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This episode of Nos Arietas is sponsored by Fulpole Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietas since 2011. Full Pool was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounders supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.
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¶ Yeimar Gomez Andrade Injury Update
Welcome back to another episode of Nos Adiatis on the Sound Red Heart Podcast Network and streaming on Lobbing Scorchers. YouTube channel. So uh make sure you check that out. But we are here in the Sound Routheart Studios. It is Friday. And I am, of course, joined by Nico Moreno for another episode of What We Learned This Week. Nico, how you feeling?
Not feeling great. We're in the studio. Shout out to my guy Noah on the back, fixing the lights, getting things ready. Um just excited about another game. I want to move on from the sporting guest in the game. So that's how I'm feeling. And it was also a a really cool week of training. Uh, you know, some interesting stuff that I'm happy to share. But yeah, man, feeling good.
Yeah, so the biggest, I guess there wasn't a lot of news necessarily to come out of training this week. But one of the pieces that we got confirmed today was that Yeamar Gomez Andrere, who they had been talking about potentially coming back before the club or before the World Cup, is definitely going to be on the shelf until after the World Cup. And they're talking about it being somewhat related to the injury and the way it's healing, but it also seems like a lot of that is.
They just don't feel any need to rush him because not only is Alex Roldan playing very good at center back, but Tino Lopez is playing very good. And now Kim Kehe and Ryan Saylor are both back and fit. So there's just not a numbers need to bring there's no I mean, Yamar may be the starter, but the it doesn't justify necessarily risking any potential injury and let's get him back fully fit.
And so that you know, it it won't be for a while, it won't be for two months from now, I guess more than two months, three months from now. But I don't know, what do we what do we make of Yamar?
I most importantly, the team's playing well. I mean, that's the reality of it all. This is one of those situations where there's a difference between how the player feels and how he is. Adapting to the ramp up of the training and what the MRI shows you.
Yeah.
Yeah. And and I'm glad that they are being very careful. about making sure that if we're gonna bring him back, it's when he's a hundred percent. And so I had been saying that I had no doubt that he was gonna come back prior to the FIFA World Cup because you saw him on the field. I I saw him today playing goal.
With an extending out there and tr you know, stopping a ball. So, you know, he feels like a guy that his demeanor is, I need to get back. I I wanna be in there. Uh he is a guy that's obsessed with the game, right? He's uh someone that hates to be watching the game from the suite or from the bench. So he definitely has that desire to be back. But And this happened with like Ozzy Alonso, where you have to protect the player from himself. Yeah. And so I'm glad that that's what the team is doing.
And I can understand also from his perspective, this is a contract year. Yes. He's gonna be out of contract in the end of the year. And so he wants to get out there and prove that he deserves a contract. And I suppose in some twisted way, maybe this. helps him stay with the Sounders because it's not you know, his his price is not going up while he's hurt. But it sounds like he kinda does potentially want to stay here.
It might not be the end of the world for everyone, but I'm sure that is on his mind at the very least.
No, it has to be, right? I mean, uh, that's a good point. And I'm not gonna deny that all players understand that there's negotiations at the beginning of the year, then you don't get those, then situation like this happens and you're like, Man, I I really want to get back out there. What I would say is that He is definitely someone that beyond the team and the connection to the club and what he's been able to do here, when you win with a club and you are as successful as he's been with a club.
You have this affiliation, this very organic love for the badge, and I think that he has that. But also his family is very happy here. Mm-hmm. Uh with the exception of maybe in the winter when they they do go to Argentina there.'Cause you know, ever I think most players do. Uh I think that he loves the city here. So um
I hope that
when he's ready to go. But but I do think that those negotiations, that's always in the back of of his head. And that's probably what he wants to come back pretty quickly. I do think that he is someone that has a profile in the center back group. that no other player has.
All right.
There's nobody in the team that has
This is physicality.
Nobody, nobody. And you can talk about his passing or all this and that. But when it comes to being a pure defender and being a physical specimen that demands respect. almost like Shaquille O'Neal in the paint, that gives you a a a different level of of defender. And so that's where I think that he has no problem. He understands how good he is. And I think that look, if the Sounders wanted to let him walk, maybe teams out there sure uh ready to to
I have no doubt. I have no doubt that he'll find someone he's gonna be playing soccer next year and he'll be making a fair amount of money one way or the other next year.
¶ Stu Hawkins' Career Crossroads
The one downside, uh not downside, but the one player who does seem to be maybe in a more in a more nebulous place is Stu Hawkins. And we asked about asked Schmetzer about that today. And he, you know, he didn't have a lot to say other than It did not sound like he was in the immediate plans. He spoke highly of his skill. He spoke highly of, you know, his potential. Clearly not in the short term plans, and he is, at least for now, playing with Defiance.
