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What We Learned This Week: Injury updates on a Roldan; Obed, Rothrock contract news and Minnesota preview
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Niko and Jeremiah cover quite a bit of ground in this episode of What We Learned This Week. With the playoffs looming they share injury updates on Alex Roldan, Yeimar, Ryan Kent and Pedro de la Vega. The guys offer what they know regarding contract talks for Obed Vargas and Paul Rothrock which may not be as much you had hoped for. All of this leads into a preview of the Minnesota United matchup and Niko shares his overall playoff bracket.
Follow Niko Moreno on BlueSky and YouTube.
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Transcript
Sounders Highlights and Podcast Introductions
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.
00:00:14
Speaker
Let's go. The Seattle Sounders have done it. MLS Cup winners. Here comes Ruiz Diaz through the middle to crown it for Seattle.
00:00:25
Speaker
The Sounders rule the region. see of
00:00:59
Speaker
you know what was the thought process in terms of who you decided it to use and who you didn't? Ever since I wrote a commentary that we didn't take the outcome 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.
Fan Interactions and Journalist Perspectives
00:01:41
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Sariotis on the Sounder Heart Podcast Network. I am Jeremiah Oshan. It is Friday. we aren't at Long Acres this time. This time we're doing it remote. The Sounders are off today because they're playing on Monday.
00:01:55
Speaker
But I am joined by Nico Moreno. Welcome back, Nico. Hey, what's going on, Jeremiah? Today with a little remote work, but you know, we we we had to, as always, get yeah ready for this show, make sure that ah the people ah get their information. I have heard some really good things. I was actually just at Starfire just recently,
00:02:19
Speaker
ah man I'm awful with last names, but Steven, shout to him. He says he does not miss a um What We Learned This Week episode. He listens to every Friday, always looks for him.
00:02:30
Speaker
ah So he was he was kind enough to buy me a coffee. um Out of sympathy, I will say, and I told him that, you know, I was fine. We don't need to talk about, you know, why he thought I was... ah in some sort of um emotional crisis because of the presser situation with with Brian. I told him that everything's fine.
00:02:51
Speaker
But he was kind of buying me a coffee. So he talked about He laughed. We talked about it. So shout out Steven. I'm sorry forget your last name. ah But good guy. So he listens to the show. that That's why we do it. It's for whoever it is that enjoys our our content. And of course, everybody follows J.O., but you know i'm um um I'm always humble when people say hello.
00:03:13
Speaker
I don't know. I will say the the last couple times I've walked around Lumen with ah but Noah, I'm getting like, I can't believe he's everyone recognizes this guy. he's He's starting to take my bit Oh, yeah. No, no, no, no, no is a big deal. You know, he he does all the the the the fashion stuff. He's over there with the cool glasses and the cool haircut. Yeah, no, I know. He's out there.
00:03:35
Speaker
I know. Well, ah you know, we may as well talk about this. yeah I know you addressed it on Lobby Scorchers, but I think maybe i have a different perspective on it that I think you probably share with the whole the presser with Brian, where I think it's what it's maybe important to share with people.
00:03:54
Speaker
we don't take this stuff personally. Like Brian is allowed to react. However reacts, you had a nice ah conversation with him after and don't we don't have to get into the particulars of that, but I think it's important to know that we don't tend to take, we, we don't take that stuff personally and whether or not like Brian was in tight, you know, whatever he was in the right or not, that's not the point. It's that he reacted and I think in the end, you guys came to a better understanding either way of the the the point of the question.
00:04:30
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. And ah that is actually, it's it's a great thing that you bring it up because you're right. I mean, people need to know that it's obviously something that ah most journalists should be ready for. And, you know, I've been doing this for enough time where I've got into it with Bruce Rina, just responded oddly and Kayla Porter.
00:04:50
Speaker
And of course, Robbie Keane had... A big one on me one time. And yeah, obviously, Brian Smetzer. And, you know, I've heard both comments. I've i've heard some comments that are negative and and and that's totally fine. People, if you don't like my questions or you think that I'm not articulate enough or.
00:05:07
Speaker
that I shouldn't be doing this job, then that's totally fine. and And if you have reached out and said, you know, I really understand and I hope that Brian has apologized, there's no apology needed on either side, right? I totally understand where he was coming from.
00:05:20
Speaker
i had hoped that he'd understand where we I was coming from. so we had to get a good conversation, you know, no apologies needed, but just finding some particulars and and understanding of what it is that we do.
00:05:31
Speaker
So, yeah, it it definitely was one of those things where I can absolutely understand where I could have done better and in my phrasing and in certain things. And I kind of went over that in love and scorcher. Sometimes when ah we try really hard, at at least at that particular time, I was trying really hard to be empathetic of the situation. i think I made it worse by convoluting the question a little bit.
00:05:54
Speaker
ah But no, it obviously is something that um we don't take personally. And we're gonna I'm going to continue to approach the ah media aspect of what I do and and but the journalistic part of the work that I do ah in the exact same way, which is I'm going to be real. i don't I don't want to be a bit of, you know, I don't want to be like the anti, you know, sounder. i don't want to be the pro sounder.
Player Health and Training Updates
00:06:19
Speaker
just want to be real and ask the questions that I think need to be asked. And that's what's going to continue to happen.
00:06:25
Speaker
And I think one of the things that's important to remember is that, you know, we both take our jobs seriously. And it's not our job to just ask questions that people want to be asked.
00:06:36
Speaker
Like sometimes we have to and ask questions that are awkward. And sometimes, in your like in your case, the whole point of your question was so that give Brian the opportunity to explain to fans why he he thought it was important to play Pedro, which you and I beforehand both knew was going to happen and we supported happening.
00:06:56
Speaker
So whether or not we were second guessing him is secondary, but we weren't even second guessing him. And the point is that we sometimes have to ask questions that they don't want to get into. Cause that's part of what our job is, is to get information. If it was just a situation where we were expected just be, uh,
00:07:17
Speaker
ah ah spokespeople for the organization, they wouldn't need us. They could just put out YouTube videos and they can answer, they could have their own staff ask the questions. But the the whole thing that we bring is that we are at times having to bring up stuff that they don't want to talk about.
00:07:34
Speaker
And sometimes they don't like it and that's okay. And we don't have to, we don't take we don't take that personally and hopefully they don't either. And that's how this whole thing works. Yeah, and a lot of times, you know, people...
00:07:47
Speaker
um tend to not understand why we asked that question. I mean, wanted Brian to have a statement on the reasoning of of him playing. I wasn't trying to question it, as you just mentioned, but you and I knew the reason, but i felt a little bit odd when even prior to the presser, ah you know, I'm the one kind of saying, well, these are the reasons why Pedro was was in there and why it was worth him playing this game.
00:08:14
Speaker
ah what you guys are calling a Middle East game or a low state game. And I just wanted him to have a statement. So but we just got to ask the question. So there is an on record response to a certain question. If it it might sound redundant or too obvious, ah then it doesn't matter. We cannot assume. And I learned that from you, Jeremiah, we cannot assume what that answer is going to be. He has to be able to give it, have it on record for multiple purposes. So that's kind of why you ask it. But and to To go back to the whole point of this is that...
00:08:45
Speaker
um Obviously, we'll turn the page. I'm going to continue to be me, the journalist. And Brian's going to continue be Brian. Brian is not going to change his ways at all. You know, he's always going to respond a certain way. And he's always going to, you know, take some things good, some things bad. He's human being, just plain and normal.
00:09:05
Speaker
And then when it comes to, obviously, um my learning experience, it will be clearly ah maybe possible. slowing it down a little bit more, being a little bit more clear and getting those questions asked the right way.
00:09:20
Speaker
And i'll in case people are totally confused and they have no idea what I'm talking about, I would just refer you to the post-game press conference from the New York City FC match. Basically, Nico asked Brian why he felt it was important for Pedro to play in the game.
