Tata OUT in Miami, Cincy set transfer record & Conf. Semis under the microscope!

Extra time is exactly how I find out what's going on in the MLS. Get lost! Get lost! Maybe this podcast has influenced me a bit as well. Everybody up here! Every single day goes into the office, into the laboratory. They're trying to cook up some great stuff for you guys. That's why he's here!

My partners in soccer, Matt Doyle is here, Kaylen Carr is here, it is November 21st, 2024. The conference semifinals are upcoming this weekend. Saturday, two games, Hudson River, Darby at 5.30pm Eastern, LAFC Seattle. Again, at 10.30pm on Sunday or Lando at Lando or Lando. Our favorites at 3.30pm and the Galaxy take on Minnesota United at 6pm Eastern. We are going to go through a absolute laundry list of news in this show before we ever even get to the previews.

Tata Martino has walked away from Inter Miami for personal reasons. There's a new head coach in Dallas. He is familiar to that organization. Well, for Nazi, is your Sighi Schmidt coach of the year? And there are some movers and shakers in Montreal and Atlanta and Nashville and FC Cincinnati have set the MLS transfer record, which we mentioned last show. But didn't really dive into. Kevin Denke is official for upwards of $16 million. Boys, what's up? I've been doing a little bit of, well, I've been doing some Instagram reporting.

I got to say, you showing people at the bar, you're in the last cup. It's a little upbeat. No, don't do this. Don't do this. Don't do this. I was set up, kill caught me in a vulnerable moment. We were breaking something. I don't know how that happened. But also, where were you at? We were at the pub. I heard you were in the studio yesterday. I didn't actually come to the hang afterwards. Me in the studio. Yeah.

Oh, therefore hot second. You guys were so busy doing this. What the issue. I'm excited to watch that on YouTube. I didn't know that we're going to we be we be doesn't do back to backs. Right. He's a Kansas guy. So he can't show up two days in a row. Not like you and me. Two of us. We are ready to go every day of the week. Not

to be the way that this analogy works that you're not quite wrapping your head around is like, yeah, I might not do back to back. So I might have a problem showing up on time to meetings. But we're all two and 11. Like your record is my record. You can't walk away like it is a team game. Like just because I'm joy and beat. Doesn't mean that you're basking in glory right now. I don't know. I feel pretty good as a Celtics fan. I feel pretty good about the way the past month is gone. So we'll see. Okay. Okay. Anyway, that's a great moment, Kayla. I'm glad you got to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm glad you're going to read. I'm

glad you lived out with your best your best friends. We'll I'll just watch out on my own here later on just you know, just a giant memory. If you have never if you're a listener of a tax your time and you've never seen Kalen cars MLS Cup goal from 2012. You should Google it because it's like Star Trek evil. Kalen car. You know, sometimes the Star Trek universe. There's like the evil spot complement. Yeah, the evil spot has like a go T. Like that. That is.

That is a who scored the goal for the Houston Dynamo and then this man celebrates by running over to the corner flag. Hurtling the corner flag and then turning around to celebrate with this team does not crack a smile. Even once it is all business with would you celebrate if it wasn't the supporter shield man at stake. So why would you. What's there to celebrate? It's just a glorified friendly. It is a fair point. That's fair. I already lost the big one. This is just to sort of like have some self respect at the end of the season. Look, it's the end of the season for Inter Miami and I'm

unfortunately for Tatum Artino. That's where we need to start or maybe fortunately because perhaps walking away is what he really needed in this moment. Tom Bogart dropped the bombshell earlier this week. Tatum Artino walking away from Inter Miami after a year and a half for personal reasons after winning the Scup after winning the supporter shield and setting the points record this. It just it ended. It's over like as quickly as it began. It seemed like it came out of nowhere for many people. It is the third time.

The Tata and Lino Messi have been together, worked together, not gotten the outcome that they wanted both with Argentina, Barcelona, now Inter Miami and then parted ways. Doyle, what do you make of all this? I mean, in some ways it just puts the pressure and the stakes and you know the singular project of Inter Miami and managing Lino Messi and Major League soccer in perspective. There was only one outcome that was acceptable and even that might not have saved Tatum Artino's job. Yeah, from what I understand there were.

There was real friction in the locker room over the second half of the season there. The the cadre of Barcelona guys not super happy with what the team had become tactically. Had heard that there was even some sort of streaming match between Tata and I think Jordi Alba in the lead up to this game. The vibes were bad. So to your point, we be I think even if they had one MLS Cup, Tata probably would have walked away.

At the end of this one, the fact that he didn't the fact that they lost in the first round to an Atlanta team that they frankly should have crushed made the decision that much easier and this was mutual. Like they did a good job of framing it as you know personal decision decision for Tata and you know everybody saying the right things.

But this was not you know, there I don't think there was any outcome where he would have stuck around for 2025 and the whole thing feels like it's a little bit of flux. But I still look at this roster and I still like the best roster in the league heading into next season. They're not going to be a ton of changes and the ones that could happen like they.

If they sell Diego Gomez and they get rid of like one of the other you 22s and Suarez and Jordi Alba are willing to come back on damn deals like they can add name are to this group they really could do that so this team is going to be fine no matter who manages some but I have a feeling the little guy wearing the number 10 is going to have a big say on who actually is going to be the manager.

And I don't you said you don't foresee a ton of changes but isn't that sort of the DNA of this club and even as you walked through like well if this happens and that happens doesn't that still portend a ton of changes whether it's on the back line or in the way they construct you 22s or how the D.P. spots get filled or who decides that they should or need to be a D.P.

Like isn't change just the DNA of inter Miami at this point like I don't so I don't think I don't think what you described is like an inordinate amount of changes year over year like we're talking to maybe three new starters which is not to me that's not a ton and if you look at the way like the one thing tata did a phenomenal job with this year and nobody should have a word of criticism firm about this is he used the entire roster.

So they're going to have even if they sell Diego Gomez trade Julian Gressel you know get rid of of David Martinez and bring in whichever Argentine center back they they want to bring into to sort of anchor that back line like they are still going to have 22 other players on the roster next year played meaningful minutes this year and often played them pretty well so that like there is going to be a level of cohesion and consistency with this group.

That is going to stay in place even under the new manager which at this point it's going to be job you're having heavier masher I don't right like it loads are the two very very obvious names. What do you think you what was your first reaction when the when the the Z or the X eat or the I don't know if you're on blue sky yet came down from old Tommy scoops.

No I'm not on blue sky yet but I I was my first reaction was like oh does this mean the supporters shield is maybe not enough to hold a group together because I. I assumed that it went you win sorry I can't help it guys it just I this is twice already in the beginning of this this episode.

They would be straight if you didn't have it you know the sites of the show all the time is the focus here and if it's not that it's not good enough and I think that is really kind of the the crux of this thing is like. If and I have bigger questions now about this messy and Miami project overall of like where does this leave them moving for you're not as you're not as positive on it going into next year as I am no because.

Let's let's rewind the clock they were one of the worst teams in the league and then they had messy come in and then immediately the next day like we're a different team go on to win leagues cup but then can't make the playoffs right so you're saying okay well fine you see enough there to say this is going to work out the next year and then this year.

They go on they have you know go all the way supporter shield points record which by the way it's probably just going to get broken in the next few years either also they're going to break it I'm calling it now they're going to break it next year.

Okay and if not then I think somebody else will break that this the points record for me is one of those where I feel like it's been broken every few years over the past few years so I don't think there's going to be like a 20 year record that holds on forever. Whether it's Miami or another club but the other point is like they have then they lose to Atlanta and.

