Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Nos Audietis: We learned a lot about Sounders during Leagues Cup
458 Plays8 days ago
We weren’t sure what to expect going in, but it’s safe to say that Jeremiah and Aaron were pretty impressed by what they saw from the Sounders in Phase One of Leagues Cup. Not only did they go 3-0-0, but they got impressive performances up and down the roster.
Recommended
Transcript
Will Bruin's Legacy and Podcast Involvement
00:00:01
Speaker
Hi, I'm Will Bruin, and I was just recognized as a Seattle Sounders legend. Now I get to do voice reads for the Sounder at Heart podcast network. Here we go. Come
Seattle Sounders' MLS Cup Victory
00:00:12
Speaker
on. Hey, O'Shaan.
00:00:13
Speaker
Let's go. What a sorry, Bud Fry. The Seattle Sounders have done it. MLS Cup winners. Here comes Rui Diaz through the middle to crowd it for Seattle.
00:00:28
Speaker
The Saunders rule the region! Seattle Saunders is good! This feels fucking awesome. And Portland can't say it's genius! Nice work on your little
00:00:46
Speaker
Ooch of a gooch! All creatures great and small! Villabega!
00:00:55
Speaker
reion
00:00:59
Speaker
you know What was the thought process in terms of who you decided to use and you didn't? Ever since I wrote a commentary that we didn't take the overcome seriously.
Episode Sponsorship by Full Pull Wines
00:01:18
Speaker
This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Full Pull was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounder supporters.
00:01:32
Speaker
They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.
00:01:43
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of Nos Adietes, part of the Sounder at Heart podcast network and sponsored by Full Pool Wines, Hacks and Ferments and our subscribers.
Episode Hosts and Recording Details
00:01:52
Speaker
We're recording on Thursday, August 7th, 2025. I am your host, Jeremiah Oshan.
00:01:57
Speaker
Joining me today is my co-host, Aaron Campo and our producer, Lickit.
Sounders' Journey in the League's Cup
00:02:02
Speaker
i The Sounders completed a perfect run through phase one of League's Cup on Wednesday, beating Club Tijuana two to one They now get to play Club Puebla in the quarterfinals on August 19th or 20th.
00:02:15
Speaker
Aaron, given how well those first three games went, has that changed? If not your overall attitude about Leagues Cup, has it changed your outlook on this specific tournament?
00:02:28
Speaker
Like the one we're in right now? ah Yeah, I mean, I think it's impossible not to be really encouraged after those three performances. um You know, I think that the last time we recorded, we we power ranked our potential outcomes. Yes.
00:02:42
Speaker
And ah at no point... And number one was winning. it was, it was. So we're not like...
00:02:51
Speaker
Yeah. and And I think like at, at no point um from the second half of the cruise as well game on, have I had the thought I'd really like them to get knocked out in the, in phase one, because I think they, they absolutely have a chance of winning it.
00:03:06
Speaker
And I think they have a great chance of, of getting into the champions cup, which for me makes the whole thing worth it. Right. Yeah. I mean, or two wins. We'll have to, we'll have to see how wins away from champions cup, but,
00:03:18
Speaker
Yeah. And that's that's the entire appeal of of this tournament. Like if they and weren't able to qualify for Champions Cup out of this tournament, I would have been actively rooting for them to get knocked out and in the, you know, the league or the phase one, whatever they call it.
00:03:34
Speaker
And I know there are a lot of people who who think that's stupid and that's totally fine. But ah otherwise, it's just not appealing to me, but they're in it. They're playing exceptionally well. um Yeah. i thought I thought that honestly, maybe that game against Tijuana was their best performance of the of those three games. I know that that sounds crazy to say when they beat the best team in CONCACAF 7-0, but not to take anything away from that performance because it was a fantastic performance, but I thought Cruz Azul looks terrible and the Sounders scored some goals that...
00:04:07
Speaker
were
Analyzing Tijuana's Defense Tactics
00:04:08
Speaker
exceptionally high quality goals. I think holistically as a performance, um, showless were just, I think clearly the best of the three teams they played in terms of the performance they put in.
00:04:20
Speaker
and, and the sounders, I think the sounders won more convincingly than the scoreline would indicate. Yeah, I mean, the XG, according to ASA, for this game was like 3.5, and it was only like 1.9 for the Cruz Azul game. So the quality of chances, I think...
00:04:42
Speaker
generally speaking, were better in this game. they They generated, you know, a foot mob or Opta said they had 10 big chances. They only converted two, but they they generated 10 big chances. I don't know if I always agree with what Opta classifies as a big chance, but we don't need to quibble there.
00:04:59
Speaker
Point being, they generated a lot of good chances. They put 10 shots on frame. They forced Tijuana to play you know, well, ah and Tijuana, I think came in with a game plan that was a little bit more,
00:05:14
Speaker
like and a generic MLS team visiting Seattle. Whereas both Santos Laguna and Cruz Azul came in sort of with the idea that they were going to press and sort of get into a an up and down game at times with the Sounders.
Fan Reactions to the League's Cup
00:05:30
Speaker
Tijuana was not interested in running up and down the field. They they wanted to defend and And I thought they were, you know, they it was an honest performance. I'm not taking anything away from them. I think they they fought for the game.
00:05:42
Speaker
I think the idea, i saw someone ah commented on one of my stories on Sounder Heart that the Liga and Mechies teams don't care about this. Totally refuted by all visual evidence.
00:05:54
Speaker
This was not, certainly none of the three games the Sounders played, but if you've watched any of these games, not caring is not, the the lack of, of stakes, the lack of of, interest is not the issue from a player perspective. Now,
00:06:12
Speaker
Is it a fan issue? Fans clearly are not totally buying into this tournament, but that's separate, I think, from the actual product on the field, which is pretty good. Like I've found this to be a super compelling, fun tournament.
00:06:26
Speaker
Now it helps that the centers have scored 11 goals and generated a ton of scoring chances in every game has been interesting for one reason or another.
Sounders' Ambitions for the Champions Cup
00:06:36
Speaker
But it has certainly got me much more invested in the Sounders doing well. Like at this point, I'll be honest, I'll be disappointed if this if the Sounders go out in the next round, that would be pretty disappointing.
00:06:51
Speaker
If they don't get a Champions Cup qualifying spot, that would be also really disappointing. But frankly, yeah I want them to win this thing. i I do want the Champions Cup spot. But at this point, i there's nothing I've seen that tells me they can't win this.
