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Another Day, Another Disappointment - Ep. 24
54 Plays1 year ago
Ari and Noah talk about the Seattle Sounders draw with the Colorado Rapids. Then preview the upcoming matchup with San Jose Earthquakes and talk winners and losers around MLS.
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Transcript
Introduction and Match Recap
00:00:09
Speaker
What's going on everybody? Welcome in to episode 24 of Lobbing Scorchers. This is Ari Lillianwall. I got producer Noah here with me. Noah, say what's up to the people. What's up people? Man, what a deja vu Ari.
00:00:24
Speaker
Yeah, you know, I feel like we've been a bit of a broken record on this podcast since last year, basically. And unfortunately, I think it might be a similar theme this week, Noah. But we've got a good show for you nonetheless. I'm feeling better on our last episode. I still had the flu, so I don't have that anymore. Thank God. So that's a positive. I feel back to 100%.
00:00:55
Speaker
We're going to be keeping with our same routine this week. We're going to be reacting to the latest Seattle Sounders game, which was a 1-1 draw at home against the Colorado Rapids.
Seattle Sounders' Performance Analysis
00:01:06
Speaker
But this might be the last time that we lead the show with the Seattle Sounders for a little while. I toyed with this policy last season a little bit. I think we were joking around about it.
00:01:18
Speaker
I think I might bump them to the back of the show until they score multiple goals in an MLS game. How about just a goal from the run of play? Yeah, or that. But I want to see two goals in an MLS game. I don't really care if it's from the run of play or if there are penalties or set pieces or whatever. I just want to see multiple goals in an MLS game. And anytime they give us that, we'll lead the show with them.
00:01:40
Speaker
all day. But we're gonna we're gonna lead with them again this week because this game against Colorado was actually reasonably eventful even like for a 1-1 draw I think a lot a lot happened at least so I'm excited to talk about it even though the result was
00:01:57
Speaker
pretty disastrous, to be honest, how that panned out at the end. And then we're going to jump into, we're going to hop around the league a little bit, do some winners and losers, talk about some of the other results that took place in MLS match day five. And then I think we had a couple other news items in there maybe, and then we're going to get out of here.
00:02:17
Speaker
Let's get into this Sounders game, Noah. We got to talk about it. 1-1 against Colorado. And I think the unfortunate thing is that this game actually started off pretty well. It was a game where, given the struggles that this team has had on offense to start the season, dating back to last season, an early goal was going to be crucial, I thought.
00:02:41
Speaker
Just to get the vibes right, I did not like the idea of any sort of game here where you're going into the second half with it 0-0 or anything like that. I think you had to get on the board early. And to their credit, they did that. 11th minute, I believe. It was in the opening 15 minutes.
00:03:01
Speaker
Raul Rui Diaz and Leo Chiu had a nice little interplay sequence and Raul winds up hitting the ball off Keegan Rosenberry's hand in the penalty area for a handball. Well-won, well-earned penalty. No, I know you were calling them PK merchants or whatever as soon as it happened, but I'm not even going to caveat like that. It was an earned pen. Raul had a nice finish with the Penenka on that.
00:03:27
Speaker
one zero lead. And at that point, you know, it felt it felt like that was what they needed to reset the vibes a little bit like they just needed that early goal, however they could get it. And they got it. And when you score an early, early goal like that, it is very helpful to the cause typically, because that can open an opponent up a team that comes to Seattle like Austin FC did in the previous game and tries to bunker the entire game.
00:03:55
Speaker
Which they had success doing you can't really do that when you go down a goal so you know I had I had hope I had hope I thought that Maybe that was the goal they needed to get things going Get this offense kicked into gear And unfortunately that turned out not to be the case
00:04:17
Speaker
I mean, this game really got chalked on the Josh Atencio red card. Yeah, soft, which was in the it was in like it was it was like the 60th minute or something. There's too much time. And you got his first yellow and like the 48th or something. And then he got sent off about 10 minutes later. Yeah. And I mean, there was a lot of talk about the call itself.
00:04:42
Speaker
Um, I thought the weird thing about that call was how, and a lot of people pointed this out, but how the referee let play go for a full minute on the clock after the foul in question occurred. And then, uh, Josh got the second yellow, like retroactively after play had stopped a minute later.
00:05:02
Speaker
I did think that was weird. That's usually if there's a yellow card foul in that situation They're gonna stop play and give the card right there, especially, you know Especially if it's on a second yellow where the guy's getting sent off. It's kind of weird to have him Playing for a full minute after in a fence that was ostensibly bad enough for him to get ejected. Yeah
00:05:25
Speaker
But I know that the one of the one of the I saw on Twitter so take it with a grain of salt but the guidance that the handbooks give for officials is that if there is a play that you know potentially would result in a red card concerning like serious conduct with you know endangering a player which was what the second yellow was for apparently because I mean he did come in late on the second one I think this I think we could both agree that second foul was a yellow but the first one was
00:05:55
Speaker
It was a little bit soft in terms of yellow. So it was weird that they just pulled that out like 35 minutes after it happened. It was weird. I I personally I don't know everyone's got their own take on it. I personally Didn't have an issue with the challenge itself getting a yellow and I just think it's a situation where You know when you're on when you know, you're already on a yellow and
00:06:21
Speaker
and you go into a challenge like that, you're immediately susceptible right there. It's 50 50, whether you're going to get sent off or not. And that's just you're playing with fire. That's not a game that you should be playing. And so Josh made a mistake right there. And it's unfortunate because I mean, he's been one of the best players on the team to this point in the season.
