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When vibes go from bad to worse
1.5k Plays2 months ago
Coming off a frustrating loss to LAFC in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, the Seattle Sounders badly needed a bounceback performance against the Portland Timbers. They did not get one. Instead, they are now looking a season where the success is almost entirely defined by how they do in the playoffs. Jeremiah and Aaron discuss what promises to be one of the most important six-month stretches in Sounders history.
Credits
Thanks to our sponsor Full Pull Wines.
Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/
You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.
"Diversions", "Observed without knowing" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Sponsor
00:00:02
Speaker
This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Fullpool Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Fullpool was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounders supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.
Meet the Hosts
00:00:25
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.
00:00:40
Speaker
about sell
00:01:12
Speaker
This is a tight This is a tight
00:01:31
Speaker
sounder hard commentary that you didn't take look
Sounders' Recent Performance
00:01:42
Speaker
welcome to another episode of no a test sponsored by full pull wines and our subscribers We're recording on Wednesday, September 4th, 2024. I am your host, Jeremiah O'Shan. I am joined by my co-host, Aaron Campo, as well as our engineer, Lickett.
00:01:58
Speaker
Just as it seemed we were all getting ready to get excited about this season, the Sounders gave us a 1-2 punch of crappy results. The latest came on Saturday when they dropped a 1-0 decision to the Portland Timbers, a team that we were told could not defend for anything. Now they're looking at a game against a Columbus crew in a stretch run that is manageable, but still a bit daunting. As we look down the barrel of the seven game sprint to decision day, Aaron, what do you make of things?
00:02:23
Speaker
Yeah, it wasn't a it wasn't a great ah feeling at the end of that one, I would say. um you know Mark and I talked last week about whether or not the OpenCOP result had changed the way we felt about the Portland result, because a couple weeks ago when you and I recorded, I think that the consensus was Souders get past LAFC and in the final of the Open Cup, we don't care what happens in Portland. ah And you know Mark and I's consensus was, well, they didn't do that. So now they need to go win in Portland and and they didn't do that. And I think more than just not getting the result, not getting a win, not getting a point even,
00:03:01
Speaker
um to do it in a 1-0 is really, I think, disheartening. I don't think they played terribly. ah They did create some decent chances. Portland actually defended pretty pretty well, I think. But it was a reminder of the margins that this team is dealing with, where you know if if a team makes a couple of heroic defensive plays,
00:03:24
Speaker
Um, that, that can be enough to, that can be enough, keep you off the scoreboard. And I think, you know, against a team like Portland that has just been so terrible defensively. Um, it's just, it's, it kind of sends you back to the battle days a little bit. And I'm not saying we're back there. I think that there are a lot of caveats to this game. Um, you know, the Sounders played three games in a week. Um.
00:03:47
Speaker
You know, they've they've played a ton of games lately. um They did create good chances. Portland did get a lot of, I think, good luck in the game. The the goal they scored was off of deflection. I thought if there wast was a genuinely encouraging thing, it's that the Sounders did not really look bothered by the timbers in attack, and and the timbers are a legitimately very good attack and and attacking team.
00:04:10
Speaker
and they really didn't create a whole lot themselves, but I would have much rather lost that game three to two, I think, then than one nil. Yeah, I went back and rewatched the game. Live, I was really, really frustrated with not just the result, but what I felt like was a kind of feckless offensive performance. And I felt it was important for me to go through and watch the game again. And I will say,
00:04:40
Speaker
They were more dangerous on rewatch than I thought that they felt in real time. the you know the The numbers are not kind to them. I will admit that they didn't create a ton of ah great scoring chances. they did you know They weren't credited with a single big chance, which was the second game in a row that then had a big chance. That's obviously concerning.
00:05:06
Speaker
but they did create some genuine danger. And it's just that most of that danger came from either set pieces or guys getting beat on the, the Sounders beating guys on the dribble and then putting a sort of a ball into a dangerous
Key Players and Challenges
00:05:22
Speaker
space. Georgi Minungu was by far the sort of revelation in that in that sense. He was everything that the Timbers could have possibly had. I mean, it was, it was remarkable.
