the ball. yes They wanted to pass. They wanted to do all that kind of stuff.
00:46:05
Speaker
And I was a little surprised just because I saw the personnel. And the personnel actually seemed to set up pretty well for but like playing the way that they did. And i don't know i like i'm not I don't know that much about Puebla, so I'm not going to speculate as to why any of this happened other than...
00:46:22
Speaker
they did a They played well. It was interim head coach, and he wanted to get a result. And which way do you do it? You give your team the best chance to get a win. And that was not giving Seattle any transition moments, any space.
00:46:36
Speaker
ah So that that's kind of what happened there. But you're right. that One of the biggest... um problems and criticisms to the last coach, Agueta, the Spaniard coach, was because he was too open. And, you know, it's kind of funny that we talk about, oh, they came here and they killed the game. and I know. That's not Puebla. And I used to be that guy. I used to be that guy before where, you know, i grew up watching Barcelona. I grew up watching a Colombian team in the 90s and loved to possess the ball.
00:47:01
Speaker
But there's a talent to being a defensive team and just bunkering down. And as much as everybody hates it, it's about winning. And they came in they they came me here and did that. Yeah, they they did.
00:47:12
Speaker
And they you know and i know a lot of people drew a lot of comparisons to the Minnesota United game. was very different. It was very different. Like Minnesota United bunkered some, but the Sounders generated a bunch of good chances against Minnesota. That was what was so frustrating to me about the Minnesota game was that the Sounders had opportunities to win that, and they didn't.
00:47:37
Speaker
They had four, five good looks. They had like maybe one. The only real good look they had in this whole game was Ferreira when the ball fell to him and he just kind of spun around and hit it first time and and went wide.
00:47:50
Speaker
But really, other than that, they did not have like any clean looks at goal. No. And they were very. very ah off of either a a a giveaway or it wasn't like they created they generated opportunities they were just kind of given opportunities and of course because of the way they were defending whenever they did get the ball they all tried to push really high and it was set pieces that were that was going to be the bread and butter that's what they were going to try to make a difference uh in seattle you know they they they they held them
00:48:24
Speaker
to, in my opinion, to to what we all expected. A couple of shots on goal, nothing crazy. The biggest problem for me was offensively. You're talking about the Minnesota game? ah No, the Puebla game. No, the mean Minnesota game was was very different because yeah of the way you know they handled their press and that that the way they handled. I mean, thought the Sounders played well against Minnets. They did. I will say. That was a better game. Yeah, Minnesota, like I thought the Sounders looked, like I had no real concerns after the Minnesota game other than sometimes that's going to happen. i did I actually thought their game plan was okay.
00:48:58
Speaker
But anyway, go ahead. the You're talking about Popola. No, but that's good though. So let's let's let let's make it very, and I do this, i'm I kind of put things together. So let let me separate it and clarify it. I thought that against Minnesota, the tactics were there.
00:49:12
Speaker
The finishing product wasn't. The execution lacked. and And part of it was just individual performances that were not up to what may be needed to break that game open.
00:49:25
Speaker
And against Puebla, it was the tactics were fine, but tactics were not the problem. The problem was that you just didn't have enough creativity to break that team down. and And that's where I want to go with it.
00:49:42
Speaker
I understand that the Sounders are missing some key players in Albert and and Jordan and Ryan. But whenever you have a situation like this one, I kind of wish that Brian was a little bit quicker on making those subs early.
00:49:58
Speaker
i agree. Making multiple subs. And maybe just trying out things where if you already knew that Danny Mussofsky was MIA the entire game and should have came off on play alone to me and and that Osase had issues with the similar ah block or attempt of filling up the spaces, think,
00:50:20
Speaker
i would I wish that there would have been a little bit of Jesus in there, or you would have done something different that wasn't so player for player. I take out Pedro, i I bring in Georgie. He just seemed very...
00:50:35
Speaker
one dimensional. Like, like I felt like but whenever you have that much possession of the ball, you got to do something different because Puebla was not adding on anything to you. I thought he was going to take a new one, bring in Reed.
00:50:46
Speaker
I thought that he was going to do something just different because you had so much possession of the ball, but none of it happened. And that, that was probably my only criticism regardless of how good Puebla defended.
00:50:58
Speaker
Yeah, I would agree with that. Um, Georgie for Pedro was a sort of uninspired change, especially it was like the 73rd minute or something. Great word.