00:06:42
Speaker
He was playing well in this game and in a one goal game with that much time left on the clock It's just it's just an ill-advised challenge.
Tactics, Injuries, and Future Matches
00:06:51
Speaker
It's he shouldn't have gone into that challenge. He gets sent off and at that point Seattle just has so much time to protect this one goal lead and They were having they've been having trouble scoring with 11 guys on the field. So I
00:07:09
Speaker
trying to score the second goal with 10 guys, that's probably not going to happen. You basically are just hoping and praying that you can absorb whatever pressure that comes at you and see out the game at 1-0. But Seattle got really lucky to not lose this game, if we're being honest.
00:07:26
Speaker
Jackson Reagan gave up a penalty kick Not all that much longer after Josh got sent off and Andy Thomas shout out Andy Thomas That was a yeah, it was not a good penalty by Georgie Mihailovich But you got to give credit to the backup goalkeeper for for stuffing that one He he read that perfectly made a good save and that kind of that kind of put a boost into the building The crowd was hyped after Andy Thomas made that save he's been playing pretty well
00:07:55
Speaker
People were pointing out his distribution in this game wasn't that good. And I would agree with that. But when you save a penalty kick, those are game-changing plays that an MLS starting goalkeeper has got to make. And he made that play. So they were actually in line to still see out the 1-0. But unfortunately, in the 88th minute,
00:08:22
Speaker
Danny waver who was subbed on gives up free kick just outside the box Georgie Mihailovich lines it up. He hits it pretty dead-eye Andy Thomas actually saved it a great save Yeah, he called it one of the best saves of his life, which honestly like I don't doubt it like yes It actually was a pretty amazing save he was on but unfortunately it fell right to former LA galaxy legend Kevin Cabral
00:08:49
Speaker
And he had a pretty easy rebound finish And then shushed at ECS. Oh, I didn't even see that. Yeah, that's a pretty sick move by Kevin Cabral You know He was not Well marked no on that play like that goal actually that rebound could have been prevented That was some bad defense. Yeah, that was which it was a pretty poorly defended game it felt like but that was just kind of awful
00:09:19
Speaker
it was it was backbreaking man because they were actually pretty close to pulling that off with 10 men um but you know it's kind of a recurring theme that we've talked about a lot over the last calendar year or so which is that when you can't score goals your margin of error becomes like non-existent
00:09:42
Speaker
and one little lapse or one little mistake like that and you're dropping points at home again. And it's just happened too many times over the last year. You know, if you were able to get multiple goals in this game, if you hang two or three on them at home against an inferior opponent, you're not in a situation where one goal causes you to drop those points. So it's I think the
00:10:11
Speaker
It's just unfortunate that we have to have the same conversations on a weekly basis. But until this offense gets kicked into gear, that's probably how it's going to keep going, man. I hate to say that, but I've seen this movie a few too many times, dating back to last season and so far this season.
00:10:39
Speaker
before they ran the four four two again which you know I get I get the thought behind it and you know I gotta ask why do you get the thought though what is the thought I mean you're
00:10:55
Speaker
trying to get Raul and Jordan on the field at the same time. And with where they're at with personnel and the injuries, it's theoretically a way to get most of your
00:11:13
Speaker
best, most trusted players all together on the field at the same time. And also, you know, I'm not at training every day anymore. So I don't know how it looks in training. I would assume that they're having some degree of success with it in training if they keep running it.
00:11:33
Speaker
Um, or maybe their hand, maybe the coaches feel like their hands are just tied and they have to run it regardless of how it looks in training. I don't know. But either way, I don't disagree that the early returns from it have not exactly been encouraging.
00:11:48
Speaker
I it's nice to see a new tactical wrinkle. I guess I think it's good that Raoul is starting these games. He's been playing. Well, he actually he was he was buzzing around in this game. Like I like he's he's trying to play his ass off right now. He's playing for a contract man. I mean seriously.