00:05:36
Speaker
how how good he looked coming off the dribble and he put some dangerous balls in so I wouldn't even criticize him for lacking the kind of final product that has been the knock against him.
00:05:47
Speaker
But yeah, it was at the end of the day, it was a 1-0 loss that felt just so similar to the way the season started in that there was a vague sense of danger, but no no end product, no nothing really there. And for the Sounders to drop two games in a row, 1-0, just it's it's a real slam you back down to earth kind of experience, I think.
00:06:14
Speaker
Yeah, it is because I think as as painful as the loss to LAFC was, as painful as as all those loss to LAFC have been, I think everybody has just kind of accepted that they're they're the bogey team and that the Sounders just aren't getting past them, right? right It's just, it's not going to happen this year. They're better. They're a bad matchup, all that, right? The Timbers are not, I don't think the Timbers are better. and and i And I think the Sounders have shown a lot of progress in the areas where they had concerns in this game. um And, you know, they they looked good against Minnesota. They looked good against the galaxy. They looked good. against po There have been all these things that I think really did have people mostly turned around and they've shown the ability to bounce back from those disappointing losses to LFC. And so to have this a game like this was
00:07:07
Speaker
I just just a big time let down. It's I don't think it's really the end of the world. I mean, it hurts in the table for sure. But I think it's a game they could afford to lose. It was, you know, if all things being equal.
Season Reflections and Expectations
00:07:19
Speaker
um Going up you know with our next one, being away to Columbus, um certainly that makes the timing less than ideal, I think, ah to you know to potentially drop two in a row. Although, who knows you know what they're going to do in Columbus. But yeah, it's just, it felt a lot worse than I think it realistically is.
00:07:45
Speaker
um But that matters, I think, at this point in the year. like they're this is a tea This is a season that has felt, the vibes have felt off from yeah jump, frankly. And it just doesn't seem like it was it was leveling up in that way. they you know they They were in the quarterfinals of the league's cup. They were in the semifinals of the US Open Cup. I don't know if anyone really thought they were going to win league's cup, but there was good feeling around the way they were playing. They beat a couple of good teams.
00:08:16
Speaker
You go, you know, you go out of the league's cup. Okay, whatever. You win that Minnesota game. You still have the open cup to play for that feels realistic. It feels like maybe this is where we can get over on LAFC. Even if we don't turn around the broad narrative around it, at least we can get, we have them where we want them. It's setting up well.
00:08:36
Speaker
we know what happens there. And then the Portland game, again, not a great team, but a team they had already beaten. It was a game that had potential to inject some life into this season. And they just, you know, they just didn't come through. And it does give me pause about where this season is going. I don't know how I don't know that I have ever looked at this team and thought, oh, they're an MLS Cup contender. But it's a little rough when you realize that's sort of what this season rests on in terms of it being a successful season. And for this to be the 50th anniversary season and us sitting here with seven games left to go, and it's like, it's really MLS Cup or bust.
00:09:21
Speaker
like yeah I don't know what they can do for the rest of the way short of getting to MLS Cup that's going to make this season feel anything less like they could win their last seven games, which would be great. Don't get me wrong. sure But I don't know that they if they win their last seven games and then they go out in the conference finals, I don't know that this season will feel successful.
00:09:48
Speaker
i No, I don't think so. I mean, I think it's one of those things where I think it it matters how you're defining your terms. And it's it' it's a totally subjective thing because my success is not your success is not anybody else's success. sure yeah For me, it's like a lot of it is, did I have a good time watching this team? yeah And the highs can make up for a lot of lows if they're high enough.
00:10:13
Speaker
But I don't see myself looking back on the season fondly unless they do anything like win, win MLS Cup. I just it's because it's going to feel like, well, yeah, I mean, they're kind of set up to play boring soccer that can be effective in in a playoff game. So it's not shocking they had to run in the playoffs, but I don't believe this team is a good soccer team. I didn't think the 2016 Sounders were a good soccer team, but winning the MLS Cup made up for a lot of that. Right.
00:10:40
Speaker
Um, so if they managed to do that again, Hey, great, I'm, I'm not gonna, I'm not going to complain. I'll look back on it very fondly, but I, I just, I don't think they're going to do that. I don't think that they have the the thing that made the difference in 2016 was Nico Ledero. And they do not have 2016, Nico Ledero. They just don't have that kind of guy who is going to take over games and will things to happen. And.
