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Kickoff: Can Seattle Sounders get on track with another MASSIVE Cascadia derby?
1.1k Plays28 days ago
It was another blown lead for the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field in Matchday 37's Cascadia clash with the Vancouver Whitecaps. With another rivalry clash on the docket vs. the Portland Timbers this weekend, can the Rave Green snap out of their winless run since the Leagues Cup final? Or will the post-tournament hangover continue to hamper their postseason seeding aspirations?
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Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Introduction and Show 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.
Hosts and Episode Focus
00:00:44
Speaker
Good morning, everybody. Welcome in to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. I'm Ari. That's Nico. We got a big show for you all planned here this
Seattle Sounders vs Vancouver Whitecaps
00:00:54
Speaker
morning. We're going to be talking some Seattle Sounders, another blown lead, and a couple more injuries to to talk about against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
00:01:03
Speaker
We'll be previewing their next match, which is another Cascadia Derby against the Portland Timbys. And maybe a couple other headlines from the scores around Major League Soccer. ah Nico, thanks for hopping on this morning.
00:01:15
Speaker
As always, how are you doing after a 2-2 draw against ah against the Vancouver Whitecaps that also saw Alex Roldan and Yamar exit early with injuries? Yeah, it was... um A difficult one to decipher in general senses. I have mixed feelings, like Brian said about this whole game, right?
00:01:38
Speaker
When it comes to the draw, I kind of felt like that was ah in my book a a a a ah good result, right? um I know that you're at home.
00:01:49
Speaker
I know that everybody wants to win. But ah to me, this was a a game that essentially I had as ah as a draw after Friday and going over the players that would be coming back for Vancouver Whitecaps, kind of ah how they, ah in their stylistic plays, they kind of countered each other a little bit.
00:02:10
Speaker
i she thought it was going to be a 1-1. But in terms of the play, i mean... it it was really hard to kind of break it down. I watched it again last night, ah second time, because the first half is almost a wash because there was so much.
00:02:28
Speaker
The two injuries as early as they were both, ah you know, before the 15 minute mark, they leave the team very disjointed in Seattle has a real hard time with just even basic passing patterns, you know, getting to certain balls.
00:02:44
Speaker
I thought that there were, A little bit lucky to not concede a goal in those first 45. And that's credit to Steph. It's credit to Christian Roldan that, you know, he he was a boss out there. he was probably the the most effective guy defensively ah in that midfield, you know, just picking up so many balls, just closing down on so many players.
00:03:06
Speaker
um It was nice to see Jordan back as a starter. I did not have that in my notes, to be quite frank. I was a little bit surprised that um it was Jordan who got the go in this one.
00:03:21
Speaker
I was even surprised surprised to hear from Brian that he was going to leave him longer, that that, you know, if it wasn't because he had to ah make a substitution there at halftime, he was planning to leave Jordan Morris a little bit longer.
00:03:38
Speaker
So, ah look, I think that the team responded to the moments. ah It was without a doubt a difficult game when your best center back and kind of the lead, know,
00:03:49
Speaker
defender ah center back for that that, that backing group goes out. When Alex Rodan, a guy that this year has been so important for ah getting forward, his overloads, the the type of offense he provides, the services in the box.
00:04:05
Speaker
And as much as Kalani has done well when he came on, I've always said that you do lack a little bit of that service. You lack a little bit of that ah pedigree of of just certain moments, certain decision-making ah part of of what Alex Rodman does for this team.
00:04:20
Speaker
um But I thought that they responded well to getting scored on, on once again, a an easy turnover. i think that is credit to Andres Kubas, the kind of,
00:04:34
Speaker
Surprises Burnell, and I don't think he expected him to be to close him down that quickly. ah He
Sounders' Tactical Adjustments and Performances
00:04:41
Speaker
gives up the ball. He thinks maybe there's a foul. The back line's a little bit out of swords.
00:04:47
Speaker
Jackson's on the wrong side of the ball. ah So he's a very easy through ball for Thomas Mueller to just play in Brian White, who had just came into the game, and he puts it away, right? So I thought that that moment could have created ah ripple effect to just take the team down, but the response was almost immediate, and and and it was great. The fact that Jackson Reagan gets that boss of a header on a good set piece. We've talked about how Seattle needs to be better in set pieces, so that part is good.
00:05:17
Speaker
And then the second goal was a very Seattle sounder-type goal of goal where Paul Rothrock, you got to give him credit for the way he just attacks space. A lot of times he had taxes us in space with the ball.
00:05:30
Speaker
ah Just so much energy sees Jesus making a very good run. Jesus picks it up well, makes the cutback pass and you go up to one. Right. So I think that there were a lot of good moments in this game.
00:05:44
Speaker
ah So the mixed feelings are a little bit in terms of just the injuries and what those may mean for the near future and and even further, further than that. Folks, before we before we keep rolling here this morning, if everyone, everyone who's watching could please like the video, sub to the channel and follow us on Instagram and TikTok, that would be much appreciated.
00:06:10
Speaker
um Yeah, like ah for me watching this game, Nico, I'm kind of looking at the level of footy over results at this point.
00:06:24
Speaker
Finishing in the top four feels kind of like a ah ah tall order. But there was some good stuff in this game. I really like i really liked the sequence after Vancouver scored the the first goal. The response was really good. They do get two goals.
00:06:40
Speaker
It was good to see Albert Rusnak back out there. He gets a goal and an assist. Like you mentioned, the assist comes off the the set piece. But it just there's still the feeling, I think, especially with these injuries.
00:06:51
Speaker
doesn't it just kind of Isn't there sort of a prevailing feeling in right now? that the How do I put this? The fuel tank does not have a lot of gas in it, just ah just in general. Like, I think we were watching kind of two teams, frankly, that were afflicted by that. Vancouver's, they have had a hangover issue of their own this year, dating back to their run in CONCACAF Champions Cup.
00:07:14
Speaker
they kind of come out of it They kind of came out of it, but it took them a while. It took them most of the middle part of the season to kind of get back it close to the level that they were at earlier in the season. It also took them signing Thomas Mueller to ah kind of give them a boost and stuff.
00:07:29
Speaker
ah Seattle, I mean, it's not hangover watch at this point. This team has been hungover since Leagues Cup. It's self-admitted. at this point and when you see two more guys go down with muscle injuries in the first like 10 minutes of the game it just kind of underscores that even more but at the same time you know ah you got guys coming back in albert rusnak and jordan morris who they shouldn't be hung over they weren't playing in uh league's cup rusnak didn't look hung over jordan looks like he's still working his fitness and his sharpness back up uh but he shouldn't be hung over in the uh
00:08:04
Speaker
in the way that maybe the rest of the guys on the team are. Snyder Brunel, who had the first giveaway on that first goal, he shouldn't be hungover. He just started just started playing just now. So there's some some of the bad stuff that happened in this game, I guess. What I'm saying is it it's kind of stayed with themes that we've seen this year in terms of the footy and attack being at a pretty good level, but then just the goals that they're they're taking are ill-timed and unnecessary and costing them points.
00:08:33
Speaker
And I mean, it's just, it's unfortunate because based on the level of footy this year, I feel pretty strongly that they should be in the top four home field advantage in the playoffs.
00:08:44
Speaker
They should at least be in a, in better position for that than they are now. But if you just look at the table and how l LAFC is doing, and just how the top four is kind of taking shape.
00:08:55
Speaker
This team's not going to have home field advantage in the playoffs this year in all likelihood. ah But I've kind of come to a place, Nico, where home field advantage, take it or leave it. Playoffs, it's going to be tough.
00:09:07
Speaker
Either way, it was always going to be tough either way, contending with trying to play at the requisite level for playoff success while having just done this really long, really draining physically and emotionally draining League's Cup run.
00:09:23
Speaker
So that's a that's kind of where I'm at right now. But again, it just... Like seeing those injuries. I'm like, this team looks like it's just a little out of gas right now. Do you, do you get the same sense or do you feel like it's more that these are afflictions that would have happened regardless of the league's cup run?
Challenges and Positive Moments for Sounders
00:09:44
Speaker
No, there's definitely physical fatigue ah that that that is noticeable, that is undeniable. ah the I think that this also kind of falls in perfect storm of things as well, because, know,
00:10:00
Speaker
You have some absences because of the international turnaround, right? Not having an Obed. I mean, you miss them like ah plants miss water. I mean, it was one of those games that, you know, as much as Burnell is a very high Q player and ah he does things well, he just can't replicate a lot of the things that Obed does specifically on the ball. You know, I think that, know,
00:10:29
Speaker
Ovid has done such a good job at growing into this additional attacker out of that midfield and in a player that with the ball breaks lines consistently, dribbling through, making himself available, ah making those runs inside the 18 when he needs to, ah being a goal scorer for this team.
00:10:47
Speaker
ah And that's just not necessarily Brunel's attributes That's not necessarily what he brings to the table. And and you miss that consistently, ah especially in a game like this one, where once again, Vancouver is a very good team. Vancouver could easily be the best team in the West when it's all said and done ah in terms of the table, in terms of what they've been able to do or the entirety of the season.
