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The Roman Empire is Falling - Ep. 39
49 Plays1 year ago
Ari and Noah discuss the Seattle Sounders' recent 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake. We delve into player performance, game management, and the use of VAR in the match. Ari shares his take on the coaching prowess of Pablo Mastroeni. Agenda Check this week touches on Moose, RBW, Obed, and Morris at the 9. We answer your questions about attendance, ownership and coaching. Finishing off with around MLS coverage winners and losers Atlanta United, Inter Miami, Sporting Kansas City, Chicago Fire and more!
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Transcript
Introduction and Personal Updates
00:00:10
Speaker
What's going on, everybody? Welcome to episode 39 of Lobbing Scorchers. This is Ari Lilianwall. I got producer Noah here with me and Noah. This is not good, man. You sound like you've been crying all night, Ari. Yup. Yup. Thanks for flagging that at the top of the show. Just to give everyone a heads up, I'm getting my ass kicked by allergies this week really bad. And I lost my voice a couple of days ago. Hasn't really come back.
00:00:37
Speaker
So if I sound under the weather on this episode, that's why I'm not under the weather, so don't worry Noah. But yeah, I don't know about you, but allergy season is not treating me well right now.
Analyzing the Seattle Sounders' Performance
00:00:50
Speaker
It's bad. But another reason I don't feel good is because the Seattle Sounders played last night and
00:00:59
Speaker
all-time bungle. It did not go especially well at the end of the game. 1-1 draw at Lumen Field versus Rial Salt Lake, which I mean I said it on Twitter after the game but that was the toughest result of the season.
00:01:14
Speaker
In a season that's had its fair share of tough results already That was the toughest Seattle were winning until the very dying moments of the game But I think what what made this one tough They've had a couple games where they've conceded equalizers at the end this year But what made this one tougher is they thought that they had scored the goal to make it 2-0 right before they conceded and VAR waved it off and
00:01:41
Speaker
The Moose Agenda was about to skyrocket. He had the goal to double the lead. They took it away from him. So we're going to get into all that, break down this game. Seattle is back down to 10th place in the Western Conference.
00:01:57
Speaker
That's not great. But, you know, as always, we don't shy away from the results here at Lobbing Scorchers. We talk about it all, regardless of if it's positive or negative. In this case, highly negative. But we're going to dive on into it. And then later on in the show, we'll get to your questions and take some observations about the game. And then we'll hit winners and losers from this match day slate in MLS. That'll be a fun one. There were some good results last night.
00:02:24
Speaker
But before we get into all that, as always, I'd like to thank our paid subs. We have three new ones that we got before the last
Support and Subscription Appeal
00:02:34
Speaker
episode. I'd like to thank Joey Pascanelli, Brandon Murphy, Pete Earls. Thank you so much. We appreciate you greatly.
00:02:41
Speaker
I'm going to read down the whole list like I always do know. I mean, I know it takes a while, but it's still a short enough list that I don't mind going through everybody. If you'd like to support the show, all you have to do is go to podcast.lovingscorchers.com. Click the little heart.
00:02:57
Speaker
and you can kick us however much money you want. Not obligatory, but much appreciated. Thank you Rhombus, Nate, Tyler, Owen, David, Christopher, Bill, Mike, Aaron, Derek, Sounderdames, Dan Paveto, Mike Standish, Ryan, Eric Stanley, my nephews, CJ and Miles Maranakis, Andy Hill, Ian Mitchell, and Greg Hoecker. We really appreciate you guys.
00:03:20
Speaker
The support we've been seeing has been great. Our last episode broke our record for downloads. We're also up, unlike the sounders. And in all seriousness, we have noticed that when the sounders take a bad result, it's actually actively good for our numbers. It's good for the engagement on my crowdsourcing tweets. So at least there's that. I know that that's not necessarily the agenda that people care about the most in this situation.
00:03:49
Speaker
We'll take it. We got to take whatever positives we can get these days. Also, if you have yet to do so, please subscribe to the Lovings Gorgers YouTube. We're up to 88 subs, so the drive for 100 is alive and well. If we keep accumulating subs at the pace that we have been racking them, we should hit 100 in the next episode or two here. So if you're listening to this and you haven't subbed to the Lovings Gorgers YouTube, go sub right now. We appreciate the support.
00:04:19
Speaker
Let's talk about this game,
Lineup Debates and Player Effectiveness
00:04:20
Speaker
Noah. There's a lot. There's a lot of storylines to come out of this one. So let's get into it. As always, let's start with our lineup reaction. I mean, it was pretty much the same thing that they've been running, except knew who was back. So I don't think we need to go too in depth with it. You know, I was talking to Jeremiah O'Shawn, a friend of the pod, Sandra Hart, in the press box last night. And I was kind of kicking him the debate that we were having, Noah, about Raoul versus Jordan at the nine.
00:04:46
Speaker
And, you know, he kind of pointed out that it's an interesting thought exercise, but it's really a moot point if Leochu and Pedro de la Vega aren't healthy, because in that situation, there's really, I mean, unless you're honestly arguing to start Moose or Paul Rothrock at the nine, which it's fine if you believe that, but I personally don't hold that belief. But if you grant that with Leochu and Pedro de la Vega out,
00:05:12
Speaker
you kind of have to start Jordan and Raul together, then Jordan goes on the wing and Raul goes up top. And that's sort of where you are by necessity. So I think that's, that's accurate. Just with where they're at with personnel right now. That's how you're going to see the the attacking group get lined up.
00:05:31
Speaker
But if Chu and De La Vega were back, then we would be seeing Morris at the nine or Raul at the nine. Well, yeah, that's I mean, that's that's the thought exercise debating something that we shouldn't be debating is what we're bringing.
00:05:46
Speaker
Well, it's not that we shouldn't be debating it. It's interesting to debate, but it's as far as it applies to what is going to happen in reality. It does. It's not really like there's a very set thing that's going to happen with where they're at with the injuries. And I know for a fact that Brian Schmetzer believes that
00:06:04
Speaker
Jordan Morris his best position is on the wing and I love Brian He is a great coach, but he is uncompromising a lot of the time So you've got Jordan viewing himself as a nine as a peer goalscore striker and and the head coach saying well I think you're gonna be better on the wing
00:06:23
Speaker
Yeah, well, I mean, I mean, I feel like I've made my stance relatively clear on this in recent weeks, but I agree that his best position is on the wing. I know some people don't agree with that, but I just think when I've seen Jordan Morris at his most effective in MLS dating back pretty much his whole career to when they moved him back or when they moved him out to the wing initially.
00:06:45
Speaker
When he's out on the wing, wreaking havoc from out wide, taking guys on 1v1 from out wide, sending in crosses, setting up other guys for chances. I think that's when he's been at his most dynamic. That's when he stuffed the stat sheet the most. He's still goal dangerous from that position. He's probably been less effective out there since the second ACL. Before the second ACL, I really thought that he was at a point in MOS where he was really cooking out there.
00:07:15
Speaker
But I just think there's a much more substantial sample of him being effective and getting on the stat sheet from Outwide than there has been him playing up top. Now granted, he's played a lot more games at Outwide at this point than he has.
00:07:31
Speaker
up top. But I also think, uh, I also think from the eye test that's bared itself out. He's had some good games at the nine member. He scored four goals against sporting Kansas city, the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts last year, but that was more the exception than the rule.
