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Lobbing Scorchers: Should the Seattle Sounders be playing in US Open Cup?
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After a brief hiatus, Ari is back from Mexico and we are back with some more coverage of the Seattle Sounders and MLS offseason. The Seattle Sounders are in Spain and have played a couple of preseason matches and Pedro de la Vega is cooking, giving us a chance to do our first unofficial game reviews of 2025.
Later on, we discuss whether the Sounders should be playing in the US Open Cup and dive into some juicy headlines from around MLS.
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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
Intro and Episode Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
Well, sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. Why the scorcher today? Well, it's gonna be a scorcher.
00:00:22
Speaker
What's going on everybody? Welcome to episode 82 of Lobbing Scorchers. This is Ari Lillianwall. I got producer Noah here with me. And Noah, I'm back from Mexico and we are back but with another off-season episode of coverage of the Seattle Sounders and Major League Soccer. I'm excited to get back to it. How are you feeling?
00:00:43
Speaker
It was a nice break. I won't lie, it was nice to, you know, distance myself from the crash-out Chris's, from, you know, the fanatics amongst us, i but... Every time I try and get out, it pulls me right back in, Ari. It pulls me right back in. We were in the dog days of the MLS offseason, but ah I feel like with our little hiatus, things things really picked up.
Seattle Sounders Preseason in Spain
00:01:05
Speaker
The Seattle Sounders, they're off in Spain doing preseason stuff. They've played a couple of preseason matches since we've last recorded. So we've got ah some kind of game reviews. see It's not like an official game review, but it's our first, I'll call it our first game reviews of 2025.
00:01:21
Speaker
um And there was some good takeaways I thought from these games actually. So it's not like those preseason games where nothing happened. Like there's some, there's some good stuff here. um And then a lot of stuff ah around MLS, we've got some potential blockbuster interleague trade transfer movement. and We've got new signings, new designated players. We've got ah some pretty funny chaos and turmoil engulfing inner Miami actually. So ah excited to talk about that.
US Open Cup vs League's Cup Debate
00:01:50
Speaker
And then we're also going to talk about the Seattle Sounders not competing in this year's US Open Cup. That was some news that dropped while we were away. um They will be in League's Cup. They will not be in Open Cup. So we're going to talk about that. I think that was i think that was everything for the intro. um But before we get into all that, we got a couple of ah housekeeping items as usual and some exciting announcements. ah Before that, I do have to let you all know that Lobney Scorchers is a part of the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network. If you want to get the best independent Seattle soccer coverage, consider supporting us by going to sounderatheart.com slash LS. What was that link?
00:02:27
Speaker
sounder at heart.com slash LS scroll down to subscribe and support to get 30 days completely free each every sign up through a link help support and grow this show Noah do we have any new subs forgot to I didn't even look recording where we're right in look but probably okay we'll get him next time we'll get him next time hopefully we do I honestly don't know we should have looked at that spreadsheet good content by us yeah um But in all seriousness. We're in mid-season form right now. Soundedheart.com slash LS. One of the best, if not the best, ways to support the show if you like the content. um Exciting announcement. Exciting announcement.
New Sponsors Announcement
00:03:03
Speaker
Lobbing scorchers.
00:03:04
Speaker
has new sponsors, two new sponsors, yay. We are excited to announce that we have officially agreed to partner with both Haxson Ferments and Podium menswear in Edmunds, Washington, two local two local businesses, that ah one of whom reached out to us, the other we reached out to them. ah We're still in the in the process of developing exactly what those what these partnerships are gonna look like, what we're gonna do. But I can tell you that Haxson Ferments is going to be the sponsor of the blazing hot coach press conference of the week this year. That's right. We have landed a sponsor for that segment and they make a lot of hot sauce. So we figured it was only logical to have them sponsor that segment. And we're also going to be promoting, ah promoting them a lot as well. And um podium great menswear store in, in Edmonds. Go check it out. If anyone knows clothes, it's Ari. yeah If anyone knows clothes, it's Ari. He's being sarcastic, but he knows clothes and he knows that podium is good. So stay tuned for those ad reads and pay definitely any sponsor that we get on this show, patronize their business, please, because ah we want to do right by them because they're helping us out. so
00:04:16
Speaker
I'm excited about that announcement. That's that's our third sponsor if you throw in full pull wines as well So shout out to all our sponsors And if you would ah if you would like to sponsor lobbing scorchers, we're always accepting new ones um Hit our line anything to add on that with both of these partnerships I can I can hint a little bit ah both of them will come with extracurriculars more
Highlight on Young Players
00:04:38
Speaker
than just a little ad read exactly so I That's all I'm going to give away. But just just be excited. I do want to say, too, for podium, that's a day one listener right there. Yeah, literally. So shout out. Shout out, Nick. um And for Hoxon, you'll you'll hear their ad reads across the Sandra Howard Podcast Network. So that's super exciting as well, helping grow the Seattle soccer scene. That's all. We're just excited. Hell yeah. um Other than that,
00:05:05
Speaker
If you haven't done so yet, go ahead and drop a sub to the YouTube. We're on the road to, what are we on the road to now? 1300. 1300, yeah. Help us get to 1300 subs on YouTube. Go ahead and like the video, um subscribe to us on all platforms, write reviews, don't be a crash out Chris. yep i thought that I think that's it.
00:05:25
Speaker
oh ah Also, we did drop a new video on the YouTube of the yeah of the ambition ratings which I revealed on one of our live streams and Our editor Noah really she killed it. woo She went all out on that one There's all kinds of elaborate graphics with the scores I had and the low it's honestly great content and it's it's doing a pretty pretty good views But it could be doing even better if you haven't watched it yet and you go watch it after after this after this Finish this video first Okay, I think that's it for the housekeeping. That was a lot of housekeeping, but there are some exciting announcements. We were gone for like two weeks. We've been <unk> been on hiatus. yeah So ah let's dive into this off-season episode, Noah, because there is a lot to ah there's a lot to get to. We got to be efficient with this. yeah um
00:06:11
Speaker
But I think the first thing Seattle Sounders coverage wise that we have to get to is these first two preseason matches. um They've been playing these friendlies. said Today they played, I believe believe it was a club that ah just got promoted from the Danish second division they did to the first division. um And Seattle scored a lot of goals. So that was fun. We're going to talk about that. um But they also played a scrimmage against ah some similar tier team ah before that.
00:06:39
Speaker
and They also won that game. But I think no. And my number one takeaway across both these first two games, having just watched the highlights of the second one today and a been told the information of what happened in the first one. And i actually, I saw a couple of those highlights to Pedro de la Vega.
00:06:59
Speaker
Good. Good. Good. Great. Act, actively good, actively good in these two games. Okay. And now we know it's the preseason caveat. Like it doesn't matter until he does it in the actual games. Uh, but I mean, this was, this was some genuinely encouraging stuff. Like I don't think we need to couch this. We don't need to couch this. He looked, he looked sharp. He looked on it. He looked like he, uh, he looked like the point that he has to prove this year was not lost on him. I think To me it sounds like he he went to camp this year with the mentality of I need to have a good ass camp. oh like I can't be like ramping up slowly. like I gotta be on point from day one and so far it looks like that's what he's doing. He had a really nice goal in that first game.
00:07:41
Speaker
Uh, which, uh, it was a finish from a pretty tight angle, which, uh, not, not like a super easy finish. Uh, but I thought the most encouraging thing that we saw in that first game was that through ball. You saw this know that through ball that he hit to find Jordan Morris for the breakaway.
00:07:58
Speaker
That, I think, was an example of the type of stuff that he can bring to the table and that can unlock a new ceiling for this offense if he's able to do that with consistency.
Promising Preseason Attack
00:08:11
Speaker
No, I think you and I kind of differ on our ah on our evaluations of his season last year, ah you you were pretty much saying you didn't see it at all. like It was pretty much a categorical bust, which i don't I don't blame you for that, but i do I do see that a little bit differently. I do think that there was individual flashes where we did see it, and it just didn't happen with any sort of consistency due to his fitness issues and just inability to get acclimated to the team and get chemistry with his teammates and all that.