00:11:10
Speaker
ah You know, they're still in the shield race. I mean this is a team that ah has been excellent. Right. And that's why I don't have such a hard time with, with the result per se is just kind of how it happened and all of the additional things to it. Because to what you mentioned, the Sounders lost their opportunity to host in Against L.A. at home, right? and And against teams that are not better than they are. Those are the games that you wish you would have back. That L.A. game, that Austin game you should have had.
00:11:41
Speaker
The Miami game. colorado The Colorado game, the Charlotte game, the Atlanta game. You can go down the list of the games that they – could have they could have If they had just maintained a few of those points, this result wouldn't have hurt their drive for top four that much.
00:11:58
Speaker
Yeah, because this is a great team. Jasper Soros is such a good coach. He set the team up very well against the Sounders. And again, those the first 45 is a wash because of the injuries, but either of, you could tell that Jasper wanted more out of that team to just get a goal in the first 45 because he set it up perfectly.
00:12:18
Speaker
um obviously ah when he brings in Jaden Daniel and he brings in Berhalter, the team gets another boost as well. And Seattle did well. I mean, they, they, they managed that well. Jaden Nelson's a player that is so shifty, so quick, so explosive.
00:12:35
Speaker
I was surprised that not, not surprised. I was, ah I was impressed by how Seattle handled he him entering into the game and Berhalter entering into the game. So,
00:12:48
Speaker
That's why it's so so many different feelings, right? Because there is um a little bit of a sense in moments of that game that you saw the the old Sounders.
00:13:01
Speaker
I don't want to call the old Sounders, but the Sounders that have been so impressive so many times, right, this year. Yeah. Right. They they they had the right ah attitude. They had the the the but intensity.
00:13:11
Speaker
ah They ah connected well. They moved excellent on on the field. But those moments just need to be 90 minute game for you to be a real contender in the West.
00:13:22
Speaker
Yeah, I guess if there's a positive from these last two games, first against Austin and then against Vancouver, it's that there have been, i would be i would be more concerned if there was just no semblance of the team that we saw earlier this year and in Leagues Cup. But you really have, ah you've seen sequences of it. It just hasn't been consistent, like you mentioned. I thought the i thought the whole period of the game after Brian White's opening goal was really good.
00:13:52
Speaker
Like when you, sometimes you're going to get scored on first and it's about how you respond in those situations. I thought the response was great. They get a set piece goal. was good to see Jackson Reagan get on the score sheet.
00:14:03
Speaker
We talked about how we want to see him contribute more in that area of the game. So to see him get up in the box, win his header and score was, was great. The delivery from Rusnak was great. So that was a good encouraging goal to see.
00:14:16
Speaker
I really liked the, ah the second goal was, was a fun, fun little moment. Rusnak scoring in his and his return. I guess first start back.
00:14:28
Speaker
ah He had played before, right? Yeah. But it's his first start back. He gets a goal. He was pumped up. So that that's all ah that's all well and good. But, i I mean, I don't know. I was talking about in the postgame. But, like, when they went up a goal, was there any part of you that was like, they're going to hold his lead? Like, I don't think anyone felt like they were going to hold the lead.
00:14:46
Speaker
No, I didn't. Yeah, like, that's kind of –
00:14:51
Speaker
I think, uh, to have any success in the playoffs, you gotta be able to, when you go up a goal, have, have confidence and have the belief that you're going to be able to hold the lead. Uh, it's just been an issue with this team all season. And I would say historically, one thing that I've appreciated about the Brian Schmetzer Sounders, uh, in his overall tenure as the head coach of this team is that his teams normally do have like a lot of mental fortitude in those situations. And they're pretty good about like, if they have one goal lead in the second half, uh,
00:15:22
Speaker
they can see it out and maintain the lead in a way that they just that this this year in pretty much every scenario outside of leagues cup where it's like why can't you guys just play like that all the time in leagues cup when they went up i was like all right it's dusted i guess you have to put them in a tournament for them to uh to feel confident that they're going to hold the lead.
00:15:41
Speaker
But ah it was just like, as soon as the, yeah as soon as Vancouver's equalizer went in, it was like, yep, I mean, that was, that was coming. We all knew it was going to happen. So let's just get it out of the way. they're not going to lose the game, but it would have been too much to ask for them to hold out the 2-1. But there was some good stuff.
00:15:58
Speaker
ah yeah I didn't expect Laborda to just beast Jackson like that It was kind of back and forth, right? Because Jackson dunks on Laborda first yeah for the For the first goal And then Laborda kind of does it back ah But not ideal at all, right? The the the guy that's 6'6 should not be ah allowing that to happen necessarily I think he got caught a little flat-footed It was a good header No, it's a good header. No, for sure. It's the position and that I have an issue with. I feel like he should have never been able to get
Tactical Experiments and Player Involvement
00:16:28
Speaker
there.
00:16:28
Speaker
ah But, again, you're absolutely right in terms that that we are seeing, like, small parts of of what makes this team great. Now, there are things that i don't know how much I love. um I understand that – um there were two substitutions that you were not planning for early in that. Oh yeah. Let's talk about this. Let's talk about this.
00:16:55
Speaker
But yeah, go for Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. But, but for me, I thought that this game would have been, um, he could have used Pedro de la Vega. And Brian ups out for playing a 4-4-2 that i don't I don't particularly love. I don't i think that there wasn't a lot of effectiveness now – what Brian said, it was very short-lived. There wasn't ah enough time to really see what the 4-4-2 looks like.
00:17:28
Speaker
But to me, the idea of taking out any of the talented midfielders or wingers to bring in a second striker, regardless of who that is, doesn't sit well with me. Like taking out Paul or Ferreira or pushing back Albert a line a little bit farther from goal,
00:17:48
Speaker
ah to bring in a guy like Osase, I just feel like having another creator, another guy 1v1 that's going to come in and take advantage of tired legs would have been...
00:18:00
Speaker
in some ways more influential than when Osase came on to the field ah because you are ah depending on on services that are not really coming in ah You are depending on him, ah you know, getting back and maybe being pivoting and helping out with a little bit of that holdout play. But this game didn't necessarily call for it.
00:18:20
Speaker
mean, you're hoping that he gets on a header, I'm guessing, and and and that could be a thing. ah But b Brian said he's going to continue to roll the 4-4-2, and I don't love it. Ari, I don't know about you, but I just don't know if that's the way I would chase a game.
00:18:34
Speaker
In this one particularly, like I said, I think bringing in Pedro ah you know would have been more interesting than what we saw out of Osas coming in. All right. Yeah. Well, let's let's let's talk about De La Vega.
00:18:47
Speaker
What's going on with him, Nico? I don't understand. he's He's been not playing. He hasn't been playing in the games. And to the best I can tell, that's because of this knee tendonitis issue that he's been having.
00:19:01
Speaker
But he's been training. ah You've been out at training. You and J.O. have both been watching him train. And apparently he looks great. He looks like he has all season. And then you get to game day and he's in the match day squad. and You're like, oh, okay. All right. Pedro de la Viga. going to watch him play some soccer today. Let's go.
00:19:17
Speaker
And then they play the games and then he doesn't play at all. And they haven't taken very good results in that time. And it's hard not to watch that and be like, well,
00:19:28
Speaker
If your $7 million dollars designated player was who's been one of the best players in the league for lot lengthy portions portions of the season, and MVP of Leagues Cup, that might help the situation.
00:19:40
Speaker
i think the level offensively has been has been good the last couple of games, but they three goals in that time. Maybe you have more if ah if you have De La Vega playing. But then I think you asked Schmetz about it after the game and ah his, I just didn't understand his answer. He was saying that ah the reason that he didn't bring De La Vega in was because of the two, two first half injuries, like changed his substitution patterns.
00:20:07
Speaker
And then he kind of just said that, like, it was like, well, yeah, we had the two injuries early, so I couldn't bring him in. And I was like, oh, okay. I mean, yeah, that's his answer. And then I was just sitting there thinking about it. i was like, that, you could have still brought him in. Like if, like, what, why would that preclude, why would that preclude you from bringing him in the game? Because you had two guys go out early. You brought Moose in the game. You brought Osaze in the game.
00:20:28
Speaker
what Like, what is the connection between those injuries and substitutions? And then specifically not bringing De La Vega on when you brought two other attacking players on, I just, don't um am I missing something there? Like, no why, why, it like, why isn't, why, what is the relationship between those two things?
00:20:46
Speaker
And then also, why isn't why isn't he playing? Is it just because of the tendonitis and they don't want to risk it? But then why is he in the matchday squad? What's going on, Nico, with De La Vega? Tell us what's going on.
00:20:56
Speaker
ah Look, honestly, we everything that we continue to ask leads us to not be concerned about him physically, that ah for all accounts, he should be able to play.
00:21:10
Speaker
But we see, as you mentioned, that inactivity is is clear. And i you you can make all kinds of, not excuses, but you can give me reasoning behind it. In this one, I didn't ask.
00:21:23
Speaker
I ended asking about the 4-4-2 at the end just because I knew that that's what he was going to answer. If I asked, well, why didn't you bring him in regardless of? i think he wanted to see this 4-4-2. He wants to continue to see it out.
