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Can the Seattle Sounders win Concacaf Champions Cup?
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After a victorious trip to St. Louis, the Seattle Sounders officially kick off their 2026 Concacaf Champions League campaign on Thursday with a massive Round-of-16 Leg 1 clash at Vancouver Whitecaps FC. We'll give our review of Saturday's win and discuss the state of the center back position following Yeimar's injury exit, then turn our focus to the upcoming CCC opener against their Cascadia rivals. Later on, we'll discuss some of the other results from Matchday 3 in MLS.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a production of Just Once Media.
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.
Contact: lobbingscorchers@justoncemedia.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or LobbingScorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:00:22
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. Why the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be scorcher.
00:00:44
Speaker
Good morning, everybody, and welcome to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff.
Seattle Sounders vs. St. Louis City SC Analysis
00:00:49
Speaker
I'm Ari, that's Nico, and we're going to be hanging out here this morning talking some Seattle Sounders and Major League Soccer. We've got a game review to get to of Seattle's 1-0 win over the weekend at St. Louis City
CONCACAF Champions Cup and Cascadia Derby Preview
00:01:01
Speaker
SC. We're going to be talking some CONCACAF Champions Cup. That's right, folks. It's getting underway with a massive Cascadia Derby round of 16 opener against the Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place. On Thursday, Lobbing Scorchers is planning on attending in Canada as of now. So if you're going, we'll see you up there. But a lot
Hosts' Morning Routines
00:01:20
Speaker
to get to. Nico, thanks for tapping in. As always, my guy, how are you feeling? are you doing? Hey, man, it is a W Monday, and that is always a plus. The team went out to St. Louis and pulled out three points. It is a, you know, very ah Pacific Northwest type of morning.
00:01:40
Speaker
I was up early. i was dragged to the gym. So I am um all ready to go, man. I got the juices flowing. I'm i'm ready to go.
00:01:52
Speaker
Eight o'clock in the morning and he's already got his gym session. Better man than me. That's that's incredible. not Not by choice, but yes. Yeah. for At five o'clock at the gym. But you know what? it does It does help for like a nice little additional time to review ah the game. You know, I was able to do some of that. i was able to look at some of the Vancouver White Kipes game because i do I just hit the treadmill, you know, and I don't lift till Tuesday. So ah my Mondays are all about you hit the cardio and you watch either the Sounders or whatever else I missed during the weekend. So it kind of works out.
00:02:30
Speaker
Starting off on a productive note, you do love to see it. A lot to get to, Nico, so let's not dawdle around too much. Let's get
Sponsor Acknowledgements and News
00:02:38
Speaker
right into it. But before we do that, I do have to shout out our sponsors, Hakes and Ferments, Full Pull Wines, and Podium Menswear. And I'm hoping we might, guys. i mean I'm going to teaser here. Teaser alert. Don't mean to spoil anything, but we might have some exciting news on the sponsor list.
Sounders' Squad Discussion: Center-back Challenges
00:02:53
Speaker
front this week hoping hoping to have that this week so um keep your eyes peeled but uh other than that sub to the channel like comment subscribe rate five stars follow the ig we're on the road to 4k follow the tick tock around the road to 2k and uh i think that's about it let's talk some uh let's talk some seattle sounders nico excited to catch up with you about this one it was a win for the sounders in match day three three points in the bag. So that's a good thing.
00:03:20
Speaker
ah No center back, one center back left. There's one center back left. So that's not a good thing. We're going to talk about the effect that that's going to have on the season coming up here and CCC. But you know, if you're, if you're doing the positives negatives bucket, the positives would be, you got to win.
00:03:37
Speaker
You got a nice goal. The negatives would be, you have one center back left, which is, Not the optimum amount of center backs. Ideally, you want to have at least double that amount. ah You know, really, you want triple or quadruple that amount of natural center backs.
00:03:55
Speaker
But right now you have one. So that's not good. Nico, how did you come out of that match
Sounders' Performance Concerns and Defensive Analysis
00:04:00
Speaker
feeling? Are you are you feeling more good about the win for the team? Or are you feeling like the lack of center backs going to create an issue? Because I'm kind of of both minds right now.
00:04:14
Speaker
It's a tough question. And ah I personally, I'm feeling a little bit more on the concerned side. It's kind of like ah you won the battle, but you might've lost the war. I mean, I know the war is the entirety of the season, so that might be a little bit too dramatic, but it definitely creates a big problem. um So we'll talk about the injury afterwards. it Initial thoughts are these.
00:04:41
Speaker
The Sounders went to St. Louis and earned three valuable points. All road points are valuable. This is the type of game that last season the team was unable to hold on to. And it might have been an
Appreciation for Sounders' Gritty Performance
00:04:59
Speaker
equalizer. They might have dropped points. ah They might have lost. I mean, it was a greedy performance by a team that was hit with a huge injury.
00:05:11
Speaker
And they dug deep. day It was next man up. There was a couple of great performances. And you got the points.
00:05:22
Speaker
However, as someone that likes to learn when it's easier to learn, which is sometimes with a w on on on your belt, I do think that there's some tendencies that I did not like about the game that I like to talk about.
00:05:38
Speaker
But overall, Cosa Rienzi just saved the game. And he saved it because the team started out pretty flat. I was not happy with that first half of soccer.
00:05:52
Speaker
I was very surprised and almost surprised curious to see if Bryant changes his tune tomorrow about how happy he was about the win and how he thought that the first half was exciting.
Critique of Snyder Burnell's Match Performance
00:06:09
Speaker
at the He called it. he It was back and forth. I thought that the Sounders were way too under heels. they They were under duress. Yes, there weren't really great chances by st Louis, but the I just didn't like the the type of soccer. I am not a fan of winger Burnell. I thought that he looked out of sorts. He looked uncomfortable. ah He made mistakes that are uncommon. And as someone who really likes Snyder Burnell and who knows his potential and has a high expectation of him, it was just a bad game.
00:06:46
Speaker
ah Silly turnovers, holding the ball too long, literally dribbling into pressure, like turning right into pressure. So there were just things that I believe being a line higher up the field and having to do other things from that pocket winger position that just didn't sit well with his skill set.
00:07:07
Speaker
But to be clear, at the end of the day, what matters is the three points. There was a phenomenal defensive effort from this team, specifically on transition moments. I thought that
Vancouver Whitecaps Strengths and Challenges
00:07:21
Speaker
St. Louis, when they came in to really bring it to the Sounders, they were rotating Toucher and Betcher as it it was necessary to do so. They played both of them.
00:07:34
Speaker
in this particular game. They had Hardo back who was absent because of the birth of his ah kid. And I didn't know if he was going to be available for this game. I thought maybe, you know, he could have taken another game. He didn't, he was available and the Sounders handle it very well. So you got to give them credit for that. But there were just some tendencies that I did not like. And I'll, I'll give you another one after I hear your thoughts on, on the game.
Impact of Jesus Ferreira's Substitution
00:08:01
Speaker
ah We do have a couple super chats to start the stream off. Let's go. Appreciate you guys for the support. We got Derek Richards before the show even started coming in with the $2. Appreciate you, Derek, as always. She says the CCC round of 16 has so many banger matchups. Yeah, we're going to talk about that.
00:08:16
Speaker
The Sounders have got a banger matchup against the Whitecaps, I think, but there are some other banger matchups as well. So it's going to be a good round of 16. And then Magna with the five, he says, would love to see Jesus stay in the game and have Areola come in for Snyder and then have Jesus play on the right. Not sure why he can't go 90. I think that's a great segue into the next topic. You did have, there was some individual performances that I wanted to talk about and Jesus Ferreira was among those individual performances. And he did sub off, I think in like the or 64th minute which was interesting because you still had Snyder. Snyder B, Winger Snyder played the whole 90.
00:08:57
Speaker
So it was it did feel like a bit of an early sub for Jesus Ferreira. But I guess we can talk about Jesus' performance in general because i agree with you. I feel like in the pantheon of great attacking performances for the Seattle Sounders, this is not going to go up there in the in the books with him.
00:09:16
Speaker
but i think it is a game to me it's the type of game with the injury situation and you're on the road tough environment it's an ends justify the means type situation and it's who's gonna who's gonna step up and make the plays that just get you the win regardless of the optics and i think in this case you have to credit the defense a lot for that like you said But you also have to credit Jesus for, you know, he creates the whole sequence that led that leads to the KKR goal by continuing to hustle and put pressure on the guy who was trying to run down that ball at the end line and then being Johnny on the spot to pounce on that giveaway and then making the delivery to KKR, which, you know, The first touch eludes him a little bit, but he's able to reset it and score the goal. And that's created by Jesus Ferreira working hard and pressing and doing his thing in that ah in that wide channel. So that was great to see. But so, Nico, I guess, what did you make of Jesus' performance individually? But then also... ah
00:10:23
Speaker
Also the sub, what did what did you think of that? Because i did feel like, I was like, i don't I don't really understand why he's coming off here. And it ended up working out, but should they should was that a good sub?