00:07:06
Speaker
No, I mean, I think that's maybe Cruz Azul isn't the best team in CONCACAF anymore. um we' We'll have to see. But I mean, they they beat high quality teams. i think those are a good team. Santos Laguna.
00:07:19
Speaker
maybe might not be too good and Maybe the worst team. Yeah. Worst Liga Maki's team we've ever seen. i'm I'm including like that team that doesn't exist anymore that we played friendly against way back in the day. Haguar. Oh, Haguaris.
00:07:33
Speaker
Yeah. um Yeah. They were just Santos Laguna. Man, what has happened to that? that team. hey I don't know, but you're right. They've fallen on hard times. This was, yeah yeah, this was a team that was sort of a model. The guy Mecky's team in terms of not just their competitiveness, but sort of like the entire thing that they had built and In Torreon, they have a great stadium.
00:07:58
Speaker
they are sort of a ah they They had sort of become a modern... They were sort of like seen as a modern team in a lot of ways. And that was right up there with Monterey and everybody else.
00:08:11
Speaker
And they just have not been competitive for... don't know, four years, eight tournaments, something like that. It's been a long time since they've been competitive. So yeah, Santos Aguna, I thought was probably the worst of the bunch.
00:08:25
Speaker
Tijuana did rotate their lineup a little bit, but so did the Sounders. And I think that's maybe the reason I am most optimistic about what we saw here is it wasn't like the Sounders just rolled out their best 11 and ground them into dust and just said, we got to win everything possible.
00:08:44
Speaker
No, they 18 different players started these three games. There were a few players that got, you know, arguably more minutes than we would have liked. Obed Vargas, I think, played all 270 minutes, which maybe is not ideal, but he looked great.
Obed Vargas' Impact and Development
00:09:00
Speaker
He looked so good. Like this was, yeah, this was the Obed Vargas that I think we had always hoped he would be. I mean, he looked so he looked like a dominant player at points in all three of these games.
00:09:15
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. He I think having the presence of mind earn that red card last night is, I think, a sign of how much his game has matured this year and really like the last, what, two months, like he has just leveled up very clearly. I think that the club world cup, um, playing teams that played at at the speed that those teams played against. And, uh, I think, you know, Brian mentioned this in his press conference. Um, it was either last night or, or the post game presser after the Santos Laguna game. Like,
00:09:48
Speaker
studying game tape of those teams sort of reframes things for you, right? Like when you're used to watching MLS teams or Liga McKeese teams, and then you're you're watching game tape of PSG or Atletico Madrid, um I'm sure that that can unlock some things, you know, for somebody, especially who I think has is ah as good of a natural mind for the game as Obed does. So he's he's leveled up big time. And I think that if anything, beyond the hopeful Champions Cup qualification that's coming down the pike,
00:10:17
Speaker
if there's anything that is ah real net positive for, for, you know, for the sounders from this tournament, um it's, it's being able to get Sazay De Rosario some minutes.
Sounders' Squad Depth and Key Performers
00:10:30
Speaker
It's being able to see Obed against high level competition again. um It's being able to see Jesus Ferreira,
00:10:37
Speaker
get to put in the kinds of performances he's put in because I think the thing about these games who only saw 10 minutes or so right also show was sort of gave everyone a reminder of like, Hey, don't forget about me.
00:10:50
Speaker
Yeah. Look, and Ryan Kent has looked, I think outstanding this entire tournament. Oh man. I thought he was, yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. No, go, go, go. Ryan Kent yeah and Pedro. right Ryan Kent, I think, has looked i think better than he looked.
00:11:06
Speaker
I think last night he looked better than he looked in his early appearances because he was able to do it consistently. And I think that that's one of the things about playing. When you're playing MLS teams that know that they are outgunned, they are going to approach the game differently. And I think having an opportunity to play against teams that are not going to just be trying to hack you to death And I know there are people who would take exception to me saying that about the the teams that Sounders played in this tournament, but I actually have not, with aside from Santos and Gona, have not really thought that they were that physical, that much more physical than an MLS team at least.
00:11:43
Speaker
um But they are, you know, they're going to force you to beat them in a way that I think MLS teams don't always do. And so I think that that can be good for a player like Ryan Kent, who clearly is kind of a confidence player to be reminded of the fact that, yeah, I can, I can skin some pretty good players alive um when I put my mind to it. And and he did that. I mean, he, i think the same guy, he just totally embarrassed twice in that game. Once once leading to a goal. and And it's just so good to see him.
00:12:16
Speaker
finally have that kind of confidence again. um And Jesus, I think, looked really good coming into this tournament, but he's just hit and another level in this tournament. So being able to see different combinations of guys has been really nice.
00:12:29
Speaker
um You know, it's not like the Sounders have but had the luxury of playing their set best 11 players That often this year ever, right? but But they've been able to mix it up even more than usual.
00:12:41
Speaker
Yeah, they I think they, I'm pretty sure that they have repeated one lineup all season. And it's not even what we would deem a a lineup. It was, right i would have to go look at my notes exactly, but it was like kind of a random lineup that happened to repeat two games in a row.
00:13:00
Speaker
And i don't know, honestly, I don't know who the best 11 is right now, but whoever it is, I don't know that we've seen them start ah more than one or two games together and, or certainly not more than one because they've only, they but haven't used it. It's more than once or bit of the except for this one, but Yeah, I mean, I was very encouraged by Ryan Kent in this game.
00:13:26
Speaker
Like you said, I think it was his most complete performance. I'm hopeful that his injury that he picked up is not too serious. I, you know, he looked like he was walking around a little bit more easily than Albert
Challenges from Player Injuries
00:13:37
Speaker
Rusnak, who I will say, you know, that's the one gray cloud is probably the how serious of an injury Albert Rusnak suffered He looked really uncomfortable after the game.
00:13:50
Speaker
That's not necessarily indicative of a serious injury, but it's not encouraging. It's not encouraging. ah You know, so hopefully he can just miss a couple games and be back, but it could be longer. I don't know. like We really won't know until we get an update from Brian tomorrow.
00:14:06
Speaker
on Friday. So hopefully that's, you know, whatever we can put that aside. But I think what's sort of wild about this tournament is that even if he's hurt, I'm still confident. And, you know, we had a somewhat lengthy debate in the Sounder Heart Discord today about who the most important player is.
