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LS Live: Fans react to Seattle Sounders WIN over San Diego FC!
275 Plays11 days ago
We react and take calls following the Seattle Sounders' Matchday 16 fixture vs. San Diego FC.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a production of Just Once Media.
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 Episode 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.
Seattle Sounders vs San Diego FC Match Highlights
00:00:22
Speaker
Well, sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be real scorcher today. What? The scorcher today? Well, it's gonna be
00:00:45
Speaker
Good evening, everybody. Welcome in to another post-game live podcast. The Seattle Sounders. just beat San Diego FC 1-0 at Lumen Field.
00:00:58
Speaker
We're going to be breaking it all down. We're going to be reacting to it and going to take some calls as we usually do on these post-game lives. ah Thank you guys for bearing with the timing of it. I honestly was not sure we were going to get this one in tonight, ah but I was able to make it home.
00:01:14
Speaker
It's ah hot out there, folks. It's hot in my apartment and my AC unit isn't set up there isn't set up yet, so got to ah Got to simmer down a little bit, but feeling good and happy to be able to talk about a Sounders win.
00:01:29
Speaker
And I'll give my takes. on this win and drop the link in chat. And if anyone wants to call in, it would honestly help me out. I am doing double duty for these streams.
00:01:41
Speaker
ah So it's a little, a little distracted. So if anyone wants to call in and lay down your own takes, it would be a genuine help to my cause here to have someone to bounce the takes off of Noah. I don't think is going to be joining tonight.
00:01:57
Speaker
think he said he couldn't.
Sounders' Performance Analysis
00:01:58
Speaker
So yeah, Feel free to hop on and lay down your takes and bask in a second straight 1-0 Seattle Sounders win. Drop in the link in the chat right now.
00:02:08
Speaker
And while I wait for people to cue in, I'll start with my takes. on this game, which is, ah i mean, I'll start with just, you know, a second straight 1-0 victory at home.
00:02:22
Speaker
one zero is not ah the most convincing scoreline. The FC Dallas victory, think we called it an ugly win, and I think that was fair. think you could describe this one similarly, but this was a good, this was a great win.
00:02:37
Speaker
This was a phenomenal win, despite what was an admittedly not super amazing first half.
00:02:47
Speaker
That is a great win because that is one of the best teams in the league that they just played. And i think that I think they showed it in that game. San Diego FC is fantastic in possession.
00:03:01
Speaker
They don't give the ball away. It was wild.
00:03:06
Speaker
When I watch them play, it's like, can we get a mistake at some point? How about a little giveaway? Those guys just, date theyre they they might be the best possession team in the league right now.
00:03:20
Speaker
They're one of the best teams, period. But like they are ah the first half, it was just and impossible to get the ball off them. um So credit to Seattle for absorbing The pressure that they did put, although feel like it's not like they had all that many great chances other than Stephen Fry, who was an incredible tonight as well.
00:03:46
Speaker
He really saved the win, with that one especially with that one kick save. That was one of the... ah Best Steph Fry, saves of the season. ah So the point is, like, that is a really, really good team that they just beat.
Jesus Ferreira's Key Contributions
00:04:03
Speaker
That is not an easy team to do that to. And aside from the implications on the table, it's encouraging to see them grind out another win against a team like that. That is a really good team.
00:04:21
Speaker
Really good team.
00:04:26
Speaker
to Sergio's point right here, there's nothing great about it except the three points. We didn't play good at all. That is one way to look at it. But when you're playing the elite teams in this league, you're not always going to play well through the whole game.
00:04:41
Speaker
You're not always going to dominate them and be on top of them, even when you're playing at home. They're going to give you a run for your money.
00:04:49
Speaker
This is high-level competition. You're not going to play a team like that
00:04:57
Speaker
Down two center backs. The boys are dropping like flies out there. Kim Kihee out of this game with a calf injury.
00:05:08
Speaker
You got no strikers. You got no center backs. You're playing one of the best teams in the league who don't give the ball away at all ever, apparently.
00:05:18
Speaker
And you beat them. Let's talk about it, guys. Let's talk about it. I'm burying the lead here. Burying the lead.
00:05:30
Speaker
Jesus Ferreira.
00:05:34
Speaker
Jesus mother flipping Ferreira.
00:05:39
Speaker
Listen.
00:05:43
Speaker
Listen. Not here to victory lap on anybody. Not here to victory lap on anybody. It's only one goal.
Caller Jake's Tactical Insights
00:05:51
Speaker
only one goal.
00:05:54
Speaker
But, ah you know, we did put out the clip the other day of ah when I was streaming a couple weeks ago and I gave my take on the whole of Jesus Ferreira as a bus debate. i said ah said every I said, everyone slow down.
00:06:07
Speaker
Everyone slow down.
00:06:10
Speaker
Chill. I know he hasn't scored yet.
00:06:15
Speaker
But he's got a bunch of assists. He's doing good work as a playmaker.
00:06:23
Speaker
Just chill out. I said that, and you know, there were some keyboard warriors that weren't happy with me for that. They weren't happy. I'm not going to say I'm validated off one goal. I'm not going to say that.
00:06:35
Speaker
Like I said, I'm not victory lapping.
00:06:39
Speaker
But I mean, I did say it. did say it. I did say it. ah did say that I thought thought it was gonna happen soon. It's not a hard prediction to make. I'm really like not ah flexing on that.
00:06:51
Speaker
When you have a guy, i think the lesson here for some of you, the lesson here is that if you have a guy who has a proven track record,
00:07:00
Speaker
and they're not living up to that track record, yeah, sometimes it's because they suck now. Sometimes it's because they're a bust. A lot of times it evens out. They go back to their career norms. So am I shocked that he scored the game winner?
00:07:12
Speaker
I'm not. ah We've got our first caller in the queue. We got Jake in there. So Jake, if you could give me the thumbs up, I'll ah bring you onto the stage here. Jake, what's going on, man? Thanks for ah tapping in here. Like I said, I'm on double duty, so it's ah helping me out.
00:07:26
Speaker
How are you feeling after a 1-0 Seattle Sounders win over San Diego FC? Jesus Ferreira, game winner. Take it away.
00:07:35
Speaker
Hey, look, Gary, I love it. Thank you for having me on the show. But the thing that strikes me the most is I usually don't have a ah lobbing scorcher for you. I don't have like a hot take. I'm usually even keel, but Tonight, coming home, I thought I have one.
00:07:51
Speaker
i finally have something I can be very dramatic and very on the take about that I hope you would like. Love it. Lay it on me.
00:08:01
Speaker
All right, here it is. Build-up play is overrated. Just in general? I mean, I guess in the universe. I oh yeah i think the announcer said something like,
00:08:18
Speaker
out of nothing when, uh, Jesus Ferreira scored, but there were a couple of good, I mean, a couple of good things happened. There was a good pass and, you know, he turned and fired and that was a, that was a great shot. But of all the, the things that are the Sounders identity, all the possession, all the stuff and the way the game went tonight, I'm like, well, maybe, maybe we don't need build up play. Maybe build up play is something that, uh, you know, they do in other leagues and,
00:08:45
Speaker
When you play an elite team in the MLS, you just got find some shot from some guy that you said would score the other day. so i definitely think that in a matchup like this where you have a team that's that good in possession, yeah you're going to have to rely on transition play a little bit more.
00:09:07
Speaker
I guess in some instances, it's just that, what did you think of the first half? Because I didn't enjoy it at all. It was frustrating to watch. And it kind of made me i like the, the game winner took me by a surprise, to be honest.
00:09:22
Speaker
The thing that I didn't understand, and I thought, I thought about asking you this cause you and Noah know so much more about positioning, but they, they didn't use number 77 at all in the wing. He was calling for the ball.