00:10:35
Speaker
I didn't think it was a good sub, and and let me very let me be very clear. i I'm just curious about Brian's thought process on it. I'm not criticizing him for it. I personally didn't like it, but that's just my take on it. I thought that Ferreira was doing a couple of things for you that no one else was doing. He was the only player that was waiting to stretch out the – the defense from that that attacking part of the field, there was two early chances that were highly missed. One is a ah pass from Albert Rusnak that gets blocked and Ferrer is making the run to the point that he slips and falls when he realizes that the ball never got through. And the other one was Snyder Burnell on a moment where
00:11:27
Speaker
Ferreira is literally doing one of these, like, just just play me through, play me through. And Snyder Brunel holds the ball way too long. I think he's a little bit nervous to put the through ball or he doesn't see it at first. And then by the time he does, he gets dispossessed. So he is he was the one player that was being the farthest guy on the left, position that he doesn't play, by the way, or or he hasn't been playing, but I thought he did pretty well.
00:11:52
Speaker
The link up, that the connections on possession, I thought that he was very good at. His ah defense and pressing moments I thought were very good. So for me, as you mentioned, the goal comes across from a moment that...
00:12:10
Speaker
What he did the whole game was maybe at times force the ball too much and maybe try to thread the needle one too many times. And Brian alluded to that, and he mentioned it during the post-game conference. But I think you need that in order to have at least one person be an attacker willing to take those chances to create those passes. And the goal comes across because – He's pushing, he's pressing. He tries to do a little back heel to play. I forgot who's the the player. Maybe it's Nuhu that's on on that side getting closer. Nuhu doesn't get the ball.
00:12:46
Speaker
And then when he sees that the opposition picked up the ball, he once again goes to press, intercepts the pass, and then he finds KKR.
00:12:56
Speaker
on a difficult location on top of the 18, because there's a lot of bodies. There's a lot of defenders in the 18. So he puts a lot of pace on it. And you got to credit KKR for being able to handle that ball because it came with a lot of a lot of pace. and And he comes up, he rolls in, he does a great job at...
00:13:16
Speaker
give himself some space away from the defender. And then I think he has finished his finish is excellent. Down low with a lot of strength and beats Berkey. But Jesus Ferreira is doing all of it. He was the one guy that was creating havoc. Without Paul Rothrock, you need somebody like that. And that's why I think KKR gets man of the match because it wasn't just the goal. It was that he created. He gave you with where you had none. And he he was just so incisive. He was just so...
00:13:48
Speaker
pulsating, constantly going on that side that I think it created some of what you didn't have prior to him entering the game. So going back to Jesus, I did not like the substitution. I thought that you were toothless after he left the game. There were two moments, one in the 88th minute that Burnell actually is the one that hits the ball and and forces a safe.
00:14:14
Speaker
But, you know, it wasn't a great high percentage shot. He had moose on that. He had moose on that. He had moves on that. That was one where, you know, i yeah I hesitate to criticize Winger Snyder too much. He's playing out of position. It's kind of a break glass in case an urgency type situation. So I think, like, considering that, he did pretty well.
00:14:35
Speaker
ah But there was the one that you mentioned to Ferreira, which I don't even remember, but the one I remember – is that the one at the very end where it's a great sequence of play. New Who makes a great interception
Strategic Adaptations Against Vancouver
00:14:46
Speaker
to kind of get a dangerous attack going. He finds Rusnak. Rusnak makes a perfect pass out wide to Winger Snyder. Winger Snyder, ah you know, he's got the 50-50 decision to make on whether to shoot it or whether to ah lay in the cross. And Moose, is I mean, but it's ah if he just...
00:15:05
Speaker
Lay is in the cross. It's a tap in for Moose and moot it's an open net. Moose is not going to miss that. moose Moose really should have had a a goal off that. Like you got, I was the one point where I was like, when you're Snyder killing me, killing me, lay that off, lay that off. But anyway, continue. Sorry.
00:15:20
Speaker
No, you you're spot on. And that's very true. I don't want to come off overly critical of Snyder. I just think he didn't play where he needed to play. And if maybe that's a position that he wants to develop, then I mean, we'll figure that out, I guess. And if it was just a bandaid or, or, or or an experiment or something that you wanted to do, or, ah you know, makeshift the Brian's favorite word. i mean, it,
00:15:48
Speaker
I just didn't think it worked. And that's why I was so on Burnell, everything he was doing. And before that sequence that you mentioned, maybe five minutes before that, there is a transition moment. He picks it. ah he's He's played into space. he he He gets the ball. And he should have taken his space a little bit farther because maybe he – um makes another defender commit to him, but he tries to pass the ball too quickly to Danny Masovsky, and he plays him behind him where Masovsky's looking for you to put it ahead of him, and nothing happens with that potential opportunity.
00:16:29
Speaker
And because the scoreline is 1-0, we're sitting here just saying, hey, well, you know what? It doesn't matter. Nothing happened. But the question remains, what is it that Jesus Ferreira is not showing Brian or what is it that Brian's not getting from Jesus? Because that's three games that he hasn't played 90 minutes. So if you don't trust...
00:16:51
Speaker
one of your most influential players, one of your highest paid players, one of your most talented players to bring you back from a game in RSL where you're down in the scoreline and you don't trust them to finish a game that you are, you know, winning and you take him off in the 64th minute. I just want to know why. i it Maybe he's not trust. Maybe he just thought that Burnell playing a position that he's never played before needed to get more minutes there. But the the obvious move was to slot.
00:17:22
Speaker
Your right winger to the right winger position And bring in Paula Riola And take off Snyder Burnell As a matter of fact I like Snyder Burnell Even more than Hassani Dawson And I guess we could talk about that as well I thought Hassani did I think he struggled to he he There was a couple of moments Where he's also hold Hold this thought because we got a super on this but yeah yeah Yeah so we'll we'll talk about that But I thought maybe you know you take Hassani Dotson and you ah bring back Brunel and you just slot your right winger at the right winger position and you keep that guy that just in case things fall apart and you concede a goal or you need to, God help it, maybe you're
Tactical Setups for the Sounders
00:18:05
Speaker
down. You have someone still in there that's up there's a top attacker that's going to give you –
00:18:10
Speaker
something because they look toothless after he was gone. So that's my only quarrel. and And again, it's always better to bring this sort of thing up when you have a win, but I just don't like the tendency moving forward because if this sort of performance is what you're going to go do in Vancouver, you might as well just stay home because if you want to set up a wall,
00:18:32
Speaker
Vancouver has way bigger tools than San Luis does in order to beat that thing down. And if you want to have those monsters on top of you, Berhalter, Kubas, Thomas Mueller, White, AZ Jackson coming at you for 90 minutes, the there's just no point. So those tendencies is what I kind of wanted to talk about. So.
00:18:56
Speaker
That's it. My rant's over. Well, so here's my potential read on that, which is what a North Sound 360 brings up here in the chat says. I felt like the subs were made with an eye towards Thursday. That's one explanation I could think of. you know You're ahead. You're ahead in the game. help And you're trying you're basically kind of holding on for dear life and trying trying to close out the game at that point. I think because Jesus Ferreira is definitely a player that would help you do that with all the attributes he brings as far as like pressing and defense.
00:19:28
Speaker
But you do have to I mean, you have to look ahead to the fact that you've got a huge CCC game coming up on Thursday. Jesus Ferreira, if you're going to win this CCC series, he's going to have to be a big part of it. So maybe you're saving some, some gas in the tank, looking ahead towards that. And if they were tied or behind in the game at that point, I think they probably, he probably doesn't make that sub, but since they're protecting the lead, they're trying to, they're just trying to see it out. And they have this CCC game coming up and take Jesus off early, save some Jesus capital for CCC. I don't, I don't think it's a trust thing. Uh,
00:20:05
Speaker
there I didn't see really anything last year to suggest that there's a there's a trust issue there. like He played the most games out of anyone on the team last year. yet I don't know if people realize this. He played 48 games all-comps last year. like He almost played 50 games. So I don't think it's a trust
Substitution Strategies and Game Implications
00:20:20
Speaker
thing. i would hope i i didn't I think in all things being equal in this individual game, in that individual situation, that's not the greatest sub to make.