00:14:27
Speaker
And i don't think it's outrageous to suggest that Albert Rusnak is the most and most important player. I don't think he is. i think the most important player is is probably the combo of Obed and Christian. I think that's who allows the Sounders to sort of level up.
00:14:43
Speaker
And if I had to pick one player, it would still be Christian Roldan. But my sort of my point that I'm making here is that Albert, as good as he's been, i do have some base level of confidence that they can cover for him.
00:14:58
Speaker
And either that's going to be Jesus Ferreira or Danny Leyva or maybe Opejo de la Vega. there's ah There's a few different options here. And because everyone is playing so confidently, it would be different a couple months ago, maybe even a month ago, maybe even a few weeks ago. It would have been different because you didn't have this team of confident players.
00:15:17
Speaker
But right now, I get the sense that like everyone on the team feels like they can they can just roll with it. And that's what's so that's been what's been so invigorating about not just the the League's Cup, but really their play since Club World Cup.
00:15:32
Speaker
Yeah, I think that losing Albert is is big. And and I think because I think that he's kind of the guy that makes their style work as well as it does. I think he kind of ties everything together. He's very much a glue player.
00:15:45
Speaker
But and so I think we're going to see some drop off. Right. But a drop off in an attacking play from where they've been since the Club World Cup is still better than they were.
00:15:58
Speaker
earlier this season. No, and i't I mean, like, yeah, the reality is that they've the, the, on the seven game run that are on right now. And I, I actually had this data wrong originally, but the,
00:16:10
Speaker
The run they're on right now, the seven game run, 22 goals and seven games. That's the best seven game run they've ever had in terms of goal scoring. I mean, that's, you know, that's three goals a game. And yeah, OK, they had a seven goal game in there. That helps.
00:16:24
Speaker
But that's
Team's Versatile Attacking Strength
00:16:25
Speaker
sort of how you get these big numbers. That's like historically the other the other game, the other stretch of games that was within contention for that was in 2020, which also include a seven goal game.
00:16:36
Speaker
But that's what's so exciting, I think, is that it's and it's not just, you know, Albert Rusnek has been very good. He's a little unlucky not to have goals in the last two games. He missed a penalty yesterday, but then he also had an offside goal disallowed on a great strike in this game. He also had an offside goal in the Santos Laguna game, an even better strike, frankly, that was also disallowed correctly. I'll add, but still, he didn't know that when he was taking the shot.
00:17:02
Speaker
It was a good, you know, so it was a, it was a good, he's looked good. But again, what is so encouraging about all this is that they've got 10 players who scored at least one goal during the, during just this tournament.
00:17:15
Speaker
They've got, wait, I'm sorry. That's not right. No, that is right. I think that is right. ah And, or no, made that eight players who had at least one goal in this tournament and seven players who had at least one assist and like They're just spreading it around.
Osaze De Rosario's Progress
00:17:29
Speaker
They're getting this production from all over the place.
00:17:31
Speaker
You mentioned Osaze de Rosario. Absolute revelation, I think. like you know he's He's looked good in bits and parts at times, but yesterday, he looked like a complete player.
00:17:44
Speaker
he was you know It was his finish, yes, that was a great that was a great play, but he had a couple layoffs that were absolutely excellent. His body positioning, honestly, the play that he makes...
00:17:57
Speaker
in the buildup to the, to, i guess his goal was this great play where one of the things I always looking for and in a number nine is, can they win balls that it doesn't look like they should win?
00:18:10
Speaker
And there was a 50, 50 ball at the start of that sequence that De Rosario sort of, body position is his way to winning. That's how the centers retain position there. And then he works his way into the box. And anyway, but I think, so I'll say De Rosario is sort of like emergence might be the single most important thing to come out of this tournament.
00:18:30
Speaker
Yeah, I think he's been he's definitely shown his worth, you know, as ah at at this level. um I don't know what his ceiling is. i don't either. But he he has skill set that the Sounders have not had I want to say since Will Bruin, but honestly, I think that.
00:18:50
Speaker
I think Wilburne was a lot better at some things, but not quite as good in the air and maybe not even as good physically as Osaze is. like He's just a big dude that can push people around in a way that the Sounders have not had a ton of that could do that.
00:19:04
Speaker
No, I agree with that. And it's it's a really nice thing to have for a team that yeah can at sometimes struggle to, or at least historically, has has struggled to create a lot and kind of resorts to lumping balls into the box.
00:19:18
Speaker
If you run into a situation like that in the playoffs, I'm a little happier to have somebody like Osaze in there to mix it up with guys than than Danny Masovsky or Danny Masovsky alone. um And, you know, the Sounders are down to two senior forwards. And so having Musaski, obviously, who has been great this year, but also to feel pretty comfortable in the backup is is ah you very nice... Yeah, it's huge. It's huge.
00:19:43
Speaker
I still want another forward because having two forwards does not feel comfortable with the kinds of injury struggles this team has had this year. But I don't... I would be...
00:19:55
Speaker
If they don't sign a U22 forward, but they sign, you know, a veteran or a tweener USL type player or something like that, just for pure depth. I'm I think I'm OK with that as long as you know, they.
00:20:09
Speaker
Sign a better player somewhere else, because I think Osaze has shown that he can be a really effective player at this level already. I thought that it was probably going to be next year before I was comfortable seeing him get a lot of playing time, but I'm I'm happy to see it already.
00:20:24
Speaker
Yeah, Osase creates a little bit of a conundrum for the Sounders, I think, because on one hand, he's got three goals in, I guess, his last four appearances now, which is great.
00:20:37
Speaker
If he was a U-20, if he is a recently signed U-22 player and was doing exactly what he's doing, we'd be over the moon. We'd be like, what a great signing.
00:20:48
Speaker
So the player that they bring in is going to have to be have a higher ceiling than Osaze. Yeah, that's not that's not a given. There are certainly players out there that they can sign to you.
00:21:00
Speaker
Theoretically that they could sign to you 22 contracts who present that sort of upside. But it's not easy. i And it's sort of like we've got Osase at home. You know, we got we got McDonald's at home kind of argument here because he you know, why are we going to go out and spend three million dollars if that player might not be as good as Osase de Rosario in it?
00:21:20
Speaker
And it's a it's a legitimate question because why would we block? this player who we think has some potential just so we can give it the minutes to another slightly younger player. So I think that's, it's a real conundrum. I hope I do. I want to be really clear. I want the centers to go out and spend some money.
