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Kickoff: Was That the REAL Seattle Sounders?
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It was an emphatic victory for the Seattle Sounders in Matchday 9. Coming off Saturday's 3-0 rout of Nashville SC, can the Rave Green put this type of performance together consistently, or was it a blip on the radar?
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Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Details
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or LobbingScorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:00:22
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be real scorcher today. What the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be a scorcher.
00:00:43
Speaker
Good morning, everybody. Welcome in to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. I'm Ari. That's Nico. And we've got a great show for you here this morning to kick off the week.
Seattle Sounders vs Nashville SC Analysis
00:00:56
Speaker
The vibes in Seattle Sounders land are much improved. after a 3-0 victory over Nashville SC at Lumen Field in Match Day 9. Nico, I'm dying to catch up with you about this game because i think it was pretty comfortably the best performance of the season for Seattle. They've had a couple other good ones.
00:01:16
Speaker
The Antigua series, there was some good stuff. The LAFC game comes to mind. ah But there was not there's been nothing been as comprehensive as this. ah There's nothing that's had the atmosphere at Lumen Field like this one did.
00:01:30
Speaker
ah There's nothing that's had Jesus Ferreira look as good as he did. Pedro de la Vega got a goal. So a lot to talk about here. And I guess let's just start, Nico, with ah your general thoughts and takeaways from this game. And then we'll get into the fine points of it.
00:01:48
Speaker
Yeah, called that i so I called it a statement win for a Sounders team that we had... mentioned we knew was extremely talented but things just had not come together the way they did against a very good nashville team to say that uh this is a good squad this was a win that that parameter was high ah i feel like it's very fair ah you are maybe not taking on ah a top three team in the league or top five team in the league, but you are playing against a team that is well coached, that was very balanced, that ah both defensively and offensively had looked really good, that they had taken a lot of pride in,
00:02:33
Speaker
the the way they were always in every single game and Seattle completely took it away from them in the first 45 minutes. They saw the moment and were able to in 15 minutes, I believe, or 20, they just closed the game down.
00:02:52
Speaker
And I thought that every single player that perhaps had some sort of ah scrutiny, ah had a fantastic game. Danny Mussovsky, that was a quality goal, man. I mean, again, I'm not here going to sit here and tell you anything different than what I had said previously, because I always say i that if anything, my analysis is always going to have consistency.
00:03:18
Speaker
So he wasn't, and you know, consistent. Chicho or Cucho when he wasn't making goals and he isn't now either. Right. I just I don't want to make it seem like because Danny Musavsky scored a couple of goals. Now he is going to be the striker of the future for the Sounders.
00:03:39
Speaker
But I will give him credit for a quality goal. I love resourceful. resource resourcefulness and creativity by strikers in specific moments. And that's what the little flick backhill is at that particular moment at the Pedro de la Vega was by far the most dynamic player on the field, electric all over. And Ferreira, man, just smart, IQ'd, just ah a lot of effort.
00:04:06
Speaker
the The off the ball runs by both Pedro and Ferreira is what ultimately ends up unlocking a Nashville team that in the first 15 minutes was having a good game.
00:04:21
Speaker
And Seattle looked a little sloppy. And they were, ah you could see that perfectly balanced 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 defensively ah in the way that they were managing the game.
00:04:35
Speaker
And because of all of the movement that Seattle was doing, little by little, you could see that they were opening in certain spaces. And all of a sudden, when those gates open, Seattle just jumped on the opportunity to put the game away. So all in all, huge statement win.
00:04:50
Speaker
Credit to the coaching staff, credit to all the players. It was near perfect.
The Role of Jesus Ferreira and Team Strategy
00:04:56
Speaker
talk about Ferreira a little more because for me, that was probably the biggest takeaway from this game was how much better that looked.
00:05:07
Speaker
I've been saying for the last couple of weeks that I just want to see progress with it. And I felt like you saw it a little bit in the Dallas game, ah but it still didn't look like it was quite there.
00:05:19
Speaker
But this game, I think it's fair to say you can call it like real, meaningful, actual progress. He gets on the stat sheet with two assists. So that's important.
00:05:30
Speaker
ah But more more so than that, it was really just how the whole operation looked with him playing ah a little more of that central role with Albert Rusnak not starting this game, still coming back from injury. He gets in in the second half.
00:05:43
Speaker
ah But this was the most effective and dynamic Ferreira has looked By far, I thought he was excellent. I thought he was combining with everyone really well. ah Like you mentioned, ah the thing that I've always liked about watching him play dating back to the FC Dallas days is that soccer IQ.
00:05:58
Speaker
You know, the ah the small stuff he does with his body positioning to win that ball. like in a position where he can hit that Rothrock assist. It's like a small thing, but that is all stuff that he's really good at. And we've seen in like little spurts and flashes, um but it hasn't really come to fruition on this team yet.
00:06:18
Speaker
I don't think we can say that it's fully come to fruition. I'm not a, not countering victory victory lap in the victory lappers. ah But I do think this was meaningful progress. And it, ah it honestly does ah bring up questions, lineup decisions because you're,
00:06:35
Speaker
Nico, do you think it was as simple as kind of having him play a more central role as opposed to playing in the wide channel or as a peer nine kind of having him more in that tennis role where he can he can facilitate and use that space instead of he and Rusnak kind of clashing on each other's space. Do you think there's more to it than why he looks so much better? Or is it just that he's had more reps and more time with the squad?
00:06:59
Speaker
I really do think that is just the reps and times and understanding where certain players are going to be. ah You see the way he lifts his head to look where ah Paul Rothrock has consistently be getting in on those prime scoring positions and He picks up his head, sees him, puts the ball right where it needs to go.
00:07:19
Speaker
ah There was a lot of times where he was making the correct runs for Christian or Obed to hit him on in space. He actually played more on the left pocket and was combining more with, at times, whenever knew who would push up, as well as Paul Rothrock. I thought that that was excellent.
00:07:35
Speaker
However, with a guy like Pedro De La Vega, where Pedro, it is he is a lot more free. i thought that they interchange at times. I felt like maybe Ferreira would drop in a lot more.
00:07:49
Speaker
I think that Pedro and his relationship has grown a lot quicker because they complement each other so well. And with the reps, the minutes and their specific relationship, I just think that it'll look much better.
00:08:03
Speaker
um I will also to say that when everyone is playing well, it's a lot easier. And I think that's another reason why he was getting so much time on the ball as well, because Christian and Ovid had a baller of a game.
00:08:17
Speaker
ah They completely dominated the midfield and whether it was in repressed moments to essentially win the game in transition, because that's the way they they won it ah in in in terms of of goals.
00:08:29
Speaker
There was only the one goal and there at the end where, Seattle's in possession, but ah the other two are transition moments. And i feel like that's another point of Ferreira's game that needs to be used more because he is so good in transition moments. So ah I just think that it's a little bit of everything. But if I had to choose one factor, is specifically just the minutes, the continuity and just understanding his teammates a lot better and his teammates understanding him a lot better.
00:08:59
Speaker
I continue to think that at some point in time, he could do that exact same role from that ninth position. But right now, it's not broken, just let it ride.
00:09:10
Speaker
um But if if there there is ever a need for the Sounders to play him a little bit higher, then you're going to have to kind of take into consideration those areas where he likes to play.
00:09:21
Speaker
But, uh, Overall, even going into this game, you could see him talking a lot more clearer about what each specific player around him needed and wanted.
00:09:33
Speaker
If you look back at the ah press conference or the scrum we had with him late, labor week before this game, he talks about the difference between Albert and Pedro and and the way he can play differently with each one of them and how sometimes he plays different with Jordan and the way he's understanding Obert a little bit better.
00:09:53
Speaker
So all in all, you could kind of see it in in in the water. You kind of see it in the way he was expressing himself, that he's slowly understanding his group a little bit better.
00:10:05
Speaker
And that's huge for a player of his caliber and a player of his obviously soccer IQ that kind of needs that to react to ah at times even play off of memory and understand the game a little bit better with this specific group of players.
00:10:23
Speaker
Here's the question that Noah and I were talking about, and then I'll hit a couple of these comments in chat. But I think the question now becomes, can you or how do you play Ferreira and Rusnak together at the at the same time?
