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What We Learned This Week: unceremoniously boat-raced in your pond
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Niko Moreno joins Jeremiah to break down arguably the worst loss in Sounders franchise history. They try to figure out what went wrong and also admit that the performance is forcing them to re-assess our priors about this team holistically. The two also look ahead to the transfer window and what they think the Sounders can and should realistically do.
Follow Niko Moreno on BlueSky and YouTube.
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Transcript
Introduction of Will Bruin and Sounders' MLS Cup Triumph
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.
00:00:11
Speaker
Come on. Hey, O'Shaughness. Let's The Seattle Sounders have done it. MLS Cup winners. The Sounders rule the region.
00:00:43
Speaker
Ooch of a gooch! All creatures, great and small! Rothrock gonna collect it, he does just about, runs into the advertising order. Low to our left, ball goes in! Oh, what a goal! Where's my copy? got bunch of them How many do you cost them? 50 bucks.
00:01:08
Speaker
I'll deadline you.
Sponsorship and Early Reflections at Lumen Field
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 back to another episode No Sarietes on the Center at Heart Podcast Network. It is actually Thursday night. We are sitting in Lumen Field. We're doing an early recording of what we learned this week
Analysis of Sounders' Disappointing Performance
00:01:55
Speaker
with Nico Moreno. Nico, what the hell did we just watch, man?
00:02:01
Speaker
I'm still trying to figure that out. Obviously, send in all of the audience a kind hello as I try to gather my thoughts, as I ponder and I look down on an empty lumen field.
00:02:16
Speaker
And empty is what it felt like to see this team play as disjointed disjointed. uninspiring as they did here today.
00:02:30
Speaker
i would like to start by just saying that the scoreline was scandalous. It really was. And and that that's going to take your headlines, right? 5-1 is a result that...
00:02:45
Speaker
Should not happen to a team like the Sounders. Should not happen against your arch rival. This is a classical. This is a derby. It plays differently. And I always expect Brian's Master teams to come to play this sort of games. But it was the performance that left me...
00:03:02
Speaker
with a lot of question marks, Jeremiah. And I think that's what really concerns me. Yeah. 5-1 is the worst home loss. It's tied for the the biggest, most goal loss. They've had two other, one out of their four goal loss in their history in all competitions at home.
00:03:20
Speaker
They lost 4-0 in 2010 to the LA Galaxy. That was the infamous refund game. that has up until now been their worst loss at home in franchise history.
00:03:33
Speaker
They lost a game four to one to the Vancouver white caps back in 2013. And that was the only two times they've given up four goals at home in a competitive match at home at Lumen field. That's right. At Lumen field.
00:03:49
Speaker
And the five goals, that's the most goals they've ever allowed at home to an opponent. i I think when you throw it all together, you look at this was a Derby.
00:04:01
Speaker
It was a match where they were honoring Siggy Schmidt and Jimmy Gabriel and Casey Keller. It was the biggest crowd they've had since 2024. There was over 35,000 people here.
00:04:14
Speaker
It was coming off all the hype around the World Cup. And to come out and put together this performance, look, the players said it themselves. It was embarrassing.
00:04:24
Speaker
It was, like i did not see this coming. This is a team who had been off to one of their, one they at one point in this year, that I think they were on their best start they've ever had. This is now their third loss in a row.
00:04:38
Speaker
And I think they have to really be worried about the wheels completely coming off, which is not something that was on my agenda coming out of that break. I thought they would. i thought they were going to put in together a good performance here.
00:04:53
Speaker
and This came out of nowhere for me, but this is making me rethink everything about this team. I have concerns, and it all started with the hospital that it was this week of training for the Sounders. Yeah, okay.
Interview with Degotar: Timbers' Improvement
00:05:10
Speaker
There lot of injured players. That's Key pieces, yeah right? Alex Rodan, Christian Rodan, the fact that Yammer had a setback. ah So there was that.
00:05:20
Speaker
Sure. I am a true believer in the – new head coach bump. I expected this Timbers team to come play better. I spoke to...
00:05:33
Speaker
Degotar after the game and he agreed with me that there was a different air to this team playing under this new head coach, interim head coach.
00:05:43
Speaker
And so all those elements made me think this is going to be a difficult game. it's it was one that I thought that the if anything, you were going to be able to draw. Right. that That's where I set the line. I said, look, maybe. Which would have been a disappointing result. Of course, yeah course. but So I thought, look, it's not going to be a great performance, but at the very least, you'll get a point and you'll be able to work basically from zero and and start this second half
Fan Reactions and Player Criticism
00:06:11
Speaker
of the season. But now you're you're starting in the red, baby. I mean, you are starting below that the the level of play. It's three losses in a row if you want to count. what this hey now it's three loss It's three losses in a row. There's no like we don't need a it's three losses in a row. They lost three straight league games. And, you know, I'll just throw this in there.
