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LS Live: Fans React to INSANE Seattle Sounders win at Sporting Kansas City!
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We react and take calls following Seattle's Matchday 24 clash at Sporting KC.
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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 Match Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or LobbingScorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:00:22
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. Why the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be scorcher.
00:00:44
Speaker
Good evening, everybody.
First Half Highlights and Player Contributions
00:00:46
Speaker
Welcome in to another postgame live. The Seattle Sounders just beat Sporting Kansas City, the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts, three to two in what, you know, Noah, I don't usually use the term tale of two halves, but I think this can be safely dubbed a tale of two halves.
00:01:06
Speaker
Uh, Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnak, and Jesus Ferreira all get on the score sheet in ah in a dominant first half performance. Didn't go as well in the second half. It did not. it's a good thing It's a good thing my internet died, Ari, after that first half. You know, I didn't, i you know, I just, you'll have to fill me in because I totally am just pretending like I didn't actually watch what I what i watched in that second half. It it it it did not end well.
00:01:30
Speaker
Let's just say that. is it on It did not end well. ah i I don't think there's such a thing as, ah you know how they say there's draws that feel like a loss or draws. I don't think there's such a thing as a win that feels like a loss, but like low key, like I don't feel like I normally do after a win right now based on how that second half ended and really in the whole debacle with the red card at the end, knew who's probably getting suspended.
00:01:55
Speaker
We're going to talk about ah all that. But before we get into it, as always, like the video, sub to the channel, follow us on all socials, and order the Lobbing Scorchers hot sauce, lobbingscorchers.com slash sauce.
00:02:09
Speaker
Use code LS. Yeah, I use it all the time. Use code LS. Get a free bottle with your order. We're going talk about this game, of course, and ah take some calls. get Get the reactions from ah from you, the people, in a little bit.
00:02:24
Speaker
I'm not sure what the status of the pressers are, if they've started yet, if you could check that. ryan We might be too late to ah to play that live. ah But either way, while we wait for Noah to check on the status of that, we'll give our takes on what just took place at a Children's Mercy Park first.
00:02:42
Speaker
ah get the discourse flowing, and then ah and then send the call-in link out for you all to ah hop on. You see anything with the pressers yet? I'm booting into it right now. Okay, okay. God damn it.
00:02:56
Speaker
trying to that would be That would be ideal. We'll see if we can make it happen with the tech. Because I really actually want to see these. I want to see these. They may be...
00:03:10
Speaker
Should theoretically let you hop into the zoom mid call. Yeah.
00:03:16
Speaker
Let's see.
00:03:20
Speaker
dooooo dooooooo Here we go. Let's go. All right.
Challenges and Strategies in the Second Half
00:03:24
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. um You know, obviously I played with Jesus with the national team a lot and weirdly we've kind of switched roles here a little bit.
00:03:35
Speaker
But you, you know, throughout the course of the season, you see what he brings. He's so clean on the ball, helps a ton and build out. um And he can play that final pass so well. So like I said, in that you know when we when we talked in Seattle, having him and Albert on either side of me is, it's a dream for a forward like me that likes to make those runs in behind.
00:03:54
Speaker
And whether it goes the left, whether it goes to the right, um You know, I know that the quality of the guy on the ball is so high and if I make a run, they they're going to find me. So I love playing with Teixous. He's so clean, technically super happy he got a goal. It's a great, great you know combination with them. And for me, I think the three of us would work really well together. So yeah, he's a great player. We're really happy to have him.
00:04:17
Speaker
All right, next question. We'll go to Nico Antun. Nico, go ahead, please.
00:04:24
Speaker
Hi guys, congratulations on the win. ah Albert, just wanted to talk about that second half, ah you being right in the middle, wanting to get your thoughts on the pressure, especially because that looked like a different game with their momentum in that second half.
00:04:38
Speaker
Yeah, like I said, you know, i feel like obviously the me and Danny in the second half were to have the highest guys on the field. um And I felt like, you know, once we got the ball, there was...
00:04:50
Speaker
you know we were 70 yards from their goal. So if you turn and you don't want to play that final ball because you know then it might be one against their back three or four. um And we focus too much on defending, which is normal. You see it and in the games all over the world. Once a team takes a two-goal lead or three-goal lead, it's it's natural and it's normal that the other team will all of us sudden't start having a ball, throwing more numbers forward, creating more chances because, you know, the other team does not necessarily need to score a goal. You just need to to protect the critical league. So, and that can become very dangerous. And unfortunately for today, for us, that, that became, um, the one negative thing in the second half, uh, was that we weren't able to, to, to connect and get out of pressure and change the sides from right to left. And,
00:05:38
Speaker
and do all the good things that we have done in the first half because you know we we were just we were just too deep and we're going to learn from that. you know we We are happy that yeah we still won the game and and won 3-2 because but like I said, it was ah it was a big grind at the end, the last five, 10 minutes now down.
00:05:58
Speaker
um But it's definitely the second half is something that we need to improve on. sure we'll watch a film. Jordan Ballard- and learn from things that we did wrong and then look at the things we did well in the first half and for the next match, you know, trying to try to put a you know good performance over the course 90 minutes.
00:06:16
Speaker
Thank you. All right, Jeremiah I see your follow up go ahead and ask, please. J. Jordan, you know you you get back on the score. the score sheet there that's the first goal in a few months.
00:06:29
Speaker
ah Just how does it, I mean, are you feeling fully back at this point? I know you were, you must've been limited to 45 minutes, um but how how are you feeling otherwise? Yeah, feeling good. Yeah, I felt great to get back on the on the score sheet have in ah in a bit, but yeah, I'm feeling good. You know, I need to slowly work back into things, obviously coming back from ah a long time out and, you know, we've kind of been in a and a weird,
00:06:55
Speaker
coming back from injury, it's been a bit of a weird ah time just with the congestion games. I haven't been able to get ah ton of um of good training sessions in with the whole group.
00:07:06
Speaker
And so I think that's potentially why this this kind of coming back into play has has gone a little bit slower and um you know the team around me is great. We're just making sure that everything goes goes well, obviously, because it's,
00:07:19
Speaker
Masey Shachmachandranath- It been with with some injuries, so I feel good, it was good to get 45 minutes under my belt as long as I played in a long time, so I feel fit Masey Shachmachandranath- And obviously getting goal will give me some confidence moving forward, but I think that's kind the reason for the regression and how it's going and just see how this week goes, but I'm feeling good.
00:07:41
Speaker
All right, Maz, we'll let you close this out here. Mazzee- Okay hey um. I guess this was alb Albert because I think you're closer to him. Andrew Thomas, just the way that he played. I mean, he looked like he was brave, flying all over the place.
00:07:53
Speaker
ah Just your thoughts on his first start. Yeah, he's he's excellent shot stopper. I mean, we see it every day in training. And, you know, I think he made some some great say. quite a few shots from around the edge of the box that were hit hard and you know didn't spit any rebound out in front of him you know he held him to the ball great and he conceded two penalties which is you know he's uh he's actually really good at saving pk's um but uh you know conceding pk's is not something bad that we expect him uh
00:08:29
Speaker
know to save every single one. But other than that, I thought, you know, corners, a lot of crosses, you know, he came out with authority, hit the ball on the guy, which is what you're supposed to do as a keeper. So, yeah, overall, you know, we, I think the whole team felt really confident, you know, with with him replacing Steph. So, yeah, I mean, credit to him. I think he's had a great game.
00:08:55
Speaker
Thank you. Albert Jordan, thank you both very much for your time. Safe travels, Hope. Congrats again. Thank you. Thanks, guys.
00:09:05
Speaker
That was Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak postgame after a 3-2 win at Sporting Kansas City. I guess if there's a a positive, it's the return of Jordan Morris. He goes 45 minutes.
00:09:17
Speaker
He scores a goal. Paul Rothrock gets the assist. What did you make, Noah, of how the ah ah offense looked while we wait for Schmetz here with Jordan back in there?
00:09:28
Speaker
Oh, you're on mute from the Zoom call. I thought it looked great. um I was glad to see him back and running and running like a champ and playing basically exactly like he looked he looked possessed. He looked like he was ready to be out there and actually playing 45 minutes of soccer, which that's like hopeful. like I think we've really been lacking – a That striker. Like, I love Moose. I've loved that he's been able to do it. It's a different element. Yeah, like, Jordan Morris is a designated player striker who has done it time and time again, coming off of his best season he's ever had.
00:10:09
Speaker
And, i mean, he's he's looked dangerous even in his little cameos. So so for him to get 45, feel good, feel good Score a goal off of a Rothrock. Great Rothrock pass. I mean, it's just a classic Jordan Morris goal, and it's one of those goals that, like, you can kind of come to expect from him and why he plays so well in this league. So, you know what? People can be upset all they want. I love Jordan at the nine I'm glad that he's back. And I think it's it's genuinely going to help down the stretch. Like, if anything, it's positive for the fact that there is actually an attacker at the nine now that is, like, going to feel a little more consistent.
00:10:49
Speaker
Chad is on fire right now. TIE Fighter makes a good point. ah Where's the New Who postgame at? Yeah, why didn't they put him on the podium? They should have rolled Who out, bro. Roll him out. Roll him out. Let's see what he's got to say.
00:11:00
Speaker
That would have been a – they would never do that for us, but that would have been that would have been a good move. And then ah Tom says, dour, angry jingle bells incoming. They shouldn't sing jingle bells after that. They
Player Performances and Team Dynamics
00:11:10
Speaker
shouldn't sing it. That should be the – That doesn't merit Jingle Bells, even though they won. Yeah, that's it that's a chat poll. So, chat, in the chat, press type one if you think they should sing Jingle Bells, two if they shouldn't.
00:11:23
Speaker
Because I got to get the vibes on this. This is like... I feel like the vibe in the locker room after the game, like, usually they're yucking it up, blasting music. Like, I feel like they shouldn't be doing that, you know?
00:11:34
Speaker
But, ah it is like, I don't want to overstate it. Like, a win on the road is a win, especially because... ah Honestly, Noah, that way the second half went in one respect wasn't surprising to me, which is that these away matches at Sporting KC, your thoughts man they become survival tests to a certain extent always because it is humid as hell.
00:11:55
Speaker
It was 70% humidity out there. The Seattle Sounders looked like a team that was playing in 70% humidity and not used to that in the second half. And they looked like they were playing against a team that is used to playing in that.
00:12:08
Speaker
Seattle uses ah the rain to that effect in their home games. Sporting KC, Houston, Dallas, they all use the heat to that effect in their home games. And it's like like Christian Roldan looks so freaky. yeah all and yeah They all look gas, but him especially. I was thinking that i was laughing, thinking about like what was going through Ryan Kent's head.
00:12:26
Speaker
He was probably like, dude, where are the... Where am I? Where am I? What did I sign up for? I flew in here and all I saw was parking lots. I just saw parking lot, parking lot, parking lot, parking lot. Is that a so the speed track? Where am I, bro? Am I in Kansas or am I in Missouri?
00:12:45
Speaker
This man probably doesn't even know what state he's in right now. They're probably driving back to their hotel in Missouri. And he's probably like, do I have to show him my passport? Like, I'm not really sure. Okay, here comes Brian Schmetzer.
00:12:55
Speaker
right All right, my bit is cut it short by Coach Munzo. Right to questions. Jeremiah, why you lead us off, please?
00:13:06
Speaker
Yeah, ah Brian, congrats on the win. Though in ah in a game like this where you end up having to hold on as much as you did after going in at half, up 3-0, what is the message to the team? Is it more positive for holding on or or frustrated that it even came to that at the end?
00:13:23
Speaker
Three points. Positive, hard to win an MLS away from home. Three great goals. Goals we scored were very good. everything Everything positive.
00:13:38
Speaker
Miles, we'll go to you next. Yeah, Brian, staying on the positive, I'm wondering what did you see in terms of Jordan's ability to stretch and then how Paul Rothrock was also tucked in on the left and then Jesus Ferraro because looked like you had it going on for a little bit there.
00:13:56
Speaker
Well, Jesus wasn't tucked in. ah Excuse me. Paul wasn't tucked in. Paul was wide left. Jordan didn't have many opportunities to run in behind.
00:14:07
Speaker
But if you watch the first goal, we have possession over on the right-hand side. Ball comes to Jordan. Jordan plays the ball out to Paul, and he sprints. So Jordan makes that play, and he gets that goal, and it's all him.
00:14:20
Speaker
Now, Paul makes a good decision because he's out there on his own, puts the ball in a dangerous spot. But that was excellent play. And, you know, if you want to go through the goals since you asked, I mean, the handball, you know, our second goal penalty was a clear penalty, number one.
00:14:37
Speaker
And number two, ah again, we extended our possessions. We put them under immense pressure. ah You know, we tacked on the right, brought it to the left, had some crosses. You know, we're able to win the ball back.
00:14:49
Speaker
so That was good. And then the third one, because we talk about who is our team? Are we a possession-based team? Are we a transition team? Well, you saw three tremendous players break away down the field, and that was a clinical.
00:15:05
Speaker
That's about as good as you're going to get in a transition moment and transition goal. ah you know So kudos to Jesus and Albert. I mean, making good decisions, good runs, good movements, and three nothing ended up being winning goal.