The in a best of three format so for me it takes time to be able to go and win amalesca we saw even with Tata Martino in Atlanta year one. Everything jumped off the page al mirrored Joseph Martinez but they got punched in the mouth by Columbus in the first round lost on penalties at home and then the next year they go and stick together and win amalesca so I have not seen teams that are just able to like at a new manager bringing

you to the club he bringing whoever even throughout the season the entire roster is changing constantly players coming in players coming out and I expect more of that to happen next season but I just don't know if that's going to be enough to then get all the way to the top and get to amalesca which is going back to the David Beckham teams and those

were the teams that ended up winning back to back titles they had one supporter shield but ultimately you have to win amalesca for this inter Miami project to be realized to its full potential and you only have maybe one year with messy left. We don't know after that I wouldn't take that for granted so that's a quick window for a shavvy who ever to come in and try to sort this thing out to realize this project to where we think it can all get to where it should get to and I'm surely not

going to say they're not the favorites they're definitely the favorites to get in I just they were the favorites this year that was the exact same way and they fell on their face in front of the whole world with Atlanta United and credit to them but I'm not sure that this actually makes them closer if anything I feel like it takes them a step further away from from that final goal.

I hear what you saying the flipside I would say is because of that shortened window you cannot stick with something that either organizationally or individually within that squad. People don't believe is going to take you to the promised land of in loss cup like if you don't think inter Miami Lionel messy fill in the blank messy's friend anybody with influence the most brothers or taught that himself.

That this is the right solution to get you over the finish line you don't have time to dwell on it you don't have time to think well I don't know that's waffle a little bit like what is the right solution like in Miami's position like they're in a trigger pull in moment like if it doesn't work make the change and we saw that throughout the entire season in 2024 center backs her center backs not working this player isn't the guy that you want to be Julian

and the place whatever make the change do the thing like you have to fix it absolutely right now so if tata wasn't that guy or if he was burnt out on the whole situation or if he didn't think he had another year in him.

Well then you got to make the move and the flipside on like you know Javi and masherano Javi is the one for me that is like okay well you know tata was hired in the first place because he was the guy who was available who had messy experience who had the resume and and sort of the where with all to take this project on its first year and a half and there were growing pains and a lot of different strings and threads to pull during that time I do think the

way to do it is a little bit more settled now what it's going to be like with messy how the organization is going to work with messy so now maybe is the good time to say hey Javi you were available your Barcelona.

You have a full preseason you have a full year to go do it like and you've got to do it and that's sort of the crux for this club is like you have to win in less cup because if you don't to me it's even bigger than when you know David Beckham was sort of fighting fighting against the tides to try to get the job done and eventually Bruce arena's continuity helped him get there he was early 30s messy 37.

Absolutely I can't it might be just next year so if you don't do it I mean that that's that's a failure that's the biggest failure in the most history in my opinion if you bring messy into the league if you spend all this money and bring his friends and you don't win

in less cup so every decision you make has to have one North star and that is will it help us win a less cup so when you say every decision you make it was the you at this point because this is the this is the the 800 pound gorilla in the room is that you know I've talked to people in Miami who have said it's like game of thrones here in terms of like six different people buying for having their their hand on the table.

In terms of who steer in the ship and that is to me a much bigger concern because that kind of chaos in the front office that trickles down and I think that that is a much bigger concern to me than then who's going to be the coach next year because I honestly think any half decent coach provided that they go out and get at least one good veteran center back can coach a steam to 70 points and in you know be the favorites in the

playoffs but what happens in the front office the way they go about keeping this roster together like that is what's really up in the air at this point and we've said it on this show a million times like we all kind of expect Chris Henderson to head up to Atlanta to because like there is a CSO job open there and he's one of those guys who sort of kind of fighting for

his wife. I mean he's fighting for his say in roster construction with this Miami team like they brought in dudes over and who have like zero experience so it's like I am much more concerned about all of that than I am about the roster the coach and what happens but to your point we be like this is if they don't get it done next year. Yeah, it's failure with the capital F and it's one that it will stain the resume of literally every person involved.

I don't think it's a given that that Henderson walks away I think that again that just goes to the sort of singular nature of the project. Atlanta fans won't love to hear that but like when you're involved in making history I do think it it's difficult to walk away and the flip side of that is that the way that they're having to chop and change and fit within this you know structure they make him changes office.

I get it. I get it. I'm president. I came in. It's like now you got to work in the broom closet. I get it. I'm just saying if he walks away you're insane. It's from Miami like that doesn't make sense that doesn't to my point about the North star being in less cup. I don't get you closer to that North star. It makes the job harder for you. That's tough when someone like your locker is just gone. See that happened actually. It's tough.

I mean, this is a hard job. I mean for any manager that comes in and I think it's hard not just in soccer terms because to credit him again, I mean he did incredible things to me the part that I'm most impressed with is not the part where you have messy and you win games with messy. It's the part where you don't have messy and Suarez and you don't miss a beat.

Like that's the part that inevitably another manager will have to replicate in some way because messy and Suarez and Bousquet's an Alba to a lesser degree probably won't be available. Now it is good news for them that next year is not a international heavy tournament year, which puts additional pressure on them. What do you think they do have the club world? Hey, forgot about that. Honestly, if you look at it, it is truly.

If you look at my schedule and they do what they want to do, this is a team that's going to play 55 games next year. You have to go down that roster and they're going to have to get contributions from guys deep near the end of that roster just in the way that they did this year. Any final thoughts? I mean, I guess my final thought would just be the same measurements that they failed in this year and the reason why Todd some Martino is.

You know, outside the personal reasons is probably gone failure and concapped champions cup failure in the most cup playoffs. I mean, those are the measuring sticks next year to your point, Kaelin. They got the points record. They got the shield like that is old news. The only thing that matters is winning knockout round competitions and lifting trophies and for Lionel Messi to be the one lifting the trophy in the front of that mob.

The biggest thing for me is the is what you hit on with Henderson and what I think taught to brought, which was MLS experience institutional experience and that does not sound like the direction things are going. And that would be something I would be looking at as like a key indicator of how they what their offseason looks like and how they are able to kind of retool you can bring in all the big players in the world. Bring the biggest managers, but this is different. This is a different setup.

And I think that that knowledge is is really important if you want to actually get over the home. Who's going to be the coach, though? It'll be I think it'll be Javier or Maserano, those are the two guys who make the most sense given where they are in their careers and you know who they are in terms of their background with Messi, Pusquetz, Alba and and Suarez. And one note about Tata sources close to him told me that he's going to Argentina for six months to relax and unwind, but come summer.

He's going to want to coach again. So I think once managers and MLS start losing their job and like he likes MLS. So once managers in MLS start losing their jobs, he is going to be a guy whose name is at or near the top of every single list. So keep that in your back pocket and hopefully we'll talk about it on the show in June. Man, Tata after his time with Mexico and then enter Miami, he deserved that six months dog.

You deserve that six months. Slow sip some mante gati asano go and just just relax tranquilo tranquilo. My man. All right, some news around the league before we jump into these previews. I mentioned it. I voted for not to Martino. I still feel good about that vote, but I'm extremely excited for

not to get the Sighish make coach of the year. He deserves it. I thought he should have won it in the year with FC. Well, now I'm just confusing all the different iterations of Montreal. We'll talk about that in a second. And his year with I was it then that was still the impact then or no, I think it was the F Montreal.

Yeah. But it was club foot Montreal at that might have been the foot. Yeah, I think it was club to foot. Anyway, deserve it for both for Nancy Doyle. What is the what is the big takeaway from the players basically making the difference in the

voting to get well for his coach of the year? You know, we give Nancy a lot of credit for how brave his team is and specifically with the ball and against all comers and how they want to invite pressure from opposing back lines, opposing front lines, bring them up field and play through it. Use your skill. Use your combination play with your teammates.

It's a beautiful style of soccer to watch. And I think players want to play like that. They want to be challenged like that. Sean Zowodzky. I think it was early this season. Or maybe it was even in the middle of last season said, yeah, I was used to just getting the ball off the foot off my foot as quickly as possible in midfield. And will for Nancy came to me and said, you shouldn't do that.

You need to take more touches. You need to actually bring the defenders to you. And how that just like opened up this whole new world for Sean Zowodzky in terms of how he could play the game. And we've seen it happen with guys like Max Arstin and and Mo Farsi and like, they were on nobody's radar. And now here they are amongst the very best in the league at their position. But he also gets this out of guys like Diego Rossi and of course coach Hernandez.