00:10:37
Speaker
um Because i think it's pretty clear that ah with Ferreira as kind of the lone guy occupying that space, it looked like 10 times more effective. And that's not to say ah that it's impossible for them to play together.
00:10:52
Speaker
But I think it is fair to say that right now they haven't figured out how to best maximize both of those players when they're on the field at the same time. And when Rusnak's healthy, you have to think that he's a starter.
00:11:03
Speaker
Ferrer was not brought here to be a super sub. Like, you could mix and match and rotate that position based on matchup and, you know, start one, bring the other off the bench. But I don't think that that was the initial idea when you made this trade. I think the idea when you made this trade was that he and Rusnak would be playing together.
00:11:20
Speaker
They haven't figured that out yet, but I don't think that means that it's impossible or that they can't figure it out. um How do you think they do that? Can they do that? I think it's going to be difficult, but going back and using Ferrara's words that were so clear, when he talked about Albert and him working together and how it was more difficult than him and Pedro.
00:11:46
Speaker
It was because when he gets on the field and he's with Pedro, he already knows that Pedro is the runner. He said, when When me and Pedro working together, I know that I'm the passer, he's the runner. So I know exactly what he's going to do. He knows he says what I'm going to do when he comes to me and Albert, we're both passers and we're still trying to figure out when one of us has to be a runner and when ah one of us has to be a passer.
00:12:06
Speaker
And that dynamic is a lot more difficult when it feels like both of the players are in the same spaces, are looking for the same runs and it becomes a lot more stagnant. Right. So in my opinion,
00:12:20
Speaker
if you're going to play them together, you're playing them without Jordan Morris and you are playing them more in a four, two, three, one situation where he's going to be able to be a false nine and your wingers are going to have the majority of the runs behind them.
00:12:38
Speaker
And whether it is that ability to say, okay, in, in most of the time that we have the ball and intersession moments. Ferreira, you're never a passer. You're always a runner.
00:12:50
Speaker
You're always going to be right in front of Albert Rusnak. And then when you do feel like you need to gravitate, then you tell Albert Rusnak, okay, now you got to be the guy running behind, or you got to be that guy that's getting away, getting into space, or looking for the swingers to get behind.
00:13:05
Speaker
But you got to make it a lot more structure because it is a lot more difficult to... play away from a player's instincts. And I feel like Albert and Ferreira's instincts are very similar.
00:13:18
Speaker
So whenever you are going to play them together, you got to structure it. You got to design it. So those moments of gravitating to certain places don't happen. You're kind of going away from a player's instincts, which, you know, can be difficult, but it can be done.
00:13:33
Speaker
Yeah, I think it can be done. i think they clearly need to work on it more, but I think they're both high enough soccer IQ players that they can make it work. it's just a question of if they will make it work.
00:13:45
Speaker
ah But I i think ah there's no question. I loved what I saw from Ferrer in this game. It was just nice to see him look that much more comfortable. ah He's a... the goals that he's assisting on when the other guys are scoring, he's celebrating like he scored it, you know, and, uh, that unselfishness, uh, and the nature of his play is that's part of what's made him such a good player in the league throughout his career. He scored a bunch of goals.
00:14:09
Speaker
Um, but honestly, The more you watch the guy play, you see like he would rather he would rather set someone else up to score than score himself. That's just like he's an unselfish player. He's I think he's um been almost too deferential at times so far with his time in Seattle.
00:14:25
Speaker
ah But at the end of the day, I think it's a great quality to have to really have that desire to want to set your teammates up and. Ferreira has that it's like it's hardwired in him I guess uh I I wanted to ask you Nico at some point I'll just do it right now I mean how familiar with the game of uh David Ferreira are you like did you grow up watching him much or uh get much of an idea of what type of player he is because I'm curious as to
Player Performances and Game Dynamics
00:14:52
Speaker
uh whether his skill set ah Is similar to Jesus in that way if he was kind of a facilitator or if Jesus kind of combines Davids goal scoring with more of like that point guard mentality.
00:15:06
Speaker
That is a a very good question. ah I think that the only. um
00:15:14
Speaker
not a problem, but maybe game has evolved so much specifically when, yes, of course we watched David Ferrer. That's kind of my first interactions with MLS was the Valderramas, was the David Ferreres. I mean, the Columbia players that kind of set the road for the rest of the Columbia is moving to the league and that made it interesting.
00:15:34
Speaker
And he was more of a creative player. he he that Now that you said that it is kind of interesting. Now the game was a lot slower. There wasn't as much of that this total football mentality.
00:15:44
Speaker
So it was a lot easier to play with that sort of reference. But it's interesting, me and Ferreira actually had a conversation about that this week about his dad and he kind of mentioned that his mom is here now because he's his wife is actually pregnant he's about to have a little girl so congratulations to Ferreira and we kind of talked about his dad you know and the legend that was and you know how a lot of his game you know at times does resemble his dad so ah he's obviously more dynamic Ferreira is a lot faster and and he feels like he gets into certain
00:16:15
Speaker
Space is a lot easier, more of a goal scorer than his dad was, in my opinion. ah but But, yeah, that that's interesting that the creativity definitely kind of sets there together. That is interesting. Yeah, I'm going to have to look into David Ferreira more. I can't – I can't obviously know about his status in the game and, ah you know, that Jesus – or he's Jesus' dad, but that's about all I know. So, interesting. Yeah, he just wasn't like that prolific goal scorer like, you know, Ferreira is, right? Right.
00:16:43
Speaker
52 goalscorer, that wasn't his game. Again, very different mold, right? different different Very different ah soccer in moments in time, but but he was a quality player. He was a guy that his technicality was always what put him above other players.
00:17:01
Speaker
Let's hit a couple of these comments from chat. i Squared one, two, three, four says Kim had a couple of poor passes, but overall look very comfortable filling in for Jackson. Great bench piece. Yeah, i think it's a great shout. ah Jackson Reagan out for the next few weeks here.
00:17:15
Speaker
Kim Kee, he ah I don't think any of us knew fully what to expect. Yeah.
00:17:23
Speaker
he's thirty five now ah how much does he have left in the tank but i wasn't that concerned about that based on what i gathered from how he was ah plan in the ah in the korean league he was like a best eleven defender over there still so i was like all right i feel like this ba sense And then I think if you watched him play in this game, he was steady as ever. It kind of reminded me of why we all appreciated Kim Kihee during his original stint with this club, just because of that steadiness on the ball, the composure he's got.
00:17:54
Speaker
ah His passing, I thought, was was pretty good. So I came out of this game feeling... Pretty confident that they can stay afloat defensively during this period while Jackson Reagan is out. And if anything, Kim keeps playing like this. It's just more competition for spots. like what What did you make of Kim Kihi in this game, Nico?
00:18:13
Speaker
I thought Kim was very good. And it wasn't just necessarily the passing. For me, was the physicality component. ah He was just throwing people. and And I like the fact that he came in there willing to take that you know body to body.
00:18:31
Speaker
he There was a couple of moments where he's just straight up just throwing people like ragdolls. And I feel like that physicality component was big, specifically against Sam Serge, that he flopped more than LeBron James. I mean, it was weird how much he flopped all game ah because he's kind of the bigger dude and Similarly as with LeBron, when you're that big and you flop, looks kind of weird.
00:18:53
Speaker
But I thought that Kim did a great job all over defending in space, pushing high. I mean, ah i think Bryant said it best by saying that he did not set a wrong foot, basically saying that he just didn't make any bad passes, they didn't ah get off position. He just seemed to be at the right place at the right time now.
00:19:13
Speaker
I want to push back on everybody in those moments. people that are already throwing the maybe we should replace jackson reagan with kim kihi i think that kim's best setup for this team is exactly this you have him ready just in case you need someone to hold the the fort if you will for a couple of weeks but then you let him sit back down you manage his minutes he's played a lot of minutes and i know he has especially of the last season
00:19:46
Speaker
but I just would not feel as comfortable as I do with Jackson Reagan, despite some of the mistakes that he does. Passing-wise, Kim Keefe is no Jackson Reagan. I mean, he had some good passing, but he's not as prolific as to break lines yeah so consistently as Jackson, and he obviously wasn't as comfortable getting forward with the ball the way Jackson does, but I don't want to take anything away from Kim. I thought he had a stellar game.