00:12:07
Speaker
Yeah, like I think he sees the writing on the wall. I mean I don't blame he was he was I Don't know. I don't know about the way he he was used in this game He was playing hard and he was buzzing around he was active He was getting a fair amount of touches, but it felt like he was getting the ball too deep You know Rudy has as a player that you need to be getting engaged and on the ball higher up the field Not necessarily dropping back in play. It was almost like would you agree almost felt like he was playing like a tenant time
00:12:43
Speaker
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00:12:56
Speaker
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00:13:19
Speaker
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00:13:42
Speaker
Yeah, it was the whole formation in the front I found was really weird and granted like the angle that I had was I'm basically like on the corner But like you'd see like Leo Chu would float inside to the opposite side as well I almost felt like they realized that that left side is such a black hole that they're like we want such a fluid attack to where like our wingers can become nines and our nines can become tens and our tens can become defensive bet like defensive midfielders and
00:14:12
Speaker
It was maybe that's not what they meant to do. Maybe Brian was like go out there and be fluid, but I agree with you I saw that as well like he would be playing as a 10 and then he'd be playing as a target nine in Within like the same 15 minutes. Yeah, I mean I guess it was interesting to watch but it definitely I mean it didn't result in any sustained sort of offense that
00:14:38
Speaker
felt like different or Like a new leaf had been turned yeah, then like that I don't think giving more freedom to leo chew is Necessarily gonna solve your your attacking woes there personally Yeah, I mean I don't really know what to say about this offense at this point other than
00:15:02
Speaker
pretty much standing by what I've been saying, which is that, you know, me personally, given what the given what the situation is with personnel, I would like to see some Paul Rothrock. I would like to see some Cody Baker, which we did see some Cody Baker and yeah, he was out there cooking. That's what I'm saying. Like maybe maybe see what he can do. The pimples start.
00:15:25
Speaker
But it doesn't seem like the coaches are looking at it the same way I think the way that they're they seem to be looking at it is that You know they have that they have the players that they trust the most based on what they see in training and and the players that are paid the most to be difference makers and They're gonna try and ride those guys and let them figure it out which you know
00:15:52
Speaker
if they think that's the right approach i'm not a coach i can't really argue with it as a fan i would like the i would enjoy the intrigue of giving younger players different players a chance to try it out but it doesn't seem like we're gonna get that so yeah aside from that
00:16:17
Speaker
You really, once again, just have to get Albert Resnak healthy, get Jauphalo healthy. That's probably the most important thing right now. I think game are as well.
00:16:28
Speaker
Yeah, Mar, but I mean, I just because I was raised playing out of position and he looked at his lost and Mark Kastner sounder at heart. Shout out. He wrote about the last match. And one of the things that I really loved about his article that I noticed was he looked super out of position and lost in the last game, which is not particularly how he plays like he commands that back line with the aim are really well and having to play out of position is just another wrinkle.
00:16:55
Speaker
Into like basically the only good part of your team It was it's it's a good point. I still feel like in general I don't really see the defense as the problem They they've had two home games one against Austin FC one against Colorado. They've given up one goal They got lucky in the Colorado game to not give up more goals Colorado cooked on some xg a little bit and they missed a penalty kick and
00:17:20
Speaker
Yeah, so I don't think it was the best game defensively. I don't think I think it's a good point about Jackson Reagan playing out of position and He obviously didn't have his best game. He gave up the penalty but like
00:17:36
Speaker
You can't rely on your defense to have a clean sheet every single game we can we have. That's just not realistic. You got to be able to score. And they haven't been able to do that so far this season. Two goals on the season through three games, if we're taking the Philly game out of it, both penalties, only team in the league that hasn't scored from open play.
00:18:05
Speaker
That's not going to cut it, not if you're planning on contending for anything. Um, so I think it's just about grinding through this stretch right now where, you know, you're down a lot of guys and I think that's gotta be pointed out. No one likes to hear about it, but I do think there's an extent to which when you're down, Yamar JP, our breast snack,
00:18:34
Speaker
Nathan's been out. Who am I missing? There's Reed Baker Whiting, RBW, everyone, me. I've been out. Half the squad is injured. It's about the most important players. So.
00:18:49
Speaker
and the MLS season is forgiving like I think it's really hard the upshot that yeah like like I've been super pessimistic about this club and it especially with with the personnel and the lineups and all of this and I think maybe it's because I am really just like needing something new needing a new look from the club but in reality like it doesn't these first eight games if you can if you can pull out some kind of points
00:19:19
Speaker
You'll be fine if you can perform the rest of the season Pedro de la Vega is the one that I was missing and that's yes. Yeah, that's a big one. He's still out for six more weeks, so Not great San Jose earthquakes up next which They're zero four and zero one of two winless teams in MLS or like teams that have lost every game along with the New England Revolution somewhat surprisingly and
00:19:46
Speaker
Uh, so they're one of the worst teams in the league right now. Um, but you know, I was doing my, uh, my head on KJR with my buddy Jackson Phillips today. And I was, I was telling him like,
00:19:57
Speaker
No matter what the Quakes record is, I never trust a game against the Quakes. Never. The Quakes were a bogey team for years. I feel like that narrative has actually subsided a little bit in the last couple years. And there's been a few games where Seattle's gotten the better of them. But when I first started on the beat, there was a long time where
00:20:19
Speaker
I would almost write off Quake's games as an L, even if it was in Seattle, because those were the Wando years. And Wando would just bam on them every single game. People would ask Ziggy about that and be like, why are the Quakes the bogey team? They're not very good. And he would be like, I don't fucking know.