00:15:20
Speaker
Was that intentional? And I'm sorry, I meant, was it intentional have Paul on the wing there? Because you're right, he really kind of dominated. always plays wide left. We always play with the wide, on the white on the left side.
00:15:32
Speaker
We always have a winger. He's always the widest guy because new who needs to tuck in or he plays there, you know, we don't want our left back going if there's a guy in that space. Thanks.
00:15:45
Speaker
All right, Jade, over to you. Thanks. Congratulations on the win. Brian, were you given an explanation of why knew who was sent off? Yeah, a fan flipped him off and then he threw a ball into the stands.
00:16:00
Speaker
And I'm guessing that this is, i i mean, how do you kind of, how do you expect that you'll handle I will deal with NUHU internally. And then, um yeah, it it as far as the second half, though, I mean, you know, you make the change at halftime as far as bringing Danny on.
00:16:19
Speaker
ah What was the messaging to the to the team? Because, you know, aside from even the way that it finished, there was – Well, the messaging at halftime, look, Jordan came off because he hit his metrics in the first half. He was he was fine, totally fine. There's nothing wrong with the injury.
00:16:36
Speaker
We had talked about that. So that was the sub. But we came out flat in the second half. We knew the message was we knew that this was a proud team. They've got a new coach.
00:16:47
Speaker
They're trying to play for their jobs, their livelihoods. We knew they were going to come out in second half. And we didn't adapt. We didn't deal with it very well. We gave the ball away a few times unnecessarily. Nobody but really could step up and, you know, take control of the game. And so they put us under pressure.
00:17:02
Speaker
And, you know, that stuff happens. There's momentum swings in our sport. And, you know, that's kudos to Kerry and his team. They didn't give up.
00:17:14
Speaker
Nico, go ahead and ask your question, please. Hi, coach. Congratulations on the win. Just wanted to talk about Alex Roldan. Maybe his goalkeeper instincts came in on that save there. Want to get your thoughts on his performance and that moment, what that meant to the team in the game.
00:17:30
Speaker
Well, it certainly was a creative way to block a shot on the goal line, but his instincts defensively were very good in that moment. ah You know, I think Andrew had a good game, but we talked about that before the game that we needed to help Andrew. This was his first game in quite some time.
00:17:47
Speaker
And Alex did exactly that. And it was a great block. We had some other good defensive plays, you know, as well. But, you know, Andrew and that and that particular block were were pretty fantastic.
00:18:00
Speaker
Thank you. George, I see your hand raised. Go ahead and ask you question, please.
00:18:09
Speaker
Coach, this is the fourth game with red cards, five red cards in in total. Is there something that you have to adjust in the way that the the players are playing so that you don't get more red cards? so Well, you can remove new who's because I'll deal with that.
00:18:26
Speaker
The two yellow cards to read and Kalani and also a new who up in Vancouver. We've already addressed those. So we're not going to go back and readdress things. The players understand the learning, but I will again, we'll we'll address it with new who and we'll move forward.
00:18:44
Speaker
All right, we'll take one or two follow ups. Jeremiah, do you have one?
00:18:49
Speaker
Yeah. ah You know, um on New Who, not to dig too hard on this, but I mean, is this a situation where like you just need him to be better than that? i mean what what kind of messaging can you give? I'll give that house, Jeremiah, what I told him.
00:19:05
Speaker
I'm going to, you know, I'm going wait 24 hours, 48 hours. We don't know what the league's going to do. Let's just let the situation unfold. He's heard my initial thoughts and then we'll move forward after that.
00:19:20
Speaker
Maz, why don't you take us home? Yeah, Brian, just on a positive note, I think you talked about it. Just, you know, the players going through ups, downs, whatnot, but walking out of there with three points. Just how important was that given all the peaks and valleys you went through in this game?
00:19:36
Speaker
Well, it's, it's, look, it's hard to win on the road in MLS. Again, you know, there were some really good soccer played in that first half. You guys can rewatch that.
00:19:47
Speaker
I loved some of the things we did. You, you're the tactics guy. Just watch when Alex Roldan comes inside into a pivot and we, break them open and we get the ball from the left side to the right side. i mean, there was a lot of good attacking ah sequences in that first half.
00:20:05
Speaker
We just need to figure out how to, you know, get a complete performance. Safe travels. Thank you. Brian, as Maz said, safe travels home. Thanks for your time
00:20:16
Speaker
Well, i mean, it wasn't as scorching as I expected, but i I mean, they did win. So I think like if they had blown the lead, he might've, there might've been like, No pen would have been saved. I will say there was a contrast between ah the content of his answers and the demeanor in which they were delivered.
00:20:37
Speaker
But, he you know, he's he's right. ah they did ah They did win the game. It is hard to win on the road in MLS. It's three points all the same. ah So, again, like I don't want to overstate the ramifications of how the game ended. We got accused by one person in chat of crashing out over a win.
00:20:55
Speaker
I don't think that's what we're doing, but I do think we need to be ah we need to be real about the fact that ah the way that second half went and the way the way that the game ended was low-key meltdown. like yeah They won in the game, but... like There's not a low-key. No one's happy with that.
Defensive Issues and Red Card Concerns
00:21:12
Speaker
If you're happy with that, then... And like outside of that, outside of the red card, outside of the shit show of an ending, I think Schmetz hit the nail on the head in that they knew that Sporting KC, I mean, this, when when you're up 3-0 against a team that's in the situation that they're in, like you said, they're playing for jobs and livelihoods and they're going to, and they're playing at home and they're going to be coming after you like that.
00:21:35
Speaker
And what you need to do is to be able to absorb the pressure, one, and two, like control the tempo and the game state better than they were able to. And the, just the game management in the second half just was not what it needed to be to see out a lead on the road, even a three goal lead.
00:21:52
Speaker
And they got, they got fortunate to, to not bungle that those three points. ah The penalty on that Jovolic drew, arguably soft, but to me, that's like that's something that happens because you've lost control of the game. You're under so much pressure that like something like that, even if it's a soft call, it felt like bound to happen to me, almost. What I will say about that, though, I do think it's a penalty. It's soft. It's whatever. If you call that, you have to call the one on Obed.
00:22:23
Speaker
I mean, that is just criminal that Obed basically does the same exact thing as Jovolic. Jovolic holds up his run, does his little, like, Let me just like do my little choppy steps and then throw my whole body forward into the box anytime I feel contact on my leg.
00:22:39
Speaker
And then the same exact thing happens to Obed Vargas in the box. He gets chopped down after two, three, four times of getting fouled, not even getting called, just getting told to come up.
00:22:50
Speaker
And you're going to miss that. Like if you are going to call the game, I mean, we can talk about this official. He was bad. We can. We can. He was bad. And it's not even... It's not even... Like, the red card...
00:23:03
Speaker
deserved deserved that penalty. I think, I think he deserved that penalty too. Jovlich probably deserved that penalty too, but at the same time, it's all about being even. It's all about calling the game evenly.
00:23:15
Speaker
And he didn't even attempt to do that. It didn't what feel like what he was doing. I was kind of searching for like the right way to frame it. And I think J O to blue sky about it at one point.
00:23:27
Speaker
Are we still using that terminology? I want to hear you say it, Ari. I want to hear you say skeeted. The sounder at heart account skeeted that ah the referee, it felt like he was calling the score line.
00:23:37
Speaker
And yeah that's exactly what it was. There was a lot of examples of it outside of the one on Obed in the box that you mentioned. There was also the one where Obed was making a run upfield, got tugged that we all saw. And we you I've never seen that like waved off like that, like finger wagged.
00:23:52
Speaker
That is just and and, you know, you know that if the scoreline wasn't as lopsided as it was at the time, he does call that. And that's not how you're supposed to do it. Like it's both so I was telling myself that I ah ah wasn't going to do ref talk after the game. But then as we got into the second half, I was like, all right, I'm probably going to have to do some ref.
00:24:12
Speaker
I mean, in like, I don't think this is one of those games where you're like, I'm crashing out about the ref and it's the whole reason that this game was like got out of hand in the second half. No, the Sounders lost the game state. They played absolutely terribly. Once Paul Rothrock got off that field, the engine stopped turning, dude. they There was no more gas.
00:24:31
Speaker
Everyone was exhausted. You just talked about it. The heat, it's intense. the the The sporting Kansas City players, they're playing for something. They are playing for something. When you are three goals ahead, this is why they say ah three goal lead. it's It's, you know, two goals, three goals. It's super dangerous because you just you turn your brain off.
00:24:51
Speaker
It happens. its It happens to every single person. And Why in the world, why in the world were the Sounders playing so poorly, just so poorly after that?
00:25:04
Speaker
It wasn't because of the ref. ah he He was not helping. He was exacerbating how just badly they were playing. But I mean, you can't not call it out like that. That was bad officiating. That was bad officiating.
00:25:18
Speaker
Yeah, the it got a it got out of hand, but ah like to me, when I look at what took place in the second half, it felt like the two main factors were a desperate opponent that was throwing everything at you yeah and just insane 70% humidity heat.
00:25:38
Speaker
that it like It looked like the guys were running in mud the end. I don't think people understand this. like I worked at that stadium during June, July, and August. I had an internship there. June, July, and August.
00:25:52
Speaker
I have never sweat so much in my life. It is legitimately the most outrageous thing. heat and humidity and like you feel like you're breathing in water so when you're running and when you're trying to like exert yourself it just you feel just waterlogged it's it's a crazy feeling but yeah i agree should we should we hit these super chats yeah hit the supers all right this first one from jake thank you for the five dollars jake i did set a goal here i said if we get five super chats i will break a pen
00:26:24
Speaker
live on stream since Brian wouldn't do it. You know, someone's got to do it. Ryan Kent brought the trick stick out to help ice the game. How do we think Ryan Kent did? ah And what do what do we make of Ryan Kent at this moment?
00:26:37
Speaker
i thought he I thought he had a couple nice moments. The trick stick moment that Jake mentioned was ah that was that's some of like the cool flashy stuff that he can do, so it was nice to see him do one like that. And then he had a couple of nice runs on the left side, including one where it looked like he had Moose to pick out for what could have been a tap-in, ah but the... cro the Goalkeeper got the cross.
00:27:00
Speaker
um But for for a game that that was ah was it three zero or yeah, or three one when he subbed in. ah And he's i mean, I would venture to guess he's probably never played in anything like those conditions in his life.
00:27:15
Speaker
So i thought I thought it was an okay, solid cameo with a couple good moments. i didn't It didn't really change much of how I think of his stock at the moment, which is of a player who looked like the greatest player I've ever seen for his first three games at the club and then hasn't like recaptured that level since, to the point where i think it was shown once again today that Paul Rothrock is a starting winger on this team.
00:27:40
Speaker
I... I don't know what to do with that information. It's up to you all to do with that information, which you will. But that's just pretty obvious to me as we stand today on July 12th.
00:27:53
Speaker
I took a lot of flack for that take early in the season, Ari. And you know what? it's glad I'm just glad that people are coming around. Because... you know, I don't know. I don't know what to tell. I don't know what to tell people. Cause I was, as as much as, as close as even last week, I had people telling me, no, you don't understand Noah.
00:28:10
Speaker
You don't understand. They're not, they're, they're basementing Pedro de la Vega. They're putting him in the basement. You don't get it. He's so much better than Paul Rothrock. Whatever, man, whatever you want to believe.
00:28:22
Speaker
All right, let's jump into this next super chat. Ref bought everything SKC tried to sell. I think that's, and Yeah, low-key. Low-key a little humble. Like you said, he was playing to the scoreline, unfortunately. And you could tell.
00:28:37
Speaker
Yeah. And Zippy Tuna writes here for $5. Thank you all for the Super Chats, by the way. um It was the ref's fourth MLS game per the broadcast. Boy, did it show. um Well, maybe i' get better me maybe he'll get better with the experience then. I'll finish out this super.
00:28:53
Speaker
Well done to hang out hang on, though. And how good does it feel to beat SKC? And yeah, you know what? let's Let's talk about some positives, Noah. We've been ah we've been ah more negative than usual after ah win. And I think rightfully based on how the game ended with just the game state and the red card and all that.
00:29:12
Speaker
But as Brian Schmetzer said, ah the first half was excellent. It couldn't have been a bigger contrast between that and what we saw in the second half. I have no notes for the first half. It beautiful footy.
00:29:23
Speaker
It was beautiful footy, and you really just cannot do it up any better. use for error at Gold, brother. Come on. Yeah, let's talk about let's talk about all three. You might not be getting. He's just got to score two more and I don't have to get it. That was honestly a pretty I mean, I don't want to call it, but like there's a lot of time left for him to get two goals. So I think you're might you might be in the clear.
00:29:45
Speaker
ah But the performance offensively in the first half was excellent. And ah the what the way the game ended shouldn't necessarily take away from that. We got J.O. in the queue.
00:29:56
Speaker
ah So I didn't know that was happening. But let's bring him on. You know, this is what we do here. at Let's bring him on. multimi We've got the sounder at heart, Overlord himself, Jeremiah O'Shann, joining the postgame live.