So his ability to instill that in basically every player he's ever coached. There's a line of guys who would love to play for him. It's very obvious. And I happy for him that they won or that he won coach of the year. Because I thought he deserved it and frankly think the surf to each of the past three years. I think he's just one of one.

The biggest thing for me, the biggest thing I would say just to add is like, it's gotten to the point where I've seen players in other places and been like, yeah, it's not quite working out. But what would it look like under Wilford Nancy? And I think that, you know, that's the from an individual standpoint and then players have players have actually said that to you.

No, that's just when I'm watching guys. And I'm sure there's a lot of guys that he won the player vote. So I was thinking like, a lot of these guys are like, yeah, I would love to play that way. Because you don't often hear that where it's like, hey, play brave, trust yourself. You generally hear that in preseason. But then once, you know, the match has started. It's like, hey, don't make a mistake. And he's consistently getting guys to, you know, trust themselves to reach new levels.

I just, I just think what he's done over the like, I know we're not supposed to count the other competitions, but I can't help it the way we saw in league scup, the way we saw it in conc half championship, like, he, that's why I voted for him as well. And look, I think he's sort of a unicorn of managers that we've seen in, in MLS this year. And the part that I also think that maybe isn't quite as talked about as much because he is such a tactician is the man management side of it.

And he's gotten the belief from all these guys, he's made tough decisions. He suspended Coochale. He's brought him back into the team. He's subbed for subs with AZ Jackson and then got him to play his best towards after that in the rest of the regular season. So he's just really pulled all the right strings. It has the trust and belief from the guy. So, yeah, I think the playoff didn't work out. Obviously the way that they wanted to.

But I think this was a was a great decision to see him get recognized at this point. I think for the sickos, the thing that I would go back to is, you know, you have taught, we're talking about Javi and Masciarano and all he Dean Smith comes into the league. You know, look at that. But ultimately, Wilfred, you know, outside of his playing career, his coaching career, he's a homegrown man.

And that's where I take it to an appride just in Major League Soccer and watching him make this rise and get opportunities and take advantage of the opportunities and just knowing, hey, every single thing you got, you worked your butt off for and you got it when you deserved it.

And you set new precedents in this league in a lot of different ways. And the way this team plays in results, certainly at the crew and a Montreal, but you know, also, you know, I think in just who he is and what he represents.

I mean, he's talked about being, you know, the first black coach to win in less cup. I mean, he's carried that mantle, but he's done it in his own way. And I think that's my biggest compliment to him is he's always stayed very true to what he thinks the most important principles of the game are and of life are because he's much deeper than just soccer when you talk to him.

And to have that personality at the top of our league and have come from within our league as a coach, I think is a feather that we should all be proud to have in the cap of Major League Soccer. So congratulations to Wilfred big season coming up next year. I just hope he's with us because God knows he's going to be in demand. There's already some whispers about Lee, and et cetera. And congratulations FC Dallas. They've hired their new manager Eric Quill from New Mexico United.

He is new in terms of their coaching job, but not new in terms of the organization. He was the guy who basically got North Texas up and running want to lead one title with that team. He's a long time you soccer coach in Texas. He was a crew assistant for a little bit before he went to New Mexico had a great season with them in the USL championship last year.

And we talked on this show about how Dallas need to get back to their soul of who they are as a club somebody who really understood that soul of player development of what it meant to be in that part of North Texas and how you can sort of marry all these different attributes at the club could put together be their best selves.

And you know, Peter Luke say had a lot of those attributes right he was in the academy. He was a part of the second team. But I think Eric Quill for them was always the guy who best invited it. So it makes sense that they've decided to bring him back. And yeah, I'm excited to see what he can do is saying all the right things about playing attacking exciting soccer.

That's what basically every coach says when they come in, but he's got a track record of doing it at New Mexico and in developing talent and winning with North Texas some of the biggest names now with the USman's national team and who have been sold overseas. So I think a good hire from Dallas any thoughts on him.

If it wasn't going to be Luke saying then Quill was the obvious guy for all the reasons you listed having developed or helped develop players like Ricardo Peppy Chris Richards, you know, all on through that that great test minute part of that as well and that great academy cohort that they have the cohort since then hasn't been as strong.

And that's I think going to be part of the job is to find a way to get contributions from that anyway, it might end up being one of the tougher parts of the job. They played good soccer at New Mexico United this year. They won a lot of close games. They weren't overwhelming by any means, but finished first in the US L champ three of western conference and also put together a really nice US open cup run.

So there's a little bit of knockout round juice that that he's got there as well. It makes a lot of sense. I really liked a lot of what I saw from Peter looks. I thought his team played brave to borrow the term that we use when talking about how well for nazis team play. Maybe it was too brave too quick given that like a looks and was taking over from Niko Estevez, his team was very conservative. Almost the opposite in terms of their approach and Luke Sains.

Luke Sains teams left themselves vulnerable at the back and that's what ended up costing them. And if you look at it, I think they were eight ten and three across all competitions when he took over lost in the open cup against sporty Kansas City lost in two games in the leagues cup, which was, you know, St. Louis City and I think Juarez and like that that wasn't good enough and especially because you know the ownership it said we're prioritizing those games.

So you look at that and then the way they collapse down the stretch, it wasn't quite good enough, but I hope we get to see Luke Sains somewhere again in MLS because I really enjoyed watching that team the second half of the season and I did not enjoy it at all the first half of that season. New Mexico United becomes a job that I think MLS assistants are going to be looking at potentially is a jumping off spot certainly a big job in US championships,

speaking US championship just want to congratulate Pa Mo to call for being named the new Phoenix rising, head coach, so congratulations to him. I have this question for you, Kaylen in Dallas and Austin because we haven't really talked as much about Niko Estevez that we will get to that in depth, which Texas team should be more excited about their new coach Austin or Dallas, what do you think?

I think Dallas from the standpoint of it's a bit awkward, I think with taking a manager from arrival and then also the Doyle's point, what it looked like for Dallas was not really what you would inspire you to move forward and so it's a bit of a surprise and that standpoint with Estevez going over to Austin, the other part that I think is unique about you guys mentioned the youth development part, but I think that that will

be a little bit quicker and to get out in transition more and get this team moving, which I think as somebody, it's played in Texas like that, there's a certain unique style that you can play there and that you can actually take advantage of and use that to your advantage, I think he's from with quil being from Texas, having come through the academy,

bringing those young players along, Dallas is actually spending, they've got went out and got Petter Moussa, they have the last go and for air right now at least to see what happens if those guys get transferred or not, but the idea that you can then re-ignite this academy, go out in across Texas because you got to remember some of these guys are not from Dallas, like Ricardo Peppies from El Paso.

So you need somebody who understands the landscape all around and the sort of pro development pathway, which they brought all these players through to go all the way through North Texas to the first team, but you have to have somebody that ultimately believes in these young players and will give them a chance.

And so I think he's going to be a good fit in that standpoint, and so I think if you had to pick between the two teams with the top end spend, the youth academy setup and somebody who understands that I can understand why Dallas fans probably be more excited from this pick.

And he needed to look at the head coach obviously Rob Valentino just FE a crushing it in the playoffs and still alive so it makes sense that we haven't heard much on that front, but a guy is now to the mixed oil, Patrick Vier has had a degenerate so what for Lani United to the internal extra time odds makers now put Jim curtain to top that list.

I mean, unless Rob Valentino goes on and and widens the whole dang thing, then yeah, at this point I would be surprised if Jim curtain wasn't the next head coach for Atlanta United given the level of success he had on a budget in Philadelphia given that it was reported by Tom and others that Atlanta actually wanted to interview Jim this summer for the head coaching position and he turned them down because he was that committed to Philadelphia.

I have to imagine that that door is still open so it's the man checks a lot of boxes right the level of success that he has had his ability to develop talent his ability to manage veterans the one thing he hasn't done is maybe manage the type of stars that I would expect to see Atlanta United bring in this winter.