00:09:35
Speaker
He was just hanging out there. People were commenting about his minutes. I thought, well, maybe they put them on the field to be like a dummy for 45. Cause he's tired. I don't know. I'm trying to figure out like exactly what was going on there, but, um,
00:09:49
Speaker
you know a lot of There was a lot of through ball play up the middle that i mean San Diego wasn't having. i There was that pass over the top early in the first that I thought Ferreira was going one-timer. He decided to kind of bobble it. and then they i thought there Is that the one that looked like there was the handball shout?
00:10:10
Speaker
ah Was it the handball? it looked It looked even like maybe later it was a penalty because the guy had wrapped his legs up in the box. And I'm screaming to my friends online. I'm like, um like why didn't he just one-timer that off the volley? like It was a beautiful over-the-top pass.
00:10:26
Speaker
And ah later they show the replay. ah Apple showed the replay and it looked like He tangled his legs up so you wouldn't be able to do anything unless you're yeah had seven legs or whatever.
00:10:41
Speaker
I didn't see the handball though. So there was, I don't know if it's the same play you're talking about, ah but there was a ball over the top for Ferreira that I'm pretty sure Christian played. Yeah, that was it. Yeah, that was it. Yeah. Okay, so there there actually looked like there could have been a handball on that play to the point where when I saw it live, I was pretty sure that it was.
00:11:01
Speaker
was like, you know, I'm going to wait to see the replay, but like live, if i had to get if I just had to guess based on what I saw live, I would actually think that that's going to be a penalty on VAR. uh okay that maybe here i will i was a little tilted when it didn't even get reviewed but i hadn't seen the replay yeah i i a replay and i was like all right all right all right it was close but i can see why they didn't uh Didn't call that one.
00:11:25
Speaker
But yeah, it just, it felt like they just, it was one of those Sounders games where they can't really keep the ball. There was a lot of giveaways and zero giveaways from the San Diego end. So it didn't seem like it was going that well, but I guess, what did you make of the sort of ah the grinded out nature of the second half and the fact that they did, that they did get the game winner under less than ideal circumstances?
00:11:53
Speaker
The thing that struck me was 67th minute display. It almost an inconsequential play that it's not inconsequential. I thought it was a big play, but Paul Rothrock made defensive play on the back line. He went out on the, he dribbled to the touch line and then, mean, basically kicked it off the defender out of play and we got the goal kick instead of the corner. There was a whole little, there was all these little subtle things that, uh,
00:12:24
Speaker
I think the team did really out of position. There was even um something else I wanted to bring up to you. I didn't think I was going to call in tonight, but I, thought I now think of you guys when I'm watching the game and I'm like, Oh, what if I happened to, uh, there was another really good track back, uh,
00:12:45
Speaker
I think defensively the guy showed up because we were playing weird positions. I'm sorry for the legendary Kim Ki. I'm sorry he's hurt. Stu Hawkins came in. That was good. ah I think i' spoil forgot to mention that. shout let's yeah Let's make sure we shout it out because I should have shouted it out off the off rip.
00:13:05
Speaker
Stu Hawks came in after Kim Keehee got hurt his second MLS game. Man, I thought he was on it. I thought he was on it. He had the one little back pass to Frye that was a little sketchy.
00:13:16
Speaker
Yeah. But other than that, I thought he I thought he was locking it down and he showed some really good passing. Shout out to Stu Hawks for stepping up right there. That was that was honestly huge with another injury, another big time injury to to a CB.
00:13:32
Speaker
And Stu Hawks slides in there and kind of he saved the day. Low key. What did you of Stu Hawks? I love him. know that the the weird thing about the Apple coverage is they only zoomed in on him when they thought he messed up.
00:13:46
Speaker
You were there live. you You didn't see this, but they would like, when they think there was something going on, they like zoom in because he's you know obviously a ah narrative point in the game. But as a defender, i mean, did we... i was going to just spout out and say, hey, we played 3-4-3 again but some
Virtual Reality Training Discussion
00:14:08
Speaker
sketchy back line. Also, i just want to say this is an aside.
00:14:12
Speaker
The Blue Sky lineup they posted didn't even mention that Ray Gunn was, Jackson Reagan, was in the 18 and he's warming up. I'm like, I don't even he's here. He's back there like running around. i'm like, he's alive? He's not dead?
00:14:26
Speaker
ah yeah but stu he was he was good. He came under.
00:14:32
Speaker
thing about, I'll say this about San Diego. This is your point. i think you're getting at. their movement's great, the possession's great, and you can see what's going to happen like from a bird's eye view, how they orchestrate.
00:14:46
Speaker
ah You know where the attack's coming from, like a very very cerebral level, but all their shots were right at Friday night. They shot at the center of the net. I'll take that. if they If they play their whole season and they shoot 90% of their shots center mass, take that.
00:15:05
Speaker
because that means none of their build-up play is worth it. that you know You're right, that's 10%, right? I mean, Steph is the man. I think it was going like... I think it deflected, if I'm not mistaken.
00:15:17
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It looked like it was going in, and ah that was a hell of a save. Fraz had some crazy ones lately, but that was ah That was a really good one. We've got some brigade ah representation in the chat. So let's just, ah let's just hit this real quick.
00:15:31
Speaker
and We got Reese saying, can somebody tell me if they saw Reese neck on the field today? Seemed like somebody ghosted again. Reese, I'm not sure who you were, who you're referring to. Is that the guy who had five goals in his last five games before this game? But in all seriousness, I'm,
00:15:50
Speaker
the the plays you're talking about where he had the, he had the one play at the end where it looked like he could have hit De La Vega, like for a real good chance. And he ate it for some reason and didn't hit him.
00:16:04
Speaker
So I was, ah I was like, oh, what the – like I was thinking maybe he saw someone offside or something. um don't know. I'd have to go back and watch that one again. ah But if you want to get on Bruce Knack for anything, probably that play. But, ah again, i'm not i'm I mean, we everyone knows where I stand on this whole ah debate, but the guy did literally have five goals in five games. It's not even a debate. It's not even a debate. don't i don't even know what these people are talking about. That's not even real.
00:16:33
Speaker
That's just – ridiculous i'm sorry you know i respect it they got it they have their they have their take and they uh they're passionate about it so uh but i love in the face of like it's got to be the only fan base where the dp could uh score five goals in five games and he would still be uh getting called a ghost but you know like sticking that i know there's a one there was a know gonna kick me off here but there was There's one year you're good actually no one's in the queue. So keep cooking. Oh God. Okay. This is good.
00:17:06
Speaker
Uh, so in sports in the last few years, probably longer than a few, they've made a ah big deal about, uh, virtual reality training. Uh, one example in gridiron football is,
00:17:21
Speaker
jaden daniels for the commanders he like wears a thing and he passes a football around right in in footy and soccer they talk about the training gear that helps you decide where to pass the ball when the people are distributed weirdly on the field have you seen this no so it's they do it in epl it's it's you can look it up in virtual reality they have the players wearing these and they put you in a situation and you have to pass the ball to the right person. And it's all, all the models are building all this data.
00:17:56
Speaker
It's, it's real. And I will say this, and I hope people in the world won't be stunned when I say this, but professional soccer is really hard. yeah And making that perfect pass is really, really hard.
00:18:10
Speaker
and like they like me sitting up on top and seeing everything, I love it. And I can call ah i can call the plays. They did one little shot where our man, ah number 11, they shot from his back at his height
Strategic Halftime Adjustments by Schmetzer
00:18:29
Speaker
with everyone spread out on the field.
00:18:31
Speaker
And I'm like, no one knows what pass to make there. so The fact that these guys do that on a day-to-day basis, nowhere to go, on the ground, pass a ball, is unbelievable.
00:18:44
Speaker
And we should all wear the virtual reality and try to do the decisions the right way because I guarantee you none of us will do it. It is kind of – I do feel silly sometimes being like, why didn't he score that? And I'm like sitting here. and like I do it. i do it and know I do it. I'm not saying I'm perfect. I'm just saying like – We all do it.