00:30:06
Speaker
Jeremiah, how's it going, man? Where are you at on this game between ah being ah tilted about the debacle of how it ended versus the fact that they did win the game and played some of the best soccer, I think, offensively that they've played all season?
00:30:21
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I don't don't i don't think you can be too upset. They gave up two penalties. I thought both were soft. I mean, they're I think they're correct, but they're they're both soft. It's not like they were diving in, making stupid plays on on either one of the penalties.
00:30:36
Speaker
And they look great in the first half. i mean, the second half, clearly there's some... some issues there once they were having to to play out. But I think a lot of that was, you know, Jordan was really helping stretch the field in the first half.
00:30:49
Speaker
They didn't really have anyone to stretch the field in the second half. They got stuck in their own end. ah And, you know, credit to KC. they They started just pumping balls into the box and creating havoc. And, you know, I think...
00:31:01
Speaker
You never take a road win too, you know, you never look at two too closely, right? You'll take those road wins. You know, I thought Kansas City's defense was as bad as I thought they would be. um But, you know, they did the thing where they got back into the game through Moxie.
00:31:21
Speaker
through moxie the god God love them, Sporting Kansas City, the club of professional wrestling enthusiasts. there it was It was really fun to watch for all of us because it felt like their line of confrontation was just so deep that Seattle's midfielders and forwards, they were they were just like... I mean, all right, if you're going to... What I was noticing is that it wasn't so much that their line of confrontation was deep.
00:31:43
Speaker
It was that the midfield and the and their first line seemed to have no idea what the other one was
Analysis of Opponent's Tactics and Responses
00:31:50
Speaker
doing. It was wild how much space the Sounders had in the midfield ah throughout the first half. I mean, every time they basically broke the first line of pressure...
00:31:58
Speaker
They were off and running. It was unbelievable. ah You know, I guess Casey normally plays with one, ah one a single pivot. And in this game, they tried with double pivot.
00:32:09
Speaker
And it just seemed like they had no clue at all how to actually pull that off. It's harder than it looks, folks. Okay, not everyone can do it. Not everyone can do it. that third goal that Ferreira scored at the end of the half was so funny because i was like, I was sitting there like, why is there eight minutes right now? What? Like, right I know, I know there was like one, it's like stoppage or delay, but eight, like, what are we talking about? And then literally sporting Kansas city was kind of on top of it in that period of stoppage time. And,
00:32:38
Speaker
ah the transition opportunity for Seattle started off a ah ah pretty dangerous little sequence for Sporting KC where Christian Roldan I think wins the ball and then he's the one who sends it ah forward.
00:32:49
Speaker
But then like ah there was just i was just space for days. Ferreira and Rusnak were just like basically free to do whatever they wanted out there on that play.
00:33:00
Speaker
And it was great to see Ferreira get another goal for sure. ah But Sporting KC in general in the first half defensive three goals and an assist in five games yeah don't let him heat up don't let him heat up now it's gonna undermine some narratives and listen narrative um zippy tuno thank you for the super chat here the first half hour was dreadful for a home team i mean yeah it looks like the home team yeah the seattle like played them they were looking like oh yeah we played on grass before we like grass we like grass better like that's literally what it looked like like i was watching paul rothrock dribble out there i was like
00:33:35
Speaker
god We need grass. um Speaking of wingers, I have a question for you, Jeremiah. Sure. I pontificated about this on the platform known as Blue Sky.
00:33:47
Speaker
As I've said earlier today, I skeeted this. ah we're really We're really bringing this back for the show. But what's going on with Pedro de la Vega? I don't know. Maybe this was me, but like I felt like he looked...
00:34:01
Speaker
off and a little just, like, spaced out? I don't know. Maybe I was, like... I don't know. i I feel like there's a little bit of confirmation bias going on with Pedro de la Vega because I'm seeing quite a few people talk about what a bad game he had.
00:34:15
Speaker
Basically, he had don't think he had bad game. He just was there. I mean, there he made, like, probably five good defensive... Like, he definitely did not seem checked out to me. Like, he he was putting in the effort defensively. and if you're checked out, you're not putting in the effort defensively.
00:34:27
Speaker
He doesn't look sharp. I will... Grant that, but he also dribbled out of pressure a few times was able to, you know ah retain possession. i I, I was not worked up about Pedro's, uh, you know, performance.
00:34:41
Speaker
I think with the way that Rothrock and Ferreira playing that I, it's hard to see a pathway to him getting back into the starting lineup. But that to me is more about the play of the guys ahead of him and less so much about his play. I wouldn't be shocked if he starts on Wednesday. I think they're going to rotate the lineup, uh, at least at a few spots on Wednesday.
00:35:01
Speaker
although i don't know maybe not but I don't know I'm just not as i know what spot they're going rotate left back where left back Oh, yeah.
00:35:12
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, ah knew who I don't know if you guys picked ah saw this or not, but oh yeah let's pull up the round hole up to video. We'll see if we get banned for this, but I feel like we should do it anyway. I mean, it's not a it's like a fan video, isn't it?
00:35:24
Speaker
Yeah. Well, hold on. Well, it's not a fan video. Okay. While you're looking for that, J.O., what is your understanding of what happens? So, yeah, apparently what happened is a fan flipped off Nuhu and he reacted by throwing, taking the ball from the stand and just winging it into the crowd, which is, know, not smart. Here he is right here.
00:35:48
Speaker
right Right here. He's holding the ball right now. yeah, number five. Oh my God. hadn't seen that. I mean, it was right-handed. He might be left-handed. So I don't know. Maybe we give him credit for that, but it's among the dumbest things I've seen a player do, you know. Two weeks after you did one of the other dumbest things I've ever seen. Yeah.
00:36:08
Speaker
He's now been red carded twice in four in, in his last three. I'm sorry. His last four appearances, even including the, is that right? No, I guess five appearances, but whatever he's,
00:36:20
Speaker
No, four. Yeah, he's been red card in his last twice in his last four games. Oh my God, he flips him off. He flips him off. Yeah, so... He flips him off and made an argument. I think what he's doing is he's telling the ref this is what happened, so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt there. It does look like a flip off, but you can't really tell.
00:36:38
Speaker
someone's straight this is a new This is a new Twitter banner. Remember the the Twitter banner you had for a long time, Ari, where it was Reed Baker-Widing telling New to calm down? He's like... but Well, he's going use your head. Oh, yeah, he's doing he's doing use your head. I think we need to bring back that meme. Someone needs to post that again.
00:36:55
Speaker
I mean, this he's going to be, first of all, there's a good chance he's going to get suspended. Yeah, I was going to say there's precedent for this. 100% going to get suspended. Yeah, i mean, he'll probably get two to three games, I would think, at least. That's, like, best case scenario.
00:37:08
Speaker
I mean, Kaku kicked it into the stands and hit a guy in the face. That was a little different. Yeah. probably very It's actually pretty similar. um But he absolutely, it is similar in the act, but the outcome of that was someone got absolutely smoked, whereas it doesn't sound like that's what happened. Well, I mean, don't know. When tell you that balls are flying and don't keep your head on a swivel, like, don't really know, like, why. It doesn't change the fact that he can't do that and will rightfully be suspended. I mean, if remember correctly, Kakad did not, like, aim it at a fan. He just kicked it in frustration in fan. it was an accident.
00:37:40
Speaker
And so this is Nuhu purposely throwing it. So whether or not there was less damage, I think. Whatever. He's going to get suspended. I think two games. What is he doing? What is he doing? It's so dumb.
00:37:53
Speaker
It's very dumb. I don't think there's any excuse for it. I know there was a lot of fans who I get. Hey, benefit of the doubt. Maybe this guy was yelling some racist stuff at him or whatever.
00:38:04
Speaker
I'm pretty sure if that was what happened, Schmesser would have led with that. But no, Schmesser basically said a fan flipped him off. um which he threw a who care Who cares that a fan flipped you off? There's literally footage of when Jordan Morris scored four goals at that stadium running by and you all flipping him off.
00:38:21
Speaker
If you're triggered a flipping you off, what are you doing? and it's It's insane to me because, brother, you're a national team player. You are a starter on an MLS club.
00:38:33
Speaker
Who gives a fuck what some guy in Kansas thinks about you? yeah Like, you gotta to keep your head. It's so ridiculous. like It's one thing to get red guards that are within like the context like a a foul or something like that, but these are these are just these are losing your head. This is like not keeping control of your emotions when you have to, and you're putting your team in a bad situation when you get sent off for stupid bullshit like that.
00:38:58
Speaker
so right and And I'll just want to, because I know that there's going to be people that are going to run in here and be like, well, Reed Baker playing Whiting picked up a ah penalty. And it's like, look, that you can coach.
00:39:09
Speaker
You can coach how you put in a challenge. You can go you like you could coach players to play better with ah when they're sitting on two yellows. Like Reed got sent off for two yellows.
00:39:20
Speaker
Kalani got sent off for two yellows. You can coach that stuff. But this is this is what drives coaches crazy is that, like, i I don't have to tell you not to throw the ball at Fan. Like, this is child's work. And it's not the first time either. Like, for me, and I don't know, maybe this is a little bit of a crash out because I've been just – ah frustrated with the, with, with his demeanor, which like, that sucks to say about another human being to be like, brother, like, what are you doing? But this isn't the first time he's done this.
00:39:54
Speaker
He crashed out last season around this time and got suspended internally for, well, that was because he missed his Uber. No, that was another time. That was, that was What he's talking about is when he, he blew off the handle at, in the locker room.
00:40:09
Speaker
Yeah. Oh yeah. He and Rui Diaz. Yeah. And it's just like, dude, like you, You have what you, I just, I don't, I, I literally, I don't know.
00:40:20
Speaker
I've never played soccer at that level, but it's like, I've been tripping before. And it's just like, dude, you, you, who gives a fuck, man? Part of the, part of the job is literally like maintaining. And, and I, and I know that there's going to be folks that, cause I've seen this people say like, Hey, look, we put up with a lot with Clint too.
00:40:37
Speaker
But man, I mean, look, it's always a sliding scale of what you're willing to put up with. If you are balling out and you act like a fool, you're going to get more chances than if you're not. Like, Nua was having a pretty good defensive game. So I don't want to, like, degrade his performance too much. But the reality is that when you're a defensive guy, you are going to be held to a different standards.
00:41:01
Speaker
And I just don't see how he can, even even when he comes back from this from this break, I don't see how he he gets back in the lineup. I just don't i don't see, because I just don't see, how do you prove that you can be trusted when you've done you keep doing this stuff, especially in such a small amount of time?
00:41:17
Speaker
He should have already been on a short leash. Like, he was already getting benched, presumably, four you know um for behavior like not being smart and then he gets a red card for throwing ah ball into the stands it's and it's and it comes off of that red card in vancouver that was absolutely reckless as well and stupid like there's other ways to which one which one was stupider which one was this one for sure because at least the other one had a means to the ends like it was i was It was a defensive. He was trying to, but it was a part of the game. This wasn't even a part of the game. And it's like, dude, it's, it's being checked.
00:41:54
Speaker
It's someone, what doesn't make sense to me too, is like, I get that a fan like chirps you or whatever. i get it. It wasn't even him who conceded the penalty. Why is he even upset?
00:42:06
Speaker
Right. Like, well, okay. Yeah. look Look, okay, look i don't want to I'm not trying to cut you off here, but this is the thing, is that he is... So he and some other player are over there while everyone else on the team is back getting instructions from Schmetzer. And I don't remember who is over on the sideline with at the end line with him. Maybe it's... I don't know who it is.
00:42:28
Speaker
But I got to imagine that Schmetzer doesn't want anyone over there. Like, why are you guys even... what Why are you even in, in the, what are you hanging out over there for?
00:42:39
Speaker
Why are you putting yourself in earshot of the fans? What are you doing? Yeah. And you know, not to belabor the point, we can move on after this, but like just the, the context of where the game was at as well makes it even somehow more egregious because you're, you're, you're holding on for dear life. You cannot go down a man in that situation. They're reviewing a penalty to bring it to within one goal. Like you don't want to make it worse.
00:43:03
Speaker
Yeah. yeah You know, ah if anyone went into this game wondering if the Sounders could go one week without a fullback getting sent off, the answer was no. No, they could not. Zero days since a fullback has been sent we they they they've had I mean, that's just like, that's got to be a record where you've had four straight games with a fullback specifically sent
Discussion on Nuhu's Performance and Future
00:43:24
Speaker
off. Five total Reds.
00:43:26
Speaker
let's see Let's see if they can move the streak to what I have to imagine would be an MLS record of five. Folks, we are going to find out against the ah Colorado Rapids. Oh, my God. and I honestly wonder how many times a player has been sent off it twice in that that small of a time frame. It that it can't it has to be pretty rare.
00:43:46
Speaker
Because usually you're on guard after you get a red. You're like, okay, I can't get a new i can't get a red. Right. like rap but i mean, and it would be one thing if he got a red card for going in on a slide tackle too hard or... ah defensive action.
00:44:00
Speaker
You know, if it was something in the run of play, but to just... And it wasn't even like... there was this heated moment where he's arguing because sometimes you, you, you get your blood pressure up and you're arguing with the other team and you start hearing it from the fans and you just react, right?