00:20:29
Speaker
for your chances in the game because i think you're right. They did kind of, you know, they lost something offensively for most of the time that Ferrer was off the field. But when you factor in the fact that they got this CCC so your series coming up, that could be why. the But don't know. And and i hope that's the case. And maybe it's unfair for me to try to indicate that Brian doesn't trust Jesus. I just wonder what is it that he's not providing him or he thought that he couldn't provide in order to stay in the game. And you just said it, right? I mean, one of the things that we all know that we can count on when it comes to Jesus Ferreira is that defensive pressure is that defensive effort. So if it's about closing the game,
00:21:13
Speaker
and and you look at that three line of creative players up top, or you know you're supposed to creative players right behind your nine, i guess Albert would have to come off because Albert's the one that it maybe defense is not his strong suit. So I just don't know why it was Jesus. And that's all I'm curious about. So if it is saving him, then that's great. ah Maybe it's a tendency that I just won't stop because – I mean, if Jesus is in the game and he's playing no more than 70 minutes for the first three games, it's a fair question. I mean, same thing that if it was Albert Rusnak coming off at the 70th minute for three consecutive games, or, you know, if Pedro de la Vega was playing and he was healthy and...
00:21:57
Speaker
You don'd have to worry about his health. And he came off three times in a row. I mean, I would ask the same question. So so that's that's all that I wanted it to know. And I'm curious. I'm sure that Brian will have a great answer, but I just want to ask it.
00:22:11
Speaker
Few more supers to rip through right here. Thank you guys for all the love this morning. We really appreciate it. Kenny says, I
Hassani Dotson's Performance Evaluation
00:22:17
Speaker
love Nico Moreno and LS. I think he meant I love Nico Moreno and LS. We love you too, Kenny. you Thank you for the support. Thank Kenny. Says, LS is the are the only meetings I want on Monday mornings. Thank you, man. Appreciate that. And then let's talk about this one from ah from James another good segue always appreciate a good super chat segue says it seems like Nico was right to be skeptical about Dotson. What do you think of Sonny had another rough giveaway that led to a very good chance for the opposition. He also had that happen against ah RSL, and that was the play where Aiden scored a banger, and they lost the game. So how are you feeling about the Hassani stock? I mean, the way I'm kind of looking at it right now is like –
00:23:02
Speaker
ah I mean, the giveaways are not good. I'm going to try not to read too much into individual plays just yet while it's his first few games on the ah on the team. That's what I'm hoping, at least. like I think there can be a tendency to overreact to like an individual giveaway as it pertains to the rest of the performance, which I feel like was mostly fine in this game. But I do think it is definitely, like to me, it's apparent right now that
00:23:34
Speaker
his integration and acclimation to the team is an ongoing process. And it's, you know, i think my hope was that because he's a veteran player with a lot of experience and he seems to fit well stylistically on this team that he could kind of just slot right in and hit the ground running. And it doesn't seem like that's what's happened so far. Like he's, he seems like he's not fully settled on the team and that's maybe leading to some of these mental lapses and giveaways in these in these moments. But that is something that I do think could theoretically improve is what I'm saying. So I'm going wait to see if it does or doesn't improve to make a judgment on it. But I think it's fair to point out that like the, the acclimation there has been more of a process than maybe we would have hoped. What do you think of Hassani so far?
00:24:21
Speaker
I'm with you. I do want to see more of it and allow him a time to, adapt or just find himself into the system. But I also think that he hasn't been great. And that's another thing that hey I'm trying to figure out
Criticism of Dotson's Play and Team Fit
00:24:44
Speaker
Brian's tactic. Maybe he's protecting the player. Maybe he does like the performance. Maybe he's trying to gaslight us. I don't know. I don't know what he's trying to do, but he's been very complimentary of a Sandy Dotson. and and And I just don't see it. He called him a, He called him a combination of Ozzy Alonso and Gustav. Yeah, that's a wild statement. I'm sorry, Brian. I love you.
00:25:03
Speaker
really do. But that's a wild statement. And that's not a knock. I don't want to, I don't want to, again, I don't want to sound like I'm clowning. I'm not trying to clown Hassani at all. I'm just saying that's, that's lot of praise. That's the two best D mids in the history of the club. Yeah, that's, that's just a lot of praise, man. So let me just say this.
00:25:22
Speaker
I think Brunel is the more, Similar player to Obed Vargas. So if the whole point of trying to get these pivots to work like they did last season was having someone like Obed Vargas, I think Snyder has shown more than Asani.
00:25:41
Speaker
Asani just struggles so much on the ball, struggles with his dribble and his passing. And again, I don't want to... maybe put too much stock on the last two games, but I'm not a stats guy, but I have a lot of people who send me stats and and and they follow and they're like, Hey, look, he's been the lowest rated player in both the last games, but just the items just hasn't been great. I mean, in RSL, I thought that he struggled. He gives that ball away for one of the goals. He wasn't really provided you anything on offense. And maybe that, know,
00:26:17
Speaker
is the way Brian wants it, that maybe you want a Hassani that's out there just being very physical and defending and getting around, and maybe you push Christian to do other things because he has been doing a lot. Christian has been doing a whole more of ah what you'd call turning off fires on offense, on defense, because I do think that there's a little disbalance in that partnership, in in in my opinion, my humble opinion.
00:26:46
Speaker
So I just haven't liked it. I don't think that he has the offense, or it hasn't shown, let's rephrase that. I don't think he's shown enough of the offensive qualities to make this system work that asks so much of those pivots. So the data is still very short. We we haven't seen enough. The sample sizes is still pretty small, but that patience should also not be a lot, right? you know You're hoping that the whole reason that you paid Hassani Dodd some TAM money, max deal on a TAM of for for a guy that you're bringing in, 850 or whatever he's making, was because he was an experienced player. area And you thought he was going to come in and just hit the floor running. And although I really appreciate a lot of the things that he does, he's a...
00:27:39
Speaker
In the training ground, he's always hardworking, hard-nosed to the ground. in in the games, you can see he's trying his absolute best, but just so far, it has not been great.
00:27:53
Speaker
Derek Richards, another super thank you, Derek. Appreciate you. Nico Moreno is the number one ball-nover. That he is. That he is. Thank you, Derek. Nico, let's talk about the center-back situation because this is not good.
00:28:09
Speaker
This is not good. I think, ah you know, I was feeling good about the win after the game. Schmetz was definitely feeling good after the game. ah But I think, you know, now that the dust has settled and it's back to reality and you got this series against Vancouver who are now red hot again staring at you and you have win.
Sounders' Center-back Crisis Post-Injury
00:28:29
Speaker
center back. It's always, it's always just nice, fantastic to be three games into the season and you are down to one center back. Uh, yeah, Mark comes off, uh, in the first 10 minutes of the game, another really early sub that Seattle has to burn. And this time it's the starting CB, which the thing about the CB situation up to this point was like, yeah, you only had two, but they were your starting two. So at least there was that.
00:28:54
Speaker
And now Yamar, he did his hamstring. So he's going to be out for a while. And, you know, shout out to KKR. We can talk about that too. But, ah but also shout out to Alex rolled on again. You know, he slides over, doesn't miss a beat and helps them keep the clean sheet and helps them win the game. And really like,
00:29:16
Speaker
that was That was another kind of, it's it's just it's just the incredible tactic that Brian Schmetzer and the Seattle Sounders discovered, which we've talked about. This is just great coaching. It's a great tactic. Anytime you have an injury situation or you have a hole on the roster that you need someone to fill, you just plug one of the Roldans in there and it's problem solved. it's but They've been doing this for years. They've done it at multiple different positions. They've done it at ah at right back.
00:29:42
Speaker
with Christian. They did it. They've done it at the number 10 with Christian. They've done it at right mid with Christian. They've done it at goalkeeper with Alex. They've done it at center back before like three times with Alex. It seems to work every time.
00:29:55
Speaker
It worked this time, but I think the question now becomes, is that going to work against a team like the Vancouver Whitecaps? It worked against a team like St. Louis City SC. Not that good. Will it work against the Whitecaps?
Defense Strategy Speculation Against Vancouver
00:30:08
Speaker
Very, very good. One of the best teams in the league. That's what we got to be asking ourselves right now. And I'm not going to lie. Like, I feel a little dicey about that just because, you know, Alex is not a natural CB. And it's one thing to be doing it against Simon Boettcher and the gang. But like like you said, you have Thomas Mueller running at you now. Okay. You got Brian White.
00:30:30
Speaker
running at you now you got az z jackson sebastian berhalter running at you now are you still going to be able to hold up without without two actual center backs and like i guess my first take on that is it's not something that i like the chances of particularly uh but i will say this every time that i've been worried about it working before it has worked So who's to say that it can't work again? And also, this this might be delusional cope, Nico, but I was thinking about this last night. A back line, like, because this is what the back line's going to be. You're going to have Nuhu, you're going to have Jackson, you're going Alex, and you're going to have KKR in all likelihood.