00:09:35
Speaker
Pedro, of course, ended up getting hurt and, and we don't need to get into anything beyond there, but that's the premise for what we're talking about. If you really are interested in the particulars, I would urge you to go watch the video and then whatever, I guess I could have, you know, if I was good at my job, I would have prefaced this entire conversation with that information, but now you have it. So ah we can move on.
00:09:57
Speaker
and So this has been an interesting week in training in part because it's not a normal schedule. I actually wasn't there yesterday. Brian ah somewhat surprisingly talked to the media after training on Thursday. He doesn't usually talk on Thursday unless there's like a, unless they're leaving town on Friday and, or on Thursday even, but the Sounders are actually he's going to be here until Sunday. So I figured he would just talk on, on Sunday, but maybe this made more sense for whatever reason.
00:10:26
Speaker
But we did learn a few things, ah and I'll let you get into that. But we, you know, ah it sounds like Alex Roldan has been in and out of training this week because this hip issue that he first experienced a few weeks ago hasn't entirely gone away.
00:10:42
Speaker
On the positive side, Yamar is 100% into practice. I actually wouldn't be surprised at this point if he was going to play 90 minutes. What's your take on sort of the various ah injury levels that the Sounders are dealing with right now?
00:10:55
Speaker
ah Yes, I think that um reading in between the lines and, you know, I've been there right at the start of practice and be very ah vigilant of Alex Rodin's body language and seeing where he's at. And for all accounts, I think that he's also a player that,
00:11:18
Speaker
is ready to start that he definitely is dealing with something and he's working his way through it. So he has been, I would call him a partial participant in practice. He's done some things off to the side.
00:11:31
Speaker
He's joined in both scrimmages and, um,
00:11:36
Speaker
minimized yeah drills when it comes to, you know, the 7v7s or 6v6s and things that they do, particularly for on-the-ball type of workout.
00:11:47
Speaker
So I think that he is, an and knowing Alex Rodin, guy that is more than willing to put his body on the line, um he looks fit enough to start this game. There's probably going to be a close eye on him throughout the the game.
00:12:04
Speaker
And then Yemar Gomez-Andrade is 100% on. ah He looks fit for 90. ah He, without a doubt, is a guy that, even for the New York City game, ah looked like he was available for that one. But I think that ah the coaching staff did a good job at holding him back in that one and saying, hey,
00:12:26
Speaker
You're going to get a whole week of rest more, be able to get that, that hamstring more comfortable. ah He did some works on the side um to kind of assess the injuries. Kind of what I get out of it is some sprints, some, you know, high knee workout and things like that. Just kind of just exactly testing the injury, making sure that he was fine. And it looks like he passed with flying colors. So ah for, uh,
00:12:54
Speaker
As much as I know so far, and hearing Brian Spencer say he's 100%, I think that he's ready for 90. And Alex, I think he's also good enough to be available, even to start.
00:13:06
Speaker
But my guess is that there's going to be a close eye on on him just in case there is ah more pain or or discomfort in that hip area. and
Injury Support and Team Dynamics
00:13:16
Speaker
And that's also, what we found out why he came out early on Saturday, which I guess was around the 70th minute or so, if I remember correctly. And he was replaced by Kalani Kosarianzi. And this is a situation where it's it's really nice to have a player like Kosarianzi who has all these minutes.
00:13:31
Speaker
They even have, you know, Reed Baker Whiting will be available as well. This is actually, you know, the Pedro De La Vega injury aside... This is probably the healthiest the Sounders have been all season, which frankly is exactly the situation you want to be in going into the the playoffs. And it's, you know, it's an interesting thing because what the New York City match showed us was that the Sounders weren't going all in on that game. And I think that that's understandable.
00:14:00
Speaker
They, you know, they held back Yamar. They held back Christian. They held held back Obed. who all just we're coming off of heavy or Christian and Obed were coming off heavy minutes in international duty.
00:14:12
Speaker
But they did play Pedro, which I think illustrates two things. One, they were very cognizant of wanting to get that attacking quartet together because that the the the quartet of Pedro, Jesus, Albert, and Jordan have barely played together at all.
00:14:29
Speaker
And if they feel like that's their best attacking group, they needed to get them on the field together But I think it also shows that medically, he was fully cleared to play. Like there was no question that whether the tendonitis, like I've heard some speculation that the tendonitis was related to this injury.
00:14:46
Speaker
And, you know, i'm not ah I'm not a medical expert, but I've never heard, I don't know what those two things would have to do with one another. i certainly don't think the tendonitis was actually some sort of undiagnosed fracture in his knee.
00:15:02
Speaker
That is correct. And I've actually reached out to, um I don't know if he gives me permission. So a doctor of a specific Colombian club that has worked on several and MLS players' rehab.
00:15:18
Speaker
And he mentioned the exact same thing. That is not correlated um unless that tendinitis has been misdiagnosed, which for all accounts, that's not correct.
00:15:28
Speaker
I mean, he's been in happening and monitoring for a long time. Exactly. I think they've been pretty um you said monitoring. I think they've been keeping a pretty close watch on that knee to misdiagnosed anything.
00:15:40
Speaker
So, yeah, ah obviously something that that happens. That's why I mentioned that. I think it's. It's ah it's unfair to. make Brian responsible for playing the the player in that particular time, regardless of what anyone may say about the field conditions or the low stakes of the game.
00:16:01
Speaker
i think that if that was going to happen, it would have happened at any time. And I said this on lot of Scorchers on Monday. And the reality is, is that, Right now, you're able to plan for it. Right now, you're able to plan for the playoffs without Pedro de la Vega.
00:16:16
Speaker
Had it happened during game one or game two of a Minnesota game, that working would have been more alarming, would have been a lot worse because you are unable to really prepare for that situation. So right now, you're able to do it.
00:16:28
Speaker
Obviously, our thoughts are completely with Pedro de la Vega. I'm hearing that he is doing much better than he was initially ah mentally, right? I mean, this is a guy that was distraught at the...
00:16:40
Speaker
entire thing. We talked to Jordan. ah Jordan's been texted him. He's told him that he's going to come back stronger than ever. Obed has reached out to him. JP has. I mean, the whole team is kind of surrounding Pedro La Vega during this difficult time.
00:16:55
Speaker
And I think that's important because as you heard everyone say, Pedro de la Vega is just a nice guy, like a really sweet, like, i don't want to, you know, you know, like damage his streak right on the field, but the guy, he's just a sweet guy. Like that the guy, he's fierce on the field, but when he's out of it, he's just such a caring person and that is just difficult to to watch him go through this. So obviously we, we wish him nothing by the best ah for all, all I know. And I think Brian mentioned this,
00:17:28
Speaker
This is best case scenario. I mean, when he was grabbing that knee, I thought it was an ACL. I thought it was the exact same ACL that he ah damaged ah and got worked on when he was at LaNuse. That's not the case. The recuperation time is shorter.
00:17:42
Speaker
It's a lot more straightforward to handle. It's not as tricky as an ACL. So um just wish him the best. And it sounds like he might be back as soon as March, April. Like he's going to miss some time next year, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's actually able to participate in preseason.
00:18:01
Speaker
If he's able to do a lot, he want he's not going to be full in preseason, but he should be able to do some work with the team. He'll I'm sure he will travel with the team. He's going to be involved in the team. This is not a situation where, you know, there's any contemplation of him missing all of next year, which is.
00:18:17
Speaker
and frankly, what the concern was if he if he did his ACL. like the there was you know Is he goingnna and he going to play again? I don't think those are the conversations that they're having right now, which is good. i I guess, and this comes at the same time, the positive like the positive part of this is, not the positive part of this, but it works out that Ryan Kent is getting very close to returning,
00:18:40
Speaker
I don't know if there was an update yesterday, but on earlier in the week, and Brian basically said he's all all in at training. We're not sure if he's going to be available for game one, but he'll certainly be available for game two.
00:18:52
Speaker
And he's looked really sharp in training from what I've seen. ah Was there any new update on that? I believe he reiterated what you just said is that it's too soon for game one, but certainly for beyond that game. And I think that is the the case. I have ah seen intensify.