00:20:13
Speaker
Quite honestly, when I look at the team, I think everybody had a baller game. I thought Nuhu was excellent. He had a couple of boo-boos. and After the first 10 minutes, he was good.
00:20:25
Speaker
The first 50 minutes for me, it was sloppy overall for a lot of players, but but specifically him, he had a couple of bad passes, bad moments. He has one opportunity in the final third where he just completely shanks a potential cross.
00:20:40
Speaker
But But once he settled into the game, I thought he was very good. at the He sets up Jordan Morris with a very good pass that I was like, who's that? And my daughter was like, that's Nihu. was like, no. ah Oh, man, it was Nihu.
00:20:52
Speaker
I mean, I had to go watch the game again for me to realize that Nihu put that ball in because I watched the the game from the stance of my family. And soccer is a little bit different when you watch it from that and angle.
00:21:03
Speaker
But yeah, I thought Nihu was very good. I thought he was active. I thought that Even on the ball, when when he breaks Mule's ankles for there in the second and the final third, on his own third, i thought it was quality play. you know he He should have got him a yellow for getting beat from the back because he was upset that he got his ankles broken.
00:21:28
Speaker
But i thought he was very good. i thought Paul Rothbard was... Excellent. ah Just everybody just had a very good game, but both of the pivots were essential for what, what Seattle tried to do.
00:21:41
Speaker
ah So, yeah, man, I just, I thought that everyone had ah an excellent game, but going back to Kim Keehee,
00:21:48
Speaker
I think gives you peace of mind to have a guy that's a veteran player that you know can come in at any moment, at any time, and give you clarity, give you guy that's going to be more conservative with the ball, and that you know that can definitely take the hits, man. but Again, I go back to his physicality. I thought it was outstanding.
00:22:09
Speaker
Yeah, you mentioned it there, but as long as we're doing shout-outs, I think you have to mention the double pivot in this game. They had a rough one in San Diego a few weeks ago. um They were fantastic in this game, both of them.
00:22:22
Speaker
ah Obed was man of the match for me. I thought he was everywhere. He was a monster. i Just what he brings on both sides of the ball contributes so much to this team. And really, like, all three of the goals in this game were were great team goals.
00:22:36
Speaker
um But I love that one where... ah Obed makes that that run to the touchline and beats his defender to that spot and puts that cross cross back into the mixer for De La Vega to to just smash that ball. That's such a good high percentage chance. Like when this team is at its best, that's the type of chances that they're generating.
00:22:56
Speaker
And Obed was central to all that in this game. The price went up. ah Got another question in chat here. i got a few. I'll try and get to as many of these as we can.
00:23:08
Speaker
I think this is an interesting one, Nico. Should Schmidt start the same 11 against Colorado, keep rewarding them for great play, or start his more traditional starters? um I think that is ah that is kind of the question right now because you do have Rusnak.
00:23:22
Speaker
and Morris coming back from injury, and they got they both got their first minutes back in this last game. i think you're in a situation where both of them are probably not 90 fit yet.
00:23:33
Speaker
So what what you can do, at least for this Colorado game, is ride the hot hand to start. I think pretty much just start the same lineup that you did versus Nashville. Give those guys an opportunity to ah to replicate that, to build on that.
00:23:46
Speaker
And then depending on how it's going, ah you can work... Jordan and Albert in there when and if you see fit. And if it goes really well, you ride it until the 60th or the 70th and get those guys some run at the end of the game like you did in this game.
00:24:02
Speaker
That's what I would do. And then ah going forward after that, though, ah the coaching staff has some... It has some decisions to make if ah They keep playing like that there's There's going to be guys that ah aren't Necessarily considered first choice 11 that might have to be if They keep playing like that Yeah I mean it's difficult ah It's a great Question because it's not as easy As it may seem however if I had to guess I I know that you want to keep Jordan de Morris in rhythm and he needs to Potentially start that game
00:24:37
Speaker
ah he ah did not have the most prolific last, you know, their minutes of that of that game because he gets a couple of chances that he cannot put away, he probably should have put away.
00:24:50
Speaker
ah So I want to keep his confidence up. He is such a big part of what this system could look like. So I would potentially start Jordan and Morris. Albert Rusnick. ah maybe you give Ferreira some time off, but but that could go either way.
00:25:07
Speaker
i'm more concerned about about the pivots and the amount of time that they've got in. I like i was pleased to see JP come come in and you know get some time on the ball. ah But yeah, then it's ah it's a good problem to have, but eventually you will need to figure out what you're best to love. and And you're going to have to create continuity.
00:25:24
Speaker
And as much as depth is fantastic, because even Ryan Kent came in and he looked really good when he came on. ah I still think that you need to be able to have a consistent 11.
00:25:36
Speaker
So that chemistry that we just talked about specifically for one player can
Lineup Consistency vs Performance Rewards
00:25:40
Speaker
continue to build. Right. um And I mean, that's just soccer in general. i mean, it's it's very simple, right? I mean, this team is going to continue to create ah slow chemistry through training and then eventually get some of those hard competitive minutes within those games where the chemistry gets even more cemented in because it is completely different to practice than to be on the field and and play competitive games.
00:26:06
Speaker
um But essentially,
00:26:10
Speaker
the biggest question is going to be, are you going to have to keep a guy like Ferreira on the bench, who is obviously such a big part of your your salary, of your you know investment this season?
00:26:27
Speaker
Or do you modify everything and maybe I don't know. Try to see how it works out to get your best players at one time. I just don't see the way you're going to fit everybody necessarily.
00:26:39
Speaker
but But it is something that will need to happen at some point. It's interesting. don't i don't necessarily envy Schmetz and the coaching staff for some of the decisions they're going to have to make because ah like whatever decision you make, you know, it feels like someone is going to be super subbing that maybe you think shouldn't be. And then if that doesn't work out, then, you know, you're open to criticism on that front.
00:27:04
Speaker
ah So. I, you know, I trust the coaching staff to figure out what the best setup is when they have everyone more healthier. i just, don't I honestly have no idea like what it's going to look like at this point.
00:27:17
Speaker
That's why the next few weeks here are going to be ah interesting as, as Jordan gets back, as Albert gets back, as ah Ryan Kent, like you mentioned, gets into the fold. You know, I, I having covered this league for a long time,
00:27:31
Speaker
I've realized these questions tend to ah answer themselves based on stuff like ah fixture congestion and fitness and injuries and absences for whatever reason. Like you have these lineup debates and then the debate blows up because of, you know, insert whatever factor here that decides your lineup for you. But it's still interesting to ah to talk about. And it also, assuming that they do have a relatively clean but bill of health in the coming weeks here,
00:27:58
Speaker
Those decisions are they're here for this coaching staff. yeah the The crazy part is that it if you're going to put all your best players, if you will, or your most expensive players all on the field at one time, which would be ah Morris, Ferreira, Albert and Pedro.
00:28:18
Speaker
Yeah. you're kind of killing a guy like Paul Rothrock that's been so good, so consistent, that put so much effort in because he would be the odd man out at that moment in time.
00:28:30
Speaker
If in any way, in shape or form, you could put it together, ah which to me, it only happens in a four, two, three, one. where you have Jordan as a nine, you got Ferreira playing on the right side, at the the right wing position, Albert in the middle, and Pedro on the left wing.
00:28:47
Speaker
That's literally the only way you get all those four players in, unless you want to try to put Pedro de la Vega as the left wing. Wingback or something? mean, what about Rothrock? What about Rothrock? What is what I'm saying? Rothrock would be the odd guy out if you want to put all your most expensive players at one time, which would be unfair.
00:29:04
Speaker
Quite honestly, it would be unfair to kind of just say, all right, Paul, thanks for everything you've done. We're just going to sit you because we need to play our most expensive players. it It will make no sense. I honestly do feel like just like Brian has said it in the past.