But it's also like that's a culture setting thing from the top down and if you have a culture that you're confident in then you're probably confident in your coach's ability to to handle said star so I think. I would be kind of surprised if it was I don't have any information like any background for her or inside information on this but like I would be surprised if it wasn't Jim curtain though again if Rob Valentino pulls a schmetser and wins this thing next month that yeah it'll be his job.

We were talking about change with inter Miami and I just want to say that we were not fair to them because Montreal is the club of change and we have yet more in Montreal I just saw there let me just let me just add this thing I have heard it will not be tata in Atlanta because there were rumors about that immediately yesterday upon tata and Miami splitting up he there's not going to be a reunion with tata in Atlanta.

All right Montreal I don't know what to say other than Corey Ray is named the director of soccer but it seems like there's a tremor it there with Luca and Simone Sepudo covering other different parts of the sporting structure but they've now sort of figured that out after a year of uncertainty after a living a renard left earlier this season there were a bunch of different roster decisions that pop down including decisions on assistant coaches or 12 the goalkeeper coach the fitness coach a bunch of guys aren't returning and a bunch of players aren't returning including Joseph March.

And others that have been stalwarts in Montreal. I just never know how it's going to work there until it starts working and then inevitably can we layer in can we layer in the succession opening theme music while we're reading that about the two sons get it's like the

role is is yeah it's really going to show up in this as well like what's going on. I I love Montreal the city I love Montreal the club no matter what their name is in this league I love stod Sepudo I love following this team because you just you just don't know so I hope it all works out because when they're good it is so good in that city and when they're bad it's still interesting. I'm going to use my little computer card for a 2F the about the state of Major League Soccer in 2024.

Money is flying around. We've gotten accustomed to the likes of even $16.2 million exchanging hands. And FC Cincinnati doing it is not particularly a surprise. This is an ambitious club. It's a club that has put their marker down. And Kevin Dinkay is 23. Look, he's 24 and like nine days. So he's 24 if we're going to get dogmatic about age. But he is a early prime proven striker Belgian league golden boot

winner. This is a huge, huge move for Cincinnati and shows just what they're aiming for in 2025. Yeah, this one felt like it almost slipped under the radar, but it really shouldn't because you set the record and transfer fee. And as the part about Cincinnati, that's impressed me so much is even looking towards last season where I was like, oh, every free agent wants to go there. That's the place where they're flying in Miles Robinson when you're expecting them to go abroad or to Europe.

And they're we've gotten accustomed to maybe saying, okay, well, yeah, maybe L.A.F.C. or Inter Miami are grabbing players, the galaxy, but you're looking at Cincinnati, you're saying they're competing with top teams around the world for signatures of rumours of where they were going in for Weston McKinney. Dinkay for me, where he's, you look at the clubs that, that, they transfer players too. And you're like, this, he could go to a top four league and compete right away.

The top score in the Belgian pro league at 23 24 years old is huge to be able to get to come to you. And since in all summer, even when I was there calling games, we're out in the market working and trying to add for this season. And clearly, it didn't quite work out in the way they wanted to, to be able to add that final piece, but the ambition to go back again and then to lock this down already is, is massive for them heading towards next season.

Questions about Lucho, but if I'm Lucho, I know Dinkay was at the, their final match, the idea of having that sort of striker in front of him to put him behind to create space and to have that final partnership that they've been searching for. This has to put them right at the top next year as far as contenders once again. And, and maybe one of the best strikers in the league.

I think that Chris L. Wright on that front office deserve a lot of credit because they've identified, I'm not going to call it a market inefficiency, but maybe a market opportunity here because we all know that Belgium is one of the best developmental leagues in Europe, but the best developmental players in that league tend to get bought by teams in big five leagues by the age of 20 or 21. And guys who are 23, 24, 25 years old actually get overlooked by Lalega, Syria, primary league teams.

They just don't have those opportunities. And NLS teams can pay more than like pay better salaries than Belgian league can. And so there's an opportunity to get a player like Dinky, whereas six, seven years ago at age 23, there was just no chance. I guess the floodgates opened a little bit with Alejandro Pazuela because remember, he was a Belgian player of the year went to Ronald, brought him in in 2019, but also he was a little older. He was I think 28 by that time.

So going, you know, to early prime instead of late or mid prime, that feels like something new. But now he's he's going to have to show it on the field as good as he's been. It's no guarantee because like Dante, Vanzier was really good in Belgium. Hugo Kipers was really good in Belgium. And like Vanzier has been a bust and Kipers was only okay in his first year with the fire.

The most successful forward to come from Belgium is actually a lot of Martinez who wasn't even a forward in Belgium and had to change positions in MLS. So it's not a guarantee, but I like what I've seen from the player on film. I have a couple of Belgian friends. The scouting reports are all glowing. His underlying numbers are fantastic. And most importantly here, the process was really good. The process for Cincinnati to identify, bring him in and get it done early.

I think is really, really impressive. And if you keep your processes good, your team is probably going to stay good, even in the midst of some turmoil with, say, for example, your MVP caliber number 10. I find it hard watching FC Cincinnati work to be satisfied with any excuse by any quote-unquote mid market or small market MLS club that says they can't go out and compete in the transfer window and get the level of players that say an LA or a Miami or a New York are able to attract.

I find it very hard to buy those excuses given what Cincinnati and Columbus and others have managed to accomplish. It's fine if you say we just don't want to spend at that level. That's fine. Just say that. But if you're willing to spend, if you have the front office and the facilities and the ambition and the wherewithal, you can sign big time players. It might not be Emil Forsberg. But it can be Luke O'Rachano out of Brazil. It can be Kevin Dinkay. It was almost Hermann Berthirame.

It is Lucho out of different level. I look at what Cincinnati is doing and I'm just like, our league can get much bigger and much better very quickly. If there is a level of commitment and ambition that matches what that club is doing across all fronts. And what's so incredible about it to me is that we spent three years rightfully burying them for having nowhere with all, for being completely inept, for being the definition of a loser club.

And look what they did in terms of making the right decision in their front office. Emil S. Experience. See what we're talking about Miami. Making the right decision as far as a head coach to pair with those executives. Building out the structure around them. Building a stadium. Building a training facility that when a Kevin Dinkay or fill in the blank professional. I don't care what level walks into they say, yeah, I feel at home here. I think I can do my best work here.

And then saying, yeah, okay, well, you know, we sold Brandon Vasquez. Then we spent big on a guy who was a bus in Aaron Bupinza. We basically had to take an L on that one and we turned around and said an endless transfer record. Like props to that ownership group, props to that front office. Just props the organization overall of just saying there is a level that we want to reach. And we're not satisfied with where we're at right now. And to me, that's how Major League Soccer grows.

When nobody is satisfied. When it's sad just like, hey, good season, pat on the back where we've made it. We haven't made it. What? Everybody else is raising the level. So I want to see more of this. I don't want this to be the, I don't want this to be the first time we're talking about. I hope transfer records are like the points record. And it's just inevitable that it's broken repeatedly year after year after year. And I hope it's not just the galaxy and Miami and New York doing it.

I hope every team in the league looks around and says, yeah, we can go get some of the best players in the world. We might have to get creative about profile and age and location and all that. But I mean, I just want more of it. I think you're going to get it. I don't think by the time the 2025 season starts, I don't think that Denky is going to be the transfer record for an incoming player. I think somebody else is going to break that number maybe even by the end of the month. Here, here.

Let's go. Now just keep them away from boxers. All right. Oh boy, let's get into the, uh, how do you, let's go playoffs conference, semifinals. New York City, New York Rebels, Hudson River Derby Saturday, 530 PM Eastern time, vibe check on this one. We have not yet got a Hudson River Derby in the playoffs. And, you know, because the soccer gods are good. There's a little circus in the city field parking lot. I mean, I don't mean like proverbial speaking.