00:11:07
Speaker
I mean, if they meet LAFC in the playoffs, um I would, if I were a gambling man, I would bet my entire 401k on LAFC to win that game, ah which is probably what the Sounders would need to actually be able to beat them would be that karmic balance. But um yeah, I just, they're just kind of a nothing, meh, sort of team. Like they they have good players, they're not a bad soccer team. I still think they probably finish in the top four in the West.
00:11:36
Speaker
um I think on paper, there have been there have been worse Sounders teams for sure. um There have been equally boring or frustrating Sounders teams. um So I don't want to make it sound like this has like been the worst season ever by any stretch of the imagination. But I think for a year when there was a lot of, I think, excitement at the beginning of the year, there was a lot of potential with it being the 50th anniversary, everything pretty much that could have gone poorly has gone poorly off the field and on.
00:12:06
Speaker
And I think a lot of it was avoidable, you know, we've talked about it to death. And so I don't necessarily want to get into it, but it's just, it it really is nothing around the the team feels all that fun right now, except for Georgie more more or less. Yeah. I mean, Jordan, Hey, you know, we'll, we'll talk about that in a second. Uh, I do want to just.
00:12:29
Speaker
it It feels worth repeating that this season is starting to feel much more like a bridge to something. It's either a bridge to a new era of lowered expectations or it's sort of a bridge to the next hopefully positive era, but they this feels like a transition. It feels like a transition year and it did not seem like it had to be that way.
Team Strategy and Future Direction
00:12:55
Speaker
like There was a way to set this season up in a way where even if there was a lot of turnover, it was a
00:13:04
Speaker
it felt good about closing the book. you know I just recently found out that Brian Schmetzer is going to be out of contract in the end of the year. I don't know what that means. It's entirely possible he'll be re-signed and he'll be back. But that's just another piece another big piece of this team that We don't know we don't know what's what's next with it. And this offseason is, I don't think it's hyperbolic at all to say that regardless of how the rest of this season goes, the offseason is going to tell us just a whole lot about where this is going
00:13:42
Speaker
what, you know, what, what the Sounders even want to be. Yeah. It's like, it's hard to overstate how big this offseason is going to is. And they can't afford to just wait until the summer and ask everyone to trust them. I think what really has to happen this offseason is the Sounders need to come out with a really clear plan ah about right what what are we doing? what what are Where are we trying to go? What are we trying to be? are we Are the sounders now a developmental team? Are they a team that expects to win trophies? What what are they and how are we getting there? Go ahead. Yeah, I mean, I was just going to say that you know i I maintain the position that
00:14:35
Speaker
I have a lot of frustration with the way the front office seems to be approaching things, with the way ownership seems to be approaching things. But their frustrations, I think, i'm I'm coming to the opinion that there are frustrations that I've had for a long time with the way the sounders process works, and it's just been sort of... exacerbated. Maybe it's gotten worse, um but i I do think a lot of it is circumstantial. just The Sounders have never really been in a position where they had multiple club legends sort of falling off a cliff at the end of a super successful era.
00:15:08
Speaker
blah bla Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I feel like the most likely outcome is the Sounders come out, they make at least two major signings in the offseason. They make some other changes. you know They maybe move some players around. um They make some some difficult decisions, some painful decisions. And then they you know, go out and make another major signing in the in the during the summer window. That's kind of the impression that Craig Weible gave the team. And by major signings, you know, I mean like a major signing. I mean a Raul Ruedia's Nico Ledero caliber signing ah adjusted for the comment the or the modern MLS era, right?
00:15:47
Speaker
I think that that's what they're going to do. And I don't necessarily blame other people for being skeptical of that. I think some of the skepticism goes beyond skepticism into cynicism, doomerism, where people are saying they're not going to sign anybody in the off season. You know, they're going to pretend like they tried, then maybe they'll sign somebody during the summer. I don't think that's a reasonable position to take. um But if they don't deliver,
00:16:15
Speaker
or get close to those expectations, it's going to fundamentally change the way I feel about the club and about ownership and about what I think the right next steps for the club are and for ownership are um in a way that will fundamentally change, I think, my relationship with the club um and how I feel about the club as a fan.