00:21:36
Speaker
And that's why he opts out. from instead of bringing in Pedro, he brings in Osas. So that's why I kind of talked about, i just don't know if that's effective. I don't know if that's the best use of this team's strength. to To me, the strength of this team are those wingers, are that midfield, are those creative players and not necessarily, you know, bringing in and playing with two strikers. I just,
00:22:05
Speaker
I don't, I don't see it working as well as he does. And obviously he's the coach and obviously he sees things that I don't, ah but, in the, I don't know, 10 minutes, you call it, that that then it was out there.
00:22:17
Speaker
I didn't think looked particularly great. Again, ah there was two things that I had an issue with. ah It was how late the the the last two subs came on. I mean, it was the 82nd minute that that that you brought those guys on.
00:22:31
Speaker
But obviously you're trying to respond to a game where maybe you're trying to hold on to the lead because you've you've had – Some really bad circumstances happen in in these sort of situations late in games.
00:22:43
Speaker
ah So maybe you're just letting the team play out. But I thought Schneider-Burnell was starting to show a lot of fatigue. And i don't know if he ever was able to ah brush off the mistake that led to the goal.
00:22:58
Speaker
He definitely dimmed down. ah substantially after that that that mistake. And I think he was just needed to be subbed out a little bit sooner. He does take him out, but again, waits until the 82nd minute. And it just takes a while for those players coming in to kind of make an impact.
00:23:17
Speaker
I thought Georgie was good I thought Georgie would have been good. i would have been happy with Georgie and Pedro coming in at the same time. You know, have both of those guys. i I feel like those are the guys that I want chasing the game, right? They're going to create so many opportunities. They're gonna create havoc. They're going put the ball Inside the 18, they're going to be able to shoot. You know, ah it Georgie, time and time again, has been a a player that cuts inside, takes those good shots, has had a goal in those sort of instances.
00:23:42
Speaker
So for me, both of those guys would have been better options, in my humble opinion, of course, than just bringing Osase. So to your question, i don't it doesn't sound like there's anything wrong with Pedro.
00:23:55
Speaker
But there's clearly a lack of confidence from Brian in bringing him in. so
00:24:03
Speaker
I can't tell you that I know anything else. And again, he's been training all week. If Pedro had not been training us as yeah consistently as he has. If he was training and not in the match day squads, that would be one thing. I'd be like, okay, he's injured.
00:24:15
Speaker
yeah Exactly. but But that's not the case. That's not the case. He's in training, looking like a demigod, in the match day squads, ostensibly able to play professional soccer. And then they play the game.
00:24:27
Speaker
You get to the end of it, and he didn't play. And it's hard not to feel like, man, maybe if he had played, he could have positively contributed to the team's collective goals in a ah similar way that he had a couple weeks ago when he was a big reason that you won a major tournament against... so Lionel Messi, you know?
00:24:50
Speaker
So I feel like this has happened before where ah there's some sort of inclination for Schmetz to want to try and get a, like a two striker setup going and they like run a little four, four, two, and it then doesn't work that well.
00:25:04
Speaker
And then he just goes back to the four, two, three, one. That might be what's happening here. You're right. But, like, ah I guess it it feels like ah kind of late in the season to be running experiment experimental formations and, like, trying to find out if you can run two strikers, whether it's Moose and Jordan or Osaze and Moose or whatever. I mean, if they want to try and hone a different look before the playoffs, more power to them, I would just figure that De La Vega – could or would be involved in that to to some extent. He should be playing for this team.
00:25:38
Speaker
i don't see If he had been in bad form all year and hadn't earned his minutes, that would be another thing as well. But it's the opposite of that. He's like very much earned a status as one of the best players on this team. So it's just kind of, I mean, do you think, you think going play against the Timbs? I kind of don't think he's going to play against the Timbs based on how it's been going recently, but I hope he does. What what do you Yeah, I would hope that he does. i think that, you know, that the question for me this week is going to be, you know, how concerned are you of the,
00:26:07
Speaker
inactivity of regular competitive minutes for Pedro. So if you do need him and let's say you do bring him on, let's say that you do start him against the team in a in a classic co game that you you need the win that you could probably use to shake off the the rust that you kind of currently have after all these negative results.
00:26:31
Speaker
But what if he doesn't play well? I mean, could you blame that that he just got cold? that Because he he was he was on a heater, right? he He was playing so well. He was a guy that was so influential. He looked like one of the best players in the league.
00:26:44
Speaker
So do do you cool him down because of it? So those are the things where if there's truly no concern for him physically, then why is he not playing? You you need to bring him onto the game. He needs to build, and either keep that confidence or build the confidence or rebuild it. I don't know.
00:27:02
Speaker
So i'm um I'm very concerned about what we'll see when you do start him after having, I don't know, i it's probably four or five games that he hasn't played. yeah I mean, yeah, to go back and look at it, but I know yeah basically since League's Cup, he hasn't really been playing.
00:27:17
Speaker
I thought it was tendinitis situation, but Schmetz said that was like a pain tolerance. like Like that wasn't supposed to be something that meant that he was going to have to sit out games.
00:27:28
Speaker
wrote And look, the other thing, Ari, is that he got a cortisone shot yeah Usually you put those on So you play him, right? in and help you To help the pain tolerance Yeah, help the pain tolerance, right? Get you back in How long does cortisone take to take effect? I don't know, not a doctor But they they injected that that knee And he was supposed to be able to play on it So it just it just feels like there's a disconnect but Between like the reasoning being given Why he hasn't been playing and then the actual reasoning why yeah hasn't been playing.
00:28:02
Speaker
But I mean, i just think in general, if there's any hope that this team has of making a credible playoff run, especially if they're going to have to do it all on the road, which it looks like they will.
00:28:13
Speaker
A lot of that would be predicated on De La Vega playing like he did in in League's Cup. He's one of he's the main guy on this team that I trust to if there's a situation where you just it's a tight game and you need a goal to either find a leveler or a go ahead goal.
00:28:30
Speaker
And maybe maybe things aren't going that well or you're playing against a really good defensive team. He's the guy I trust that can pull out a goal at absolutely any moment more than anyone on this team. He needs to be out there if this team's going to hit its ceiling. That's just the reality. So let's hope that he plays this weekend.
00:28:48
Speaker
I can't say that I feel that good about about that. But who
Key Injuries and Lineup Adjustments
00:28:53
Speaker
knows? maybe there's ah Maybe there's a reason behind it that makes sense, and he's going ready to go on the weekend for this ah this Portland game. And then he gets locked in for the playoffs, and he spearheads a – a MLS cup run and leads the Seattle Sounders to another trophy.
00:29:10
Speaker
We can hope ah as for these, or yeah, go ahead. I guess the one thing that we haven't talked about, and I mean, we won't spend too much time into it either. I like what Nuhu did in in the game. I thought that he was very good defensively. I think that he pushed forward ah pretty consistently.
00:29:29
Speaker
i thought that he created a good moments. But once again, he gets a silly yellow there in the corner. so stupid.
00:29:36
Speaker
When he did that, I was just like, oh, my God, he's going to get sent off. like he's go to get He's going to get sent off for chirping someone in the tunnel, isn't he? And jackson Jackson got an early yellow in this game, too, didn't he? And then knew who gets the silly yellow in the tunnel.
00:29:52
Speaker
Thomas Mueller was like trying to get him sent off right there, I'm pretty sure. He like sprays him with the water or something i don't know who it is that he sprays He was arguing with Jesus Do you guys want to finish the game with 11 men?
00:30:07
Speaker
Do you actively want and seek out situations to try and finish it with 10? Is that like Is that a Club-wide objective? Like, God, I don't know That was that was just like, dude and And I only bring it up because this is the moments where, especially right now with both of those injuries that we can talk about here in a second, if you're missing players, that sort of situation is just terrible, right? Because if you're suspended because of yellow accumulations or you get suspended because you get a double yellow on a silly moment like that, I mean, you just can't, you can't do that. Right. So ah again, it's the good with the bad with, with, with new who I, I,
00:30:50
Speaker
like he didn't get He didn't get sent off. He didn't get sent off. And he hasn't played very well. With all 11 men, congratulations to the Seattle Sounders. They once again made it through an entire match without anyone getting ejected. they they They got kind of close in this game, but it was better than the last time ah they played Vancouver in Vancouver when they famously...
00:31:11
Speaker
As we all remember fondly, got two red cards in three minutes with Nuhu getting one of those. So they did not they did not do that, but ah that was that was just one of those things where I was like, oh my God, like here we go, here we go, here come the crash out red card boys, but they didn't do it.
00:31:29
Speaker
They didn't do it. No one crashed out. it was just a little water squirt of the water bottle in the direction of a Vancouver white cap, little yellow card in the tunnel, and it was fine. but No, because it was physical out there. I mean, ah Paul Rothrock and Eddie Ocampo were going at it all game long, or pushing each other, ah talking mess to each other. I mean, that that that that battle was was was very fun to to to watch, but it it it got physical there for a little bit. I thought that Paul was going to hit somebody.
00:31:58
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. ah As for these ah Alex Roldan and Yamar injuries, it looked like a groin for Alex. It looked like a hamstring for Yamar.
00:32:09
Speaker
I mean, have you heard anything as to ah severity or your timelines at all yet? I mean, I'm sure Schmetz is going to talk ah probably tomorrow and maybe have some more info on that. But ah do you get any initial sense on ah what we're what we're looking at? I mean, to me, it looks like Probably in that two to four week area for both of them, but it could be worse than that. Who knows?