Ah man, Stu Hawkins has been plagued by injuries at the worst times possible. Whenever it's Stu time, he gets injured and That has hindered his ability to make his mark with the team. Yep. That has handicapped, his ability to grow and develop with very well-deserved minutes on the field. And it's to a point where other players are getting those minutes and they're performing at a level that all of a sudden it puts you in a predicament of just going lower and lower in the pecking order.
A and not anything against two.
He's done nothing his fault.
None of it at least his fault, but it it is a credit to the other players. And and and we'll talk about Tino because I don't want to make it up about Tino right now, but. I have no doubt that is a an excellent prospect. And he's a very well-mannered uh kid that uh loves the game. He's so poised on the ball, has all these attributes to be this very good center back. But if you're not healthy.
No, it's tough. It's tough. It's tough. And I think the other thing with him is that he needs to be playing at a level higher than Defiance. The reality is that he's done everything he can to prove himself with Defiance. And it's really hard to see a pathway to first team minutes. And look, it's not a competition between him and Tino Lopez, but Tino Lopez right now has shown everything that he deserves the minutes that theoretically would be going to Sue Hawkins.
Hard for me to see Tino Lopez barring injury not getting those minutes. He has played absolutely fantastic. Like we said. Alex Raldon has been, in the words of Brian Schmisser, a revelation at center back. Yeah. He's gonna continue to get some minutes there. And Kalani Coast be in part because Klani Kosarienzi is playing really good at right back. You add it all together and it's just hard to see.
Stu's pathway to first team minutes. And I think everyone is going to be best served if he is able if they're able to find a loan for him somewhere. Because again, he should not be toiling away at Tacoma Defiance. He should be playing high-level first team minutes somewhere. USL championship to me is like the bare minimum where he should be going. I think there's a better, there's a pretty good argument for him to be made.
going someplace like Sweden or, you know, a sort of second tier European league where he's gonna compete against grown men and be able to g ideally get minutes there. And, you know, if not that, then who knows? Maybe he he does go somewhere else in MLS. I don't know. But uh it's the time. Colorado.
They love you.
They seem to love the former sounders. Uh, but uh, you know, I don't want to spend too much time on that. Uh, what were some of the other observations you had from training this week?
¶ Tino Lopez's Impressive Rise
Well, I'll start with the one that's a good segue. Uh look, Tino Lopez, over the last two weeks, I have been focused and Completely amazed with his atleticism. his growth, his confidence. And look, I'm talking about a player that is not starting, right? Or it's not it's not starting maybe Wednesday, maybe mid midweek he might start, but but right now he's not. But he's been so Freaking good in training. I mean, I find myself amazed
of his athleticism and his poison the ball, the way he he reads the game. There was this play in in in in scrimmage where he intercepts a ball with his head, he brings it down, he Looks up, finds th the player out wide. I mean, uh they had been playing him Not so much as a left back, but like in a three man setup where he's pushing high on his end. And the kid got wheels. He's got wheels, man. He's got wheels. He's got vision. Uh man, I just I I absolutely love what I see from Tino Lopez. Uh so
I'll start there. Uh and I'm starting where maybe I shouldn't, because he's not going to start this weekend. But I've been dying to say it and I didn't get to be here last week because Tim was here. But man, he's just been so good.
The thing that's so funny to me about Tina Lopez is when I would watch him at Defiance and watch him train with the first team before this year, my reaction to him was always He's he looks like he can play. He he looks like he fits in. But I don't ever remember feeling like, wow, this guy is a player. He's gonna be potentially a starter in this league. I I just never I never got that from when I saw him play. Whereas
Even like Stu, sometimes at Defiance, he was doing stuff where I was like, no, this guy has got a huge ceiling. And maybe it was the age bias. I don't know. But man, Tino, like you said, every week, every time he gets on the field, he's doing stuff that's like, no, this isn't just fitting in. This is actually raising the level in some ways. He's not just out there not making mistakes. He's
being uh aggressive and progressive, and he's actually doing things to make the team better. And that's a that's a pretty special I he I mean he's he's a real pla he's a player who I think has real potential to be a starter in this league.
Totally. And I think that if if it's not soon, I think that there's gonna be a lot of teams are gonna be interested in it because He's taking advantage of every minute he's gotten. Yeah. All the way to that San Jose game, which is I will forever, in my mind, be the Tino Lopez game. Uh I think that, you know, if he plays midweek, he's gonna show up, he's gonna do the work.
It'd be funny if you played it against San Jose again, wouldn't it?