00:19:11
Speaker
intensify is the amount of times he gets into soccer drills, like full-on soccer drills, even a scream it ah scrimmages, which that's kind of when you kind of figure out that the medical staff is starting to give you a little bit more room to... to have contact and to kick the ball at a certain level, pass the ball at a certain level, ah you know, explosive plays.
00:19:39
Speaker
ah And he has looked good. He has looked good. he There was a nice little battle between him and Georgie Minungu yesterday that kept going back and forth ah in a short-sighted game that they had. And it was both of them on the wings and it was back and forth.
00:19:54
Speaker
ah he He looks like a guy that obviously is aching at at getting back on the field. And, that you know, that's dangerous. I mean, dangerous as a player, right? I think that really motivates a player. It makes you just that much more willing to deal with things. But what I will say is that the team is not going to risk them. They're definitely going to continue to,
00:20:18
Speaker
Assess that injury and that, you know, it was it was a pretty severe tear that he had. And therefore, they're they're not going to just let him lose for no reason.
Playoff Strategies and Player Roles
00:20:29
Speaker
That's why I would preface it any sort of hope that he's more than likely going to be sub player.
00:20:40
Speaker
out of the bench that can potentially help you in a situational moment, then a guy that's going to obviously start. So the the expectation for me is that they can get him ready and fit and in game rhythm for, you know, a max of 30 minutes, let's say.
00:21:00
Speaker
Right. And, and frankly, they don't, they shouldn't need him to start. I mean, right now the way it sets up is you got Paul Rothrock on one side, you Jesus for on the other. And frankly, you have Georgie Manungu who is probably still ahead of him on the depth chart ah when it comes to players coming right off the bench.
00:21:16
Speaker
And so the Sounders are actually set up. reasonably well here. ah They don't need, they're not in, they don't need to do anything drastic. ah And, and that's with Pedro de la Vega being out, obviously is that the sounders still are in good shape, but I think speaks to sort of the, the work that Brian has been able to do to get multiple players up and ready to play.
00:21:36
Speaker
And, you know, the I think I'd, I think Pedro being out lowers the Sounders ceiling, but I still don't think it's out of the question that they could go on a ah real serious run here.
00:21:49
Speaker
No, man. I mean, I've been doing some long, long, long division about how I was going to put together my bracket and my predictions for moving forward. and And I think you're right. I think although the ceiling lowers, the Sounders are a team that is equipped with,
00:22:09
Speaker
to get far into this tournament. When you add the Bryant-Smetser factor of someone who knows how to coach this type of moments, this playoffs, ah when you talk about what you just mentioned, a collective group of players that can replicate bits and pieces of what Pedro could provide you with.
00:22:31
Speaker
ah When you have a team that Doesn't depend on one person necessarily, right? He, without a doubt, Pedro gives you something different. He's an X factor. He stretches defenses. He does things that he only he can do, but the goals, the volume of play, it comes from so many different places for the Sounders that if anyone's equipped to be able to not have one of their best players is the Sounders.
00:22:56
Speaker
So,
00:22:58
Speaker
Ironically enough, to the way we started this whole show and kind of the dynamic between me and Brian after the presser, I thought that he did such a good job and putting together that lineup for that New York City FC game, particularly because he left Obed and Christian home.
00:23:20
Speaker
And after talking to Obed this week, he He looked so refreshed and he literally said on the record that you don't know how much you need a break until you take a break.
00:23:35
Speaker
And ah that was just like, whoa, you know, Obed was clearly he got a heavy load on the Sounders. He's had a heavy load with the Mexican national team in all parts, right?
00:23:47
Speaker
Both the senior level and the U-20 level this year. the competitions for Cub World Cup, everything, all of the games, right? He told me this is the most game I've ever played in one year. Something that seems to be a recurring answer from quite a few of the Sounders players. So the fact that Brian was able to say, hey, stay home, chill out, disconnect,
00:24:08
Speaker
Look, Obed said, I got to hang out my family. I didn't come into the facility. i was able to just disconnect. and And he just seems like a guy that really needed that. And obviously Christian didn't quite say that. with didn't He didn't go so much into it. But I'm sure that with being the leader of minutes for all competitions this year, I think you mentioned last night that it was over 3,000 minutes.
00:24:32
Speaker
He was probably pretty happy. Almost 4,000. 3,600 minutes. Yeah, Christian has over 3,600 minutes. So he was absolutely happy to take a break. Yeah. ah Yeah. And an obit is also like around 3,200 minutes.
00:24:45
Speaker
ah These guys, and that's without even counting national team minutes. So both these guys have gotten in a lot of minutes and they were able to get a break off this last week. And I think just as important as them getting the week off is I think we were reminded that both Danny Leyva and Jao Paulo, Jao Paulo especially, can still do a job.
00:25:06
Speaker
And, you know, I think that it's tempting to sort of discount when Joe Pablo went down with that injury, I think it was very easy to just sort of turn the page and say, all right, well, we don't have him anymore. And we, you know, one of the things that we were sort of getting on to Craig about at the transfer window is, well, you got to at least get a number six backup. You got to bring, cause it didn't look like on paper that they had ah backup, but now you know and I don't know that Joe Paolo is going to be a 90-minute player at any point, but they probably won't need him to be one.
00:25:41
Speaker
and he can absolutely... Fill in when needed at this point. And, and, you know, that might be just a few minutes at the end of a game. It might be to close out a game. It might be any number of things, but the fact that both him and Danny Labo showed us twice that they can hold down that double pivot and not really lose a step.
00:26:00
Speaker
I thought was a huge development at the end of the season. Yeah, no. And look, I also think that he looked obviously watching the New York City of game a couple of times very closely.
00:26:12
Speaker
I feel like he could have gave you another 10 or 15 minutes in that particular game. Obviously he comes off because you have that substitution window that you needed to do take for Alex. um And, you know, obviously Snyder Brunel does bring fresh legs, ah but if you needed him to, I feel like he could have gone another 10, 15 minutes and,
00:26:32
Speaker
What I've learned this week is that he has progressively gotten so much stronger um physically, right? that That he's first you start to get fit. First, you start to get ready to to inform.
00:26:48
Speaker
You work on your conditioning. Then you're strengthening. And he just looks so much stronger. He had two goals yesterday, obviously in shorter sighted games. But from I'm thinking, you know,
00:27:02
Speaker
15, 20 yards where it was top bin, great shot on Andrew Thomas, who's a, we all know, a phenomenal shot stopper. And man, I was just impressed ah that he's gathering that sort of power ah right now. So he, I really do think that he's progressively getting better.
00:27:22
Speaker
stronger, fitter, better. and And that is a great sign for the Sounders to have that sort of depth. And, you know, we've praised Danny Leyva. I think Danny Leyva is a guy that has grown so much from the player that he was three, four years ago.
00:27:35
Speaker
And he looks like a guy that can, at one point, take the role from, uh, Obed Vargas, uh, when he does make that, that move, uh, to, to Europe. And maybe that might seem hyperbolic right now because, you know, a lot of people I think have still have this stigma, uh, but Danny Leyva maybe not being able to handle that role, but ah no, I, I think that he is ah without a doubt a guy that when he comes to his passing,
00:28:04
Speaker
ah the way he's increased his dynamism on the field, his his speed, his recovery, his defense, man, he he he just looks good. Yeah, i I'm at the point now where I feel totally okay with opening. If the Sounders were to move Obed in the summer or in the winter and start next year with Obed as sort of like the penciled in starter alongside Christian Roldan, I'd have no problem with that. Like, I don't necessarily think, in fact, I hope you you would get a serious look there because I don't know that you can just assume you're going to go out and find a better option unless you're going out and spending huge money, which they don't.
00:28:38
Speaker
it does not look like that they have a huge, they're they're not going to have an open DP spot. So, you know, at that point you're talking about, you know, something less than that. And i don't know, you can assume that you can just upgrade over Danny you might yeah they should probably bring someone else into the bowls for the position, but I'm i'm okay with, i'm I'm at the point out where I really like what I've seen from Danny and I hope he gets a ah long look.