00:32:33
Speaker
We'll find out. But ah like, do you have any sense on that? And then also, who do you think are the guys that are going to be tasked with stepping up with those guys? I mean, you got to assume that basically until playoffs, you're probably not going to have either one of those guys.
00:32:47
Speaker
Yeah, I picked up something as I waited for Andres Kubas for an interview that I had with him. And, you know, you're kind of there in the back door in the little hallway by the visiting locker room. and And I thought I heard somebody say that it was a quad for um Yamar, which is he's been dealing with a quad thing.
00:33:06
Speaker
um and by by the the way he came off the field, ah because I know that he had been dealing with that ah that that quad, and, you know, it's it's been an injury that maybe got a little bit worse. i I hope that it's not a long time, but the 2-4 sound about right. That sounds like best-case scenario for the Yammer injury.
00:33:32
Speaker
And then the adductor for –
00:33:36
Speaker
ah Alex, it's tricky. and Those adductor injuries are are are difficult to rehab quickly because everything that you do comes out of there, right? that The passing, the shooting, the explosiveness, the running, the stretching, and it's a lot more painful than you could think of. The the swelling happens pretty quickly.
00:33:57
Speaker
ah So my guess is that we probably won't even know anything by tomorrow um if they're there's going to be any sort of scan or anything like that. to looking to the tear a little bit deeper.
00:34:10
Speaker
and You probably wait till Wednesday maybe because you do need the swelling to go down. ah so it'd be interesting what what, what happens with both of these guys. But um my guess would be that best case scenario, you're dealing without either, either of or both of these guys,
00:34:31
Speaker
until about the, the, the, giant the the game at a giant stadium, the away game for the last game of the season, ah the regular season. And that's at that giant that's at the giant stadium. Why is that out at the giant stadium?
00:34:44
Speaker
Oh, I'm sorry, the Yankees. it's like They don't play at the Giants stadium. They play in the New York Yankees outfield. My that mother bad, my bad, my bad. I mean, MetLife in New Jersey, that actually that actually could... They played ah like Copa matches there or something.
00:35:01
Speaker
so Yeah, know my my bad. i was I saw something that came across my ah my feet and I thought Giants because ah there's an injury for a Giants player that he's out for the year. so Malik neighbors. But anyways, going back to to the whole thing, these are two very serious Absences for the team, right? I mean, the importance of Yammer. Look, Kim did fine, and Kim can hold a forward, but again, he just doesn't have that. Yeah, it's a downgrade, you know? And that's no disrespect to Kim, but there's obviously a downgrade in the speed category, in the athleticism, the physicalness. And just in the leadership, I think. Like, Yammer is... He keeps it all...
00:35:47
Speaker
he keeps it all glued back there in a way that I think we don't really appreciate until he's out. And, you know, this team, this team's had some defensive issues this year, I think no matter who's back there. So Yamar being out doesn't make it any easier. And, you know, Alex has been a key player for this team this year too, in a kind of an underrated way. He's been in really good form. He and KKR had a good battle going. So the it's like, it's two pretty big losses. It's not,
00:36:16
Speaker
It's not great, especially when you also don't have a De La Vega playing. But, you know, it is opportunity for Kim and i imagine. I mean, do you see any do you see it any differently other than KKR being the one to predominantly fill in as the starter for right back there?
00:36:32
Speaker
No, I think it's going to be KKR and it's going to be Kim. It's not going to be J-Bell. Maybe you will see moments where ah if Seattle wants to dabble with um that the 3-5-2, if they continue to look for that two-man attacking system, maybe that adds a J-Bell in there somehow, some way. But no, I think that is very clear that it's going to be Kalani player for player with Alex and then and then Kim.
00:37:00
Speaker
came with the Amar. And then you got to hope that it's not any longer than that. Right. I mean, just imagine the the first game of the playoffs without either of those guys. I mean, that's, that's difficult. the It couldn't have happened for a worse position necessarily because they depend so much on both of those guys. Right. Alex isn't just a player that, you know, defensively does a lot for this team, but,
00:37:27
Speaker
is the the the attacking end, right? In the build-out of this team, he's usually the widest guy on the right, allowing Ferreira to, you know, come inside those inside channels from the winger position. So he's the one getting to the end line. He's the one ah creating that width. He's the one putting the services into the 18.
00:37:44
Speaker
ah eighteen So it's a lot to ask for Kalani, who like i've I've said it time and time again, i'm i've I've been very high on. I've always been high on the player. but His inexperience has shown several times in this bad stretch of games.
00:38:01
Speaker
ah And, the you know, the lack of awareness and communication and and things like that could be detrimental ah in a p playoff game against a good team. Call it Minnesota, call it San Diego. I mean, it doesn't matter that that that those teams are going to ah eat you up if you are not, ah you know, playing with the best of the best.
00:38:22
Speaker
KKR is a lot of fun in attack. He's more likely, I think, to ah get a goal for you than Alex Roldan. But I think the give and take there is Alex Roldan's, he's been, I think, one of the better fullbacks defensively in the league for a lot of this season. I think what he provides there has been, like I said, an underrated offense.
00:38:46
Speaker
attribute that has helped this team a lot this season he was on fire in in League's Cup so KKR can hold it down but it's just it's just ah having two injuries on the back line right before playoffs it's it's just not optimum especially when you've shown very little propensity for being able to hold needs anyway I got one from chat from earlier for you, Nico. Going to kick this one to you. ryan Shane asks, off topic, does the roster calculus regarding Ryan Kent change with the $1 million dollars in game i'm rolling over to next season?
00:39:22
Speaker
That's a great question. um
00:39:26
Speaker
It may be, maybe does, but I think that there's going to be conversations about the number he's on. i don't think Chet picks up the option. I still don't even with but with that on.
00:39:37
Speaker
um I think that it's it's very hard to assess a player with such little data and you you might not get him back. Maybe you'll get him back for a game or so, but there's just not enough there.
00:39:51
Speaker
and I feel like right now with the amount of ah wingers, hoping that you get this Paul Rothrock deal done, which I would think that you're going to get it done. would feel positive that you get it done.
00:40:03
Speaker
i think that there's a lot of other players there that it would be hard for the the The sense of the the roster to ah make it reasonable to spend that much money, let's call it, you know, a million or, ah I don't know, 900, let's call it.
00:40:21
Speaker
It would be really, really difficult for you to bring that player back on that number if that is the case. Yeah. with the injury, with the fact that you haven't seen a lot of, out of them.
00:40:32
Speaker
The only reason why you might, I don't know, ah pick up his option is maybe you think that you could move them on, trade them and and and get something for them. But I just, I don't see it. ah Everything that that, that I feel like right now calculates into the the roster bill for next year.
00:40:48
Speaker
i don't have Ryan Kent in those calculations at all. Yeah, I kind of agree that that's the most likely outcome. The story of Ryan Kent this year is honestly kind of a yeah kind of a tragic one.
00:41:00
Speaker
It started off so electric. He looked like the greatest player to grace Major League Soccer in generations. And then... cooled down a little bit.
00:41:11
Speaker
it It did not stay that hot, but I swear, Nico, I swear he was just heating up again. I'm telling you, he was just about to recapture those heights. Uh, he had like that, uh, a really nice assist in early in leagues cup.
00:41:25
Speaker
And I was like, all right, that's the Ryan Kent that we saw lighting the league on fire against, uh, St. Louis city SC in the Houston dynamo in in hindsight, maybe got a little bit ahead of ourselves on, uh,
00:41:37
Speaker
on that one. He looked great. you but He looked insane. Like I will always stand by that. People give us like a little bit of a like bantery hard time sometimes because ah those first couple games we were we were driving the hype train.
00:41:50
Speaker
But i I will stand by that until until the day I die that he was about to light this league on fire. And then and then he got injured, got injured. And admittedly, the the for After the first two games, the the set of games after that, it was not it was not as hot. It was not as hot, but it was heating back up. It was heating back up, and injury took that away from us. and i mean I agree. It's kind of hard to, just with where the roster's at numbers-wise, especially in that position group, it's kind of hard to see a scenario where he would be back. you I don't think it's impossible, but I'm certainly yeah not expecting it. Nico, i was going to be able take... I don't think it's impossible either, but but I think that it would take some...
00:42:31
Speaker
real doing and and maybe a little bit of a discount to to to bring him on and and that would take you know changing a new contract it would it would just take a lot of things uh that i don't know if the player be willing to just say hey yeah well you know i really like it in seattle so i'm gonna you know lose on some money that i could probably get elsewhere um so that's the yeah yeah that's the one hope is he's like man i uh I came here to rediscover my love of of the game and I've rediscovered that here. And because of that, I feel a loyalty to the club and to the city and I will stay for not a lot of money. It's like, why would he do that?
00:43:05
Speaker
He's the type of player i who could make a lot more money, probably playing than a lot of other leagues. So, uh, when you're in that situation and you have like a finite amount of time to maximize your earning potential like these guys do, when push comes to shove, they're usually not going to take a pay cut like that. they Nor should they. Like you only, you kind of got to make as much money as you can while you're physically able to play at the level that he's playing at.