00:31:11
Speaker
A back line with Nuhu and Alex, there's a lot of pace and mobility and athleticism and 1v1 defending there. With Jackson, you got a defender of the year candidate level CB. And then you got KKR, who is honestly, like as as we saw in this game, yeah like you kind of forget, he's one of the most kind of explosive fans freak athletes on on the team. You know, you see it with the backflip and, but just also the way he plays. I think Nico that there is, I'm not saying it's likely.
00:31:42
Speaker
And I fully acknowledge that it could be cope. But I think it's likely that they might run out this Alex New Jackson KKR back line and find out that it's kind of gas, you know, like it.
Improvised Backline Success Potential
00:31:55
Speaker
I think there actually is kind of skill sets there that i'm I'm at least intrigued to be like, can this work against the team that's this high level? I wish they didn't have to find out, but I guess it's a long way of saying that.
00:32:09
Speaker
Most times you're going into a series like this against a team this good with only one center back. I would feel like, okay, this is chalked. Like, I don't really know how you do this. I don't see how you slow down an offense like this with playing, playing your right back out of position to fill in at CB. It feels like too much to ask. And, you know, that is, that's definitely in my mind right now, but I also,
00:32:33
Speaker
ah I feel better, I think, than I should considering the situation with the CB depth chart. What do you think, Nico?
00:32:42
Speaker
I think going to be an uphill battle and I'm not as optimistic as you are, but I do trust Alex Roldan to, as he always does come to play, come to perform. Actually, when you doubt him the most, that's when he plays his best. He is a guy that's had a chip on his shoulder, the size of, you know, California on his shoulder. I mean, he he always plays great when he comes to these types of, of games. Now, how much of his skillset can hold them?
00:33:12
Speaker
from giving up positioning or a, a ball behind on such a ah quality attack. That's where,
00:33:23
Speaker
I have my concerns because Alex Roland could have all the grit, could have all the desire. He could want to be out there. He's physical. He's quick.
Pressing Strategy Need Against Vancouver
00:33:31
Speaker
But Brian, why will hit you with a little faint inside and come outside and all of a sudden he's behind you and he's got a header by himself inside the 18 after AC Jackson cross and and and it's over, right? So I hope that there is going to be a sense of pressing this team a bit.
00:33:53
Speaker
ah try not to allow them to have so much of the ball and just have you just absorb pressure the entire game. And I really hope Paul Rothrock is back. or or and if And if it's not Paul Rothrock, you have to figure out a way to pin back that wide caps attack a little bit. Because if you allow Ocampo, the right back that's high quality, he was a problem against the Portland Timbers this weekend.
00:34:24
Speaker
you're just going to be in trouble. You cannot just sit there and defend against this Vancouver team because it's not going to go well. So if Paul Rotherg is there and he's pushing and he's being able to get forward, he's creating havoc, he's obligating Sabi to pull back. He's obligating Ocampo to defend. That's what you want to do. Maybe you hold more possession, defend with the ball, but, but I don't think that you can allow them to, to have it. So,
00:34:49
Speaker
the center back position and that back line, yes, it's, it's going to be a problem, but if you are going to have to have the resource of, of having Alex roll down there, you have to mitigate it in other ways. You cannot force Alex to have consistent pressure from that attack and and make him defend more. I think that you need to have the ball. You need to possess it. And on the road, man, it just might be difficult, but,
00:35:20
Speaker
I think that that will be the back line. There was a part of me that was tinkering with the possibility of a, of a three men back line and playing with wing backs. If Paul Rothrock is back, but I just don't know how real that is. It's three more days. He did not practice at all, all week.
00:35:40
Speaker
I don't know where he's at in terms of pain tolerance or not. So I, so I just think that if there's no Paul Rothrock, there's no three-man back line, and you go with the same four that you had in St.
Seattle vs. Vancouver Team Comparison
00:35:55
Speaker
Louis.
00:35:56
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, that's that's what they're going to do. And it's just it's just tough, Nico. This is going to be tough. if they If they pull this off, then i think you can look at it and be like, all right, maybe they're actually going to be able to make a run in this tournament with, oh, yay more. But...
00:36:15
Speaker
I don't know. I don't know if ah they're going to be able to do that. But I think if there's any if there is anyone who can do this, Alex Roldan would seem to be it. I mean, I remember last year when they had to do this, and one of the games they had to do it was against the Columbus crew.
00:36:30
Speaker
And, you know, that was a team that had Diego Rossi at the time and a bunch of – they still have Diego Rossi, but, like, At that time, they had some of the most talented attackers in the league. And going into that game, I was like, I don't really see how you slow this team down with ah a non-actual center back at CB. And then they did it. I think this Vancouver team is better than that Columbus team was. But, I mean, it's still it's it's a similar idea in that, you know, you've got your makeshift back line, your makeshift CB going up against attackers that you would think would be able to exploit that. And there's been times where I thought that that would happen. And he actually held up.
00:37:05
Speaker
So ah I don't know, though. what do you What do you make of this Vancouver team right now, Nico? Let's talk about them because Noah and I were talking about this series, and he was saying he felt pretty confident. And I was saying I felt a little less confident than him, but I did think Seattle ah was the favorite initially, but that was back when they had two starting centerbacks. Now they don't. Now I'm kind of looking at Vancouver as a pretty – clear favorite. I think it could end up being more of a toss up than you would think given Seattle's situation in central defense, but they're, they are much closer to full strength. And they also, one of the things I was talking about at the time was that they had started off the season a little slowly by their standards of last year. They only beat ah RSL and Aiden and Caden and Braden. They only beat them 1-0, which at the time was like, oh, okay, that's not that impressive of a win. Now that team is apparently hella good, so I guess that was a good win. But then also over their last couple games, their offenses look back like Sebastian Berhalter has been cooking again. Brian White has been cooking again. Thomas Mueller obviously very good. So how do you size up these the Canadian counterparts in this series, Nico? What are you seeing?
00:38:30
Speaker
Look, I'm going to try to be – I'm going to be honest, and I'm going to start with the low-hanging fruit.
00:38:38
Speaker
The White Cups are better. They're better in every line. especially right now, right now with, with the injuries and everything you have, they have the better back line. They had the better pivots.
00:38:49
Speaker
They have the better nine. Maybe you battle it out at the creative component there with Miller and Jackson to, Hey, Susan, Albert, you know, maybe that's a toss up. Maybe it's not, maybe I'm giving them too, too much credit to the Sounders, but there's just the better team. that That's just, they have more talent on the field.
00:39:09
Speaker
The Sounders have one thing going for themselves, which Vancouver also has, which is continuity and
Vancouver's Recent Strong Performances
00:39:15
Speaker
chemistry. They just put it on the Timbers. And I don't want to say that the Timbers are the benchmark because they're not. But they made Phil Neville crash out and call his team babies. No, I'm kidding. No, he didn't call them babies. But he said kids. We got that coming up for Blazing Hot Presser of the Week, folks. That video will be out today. He said they were playing like little boys. He's about to get it.
00:39:37
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. I guess not. They don't they don't ever fire him. But like in theory he would be in that situation Yeah, so they made him crash out but it was because Vancouver was just so much better and Just the way they attack the way they overlap Ocampo the way that Muller just orchestrates that that attack, the mid-range shots, the way that Berhalter gets in late into the 18. AZ Jackson is just an issue to defend. So much pace, but yet a guy that can come in those inside channels and create great opportunities. um
00:40:16
Speaker
I think that defensively with Prezzo and Blackmon, they were stellar. They had a banger goal from from Portland, but that was it. I mean, they they really did a phenomenal job at just possessing the ball, moving it around. So,
00:40:30
Speaker
You know, maybe Takaoka, Andrew Thomas, that's another toss-up. But in the rest of the lines, man, Vancouver's just better. So I just think it's difficult. I'm high on Vancouver. I think that they, ah with Jasper Sorensen now having this team play to exactly the way he wants them to play and the talent level, I just think they're one of the best teams in in in the West. Yeah.
00:40:58
Speaker
I'm not going to put them ah over LAFC, and I think San Diego right now is the best playing team in the Western Conference, um but they're they're the clear third. And I just don't think that a very depleted Sounders team has the chances to play them head on. So I think that there's going to have to be a lot of playing above your potential, some great strategy from Bryant's Metzer, maybe some set piece magic to pull this game through. and And if there's something that the Sounders do have is that they're relentless, that they do have that grit, and and and hopefully that shines enough to get a result in Vancouver and give your give yourself a chance in Spokane.
Sounders' CONCACAF Champions Cup Prospects
00:41:47
Speaker
Yeah, a lot of experience in these types of games as well that they can hopefully lean on. Although, you know, you are in integrating new guys and you're down all your center backs. So, yeah, no, I'm not going to lie, Nico. They're up against it right here.