00:06:33
Speaker
Today, today is when the season ticket memberships started going out for renewal. crazy I mean, could you put together, you could not put together a worse advertisement for give us your money than what they saw out here today.
00:06:49
Speaker
I mean, this was so bad. I mean, look, And all credit to Paul Rothrock and Snyder Burnell for facing the music and talking to us and being and putting it out there and and saying like, this is not, this is embarrassing. Paul Rothrock talked about how he saw it hurt to see people walking to the stand, like leaving the stands with a lot of time left. And he said, I don't blame them.
00:07:14
Speaker
it was it was It's hard to put into context just how out of nowhere and how bad this was. And this is the kind of result that can snowball really quickly and and and whole organizational changes almost have to happen because there is no savior coming.
00:07:36
Speaker
Even best case scenario, they bring in one or two players. These are not ceiling raising players. These are players that are going to help solidify the foundation, but there's no, no one's coming in to save this team.
00:07:48
Speaker
The team that's going to save the players that are going to, if they're going to salvage us are basically here now. Absolutely. And look, just to talk about the game a little bit and going to put it together with what I asked Brian Spencer here at the the press conference because there is not one thing that went wrong today. i mean, it was just about everything that went wrong today, right? You were out-dueled, you were out-shod, you were out-possessed.
00:08:18
Speaker
The team, this Sounders team today, had a real difficult time just physically staying in the game. They couldn't really, they didn't have any answers for the Timbers quick and direct play. Their pressing wasn't good enough.
00:08:36
Speaker
in And Brian Spencer said it. I mean, they were playing through the press. The press was a total shamble. So everything, all the concepts, all the principles, all the things that have made this team tick today did not talk. And and and that is extremely concerning. So no looking at at like the first goal, it's is it is a grade balling for foray is a great It's a header from Kelsey. Great play, but also the Sounders can't get stretched like that. Nope.
00:09:09
Speaker
Nope. And that's exactly it. They can't get stretched like that. You cannot give the player that much time to put in a service. And there was miscommunication of the miscommunication today. You can't be ball watching if you're Jackson Reagan. And if you knew what you got to be screaming at the top of your lungs, there's a guy behind you. Both of those guys just escorted Kelsey into the team. No one put a body. ah He starts his run at midfield.
00:09:31
Speaker
No one touches him. He just makes a straight line run. to the penalty spot, basically. Absolutely. I thought that the team was extremely negligent with the ball today. i thought that they lacked sharpness. yeah They lacked intensity. At no point did they try to set the tempo, whether it's through restarts, whether it's through a quick counter. They just were disjointed. They never got in this game. Never put in a hard tackle. That was something Paul Rothrock pointed out. They never even got into it. like These are just basic.
00:10:03
Speaker
principles of a Darby. Like, look, yeah if you can't bring intensity, that's the, that's just how you get in the door. And there was no, they did did not seem like this was a team that looked like their hair was on fire. Did it not, you know, like it was a decent start, but it just very quickly fizzled out.
00:10:22
Speaker
And no one looked like they were just dying to have the ball. No one was looking like they were dying to make a play. You know, sometimes in these games, you see are maybe pressing too much. There wasn't even, i didn't see them press. It was just, it's just, it's flat.
00:10:36
Speaker
It's just flat. Yeah. and look, as much as we have praised Snyder, but now, throughout this season and who he is and the potential today. Not good enough today. He was pretty Yeah. one One of the worst performances I've seen him have. I thought that I wanted to see more from Jesus today, but he had a hard day. He made a great pay. Let's you did make one great pass.
00:11:00
Speaker
He may have actually had two really good passes, but he made a great pass to set up Kalani Costa Rienzi for a chance at the back post. Yes. That probably should have been a goal. It was a a decent save. ah You know, I don't really blame Kalani for not finishing it, but it was a great pass.
00:11:17
Speaker
That would have made it 1-0, right? It would have made it. Or was it 1-1? No, 1-1. It was in the 28th minute. okay so that And that is a good play. It's a Paul Rothrock. Yeah. he Gets deep on that touch line. Yeah, makes the the cross. It's a first touch pass to Kalani. Yeah. and But other than that, that was like the only real – and then on the rebound, Brunel kind of was able to get a quick shot off, but it was blocked on the line. Like he beat the goalkeeper, but was blocked off the line. That was the one moment really where the Sounders really felt like they might be able to get back into the game.