Fan Engagement and Club Decisions
00:16:36
Speaker
And um i really don't I really don't want that to happen. I mean, the Sounders have been a constant in my life for a long time now through good times and bad.
00:16:44
Speaker
And the highs have far outweighed the lows. And to have that relate the nature of that relationship change so dramatically, where I just don't feel like I can trust them to compete anymore, to do what they need to do to be competitive, would feel really, really bad. And it's just not you know I've already lived through that with the Mariners. I don't really want to want to do it again. And ah you know there was a time in my life where the Mariners were as big a deal, if not bigger deal, to me than the Sounders.
00:17:11
Speaker
And that changed when they stopped doing what they needed to do to be competitive despite having the resources to do it. And I don't want the sounders. I don't want that to happen to the sounders. And I and i will say for sure that.
00:17:24
Speaker
Even if they try to get signings over the line and they're willing to spend and they're committed to doing it and they don't do it, it's not going to be that much better because you can't say, well, you know, I'm willing to accept Craig saying, look, we had a budget we had to work with. We weren't willing to add players just for the sake of adding them. So we thought it was better not to do anything.
00:17:46
Speaker
I don't necessarily think that's the right approach, but I can understand it in the context of that window. That's not going to fly in the offseason. No, it's it is not going to fly. So you have to you have to deliver. You just you have to. And yeah, it's ah it's a big offseason. I think it's pretty hard to deny that it's the biggest offseason the club's ever had. Thank you for listening to the Sound Rithart podcast network, which now includes no sunny at this lobbying, scorchers and the cooler guild.
00:18:16
Speaker
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00:18:34
Speaker
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00:18:59
Speaker
Yeah, I, you know, I look back at the other seasons that we would maybe put in this category, I would probably put 2013 in a similar category, probably put 2015 in a similar category, where they were seasons that had promise, but ultimately nothing to show for it.
00:19:20
Speaker
I guess maybe even last year you could you can put in that. The other thing that is tough is I don't know that they've ever had back to back seasons where it felt like they there was no real progress. like right I guess last year you could argue there was progress in a very specific way of figuring out a way to play. yeah like I do think they made some progress in terms of finding a style.
00:19:47
Speaker
And I guess to some degree, they've they've maintained that. But yeah there was no there was no trophies. They didn't they they didn't win the cat even the Cascadia Cup. They made the playoffs. They were competitive. I think we we insisted all year that they were a team that was on its day as good as anyone in the West last year. But it was also you know fairly pointed out that it was a down a down year for the West.
00:20:14
Speaker
And this year has been, it's not that there's been no positive moments. They've looked like a decent team for months, which is great. like it's been They've had some fun games at home, which I think is something that we had begged to happen again. For sure. like yeah i don't want I don't want to make it sound like this has been a ah ah horrible year from head to tail, but it's not a program There's not been real progress. And this was the 50th anniversary year. I think it's worth remembering. There was a lot of hype and attention that went into this being the 50th anniversary season. And that has fallen pretty flat for the most part. I don't know that there has been a a single moment this year where the 50th anniversary felt really big and
00:21:04
Speaker
and inclusive and celebratory. like i don't I don't know that we ever got that really this year. It's been an afterthought. It's it's been so poorly handled. It was so hyped up. They they came out with all this 50th anniversary merch. They had a new brand identity. it We were promised that it was going to be a big deal and it never was. No, it never was.
00:21:28
Speaker
that it that is That's the thing. yeah that's that's That's not the whims of of matches. This is stuff where people in the front office can literally pull levers. And I am sure, I know that they've had some events for, you know, like the rave Gala. i I wasn't there from everything I heard. It was great. But that's like,
00:21:54
Speaker
those are barely even season, there are some season negative holders are, but that's not even an event for us. That's, that's where that's like beyond the average fan. That's not something that the average fan is engaging in. It's, it's, you know, so there has been a few things like that, I suppose. But in terms of like,
00:22:12
Speaker
things that the average season ticket holder, let alone the average fan can like touch and feel and and and have a sense of connection with the club. i don't I don't know that there's been anything like that. I mean, you look at the Ring of Honor, which could have been which should have been this huge deal.