00:51:09
Speaker
you had suggested at the time, if I remember correctly, why not move Jesus to the 10 and then... Jesus to the 9. so hey zeus Sorry, Jesus to the 9 and bring... Pedro in.
00:51:23
Speaker
Pedro in. the 10. And put Georgie in for Mussofsky. Correct. And then the other thing, because the other thing that was... I think we all saw, Masovsky was sort of like on tilt.
00:51:34
Speaker
He was very frustrated by the lack of calls. He clearly was visibly, you could just see it building up. He was not happy with the way the game was being called. And he, you know, whether or not he was right or wrong is beside the point.
00:51:50
Speaker
There was an explosion that was going to happen. And then, of course, it happened at the exact wrong time, right after he gets a yellow card. He then jumps up and gets in the in the referee's face. The referee was not good in this game. He was terrible.
00:52:03
Speaker
But every single time you bump a referee like that, you're going to get tossed. Yeah, it did. Like, there's no excuse for it. And it doesn't matter if he was good or bad. Danny Masofsky is a veteran player who needs to know better. And it's just beyond ridiculous that the Sounders have had now seven red cards in their last 16 games.
00:52:23
Speaker
It's unbelievable. And a lot of these cards, like too many of these, there's, you know, I think you I'm OK with. You can excuse John Bell going in for a tackle. Sometimes you miss it. You can excuse Ree Baker Whiting getting a second yellow card. You can excuse Kalani Kosaranzi getting a second yellow card.
00:52:40
Speaker
Those things happen. Part of the game. Part of the game. What I can't get... you know And I can almost excuse Georgie getting thrown out for... Doing something that he should have known but maybe forgot about. That's like a different category.
00:52:54
Speaker
But Nuhu twice getting sent off for doing something ah something dumb... ah And then Danny Masofsky doing something equally dumb. These are the kind of things they cannot do. Like, what are they like?
00:53:07
Speaker
and And what's so weird is that you would think maybe this is ah the the product of a frustrated team. They don't strike me as a team that's like frustrated internally. Like, it's I don't know why this is happening. ah I like to think is that they allow emotions to get the best of them.
00:53:23
Speaker
And that's something that you need to check. And I think Jenny did a good job today about asking Christian, does he as a captain or one of the captains on the field go and check in on those sort of situations? Because you do got ah you do go to watch it. Because I would even call you know one of the Reed Baker White and Reds what was done because of where he hid that...
00:53:42
Speaker
up that that specific foul on the field, but it's not something that is reactive to just an emotion moment. right And I feel that's where you got check the the team in general. and And that's part of leadership. And that's part of the coaching as well.
00:53:58
Speaker
That said, the Sounders did get through. Let's not forget. like they they you know What's funny is that they ah played the last almost 20 minutes, including stoppage time, down a man. They never looked like they were down a man. They were they still controlled the game for the most part.
00:54:13
Speaker
And then... they were they were very i mean They weren't perfect in penalties, ah but they were they overcame an early miss by Christian Roland. And I just want to say, if a player is going to miss hitting it like hitting the shit out of the ball off the inside of the post, almost like um' it's never you never want to miss a penalty. But if you're going to miss, at least like get your money's worth. And he got his money's worth.
00:54:36
Speaker
But then the next four players all converted. But the play of the game, maybe even more than the save that wins it, was Andrew Thomas saving the immediate penalty after Rildon's miss.
00:54:47
Speaker
Because the odds of winning change so much. if you were When you miss the first penalty, your odds of winning go down a lot. Like one study I was looking up said 80% your odds go down winning if you were the first team to miss.
00:55:03
Speaker
But those odds change immediately if you if the next team doesn't convert. And Andrew Thomas makes a ah really competent two-handed save, diving to his left. That was a huge – that, was to me, was the play of the of the shootout.
00:55:17
Speaker
No, I would almost give it to you if it wasn't for the the mind gains and the ability and just understanding of what it takes to make a guy – fear you yeah the way that Andrew Thomas did. The way that he was hyping up the crowd, the way that he's telling people, it's over, I'm gonna stop this.
00:55:43
Speaker
and and And the guy knowingly telling you, I mean, he put it all on him. yeah The guy probably saw the, the entirety of the gold three inches tall after that. Oh, I know. And then he makes a save and he just stands there like a monster. Like nothing. Like it was that like you did he in the sitting in his cover just vest and all chain and all. I mean, it was beautiful, man. ah Look, Andrew Thomas was phenomenal. And we've all known that he's a penalty specialist. And I think that's what eventually he's going to – I mean, we all know he's going to get the job at some point. but
00:56:20
Speaker
But that sort of performance is what a lot of times you're like, man, this guy is ready for the big time. Because that's a big time thing to do with everything on the line. Everything was on the line because League's Cup is – That's a huge thing.