00:11:49
Speaker
And then after that, it was they never really threatened to be back in the game, I don't think. No, and so I thought Jesus was okay because I thought he was connecting. He was linking up. He was the one player that was at least finding players in those pockets of spaces to create something. But I still want him to take over this sort of game because one of those players in the attacking end needed to take over this game. I think Paul Rothrock tried at times yeah to start the game in the right foot. I thought he had a couple of no yeah and he really good moments where the crowd got excited. He almost draws a penalty. He had the right intensity. I wanted to see a little bit more from Ferreira. And Albert Rusnak, man, today...
00:12:32
Speaker
if anybody should be playing at their best when this sort of games are happening is, is a guy like Albert, he should be doing a lot more. ah He is going to have a contract. He has an option. I believe that thing has an option. You got to really dissect. Yeah. I think look,
00:12:50
Speaker
Yeah. Jordan Morris had five touches. Now, I don't know how long he played that first half where he or the strained quad. Maybe he was, know, but if he look, if he's strained, he's got to pull himself out earlier. if like If that was why he only had five touches, he needed to pull himself out earlier. We don't know how serious it is.
00:13:10
Speaker
is' It's just a little too on the nose that Jordan may have also gotten hurt in this game. That's a great way to put it. he cannot He just cannot catch a break this year, but he was completely invisible.
00:13:22
Speaker
ah you know I don't know that you can look at anyone in that first half. yeah I actually thought Hassani at times looked okay. I was not as troubled by Hassani, but Jackson Reagan, fresh off getting named to the All-Star game, absolute mess.
00:13:37
Speaker
Maybe his work one of his worst games I've seen him play. Tino Lopez did not look like the Tino Lopez who ah looked so good early in the season. New who did not look particularly good. Kalani was bad today. Kalani was... He had a couple of moments going forward, but he was not good at possession. He had bad turnovers.
00:13:54
Speaker
He was not good in defense. i It was just up and down the roster. Not good enough. And then, look Peter Kingston came in, brought some energy. I like what i saw from Peter Kingston. I like what saw from Osaze. I did too.
00:14:10
Speaker
But there was 4-0 at that point. And it was the last, what, 10? Yeah, I mean, the game was over. The game was over when they came in. So I don't want to dwell too much on that. Yeah, so all in all...
00:14:23
Speaker
What I asked Brian was, what what worries you more? Most out of this, is it the fact that you won you lost a dual battle? Is it the fact that you had no intensity? Is it a transition defense? What is it? And I really like the fact, and i'm probably going to get heat for this, but it's not just the accountability, but I think he gave me a very honest answer by saying, look, I got to look at this game and figure out those players that play today can they press the way i want them to press can they perform the way i want them to perform so i what i got from brian is i gotta take a deep look into this team and figure out who's gonna perform and who's gonna get this ship right because as you mentioned jeremiah this season short from pedro de la vega coming back within the next month hitting the immediately returning to a form which is not likely Exactly. So you're really betting on that alone to have any sort of light at the end of the tunnel. And that is concerning if you are the Sounders, because one thing that you need to put into perspective is that you are, what, fifth or sixth in the table, but the teams below you, they're all...
00:15:38
Speaker
Improving. Improving. They're all getting new players. Everybody's out there trying to make their team better. I think Houston's going to be better. I think that the earthquakes are going to continue to be on a very good path. I think that um maybe Sporting Kansas City goes and gets some guys. I mean, just about everybody's going to be able to get out there and try to get better. So now you're sitting in a position where if you're not a team that makes collectiveness the system and i don't know everything else that's made you tick so far as as what allows you to continue to be successful then i just don't know how and that yeah and see that's the thing right is that this kind of performance
00:16:20
Speaker
is not supposed to be possible. Your floor is supposed to be so high. Absolutely. Your ceiling might be not super high, but your floor is supposed to be high enough that this game should never happen. And yeah, they were missing a few starters, but not all these players have experience. There was no players who were thrown in the deep end today.
00:16:41
Speaker
All of these players have been in big games and performed before.
Strategy Reevaluation for Sounders
00:16:46
Speaker
This was, this is supposed to be not this is supposed to be something off the table, a performance like this to do it against a rival.
00:16:54
Speaker
I think it has, it has to, it has to make you rethink the entire program, right? It makes you rethink like, look, maybe like clearly our floor is not as high as we thought it was.