I mean, like there are circus animals and clowns and other such things in between this game, 25,000 capacity for city field. They've expanded that one. And Sausher going to be on site for in Los Countdown. And I hear a lot of Previa. So Sausher is going to break out the Espanol. So stay tuned for that one. And there's some extra, a little bit extra spice to this, Kaelin, because it's a homegrown affair and not just a bunch of guys who don't truly get what the big apple is about.

On the New York City side, you got Sands, Hack, Taven, Kevin O'Toole is a Red Bull's homegrown. He's from New Jersey. Nice with the New York City, Red Bulls, John Tolkien, Edelman. We're going to count the Nealis Bros, Long Island, Strong Island, Stay Strong, Don Corr, Julian Hall, etc. This is a treat. It's nice that we got to this point, because we definitely did not expect to be here. Yeah, I did the last New York Derby in Red Bull Arena. And it was one way traffic. Nick Kushing came out.

They switched the formation a little bit in that one. No, well, I guess they brought in Perea in that one and then pushed and pressed in within the first five minutes scored. And I think they got a second within 10. So that's the way this matchup has gone so far. But I like that extra bit. You mentioned of the homegrown players, because I think that adds a little bit. Even Kushing, he played Justin Hack in that game.

And he's like, even in the Cincinnati series, he played him in the home leg and was like, we need somebody who's local, who understands what it means to play for this club here and there. So I actually think it's something that the managers are aware of as well too. And even when I was doing like, I did a Toronto match earlier this year. And again, Spontariol and Herdmann gave Osorio the team talk.

So I think some of this like, understanding the rivalry part is crucial to actually how this may play out. And some of these guys have like Edelman played a huge role in that last series. He's played some of his best stuff. I've seen him play all season. So I love that extra little bit of angle. And some of these guys, as you mentioned, have played for the other side, where even like a Julian Hall started at New York City Academy.

And then now is like 17, balling for off the bench when he gets his chance. Maybe he has a moment coming off the bench. I'm always rooting for him. And then, yeah, a tool was a red bull player now on the other side for New York City. So some of that ragging rights where you've played against these guys, grown up with these guys.

And then now doing it for the first playoff match ever is add to next year a little fun wrinkle that you don't necessarily see maybe in El Trafico or some of these other rivalries. That five one is going to be playing on the minds of the Red Bulls in New York City as well. I assume, Doyle. I don't think there's a ton of big personnel questions. Maybe like right back for New York City as an illidit, sure as it Teyvon Gray.

But outside of that, I struggle to see like a big question mark here for cushing or for Sandra Schwartz. But I am curious how you think this game is going to play out because New York City just punched the Red Bulls in the mouth in a Red Bullsian way at Red Bull Arena and just ran out big time winners because of it. Yeah, they pressed them and the Red Bulls have changed their game model this year under Sandra Schwartz. We've talked about it a lot this season.

Like they're more willing to play from the back. They're more willing to play small passes through central midfield. It's a massive change in identity. And they were that team up until early October when they lost 5-1 to NYCFC. And since then, they have been much more willing to revert to the old version of Red Bull Ball, which is a lot of long balls to the front line and then try to win the second ball in midfield and go direct from there.

They have not allowed themselves to be pressed since that game in the way that they were pressed in the way that they were completely unmade. And you can see that I mean, part of the change is like they have one center back who can really play with the ball at his feet in Noah Eila and he's no longer really a start. Right? It's it's Reyes and the Nealis brothers. And that tells you a lot about where Sandra Schwartz's head is.

And the other thing is where the meal horseberg wins second ball and then get downhill into space is a really good game plan. The foresberg is so gifted at playing quick passes into the runs of his fellow attackers. And it's it's been I'm not going to say irresistible, right? They were they were pretty fortunate against the crew, but like it gives them a better chance

of winning the game. And we've seen it play out like that over the first round of the playoffs and the past or the final few weeks of the regular season. Kayle and you've done a lot of games in around New York City this year. And I'm just curious, what is the difference between New York City away and New York City at home? And when I say home, I mean, literally any stadium in the New York area, it seems like what is this difference? Because it just seems so stark.

For me, it just comes down to the roster profile where the age of the team is just a young team. And so I think at home, you see one version of them and on the road, you're not quite sure what you're going to get. And I think part of that comes from the way it's been built. You know, the difference that I think is Maxi coming when he's in the team and not in the team, that seems to be the biggest indicator for me of like at least some experience.

He helps them organize defensively even from the press and then gives them a release valve to break pressure and then build out from there. So I think some of that just comes down to the age and profile of the team as far as home and away. That'd probably be the easiest answer I could think of. All right, let's hit some players. Who's got to step up? Try to weave this into the narrative of the game and the way you see it playing out. Kayle and who's got to step up? Who's the guy?

I'm going with Santi Rodriguez because it's 28. We did a preview yesterday, Doyle and I did and it was we were working yesterday. We were working back to backs, baby. We, but I was like Matt Freeze, right? He's been one of the, you know, he's been an excellent form one of the best goalkeepers in the league this year.

And I was like Alonzo Martinez and I mentioned the age profile. He's sort of an elder statesman, I think 25 on this team and it kind of goes to the point of like you didn't know who was going to step up at times where you have a guy. It's like you've got Bacrar, you've got a number of like Mabies, right? And they had to wait and find and he had an interesting story where Cushing told me he came and knocked on the door and was like, hey, I want to play the number nine

position, which sounds like a number nine to me. And the strange part is now that he is a number nine. I'm like, he didn't never look like a winger, right? Like he does not ever look like he has any interest in going to the wide areas or beating guys off like he just wants to stay in those central channels. But Santee was the one we never talked about and didn't really come up. So, and he's their DP. And so they, I think they need the best out of him and haven't seen it as of yet.

He had, I think, the little chip penalty or pinnacle, but I need to see a little bit more from him and the run and play if they want to get through the series. I'm going to take emo fours. We're on the other side. I don't got to add too much to what you said, Doyle. It's just that he does something that nobody else on this roster is capable of doing and the way that he both slows the game down in critical moments, but then speeds it up. He just makes those four words so much more dangerous

in and of itself. His vision, his ability to execute a pass, his ability to just get away from a guy and tight spaces. And that's what a lot of times the Red Bulls were creating out of against the crew is like, Hey, it's a 50 50 ball. Email won it. He took two or three good touches. He created an angle because he's email fours bird guys started running. And when you start running in front of him, you can bet, you know, look seven out of 10 times the pass is going to be on the money.

So it's going to be fours bird and then you mentioned freeze, but I think Carlos Cornell's heroics against the crew. I don't know that he has to replicate them, but if he doesn't, that makes the job much more difficult for the Red Bulls because I think that New York City are going to have more goal scoring chances in this one than the red side of New York. So who's your guy? It's Lewis Morgan precisely because of what you said.

That fours bird will get him into space and because NYCFC will have more scoring chances. There are going to be a few of them for the Red Bulls. They're probably going to end up on Lewis Morgan's foot. If he's healthy, we've seen that I think it's reported that he is back in training and expected to be good to go. If that's the case, he's the type of guy who could win this match.

Getting some goals was a little snake pit in the series there against the crew. All right, that one is going to start us off on Saturday 530 PM Eastern time and let's count down before. Then you have a little bit of break. Another countdown ahead of the 1030 match. That's LAFC Seattle Sounders vibe check on that one like this again. You know, maybe we're all thinking that. Certainly, I would think the sounders are thinking that though in a hopeful way. 10 meetings, no wins for the

sounders against this LAFC team. I have a quote here from Anders that I'm not sure he was aware I was writing down during the pre show meeting. Quote beating LAFC in 2019 was worth suffering through these last 10 games. Now we're going to beat them. So it's going to be fine. It has to turn out. Okay, this time, right? Kaelin this time it'll change and I'll all be different.