00:29:01
Speaker
ah Are you hearing, what do you think that this, how does this impact JP's approach for next year? Cause I know, you know, after the injury, the assumption was like, whether or not he comes back this year,
00:29:13
Speaker
this is probably it for him and that he might move into coaching. Do you feel like that's still his mindset or do you think that's one of those things that's just been put aside?
Player Futures and Transfer Speculations
00:29:21
Speaker
We're going to deal with that in the off season. I think that's offensiveive it's a phenomenal question because I, I have just recently, ah you know, been able hear from sources here and there um,
00:29:37
Speaker
as his body continues to progress and get better and stronger, your mindset changes, right? Oh, I can still do this, right? Oh man, I forgot how good I was at this.
00:29:48
Speaker
ah So I think that there is... That is now in the shelf without a doubt. he There's no longer a thought process that I'm for sure going to retire and and coach next year.
00:30:00
Speaker
And current mentality is let's finish the season. Let's see where I'm at physically. And then we'll have a real conversation after that's all said and done. We all know that he has an option for next year.
00:30:12
Speaker
So... It's a club option. They have the right to exercise it or not. So I think that they'll have a real conversation with JP, see where he's at. um And I think that even if the Sounders don't pick that up, if he feels healthy enough, he might try to go somewhere else, even if it's, you know, yeah, even if it's, you know, around MLS, I don't, I don't know if he would go back to Brazil necessarily, but I think he would like to stay, you know, in the States. Yeah.
00:30:39
Speaker
Yeah, that's interesting. And while we're on the subject, are you hearing anything else about Obed Vargas? and what you know like he You did ask him about this the other day, right?
00:30:50
Speaker
Yeah, i asked him about, you know, the whole transfer mill, rumor mill about, you know, him having verbal contracts with teams. And he just laughed it off a little bit. And, you know, he, as anyone would, he's like, well, i kind of hope that some of it is true, that the interest from Chelsea and Lisboa. Yeah, man. Yeah, hopefully that's that's true. But I'm definitely not talking to nobody, right? I mean, he made that very clear. He said he found it funny.
00:31:14
Speaker
He said he made him chuckle or laugh ah when when he would hear these things from, you know, pretty people. um recognized reporters. And he absolutely um he absolutely understands that, you know, a year ago we were talking about rumors from Monterrey and America and, you know, some pretty, you know, teams around here.
00:31:39
Speaker
Now that has like amplified to some of the best teams in in in Europe. So, you know, we'll see where that goes, but
00:31:48
Speaker
I still believe that he is on the path to sign an extension with the Sounders. um I don't think that that is completely there yet, but I do feel like there is a willingness specifically from him to want to just extend that contract and figure that out.
00:32:10
Speaker
You know, you and I have both mentioned that he's clearly under contract through the end of next year and Although he can have a pre-contract in six months after that, which would be in the summer window.
00:32:22
Speaker
and I think he can talk at the beginning of the year with teams um or at least have conversations within a year of the end of his contract. um I do believe that he's going to essentially get an extension with the team and then take his time to make the right move to Europe.
00:32:42
Speaker
Yeah, that's I mean, I suppose that's a that's that classifies as a positive development in that i it does not quite seem i still don't have a great sense of the paul the status of Paul Rothrock's contract.
00:32:55
Speaker
I would imagine at this point, everyone is moving into we're going to play this out and see where it goes, because if he goes off in the playoffs, he's his market value is just going to be higher. That's the reality of it.
00:33:10
Speaker
And the Sounders, it sounds like though what's happened right now, ah best I can tell, is that the two camps have sort of gone to their separate sides and they've said, this is what we're offering. And this is what, we you know, Paul's side has said, this is what we're asking for.
00:33:25
Speaker
The Sounders have said, this is what we're offering. And if we, you know, we'll revisit this, I suppose, in the off season. But right now, the way it looks is that there probably won't be a deal made before the end of the season.
00:33:38
Speaker
And he is going to go into free agency. Maybe he comes back, maybe he doesn't, but it also seems like Ryan Kent is a very viable fallback option. If things don't work out and maybe not at the number that Ryan Kent is at right now, probably at a lower number, but that's sort of seems to be the situation. Is that kind of what you're hearing as well?
00:33:59
Speaker
That is exactly what I'm hearing. And actually, i think that with this Pedro De La Vega injury, you might think, well, you know, that might help the case.
00:34:09
Speaker
But I really, as a guy who really enjoys Paul Rothrock and... Sounder Paul Rothrock, because I want to make that very clear. I think that right now he's in a system, he's in a community, in a place where he can absolutely excel and continue to play well, which is not a guarantee if you leave the team.
00:34:28
Speaker
So as somebody who really enjoys him as a person, as an athlete, I am afraid that he's going to play himself out of the reach of the Sounders.
00:34:39
Speaker
And let me just try to explain that. If he goes out here in the playoffs, has a couple of goals, a couple of great moments, some assists, some of that primetime poly type of games, he's only going to want to keep that number that that he's currently trying to get out of the team there or or higher. I mean, I don't know. And you and I know that the Sounders have a very clear line of how much they're willing to pay for Paul Rothrock, regardless of how good he could be.
00:35:11
Speaker
So to me, this situation might just make it harder because you would understand Paul for saying, look, look what I just did for you guys. So I, Right. It's either this number or I'm out.
00:35:22
Speaker
And right the Sounders might be forced to just say, look we we love to have you back, but we just can't do it. Right. Yeah. I mean, I think, and that's, that's a, a reality that I think we at least need to be prepared for as happening, even if it's not what any of us would prefer.
00:35:38
Speaker
And, you know, I can't really blame Rothrock. This is, this is the reality is that this is probably his best chance to get paid in his career. And he, you know, and I don't know how far apart the two sides are. I get this feeling it's not particularly close or else they would just kind of figure out a way to bridge that gap.
00:35:58
Speaker
I think they are close. Yeah, I think they're probably close to like three or $400,000 apart. And and that gets to be a hard gap to to close. And we'll see what happens.
00:36:10
Speaker
Hopefully there is some some workable range in there, but we'll see, you know, ah if Paul wants to test his. and himself on the free agency. i I support that. I don't, I can't blame him.
Team Morale and Playoff Motivation
00:36:22
Speaker
ah You know, the, the reality is the sounders got him at a way, way, way below market value. And he bet on himself. And this is, you know, this is the spoils. When you bet on yourself, you get to actually collect sometimes. So ah anyway, ah any other questions,
00:36:38
Speaker
outstanding issues as we go. You know, it's it's too bad that this, some of this stuff is hanging over, but I don't get the sense that it's a distraction. ah That's which I think speaks to the, the environment that the Sounders have created. You know, I was listening to, I heard one podcast say that it's going to be devastating for the Sounders to lose Pedro de la Vega.
00:36:57
Speaker
I don't get that sense, at least from an emotional standpoint, everyone feels really bad for Pedro. But at this point, they've dealt with so many injuries. I don't think an injury to Pedro de la Vega is going to like shake the club up in any meaningful way. like He's going to be missed.
00:37:13
Speaker
Everyone feels bad for him. But there's not this woe is us type of atmosphere. Similarly, you know there's a lot of situations. We're seeing one. Well, maybe this is a little different. But you know there's a lot of situations where a Paul Rothrock contract situation could become a distraction.
00:37:29
Speaker
but I don't get the sense that anyone's really, i don't get the sense Paul's even really worried about like he's, he's aware of it and he's handling it. And i actually thought I really respected how articulate he was in talking about it.
00:37:42
Speaker
When we asked, when he was asked about it after the the ah RSL game. And he basically said, look, this is, it's It's tough to be playing with this over your head, but I've worked through it. I i appreciate the coaches helping me work through it.
00:37:55
Speaker
And it seems like it's not being a distraction. And I just think that the Sounders, that's another reason I think I'm really bullish about their potential is because they have fostered a locker room that they can have disagreements.