00:44:16
Speaker
This isn't even that this is him. Just like not liking being flipped off. What are we doing? Flipped off is like on the tame end of the... That's literally the average day for a Tesla driver.
00:44:29
Speaker
Like, what are you doing? Like, what what are we doing here? like oh boy. ah that's good well we'll ah we'll We'll see if the Seattle Sounders can make it through one MLS game without getting a fullback sent off on Wednesday. Unfortunately, they could not...
00:44:45
Speaker
accomplish that in this game, but they did, ah they did get the win. Let's, I was trying to, ah I was trying to turn it positive before we got on the red card discussion. yeah let's but Let's, let's, let's, let let's talk about the goals.
00:44:56
Speaker
Let's talk about the goals. ah ah like Which one do you guys want to talk about? What's, what was your favorite one?
00:45:04
Speaker
All of them. Yeah, you know, and i was okay, let's talk about this one because we kind of talked about the other one. The penalty was a really good example of counter of counter pressing and maintaining pressure.
00:45:17
Speaker
And also, if that ball doesn't hit Shalway's arm, there's like two guys in the back post to finish it. That is a... That's, that was like, there's no, that's a, that's like a, that's a stone. That's a, that's an earned penalty.
00:45:30
Speaker
You know, I think you can argue that certainly, i guess you can argue that the KC penalties were earned too. They were both there. All three of them came when the team was under pressure, but ah I think it was, it was a really good example of just what counter pressing does and, and just putting the opponent under pressure. It was, it was good stuff.
00:45:50
Speaker
I wish they would let Obed take it though. Because he was like right there at that back post for that header. And we we need to get his stock up. So like, I'm just trying to, you know, we got to rack him some goals. And plus like the the Albert Rusnak penalty kicks, especially against Sporting Kansas City, don't count.
00:46:05
Speaker
Yeah, unfortunately, the Rusnak goal is the Ferrer goal. or is not they're not a play No, Sporting Kansas City and Jesus Ferreira. No, no stat from this game going to count. You'll see you'll see like if Jesus Ferreira doesn't score against the Rapids and then i bring up that he just scored in the previous game, its the response is going to be that that was against Sporting Kansas City. so that word yeah just I'm getting out in front of that.
00:46:30
Speaker
I'm getting out in front of that. So when you guys but you guys out there do that. But, i I mean, in all seriousness, Jesus Ferreira is now, ah he's pretty hot. Like, he's genuinely on. yeah What, he's got three goals, six assists, something like that. i mean, that's not a. That's good.
00:46:48
Speaker
That's like a good season so far.
00:46:52
Speaker
eight Eight assists if you want to give him credit for all comps. Well, Caribbean Nations, he does eat against those, so. Yeah, but ah I think... mean, they weren't Caribbean nations. or just in the Just in general, it's... Don't cancel me.
00:47:05
Speaker
It's good to see him, like, fitting in the team. game the way I hate to... I'm sorry. I hate to interrupt, but Diego Fagundes has scored a goal for the LA Galaxy, and I don't know what the score is, but... It's 2-0.
00:47:18
Speaker
They're playing DC United, so that win doesn't count. Okay, that one doesn't count. I'm not giving them that. I just going to say, I just want to let everyone know that LA Galaxy are, in fact... They're going win again. They're going to again. They're looking like more like a competent soccer team lately. So that's good for them.
00:47:31
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. um what was i talking oh ferreira he he's looking like he's meshing with everybody a lot more which makes sense because he's been on the team for longer now and uh he and he and rusnak look you see how you see how they were combining like that on that transition op i want to give rusnak credit for on that on that goal as well that was a uh oh that's a great pass i think that's ah that's a really really good pass i thought rusnak was excellent in the first half i want to i want to Yeah, Rusnak was really good. ah
00:48:01
Speaker
He also had a ball cleared off the line. That was a great shot that he had. Exactly. So that's the reason why the penalty should count because really that was like really clear Right, it was just making up for it. And this is why I only look at XG when determining what goals count and what don't.
00:48:16
Speaker
the ah Yeah, so it's like... I was also going to say about Ferreira is I just think it's, it's notable that Jordan like loves playing with them. He, he cannot say nicer things about playing with Ferreira and,
00:48:34
Speaker
I don't know. It's because he's so fun to play with. He's really unselfish and he's a great passer. And they played together for the USMNT. I don't know if people remember this, but ah the USMNT was playing Mexico in Nations League a couple years ago when the golden generation where were all out there.
00:48:52
Speaker
And the two guys who bailed them out from losing to Mexico were Jesus Ferreira and Jordan Morris. So they have they they already they have like a history of having good chemistry from that. Alright, I've been told that the Jingle Bells video has officially dropped and that it's a little like... like it have So we're gonna have to watch that right this minute. and we were We were kind of joking that the Jingle Bells should either be half-hearted or not sung at all.
00:49:17
Speaker
Okay, let's see if we can... Oh, shit. I searched comma. Oh, shit. Oh, my... lot hung head little over true It's a little half-hearted. That is half-hearted. That's the most half-hearted version of that I've seen.
00:49:35
Speaker
That's funny because i was I was saying that as a bit, like that they that it should be a half-hearted Jingle Bells, and then that actually kind of was. Yeah, exactly. but so There's not even film of who said start it.
00:49:48
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Probably like, all right, guys, um we got to do the things. We got to do the bit. We got to do the things, so let's just run it, but yeah. ah um the ah We talked about the Ferrer goal. Should we in a caller? We've had Jordan waiting here for about 48 days. Oh, I didn't see that, yeah.
00:50:08
Speaker
and And I just, I feel bad for Jordan, and I feel like we should bring him in. His namesake got back on the square sheets. Yeah, so I'm going add him to the stage. Jeremiah, you can hang out, too, if you want. I'll hang out for the first caller, and just in case. and then Just in case, to hold up to back us All right, Jordan, welcome to the stage. how are we doing? Hello, hello.
00:50:26
Speaker
I'm exhausted, to be honest. i ah worked a 12-hour day in the sun doing delivery so that was fun so i missed actually the entirety of the first half i listened to it oh man you missed the best part also so i'm literally i'm at least listening to it so okay you know i hear the jr with jackson felt uh on apple tv because i live in california fair enough fair enough so i you Jordan Moore's goal, like you said, my namesake, super happy that he's back on the score sheet.
00:50:59
Speaker
And of course it had to be against, you know, sporting. And then it was the Hazes-Ferrera goal. The second the commentator was like, oh, and see, I was on the counterattack. I'm like, this is it. It's the most football thing in the world.
00:51:12
Speaker
Right before the half ends, someone goes on the counter and always scores. And of course, I'm just listening to the silence after the announcer like yells Ferreira. like,
00:51:23
Speaker
There's nothing, there's no noise from the crowd. The commentator saying nothing. So Seattle was scored. And sure enough. And then finally, after my horrible day in the sun, hundred degrees, ah sit down, dinner and enjoy soft penalty, soft penalty, ah yellow card, not called on a counter attack where Mufasovsky gets pulled down, but you know, it's not a yellow anymore for some reason.
00:51:51
Speaker
ah New Who, today will be the only day I will understand New Who. Because when I am also in a very hot area and someone pisses me off, even at the slightest thing, I would also want to throw something out their head. so Okay, so we're getting into the brain of New Who now. we' we're Listen, this it is completely stupid.
00:52:14
Speaker
However, i do understand. You know, it's a good point. I hate the heat as well and act irrationally when I'm super hot. So, yeah, benefit of the doubt. He was ah he was overheated and tilted. and ah That that being said but being said, like I said, i would like to do it.
00:52:32
Speaker
I don't do it. Right. yeah As much as I would like to just throw something at somebody. um Also, I am confused because he got the red, the straight red in Vancouver.
00:52:45
Speaker
How was it not ah is that not a three-game suspension? Was it appealed? Did I miss when it got appealed? Why was it only a one-game suspension? Well, red red's an auto one.
00:52:55
Speaker
And then this is going to be an extra. This is going to be additional because of the nature of it. If it's reckless, they can assign more. I'm used to the Premier League where the second you get a red card, you are out for three games.
00:53:08
Speaker
Yeah, no, it's an auto one. See, because that's where I was confused. They were like, oh, Bell knew who were out for this game. And I'm like, What mean just this game? It's not. So, I mean, he will be out for a lot longer now.
00:53:20
Speaker
So, but yeah. Yeah. Because in in the premise, if you did the double yellow is one match. Yeah. And then a straight red, straight red for violent conduct is three matches. And with being being an Arsenal fan, watching so many red cards, I and burned into my mind three games straight red.
00:53:38
Speaker
all the time. I'm pretty sure that's what it is, at least. Yeah, it is. But you know overall, they got the win. They're away from home.
00:53:51
Speaker
yeah they It's what? A win, a draw, and after coming out of the Club World Cup.
00:53:58
Speaker
Jesus Ferreira is slowly saving you. i was hoping you were going to get that tattoo. i'm not going to lie. That would have been really funny. I was hoping he would lose. I was hoping he would just rack up only assists and no goals. um but i want to I also want to clear up people are confused with the cards.
00:54:15
Speaker
it's If it's violent conduct, regardless of it, it's three matches. If it's like a denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity, it's one. They they have like so very specific things of for X, it's X. For Y, it's Y. But I think that a lot of times when someone's getting a straight red card in the Prem, they're doing...
00:54:35
Speaker
violent went it's straight yeah so it's uh i i will say i have been a hazes for a hater before he came to seattle not just when he came to seattle as a usmnt fan seeing hazes ferrera turn up only against trinidad and tobago or st kit and naviz Like when i think he was in the MLS All-Stars against Arsenal, and I was like, well, if Brighton and Hovalvian played, Jesus Ferrer would have scored.
00:55:06
Speaker
Hey, well, let's respect my brother. Let's have some respect. okay now listen yeah but Now that he's wearing the the Sounders kit, I've been behind him the whole time. And I honestly liked the idea of him as a 10.
00:55:24
Speaker
Unfortunately, Rusnak is like MVP caliber. So you know whenever Rusnak moves on, just throw him right there, put him in the middle, let him go crazy there.
00:55:37
Speaker
i got I got to watch all the fun, all of the soft calls, bad refereeing, and missed all the great goals. I had to like pull over and watch the replays for all of them.
00:55:49
Speaker
It was definitely entertaining. ah It was funny when the broadcaster was like, Albert Rusnak might be a Dark Horse MVP candidate. That pissed me off so much. Dark Horse. Even him saying that, I was like, it's so funny how different the national perception of him is compared to the local.
00:56:10
Speaker
like It's not like he had like this amazing season last season and then came in and had more offensive weapons around him to be able to just rack up more assists. No, it's just a little plucky Seattle and their strong leader, Albert Rusnak. No, like...
00:56:30
Speaker
What? we We brought in someone who can't make it as a striker and can't make it at 10 because we have two DPs who, as long as they're healthy, will just control the whole game themselves.
00:56:43
Speaker
So Albert Rusnak being called a dark horse pissed me off. like you know that That tilted me. I wanted to throw was something at the announcer. But you didn't. I probably would have. today Today would have been the day.
00:56:59
Speaker
But yeah, overall, listen, three points away from home. But Colorado is a home game, the next game. It is, yeah. I thought it was on the on the road, but it's... Throwback night. Throwback night.
00:57:11
Speaker
Oh, it's a little bit of a night. And they're... www.com slash tickets, you can get a shirt or something. I don't know. they had been ah They had been spiraling lately, but they beat Vancouver 3-0 tonight. But Vancouver's kind of... They're kind of spiraling.
00:57:25
Speaker
there vancouver Vancouver is having that CONCACAF hangover. Yes, it's happening. the win. They didn't get the win, but now they're just falling. um I did actually have a question for you guys being based in Seattle.
00:57:41
Speaker
Like i said, I'm based in California. I've only been to one game. I've only been able to go to one game at home in Lumenfield, and that was the CONCACAF Champions League final. Great game to go to. That was a good one.
00:57:53
Speaker
Yeah, I literally, it was one of my two days off. I caught a train down to SFO, flew in, landed like two hours before the game, went straight to the stadium, saw the title, went home the next day. Literally, I was back in California by like two o'clock the next day.
00:58:13
Speaker
So I'm planning a trip with my dad. We're going to go to the Vancouver game in September. I missed out on all of the special things that was in and out. I literally went straight to the stadium for my Airbnb.
00:58:26
Speaker
I think we're planning on buying tickets in the supporters section. What do I have to do as a traveling fan? Maybe Jeremiah can hit that. I feel like I have my ideas. Okay, but you you hit yours, Ari. Well, we were we were talking to someone about this, and we were recommending Tats Deli for for sandwiches, which I can't recommend enough. It's like East Coast Philly cheesesteak-like type sandwiches, but they're so good.
00:58:56
Speaker
So that and that's right in Pioneer Square. That's my favorite food joint around there. And then Temple, right, is the supporters ah bar where the a lot of the supporters go. is that It's not as much. I don't think anymore. It used to be sort of like the main hangout for what's the what's the hangout these days?
00:59:15
Speaker
I'm not sure if they're... it's the it's It's more dispersed now because there's a lot more options than there used to be. feel like Temple's still like pretty... i mean i haven't been to Temple. Honestly, I've only been to Temple once, I feel like, since COVID. So maybe it's still going off, but...