00:21:37
Speaker
I'm just not as i just, I understand how this complicates things. And every goal that De Rosario scores, I can almost imagine the front office getting a smaller and smaller check of like, what which is not the way you would
Importance of Depth and Player Development
00:21:52
Speaker
like to go. it should be a bigger and bigger check because that's it's going to take more and more money to replace him.
00:21:56
Speaker
But I just kind of have a ah sneaking sensation that maybe it's going in the wrong direction. I'd love to be wrong about that. by the way yeah i mean i think that the i think that the reason that you go out and sign that younger players there's a huge deal between a 20 year old that's as good as osaze de vosario and a 24 year old yeah and i would like to think the sounders are are conscious of that um but i think if you're going to take the approach of like look we don't we don't want to go sign a player that we're not confident is going to be as good as this guy great go sign a defensive better player yeah right i know for the two points of that yeah
00:22:31
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or a better player. That's fine, too. Either way, like, don't say, oh, well, we don't need to do anything now. um Even though Obed Vargas has played like 3000 minutes this year, Christian Roldan has played like 3000 minutes this year.
00:22:43
Speaker
I'm only slightly exaggerating that number. Yeah. Oh, really, only slightly, really, only slightly, very slightly. Joel Paulo is still what, like a month out.
00:22:54
Speaker
Um, that's unclear, uh, exactly how, ah unfortunately we, we don't have a great timeline on him. ah we, there was some originally some hope that he might actually be ready around now, but that does not, that's clearly not the case. So, right. Unfortunately, we don't know. And just anyway go ahead with, with the history that this team has with,
00:23:15
Speaker
setbacks of that type. um yeah i will be ah I will be very happy when JP takes the field again, but I'm not holding my breath for it to be anytime soon. And and so i think I do think Danny Leyva earned himself some more playing time. You know, I thought he looked really good against Santos Laguna. So I thought he was man the match, frankly, against Santos. I mean, he was literally man of the match, but I thought he deserved that.
00:23:36
Speaker
Yeah. And so hopefully that gives Ryan a little more faith in him and and maybe earns him some minutes to do some rotation. But he ah he's also probably going to get some minutes at the 10 as well. So I think the Sounders could use another midfielder is what I'm saying. And I'd really like them to make a move in that direction.
00:23:55
Speaker
Yeah, so just to circle back on your Obed Vargas thing, he's actually played almost 2,700 minutes.
Concerns Over Obed Vargas' Playing Time
00:24:01
Speaker
if you If you add in his international minutes, he is really close to 3,000 all-competition minutes ah for club and country, which is, you know, there's a realistic path to him getting to 4,000 minutes, which is...
00:24:15
Speaker
which is probably too many. Like, let's be honest. It's lot minutes. It's a lot of minutes. So they they need to find a way to get him some time off. I can understand why it wasn't, you know, in any of these three games, I can, I can appreciate why he didn't get that time off.
00:24:32
Speaker
There was, ah you know, there was some talk of Snyder Burnell getting minutes. ah He did get a few, but, and and he looked good too. ah He did. The players who didn't get to start that did play in this tournament were Snyder and Georgie.
00:24:46
Speaker
both of whom I also thought looked good. ah Reed Baker Whiting, another player who has been up and down in terms of his role in the team.
00:24:57
Speaker
i thought he looked really good against Tijuana. I thought that was his probably his most complete performance since at least last year, where he's had some games like this in the past. But this was, to me, probably the game where he just looked.
00:25:09
Speaker
He didn't make any glaring errors. He looked dangerous going forward. you know, is he going to really press new who for starters minutes time will tell. But again, he ah I thought he emerged as a viable player.
00:25:25
Speaker
And we haven't even talked at this point about really Pedro de la Vega, who I think sort of had his breakout before the tournament, which is why I don't put him in the same class. But he obviously had this two goal performance against Cruz Azul.
Pedro de la Vega's Contributions
00:25:41
Speaker
He started against Santos, did not look as certainly was not as dominant. He he looked okay. But then he played yesterday against Tijuana and he had, he didn't have a ton of minutes, but he looked really good again.
00:25:53
Speaker
he had the ball that set up, that set up Obed Vargas for the red card. He had another pass ah earlier in like late in the second half where he ends up setting up Paul Rothrock for either a finish or which more likely should have been a setting up Danny Masofsky for a tap in ends up. I think he gets caught between two minds and it gets saved, but there was just, you can go up and down this roster and there were performances to be happy about.
00:26:22
Speaker
I don't know that I came away discouraged by any one player. If and the only thing I'm disappointed by is the, the Albert Rusenek injury. But again, i just, I am shocked at how,
00:26:37
Speaker
ah overwhelmingly positive, I feel, about the way they're playing right now. Yeah, I mean, it's hard to think of a time where they have been playing both this well and been this much fun.
00:26:52
Speaker
Like, 2014 is the season, I think, is is sort of like the touchstone for a lot of people when they think about like peak Sounders Entertainment. And I don't know if the 2014 Sounders ever had or run like this one.
00:27:08
Speaker
um They were also so much more a two or like there were it was a two man team who they were in, you know, Lamar and and Papa were both good, but they were very clearly second.
00:27:21
Speaker
Yes. Like they were, they were, they were bit players compared to Ova and Clint. And this team was so like if Clint or Ova went down, there was no question. That was a huge blow. That was right. Right.
00:27:34
Speaker
a huge problem. And yet here we are with Jordan out and Albert potentially out. And we're like, no, maybe we'll be fine. It might be, it might be fine. It could be, right there's a, there's anything to think it's going to be fine. It's, it's pretty crazy. I, I, I think that, um,
00:27:49
Speaker
One of the big topics of the last few years and of the offseason and of the earlier part of the season was obviously Craig Weibel and his performance and the Sounders depth and the Sounders emphasizing depth over maybe that top end talent.
00:28:03
Speaker
And it's look, if the Sounders had not had these injury struggles and not leaned as heavily on depth and gone out and made a big signing and gone on to a historically great season, people probably would have said,
00:28:17
Speaker
Well, there you go. It's silly to care about depth because you just got to go for the, you know, go for the try to be a home run hitter. Right. and And yeah, but so maybe it's just the way it's worked out has been advantageous to to making the point that, like, it's actually pretty important to try to have a lot of quality depth and redundancy. And, um you know, it's like two weeks ago we were talking about oh the centers have too many wingers.