00:43:29
Speaker
So that's just kind Yeah. And I mean, you look at me, you know, Ferreira is a player that we didn't think was going to be, And in that position, but he is, he's played well. So you got Ferreira, you got Georgie, you got Rothrock, you got Pedro, you got Kalani, who's playing higher up there.
00:43:43
Speaker
ah You got Paula Riola, who's clearly going to be here and could play that winger position. He played it when, you know, for Brian here, he was looking good there. yeah He looked good there. Right. So yeah there's just so much.
00:43:56
Speaker
ah competition there that it just would would make no sense to spend a real high amount on on on Ryan Kent for next season. Nico, was going to pull the table up here and maybe look at some theoretical playoff scenarios, but ah did you have anything else on ah either Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak and what you saw from them or just any other Seattle Sounders related topic before we ah before we do that ah No, I thought Steph was good. i did have that in my notes. I thought Steph had a couple of really good saves, including one that, you know, I got really excited. I was helping on the call for Spanish radio. And, you know, was a poster type of save there in the second half that was pretty
00:44:37
Speaker
Cool to see. But I thought that he held his own. I thought that neither of the goals were were on him. And ah as much as I had mentioned, even going into this game, it's clear that Brian has made the decision that Steph is his number one, will continue to be his number one um until you know he he placed himself out of it. And and I thought that he he was very good.
00:45:00
Speaker
It was nice to see that so we can kind of tone that thing down and just focus on um that that that starting 11, just being in that starting 11.
00:45:11
Speaker
um But yeah, that's the only thing that I had additionally to it. yeah know The other things, obviously, I did, and um'm I'm planning to put this up. It's it' Spanish, though.
00:45:21
Speaker
But I talked to Andres Kubas, and thought it was interesting that he said that this felt like a playoff game and that they expect to see the Sounders. It was good game. It was like a good game. I enjoyed watching it, and it was...
00:45:34
Speaker
definitely like the entertainment value was there and i guess that's a we're talking like general positives you know i'm gonna pull up the table and i was just looking at their goals scored and conceded but like it has been nice this year that they've consistently played just like good high level productive entertaining attacking footy it's come at the expense of more concessions, but I've said this before, but ah last year i I said a lot of times that that was a trade I was willing to make. Like if it means you can see it a few more goals, but you're, you're looking more dynamic and attack, you're scoring more goals and it's more fun to watch.
00:46:12
Speaker
Then like, that's a trade that I will make. I think they've, made too much of that, uh, of that trade maybe at, uh, at times, but like this was a game last year where if they were afflicted with injuries and fixture congestion and all that stuff, that would have been a horrible game to watch. It would have been like pulling teeth.
00:46:29
Speaker
It would have been like the biggest struggle of all time to even generate one chance to get one goal. This team this year, one thing that, uh, I can appreciate about them is they're, they're going going for it. And, uh, the, their level in attack is usually going to be pretty good assuming they have uh roughly like their first choice personnel and frankly even when they've had to rotate and uh and mix and match lineups and and field they these uh kind of ostensibly second choice 11s they've done a pretty good job at maintaining their level so that's something but uh i'm gonna pull up this table here nico and let's uh
00:47:07
Speaker
Let's look at where things stand in the Western Conference as we ah hit the sprint towards decision day. I mean, you see Seattle's here in fifth, and they do have the X by their name, which is kind of nice. They did clinch due to, I think it was because the Rapids dropped points. So Seattle is in the playoffs.
Playoff Position and Defensive Issues
00:47:25
Speaker
They're going to the playoffs. That much is... decided Yeah, that much is certain, but it it looks like things are kind of taking shape here. I mean, you've got seven points now separating you from LAFC in that fourth spot and nine points from Minnesota.
00:47:39
Speaker
It's just there's not a lot of ah games left to catch either of these teams. It just doesn't seem feasible at this point. To me, what it becomes a question of is Uh, who would, assuming that you stay in fifth, which is not guaranteed either, but assuming you do, which of these four teams, uh, would you want to play? Cause I feel like this, this top four right here that could, uh, between San Diego, van Vancouver, Minnesota, and LAFC, this top four could, there could be some, uh, shuffling around there with how hot LAFC is with Minnesota slowing down.
00:48:13
Speaker
a little bit. San Diego is slowing down a little bit. So it's like, becomes a question of who you would want in, uh, in that first round matchup. If you're the five, or I guess the 60 also could happen as well. Seattle could finish just like low as seven theoretically, but, uh,
00:48:29
Speaker
and They're lucky that hasn't happened. I mean, they really got to thank the Timbers for just dropping a couple of games, right? And there's draw after draw over there. ah Because if, let's say, um beyond that Kamal Miller... um Banger midweek if ah Portland puts away any of the opportunities they had in that first half and they end up beating ah Vancouver, man, that's that they would be ahead now. And then this one against Dallas just just yesterday was also one that Dallas rescues in the 84th or something like that.
00:49:05
Speaker
ah But but yeah, they they're lucky that that's not the case already. My other couple takeaways, I think, when we're assessing this team season as a as a whole to this point, I mean, this team has conceded 47 goals this year, Nico.
00:49:21
Speaker
Like, that's too many. um This was, like, the best defense in the league the last couple years. And that, I mean, 47, that's like a ah regression from that unit. Yeah.
00:49:32
Speaker
It's the most out of any team in the top seven you can see here. No one until you get to Colorado and San Jose in the wildcard spots has conceded more in the West than that. They have scored 54 goals, which is great.
00:49:45
Speaker
That's, ah let's see, you got San Diego 56, Vancouver 59, LAFC 60, Florida.
00:49:51
Speaker
ah But 54, that's a good total. They're probably going to be pushing 60-plus goals by the end of the year, which is which is awesome. But they're also going to concede 50-plus, man. And like ah what what that has led to is 8-1-6 is a better home record than they had last year, and that's ah only taking one L at home. That's good.
00:50:12
Speaker
But these concessions have led to six draws. at home, which is too many, and a 4-8-4 road record, which is below the standards that we are used to from this team. This team prides itself historically on traveling well, being a good road team, being the the best teams in this league, the ones that actually contend for stuff, are the ones that can win on the road, that can go on these really hard MLS road trips and take results and take ah the benchmark. I always said is like five to seven road, road wins as a, ah as a baseline.
00:50:46
Speaker
That's like what you really need to target and then take care of business at home to feel good about home field advantage for eight and four. That's not a, I don't I don't think any of them would tell you that that's good enough.
00:50:58
Speaker
And 47 goals from the defense. Also, that's why that's how you end up scrapping for fifth and sixth place instead of home field advantage. And I think it is fair to if they were to point out like, look, some of these have Cohen situations where we were really going for it and leaks cup and that probably cost us some points.
00:51:19
Speaker
Fair, but like that wasn't the case in the Charlotte game. That wasn't the case for the Colorado game. That wasn't really the case for the Atlanta game, was it? like There was just a lot of ah games where the this this stuff afflicted them. And i do I realize it is a give and take. like I was literally just saying, like if they're going to concede more goals at the expense of scoring a lot more and being more fun to watch, that is a tradeoff I'm willing to make. But i think just looking at the table right here, it's just a little too...
00:51:45
Speaker
extreme like if we're looking for the reasons why they are where they are on the table it's not hard to see to me it's this number right here 47 conceded and then uh four eight and four on the road six home draws that's uh that's how that happens so uh any thoughts on any of that nico i kind of cooked there ah Yeah, no, I agree. I think that for this team to do well in the playoffs, you've got to get away from that. I mean, it's great that ah the team has been so great offensively. And I've actually, you know, give a lot of kudos to Brian for reinventing himself. And I've said it again, although he would never admit it, that he's a defensive coach. You know, he is. And this team has just been better. And and that was the purpose at the beginning of the year.
00:52:27
Speaker
And they tried a whole bunch of things and they moved around a lot of options and ah they've been able to do it and put it together and and be a ah more attacking team that's on the front foot that, you know, has a lot of app has a lot of volume of play, which which is very important in terms of just being ah a team that's exciting to watch over. Yeah.
00:52:48
Speaker
But you need to play good defense you need to be able to just hold down games when it comes to the playoffs, that you know, that's why you asked me which ah of these teams I want yeah phase and I don't know if I want any of them and it's that that that's difficult and if anything maybe Minnesota just because they've kind of cooled down a little bit not as They've cooled down and I All right, man, like I've i've been banging this drum for four weeks that uh i don't I don't like this Minnesota team. They rubbed me the wrong way. I don't like how they play.
00:53:19
Speaker
but i don't i don't like It bothers me. these ah like You look at their record, fifteen seven and ten with a plus-15 goal differential and 1.7 points per game. You can't knock it.
00:53:31
Speaker
You can't knock it for being effective, ah but... I don't like it. I don't like how they play those tactics, even when they're at home. I didn't like how they played that game against Seattle, even though they won. They they did their thing. They did their anti-possession thing and got their goal on a set piece, and they scraped out a 1-0 win at home.
00:53:50
Speaker
But i've been I've been skeptical that you can win a trophy like that. They didn't win u s Open Cup like that. And I also think I also I really think that I know Minnesota got them in that game, but like Seattle, I feel like played them pretty well. Like and it was when they played them in Seattle, they didn't know how to play against that team at all. Like they really struggled to adjust to the kind of novel tactics that Minnesota United throw at you.