00:29:17
Speaker
It's Four players for three positions for the Sounders. So one of those four players I just mentioned will be out at some point in time all the time. Yeah, I see what you're saying. And I agree that Rothrock has earned a starting role in principle.
00:29:33
Speaker
I do kind of love his skill set as a super sub, like just the energy and the and to bounce that he plays with. Like, I think that lends itself well two coming in later in the game when maybe you're going against defenders and midfielders with tired legs and then you ah throw a fresh Rothrock in there. I think that yeah used a great effect, even if ah based on how he's playing right now, he does deserve to be starting.
00:29:57
Speaker
um Luke says, do we think Schmetz is going to fall back on depending on Morris type goals going forward instead of developing this really dynamic attacking team that evolved during his injury? i think in an ideal world,
00:30:10
Speaker
uh the field stretching ability and the runs that jordan morris can make that have been maybe missing in the last few weeks prior to this game he can add that to the strides that we've seen taken and it can maybe even add another um dynamic element on top of what we're seeing that's what i would hope to see and then you throw in an emerging healthy de la vega and ryan kent And you got even a couple of other ah wrinkles that you could throw to it. so there's the
00:30:41
Speaker
there's some intriguing stuff going on. yeah mean And that's the funny part about what I try not to do, which is be very reactive to one scoreline, right? and And one specific game. Because look, Masovsky is not doing anything...
00:30:57
Speaker
differently from Jordan Morris, and he's not doing anything better than Jordan Morris. So Jordan Morris is only going to amplify what Masavsky is doing. And again, that's not a knock on him. I don't want to dog the guy. I'm happy that he's getting goals, but with Jordan Morris, it's going to look that much better.
00:31:14
Speaker
So this team will be just as dynamic as it was, or it should be just as dynamic as it was, but with a better striker, essentially. And I know that people are going to fall on the thing that, well, you saw him come in and good old Jordan missing those opportunities. Look, he the guy was just coming in for a couple of minutes after not being in for a while.
00:31:35
Speaker
Give him a chance. He's clearly going to be able to get to those positions. ah I actually thought that Nashville looked a little bit more compact and did a better job at keeping Seattle away from the flanks and those wide areas when they switched to what I believe was a 3-4-3 essentially um in the second half. They ended up pulling Bregman out and they ended up going through what I believe, like I said, 3-4-3. But um but at the end of the day, Jordan Morris was still able to get into certain positions, was still able to get behind the defense. And that's all credit to him because he does such a good job at doing that, getting himself on site and then all of a sudden getting behind those center backs. So but let's put a little respect in Jordan Morris's name.
00:32:22
Speaker
And I think it's going to look even better. And in the team should be just as dynamic because again, nothing has changed, right? The formation is still the same. The concepts are still the same. but i just,
00:32:33
Speaker
I think that they had a fantastic game and they've been working since prior to Dallas pretty consistently. And you kind of saw a little bit of ah what Paul Rothrock had said at one point that they had hit rock bottom because it felt like
Tactical Adjustments and Team Chemistry
00:32:47
Speaker
that. that The training week before Dallas kind of starts off this moment that Seattle has until this moment in time. And then we'll see if they can carry that to Colorado here next week.
00:33:00
Speaker
Moose is doing great work right now. He is ah providing the team with a look at his setup that can be dynamic and productive even when Jordan Morris can't play.
00:33:11
Speaker
He's not as dynamic a runner as Jordan Morris. That's just not and in his bag as much. ah With Jordan Morris, you get you get that field-stretching ability that really...
00:33:22
Speaker
ah Not many, not many. I don't think any player on the roster provides that to the effect that he does. So I can't wait to, uh, to see what Jordan can do. Uh, it can contribute to this when he gets back.
00:33:36
Speaker
Um, do you guys think the lack of goals in the second half was due to subs being a bit rusty from injury or not fully fit Nashville, making defensive adjustments or sounders taking their foot foot off the gas?
00:33:48
Speaker
Uh, yeah, here's my take on this. Uh, When you're up by three goals, there is There is no obligation or incentive to be throwing numbers forward, chasing the goal chasing another goal like you need a game winner. It's not to say that you shouldn't try and score, but it's on the other team to force the issue at that point when they're down, when the the the moment it becomes a three-goal lead.
00:34:13
Speaker
A two-goal lead, if you give up one goal, then it's ballgame again. three-goal lead, it's the other team that needs to be pressing, not you. like if they're If they're willing to sit back and cede possession and you can just knock it around,
00:34:25
Speaker
there's no reason for you to be lumping balls forward or playing with your hair on fire. It's just, that's not good strategy. So I think there was a period in the, in the middle of the second half where it was just managing the game, managing the tempo. Cause there's not like a, there's not a reason or an incentive to be playing that aggressive.
00:34:42
Speaker
But then on top of that, they, they got really close to getting the fourth and fifth goals. ah Those chances that Jordan missed at the end. Yeah. He didn't convert them, but those are exactly the types of chances that you want to see him getting.
00:34:52
Speaker
And if you get him those chances, ah We've all watched him enough in his career. You get him those chances enough times. He is going to convert those a certain percentage of the time. You missed him in this game. I get it.
00:35:03
Speaker
But um those were good chances and those were games that could have dusted it or goals that could have dusted it even more. And I think people would be talking about it a little differently. But those factors are why I'm not really concerned that they didn't get the other goal in the second half.
00:35:19
Speaker
but But it is a little bit of both. I mean, I touched on that, right? I mean, there is a clear moment where BJ Callahan goes to a three-man back line or five while defending, clearly.
00:35:30
Speaker
And I think they did do a better of job at keeping Seattle away from exploding them out wide, which is where they had the most issues during the first half. I also so think that there is certain truth that the players that came in were a little bit rusty when it came to, you know, real play time.
00:35:48
Speaker
And Josiah with Jordan Morris, because the chances were there. I mean, Jordan had two that were clear chances. So ah and again, going back to what the question was, it I think that it did have to do with both adjustments by Callahan and two, when those moments did open up for Seattle, there was clearly some rest that needed to be knocked off.
00:36:08
Speaker
and But I expect Jordan, I expect Albert to be a lot sharper in their next game. Let's talk about Ryan Kent a little bit more. Got our first look at Ryan Kent.
00:36:20
Speaker
And I'm not going to lie to you, I liked what I saw. the ah The no-looker he had to slide Ferreira in, he got really close to hitting that. And if he hit that and they got a goal off of that, imagine what we would be talking about right now. ah So I just loved the... ah kind of creativity and the gumption to to try that. and A no-looker, like, two minutes into your first game with a new club when you haven't even been playing that much. I think that kind of shows the the type of player that we're talking about here.
00:36:50
Speaker
um So, you know, it was only, what, like a 10, 15-minute cameo or whatever. But I thought there was – it wasn't even just that. There was a couple of other little plays that he made where I was like, okay, like, I can see – I can see a little bit of what ah what we're getting at here. What did you think of what your first impression Ryan Kent? He was, as I would see him in practice, man, the guy is just creative. He has a flair. He has an understanding of the game.
00:37:16
Speaker
i think that his associations on the field are very clear. ah thought that the no-looker wasn't an unnecessary one. I thought that it was a creative one. It was a resourceful one.
00:37:26
Speaker
So just like I've been saying about him, the crazy thing about the way he plays the game is that he has some flair, but with some purposeness and some effectiveness to every single one movement that he does.
00:37:38
Speaker
I thought that he should have had a goal when Jordan Morris has like a breakout on the right side and clearly he's trying to get a goal, clearly he's trying to get back in rhythm. But if he puts that ball to the left side, I guarantee you that Ryan Kent's getting to it because he he's quick.
00:37:55
Speaker
he' He'll get there. He'll put it away. So just his understanding of the game, he didn't even get mad about it. He said, you know, I'll get right. I mean, he just radiates so much confidence. He sees the game so clearly that I think he's going to be,
00:38:09
Speaker
a quality player. But this is another guy that, man, when are you going to put him? How are you going to play him? ah Brian was asked a question during the press conference. He kind of mentioned that he still needs to earn those minutes.
00:38:23
Speaker
He said it very clearly. ah He talked about the lack of games he's had over the last year and a half. and that he still needs to get back into that rhythm that he once had at either Rangers or with Bernabasi.