Well, normally I'm like, it's really hard to be the team, you know, again and again and again, but then there's like a point where you cross a certain threshold where you're like, maybe this is just a bad matchup for this team. I think that is the category that Seattle finds themselves in where I know there's some questions about will LAFC which formation will they play? I think they'll stick with the five in the back. And I think it's difficult for Seattle to break down in those

positions. So I think going on the road will be better for Seattle in a way just because it simplifies things for them as far as their approach, their defensive structure is strong. And then you kind of take your moments where maybe you lure LAFC into playing a bit more, but I think the vibe check for this one is that it's probably going to be pretty ugly. Like there's not going to be a lot. We're not going to see a lot of free flowing, beautiful soccer being played. So, but I'm okay with

that. You know, as an Eastern Conference loyalist, I'm down to see a bit of that in the Western Conference as well. As I just said in the chat, this is like calling next goal wins at recess when you're down 10-1. And it's probably going to be one goal that decides this thing if history's any indication. Coaching decisions to watch how the game is going to play out. Duel on the coaching

decision side, it feels pretty obvious for Schmetzer. Whether or not he starts Pitter-Dale Levega, I think might be up for debate, but it's all about Trandalo's formation and the midfield. Right. I heard you say, Kaelin, you think it's going to be the 5-2-3, but God, they were so much better in the second half of that third game against Vancouver when they added another number in the midfield. Yeah. They were able to shut Vancouver down in the second half of that third

game. And it was, I honestly think that was the only half of that series in which LAC were the better team. And to Kaelin's point about there's probably not going to be a lot of good-looking soccer and this one aesthetically blue. The Caps had no problem at all playing aesthetically pleasing soccer

against this LAC team when LAC left the midfield open in that, playing that 5-2-3. And look, the gamble that Steve Trandalo makes every time that's how they play is that they're not going to lose the game there and it is worth trading possession and field position for space for Danny Bawanga and Matthias Bogouche and even Ryan Hollings had to counterattack into. And if you look at the way that LAC have beaten the founders for the past thousand years, it's been Danny Bawanga

in space or Matthias Bogouche or Ryan Hollings had in space. The outlier was this US Open Cup back in August where it was a handball off penalty late that I think Bawanga finished. But like, for the most part, it's just been like, we think it's worth trading all of that to get our best goal scorers into high leverage goal scoring positions and it has worked out that way every single time. LAFC are obviously a first goal team. We know that, Kaelin.

Paint me the picture of the first 20 minutes where Seattle comes out and gets the goal that changes the the the structure and the way that this match looks and maybe the outcome. I think it just you just have to look back at the Vancouver tape and Vancouver had a chance in that first match of the series at LAFC and they win the ball and they find Brian White in behind and he hits it off the post one-on-one. But it's the exact type of movement in round that Jordan Morris loves to

exploit. And if that goes in, it's different. It's a different series. He had another big chance, I think in the third game. In the third game as well. Same exact thing. Same thing. Win the ball, turn and go, find Jordan Morris in space. So if I'm Brian Schmetzor, I'm looking at that tape and I think it does come down to where Doyle's saying that midfield where if you pressure,

O'Brien, if you pressure Tillman, Obed Vargas for me is a key coming into this. If you can win the ball in those positions and then when you win it, you go quickly, you get the first goal, you cannot concede first to LAFC because it was shut it down. That will be the end lights out. I just don't see Seattle and that's the position they've continually found themselves in in these

past matchups where it's gone from one to two to three. And it has to be, I think it would have to be a one-nil victory for Seattle maybe two-one if you can find a second, but they have to score first. And I think a chance where LAFC at times, honestly, they looked not quite up for it mentally. And moments in the beginning of matches or before half time and Toronto has talked about this as well, too. So if they can find those moments, they have to be efficient. Jordan Morris had big chance

last year in the playoffs. Wasn't able to put it away. They have to take those moments when they arrive, but I think the formula watching Vancouver will give them some sort of recipe and then you're banking on a healthy Jordan Morris. This this two-week break may have helped no other team bigger than Seattle coming off that last round where you have the international break to get guys

healthy. I think Rothrock and Ruseneck as well back should be back into the team. So I think that's actually shaded them to give them a chance to give their best effort or at least try to change the way this series has gone these last what 10 games. So I trust LAFCs difference makers in big moments in the playoffs. They've just we've done it. Yeah. I we all should. I mean, can we trust Pedro de la Vega? I mean, he's got to be the player to watch and who has to step up here.

You're 100% correct. We like he is the one who has to step up. He is the player to watch because he is the guy who is probably going to be operating in those half spaces where Ryan Gold was so excellent for three games for the white caps. Like he has to play better than he ever has in a sounder shirt. And certainly better than he did against Houston because if he comes out and he plays like he did against Houston, like he will play 45 minutes. He will not be on the field to start the

second half because he was that bad in that series win against the dynamo. But if you just look at the structure of these teams, it is going to be Pedro de la Vega coming into that half space finding the ball between the lines and playing Jordan Morris through. Can he do that so far this year the answer is no. If it's not him, then it's Albert Rousnak and we do have a little bit more

confidence in Albert Rousnak's ability to do that. But it's still you know, Boanga and Bogush and look, Olivier Jauru hasn't been particularly good since he came to L.A.F.C. but we know what Olivier Jauru's record is in big games and there's just a difference in terms of the quality of the match winners. I'm going to take Maddie Bogush as the player to watch and I think the most unpredictable match winner in this game, Danny Bawong. I'm not saying he is

predictable. We kind of understand where the danger is going to come from, where his starting points are, you know, where he where he wants to get the ball and how. Bogush is a little bit more of a wild card to me. He'll pop up in different spots. He'll get him behind you, but it'll also be one to drive at the back line with the ball. He's got the shot from distance. He's been a difference maker in this match up before. So I think for L.A.F.C. you know probably what you get from

Danny, really, the question is finishing variability and decision making. Bogush is the one that if he steps up, I don't think Seattle are going to be able to get the job done. I just think it gets too difficult for them at that point. Would you start him at the nine or Jauru? I think he'll start Jauru. I think he should start Bogush.

I think if I think if Kiki O'Lavira had been playing at a higher level in these playoffs, that it would be easier to make the case for Kiki to play on the right and for Bogush to play in the middle. I don't know. I just feel like that second half, the way Jauru played, he wasn't as predictable in his movement and he didn't occupy all the spaces that that Bogush and Duonga want to get into. But hey, this is the benefit of having a deep talented roster. I wouldn't

be surprised either way. I just sort of feel like it's going to be Jauru. I don't know. We'll see. I would go Bogush too. I just don't think you can be playing guys into form into the playoffs right now. So I would be happy to have him go into the sort of Gareth Bale role where you're hoping for a change or if you need it and as the match goes on. Fair, fair. Who do you got as your player to watch? I'm going with the Obed Vargas.

I just think I've always liked him. I have him, I think, in my top three in the 22 under 22 list this year. I think when we talked about this matchup specifically in winning the midfield in the middle of the pitch, he's going to be integral to being able to do that. So, yeah, a young player, but he's been, he's played in the biggest matches. You can possibly play in concaf champions, cup, winner, all that. It never looks scared of the moment. And I think

what the type of match this is going to set up to be where it's scrappy. You have to win that center of the pitch. And I think he's going to be integral to doing that. I'll say this on the Jauru when I was thinking about it as you were going through that. If they go with the 523, I think you play Bogush because you need more numbers. You need somebody

who wants to drop a little further in the midfield. If you play in the 433, I think you need somebody that's going to occupy those center backs and give Bogush more space to and time to make those runs and to pop up in those spots. I think it probably depends on formation, but it's been a fit of having all these great players, man. All right, make your predictions for Saturday. Who you got, Kaelin, Eastern Conference, Hudson River Derby, LHCC, Seattle, who's moving on?