00:19:03
Speaker
We all do anyway i'm like the yeah counter point is that uh they're getting they're getting paid quite handsomely to uh to uh be able to execute those situations but it's still like i the point stands like uh sometimes i think i think like it's even relevant to just like the broader game of like, you you're playing one of the best teams in the league. That's one of the best teams in the league. Like the degree of difficulty on a game like that, especially down all your strikers and all your center backs is extremely high. So honestly, i am I'm ah phenomenally encouraged to see them be able to gut out these last games
00:19:43
Speaker
two wins, even if it's not the prettiest footy of all time. ah Jake, I do have someone in the queue now. So if you got any last ah takes you want to get out about this game or the schedule coming up or anything, four is yours. Yeah. right. We, we didn't get to your, to your term of art. We did not get boat raced.
00:20:02
Speaker
We won. Literally won. Go rave green. Love it. All right, Jake. Thank you, man. Great call. Appreciate you. We'll talk soon. Yeah.
00:20:13
Speaker
Got Corey up next. Corey, if you can hear me, go ahead and give me the thumbs up and I'll bring you on the stage. All right. Hey, right ah welcome to the show. Thanks for calling in.
00:20:24
Speaker
How are you feeling after a one zero win? over Really relieved. Okay. We did it again. Good enough. Good enough. Actually, it's better than good enough.
00:20:36
Speaker
Right. This is, this is what you have to do. You grind out the ugly wins. What, or was it ugly? Hmm. See, like I hesitate to even use that term in this situation because you're playing one of the best teams in the league with no center backs and no strikers. I don't think there is like aesthetic there. Like if you, if you win it, it is beautiful. Like by definition, that's how I feel about it. Yep.
00:21:00
Speaker
I feel you. Yeah. And especially when Fry does those things he does. So yeah, that that was, that you know, Schmetz gave him it a great shout out. I think it was last week. Like he's the best keeper in the MLS and it was like represent. Yeah.
00:21:14
Speaker
That's it. You know your boy. So just one of those matches. But ah here's my hot take. This is Schmetz's game. Like, every you know, people played well in general. I was happy actually overall with the play, but it was what he did at the half with the tactics.
00:21:30
Speaker
There was a notable shift, right? Right. It was like, what's fucked up here. This is not going right. We have the right people in the field or, oh no. Or is it Jesus? And I, You know, we start to get down on Jesus. This isn't going to work again.
00:21:44
Speaker
oh no, he's, he's washed. And then they come out of the locker room and what's different, right? I think it's that he asked them to start Roosneck, especially a new who to start connecting with Kent because Kent was doing everything. He was by far the most dangerous man on the field.
00:22:03
Speaker
And then here come the, here come the connections, the, The runs to give him somewhere to go, he would get the ball. They would double and triple team him. He had nowhere to go.
00:22:13
Speaker
Yeah, that's what I saw change and then it meet like immediately. Like within the next what by the 60th minute it was like, oh, this is a different game. Yeah, i think I think you hit it on the head with the ah with the halftime adjustments.
00:22:26
Speaker
It was still a difficult second half, but they ah they looked a lot more dangerous, I think, on the whole, and they actually get the goal out of it. And then the defensive effort to hang on to that, I think, was was massive, considering how much they were struggling in possession. That was insane. And then you lose kick and you still hang on to it.
00:22:47
Speaker
like Yeah. New who, right? Like what? Yeah, new who was great. Like we're talking about degrees of difficulty, the degree of difficulty on like holding the one zero for that long against the team like that. That's ah that's playing like that. Not easy to do. ah I got a question for you.
00:23:04
Speaker
what What got you more amped the Fry save or the Ferreira goal? oh man I'm such a fry girl that I'm like, you know, when I saw him, you know, be named man of the match, I was like, yeah, fuck you.
00:23:18
Speaker
That's it. He's the man of the match. But Jesus, it's more impactful long term that Jesus got this goal. He needed this. Everybody needed this for him. Now we need to see, OK, is this going to change things for him?
00:23:31
Speaker
Right. But we can't keep so I'm sorry, just can't keep starting him. I was arguing with my partner, you know, I was like, he's got to start De Rosario next time if this doesn't work. And he's looking at me like, no, that's nuts.
00:23:44
Speaker
He's not a starter. was like, but what are your other options? You're out of options if he can't score today. And then he does. Yeah. No, it's it's like a i'm I'm just so glad he got that one because I think, you know, it's the monkey off the back.
00:23:59
Speaker
But also it's just like at least a sign that if they need to, they can run him there and he is capable of scoring a goal. So that's ah that's at least a vast, vast improvement over what we had been seeing from him at that spot. So that was a – right That was good to see. And honestly, like, frankly, I don't even really know how to judge a lot of the attacking performance just because they Seattle's usually really good in possession and they just didn't have the ball when they did have the ball.
00:24:29
Speaker
They kind of gave it away a lot. So actually honestly i kind of what were the possession stats at the end? ah Let's look that up. the like I looked at it at a halftime or something, and it was like 56-44 or whatever, and I was like, that feels it felt way more skewed towards ah towards San Diego, but I'm about to pull it up right now. Let's see what we got here.
00:24:52
Speaker
It felt like, ah all right, so it ended it ended at 56.3 to 43.7. Okay. So not quite 60-40. But ah look, if you this is one of those games, guys. like If you look at ah the overall stats of this game, it's pretty clear like who played better, and it was not the Seattle Sounders.
00:25:11
Speaker
But scoreboard, baby. Scoreboard, baby. Way to represent at home again against, like you said, this is versus is a good team.
00:25:22
Speaker
Right. Chico Lozano's out there and he's got all those like Sounders fans who are Chucky. Right. No Mexican fans. It was that was kind of wild. And ah yeah, they were.
00:25:32
Speaker
This is a good test for us as we yeah go to Minnesota and then oh Vancouver. Oh, no. We have to be able to beat a team like this. We have to prove it to ourselves.
00:25:44
Speaker
Absolutely. If you want to be relevant, if you want to win anything this year, this is the type of team you have to beat. This is the type of game you have to win. like Again, like i ah I'll be the first to admit that the performance wasn't incredible, but like like I was saying it the other day. This is grind mode right now.
00:25:59
Speaker
This is grind mode. you're all all your all your strikers and center backs are dropping like flies. Like, you got to – this is gut check time, and they've been able to get two gut check wins in a row, which that's a good thing.
Midfield Battle and Double Pivot's Impact
00:26:11
Speaker
Like, that is a good thing. that That's not like a, oh, man, that – won a game that they might not ah might not have deserved to win based on the performance i mean that's just how you got to do it sometimes uh cory i got another person in the queue behind you but uh any last takes or thoughts that uh you want to get out there about this game or the schedule well the club world cup coming up is like really messy with my head i'm like oh my god oh how we how are we going to manage this but i'm encouraged that
00:26:40
Speaker
We think, right, Jordan's probably going to be back. He's got the thinking. That's the target. I don't know if he's on track for that, but as I understand it, that was like the goal set is for him to be back for that. Yeah.
00:26:52
Speaker
Great talking to you. Thank you. i I love the show. I listen all the time. It's fun to talk with you directly. Thank you so much for calling in. Thanks. We'll talk soon. Take care. Bye. Take care.
00:27:05
Speaker
All right, we got Alejandro up next. Alejandro, if you can hear me, give me that thumbs up. I'll bring you to the stage. All right. Alejandro, what is going on, man? How are you feeling after a another gritty 1-0 victory at Lumen Field?
00:27:20
Speaker
Good evening from beautiful, not so sunny anymore, Vancouver. It's nice to talk with you. you live there are you just taking a trip?
00:27:33
Speaker
Yeah, my my wife and i we moved here back in August. So I've been and watching but from behind enemy lines for the last, what is that, eight months? I mean, you're in the ah you're apparently in the MLS mecca right now, the greatest team I've ever seen.
00:27:48
Speaker
It's a, you know, you can definitely notice on the SkyTrain and like on the public transit, like the increase in enthusiasm here. It's pretty clear. That was going to next question for you. obviously Yeah.
