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Episode 411: Preview of Sounders - Dynamo
74 Plays2 years ago
The Houston Dynamo have been one of the surprising teams this season, sitting fourth in the Western Conference after a horrible 2022. But they've only claimed five points on the road. We talked to Victor Araiza of The Striker to get his sense of the situation.
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Transcript
Episode Sponsor: Full Pull Wines
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Full Pull was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime sounder supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, the Pacific Northwest.
00:00:21
Speaker
Hey,
Sounders' MLS Triumph Celebration
00:00:22
Speaker
this is Christian Roldan. And Jordan Morris from the Seattle Sounders Football Club. And you're listening to... There's no study at this. Here we go. Come on! Hey, Ocean! Let's go! What a save by Fry! The Seattle Sounders have done it! MLS co-pointers! Here comes Ray D'Ace from the middle to crowd it! The vehicle! And now they truly can't stop the celebrations.
00:01:04
Speaker
Seattle Sounders, the greatest MLS team in history. This is a tiny f***ing doll.
00:01:34
Speaker
Is
Preview: Seattle Sounders vs. Houston Dynamo
00:01:37
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of NOS Adietta, sponsored by Fullpool Wines, Watson's Counter, and our Substax subscribers. I am Jeremiah O'Shan. Joining me today to help preview Saturday's match against the Houston Dynamo is Victor Riza of the Striker, Texas. How you doing, Victor? Hey, Jeremiah. Glad to be on any time for our friends up there in the Pacific Northwest.
00:01:42
Speaker
that why you young people call twerking?
00:02:04
Speaker
But yeah, I'm always glad to be here.
Houston Dynamo's Unexpected Success
00:02:09
Speaker
So, you know, the Dynamo have been enjoying a pretty impressive season, I would say, well above what most of us in the national media at least expected.
00:02:20
Speaker
They're in fourth place locally too. Okay. Yeah. I mean, that was my suspicion, but yeah, what, how, how has, you know, I, it felt like after, uh, Benny, uh, uh, after you, why am I blanking on the coach's name? Uh, yeah, Ben, Ben Olson, Ben Olson. I was like, that's not right. Uh, Ben Olson. Um, after he was hired, it seemed like there was a lot of us that,
00:02:45
Speaker
thought like, well, that's a very unambitious hire. And it even seemed like in Houston, there was a lot of frustration over, uh, are we really hiring this guy who, you know, doesn't have a great MLS record. But I mean, he, it does seem like it's worked out about as well as you could have hoped so far. Right.
00:03:02
Speaker
Yeah, it was out of left field. I think for a lot of people and look, don't feel bad. Cause I think even in Houston, there's a lot of people that don't know who the coach of the Houston dynamo is. And that part of that is the revolving door of coaches that has been through here for the last couple of years. Uh, you know, within the last five years, I think you're, you're, you're talking about, uh, it's been about three or four. So, uh, but you know, part of this was, you know, the big thing that
00:03:28
Speaker
that onset, the sporting director was, or, you know, general manager was, was kind of, um, always putting out there in the, in the interview process with a guy with MLS experience. And that's, uh, that's what they did with the first head coaching hire, uh, on their onset, which was Paul Nagamura, obviously less experienced, uh, they didn't work out that great months. They pulled the plug and also the guy that, you know, as coach more years, uh, had, had a little bit more, more ground in the league, uh,
00:03:55
Speaker
Um, obviously on set coached under him at DC United. So there's a link there as well. And, you know, I think the biggest thing is they, they truly believe that if they at DC United, he was underserved, they hadn't given him enough resources and that they could.
Key Players in Dynamo's Performance
00:04:10
Speaker
be able to get him down here in Houston. I think the biggest one, the biggest change here has probably been Ekto and Reda, the midfielder brought in last year, has had a full preseason. He's been worth the price of that designated player spot. I think it's a mix of different things come together. Certainly, the home record helps out a lot and there is something maybe to this
00:04:37
Speaker
Um, you know, Benny ball, right? With, you know, the one thing fans have been wanting to see for a long time is, uh, uh, and part of it is because there, there, there was a lack of stars in Houston before, but just, um, you know, fight for the shirt, at least give fans something to, to feel good about. Right. And again, when I also came in, all the right things were said, and at least for the moment, half the season, uh, looks like it's going in the rock in the right direction.
00:05:03
Speaker
Yeah. So aside from Ecto Herrera, who else is standing out for you guys?
00:05:09
Speaker
Oh, there's a couple of guys. I mean, Steve Clark is obviously a solid guy having goal. He was here last year and I think this year he's. It helps have a little bit better defense, right? And part of that is this. The midfield that is a little bit more stacked with it and I do have Alberto Carrasquilla who's on international duty right now, but himself with our tour with the brother from Columbus has changed the way that midfield is controls the ball a little bit better helps again. The defenders.