00:42:01
Speaker
They're up against. it. I think there's a ah there's a solid chance that the CCC run could be short and sweet this year. But like I don't want to overstate that because I think what you're saying is right. like if you're I was going through it in my mind. like If you're going through who has the advantage at every position comparing like all right Brian White versus the Osaze Moose platoon and then Christian Roldan and Hassani versus Seb Berhalter and Kubas. Exactly. like I think it is tilted towards Vancouver, but I do think at least Seattle is closer than they rightfully should be in that regard, given where they're at with their injury situation where you're down like 19 guys. So ah i like I definitely don't feel like this is an impossible or not doable task or like it can't happen or like you may as well not play, may well not make the trip or anything like that. It is just you're in a situation where you were arguably the favorite and now you're I think you're a pretty clear underdog. This team is legit there for real. Like there was no ah no real inkling of last year being some sort of fluke or magic carpet ride. Like if you look at how they're playing this year. It's like, no, they're just that good. They absolutely are deserve to be talked about up there with the LAFCs in the San Diego FCs right now. So, yeah. it's good And I hope that the guys that are available are available for ah long period of time for the Sounders. I think that this is going to be, think you're going to have to ask Polariolo to start this game.
00:43:32
Speaker
I was going to be my next, that was going my next topic because I think we didn't, we haven't talked about it yet, but coming off the St. Louis game, I think that was one of the biggest takeaways, especially also watching it back a little bit. Like he looked fantastic. really good man like i was i like one mentioned that on the post game show and he was saying that he looked like prime usmnt cholos paul areola and i was like you know i don't know if i thought it was that hot but then watching it back i was like it kind of it kind of was at times like or at least you saw like the shades and glimpses of that which that is you know whatever happens in ccc i think that is something that bodes well for the rest of the season because He looked like the Paul Areola of like, at least to me that you saw at FC Dallas or DC United, at least who was like a impact player in MLS. And really he brings you a lot of the stuff that ah other guys at that position on this team bring you in. It's similar to Jesus Ferreira and Paul Rothrock. I think Paul Areola is a really high work rate player. He's an excellent defensive player. So especially in a situation like this, where you're going up against a team with this much talent, that could be an X factor, if you will, in this series. What do you think of the Paul Areola stock as it stands right now?
Paul Areola's Impact Discussion
00:44:50
Speaker
I think it's high. And it's one of those situations where this is why we brought you. and And this is when we need you the most. And maybe that's an unfair expectation because the guy hasn't had 90 minutes yet, not even 45 yet. So,
00:45:08
Speaker
I think you you just have to empty your the the the bullets in your chamber, and he's one of those. So for me, I do want to see him and Ferreira play together. you know That's another component that kind of upset me about
00:45:26
Speaker
Ferrer coming off. I wanted to see them work together. They ah have this ah great chemistry. I've heard that they, you know, would love to play with each other and all these things. And when you have those associations in the field, it makes a hell of a difference, you know? And and so i I wanted to see it. I want to see it. i think that this is going to be a lineup where Paul Arreola plays on the left.
00:45:52
Speaker
You got Albert in the middle and Ferraro on the right. And you start with whoever you want. really doesn't matter. Danny, maybe Danny, maybe Osaset, whoever is more available. Because I will say this.
00:46:08
Speaker
plus um Osasio de Rosario had a little bit bit of a gimp over the week. He didn't look like he was hurting necessarily in in in the game in San Luis, but I also didn't think that he was as explosive as he typically is. So I, you know, the situation where maybe he's got a little bit of a knock. Maybe Danny does start that game. But regardless of, I think that the Polariola stock is high. He needs to be there. I think that he's a creative player. I think he's a guy that has a great mid-range shot. He shows it off at practice all the time. We see him putting bangers. He can curl the hell out of the ball. So for me, he's got to start. and He's got to perform in order for the Sounders to have a chance in in Vancouver.
00:46:51
Speaker
ah Let's do the ah osa the weekly Osaze Moose discourse because we got another game of watching both of them. And I think Game State kind of ah altered how I looked at it a little bit in the sense that like when Moose came on, Seattle was protecting a lead and defending a lead, which kind of you know you're you're playing a little more you're absorbing pressure more than you are trying to really be proactive and get off on the counters and all that stuff. All those situations where Moose is usually effective, the game state kind of dictated that you wouldn't see that as much.
00:47:25
Speaker
ah But I will say, like, I liked a lot of the dirty work that Osaze did in this game. Yeah. I i don't know about you, but I i thought his holdup play was, like, notably good. And I think there's a ton of value to that. And I still think there is a lot of that type of stuff that he provides more than Moose does, at least. At the same time, I didn't really come out of the game with any more clarity on it because, you know, Osaze didn't score again and Neither did Moose, but like he had two absolutely phenomenal chances, even like considering what I was saying about the game state. He had the one that that got saved where you could argue he could have done a little bit better on that, but, But then the one at the end, like like literally all Snyder had to do was tap it over to him, and he's got a wide open net. He's literally in that same classic moose position to score a really easy goal, as he always is. And the only reason that he didn't get one is because he didn't get the service. So like the fact that he was in those two spots again, I'm just like, I, I, Moose is just, he feels like such a good bet to get on the score sheet right now. Doesn't he like, and I think in this Vancouver series, especially like goals are good in CCC and especially with the rivalry component of it goals and chances might be hard to come by for lengthy portions of this series. and Moose's just kind of seemingly supernatural ability to get in those spots, I think it could have even more value in this situation than it already does, which is also just like, you know, like, I think they're both playing well. Like, I don't think Osase is playing poorly to where it's like, oh, you got to get Moose in over him because he's doing bad. I just think that when I watch Moose play, I see him get in these spots so frequently to the point where it's just like, again, i said it last week, but I i don't think it can be
00:49:17
Speaker
denied or dismissed or written off anymore. Like if he's going to continue to perform as such, then like you gotta, you gotta play him. And like, this is a series where you got, you gotta just, you gotta throw your best chance at getting on the scoreboard out there.
Debate on Starting Moose or Osaze
00:49:34
Speaker
I think that's Moose, but I don' mean, I don't know. I could still, I guess, kind of go either way on it. Like if they want to keep running Osase out there, I think Osase is doing enough to help the offense run that I don't mind it. But like even that last part of the St. Louis game is just like Moose is just always right there, you know? So i don't know. What do you think?
00:49:52
Speaker
Look, ah at this point, this would be a great time to start Danny to be honest. ah Osasio has started every game. He just played 64 minutes.
00:50:04
Speaker
I tell you that he has a little bit of a knock. I would not be surprised if Danny starts this game and you see what he could provide you and then if it's not working then maybe you add Osasio de Rosario on unless you think that maybe the The pivoting and the hold-up play from Osase can unlock more of what potentially Paula Riola could provide you, and then maybe you you just start Osase. But if you're looking for a guy that's going to get in the box, that's going to maybe occupy the center backs in that sense, and and maybe you're just hoping that his streak of goals just...
00:50:43
Speaker
Ignite something Then I guess you just start him off But the service has got to be there And that's why it's hard to really um Judge him on I think 10 touches he had in this one When he wasn't really getting a lot of services And there was nobody to play him through Necessarily And he just didn't get a lot of services And then that last sequence at the end of the game Where Nikola Petrovic actually ah Puts in a good ball Inside the 18 Is it Moose that one that hits that one? Yeah, I think it is, right?
00:51:12
Speaker
At the end of the game? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yes, yes, yes. Yeah, yeah. So, you know, he, I think that Moose just find himself in really good positions and you might need that. You might need just a guy to just poke the ball in and just be a little bit of a poacher inside the 18. And so, yeah, ah I think you give us have a chance, but the real...
00:51:34
Speaker
The real X factor here, though, is going to be those playing behind them and how much change generation you can provide and how much you can press and and and make uncomfortable a Vancouver Whitecaps in that it's very comfortable with the ball. So maybe you want to take it away. Maybe you you're going to want to be able to to create those opportunities. So the chance generation is what's really going to drive it. But, you know, between Osase and Danny Musavsky right now, it's neck to neck.
00:52:00
Speaker
And it just depends on what Brian wants. But this is a ah good chance. Midweek, CCC, you're going to have a new goalkeeper. Why not have ah a new nine? Zach says Moose isn't scoring against a real defense. See, this is, this is I think, where I – where I deviate. Like, what, like, go look at the game logs from last year and, like, tell me, like, how that was matchup dependent. Like, it it wasn't. Like, I'm telling you it wasn't. Like, that I was thinking the same stuff last year. Like, okay, this has got to be something where he's just merchanting against bad teams or, like, he... like That's not what happened. He was the only one who scored in the Cruz Azul away in CCC. like I think that's ah that's fair to point out. But if you look at the game logs from the league season two, like he was doing it against everybody. I don't i don't understand it either. like I understand why people...