00:17:08
Speaker
Not just that, Jeremiah, but it is almost as if... getting ready to take over and cash in on the euphoria from the world cup. You thought that you were going to be able to have this extra element to create momentum for yourself. You are going to be on the road for what the next three or four games you have leaks cup coming up. So you are questioning your depth. So there's all of these components that are striking
00:17:39
Speaker
this big question marks. And as you said, it can unravel very quickly if you cannot write in the ship as soon as you can. And I look at the last two games that they lost before this one, LAFC, there were a team that had some ups and downs, not the LAFC of old brand new coach, the galaxy were a team that were in shambles. They asked to beat you to zero. So you're not losing to the top of no the, the Western conference, you're listening to the things you should be beaten. And that's just even more concerning.
00:18:12
Speaker
Yeah. You know, all year I've sort of been going through and comparing, you know, one of the things I'd like to do is compare the result in a given fixture to the previous year. Right.
00:18:23
Speaker
And it sort of gives you a sense of like, how much improvement you can expect or the other way. Right. Well, they've now, you know, they had started off the season, something like seven points ahead of their pace from last year.
00:18:36
Speaker
I believe this between these two, these last three games, they've given back six because they beat the galaxy. Oh, wait, I guess the galaxy, uh, maybe not.
00:18:47
Speaker
They, they gave back a two against the galaxy gave out five. So they gave back two against the galaxy and they gave back three today. I mean, that's, you know, you're you're talking about giving away a lot of the progress that you made early in the season. I mean, at this point, they've now lost two in a row at home.
00:19:02
Speaker
They, you know, that's coming off a 22-game home unbeaten streak. It's just none of it's good enough right now. And, you know, we're going to – we'll come back – in a second segment and we'll do a little bit more of a deep dive into the transfer kind of preview the transfer window. So i don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but I just think that this result has to open some eyes. It opened my eyes. I think,
00:19:27
Speaker
I think it it has to cause the Sounders to rethink their approach. I think they need to be serious about what the fan base is going to accept because this is not acceptable.
00:19:40
Speaker
This cannot be, look, sometimes that happens. that That's not, and I don't, and and I think what I want, what I hope is that the people who are making the decisions internalize this. They're mad.
00:19:53
Speaker
And then, but I want them to stay mad enough that maybe they rethink their approach because they can't just be pounding the table and we got to be better. It's like, no, we got to change something.
00:20:05
Speaker
I totally agree. I think this sort of result as, as bad as it is, as bad it looks, as bad ah as it feels, it does create urgency. He puts a little fire in your behind. the positive that can come from it, it is hopefully that you'd rather this result happen now than in two months. I totally yeah i hope that Craig Weibo got home and he's got the the map and the board where he asked and he grabbed that and he just threw it across the the room and he got a a whole new one. right Because this creates a different scenario. This makes you want to go out there and figure out what it is that you got to do to get things right. We don't know what's happening with Jordan Morris. We don't know what his health is. What ah you know what can you do? Yeah.
00:20:47
Speaker
Craig Webber mentioned getting a number nine. Do you need to go get that right now? I mean, all possibilities should be on the table yeah because this was that type of result. The fans don't deserve this. The 35,383 souls that were ah apparently watching this ah game, according to the number that was given. I don't know if that number is exactly accurate, but the it was packed.
00:21:09
Speaker
It was packed. the The hawk's nest was packed. The lower bowl was packed. There was good energy in here. it was i was i was getting chills. on the field I was on the field before a pregame, and I was getting chills. It was i felt great in here.
00:21:23
Speaker
And to just throw it all away. Yeah. that There's no point. And I really hope it all starts with the players. I love the fact that they use the word embarrassing. yeah I don't use the word often, but when I do, I do mean
Urgency to Improve Before Road Games
00:21:34
Speaker
it. And I do think that this was an embarrassing performance from yeah every single one of these players. So they got to look at themselves in the mirror and figure out what it is that they got to do to get this right immediately. And now road games become that much more important. And the next game should be a ah final for you. And you got to be able to dig yourself out of this hole immediately.
00:21:54
Speaker
just so you get it right, not just for the fans, but for the pride of of your teammate, the guy right next to you. Hopefully, yeah, Margot Monsantrada comes back. That's going to help shore some things out.
00:22:05
Speaker
The whole Alex situation is work concerning me a little bit, to be quite frank, but you're you're you're out of excuses. You're you're out of whatever it is that you thought that you had. You got to be able to put it together.
00:22:18
Speaker
Yeah, ah I'm just going to close out this segment with a quote from Snyder Burnell because I just think it's it was a good quote. It says we definitely need to reflect, look back at it and make sure that this never happens again because this was embarrassing towards the fans, the club, Washington. oh Love it. Look, we need that energy.