00:28:43
Speaker
They got him you know, it really feels like they need to move a winger. and I think you can still make a pretty decent case that they can. But now with Ryan Kent being hurt with Rusnak out and Jesus needing to shift back to the center, um you know, you've got a situation but potentially where you've got Georgie as your sub on the wing and not like, then you're going to maybe not not being able to get on the field, you know, Reed Kalani or or maybe like,
00:29:08
Speaker
be you know, the only wangers beyond ah Georgie. So it's, ah yeah, it's it's nice, especially when you have this many games to play and this many minutes to go around. It is really, really nice to have that depth and that redundancy.
00:29:23
Speaker
i totally agree. ah Right now, it feels like the Sounders have some reasonable depth at maybe not every position. I think there is still some, like we've said, there's still some concern about thecent the the the double pivot.
00:29:39
Speaker
Danny Leyva, I think, can fill in for one of those spots. Theoretically, Alex can maybe fill in one one of those spots. Snyder Burnell looks like he can maybe provide a little bit of relief. But I think Snyder, I'm not at the point, you know, after seeing him for 10 minutes and in against ah the game, he's competition. I'm not quite ready to ah start him in in important games.
00:30:01
Speaker
But other than that, i they the depth does feel really good. And I guess there's always going to be the people that point out that they're not as deep as we say they are because there there is a limit to the depth.
00:30:14
Speaker
And they might be sort of discovering what the limit to that. we might like that Who knows? in In two weeks, I might be sitting here saying, God, remember I thought Albert Rusnak being out wasn't going to be that big of a deal? it Turns out it was.
00:30:28
Speaker
like that's so That's a realistic possibility. But, you know, if I'm being honest right now where I sit, I'm just not as worried about it as maybe as I should be. But I just I do feel like the way that they're playing and, ah you know, just to circle back on the Jesus Ferreira discussion, you know, he if you look at it in one way.
00:30:46
Speaker
was a frustrating game. He had a few.
Jesus Ferreira's Improved Performance
00:30:50
Speaker
Misses that you would like him to finish, most notably the header that he put off the the crossbar. But again, you know, we talked about this early in the season and I'll say it again. the thing that was I was worried about with him last or earlier this year was that he just wasn't getting into good positions that his he just wasn't shooting. He wasn't as dangerous as he needed to be.
00:31:14
Speaker
Well, he's doing that now. And he looks just so much more confident. You look at the corner. His corner kick is what led to the second goal. and And he just looks like such a much more confident player. He's playing. you know he he's He's holding the ball up when he needs to. He's driving at defenders when he needs to.
00:31:35
Speaker
he had you know He did have... He actually had ah four... He scored four times during the during the first three stages. It's just that three of them were... waved off side, but it was, you know, I just, I'm so much more happy with where Ferreira is right now than even a month ago.
00:31:54
Speaker
And you can say that about a whole bunch of players. And I think if there's one player who's giving me more confidence than anything, it's Pedro de la Vega, because this is a player who, you know, we've said this before, but he is looking like a potential game breaker. He looks like a player who, you know,
00:32:12
Speaker
He might not be the best player. He might do not be the most consistent player, but he's the player who on any given day can sort of take over a game. And we're starting to see that in fits and starts. Yeah, absolutely. And I think, too, the other and the other nice thing is that when you score the goals that he scored over the last ah you know four or five games, you can have a performance like last night without people nitpicking it, where you don't get on the score sheet, but you you look dangerous and you're doing things that don't show up in in terms of goal contributions.
00:32:45
Speaker
And so people, people don't look at a performance like that and say, yeah, well, he's a DP. He needs to be scoring goals because he's been scoring goals. And so people, I think can appreciate that more. And I think that's true of Jesus as well, where, yeah, he had some misses, you know, he was offside again, but he also had some plays that were just ridiculous. You know, he had, uh, there was a counter attack where I'm trying to remember exactly how it turned out. I think it, it turned out with Osase, um,
00:33:11
Speaker
just not getting a shot off or getting off a pretty weak shot, but it was a break where Jesus fed Kalani on the breakaway, just with a, with a one touch pass. That's just like, didn't look like the kind of pass that he would have even attempted six weeks ago. um And, and I just think that the T the whole team has this kind of confidence that,
00:33:29
Speaker
that I think was missing earlier in the season. They just weren't as comfortable with each other. They weren't, they didn't, nobody wanted to make mistakes. Nobody wanted to mess up and they don't seem to have that anymore. Like they seem really decisive and and willing to, to try shit, which has been, I think a hallmark of most of the best sounder seems.
00:33:45
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's remarkable to think of where we were on this team just, you know, a couple months ago, I'll also point out that over their last 20 non club world cup games. And I do feel like removing the club world cup from this record is not cheating. I feel like it's a okay thing to do here, but they are basically playing at a 70 point and 73 goal pace over 20 games. I mean, that's effectively two thirds of a season.
00:34:17
Speaker
This is, kind of who they are right now like this is like they're they've and they've done it with a whole bunch of different players and a whole bunch of different lineups and it hasn't been all smooth sail sailing during that that 20 months and yes that that 20 or that 20 months during those 20 games and yes those 20 games are skewed towards home games but that's sort of the thing they're they have a lot of home games they that's like that's not necessarily going to stop but they right ah Like they they will potentially have all home games through leagues cup and they will ah potentially have home field advantage, assuming they carry on this form and in the playoffs.
00:34:58
Speaker
So, you know, it's not, it it it counts. It still counts when you win at home. ah But anyway, yeah, that's, I, I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good. Yeah. yeah Anything else you want to add?
00:35:10
Speaker
don't think, well, ah we don't need to talk about new who, I guess I don't want to, I don't want You want to bring it down? What do you want to say about Nuhu? It's okay. I think we get we're going to save place.
00:35:22
Speaker
I will say a negative thing and then I'll follow it up with a positive thing. I'm still a little bit frustrated that Nuhu seemingly has just kind of walked back into his old role. Yeah.
00:35:37
Speaker
He, you know... I think it was pretty obvious when he started the Santos Laguna game that he's back to being the starting left back on this team. And I think that kind of sucks. Yeah. And I, and I will say that yesterday when we asked about Reed's performance, Brian was a little downplaying of it, which yeah again, which is strange. Cause I thought, I thought Reed was great.