00:38:09
Speaker
You know, it's it's funny. I was just thinking about this the other day. You know, they had this situation right before the Club World Cup where the players had this on-field protest and it and it had and you know Adrian yells at the players and we had this whole thing about it.
00:38:23
Speaker
And it felt like that was maybe going to be this huge distraction that derails the whole season. Turns out it was like a two-week thing and then it was over and everyone got on with their life and they moved on.
00:38:34
Speaker
And it has like we barely even thought about it since then. No, I absolutely agree. And I think that there are even... individual motivating factors that impulse what you just mentioned. I mean, if we look around this team and and I kind of asked Jordan Morris about, you know, whether or not this team feels a little bit like it could go on a run in a similar way that the 2019 team did where everybody was talking about LAFC and Carlos Vela and that incredible team. And even when they got to that final, nobody really gave him a shot.
00:39:12
Speaker
And he even talked about the 2016 team and the way kind of they they walked into that um specific playoff. And then they just, they were cemented as a team and and they went through everything.
00:39:23
Speaker
ah But to me, when I look around this team, there are so many individual reasons why, they're going to play with a chip on their shoulder that he makes it dangerous. So you just talked about Paul Rothrock.
00:39:36
Speaker
Paul Rothrock's taking this whole negotiation the right way, which is, look, I'm on a lock-in, and if I want to prove that I'm worth this, I got to play the best. I got to be out there and just...
00:39:48
Speaker
put in just pain on a defense, right? So that's the way he's going to play. Jordan Morris is a guy that just told us that, look, he's focused on just getting ready, continue to score, and maybe at some point getting it himself back into the talks of the UN Spence national team. So he's motivated.
00:40:05
Speaker
Albert Rusnak has played motivated all season. This is as dynamic and, and ah i don't know, like, so there's almost a ah role of sacrifice that he's doing on the field that I wasn't accustomed to when he came to Alburo Reznik. Always been a good good player, always technical, always a guy that can perform and hit the stat sheet.
00:40:28
Speaker
But, you know, those other things about covering space and making certain runs, he he wasn't really doing it. This year he's doing it. Jesus Ferreira. he All the scrutiny that he has. he He's motivated to get into this playoffs and just – Tear it up and make a name for himself and and show everybody, whoever doubted him for his talents, show Dallas that he was worth being here. So there's so many individual components here.
00:40:57
Speaker
All the way to Ovid, right? and We don't need talk about why he'd be motivated or Christian, why he's motivated to make the U.S. National Team. It's everywhere. It's Stefan Fry on his maybe last run with his team or saying, hey, maybe it's not my last run. Maybe I could prove that i'm I still got it. I mean, everyone on that team is individually motivated.
00:41:18
Speaker
And that's what finally made me put him in the bracket, pass on Diego. So well we'll see if that works out. We'll see where that goes. But I do agree with you that there is something about this team that could ignite, turn into fire. and And, you know, maybe they go really far.
Playoff Matchup Previews and Sponsorships
00:41:37
Speaker
Yeah. And it is. It's interesting because all of these situations, you know, I look at an Albert where I don't, I don't know where that motivation is necessarily coming from other than himself. Like other than saying like, no, I, this is my standard that I'm holding myself to. There's no contract waiting out there. It's almost like he's proving that he doesn't need a contract.
00:42:01
Speaker
Like, I actually think he, he made a comment about that. I think he was being interviewed on uh, Zach Wani and Brad Evans podcast. And he he said something about how like everyone was saying it was, I was just playing for a contract and ah you know, I'm having another good year, which shows that it wasn't just, and I almost like that's ah like, that's a weird way to motivate yourself. Like that i don't need to be playing for a contract, but Hey, whatever it gets you going.
00:42:24
Speaker
But I would agree with you that Albert seems to be playing with a different level of sort of intensity and fire. and And it might be it something as simple as these guys like playing with each other. And they and and that that does seem like not to be fair you know too much of a ah booster or whatever, but it does seem like these guys enjoy one another's company.
00:42:45
Speaker
ah There is like the kind of internal fighting that you have. You just aren't seeing it. Like there were times where there was real like amps within the team. And I'm and obviously guys have, there are better friends with the other guys, but I don't get the sense that they are in these little clicks.
00:43:04
Speaker
You know, like I was hearing like the other day that Jesus plays ah like whatever, call it, whatever online game they're playing, but he's like playing with Stu Hawkins and he's playing with Snyder Brunel and he's playing with like, and it's like this bridge of,
00:43:17
Speaker
of generations, a bridge of, of backgrounds. It's like, there's not this like one common thing. It's not like it's Christian, Alex and Jordan hanging out from everybody else.
00:43:29
Speaker
And, and whatever, like, it just seems like everyone gets along and, and I don't know. i I like this. It's been a fun team to cover, I guess is what I'm saying in part because they, they, they seem to not be looking to stab each other in the back or, or ah you know, kind of come up with their own little narratives.
00:43:49
Speaker
Yeah, everybody seems on the same page. And even little things like... that little golf area they have by where we do the interviews and everybody just seems to try to golf into like a, i don't know, laundry bin. Yeah. Yeah. one all those dollars I think the team has done a really good job at, at doing that.
00:44:09
Speaker
Like All jokes aside, because there's been a lot of jokes made up about Steven Leinhart. I think that he's a guy that's really worked with a lot of this. He's worked with Jordan Morris, ah worked with Alex, worked with Paul Arriola with his whole injury, worked with Pedro De La Vega, right? I mean, he's a guy that has really brought a lot of that, i don't know, unity type of thing. He comes around and jokes with people and, Yeah, he's this heavy handed dude that even shakes Mad Winter huge body. You know, I mean, he he he just it just seems like there's a different vibe that's very positive around the clubhouse.
00:44:48
Speaker
Yeah. Well, you know, I think we should take a break here We're going to come back and we're going to get a little bit more into this playoff series. We're going to give some predictions and we'll break it down a little bit more. You're listening to Nos Arietes.
00:45:01
Speaker
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00:45:12
Speaker
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00:45:50
Speaker
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00:46:16
Speaker
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Speaker
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00:47:03
Speaker
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00:47:18
Speaker
Welcome back to Nos Audientes on the Sounder at Heart podcast network. All right, so let's dig into this. We have Minnesota United coming up on Monday. ah Game one is on Monday.
00:47:28
Speaker
Game two is the following Monday. And then a potential game three would be way out what, November 8th, something like that, on a Saturday. So, but let's dial dial in Look at Minnesota United. This is a team who was flirting with the top spot in the West for most of the year and then stumbled a bit in the last few weeks of the season.
00:47:50
Speaker
They were into the U S open cup semifinals. They lost at home, even though with a chance to host the the open cup, that would have been their first ever trophy there.
00:48:02
Speaker
Weirdly enough, they're, there's only three teams in MLS that have never won a trophy, San Diego, Minnesota, and one other. And I was shocked. St. Louis. Yeah, exactly.
00:48:14
Speaker
and And it's like, you would think that such a young, like there's all these new teams, but like, you know, the white caps have won ah Canadian championships. Montreal has won Canadian championships. i So there's all these teams where you're like, Oh, well, what did they ever win? And it's like, you know, Dallas one has won supporter shields, new England won a, um what was it called? The super league.
00:48:36
Speaker
So it's like, there's all these things are like, Oh, okay. I guess that's like, everyone has gotten their piece anyway. ah Minnesota is out there looking for their first trophy. And I think they probably believe that this could be it, but their struggles have not come out of nowhere. This is a team who never really wanted the ball. They set an MLS record for the least amount of possession over the course of the season. They're the first team to ever have less than 40% of possession throughout the year, which is crazy.
00:49:04
Speaker
ah But they're really good on set pieces. and but I think part of what happened down the stretch is a team started to get a little more wise to their game model, but also they, they transferred their most effective offensive player and Tony was shaky.