00:22:41
Speaker
and we need And we need them to internalize that and say, how do we keep this from ever happening again? Because that this should have never happened. And it can definitely never happen again. mean, this is Look, this is This is...
00:22:55
Speaker
this is a low this is I'm going to say it. I think this is the worst law I said at the beginning of the segment. I think this is the worst loss in franchise history when you put all the context together.
00:23:06
Speaker
It was really bad. But ah why don't we take a break and we're going to do a little bit of a preview of the summer transfer window.
Sounder at Heart Magazine Launch
00:23:13
Speaker
ah You're listening to Nos Adietes on the Sounder Heart Podcast Network.
00:23:20
Speaker
Senator Hart has been around in one form or another since 2009. In 2026, though, we make a pretty significant evolution when we go analog. Yes, that's right. In the year of our Lord, 2026, we are publishing a real life magazine. We're calling this thing four. as in Sounder at Heart 4.0, but we're stylizing it as IV because we absolutely love Roman numeral. And if you want to refer to it as IV, that's cool too. The first issue has a comic book style cover that was hand drawn by local artist Kevin Newber. Features by Tim Foss, Susie Rance, and Charlie Bohm. A statistical deep dive by Kat Busch. A Q&A with Brian Schmetzer. A column by G. Willow Wilson. And photographs by Noah Reif, Max Aquino, Mike Russell, and Jane Gershowitz.
00:24:02
Speaker
I could not possibly be more proud of the work everyone put into making this, and I think you're going to absolutely love it. If you'd like to get your hands on one of these limited edition copies, we're currently selling them for $15 on our website. Get yours now. Nos Adietes admittedly is not exactly known for our spicy takes, but that doesn't mean we want our food to be mild.
00:24:22
Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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00:25:02
Speaker
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00:25:18
Speaker
Welcome back to Nos Adientes on the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network. All right, we are here at Lumen Field. We are cleaning up the mess. as a me The mess is being cleaned up on the field. We are trying to clean up the mess off the field a little bit here.
00:25:32
Speaker
But let's look ahead. This transfer window just opened the other day, July 13th. It stays open, I believe, for roughly six weeks. It's very clear to me that the Sounders have to make a move. Now, I think they had to make a move already.
00:25:50
Speaker
I think optically they needed to make a move because they have not made a summer transfer signing from outside the organization Since 2021, which is crazy to say. Crazy to say. Which is the entire ah which is in the entire Craig tenure.
00:26:12
Speaker
I think that the people in this organization need to take seriously the possibility that Craig is going to lose the GM vote when it comes up, I believe, in September or October.
00:26:25
Speaker
If they don't make a move this summer, it almost, i think a very large portion of fan base is going to vote to remove them, even if they're playing well. But I think this game is a reminder that we can't assume they're going be playing well.
00:26:40
Speaker
And what do we think realistically is going to happen this summer? Because i would none of us expect there to be a new DP signing. Nope.
00:26:50
Speaker
What's that leave? So let's let's get those out first because those are the first questions to come. There is no DP availability. There's no way to buy anybody out. cause there's no and there's no And partly because there's no money for it. There's no money for it.
00:27:05
Speaker
Exactly. And you can get mad at Craig if you want, but like let's be real. The reason that they can't get a new b DP is because... ownership has not put up the money to either buy out someone and then replace them.
00:27:20
Speaker
Like that's just not remotely in the budget, either one of those things. And that's exactly where I want to start off, right? Because I think it's very easy to just at times use Craig Webber as a scapegoat. Now I'm not saying that he is someone that doesn't have culpability in in the whole matter, but the reality that I've seen in the Craig Weibel era is that he has not gotten the same level of funding and and budget that maybe Garth Lagerwey did. I'm not saying that maybe he would have been doing that. don't think there's any question. he did not He does not have the budget that Garth had. He did not have the budget that even Adrian had when he was the GM until 2014. But on. No, that's fair. That's totally fair. So for me, although I do agree that fans have every right to vote the GM out, to have their own ah voices be heard, not a lot of fans get a say in things and be able to feel like they have an effect on a team. So I'm all with that.
Budget Constraints and Transfer Window Challenges
00:28:23
Speaker
But what I will tell people is that if you're thinking that the next guy, not Craig Weibel, all sudden –
00:28:30
Speaker
makes the budget bigger, then I think you're mistaken. Now, can that person maybe force more money? oh I don't know, do more things to perhaps- Be more creative with what they have. Yeah, totally. But I think that Craig Weibel, for what he's had, he's done a good job at keeping the team competitive. after I think that he's done a good job at using the Tacoma Defiance as a way to ah get players that could potentially bolster the the first team. I think that they've all been lucky that Garth Lagerwey left a phenomenal youth program and that you have guys like like Henry Browner and and ah Wade. Craig Dalrymple. Absolutely.