00:35:59
Speaker
No, I, I thought so too. And I, I actually went back and watched the game today and i was like, Oh, maybe I missed some stuff. And i was like, no, he was really good. Yeah. yeah So, yeah, I'm with you. I do think it's a little.
00:36:11
Speaker
It's a little frustrating that he just walked in to the team again. i think it's indicative of a couple of things. One is Brian is just not a. ah he He is not a.
00:36:27
Speaker
disciplinarian at least yeah in the way that we tend to think of these things like you can always get back into his good graces if he likes you sort of to start with it takes a lot to sort of lose his trust and knew who has pressed that to the extreme degree and he apparently still has Brian's trust.
00:36:50
Speaker
And I think there's a valid argument to be made that he is still their best defensive left back. Now, I would think that in games where they might know that they're going to be facing a ah bunker defense,
00:37:04
Speaker
Reed is showing that he's a ah good option, but ah i think you're right. I don't think that he is quite, he's not certainly in Brian's mind. He's not overtaken new who, and it's not close enough that Brian feels like he can sort of punish new who by not playing him.
00:37:22
Speaker
Right. So here's the positive thing. Okay. Since new who has come back from suspension, he has looked like an entirely different player to me. um agreed I think that he has been much more effective in picking his spots to go forward.
00:37:37
Speaker
um He's put himself, one of the the issues I have with Nuhu is that I don't think that he's a terrible crosser when he has the time and space to put it in a good cross and pick out a good cross, but he frequently wants to dribble somebody to death and prevents himself from getting into a good position to get off a good cross. And I don't think I've seen that as much.
00:38:00
Speaker
Um, his assist to Musavsky in the first game back was one of the best passes I've ever seen him make. ah To D-Row, yeah. D-Row, sorry. Um, and, uh, yeah, he, he's just looked a lot more effective going forward than he has in a long time.
00:38:16
Speaker
And he had, he had the mistake against Santos Laguna that was very frustrating because it was a very new who classic kind of mistake of just, uh, just not moving with the rest of the defensive line, and it's a very frustrating one.
00:38:30
Speaker
But other than that, I don't think he's put a foot wrong and in the League's Cup. So, you know, maybe it was a situation where Brian said...
00:38:42
Speaker
Like, these are the things I need you to do if you want to keep your your job because I'm frustrated with your decision making. And so you need to prove to me that you shouldn't lose your job. Like maybe it was that kind of situation, right? Like you haven't, this wasn't enough for you to lose your job, but you need to prove to me that you still deserve it kind of thing. And and they talked about specific things.
00:39:00
Speaker
I don't know. Whatever it was, ah I hope that it continues because if this is the Nuhu we're going to get going forward, like if he can be this effective, then he he should you know he should be starting over Reed most of the time. I want Reed to get minutes at left back because I think the more minutes he gets, the better he looks at left back, defensively especially.
00:39:20
Speaker
But I'm not going to be frustrated with Nuhu being the starter if he's going to put in performances like this.
Nuhu's Enhanced Gameplay
00:39:28
Speaker
Right. I mean, it's always been about the performances and it's, it's never been, I don't think either one of us are like, I just don't like new who, and I don't want to see him play anymore.
00:39:37
Speaker
It's just that he is a frustrating when he's, when he starts playing, act A, he heard he has a tendency to hurt the team in ways that seem totally avoidable.
00:39:50
Speaker
And yeah secondarily, he just doesn't seem to play within himself as much as it seems like he should. And right now, he is playing within himself. you know he the The goal that he had against Cruz Azul, you can chalk it up as, oh, it's an easy finish into an open net.
00:40:07
Speaker
But it was a smart play. He followed up the rebound and he put away. you put it away like That's... give Give him credit. He had a great assist as well in this in this ah earlier. in that in that game It was in that game, right? That was when he had his assist.
00:40:22
Speaker
Or was it against? some Great pass. Yeah. and So, um yeah, it's been... So, you know, he's he's been better. He's been... There's a lot to like about about him right now. And and so I'm... i'm I'm happy to forgive him if, uh, if that's, if, if Brian has forgiven him, I guess, who am I to not forgive him? Right.
00:40:42
Speaker
So, right. I, I do hope that doesn't have a personal relationship with new who. And so maybe be a little more dispassionate, but that's, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, exactly. You're, you're, you're right.
00:40:54
Speaker
It's ultimately it's Brian's call and he's, he's the guy with the track record of success. So, you know, but there is, I do think overall there is a larger feeling of like, feeling like, okay, maybe it was maybe we're ready to move on.
00:41:06
Speaker
And yeah that's starting to look like maybe it's not to happen. Right, right. Most likely. Not this season, most likely. Yeah, not not this season. I think he's probably the starter for ah for the time being.
00:41:19
Speaker
All right, well, that said, I think we'll take a little break. We'll come back. And, yeah, you're listening to Nos Adietes.
00:41:31
Speaker
Thank you for listening to the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network, which now includes Nos Adientes, Lobbing Scorchers, and The Cooler Guild. We've been independent since August of 2023, but need your support to make sure it continues.
00:41:44
Speaker
Although this podcast is free, it's only made possible by your continued support. Memberships start as low as $25 a year, which not only helps make podcasts like this one happen, but also gets you access to everything we produce.
00:41:57
Speaker
If you're able to support us at higher levels, starting at $75 a year, you gain access to a host of other perks, most notably entry into our members-only Discord where the smartest, funniest, and most engaged commenters share their thoughts and ideas.
00:42:12
Speaker
To find out more, just visit centeratheart.com and click the subscribe button in the top right corner. Thanks for listening. Nos Adietes admittedly is not exactly known for our spicy takes, but that doesn't mean we want our food to be mild.
00:42:27
Speaker
Spice up your life with Hacks and Ferments. Handcrafted in Georgetown and made it with the best local ingredients from across the Pacific Northwest, they specialize in unique small batch fermented hot sauces and vinegars.
00:42:39
Speaker
Hacks and Ferments brings bold flavors and natural fermentation together for something truly special. Whether you're a heat seeker or just looking to elevate your cooking, you'll find something you love at haxanferments.com.
00:42:52
Speaker
That's H-A-X-A-N-F-E-R-M-E-N-T-S dot com. And right now, if you use the code sounder at heart, that's all one word, at checkout, you will get a free hot sauce with your order.