00:08:42
Speaker
um But I thought that moment was again like that's that's one where you see that and it raises your eyebrows a little bit And it almost has you dreaming Noah about the about the question The age-old question What if Pedro de la Vega? What is good? What if what if he what if what if he's more than good Ari? What if he's like? ah Yeah, like a plus what if he's and a less player? Yeah, what if he's like, you know great even I it's, it's things that a preseason matches like this can have us dreaming about. And ah I say that, you know, somewhat facetiously, but he has, he's looked good. Yeah. He's looked really good. I think that there's two things that come to mind for this. Obviously yes, it is preseason. And I think that it's fair for all of those who are going to wait it out to, to
00:09:30
Speaker
until there's some actual games under his belt because he is a known a known practice God yes he is a practice God right ah same with Danny Leyva Danny Leyva has also looked great over these these two matches um I think that for one this new formation is helping with the way that he moves and his movement and getting settled and two it's preseason man like he gets to reset he gets to restart and clearly when he came here he had that attitude he had that swagger he had that feeling like he was going to step in and be that guy
00:10:05
Speaker
You can kind of tell he's kind of he's feeling himself a little bit again, which is good. Yeah, you know and ah I feel like ah most most of the fan base is going into this season Already under the blanket assumption that Pedro de la Vega is not going to contribute anything at all to this team this year I think there's a sentiment at least among the ah vocal minority that we can already assume that. yeah And I think this was this to me was a reminder that we can't we can't necessarily assume that. We don't know that ah with a clean but bill of health and a full preseason to actually work with this team and get his fitness right and his confidence up. ah
00:10:47
Speaker
I'm not going to tell anyone to not be excited about it just because this is a breakout that ah would be long awaited and any signs of that at all that we ah that we see in preseason I say I say take that hope and run with it um but I guess that leads me to my second takeaway from these two preseason games which is that I mean I just I feel like it it's looked very good very sharp in general the game today which was recapped by Tim Foss over on sounder at heart You can read that, and that's where I'm getting all this info. But De La Vega scored again. Jordan Morris got a goal. Albert Rusnak's got a goal. Jesus Ferreira got a goal. Obed Var. Everyone was getting a goal. Everyone was getting a goal. Everyone was scoring. You have a goal. And this this is a team, by the way, that, as I understand it, just got promoted to the Danish top flight. you know which This is it just a top flight overseas league yeah that like the bots love leagues like that. Yeah, if we signed someone from there, we would have gotten an A. If he sees Ferreira,
00:11:39
Speaker
came from that, from that league, it it would be hailed as the most ambitious signing. in l history yeah we So like, I'm just saying, I'm just saying that it's not, it's not even necessarily one of those things where, I mean, clearly Seattle's way better than whatever lineup, uh, these guys were putting on the field, but it's not like, uh, it's not like they were playing like middle schoolers or something.
00:12:02
Speaker
It was an actual game. i will And they looked good. They looked sharp. Looks like everyone has been applying themselves. It's just, a it was good. It was good to see them out on the field, looking that sharp and just looking like they're ready for a big season that lies ahead. Yeah, I reached out to our ah our Nordic slash European correspondent sounder knaves to give a give me a little more insight about oh the the Danish the Danish League is in as a whole and ah you know this club and he said while they're having an average season that's understandable. They just got promoted, but they're still doing well. It's a good team in the Danish League. He says according to sounder knaves so go off in his mentions that the
00:12:43
Speaker
Danish league is underrated and if you look at their like elo and their breakdowns as compared to other leagues in Europe they're you know they're pretty comparable. Yeah and you know I'm sure for a friendly like this they're not they're not like playing their a squad. I'm sure there was like some of their academy kids and all that but like the point is You know, when you have when you have a talent advantage like that, that's the type of performance that you that you want to see. And I don't know, just ah watching the attack function that well, it it was nice. You know, yeah it was like do trust me, like we understand that ah until the until the real game start, none of this means anything. So you know, you don't need to throw that caveat at us. but I don't even think so. It was notably it was notably good. I don't even think that you have to caveat the excitement for the way that this attack is performing because it is visibly different. The way that they're interacting, the way that they're moving the ball around, it's very different. They're playing a lot faster than what you're used to with sounder ball. Like I watched that whole first game and I watched all the highlights from this last game and the thing that really struck me was just the fact that they're moving the ball quickly. They want
00:13:56
Speaker
to To have constant movement, not this like, okay, go up the wing, slow down, try and make a cross, pass it back, loop it around. You know, that's a Sounders game. That's Brian Schmetzer ball possession. They were keeping possession, but I think the best that this team has played always is when they keep possession and they play the ball quickly and they play in the middle of the field. And let me tell you, a lot of those goals came from the middle of the field. I think this team has a chance to be really good in transition this year, if you can assume plus contributions from ah Pedro de la Vega and Jesus Ferreira. You watched the entire first game, you said. I didn't watch either of them. I was traveling, didn't didn't have a chance. I saw the highlights of the second one, only have seen a couple of clips of that first game. What what have you thought of Jesus Ferreira so far and what you've seen of him in in these games? I saw his goal today and ah
00:14:49
Speaker
i Was encouraged by it because it was one of those one, you know, you know how he can hit those from outside the box Yeah, yeah and like that like that was a classic Jesus Ferreira finish right there where like I don't think like the goalkeeper doesn't even he's not even ready for a shot to be To be taken right there and he and he converts that so what have you thought of him? I mean, I think that that's an interesting piece to add to this roster of what was solely basically counter attacking and set piece ah attack. Like that's that that was what the Sounders were doing. That's what they were good at. Every once in a while, Jordan Morris was going a banger.
00:15:25
Speaker
You know, but other than that it was like Albert Rusnak plays in a beautiful ball someone gets their head on it or Counter-attack Jordan Morris gets played in beats his man plays a ball in and I think that adding that extra layer with Jesus Ferreira where yeah, like he's gonna be able to dribble around in the box, play a little bit more like that Raul style of ball. Obviously not Raul, but being able to shoot even outside the box and, and, and actually be on target and have a chance. It's, it's been interesting to add. I don't think that I want to make a full judgment on him just yet because I feel like he's not fully a fit yet. I don't think he's fully integrated. He's still, him him and Ariola are still learning how to play with the team. And so I think that like,
00:16:09
Speaker
It's encouraging, but i I don't really think that I have ah a full assessment or even really a good assessment of that's fair. Yeah. I mean, I feel like you could probably say that about the, uh, about the full team, sure but, uh, it was nice to see him get on the score sheet. I mean, it's not any game where you have De La Vega, Morris, Rusnak, Ferreira, all scoring. That's good. That's what you want to see, um, per Tim Foss of sounder at heart. Some of the young players standouts, uh, I think in the, from the game today, from the game today, from the game He said Snyder Brunel, Stu Hawk and Kalani Kostorienzi were his picks for the young guy's standouts. And he actually said in his sounder heart right up that he thinks all three, there's a chance that at some point could push for first team minutes. So I mean, Stu Hawks, we'll see what happens. I think the conventional wisdom is still that he's going to get loaned out.
00:16:57
Speaker
um But I think if you're ah curious about the next crop of up and young up-and-comers, Snyder-Brunell is a name that I always i hear popup pop up all the time. yeah I think internally they seem to be really high on him. And Costa-Rienzi, we saw what he could do in the Open Cup last year, which was a really sick backflip. Yeah, which is like that's that's kind of what we need back on this team. We've been missing since Oba.
00:17:21
Speaker
Yeah, exactly, exactly. like you I do want to say with Kosa Ranzi, that first game from him, his he he reminds me of Paul Rothrock in a way. like He's kind of that same archetype of really aware of the space that he occupies and really good at off-the-ball movement. He sees the game when his head is down, like that kind of stuff. I love the way that he plays and I think that I mean he was he was he I think he was the last one cut from from the roster last season met seems to like him so he got called in for the open cup he yeah had a really good even remember even outside that goal in that open cup game I thought he was really good we were he looked notably good in that game so that's another one definitely to ah to keep an eye on all rothrock to just dropped
00:18:09
Speaker
um and Potentially I think we're we're in the I feel like you were comparing him to a Christian rolled on last year It's definitely yeah, it's like a little bit of Rothrock a little bit of Christian. That's not a bad combination to have um Anything else on these two preseason games that I think that was pretty much all I had I think I mean I think the biggest takeaway so far is ah Is that de la Vega looks fit? He looks sharp if there's any get Chance at all of him breaking out or at least being a plus contributor on ah on this team this year That's the type of start to the season That ah that he would need to have and he's had that so for whatever that's worth I think it's worth a little bit and ah hopefully it's the foundation for him to build on and I really ah like I said, man, I feel like um
00:18:57
Speaker
I feel like people are going into this season with it baked in that ah that he's a zero. And I think that just like it was the case last year, if he does actually contribute meaningfully to this team this year, I mean, we don't even know what the ceiling could be at that point. yeah So I think nice yeah, it's exciting and I don't even think that, I think that it's nice for him at this point where they brought in someone you know like Jesus Ferreira
Team Strategy and Depth
00:19:29
Speaker
that can kind of occupy that same space. it just I feel like there's a lot of weight lifted off of him, which was what we were both saying was one of the biggest reasons that we thought he was struggling so much to just get back at it. It seems like this team doesn't need one piece
00:19:47
Speaker
to drive the offense. They have three, four really solid players on the field where this is like an actual real offense now. It's not this, you know, cobbled together. Okay. De La Vega be the engine and now we'll be good on offense. Yeah. I mean, and the approach clearly that they're taking to the roster right now with all the games they've got this year is spamming depth. Yeah. and That's, I mean guys like Jesus for and Paul areola might not be the flashiest names, but they're good. Every, like everyone's going to be needed this season. So yeah. um All right. The next topic that I wanted to hit was this announcement from, from MLS about the clubs that are going to be competing in the U S open cup this year and the clubs that are going to be competing in league's cup this year.