00:28:03
Speaker
You see the jerseys everywhere. That's good to hear because ah there's all the drama going on with like their ownership and like it's been floated that they might like a new owner might like move them and stuff.
00:28:14
Speaker
And it just feels like with them being this good, that's they can't they can't do that now. So it's good to see like the fan increases matching like how good the team is. but Yeah, it's also one of those things too where like I'm not exactly sure if it's me just noticing things more because they're so successful.
00:28:32
Speaker
or if it's always been that way but i feel like i've also seen a ton more ads for them in the local market too just like on the street on like bus stops and uh in store windows and just like the it seems like the enthusiasm really high here so i'm i'm very excited for the sounders to come to town Yeah, no, that's going to be fun. Noah and I are are making the trip, ah so maybe we'll see you up there.
00:28:57
Speaker
the The San Diego game. San Diego game. Got sidetracked on the Whitecaps there, but a Sounders fan in Vancouver, we had to ah we had to break that down. What do you think of this of this game tonight? The Jesus Ferrer game winner, the Stephen Fry theatrics. what ah What stuck out to you?
00:29:15
Speaker
Well, i I think I'm going to be like a broken record on the – the performance of the double pivot for the Sounders today. And i feel like I feel like their performance was really emblematic of how the team performed overall, where in the first half, it really seemed like Christian and Obed struggled to keep possession and they struggled to connect with other players and put in those passes that were really used to them playing.
00:29:47
Speaker
And it felt like in the second half, they were much more rooted, especially Christian. And it's just, it's so, they are so predictive, like their success is so predictive of the Sounders' success, where if they are able to control that midfield, if they are able to control that middle of the pitch, like the rest of the team just plays so much better.
00:30:12
Speaker
And that's like, that's not true of every other team. You know, I think back to that game, St. Louis, you know, however many games to ago that was, and there their defensive midfielders not asked to do nearly as much as Obed and Christian.
00:30:29
Speaker
And when those two are successful, the team is just, it's so hard to to beat as an opponent. Yeah, it's a great shout because i think part of ah what happened in the first half is ah they were losing the battle in midfield again, which they did in the last San san Diego game too.
00:30:48
Speaker
And then when that corrected itself with the halftime adjustments, I mean, it was still a hard game, but ah Seattle at least looked a lot better and then eventually scored. And Schmetzer even said, i think after the game, that it wasn't obit necessarily his best game.
00:31:05
Speaker
Uh, but you know, they brought it back in the, uh, in the second half. And, uh, it was, it was just a, it's just a good midfield battle. The first game between these two teams, they just got run on, but this time they were way more up for it. that great Dude, that number six for San Diego, oh that guy, that guy, he is.
00:31:26
Speaker
Yeah. I was surprised at how much he stuck out this game. I don't know. Maybe I wasn't paying as close attention in the last game. Uh, but, he He stuck out. He was good.
00:31:37
Speaker
And i'm I'm usually too focused on Sounders players to notice anybody else unless they're like Belonga level in attack. that's like But that yeah, that number six, Surkov, I think his name is. i always miss that. Yeah, right.
00:31:51
Speaker
But um he, oh God, like, There's nothing more frustrating than ah watching a soccer game where ah the team you're rooting for just cannot get the ball off the other team to save their lives.
00:32:07
Speaker
That felt like the first half. it was It was just like if San Diego had the ball, it was like, all right, well, I guess they have it now. for as long as they want it because they apparently don't miss hit any passes and they just can keep it with impunity. Like that's what it felt like. So it was good to see that not be as much the case in the second half.
00:32:25
Speaker
But I think you got to credit them. They're like, they're, I was more impressed with them, I think, in that game. They're good. They're so good. like I was more impressed with them in that game than I was even coming out of the 3-0 just because of the circumstances they were in with that road trip and Chucky not even starting. And they still looked like that.
00:32:43
Speaker
they're They're good. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I was really impressed with the way that they navigated the Sounders press in the second game because even though it was a 3-0 game, the last one,
00:32:56
Speaker
the the press did mess them up in that first game. and I thought in the second round with them coming to Seattle, they really navigated it a lot more deftly and they were able to string together some passes and get into dangerous areas more consistently, at least in the first half.
00:33:14
Speaker
And like you were saying, they're their possession on in the attack was just like, it was so was so coordinated. It was so, it was so well executed.
00:33:27
Speaker
seemed like the Sounders could not get any stops until, you know, the San Diego mishit a shot or or kicked it out of bounds or did something by mistake and not not something that, not something I'm super used to seeing from the Sounders who have been so good at disrupting attack and springing counterattacks themselves this year. when the When the Sounders are at their best, that's what they do to other teams.
00:33:53
Speaker
Right. They like they got they got that done to them ah pretty much the entire first half to the point where I mean, I even said it in the press box. because I was like, I did not like how that looked at all.
00:34:05
Speaker
Like, I know it's zero zero, but I did not like how that looked or how this is. Well, I mean, how often do we see the Sounders out possessed?
Young Defenders and Substitution Efficacy
00:34:13
Speaker
Like, exactly. like so You see it sometimes, but not to that degree. I mean.
00:34:19
Speaker
Good Lord. All right. I got a couple more people in the queue behind you, Alejandro, but ah any last takes, thoughts, observations, or agendas before before I go to the next call?
00:34:31
Speaker
Just wanted to highlight b Brian Schmetzer throwing in KKR on the wing to close out the game. Felt like 2017 again. It was great. i love what I'm... What did you think of KKR? love what I saw, actually.
00:34:46
Speaker
Oh, he was great. He burst of energy running up the sidelines. Like I want to see more KKR minutes. Agreed.
00:34:57
Speaker
Alejandro, thank you so much for calling in. Appreciate you, man. And we'll talk soon. All right. Thanks. Appreciate it. Take care. All right. We got Danny up next and then James after that. Danny, if you can hear me, hit me with the thumbs up and I'll bring you on the stage.
00:35:14
Speaker
Danny, what's going on, man? 1-0 over San Diego FC. Jesus Ferreira game winner. How are you feeling?
00:35:24
Speaker
I am pretty happy with a lot of things. I mean, that was a resilient game, if anything. So it was just they were packing it in on us. Like, even when like it was hard to play out of the back, like you guys were talking about the press. I thought those were some big things that you could tell just right away from – the first whistle. They were just trying. They were running on us and everything. So thought I thought, I thought, mean, defense stood up.
00:35:50
Speaker
They like can, yeah, the theatrics of Stephen Fry. But one of the biggest shout outs is Stu Hawkins. Hawkins.
00:36:03
Speaker
That's a... That was a big like, you know, he came in seamlessly and we're like, it's almost we take it for granted. But then when he came on, Stu did.
00:36:15
Speaker
ah You know, a journeyman's job at at defensive, like, you know, in that center back role. So I like that's one of the biggest plugs I think I want to shout out is.
00:36:26
Speaker
how he was able to step up and it didn't look like we missed anything on defense, even though there was some, you know, there was some rough spots every now and then, but it, he still stepped up and it didn't seem like there was a big gap or he looked like he belonged, especially.
00:36:41
Speaker
Right. Yeah. It's, uh, it's a great shout and, uh, let's, let's dig into it a little more, honestly, because I want people to appreciate like, uh, to be in a situation where you are down, like all your, all your center backs, they're all hurt. All their hamstrings are shredded.
00:36:58
Speaker
And yeah, you know, you got like, you got your backup John bell. And then ah the guy who had been starting because of injury, he gets injured. ah Not every team has a homegrown CB like that, that they can put in. That is not an easy situation to be thrown into at all.
00:37:17
Speaker
Stu Hawks is out there going head to head with Chucky Lozano. Okay. In his second ever MLS game. ah yeah That's not easy at all. And not only did he hold his own, hold his own. Like, like you said, he looked, I thought he looked like he belonged out there. Like yeah he had, the there was couple nervy moments, especially the one back pass that Fry had to come way out for.