00:22:30
Speaker
and Instead, it ended up being a like a banner that you go print at Kinko's or whatever. yeah and And it does look better down. They have it on it. it's There's an LED board. a good Why not wait to unveil it until then? Why did you do it? it's Because this is stuff that they used to be good at. Right.
00:22:55
Speaker
And that's that's the thing that's so baffling to me is it's just like you used to be good at creating a good game day atmosphere. You used to be good about marketing. You used to be good at putting aside the the fact that they used to be good on the field, too. Right. There's all this stuff they've always been good at. And I know that they notice that attendance is bad relative to what we've come to expect. Yeah. I know that they know that the the results aren't good enough. I you know. i know they heard the boos at full-time against LAFC at Starfire. They're aware of this stuff. And the fact that they don't seem really that all that committed to fixing any of it is just is is crazy to me. It's absolutely baffling to me.
00:23:44
Speaker
And I know there's a lot, there's a lot of problems that you say you can't just throw
Upcoming Transfers and Offseason Plans
00:23:50
Speaker
money at it. It's, it's this, this is a little bit like you could throw money at it. Like yeah if you just come out and say, we have a $20 million dollars transfer budget or whatever, but maybe that $20 million, dollars but we have $20 million dollars to go out and sign new players.
00:24:06
Speaker
God, that would get, that would turn things around, right? That would at least give people hope that, like, and I feel like that's kind of what they have. They're at the point now, you know, in 2018, Garth talked about, you know, we were at a ah real low point in the summer of 2018. I don't know how many people remember this, but 2018 was pacing to be a all time epic failure of a season. It was awful.
00:24:34
Speaker
And at one point, right before the transfer window opened, Garth came out and said, effectively, we are going to have a eight figure budget to go and find ah another designated player. And of course he delivered. That was right. yeah that was when they There were for sure people who said he was lying.
00:24:56
Speaker
For sure, yeah, there were absolutely- Oh, like a not insignificant amount of them. Yeah, that is absolutely true. But it created the sense of, like, what's going to happen? We got to go do something here. And I almost think we were at the point now where the sounders have to sort of go out and do that. And I don't frankly know if they have a budget yet for... Actually, I'm pretty sure they don't have a transfer.
00:25:23
Speaker
are how much money they have to spend yeah which is that's a concern now yeah the expectations there going to be real money that they're going to go out and make a big signing they have money in the budget how muck is obviously a big variable because if all you have is let's just say five million dollars and and you that's all in five million dollars call it okay so maybe you can only go out and sign a free or something that's one kind of player
00:25:55
Speaker
if you have $10 million dollars to go on, that's a whole different kind of player, right? And so these are the things they they probably need to work out before they get too far down this thing. I don't know. It's... And if if you only have the budget to go sign a free, then we're not getting shit until the summer.
00:26:11
Speaker
Maybe. I mean, that's possible. and But these are the things they need to come out and say, right? like They need to be really clear about what the... And i' and i got I'll be clear. I don't know that that's the... I i don't i don't know that. right i'm I'm just throwing things out there. But that would be something that they need to say. They need to go out and set the expectation. yeah We have money for a...
00:26:37
Speaker
You know, we don't have a transfer budget right now, but we do or whatever. We have $5 million dollars to sign players. We have 10 million. We have whatever. Like right the the best thing that Garth did at Atlanta this last year in a way was to say, Hey, we have $50 million. dollars They didn't spend all that, admittedly, and people are really mad. But I do think that you're being honest with your fans. I think there's got to be some level of appreciation. Of course, then he went out and fired Carl's book. at I mean, these are the stakes, right? These are what happens with you. Yeah, because he made he he basically he didn't come out and say we're going to spend 50 million dollars, but he certainly implied they were going to spend a big chunk of it. And then the guy in charge of spending it didn't get it done.
00:27:17
Speaker
Right. Yeah. And then so you you should have gotten fired. You know, but like if Craig Weibel has a significant amount of money to spend the summer. And I think we've both been pretty staunch defenders of his that he should at least have the chance to show what he can do. If he can't deliver. He probably shouldn't be around anymore. What if they don't have it if he doesn't have the faith of like it's also possible.