00:20:32
Speaker
ah All those teams have now been announced Seattle Sounders will be playing in League's Cup this year They will not be playing in the US Open Cup. A lot of people are Unhappy about that. It's been a polarizing topic. I don't even know if it's been polarizing I feel like people are a lot most people are pretty up pretty upset um So I figured we would ah we would give our takes on on those takes and see where we come down on this. Should I go first? I think you should go first. I want you to get canceled first. I don't wanna get canceled yet. Okay, I mean, look, all right.
00:21:08
Speaker
first thing i'll say first thing i'll say First thing I'll say is that like in my and my i my ideal world, 100% Seattle's first team would be playing in the US Open Cup. and that's I didn't mention this, but Tacoma Defiance is going to be playing in the Open Cup in their place. In my ideal world, of course, Seattle's first team would be playing in the US Open Cup.
00:21:29
Speaker
I share everyone's sentimental attachment to it. Some of my best memories over the years from covering this team are at those Open Cup games at Starfire. The first game I ever covered for MLS was an Open Cup game at Starfire. So I have that sentimental attachment ah as much as anybody.
00:21:46
Speaker
i My first year on the beat was the year that they won it, and I'm with everyone who has the ah who likes the content of it. Us sickos, we love the fact that they play at the on these random fields against lower division opponents. The games are ah streaming on YouTube and not on TV. like All that stuff gives it character. It's got that historic significance. I'm with it. I love all that.
00:22:13
Speaker
ah I do think there's a reality at play as as it pertains specifically to this season, um which is that with ah the team in CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Club World Cup this year, even if Seattle's first team was in the US Open Cup this year, the lineups that they fielded would look like more like Tacoma Defiance than they would a first team lineup. That's just the reality. And that would be true. Like a lot of people I think are making it like a, Oh, well this is like, this is between league's cup and open cup. That's really not the
00:22:49
Speaker
That's really not the deciding factor in this Those lineups would be like that You could take leagues cup totally out of the equation and with the amount of games they have with champions cup and the club world cup Those open club cup lineups would be rotated so as to functionally be to come with defiance anyway, and that's just how it goes so on top of that like Leagues cup I think The thing that people just have to understand is that ah the oligarchs, their main concern is making as much money off everything as possible. and so like Pretty much no matter what us sickos and what us purists think, that's going to win out like at the end of the day when these decisions get made about what they want to prioritize. right and like
00:23:38
Speaker
You don't have to like that. I don't like that either. But I think when people talk about League's Cup and the Club World Cup as money grabs and stuff like that and dismiss them cynically on that grounds, they are right. that But ah I just I don't know. I just feel like there comes a point where your issue ceases to even be with MOS or the League's Cup or even FIFA and the Club World Cup. And it becomes about like capitalism nostalgia no like like oh like everything is everything is a money grab yeah yeah like true at the end of the day everything you do like there is a panel of oligarchs who are who their singular obsession and focus in life is making as much money off whatever we're talking about right like whether it's soccer anything else so like uh you wade into the pro rel for you i mean i just i thought i might have gone off on a tangent there but like i just i just think that uh
00:24:33
Speaker
you gotta You kind of got to take those factors into account when you're thinking about it. But I do like i agree that it sucks like to not have ah not have the first team in the open cup this year because i share I share all those memories, but I just think it's the reality of how the schedule shaped out this year and ah something had to give.
00:24:52
Speaker
and Another point that I wanted to make on this, I think there is value that could be still found a lot of value in the US Open Cup with Tacoma Defiance competing in it instead of the first team. Look, I know a lot of Open Cup purists out there like like there are people last year who were talking about like putting a rotated lineup out for a timbers league game yeah so they could play the first choice 11 in the open cup like i just i don't know what we're talking about with some of that stuff sometimes i think you actually especially a tournament that seattle has already won four times you know maybe the calculation is different if you never won it but a tournament that you've already won four times
00:25:34
Speaker
You get, I would argue, actually more organizational value of using that tournament as a platform to get your young guys experience in high stakes, pressure packed, elimination tournament games. Those games last year where Kosa Rienzi, like he's not going to be out there if you're like selling out your first choice 11 in every Open Cup game. that Those reps, you cannot ah emphasize enough how important those reps are for players like that. So I think with the unfortunate reality that I think most MLS teams, it's going to the Open Cup is going to start gravitating just towards that type of tournament. There is like a very valid, very useful, very valuable place for that type of tournament. It's just a different type of value that you're getting from it. And so maybe, I don't know if it upsets you,
00:26:22
Speaker
ah the way I'm kind of true choosing to look at it is I'm just changing the way I think about the Open Cup from like this tournament that ah I really like care about winning every single year to a tool for development, which I think is good and valuable. Yeah, I i don't disagree with you on any of that. I think you cooked right there. I don't know. like Yeah, like for me. If I get canceled. Well, I think what people are upset about is they're seeing it in a black and white. They're seeing it's either League's Cup or Open Cup. And sure, like I get it. I get being upset about,
00:27:00
Speaker
the nostalgia of open cup, the shit house of open cup, the fact that are now we have to do with MLS once in this fabricated bullshit tournament. I'm just going to say it already. The value of winning League's Cup, the value of playing in League's Cup and getting reps against Liga and Meccy's teams for all players and all teams is 10 times more valuable than playing against New Mexico United on a rainy Wednesday afternoon.
00:27:28
Speaker
at fucking starfire I'm sorry like you can you can hate it all you want but the reality is you're getting canceled for this the reality in fact I'm canceling you for the New Mexico United strip but no but like to tone it down here to be a little bit less reactionary the nostalgia is amazing The tournament is awesome. It's fun. But the way that the league is moved, it's moved forward in a different direction. And I don't think that it's a bad thing to play more international competition and play against these, you know, League at Mickey's teams and really show what you can do against them. Secondly.
00:28:03
Speaker
I'm stoked that the Defiance get to play. That's just like i think everyone should be going out and supporting them and going to these games anyway. And the fact that you are going to be able to go and see the next crop of sounders play against.
00:28:17
Speaker
Whoever is, you know, whatever and MLS club plays ah is awesome. And I will say too, I'm gonna put this in there too, because people are gonna hate me already. I like the new format. I like it. You know why? It gives more U.S.L. clubs a chance to actually advance farther in the tournament. And what makes this tournament fun? Cup sets.
00:28:35
Speaker
Cup sets are what makes this tournament go round. The less MLS teams that are good, that are in this tournament, the better chance that a U.S.L. club has of winning. And I think that that's good. It's good to have them winning these big competitions. So you know what?
00:28:51
Speaker
That's the way I see it, and if you don't like it, crash. Cancel me. Cancel me, yeah. I think the thing that us sickos who stuff like this is our all-encompassing obsession need to understand is that casual fans don't necessarily look at these things like we do we like we love the character of it we love the games that are played at on elementary school fields with the track around it to the casual fan honestly i mean i'll tell you like the casual fan is probably way more compelled by watching their mls team that they're a fan of play a league a mechies team than they are that but even outside of that like i said the oligarchs certainly are
00:29:35
Speaker
not hard they They don't like the character of the open cup at all Don Garber has literally said like on record like these these like janky broadcasts on these janky fields with like 3,000 people. It's a great product for people like us Yeah, but for the the broader audience at large the oligarchs are looking at that and they're like League's Cup against Liga and Meccy's, that's going to, with the money involved and the stage and the partnership between the two leagues, there's just random Liga and Meccy's fan in the US. No matter what you think of it, there's just no contest on where they're going to come down on that. And that's who makes the decisions. So I don't know.