00:05:41
Speaker
And they brought in an experienced defender in Eric Spiachenko over from Denmark. It's worked out a little bit, right, because they had a DP spot locked up with Tina Chadeve. He's out for injury, but you know, the back line is working with Spiachenko. They got a young center back in their Micahel, Brazilian.
00:06:02
Speaker
And, uh, Franco Escobar is another one again, experienced guy. They brought him over from LAFC. He was also with Atlanta United, won a cup with both of those teams. Uh, and then the left back has sort of been a little bit of, uh, of a switcheroo there, you know, kind of fence, but you know, Daniel stairs is playing out of position. Uh, but you know, some of these veterans I've mentioned to you, right? Steve Clark or tour Escobar, uh, those are the guys that, that have, uh,
00:06:26
Speaker
uh, sort of made the difference, uh, with kind of skia and, and again, just give the dynamo a bit of a good base, uh, to of experience and just ability as well, which is what they've been lacking over the last couple of years.
Dynamo's Home vs. Away Record
00:06:40
Speaker
Yeah. So you, you looking at this team, uh, the thing that absolutely just jumps off the paper is the extreme, uh, home road split that Houston has, uh, I guess, uh, as, as experienced this year, seven, one, and one at home best home record in the league, uh, only allowed three goals at home.
00:07:01
Speaker
Uh, so the one loss they have is to the sounders. And that was the game where they obviously had two red cards and a bunch of players missing. So pretty, you know, almost unbeatable at home. Uh, but then they go on the road and it's a, just almost a complete mirror image. Uh, one seven and two, uh, they've been outscored, uh, by 15 goals on the road, uh, given up 22 road goals and 10 games. I mean, it's, it's almost.
00:07:25
Speaker
on that. It's just like, it's hard to process. Uh, how do you describe, how do you explain this extreme difference? Well, it's, uh, I guess maybe the best way is a dynamo way. I never been good on the road. You go back to those first couple of years, they, they weren't good on the road. Uh, not, not abysmal, but I may, I may be once he's not, I don't know. But I mean, if you go back, you can see that it just hasn't been that way for Houston. I don't know, travel, what it would play into it.
00:07:55
Speaker
particularly in these years where they've been bad, they haven't been getting results at home. Their last playoff season in 2017, again, if you compare the numbers, they look very similar. It was like 12 wins at home, one loss, and then you look on the road, they only had one win the entire year, but they got to the playoffs, I think, with like a four or five spot. I think they just got the points to get home field.
00:08:21
Speaker
That's just kind of the way it is. I think, you know, defining a little bit more solid to where they can use a little bit of the heat in their favor. Obviously, for the earlier rec results, I think they weren't getting everybody's best shot, you know, for kind of analyzing
00:08:38
Speaker
Uh, a little bit, maybe teams are still underestimating them because again, you look, you think of the dynamo, you think, uh, they've been low in the Western conference. Um, naturally they, they maybe don't give them as much credit and then it just kind of comes at you as a surprise on the road. I do think they still get intimidated some places, uh, historically in the Pacific Northwest, they haven't been good. You know, when they go to Portland, they went to Vancouver, a couple, couple
00:09:03
Speaker
I think it was about the end of May. Yeah. A couple of weeks ago. And, uh, it was like a smacking was a six to loss, uh, to Vancouver. Um, so yeah, that's, that's kind of the puzzle that the coach has to, has to figure out. But I think, um, it just, you know, it's easier to obviously to have the home crowd behind you a little bit and, and shock teams in your own place. I think that what it is on the road.
00:09:29
Speaker
Yeah, and they've been particularly bad in Seattle going through their record here. I don't think they've ever won. They have a few ties, but not many even ties. You go all the way back to their
00:09:47
Speaker
I think it was their first ever meeting back in the open cup in 2009, where they were the, there was the famous, famous here. The zombie J it's known as the zombie Jake, what game because Nick Jake scored a score to goal while wearing a bandaged head. But then a Houston
00:10:05
Speaker
repaid the favor and knocked the sounders out of the playoffs. But that was that was a tie here, even when they advanced in that one. But yeah, other than that, I got a few a few ties and but not necessarily blowouts. Last year, the sounders won one zero here. The year before that, it was it was two one. And so it's it's just not a lot of a lot of close games. But yeah, was it not? Was it not zero, the last one?
00:10:33
Speaker
No, no, no, I'm wrong. It was too, it was too one. I was looking at the last game. That was, uh, it was a knockout blow. If I'm not mistaken, like if I'm, if I remember correctly, that was like Naga Moros last game. Yes. I think you're right. I think you're right from that. And he was gone. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think I'm pretty sure you're right about that. Uh, but yeah, you got to go all the way. Let's see. You got to go all the way back to, um,
00:10:59
Speaker
I think 2016 was the last tie. That's hilarious. Cause that's, that was like one of the worst, that's probably the worst season in club history. Yeah. And it was at a time when the Sounders were actually playing pretty good too, which is kind of funny. That was like after they had already started to turn around their season.