00:27:45
Speaker
that Adrian just doesn't want to give him the money to spend because he doesn't have faith. like This is possible. sure Then what Adrian has to do is hire someone he trusts. This is not a way to operate a team. Right. Adrian used to be the GM.
00:28:05
Speaker
He could go back to being the GM if he wants to. I don't think anybody wants that. I don't think Adrian wants that. I don't want that. yeah Like, I don't think anybody wants that. right But he either needs to do it or let the guy who he hired to do it do it. Or find somebody else that can work as that intermediary.
00:28:22
Speaker
to you know to be able to to advocate for Craig, whatever it is. But you got to get something done. And and i I agree with you. like I think it's a major red flag if they can't go out and buy a player in the in the winter.
00:28:38
Speaker
um because they chose not to do it when the free agents were available. The good ones this summer, they chose not to do it and they chose not to make. it So you need to be able to deliver in the winter, but I would rather have that expectation set of like, look, we're probably not going to be able to make a transfer until next summer, or we're not going to be able to you know pay DP money until next summer. So we're going to make some TAM signings, whatever. We're going to improve the roster, but the big improvement will come next summer. I think that sucks, but you're setting the expectations.
00:29:07
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It sucks. Like, I'm not going to be here to sit here and act like I'm going to be thrilled with it. But if they really believe they can sort of, I mean, then there's like, there is a different kind of pressure. It's like, well, then you need to be able to put out a roster that is, but that can actually muddle through the first two thirds of the season. yeah Which they don't, they don't have right now.
00:29:35
Speaker
they they say straight up They don't have based on who's leaving, that's for sure. yeah yeah like they They're playing in the Club World Cup. Do you care about the Club World Cup? No, I agree with you. They they can't afford... they yeah yeah they can't They can't go into the Club World Cup or the roster they have today, minus a few players that are ah going to be leaving, presumably, this offseason. Starting, it feels to me, and by going out and making big signings in the winter, they could totally change this perception. It feels to me like when Adrian commits to spending the money and when it's time to spend the money,
00:30:17
Speaker
He always makes the funds available, and they tend to knock the signings out of the park. They hit on their big DP signings, and I think that that's commendable. And I think to some degree, the conservative approach is responsible for that. But I also think that, and this is just perception based on the way these things have gone in the past and are going now,
00:30:37
Speaker
that the organizational philosophy is we have our long-term spending strategy on when we're going to replace our DPs, when we're going to make our big signings, and we're not going to deviate from that, whether it's the 50th anniversary, whether we're playing in the Club World Cup, whatever. This is our strategy. this is our These are our long-term goals. And it just doesn't seem like they're willing to pivot for that from from that, which I just think is really short-sighted. I agree. ah So before we get out of here, we're already doing a little bit of a shorter episode.
00:31:06
Speaker
Let's do a quick look ahead to this game and maybe the...
00:31:14
Speaker
You know, the crew are going to be missing seven players for this game. They're missing six of those players are starters. And then the seventh player is their backup goalkeeper. So they're missing their top two goalkeepers and and five starting outfield players. This is going to be now, I will say the crew have the depth to still be very competitive in this game. Diego Rossi is going to be on this team.
00:31:44
Speaker
Uh, uh, Ramirez is still their goal. There is probably going to be starting at forward. Uh, Nagby is here. You know, they've got, they've got players, right? This is not, this is, and by the way, it wasn't so different when the crew faced the Sounders in the, uh, in MLS Cup of 2020. And we all know what happened. I don't want to go, I'm not going to, I'm not going to bring that juju in here. What am I talking about? Sounders will be missing two players. They're going to be out without NuWho. They're also going to be with Obed Vargas.
00:32:12
Speaker
What's your expectation for this game? And does, because I would imagine before you knew they had seven players, you were like, whatever, they they're not going to win this game. but ah right do I mean, I this the sounders that the sounders are a weird enough team that I don't I'm never gonna say I feel confident that I that i know it's gonna happen. But yeah yeah, I definitely think that the um the circumstances of the game make me feel, you know, a little better about it, um you know, than being without so many players second us back in.