00:52:52
Speaker
can't refuse to acknowledge this. ah You know, it's it's hard to accept that a guy named Danny Musavsky, who never got more than like five, 600 MLS minutes in a season before last year can be doing this, but then he never stops doing it.
00:53:07
Speaker
So like, what am I supposed to make of that? Like, if if that was true, then he would have stopped doing it at some point. And he never did. And he doesn't look like he is so far to start this season. So, I mean, well, I understand the skepticism and I honestly, I really did share the skepticism for most of last year. Like I was, i don't believe that this is real, but I think it, I think it is. I think it's just like a thing that happens.
00:53:31
Speaker
He scores goals against pretty much whoever it is. So, uh, Again, i don't know what to make of that. I don't know what to do with that information other than you should probably start him in this game coming up because it seems like he's at least that by far the most likely option at the position to to score. And, you know, that is it really is not shade on Osaze to say that. It's just like Moose is just...
00:53:54
Speaker
He keeps doing it. The guy, he keeps getting away with it. So, Nico, oh, I wanted to ask you on, you hit on it real quick, but what'd you think of Nikola Petkovich?
Nikola Petkovich's Contributions
00:54:04
Speaker
Because a couple of those passes, man, i was like, hey, hey, all right, all right, that's, a That was a good play. And we haven't we barely seen him play at all. But like, you know, you really we had yet to see kind of the attributes that they were high on that led them to bring him in. And I think in the St. Louis game, you finally did see a couple of those instances. So, you know, I don't think it means all that much, but it was nice to see that that was there.
00:54:33
Speaker
Yeah, sample size is way too short, too small to to really assess anything. But a couple of really good runs, getting it into space correctly, a couple of good passes, ah quick on passes as well. um So, you know,
00:54:50
Speaker
OK, for what it is, but it's just there's not not enough time of him playing to to really make an adequate assessment on on the player. But yeah, I mean, that's the most we've seen, like you mentioned, it's the most we've seen even going back to preseason. So, yeah, I think that that was a quality. What was it? Six minutes, 10 minutes, 10 minutes.
00:55:14
Speaker
Something along those lines. Something like that. Something like that. Yeah, like 10, 15 minutes. Maybe 10 minutes. 15 is too much. Yeah, maybe 10 minutes. So a good cameo. Decent cameo. Decent cameo. I was just happy to see him make a couple plays. and like ah Especially the one the one counter that he started with. that I think you mentioned it. But that first pass he had, that was that was that was good. That was good to see. Nico, anything else from this ah St. Louis game or about this Vancouver series that you wanted to hit on that we that we missed?
00:55:48
Speaker
No, I think that ah although Not a top team in the Western Conference. I do think that San Luis is a decent team. They look like a you know mid-table, maybe a little
Value of Win Against St. Louis
00:56:01
Speaker
bit higher than that. I like what they try to do with the ball. I thought that they pressed Seattle very well at times. So this this wasn't, you know, like...
00:56:11
Speaker
ah bottom of the basement type of team either. So I do want to credit the Sounders for getting that win and in in a difficult stadium. I thought that they handled a lot of the pressure pressure well. When Sam Bain came into the into the game as well, they did a good job. They kept Rafael Santos at bay. I think that they did some things very well.
00:56:31
Speaker
So just just credit that, you know, I want to make sure to clarify that I do value that the three points. And it wasn't perfect and I want to see more and I want Tennessee's to stop and I want Ferraro to get 90 minutes and I want certain things to happen, but all in all, value three points for the Sounders.
00:56:51
Speaker
How about this one from Joey in chat? Do you guys think that by not having a pace player like Rothrock, De La Vega, or Morris on the wing when we have Jesus and Brunel, it hurts Osaze's game? We were talking about this on the post-game show, which is that Jesus...
00:57:10
Speaker
Snyder B winger duo does not really lend itself to like a target striker number nine in the way that Rothrock or De La Vega or Morris, to your point, would. And I think that does have something to do with it. ah Like, I think there's validity to that, but also at the same time, like,
00:57:30
Speaker
Again, Moose was out there with
Effect of Wingers' Absence on Attack
00:57:32
Speaker
Snyder B, and he found two excellent, really high-quality, high XG chances, which, you know, that i think part of that could have been to to at the very end of the game, St. Louis was pressing for the equalizer super hard, and that gave Seattle a couple of ah opportunities to hit in transition. But also, like, i mean, i don't know. I feel like there was sequences like that the whole game.
00:57:59
Speaker
And Moose is the only one who got, like, the really good chances out of it. So I don't i don't know what to make of that. What do you what do you think, Nico? I think it's it handicaps both, regardless of whether you are Moose or Osase. Not having players that can stretch out the defense and that can use the width of the field is its it's problematic. So, look look, obviously Moose put away a really good chance created by Paul Rothrock in the RSL game that got disallowed. But, you know, that sort of thing does come from moments where you have a guy that can –
00:58:33
Speaker
get to the end line or that can beat his press and stretch out the defense, create moments for you. So I just think that the offensive movements weren't necessarily there in this game, but I think that not having those speed guys, I guess you'd call it, or or just true wingers can make it a very difficult. And like I mentioned in this one, we started Brunel playing that position where there wasn't enough under and overlaps from, from your right back. Like i said, Kalani really fixed a lot of those problems, but there just wasn't enough services for either one of those guys, ah you know, and and that's why we value and Brian did,
00:59:17
Speaker
correctly by praising Osase for his holdup play and all the other dirty work that he did in that game. But yeah, it was difficult for for any nine to get any sort of services when you don't have those guys.
00:59:31
Speaker
What do you think is the ah the ideal best result Seattle can hope for in this game? Because ah for me, it's one of those ones where I think the first leg the first leg on the road of any CCC series, especially against a team this good, like if you 0-0 it, that's honestly
Successful First-Leg Result Speculation
00:59:48
Speaker
phenomenal. Like especially like especially given the center back situation. If you 0-0 this, that's honestly an iconic performance. Build the Alex Roldan statue. honestly even if you go into the spokane leg down one zero or even are like two one two one would honestly be a good result because you would have the road goal one zero would not be great but i it would it wouldn't be the end of the world like i would i would honestly take it all things considered uh but if you can get out of there with a draw and and a road goal or road goals
01:00:21
Speaker
I think that would be incredible. That would be like about as good as you could hope for. And then if you win, the if you win and you come out ahead, then, i mean, i don't even know what the conversations will be for that to happen with what this backline is going to be looking like, but you know,
01:00:37
Speaker
I also, I don't think it's out of the question that this back line could be more competitive than we think. Like, I think Alex has shown that he apparently is a good center back. And then KKR, we haven't really talked about him that much individually, but that guy, I mean, he's kind of a blast to watch play. Like, I'm excited to watch him play in this game. He brings so much in attack. He's just, he's super athletic and explosive and he scores goals like his end product is so much better than you would think for a kind of nondescript super draft pick. Right. So I think like we talked about Paul Areola as an X factor. KKR is looking like an X factor potentially for this series, but also just like for the season here to have a weapon.
01:01:23
Speaker
like that who brings as much an attack as he does from that position to be able to deploy it right back, like in games where you're chasing a goal or to make spot starts like you need them to do in this situation, pretty good
KKR's Role and Athleticism
01:01:35
Speaker
option. And frankly, he's looking like a guy where it's, you know, we came out of preseason looking at Osase being like,
01:01:42
Speaker
this guy's got to play. Like you got to give him minutes to ah let him kind of make good on the potential that we're seeing. I kind of feel like the same way about KKR right now. It's not just like, Oh, I feel okay. If he has to play, it's like, no, I think he just has to play in general.
01:01:57
Speaker
Like, what do you, what do you think of KKR right now? I love KKR. He doesn't just have dog in him, but he is his athleticism is clear. His motor is incredibly high.
01:02:11
Speaker
And the thing I like most about him is that he's defiant. he For better or for worse, sometimes from that position where if you're a little too high, you can... really affect defensive shapes and transition, but he's willing to get out there. He'll come inside. He'll come outside. He'll test with mid-range shots. and And I'm talking about not just this game, but as we've seen him grow into the player that he's today, he's not afraid to take a shot. He's not afraid to put it in the back of the net. He's not afraid to try it or test a a a specific pass. it
01:02:43
Speaker
as ah As I said, it's caught him. a couple of times where there's a miscommunication or he gets a little bit too high and and there's been some problems with defense, but I like that. I love the fact that he's willing to push the envelope. And when you put dog motor and a defiant player, man, give me that all day of the week. Cause I,
01:03:04
Speaker
He's just shown it. He's an impressive athlete. Like, he really is. i think if there's one thing on that this roster kind of might lack across the board, it's like explosiveness and just raw athleticism in spots. Like, I think Paul Rothrock and Jesus Ferreira are both awesome at what they do. But like, you know, explosiveness and athleticism. i thought Paul Rothrock's got some nice pace. But like KKR is kind of just a different level of athlete. Like he was talking about it after the game. Like he grew up doing gymnastics. So but when I see him do the backflip, especially with the injury situation, you know, there is a part of my mind that's like,
01:03:45
Speaker
hey, be careful with that, buddy. like We can't afford you going down right now along with everyone else. And if you did it on a bat... But it's like he's been doing that since he was five years old and knows he can land it every single time. So it's just it's fun to watch, but I think it's also good... It's just good to have some of that explosiveness on this team to able to have that from out wide because this team kind of doesn't have enough of that. And he he has that in spades. like He's honestly one of the best raw athletes on the team. So... That's why he saved the game. Look, Alex Roldan is very good getting forward. he He definitely has a better service into the 18. He's a better passer, but he he doesn't have this sort of athleticism. So when I... ah
01:04:28
Speaker
tweeted it in blue sky that KKR saved the game. He saved the game and it wasn't just the goal. It was, he was a spark plug in a moment where you needed it the most.