00:29:12
Speaker
Being those guys that have done enough to get this team some talent out of your own academies, right? But the reality, Jeremiah, let let's get into it.
00:29:23
Speaker
I will sit here and tell you that we both know that regardless of whether it's the budget, the m MO, no DPs are coming. The U22 would be the one position where the U22 initiative would be the one position that could give you a very interesting, high potential player because of the way he hits the cab, because of everything that the u twenty two slot provides you.
00:29:50
Speaker
But even then, i don't see, i don't have that U22. I don't think that there's an enough budget to either buy a guy regardless of of where it fits in the cap. Right. like like Like the reality is that to get the kind of player that you need that's going to really raise your ceiling. And like, look, you can sign guys on potential and they can they can blow up, right? That that happens. Yeah.
00:30:18
Speaker
But like realistically, you're going have to spend $5-6 million dollars to get the kind of player that you really that is going to potentially be a starter right away at that age. right And even then, that's tough.
00:30:29
Speaker
That's tough. i mean it's just The U22 hit rate from outside the league is not high. Now, more so that It seems like, though, what we're narrowing in on is that the Sounders' best chance to improve their roster is to bring someone and else from within MLS.
00:30:47
Speaker
And again, i think this is more about raising their floor than their ceiling. and And that's exactly it, right? i I've said it I think that the most feasible or the the the one component out of the way you use your resources ah that you have available as sounders right now is within MLS. There's just no other way. yeah and And I'm not talking about Duncan McGuire and I'm not talking about, um I don't know, any other...
00:31:18
Speaker
high level, big name striker, which is kind of the the crazy part. You might be just looking at an experienced attacker that can get you double digit goals in the past.
00:31:31
Speaker
And I'm not going say any names, but that's kind of the profile that I'm seeing as the options is just guys that Just like a, I don't know, Will Bruin at some point provided you a guy that could come in. mean, honestly, you're probably talking about someone who liked Danny Masofsky last year who ran into a night an season. And and that's, that look, this is frustrating.
00:31:57
Speaker
This is, like, i want Craig to do something because I think it's important to do something. But I also have to admit that he's not being given the resources. It does not look like he's being given the resources to make the kind of move that everyone wants to see made. And maybe that changes in the off season. You know, Craig talked about how a lot of their allocation money budget that they, they made in the last off season won't actually come online until 2027. And maybe that's true. Maybe because of the way the transfers were structured, maybe that money is coming later than I thought on paper.
00:32:38
Speaker
But I got to be honest, i don't know how much patience you can really ask fans to have when they've been patient as they've been. And look, the results have been pretty good.
00:32:49
Speaker
They won trophy last year. I'm not trying to diminish that. But... I think it's okay for Sounders fans to expect more than they've been getting.
00:33:00
Speaker
And after a result like tonight, you'd hope there's a wake up call to the people that are writing these checks saying we need to get serious here.
00:33:11
Speaker
I couldn't agree more. And look, there there was a there was a point where I thought that maybe Preston Judd was an an option. Honestly, that would be a great signing. I think that that would know have been great, but it looks like that's not ah one that that team's particularly ready to...
00:33:27
Speaker
move on. I'm not surprised by that. He just extension, right? yeah But he's a player that you think, well, you know, maybe the San Jose can go out there and get somebody better. But that that's the type of level of guy that that I think you can be creative to bring.
00:33:41
Speaker
The San Jose Earthquakes are talking about bringing in, they already brought in Timo Werner. Right. And they paid all this money for Bruce Arena. They have one of the cheapest owners in professional sports.
00:33:54
Speaker
And this is what they're they're talking about, potentially, maybe pressing judges. We need to be shooting higher than that. Yeah, it's it's exactly what I want to relay, right? I want to make sure that people have the expectation of guy that could potentially come in and help this team out. But at the end of the day, going to come this might bite me in the behind, but.
00:34:18
Speaker
Realza Lake today is not the Realza Lake of five years ago, right? the the The amount of money they put into that roster is substantial. Now, that hasn't necessarily reflected into wins or or championships, but the team it's entertaining and and it's an offensive attacking team. And those guys here in Seattle is, is kind of what I want to see. I want to see you go out there and get guys that are going to come in and perform and you spend, you know, 20, 30 million in a total for three or four guys. But unless there is a new investor group that comes in,
00:34:59
Speaker
That's not going to be the case, Jeremiah. And I will say this over and over again. I think Adrian Hanauer cares more than most owners in the league about their teams. He might care the most. He's at every practice. He's always there. This is his baby. But the reality is that he can't compete and when it comes to the investment level. And I don't know what it is about it. And I i look, I...