00:30:18
Speaker
going on a tangent. No, I think like, yeah, mount mount your mount your, you know, mount your protests. These are going to do. But like these are these points that like you have to acknowledge as opposed to just saying the League's Cup is a horrible money grab that is like overtaking like the great tradition of the open. There is like that is way oversimplifying it like. Yeah. And also I think just kind of not taking into account the ah capitalistic reality of how these things work.
00:30:48
Speaker
It's a hard reality. It's a hard reality. I get it. But there is always a positive. It's also sports. So maybe use your political action in a bit of a more productive way in the times that we live in. Then I'm going to go to MLS headquarters and chain myself to the door because they won't put my club in. This topic got deeper than I expected. We're talking about the merits of capitalism and all kinds of things. with the oligarchy, Ari. And of course you would have these opinions. Anyway, no. Yeah. So, and if you guys, we can, we can get canceled. Honestly, if, if you got different, differing takes then, then we just gave on that. Go ahead and drop them in the comments. I understand like the purists and the stickos like are, are upset and like, I get it. Like I, I'm, I am one of those. I'm one of those. I'm, I'm kind of, I'm just presenting the reality of the situation and the take it or leave it.
00:31:47
Speaker
um Noah, did you know that the Seattle Sounders are returning 92% of their minutes from the players who played their minutes from last year?
Squad Stability and New Additions
00:32:04
Speaker
ia I found this out on a graphic on blue sky from Elliot McKinley pulled it up, was looking at it. And he's got every, ah every team in MLS on this graphic and the percentage of returning minutes that they have from last year. ah So I just thought some of this was interesting, but Seattle is ah returning the third most at 92.2%, third most returning minutes from last year. And I think, first of all, the reason that I caught my eye is because I think that that sort of illustrates in a microcosm, like why a lot of people are underwhelmed and not happy with the offseason. You know, change is exciting. People wanted
00:32:44
Speaker
Wanted big money big flashy new new stars got 92% of the minutes coming back people aren't necessarily happy about that ah but yeah, you mean compare it well, so but the here's here's how I was thinking of it is like if you're looking at that 8% of new minutes like how much can you reasonably hope ah hope that elevates the ceiling of the team I think Jesus Ferreira, Paul Ariola, and a theoretically fit Pedro de la Vega as part of that 8%. There's at least reason to hope that that can elevate the team quite a lot. Well, and if you look, I'm looking at this graph right here and the Sounders return 92.2% of their minutes and the Red Bulls return 70.1% of their minutes. Which team do you think has a better chance of winning?
00:33:35
Speaker
and MLS cup. It is just funny to look at some of these teams near the top and how different their situations are. Yeah. The number one team is the Portland Timbies who are returning 96% of their minutes from last year. there's Yeah. Was their season not kind of a shit show last year? They're currently feuding with their best player. yeah We're going to talk about that later.
00:33:54
Speaker
Um, bring him but that's, that's like, you would think that they would have had more turnover than that, but I think the even crazier one is this is honestly insane to me. Toronto SC is returning more of their minutes from last year than Seattle. They wouldn't spoon last year. They were literally the worst team in the league and they're returning the mo they have like some of the least turnover.
00:34:14
Speaker
No one's talking about their ambition, Ari. I mean, uh, I mean, see, that's just, it's another example, man. Like the Insigny a Bernadeshi great ambition, but like that, like Robin Fraser, man, that's, that's tough. They're, they're literally running. They had the wooden spoon team last year and they're like, we're running but that running back. I'm sure there's like, cap re Okay, listen, that they won a trophy, are they? Like, did we win a trophy? No, but you know who did? Toronto FC. Yeah, no, you got me there. But there's ah there's interesting stuff at the bottom of this chart as well. The New England Revolution have the most turnover, which isn't a surprise. ah But LAFC, we're gonna talk about that later. They're down in the like lower tier of ah returning players. They've had a lot more turnover than I even realized. Are they gonna be booty?
00:35:00
Speaker
but they I mean, I don't know. That's the question. So I guess that's the that was the biggest surprise for me to see like down towards the ah lower tier of the list. But anyway, it's an interesting graphic to look at. And i I was I knew obviously Seattle didn't have a ton of turnover, but that's honestly they're like higher than I would have thought. Ninety two percent. Like I think that it sort of illustrates why like the exasperation of like running back the same thing over and over, even though Hastings Ferreira is certainly a big addition, ah like by any objective interpretation of it. so Well, yeah, it's not about... I think it's an interesting graph, but we would both agree. It's not about the percentage of change. It's about what what you do with that percentage of change. Exactly. that's That's one player can change an entire MLS roster.
00:35:51
Speaker
Yeah, you know yeah, we're about to we're about to see how much with with de la Vega, so yeah Obed Vargas no you heard about I've heard of him asking price is Reportedly ten million dollars both Chivas and Tigress is this person at heart? Yeah, both Chivas and Tigress per sounder at heart Jeremiah I don't think it was sounder hard that first reported it, but I Okay. Well, we'll, uh, we reported by sounder and reported by sounder and our Obed Vargas asking price reportedly $10 million. Both Chivas Guadalajara and Tigris have apparently inquired about the sounders midfielder, but they think the price is too high.
00:36:31
Speaker
You know, it's funny. We were, we were debating this on a previous show. What would our theoretical asking price for Obed be? I said 10 million or hang up the phone. Sounds like that's what Craig wives did. He listens to the pod. He listens to the pod. He listens to the pod. Okay. But I guess here's the question that we can discuss.
00:36:50
Speaker
take take our Take our Obed fandom out of it. you know We watch him play every game. We know how good he is. Do we honestly think he's a $10 million dollars player, or yeah or is that a little too high? I think if he was in Europe, he would be a $45 million dollars player. Wow. I think if he's in another country, in another league, in another place, he's worth he's worth three, four, five times as much.
00:37:14
Speaker
So because he's coming from MOS, it's depressing his value and he's way better than a $10 million dollars player. i think Yeah, i like i think that I think that all of your value is based on what your competition looks like and how you how you equate that competition level to your own competition level. And I think that, yeah, like think about it.
00:37:35
Speaker
I could totally see an MLS club or a European club signing an Obed Vargas who did, you know, let's say he was in like Norway or, you know, Germany or something and they end up, he, he wins some sort of equivalent number of trophies and games on a similar equivalent team. That's like, dude, that's like a superstar in the making.
00:37:55
Speaker
and He is a superstar in the making here's what I think a counter argument might be which is that He doesn't really play a premium position um Like a deeper lying midfielder like that or like how Seattle's been playing him is that position?
00:38:11
Speaker
ah that valuable to a team like Chivas or Tigress or are they going to be more inclined to bring a $10 million dollars player in who is a striker or a winger or even even like a center back. I think that might be that might be the argument they're bringing to the table in the negotiation.
00:38:29
Speaker
um now I mean personally how I rate the player I see the type of impact that he makes for Seattle week in week out playing that position to me that's worth a lot of money yeah like and I think the people who think that he's not worth that much money like they're, they're seeing that he's not playing that premium of a position and he's playing on this a Seattle team where there's a lot of really good players around him and they're probably thinking, all right, $10 million, dollars slow your role. I'm not going to slow my role. I think he's at least a $10 million dollars player right now. And I think
00:39:04
Speaker
I think like most of the scouts in pundits who are questioning that, if they watched him as often as as we do, if we watch every game, I think they would be closer to ah to finding out that they agree with us than they probably think. he They won games, they took points that they shouldn't have taken last year because of Obed. And he was 18. And he also has Champions League, CONCAF Champions League starts on his resume from when he was like 16.
00:39:34
Speaker
I think that, yeah, maybe his position isn't a premium, but he is a carry that load player. i like you You are right. like there was There was a stretch of this season where the only bright spot on the entire team felt like it was Obed Vargas. During that whole period where the offense was really bad. Remember they moved him to the wing person. They were like, you know what?
00:39:55
Speaker
We know that you're good. Let's see what you can do in attack." And then he went and balled out, right? Like, i I think that he's a dynamic player. He's a potential World Cup player, considering he's now making, you know, has has caps for the Mexican national team.
00:40:12
Speaker
Ten million dollars is a steal. If if you knew that you could get a young player like that to come into the Sounders, would you pay ten million? Well, and ah especially for a league at Mackey's team where it's like his level is higher than the I mean, yes, you're getting a play. Go there. You're getting a player who I think is ah at least to me like Bundesliga La Liga laliga quality and you're putting them in league at Mackey's theoretically in this situation. um And they don't even they don't have the salary cap anyway. Their money is even faker than the MLS money.
00:40:42
Speaker
So here's a so with that in mind if I'm Craig wibes I'm I'm I'm not taking a dime less than 10 million for him Here's what Jeremiah had written in his article here as a comparison one of them was Tottenham recently played 11 million for an 18 year old Lucas Bergevall who had never played before outside of Sweden and had about half as many first-team minutes as Vargas How much 11 million?