00:59:31
Speaker
I don't hear nearly as many. but I used to get invited to temple like on a weekly basis and I haven't been invited to temple in a long time. you're not as cool as you used to be. That's possible, but there's a whole bunch of place on the other places on the other side of ah stadium, starting with the Mariners spots.
00:59:47
Speaker
There's always a lot of activity there. what's that one across from the stadium now? Beer Hall? The beer hall or whatever? Oh yeah, there's a new beer hall that's right by the stadium.
00:59:58
Speaker
I think it's just called The Hall. The Hall, yeah.
01:00:03
Speaker
I mean, I'll plug Fast Fashion. I think. Yeah. Really good beer and really cheap. Yeah. Yeah. And Nickel or Hooverville is really is a cool like locals bar.
01:00:18
Speaker
But Tats is definitely I think that's the best food right by the stadium. Yeah. Got to get a Seattle dog, though. Yeah, post-game Seattle dog at the ah at the stands. in the Yeah, if you wait until after the game, you can get a Seattle dog for probably $5. Okay, yeah, because I missed out when I went. I was like, oh I'm going do the march. I'm going to all this. and I'm like, I'm just going to straight to the stadium. I went straight to the stadium.
01:00:41
Speaker
I want to do the march, but I ended up getting ah being able to take a picture with all the US Open Cups and the MLS Cup. So that was worth missing out on that. So I know I'm going to do the march for sure with the group down to the stadium.
01:00:53
Speaker
Well, yeah, could be part of that was a good shout if you're going to be if you want to do the march because that's right by there. And I would say, too, there's a lot of like the Sounders have been trying to do more pregame programming and stuff. So just like look at their like if they if if you're on their like emails or whatever for the day, they usually send what's what's going on and you know, they'll have a lot of activations down by the the pro shop.
01:01:18
Speaker
So you can kind of just like meander around there. Sometimes they have like players or old players and stuff. So it really depends on what match it is. um Because we're going to be, we're basically there, i don't know how many days, but we're going for the Vancouver, Seattle game. And then either the day before the day after, we're going to the Mariners-Dodger game.
01:01:39
Speaker
So we're there for me to see Seattle play and him to do his bucket list of going to all the baseball stadiums. So it's like, great. It's a win-win that's going add up. the The thing to do if you're just just Seattle activities, go down to the waterfront.
01:01:54
Speaker
The water oh yeah the new waterfront It's like unbelievably great. Pike Place. You can just go to Pike Place, do the Pike Place thing, and then just walk straight to the waterfront. Get the What are those buns?
01:02:06
Speaker
What are those buns? There's the little like, they're not bao buns, but they're like red bean buns. Is that what you're talking about? They're like, they have red bean ones and they have pork ones. They have like, it's a little stall in the market, but they're really good. I'm totally blanking. Maybe Chad can help, but I would do that.
01:02:23
Speaker
Meander around the market and then go hang out on the waterfront for a little bit. It's super cool. Tons of just, you'll probably meet people there. Honestly, I, I've met someone every time I've gone there. i'm I'm just excited to go back. though I mean, like you said, what a game to go for. The only game I've gone to is 3-0 win. It was so great celebrating and looking over at the two giant Pumas fans next to me. And I'm like, uh-oh. Okay, good job, guys. Yeah, it's great.
01:02:51
Speaker
And then they finally left after the second goal. So I had to fully celebrate the third goal, at least. That was a great thing. Well, hey, that's pickleball night. That's, I don't know. That's what the Sounders say that that's the pickleball night. Yes, I saw that. I'm so excited as someone who very avidly plays pickleball so much. I just throw it on the wall.
01:03:10
Speaker
I'm just hanging Where in California are you? Century Valley. It's like ah about an hour. I live in Modesto. like an hourish away from Sacramento. Mesa and pastry. That's exactly Like in Fresno, you mean?
01:03:22
Speaker
No, Modesto. It's in like the Century Valley. Yeah, the nuts. Yeah. Yes, the nuts. Yes. Jeremiah, let's not talk about your nuts on our stream, brother. You got them a whole website to do that if you want. The team that's going away again.
01:03:36
Speaker
Sad. Well, Jordan, we are so excited to have you in Seattle. um Thank you so much for calling in. i think yes we're going to – we've got another caller in here. Sounds good. I'm going to thank you guys.
01:03:50
Speaker
Thanks for having Of course. Good to see you both. Thank you as always, J.O. all right um we have one more caller but i fear this is a bit of a troll account and honestly i don't i don't think i want to deal with it to be honest with you are well it's up to you i feel like this might be uh oh we got james james is um i am going to let you can you do you think you you want to rock it out i think i might dip out too i've uh Yeah, i can I can hang out for ah for a little bit longer. I'll be double-dutying a little bit. Sick.
01:04:25
Speaker
Yeah, if you if you we need to dip, that's fine. I need to dip. I need to eat some dinner. I haven't eaten yet. So, chat. Eat some food. Take care of yourself. I love you all. Thank you for calling in, James.
01:04:36
Speaker
We'll see you all later. like the Like the damn video. Like the video, like the video, sub to the channel, write reviews, rate five stars, lobbingscorchers.com slash sauce.
01:04:49
Speaker
All right, disciplined new who, I'm going to imnna give you a chance here, ah but if you're trolling, I'm going to boot you. Can you hear me? Yeah, and I'm not trolling. Okay, you're good. You're good. yeah Yeah. We couldn't see the graphics, so we thought there might be some like some trolling going on. No, no.
01:05:08
Speaker
Okay, you're you're chilling. How are you feeling? Also, the profile picture is what I took it of Noah at the Club World Cup pretending to not see Schmitz. Okay. that Oh, that's what that is. all right. That's what we were trying to figure out is like, what are you referencing with that?
01:05:24
Speaker
That's actually funny. Good work there. um How are you feeling after this 3-2 win at Sporting KC, ah which as we've discussed was a bit of a tale of two halves? I feel pretty good.
01:05:39
Speaker
Honestly, but there's not much to talk about. I mean, I feel like what we saw in the first half was pretty reflective of the team I was expecting to see.
01:05:50
Speaker
and then i don't, I mean, Christian and Obed, when they play as much as they do, like obviously they're going to get worse and worse and worse. And, but I think the game reflected that because they were just so gassed and you look down that bench and you have six and a half wingers.
01:06:07
Speaker
I don't really know how you fix the midfield. I think that's actually like a broader topic worth ah worth thinking about, which is that I know ah ah Jeremiah had been talking about it a little bit, but Christian and Obed have been playing like every single minute of every single game.
01:06:23
Speaker
And especially in a situation like this where you're playing in 70% humidity, a ah dave I wasn't, like, shocked to see that the whole team was gassed. But they I thought Christian at the end there, like, he looked spent.
01:06:37
Speaker
So, yeah i don't know. It's just something worth thinking about. Because you see, like, the second goal before the penalty, like, Christian has the ball. And then he kind of, like, slips on it.
01:06:48
Speaker
And, like, I'm sure he's gassed. But there wasn't really – Christian's usually pretty good at being, like, oh, there's a little bit of contact and I can draw a foul. ah But that was a flop. And I feel like we don't see that from him and it's hard just because he was gassed.
01:07:03
Speaker
Yeah. And like, you know, some, some games, some games you have to, you like their survival tests. Like this is a perfect example of the type of game where you're probably going to be under pressure down the stretch and you just have to withstand it. And if you've got the lead, like they did, you have to see it out.
01:07:18
Speaker
The ending went off the rails way more than it should have, in my opinion, but I don't know. What did you think of, of the, of the sequence of events that took place at the end there with the red card? Well, and that's kind of what the main my main thing is.
01:07:34
Speaker
ah think a lot time I time called in, I was praising New Who, but reluctantly. I think it was after the Nashville game where there was some game where, you know, like once or twice a year, New Who's like the man of the match. He can do no wrong.
01:07:49
Speaker
He's taking on two or three people, and he's not letting anything happen. But, you know, I said this... after the Botafogo game, I'm just, um kind of over what Nuhu brings the team.
01:08:03
Speaker
i mean, he's, I don't know if he's been with us since like 2016, 2017.
01:08:10
Speaker
i just, I feel like he's just too immature for the ball club. And i don't see him maturing. Like he is already a veteran.
01:08:22
Speaker
and It feels like he's like regressing in that regard. i mean like the two The nature of the two red cards he's taken in the last few weeks are just it's insane. like i mean Red cards aside, its there's immaturity on the ball.
01:08:39
Speaker
he doesn't offer you He doesn't really have the vision and attack. He likes to stall the attack. It's just, and his defense is great when he's in that third center back spot. And yeah, it's good on the wing, but I think he's a liability more than anything. And at this point in time, i just, I don't think he's worth investing in. Cause I feel like we've seen the ceiling with New Who. And when you think back to New Who's best moments, I mean,
01:09:08
Speaker
i In 2019, when we beat LAFC and LAFC, Nuhu had that, he basically body slammed Carlos Vela and it should have been a penalty, but they didn't give that.
01:09:21
Speaker
And then in 2022, when we won CCL, he wasn't even on the field. And like, since then, I just, I don't see ah time where it's like, oh, we need a we need to make sure Nuhu's in pen on the team sheet. And when Reed comes in,
01:09:38
Speaker
on that left side. I mean, i feel like the drop off is hardly noticeable. Unless he's getting red cards of his own, but right. But one, yeah, both are getting red cards, but one can at least help on offense.
01:09:53
Speaker
Yeah, I would agree with that. You know, it would be ideal, as I said earlier, if if they could make it through a game without a fullback getting a red card. It's not something that you typically want to see four games in a row, which might be, it's got to be a club record. I don't know if it's an MLS record, but ah it's got to be an MLS record for the same position. It's incredible.
01:10:13
Speaker
I don't think I've seen anything like it.
01:10:16
Speaker
Yeah, it's just I don't know what he's – I don't think he brings us anything anymore. And honestly, i think his defense is pretty solid. Like, I would definitely rate him 8 out of 10 80% of the time as a defender. He doesn't get beat that often. He's pretty strong.
01:10:35
Speaker
But i don't even know if this is a possibility, but, like, I would almost consider, like, a new who trade. Yeah, ah I mean, look, this discourse is going to be ratcheting up with this latest red red card. And ah I think deservedly when you get to red cards in as short a span as he just did, and also in the way that he just did, the one in Vancouver was ridiculous. This one was even more ridiculous. And, you know, I'll say for my part, um i've been I've been known as like ah as a defender, i think ah in a way that almost got a little twisted in the sense that ah
01:11:12
Speaker
I just felt like there was a long period of time where the discourse was over the top in regards to like how how much of a liability he actually was when I think there's been a lot of situations. He's been a starter on this team for a long time, and they've won a lot of games with him. and he's he i think it's silly to say he hasn't contributed to that, but when you start...
01:11:34
Speaker
getting into stuff like ah red cards where it's just a matter of losing your head and losing your composure and you do it twice in like three weeks. ah Your spot on the team is going to come under scrutiny, under scrutiny like no matter what you've done in the in the past.
01:11:50
Speaker
And it should. And it feels like, I don't know, doesn't it feel like there's almost like, there's got to be some sort of, reason for it like he's a he's upset about something off the field or like that this stuff just doesn't i don't know what do you uh do you think there's anything like going on or is he just is the era just tired out well i don't know what it is about new who kashmetzer iss usually pretty like i would say as far as like mls coaches go like he takes it very seriously um
01:12:21
Speaker
I'm surprised Schmetzer has as much tolerance for Nuhu. The leash seems incredibly long. And we've seen Schmetz ice guys out in the past.
01:12:32
Speaker
But Nuhu just always seems to like... I don't i don't know what about Nuhu always gets him in the lineup. I think it's because, i think the reason for that is because Schmetz really, that he he's a coach that values defense. And in theory, that's what Nuhu brings to the table. He's a specialist in that way.
01:12:54
Speaker
ah So much so, like, I think it it is, ah my thing is that you don't keep a starting job in this league as long as he has for just like no reason. And like, I don't think the coach is just like delusional for starting him as much as he does.
01:13:10
Speaker
But you're right, like, there's been a ah few situations now where a player probably would have gotten benched for longer than seems to happen to knew who we're at, like where he, ah he gets that red card in Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, and then he's just right back in there.
01:13:26
Speaker
And even after what he did in the, in the club world cup against Boda Fogo. So I think this, he's going to get suspended for two or three games on top of, on top of the red card suspension that he's already going to have to serve.
01:13:38
Speaker
And then after that, yeah he's going to, I have to imagine this is where he has to earn his starting job back. Yeah, and also, it's not like he's a cheap player for us. Like, he makes plenty of money for as far as left backs and MLS go.
01:13:55
Speaker
it's just... I would really, i feel like there's teams that could really actually, we that could use him a lot more than we could.
01:14:05
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Because even like John Bell, I feel like could slot in over there if if we absolutely must, I feel like. read i mean, he's been kind of immature the last couple of seasons as well. Just, you know, the red cards and the penalties. And even today, i mean, they look like Reid was trying to give them a third penalty with two minutes left. And he's just kind of like snatching at the ball.