00:38:40
Speaker
So it's going to be interesting how that plays out. ah But I think that that's going to be another player that will likely be off the bench or will be more of a rotating piece.
00:38:51
Speaker
And the only person that might... come affected by it. And I said it last week in this same show, a casualty of this many attacking players that are so good that there's so much competition is Georgie, who wasn't on the bench, who a lot of people were asking if he was injured or not.
00:39:10
Speaker
The reality was that if you look at the bench, that's a big, heavy bench when it came to names because you had guys that needed some time in, right? Like Jordan, like Albert. And that's why he doesn't get in this one.
00:39:23
Speaker
But he might consistently have to fight for those minutes just to be on the 18. I saw a comment there. Yeah, no, I was on what way you what you were just talking about. That's why I put it up there, like why Georgie wasn't in the 18. I don't think it was an injury related to my knowledge.
00:39:38
Speaker
i think it's just a situation where Ryan Kent is kind of here to take that role. So it's nothing like bad on Georgie. I think Georgie has been good this year when he's gotten the chance to play.
00:39:52
Speaker
ah It's just there's there's too many guys. There's too many guys on this team right now. ah KW says, for me, it's going to invariably come down to who but pairs better with Pedro. If that's Jesus, great. Or if it's Albert, that's okay, too. But Pedro needs to be the common denominator.
00:40:07
Speaker
Nico, you agree with that? I agree with that. I think Pedro needs to be in as many games as you can. I still think that even with Ryan Cannon, he's the most talented player in this roster.
00:40:17
Speaker
I feel like he's growing by the minute. ah He has the most deadly... mid-range strike of any player on the field and he could push it in so little space.
00:40:30
Speaker
ah Man, I just think that he's so good on the ball. He's starting to every single time get more of an understanding of where players are going to be at.
00:40:41
Speaker
He'll have a couple of bad passes here and there because he is a bit of a gambler when he comes to that. But he's really good. I don't like him, though. don't like him. up That's what I like about him is that. Yeah, and that's what I like about him too. He wants to thread the needle. He wants to make that impossible pass.
00:40:56
Speaker
And when he does gets it, man, it's a beauty. Look, that third goal, uh, uh, Obviously, Ferreira to ah Paul Rothrock at the end is the seven-pad sequence.
00:41:09
Speaker
And when Pedro gets the ball, he could either run, as he always does, but he has the understanding of where Ferreira is. He puts a ball that not every single player is going to try to put where he got it.
00:41:21
Speaker
And then Ferrer makes that nice turn. It turns into a goal. Those sort of situations is what break games is what breaks teams. yeah And if anything that Seattle has had a lot of issues in the past is breaking teams that play well, deep that play, ah you know, very stout defense.
00:41:37
Speaker
And this team did play some stout defense before this game against the Sounders. And I think a lot of, the issues they had were those passes that nobody's making, those runs that nobody's making like Pedro did. And I think he's the perfect fit with either Albert or Ferreira.
00:41:55
Speaker
So, man, I think that's a fine comment. I think that's absolutely right. I loved everything about that Rothrock goal, the vision and creativity from De La Vega to pick Ferreira out, which, you know, that's the type of pass that the defense isn't even expecting. They're not expecting him to do that.
00:42:14
Speaker
He threads that perfectly. And then i loved the movement and the body positioning that Ferreira used to to receive the ball in a way that gave him space.
00:42:25
Speaker
and a line of sight to pick out rothrock the execution of the pass to rothrock the perfect weight on it great touch from rothrock great finish from rothrock that's just a phenomenal team goal and you're absolutely right that all starts with de la vega so uh i think that's just an example with de la vega i mean we saw the goal but that that type of pass right there that's the type of stuff that You spend $7 million dollars for it.
00:42:51
Speaker
That type of pass right there. And then the way Ferreira receives it and is able to get the assist off it, that's why you trade for a guy like that. So it was nice to see that ah come to fruition from two guys who, let's be honest, they've been they've been criticized a lot by the fan base, both of those guys.
00:43:07
Speaker
yeah up and And he's so active defensively as well. I mean, he's he's constantly pressing. He's constantly pushing. ah You know, that there there's a couple of moments in the first half where he's tracking back.
00:43:18
Speaker
He's getting the ball in spaces that nobody's getting. I mean, that the guy has this need. There's guys who want the ball. He needs the ball. He's like, it burns his feet when he doesn't have it.
00:43:30
Speaker
And those sort of players, man, those are magnetic type of players. So his desire to be... The X factor for this team is going to be huge. He's hungry. He stays hungry. He wants to score. He wants to assist. Man, I just love everything about what the kid's doing.
00:43:47
Speaker
Yeah, no, i'd say we're finally, i think, really seeing what he can bring to the table after this very long period of time where he just wasn't able to stay on the field. But ah youre he he looked great in this game.
00:44:00
Speaker
Zippy Tuna coming in with the $5 Super Chat. Thank you so much for the support. Appreciate you. Christian was a beast. I think he's going under the radar with the other exciting performances. Won the ball back twice, leading to goals. Vintage CR7.
00:44:12
Speaker
It's a great shout. This was Christian Roldan's best game of the season. We were talking about De La Vega's role on that Rothrock goal. De La Vega's goal... Does not happen without Christian rolled on tracking back, doing that dirty work, making a great play to win the ball off that guy. He got two guys benched on that play. you guys realize that he literally got two guys benched because he won the ball off one of the guys. And then two of the guys that BJ ended up subbing out, uh, we're just kind of jogging.
00:44:43
Speaker
They were just not really paying much attention. And, uh, and Christian then slides that ball into Obed that leads to the goal. Those guys came out of the game because of that, that play. i'm pretty sure at least that's how I took it.
00:44:54
Speaker
um So it wasn't even just that play. Like again, he and Obed, the double pivot was fantastic. And Christian in particular, it it was good to see because there has been a little bit of talk about how he maybe hasn't had his best start to the season.
00:45:08
Speaker
I felt like he started the season really well, ah but maybe, maybe there were a couple games below his standard. I think he would even tell you that the San Diego game was below his standard, not just him, the whole team, that game.
00:45:19
Speaker
ah But This was the Christian Roldan that is one of the best at that position in all of MLS. And he just brings so much to this team as far as that that work rate, that ah winning the ball back. And really, I think one of the other things I loved about this game, Nico, was like when the Seattle Sounders are at their best, they are they're outwilling you.
00:45:43
Speaker
They're dominating your the duels their first to every second ball like uh they're outworking you and outclassing you this stretch where they scored three goals in 15 minutes uh you saw all that that's the exact identity that this team needs to play with that they're supposed to play with uh and that we haven't really seen them find consistently this season so for them to put it together and uh really electrify the stadium with that 15 minutes, that 15 minutes where they were just scoring goals and going off generating chance after chance, after chance, that was as live as I've heard the stadium for a Sounders game in a while.
00:46:20
Speaker
And that was another important takeaway was just, um you know, how they were able to do that. You know, I think that's kind of what people have been missing is like going to a go into the stadium and like feeling that type of excitement where it's you, the, what by the way they're playing, you know, they're going to score.
00:46:37
Speaker
Like but you already know because they're winning every ball. They're moving the ball so much faster. They got the other team. So on the unbalanced, you can feel that the other team is under it, right? Like ah that's when the Seattle Sounders are at their best. And it was great to see them finally like find that in the midst of a start to the season where they haven't been able to find that consistently.
00:46:58
Speaker
No, it was it was a fun one. Look, like I said, I was in the stands with the family and I heard it was 31,000 plus that that went, but it it definitely felt a lot louder than that.
00:47:09
Speaker
i think this is one of the games for the first game on us. ah ah Proposition by the Sounders was also part of. So ah we saw a lot of ah fans there in the in the hawk's nest uh so clearly that's that's working out but i thought that it was a very good crowd it and it was what when whether it was every time knew who would do something newish whether it was a ryan kent going in or paul rafter coming out and uh you know all of these moments jordan morris coming in the crowd man was all over it it was all over it and and i thought that ah it did feel like that
00:47:51
Speaker
I don't want to call it old school, but I want i want i want and do want to say that it's been a while since he kind of felt like that. The Nico game was pretty good, I thought. I was obviously in the in the press box, but this one was was very good when he came to the crowd.