00:37:38
Speaker
So, but like, I can live with that. I can live with that. If he is going to put in that much of a shift, And and nothing bad happened out of it. They ended up getting the clean sheet, but not every not every team is in that many CBs.
00:37:54
Speaker
Bring on a homegrown kid like that and have the level will stay relatively the same. So that it was just great to see. I mean, even with the like other subs, I want to say JP actually had some nice tackles, and he started looking – his minutes kind of were showing like old JP almost.
00:38:11
Speaker
Like, i don't know. That's my other take is JP came in, and I thought he played – he he came in for Obed, right? Yeah. Yeah. And I thought he played better than the way Obed was playing. Like he had a little bit more fire and he was actually taking on a little bit more tackles.
Jesus Ferreira's Game-Winning Goal
00:38:29
Speaker
And I don't know. That's my take as well. That JP had a little fire in him, but comparative to what midweek, not last week, but two weeks, you know, like the LAFC game, you know, he just, he looked miles different.
00:38:43
Speaker
Maybe he just has better players around him. You know, like there's, there's all the other factors there, but I thought he played well. I'm not saying that he is deserved of the spot over Obed. No, no way. But um I just, it's good see.
00:39:01
Speaker
It was good to see because ah JP hasn't been gotten all that much run this year. And ah I think he hasn't looked super sharp because of the lack of minutes, probably. I mean, a lot of people are attributing it to his age. I just don't know what to attribute it to, whether it's like an actual decline in the player or like ah when the Danny Leyva and JP Double Pivot got ran on that badly at l LAFC. They hadn't played in like three weeks. So it's like how much of this is like...
00:39:30
Speaker
the level and how much of this is like, it's pretty hard to get thrown into that situation when you haven't getting minutes, but no, it's, that's another good shout. That was great to see. um What did you, what was your reaction to the Ferreira goal? What did you think when you saw that one go on the net?
00:39:46
Speaker
Uh, like initial reaction before I saw it go in the net, it was a great cross. And then it looked like he touched it a little too far away, you know, like, and then, but he was able to get on the end and just wrap his left foot around it and just put it to the other side where the keeper was. Cause the keeper was going near post. Right.
00:40:03
Speaker
So I like, I don't know if it was intentional or not. It was kind of like what we talked about the new who goal, like was intentional for him to go upper bends, but that's, that's a poacher style goal. That's just positioning shifting. And, you know, I thought that was good.
00:40:20
Speaker
i I think you guys talk about it a lot on your shows saying Jesus is not a bad player. And I had never said he was. There was a couple of times where I wish he would have probably been benched in like the Portland game. Right.
00:40:34
Speaker
But, you know, cause I don't think he has the intensity that say a Rothrock had on the win, but in this case, when he's playing the number nine, you know, I thought he played it well. He plays it differently than Moose, but,
00:40:46
Speaker
um Like, he's not a pets fucker he's not bad soccer player. Like, not at all. Yeah, no. Like, ah I mean, as much as much, you know, we just dropped a video where I was ah laying out my Ferreira defense. But, ah you know, I tried to be as deferential as I could to acknowledging the issue that a zero on the gold section is, like, not what you can have, like, for the whole season.
00:41:13
Speaker
um yeah So we'll we'll we'll see what happens. Like, ah I'm definitely not going to sit here and say that it's like ah that that one goal proves that the signing was ah hit. But I think at least it doesn't it feel like at least he can have just that weight off his back.
00:41:28
Speaker
And then hopefully he can he can build on this. That's kind of how I'm. you want Yeah, it was a good goal. like that's it's It was a good play that he kind of made for himself, too. you know We talk about like Jordan Morris making a lot of the chances that he makes he doesn't make or makes, right?
00:41:44
Speaker
So in this case, he had to make the turn. he wasn't He got the ball in a good position, but still, that's a hard... like Anyone that's played soccer knows that's not necessarily easy, right? so even know Nice little turn.
00:41:56
Speaker
Good Rothrock assist. I liked the
Fitness Concerns and Pressing Game
00:41:58
Speaker
goal. was a good goal. It wasn't like a showstopper. Well, I was going to say was it wasn't like a ah wasn't a fluke. It was a well-executed play by Rothrock. Yeah, exactly.
00:42:09
Speaker
So, I mean, it's just – I think the for the – like I felt like we had a lot of... like I don't think we had a lot of chances. like Dallas, I felt like the first half we had so many chances. right i felt like the offense was playing well. And then when we moved to this, like i I thought our chances were a lot more defended. They were harder and they were a little bit more grittier.
00:42:31
Speaker
they were getting like San Diego was getting in the way a little bit more um as far like as what I was saying. But This one was a clear chance that we were able to finish and it didn't come off like Rothrock's knee or something like like Rothrock had the first like the chance in the first half where it came off his knee or something.
00:42:50
Speaker
i don't even like was on a cro a corner kick, I think, or a set piece. But yeah, so I like there was chances, but I felt like that was the best chance, like one of the best open chances. And he put it away.
00:43:00
Speaker
And that's what you need to do as a number nine. So. ah Exactly. ah Danny, i got I got a few people queued up here, so I'm going to push to the next caller, but any last thoughts or takes you wanted to get out there before before we keep you pushing here?
00:43:16
Speaker
San Diego's a good team. it's This is a good win. so Great win. Great win. Love it. All right. Thanks, Danny. Great call as always, man. Appreciate you and take care.
00:43:32
Speaker
All right, we got James up next. James, give me that thumbs up wave. All right, you can hear me. Bring you to the stage right now. James, how are you feeling, man? 1-0 victory over San Diego FC. What did you think?
00:43:45
Speaker
Well, as soon as the ah the bleeding stops on my fingernails, i think I'll start feeling a little bit better. know. It's, ah you know, it ah smash and grab isn't quite the right word. Lucky's not quite the right word.
00:43:59
Speaker
um but I think three points of three points, especially because I thought San Diego were quite good, even when they didn't have Lozano. And when I saw him on the sideline, i was like, oh boy, here we go. Yeah.
00:44:11
Speaker
With Stu Hawks in there. Well, yeah I mean, even if it wasn't Stu Hawks, I mean, we had, to you know, the first game we had Reagan and Yamar, I think in that one. And it was, he was just kind of running through them.
00:44:26
Speaker
he was a beast in. Yeah, but it was, yeah, Hawkins, you know, can't really think of anything he did too wrong. Fry really rolled back the years. The kick save that he made, that was that was glorious off the rebound.
00:44:43
Speaker
Yeah, that was incredible. and ah and i mean some of them were i mean it it did feel like you know if san diego hadn't been shooting directly at fry most of the game it could have been worse but he did have some big ones as well um you know one thing i mean seeing kim go down obviously best wishes to him you know with all the you know we've talked i think a lot about the injuries that we've had but i got a little bit worried about that sort of the fitness generally because i think we started the first ten minutes or so um with actually pretty good press on them and really by the maybe the 20th minute at the latest that had just completely dried up and they were moving around with impunity out of the back um they were able to you know i want to say they were able to bypass the press but there really wasn't that much of a press and then you know
00:45:36
Speaker
in the lead up to the goal and maybe the first five minutes after the goal, I thought we got another burst of energy and then it was just dead legs again. So I don't know if they need to look at it. What are your thoughts? I mean, do you think that there's some issue with the fitness here? Is it just, our guys are tired. There's some old legs out there. What are you thinking?
00:45:55
Speaker
Um, I'll be honest, like the biggest thought going through my mind, uh, in the first half was, ah mostly just that, like it was, I was mostly just impressed with San Diego as much as anything like, uh,
00:46:13
Speaker
They just, ah they're just so good in possession. I couldn't really, like, i couldn't really, it's hard to gauge how much of it was deficiency on Seattle's ends, which maybe, like, maybe they could have game-planned or planned better for ah team that is able to play like that.