00:20:38
Speaker
Yeah in not those words, but in recent years just just as a let you know The earthquakes haven't lost to Seattle in their last five matches. They had okay wins in one draw See I'm telling you man and the fact that there's zero four and zero that just makes them desperate that makes more dangerous They haven't won a game in ten. They can't they
00:20:58
Speaker
I would be in the Sounders love to lose a game like this. What are we talking about, guys? What are we talking about? Seattle's offense in the state that it is right now. I would be shocked if they won this game because the quakes, I mean, they're they're like getting into that territory where it's like your season can get away from you real early. If you go to oh, five and oh,
00:21:25
Speaker
Like that's, you know, as tough as a start of Seattle has had. They've at least pulled. Pulled two points, you know, they have zero points, zero. So they're going to come out minus six G.D. with their hair on fire. They're going to be they're going to be coming at Seattle. I don't really know what their health situation is, but like they have some guys that Christian Espinosa was looking like one of the better attacking players in the league for a long stretches of
00:21:52
Speaker
Really since he's gotten here. He's had some dominant stretches Jeremy obobuses a good striker. He scored on Seattle a couple times dating back to his days with the Portland Timbers, so Basically, it's all a long way of saying I mean It might sound crazy against a zero four and zero team, but like you got to just like scratch and claw for a for a zero zero or a one one here because
00:22:20
Speaker
I don't really know how much I trust their ability to score multiple goals in a game right now. Not very much. Nope. And you're playing against a desperate opponent. So I don't know without attention as well. Yeah. With Josh attention suspended and a lot of guys still injured. Hopefully Albert Rusnak will be back for this game. That was one positive of the rapids game. It was good to see Rusnak back on the field. I didn't think he made
00:22:49
Speaker
Like he didn't really have much time to make as much an impact as he can normally make it full strength for a full game, but If you can get him back out there that would help I don't know what's going on with JP I would imagine he's out for this game Steph Fry might be back Which do you I think is a boost to an extent although I Andy Thomas has been fine Yeah, I was gonna say do you actually play fry over Andy after last game? Yeah. Yeah. No, I still do I
00:23:19
Speaker
Andy's done. Well, like you got to give him his credit but I mean a lot of people were saying that I mean It was not a well-taken pen by Georgie Mihailovich so not to take away from Andy Thomas, but I don't it's not like It's it's not like
00:23:46
Speaker
you had to be like some crazy god tier befone goalkeeper to save that pen. But I mean, Steph Fry's the GK one on this team still, in my eyes, I would start him and I think they will if he's healthy. But like,
00:24:06
Speaker
From what I can gather, you're probably, you'd probably still got no JP for this game. And, uh, we'll see what Russ next availability is like, but either way, uh, with no attention and with an offense that stuck in neutral, I think
00:24:24
Speaker
You're pretty happy to take a point home if you can here. Yeah, that's I don't know It's like going against the zero four and zero quakes like You should feel like you can win that game But like, you know, I'm just kind of at the point where until I see them score multiple goals in a game in 2024 I'm not I'm definitely like not gonna predict that it's gonna happen I'm not gonna predict something that I have no evidence to support. Yeah, so You know prove me wrong
00:24:49
Speaker
score twice score twice in this game. I tried listen last game. I tried to have them prove me wrong. I wagered on Twitter. I said listen. Yeah, if the Sounders can score multiple goals in this game.
00:25:03
Speaker
More than one basically just more than one. I don't care you could do two penalties. That's fine. I'll get a Sammy Sander tattoo They did not follow through on on that. I was I was rooting for you to have to get the tat Yeah, that was unfortunate. Well, you know Let's keep pushing here. I think that's about enough on on that game in the quakes game I wish I wish I had more by ways of solutions, you know, but
00:25:34
Speaker
Don't know it seems like it's just a waiting game. We're just yeah, we're in a holding pattern of injuries of We I don't think anyone knows what to do at this point. It's just like Let's see if we can kickstart this thing in two weeks. Yeah three weeks
00:25:49
Speaker
Who knows? I mean it might take until Pedro de la Vega gets back and you know even when he does get back we still we have no data really to tell whether that signing is gonna be a hit or not you know I think I thought he looked really good in the LA FC game and for parts of the Austin game and you know he scored a penalty kick but
00:26:12
Speaker
Think if I had to Peg the thing that I'm most disappointed about it's that injury because that was really like the biggest source of Intrigue from last season to this season. Yeah was to see the if there could be a galvanizing effect on this offense through that signing and I feel robbed we were robbed we've been robbed of the opportunity to see that for another six weeks, so
00:26:43
Speaker
It's gonna be a grind, but we'll be back here next week reacting to whatever might happen. We'll see if we leave the show with
MLS Match Day Highlights and Analysis
00:26:54
Speaker
it. Score multiple goals and we're gonna be cooking and leading with the Seattle Sounders. All right.
00:27:01
Speaker
Let's jump around the league notice that sound good. I'm ready. I got a I got I feel like this winners and losers Format that we've been doing has worked pretty well because you know it it allows us to riff on
00:27:15
Speaker
other goings on other goings goings on ongoing ongoing something and kind of highlight the the best and most exciting games that took place around the week and some of the funny results too yeah
00:27:33
Speaker
My first winner, Chicago Fire. Yeah. Did you see? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. This was probably the craziest game of the season so far. And what I loved about this is that the Chicago Fire flipped the script, man. The Chicago Fire in the last few years have developed something of a reputation as the team that they passionately love giving away leads. Correct. If it's tied and you need to win.