00:07:46
Speaker
Yeah. And I think another thing to look at with Jordan, not only is he incredibly talented at, you know, making those runs, he's good with getting his body turned when he's in that position and really making those plays in and spearing the counter attack.
00:08:03
Speaker
because you need someone to be able to run onto the ball like that and be good in transition and in pace on the ball, which like, that's a tough skill to have. Like Jordan Morris is not the same that Raul is. Like Raul is this technical finisher who, you know, you want to be dribbling in the box and like getting into the final third and kind of maneuvering his way. And then Jordan, you're like, all right, freight train, let's go big dog. Right? Yeah.
00:08:40
Speaker
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00:09:06
Speaker
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00:09:36
Speaker
I think that's when he's at his best is when he's free training. Um, Seattle got really lucky to not concede a penalty earlier in this game.
Impact of VAR Decisions
00:09:43
Speaker
I kind of forgot about this, but then I was writing my outline and I was like, Oh yeah, that was really bad. Um, Jackson Reagan had a pretty rough go in the first half and he's really had a rough go the last couple of weeks. He had a giveaway that led to a breakaway in the St. Louis game in this game. I counted three breakaways.
00:09:59
Speaker
that, uh, off giveaways that Jackson Reagan committed. I'm pretty sure in the first half, I know he had three for the game. I think it might've been three in the first half. Um, but in any case, uh, the second or third of those giveaways led, uh, it was deep in his own end. Real salt lake gets the ball. Uh, so all of a sudden Seattle's defense is scrambling and real salt lakes on a counter.
00:10:21
Speaker
And Yemar takes the guy out just at the top of the box and the ref originally called it a penalty. And he went to VAR and eventually he ruled that it was outside the box and the free kick went into the wall. But that's a bailout. That could have easily been a penalty kick. And Seattle
00:10:43
Speaker
just based on how bad a play that was, they deserved to be down one nothing right there on the merits just because it was a bad giveaway. It was the second or third time that they did that in the first half, in the first like 20 to 25 minutes of the game. There was just some really bad giveaways that we're getting. We also lake out in transition.
00:11:06
Speaker
And especially when you're playing at home, you can't be giving the ball away like that. You need to be on the front foot. You need to be controlling the game. Ideally, you have most of the possession and you definitely can't be giving the ball away that deep in your own end. So they were definitely lucky to not be down 1-0 after that.
00:11:33
Speaker
I think up until the Rusnak goal, it looked, I would say, pretty similar to the Seattle Sounders offense that we've come to know and love. There were some good sequences of play, there were some half chances, but they couldn't finish any, they couldn't score a goal.
00:11:48
Speaker
I do think there is one kind of conclusion I was thinking about coming off this game, which is that I feel like this team tell me if you agree with this. I feel like this team looks at his best on offense in transition. Yeah. Like when they're getting out and running, those are when the best chances come off. They haven't really. I mean, they didn't finish any of those last night, but as far as what is their most effective tactic,
00:12:12
Speaker
It seems like, you know, maybe conceding a little bit of possession and then trying to win the ball back and getting out and running. And so I thought this game kind of bared that out a little bit. They had some good, they had some good counters, but none that they scored on.
00:12:31
Speaker
Um, they finally did get the goal in the second half from what some might feel is an unlikely source. Albert Rusnak gets on the, uh, gets on the goal sheet with a, uh, it was a really sick goal. Honestly, I'm not even gonna lie. Like he had a free kick from way outside the box.
00:12:48
Speaker
And he, I don't know if you caught this, but he did like a little deke where he looked like he kind of looked at the guy off. This is a savvy play. I loved that. He did a little deke where he looked at the guy off and kind of distracted the, the defender just for a second. And then he hits a perfectly placed shot, gets the ball by him.
00:13:08
Speaker
It goes in so good for Albert Rusnak. It was a tough moment for his haters. You know, even, you know, the haters are going to say that it was from a set piece. Um, so it doesn't count, but you know, the jokes on you with that because, uh, it does count. And like, uh, that's, that's something that, um, he brings to the table and he was like, one of the reasons I really liked the signing.
00:13:32
Speaker
Uh, was because when he played for RSL, which I watched him do for years, I spent years watching Albert Rusnak and Demir Krylak specifically torch Seattle. Um, but he was, he was nasty on those set pieces for real salt Lake. And we have really not seen that enough with the sounders. Um,
00:13:48
Speaker
he has not like his corner kick delivery I feel like has not been what it was at RSL he used to with RSL he used to rack assists off those he used to rack assists off free kicks he used to score a lot of goals off free kicks with Seattle he remember he had one really sick free kick goal away at Orlando I want to say I want to say yeah last year
00:14:08
Speaker
But other than that He hasn't been getting enough of those so it was nice to see him get one It was one of the nicer rest neck free kicks I think since he's been in MLS like the distance on that and the placement and also It's just I don't know like, you know, you know the like kind of flourish he does when he shoots he's done open play a couple times It's pretty satisfying to watch like
00:14:33
Speaker
when he hits him that accurately and you can see that he was pumped up. I think he's probably aware of the haters and it feels like with the assists that he got last week and with this goal there's almost kind of a sense of relief. I was watching the highlight last week of the goal that he and Jordan combined for in the St. Louis game.
00:14:57
Speaker
after they scored it was like almost less celebration and but jordan was pointing at him and he was pumped up but he was i think he was saying like i told you i told you like we were going to get one of those like finally it was like that's sort of like the vibe i've gotten from these last two goal contributions from albert restnack um but it was nice to see him get his first goal of the season i i mean you know i know i just um clowned on the set piece caveat but i mean
00:15:25
Speaker
It doesn't really change how I view this team's attack to get a set piece goal, I guess. But, you know, I guess that's how you have to get him when you're struggling as much as Seattle has been to score goals this year. So.
00:15:40
Speaker
You got a credit for opportunity. Yeah, you have to. It's kind of all you got right now. And he did well to convert that one. One goal, five assists for the year. So still not, it's still not the output that you want from your number 10, but it's not nothing. And he has been heating up. So at least there's that Seattle had the ones you're a lead.
00:16:02
Speaker
until the very dying moments of the game. But really I think a lot of why this result happened came down to their game management after they went up a goal.
Critique on Game Management
00:16:15
Speaker
When you're the home team and you're up,
00:16:18
Speaker
And Russ and I talked about this after the game. It's kind of incumbent on you to push for the second goal. What they let happen was that the game state devolved into what you would expect if they were on the road, which is Real Assault Lake pushing super hard for the equalizer. Seattle kind of being unable to maintain possession and so subsequently just absorbing a ton of pressure from
00:16:45
Speaker
You know, one of the best teams in the league right now. And if you do a 20-30 minute spell of the game where you're just absorbing pressure the whole time like they were, the dam is probably going to break eventually. They got lucky that it didn't break before when it actually did, which was on the last play of the game.
00:17:04
Speaker
But even with that said, I mean, all you can do is kind of laugh at this sequence in stoppage time where, man, I was there last night and the vibes were immaculate when RBW
00:17:21
Speaker
got free on the flank. He torched that defending. He torched him. The crowd was going nuts. He makes a great run. No one could stop the kid. That's probably the happiest I've seen a sounder's play all year. He was having the time of his life making that run.