00:11:18
Speaker
But, uh, yeah, I mean, is there, I don't know. It's obviously a lot of different coaches, a lot of different players in that time. Uh, and so it's always, it's always, I'm always reluctant to, to like write too much into that, but this is one of those, those, those streaks that has gone on for an awful long time. Uh, and, and even a branch Metro apparently has a nine, two and two record against, against, uh, Houston. So, um,
00:11:44
Speaker
pretty, you know, pretty, pretty resounding in their favor. But I don't know what, what would you say the attitude going into the, obviously Houston had a couple huge wins just recently. One of them on the road against LAFC, a place where by the way, the Sanders have never won in the regular season. So there's a feather in the cap of Houston. Yeah.
00:12:07
Speaker
And so I guess it's all but also the Sounders fans will be relieved to know that that they're not on a long losing streak on the road because of that win. The Sounders have had a lot of struggles with teams that are on long losing streaks this year. But I mean, what would you say the attitude, the the the the confidence level of Houston going into this game would be? Oh,
00:12:34
Speaker
That's hard to gauge. I mean, I think confidence-wise, again, you have guys like Herrera, Fiachenko that kind of bring up that confidence. But it's not up to that. I think it just tactically, they got to piece it together. And I think that's the big advantage that they have.
00:12:52
Speaker
or disadvantage, I should say, against Seattle. I think the fact that you have a coach like Schmetzer who can read games, who can adjust, I would say that's part of the results.
00:13:06
Speaker
I thought the Saunders would come in here and win and sort of break that home record that Houston has been having for that reason. I didn't think they were going to do it with like an alternate squad and it was great. But it just seems like, and to be fair, they were hanging in that game and they're going to tell you that they had two players sign off and it would have been a different story and we'll never know.
00:13:29
Speaker
I do think that is part of it. Just, you know, last week, for example, they went up to Austin. Shortest distance they travel of all the MLS stadiums and they got smacked through nothing. And I think part of that is, you know, in this case, I think it was the game plan. They sort of go in there and they let Austin attack. I don't know if they think, you know, defending throughout 90 minutes is going to be the way to, you know, maybe find them on a counter attack. And I think inviting Austin to attack was maybe the wrong choice.
00:13:59
Speaker
By the time they decided to attack, it was too late. Austin had already put the game away. It was already 3-0. If they approached the game that way in Seattle, I think they're going up there to lose because I think that approach means you got to go in there at least try to take the game to them.
00:14:16
Speaker
you know, and see what you can get out of it. And the other one is places like Seattle, I throw in their Kansas City, maybe LAFC until recently, although I, you know, it's not an excuse, but I do have to throw in there. It was a team without Belonga, they had a couple of guides out because of the international window. I do think Houston was more motivated, but I think in some of these stadiums I've gone and I've seen Houston, they just,
00:14:41
Speaker
You know, they don't play well against that type of crowd. We'll see. They they traveled today. I think that's over two days before they usually do that. But we'll see if they can put together. Well,
Are Houston Dynamo Improving?
00:14:55
Speaker
moving beyond this game and sort of looking into the future, does it feel like Houston as a as a club, as a franchise, whatever, does it feel like they've turned a corner? Does it feel like maybe we're on the we're on the up and up here?
00:15:12
Speaker
Again, I think it's hard to gauge, you know, because Houston fans have seen them win before, right? Five years ago, they made the playoffs, you know, is this just a one-off season or is it going to be finding something more consistent? I think right now it's hard to gauge. The biggest thing too is just the goal creation. That's also what has to come for them.
00:15:33
Speaker
You know, they can be sound defensively, but eventually you have, you know, the sounders break open, score one or two on you and you have no way of responding. That's also been part of the reason why, you know, at least on the road, they haven't been able to get some of these results, some of these victories.
00:15:50
Speaker
Earlier at home, some of the wins were very narrow, so who's going to step up to score? They've got a designated player who isn't playing and it's occupying the P spot more than anything. They've got Nensil Kinyona, so they have to decide on his loan, but he's finally playing and it's providing some width, which they needed earlier in the year to find getting
00:16:13
Speaker
They had a new Nigerian striker come in or where I should say forward because he's playing the striker role But I wonder if he's better out why? Ali we were human and those two guys again opened up the attack a little bit Corey Barrett's up there as well thorough horse and
00:16:30
Speaker
you know, it's probably been in the better run of form, but he's kind of, you know, still working himself on the bench. He hasn't learned the trust to be a starter. There's no definitive goal score. There's no guy like you guys can probably point to, I mean, even, you know, they've had injuries lately, but, or been absent, but you guys can point to a Rui DS or, or, or Laredo to go save you a game with Jordan Morris, right? Houston, I don't know. I don't think they have that other than Hector Herrera.