00:28:04
Speaker
They'll give it to you if they're ahead and you're trying to get a draw. They're happy to oblige is what the Chicago fire do Chicago. Nice. It's like a lot of teams think that they choke in the 90th minute the most.
00:28:19
Speaker
No one holds a candle to what I've witnessed from the Chicago Fire the last few years in terms of that. And they were right back at it this season. Like they had a couple of games to start the year where it was just like they were they were like a head late in the game. Boom. It's tied. It's tied late in the game. Boom. They lose.
00:28:36
Speaker
So it was fascinating to see them be down 3-1, I believe, to CF Montreal at home. And not only did they come back and tie it, but they got the craziest game-winning goal I think I've ever seen. So it was tied 3-3, and it was like the 98th minute. Well, no, what's even crazier, if you go back before that, they were down two goals to tie it in the 90th minute.
00:29:03
Speaker
Oh, that's right. That's right. Well, no, I think they got they got a an eighty fourth minute pique. Yeah. And then they tied it. I'm pulling up the game and stoppage. Yeah. And then. Yeah. Yeah. OK, there we go. Yeah. Eighty fourth minute pen. Ninety plus five minute equalizer. And then so just to set the scene, it was at Soldier Field in Chicago and it was an especially windy day in the windy city. It was gusting out there. There was stuff flying around.
00:29:33
Speaker
They were, the players were, were braving through it. And three, three dying moments of the match. And Kellen Acosta just, he's around midfield and he just hits it skyward. And he's, he is not shooting the ball. He's just trying to put it into the mixer and make something happen.
00:29:56
Speaker
well as the ball went airborne the wind just picked it up and it didn't stop and the goalkeeper for cf montreal he i think he thought that he had it lined up and it just kept sailing yeah like i don't i've never seen a ball like take flight like it looked like the jubilani in the in the world cup in south africa you know how that ball would like you could knuckle it and it would just like
00:30:20
Speaker
It would just take a left turn in the middle of the air. It looked exactly like that. It was crazy. And anyway, yeah, the goalkeeper couldn't line it up and it goes over his head and somehow goes in for a stoppage time game winner for the Chicago Fire.
00:30:39
Speaker
Kelen Acosta, I mean, he wasn't trying to do that. But like, that's got to be I mean, it's got it's got to be some sort of psychological weight for for that team, given the amount of leads that they have choked over the last three or four years. I don't think they care that it was wind assisted.
00:30:58
Speaker
But anyway if you haven't seen that highlight you got to go check it out because I really I don't think I've ever seen a goal quite like it. I've seen like there's the famous goal that I remember when Tim Howard scored for yeah, so kind of similar to that
00:31:13
Speaker
But like that almost makes more sense to me because like he's kicking it so much further like I don't like so like This one it just I don't know. It felt like the wind just took it So fast and so far. Yeah, so good job to the Chicago fire big win for them They were about to lose to CF Montreal who are They've been playing surprisingly well and they probably they should have won this game if they hadn't pulled a Chicago fire Yeah, the Chicago fire
00:31:41
Speaker
They drink too much of that green river water. They got the Chicago fire in them in Chicago. So unfortunate for CF Montreal, but good job to the Chicago fire. And the best bit about that, it comes off of last week, the fire playing the crew and losing in the 90 plus 10.
00:31:57
Speaker
Yeah, no, that's right. I mean, that's what I'm saying. They've been doing that. They're probably going to go back to it next week, but for now, we'll give them the dub. Minnesota United, cooking with gas, man. I'm telling you, cooking with gas. Their new coach, Eric Ramsey, I think we were talking about it on the show last week. You were saying that they should have kept the assistant.
00:32:19
Speaker
Well, I'd like to amend that take I think I did say that Well, I did Eric Eric Ramsey's Zoom presser of his intro presser and I was like, all right. I'm pretty impressed I mean this guy's 32. So he's like he's a year older than me and he he's already he was already an assistant for Manchester United one of the biggest clubs in the world and
00:32:46
Speaker
His presser. It just seemed like he handled the media really well. He speaks a few different languages He was answering questions in Spanish and stuff. I'm like, okay. All right, and then and you know, just listening to his answers I'm like, okay this guy I can see why he's considered sort of like I don't know if prodigy is the right word, but definitely like a hot up-and-coming young coach You could say hot again globally. Yeah good-looking dude. Yeah
00:33:10
Speaker
Like, but being being an assistant for menu, like, that doesn't happen at age 32 by accident. So I think the loons might have pulled one here, they might have got a good one. And in his first game, to zero over LFC, who we're going to talk about in the other section.
00:33:32
Speaker
Again, but I don't know this might be the best team in the West right now, Minnesota United, like the vibes, their vibes are pretty immaculate. They were cooking even before they got their coach. And now that they got this guy in who really seems like he knows what he's doing, he's a good young coach. If I had to peg an early front runner in the West, I think they would have to be up there. They'd have to be up there.