00:17:41
Speaker
RSL is scrambling. They don't know what to do. They've got they've got this 17 year old kid who's getting scouted by big six clubs charging at them Moose is crashing on goal RBW is wide open all by himself Lays it off to Moose perfect play from the kid Moose
00:18:00
Speaker
Crashes the goal easy finish. It's 2-0 game over the crowd goes crazy RBW I don't know if you saw this but he was Like I said, he was as pumped. Yeah, I've seen a player all year, which is I mean, it's kind of Funny in a darkly comedic way in hindsight because he was so happy and then the sequence of events that transpired I would say undermined that emotion and
00:18:29
Speaker
but you know it was we've talked a fair amount about RBW on the show but not as much because he's been injured all year and he's kind of just working his way back to fitness but that is the kind of stuff he can do that's why I think I've said it before but
00:18:45
Speaker
As far as the pundits and the scouts and the people who analyze these things for living see it, RBW, I think, has got the highest ceiling, the most upside out of any of these Academy kids coming up. Maybe possibly including Obed. Obed's kind of pushing that and giving RBW a run for that title, I would say, with how he's emerged in the last few weeks.
00:19:07
Speaker
Um, but I'm just saying, according to, according to the pundits and the scouts, RBW is, is that guy out of this group? And, uh, you, you saw why on that play, even though they took the goal away, it was a, it was a great run, nice assist. Um, and, uh, and the vibes were immaculate at Lumen field.
00:19:24
Speaker
except the goal got taken away on VAR. Moose was whistled for a foul before the build up, or yeah, before the counter started, which, you know, I actually don't think there's much to be grieved by on that call. He undercut the guy. Yeah. It's a foul. It was a foul. When I, when I was first watching the replay, I was ready to be really mad and like, Oh, that's ticky tack. That's not clear and obvious. Just let it stand.
00:19:52
Speaker
I mean, I see why they called it, but it was unfortunate because I wanted to see RBW get his assist, but I personally don't feel that aggrieved that they waved that goal off. I think it was actually...
00:20:08
Speaker
There's two instances in this game that kind of underscored why VAR is an important component of the game. I know a lot of people don't like it. And I think there's a lot of issues with the process and how long things take. But as far as the principle of it, I'm sorry, you can't have calls on the Seattle penalty where it was clearly outside the box. If there's no VAR, they give RSL a penalty on that. You can't have that.
00:20:37
Speaker
And then on this sequence, it's a pretty clear foul on Moose, I think, that the ref should have caught to, like, Seattle never should have been on that counter. You shouldn't have wrongly awarded goals like that either if you have a mechanism to prevent it. So that's kind of a side tangent, but I think those are examples of, like, why VAR is necessary.
00:21:01
Speaker
Yeah, and I think generally like funny enough a var is done So much better in MLS than any other league in the world because we were one of the first leagues to implement it So a lot of people might not like that take but I think it's actually accurate No, I you know, I know a lot of people hate pro and that's fair I totally understand I'm not gonna say that the the officiating in this league is you know The best in the world by any means but in the Premier League if you watch the Premier League Oh, it's a terrible debacle
00:21:28
Speaker
They are, they are awful at VAR. They don't even know. I mean, I knew, I knew Brits were dumb, but I didn't know that they couldn't watch a TV screen and be like, oh, he's off sides in it. It's like, they are so bad compared to this. So honestly, I thought in people, people can hate me and come in my mentions, but I thought, I thought the, the VAR and the official was.
00:21:49
Speaker
not bad last night and was definitely not the reason that the Sounders drew this match. No and to be fair I don't think that many people are all that aggrieved by that call. People with brains aren't. Every time there's a call like that that decides a game there's going to be a certain segment of people that are upset but
00:22:10
Speaker
I didn't see as blazing hot of discourse on that call as I expected. Anyway, needless to say, after Moose's goal was cruelly taken away by the VAR gods, I mean, as soon as that happened, I knew that Salt Lake was gonna score. I literally like that. There was no part of- You can see their posture just raw, like the sounder's heads just dropped, posture dropped. I was with my dad at this match and I looked over at him, I said, buddy, we're cooked.
00:22:39
Speaker
That's exactly the feeling. It's funny, I think with how this season has gone, there was just that feeling in the building. Everyone knew what was coming. It was just a matter of time. There's too much to ask. It's too much to ask for them to get that goal waved off and then just see out the 1-0. It would never happen. It would never happen, not to the 2024 Seattle Sounders.
00:23:03
Speaker
Andres Gomez, who bammed on Seattle at America First Field in the last time these two teams played, bammed on them again. The sequence that led up to the goal didn't see anyone involved cover themselves in glory. You had Nuhu get beat initially on the header end. Yemar got beat on the header back across.
00:23:28
Speaker
Jackson Reagan actually I mean there wasn't really much he could have done like the after yamar got beat on the on the header back across the ball ping to Gomez I believe and he lined up a shot and I think fry would have saved it but Jackson Reagan I mean he has to try and block it
00:23:47
Speaker
And I think, you know, he was trying to get it to come down so he could clear it. But Gomez hit the ball so hard that it deflected right back to him. And at that point, it's just a wide ass open shot right in front of goal. There was there was some blaming of Fry going on and the fry washed agenda was taking hold off this goal. I mean, guys, it's one of their best attackers with a wide open shot. No defender near him from
00:24:16
Speaker
This is less less than that. Yeah. Literally in front of goal, like maybe he could have gotten lower to block it. But the reality is when you have a player who's that wide open, that close to goal, there's just a certain percentage of the time that you're going to get bammed on in that scenario. It doesn't matter who you have.
00:24:33
Speaker
I don't know. I didn't think that there was anything the goalkeeper really could have done there. Yes, he got magged by the shot and maybe if he does the splits and gets lower he can block it.
00:24:49
Speaker
You need to not give their attacker a shot with no defender around him directly in front of the goal. Maybe put your goalkeeper in a little better situation. I don't know. There's definitely some plays you could point to this year that support the fry washed agenda. I did not see that as one of them.
00:25:07
Speaker
That was about your fullback and your CB both losing headers in the box on a desperation long ball, by the way. That ball that got played in, that's one of those balls that you just throw in the mixer as a Hail Mary when you're down a goal. Your defenders need to be able to win their headers and clear that out, I think.
00:25:29
Speaker
And two of them didn't do that and that's what led to the shot and their guy made a nice play on it But I didn't really think I don't I don't really blame Reagan or fry on that play but uh, but frankly, I think even Even more important than that is the fact that if you had scored multiple goals in this game Like you did in st. Louis, then you wouldn't have dropped the points on that goal, you know We also lakes one of the best teams in the league this year
00:25:59
Speaker
It's not necessarily realistic that you're going to hold them to a clean sheet even playing at home You know they got some guys they got Andres Gomez they got chicho orongo who who didn't even start this game but he came on in the second half and He didn't score but he showed what he could do a little bit I mean he's one of the best players in the league and
00:26:21
Speaker
right now so like the fact that you conceded one goal in this game isn't that egregious of an offense in itself what's egregious is that you couldn't score multiple game multiple goals at home and put yourself in a position where one free concession doesn't cost you points like that so
00:26:41
Speaker
Yeah, you can you can blame new who on that play you can blame a more on that play I say it every week but for me it's an issue about the offense more than the defense I thought the defense overall
00:26:55
Speaker
played decently well for the most part, although I thought both CBs, both CBs had rough ones. Jackson Reagan was given the ball away all over the field. Yamar's barely not conceding penalties and then also lost his header on the equalizer. So wasn't a good game for the CBs, but you know, if you score one goal from open play, one goal from open play, you win this game. That's the issue for me.