KKR's Game Impact and Abilities
01:04:40
Speaker
and And he just took it upon himself to be that guy on that right side where you had nothing going for yourself on the right side. Nothing there was nothing going on that side. And he brought it in. So for me, Man, his athleticism is clear, but I don't want to knock his technical ability because the guy has a very good shot. That that ability to bring the ball down, ah cut inside away from the defender and put the ball where he put it. You got to credit his technical ability as well.
01:05:11
Speaker
All right, Nico, let's hit some ah league-wide stuff to close it out here. Only a few more minutes left to go on this episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. Thank you all, as always, for tuning in. i had ah I had two things from around match day three that caught my eye ah caught my eye the most, Nico. Number one.
01:05:31
Speaker
i'm kind of i I'm kind of buying this RSL thing. Kind of buying it. They whooped up on Atlanta United, which it's like, okay, it's Atlanta United. They're probably the worst team in the league right now. So how much does that really mean?
01:05:45
Speaker
ah But if you look at how they did it, it was the young guys coming up
RSL's Strong Form and Young Talents
01:05:51
Speaker
big again. Aiden, Did it again, you know? Like, ah us included, people after the ah RSL loss for Seattle, we're talking about, like, you know, oh, you you you let Aiden score on you. How's Aiden? Who is Aiden? I was saying that. Aiden is apparently disgusting at the game.
01:06:07
Speaker
He's cracked, okay? He's a demon. He scored another absolute banger in Atlanta. So, he's looking hella good. But then Gozo looks incredible. And then this new DP, Morgan, I can't remember his last name. The new DP that they got looks...
01:06:21
Speaker
He looked really good in that game. Like after after the Seattle game, I was like, all right, I don't know. They had a kind of impressive ah performance in Vancouver. Then they beat Seattle. But, you know, that was just one game. And they also all always win at home. So how much to read into that? And then this one, they're playing one of the worst teams in the league. But to see them do it again, to see the DP look that good and to see Aiden and Caden in the gang still doing it. I think Pablo and company might be cooking with some gas down there, man. Like I really do. Like, do you think this RSL thing is real? Cause the, the red bulls we've been taught, we've been gassing them up too. And then they went out and got bombed on by, uh,
01:07:00
Speaker
Montreal, o CF Montreal, 3-0. So that now we're like, all right, are the red were we too high on the Red Bulls? So I don't want to make – that could be a similar situation happening with RSL. But I don't know. I looked at that performance at Atlanta, and i was just like, damn, I think they might actually just be good.
01:07:17
Speaker
i I said it on Thursday on Soccer Down Here, my my Thursday show. ah Anytime that you get – a litter of really good, and i don't know if that's a good word in English as it is in Spanish, but a good litter of young academy players combined with some really good acquisitions at that level, it gives you an edge. And what we saw from this team early with those young players just puts them at a whole other category. I i don't know if this is a good analogy or not, but Hazard Connie is kind of like their Paul Rothrock where, yeah you know, he just kind of came out of nowhere and he's just been unreal and he gets into really good scoring positions and he's got a high motor and obviously he's more of a Academy guy, 18 years old, but He's just a guy that he's going to be in the rotation. He's going to be in the rotation. Even when Luna gets back and DeAndre gets back, I think he's going to be a guy that's going to be in there. Guilavogi is the guy you were talking about. hevo he just He looks like the real deal. He looks sick.
01:08:24
Speaker
like Man, and it's not just his frame, his presence. I think he's going to score a lot of goals in these leagues, but his vision and passing is really, really good. He showed you in a little cameo he had with the Sounders where he played a guy through and and it almost scored an Andre Thomas. Andre Thomas came out with a big save, but in this one, he plays a guy in and it works fantastically. Yeah.
01:08:47
Speaker
I like the young guys in the middle. I think Moisa is interesting, but God's Oh God's Oh is your superstar. And as much as he's going to need to grow that defensive game, if he wants to make it in Europe at some point, because I'm sure he'll be there in one or two years, but God's Oh was phenomenal. Just push it forward. That,
01:09:08
Speaker
it's not just the athleticism for him. It's that ability to, his ball skills are really, really high. And you saw with the little, you know, he gives him the scissors, he cuts inside, maybe a little naive defending there from, from Atlanta, but the way he curls the ball in, I mean, they had no chance. I mean, it was, it was phenomenal. Uh,
01:09:28
Speaker
I was a little surprised that they were a little bit leaky defensively compared to what maybe they showed against the Sounders, but I guess the Sounders did create a lot of opportunities. Maybe that's going to be what they need to shore up ah because Engel, I think, still needs to maybe get in full rhythm with that team. But look, they they have some quality guys. and And I do think that the real deal, I really do think that they're a a contender in the West. Once they have their their big guns back,
01:09:59
Speaker
Who knows what's going to happen with his team? Gozo reminds me of Alex Freeman, but I think he's better than Alex Freeman. Like, honestly, or at least he looks like he could be so far.
01:10:09
Speaker
i think Freeman's more of a two-way player. And that's what i really like about Freeman is that he was just better defensively, yeah maybe even a better athlete. But Gozo has to etch on the attack. On the attacking side, Gosso has the the edge, but I think if I had to choose one because of the balance, I'd go with Freeman, but it' it's a fair point, though. It's it's it's a fair take. ah the other The other thing that caught my eye, Nico, well,
Orlando City's Poor Season Start
01:10:33
Speaker
I guess there's a couple. We got a couple coaches on the hot seat coming off match day three. Number one, I mean, this one is kind of unexpected, Nico, but, like, Oscar Perea is chalked. Like, it's done. It's over. thats That is...
01:10:46
Speaker
like shout out shout out to the era but like he's getting fired very soon they are oh and three they just lost to and nycfc five to nothing in a game where the goalkeeper uh maxine krapow got a very not good red card where didn't he just stroll out of the box like holding the ball basically like kind of kind of Yeah, yeah he kind of like basketed in, then he let it go like a hot potato. But you had already touched him, man. And I don't know what he was thinking. What are we doing? Like, you can't get you can't take a red guard like that in a professional game. Like, that's crazy. But also, like, their whole season has just been a disaster so far. They had one really good half where they were up to zero on Inter-Miami. But other than that, they've looked like one of, if not the worst teams in the league. what happened to our boy Oscar, man? Like I still, I considered him one of the best coaches in MLS. I think rightfully he earned that status, like especially during the FC Dallas years, but it seemed like he had really been building a solid foundation in in Orlando where they felt like kind of one of the high floor teams in the league where even if they weren't going to be cup contenders, you would never see him dip below like 1.5 points per game. And now it's just like, they, they might have to just blow it all up and rebuild what like,
01:12:06
Speaker
you're You're an Oscar guy, right? What do what happened? what's What's going on? How did this happen? How did we get here? I think Oscar is an excellent coach. And anyone who says otherwise don't know ball and is absolutely a liar because Oscar was able to come in to Orlando, create a culture, create a foundation, bring the only title that French has ever seen,
01:12:33
Speaker
So I think he's a good coach, but the knock on him has always been, can you take me to the promised land? Can you take me to an MLS cup? Can you win a big tournament title? and
01:12:48
Speaker
right now he's at a point of... Flex where either you make it work In against Montreal Which you should And you build from that or You lose and you're gone I had heard rumors that he was They were going give him the pink slip as soon as he got off the plane And all this stuff as far as I know That's not true or so far It's going to happen though I feel like it could i feel I don't know if it will again i i'm I'm hearing that that it's not going to happen But I You know but but i you know
01:13:21
Speaker
If Moreira decides to do it, think people would understand. Maybe they mean it's not going to happen this week, but if they take another L or two, there's no... No, that's what I mean. Yeah, yeah. I mean, this week. I mean, it's not going to happen this week. That's what I mean. If they lose to Montreal, I mean, regardless of what they were able to do against the Red Bulls this week, I mean, you are in some deep stuff if you lose to Montreal. So the thing about... this Orlando team is that they're just too good, too talented in terms of at least how much money you put in there, some of the players that you have. So the expectation's high. And for you to have no wins so far, I mean, man, I bet against it. thought that they were going to beat New York. And that just, it didn't play out. Now, you also can't blame Oscar for your goalkeeper's
01:14:10
Speaker
just losing his head. and And I don't know what he was thinking puts you at a disadvantage because it was zero, zero until that point. exactly And then after that, it was over. I mean, they just took advantage of it. Oh, Hada started exploding on the right side. Nico found all kinds of space in between the 18. They allow new York city to just get on top of them.