01:14:31
Speaker
um But like, I don't I just I feel like his salary is not worth it either. And like why wouldn't an inter-Miami or a team that struggles, to like I feel like Nuhu could thrive on an inter-Miami You know, you you don't need creativity when you have Messi or... That's actually, like why ah such a good shout because they have... It's got to be a team that just has so much firepower offensively. Like, Inter-Miami or San Diego or, like, a team like that.
01:15:01
Speaker
That's just, like, a freight train and attack already, and then you drop the defensive specialist in there to, like, shore that up. That's kind of a good idea. And, like, i get kind of just talking through through it tonight... It almost feels just like just like a like an era that's run its course and a change of scenery might be beneficial. He's been on the team for so long. like maybe Maybe it's just sort of like ah he maybe i don't he's not consciously thinking about it, but it's he's sort of just like done all he can do here, if that makes sense.
01:15:32
Speaker
Yeah, and it's like, you know, the Botafogo game, like I said, like, that's the biggest, one of the biggest teams or clubs that the team's ever played and one of the biggest moments. And... It was it just genre. Like, there's things you can't get away with now that VAR is in the game, but it's like he knows he's getting goaded and he's doing it two feet away from the ref while the ball is nowhere close.
01:15:58
Speaker
And if it's like, if he's going to do that, if he's going to do it in front of the referee, you know, I just don't. ah and i I don't know. don't know.
01:16:09
Speaker
I just, it was ah like, yeah, it's run its course. for I don't want to, I don't want it to like totally overshadow the win or anything is a good win, but that was like a debacle of an ending. There's no question about it.
01:16:21
Speaker
Discipline knew who, thank you for the call. got a couple other in the queue, yeah but ah did you have any other, to like maybe about the goals in the first half or something, something positive to close us out here?
01:16:33
Speaker
Yeah, um real quick, I just, I don't know who it is, but, so you know, sometimes Twitter puts Sounders people on your algorithm, but anyone who's bashing Jesus for Arab just doesn't know Ball, I guess.
01:16:46
Speaker
I think it's going to, like, he did need to start scoring goals for that to tamp down, and now he's doing that. And my prediction has always been like once he starts playing like the player that he's been throughout his career, that he'll he'll like earn the acceptance and adulation of the fan base.
01:17:01
Speaker
ah But, you know, this was just his third goal. So maybe we're in the process of that right now. Well, even before he scored, like in that first half, in the first like two minutes of the game, he put in a really dangerous one-time early cross on the ground to Jordan that he was just kind of, like it would have been a tap-in. ah He recycled possession.
01:17:19
Speaker
He picked up good spots. And I just feel like he's a really good tempo player. person and you know if you want to compare him to like i know he's different than brandon vasquez but you know one guy costs 10 million and the other guy costs whatever if you screenshot if the season ended today you can't tell me that like jesus isn't producing well that's the beauty of it is he's uh the beauty of it is he's not a dp like that's that's why it was a good trade But all right. Discipline New Who, thank you for the call. Now that we we know who you are, feel free to call in with the graphic and I'll i'll know who you are. Sorry for you. I change the name every time.
01:18:00
Speaker
Okay. Well, but like just the ah the circular graphic. I remember it from before now. yeah So I got it got it and ingrained and won't accuse you of trolling again. But I appreciate the call.
01:18:12
Speaker
Yeah, take care. Have a good one.
01:18:15
Speaker
All right. We got James up next. Jeremy, after that, ah James got the thumbs up. There he is. You're on the stage right now. James 3-2 at Sporting Kansas City. A win on the road, but a debacle of an ending featuring a new who red card for throwing the ball in the stands. What'd you think?
01:18:31
Speaker
Three points are three points, so that's fine. um But I want to agree with the previous caller. I think it's time to move on from Nuho. um It could be what you were saying. He's done all he can do here.
01:18:43
Speaker
um One thing that just crossed my mind is that we've had people who are sort of uncertain about how their contracts are going to go, like Ladero and Rui Diaz. kind of fall out with with management, with the team.
01:18:57
Speaker
New Who's contract is up at the end of the year with one option, so maybe that's what's going on. Or maybe the message from Schmetzer just isn't hitting anymore, which sounds crazy because I think man management is Schmetzer's strongest suit.
01:19:11
Speaker
um But that could be the case too. I mean, there were problems last year and they seem to have gotten worse. um You know, I do understand why Schmetzer keeps playing him because he's he's tried to give Baker Whiting the slot and it it's gone poorly more often than not.
01:19:29
Speaker
um But he's young, so I understand that. I think I agree with the previous caller. We should look to do a trade. um You know, they can get him for a year and a half because he's got an option. Salary is middle of the road. It's not too bad.
01:19:41
Speaker
And there's going to be some team out there that wants to play with three at the back where I think he's really going to excel more than he does as a left back. ah That clears up enough space to get you, you know, that would be, I think it's 570. That's been enough to get like a Brad Smith or a Kelvin Leardam in the past. So I think if we could get a free agent veteran,
01:20:02
Speaker
left back that Baker Whiting can can study under. I think that would be a great help to the team. what do What do you think is up with all these red cards? for Four in a row, all fullbacks? Like, what are we talking about?
01:20:19
Speaker
um i it but I mean, with Nuhu, they're just losing his head. And with the other ones, they're just young. yeah I mean, it's yeah it's KKR. It's Reed Baker Whiting. ah Dumb second yellows.
01:20:33
Speaker
And i i guess when you're under pressure in in games, when the other team is trying to get ah win or or or equalize or something,
01:20:45
Speaker
i Maybe it's putting under more pressure than they can handle. you know i'd i I don't know. i mean i It's really two different things. It's it's an experience with KKR and RBW and then just losing his head with Nuhu.
01:21:01
Speaker
But i think i I think it changes scenery. He's going to do him good. That's kind of how I'm starting to, like, especially after this game tonight. It's a thought that's popped into my head before, I'll be honest. But after after seeing this and then also the nature of the one he took in Vancouver, it's just stuff that happens when your head's just, like, elsewhere, not in it. Like, you're you're not...
01:21:23
Speaker
locked in on the task at hand, which in this line of work, like you can't do that. Like, especially it it was even more egregious in this scenario when you were trying to close out a game and you just got a penalty called that's going to bring it within one goal.
01:21:37
Speaker
You can't get ejected. Like, that's why i was kind of wondering if there's something with this contract going on because, you know, the Vancouver one, it's a last man back foul, but it was kind of my one. And, you know, the shoving guy. Yeah, he he grabbed him up by his, like, neck and stuff. Yeah.
01:21:52
Speaker
It would get you 15 yards in the NFL, like I said. I mean, and you can't even do that in the NFL. So um that, I mean, shoving the guy, i did there's something going on with him. Like I said, that's why i was wondering if it was contract nerves or something like that. I mean, if he if we can – trade him, open up that cap space. you know Maybe he gets a bit longer of a deal, he gets more security, um and and he can kind of get his head straight.
01:22:16
Speaker
I don't know. Or maybe maybe he's just not meshing with Schmetzer. That seemed to be the case last year. but But I think you know we've talked a lot about the the talk I think all season has been focused on that you twenty two striker that's coming in. I think we still need that, but now we need a JP replacement yeah um because
Midfield Concerns and Potential Reinforcements
01:22:34
Speaker
Christian was dead on his feet today.
01:22:36
Speaker
especially at the end there man i felt bad for him well and it was i mean he was he was limping he was pulling up and then because of the red card he had to shift back to right back and it's like you can't even get any kind of breather at all there um well we can't run him into the ground i mean if we there's there's no cover for him with jp out uh and i i just i don't want us i just don't want him to You know, I don't want to run him so much that we' we're playing Leyva and Obed in central midfield because I just don't think that has the bite that we need.
01:23:10
Speaker
Yeah, I agree with that. Like Christian has, ah he's found like a little bit of Ozzy Alonzo in him this year and just what he's doing for the team this year, how much he puts it in week in, week out, how he played in the club world cup, all the stuff he was doing out there tonight.
01:23:25
Speaker
We, we did a Mount Rush, Sounders Mount Rushmore segment earlier this year. I'm getting to the point where I'm like, dude, I think I see our sevens getting this place on there. Cause you talk about like laying it on the line for the team and playing for the badge and,
01:23:39
Speaker
all that stuff, like, he has just embodied that this whole season. So, but I agree, like, with he and Obed's 19, it's probably fine. He can handle it. Christian, ah you got to start, like, finding places to give him.
01:23:52
Speaker
the The man needs a rest. I i need him to get a rest for his own. he's He's, like, earned it. He's earned a little bit of a break. Oh, absolutely. and And it's just, you know, even if he – God forbid, knock wood, he were to get injured.
01:24:07
Speaker
There's just, there's no cover there that without JP. So that's, I mean, they can do the season and ending injury thing on him. That opens up 600,000. And hey, maybe we can, maybe somebody's got a ah holding mid that we can trade for Nuhu.
01:24:21
Speaker
I don't know. I'd have to look through the league and see if there's any deals that make sense like that. But um that that seems to, you know, I, I, get in a holding mid, get it just an MLS veteran. It doesn't have to be a ah guy like Prime JP, who was kind of a playmaker out of the back too. We just need somebody who's who's got that tackling ability ah that that Christian has been showing in the last couple of years.
01:24:44
Speaker
ah What did you think of the first half, James? Obviously the the three goals. And, you know, I was having a lot of fun just watching how much space Sporting KC were giving Seattle. It felt like every time Seattle got out in transition, they the guys would be on the ball and they'd be like, is anyone going to close me out? No. Okay. I'll just gonna keep going.
01:25:01
Speaker
Anyone going to try and pressure me? Try and get Okay. I'm going to just keep... It happened like seven times where they were just running wherever they they wanted. And SKC's defense was just... sprinting backwards it felt like and ah credit you know credit they uh took advantage of that space especially on uh on that last goal in transition but what'd you what'd you make of the attack tonight uh it was good i mean as much as i rag on rusnak uh when he smells blood in the water he goes for it uh and and he smelled blood in the water there and i um
01:25:36
Speaker
I thought it was going to be a football score or cricket score. That's what it looked like. So credit to SKC for turning it around. And I really don't even... ah It's a shame that the goals that we gave up were...
01:25:51
Speaker
I thought kind of soft penalties. the one the the The second one annoyed me because that was one where I think VAR is a detriment. I think in the past, and I think what this referee looked at in real time was like, okay, he he hit him a little bit.
01:26:04
Speaker
At the same time, the guy also took a dive. yeah I mean, he yeah he tries to keep playing and then throws himself to the ground like a cannonball. And I remember, Kalina, the great Italian referee said one time, like, look, sometimes you get it's kind of a foul, it's kind of a dive and I just let it go.
01:26:23
Speaker
And I think that's what the referee would have done. But with VAR, they're always gonna call it back and they're never gonna look at the theatrical flop that came with the with the minor contact. um So I don't, you know, I'm not melting down about the second half because I thought,
01:26:38
Speaker
fuck Pedro De La Vango was trying to play as the number six and actually had some pretty good intervention. Yeah. You're kind of, you're right. He was like dropping real deep. Yeah. He had a couple of key, uh, interceptions in the box. I was like, well, maybe, maybe if he can't play as the number seven or the number 10, maybe he's looking for a new career as the, as the midfield destroyer.
01:26:59
Speaker
Um, but, uh, Yeah, it it also felt like, yeah I don't know if it was, you know, we let off the gas a little bit because the first half was so dominant or if Casey's manager just gave the greatest halftime talk of all time.
01:27:15
Speaker
But it was... yeah yeah I would like to hear that halftime talk because they looked so bad in the first half and incredible in the second half. My theory on that... is uh i mean i think there was uh you do have to give them credit like they played a lot better they looked inspired they didn't give up ah as schmetzer pointed out i think any away game at skc they have an advantage of training and playing in that in that heat seattle is not used to that you get to 70th 80th minute and uh that's just like your legs just go like you can't run and press and play as hard as you do like they did in the first 45.
01:27:53
Speaker
So I think there was like a combination of those two things, ah but probably more so supporting KC just being like, look, we can't we can't go down like this. And they they were fighting. So I think you you do have to credit the opponent to an extent there.
01:28:07
Speaker
It was probably a combination, yeah. and i think And of course, we had all those Club World Cup games in the run-up too. So where Christian and Obed were playing football, ah One of them played every minute. One of them played all but like six minutes.
01:28:21
Speaker
So they've got to just be tired. But Oben was balling at the beginning of this game. Oh yeah. He looked, and he looked incredible. Like ah the combination of his quality against a defensive game plan that did not work was fun to watch.
01:28:39
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. But I, I do think that, um, it was I think it's partly tired legs, partly the humidity, partly Kansas City just deciding we have nothing to lose.
01:28:50
Speaker
But, i you know, again, the buzzword for this roster at the start of the season was depth, and I think that's being severely tested now between the Areola injury and the Joe Paulo injury.
01:29:00
Speaker
yeah ah Morris being in and out, and I think we've got to we've got to make some moves and and maybe make some hard decisions. You know, maybe it's time to – know, you can put JP on the season-ending injury, or you can just buy him out and just say – two ACL tears. Thank you for your service, but we've got to open up that cap space.