No, that would be great. Right. Because you know, he was so good at it, right? In in in the first run. And if you go back to that San Luis game, that was another game where he was like flawless in the in that particular game, right? So it's those are the things where I'm just like, man, he
is someone that's gonna take advantage of those minutes. So whether it is with the sounders or elsewhere, I think that there's something to be had there. Uh but I don't want to spend too much time on him because I know that he's not starting this week. So let me move on to
¶ Jesus Ferreira's Growing Impact
Uh he's just for her, man. I've I I think he's looked really good this week. But beyond the field, to me and all you guys out there. He just seems to be a guy that has really found his spot, not just in a soccer sense, but in a human aspect. Right. Like he told us today that he wanted to. uh go to a storm game. He wants to go to hockey games that last year was you know a little bit weird. Totally. And I see that on the field today. He was doing all these little dances. And again, that's
credited Schmetz and and and the the coaching staff because they do some really fun stuff that really gets guys going. But today I really today and actually this whole week I've seen him just loosen up and and become one of the guys, right? He's always had uh
a little bit more of a serious take to to to the game and he's got friends, he's cool, but uh just over the last couple of weeks just he's loosened up and like really guying tight with this group and and I love to see that and going into this game particularly I look at and we'll talk about San Diego here later on in this episode, but I think that him and Albert, they're gonna have a field day with this San Diego defense. And so when I look at what he's been able to do this
Training week. He's been good on the ball. Shot after shot. I mean, some on the post, some have been saved, three or four goals. I don't know, like mid range, something that we've been asking, right? Him to do.
I think last game. Yeah, in last game, he was it was a little of a bit of a shame that they didn't get the result that they wanted and deserved. Because I think we would have been talking about Jesus Ferreira different in a w in a because it was a really good game from him. I think it was the game where he in some ways looked the most comfortable. He took a bunch of shots. He was a little unlucky not to score he had one that got saved off the crossbar.
He had two other shots where they were sort of open looks that he created for himself and he just pulled them wide. One of them was saved. He looked really comfortable. He looked really good. And I'm really liking what I've seen over him, especially over the last four or five games, where he just seems to be looking for his own shot and is just much more. you know, much more in the game and involved. And I think that's gonna bode well for everybody.
He was the epicenter of every good attack that the Sounders had and I mean, I have been on record talking about how influential he's been from day one this season and and how, you know, how high I was about Rohigi provide for this team. Because if there's something that The Sounders haven't been able to really get since Nicoladero has been a true playmaker that makes that team a lot better. And I don't wanna I know what you're gonna say because I don't wanna
dismiss or take any credit away from Albert Rosnight. He's not
Playmaker in the same way. He's a different kind of I would say that they he like and I don't know that Albert is even even though he ends up with a fair number of assists, playmaking is not necessarily the way I would describe him. He he is capable of hitting a lot of good passes, but he's not you know, he's not breaking guys down off the dribble. He's he's good about getting his own sh I I think in some ways he's better
at getting his own shot than Jesus is. But that's where we're seeing Jesus develop. And I just think that they're comp they're more complimentary. They become more complimentary. And it's funny to think about this time last year, we weren't wondering if they could be on the field together. True. And now they look like they really belong together, which is just kind of funny how those things sometimes work.
¶ Dual Tens and Attacking Strategy
my favorite lineup and and we heard it from Albert and from Jesus this week where in the biggest games that the centers have had and in my opinion when they've looked the best, yeah, there's been dual tens. And Ferrara even broke it down today where It's difficult for that left back to figure out
who he's gonna defend, where he's gonna go. You have two playmakers where you know Fred Rodgers in that inside lane and he's that pocket winger and Kalani is coming at him and stretching it out, making sure that he keeps that lane ready to go. And then you have Albert Rusnak doing his thing inside. So To me, Jesus, and I this is credit to Danny Jackson from KJR. I think he was spot on on saying Jesus is a goal scorer.
that's been turned into a playmaker. Mm-hmm. And now he's a plea mak he's a playmaking goal scorer. And and that's a great combination to have, right? Cause he could playmake, he could be another point of reference inside the eighteen. Uh I If there was anything that I thought was Um especially great about what the Sounders did against Bording Kansas City was how many Opportunities they had inside the eighteen.
They did a good really good j I actually thought they did a good job of moving inside the box. The problem was that they just every time they very they every single time every attack they had, it seemed like, was against a packed in defense and they needed to do a better job of creating I know Brian sort of rejected the my use of the term transition. But what I mean is opportunities where they're attacking space.
And and there's probably a better term for it than transition, but that's sort of what I have in mind is is when they're they're they're able to get numbers and they're able to force the defense to be defending
not in a set position, but, you know, sort of retreating back. Anyway, th they were not able to do that against sporting Kansas City. And that's something that they're gonna hopefully be able to do against San Diego, because San Diego plays a style that is a little bit more uh open to that.