00:56:33
Speaker
it's It would have been a massive, massive failure and embarrassment if they had lost that game. It doesn't matter if you lose it in penalties or you lose it to zero. It was going to be. ah disaster.
00:56:46
Speaker
And for him to act like, no, I got, no, no, we're good. I got this. That was like Obama the night before the 20, what was it? The 2012 election when he was just like, no, we got this. yeah It was like, like, like confidence was just off the, ah like out of, out of this world.
00:57:02
Speaker
And you know, one of the things I loved about that save, you watch it. He does not move until the last minute. He gives absolutely nothing away.
00:57:13
Speaker
And he and it wasn't a great penalty take, but it wasn't a bad it wasn't bad. No, no, wasn't terrible. No, it was never that wasn't terrible. And he just he makes it look so easy. And honestly, the way he reacted, I thought he was i thought they were calling him off the line or something because he didn't move.
00:57:28
Speaker
He was just like he just posed. Exactly. He was. There was no big celebration. And I was a little worried. And then everyone started mobbing him. and i'm like, oh, OK, I guess that was good. But ah it was it was a huge performance by Andrew Thomas.
00:57:41
Speaker
You know, and I thought he, you know, he's he's playing it so cool, too, because like, you know, after the game that we're talking to him and he's like, no, Steph's the starter. I'm trying to make his job harder. know, I'm just trying to fight. He's trying to fight me off. That's how that's how this should be. We support each other. He's not out there undermining anyone campaigning. He's just doing his job. And, ah you know, it's great to see like that that that's the kind of story that I want to.
00:58:07
Speaker
get excited about. And, and then you have like a transfer one where nothing happens and you're right back to talking about stuff you don't want to talk about. yeah And that's another, maybe we didn't talk about that enough too.
00:58:17
Speaker
but You don't only have a foundation of an Academy players, but you have Tom Dutra just developing goalkeepers in his basement. Just, yeah you know, just copies. And it was great. It's fantastic.
Strategies and Player Evaluations
00:58:30
Speaker
So you don't got to go spend money on a Berkey or a Galasse or, you know, a, a, a,
00:58:37
Speaker
whoever you want to think about in terms of goalkeeper, Zach Steffen, you don't need to do that. So right that that that goes back to the- but but No, I think it's you're right. is that you're The Sounders are allowing themselves, they're giving themselves a chance by repeatedly developing players like Jackson Reagan, and Paul Rothrock, Snyder Brunel, Obed Vargas. You can go and go down the list of players who they developed in one way or another. And that's what's allowing them to stay competitive.
00:59:02
Speaker
But why not sprinkle in a little extra on top? Exactly. It almost makes it like is there's no excuse. If you don't got to spend anywhere else, then go spend that on the nine. Go go get you what you don't have. So yeah that's the crazy news. But what I will say is that I do not want to take – I've heard way too many comments of just not understanding how important that win was and how difficult that win was.
00:59:26
Speaker
It's very easy for a team to shut down after knowing they're the better team, knowing they're at home. It's 0-0.
00:59:34
Speaker
Teams under that sort of pressure crack. All the time. and the Sounders did not. yeah They continued to push. They continued to give themselves a chance. And then when it came to PKs, they balled out. So that's credit. Credit to the guys.
00:59:46
Speaker
Credit to absolutely everybody. There's things that could be done better. Absolutely. But to me, that was an emotional win that cements teams and that they create an impactful like wave across this team and we'll see what happens against Kansas city.
01:00:04
Speaker
I think that the big one is going to be LA. um And I have all of the confidence that the sounders with their current form are going to take that game.
01:00:15
Speaker
Yeah. I I'm, I'm very confident for the galaxy game. It'll be interesting to see what kind of lineup they roll out for Sunday against sporting Kansas city. I imagine they'll rotate some, but they might not rotate a lot. I mean, I will say one of the things that gets under discussed sometimes when we're getting all worked up about how little the minutes is that when they are a when they're possessing the ball a lot, they're not getting the same sort of ah wear and tear that they are when they're having to defend a lot.