01:29:17
Speaker
um And it's Kent. I love that. I love that run he made in the second half where he was just slaloming through everybody just to buy a little space.
01:29:29
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. that Why can't you do that? And then put it across somebody scores. Yeah. yeah You see these, like, that that moment in particular in this game, it was one of those Ryan Kent moments where you're like, Jesus Christ, like, you're so good at this sport.
01:29:43
Speaker
Like, do what you were doing, like, against ah St. Louis and Houston. like ah But to to me, like, every time I see him do stuff like that, it makes me feel like, okay, that's this stuff is all in the bag.
01:29:57
Speaker
ah Maybe he's still getting acclimated to the club, to the league, and that's why it hasn't been as hot lately. Hopefully that's what it is. Uh, but I just hope that they're able to unlock that more because when he is doing that stuff, I mean, it's just, it's a joy to watch.
01:30:13
Speaker
Like he does stuff that other guys just can't do. So I don't know what the key is to tapping into that more consistently, but hopefully they're able be to get that because that'd be a huge X factor for this team.
01:30:24
Speaker
If he can look more like the player he did the first couple games. Well, I know we've got a year option on him, but I was looking at the salary numbers. I don't see how he stays for another year. he's he's making they would have to They would have to sell ah player, which could be Obed.
01:30:40
Speaker
yeah well Yeah, if they sold Obed and they got a ton of gam, then they could buy him down, I guess. But that's that's kind short-term. Well... no It's going to be it's goingnna be interesting because as the roster is now, they can't have both Ariella and Kent on the books. They can't. so they you have to as i as I understand the situation, if they do sell a player, then like you said, they can they can maneuver that a little bit and perhaps keep both Ariella and Kent.
01:31:08
Speaker
on the roster. ah But we'll, we'll see. um We'll see if they're, if they're able to do that. ah James, I got one caller in the queue behind you, but any last takes that you wanted to get out there before, before you take off?
01:31:24
Speaker
Just get a left back, get a holding midfielder, get a U22 striker. And I think we're going to be set for a much, for a strong second half of the season. Love it. all right, James, thank you. As always, always great catching up with you. thank you my ball great Yeah, we'll catch you next time.
01:31:39
Speaker
yeah but All right. Got one more, one more caller in the queue. So ah if anyone else wants to jump in, I will be hanging out for a little bit. We're going to bring Jeremy to the stage right now. Our friend based in the Rose City, ah Cascadia Sport, Cascadia Soccer.
01:31:57
Speaker
Isn't that what it's called? Yeah. so Cascadia FC. I got my sweatshirt to prove it now. Cascadia FC, they got merch. They cover all three Cascadia soccer
Comparative Performance Analysis: First vs Second Half
01:32:08
Speaker
clubs.
01:32:08
Speaker
Do great work. Jeremy, haven't we haven't we haven't caught up in a while. ah I know you watch every ah every Cascadia game or when they're going at the same time. Keep track of them as much as you can. So ah what ah what were your takes on ah what transpired tonight? Before you get into it, I do want to hit this super chat from Aaron. Thank you for the $1.99.
01:32:28
Speaker
Thanks for the takes, guys. our pleasure to, to, uh, uh, give the takes and give the, uh, the people a chance to hop on and dish takes with us as we're doing tonight.
01:32:38
Speaker
ah but, uh, Jeremy, what did, uh, what did you think? I think at this game, you saw ah the best that the Sounders could be and also the worst. Yes. And funnily enough, it played off it played out in two different halves. The first half was probably the Sounders at their best because you have Jordan Morris come back into the team.
01:32:59
Speaker
I don't think there's another player on this roster who's going to make that pass out wide to Paul Rothrock and immediately make that run to the near post to score that goal. So just him coming back is going to be such ah such a huge boost to this team for the rest of the season.
01:33:16
Speaker
And I know Schmetzer is going to keep him like very strictly on the minutes clock, making sure he's hitting all the performance metrics. But yeah, just being ah just knowing that he's going to be available again is huge.
01:33:30
Speaker
um the The other two goals that you scored in the first half, I mean, that's a handball. That is, that's the that's the way the sport works now. yeahp So the fact that um it sends Rusnak to the spot, he scores another penalty, like good for him, you know, like easy two nil lead.
01:33:49
Speaker
And then Ferreira getting the goal off the counter attack. Always good. Three no lead in a halftime. You can't ask for anything better in a road game, literally. But um I do believe that the tired legs did catch up.
01:34:01
Speaker
i I've heard a lot about just how many minutes Obed and Roldan have been playing over the past month, which is they played so much.
01:34:13
Speaker
and They play every minute of every game. and that they don't I think with Obed, it's less of an issue. Like I said, he's 19. He can handle it. Christian's 30. You got to give the man a rest. And I'd also like to um to piggyback off of a previous point made ah specifically about the U22, because I think that could be a midfielder.
01:34:34
Speaker
I really do believe that that could be a midfielder. I think saying that you need to find another striker with that U22 spot, like he'd probably be third on the depth chart.
01:34:46
Speaker
And you'd have to have, ah you'd probably have to commit a significant amount of money to a player who would probably end up being thrown on the depth chart because Mussofsky has shown that he can be productive in this system.
01:34:57
Speaker
And that that's the most important thing that the Sounders need. They need players to be productive in the system because I think the system comes first over the individual talents and skills of the players. That's for better or worse. Like ah you look at the wingers, you look at how Paul Rothrock is suddenly undroppable.
01:35:15
Speaker
even though Ryan Kent came in with such a big pedigree, looked so good in his first couple of games, has really cooled off. But Rothrock just, he's he's perfect for the way this team wants to play, both on the ball and off the ball.
01:35:29
Speaker
And then for the right wing spot with Ferreira, maybe he works at the right wing, but hey, he did get assisted by Albert Rusnak today. so So the whole Albert and Ferreira, do they work together on the pitch at the same time?
01:35:44
Speaker
that maybe they are starting to work together a little bit. that i was I was on the train the whole time, by the way, of like, you got to give this run. You got to give it time. They'll probably figure it out.
01:35:54
Speaker
And that looks like what' what's happening, which that is, of all the takeaways from this game, I think that's like the most exciting development is that Ferreira looks like he's genuinely fitting in and he's producing. He's getting his goals now.
01:36:07
Speaker
So that would be God, that would be a welcome sight if he can keep doing that consistently going forward. And it and it looks like there's a ah good chance that he is found his footing and can start being the Jesus Ferrer that we saw at FC Dallas for all those years.
01:36:23
Speaker
Yeah, so that's another positive takeaway. But unfortunately, that second half, there there really isn't a lot of good to take away from there. And NewHoo's incident is going to take all the headlines from this game, which I find really funny that you guys have found a way to get four fullbacks sent off in four consecutive games.
01:36:42
Speaker
it's kind of i'm i'm I'm kind of proud of it. I'm proud of it. Yeah. And the the crazy thing about that is aside from the Vancouver game, like that's the only loss in those four. Cause it just seems like it's yeah. Yeah. It happens at the end of the game when they're there, they can't close out a game when they have the lead or when it's tied without getting someone sent off, they can't do it.
01:37:03
Speaker
Yeah. It's innovation of the highest order. And I have to hand it to you guys on that. Like that, that that's just really, really interesting. But yeah, I think that um but the noticeable drop in quality came really when Kent entered the pitch for Rothrock. And I understand Schmetzer trying to stick to his rotations, trying to like keep players healthy, keep them fit, especially with a very busy week coming up. like Colorado, even though they haven't been in the best of form, they still beat Vancouver tonight.
01:37:37
Speaker
I'll probably talk more about Vancouver later because Vancouver's pretty fun right now to watch because they're being pretty bad. But um I think that Kent needs to find his form in order for the Sounders team to become like cup contenders.
01:37:56
Speaker
And at their base, which has always been like their floor, their base level, they've always been a playoff team and comfortably a top four playoff team. just based on the way the roster is constructed, based on the way they're able to score goals, the the tactics and Schmetzer's whole game model.
01:38:12
Speaker
it It basically sets a floor of being a playoff team. So the question with this is how do you get the supporting pieces, the ones who need to step up and need to be the ones to be the difference makers.
01:38:24
Speaker
How do you get them to take this team from a playoff team, essentially, to a cup contender? And I think Ryan Kent's going to be the most important player for that down the stretch. Like, even though Rothrock's still playing out of his mind, because he he just does that now, you know, you just got to accept it. He's the best winger on this team.
01:38:42
Speaker
And I don't think it's controversial to say that. It shouldn't be. yeah I've been saying it, and it's been slightly controversial, but ah to me, it just seems pretty obvious at this point. But in terms of like who's out there ah delivering the final product right now, it's Jesus Ferreira and Paul Rothrock.
01:38:59
Speaker
that's that's That's it. i think so I think I agree with the general premise of of your take. I don't know if i I would amend it slightly that I don't know if they need Ryan Kent to reach his ceiling to be a cup contender. they can problem There's a path to that without that happening, but it would...
01:39:20
Speaker
be like a massive help. Like it would, the, the ceiling of this team, if that happens versus if it doesn't happen, there is a, there's a stark gap there because ah Paul Rothrock is balling right now.
01:39:35
Speaker
Ryan Kent, some of the stuff he does, it's not just Paul Rothrock that doesn't do that stuff. It's like most players in MLS aren't able to eliminate defenders the way he can and make the runs that he makes.
01:39:47
Speaker
And if he's able to do that consistently, and like I said earlier, we saw him do it in games against St. Louis and Houston earlier, and there's no question about it. like Them unlocking that would skyrocket this team's ceiling.
01:40:04
Speaker
And especially now that we're in the second half of the season and that transfer window is about to open, i start to look at the Western Conference. And i see that right now it's Portland, Seattle, and I think Vancouver and LAFC are going to be in that fight for those top four spots, but for spots three and four and getting that home field advantage in the first round.
01:40:26
Speaker
Because LAFC, they still have a ton of games in hand. who knows what they're going to do with the DP slot that Giroud opened. Like, could that be a striker or Das has been playing pretty well? You don't know about
Adaptations and Strategic Decisions
01:40:37
Speaker
that.
01:40:37
Speaker
Obobese is still good for a goal every couple of games. Like you don't, you don't know what LAFC is going to do. And they're the ones that have the most, I'd say, ammunition to potentially skyrocket up the table, especially with all these games in hand.
01:40:54
Speaker
uh vancouver who just lost their second consecutive game by a three nil score they're spiraling they're spiraling yeah and it's it's so interesting like everyone's saying like why are they spiraling it's like oh well they they still have ryan gold they haven't had ryan gold for the entire season and they've been doing just fine it's they were the best team in the league for the first couple months of the season without ryan gold Yeah, I think it's, I think this is just the start of the CCL hangover.
01:41:23
Speaker
Yeah. And there are teams like Columbus who were able to manage it pretty well last year. And they, they just ran into a New York Red Bulls team in the playoffs that was set up perfectly to basically erase all the things that made them Columbus.
01:41:39
Speaker
Um, But when you've already gone into this year with only two DPs because you you let go of Stuart Armstrong in the offseason and you haven't really done a ton to beef out that roster aside from bringing in Sabi and Jaden Nelson, um this is where those heavy legs really start to pick up for Vancouver. And if you watch them in midweek during the Canadian Championship,
01:42:04
Speaker
ah They needed a miracle goal yeah to to pull past Valor. and that that was some That was a pretty fun watch in a bar, I will say that, ah particularly once Valor scored their equalizer.
01:42:19
Speaker
It was pretty good. And then Utvik, who wears a helmet for some reason, he just heads in the winner. But that that was a big win for them because – Uh, they're going to need every single point they need from the league. Now, like San Diego is legitimately good.
01:42:35
Speaker
You guys have played them twice already. Portland has not. That's going to be very interesting. Portland hasn't even played Minnesota yet. So and these are some hard games coming up. that's Yeah. So the, what Portland may have in terms of like the harder schedule coming up, Seattle, I think has a little, a little bit of the easier schedule. Definitely not that hard.
01:42:56
Speaker
Yeah. Not to, not to each um against San Diego and Minnesota, two of the best teams in the league. Yeah. And then they, they still have to play Vancouver for the, for the second time after that embarrassment that was the home opener.
01:43:10
Speaker
So I think that As this transfer window starts to open, and as the rumors, I've i've already seen the Noah Ohio rumor. It makes me a little bit angry because I actually rate him.
01:43:23
Speaker
I don't like it when players that I rate go to the Seattle Sounders. But, I mean, I think that would be a good deal, relatively speaking. I just think it wouldn't be as good for roster construction, considering i think that the most important player who's holding everything together right now is Christian Roldan.
01:43:41
Speaker
yeah And if something does happen to him with all these minutes that he's been playing over the past month or so, ah you you need someone who can step in and immediately like just play there. And with JP on injured reserve, that's that's just not going to happen right now. They need to find some cover for him.
01:43:59
Speaker
On to Nuhu, though, because I think this is the game where everyone finally turned on Nuhu. And as someone who like rated him, but not to the extent that I'd say the wider MLS media landscape did, I understood. Yes, he's a very good player, but not for the reasons that like every single color commentator says, oh, knew who he's going to get forward. You got watch. I don't know why they always say that.