00:46:32
Speaker
But I was kind of in my brain on, like, what could they have done differently to make that first half go differently? But I think i think the... kind of culmination of that thought was like, I got to halftime and I was like, I'm pretty sure they're playing a team that's better than them.
00:46:50
Speaker
That's how I felt. ah The second half, I maybe be cooled off that like a little bit, but i you got to, I think it is a situation where you got to credit the ah credit the opposition. and And I think there probably is an element of it that's fatigue related at the end there.
00:47:07
Speaker
But I mean, I don't know. What are what are your thoughts on it? Well, cause I, you know, I did think our press actually worked pretty well and it culminated in that wacky clearance attempt by their keeper that Alex tried to chip in over him from the wing, which is kind of the ideal situation you want when people are doing the tippy tappy out of the back. I mean, you force them into something, you know, bad clearance that lands.
00:47:32
Speaker
with a shooting chance. So I thought it started off pretty good. but But again, i mean, really by, I noticed by minute 20, there was just no press whatsoever. um i don't know. I mean, my I don't know anything about sports medicine.
00:47:47
Speaker
And so if our guys are getting tired in the first 20 minutes and our guys are getting injured a lot, maybe there's some some kind of connection there i i don't know that i'll leave that up for for anybody who actually knows something about sports medicine the chat to applying on but it's it's such like a hard uh such a hard thing to know because i mean i mean we were i was talking about it recently like i know it feels like Seattle has an above average amount of muscle injuries and hamstring pulls.
00:48:14
Speaker
I honestly don't know if that's the case, i i but like every fan base thinks that. So, and then they're also, they also are in like a pretty crazy part of the schedule right now where it's just game after game, after game, after game.
Critical Saves and Impact on Morale
00:48:27
Speaker
So that probably plays into it as well. ah But, you know, san San Diego has a crazy schedule right now and are probably feeling that fatigue too. And ah they were definitely the better team in the first half. Like, I don't think there's any question about that.
00:48:42
Speaker
But what did you ah ah what did you think of the Ferreira goal, James? You've been lucre warm on the signing than or the trade than some.
00:48:54
Speaker
Yeah, think an off mark I sort of had the same reaction as the previous caller when he took that first touch. I'm like, I said it too far. And I was incorrect. He did not hit it too far. um So, yeah, I mean, hopefully that that gets a little bit of the weight off of his back. I do, but you know, I felt like with that, yeah you know, with that 2XG double miss against Dallas, you know, that's something that I think kind of weighed down on you um if you weren't particularly good for him in the first place. And and hopefully this is going to clear that out a little bit, give him a little bit more confidence. Yeah.
00:49:28
Speaker
Because it was a it was a good first touch and it was a good finish. And it was a good hustle from Rothrock. You know, I think he's been in and out of the team. I think he's been um i think he's been kind of his emotions talk more than his soccer lately. um And so I think that for him to to get a ah quality assist like that is going to help him out.
00:49:49
Speaker
little bit worried on the other wing because I feel like you know My concern with Kent is we've sort of seen this. like we We had wingers, whether it's Rothrock or Georgie, come in and even Chew to some degree. We look at them, and you know they have a really positive we run of form.
00:50:07
Speaker
um And then they get double teamed into oblivion. and that's Obviously, Kent's a better player than those guys, much better pedigree. But I feel like it's kind of starting to happen again because as soon as he got the ball, he had two guys on him, and he really struggled to make much of anything happen with it. So I think that's been a long standing problem where our wingers are just too isolated.
00:50:29
Speaker
And I think Schmetzer's got to figure out a way to deal with that. If we're going to go back to the four, two, three, one, um, how how can we get those guys some support so that it's not just, all right, Ken's got the ball and he's got to dribble through two, three guys.
00:50:45
Speaker
James, I got one last caller in the queue behind you, but anything else that you wanted to get out there about this game or the season coming up, the Minnesota game, anything at all?
00:50:58
Speaker
ah We always beat Minnesota. that's That's pretty much is constant and rain and as as rain and spring in Seattle, so I'm not too worried about that one. Hope I didn't just jinx
00:51:11
Speaker
I mean, you're right. the At least ah the track um has been very good. And honestly, at Allianz, I think you're right about that. You know, we even spot them, what, a two-goal lead in 10 minutes in the playoffs. So it feels inevitable.
00:51:25
Speaker
James, thanks for the call. As always, man, always good talking to you. and Catch you for the next one. yeah Take care.
00:51:33
Speaker
Rhombus, I'll bring you on in ah just a second here. Bubbles, I'm really, I'm sorry. you need me to bring it back tonight?
00:51:45
Speaker
Late night. i Folks, I'll confess. I'll confess.
00:51:50
Speaker
I did something stupid. I borrowed this man's laptop. who It was like a wall plug for my phone slash laptop charger. I brought the cord, but not the plug.
00:52:03
Speaker
And I was like, I'm going to, I'll bring it back. I know I'll remember to bring it back. And then when I left, and forgot it. Okay. I'll check DMS. My bad, bro. I feel genuinely bad about that. I can, uh, I mean, I'll check the DMS, but I can, um, bring it back on, uh, I can bring, I'll bring it on Saturday, but if you need it sooner, i will absolutely, uh, bring it to wherever you need tomorrow.
00:52:27
Speaker
Uh, All right, Rhombus, can you hear me? Give me the thumbs up, and I'll bring you to the stage here. and All right, Rhombus, tell me how you're feeling after this 1-0 win over San Diego, and talk talk for a while. Talk for a while, because I got something that I'm working on here, so I need you to hold down the fort.
00:52:49
Speaker
but Give all your takes. Okay. ah First of all, good win. is fine. Doesn't have to be convincing.
00:53:03
Speaker
It goes along with our previous 1-0 win. I'm happy for those two. After that bad LAFC loss and the Portland draw, which I attended, um i was a little bit disheartened after that because we need to be beating people above us and around us.
00:53:29
Speaker
um but these past two wins made me feel good we're at 27 portland is at 26 if i'm not mistaken
00:53:41
Speaker
and that's great so overall that's great realistically fry manned in the match stand on his head performance kick save amazing a number of saves you know fry makes it look easy Because he's just almost always in such a great position to just catch the ball.
00:54:08
Speaker
And like, you know, the announcer always says, oh, well, the striker just kicked it right at him. But like Fry is just there because he's watching the game.
00:54:21
Speaker
um He knows the game. And i think that for one thing that's been consistent, about seattle's uh defense is that they cut off those super obvious sight lines such that it goes right down to them for the most part um but um yeah so realistically of the match the fry because the number of saves and the quality of saves that he made but i'm just gonna give it to jesus because
00:55:00
Speaker
Well, because he got a goal. He got a good goal. And it was a good play. It was a fast play. And I like that. And, you know, he's going to, we're going to see a video in a few days, a YouTube short of Brian Schmetzer handing handing the game ball to Jesus Ferreira, and he deserves it for his first goal.
00:55:25
Speaker
um and And so I'll give him a man of the match. because he sunk it he picked his head up yeah he got the ball he collect he collects the ball really well um and then uh and then he took it and he sunk it so given the man the match just because i mean how many games have we given man of the match to somebody else when fry was really keeping us in the game Yeah, they had to, though, for the first goal.
00:55:56
Speaker
Like, had to give it to Jesus. But I think, I mean, that Fry Save was, he's had, we all know he's had some incredible ones over the years.
00:56:07
Speaker
I haven't even seen the replay of it yet, but.
00:56:11
Speaker
that but Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, this guy has had so many stand-on-his-head performances for us.
00:56:24
Speaker
Fry is the best goalkeeper that we've ever had. Obviously, he's the longest serving goalkeeper, first team goalkeeper for us. So, you know, there's no point in arguing the numbers.
00:56:38
Speaker
um But, like, for everybody that's been questioned on the team, Fry has not. So, um props to him for another game in which he, I mean, yeah, I mean, here's the thing.