01:00:42
Speaker
But also when you're playing all these games at home, You're not having to get on the air the plane and fly all over the country. That helps a lot, too. So i wouldn't be totally shocked if they have pretty light rotation on Sunday and then they do it again on Wednesday for a Galaxy, who probably will rest a lot of players for on their weekend game because they this is all they're playing for.
01:01:03
Speaker
This is this is like their season. Yeah, there isn't much as about Sporting Kansas City, specifically in the midfield, that make me feel like you need both of your pivots there.
01:01:15
Speaker
I would go either one or the other, yeah or I would take both out. So I thought that... If you were going to take oh who would you take out? If you were to... So you go Leyva Brunel? ah No, i would go I would go Christian and Leyva. I know that we probably want to arrest Christian because he's the guy that is the most physical guy out of it.
01:01:35
Speaker
But I saw a lot of mental exhaustion from from Obed, and he was getting hit a lot because he's good on the ball. He was getting hit a lot. He was taking a lot of abuse in the Pueblo game.
01:01:46
Speaker
I feel like Christian does the punishing. It was a great penalty, beautiful penalty. I feel like Christian is does the punishing, and he's still... You know, part of the physical wear tear. But Oban's getting punished out there. he but ah ah Somebody showed me a picture. or it was one of the Brazilian photographers showed picture of how they stepped on Oban's ankle. And that thing looks crazy.
01:02:07
Speaker
I mean, I would absolutely rest him. So if if anything, I would say. I'd be down with that. Yeah, we'll take Christian and Leyva and then maybe you take a Christian early if possible. Yeah. And then you go from there. But I would think that that's a big one for you to do.
01:02:22
Speaker
Obviously, I screwed up today. Danny Mossovsky is available, people. Again, Sporting Kansas City, i don't know what I was thinking and I asked Christian a dumb question. So... ah Danny obviously has got a lot of proof.
01:02:35
Speaker
He's got a yeah game to get out there and try to chip on his shoulder a little bit, you know, chip on his shoulder. So, you know, might be a good game for Costa Rienzi to get in. I mean, there's a few players I think that you could, especially because it's a home game against sporting Kansas city. Like you could, why not start Reed Baker Whiting? Why not start, uh,
01:02:54
Speaker
start Kalani. I would, uh, you know, you obviously, key he if he's available, why not start Kim Kihee, uh, Georgie, another good game. I think this iss a great opportunity to get Georgie on the fields.
01:03:05
Speaker
Uh, it's a good opportunity. you know, you probably have to play. He's like, I would, the only reason I would maybe, uh, not play. Hey, Seuss at the 10 is if, if you want to use leva, maybe at the 10,
01:03:17
Speaker
But either way, I think Leiva, I would really like to see Leiva starting this game, though. There's like i mean, there's the Sounders have a deep team. Like they have options. They have good options. ah And that's, you know, and I don't want to get, you know, lose sight of that. But this is a game like there's the Sounders need to win their home games. They do. This is a game that they should win.
01:03:38
Speaker
I like their chances. i would, I think it would be a lot. I mean, either way playing Orlando or Miami in the final, it's going to be at home. If they get there, that's a huge, idea if they, they'll also be at home for the third place game. If that's what they're in,
01:03:50
Speaker
ah it's funny um you know they they already started selling they already charged people that opted in on season tickets for these games and it's like uh and what i've been saying is it's either going to be a good you know like okay that's not a bad price to pay if you're if you're hosting miami if you're uh in the final but if you're playing like orlando in the third place game people are gonna be like fuck Yeah, yeah. I would still be interested in that game, of course.
01:04:17
Speaker
ah But we're MLS sickos. So, you know, of course. No, but i mean, it's like... my My son called me, by the way. He's like, Dad, if for some reason Seattle ah beats LA and Miami beats Orlando, like, I'm looking at tickets right now from Spokane here. It's like $200. And was like, I get it. they you You come at me. Tell me how you you're going to pay for that. But you if you get out here, I'll take you out to lunch. Oh, you're damn right. Absolutely.
01:04:42
Speaker
I said, you know what, you you get that going, you you get here, you know, might even get you a ticket into the stadium. But aside from that, man, get you here. But no, it's exciting, right, to think of it like that. um and And I think, that though, without losing sight of that the fact that you just mentioned that you got win your home games and you got to give yourself a chance to host some games in the playoffs, right?