00:48:06
Speaker
And I think it does have to do a little bit with the team starting to be more entertaining. and And I think even Brian Smetzer talked about entertainment and and being an an entertaining team.
00:48:18
Speaker
So, you know, it is something that I'm sure
Preview: Sounders vs Colorado
00:48:20
Speaker
this team is trying to do. And we said it, we said it last week. I'm pretty sure that we talked about the fact that the whole reason why Brian Smetzer switched up this formation was to make it more entertaining, was to make it entertaining,
00:48:33
Speaker
dynamic team to get more numbers forward. And he wasn't necessarily able to do that because of the way things have played out. But now if every player is kind of playing to their potential, then that's kind of what you get.
00:48:46
Speaker
and Now, I don't want to also... sit here and tell you that, you know, it's over after this. Now the Sanders are going to go on a 10 game winning streak. I mean, we'll see how they figure out Colorado. They beat a good quality Nashville team.
00:49:00
Speaker
But I did think going into this game that Seattle kind of played, I thought the Nashville played to Seattle strengths. So we'll see what happens in the next game where you do have again, a more of a higher, higher pressing team. It's it's a very different Colorado squad down there.
00:49:16
Speaker
It's going to be at altitude, so it's going to be a challenge for sure. Yeah, they got to sustain it. They got to build on it. ah But I don't think you could ask for a much better foundation to try and build on than what they put on when they what they put out in this game. It was fantastic. ah Question for you from chat, Nico.
00:49:38
Speaker
Julian Franco says, Nico, with this deep roster, can Brian walk away from his favorite 11 and have a favorite 15 roster instead? Can he sit Morris and Albert? Yeah, I think that he will. i think that he will now have, if not 15, yeah, 15, 16, that he could potentially rotate and move from the pivots to the maybe even a goalkeeper and including the the top front of your attack.
00:50:09
Speaker
I mean, you're going to have to get Ryan Kent in. You can't let Hedges Ferrer get cold. You got to have Pedro in just about every game, but maybe you got to manage his minutes and make sure that you don't overcook him.
00:50:22
Speaker
ah Same thing goes for Jordan Morris. I'm always worried about because he's such an explosive player. You know, you do got to manage those minutes. So I absolutely believe that there's going to be a lot of rotation and it's going to be interesting because we're some of them are going to be asking for continuity and ah starting 11 and there is going to be a need for rotation so I do believe that to um Julian's question uh it is going to be more of a a broader instead of an 11 maybe over 15 or 16 player constantly rotating in
00:50:55
Speaker
One thing I know is that you you really can never have enough depth in this league. Like, we talk about these things, but like I said, stuff comes up where you're going to have to lean on your depth one way or the other. So it's it's it's encouraging that they seem to be in a situation where I call them good problems to have, you know.
00:51:16
Speaker
i think... ah I was saying this to Noah last night, but I think a lot of teams in MLS would kill to be debating on who to start between Jesus Ferreira and Albert Rusnak. I mean, that is a that's a great problem to have, in my opinion.
00:51:29
Speaker
ah No, for sure. DJ Woolite coming in with another $5 Super Chat. Thank you, DJ. Appreciate it. Seeing how well we played without Jordan and Albert, I hope he doesn't rush them coming back. The team is just now beginning to mesh well.
00:51:42
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know if I would ah necessarily make it a correlation between the team playing better and Jordan and Albert not playing. I think there are very valid questions as to how Rusnak and Ferreira fit together specifically.
00:51:58
Speaker
But generally speaking, I'm more excited about what an Albert Rusnak and a Jordan Morris can add to what we're seeing right now. Like I said earlier, Jordan's field stretching ability is that's a new element that Moose is playing great right now. Like I got nothing negative to say about Moose at all.
00:52:16
Speaker
um But, Like, what what if we had what we saw against Nashville, but what we saw at the end with Jordan Morris making those runs? I know he didn't finish those chances, but, like, I was very encouraged to see him looking like his old self, making those exact runs.
00:52:34
Speaker
I know for a fact that if he keeps getting those chances that that are that high quality, he's going to get some goals out of it. So, I think, like I said, I think it'll solve itself to a certain extent, but I'm – I'm just very curious and intrigued to see how they run it and what these players, well, Rusnak and Morris, but then also Ryan Kent can add to the mix. Like it could, I think there's upside beyond what we saw. Maybe if ah the different stuff that like Jordan and Ryan Kent can bring to the table adds on top of the type of stuff that we saw, they just have to figure out how to, ah how to maximize that, how to bring that out.
00:53:14
Speaker
You have any thoughts on that, Nico? Yeah. No, I think it's silly to talk about the team playing better without Jordan and Albert. I've heard it a lot and it just, I just brush it off because it's a talking point that's out there right now, especially more. It's a crazy talking point, man. I mean, I don't get it. Like I, that's exactly why it' it's, it's something beyond just one game. You got to create the best team possible. And that's why it is so easy sometimes to just think that you have a solution. And then once that doesn't work, you figure out why you don't understand why, but the reality is that Jordan Morris and Albert Rosnack are sharpening.
00:53:50
Speaker
in the in this lineup. They're not going to be moved. They are going to maybe essentially Albert Rusnak with her. You could potentially shift them around, but if they're healthy and you want your best 11, Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak are going to be always Brassmatchers first.
00:54:07
Speaker
option, and there's no taking that away. Same thing goes for Yamar, same thing goes for Christian and Obed, same thing goes for Nuhu. We'll see what happens with Jackson. I still think that he is that guy, but, you know, Brian did kind of say that Kim Kihee is going to make it difficult for people to, you know, get in the game and that he's showing that he can be really good. So I always take some of those little Stones that Brian throws in between the lines very seriously.
00:54:39
Speaker
So we'll see what it happens. But I think that there certain players, I think Pedro needs to be in in
Rusnak and Ferreira Compatibility Debate
00:54:43
Speaker
every game. So as much as I understand the competition is great and that the team looked good against Nashville, saying that they're better with albert without Albert and Jordan is just wild to me.
00:54:54
Speaker
Yeah, no, I mean, like I said, people were dishing that take about Roostack over the last week based off like the three or four games that he missed, not taking into account the, how many games has he played for this club? Like, I don't know, like 80 MLS matches or something at this point. and you can let i thought it funny it It was probably the same people that were just dogging Ferreira and what saying, oh, Ferreira is just awful and Ferreira is not going to work out.
00:55:21
Speaker
and now he's the solution for Albert. I mean, I don't get it. I understand that in terms of salary cap, that argument, I do think it's fair, right? In terms of salary cap, if you thought that you were gonna get a guy like Pereira that could do those roles, could you have gotten away from Albert and brought somebody else in?
00:55:41
Speaker
Sure, but it was a huge risk to take for a team that clearly was trying to build something with continuity. And, you know, again, I'm not going to get away from or shy away from the fact that there was also the bit of a fear of a transfer fee for a player of that caliber, a player that gave you 35 goal contributions last season.
00:56:03
Speaker
You were going to have to go out of pocket and pay for that sort of situation, and you didn't. So that argument I understand. But when it comes to the team playing better or not with each one of these players, just I don't understand.
00:56:16
Speaker
Here's an interesting little idea. Sell Obed, move Rusnak back a line. Lineup solved. I just don't like... they they When he first got to the team, they played him back a line, and it worked. like they won They won Champions League with that setup.
00:56:29
Speaker
They did. ah But that the whole storyline with Rusnak in those days was that he's not playing his best position. You're not getting the most out of him, and he was a DP player that was literally like...
00:56:44
Speaker
not playing his correct position. And you saw as soon as he started playing his correct, uh, correct position, the stat sheet production that everyone had been complaining about was there.
00:56:54
Speaker
Like he provided exactly the production that you want from that spot, uh, for that player. So, uh, That setup had a Nico that has a 10 track and and got more miles than anybody on that field.