El from both of them. I'm going to go, I mean, I think the Hudson River Derby is a toss up, but I'll go to New York City. I think the weight would have helped them more where the momentum from Red Bull's last series. And the matchup has shaded them as well. But so I'll go to New York City and then I'm

going to stick with LHCC, although I do see a path for Seattle. I think if you're LHFC, you're looking at the East and saying, okay, well, no Miami, no Columbus, we play home games, single elimination, straight to MLS Cup. This is like a clear path for us. And so I think they'll end up getting through on this one. I will just say did a, I think the same thing will happen. Doyle, do you have any disagreement? Yeah, I'm picking the Red Bulls to go through. I just think they're a different team

with Forrestburg and I don't trust NYCFC. And I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it. Why not? Why not? You can do it. Come on. Next goal wins. Next goal wins. All right. Sunday, 330 PM Eastern time Orlando, City at LHCC, United. The vibe check is, I mean, for Atlanta, it's just full FIA, middle fingers in the air, you know, Guzán flailing in the net, underdog central, like you can't stop us now, sort of vibes.

And for Orlando, there's a little bit of like Joseph Martinez or Orlando, like is the other shoe going to drop because they are the favorites, Doyle. All the pressure is on them, even if maybe the gap between Orlando and the rest of the Eastern Conference teams isn't as big as say it would have been with the favorites. This just feels like the moment that Oskar Preja needs to take advantage of because he's still chasing Cupman. Yeah, this is a better team than last year's team. And I know

it's counterintuitive to say that given that last year's Orlando team had 63 points. And this one is only 52. But if you look at the underlying numbers specifically for the second half of the season, since Martino had it became the number 10, they're one of the handful of best teams in the league. And like we have seen that repeatedly, teams that are able to figure it out in June, July are legitimate MLS Cup threats. And that includes last year's crew. They were different team

before and after the Zellarián Diego Rossi thing. So I, yeah, the pressure is on them. And I think this is honestly Oskar's best ever chance. Or maybe with 2015, but like one of his, now this is his best ever chance to get to MLS Cup because they have home field advantage throughout the rest of the Eastern Conference playoffs. If they win this game, they are playing better on balance than anybody else in the Eastern Conference. They, like, I give

Charlotte a lot of credit. Charlotte's an excellent defense and they had no choice but to pack everybody in and you know, defend in Christian Kalena's lap and they did a great job of that in the second two games. I don't think Atlanta could do that. So I like, I, this is it, man. If Orlando blow this, it would be I think it would be crushing. It would be crushing for them to not get through this game and honestly through the next one as well. And also because it's Atlanta,

and that's some questions for Rob Valentino, probably mostly in the midfield. Does Dax start? I think he has to is Mojumba able to start again. If he can, you probably want to do that as well. Then for Orlando, it's same question we've been asking about the number nine. I still expected to be Ramirez on Rike just for his movement. And then you have Duncan McGuire and Murray L to bring off the bench. Is this as simple as like Atlanta sits deep in counters and Orlando have to break down

a block, Caleb? Like, is there anything deeper to sort of the tactical side of this match? How do you see it playing out? I think that's a good formula. I think you have to stick with the squad that's been playing well. So I think you know, for me, definitely still riding in those vets for Atlanta. And then you know, the part that I get concerned about for Orlando is is a little bit of that cageiness and that kind of just every playoff match with them and always comes down. I can

understand how pray I once I said is team up and I want to play tight and be in the margins. But Atlanta United team as the match goes on, as it opens up and it just gets into a little bit of that chaos zone. That's where they're at their best. And so I see that shading towards Atlanta, the deeper this goes, I actually think Orlando should come out and try to set them more aggressive

stands. I don't think they're going to do it. But I also don't see, no, I don't think so. I just think the way that they play generally is kind of one way, which is more conservative, especially in these high-liverage moments. And I don't see it also as Orlando has such huge favorites to go through the east for me. The east is just completely wide open at this point. Like the difference in points even, I think in the regular season is like pretty minimal. I think there were two points

higher than New York City and five points above Red Bull. So to me, after you get rid of Miami and Columbus, it's kind of just up for grabs as far as who's going to go. And I would include the way Atlanta United when you go off and beat Inter Miami three. No, you can just throw out the regular season at this point. So I'm not as not as clear as like this is Orlando's to lose. And I mean, they lost on on decision day at home in a match that they put everything into against Atlanta

United in that match. I didn't feel like they put everything into that match. Like that was to me, that was a clear case of Atlanta United playing with desperation and Orlando City not flipping the switch until they were down to nil. And it was 30 minutes in. And then the final hour of that match was just one way traffic. Do I heard you say you don't think so in regards to Orlando being aggressive to Kaylyn? You think they will be aggressive? Do you think Oscar will press high?

Yeah. I think I think that it's very likely in this game that Orlando's going to have 60% possession or higher. I think that they are going to. And like part of this is Atlanta's going to be like, have the ball. Go ahead. But the kinds of mistakes that Miami's backline made that allowed TRA in particular to hit those seams and to get that brace in the deciding game. I don't think that Robin Yance or even Rodrigo Schlagel are going to make those types of mistakes as often

as Miami did. And the other thing is part of what has made Orlando so good the second half of the season is how comfortable they are in possession and how dynamic they are in changing phase from just like steady possession to attacking penetration in the final third. And that is why Fakrundo Torres has scored so many goals. It's why Martino Hayda has been so effective,

even Angulo has been effective as well. They're creating chances from that type of setup, but they still, because of Orojo and Cartagena, are really tough to break down without the ball. They don't give up chances up like counter attacking chances up the gut. I really like the way they're playing. And I understand pointing through the regular season, there's not a big differential in points between this team and the others in the Eastern Convert. They've lost three

times in the past four and a half months. They've lost three games in four and a half months since they made the change, the personnel change. Putting Orojo Hayda at the 10 has made them better. Like the knock on effect has made them better with the ball, without the ball. It's allowed Cartagena and Orojo to play simpler. It's allowed Fakrundo Torres to be more aggressive, which in turn allows Dagger down to be more aggressive up that right side. They're playing

a really good soccer. I'm with you on that. I do think that one of the reasons what one of the things Orojo Hayda needs is a little bit more space. I don't think it's as simple as, hey, speed things up in the final third. I still think for him and Angulo and Enrique, there needs to be a little bit of space for them to speed up into and to exploit. It's not a team that where they're like, hey, it's very tight here and there's no space between you and the

goal scoring areas in and around the box. Figure out how to play combinations around that to get there. That's not to me where they thrive. They've got to find a way to get it landed to come out a little bit. I do think you're right about that central midfield pairing and they've got to get around Dax as soon as he gets the ball. That quick release that he played against Miami, you cannot allow that. That's where the chances come from. Look, I think they're the favorite.

I think Orojo Hayda is the guy to watch because if they can get him into space, if they can get him downhill, if they can get him in one V1 situations where he's got a little bit of pace behind him, he can be really, really good. If you're asking him to be a right no-so style creator where he receives with his back the goal and turns guys and combines, and that's not him. They've got to find a way to get Atlanta to come out of their block just a little bit to create that space. Kaelin,

who's your guy to watch? Brad Guzan, man. Let's go. This guy is on a all-time heater in MLS Playoff history right now. He's the player of the tournament the way it's gone so far. I did the wildcard match in Montreal where it was him and Joseph going toe-to-toe, which was just epic to watch. You basically are like, all right, well, either team from here is just walking into the lion's den. I'm about to get completely mulled by Inter Miami and he was anything but that. I think

it's fair to say is because of this guy. It's not to take away from the rest of the team, but the way we saw him standing on his head literally after he's pushing the net. But in general, just like some of the saves he made were just absolutely ridiculous. I just want to see if he can continue it. I think he can. I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be able to ride that. He's earned the respect of the best players in the world. Could you see the way they even

interacted with him? I just want to see if you can continue the hot hand. Speaking of hot hands, who's going to be the hot hand for Orlando up top two? I mean, the hope is that it'll be Romero and Rique. He's been good at everything in these playoffs, except putting the ball in the back of the net. If there's a concern for Orlando, it's that none of the number nine's and they got three of them are really where they're finishing boots right now.