00:32:50
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's, that's what they do. Um, that the crew, you know, we've talked about how terrible a matchup LAFC are for the sounders. I think the crew, even though they have a lot of similarities to LAFC or a better matchup for the sounders, i agree um, my doctor say is more is less likely to frustrate. that I mean, the centers might get beaten to the ground, don't be wrong, but I don't think it's going to be a, it it will it'll be a different kind of situation.
00:33:20
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the crews the crew do have the best defense in in the league, and I think that that is a huge factor, you know, that gives me
Next Match Preview and Predictions
00:33:30
Speaker
pause. um and And I think that their defense is as good as it is. Obviously, the players are a huge part of it. Players are always the most important factor, but I think organizationally and systemically, they're just really hard to score on.
00:33:44
Speaker
Similar to how branch metzer teams are always hard to score on no matter who's who's there. I think that the crew were are the same way um And so I think really the more realistic hope is a point from this game But I think a point in Columbus feels great and I don't I don't care how many people are missing yeah um you know, they they have lost one game at home this year and I would I think it's crazy to expect the Sounders to hand them their second loss. um But I do think a point is is totally doable here. I think it has the potential to be one of the most boring games you've ever seen in your life. it kind of that That Atlanta game, the the notorious Atlanta game, ah that was the nil-nil. I don't even remember when that was somehow. twenty Was it 2021?
00:34:28
Speaker
um I don't know. The Sounders in Atlanta had a nil-nil. Oh, that was 2019, I believe. 2019? That's right. Anyway, was it? No, 2018 was the year. Yeah, it was 2018. That was through ideas was, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was great. And it was because it was after the World Cup final, I think, right? And so people are like, oh, you're going to go from watching the best soccer in the world to then you have to watch that.
00:34:58
Speaker
I think it could be a game like that, potentially. um Or it could not. Who knows? Who knows? The Sounders have surprised us so many times this year. um They are legitimately good on set pieces now, which is always a wild card in games like these. If they can get a goal from a set piece,
00:35:16
Speaker
early enough, I trust their ability to to weather the storm you know and at least ride it to ah to a 1-1 or something. I don't know. I genuinely have no idea what to expect. um I don't either. Yeah. A win would be... It would make me feel so much better about the the loss in Portland. I wouldn't feel great about it, but it would I would feel much better.
00:35:38
Speaker
um but I think most likely we're gonna have to wait until, um you know, for for a couple couple of weeks before we can really feel all that great about things. Yeah, yeah, I would agree with that. ah And, you know, I don't know, I... think Let's put it this way. If we think the Sounders have any chance of winning MLS Cup, which right now I don't give us a great chance of doing, they probably need to figure out a way to get a result on the road against the crew when they are missing seven players. Because I guarantee if they were to play an MLS Cup, it would be at least this tough of was a matchup.
00:36:17
Speaker
Yeah, i think that's I think that's fair to say. They're going to have to beat a team as good as the crew minus seven players yeah in the playoffs. But I think getting a point getting a point from this game and then going into you know three straight games at home against the beatable opponents, and really the rest of the season, I think after this game, the toughest game left is Colorado and Colorado, and the Sounders historically have been pretty good in Colorado, um and I think Colorado are not as good as maybe their record would indicate. Um, but you know, the sounders have only beaten a team above them in the table on a technicality at this point. So, um, it's, who knows, who knows. I really want to believe that's just kind of a fluky thing, but it's getting tough to, it's getting tougher and tougher to to maintain that position, I guess. Yeah. Yep. Well.
00:37:11
Speaker
That's probably a good place to call this. ah Aaron, thank you, of course, for... doing this. I don't know why I say that at the end of the show. Why do I say that? Thank you. You're doing the show. It's a nice thing to share. This is your show. Thank you to our sponsor. It's so nice of you to say it. Yeah. Full print lines. Thanks to Likit for producing this thing. Let us know how it sounds, because we are using a new software to record. So if you have any feedback about the way it sounds, I'd be curious to hear what that might be. Absolutely.
00:37:43
Speaker
So, all that said, I'm Jeremiah O'Shan, signing off for An Campo. This is No Study Yet This. Remember, you'll never get alone.
00:38:29
Speaker
on