00:49:23
Speaker
And so they, and then they lost Calvin Yoboa who an injury right before, like at the same time. And so now they're sort of like,
00:49:33
Speaker
having to make do with guys at the number nine who are not like Robin Lloyd has been playing number nine a lot. What's your read on Minnesota United? I think you're absolutely right. I believe that a team that plays with such a small margin of errors because of the way they play, they're going to absorb a lot of pressure. They're going to be profile prolific defensively, and they're going to be effective on set pieces.
00:50:00
Speaker
Once you start losing some of the tools that were making that work, it it could become difficult to maintain that sort of success rate. So i think Tani was a guy that was...
00:50:13
Speaker
so important for what they did specifically on transition moments. Uh, Jabot was a guy that had been, ah on, on, on a thing. I want to say it was almost a month and a half ah of, of, of, of an injury.
00:50:26
Speaker
He's back. yeah He played 20 ish minutes against the LA galaxy looked good. So that's something that Seattle might have to deal with. Um,
00:50:37
Speaker
Clearly, this team depends a lot of what Joaquin Pereira does. Joaquin Pereira has been so good that he actually, just a couple hours ago, got a contract extension through 2028 with an option to 2029.
00:50:52
Speaker
He's had seven goals and 17 assists in one and a half years with Minnesota. He's been unbelievable. He's a guy that even Brian mentioned just yesterday because he's so good on set pieces this as well. So they are a team that has...
00:51:08
Speaker
and and and I think they would even admit this, they have dropped maybe a level or two to where they were at two, three months ago. ah So this is not the exact same team that beat Seattle twice.
00:51:21
Speaker
I mean, it's completely different the way they, they they have their defense set up right now in personnel, ah the way that they have their attack ah set up in personnel and just their lack of form.
00:51:33
Speaker
if If you look at the last games, this team has really struggled to do what it is that they do right, right. On set pieces on everything. So I think that Seattle's playing him at the right time, but I do not.
00:51:47
Speaker
I do not want to underestimate what this team can do in Minnesota. I asked Brian yesterday, look, you can only control controllables, but, you know, all those set pieces when you do have a lot of control of things, it seems like they still...
00:52:01
Speaker
are able to be effective there. And he said, look, the way we can control the controllables is not doing stupid fouls on top of the 18, keeping the ball within the the lines, right? Narrowing the field a little bit and not having and all of this... um opportunities for them to do long throw throw-ins on.
00:52:19
Speaker
So Brian is very aware of what he needs to do to limit this team. And they've also have been working on playing with two forwards, which is something that they've done seldomly throughout the season.
00:52:31
Speaker
It's not something that they always do, but that it might be necessary to break down a five-man back line when they are so deep. And instead of three, it is five guys back. They're just trying to get rid of the ball, trying to clear, trying to intercept.
00:52:45
Speaker
So, you know, do you see a moment where is Danny and Jordan up there? Or, you know, is it is it a Danny and Osase when Jordan has come off or something to that degree where, you know, whether it's a starting formation or a second half tactic, I believe that Seattle is doing the right things to be prepared for a good Minnesota team that, as I mentioned, has kind of lost a step or two.
00:53:14
Speaker
Right. And, you know, the, the, one of the things that Brian also mentioned in that conversation about going with two forwards is that there is, it's not as easy as like, well, you just put two forwards on there. It's like, you well, you got to take somebody off and where are you going to sacrifice that position? Are you going to pull off, you know, are you going to pull off a central midfielder? Are you going are you going to have, you know ah you know, like you can talk yourself into a situation where it makes sense to have a Christian and Albert out there together, but then,
00:53:42
Speaker
Does that mean you're pulling off Obed? youre Are you sacrificing a winger? You know, so there's all these, yeah there's all these things that you have to sort of like work out. And it's not, and so that's part of why i don't think we're going to see a two forward set at the beginning.
00:53:57
Speaker
but But like you said, it makes sense that if you, if you need, if you're chasing a goal, especially, you know, especially late, why not? Why not throw another body in there?
00:54:10
Speaker
And it's going to be really interesting to see how ah Minnesota handles the Yoboa situation. Cause like you said, he has come back, but is he ready to start? If he starts, they're probably going back to the, the five, two, three that they have essentially played the whole time.
00:54:25
Speaker
But if he doesn't, if he's not able to start, that probably means they're going into a four, four, two, which is what they've done the last two weeks. And with the way they've done that is they've had Pereira and, ah and Ludd as the two nominal strikers.
00:54:39
Speaker
And it's a very different look. And it's it would be very different than what the Sounders faced the last time they were there. And again, that's another reason why the Sounders don't want to overthink this with their formation is that you put out the the roster that you feel like gives you the best chance ah for what you want to do, not reacting to what Minnesota might do.
00:54:58
Speaker
Yeah, no, I totally agree. And, you know, I i was watching that LA Galaxy Minnesota game, um and i still think that regardless of whether, you know, Jaboa is 100% or not or ready for 45 or not, this team depends on the defense.
00:55:22
Speaker
And i don't know why I felt specifically in the LA Galaxy game, like there was just – Oddly or uncharacteristically gappy.
00:55:33
Speaker
ah And and there there was a lot of pockets in between the lines that they usually don't have. And I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was, but I think that because of injuries, they had to push Rosales up to
Underdog Potential and Playoff Success Factors
00:55:47
Speaker
play.
00:55:47
Speaker
more of a midfielder role, which he he does, and and he's done well. But Rosales, I thought, was a huge component of why the defense was so solid when he played that wingback position, ah rather than Marchnik, who's right now the guy that's running that role. So I think those little things, those little changes that have happened in Minnesota,
00:56:11
Speaker
are huge for a team that depends so much on their defensive presence and discipline. So that's why I feel cautiously, you know i don't want to get anybody too excited about it, but I feel confident that Seattle, even in game one, can go out there put this minute Minnesota of team on in, in distress, really pin him back and, and find a way to get Jordan into ah particular space and, and put the ball away or a mid range shot, which I think is going be one of the things that they're going to want to do a little bit more of to kind of push those center backs forward is the threat of a mid range shot.
00:56:53
Speaker
And Albert Rusnak has looked really good all week when he comes to his long distance and mid range shot. So, uh, there's going to have to be a lot of that. But I thought that Nacimiento and Pencil had a lot of room to run into in this particular game. So obviously they're going to change things up. They're going to be more ready and more on for this Sounders game, but they needed that game against the Galaxy. So that's where I kind of lay the line of, you know, I feel pretty comfortable saying that the Sounders, although underdogs in the odds, I feel like they, in my mind,
00:57:31
Speaker
should be able to get this result. And it's not, in here's and a funny little stat. Minnesota actually had a better away record than home record this year. ah Not, they weren't bad either place. They were exceptional on the road, frankly, they were ah eight, three and six on the road, ah but just eight, five and four at home. So this is, i mean, this is a really good opportunity, I think for the Sounders to get out and get off to a good start.
00:57:56
Speaker
I will say that, Dane St. Clair, if this goes to penalties, Dane St. Clair gives them pretty big advantage. He is ah having an amazing year.
00:58:06
Speaker
ah He saved two of the four penalties that he's, ah or he's only given up one of the two. Sorry. he's He's opposing teams are two for four against him. He saved one. There was a miss in the other one.
00:58:19
Speaker
But ah he's ah he's very good in penalties. I believe he won at least one, if not two shutouts or ah shootouts in last year's playoffs ah when they pulled the upset in the first round.
00:58:31
Speaker
ah He is a very good goalkeeper. i do not think getting to penalties is a good strategy for the Sounders. No, ah no, no.
00:58:41
Speaker
no And if it is, may I say that I am completely on board on saving one substitution to bring in Andrew Thomas. if And that's not due respect to Stephen Fry, but I would like, and I think Brian has daveled with the idea that if there was a a time to go to PKs, that he'd be a guy that jumps in. So that that that'd be interesting.
00:59:07
Speaker
ah But to your point, additionally to Sinclair, who I think by all accounts is everybody's goalkeeper of the year in MLS this year. Yeah. Michael Boxo is also another guy that was not part of the l LA Galaxy game and who is outstanding. he He's in my ah starting 11 for you know the MLS of all MLS.