00:16:55
Speaker
off maybe some set pieces here or there. Until they get a player of that caliber like they used to have back in the old days with Brian Jing or Dwayne Durosario, I think that's what's going to keep them from getting back to that level.
00:17:11
Speaker
Yeah. And I'm, I'm, you know, one other player I'm, I'm curious about is Sebastian who had such a good year last year. He's, he's a young player still, but he's only got two starts less than 300 minutes. It seems like he's sort of found himself in the, in the dog house and, and isn't quite sure how to get out of there. What's, what's going on with him?
00:17:33
Speaker
Well, what's been said is straight from the coach's mouth is he's just not doing the work defensively, right? This is both from both the player and the coach, right? He's just not getting the defensive work rate done.
00:17:47
Speaker
that then maybe he sees from other players like a Cory bear, you know, again, just maybe some of these other forwards that that are able to run and, you know, he has different qualities, he's more of a traditional number nine, right, set him up in the box and he can be a killer in front of goal. So
00:18:06
Speaker
I think that's, at least from what we've heard, that's part of the issue. It just doesn't fit into the system here with Olsen. I think, again, when looking for a definitive goal scorer, he's probably a guy that has shown you the quality. Look at some
Sebastian Ferreira's Role in the Team
00:18:21
Speaker
of his goals from last year, just scored from
00:18:24
Speaker
you know, more than half field, sometimes, you know, kind of cleans up the play inside the box, makes something out of nothing. And, you know, how that a guy like that doesn't have a use. And again, for a team that has struggled to score goals, I mean,
00:18:38
Speaker
You can look at the recent score lines, right? Four goals against San Jose, four goals against LAFC, but don't let that fool you. I think that's the anomaly to this team and that's, you know, they're going to have to decide to move him on this summer and free up that spot or, you know, he's essentially just riding the bench. I don't see a way he plays significant minutes this season unless just something completely changes.
00:19:03
Speaker
And is it a sense that he's sort of in Houston to stay for now, or do you get a sense that they're actively trying to move him? I think they're trying to move him because it's, I mean, it's not.
00:19:18
Speaker
you can't just be paying a guy with like two million a year, right? And just kind of keep the thing going. Um, especially like I said, when I think they need goals, it does seem like, you know, we haven't heard a lot of rumors and I think it's going to be tough for them to sell them too, because he hasn't been playing and that's going to make it tough to, unless they can move them within the league. I saw
00:19:42
Speaker
He might've been one of some of the athletic guys that maybe was Bogert that reported that even within the league, he was alone, it wouldn't work because he'd still count as a DP towards them. I don't know. That's the stuff they got to figure out. And I think it is hard to move them. And for that reason, I think maybe at some point they're going to have to decide to
00:20:02
Speaker
make it work, or at least try to make it work a little better. He's been getting some minutes off the bench lately. So maybe, you know, if he gets a goal in one of these games, maybe that's something that can spur the conversation because I think, you know, especially fans, right? I mean, if Reita scores and there is some quality there and fans already know what he's done before, that could be his way back, I think.
00:20:26
Speaker
but as of now it's tough and he hasn't been playing anything. He hasn't been playing with Dynamo two. He hasn't been playing with the first team. So he's coming off the bench cold. I mean, it's hard for him, uh, you know, cause he's not in, in fitness, right? Right.
00:20:39
Speaker
Yeah, no, that's a, that's a, that's a tough situation. No, no question. Well, uh, Victor, uh, I appreciate you hanging out with us, uh, giving us some insight into the Houston dynamo, uh, expecting a tough, these games are always tough. Even if they, even if, even if Victor, even if, uh, Houston has, has come out on the wrong side of them, it seems like the dynamo always play a tough to play the center's tough and the sounders aren't exactly, uh, pouring in goals these days either. So, uh,
00:21:08
Speaker
I don't know, it always, it's always, it seems like everyone's a tough matchup for the Sounders lately. But Victor, thank you so much for doing this. No, thank you. Jeremiah, always great work up there. See some of your stuff on Twitter. So yeah, always happy to be on. Yeah.
Follow Victor Riza for More Insights
00:21:23
Speaker
And, and the striker, you can read Victor on, on the striker in Texas. Where else can they find you?
00:21:30
Speaker
As you mentioned it right on there, thestriker.com. We've got a podcast, a Dynamo podcast inside the Hexagon. It's also part of the Striker brand. Twitter at Vicariza, A-R-A-I-Z-A. That about covers it. Good stuff. All right. Well, thank you so much for doing this. I'm Jeremiah Chan. This is NoSawriettis, and we will catch you next time.
00:22:51
Speaker
We love you. Let's win another one!