00:34:01
Speaker
Do you think that they're better than Portland? Yeah, I do. I do. I think Portland Portland's had a really good start. They lost too much. They lost to who did they lose to?
00:34:17
Speaker
Portland lost to probably someone bad. Honestly, it's Portland. They lost that way away at Houston, which is not like the worst of all time. And they played. I remember now they played pretty well in the game. But. That was kind of. A little bump in the road for them, whereas Minnesota United really hasn't had that yet. So, yeah, I'm probably taking Minnesota over Portland right now.
00:34:45
Speaker
enter Miami so 3-1 at DC United which DC United still TBD like how impressive a win that is but they didn't have Messi in this game and Luis Suarez was dominant he scored a really nice brace and I think my main takeaway from that is just
00:35:05
Speaker
Inner Miami without Messi is still a force to be reckoned with. And unfortunately, contrary to some preseason narratives that were out there, I don't think Luis Suarez is particularly washed, if at all. Like he's been scoring goals like he has six goals, five assists across all comps, including Champions Cup so far this year.
00:35:30
Speaker
This is one of the best strikers of all time. I mean, on my KGR hit with Jackson today, I was talking about, you know, kind of where he ranks generationally. And he said I was ranking him too high. I don't really think so. I think like, can you name like, like, if you're making a top 10 list of the best strikers of all time, is there any way that you that Suarez could be off that list?
00:35:56
Speaker
No, I mean, I don't I think including everything in his career, I don't know. I don't really know who I was bumping. Yeah, I was in top five. Like, yeah, I stand by that. But like, I think it's kind of.
00:36:13
Speaker
Some might have forgotten the pedigree that we're talking about here, given the fact that, you know, he is 37 and there was a lot out there regarding the condition of his knees in the preseason. They were jello. Yeah, they were jello. And I think for the inner Miami detractors out there, the hope was that.
00:36:34
Speaker
He would be washed and I mean 11 goal contributions so far this season Jesus Christ and like even so either they they went away a DC Who was undefeated who was undefeated and waxed him pretty good with no messy so and and not not to like undercut it either like they have Campana who had a stellar game yeah, Campana was easily the man of match he scored and assisted and
00:37:00
Speaker
Yeah, yeah in that swore is coming off the bench. I think it's I think it's that's disgusting and Bob T It's and Bob. We haven't even got to Bob. We haven't even got about the deepest quad in MLS question mark ever probably probably ever like I've never seen a roster like this one, so
00:37:17
Speaker
I mean we'll see what happens with messy because he's working his way back from injury right now But like he's a sounder this team at this team had full strength is just ridiculous. It is really nice of messy to have a You know basically just copy Pedro de la Vega to inspire the youth To get back and get better soon. Yeah, so I appreciate messy for doing that. I always knew he's a good guy and
00:37:42
Speaker
Honorable mentions all shout out the Columbus crew 3-0 over the Red Bulls. They ripped him apart. I mean Inter Miami is the best team in the league right now But like Columbus still has a claim right up there as the 1b like they're technically the best You know what? They remind me inner Miami is like on this like kind of different level than I've seen in MLS but what what Columbus reminds me of right now is
00:38:08
Speaker
the the peak dominant LA FC teams like the 2019 team that put up the black plus 48 or like even when the same year when the Philly Union put up a really crooked number like that like I think you could see something like that with Columbus they have that like that vibe about them where like when they're when they're going in attack like it looks like they're playing at a different speed and Kucho Hernandez like
00:38:33
Speaker
MVP candidate like he does it every single week and he had a really sick goal in this game and then also he had a really nice assist on a Jason Russell Rose goal, so the crew the crew look pretty dominant like If I had to pick a team that could maybe take down in her Miami Probably going with the crew and man tactically non seaball is
00:38:58
Speaker
Best coach in the league. He's the best coach in the league right now, in my opinion. New York City FC got their first win of the season. That was kind of the team where I was, I was like, you know, Seattle's really struggling on offense, but you know, there's some other good teams out there that are to New York City FC. They hadn't scored a goal from open play either.
00:39:20
Speaker
They have now, they beat Toronto, who no one thinks is any good, but they've been playing, and we've been talking about how Toronto's been playing pretty well. We've been up on Toronto, for sure. Yeah, we've been up on Toronto, so good dub for NYCFC. What do you think NYCFC's problem is? Do you think, because they were opining on it on the MLS broadcast, that maybe they've gotten too many young pieces, and there's not any consistency. Do you agree with that? Well, that's what I was going to say is,
00:39:48
Speaker
They've built a lot of their roster around U22 signings and trying to really use that mechanism. You gotta be really on it to make sure that those hit.
00:40:04
Speaker
The hit rate on those is just so like there's so much variance like you have no idea if these young players are going to translate or like you know if you're relying on them to be like carry the load for my whole attack like NYCFC is done with a couple of these guys.