Totally. And it is hard to do. And I get what you're saying. And I think that as we're used to with Brian. I don't think he gave your uh question enough credit because there were moments, I I gotta tell you, I mean, uh Jesus created at least two opportunities inside that final third impressing moments, but they were very
seldom. Right. Um and and I don't know if if Brian necessarily gave you the the credit of saying, hey, look, in my opinion, me, me, Nico Moreno, I thought that their press was ineffective compared to other games.
Especially considering how bad sporting Kansas City
Exactly.
So the team that should they should have been able to exploit.
They're active defending. Because for me, yes, uh obviously Kansas City's a team is gonna drop deep, they're gonna play against the run of play. They should not be able to create seven clear chances on goal with thirty-two or thirty-three percent.
uh possession because in those moments that you were able to just bring him back, you were having a hard time getting the ball and not allowing those chances to happen. So for me, I totally get it. I I think that there were two or three moments of transition. But they were not as constant and effective as they typically are.
¶ The Elusive Number Nine
Yeah. Uh you know, the other thing that caught my ear this week, today, in fact, was when Brian Schmenzer was asked about the number nine position. And what he said was, I'm waiting for someone to take a hold of it, I believe is the quote that he used.
Or or make it theirs or okay.
Yeah, own it. What but he basically what he was saying is something that I think we've said in one way or another various times is that it's not that the Sounders don't have a good number nine. They have three capable number nines, at least, maybe four. What they haven't had though is someone who is gonna stand up there and just sort of like, no, I'm the guy. And that's sort of what and that's what you know, Danny Massovsky did at times last year. Even Jordan Morris at times was
Able to assert himself like early in the season. I thought he made it very clear that he was capable of being the Sounders starting number nine. And no one has really taking that mantle and being able to run with it. I don't know that they have a single goal from a number nine who started. Now, because both of Danny's goals came from off the bench, Osazia's goal came from off the bench, and Morris's goal came as a winner. And so
They just need someone and it seems like Jordan ideally is gonna be that player. You know, I expect that he's gonna start this week and he's starting because that's how they get the most talent on the field, but Brian also said there's gonna be times this year where they aren't necessarily starting the most talented team. They're starting the team that matches up best with the opponent. But a big part of that is gonna be who's our number nine. And I think
What Brian is saying is someone needs to grab this thing and say, look, I'm the number nine. Everyone else is my backup.
Yeah, man, I don't usually to my own horn, but beep beep. I mean the the the the way I asked the question was Are you getting enough out of your number nine. Like it you know, if your number nine is occupying space and it's allowing your wingers to get goals like Albert, like uh Roth Rothrock has, and is opening up Jesus to get some goals and maybe Albert gets on a score sheet.
Maybe that's good, but you know, what else do you need? And I love the way he said, I just want somebody to own it. I want somebody to grab it. And and look, to be honest, even with Jordan Morris, we we haven't had someone who really owned a position since Raul Renier.
I would agree with that.
it was undeniable. You were never wondering, hey, uh what's Role playing today, man? I don't know. He's playing the wing. No, he was your nine, right? He was that that killer from the goal. He was that guy that was gonna get you
where you need it to be, he was the TNT, the gunpowder, that that that point arrow at the end of that stick. And that's what you need right now. And so that ninth position to me is where the attack hasn't quite Enter dead zone of L we're we're exploiting our maximum potential. And for a team that
when it comes to the talent level, uh perhaps it's not in the same scale as the LAFCs or the Vancouver White Caps or whatever it may be in terms of like the salary or whatever you want to call it. They need to be at their at their best. And I still believe and this is an unpopular position and I I get that. Um the comments are gonna be great. Um, I still think that Jordan Morris is the guy. And as much as he hasn't necessarily grabbed it and owned it and and made it his.
That's my favorite lineup. It's
I think
With Jordan at the night. Left side. Absolutely.
Yeah, I I don't think that there's a lot of debate there. Well maybe there is debate there. There is debate. I should say there's any I shouldn't rephrase that.
Crazy, he's not a knight, he's a wigger.
There's not as much doubt in my mind. I agree that there's a lot of debate about that. But I I do think that Jordan because the thing is Jordan is the only one who sort of is able to make those runs behind. He's Uh people are crazy if they don't think he's good at holdup play. He's might be their bet in some ways he he's like their best
Not watching close enough. Right.
He's probably their most effective presser. At the nine, that's what I mean. And he is yeah, sure. I I think you can argue that maybe his variety of finishing, like the way he finishes is not as varied as some of the other guys.