00:43:08
Speaker
Again, go to hacksandferments.com, use the code SOUNDERATHEART at checkout for a free hot sauce with your order. Hacks and Ferments is a proud sponsor of the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network.
00:43:22
Speaker
Welcome back. ah So we decided we are going to power rank the teams that are remaining in the... League Cup with a focus on League Amekis.
00:43:35
Speaker
We actually don't know for sure as we're recording this. We don't know for sure who the four teams from MLS are because the Galaxy are still playing Santos Laguna. They are currently beating Santos Laguna If they win by two or more goals, they will eliminate the Timbers from contention. We won't know before the end of the show, though. So we're going to start there. Aaron, number five.
00:44:01
Speaker
Who is the worst remaining potential Sounders opponent? ah The Timbers. I know they're not Ligue 1 McKees, and we're not talking about MLS teams, but they are the worst. there They are the absolute worst. They are. That's right. ah They could have secured their spot in the...
00:44:21
Speaker
in this tournament without having to worry about what happened today, but they blew it late to club America, even though they they had to play with a red card, admittedly, and that's a bummer for them, but them's the breaks. So we'll see if they, they actually get through, but, uh, if the, the sounders would potentially, I think the centers wouldn't likely have to play them until the final, if that were to happen. So I guess we take that. I don't know.
00:44:49
Speaker
Uh, Although it's a big, it's a, it's a little bit of a debate, I think in, in the Sounders fandom, would you, cause there's, as I understand it, the galaxy, if they get through, have hosting rights through the rest of the tournament.
00:45:04
Speaker
So the question is, would you rather see the Timbers eliminated or potentially have to play at LA to win this thing? Um, Well, is playing at LA any worse than playing the Timbers at home?
00:45:18
Speaker
When, I mean, in the context of... Yeah, I mean, that's fair. ah The thought of losing a losing the third place game to the Timbers and missing out on Champions Cup because of that is just makes me physically ill. Yeah. All right. Fair enough. yeah Yeah. Yeah. You know, honestly, I think I've talked myself into and granted, this is all mood.
00:45:40
Speaker
it By the time people listen to this, this this is not really compelling. Podcasting, I admit, but. if I suppose one thing I've talked myself into is getting a chance to win. Like if the Sounders were to play the Galaxy in the League's Cup final at LA, it would be a chance for some redemption, right?
00:46:00
Speaker
Like it would be a chance to redeem ourselves for last year. and And you're kind of playing with house money at the same time. So yeah. you know, uh, I'll, I'll take that. I think, I think that's, so we'll see. That's, that's what I'm hoping for. We'll see if we actually get it.
00:46:16
Speaker
Uh, all right. So number four, who is the, we're going, we're, I guess we're going reverse order. Should we go top? Yeah. We're first order. Okay. So who's, who's number four?
00:46:28
Speaker
Number four is Puebla. um Kind of a surprise that they got out of the the league phase. I'd say a big surprise. Yeah, they are. so ahead. Sorry.
00:46:40
Speaker
I was going to say they've been they they were seventeenth last year in the club table. They have started this season one and two. and then...
00:46:52
Speaker
They just kind of like ran into a couple results at Leagues Cup, which great for them. But this is this is certainly a game. The Sounders are going to play them in the first game, and this is exactly who they would be hoping to play. But this is sort of like the redheaded stepchild of the four teams that got out of the wing ah League of Amakis.
00:47:11
Speaker
Yeah, they're they're also currently 17th in the coefficient table, which is... um I don't like... fully understand their their league system anymore because it's very weird now.
00:47:23
Speaker
Yeah, the coefficient table is basically how they determine who goes to the Champions League, um who has to pay the relegation fines, right? Because they don't have promotion relegation anymore. Oh, they have a relegation fine, but not relegation? I didn't know that. Yeah, that's basically you that's how they justify um not allowing the teams to come up. You have to pay a fine ah if you finish in the relegation places. I didn't know this.
00:47:47
Speaker
Yeah, it's pretty it's pretty it's I can't imagine that this is going to be around too much longer. i would guess they have to go back to go back to either relegation or they just give up the charade.
00:48:00
Speaker
um right But yeah, they're they're not a they're not a great ah team. Yeah, ah I think that's well put. But then the other three teams are all varying degrees of pretty good. Who's number three?
00:48:14
Speaker
I think Pachuca is a step below t Grace and Toluca. They're a good team, I think. ah Cruz Azul has been better over the last few years, but, I mean, man... um after, after the way cruises was looked in this tournament, I'm not really sure anymore where, where they are in the pecking order.
00:48:37
Speaker
Um, they're certainly not in the club of America Monterey tier. Um, but they're, they're very good team. And, uh, you know, I, I think it's, it's a tough game to get through. I'm glad that we're playing Puebla.
00:48:52
Speaker
Um, and, Of all the teams that are left, if we have to play a Liga Amakees team, if we get past Puebla into the semifinal, I would probably prefer it be Pachuca, but I'm kind of hoping somebody upsets them and we get to play an MLS team because, you know, they're they're a good team.
00:49:10
Speaker
Yeah, Pachuca is the the other thing that makes them, I think, a more attractive matchup is that unlike Toluca and Tigres, they do not have any hosting rights.
00:49:20
Speaker
And right I'm not 100% sure how the Liga Mechis hosting rights work in the semifinals, but I know that Pachuca, we don't have to worry about that. So, yeah, I think that's if if the Sounders were to get Pachuca in the semifinals, that is a that's a, that's a good break, so to speak.
00:49:40
Speaker
Uh, and then who is your second team? So this is, this is where it gets tough because I think Toluca and Tigres are kind of in the same tier.
00:49:50
Speaker
Um, I would put them in like the 80, a tier of Liga and McKees team. So not the very elite, but, um, very, very good teams, teams that are pretty clearly a step above your, your, average MLS team, I think.
00:50:05
Speaker
Um, And Toluca has actually been a little more successful domestically over the last couple of years, i believe. Um, they are a little bit ahead of Tigres and that they're one place ahead of Tigres in the coefficient table.
00:50:17
Speaker
Um, but I'm going to put them here. I'm going to put them below Tigres. Um, this Tigres team is not the one that was stomping everybody into dirt a couple of years ago, but they still have some of the players from that team.
00:50:34
Speaker
Um, they're much older now than they were, but, you know, still experienced players that can hurt you badly. um They do have hosting rights. I know. um i think Toluca does as well, but.