00:27:22
Speaker
yeah i don't understand the fry washed agenda like i what does that add or take away from that goal i promise you you put the best goalkeeper in the world in that you know what fuck it you put andy t in that situation he's not saving it like what it doesn't matter that fry is older or younger or whatever
00:27:45
Speaker
You are face to face with your vision partially blocked with one of the best strikers on one of the most goal dangerous teams in the league in the best possible position he could be in. There's no one who's going to make that save. Maybe, maybe someone would make that save. I mean, anyone who did make that save, I think would get pretty lucky. I mean, it's just like a reaction at that point.
00:28:08
Speaker
That's the third time Seattle has done this at home this year, right? You got the Colorado game where they were up 1-0 late and then gave up a penalty. You got the Vancouver game where they were up 1-0 late and then gave up a penalty and knew who got a red card. And now this.
Home Game Challenges
00:28:24
Speaker
So that's three games that you need to be winning 1-0 that you've tied 1-1. That's, you know, six drop points at home. You're 1-1 in five at home.
00:28:36
Speaker
All right. There's a lot of records that you could have on your home field. Some are good. Some are bad. One, one and five. That is not, I mean, that's not cutting it to like be a serious contender for like a top four seed in the West. Like
00:28:51
Speaker
You need to be taking care of your home field and they the frustrating thing I mean we talked about it last week, but they've actually they've been pretty good on the road They have three road wins this year. That's not bad and like maybe one or two ties So they've been pulling results at the clip that they need to on the road and they've only lost one home game but five draws at home and then a few couple of them are zero zeros and
00:29:11
Speaker
remember Austin FC came in and pulled the 0-0 and there were some stats flying around out there Noah about how their home forum has just not been good dating back like a really long time now it's like 1.3 points per game dating back to like 2020 the beginning of 2022 or something so this is an issue that goes back a while but it's been accentuated this year
00:29:35
Speaker
Like five five draws at home is not good My other takeaway from this game is that we also lake is apparently the team of destiny. Yes, they're blessed from on high Okay, so just to break it down in their last game They were down 3-0 at FC Dallas came back to tie at 3-3 on the last last play of the game and then they go to Seattle the next week and
00:30:03
Speaker
Are down one zero and tie it on the last play of the game. They're now 12 unbeaten They're pulling crazy results and they've just got some this like they got shoes and they got this chosen aura about them Right now and that brings me to my next take which is that I'm gonna dish in unpopular take right now But I'm feeling it. So I'm gonna I'm gonna do it. All right
00:30:27
Speaker
People really aren't going to like this. I've actually I've gone down this road before and uh, it wasn't popular lobbying supporters. Yeah. Yeah. Um, Pablo Mastrioni might actually, he might be a good coach. Like he might be a good coach. I'm not saying that he is necessarily, but like, listen, if you think back about his Colorado rapids tenure, like he took a lot of criticism because that team played
00:30:52
Speaker
Probably some of the most negative soccer I've seen from MOS, but that's I'm telling you that's because Pablo is a pretty smart guy He knows what he's doing. He saw his personnel. He was like, I don't have anybody who's that Good. All right. So what I'm gonna do is play super negative soccer Try and hold a clean sheet every single game like basically my whole game plan is to try and hold a clean sheet by any means possible and then some percentage of the time
00:31:19
Speaker
we're gonna be able to get a goal on a counter or just buy dumb luck or they were really good at set pieces back in the day. They signed this guy Jack Price who hit some of the craziest, nicest free kicks and he got a ton of assists from free kicks and corner kicks. So they would get goals off that and sometimes off the counter and then other than that just play really negative soccer and try and hold a clean sheet.
00:31:42
Speaker
And they made it to in 2016, they were the team that Seattle played in the Western Conference final playing Pablo ball, which was terrible to watch, but decently effective. I'm looking at this and I'm like, I think this is a guy who he understands what he has. And he knows he's maximizing it effectively. Like you have to give him credit for that. So I gave Pablo credit for that. Even back then, when Rapids Rapids fans
00:32:08
Speaker
hated it like because they were like we have to watch this every week and it's terrible and I was I was popping off about how Pablo is a pretty good coach kind of like half jokingly but like also kind of seriously trying to make the point that I just made and I had a few Rapids fans come in my mentions and they're like I one of them specifically was like dude you need to you need to stop stop this this is not a good take
00:32:30
Speaker
But like if you look at what he's done with RSL Which if you let's think back to the circumstances under which Pablo Monstrone took over real Salt Lake He only got the job. He was an assistant on the staff and then Freddy Juarez bailed Midseason to come to Seattle to be an assistant which that doesn't really get talked about enough like I've never seen that in a sport like a coach leave a head coaching job and
00:32:54
Speaker
to take an assistant head, assistant coaching job with another club in the middle of the season. I mean, it happens in like these people will go from college basketball head coach to like NBA assistant, but never like in the same league. Yeah. And I feel like usually that stuff happens during the off season. I don't know. It was definitely pretty bizarre. I mean, I think Freddie was like a lame duck at RSL at that point. And he saw the writing on the wall.
00:33:19
Speaker
But Pablo took over as the interim at that point. And they've been ex-doggin ever since. And we've talked about the, I think, Kurt Schmid, son of Ziggy. He's the sporting, chief sporting officer over there. And you got to give him a lot of credit for what he's done with this roster. I mean, he's been around MLS for a really long time. He knows how it's done. And I think if you really break down the ascent of Rial Salt Lake,
00:33:48
Speaker
Lot of it's got to do with Kurt Schmid cooking He's made like Gomez is still developing for them But he's been he's certainly been a much more effective you 22 signing for them than Leo choose been for Seattle That's actually been kind of a hit for them And then they pulled a coup by signing Chico. They did Chico is one of the best players in the league LFC really haven't been the same since they lost Chico and it's because he's got that he's got that
00:34:17
Speaker
Rare aptitude for scoring goals in bunches that is so valuable and Pablo Mastrioni has combined the ex-dog mentality with some actually really good players and you're seeing the result of that.
00:34:37
Speaker
RSL like I said team of destiny. Yeah, I love listen Everyone knows that I'm an anti stats guy that I'm I'm not anti tactics per se But I am through and through an ex-dog lover and fan. I think that he is one a good coach I don't think that's even a debate anymore and people can get upset but what I think he does so well is the vibes part of it exactly and
00:35:03
Speaker
Culture building and hops. Yeah, I think that 99% of a head coach's job is doing that. Understanding your players at such a deep level that you're able to get them over a hump or be like, you know what? Everyone fucking sucks. Let's build a tanky team. And then you say, OK, here's our tactician. You send it over to your tactician. You're like, build us a tanky team. You know what I mean? I think what's great about him is that he understands his limitations.