00:41:06
Speaker
ah half as many minutes, 11 million. And that kid is not nearly as good as it played in Sweden. I'm sorry. Who? It's funny. It's funny. Like, uh, I feel like the, I feel like we see the truth in these moments, but it's, uh, it falls on deaf ears. It's fine, I think that he'll still get transferred. The thing is, if if Liga and Meccy's clubs want to bitch and moan, the Sounders don't want to transfer him there anyway. They don't want him to go to Mexico, because one, that's competition for them. Why would they try and make their competition stronger? Number two,
00:41:40
Speaker
if he wants to go and play in europe going to league of mechies is a death sentence man you're you're not getting transferred from league of mechies to europe that doesn't happen that doesn't happen it's not a thing if he wants to go play there hell yeah but obed if you're listening don't do it bro don't do it go anywhere else go anywhere else um i think it's about time to jump into this around the league headlines we've got a lot of stuff to talk about uh from around the league this week but before we do that We're going to ah do our first ever lobbing scorchers ad break. We'll be right back.
Around the MLS League
00:42:16
Speaker
Welcome back to the show. Wow. What great, what great advertising. Love to see that. If you skipped, we know, we know. Don't skip our ads, don't skip our ads. All right. Let's jump into this around the league stuff. We got a lot of good, juicy headlines and storyline. This is going to be a highlight of the show, I think this week. No, we got a pretty weird story out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida this past week.
00:42:41
Speaker
I don't know what to make of this. You were telling me before you started recording that you hadn't really been following it that much. I was explaining to you the basics, but I'll lay down the nutshell for you and the and the rest of our audience. You can tell me what you think of this one. Per Tom Bogart.
00:42:57
Speaker
friend of friend of friend of the pod who's going to come on one day when we can get them on West Coast time. We're going to be on soccer wise as well. That's why we hadn't plugged that at all. But yeah, we're going on soccer wise. So, uh, definitely watch that. Um, there's been a big shakeup in the inter Miami CF front office with president of football operations. Raoul, I might screw this one. Raoul Senelli reassigned to oversee matters pertaining to institutional relations. So this guy was that's a lot of corporate speak. ari This guy basically to on corporate speak that they hired this guy as sporting director to replace Chris Henderson who went to Atlanta United. Shout out Chris Henderson. They hired this guy to replace him and then.
00:43:39
Speaker
Few days. I just saw this a few days ago. I Reassigned they didn't even have his name on the door. Yeah, they they demoted him like just weeks after hiring him They demoted him to some like I mean, what is this oversee matters pertaining to institutional? like you can watch our sos that's so i yeah that That's the first thing I see that and I'm like what What is going on? yeah what What is going on here? Then it turns out that the guy who's replacing ah Raul Sinelli, Guillermo Hoyos, he's now in charge of the sporting decisions. He's the sporting director. He was their academy director. um he ah He is now the sporting director and it turns out that he is ah like Lionel Messi's boy.
00:44:24
Speaker
Yeah. He's messy calls in his footballing Godfather. Yeah. They, I guess he mentored him when he was coming up in the Barcelona academy or something like that. And they've been boys forever. He came to Miami with messy. Apparently he'd been the academy director all this time. Now he's getting promoted to sporting director. And this dude, this other dude is getting demoted and he's been reassigned. I forgot this detail. They reassigned him to the club's office in Coral Gables and not the first team facility. They literally are like, you are going, you are not the sporting director anymore. You're going to Coral Gables.
00:44:57
Speaker
So what is going on here? And why is Messi's boy the new sporting director? Why did they demote the guy that they just hired? Well, I'm glad you asked. Turns out, also according to Tom Bogert, while the club were in Las Vegas for a preseason match against Club America, Senneli, the original sporting director, entered the players and coaches only bus, which prompted an exchange of words with Lionel Messi.
Messi's Influence at Inter Miami
00:45:22
Speaker
Can we, can we like imagine right now what it is? Like we can do a little like bit right here where we pretend that I'm, you can be messy and I'll be the guy. I mean, I just, what do you, I don't know. We'll just, we'll just try and act it out here. Hey, I'm on the team bus and you know, cause I needed to talk to you. He's another Italian. He's another Italian. Basically, as I understand it, Messi, uh, expressed some sentiment to the effect of,
00:45:47
Speaker
Hey man, this is a players and coaches only bus. You're not a player or coach. What are you doing on here? And evidently what it sounds like happened is they started chirping at each other. It got testy. I mean, the first thing ah that comes to my mind is like, if you're the sporting director at inner Miami, you just got hired.
00:46:06
Speaker
Like but literally 80% of your job description is specifically keeping that person, that one guy yeah happy. So like, how are you going to get in a feud with him on the bus right off rip? But honestly, ah no, I really, I actually don't have all that much of a ah take on this story other than just
00:46:29
Speaker
is this Isn't this weird vibes? It's weird vibes. This is weird vibes. What is going on down there? Also, like I understand everyone knows that Messi is the most powerful person in that organization, but I will say when you give a player this much power,
00:46:47
Speaker
You're towing a fine line there. You're playing with fire. Uh, you don't want to make him too powerful. It sounds like he's already too powerful, but like, where do you draw the line? Is he going to hire the, the, the scouting directors? He hired your, coach he hired your, yeah he hired you he hired your coach, which we didn't even point that out, but he literally hired the coach. That's one of his boys. yeah He got pissed at the sporting director. That dude is in coral gables.
00:47:12
Speaker
theater in a container and shipped his ass off to another part of floor To a different part of Florida and now his boy is the sporting director the thing is like Do we like have any indication that? This guy is like qualified from being Messi's football and godfather and the Academy director to now be the sporting director like I I have maybe I have no idea in the league that is one of the hardest to be a sporting director Yeah, he's got it far He's got to learn what gam and tam is yeah like right off the bat You think he the messies godfather knows what gam and tam is and I doubt it probably doesn't even know about the new ma'am rule what so like I like
00:47:52
Speaker
I understand they have to give him that this type of power. sure That's part of the deal with him coming to the league, being on the team. i don't know if that and I don't know if that ends well. I would be sketched out if I were a fan. I'd be sketched out.
00:48:04
Speaker
I think it's wild. You're, you're, what, ah what could he have possibly, I think there's two things. I want to know what that exchange could have possibly been like. oh to I need you to leak the transcripts. Someone has like a black box. I would give anything to be a fly on that. Oh my God. I mean, like, yeah, like bro brings in all of his boys and then, you know, he's hired half the team, hired half the club, half the, the training staff, half the coaches. And now he's got the sporting director. The squad is essentially Lionel Messi incorporated at this point. Yeah, it's like his it's his company. Yeah, it's getting ridiculous. It's getting ridiculous. I love Messi. Messi will forever be the goat to me. But like, man, I've just never seen. I've never seen a player like it's a boat. I've definitely never seen a player get the sporting director shipped to Coral Gables Florida. That's for sure. I've never seen that.
00:48:58
Speaker
He's basically LeBron like what LeBron I was gonna say that's like that's like the closest comp that I could think of Yeah, even that he never he never like people joke that he's the GM He never got the GM sense to like a brain like the Bay Area like we we They're like you've been on the job three days. So if we fire you there's probably going to be a litigation. So we're just going to reassign you to the back office with with the broken copier. I just think I just think that's weird vibe for inner Miami. They're playing a dangerous game. I'm going to be keeping track of the vibes down there because you know
00:49:32
Speaker
We were with everyone else last year, watching them play and being like, damn, this is probably the best MLS team I've ever seen. If their vibes go toxic or messy is unhappy or just like this, it's a guy to meet director footballing. Godfather is your sporting director. Like they better hope they've got like a, some real good infrastructure around that guy. I don't think he even wants that job. Probably not. I mean, maybe I don't know. I don't know. Here's what's crazy though. I feel like they're Icarus thing, right? Like they had Sean Henderson saved them. He saved them. He got Chris. I'm sorry. Sean, Chris, crash out. Uh, but he saved them. He took them from this club that were a joke. They were not only a joke, they were like so in compliant that it was like three seasons in a row that they were like sanctioned for. They had, yeah, they had six DPS and then almost wouldn't spoon to anyone. Yeah. Like, so, so you went from one of the best in the business to someone who seemingly had some sort of credibility. He had to have some qualification. I've never heard of him, but like, you know, whatever. And now it's just messy's boy, messy's academy boy. What are we doing? Like, do you think that inner Miami survives after
00:50:49
Speaker
messy leaves Well, so this is, I guess sort of the other point to think about, which is that it just, it feels like a house of cards. yeah They got four of the top, like 12 players that have ever played the game, including the literal best player, all like on the wrong side of 34, 35. And that's going to work in MLS until they're in their late thirties.