00:35:25
Speaker
The way MLS is structured and it does make it there like we've gone over this many times. There is not a lot of correlation between spending and points. There's in some cases, no correlation between spending and points.
00:35:41
Speaker
But if you don't think that it costs money to bring in talent, I don't know what we're, you know, it's like we got to think a little bit more critically than that. We can't just do it on with duct tape and glue.
00:35:55
Speaker
it There has to be some actual structure behind what we're doing. And it can't just be like, look, we have the best part. We have the best we have the best attitude.
00:36:08
Speaker
That's going to that'll get you a certain, we have the best coaching. That'll get you something. But at some point they're going to have to write checks. And I, I honestly, hope that message is getting through. And I hope a game like this is, like I said, wake up call.
00:36:26
Speaker
yeah Especially in today's MLS because, as I mentioned, everybody's getting better. LA Galaxy, they're already a couple of guys in, right? Minnesota is getting a couple of guys. Houston is getting a couple of guys. So all these teams are continuing to get better. And just for optics, I yeah i love when you use that word because sometimes it's just about optics. I do feel like...
00:36:48
Speaker
As much as Craig Weibel can look at us straight in the face and say, look, if a guy is not going to come in and be a starter or be a difference maker, I'm not going to make a purchase.
00:36:58
Speaker
But this time around, the optics are terrible. you You need to make a panic sign. If there was ever a time where you have to do a panic signing, in my humble opinion, it is now. Like, press that button. yeah panic now and get whatever it is that you can get and use every resource that you can. and and look, like I said, I have been told that nothing's off the table.
00:37:23
Speaker
If there's a trade for one of your DPs, like Albert, take it. If there's one for Pedro, take it. You have to be able to move things around. There are no, ah yeah, there's no sacred cows. No, nothing. And and look, if all of this sounds different than how we have talked about this team previously,
00:37:44
Speaker
before it's because it is yeah this game changes everything it changes our perception of it's it's earth this was an earth shattering performance and i know there's going be people out there being like well i'm glad you're finally on board or whatever sure. If you want to take a victory lap over this, that's fine. But I'll be honest. i did not think a performance like this was possible.
00:38:14
Speaker
And Brian didn't think, I don't think Brian thought it was possible either. Right. He said, ah you know, yeah, I could have not seen it coming. And that's just what it is sometimes. And look, I i don't think we are being hyperbolic here.
Concerns Over Salvaging the Season
00:38:30
Speaker
I think that,
00:38:32
Speaker
the The injuries, I think that the performance, and I think that when I looked upon that bench and they didn't really see an answer for what was happening, those are real things, right? And you can say at home, look, I've known this all along, and Albert's a ghost, to Jordan Morris, all the same rhetoric that we continue to hear, but that wasn't necessarily there No, and look, if you they had rolled out the Tacoma, literally rolled out the Tacoma Defiance today yeah and suffered this result, you go, okay, like, what did expect? yeah
00:39:12
Speaker
This was not that was not it. This was not it. Like I said, most these players went toe-to-toe with the Vancouver Whitecaps twice yep and won. They went toe-to-toe with...
00:39:25
Speaker
the San Jose earthquake that housing twice and one, this is team has beaten the two best teams in the Western conference four times this year. i did not think this was possible.
00:39:37
Speaker
no, I don't have much else to say. I don't know how many more times I can say that. I hope that this transfer window is more is fruitful.
00:39:49
Speaker
I hope that, Maybe, and I think it's too much to hope for, but I'm going to it anyway. I do hope the budget changes. I hope there is some rethinking of the approach.
00:40:02
Speaker
But the very least, I hope that there is a re-analysis of we need to we need to do something. We cannot just sit on our hands.
00:40:13
Speaker
That it can't be one of our choices. Doing nothing cannot be one of our options. We have all these other do something options. Even one of those, look, i I have so many times I have said, you really want to just sign someone for the sake of signing someone?
00:40:29
Speaker
And no, I i i don't want to do that as plan a but if we get down to it, yeah. like there You got to send a message that we're taking this seriously. And you can't ask fans to commit thousands of dollars to you and just say like,
00:40:49
Speaker
Thanks, I guess. Yeah. No. and And that's I think that's a good point for me to try to bring some consistency into our messaging, which to me is this one. I still believe that this team healthy.