But I kind of feel like they're due. And Rique earned that job with his two way play. You keep it by scoring goals. And he needs to find one here. All right, goals. LA Galaxy Minnesota finishes off our previews here Sunday, 6 p.m. Eastern. By then, we'll know who's in the conference finals. We may have a good idea where most couple will be because of its El Trafico. We're going to LA for

MLS Cup. Vibe check on this matchup. It is overwhelming firepower and LA levels of Ricky Pooge megawatt smiles versus like kind of the nice guys without big names who will shake your hand and smile as they pick you up off the ground after checking you. So yeah, it's LA versus Minnesota. It's kind of what you think it might be. Coaching decisions to watch. I'm sort of racking my brain here guys. I kind of feel like this is all pretty straightforward. Yeah, I can't think of

anything that is like Mark O'Reilly says not going to start. You know, it's going to be him off the bench. It's going to be the lineups that we've seen from the Galaxy. It's going to be the lineups that we've seen from Minnesota United. I don't think there's anything out of the left field happening here. I do feel though like Minnesota have a real chance. And I've been saying

this ever since this matchup got set up. It just feels to me like the Galaxy's weaknesses, which is exposing themselves in transition, set pieces, and then the occasional whoopsie are areas at Minnesota United are very, very good. They're going to sit in that five four one. They're going to take away the middle of the field. They're going to counter through at least Robin Ludd and Yiboa and maybe Bongi from the right side, perhaps Rosales, whoever the moment is

right for. And then they're always going to be back in shape and they're always going to compress space and try to take away the center of the field for Ricky. It feels like it feels like this has upset potential. Even though I know a lot of people are looking at the Galaxy and just thinking, yeah, let's just roll them. Look at that talent. Look at Ricky smile. Look at the hair. Perfectly coiffed. Not going to mention the tuck. I didn't feel I needed to, but that is a very important part

of the persona. You're right. You're right. I think we be. I think that like styles make fights and Minnesota's style is I think better designed to give the Galaxy problems than certainly Colorado's was. You know, Colorado, we're dead on arrival even before Pasah and George E. were hurt in that. We got a package lunch. What do we order for lunch? Oh my goodness. No, I don't think that Minnesota are going to expose space in behind for peck and pencil to run into.

I think they're going to encourage Ricky to go wherever he wants to go and to the Galaxy's credit, they have oriented their entire build around that and made it a lot easier for them to cope when he does turn the ball over and even with the best players in the world, turnovers happen. So the Galaxy are better structured than I think they have been, but at the same time,

it's not perfect. There are still going to be a couple of turnovers. And when that happens, Kalanya Bawa, Bungie Lungwane and Robin Lettle-Dino in the open field, it's killer. What do you make of Minnesota's defensive record? Do you feel like that's just the core and sustainable and who they are? Or is it more of just like, hey, this is a good run and a little bit a little bit fortunate? I think it's a little bit fortunate. You know, Daines St. Clares had some

big moments. The new ideas has been very good after a rough first game against Seattle. Carlos Harvey has taken like a fish to water, taken, you know, that playing as a right center back steps into central midfield. So they're doing some things. You know, they're certainly not a bad defense, like they're a very good defensive team. But the Galaxy are maybe the best attacking team in the league. So it's a different level of

of challenge. It should be so, you know, thinking about how we framed L.A.F.C. versus Seattle, I think this is a game that could end up being weirdly kind of tight and aesthetically maybe something less than glorious just because there's not going to be any incentive for Minnesota to open themselves up. And that could maybe cause the Galaxy to be a little bit more careful in how they align themselves. On the other hand, again, end up being 5'4", because like Ricky

Pooge playing against Will Trapp and Hassani Dots in central midfield. He's probably going to find some space and be able to do some stuff. Yeah, you would think he'll be able to speed the game up every now and then this Minnesota team hasn't seen a player like him during this stretch run. So who needs to step up, Kaylen? We've already debuted the little Dino Moniker while you were picking up your package or your sub sandwich, whatever's going on there.

I got a Daines St. Clair and he adds, you know, he adds that's kind of the way you guys set up, like the 5'4", and I think they've only conceded two goals in their last seven games in that formation. So they've been real tight. Those four also across the middle. They're all kind of central guys, so they stay tight. But eventually, like you said, Ricky Pooge, I think leads the league and touches leads the league in progressive passes. And this is by far the best attack still

available in the playoffs. And so now I'm like, all right, well, you need good goalkeeper play. And Daines St. Clair had a few ridiculous saves early against Diego Luna that I think kept them in that. And then once again, when it came down to the penalty kicks, he had those saves the first run. And I remember I sent him like a DM afterwards like, you know, man, nice, like great saves and whatever. And he's like, I got more. And then they went back again,

to the penalty kicks. And I was like, oh no, he was not playing. Like he's really doing this. And not to mention the like Vince Carter, it's over. I just love that too. So some personality, I'm ready for a stare down match between him and Ricky Pooge. If it does happen on a penalty kick, I'm I'm I'm really ready for that type of answer. So if it does, if it does go to penalties, who's favorite day Daines St. Clair or John McCarthy? I would go Daines St. Clair for sure.

And John John McCarthy's record in PK shootouts is, yeah, I'm a less kept MVP, right? But I think that's his that's his John as they say. But for Minnesota to be at penalties, they'd be much, much happier to be in that position than the galaxy would be. So, um, and I think you guys are over like I've got I'm creating a case for Minnesota, but the galaxy feel sleep slept on to me. Like

they haven't really been talked about. Uh, I think obviously that a lot was in the east and then now a L.A.O.C. and, um, I think the way it went at the last day across line, but they they basically haven't even really started their playoffs yet. By the way, that Colorado team was just ravaged by injuries. It was kind of just like, listen to this. It's warm staying fit. So I'm like, can I? What? I Kaelin Carr. Ricky Pooge standing for the galaxy saying this, the galaxy is

organization. I don't think it's a bad. I don't think it's a bad spot for them to uh, and look, I still do think L.A.O.C. I'm, I'm up to believe the team that have been to Cup finals have been in each of those MLS Cup champions. So I think you have to prove it. And the galaxy didn't do it in Leaks Cup for me. They haven't done it in knockout, um, in knockout play. So I want to see what they have, but I do think they're being slept on a little

bit as, as a team that can still win this whole thing. Uh, just for sauce is going to be my player to watch also walking parrera. Those guys are going to be on gobbrel packs side. And so being really intelligent about what the positions that you take when you push forward, how you support the attack, but also stay really, really strategic in terms of your positioning as far as rest defense goes are going to be huge. Because if you get ISOed against pack, you, you basically lose

those matchups. And that is something that cannot afford to let happen. Okay, give us our predictions. Let's get out of here. Sunday predictions, Kaelin. What do you got? Atlanta, baby, let's go. No, I do, I am taking Atlanta. I'm riding it. I'm riding the hot hand. I've seen, you know, I don't know if I'm in the FVA category, but I'd like to get in at one, one match exemption. I believe I'm behind the team. I think, uh, I think this sets up well for them

against a sort of tighter, I think tense or land O team. You guys have put all the pressure on them. So I'm riding with Atlanta United to continue the dream. And then I'm sticking with the galaxy. With your team with your boys. My boys. Absolutely. Yep. If you could see one, if you could see, yeah, say if you could see one thing, it would be the galaxy to win a Moscow. That's just, uh, your dreams. Uh, Doyle, what do you got? Any changes from

that? Uh, yeah, I'm picking Orlando. I think the Atlanta dream ends in central Florida, uh, on Sunday. And I, I actually, I really like Minnesota United's chances, but I, I just think the galaxy are, oh, come on. They're home. They have power. They have, they have more firepower. Uh, this, yeah, we're going to get El Trafico. I'm taking Orlando and I'm taking galaxy as well. Give me the favorites. All right. Big matches Saturday and Sunday. And let's count down.

Lou, we expect to see this on your social media this week. Exactly. Write it down. Write it down. We almost believed in you. Yeah, that's a good quote for you. All right. Everybody enjoyed the games. We'll be back on Monday to break it all down. It'll be a great week in a playoff action on MLS season pass on Apple TV. We'll see you on the other side. Adios.