00:51:13
Speaker
but If you don't have like the infrastructure and foundation around that if those guys age out they get hurt They leave or they retire or or or bored You are chalked and you're not gonna be able to like sustain your success at all for however much people complain about broke hand hour and Seattle's roster building They have a foundation in place where one player or two or three players having to move off them. It doesn't, it'll, it'll hurt you. It'll take some time to work your way back up, but it doesn't necessarily have to s sink them. You know, like inner Miami, they're not in that situation at all right now. no they're they're not looking good and this comes off of the heels of transferring away like half of their young players that Messi attracted to the club which we were both like oh they're set up great for the future they've got all of these prospects that they can work into the first team and you know Messi will eventually sunset off and the Barca boys will eventually sunset off but you're going to be able to
00:52:12
Speaker
work in these new really good young players and you know Jorge Moss is like we will always have at least one of the best players in the world on our club so you're like oh okay maybe this is something and now it's like all right let's be so for real you you are coached owned operated by Messi that's not gonna work what it seems it's not gonna work it's not gonna work Ari Yeah. I mean, we're definitely, we'll be tracking their potential downfall. I mean, we, we're, we're talking about all this. And the reality is that when you get the Barca boys out on the field and they are even 70 to 80% of their Barca boys days, this is probably the toughest team. This is the toughest team to stop in the league still. But ah toxic vibes can, can change a lot.
FC Cincinnati and Portland Timbers Transfers
00:53:00
Speaker
It can change. toronto fc um Next headline we have, Also, these are all Tom Bogues basically, you can just credit all Tom Bogues. This is another Tom Bogues, give me sport report. ah FC Cincinnati are working to acquire star attacker at Vander from the Portland Timbies. My Timbies edit, Tom didn't write that.
00:53:20
Speaker
Working to acquire Star Attack Revander from the Portland Timbies. No deal is agreed or guaranteed. No deal agreed or guaranteed. But since he are pushing and talks between all parties have been ongoing. This this would be this new cash for trade rule like teams are already trying to cook on this. Since he had been working on a deal for Revander simultaneously as an exit for Lucho Acosta became increasingly likely.
00:53:41
Speaker
ah with Gimme Sport revealing earlier on Wednesday that Estudiantes had agreed a fee for Acosta, though no agreement on personal terms has been reached. So two big, big ah bombshells from that report, which number one, I mean, the lucho Acosta thing, I think we inferred that the writing seemed to be on the wall. He seemed disgruntled and demanding a transfer, but ah now there's a concrete like bid, apparently, from Estudiantes that he might be on his way out of there, and that SC Cincinnati's, ah plan to replace them is they are, they are gunning for Evander. Like they are trying to make this happen. They're trying to get him on their team. Uh, which there's two things to react to here,
00:54:24
Speaker
which is that the Portland Timbies might be losing Evander and that Evander might be going to one of the best teams in the league. Um, which one of those do you want to talk about first? I hate them both, Ari. Can we talk about how he should be a sounder? We'll talk about the first one first. We'll just dive into the first one. I mean, I think from an FC Cincy perspective, if Lucio, they've been dealing with drama all pre-season too. Kubo still isn't there and then every time they asked Pat Noonan about these guys that are holding out it was Acosta Yuyo Kubo and there was one more they had another holdout that I'm blanking on but there was three of them and every time that Pat Noonan was asked about it he would be like this is unexcused this is unacceptable they should be here with their teammates Lucio Acosta was like I'm done I'm out of here I don't know what exactly one too many of those chilly hot dogs I don't know what he is that pissed about but he wants out of there So they've been dealing with that, but like I do think as far as Lucio Acosta replacements Evander is one of the only players within the league right now that you could put up with Lucio Acosta That would be a banger move. Yeah, it is. I think that's it like I'll basically I don't know about upgrade but like It's a you might have to change how you play a little bit there a little bit different But Evander had 15 and 19 last year. This guy is like He's a workhorse. Like he puts up huge stats. He scores He all the only goals he scores are bangers like wants to be on a good team and he really wants to be on a good team So if he goes to a good team, he's gonna be like motivated and happy which means he might play So I think since he
00:56:08
Speaker
with the knowledge that they're kind of going going through it with the Acosta situation, if they can pull this off, that would be that would be smooth. I, it's a great move from them. I mean, anyone who was going to land Evander was going to land just a great talent period, but like a good deal. Like, let's be honest. It doesn't matter what they're going to be giving up because he's pushing his way out of the timbers. He doesn't want to be there anymore. Him and Ned grab a boy. I think that's takeaway. Number two, beefing. That's takeaway. Number two, the Timbies like are losing their best player in all likelihood is awesome. It's fun. I love this. They're melting down. We did a whole show about it. We did. We did a whole show about it. Yeah.
00:56:45
Speaker
But like I just, it's kind of like the messy thing. Ned Grabavoy, your career hinges on keeping this man happy. yeah like What are the Timbies that you cannot tell me? No, there is no range of outcomes. Where Evander leaves the Timbies on this intra-league for cash trade system, and they replace him with someone who's better. No no chance. no shock He's one of the no shot three to four best players in the league.
00:57:13
Speaker
yeah and And even if you do you're gonna have another Evander moment TM where he doesn't do shit for a year or two and then finally becomes amazing and by two years Listen, if I had to spend two years in Portland, I'd be fucking pissed off too. I don't want to leave I uh yeah no i mean it's just uh we'll see we'll see where he goes but that's an inauspicious beginning to the season for the portland timbies as well we're i don't know i don't know what they're gonna do i don't know what they're gonna do praying on their downfall i won't lie um
00:57:46
Speaker
Deon, Deon Yovilich.
Player Moves: Jovelic and Almiron
00:57:48
Speaker
Oh, this is a big one. Deon Yovilich. This was a big one. So as recently as a day or two ago, ah Tom Bokes was reporting that Tigris was throwing down a bid for Deon Yovilich that was going to drastically increase his pay. Like it was going to be a big move. it was gonna be That's one of the biggest clubs in Mexico, throwing down a ton of money for a MOS U22 signing.
00:58:13
Speaker
It's about to be a big deal. Yeah. And also like I'm we both rate the player yeah very highly and I think he would bam in League of Mackie's like easily. So I was like getting excited to watch that. And then this is just this is unfortunate. This is unfortunate. Tigris apparently that deal either fell through or just didn't come to pass. And now apparently day on new village is going to. Drum roll please.
00:58:41
Speaker
Sporting Kansas City, the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts. God damn it, Noah. If that's their polito replacement, that is nice. that's You want to talk about an upgrade? That is the definition of it. yeah I mean, you're talking about a Guy who was a pretty big bust of a DP signing for you. Let's be real like that He had don no no no no not just a bust for you that might have been one of the biggest DP busts of all time well So I don't know I was thinking about that like there were period like when he played and when after he first got there And he was actually playing he it was looking good It was looking good to the point where they actually extended him which turned out to be that was not good that was but um like
00:59:24
Speaker
He it was it was a huge bust of a move in the sense that he was just injured a lot and they never he never became this like kind of face of the league type player that he was billed as and they hoped he was going to be Nova which I mean he's been heard a couple times for the galaxy but when this guy plays he seems like one of the best number nines peer number nines in the league um He's not going to have the team around him with the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts that he had with the galaxy, but I don't know. He just seems like the kind of forward that's just going to eat. Yeah, he' eat he's just going to eat so unfortunately to rebuilding around something yeah like they've they've said. I mean they've said this for years love you sport in Kansas City, ah but you know they.
01:00:09
Speaker
It seems like they're actually making an attempt to rebuild this club. They've shipped off basically at any kind of asset that they have. And I mean, who knows? It's a great move. It's um i like I'm sad to report that the professional wrestling enthusiasts cooked. They cooked with this one. They really cooked with this one. and it's It's just kind of it's just kind of wild to see them swoop in after Tigris was in the mix. right I mean, okay I mean, hey they they got really close to signing Ronaldo. We can't forget but I do think like ah I was gonna say about Evander and I think this could apply to Jovalich and sporting Casey as they do their rebuild just thinking about like the the dangers and perils of relying a lot on one guy yes, it seems like every time that
01:00:58
Speaker
We see an MLS club do that. We see when we saw Seattle do that with Ozzy Alonzo for years, man. Like you take one guy out and the whole thing falls apart. Uh, the Timbies I think are very much in that situation with Evander. Uh, so like that's part of the reason they're in such a tough spot with that. But sporting Casey's rebuild is going to be bigger than one really good number nine. You can have one really good number nine He can get his numbers and that does not necessarily change your fortunes as far as contending. So I do think like don't get me wrong We love yo village. This is a great move for them But I'm not sitting here quaking in my boots at the professional wrestling enthusiasts just yet They they got to earn that they got it. They got to earn our fear.