00:56:53
Speaker
You know, the other team gets a goal. And it's demoralizing it to heartens the team, right? So making those saves and keeping it nil nil is is a big part of why our team stays in the game and doesn't let it snowball and connect. We have the opportunity to get that first goal.
00:57:18
Speaker
um I think I mean, I don't think that any
00:57:25
Speaker
sanders fan understates that you know i think i think i don't think i'm making a hot take with that uh but uh anyways yes the the first half was uh nerve-wracking they really did keep it in our house it was difficult for us to get out
00:57:51
Speaker
But, I mean, they sort of play like us in that respect. Like, i yeah obviously, you love it when you're on a team. I had the same observation. Like, I think I think i'm kind of hit on it earlier.
00:58:03
Speaker
But, like, what San Diego was doing to Seattle in the first half is what Seattle is able to do to other teams when they're, when they're like, playing at their best level. That's, like, what but we're used to seeing them do to other teams.
00:58:14
Speaker
to to see To see the Seattle Sounders get Seattle Soundered to that degree was a little disconcerting. Yeah, yet yeah, yeah, for sure. Because like, I mean yeah, the way that you demolize another team is to turn it over.
00:58:30
Speaker
and and, and, and a bad, it was especially a bad position for them, but at least at midfield, right? Like if you can keep it from crossing the half court, then like that weighs on a team. Like we can't get out of this.
00:58:47
Speaker
Yeah. And that's what they were doing with us. It's, yeah, I mean, um we've been pretty good at that. And it's fantastic when we are good at that. I mean, they what did they out, I'm sorry, I didn't um follow the numbers. I don't know if it was something like 13 shots to three.
00:59:10
Speaker
um Something like that. That was one, maybe it was 10 shots to three. that I saw up on the board, not in the ECS, I don't know exactly what the numbers were.
00:59:27
Speaker
But, yeah, a I don't know what to say other than we defended well and we had five in our team. And we stuck it out and and got that goal.
00:59:41
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, after four callers or five callers, I don't really necessarily have a hot take for it No, that's a that's great. And you honestly, you saved my ass a little bit. I had to and it's something that I had to focus on. So appreciate you ah taking the reins there and laying down some
Resilience Against San Diego and Youth Contributions
00:59:59
Speaker
takes.
00:59:59
Speaker
Anything else that you wanted to get out there about either this game or the slate of matches coming up here, Club World Cup, anything at all? Actually, what are the games that we have coming up? I mean, the league games.
01:00:15
Speaker
Minnesota, Vancouver. Yeah. Am I missing one? You know, i mean, i mean it's it's great to get two wins after two games where we lost in Drew, especially because those are teams that we need to beat.
01:00:31
Speaker
We're above Portland now. That's good. But, like, yeah, we have to win. have to really start winning because, especially with Vancouver, we need to make a statement on um uh and and and get upwards right like that's what gives everybody hope about the playoffs is beating people above us right um so uh let's uh let's let's let's continue the good performances love it rhombus thank you for the call man appreciate you and save my ass uh thank you take care
01:01:12
Speaker
All right, we got ah we got Bernardo in the queue and then that's going to be the last call for tonight folks. Sorry, I do have to run and wrap up some ah responsibilities here.
01:01:24
Speaker
So gonna cut it a little short. Usually we like to rock these for like two hours, but I don't have Noah here with me tonight. So I am gonna have to call it, but we'll get Bernardo in here. And then call it a night, Bernardo.
01:01:38
Speaker
Welcome to the stage. How are you feeling after a 1-0 victory over San Diego FC Jesus Ferreira game winner? Thank you, Ari. Feeling great.
01:01:49
Speaker
Good to talk to you again. Good to talk on another... Sounders dub, big dub, you know, I have one thing really burning that I got to get off my chest. So I've always been pretty good at geography.
01:02:02
Speaker
And, you know, growing up in Washington State, I went to the State Geography Bee. I kind of excelled at that. But I think I made a huge mistake ah because I think I need to welcome San Diego to the Caribbean because they're another victim of the Pirate of the Caribbean, man.
01:02:17
Speaker
I mean, what was that? That was awesome. that No, it's a it's a good shout. And, you know, they they played so well, too. You you really can't ah do it up for a road match much better than they did, the other than that they didn't score.
01:02:33
Speaker
But, like, performance-wise and possession-wise, ball movement-wise, i just thought they were pretty excellent, honestly. It was, like, I had to tip my cap. I mean, i don't even know. I was just that's it's good team.
01:02:46
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, they they are a good team. They played like it. And we certainly learned our lesson the last time down there. um But, yeah, it was pretty shocking for me to learn that they're from the Caribbean because I always thought they were on the Pacific Coast.
01:02:59
Speaker
Yeah, i guess not. But, yeah, that was i mean that was just awesome. So many things that could be said about I mean Fry's performance, fantastic. that That save with his legs, just that had me off my feet. And then the way we started playing after we scored was so awesome to see, like, kind of the energy come back into the team.
01:03:15
Speaker
um I wanted to say one thing about João Paulo. Last time we talked, to I said that I felt like João Paulo was rusty because he wasn't getting playing time.
01:03:26
Speaker
And I wished that before he started that game where he got cooked, that he had come on late in the previous game so he could get kind of like a warm-up. Because I felt like his biggest problem was rust. I think he's still got a lot of quality in him.
01:03:38
Speaker
And I was really happy that today Brian did that and he you know put him in to play like the last 10, 15 minutes, whatever it was. Because I feel like, and he had a good performance, but that to me was less important than the fact that hopefully that means that he won't be so rusty when he probably plays on Saturday.
01:03:56
Speaker
So I'm really looking forward to seeing hopefully like a Jean-Paul who's shaking the rust off, right, come Sunday.
01:04:09
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Sunday night soccer presented by a Continental Tire. um Bernardo, what was your what was your reaction when you saw the Ferreira goal go in? Shock, elation, all the above?
01:04:21
Speaker
Elation. So I've never been a member of like either of the Rusnak Brigade or the Fajada Hate Legion, whatever they're called. um I think i think they're like kind of there's like overlap with the Brigade and the Legion.
01:04:35
Speaker
Yeah, there's some dual card-carrying members for sure. yeah um I was always cheering for Fajeda, so I was really, really happy. I jumped off the couch and I was just celebrating because I think he deserved it. I loved his celebration where he was like shaking it off, basically. He was like i wiping off the the dust. of yeah yeah um i was I was overjoyed and I thought it was a really great goal.
01:04:58
Speaker
The way that he turned, I think a previous caller said like, if you've ever played soccer, you know that that turn isn't easy, even though it looks relatively simple. And as someone who was a forward myself, I can tell you turning like that has is never easy or simple.
01:05:11
Speaker
I think he did a great job. He placed it right beneath that keeper had been making great saves all. I mean, he didn't have that many saves to make, but but he, he was always in the right spot. So, you know, his placement of the shot was perfect.
01:05:23
Speaker
Losing the defender like that. He had no time to think. I know he had a couple of good chances earlier in the game that it kind of seemed like, oh man, he took a heavy touch and then he squandered that chance. But in this one,
01:05:35
Speaker
He had no time to think, no time to act. I mean, the way San Diego's defense works, they were going to swarm him, you know, two more seconds and he was going to be 3v1 by those defenders. So he acted perfectly with precision, with power.
01:05:48
Speaker
I couldn't, I literally could not be more happy. Like there's not another player I would rather see score in that moment and in this game. oh my like i totally I totally agree. Not just because ah it was incredibly well-timed for me because we just like clipped up the the section from our show a couple weeks ago from it where i was ah I was telling people that i that I thought it was going to happen soon.
01:06:13
Speaker
and then and so But not not not just because of that. Because of what it could mean for the team, what it could mean for their ability to play. when they don't have a Jordan Morris or a Danny Musavsky.
01:06:24
Speaker
If they can get him in any kind of good form, that would be ah that would be huge. And then also just happy for him because I feel like he's been putting it in. Some people out there have been questioning his effort, his buy-in.