00:54:16
Speaker
And then it felt like in the game in Minnesota, Seattle kind of threw some exaggerated tactics of their own to counter Minnesota's exaggerated tactics. And it it just became this really weird game where it was a lot of Seattle knocking the ball around and getting pretty good chances, but not
Potential Playoff Opponents and Strategies
00:54:33
Speaker
finishing. And then Minnesota, like I said, nixed the set piece goal.
00:54:36
Speaker
But if I'm looking at these four teams, that's the team that I want. I think they can't, I don't know. I think they can beat that team. I don't know if they will. beat that team but i think if i had to pick any of them to match up against in the first round in a theoretical four five matchup that would be the one i would pick because ah the rest of these teams are like uh they play more real soccer and they uh san diego vancouver lafc all have pretty high powered offenses that are difficult to contend with as a road team and we'll talk about lafc in a second but they look absolutely insane
00:55:12
Speaker
Right now so yeah i love no part I think we can all be um Pretty honest with each other and say that we just don't want LAFC I mean that that is the team that you do not want to deal with any anytime early or later on you're gonna have to play him at some point if you make a run but
00:55:33
Speaker
17 goals out of Son and Buonga. The last 17 goals for the AFC came from that duo. That is crazy. like That is something that heard last night and I had to go back and and watch it because it was just crazy. And it's true, man.
00:55:48
Speaker
And there's such a good team when it comes to playing ah counter ball there. So you cannot give them the smallest giveaway turnover at midfield. Cause there they'll be in front of your porch and 2.5 seconds.
00:56:01
Speaker
ah son's just just good in so many ways, like finishing, passing, ah elaborating link up play, you know, his dribbling skills. I mean, the guy has been unreal eight goals already. Like, are you kidding me for a song? I mean, this, this LAFC team is running red hot.
00:56:18
Speaker
That's the thing that you don't want. But going back to what I was saying, Minnesota has cooled down. They've only won one of the last five, and they've actually given up eight goals in in in those five ah games, including the U.S. Open Cup final, of course.
00:56:35
Speaker
But to me... then I still have some PTSD of the times that the Sounders cannot break down deep block setups.
00:56:45
Speaker
And so that's why have um I don't know. I guess if had to pick, I go with Minnesota and i hope that their block breaks down within itself and that you can get an early goal and that makes them open up a little bit.
00:57:00
Speaker
But This type of soccer has been the kryptonite for the Sounders this season. and It's everyone's kryptonite. That's the thing. like people like People are saying, like oh, like seattle the Seattle can't break down a low block.
00:57:13
Speaker
I mean, when you're playing it that exaggerated like they play it, ah That it makes it hard for LAFC. If LAFC have to play them in the playoffs, I bet even this demonic son, Bwonga duo would have trouble breaking them.
00:57:29
Speaker
They don't, they don't keep the ball at all ever, ever. So like, it just makes it inherently a difficult task. Yeah. And you know, St. Clair is such a good goalkeeper and box was such a good defender. I just, I don't know.
00:57:43
Speaker
Like I said, I, I take it. But man, the Sounders really did themselves a disservice by being where they are in the table, man, because you should be hoping that you got the Timbers or Colorado or, you know, San Jose, these teams coming in, but now you don't.
00:58:00
Speaker
And now you're kind of stuck playing the best of the best. Now, can that be good? And, you know, they always say you're going to have to play the best to just get anywhere. You're going to have to do it anyway. You're to have to it So get it out of the way early. Maybe I guess you could kind of that's how That's how I'm spinning it. That's how I'm spinning You want one of these teams in the top four early on the road because then you get the and got the hard stuff out of the way. Maybe root for a little upset. Hope that the ah San Jose Earthquakes or the Colorado Rapids go on a run. Maybe you get to host them.
00:58:30
Speaker
ah But, I mean, there is a there is an honest reality that if you're going to make a run in the playoffs, you're going to have to beat these teams. yeah which not And to that point, Ari...
00:58:42
Speaker
This is, once again, one of the things that Seattle has done well this season is whenever you think they're out, they force themselves in, right? When they play with a chip on their shoulder, when nobody's giving them the the the benefit of the doubt, they're going get murdered, they're going to get beat.
00:58:57
Speaker
That's when they play their best ball. That's what they need. That's what they need to find their... and If they don't have those stakes on it, then they ah they're basically the team we we've been watching the last few games, which ah is a team that can score some goals, but...
00:59:12
Speaker
concedes too many need to play it more than like a 1.5 points per game pace. You put this team, i will I should learn, everyone should learn by now to never ah bet against this team come tournament time. it It hasn't mattered historically. Like everyone's talking about how it's already chalked because they have to go on the road.
00:59:29
Speaker
um've I've seen this team go on the road and take some pretty insane results. i I saw them go on the road in 2019 and beat an LAFC team that I think this LAFC team might be better like right now than that team, but that team was insane. They had cart that team that year had Carlos Vela score 34 goals, 15 assists, 49 goal contributions.
00:59:52
Speaker
They, that team had a plus 48 goal differential. Uh, if, if this LAFC team this year is better right now than that team, it's not by much. It's probably a wash like that. That was one of the best teams in MLS history.
01:00:05
Speaker
Seattle had to go, on the road in that game no one gave them a chance myself included i went to that game like pretty positive that i was gonna watch uh that lafc team whoop up on seattle and seattle beat the shit out of them three to one in their own building and uh won the western conference title so uh there is precedent for them thriving in situations where their backs are seemingly against the wall.
01:00:33
Speaker
And, uh, you know, maybe that's, that's another good narrative to go with Nico. They, they need the chip on their shoulder. Uh, that's why, that's why they dropped the points, Nico. That's why they dropped the points so they can give themselves that chip and incentivize it, uh,
01:00:46
Speaker
themselves to make a playoff run and get some more legendary results. But honestly, I mean, just looking at this as it stands right now, it's good. It's going to take a Herculean effort for this team to make it down. Let's cut this year. Nico, it really is not to, not to say they can't do it. It's not to say they can't do it It's definitely, ah we shouldn't put anything past a Brian Schmetzer coach team in come tournament time.
01:01:11
Speaker
ah But it's certainly, they the unfortunate thing is they could have made it a lot easier on themselves by just, By just closing out like any any group of these five or six games that we've talked about, they had even just closed out three or four of them that they were literally like 30 seconds, in some cases less than that, away from ah from taking those points and then dropping them.
01:01:36
Speaker
So that's where things stand. I mean, yeah. go No, it is. And look, i I know that the last time we talked about this, it it kind of sounded like I was already reading the Sounders obituary, ah you know, into like the playoffs and that, you know, was kind of ah tough. And is tough. Again, I stand by the fact that You got your title, the title that you needed here in 2025.
01:02:02
Speaker
And this playoff run is probably as hard as it's ever been. And now with these injuries that I think they're going to be a kind of colossal ah reasoning into whether we stick with what we've said today or not.
01:02:19
Speaker
ah Because if any of this, Alex and – Riemar and even Pedro's situations is bad
Significance of Leagues Cup Win
01:02:27
Speaker
enough that it just completely adds on to the fact that the Sounders are going to have a hard time in in in this playoff run.
01:02:33
Speaker
ah But obviously you can dismiss it. You can dismiss a team with the talent that they have, with the experience that they have, with a brand that knows exactly what to do in these sort of situations.
01:02:44
Speaker
ah but But there are a lot of external... circumstances that could really affect the chances that they have. And I feel like there are few that they're going to go to the Western Conference final and even less that they're to go the MLS Cup final.
01:03:01
Speaker
Obviously, they're there, but injuries can really, really, really bring those down even farther, depending on what we hear this week. The playoffs, I really believe, the playoffs are house money.
01:03:14
Speaker
And I know some people are don't like that take. You can call a preemptive cope if you want. I don't care. The way I see it, there are...
01:03:26
Speaker
you you can You earn the right to call the playoffs house money by winning one of two tournaments, CONCACAF Champions Cup or Leagues Cup. That's the reality. If you win one of those two tournaments, that is the that is the only scenario.
01:03:41
Speaker
If you told me before the season, like what what could the if you asked me before the season, what could the Seattle Sounders do to make the playoffs house money this year? I would say... Probably nothing, but if they win CONCACAF Champions League or CONCACAF Champions Cup or Leagues Cup, that would be the way to do it because you already have a major international continental trophy. And in this case, ah I think how they did it, really, you've got to take that.
01:04:10
Speaker
into account, that was the most amazing game I've ever covered. That was a fantastic experience for everyone that was at the stadium and for everyone who watched it. Those types of games, those types of moments, that's why we all do this stuff. That's why we ah watch every single one of these games and follow this team obsessively every day of the year, day in, day out, is the chase of stuff like that.
01:04:33
Speaker
If you deliver that type of stuff for the city and for the fan base, you earn the right to, ah to say, look, like obviously we're going to try in the playoffs and we're going to put our best foot forward for our MLS cup run.
01:04:45
Speaker
But if it doesn't happen, that's GGs. We, we had one of the best games in club history. We took home a major trophy. We completed the trophy case. We played some pretty incredible attacking soccer for a lot of it.