01:14:31
Speaker
So I do think that he is in the extremely hot seat. I mean, he's, he's red hot. But I think that he still has an opportunity to dig himself out of it and cool it down a bit. But if he gets one more l i mean, it could be goodbye Pereja. So...
01:14:51
Speaker
for what it is, i respect him as a coach. I think he's very good. It's just that his his his biggest attribute and and the thing that he does best is uplifting a team from the bottom up, but then from having a team that's already at his best and making him go higher, that's where he maybe has not been able to do that.
01:15:13
Speaker
Another coach who could be on the hot seat, but might not be.
Phil Neville's Portland Critique and Job Security
01:15:18
Speaker
We talked about it a little bit earlier. Phil Neves, the Portland Timbs lost to Vancouver four to one at Providence Park, which I believe is the third time in a row that they played Vancouver at home and they've lost by three plus goals.
01:15:31
Speaker
Two of those I think came in the playoffs, but then it happened again. And then Phil Neville will be dropping the blazing hot presser video later, and but he called his team little boys. And ah whenever he gives one of these pressers where he's just like trashing on his own team, it reminds me of like ah when Peter Vermees used to to do that. and And it's like, dude, you are the you're the general manager. he He's like, no, this this team sucks. Who who assembled these guys? this These guys are terrible. And it's like, well, you're like the main guy who did that. Phil Neves isn't the general manager, but like he obviously ah has his imprint all over the roster and the organization right now. So when a coach gets up there and rips on his own players, especially to that extent, it I can't help but feel like, all right, well, I mean, whose fault is this, you know? ah
01:16:22
Speaker
But either way, do you think that Phil Neves is actually on the hot seat in Portland? Because ah you would think based on the results of the last couple of years, which have been like, I think the most charitable way to describe them is fine and acceptable at times, but also times where it's not fine and it shouldn't be acceptable for a team that purports to have the ambition of the Portland Timbys. So they seem they seem to have there seems to be a lot of loyalty there.
01:16:50
Speaker
but also i mean theyre They started this is not a good start and they started off really poorly last year and we were having all these same conversations and they righted the ship a little bit, but I think at a certain point they got asked themselves like what are we trying what it was the best case scenario for what we're trying to to do here in the film that's era like is it average 1.5 points per game and get BAM down in the first round of the playoffs by the Whitecaps again. It seems like that's their ceiling right now and that they should hope and dream for bigger aspirations. But they also don't seem to have done that that much. What do you make of what's going on down south in the Rose City?
Phil Neville's Coaching Abilities Debate
01:17:28
Speaker
Well, unlike Oscar, Phil Neville has nothing to hang his hat on He's done nothing in in Portland. And maybe this is wrong for me to say, but I don't care.
01:17:39
Speaker
To me, Phil Neville looks like a guy that gets a lot of jobs because he knows people and because he's got pull with people and he's got some sort of name recognition. Played for Man U. But aside from that, the guy has shown me nothing. Absolutely nothing. And I've talked to players that were with him in when he was in Miami. And and I just i just don't see i don't see the appeal. I thought it was a bad hire from the beginning for Portland. And we all, whenever, when they hired him, we were all like great, great highre absolutely hire. And we, we, we've been making jokes for three years about how we want to them to give them a contract extension. If your biggest rival is talking about how they want, they actively want to extend the coach. That's not good. Is it? but
01:18:20
Speaker
Yeah. Maybe I'm being a little too messed up, but he looks like a guy that's going to have a great broadcasting career. that that That's, that's about it in the coaching thing. just Just step aside. Just, just you know, go go go be an analyst and all that. But I just, I don't see it. I don't see the appeal. I don't see the work. I don't see the ah the the soccer module when he goes there. I don't see a soccer module when he's out there, whether he's been in in Miami or whether he's been with Portland. He's had a ton of talent in Portland and and nothing has panned out.
01:18:52
Speaker
I just, I just, I'm not a Phil Neville guy. So hot seat or not, he's, It's been too long already. he he's He should have already been let go last season, in my opinion.
01:19:04
Speaker
ah
Ryan Saylor's Knee Condition and Trade Implications
01:19:05
Speaker
Nico, real quick before we get out of here, we do have a Sounders-related question from Reese that I think is on people's minds. He's asking, are we going to walk back the Saylor signing? Yeah, so Seattle Sounders defender Ryan Saylor obviously made some ah headlines this week with his or last week with his little trip to the ah to the White House, but also it came out in that reporting that he apparently has a degenerative knee condition, and that's why he hasn't practiced a single time for the Seattle Sounders.
01:19:33
Speaker
ah So, again, more appearances at the White House than on the practice field at Long Acres. But, Nico, yeah if Inter-Miami, if they knew about this degenerative knee condition ah and Seattle wasn't notified of that,
01:19:50
Speaker
Isn't that in violation of some sort Can't you like void the the Signing or something based on that Like you can't really Because it was a trade wasn't it um Yes yeah What I will say is that You can't do that can't do that I don't know the particulars of of Why That degenerate knee was missed So If it's on the Sounders Then it's on the Sounders And I think at the end of the day, this was a your fifth option at center back.
01:20:24
Speaker
And maybe at the time when you figure out that there was something wrong, maybe at the time when you figured that there was something wrong with the knee, you're like, Oh, you know what? It's fine. You know what? We missed it.
01:20:35
Speaker
No big deal. Let's let this deal be. And we'll we'll move on. And now that you need them, it's a huge deal, but My guess is that if this was a player that you put more resources into that was going to be a starter and you cut that mistake, maybe there would be more doing and more of an investigation. Aside from this being a a miss,
01:21:06
Speaker
That's all I have. I don't know if if it was purposeful, if they omitted some stuff, if if you know if they knew, but no one else knew. Because apparently, Seller was training in full with Inter-Miami the entire time. So there was no no doubts that he was fine.
01:21:27
Speaker
But again, it it it is obvious that if you get a player, you put them through medical, you check them out, you go through all the x-rays or whatever, and and and something was clearly missed. So ah there is no lemon rule necessarily, but I'm sure that you could make some sort of case if if I think it was a player that...
01:21:49
Speaker
you were depending on more than your fifth option at center back. Now that sucks because you do need that fifth option at center back. And that's it. What I will say,
Defense of Reporters and Closing Remarks
01:21:59
Speaker
one last thing, and I want to be very clear about this and and and I will take the last minute.
01:22:05
Speaker
I think that, ah Jeremiah O'Shann Jada both asked some really fair questions about this whole thing with Grant Saylor going to the White House and whether you want to get political or not.
01:22:21
Speaker
Grant Saylor going to that... event opened up the door for those questions to be asked. They're absolutely fair questions. what came out of it, the degenerate knee and stuff, I asked the the question on the injury because they had already asked about the situation, the visit, the fact that he hasn't trained and he's going to be in the White House. Regardless of whether people like it or not, everything that's going on with the conflict of the country opens that door for for questioning. So,
01:22:53
Speaker
Respect the questions. They're doing their job. And I just wanted to get that out there because I have nothing but the highest respect for both Jeremiah O'Shane and Jada Evans, both quality reporters that they're out there every day and they deserve respect.
01:23:11
Speaker
There was so much disingenuous commentary going on with the reaction to them asking those questions. Like, if if you're pretending to not understand why that would get asked, you're i you're being disingenuous and you're not giving real serious take or argument. And, you know, there was a lot of that that went on in our Instagram comments. But... ah I'll leave that there. Nico, that'll do it for this episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. Thank you all, as always, so much for tuning in. If you're watching on YouTube, please like the video, sub to the channel, like, comment, subscribe, rate five stars. Follow us on Instagram. Follow us on TikTok. Lobbingscorchers.com slash kit. Lobbingscorchers.com slash sauce.
01:23:53
Speaker
We'll be back at it this week. and It might be a little bit of a different schedule because the game is actually on Thursday. We're gonna be headed up there. I'm going to try and stream with ah Michael McCall from AFTN before game day. So I'll keep you all posted on Blue Sky when we're going to doing that. Until then, we out.
01:24:08
Speaker
Peace.