01:44:27
Speaker
Yeah, it's weird because it like- It's literally the opposite. i don't know I don't know what kind of effect it is, but but what he really excelled at was the smart stuff.
01:44:40
Speaker
throughout his entire time in Seattle. He was always a really smart defender. And so much of 1v1 defending, which I'd say is his biggest strong suit, comes down to just being smart, using your body, and but basically those two things.
01:44:56
Speaker
um Particularly what I think he was the best player in the league at was using his body to win throw-ins, goal kicks, throw-ins,
01:45:07
Speaker
corner kicks, just properly placing his body between and ah opposition player. He was the best in the league it specifically at that for a long time. Yeah. and that is a very good skill to be like good at.
01:45:19
Speaker
He was always good at like the smaller, like I'd say the Genesequois of playing as a fullback in the league, but so much that is cerebral.
01:45:30
Speaker
And if the cerebral part starts to fall off a little bit, like I don't know what you're doing throwing a ball at a fan who's giving you a Portland salute. I don't know why.
01:45:42
Speaker
I think it's that's an all time head loss for seemingly zero reason. Two weeks after he had another all time head loss. Yeah, which That already probably put him in the doghouse for a little bit, but this one, even though it doesn't directly affect the result, it's just such a stupid, stupid play for him to make.
01:46:02
Speaker
It's the principle. Like you can't, yeah you can't, you can't put your team in that situation. You cannot, it's a selfish maneuver. Mm hmm. And yeah, I think that I don't think I need to go more into knew who there. All I'm going to say is he's an excellent villain, but sometimes he gets carried away.
01:46:20
Speaker
He today he absolutely got carried away. And that just happens, you know, um, But on to the larger point i'm trying to make, which is just Seattle's chase for a top four spot, which is definitely on. there They're finishing today in the top four.
01:46:36
Speaker
yeah They are. Portland plays tomorrow. They're playing in St. Louis, which is going to be just as an oppressive of an environment. Probably even worse because kickoff is a little bit earlier in the day, just in terms of the sweat and the heat and the humidity in Kansas slash Missouri.
01:46:53
Speaker
yeah. get taking care of business is what the Sounders have been doing since returning from the club world cup. It seems like they've been playing with a lot more confidence, but at the same time, it's just these silly little errors that continue to bite them.
01:47:08
Speaker
And in the pre in the previous games where Alex Roldan was playing, uh, center back, for example, I thought I was just like, I can't believe it. He's done it again. Schmetzer has just found a way to get a already solid player, put him in a new role.
01:47:24
Speaker
And he's done pretty well, which makes me think about Pedro De La Vega. And that I can't believe I'm going to say this out loud, but based on the way that De La Vega is just a demon off the ball,
01:47:39
Speaker
but is actually smart when going forward, knows how to move, knows how to affect play in the final third, I could potentially see him as a wingback.
01:47:50
Speaker
if schmetzer I said that in preseason. I said it because we were we were, I said it like sort of in jest, but like we were playing with a lineup builder. Like what's the ideal starting 11 based on just like how we rate everybody and how preseason has been looking and stuff.
01:48:08
Speaker
And i was I was just looking at how I had it. And I was like, low key De La Vega left back. And i so I brought the take up and it didn't really, it it the take didn't get traction, but I have thought of that.
01:48:20
Speaker
like Yeah. And it it doesn't he work right defensively tonight. It's like, I could see it. I could see it. Yeah. It doesn't sound too crazy. And the, the reasoning I have behind it mostly is, I mean, the optics of it are objectively terrible. You spend 7 million for a player. He comes in, he ends up being a way back that no one wants that. No one wants that, especially as a DP taking up such a high value roster slot.
01:48:42
Speaker
Yeah. But it's about fitting players in the Schmetzer system first and foremost. Yeah. And if that's just where De La Vega is going to be able to play and he's where that's where he's going to be able to affect the team the best, I feel like you have to do it.
01:49:02
Speaker
But on the other side, I see a player who is always going to run his ass off, try as hard as he can whenever he gets on the field.
01:49:14
Speaker
The problem is it seems like he's making the most of every chance he gets on the field before like he gets hurt or something like that again. And I feel like if he was played, wingback does a lot more running. He doesn't have the best legs.
01:49:26
Speaker
So that that could be a bit of an issue. But I feel like Schmetzer at least has to try it. You know, i just, I don't know if he would ever actually do it because it's, it's pretty far outside the box. And then also, i think what you were saying about the optics plays in pretty heavily, like the amount of clownage they would enddoor endure for putting him back there. That's not a good reason to not do it. Like you got to do what's best for the team.
01:49:59
Speaker
But I think like even subconsciously that would factor in, like, we can't do that. We can't put him back there. But it's not a stupid idea. i've I had the same thought. And this was even before like the the season started where ah we're kind of seeing them struggle to really fully find his his footing again.
01:50:18
Speaker
ah But you know I did like – I like seeing him out there like working hard and making plays on defense tonight, ah even if he did have that one chance that he that he whiffed again.
01:50:30
Speaker
I mean, that that that's not limited to just De La Vega, though. You know, that like creating so many chances is a feature of the system. Like, I'd say like 70 to 80% of them are not going to go in. and so So it's about scoring at least two or three of them that makes Schmetzer's system work.
01:50:50
Speaker
So I think that going forward, at least who do you guys have on Wednesday, Colorado? yeah That's a home game. yeah Okay.
Upcoming Matches and Strategic Preparations
01:51:00
Speaker
That's going to be fun. Colorado is the, they always go balls to the wall, no matter what they are, the they are kind of a pain in the ass to play against, even though Portland has a pretty good record against them.
01:51:14
Speaker
Um, yeah, they usually, they usually tend to struggle in Seattle and they had been kind of of going off the rails, honestly, lately until the game tonight against a hungover cap side.
01:51:26
Speaker
Uh, but it's, I mean, it is a game where, where you're going to be favored, uh, and against an opponent that had not been in great form until tonight. So, uh, It's ah it's ah this this part of the schedule for Seattle. we were We were looking at it before this KC game, and it was like, all right, this is where you got to pick off a lot of points here if you really want that top four spot.
01:51:47
Speaker
Yeah. And that that that's what's going to be the difference. Like these top four, top six teams, I think, because I think that's the separator right now in between just the top six of the West and then the rest.
01:51:59
Speaker
And then San Jose, maybe if they can get back into it. But Christian Espinosa is on the sidelines. You saw how they look today without him. And also just they can't defend set pieces. So they were going to lose in Minnesota anyway.
01:52:11
Speaker
um I feel like. the way that the west is going to shake out it depends so heavily on what lafc is going to do this summer what san diego is going to do because they still have a couple of high value roster slots open um how minnesota continues to evolve throughout the rest of the year what portland does and then what you guys do with that u22 slot because uh you're not goingnna have a dp available You're not going to have, ah I mean, you're going to clear some cap space with JP going on a season-ending injury.
01:52:46
Speaker
And I'd say you try and use that to bring in maybe a midfielder if you can't get that with the U22, even though I probably prioritize the U22. U22 midfielders, especially for you guys, even though they come from the academy, they tend to have a pretty high success rate.
01:53:01
Speaker
So, Yeah, more so than... like They've been looking at forwards and they've been linked to this Dutch guy, Noah Ohio, who it says, the according to reports from Nico Moreno, Lobbing Scorchers kickoff, they made like an offer on this on this Dutch forward who... I've been saying like my initial reaction to it is like just it's just when I look at the players of that exact profile. like I've seen this profile a lot of MLS teams signing these U-22s.
01:53:27
Speaker
The hit rate for for a striker is just low. like it's And then... Maybe I hadn't really thought about it through that lens of like, well, first of all, maybe the JP injury like would rethink like how they approach that.
01:53:41
Speaker
I had thought of that, but like I hadn't thought of like the hit rate at that area of the field for U22 probably being higher, which makes sense because it's just like attacking players in general.
01:53:52
Speaker
ah it's ah It's more difficult to to hit. And then especially with a young guy like that, it's even harder. So that's they're going to have to figure that out. The one exception I'd say maybe that Ohio would be more of a hit is because the system is created for just poachers to thrive.
01:54:13
Speaker
in in Schmetzer's system. So as long as he's getting service and the Sounders as a team usually generate a ton of service, be it from the wingers, be it from Rusnak's through balls, be it from their fullbacks, usually Alex Roldan crosses, not New Who, he doesn't get forward.
01:54:32
Speaker
but um i Well, he crosses it sometimes, it just goes into the 27th It does. It does. Well, today he tried throwing it in the 27th. So he's, he's upgraded a little bit. but I, I think that ah right now, if I was to pick who's going to finish top four in the West, it would be both Vancouver and Portland sliding out in Seattle, just with the floor that they have and LAFC with the potential of who they could bring in.
01:55:02
Speaker
putting them into that top four with all those games in hand. But once again, nothing is ever given in this league. It's always earned and going on the road to Casey building a three, nothing lead at halftime and still walking out of there with three points, despite one of the worst second halves I've seen from this team all year on the road, I'd say maybe outside of that entire Vancouver game. I think it was, i think it was their best half of the season followed by their worst half of the season. It was wild.
01:55:30
Speaker
Yeah. like you you put That half above the San Diego half? ah in the The San Diego? Oh.
01:55:42
Speaker
Yeah. it was like It was pretty much comparable to me. like It was the same idea. But yeah, that's a good shout. But either way, three points, jingle bells. Exactly. no matter how subdued they were.
01:55:56
Speaker
win is a win. A win is a win. ah All right. Well, I'm coming up on two hours, so I'm going to start wrapping it up here. But ah Jeremy, thank you as always for the call. Always good ah catching up with you. i mean, you know, you know, all three of these teams inside and out. So it's always like great, ah great knowledge when you hop on here. We appreciate it.
01:56:15
Speaker
But yeah, thanks for calling in and anything you want to plug with Cascadia FC real quick. We have a major website announcement coming up in the next week. We are departing sub stack.
01:56:27
Speaker
We will be fully independent of that terrible, terrible hosting platform. And it's been something that's been in the work for a couple of months.
01:56:39
Speaker
So we're, we're very excited about that. And yes, this shirt, this sweatshirt to be particular, ah we might kick off the new website announcement with a merch sale.
01:56:51
Speaker
So, If y'all are interested in repping the greatest, like, I guess, like sub region of the United States and i guess Canada. yeah But if you're interested in repping that, just be sure, check the website whenever it launches at some point next week. But yeah. he yeah every yeah minute good It's been a good year to be a ah local independent media outlet.
01:57:18
Speaker
That doesn't sound very good when I say it but it's true. No, I mean, yeah, best of luck to you guys on the independent journey. I mean, I know Sounder at Heart, who hosts our show, they've had a I think they probably wouldn't change anything at this point as far as how it has worked with them going independent compared to how it was when it was on Vox.
01:57:37
Speaker
So it can be done. And ah yeah, good luck with that. Everyone definitely go check out Cascadia FC. they They do great work covering the whole region. So... Jeremy, thanks again, man. And we'll talk soon.
01:57:51
Speaker
As always. Thank you, Ari. Yep. Take care.
01:57:56
Speaker
All right. ah That was the last caller in the queue. So I'm going to wrap it up here. Thank you, everyone, for tuning in. Great turnout tonight. Great calls.
01:58:09
Speaker
Great discourse. It was an eventful Sounders win at Children's Mercy Park. Definitely a lot coming off of that game.
01:58:20
Speaker
It ended poorly. It ended poorly, but... I mean, a win is a win. You don't really question three points on the road. We'll talk about the future outlook of New Who in the coming weeks, I'm sure.
01:58:33
Speaker
ah We'll talk about Pedro De La Vega, Ryan Kent. We'll do all the discoursing. We'll do all the discoursing. But for now...
01:58:46
Speaker
Rest easy tonight knowing that the Seattle Sounders are vacating the home of the professional wrestling enthusiasts with all three points and a goal from Jordan Morris.
01:58:57
Speaker
that might That might be the most important development and of all of this. Jordan Morris is back. He scored a goal. Jesus Ferreira. Don't let him get hot. Don't let him get hot. Three goals, six games.
01:59:08
Speaker
couple of times in there. So that's a positive development. And the first the first half in general, I think that was like one one of, if I mean, it was definitely one of the best halves they've played all season.
01:59:22
Speaker
It might have been the best in terms of just chance generation and attacking output and all that. It was excellent.
01:59:32
Speaker
Had to ah weather the storm there at the end, but they got it done. As Azurata points out, like the video. I haven't seen how many likes, uh,
01:59:46
Speaker
We've got, but it's not enough. Let's get this one to triple digits. We had a hundred and some people from here at at different junctures. So there's no reason that this one shouldn't get to, uh, to triple digits.
01:59:58
Speaker
Uh, we'll be back at it next week. Lobbing Scorchers kickoff Monday morning with Nico Moreno, 8 AM. Be there. Uh, we'll have, we'll have dub pods. We'll have under the lights on Thursday content train.
02:00:12
Speaker
It's going to keep rolling.
02:00:16
Speaker
Thank you guys for tuning in. Peace.