01:01:44
Speaker
We'll see. I think they have an opportunity to be a a contender in the Open Cup, which there you go. Congratulations. You can win a sixth. Another big time, big time blockbuster move.
01:01:57
Speaker
Miguel Elmeron back in MLS, yeah Atlanta United. Did you see the photo at the airport of all the Atlanta fans? That was so tight. Yes. So I was actually ah editing Charlie Baum's, ah he covered the press conference, the Miguel Elmeron reintroduction press conference.
01:02:15
Speaker
So I was editing that today. Go to MLSSoccer.com and read that. It's really good. ah But the photos we were using were from that. And they their fans were hyped. It's funny. like there ah you know when i first When I first heard that this might happen, I was like,
01:02:31
Speaker
Doesn't that ah constitute a lack of ambition, you know? Bringing back a retread. And I was all ready for the, ah you know, im vocal minority of the Atlanta United fan base to be like, oh, we're bringing back a retread. yeah What happened to the ambitious club I used to know? There's been none of that. They're stoked. They're like, oh, wait, we're not spending a billion dollars on someone who's going to flop. Let's go. Let's go. My other first thought was that, ah you know, I was thinking Chris Henderson just got there. I was like,
01:02:59
Speaker
I see you, Chris, yeah because ah Atlanta United had been trying to replace Miguel Almerón for years. They tried it with Barco, Bust. They tried it with Petey Martinez, Monumental Bust. They tried it with Thiago Almada. Better, closer, but still- Didn't reach the level. It didn't quite hit the same. Didn't quite hit the same. It was still a knockoff. So Chris Henderson got there and he said, Garth,
01:03:23
Speaker
Garth this club has been trying to replace Miguel Almerone for like five years hasn't been able to do it What if what if and just bear with me here Garth bear with me? We just signed Miguel Almerone Garth said By God, you're right. You're cooking. Chris, you're cooking. Just picturing Carson. That's pretty funny. Chris, you're cooking. Chris. Chris. but the go tea and everything You're cooking. Let's bring him back. And they, they called, apparently they called his agent and they said, Hey, does he want to come back to Atlanta United? And Miguel. I was like, yeah, I'll do that. yeah i know Now he's back. Um, so I don't, I did think that was, uh, I was getting a funny visual of them talking about like the replacement of Miguel. I'm your own being Miguel. I'm your own.
01:04:10
Speaker
but then I thought about it a little bit more and I was thinking of it from the perspective of you know like when when the Sounders got Ferreira and people were deriding it part of the problem I had was the analysis was literally you didn't hear the people deriding it say one thing about like his game no like what he brings on the field Well, the dumb ones were. Right. Yeah. But ah so like I was, I was thinking of the about this, like, all right, ah take the, take the nostalgia out of it, take the breed tread part out of it. Like what, ah what type of player is Atlanta United getting with Miguel Almerón? I mean, to me, Miguel Almerón is a baller. Oh yeah. he is
01:04:49
Speaker
Very good. I was thinking about how like his original run with Atlanta United, when him and Joseph lit the league on fire, the stuff that made him so good. I mean, one of the best facilitators in the league while he played here, um the way he and Joseph combined, their chemistry was like second to none in the league at that point. But tell me if you agree with this take. I was formulating this.
01:05:13
Speaker
He is, I think, the closest number 10 in MLS that I've seen that can mirror or at least approach what Nico Ledero brings skillset-wise as a two-way player. Almeerone's motor is just nonstop. He plays with his hair on fire. yeah he play And that's why Atlanta United fans love him so much, because he delivered so many electric moments, won them MLS Cup. But also, it was just, he plays so hard.
01:05:40
Speaker
And he's so talented. And the other thing about this is that ah I don't know if I can think of an MLS export ah that's gone to a club as high profile as Almeron went to Newcastle um and succeeded yeah as much as he did. yeah To everything that I have read and followed about it, Almeron was an excellent player in the prem for Newcastle. ah The fans there love him just as much as the Atlanta fans.
01:06:10
Speaker
um He was productive for them But like I think they took to him because because of what I was talking about like with his energy and his work rate in Newcastle They're not a flashy prime club. They're like a blue collar grind it out Like we're gonna outrun you out work you you know type of club and he was like the perfect player for that um And was a very good plus player in the prem for them for years so Atlanta United are getting a Premier league plus Premier league quality league goals. yeah Yeah. Yeah. And it's like a, just his game transferred very well. yeah Like he was not just at that level, but he excelled at that level. They're getting him. He's only 30. He's been grinding in the prem for the last five, six years, been playing at a super high level.
01:06:58
Speaker
ah I don't know I got consistently I got to the five years in the prime is impressive Yeah, no I mean I got to the end of like thinking about all of this and I was like I think this might be the best move anyone has made all offseason like might be like that I think it's like such an obvious move that it's I don't think they're gonna get like credit for it in the way they did when they Broke the bank for almata and barco and all that stuff right this is a really good move. No, it's a really good move. I agree. I mean it's I'm just stoked to have him back in the league. Yeah, he's like he's like a watch and he's like known for being like a cool guy. yeah I just ah damn it damn it. I you know wanted Atlanta United to stay bad, which you know him alone might not ah necessarily
01:07:43
Speaker
make them good, but like they've had a pretty good off season outside of this. They got a lot of praise from the pundits for a fleecing Mateo, Mateo's clique off DC United. But I think he actually skill set wise is theoretically exactly what they've been missing Atlanta United they they break the bank for all these really flashy like talented on paper attackers ah but their midfield I feel like has just been like so mid to bad for years they're throwing guy they've been throwing guys out there like freaking not
01:08:19
Speaker
Franco will borrow Santiago Sosa who they paid a bunch of money for and was a bust and they just have no like they've had no personality or energy or ah Dynamic play from those midfield spots for like four or five years now so like a motto basically their plan was just like give it to a motto have him either score a worldy or Kick it to jock a mock is right And that's, that's it. There's like nothing beyond that. Click is a guy who can add like some of that stuff that they don't have. So I think that was actually, that was a really good pickup for them. Uh, Mary and Chuck, they brought in last year who isn't like, it doesn't seem like a carry the load type player to me, but, uh, isn't really good. like Legal be interesting. Yeah. And then when you have now the carry the load player with Almeer own,
01:09:07
Speaker
I think, ah I think Atlanta is going to be improved this year. I've said that every year for the last two, three years, and they always, uh, they're always mid again. yeah But like, I think with Chris Henderson in the mix, I like this army room move. Like I'm going to go ahead and predict a step forward for him.
01:09:25
Speaker
Yeah, we'll have to do some like preseason predictions in one of these next episodes to kind of pick who he thinks going to win the shield cup just like way too early. You know what I mean? Or just do well. Um, I did want to, I know that we're we're coming to the close here, but I was looping back to the LA galaxy. I was listening to the, this is good. This was one of my last time. Okay. Okay. Perfect. Sorry. Uh, I was listening to no study at this.
01:09:52
Speaker
and Jeremiah was talking with the armchair analyst, one of our favorites, and they were talking about the L.A. Galaxy, and I've heard a lot of conversation about how the L.A. Galaxy are bombing out, they're folding, they're rebuilding, they're going to be cheeks, they're going to be bad, which by the way, on by the way, dot that ah but like when we were doing the ambition ratings,
01:10:16
Speaker
We weren't really taking that into account. like I didn't realize their salary cap situation right was was what it
LA Galaxy and LAFC Roster Changes
01:10:23
Speaker
is. And they've had to make a lot of moves, which I think is what you're getting at. but Yeah. Well, that was part of it. But I wanted to hear, is the demise of the l LA Galaxy being overstated, or do you think that they are going to genuinely have a tough time this season?
01:10:40
Speaker
They are in a tougher situation than I thought. yeah They are. They've had to shed a lot of salary that ah to get like compliant that I kind of, when we made the ambition ratings video, like I wasn't really thinking about that. But like, Ricky Poosh, first of all, is not going to be ready for the start of the season. So they're going to have to go into next season without him off rip. They've had to shed Jaylen Neal, who's their highest upside young defender,
01:11:05
Speaker
ah They had to send Mark Delgado who is one of their most important midfielders last year to LA FC which talks for them and they're used. They're now losing Yovalich who is there like big time number nine. I mean that that front four that we talked about all last year you're down half of it yeah immediately.