00:35:32
Speaker
and knows what he's good at and I think that he's really probably the most effective x-dog coach in the league maybe in the world and I mean think about it think about it but think about it they fired the entire coaching staff other than him and then the entire thing turned around because it like is it clearly wasn't his fault yeah I don't know
00:35:56
Speaker
Yeah, I think a lot of a lot of a lot of MLS heads really aren't gonna like that take but you know what like I stand by it like he's I would he got he got results with like a very not good that go back and look at that Rapids roster that made the West Final in 16 go look at it I did look at it because Seattle was playing them in that series and Seattle won But that team had no business being in the West
00:36:20
Speaker
final at all yeah, and Pablo Mastrioni He cooked that one up, and he's cooking with real Salt Lake right now. I'm jealous of their front office to be honest like I I'm jealous I mean I've been jealous of their roster dating back to last year I was actually looking at the lineup sheet last night, and I was like I'm jealous of this rock. I want that yeah, I
00:36:42
Speaker
Let's hit the agenda check and then questions. Does that sound good? No, I'm so ready. All right. So for this week's agenda check I'm gonna tell you who I've got written down and if I'm missing anyone we can add one I've got moose RBW obed and then Morris at the nine Anyone anyone else? No, I think I think that's it
00:37:00
Speaker
All right, Moose, Moose Agenda. This one's really interesting because for a brief fleeting moment, it looked like it was skyrocketing to dimensions unforeseen by mankind after he scored that goal. But unfortunately, it got undermined on the same play because he committed a foul that negated the whole sequence. And he, the goal didn't count. But you know what?
00:37:28
Speaker
I'm actually gonna I'm gonna say that the moose agenda is rehabilitated slightly just by virtue of the fact that you know, it didn't count but like he scored the type of goal that if he if he scored it and it did count like that's a valuable thing that he would be contributing to the team if he if he can like make runs like that and just finish off plays like that
00:37:53
Speaker
but just not commit a foul beforehand, he'll be on a good track and the agenda will be back in full force, right? Because it didn't count, I can't say, all right, it's totally turned around, Moose Agenda rehabilitated, but I'm gonna dub it, from my perspective, at least slightly rehabilitated.
00:38:13
Speaker
Yeah, I'm gonna go opposite. Like I said last week, I actually like Moose. I like him as a person, I like him as a player. I just, that goal is 100% RBW. Did he finish? I'll give him that. You know what? He did the bare minimum. So I will say it's like a tick up from like, he went from flatlining to like, he's got one of those little like heartbeat spikes every like 20 minutes.
00:38:40
Speaker
Um, because yeah, that goal was all RBW, but he has to make the run like you get sure, but like that is the, that's the bare minimum. Like you are a nine. You see your, your, your wings streaking beats his man. Like it's not hard to run onto that play. And yeah, he didn't, he didn't sky the ball like he's done eight times this season, but
00:39:03
Speaker
You know, whatever. I like Moose. What I think it's more important for than his agenda is his confidence, which has been very clearly lacking, which I hate to see in any player on this team, but very much for a striker. So Moose agenda for me, it's not up, it's not down. It just is still, but I'm happy for him. And I think that let's get, let's get him an open cup goal.
00:39:25
Speaker
That's fair. RBW Agenda, honestly, for me, pretty skyrocketed. Just seeing him on that play, I don't care that it didn't count. He beasted that play, and you're starting to see flashes of why he's so highly regarded by the scouts and the pundits.
00:39:46
Speaker
That was a sick play. And I love how pumped up he was. He was getting lit. And like, I love to see a young guy get that excited to make a play like that. And, you know, they would have won the game if that had counted. And he knew that. But I definitely like when that sequence happened, Noah, I was like, holy shit. Okay, there's the RBW that I've been told about. There it is.
00:40:12
Speaker
Yeah, no I was I was nice. That was nice. It was so nice cuz I like listen I'm Everyone knows that I'm a Cody Baker head through and through and so when he came on and replaced Cody Baker and then you know he Kind of got be kind of not me and Jeremiah were arguing about the last the goal where he let his defender or what seemingly? Yeah, get get goals out of him
00:40:39
Speaker
you know whatever regardless um i was just like man cody baker i think still plays that position better i really like this look when he came on it seemed like to me they changed tactical formations and went to a five in the back which really allows for that wingback play that schwetzer loves um and maybe i was wrong with that but that's what it looked like to me uh and that just allowed him to play more of like a midfield role and like
00:41:06
Speaker
What a beast. He looked like Prime Jordan Morris out there. And that's just something that Cody Bakes for all the good things that he brings to the table. I'm not sure a play like that is in his bag like it is for RBW. That is a unique
00:41:26
Speaker
play yeah yeah no like i think that i i still think personally like if you have a player like cody baker and a player like read baker whiting on the same side on the same wing it would give you so much so it's like so
00:41:42
Speaker
Don't even know what's what is even a good word for that? It'd be really dynamic because Reed is so good at those duels Which can you know? He can make he can make a steal in the midfield and push that play forward because he's so technically gifted And I still think that like Cody Baker is a pitbull and a dog and he's gonna body your ass Yeah, so a left side with Cody Baker is your fullback and RBW is the winger. Oh
00:42:06
Speaker
That's what I'm saying. I like that. I like it. But no agenda agenda is like through the red hot. It's red hot. Yeah. RBW agenda. Red hot. Obed agenda. I don't think it I don't think it skyrocketed or diminished at all in this game. He did have he almost scored. Yeah.
00:42:26
Speaker
He had a shot from outside the box that the goalkeeper had to make a diving save on which is it was a pretty low percentage Look, but one of these days he's gonna hit one of those I don't think he did. I don't think he really did anything to To strengthen the agenda, but the agenda is already so strong. He would have to have like an insanely bad performance and
00:42:48
Speaker
to torpedo it or anything like that. He certainly didn't do that, but he did not get on the score sheet this game, but there's nothing in this game that changed my thinking that he should be the starting right mid for this team in a first choice 11.
00:43:07
Speaker
Yeah, I think he because he was playing defensive mid this game and he drew three fouls, which that's always a good thing. His his duels were really nice as well. I mean, I saw him. I saw him spin the ball off a guy. I still continue to be impressed by him. Like I think that he had a decent game now that I think about it more.
00:43:28
Speaker
Like and I'm really cognizant of that kind of stuff because I think like I've I played some of those positions where it's not really like flashy, but it's very much like a Okay, are you gonna get your job done? And how well do you get your job done? And I just think that he's really dynamic still like I don't love him in the defensive bin position But I thought he held his own and and really like created more Dynamic attack out of that or like a link play out of that then JP has done all season long
00:43:58
Speaker
Yeah, you know what was good about Obed's shift was and you kind of alluded to it, but it was he did some dirty work Yeah, he was he was winning the ball back when it was in like the RSL was in the attacking and he was working hard on defense You know, that's how you that's how schmetz you get more minutes under schmetz. Yeah, we all know so yeah, really just
00:44:20
Speaker
continues to be impressive, very talented player. And finally the Morris at the nine agenda. I think, listen, as someone who's been on the side of your, your best plan on offense right now is Raoul taking really low percentage shots and just praying to the heavens that he converts them. And he will sometimes cause he hits those on occasion.
00:44:43
Speaker
I think the one I tried. Oh, yeah, that was really funny. Okay. I mean, let's let's talk about this. I mean he tried to
00:44:52
Speaker
I mean, that, that shot he took was, uh, he forced to save and won a corner off it, but it was just like ridiculous. Like, uh, I don't think the keeper was far enough off his line to be trying that. And he had his back away from goal and just did like a three 60 left footer from midfield, just skied it in the air and actually
00:45:16
Speaker
to his credit, made the goalkeeper scale back and hit it out for a corner. But it's just like, all right, I think we're getting a little too, a little too ambitious with that one Raul. But I mean, as far as it pertains to the number nine debate with this team, I just really don't understand like how Raul is playing right now. There's so many times in every game
00:45:38
Speaker
Where he is dropping so far back to get the ball and he's just he's getting the ball in these areas of the field Where I'm watching it. I'm like, why are you why are you there?