01:05:05
Speaker
Yeah, no I mean, let's be real. like If they don't finish top four in the West, that's going to diminish their chances immensely in terms of getting to MLS Cup, which still is the goal. like that like just because That's still got to be the goal. you know And and you know I'm not going to sit here and say getting Albert Rusnak and Jordan Morris back is like a new signing because it's not. They were already on the team, ah and so it's not it's not really like a new signing, but it could help.
01:05:31
Speaker
Oh, absolutely. well It should help. ah But all that said, I think that I think we've covered it. Yeah, think we covered everything. I think that ah if I like to add anything was, you know, I've been amazed by how Stefan Fry has handled his whole situation.
01:05:47
Speaker
We had to talk to him this week. And just he's such a brilliant guy. He just his intellect is is amazing. The way he talks about things. I said it on Loving Scorchers, the postgame thing where he might be the most interest in the world. Like that that dude, he's just.
01:06:03
Speaker
I think that we don't know if he's going to continue on too far along, but I think that he's going to be okay whenever that happens. I love the fact that he's willing to be a supporter off the bench. yeah So if next year is going to be um Andrew, then, you know, I think that Steph will be a fantastic backup.
01:06:21
Speaker
So I just wanted to really praise him for how he's handled everything. He had a tough, tough goal that he gave up against Minnesota. um that he wishes he had back. yeah He told us, and we we talked about this, you and i where you know you get caught up in two minds where you want to go out there and get the ball, but you're kind of behind and should have stayed on the line.
01:06:42
Speaker
But he just admits it and he takes accountability. I just love everything about Stefan Fry and how he just carries himself. Absolutely. No. And, and, and looks like he's probably going to start against sporting Kansas city there. You know, I think there is like a legitimate goalkeeper controversy, but it's not, it's not going to get settled until after
Reflecting on Team Dynamics and Future Potential
01:06:58
Speaker
league's cup. I don't think, ah because I think he's going to, I think Schmetzer is going to rotate them as long as it, as long as he can justify rotating them.
01:07:05
Speaker
And then we'll we'll go from there. But yeah, for for me, Steph's job still like that's what if it's up to me, is Steph's job ah just because it's Steph and then and the leadership and everything he does. But I don't want to slight Andrew either. But I think for the rest of the year, I would stick to to to stay with Steph. But it's a great problem to have.
01:07:24
Speaker
And I really do think that it's going great. And now it doesn't mean that if Stephen Fry is having a great game and there's the playoffs and he's UNL AFC and he goes to PKs, then you can't bring Andrew in for the PKs because that's totally on the table.
01:07:39
Speaker
That is a thing in soccer where it is I got a guy, I'm going to sub him in. yeah It would be it every time that Andrew has one of these performances, it it makes you wonder, you know, I crunched the numbers a little bit. He's like he's saved our opponents are shooting like 54 percent against him in the he's had two shootouts for the Sounders.
01:07:59
Speaker
ah He also went last year in Louisville. i don't know if people remember that, but he made three saves. They missed another one. And then, of course, he converted the win the winning one. ah But opponents are shooting like 54% against him. ah Most teams shoot about 80% in shootouts.
01:08:12
Speaker
So, I mean, that's a that's a not insignificant difference. No, no, man. I'm telling you that you, you got to be different to be a shot stopper in penalty kicks. that's That's a trait that is in the DNA of goalkeepers. I swear to you yeah that that you are either you are or you aren't. And I've seen very...
01:08:29
Speaker
poor goalkeepers that are great at PKs and great goalkeepers that are maybe not exactly. So it is a thing, man. So I just think that that together they're going to be a problem in the playoffs. If he goes down to PKs. Absolutely.
01:08:41
Speaker
All right. Well, let's, let's call this a show. Nico Moreno, El Rolo NW on a blue sky. You're on soccer down here, lobbying scorchers, of course,
01:08:54
Speaker
It's always great having you, Nico. No, man, thank you. I was a little bit too wind up today, and i don't know if it's the extra caffeine today. Yeah, just pound and die Coase. Yeah, between that and like the Dayquil, I don't know. There's something that's probably a bad thing, but I just feel wind up. So everybody, hope you guys enjoyed the the show, and yeah, we'll see you guys around. all right.
01:09:14
Speaker
Well, you're listening to Nos Adietes on the Center of our Podcast Network, and we will catch you next time.
01:09:46
Speaker
I
Challenges Against LAFC
01:09:47
Speaker
expect the LAFC who is motivated ah to prove themselves at home, to prove to their fans that that they're capable of winning in this league. And it's up to us to really ruin the party.
01:10:02
Speaker
i feel a lot better than