01:06:36
Speaker
To me, I have not seen any evidence of that. i see i've I've seen a player who's working very hard on both sides of the ball. I see a player who's been very unselfish. He's been very deferential to his teammates.
01:06:48
Speaker
He's been very like intent on making sure everyone else eats before him, to almost to a fault, I think, where he's not been aggressive enough, looking like trying to eat himself. Uh, but now in this situation where all the strikers are injured and he needs to step up and like be that guy, and he still hadn't scored a goal yet.
01:07:08
Speaker
Just so good to actually see him put one in and, uh, let it all loose with the celebration, like you said. So, uh, that was huge. Uh, Bernardo, what did you think of, uh, wanted to ask you, Stu Hawks, Stu Hawks.
01:07:20
Speaker
What did you think? I can go down, Stu Hawks slides in.
01:07:26
Speaker
I'm happy, man, because i this is another thing that we talked about last time we we spoke, because that was when, you know, Brian brought in, you know, two out of the five subs he used were centerbacks, which means that our back line of three You know, two thirds of them got subbed and I wasn't happy about that because I felt like that really damaged our defensive cohesion.
01:07:45
Speaker
um And Sue Hawks is one of those players back then that I wasn't so happy about him being put in the game. But this game, I think he came on and he did amazing. I mean, he had that that one tackle.
01:07:57
Speaker
I mean, he had so many. and there There was that one play where he um accidentally hit a player in the face, like, following through on the kind clearance, right? And that was a little bit, like, risky. It was obviously not intentional, so I'm glad no foul was called.
01:08:12
Speaker
um But I just thought that demonstrated, like, this guy is holding up against Chucky Lozano, who... has been tearing through our league. Like San Diego has been tearing through our league. You know, I have a former classmate who went, who's from Columbus and he's a big fan of the crew. One of the most annoying crew fans out there, you know, this conspiracy crew, everything is like the league.
01:08:33
Speaker
The league is out to get us and so on. I do think they got poisoned. I will say that. he Yeah, he will. Don't get him started on that. You will not be able to leave the bar until they kick you out. But he, you know, he was like raving about Chucky Lozano because he like, oh, my God, like, i don't know if he watched a game that they played san Diego or if they played against the crew and they beat the crew, which would have been shocking to him.
01:08:57
Speaker
ah But he was just like, yeah, Lozano's unstoppable. What are we going to do about it? And I knew that he was good. Obviously, he was good at Napoli, at Ajax, and um he was good against us in the last time we played him.
01:09:08
Speaker
But Stu Hawkins came in, hasn't been playing that much, young player, right? Barely played at all. Yeah, and held up against Chucky Lozano, who right now is one of the best players in our league, I think.
01:09:21
Speaker
So that was an excellent performance. And that that's not an unbalanced wing either. It's not like a situation where you have like two mid forwards and Chucky Lozano. Like you got Dreyer on the other side, right? Their whole, it's a very, like there's threats from multiple directions.
01:09:34
Speaker
And I thought he handled it well. And by the way, I just want to say, John Bell, I thought he played excellent. I thought he led very well. And I love the new hair. To me, it was really giving me Roman Torres vibes. Like it was it was very comforting. Like I felt very safe because I felt like, oh my God, Roman's at the back.
01:09:50
Speaker
Roman's going to Stu Hawkins how to do this and that. um And I think, you know, he's not Roman, but he kind of played like it. Can you imagine ah being not being thrust into your second ever MLS game, ah having made one substitute appearance in a game that you lost 4-0, so you've never been in like a close and MLS game.
01:10:11
Speaker
You get out there unexpectedly because of injury, and Chucky Lozano rolls up to the sideline to sub in and you got to go against that guy. I mean, like he is unquestionably one of the best players in the league right now. He just had an insane game against the l LA Galaxy where he scored a 93rd minute game winner and had one of the sickest like chase down, dispossesses I've ever seen.
01:10:38
Speaker
So, no, he's an amazing player. And you really, there's no substitute for a player like Stu Hawks to like get thrown in there and have to go against a guy like that. And then to not only hold his own, but like show that he belonged out there.
01:10:50
Speaker
ah That's huge. I mean, like we'll see, but Stu Hawks has long been considered the defender within Seattle's youth setup that has by far the highest upside. He gets called into every youth national team camp when they're doing those.
01:11:04
Speaker
So that's like kind of a new little subplot to the season that we should all be tracking because if if he pops, that's ah that's frankly huge for the for the whole organization, really, if they get a homegrown CB that hits that upside.
01:11:18
Speaker
um bernardo i am going to uh start the wrap-up process here but uh any last thoughts takes observations agendas anything at all about the seattle sounders before we get out of here Sure. Just to continue really quick on the Stu Hawkins train. I mean, of course, like our academy rears its head again. That's awesome.
01:11:36
Speaker
But expect it to me. But what I have to say is just absolutely impressive. it's not just like his physical ability, technical skill, but the fact that mentally he kept it cool. Like all the context you just gave.
Final Reflections and Future Matches
01:11:48
Speaker
Just makes it even more impressive. He was up against Chucky Lozano, not just any Chucky Lozano, not just any high-flying San Diego office that was putting us under pressure, that was genuinely playing well, but a Chucky Lozano who was clearly pissed off and doing everything he could with the dark arts.
01:12:03
Speaker
I mean, Bro was creating like fouls out of nowhere. you know He was like running into Alex Rodon and then pretending like he got fouled super ugly. he was doing all in some of them worked right he got a couple fouls called but most of them didn't work but he was clearly trying and the fact that a young player like stew could play well and keep his cool like mentally strong i was very very pleased by that and then my last take is just um yeah san diego uh welcome to the caribbean i gotta give those beaches a try man ah love it
01:12:36
Speaker
I love it. Bernardo, great call as always, man. Thank you for, thank you for tapping in and we'll, ah we'll talk soon maybe for the next one. Yeah. Thank you for having me. Yeah. Take care.
01:12:48
Speaker
All right, everybody, I am ah i am going to start to wrap it up here. Unfortunately, I'm to have to cut it a little short. I would love to stay on longer and and vibe on this i' on this win with you all, but I do have to get out of here.
01:13:05
Speaker
Thank you all for tuning in. Thank you to everyone who called in. And please, everyone, there's still 85 of you in here. Every single one of you, like this video.
01:13:17
Speaker
Go. and I want any excuses. Go scroll to wherever it is. Hit the like button. If we could get this one pushing 100 likes, that would be sick. Puts us in the puts us top of the algo.
01:13:30
Speaker
So go like the video. Sub to the channel if you haven't already.
01:13:38
Speaker
Another win for the Seattle Sounders. They're playing pretty well right now. couple 1-0s, but, you know, sometimes you have to sometimes you have to grind a couple 1-0s. Sometimes you don't.
01:13:51
Speaker
You guys like strikers? You got none right now. What about center backs? Don't have any of those either.
01:13:58
Speaker
But you got John Bell and you got Stu Hawks, and I guess that's all you need. You've got Jesus Ferreira, the hottest number nine in Major League Soccer.
01:14:10
Speaker
My call him.
01:14:14
Speaker
You got what you need.
Conclusion and Audience Engagement
01:14:16
Speaker
Got what you need to grind out a 1-0 against, again, man, good team. That's honestly my probably my biggest takeaway from this is, like, I mean, I think we all already knew that San Diego was for real, but, like, mean, I can't even lie. That was a good performance by them. That was a good performance its by them.
01:14:37
Speaker
Good team.
01:14:39
Speaker
All right.
01:14:42
Speaker
to get out of here on that. I'll be i'll be back ah for Under the Lights tomorrow night at 7.30 to be talking a little more about this game, and then we'll preview the Sunday night soccer game a little bit and probably do some more like league-wide stuff. i don't know. i kind of freestyle those. Be there, 7.30 p.m.
01:15:06
Speaker
tomorrow night. Like the video. I'll see guys next time. Peace.