But he's a good goal scorer. If they can get him going, that is by far their best option. Now if If they want it in the summer and they wanna open up the checkbook and they wanna sign a a world class number nine or something, look, I'm not gonna tell you that you can't improve on Jordan, but for right now, the way that the roster is built, at least for the next four games.
To me, it's obvious that Jordan should be your number nine. And I think that, you know, may and again, maybe he doesn't start on Wednesday or something, but they really do need someone to sort of step up and just proclaim I'm the number nine. This is my spot. You got to take it away from me.
Absolutely. And Look, the the the the the thing that I consistently say that you and I are are good at doing is that we stay consistent with our own thought process. And both you and I, since last season, since last summer window, we've said if there's a position that we would love to see come in here from this U twenty two.
Right.
Maybe it's a nine. Yeah. And I think that time has given us that validation because. As much as I love Osasa and a lot of the things that he does, as much as I've learned to respect Danimusovsky despite all of the, you know, like debating that I had to do about him not doing what he did last season, which as we all see it's not gonna happen. Um
Those twenty goals are not coming through that door.
Not this year. And then Jordan Morris who the finishing has always been a thing that he is struggled with, but I do feel like sometimes there's some unnecessary and unfair criticism on it. Um, he is the one guy left that's gonna be able to take you to that spot. But That's the only position where I'm like, man, if there's if you could bring somebody that is the next guy that's gonna take the torch.
From Jordan.
Then go get him. Go get him. I don't care where he comes from. He doesn't gotta come from Argentina. He don't gotta be Brazilian. He could be Scottish. Whatever. I don't care. Just get me a guy that's gonna come into the league and own that position for the next. Five years because now we see the struggle of not having the number nine.
Yeah. And I I think that's one of the things also that we sometimes get a little caught up in is well, who's gonna where are you gonna put this new player? And I think one of the things that the next stage of MLS evolution to me is that You don't have a you don't just have a starting eleven. You have a eighteen a group of eighteen players who could all be starting at in any given game and that there's real competition.
And that there no one's spot is secured. And I think the Sounders have done a good job of building towards that. They aren't there yet. I mean they I do I think they have a they probably have fourteen or fifteen players who in any given week could be starters, but I do I I just think that there needs to be more high level competition. And and yeah, sometimes that means bringing in a player who is
At a bit that's already playing a position of strength for you, or that you already feel like you have a potential starter at, and making them compete and making them go for it. I don't know if that's this is the year that the Sounders will actually spend the money to make that happen, but I think that's what that's the mindset they should.
Yeah. And look, for what it's worth, I I do think that this team has enough to Stay in the shield race and be really good offensively, but they have to unlock Jordan Morris. And and look, for what it's worth, Jordan Morris himself has to take it. And and I I said this on Monday. Look, I don't want to patronize Jordan Morris. He's a self-aware guy. The injury happened. He's been back for several games.
Now it's next level. Turn the page, own that position. I love the fact that he opened his mind into playing the wing and this and that. But I know that in his hearts are hearts. He's been working so
Субтитры сделал DimaTorzok
To be a nine. So own it, Jordan. I know you got it in you. Bearded, angry Jordan. That's what I wanna see. A guy that don't don't care, he's gonna Come at your jugular. That's what you need to do when you're in that final third. And I think that's San Diego.
Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, with that, why don't we take a break? We'll come back and we will talk specifically about San Diego FC.
¶ Episode Break and Sponsor Messages
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¶ San Diego FC Match Preview
Welcome back to Nos Adietis on the Sound Red Heart Podcast Network and the Lobbying Scorchers YouTube channel. Mm-hmm. Nico, we've got a game against San Diego FC. And this is a team who pretty much on paper looks a lot like the one who. Just kinda cut through MLS like hot knife through butter. Whatever. Uh, last year, but they are in a bad way right now. They are winless in eight matches, which is
a astounding number to say out loud. They have not won since they beat Toluca 3-2 in CONCACAF Champions Cup across all con so I think that's like might be actually nine matches across all competitions that they have not won a game. And just last week they ended a five-game losing streak. And they were up 2-0 against LAFC at home and then had to settle for a 2-2 tie. What is going on with San Diego FC this year?
In my opinion, my humble opinion, I believe that is a club that it was too high on their own product. I believe that they thought that they could bench, not even bench, put Chuki Losano in the freezer in a salary cab league where DPs are extremely important, not bring anybody else and still be okay. Because Mikey Varres is a very good coach, because you had a team that understood the principles and essentials and the soccer module. And look, to be honest, it's a very talented team.
It is.
You need those players to keep up with the growth of MLS. I also believe that a lot of their young players, and maybe this is something that they had not realized. The word prospect is that for a reason because there's a lot of potential for you to be a really good player, but there's a lot of learning curves that go through. And I think dua is one of the most interesting, probably the best defensive prospect in NLS.