00:57:09
Speaker
That was prime JP. I mean, there you know that was MVP candidate JP. I mean, there's so many different... ways ah of what that looked like at that specific time and why it it kind of worked. and And although we didn't see the goal contributions that you did, you did see a team that was able to run through CCL at the time and and did look good.
00:57:33
Speaker
ah But it's not his position, especially under this format and with this group of players, you're just asking to just get beat down the middle. If you're going to ask him to do a lot more defending than he's doing now, and then you're not going to get that productivity that he does get when he's a little bit higher on the field.
00:57:48
Speaker
and And again, going back to the national game, I thought that he looked good when he came on. He set up a couple of really good opportunities in transition. He set up Paul with one, set up Jordan with one. He, I thought was good.
00:58:01
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. DJ coming in with another $5 super chat. Thank you, man. Want to clarify, I'm not trashing on JMO and Rusnak. Just happy we've learned to adapt when our DPs are injured. Yeah, I got you, man. I know i know you weren't ah you weren't, but some people were. But well it wasn't DJ on the record.
00:58:16
Speaker
It wasn't him. No, no, no. Good. And it is good. It is always good that when when you can get a win without some of your great best players, right? I mean, that's always a positive, especially when it's as dominant as this was.
00:58:29
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. um Let's talk about this Colorado game a little bit and then hit like a couple minutes of Steve C. If you got, if you got time, Nico. yeah and All right. Sick. This Colorado game, I think is a good little test in a way trip at Colorado, you know, at altitude against the team that, so they're in fifth in the West right now, four, two, and three at 1.67 points per game. So they've had a, uh,
00:58:55
Speaker
a pretty good start to the season, but honestly, like, you know, I pay attention to the whole league week to week. They've gotten some good results, but they've been pretty erratic. So I don't think, I don't know if this team is necessarily going to be top five in the West all season. Maybe they will.
00:59:12
Speaker
Maybe they will. I admittedly haven't watched them that much. I just know that their form this year has been, more up and down probably than you typically see from a top five team. ah But a road matchup at ah Dick's Sporting Goods Park is always a challenge, like I mentioned, because of the altitude off rip.
00:59:30
Speaker
ah But Seattle have had a fair amount of success, actually, in Colorado over the years. They're pretty good at getting results there. for It's weird. It's like... Colorado, they can go to the altitude and do fine, win the game. But not RSL. RSL, they can't.
00:59:45
Speaker
Yeah. but That's why when people are like, oh, well, I think the r is the thing with RSL is because it's at altitude and that makes it harder. But it's like, well, then why do they always take results in Colorado?
00:59:56
Speaker
you know um But ah what are you thinking of this ah matchup, Nico? Someone asked ah for your predicted starting 11. You don't have to do the full 11, but any thoughts on what the lineup could or should be with the team getting healthier and Ryan Kent in the fold?
01:00:11
Speaker
and the how are just kind of How are you sizing up this one? I think Jordan and Albert are back in. I have no doubt about that. and Not riding the hot hand? I don't think they'll write the hot hand as much as I think it'd be cool.
01:00:24
Speaker
ah But that's kind of the same 11 that you had in Dallas, ah you know, because Kim ended up coming in. And if you look at that 11 and you look at what you just played, it's kind of the exact same one. I feel like, as I mentioned, ah Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak are going to want to be in. You're going to need to put him in.
01:00:41
Speaker
Albert is a dude that... He doesn't need confidence. He doesn't need and anything, but he's going to tell you, I need to be in there. And I'm pretty sure that Brian's going to be like, yeah, I think you should be in there.
01:00:52
Speaker
ah You got to get it from the start. You got to see what that looks like with Albaros not going to field. um I feel like... When you look at this specific Colorado team, ah you might need a little bit more of those runs behind that Jordan Morris does because this is a high pressing team.
01:01:09
Speaker
So you are going to need a little bit. You're going to have more space for Jordan to run into, in my opinion, in this one. And that's why you have to start with Jordan Morris. Aside from the fact that, like I mentioned, you need to get him going once again.
01:01:22
Speaker
um Danny Masovsky, too. I thought he came out gassed as well. So maybe rest him a little bit. He's had a little bit of some back issues, some knocks here and there.
01:01:33
Speaker
So to me, it's almost clear that it's going to be Jordan and Albert to start back on this specific starting lineup. ah But ah in terms of Colorado, man, yeah, they are a good team. ah I have gotten a chance to see them just because they've played some of the teams that I'm – kind of assigned to, if you will, ah Houston because of Nicolás Didero and um San Diego.
01:01:56
Speaker
and So I've watched both of their last two games and they've been good. They've got a lot of quality. Rafa Navarro is is a guy that, to me, you've got to know where he's at at all times.
01:02:08
Speaker
Yappi is a very opportunistic type of striker. um i think that... Georgi Mihailovic. Georgi Mihailovic is a guy that although not the Georgie that ah potentially you know was here in MLS and was a former MVP.
01:02:24
Speaker
He does have the quality. He's a guy that will kill you on set pieces if you don't watch him enough. Cole Bassett is a guy that's all over the field. He can go inside, can go outside. ah love their fullbacks, both Gannon and Vines.
01:02:38
Speaker
So they they have a lot of... quality players. Everywhere that you look out on in the field, there's a quality player on the ball. And I feel like that's why they've been so consistent at times, but they can't get really caught up in transition because they play so high.
01:02:51
Speaker
um The biggest thing for me is that this is the Josh Atencio revenge ball, because i guarantee you that Josh Atencio Regardless if you'll ever say it or not, he felt some sort of way about getting sent to Colorado.
01:03:07
Speaker
So it's going to be interesting how he plays this game, the demeanor that he plays this game in, and he's going to be going out there to just get wins. So that midfield is going to be very important. I think Josh has been a crucial component for Colorado.
01:03:21
Speaker
I go as far as saying as that he is their main outlet player. when building from the back. ah He is the guy that is consistently looking to ah get those through balls. If you need to play direct, he's the guy that's putting those balls over the top.
01:03:35
Speaker
um I think that he's been very good for Colorado. So this is a quality team, well-coached, that doesn't um give you an opportunity to get set. They're going to want to go right off the bat.
01:03:48
Speaker
ah They're going to go out there and try to impose their tempo, specifically in Colorado. So it's going to be fun.
01:03:55
Speaker
Why don't they just keep Obed, Pam, and build the team of the future around him, De La Vega and Kent, if he works out? um I think there's an element of it that Obed wants to move to a league where he can that's the real see what he can do. And i think he should want that.
01:04:12
Speaker
And i i have full confidence that whatever league that is, wherever he goes, he's going to excel. He's he's too good for MLS, bro. we saw it We saw it in this last game. like He was dominating in a way that... To take over a game like that, that's a special attribute. Not every player can do that by any stretch of the imagination.
01:04:35
Speaker
He has that in him. There there' have been people questioning like the transfer fee, what it should be this year. like ah He's good, but he's that good is the is the sentiment that I hear sometimes. That game is an example of...
01:04:48
Speaker
why the the talk around him is what it is. It's because when he is at his best, he is a dominant player. So i think it's ah partially a lot of his, honestly, of his his own volition that he wants to go to a league where he can test himself at the highest level and see what he can do.
01:05:08
Speaker
And i I frankly think that that is, ah i want i want to see that. As much as I love him on this team, I want to see what he can do as well. Like, don't you? but I mean, yeah, but I mean, the answer is very simple.
01:05:23
Speaker
You just got to hold the player against his will. I mean, he wants to move on and and that's what every single player wants to do. Like you just said, every single player that has an opportunity, the capability to make the jump to ah you European league is going to do it.
01:05:38
Speaker
And you can't keep the player that's unhappy. So, uh, The reality is that you're going to have to look for substitution. I feel like if you were to ask me right now, I think that the solution is going to be in-house.
01:05:53
Speaker
ah I think that the U22 is going to be using a striker. And I think that there are midfielders in Schneider that they might feel like is good enough to at least hold the ball.
01:06:05
Speaker
position for a little bit. You got JP, ah you're able to, you know, potentially have him just kind of fill in for a little bit. But I really do think that that full-time temporary new player, you won't get it for another year. You're going to figure out what it looks like with some in-house guys.