00:41:06
Speaker
It can be yeah top three team in the Western Conference. Sure. but that's not the goal, right? The goal, according to Brian, according to Craig, everyone. According to Adrian. According to Adrian, it's winning something, right? and And right now, right at the specific moment in time, it's not good enough.
00:41:24
Speaker
So you have to show me that it's not just a phrase, it's not just a tagline, that it is what you believe. And that's why you go out there and figure out whatever it is that you feel like you need to do to make this team better. I don't care what it is. If you think that it's a center midfielder, go out there and get everything that is a striker, yeah winger.
00:41:46
Speaker
I don't care. ah every Every position is upgradable. That's the reality. Absolutely. And, and you know, whether it's a U22 or an MLS experienced striker, I don't care. I just want to be able to say, hey, I'm glad that you guys decided that you needed more to make this team, give this team a real chance to win something this year. Because that is, to be quite honest,
00:42:09
Speaker
the The bottom line of what people want this season out of this specific team, it doesn't matter what it is, whether it's the cup or whether it's MLS cup, but you have to be able to get something to give these fans a reason to get, get the the season tickets to be able to come back, to feel pride in this badge and this colors in, in everything that stands for this organization.
00:42:30
Speaker
Look, and I'm going to say it again. 17 years they've been in MLS. They've never suffered an embarrassing performance on this level at home.
Upcoming Schedule and League's Cup Fixture
00:42:44
Speaker
That can't, that, that demands a response. it It demands something change. And that's, that's why this is, was I think important to say.
00:42:56
Speaker
in Jeremiah, let me just add to your
00:43:02
Speaker
opening this and and and I could see it in your face that you're hurting. The schedule is not great. I mean, you're playing four games are on the road, four games on the road, right? You got Austin, whatever, you know, meet me table team. Fine.
00:43:17
Speaker
Philadelphia. They're kind of a shit show, but but hey, they've never, I don't think they've ever won in Philadelphia other than the open cup. It's it's it's over there. You have to go coast to coast. They actually are getting some players. They're getting Kyle Werner back. I mean, they're reloading. Then you play at Portland, and then you play in the hardest stadium in CONCACAF.
00:43:36
Speaker
The hardest enemy in CONCACAF. That's what you get. You get to play at Toluca. Holy crap, man. I mean, that is a, it's cruciating next four to five games. I mean, honestly, and i don't think it's hyperbolic to say that the season could be one or lost. I mean, not one.
00:43:51
Speaker
it you can, you can completely lose control of this season in the next four weeks. If this goes badly, it's it could spiral totally out of control because you could effectively knock your, your I mean, like they might, they're not going knocked out of the playoffs. I don't think by, even if they were to, yeah but they're going to be very bad. they Their standing is going to be hurt.
00:44:16
Speaker
And if they get blown out against Toluca, that could be the end of their league's cup run. Cause the league's cup is not very forgiving. Nope. No, it's not.
00:44:28
Speaker
Especially not with the group that rate it right you Queretaro might be the one team, but Chivas is a phenomenal team, and they they carry some weight no matter where they go.
00:44:40
Speaker
And Toluca is the best team in CONCAC. They're going to need at least six points from those three games. And I don't, like, it's going to be tough. It's going be tough. could be tough All right. Well, I don't know if there's anything more to say at this point.
00:44:54
Speaker
um It's late. We probably should get out of here. ah You'll be listening to this on Friday. But I want to say thank you to our sponsor, Full Pool Wines. And I do also want to remind everyone while we're on this run.
00:45:11
Speaker
Sounder at Heart and Nos Audietes are only really possible because of listener and reader support. We are coming into our August is a huge, huge month for us. That's when the biggest portion of our ah membership renewals come up. So I would hope if you are already a member that you just make sure that you that you want to keep supporting us. We really we need that.
00:45:35
Speaker
And if you aren't a member, consider but becoming one. Uh, plans start at $30 a year.
Call for Audience Support
00:45:41
Speaker
They go up to $75 a year, which gets you access to our discord and goes up from there. Uh, but Nico, it's been a pleasure, ah going through this tonight with you uh maybe not pleasure but it's been i think healthy and good and is we don't do this a lot yeah yeah we don't do this a lot uh record right after game so thanks for doing it nico i always feel like it's a it's good therapy jeremiah that's what we did today and i'm hoping that's what the the audience feels as well that that they know that we right we're not just robots that's right we're not robots even though it seems like it sometimes. All right. Well, thank you for listening.
00:46:19
Speaker
ah Let's get out of here. I'm Jeremiah Shan signing off for Nico Moreno. This is No Sarietes, part of the Sounder at Heart podcast network, and we will catch you next time.
00:46:56
Speaker
Let's go at Sounders.