But he's learned the hard way that sucker's hard. And it's been red card after red card. It's been mistake after mistake. It's been, you know, all these things. I I I have said for years that give me an Aniba Godoy any day of the week. But Father Time is undefeated. And if you don't have a backup for Aniba Godoy at this point in his career, He's lost a step or two and by the time he's the sixty fifth minute, he's lost three or four.
Yeah.
And that's what happened against the L AFC. Godoy was getting stretched out. He could not handle the amount of room that he had to cover. मग्वेश पुशब पुशब It it's a team that just became in disarray and LAFC took advantage of it because they do have the firepower to do it. And now LAFC started rotating, but they had players coming off the bench.
And when he came down to Bratstacks, they were the better team at the end of the game. So If I had to come up with a conclusion of why San Diego FC is not the San Diego FC of last year, I would say that between that and a decline of effectiveness on the field from several players, they're just not as good as they were last year.
This is also a team that has been decimated by red cards. They have seven red cards this year.
Sure. And I think three of those are do us.
They are three. I think three of them are duas and three of them are McVeigh's. There you go. Uh dua actually dua only has two. But McVeigh has three. Uh I mean this is a team that that's your two starting center backs have five red cards. That's
A problem.
The other thing that they're running into is that, you know, and I think we always knew that they were not quite as deep as a lot of other teams, which is just natural. They're a s expansion team. Absolutely. That is one of the costs of being an expansion team is that you just have not built up a roster over many years. But they have been hit a lot harder, it seems, by injury this year.
And they've also some of it self-inflicted. The whole Chuk Chucky Lazano thing, I don't know what's going on there. Clearly he did something that they felt was beyond the pale. That's why they're just letting a player who they spent $8 million to bring in and who are they paying three and a half million dollars a year to just sit on the not even sit on the bench, to just be on the roster.
But then right now, I mean, I'm looking at their injury report that just came out. They've got five players listed as out. And and Emmanuel Boatang out. CJ dos Santos, the starting goalkeeper who just came back. Took another knee to the face. He's out with a concussion, it looks like. Uh Kamato is out. Lewis Morgan, uh uh one of the players who they really thought was gonna step in and help raise their C.
Right. He's out. Uh, and then Sistniega's out. And then the the biggest one is the injury to uh Sergov, the s uh defensive midfielder who did he was he best eleven last year?
Well I don't know if it was best eleven.
He was right. Good. Yeah, he was right there for best eleven last year. And he has been this will be, I think, the third game that he's he's missed. And you know All these they were already sort of struggling a little bit, but all these injuries are really exposing their relative lack of depth.
Totally.
That's clearly a problem.
Because they have the dual sword. I don't know if that's a dual Two edge two edge weapon. Is that what it is? Sure. Is that what it is? Yeah, I'm over here trying to figure that out. Uh I was trying to translate it from Spanish to English. But when you have a coach that is set on his waist that this is the way we're gonna play. We're gonna press high. We're gonna Dominate possession. And I don't care who's on the field. This is the way we're gonna play. Right. You are gonna
Find times where that's not gonna pan out. Right. And by you not having a plan B, you're gonna have issues. And and that's where In my opinion, this team has been unable to just get results. Sometimes a result is about just
Grind it out. The centers have done it this season. Smash and grab. Like it doesn't matter how you do it. It's all about just getting results. And so With that in mind, when we talk about this Sounders game And the tools that they have and the Absence that they have, I think he matches up pretty well for the Sounders because they're a team.
Of course we would have said that last week we but anyway.
No, no, and I said that last week, but but but I did you know what? I do wanna make sure that people know that I was concerned that the sounds are gonna drop points because I don't know, to me there's always those teams that the centers tend to drop points at and and I I think so I heard somebody tell me that stats don't really follow this, but I thought Sporting Gan City away, RSL away.
Yeah, where where things just kind of fall apart. But at home against an expansion team that is as open as the San Diego FCR. And in a midfield that look I promise you that going to this game, Aniba look at Anibo Godoy in the second half. Past the 60th mark, dude is gassed. So I think that the Sounders with the way they handle the way they play through pressure.
And the the true passers that they have. And hopefully a very good game by your dual tens. And I think this is going to be a good game for the sound.
You'd like to think, and this is a team who has given up at least two goals in each of their last ten game uh other than they had one game where they gave up one goal to Houston. But other than that, nine of their last ten games, they've given up at least two goals.