00:40:20
Speaker
You can have all the confidence in the world in how you scouted him, but you just really, it's a very inexact science. So if I had to theorize on it, I would say that they might have fallen prey to that a little bit, where a lot of these young players they've signed, it seems like they're really talented and they have a lot of upside. But it's like, are you ready to carry the load for an MLS attack? Maybe not as ready as they thought. I think that's interesting, because I was thinking about it for my own view on how I would like the sounders to restructure things.
00:40:50
Speaker
got to remember that and look at NYCFC and the way that they've done things and how are the sounders going to balance their next generation with their current roster. It's something to keep in mind with De La Vega. I feel like his pedigree
00:41:07
Speaker
And what I've, what I've seen, you know, just from watching the highlights and stuff that I've watched, like, I think there's a good chance that the signing is going to hit, but it's definitely not a guarantee. And like you, you can see an example in, uh, some of the pitfalls with it on the same team with Leo Chu, where like.
00:41:23
Speaker
He's he was a very highly rated prospect in Brazil and like a lot of people thought That Seattle pulled like kind of a exploited kind of a market inefficiency like considering how highly rated he was and
00:41:39
Speaker
there was a time last year where it actually looked like it was it was hitting and he was starting to break out I touted him during that time period but then like it you know it hasn't been consistent and he hasn't been like a carry the load in the attack type player so it's just the YouTube only two thing is fun but uh
00:42:00
Speaker
It can be tough to rely on. I think a lot of teams have found that out. But there's also been hits, too. So you just never know. Did you happen to watch Galaxy versus St. Louis City SC? Because that was the game of the week, in my opinion. I didn't, unfortunately. So 3-3 draw, crazy game, goals flying back and forth. I have a few takes on this. First of all,
00:42:30
Speaker
Joseph paints. Oh man, Joey paints. I'm telling you. This guy is a problem. He's a problem. It's like if
00:42:41
Speaker
Leo Chiu had consistent end product. That's what it's like watching. He's got pace for days and he's a very creative player, goal dangerous, he scored a goal in this game, really good wide service, just like a good, complete, fast, physical winger, man.
00:43:06
Speaker
Joey paints like that looks like a hit and I jinxed the galaxy in this game. I said that the L.A. galaxy were back and in the MLS Slack channel and they ended up remembering that they are the L.A. galaxy and gave up it.
00:43:23
Speaker
They gave up an insane bicycle kick goal and there's an 88th minute own goal where their goalkeeper, John McCarthy, essentially, he didn't like head it into his own net, but it definitely bounced off his head and into his own goal on free kick into the box.
00:43:41
Speaker
But like I still kind of stand by how I felt watching the galaxy and I get well the first The first emotion I felt watching the galaxy play offense and that game was damn. I wish the Seattle Sounders like this goddamn
00:43:55
Speaker
I feel like that constantly. I'm like, why do I have to sit here and watch the most boring, inefficient, stupidly crafted offense of all time? And then I flip the channel to the L.A. fucking galaxy and they're just hooking. Yeah, I mean, the galaxy, they had their moments on offense last year, but they didn't they didn't have these wingers that they have now that really I mean.
00:44:24
Speaker
It's pretty electric at times. Their problem still though is that I mean, I don't know. It's kind of chaos ball because they just, their defense is unfortunately does not seem to be fixed, which that was Greg Vandy's whole thing. He's like, I'm going to get these wingers. I'm going to fix the defense. Team's going to be really lit. They're playing some of the best attacking soccer in the league right now, for sure. But like this game was an example where it's like,
00:44:48
Speaker
you got st louis city at home and you're just let every time you go ahead you let them score the equalizer because you're still the la galaxy but they're they're fun to watch like yovalich is one of the most efficient number nines in the league right now joey paints is disgusting yeah he's nasty um if they if the galaxy could just like defend at a league average level like they would be they would be for real they just can't seem to do that
Sounders' Struggles and MLS Officiating
00:45:16
Speaker
But they're like definitely like if you're looking for a fun team to watch play offense Like the galaxy the galaxy like I was having a blast watching that game Let's get on to the to the losers from this slate and then then we'll get out of here unless you have anything else. No, let's do it Seattle Sounders, unfortunately 1-1 draw at home against the Colorado Rapids no goals from open play
00:45:46
Speaker
They're just boring. They're uninspired. Two points from two home games against Austin FC and the Colorado Rapids who are I don't think either of which are going to be playoff teams this year. I mean, that's just tough.
00:45:58
Speaker
It's embarrassing, Ari. It is. I feel embarrassed to go to take my family to these games and have to have them watch this this disgusting product. The reason that the reason I wouldn't go that far is because like there's only so hype that I'm going to get my expectations when you're missing as many players as they are. And that's not like to make an excuse. It's more just like
00:46:25
Speaker
I don't find it shocking or embarrassing that there would be these types of struggles given where they're at with personnel. I just don't. It would be embarrassing to me if JP and Russnak and De La Vega were out there and it still looked like this. That would be embarrassing. But when you're talking about half the team playing out there, I don't know, me personally.