00:59:27
Speaker
and So I think that he is without a doubt a guy that Not just does the defending and the physical part. He's so good in aerial duels, but he's the guy controlling traffic.
00:59:39
Speaker
He's the guy that probably prevents those gaps from opening. Very smart player. Had the chance to talk to when he was here with the Sounders. And he's a nose to the ground I'm going to work my head off type of defender.
00:59:54
Speaker
And that's another guy that I think you're going to have to keep on your bingo cart of why the Minnesota ah United team can create some challenges for the Sounders.
01:00:05
Speaker
Absolutely. And yeah, he, and just, uh, I looked this up. He did win two shut a shootouts in the first round upset of RSL last year. oh so, uh, anyway, he, he is a, he's a, he's a, this is a dangerous team. I don't want to get too wrapped up in overlooking them because they are, this is a good matchup.
01:00:23
Speaker
I think this is, I think that we're as confident as we are speaks to more how we feel about the Sounders than overlooking Minnesota. This is a team that is, uh, very capable of winning this. It would not be an upset in any way for Minnesota to win this.
01:00:38
Speaker
ah That said, I want to do a little exercise with you and look at, look ahead and basically ask you two different questions. And we'll start with this one. If the Sounders go on to MLS cup, why do you, what do you think they're going to be doing well that gets them or who do you think is going to be kind of driving that bus?
01:01:01
Speaker
Man, that is um a phenomenal question. um And I think by all accounts and with my confidence of the volume of play and the creativity and chances that this team can get,
01:01:18
Speaker
I would say that if this team goes on a on a run, it's because Jordan Morris is on a heater. Because Jordan Morris has found that that edge, that moment, that fire to just see clearly in the final third. And he's being composed and clinical.
01:01:37
Speaker
And he's getting to every single ball that Paul Rothrock puts in or Ferreira puts in. We've seen him get... so consistently into positions. And i we talked to him about that this this week. That was my question. I am right is with this system that gives you so many opportunities. I mean, it's, it's a striker's dream.
01:01:58
Speaker
So I believe that if Jordan Morris is spot on and can, know, find himself to be the striker that I think we all think he can be, that's a big reason why the Sounders would move on.
01:02:14
Speaker
From Minnesota, a team that drops deep, that's going absorb a lot of pressure, and that you need to be able to break down. And even against a team like San Diego, where if they're pressing high and they're pushing forward, obviously making the assumption that that's who you face next round, I think that Jordan Morris is a guy that's going to be able to break down a lot of teams. And with the lack of Pedro La Vega, of course, he's a guy that could really put some pressure on defenses and create a lot of opportunities for Seattle.
01:02:46
Speaker
Yeah. And i think that's a ah very good shout. i'll I'll add that I think that if there is a sort of potential X factor, that is someone who has not produced big numbers, but who I think is very capable of doing it is Jesus Ferreira. I still think has,
01:03:04
Speaker
but some real numbers in him. You know, he has been a player who I think has played better than if you just look at his counting stats, you're going to say, Oh, what's the big deal here? He, he hasn't really done that much, but if you actually watch the games and you look at the influence that he has, you He has been so good this year, ah much better than I think a different kind of player than I really thought that Sanders is going to be getting.
01:03:28
Speaker
And, and someone who I think has the potential to sort of step his game up a little bit and be a kind of an X factor for the Sounders. ah And then on the flip side, though, i want to ask you if the Sounders fall short, what do you think is what's the Achilles heel that, that you are going to be watching that you think has to be of some concern for them?
01:03:49
Speaker
Soft goals, ah just a defensive moment where they turn off. And this is something that has been a concern and it has been something that,
01:04:03
Speaker
Brian and his coaching staff have tried to eradicate, but they have not been able to, right? It's a small quick restart where players are on the wrong side of the ball. ah It's a a bad giveaway in the midfield or in the back line that creates an easy opportunity.
01:04:18
Speaker
So for me, it's just... soft goals. it and And it comes in so many potential ways. So ah for me, this Sounders team has to play with the intensity that they played that Leaks Cup with where they were on 90 minutes and there was intensity all around and they were never distracted or felt like the game was won and they were battling every single minute of every single game.
01:04:48
Speaker
So that's the key. That's the key. And that's what essentially, in my opinion, if the Sounders do not go through the first round or if they do not go through in the second round, it would have to do with a team that, because they have been so aggressive offensively, at times they do expose themselves and they allow themselves to be vulnerable in certain parts of the field.
01:05:14
Speaker
But it goes to the mentality mainly. It's not about the system. It's more about just easy moments where you're just not concentrated in the pass ahead, in the communication with the guy that's covering your space.
01:05:28
Speaker
All those things are what I think would be Seattle's Achilles heel in the playoffs. Yeah, I would agree with you there. And i I think one of the interesting contrasts is you look at last year and they did have, you you know, this penchant for giving up late goals has sort of been a thing that's been going on since last year.
01:05:46
Speaker
But it's very different. Last year, the goals that they gave up late were almost always the result of them being in a position where they were holding on for dear life and the dam finally broke at the end.
01:05:59
Speaker
On some level, you just, you know, there was an inevitability to the late goals that they allowed last year. They didn't allow a lot of goals, but the ones that they did, especially the ones that were late, were almost always coming when they were down a man or they were, ah you know, they just had had lost control of the game.
01:06:16
Speaker
What's been so frustrating this year is the late goals they've allowed oftentimes have come from like positions of strength, like in games where it seems like they have it all put together and they are pushing for a winner or whatever.
01:06:29
Speaker
And you can go back and you can look at the ah Galaxy game. You can look at the Austin game. You can look at the Atlanta game. ah You can even go back to the the first game of the season, the Charlotte at no point, all four of those games, they looked like they were absolutely in control for most of it.
01:06:46
Speaker
I think it's about the Austin game and they, if you had told me, 10 minutes left to go, which one, which team is more likely to find a winner for sure. I would have told you the sounders, they were all over them.
01:06:59
Speaker
And it's, and to your point, it's these lapses of concentration where it's just like, they almost convince themselves they've, they've got the game under control and and something happens and they lose it.
01:07:10
Speaker
ah You know, the galaxy, the goal they gave up to galaxy might be the single most frustrating goal that they've allowed all year because they're, they had no business not getting three points. getting And yet here they were at the end of that game, ah allowing ah just absolutely laughably easy chance for a team that had no business creating.
01:07:32
Speaker
ah So I'm with you. I think that ah if they, if they fall apart or sorry, if they, if they fall short, it's almost certainly going to be something like this. Yeah. And look, it's,
01:07:44
Speaker
It's a good indicator that against New York City FC, they give up an easy goal and one that you could absolutely put in in a template of the type of goals they've been given up this season because Paul Rothrock rushes to take a ah quick free kick that he has no business having to go quick on because you're up 1-0 and then drops it back.
01:08:12
Speaker
It makes it easy for the repress of New York City. That creates a moment for him and there's an equalizer, but then they're able to get it back. And then when they get that the goal back, then they...
01:08:24
Speaker
become a lot more patient on the ball. and And patience is one thing that this team at time lacks. And that's another thing that I think Ferreira does so well. if If there's a guy on the field that gives this team pause and and and composure is Ferreira. He's not going to go crazy forward. He's going to take a second, maybe drop the ball back. You'll ask for it back and then consider a better pass or switch the point of attack.
01:08:53
Speaker
And I think that's what Seattle needs to do is understand certain points of the game where it's better to control the ball and be patient with it than just to get forward and try to get a third goal.
01:09:05
Speaker
on a 2-1 scoreline and instead of going for the third, maybe just keeping possession to hold on to that 2-1. And, you know, it's it's funny because I think at some point they sort of convince themselves that, and i and this isn't wrong, but I do think that it speaks to the mentality, is that at some point they convince themselves that it's almost better to get that extra goal than it is to just control the game and and sort of choke out your opponent.