This is a team that is seemingly ripe for the Sounders to sort of get right. And this is a really important stretch for the Sounders. If they, you know, we talked about this at the beginning of the week with the with the Sounders, is that if they want to stay in the supporters shield race. There's no points they can afford to draw in this in this homestand. They've got three games against Western Conference opponents. First one's San Diego. You got to get three points there.
Look, the Wednesday game against San Jose Earthquakes, that's gonna be tough. This is the hottest team in the league. It might be the best team in the league. In a normal circumstance, you'd probably be okay with one point there. They already beat them at on the road.
But now they're in a position where they want to be supportive shield contenders. Probably need to win that one. And then of course LA Galaxy at home. That's definitely a must-win game. And then hopefully you have a little bit more room to to spare when you go down to LAFC that closes out the pre-World Cup stretch of games. But this is this is or this is gonna essentially make or break whether or not they're in the supporter shield after the World Cup.
Yeah, and look, San Jose, uh no Nico Shakiris for a while. He won't be back by Wednesday. Uh Timo Burner, uh Might not make it as well. He's questionable. So maybe that gives you a little bit of room to rotate and do some things on Wednesday. But this particular game. Uh, you gotta take it for exactly what you said, right? I mean, you gotta earn points immediately. You didn't just do the unthinkable on the road to draw points at home. I mean that that would be
You know, you might as well just not do the other and just take care of home. So you're hoping that that's what happens. And and this is the way that San Diego FC can do that. I think set pieces are gonna be key. Uh When it comes to just delivery into the box, whether it's to free kicks or corners, um Ingverston is a very good player on air. I think that Dreyer has phenomenal delivery. You got McVeigh. You got Dua. You got a lot of players that can really beat you.
Up top. So you gotta take care of that. Silly mistakes. If there's a team that's gonna take advantage of pressing moments and turning the ball over in your own half.
Is San Diego.
And that's how they got a couple of the uh the goals against L AFC. That's the way they've gotten a couple of goals this season. They're a very good team in transition. So you gotta be mindful. You cannot have the Christian roll down mistakes that you had. at sporting Kansas City, those unlike mistakes, they cannot happen. You have to be poised on the ball. You got to take care of possession. Whether you and I don't care about possession percentage. I don't care if you go 40 or you go 30.
The kind of
40 better be very good. Yeah. And they better be purposeful, right? So you gotta be able to take care of that. And finally, you cannot allow Andres Dreyer to get in this game. No. He has to be eliminated.
He's a killer.
get minimized. I don't care if Pellegrino gets a goal. I don't care if Bablacari gets a goal. You just don't want Dreyer being the guy that gets going in this game.
Yeah, he is a very, very dangerous player. Uh Anders Dreyer is was pretty a lot of people's MVP last year in the non-messy edition.
Yeah.
He did win Newcomer of the Year. I mean, he had an amazing season last year, and he hasn't been quite as blazing hot this year, but he's still got six goals, six assists. Uh more than anyone on the Sounders. So I mean, he's a very, very good player and the Sounders need to be hyper aware of what's going on.
As I always say, the Sounders are at their best when they have a team that opens up.
That wants to play.
a bunker. Right. That's not gonna play deep. And I think that there's a lot of opportunities where Bambino, he is a player that gets high pretty quickly and he gets caught up in those higher moments on the field. So can the Sounders exploit that?
Can they get Paul Rothbard behind on that end? Yeah. Can Jesus Ferreira be able to put a Kalani through? I think Kalani's gonna have a lot of room to run with as well. So how good you are in the flanks, how good you are out wide is gonna be key in this uh game. But it's really gonna come down to your key and most essential players. To me, Jordan Morris, Jesus Ferreira, Christian Roldan, all those guys have to have a really good game.
And look, I I am baldish about this game. I I think that Seattle should be able to put three on San Diego. So to me,
That would be nice.
The Sounders are at their best. If the Sounders are playing to the level that I know that they've played this year, it should be a 3-1 win for.
I would definitely take that. Well, let's I want to talk about a couple other little things before we get out of here today. One of them is this ongoing save the cap situation. Yes. Uh I just want to reiterate that
¶ Save The Caps: Vancouver Relocation
We don't know what's going to go on here. It it is it does look increasingly likely that the caps could potentially move. I just want to reiterate what a massive mistake that would be. And I get it. I understand that the caps can't just sustain.
losses and losses and losses and that they are, you know, if we believe everything that's coming out of their side of things, that they make the least amount of game day revenue, that they lose the most money year over year. Look, I get it. Those are those are problems. But I still think as a league
If you it's worth taking those losses because Vancouver is a fantastic soccer market. And I and I there was a story in the Seattle Times today that's talking about what's going on with uh the Vancouver World Cup. uh organizing and the show that they are putting on there. It's gonna be soccer central. Uh I just think there's so many good things going on with Vancouver around soccer on the field and even in some ways off the field that you would be crazy to walk away from this market.