00:45:50
Speaker
Why are you there? You should be trying to get the ball, like, not just closer to goal than that, but way, like, he's way, way, way too far up the field. And it's like, you know, it's kind of like he's playing a tagging mid out there and not, he's definitely not playing number nine. And we've talked about it, but all his shots are coming from distance. He's getting zero looks from inside the box, which is historically,
00:46:20
Speaker
Where he's been more effective, but also just where you want your number nine to be getting a few handful of looks a game Ideally and I don't know if it's an issue with how he's playing or if how he's combining with the other attackers or what but
00:46:35
Speaker
When he is only getting on the ball that far away from goal and only taking shots from distance, he's not going to be scoring goals at a very efficient clip. And if you look at the goals he scored this year, you know, I still maintain that his Hail Mary shots are one of the best plans that this team has right now because he's clinical enough to finish those sometimes. But like,
00:47:01
Speaker
I mean, you can't really rely on that. So while I don't necessarily, I still don't necessarily believe that Jordan at the nine is going to result in drastically different statistical output. Um, I mean, you may as well try it because, uh, it can't really get, it can't be worse right now, you know? So I know that's kind of a, uh,
00:47:28
Speaker
a change from my previous take, but like just watching the game last night, I was just, I was facepalming a little bit with just like how much, how, how, how much he has been getting taken out of these games.
00:47:39
Speaker
He's a ghost like he's genuinely a ghost. I want to be fair. Like there's always been an element of that to his game where you might not necessarily notice him for long stretches of the games. And then he gets that one chance and hole and hole and I'll get you with it. And he did that to great effect for years. But now he's not getting the one chance. And the chances that he is getting are really low percentage from really far away from the goal. And those are never you're never going to be all that efficient with with shots that are from that far away.
00:48:07
Speaker
Yeah, I think that he like Raul right now is the worst false nine in the entire league like I I don't understand what Maybe maybe it's bad instruction. Like maybe it is a tactical wrinkle that it's new and it's it's bad maybe it's that he's old and Mentally, he's just going through like who knows what it is. But he is bad like he is actively not good on this team and
00:48:36
Speaker
what sucks about that is that i don't think jordan is going to be like more effective or less effective i just think he will be there but it's like we've talked about a lot of pulling players out of their best positions to supplement a position that's already like struggling like i kind of still prefer jordan playing on the wing and like i don't want to see musavski starting over raul but like
00:49:02
Speaker
I don't know. Maybe, maybe, maybe like what do you do? I have no clue what to do here. I mean, you just run Jordan on the wing in Raul with the nine and hope that they figured out someone in the summer. Yeah. And then at some point you sign someone. But like for now, I think I think that that's the best. The way they wind it up in this game is the best option that you have. I just don't really have
00:49:27
Speaker
Much faith that it's going to result in an MLS attack that scores multiple goals in games consistently although you know to be fair It has been better as far as the output goes You know they they had the three goals in Philly two in Portland two in st. Louis But it's still it just still doesn't feel consistent and repeatable and attack and until it does you're susceptible to results like this where if you can only score one goal in a game, you know
00:49:57
Speaker
A one goal lead in soccer doesn't mean all that much. He really doesn't. When you're only up by one goal, which is a scenario the Sounders have found themselves a lot this year, all it takes is one play and that result flips. So you gotta be able to get on top of teams, you gotta be able to...
Strategy for Future Games
00:50:17
Speaker
play. They got to play better with the lead. Like they got to be able to extend the lead when they have it and not just sit back and and hang on for dear life, you know, especially at home. It's really unfortunate that the game state devolved to what it did at a home in a home game.
00:50:32
Speaker
Let's take questions and then winners and losers losers and then get out of here knows Absolutely. Thank you as always for your questions. We love you We kiss you on the mouth with Ari's sick mouth That's something right anyway AP asks I think the Seattle Sounders should be able to score more than one goal in their home games Ari is this an issue?
00:50:56
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, yeah, I just talked about it, but I definitely agree with the sentiment. If you gave me the choice between them scoring one goal or scoring multiple goals in a game, I would pick multiple goals because they would have a better chance at winning the game as opposed to giving up the equalizer at the death and drawing the game.
00:51:16
Speaker
Yeah, you know, that's that's something that's a bold take. And it's almost as bold as my Pablo Mastro any take. Yeah. So I think but I think, you know, I think you're right on the money there. Sebastian asks twenty nine K in the stadium for the first time since 2009 non covid thoughts gut reaction. Are the glory days gone? Or is the Roman Empire falling?
00:51:37
Speaker
Yeah, it was the lowest attendance since before the COVID days, like you said. Yeah, I don't know what to make of that. I mean, I do think the team's performance this year has been pretty middling and you also had a Wednesday night game in the rain, but you know, that didn't use to stop people. So, I mean, look, I think the easiest way to fix that is to start winning some games.
00:52:01
Speaker
I think when you're in 10th place, people just aren't as excited about the team. Like when you're contending, people are probably going to be more inclined to show up and support, which you know, you can call that fair weather, but people don't want to watch a boring middling team either.
00:52:18
Speaker
I love the sounders and I've loved this team for a long time and I will continue to love this team. I have been through it all but it takes everything in me to go to these matches right now. Like realistically and I cover this team on an audio podcast like I totally understand
00:52:36
Speaker
And we're sickos and we're going to watch and break down every game, but not like every fan is like that. Yeah. Like if you are not enjoying the sounders and Mark Castner said this and I love this, it's okay. Don't go. Who cares? Like soccer and football and sports are supposed to be fun. If you're not having fun and it's causing you anguish, don't watch. Like you're not a bad person or a bad fan for not doing that.
00:53:04
Speaker
Bard asks, Raoul played another 80 plus minute game. We made one sub before the 82nd minute. Why? What's going on here? Why is Schmetzer's job suddenly completely safe again?
00:53:15
Speaker
Yeah, I would have loved to see subs earlier Especially like when I was having a game like that where he's ghosting I don't like just throw moose on there at like 60 65 and give him a chance to actually Make more of an impact on the game What was the second part of the question is is Schmetzer's job safe? And it why is it suddenly or why are we suddenly stop talking about it?
00:53:42
Speaker
I mean I think they won a couple games so the whole Schmetz out crowd calmed down a little bit for a couple weeks and then they had a really bad result in this game so people are probably going to be bringing it up again. My take on that hasn't changed which is that Schmetz is a proven coach. He won every trophy possible with him as a coach.
00:54:01
Speaker
And I don't really think you gain all that much from firing him right now. But that being said, if the team continues to stagnate and they miss the playoffs again this year, or they barely squeak in as a low seed and then immediately crash out.
00:54:17
Speaker
Then, I think regardless of what any of us think about it, the front office is probably going to have to talk over whether a reset in a new era is what this team needs to get back to where it was in the last few years.
00:54:35
Speaker
You know, I think some people have pointed out that there was a big decline once you had Gonzo leave and once you had a lot of the assistance staff kind of move on. Maybe we need an RSL. Maybe we need to bring back Gonzo. Oh, I thought you were going to advocate for Pablo.