01:09:31
Speaker
And I appreciate the aggressiveness And it has worked at times, but I just think that maybe they need to be a little bit more confident in their ability to hold the lead rather than expand, ah you know, feel like they need to expand the lead, especially once you get past a certain point in the game.
Playoff Predictions and Episode Wrap-Up
01:09:46
Speaker
All right. So you have alluded to this a few times, and and I would feel like we'd be not doing, we'd be doing ourselves ah an in or our listeners an injustice if we didn't go through your bracket. ah You clearly have put some time and thought into assembling your bracket.
01:10:01
Speaker
Let's start on the in the West. Who do you got ah going through? and And if the Sounders are going to get to MLS Cup, what's the path look like? The path so far is Sounders and Vancouver, which so if you're looking at a bracket would allow you to see that I have obviously San Diego winning their first game, ah then facing the Sounders. The Sounders beat them.
01:10:25
Speaker
And on the other side of the bracket, Vancouver ah would win their first game, then face LAFC in what should be a phenomenal game. But there's something about Vancouver that I just think – puts him ahead me when he comes to the playoffs, because there's such a balanced team. As much as I know that the firepower is on the side of LAFC and those two monsters that are Buonga and son,
01:10:54
Speaker
The overall balance of that midfield that Kubas and Berhalter provide for Vancouver, the depth and circumstantial tools that they have bringing in a guy like Jaden Nelson, the, I think, electricity and amplifier that Thomas Mueller has been, the possibility that you get a guy like Whiteback at some point.
01:11:15
Speaker
And even if you don't, I think that they've been able to score. Blackman back at the start of the playoffs too. Yeah. Blackman as well. I just think that as this tournament progresses, they're going to get some pretty important pieces back. And even if those guys are not 100%, this team has been so consistent. they've only lost one game out of the last 10 in all competitions.
01:11:36
Speaker
I think but Jason ah ah Gasper. Oh, Jasper Sorensen? Jasper Sorensen. Jeez, I don't know where that went. Jasper Sorensen, who's a guy that I've been praising since... um CONCACAF Cup has been so good at getting these guys ready for the big moments that, you know, aside from that final that they had against Cruz Azul, uh, yeah, Cruz Azul, um,
01:12:07
Speaker
That's the only time where I felt like the team came short and they had a lot of absences, including Sebastian Barhalter, who didn't play that game. So for me, when it comes to the coaching, when it comes to the concepts, when it comes to the identity, when it comes to the the the depth and those um spark plugs coming off the bench and just the overall...
01:12:25
Speaker
collective play. I think Vancouver is the better team. And that's why I have them facing the Sounders at the Western conference final. And then the Sounders, unfortunately falling short to Vancouver and Vancouver goes to win the cup. That's what I have in my bracket.
01:12:40
Speaker
You know, I'll tell this, sign me ah If you can guarantee that the Sounders get to play at Vancouver in the conference finals, sign me up. I'll take my chances with that. I feel like that would be a lot of fun.
01:12:51
Speaker
It would be the highest profile meeting between the Sounders and Whitecaps in the long. And I always like to say this. The longest history in North American soccer is between the Whitecaps and Sounders.
01:13:02
Speaker
And it would be very nice to to get to see a conference final ah between those. Who do you have coming out of the East, though? ah In the East, I have...
01:13:14
Speaker
and And this is where i I kind of had my my issues was more in the East than in the West. We just seem much more clear. It seems more open. Yeah. Yeah. Because I, Philadelphia is a team that although the underlying numbers and the fact that they face certain teams hasn't quite been there was a team that I was really pushing for them getting to the final, but I ended up.
01:13:37
Speaker
simmering down on Cincinnati having too much talent and getting too many guys back. Arjano has been in practice already. Denke is a guy that should be ready, but i don't know if in this first game, but In the playoffs, he will be back.
01:13:54
Speaker
I think Brennan has done a phenomenal job. And the magic of Evander and and what this team can do, I feel like it's enough to get them through the um through the East. So those are the two teams that I kind of was titling with, but I ended up just sitting with Cincinnati. But but my East is very interesting because I got an Nashville beating...
01:14:14
Speaker
Inter-Miami and if Nashville kind of gets on the heater, they could also get pretty far. I do like that Nashville team. I like what BJ has done. i love that duel of Mugtar and Sam Surridge. So yeah, that but that's kind of what I have. I have Cincinnati facing Vancouver in the final and Vancouver getting the best out of Cincinnati.
01:14:33
Speaker
Wow. That would definitely be an interesting final. No question about that. Well, ah yeah, I think that the East is that the the general consensus seems to be around.
01:14:44
Speaker
There are five teams in the West who all look pretty good and and there are seven teams probably in the East who are, you could see them making a run, uh, but you've got almost chalk there with Cincinnati as the number two seed.
01:15:00
Speaker
And I got to say, there's a lot of reason to to like Cincinnati, uh, namely Evander and Kevin Dankey. They have a defense that, uh, looks like it's, it's an MLS cup worthy defense.
01:15:11
Speaker
Uh, i I am not, I would not be at all surprised to see Cincinnati put it together. i think the only thing that gives me pause about Cincinnati is that they've just not been able to sort of like put it all together this year even with all the talent that they have with all the most, it always feels like they are a little shy of, you know, being as good as the, some of their parts and, know,
01:15:33
Speaker
You know, we'll see. I like a lot of the talent there. of It should be an interesting playoffs. I'm actually really excited about this playoffs. I feel like there are, you know, like I said, there's probably 12 teams who I think all look pretty good on paper. And that's a, that's an exciting place to be because there's a lot of years where it's like, Oh, I don't know if I'd like any of these teams.
01:15:52
Speaker
Yeah. Look, and I almost go even more chalk. Cause again, the the other team that I had a hard time letting go of was Philadelphia. Cause again, they haven't beat the big teams in the East. Yeah. And I'm not so like concerned about them winning the Shield, but I really like Cornell as a coach. And I think that if there's someone that's going to make your life a living hell in a playoff game is Cornell, regardless of whether he was there with St. Louis with a much worse team, of course, or a lesser team.
01:16:21
Speaker
um But in this one, when I look at the pieces there for Philadelphia, They got the pieces of a winning team. You look at Gillespie's contender for Defender of the Year. You got Kai Wagner, same thing.
01:16:32
Speaker
and You got ah ah ah Andrew Blake. He's a guy that is a proven goalkeeper. um is a guy that's kind of revived his career this time around. He he couldn't find a goal when he first got there.
01:16:46
Speaker
Now he's kind of getting them. Ilosky is a guy that's a proven goal scorer. ah You still got Baribo, who was on a heater earlier this season.
01:16:56
Speaker
i like Jesus Bueno in the midfield. I think he's very underrated. So this team has some components. And I get, look, Sullivan to that, um i think his ACL was...
01:17:08
Speaker
bad for the team, but I still feel like they have a lot of components that can make them ah a good playoff team. But again, I'm sticking with this and Eddie. I did a lot of thinking and that's what I'm going to go ahead and stick with. Sounds good. Well, ah Nico, as always, it was a pleasure having you on what we learned this week.
01:17:25
Speaker
i think we have learned a lot of things this week. ah And other than that, we will probably be back on next. i don't think we have another show coming out before the game on Monday.
01:17:35
Speaker
So we'll probably just be doing a lots of recap after that. But of course, Follow sounder at heart. We'll, we'll have any late breaking news and, and preview content on there as well. With all that said, I am Jeremiah. shitn Oh, you know what I should also say?
01:17:49
Speaker
Follow Nico on blue sky, El Rolo NW. Make sure you're following a pool. So sports. They just have a great interview in there ah with Obed Vargas and, as well as most of the post-game, most of the post-practice interview sessions.
01:18:06
Speaker
Of course, listen to him on Loving Scorches. He and I just did an episode last night where we gave out the lobbies, I think they called them, ah yeah various awards. ah But with all that said, i am Jeremiah Oshan signing off for Nos Adietes, which is part of the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network.
01:18:24
Speaker
We will catch you next time.
01:18:55
Speaker
Let's go at Sounders. um