01:04:59
Speaker
And, Playoff run might have been disappointing, but it is what it is. And ah that's they earn the right to be able to say that by competing in these international tournaments, making runs in those tournaments and and winning them. If they were to give an organizational line to the effect of what I just said, I wouldn't argue with it. Like there's that's just ah that is the right in the status that you earn by performing how they did in a ah in a tournament like that.
01:05:26
Speaker
I know like ah a lot of people are going to say that, ah well, leagues cut it it doesn't count because it's League's Cup and it's a made up tournament or whatever. It's just a cash grab. I don't like respect it as a real trophy.
01:05:39
Speaker
That's cope. That is cope. That's just looking for a reason to discount something because you you want to be able to perpetuate your narrative that like, Craig Weibel is terrible or it's the worst team of all time or whatever, whatever the case may be.
01:05:55
Speaker
But, uh, if they, if they get bo bounced out of the playoffs this year by LAFC or Vancouver or whoever it is, then, uh, That doesn't really, it it honestly doesn't ah change how I feel about the season that much. Like an MLS Cup run would be icing on what ah what was already a pretty good ah cake. I mean, do you do you agree with that? Or are you in the MLS Cup or bust mentality still?
01:06:20
Speaker
No, of course not. I said that before you know quite a few times. And honestly, it's an inaccurate statement to say that has encountered. It's not real. I mean, the fact is is that this is an international tournament.
01:06:32
Speaker
It gives you a spot for the Cuff Champions League, and it adds on the fact that you get it by a bye week, a lot of prize money. ah So that's the reality. Now, we can all have opinions, so whether we like it or not, or dislike it, or ah whatever it is that Your assumptions are made in in terms of this tournament. But the reality is that they they want a title. Right.
01:06:51
Speaker
And I know that everyone wants this team to be the top of the league. The domestic play is so important, has always been for this fan base. And look, I get it. It's just it's a lot more difficult to do, specifically in a year like this one, where we just talked about the the exhaustion level that, you know, you've put a lot of.
01:07:11
Speaker
coins into the Leagues Cup and and, you know, that kind of hurts you a little bit, but you're trying to work it out. You're trying to rotate. You're trying to do all these things. But this this type of setup for the playoffs is just difficult, man. This that this format is difficult. ah Coming out of the West is difficult. And I've said it time and time again, I think that with the exception of LAFC,
01:07:31
Speaker
of l a of c the East is probably going to take the cup this year. I mean, you know, whether it's, you know, Cincy or whether it's, you know, I still, I, I, Orlando has been the team that I always call that they're going to get a tower and they never do. They always disappoint me at some point, but it looks so good as well.
01:07:50
Speaker
um But, but I think the East just has the teams that can essentially take that, the MLS cup. So, so it's just difficult to do, but obviously, um The sounders should if this was a a Year where there was no Title and the only thing that this team Did was clinch the playoffs I would be on that this was a This was not a successful year 1.5 points per game on the league table Right now if they had not won leagues cup And they were in fifth place at 1.5 Points per game points per game and they didn't have that silverware to show for anything, then it would be a bust of a year.
01:08:25
Speaker
But they do have the silverware to show for it. They have arguably the greatest game in club history to show for it. They have a trophy-winning final over Lionel Messi and the Barca boys who crashed out and started a massive brawl.
01:08:38
Speaker
after the game to show for it you can't mean you can't tell me that that doesn't carry a lot of weight even if you want to go with the the league's cup doesn't count narrative it counts for all the prize money that they got it counts for the conca calf champions cup spot that they got it counts for the buy that they have now in conca have champions cup next year that they got so like it literally it does count for all that stuff like as a matter of fact So that's, that's, a that's where I'm at with it.
01:09:07
Speaker
Nico, how are you feeling about this Timby's game? What do you think of these guys right now? They're at 1.38 points per game, 11, 10 and 11 record, negative two goal differential. Nico, they're not that, this is not that good of a team, not that good of a team there.
01:09:24
Speaker
Like I said, negative goal differential, a lot of draws four, seven and five on the road. i will tell you, That does not matter. The Portland Timbies live for these games.
01:09:35
Speaker
This is their Super Bowl. They don't care about winning any cup. but But besides maybe the Cascadia Cup, which the Vancouver Whitecaps won this year, the Timbs don't care about MLS Cup. They don't care about League's Cup. They don't care about CONCACAF Champions Cup.
01:09:47
Speaker
They don't care about U.S. s Open Cup. You got a cup. They don't want they don't want the cup. They want to specifically beat the Seattle Sounders. That is the driving purpose of their entire organization. And as such, we all know every time that the Portland Timbs play against the Seattle Sounders.
01:10:02
Speaker
they come out that They come out of the locker room playing like Real Portland Timbers Madrid. okay And they're going to do that in this game. the we The reason this rivalry has been pretty one-sided in their direction in recent years, it's not because they're that good.
01:10:16
Speaker
It's because they they bring the requisite energy and intensity for derby matches like this. They are going to do that in this game. They are going to come out firing. It doesn't matter that it's in Seattle.
01:10:27
Speaker
they play They play better. in Seattle than they do at Providence Park. When Seattle's gotten results against them in the last couple of years, it's been at Providence Park. The Timmy's, the greatest win in the history of their club was not the 2015 MLS Cup that they won.
01:10:44
Speaker
It was... when Seattle hung up the CCC banner in 2022, right before the Timbers game to rub it in their faces. And then the Timbs won three to zero at Lumen Field on CONCACAF Champions Cup banner. That was the pinnacle of the that was a pinnacle of their existence.
01:11:02
Speaker
So they're going to be treating this game Like that. they're They're not about the ah implications of it for playoff seating or anything else. They're about beating the Seattle Sounders.
01:11:14
Speaker
And it's just, I don't want to, I guess what I'm saying is I just don't want to see a situation where, you know, Derby game, the result can go either way. You might tie this game, you might lose this game. but don't let it be a thing where a member a couple years ago when Schmetz went off on the players and the staff for being like, is this a, are we talking about a rivalry right now? Like we just lost this game. I got guys in the locker room, yucking it up afterwards, acting like nothing happened. Like, no, this is Portland. Like you gotta be, it has to hurt your soul. If you lose a game like this, that's what this type of game means this club. And he was pissed. He like, and that, that was the most I've ever after Schmetz presser been like, yeah, truth to power, brother. Like,
01:11:54
Speaker
the because he schmetz is someone who will never undersell the intensity of a match like this but for a while like the sounders just were not uh living up to that that's the main thing i want to see in this game even though i'm going to be out of town and i'm not i'm gonna be able to watch a live but like just whatever the result is it's whatever i'm not even at the at this point i don't even care about the league table that much other than maybe getting a better matchup for the first round or, or,
Upcoming Match Against Portland Timbers
01:12:23
Speaker
or whatever. But like, it's just, it's about a process over results right now, play at a high level and just match their energy, man. Just don't let the Timbs come in here and look like the home team that's happened too many times in these games the last few years.
01:12:38
Speaker
And so if that doesn't happen, that's like step one to positive performance. Uh, Kenny coming in with the dollar 99 first super chat of the show hour and 13 minutes. And we love to see it. Here we go. Here we go. Let's get some up. Up the soundies.
01:12:54
Speaker
Yeah. Good point, Kenny. Good point. Well said, uh, Nico, what do you think about, ah about this match with the Timbs? Well, first of all, I want to know what the chat thinks. When you guys are a little bit quiet today, let's get let's get going and see.
01:13:07
Speaker
Are you guys confident? you guys not confident against the Timbers? Predictions, confidence levels, chat. What do you got? Yeah, i just want to check the vibes. It's just just but biometer. But look, I myself have um concerns, and they're all related to the fact that Alex and Yammer are not going to be available for this game.
01:13:28
Speaker
that's not that that That's just my conclusion. Early opinion. that the there's yeah there neither of There's no way. Right. So I'm very concerned because as much as this Portland team isn't great because they lack balance, they like that they they honestly lack a little bit of finishing, but they create a lot of opportunities. I've watched the last two games, ah both the Vancouver game where I said, look, they outshot Vancouver.
01:13:54
Speaker
like 14 to seven or something like that. And in the first half, they created a bunch of opportunities. I think Anthony's very capable. I think Kelsey is, you know, a little bit sporadic in when he shows up, but when he does, he shows up big.
01:14:10
Speaker
If Mora, who, has given headaches to the Sounders time and time again, he's feeling himself. That's a difficult player took to handle. I think Matias Rojas has provided this team ah with a guy that's creative, that can kill mid-range shots, ah that's very good on set pieces.
01:14:28
Speaker
Mosquera is a guy that on the overloads on that side that, you know, it's going to be him and Nuhu, which is always great to have a guy like Nuhu there. ah But if they end up switching him around or they end up trying to push on the side of Kalani, i think that this team could create a lot of overloads, right? I think Anthony, to me, is the most talented player on that team.
01:14:47
Speaker
That's the player that I'd be looking for ah beyond the Costa, right? I just, I think that what Anthony does on the ball, he's so creative. He can beat you at any moment. He has magic at his feet. So this is not a bad attacking team. and No, it's they're pretty good at attack attacking team. they're They've been ah kind of ex-G merchants this year, but the Timbs are always a really good counterattacking, chance-generating, goal-scoring team, shutting them out even with that. there They're going to probably get a couple. like I'll tell you guys that right now. like they And that that's exactly what going to say. don't get shut out against Seattle. It doesn't happen. That's what I was going to say. I think that...