00:54:52
Speaker
Oh, what if they hired Bob off another RSL swoop? I mean, but yeah, so Frank asks in that vein, you know, maybe when gonzo gets sacked, we can bring him back as an assistant, which he saved for another week. So who knows? We're going to talk about that. We're going to talk about that, and then he also says maybe we need to get Aussie as an assistant to bring back that honey badger attitude. I like that.
00:55:19
Speaker
Yeah. Um, he hates me. He hate me to six asks is ownership being cheap by trying to ride Pedro de la Vega as they're only signing this year and pretend we didn't notice it was just because he was injured. Should Adrian sell the team? Is he a broke boy compared to the MLS owners? Now Ari, this is what my mentions look like these days. The de la Vega thing is it's so frustrating because basically the whole plan for this season was, you know,
00:55:50
Speaker
They were framing it like, okay, we had a down year last year, Champions League took it out of us, we never really recovered. Missed the playoffs after Champions League. Got second in the West last year, but I think everyone agrees it was a relative underperformance compared to what we expect from this team. It was a fraudulent second place. Well, it was just more by virtue of the fact that everyone else in the West didn't do very well out there than it was that they like.
00:56:16
Speaker
Performed super super well or anything like that. They were more like a mid playoff team last year. So the plan was all right we're gonna we're gonna make a signing to address this and supercharge the offense and that signing is De La Vega this really highly touted Argentine prospect and he's really dynamic and creative And he's going to fix
00:56:40
Speaker
the issues that we have last year. And I was like, OK, let's see it. Let's see it. You made a big signing. Everything I've read about this player is that he's very highly touted and well regarded. Let's see if that can supercharge the offense. But then he gets here and just instantaneously blows out his hamstring, has barely played the entire year. Every time he does play, he pops his hamstring again. So you never know how many minutes he's going to play at a given time. And the result has been
00:57:10
Speaker
It's just the exact same team as last year. That's essentially the situation that we're in. Nothing is different really about the team from last year to this year. And last year's team averaged 1.53 whatever points per game, which is okay. But you're not contented for shields with that. You're not contented for MLS cups with that. You're grinding out results and hoping to get into the playoffs. And the problem with that is,
00:57:39
Speaker
Once you get into the playoffs, sure anything can happen, but also once you get into the playoffs at some point, you're going to play these teams that are supercharged and have tons of firepower and DPs that put up 10, 15, 20 goals a season and 10, 15 assists in a season.
00:57:57
Speaker
when you're like a grinded out team with nobody who's producing at an elite level like this, and you go up against a supercharged team like that with a bunch of firepower, you're probably gonna get your doors blown off in the playoffs. And they didn't get their doors blown off in the playoffs last year, but like, what was the difference in that playoff game against LASC last year? They had Bewonga, who was just a menace to society and scores just an unbelievable goal. That's the difference in the game.
00:58:27
Speaker
Until you have a player of your own who can match that In terms of how dynamic and they are and the output that they can produce I Mean, I don't think you're gonna get all that far So you needed de la Vega to be that guy and the fact that he's just been injured the whole time It sucks man, it's frustrating. Yeah, I
00:58:53
Speaker
This is a really hard question for me because I really don't think that it's
00:59:00
Speaker
a simple solution to the problem of this roster like i think that there's a lot of pieces of the roster that are ailing this club but it's also like we've talked about it garth put them in a jam and then up and left uh after champions league and like do i was kind of a sick move to which like yeah like i i dude i love garth people hated garth and like
00:59:25
Speaker
Funny enough, I literally had a dream about Garth last night, which I think is probably the funniest thing ever. He's haunting my memory. But no, he was able to get shit done and move players around and do all this stuff. And I think it's funny because Craig Weibull came in and was this guy who was like, I'm gonna do all these loans and I'm really into all of this. And the problem is there's been no depth for this club. The depth has gotten worse from last year.
00:59:53
Speaker
I truly believe that. You lost Nico, who was such a veteran piece. Maybe he wasn't able to go 90 anymore. He's booking fine in Orlando, but you lose that piece that can supplement week in, week out. Maybe you win a couple more games, maybe you don't.
01:00:13
Speaker
But like, is it because we're cheap? Yeah, probably. Like, I think that we are we are under spending and we definitely don't have the financial means that other teams have. But that really hasn't stopped us in the past. No. But I think that, like, you know, one of the things that the Sounders are really good at is identifying that talent. It's either lower value or like when they spend, they want to spend for a player with longevity like Nico or like
01:00:43
Speaker
Pedro de la Vega, which was kind of their their thought with that I like people want to say he's a bust but like I just don't think we know what I will criticize is signing a player that was injured coming like you sign him and then or like right before you sign him he's injured and he already has a hamstring injury and has to leave Argentine camp like I understand like the the logistics and the the optics of pulling out of a deal because of an injury but like
01:01:13
Speaker
That's a that's a like that's what like physicals and medical staff are for to like tell you is this a good idea and then you run him out and like I don't know. It's such a tough. I'm just rambling at this point are you got to cut me off here, but Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. It's it's I just wish we got to see him play more man I just want to see I just want to see for my own knowledge as much as anything
01:01:37
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. Depressing result aside, I loved watching Jordan play, finally taking on defenders and looking like he actually wants the ball at his feet again. I think his confidence has been restored after the past two goals in two prior games to RSL. I think so a little bit. I think for a goal scorer,
01:01:57
Speaker
That's been in a drought or having a tough run of form like all you need is One or two to open the floodgates sometimes and I agree. He did look he's looked more confident like he's having more fun last couple games and You know, I still think in an ideal world his best position is out wide there.
01:02:17
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. That is, I think we've hit every logical question. Sounds good.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
01:02:25
Speaker
Thank you to everyone as always for submitting those. I know we can't hit every single one every week, so I'm sorry about that, but I love seeing the discourse and reading all the takes and appreciate everyone who engages.
01:02:26
Speaker
I
01:02:38
Speaker
Um, let's jump around the league here to close it out. No, I got winners and losers from this match day slate. Yeah. There's some, there's some good stuff going on in MLS. Wasn't quite as drunk as last week, but still pretty drunk. Um, for winners, I got Nashville SC, no, they bammed on FC Cincinnati to zero. They got the new coach bump. Uh, I don't know who this guy is. Who's their interim coach. Know nothing about him.
01:03:01
Speaker
but he seems like a cool guy. We did some content with it. It's always fun when there's an interim coach who it's usually a guy who's just getting their shot. Like sometimes it's a guy like, like of the Dom Dominic Canier, Ilk, who's like an assistant on the staff and been a head coach in the past. And they're like, gonna just let them hold it down for the time being.
01:03:19
Speaker
but in this case Nashville's coach I think he might have been in their academy or something and it's definitely a guy who's like just getting his first shot in MLS and he was vibing he had some fun quotes that we put in the in the cider on MLSSoccer.com so I don't think Nashville's season is necessarily saved I think they kind of are what they are with the roster that they have but like to see them
01:03:47
Speaker
Like convincingly beat FC Cincinnati who are arguably the best team in the league right now a definite shield contender the reigning shield champions That's a huge result for them And it does show you that the new coach bump is definitely a thing like they've statistically measured that and it does happen sometimes where When you switch coaches you get hot so maybe that's what's happening for Nashville. Yeah, I was I don't know I love
01:04:12
Speaker
I don't know. I love this game. That's it. I don't have much more to say. No. Uh, second winner of the week Atlanta United. Uh, and we're going to talk about inner Miami, but, uh, God's open data saved his job. Three, one victory at inner Miami at chase stadium. God, they look so fucking good. Like real Madrid, the best team that's ever played the game. That's that's how good Atlanta United like can do that sometimes. It's a weird.