And I really, really hope something can be figured out because I selfishly love going there. I love them being part of the Cascadia Cup rivalry. I I love Vancouver as a city, but I just think that even from a totally cynical point of view, it's a market that is worth investing time and energy into. And hopefully something emerges that keeps them there because I think it would be a massive mistake to leave.
Don Garber, I'm talking to you. Do not allow this criminal act to happen. I need you to keep the caps in Vancouver. This is a franchise that has something that MLS doesn't have. That as a South American, I can tell you is the biggest stigma that. the Yanks have as a league, which is you guys have no history. You guys have nothing that really puts you into the soccer culture. You have that in Vancouver. You have a community in a franchise that goes back twenty, thirty years.
Fifty years. Fifty years. How many clubs, how many teams do you have in MLS that can provide that for you? How many fan bases can say that about their team? Do not allow this to happen. If you want Vegas, hey man, I'm cool. Have Vegas. Do with an expansion team. So they can get Mbappé or whoever it is that they want to get into that team with some new DPs or whatever. But it would be a mistake to take Vancouver, a proud franchise, a phenomenal team right now.
That hasn't been good forever. And now they're good. And now you're gonna take it away. Now that they have a superstar, now that they're in mouth of everyone, now that they have a global stage, now that they've been able to play CCC and be a a protagonist in that tournament and people are turning their heads and I've done shows talking about Vancouver, talking about LAFC, talking about the Sounders. And now you're gonna take it away. Do not allow it to happen.
Save the caps, the fan visit serves it, but mainly MLS needs it beyond the money. That's more important. History, pride, that's where it's about.
Yeah, I will just second everything you just said there. I think you said it very well. And I I I you kind of touched on this, but I think one of the things that isn't getting talked about enough is that Vegas is A market that has already passed its peak, I think. You if you wanted to get into the MLS into the market in Las Vegas, it needed to be years ago. There's now about to be five pro sports teams there between the
Raiders, the A's potentially. Uh we can get to whole other thing. Uh the uh Las Vegas Knights, the Las Vegas Aces. Look, they might get an NBA team. It is just not a good time, especially to bring a relocated White Caps, because the only team that has the teams that have really
registered with Las Vegas are the teams that were expansion teams that are theirs, not the teams that are coming in. I the A's are never going to draw in Las Vegas. The Raiders, as you unfortunately know, do not draw all that well in Las Vegas. And if you're thinking that tourists are gonna go watch MLS, no, that is not gonna happen.
It's not buyable. And look as a Raider fan and with family in uh Burbank and Los Angeles that our season ticket holders that travel the two hours to Oakland, you're not gonna get that for the White Caps. You're not gonna have the LA market coming in to go watch
The the Caps the way the Raiders do. And send things go for the Ace. Do you think anybody wants to watch Monty Ball in in in Vegas? That's not Vegas. And that's why you know I mentioned 'Cause if you have an exp an expansion team, you can do whatever you want and you can get the the lights of Vegas. into a team. But nobody in Vegas is gonna go want to watch Andres Kubas as good as he is or Brian White as good as he is or AZ Jackson as good as he is. They need the big names because it's Vegas.
They need Beyonce and they need Celine Dion. I don't know who's out there. You know, the Michael Jackson show uh and Uh I forgot where I was at. The mandalain bay. But you know, all that. I'm just losing my mind over here. But that's what they need. They need that big type of of player. And and look, if there's any if there's any way To do an LA Knights type of situation is an expansion team.
Absolutely.
Making it theirs. Hey uh Vegas, this is you, this is what we we're gonna bring you. Then maybe you have a a shooter chance at it. But if you bring a franchise like Vancouver, you're dying in two places. You're you're killing that franchise and you're putting a pretty bad Team that people might not be able to watch. I'm not saying they're a bad team. I'm saying that this fan base is not gonna feel attached.
I agree.
If you make it from just LA uh from j just Vegas and this is what you were bringing you guys, then you might be able to just jump on that bandwagon. But not with Vancouver. It just it makes no sense.
¶ Closing Remarks and Farewell
I agree. I agree. Well that seems like a good uh energy to end on. Yes. Uh but
I'm hyped over here.
We are we are well hyp we're hyped. We're hyped. Uh we'll be back uh next week on here. Uh wanna say thank you to everyone who was both watching and listening to us. If you have not uh watched us yet? Hey, uh come check out our ugly mugs in the uh the new Sounder Heart Studios with uh on the Lobbing Scorchers YouTube channel. But with all that said, I am Jeremiah Shann getting out of here for Nico Moreno. This is no Sadietis, and we'll catch you next time.
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