01:15:23
Speaker
you're going to have to outscore Portland. And I hate to say that because people probably don't want to hear that. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. It's going to be a fun game, but i think you're going to have to outscore Portland because Portland will get a couple or or will make it a difficult game in that regard. So Seattle's offense, the responsibility is on them. It's going to be on Ferreira. It's going to be on Jordan Morris, hopefully Pedro De La Vega.
01:15:44
Speaker
Albert Rusnak, those are the guys that are going to have to really shine against the Timbers because you got to go against this team. You can't allow them ah to just hold possession. You can't allow them to just get on top of you.
01:15:55
Speaker
I love what you said in terms of the Sounders need to be the protagonist right off the bat, right off the the first whistle. ah you know Physicality, intensity, you got to... Hopefully you don't get a yellow, but if you if you get a real big, strong challenge just to start the game off, to set the tempo, a Paul Rothrock... I want to see it. Don't get a red. get it don't get a red Don't get a red.
01:16:18
Speaker
But I want to see it. You're going to have to create your own temper. going have to create your intensity. And and that that's a huge part of this game. ah Because if you allow the Timbers to get comfortable and settle into this game, it could be a long afternoon. So for me, the Sounders are going to have to just sit in the middle of the ring and just exchange.
01:16:37
Speaker
Obviously, you hope that the team... balances out and and you can, you know, play some really good defense and maybe you start JP in this one. I don't know. You know, maybe you do some a little bit different there at midfield next to Christian Roldan, but wherever it is, I think you're going to have to,
01:16:55
Speaker
be able to outscore this, this, this Timbers team lineup builder to close it out. That's what the people want. Nico. Uh, so let's bust it out. We got a few minutes left, so we'll, we will do our official lobbying scorchers projected starting 11. Uh,
01:17:10
Speaker
ah What do you got, Nico? I think we're but the goalkeeper controversy, I think, is pretty much settled at this point. It's going to be Stephanie. I think the left side here is going to be the same, but obviously these two are going to be out. So I'm going put KKR in there at ah right back.
01:17:28
Speaker
And then, I mean, you see any other outcome than Kim Kihee for the Yanmar replacement? Nope. I think it's Kim Kihee. It's going Kim Kihee and Jackson, no doubt in my mind.
01:17:40
Speaker
Unless there's you know any sort of knock or something, which I don't think. Why I always...
01:17:47
Speaker
There he You know, and Kim's a guy that, you know, if there if there is something about Kim is that he really does feel the badge. And I and i like that for for this specific game. I think he is a guy that can get physical, that can be, ah you know, strong challenges. um It's um a player that I think embeds this ah rivalry and and I think he's going to be able to just do it well.
01:18:12
Speaker
What do you think about the double pivot? I mean, is do you run Snyder or snyder B again? i think you kind of have to, don't you? like Yeah, I think you have to. You have to. You know, that the JP thing is obviously something that he's going to have to build his fitness. He hasn't played.
01:18:26
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. He's going to have to be – you really don't have any other – options there other than Snyder. So I think it's Snyder and and and Christian, no doubt about that. Send him back out there, send the kid back out there, throw him into the, yeah into the fire.
01:18:41
Speaker
i know it's it's tough for his, his initial foray into major league soccer being in these high stakes moments like this. That's how you learn, right? That's how you get better. So I'm, I'm, I know he made him a mistake in the last game, but he yeah he's been playing pretty well. He's been playing really well.
01:18:59
Speaker
And this is just another opportunity for you him to get some valuable experience. ah So I think that looks good for that back six there. What do you think about the front four? Do you think ah you think it's going to be Jordan or Moose starting this game? I think it low key should be Moose, but it was Jordan in the last game. What do you think?
01:19:18
Speaker
I think it'll be Jordan. i would Like I said, I was surprised that he started that game, but him starting that game tells me that that's what they want to see moving forward. So I'm going to go ahead and go with Jordan up top.
01:19:30
Speaker
All right. All right. Would you change anything in this band of three you right here? I think this is probably going to
01:19:37
Speaker
Rothrock, Bruce, Nack, Ferreira, you got any changes there? Man, I... ah but let let Let's leave it. um i just I would love to see Pedro there ah for for Paul. Until I see Pedro play, I'm not going to put him in there. i agree. I think you could argue Georgie would be – if Georgie is not going to start this game, give him at least 30.
01:19:59
Speaker
Give him at least 30. I agree. Actually has like a chance to make a get in this game game because that's one guy who I definitely don't fault for how things have been going lately. Like I feel like every time Georgie's been out there, he's been doing his thing and he's just a, he's just a handful.
01:20:17
Speaker
And in ah in a game like this where, you know, the Timbs are going to be coming at you it's, it's good to have a guy like that who can put, other teams under pressure the way that uh that georgie can but uh yeah no look they they've been playing come on miller kind of like a you know a right back and ah to me you know putting georgia on that side that on higher legs i mean that's that's a matchup i won every single time ah so yes i would love to see georgia in this game i'd love to see georgia and pedro enter this game
01:20:47
Speaker
and And be you know successful there. ah But I agree with you on Georgie. Let's give him some flowers because he's been ah really impulsive. He's been really influential every time he gets on the ball.
01:20:58
Speaker
ah He's a handful. He's getting grabbed on. He's getting pushed defensively. Defenders have a real hard time understanding his dribbling setup, right? He's a little bit of an orthodox sometimes the way he gets through defenders, but he does it so successfully that he doesn't quite matter. And I think he's getting better ah defensively, positionally wise, at least, you know, he tries to get there.
01:21:20
Speaker
um He ah might might not be as effective as as Pedro there, but I think that he's starting to really get to the, get and understand the triggers for pressure.
01:21:31
Speaker
And so, yeah, I've been very impressed with Georgie. All right, there you have it. That is the official lobbing scorchers projected starting 11 for Seattle's upcoming match this weekend, Cascadia Derby against the Portland Timbs at Lumen
Community Engagement and Episode Closure
01:21:46
Speaker
Field.
01:21:46
Speaker
I'm not going to be there for it, but hopefully I'll get to watch and we'll be covering it. Noah said he would at least run the post-match, which will hopefully go better uh than it did for this last game when uh if any of you tried to tune into that there was some internet connectivity issues at a lumen field that seemed to resolve themselves uh later on in the show but that was uh that that was not fun hopefully that's not an issue uh for you all this weekend like i said i'm not gonna be there but uh we're gonna call it right there thank you all so much give me one second nari second
01:22:21
Speaker
Okay, yeah, I mean, I'm i'm wrapping it up. so ah But you got to come back and come back and say goodbye, Nico. But ah thank you, as always, everyone, for tuning in. I wanted to thank Tim Hamilton.
01:22:34
Speaker
He sent me this right here for my birthday. ah Tim Hamilton is a huge Sounder fan. he is ah What is that? Is that Tequila? ah Yes, Tequila is Los Centenario, the League's Cup edition.
01:22:50
Speaker
which is pretty cool. So I'm going to, I'm going to keep that there yeah here. Just, I won't drink it. I'm going to try to keep it as long as we can as a decoration there and let it, let it get older. But I wanted to thank Tim Hamilton. want to thank everybody yeah that, you know, sent stuff for my birthday and messages and everything. The audience has been, you know, outstanding.
01:23:11
Speaker
And I just, I, I, I've been forgetting to thank Tim on the show and I wanted to do that. Shout out Tim Hamilton. That's a, That's awesome. Kenny closing us out with another $1.99. Appreciate you, Kenny. He says, is KKR better with Jesus than Alex?
01:23:27
Speaker
ah Maybe. I had't really i think KKR in general is a little more dynamic in attack than then Alex. I don't know if he and Ferreira necessarily like combine better, but in general, if I'm looking for a fullback to get a goal or an assist, I'll take KKR.
01:23:43
Speaker
I'm looking for someone to lock it down defensively, I'll take him. I think Alex and Ferreira ah match a little bit better and I think that their high levels of of of soccer IQ kind of fit and they they move around each other very well.
01:23:57
Speaker
The overlap seem to work pretty good. ah But Kalani, you know, he does a lot of things, as you said, with within his athleticism, with his push, with his drive. So, you know, they're little bit different there, but I do think that Alex fits better with Ferreira, but at the same time, Ferreira is a very cerebral player that can, you know, match up with just about anybody.
01:24:17
Speaker
All right, I got to run. got to get in out of here on that. Thank you all for tuning in. Like I said, ah not going to be there for post-match this weekend. And also, Nico, I mean, I hadn't talked to you about it, but ah no kickoff next Monday. I'm not going to be in the city of Seattle. So sorry, guys. I just, you know, I'm going to be out from the second to the sixth.
01:24:34
Speaker
fully out so you're not going to see me but i'll be back after that uh we're going to tackle the stretch run of the season and the playoffs looking forward to it thank you all as always for the support really appreciate you guys and everything that uh you do to make this show go and uh i will catch you all when i uh when i'm back on like october seventh or whatever enjoy the game this weekend uh and until next time we out peace