01:04:38
Speaker
Yeah, he's nasty. He's, he's definitely nasty. He's not having that good a year. Their team's not having that good a year, but like that. Okay. That's sort of why I remember I was saying that like I wasn't, I know that my opinion on the gonzo out train means nothing as like a total outsider in this situation. And I think we're both biased because we both have
01:04:57
Speaker
Like, we both know that Gonzo Pineda is a pretty good coach from when he was in Seattle in the work he did as an assistant here. So the idea that he's just like this total bum coach that doesn't know what he's doing. Atlanta fans who argue that, I'm sorry, you are tripping.
01:05:15
Speaker
Look at Boca Negra, man. That's all I'm saying. Like all your issues. If you if you gave Gonzo Pineda like a roster that didn't have a ton of mid players like this Atlanta team, he would cook. But in my opinion, at least you've got a roster that's been assembled that doesn't have like it. It's not as talented as everyone thinks it is. That would be my assessment of the Atlanta United roster. You've got they've got some banger players like
01:05:41
Speaker
Tiago Amada and Jaco Marcus, they're, they're sick, but like you need more than that. Uh, and they're like, their back line is really bad. Like their CBs and their D mids are always just really mid. Um, so God's open data saved his job and I hope he keeps it. I don't think he will because I think this doesn't really change. This doesn't really change how I think of either of these teams, but, um, it was definitely a great result for them on the road. Uh, and then Dax McCarty played
01:06:10
Speaker
Which I thought was I mean they've been they've been like that that was one of the things that Gonzo was trying to like turn it around Yeah, I'm gonna put dax out there. I have to read this tweet before we move on because it's too funny This was from an Atlanta United fan He said Pineda was one of the first to come up to the away fans at full-time and hype us up yesterday I hate him today. I would die for my gaffer my goat. That's how fast things change
01:06:32
Speaker
And then I got the LA galaxy beating FC Dallas 3-1 I know it's just FC Dallas but the galaxy agenda had been drastically diminished in recent weeks Joey Paints has been injured which makes me really sad, but he is Supposedly coming back soon and the galaxy got a big dub without him Ricky pooj bleached hair bump. Yeah, I think so And then what the losers real quick inner Miami
01:07:00
Speaker
beat soundly at home by a reeling Atlanta United team. And Messi was playing, I think Suarez was out there, Musquets was out there. It wasn't like they were resting the Barca boys. I think that's the worst game that Ater Miami has had since the, like they've had, they've lost a few games, but most of the time it's because at least some combination of the Barca boys are out. And in this game, like
01:07:30
Speaker
For Messi to get beat 3-1 at home by Atlanta United, it was definitely unexpected. I definitely thought they were going to do the bit again where they almost did do the bit again. They were down 2-0. Messi scored a goal to make it 2-1. And I was like, okay, they're just going to come back, probably win the game.
01:07:46
Speaker
But to Atlanta United's credit, they got the third goal, and Inter Miami takes the L. But I mean, it's fun to put them in the losers section for a week because we've been mostly talking about how good they look this year. But I really don't. This doesn't change how I look at Inter Miami at all. I think over the course of a long season, you're probably gonna have every type of result, and this is just an example of kind of
01:08:14
Speaker
an outlier game where an inferior team beat the superior team. So until I see inner Miami take a few results like this over a sustained sample size, I still think they have quite comfortably the most firepower of any team in the league when they're fully healthy.
01:08:31
Speaker
I did like this stat. This was from Opta. Leo Messi's club team lost a match in which he scored a goal for the first time in over three years since a 2-1 defeat to Celta Vigo on May 16th, 2021. So it's been three years since there's been a match where Messi's club team, where he scored and they lost. Inter Miami made history. I mean, okay. So there's, there's still 10, three, and four with a plus 15 goal differential, which is the
01:09:01
Speaker
Best goal differential in the league still first place in the shield race because since he lost I'm I'm so I know everyone's gonna want to be on inner Miami's case this week I'm telling you guys it doesn't really mean shit. It doesn't And they have Bob T and they have Bob T coming off the bench, which is like man There's what a what a different life their fans leave. Yeah
01:09:21
Speaker
Sporting Kansas City the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts. I'm sad report lost to one. Oh no to the Vancouver Whitecaps They're continue. I mean they've been loser section like three weeks in a row because they keep losing games. No, they're two eight and five
01:09:37
Speaker
two, eight, and five coaches save their last place. 14th place bottom of the, uh, of the West table. They might let's look at the wow. The revs, the revs are bottom of the league table with seven points, 0.5, four points per game to 10 and one. How long is Caleb Porter going to last? I didn't even have the revs written down for this, but like, they're so bad. We're just ignoring them.
01:10:02
Speaker
Minus 17 goal differential one five and one at home Matt Doyle had some numbers about how the revs are on a pace That's like worse than the FC Cincinnati and Minnesota teams that wooden spoon member when they first came into the league And they were putting up these historically bad numbers like minus 40 goal Differentials and winning like three or four games the entire year wooden spooning But like that's the kind of stuff that the revs are on right now. That's incredible which is I mean, it's pretty crazy to me because
01:10:31
Speaker
Like they were they were a pick to be like a contender in the east carless hill That's it. But like yeah, it's kind of all you need, you know Carlos Hill and some vets I like looking back on it We might have been able to predict this. Yeah, but I'm like if I'm glad that I didn't I don't do the screenshot predictions, but if I had like I probably would have had the revs like Third to fifth honestly. Yeah, and I feel like Justified and thinking about them that way like based on how they've been
01:11:01
Speaker
In the last few years, so I don't know what's going on But this that became that what started as a sporting Kansas City segment and became a red segment But I just saw that on the table and was like holy shit. They are bad And then finally on the loser section I got both Chicago and Orlando. Did you see this? So they played do a 1-1 draw but Chicago scored the worst goal Have you seen this? Unbelievable if you have not yet seen it
01:11:30
Speaker
look it up. Basically, I mean, I don't really know how to describe it other than that there was a ball pinging around as a generous word. I don't know what these guys were doing with it. They were vibing. They were just vibing. And then eventually Hugo, Hugo Kuipers got credited with the goal. I didn't really see how it went in, but just kind of went in. It was just like everyone was just standing there like, oh,
01:11:58
Speaker
It's like does anyone care about this game that's happening right now both of you both like what are you guys doing like the attacking team is like just kind of standing there kicking the ball like not really at the goal and then it bounces around and goes in and it goes in they're not even celebrating because they're like a shape they're like that was that's
01:12:18
Speaker
That's not no one should be proud of what we just witnessed and then the Orlando's like, oh man We got we got bammed on by Chicago too bad. Like am I taking crazy pills right now? What's going on? Yeah So you like one one drop, but they both go in the losers section for for me having to watch that And of course, you know the clip gets posted and everyone's like, oh like MLS, you know so we have to deal with all that too, but uh, I
01:12:47
Speaker
I can't even argue with it on that one. Like I don't know. I don't know what we were doing. Yeah. All right. With that, unless you got anything else, I think we're good to call it a wrap right there for episode 39. We feel like we went a little long on that one. So we'll cut it right there.
01:13:03
Speaker
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01:13:25
Speaker
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