00:50:47
Speaker
They do. Yeah. So they wouldn't, I don't think they would play to the Luca or Tigris until the final, assuming I understand. Yeah. So the Sounders, if they were to get to the final and they were to play a Mexican team, they would host. That's what we know.
00:51:01
Speaker
Right. So um which, you know, would be great. um ah Honestly, it's vibes. Why? Why? I think we're putting Toluca here over Tigres. I don't. I looked at how they've performed in the in the League's Cup and Tigres did smoke Houston and Toluca didn't really have any super impressive wins. So I guess maybe that's why I landed there. But ah they're they're both they're one A and one B, I think.
00:51:29
Speaker
Yeah, I would agree that it's it's sort of vibey too. Because Toluca on paper, I think, is probably... Probably the better team. They they did finish above Tigris in each of the previous two tournaments.
00:51:43
Speaker
So in the Klausura and the Apertura last year. So like that's a reason to... like They're a good team. Toluca's a very good team. yeah There's no real... But I agree with you. I think if I have to choose between playing Toluca and Tigris, I'd probably take my chances with Toluca over Tigris.
00:52:01
Speaker
That brings us to number one. Tigris is... Still a very imposing opponent. Like, yeah, there's just no way around it. Yeah, there's not. I mean, they're one of the big clubs in Mexico. um They I mean, the the Mexican pecking order of the clubs is very weird and.
00:52:23
Speaker
Like, currently, America is the best team in Mexico, I think, and that's kind of always the case. But there's this, like, constant shifting of of the rest of the pack. um Yeah.
00:52:34
Speaker
And Tigres are usually towards the top of of, I think, that rest of the pack. um They're not quite as historically relevant as, like, Chivas, for example. But... um still one of the big, big clubs in Mexico.
00:52:47
Speaker
um And, you know, the squad they have, like I said, has a lot of experience in big competitions. um They just make me nervous in a way Toluca doesn't. Like there's an aura about them, I guess, that Toluca doesn't quite have as good as Toluca is. Like it's it's kind of like ah no matter how good or bad the Galaxy are, ah never want to play the Galaxy, right?
00:53:12
Speaker
Because they're they're the Galaxy. And even when they were extremely bad, i always dreaded that game. Whereas if the Sounders are playing, you know, every five years or so, Houston has a really good team. I just never get nervous in the same way about playing them because they're at the end of the day, they're the Houston Dynamo, right?
00:53:31
Speaker
um and Not to say that I think Toluca is the human Houston Dynamo. Maybe FC Cincinnati is a better there you go comparison. There you go That's that's a better comparison. Yeah, for sure. So, um yeah.
00:53:44
Speaker
But like we said, it's like it's vibes. There's not a ton to separate them. I am hoping that we if we get to the final, get to play an MLS team in the final, that would be ideal.
00:53:57
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. I kind of think it would be fun to play League Amici's team. I mean, at this point. I feel if you're in the final, you're in the you're in the Champions Cup, I guess. Right.
00:54:07
Speaker
Yeah. So like, let's do it. Yeah.
00:54:11
Speaker
and And I mean, but both of these teams lost one of their. ah Phase one games, I believe so. Yeah, no, theyre no, one's like theyre and beat no one on the on the Mexican side right now looks unbeatable.
00:54:23
Speaker
yeah You know, and and the reality is Cruz Azul came into this thing. Like we we've said it before, but the Cruz Azul came into this tournament as argue, you know, Opta rated them as the best team outside of Europe like a month ago. So, you know, let's not let's not downplay ah what the Sanders have already accomplished in terms of what against Liga and Mekki's opponents. There's no reason they need to be worried about any of these teams. That doesn't mean they're going to beat them, of course, but there's every reason to believe that they can.
00:54:51
Speaker
ah and And I will give one last update before we close out the show. The Galaxy are currently up to zero That means that as of right now, again, things could change, but as of right now, the Galaxy would be moving into the number four spot in the ah MLS table that would be knocking out the Timbers.
00:55:11
Speaker
And there you have it. There you have it. could be... that Santos Laguna team sucks. They are not good. They are not good.
00:55:22
Speaker
All right. Well, I think that's what we we got. um I'll just remind everyone, this is August. If you are listening to this, there's a good chance you read my post about it, but I'll repeat it again anyway.
00:55:34
Speaker
August is the most important fundraising month for fundraising. i don't know if that's right. Subscriber drive, subscriber driven. i don't know what the right way to say This is a very important month for Sounder Heart.
00:55:46
Speaker
Something like 30% of our... our subscription revenue comes in this month and 90% of our overall revenue comes from subscribers.
00:55:59
Speaker
So this is ah this is a big chunk of the money that we are going to make this year. And this allows us to really budget for the rest of the year. So if you are a current member, just make sure... All I'm asking is that you make sure that your payment is up to date. I hope you are planning to renew.
00:56:15
Speaker
If you like what you're we're doing here and you want to increase your... ah subscription level, I absolutely welcome you to do that. If you want to even just give us a tip and give us some money on top from the bottom of your heart, well we will absolutely accept that as well.
00:56:33
Speaker
Anyway, I also want to say that we're in great shape right now. that Things are looking really good. We are as strong as we've ever been, and that is entirely because of the support of people like you. i can't thank you enough for making this possible. I think that we've been able to change to do a lot of new and fun things since we've been independent.
00:56:52
Speaker
I love the podcast network that we built. I love being able to do all this stuff with Aaron and lick it. And it's been, it's been a lot of fun. So I just want to say thank you more than anything else.
00:57:03
Speaker
Um, And with all that said, i should also say thank you to our sponsors who also help make this possible. Full Pool Wines. Go to Full Pool Wines. Get a crate of wine. Get a ah case of wine, I guess is what they the kids call it.
00:57:16
Speaker
ah yeah Hacks and Ferments. We have ah a whole deal with them. you can get ah a free bottle of hot sauce. And, of course, thank you to our subscribers again. All that said, this is No Sadietes, part of the Sounder Heart Podcast Network.
Episode Conclusion and Listener Support
00:57:30
Speaker
I am Jeremiah Shan signing off for Aaron Capo. And look it. Remember, you'll never get alone.
00:58:04
Speaker
I expect an LAFC who's motivated ah to prove themselves at home, to prove to their fans that they' they're capable of winning in this league. And it's up to us to really ruin the party.
00:58:19
Speaker
i feel a lot better than