01:11:24
Speaker
Miguel Barry is like I think the backup right now that is not gonna cut it So they got to replace you over which now how much money do they have to do all this they stuff they have multiple you 22 spots it seems like okay, so but like and they hit on you 22 is down there they do but like ah It's not always never a guarantee that you're gonna do that again. They like i But they're pretty damn good at it. They are going to do it. Like, I mean, Jovalich is the best you 22 signing that we've seen in the league yet. So, I mean, I trust them to hit on it again, but they still have to go do that. And I i feel like I'm even missing maybe a couple of like they had, they had to do a lot more than I thought. However, I will say,
01:12:06
Speaker
Will Kuntz, this guy seems a goat he seems like a wizard. he's kind of the go The stuff he did with their roster to get them that and MLS Cup last year, i'm i'm I'm like, I think this guy just might be elite. yeah And so with that in mind, I think that they're still gonna be near the top of the West. Are they gonna be as good as they were last year though? I think that is a fair question, especially at the start of the season. Yeah, I mean, i'm here's where I'm coming from. I think that i think they're good i think they're gonna be maybe not as good as last year but they're gonna go all in on champions league right they're still they're still the triple p's you're down one piece you're double peeing you might sign another nine you might you know you you did they're gonna figure it out i think by the end of the season there's a long season
01:12:55
Speaker
90% of league games that don't even matter I feel like they're gonna still somehow coming forth they're still somehow gonna make the playoffs have a home game and turn something around like going to make some signings in the summer. They're going to come back. They have the core though, man. And they re resigned Yoshida, right? He's back. And they signed another kind of veteran piece. Uh, I can't remember. I can't remember the name. I just, I think the galaxy are still going to be a contentious, not even dark horse because they won last year, but like, I think they're going to be a, a force to reckon with. It just feels like they are on much more solid ground than they used to be organizationally. Like their foundation, even though they've had to move off a few of these guys, uh, the galaxy of a few years ago, I think would crumble in this situation with Wilkins and Greg Vanny pulling the strings. Like I I'm with you. I think they're probably
01:13:54
Speaker
gonna be a really good, but like i do think ah I do think the West is wide ass open, and that leads me to my next point, which is I wanted to talk about the other LA team, LAFC, and then we'll close it out here for episode 82. This was the last topic that I had. um I was looking at LAFC's off-season.
01:14:13
Speaker
because I was looking at both LA teams because I see them as the 1A1B biggest threats to Seattle right now in the West. ah Everyone else I look at and I'm like, you know, you could be a threat, but the LA teams, I'm like, okay, you got to take this seriously. You got to take this seriously. So I was looking at the galaxy. I was looking at how they're having more turnover than I expected.
01:14:32
Speaker
LAFC went on that minutes graphic that we were looking at earlier, only 70%. They've had a lot more turn... it Doyle pointed this out in his column the other day too. They've had a lot of ah they've had a lot of ah more turnover than I think people realize. Listen to this list of players, and this isn't even all of them, but these are key players from last year that they've moved off of.
01:14:53
Speaker
Uh, kakomara, which you can say, oh, he's 40, but I mean, he was a really good backup nine. He was an important, to play another he in part important part of their team last year. And like even, uh, kakomara notwithstanding, it's like their backup nine is who was productive last year. Uh, dude, he had three goals and five assists last year. Yeah, that's pretty good. That's for a backup nine. That's like you take that all day. Yeah, and that's not like super easily replaced no history's Murillo They're starting center back. He's gone out of there. ah He's playing in like Europe or something Yeah, important part of their team for years. Yeah gone. He's out of there. He's on Austin he made the smart choice Omar Yeah, exactly. He's selling tires in Austin Omar Campos important player gone
01:15:41
Speaker
And Bogus, obviously, sold the Crizzles. That's a big one. That's a big one. So I was looking at that. I went through a range of emotions on this. I was looking at that and I was like, damn, that's like, that's, they're not going to have an easy time necessarily replacing that. Like I trust they're like throwing them in them to like, to replace them to the highest of their ability. But like, it's not necessarily easy, but then, well, okay. But then, so I was looking at their incoming players and I was like,
01:16:11
Speaker
Damn, I really like this offseason. Listen to this. Yeah, listen to who they brought in ah Jeremy a Boba see. Mm-hmm, right cook. Yep mark Delgado cook. I think that yeah key was under anyone who covered the galaxy last year would tell you that he was like unsung low key one of the most important players like that's a good get for LAFC and Did you know they got Yaya Boa? I feel like I did see this somewhere. Yeah, that's like a really good attacking fullback. That's it. That's like the type of player that I've been like playing Seattle to get. Yeah. Now LFC has him. That is it. Oh my God. That's a good get. Yeah. And then, uh, a couple of days ago, uh, they got in Cosi Tafari from SC Dallas, who shout out Mark Castner. He's been on this train for years. That's one of the best young up and coming center backs in the league easy right now. Yeah.
01:17:03
Speaker
So I looked at that list and I was like, what is FC Dallas doing? Do they have any players? anymore I mean, they're, they're clearly in their rebuild, but like Tafari is like, uh, like Mark has been saying for literally the last like three years, uh, he's been doing the sounder thing about Tafari and, uh, Tafari is really damn good. So I saw that they they still have to replace Bogus. Uh, but I just, I love that off season. That's good.
01:17:29
Speaker
Yeah. Well, it's going to suck to when what's his name goes there. The athletic o player grease men when he ends up there. It's going to suck. Yeah, him and Giroud are going to be in a four for two. Yeah. ah But anyway, ah basically all that's to say Like I really, I see little scenario where LAFC takes any sort of meaningful step back, yeah which is what I was hoping for. I think it's more likely that the galaxy do and are not as powerful as they were last year. I kind of tend to think of it, how ah how you do that their foundation and the savviness of their front office now and Greg Vanny will see them through and they're still going to be really good.
Western Conference Predictions
01:18:17
Speaker
LAFC man, like if they can hit on their bogus replacement and now I think I think a Boba see is an upgrade on tomorrow Yeah, I do and I think Delgado I'll take him on any MLS team and Yaya boa. That's like a whole new element and Tafari I think Tafari's I think to far as an upgrade over Maria. Yeah it's a ah That's it up. Yeah, so I anyway we're not yeah not to be the LA podcast, but this is wherere we're scouting opponents for you guys Those are the like the West is gonna be ass other than those too. That's sort of I like let me that's how it feels That's how it feels right now Like like I always have the takes like that going into a season and then the game start and they blow up in my face But like but like right now lost their their best players who got better who got better
01:19:03
Speaker
Salt Lake got worse Minnesota Minnesota I think could be up there this next season We've been but do we do we see a quantum leap? I don't know No, there's not a quantum leap, but I think everyone else got worse. Like I think they could finish top four I think the Sounders are gonna be battling I think you can argue in but I think you could argue that Seattle got the most bedder Got the most better got the better ist got the better ist out of all these teams in the West. Yeah, I Think it's them in LA FC. Yeah I really do think that it's going to the top four you'll have Galaxy, LAFC, Seattle, and then a come one random team that decides to play. Whether that's either Austin or or Minnesota, I don't know. I think those two could maybe be up there this season. I do think the West is wide-ass open and
01:19:59
Speaker
I expect Seattle to be challenging for the number one
Seattle Sounders' Season Expectations
01:20:02
Speaker
seed. ohh No excuses. Okay. I don't want to see like the, uh, the, uh, you know how they do the slow start thing and they play, they love doing that. They play at 1.1 points per game until like July or August. And then they turn up. I don't want to see that this year. You got a wide open West. You've got reinforcements with Ferreira and de la Vega. You won 16 games last year and made the ah Western conference ship and you're returning.
01:20:26
Speaker
92% of the minutes with some with a couple of good additions that should make you better like Expectations should be rightfully high. Yeah, I honestly I'm gonna be honest. I think that there's a cup in this season I don't know what cup it is and I think that should be the barometer. I think I think that should be the standard away if we get to the We get to the end of the year and there's not at least one more in the trophy case. That'll be a disappointment yeah um I think that's a good place to call it,
Conclusion and Call to Action
01:20:54
Speaker
Noah. That was a great return show. got some i thought we had we I thought we cooked a couple times there. did um
01:21:02
Speaker
Like, comment, subscribe, rate, write us a review, sub to the YouTube. Follow us on Instagram. Oh yeah, definitely. The Road to 250 on