00:46:52
Speaker
I'm still embarrassed. I'm still tired of this Leo Chiu new who like black hole of a side and this Raul is amazing and like playing his ass off and then it's like okay let's let's take that away by putting sticking Jordan at the double nine but also like let's just have everyone mush around in the front the final third for no reason it's like there's like I don't know if Brian like
00:47:21
Speaker
I don't know. I don't know. I don't want to speculate, you know, but like, what's Bryant doing? You know, what's going on in that? I didn't mean to turn this into another back on Seattle segment. I'll walk it in.
00:47:38
Speaker
I mean, I don't like putting them in this in this section, but like the reality is like Two home games against Austin in Colorado and you took two points from it and scored one goal. That's not good Orlando City looks really bad. They got bammed on 2-0 by Atlanta United in their Rivalry game who Atlanta United could have gone in the winner's section. They're playing really well right now. That's another team that Nakamaki stood Nakamaki's is
00:48:04
Speaker
Him and Jovalich, they're probably my favorite number nines in the league right now those two just in terms of Like just the types of goals they score like one watch But Orlando City, it's just like surprising to see them like this. They already bombed out a Champions Cup and this was a team that put up like 60 plus points and came in seconds of border shield and
00:48:26
Speaker
last year and they brought like most of the same squad back added Nigo Ledero. I don't know like I'm a little little surprised to see them down so bad and I would say that I would bet on them turning it around but it's it's notable nonetheless like yeah if they keep playing this poorly like the heat might turn up on Oscar Perea don't worry they get to go BAM on Austin next week so they'll be fine
00:48:56
Speaker
I mean that's a good get-right game for them. Yeah, and finally LFC Brings us no joy to talk about them in this section. That's for sure Lobbie scorcher is not a popular podcast among the LFC fanbase unfortunately, but uh 2-0 lost at Minnesota wasn't even snowing
00:49:21
Speaker
Not good. What's the excuse? I don't know. They look like the Seattle Sounders on offense right now. They had a scoreless streak that was longer than Seattle's, and they got shut out in this game and their last game, I think. And we have a lot of fun here at the expense of LAFC's struggles at the times that they do struggle, which hasn't been that much in the last couple years.
00:49:46
Speaker
the best team in the league for most of the time the last two years. But I do find it interesting that, you know, no Carlos Vela and Danny Spewanga hasn't scored this year. Like something might be up, something might be up. Their fans, I, you know, I keep track of LAFC Twitter when they're playing poorly because
00:50:09
Speaker
Think it's funny and like they're not happy. No, like they're not happy with your run to low They're not happy with how their offense like they're taught they're talking about LAFC like the way that we talk about Yeah, like which is really weird for delusional LAFC fans who think that they're the best thing since like though They're not even like delusional about it anymore. Yeah, I think they know what's up. They took the pill and they're like, oh shit Like seeing the light which you know, we joke I don't know
00:50:36
Speaker
Like I kind of similar to what I was saying about Orlando, but like if I had to bet on it I probably placed my bet that they Turned it around to an extent. I think the longest to get a player. He's not gonna go like go scoreless every week. Is he? Yeah, I don't know Send him to Seattle and we can find out I hope not for their sake but um It's definitely
00:50:58
Speaker
They're not on full on fraud watch, but they're on preemptive fraud watch. And if any of the LAFC fans that aren't fans of us are listening to this, just know you're on preemptive fraud watch. And if it becomes full on fraud watch, I'm going to talk about that and enjoy that. It will be unrelenting. I have to watch the Seattle Sounders play offense every week, so I have to find
00:51:30
Speaker
things to enjoy in life. And if that's LAFC struggling, like, yeah, no, the sounders are on fraud watch too. They don't like, so, you know, it's, they can't really be upset. Well, they're not even fraudulent. They just, they are like, they're, you know what I mean? Like they, they they've shown exactly who they are so far. So it's like, you know, only up from here.
00:51:48
Speaker
Anyway, I had to... Anytime LAFC gets shut out and loses, they're gonna be in that section. Sorry. That was all I had for winners and losers. Ooh, I have one more loser. Okay. I have one more loser. Hit me. Pro and the replacement refs. Oh, okay. Yeah. I just... What a terrible week of officiating. I mean, have you ever seen that many red cards in a week of MLS?
00:52:17
Speaker
There's a lot of red card. It just feels like in general there is not a lot of control of the games. There's unfortunately a lot of obvious missed calls. It's just
00:52:37
Speaker
it's not good like anyone who's trying to spin it like it's like the same or like it can go on like this I just don't agree no I don't agree there I don't agree there pay your rent got it you got to pay him up
00:52:55
Speaker
Yeah, unless you got anything else, I think we can get out of here on that. No, that's it. I'm like, you know what, San Jose, San Jose earthquakes up next. Seattle Sounders are going to need to score multiple goals in the game to lead the show.
00:53:13
Speaker
Thank you, everyone, as always, for tuning in. Really appreciate everyone who listens to these. Download, rate, subscribe, comment, all that stuff. Share with Davon Jovilich. Share with your friends, your parents. Appreciate you all. Until next time, we out. Peace.