01:06:24
Speaker
And then if that doesn't work, then you're going to go out there and spend some money on a central midfielder.
Steve Chirundolo’s Departure from LAFC
01:06:30
Speaker
Nico, as we, uh, as we start the process of wrapping it up here, let's, uh, let's talk about this.
01:06:35
Speaker
Steve Chirundolo news came out last week that, uh, that Stevie C is leaving LAFC at the, uh, at the end of the season, he's going to coach out the rest of this season.
01:06:45
Speaker
So he didn't get fired. And then he said, he's moving back to Germany for family reasons. Uh, So that that all that all makes sense. You know, he has roots in Germany. played in the Bundesliga his whole playing career. yeah His family has a lot of ties there.
01:07:02
Speaker
So I get that. ah But what did you make of, like, the timing of this, Nico? Like, to announce it in April and put yourself in a situation where you've got ah now got a lame duck coach the rest of the season, which I think there's a reason that you don't see that very often, ah which is because...
01:07:22
Speaker
when you know you're playing on a lame du under a lame duck coach, ah does not that does that not affect like credibility or your willingness to kind of take to heart or listen to what they have to say when you know that they're already leaving?
01:07:37
Speaker
but i so i don't I don't know. What did you think? Because I just thought this was ah interesting timing. I don't know if I've ever seen this. Have you seen this? I've never seen it. And it's very stiff Chirundolo.
01:07:48
Speaker
I say when I'm leaving, I know that my team is playing like crap right now. And I know that it's not great, but I'm saying that I'm leaving for my own personal reasons. So that was the first thing that came to mind. It just seems very stiff Chirundolo-like.
01:08:02
Speaker
And then the second thing is that there's probably a guy that they're waiting for. And, you know, that's a potential option for LAFC because they're not just going to go out there and get some guy. i feel like they're going to probably get a big name coach if you know everything that we have heard about Grissman and all these other players that are going to come into LAFC.
01:08:23
Speaker
ah You're going to need a guy that's going to help you recruit and do all these things. But you're right when it comes to this LAFC team. It sucks that, you know, your coach is basically saying I'm gone by the end of the year.
01:08:36
Speaker
So, you know, whatever we finish, I mean, it is what it is. I'm i'm out of here. ah It's odd, but it is interesting because what I just mentioned, does that affect the situation?
01:08:48
Speaker
scouting process? Does that affect you know people coming in or out? They're going to say, yeah, I'm going come in and play for a coach in December. i don't even know I don't even know who the coach is going to be the next year.
01:08:59
Speaker
so I'm guessing LAFC knows. that's That's what I'm thinking. I'm guessing LAFC knows and whenever that player asks, he's like, oh yeah, Steve's finishing the year and then and then were in so then we'll bring in so-and-so. Yeah, Tata's coming. i mean I don't know. just Whatever they decide, they're telling players this is going to be here next.
01:09:15
Speaker
That's the only reasoning I find behind it. The way, the way I see it, like they, they better hope they they need to play well, play better than they've been playing to start the season here.
01:09:28
Speaker
ah They looked actually really good. Well, they They got a great result in Portland a game where they had to come back, and they looked better than they had been.
01:09:39
Speaker
But like just say, hypothetically, there's a situation where their form takes nosedive and they're really struggling, which, honestly, that can happen to any MLS team at any time. You can think you've got a sick roster. You can think that it's all going well, and then injuries hit, whatever happens.
01:09:57
Speaker
If they hit a stretch where they torpedo, at all between eight now in April, the season start is not, it's like a quarter done. They hit a nosedive at any time between now and the end of the season.
01:10:09
Speaker
That's not good. Like, I don't know how you handle that because at that point, like that has, that has to affect like the players buy-in. If the forum is nosediving under a coach who's already said, I'm out peace.
01:10:21
Speaker
Like, i they They need to play well for the rest of the season and realistically look like the LAFC of old. Otherwise, like I don't see... like There's no way this situation stays afloat.
01:10:34
Speaker
Maybe... I don't know. Maybe they have something cooked up to make it work that we don't know about. But I think they got to hope that... They play a lot better than they have been playing. And it really, it has ripple effects for everyone in the else in the West. and if It affects Seattle for sure. This is one of their biggest competitors in the West, one of their biggest rivals and one of the teams that they're always going to have to go through they want to win anything.
01:11:01
Speaker
So honestly, I'm rooting for a little chaos and turmoil for them. i I hope it nosedives. And, ah you know, Partially because that would benefit Seattle, but also, you know, for the ah entertainment value, you know, I like a good ah club falling apart storyline. So I don't know.
01:11:19
Speaker
It's just, ah it's just, it hard it was odd. and And like you said, I mean, credit to the players because they came out at Portland in a difficult venue. They were down two, so ah two goals, zero.
01:11:32
Speaker
ah They had a couple of opportunities, a couple of goals that were, uh, taken off because they were offside. Danny Buonga both times a little bit too eager to get forward and you know rightfully so they get invalidated.
01:11:49
Speaker
And still they're able to get back into the game. um So you get Oliver Giroud's best game that I've seen all since he's been here.
01:12:00
Speaker
he was running around and he scored a goal. which is He scored a goal, a beauty of a free kick. um But it wasn't just that. his His passing was on point. Finally, he's able to, you know...
01:12:11
Speaker
link up and do all these things that we knew he had in his tool bag, but just, I don't know wasn't doing it. it I've said this many times. It's a lot easier to get into MLS that people think of.
01:12:22
Speaker
And, you know, maybe he adapted well, but going back to the whole point, credit to the team that they went out there and just played their hearts out. um It was, I do want to say this real quick. It was cool to see Denny Buanga with Aaron Bupensa at Tribute.
01:12:38
Speaker
ah You know, Cincinnati did it as well. You know, the tragic passing of ah the former FC Cincinnati striker. But ah yeah, I thought it was credit to to the team for going out there and playing. But it's not easy.
01:12:51
Speaker
it is odd. It's weird. It's very Steve-like. ah but It is. yeah hadn't thought about it through that lens, but it is it is how you would expect Steve C to do it. ah Rhombus lab says feel for the players in that situation. Nobody wants to work under a boss sticking around for a paycheck or whatever. Exactly. It's like, it's, that's basically the situation. And like, i don't know, like maybe they were trying to get ahead of leaks or something. I just don't get why, like, why not just wait until either like later in the season or after
01:13:21
Speaker
the season maybe i maybe we're talking about with like recruitment or whatever they got somebody lined up uh you know i'm open to all those possibilities uh i just don't know um all right nico we're at an hour 13 i think it's about time for us to start wrapping it up here anything else you wanted to hit like seattle sounders wise or or that caught your eye from around the league or anything before we get out of here No, not not not that I can think of, especially not at at at this moment of the um the show.
01:13:53
Speaker
um i did you know happen to ah run into Jackson Reagan. He seems in good spirits during the game. And you know he clearly is going to be off for quite a few weeks, but he seems to be in good spirits watching all the games, supporting his team.
01:14:13
Speaker
um So that that that was kind of cool to see. And other than that, man, I think that's about everything. We'll see what this Colorado game looks like. We're going to obviously be at...
01:14:25
Speaker
Providence, Swedish clubhouse and performance center all week long. So go ahead and, yeah you know, follow our information. We're going to be at there to see what the news come about. We're going to have a close eye on guys like Ryan Kent, Morris, ah see how all that plays out this week.
01:14:42
Speaker
ah But just thank you for putting the show together there, boss man. Yeah, a pleasure as always, man. Glad ah glad we got it to break down an emphatic win, finally.
01:14:53
Speaker
That was fun. wait Hopefully we get to do that again soon. ah Thank you, as always, to everyone for tuning in. you haven't done so yet, like the video. like the video there's a lot of you watching right now if every single one of you likes the video maybe we can get this to triple digit likes that would be huge oh for the algo uh sub to the channel like comment subscribe all that uh all right i think that's it thank you all for tuning in i'll uh uh we'll we' have the dub pod coming out tomorrow hopefully and then i'll be back at it on thursday for lobbing scorchers under the lights i'll see you there peace