Welcome in to MLS six pack. Here on the SDH network, I'm Madison Cruz. We got a three way dance with all of us here today. We have Jason Longshore, one of the voices of it Landy United, and then we have Jared Smith joining us as well as we recap the absolute chaos that is Major League Soccer.
What's up, guys.
Jared Smith is also one of the voices of chaos, so.
It fits also one of the voices chaos.
If I can find it, I'm going to drag it, kicking at screaming.
So yes, correct, all residents of chaos, we all enjoy it. Everything's phenomenal. But speaking of chaos, this week was a little chaotic in many different ways. Before we get into our thoughts on last weekend, I want to talk about a big piece of news that did drop this week. See if Montreal parted ways with Laurent Courtois after I believe six games on the road.
Didn't even get the game six on the road. Montreal is drunk and stupid. I think it's a horrible decision because Laurent Courtois has not had the weapons to actually put up a good fight. Somehow, he did he got that team into the playoffs last year when they had no business being in the playoffs, and you're starting with six games on the road this season because the Big O is doing some renovations and statsuputo. I guess they were worried about it being frozen, although I think he
probably could have played Montreal. I haven't checked the weather there these past couple of weeks, but I would think maybe you could have dealt with it. I don't know. Welcome to CF Montreal. It is always dumb, and it shouldn't be and it is, and it's really really frustrating because they've never gotten it right, except for like one year where they brought in Didier Drogma and he still had functioning knees and they had Nacho Piati, who's one of the best signings in league history, and it was
a lot of fun. And it's been pretty much really crappy, too much gravy on the poutine ever since.
Yeah, I'd never forget as well that one year they forgot how to measure an eighteen yard box.
Oh there's that.
Yeah, Maddy, you seem surprised by this so quick story time the Eastern Conference Final that year was Toronto and Montreal, which was super important, super fun at the time because Toronto take away those couple of years where Toronto was competing for titles. Toronto has been kind of a failure pile and a sadness bowl their entire existence, and they put it together with Greg Nanny. But Montreal did as well. Eastern Conference Final was two legs. It was Montreal and Toronto.
It was a blast. They played it in Olympic Stadium, which is where the Montreal Expos used to play. They drew the lines for the field and the eighteen yard box was not eighteen yards like it wasn't even close. They had to like delay the game to redraw the eighteen yard box because I don't know if they were measuring in cubits instead of feet. Man, I don't know. But that was also that entire tie, one hundred and eighty minutes of it. All of it was drunk and it was a really fun series.
Yeah, it's it's one go back and watch. I think they did a package on that Eastern Conference Final and it was incredible, maybe the best that the league's ever had. And that's the high water mark for CF Montreal when they shouldn't have even changed the name. It should be the Montreal Impact. Yeah, man, I'm mad about it.
And to Jason's point, like at this point, like I know there were there were I think it was Matt Doyle dropped that there were rumors that there was a lot of friction in the locker room between laur Uncletois and players. But saying that after the fact is such
an easy throwaway. Yeah, I think fired. But it's not even like a thing where like, well he's got rid of him for that reason, like Joey Supputo has has operated on a level that makes knee jerk reactions look well thought out for so long at this point that it's really hard to hold it against any Montreal fan who has zero faith in what's going on up there, because it's just been this constant. We got a manager,
we have a roster. We made the playoffs. Oh that's fun, now, what, Well, we struggled on the road because we have to play our first few games on the road otherwise teams have to go through the Northwest Passage to get here and it's still frozen. We struggled on the road out of the gate. Well, it looks like we're firing the manager.
It's not exactly what I want at this moment. Someone got it at some point has to take the control away from Joey Supputo as the problem is is he's in charge, so there is no one above him who can't take that controller away from him.
I feel so bad for Montreal fans because I think in the times that we've been in Montreal for matches is the fan base is so intelligent.
It's such a.
Definitely my favorite away.
Day as well.
It's it's a wonderful little stadium that, yeah, they probably need to expand a little bit so they can make more money. Okay, work on that. I don't know. Firing managers on a regular basis, it's just frustrating because Montreal could be such a great club in this will be It's such a great soccer city and it just hasn't been served well. And it's very frustrating for me. It's just a fan of the league. I can't even imagine for a Montreal fan it should be better. They shouldn't
have moved on for Courtois. I think when you got the anonymous survey of sporting directors around the league, and Courtois is one of the highest like most I think they said underrated managers in the league. He got as many votes as anybody. Uh, very well respected guy who I think did as much as he could with that group.
And it's not on him. Whoever takes it permanently moving on is not gonna have it any better, and we're just gonna do the rents and repeat once again here at some point when Joey Saputo wakes up and decides to fire his manager again that day.
For me, it's also too like even if Matt Doyle did say there was tension, I mean, God, always, there's always tension.
I mean also to.
Four games lost literally this is it. Lost to Atlanta three to two, Loston Minnesota one nil, lost a Vancouver two nil, tied DC United nil nil. Then you lost to Nashville three nil. Of course there's gonna be tension in the locker room, especially home not winning. You haven't been home either, like tensions are gonna rise. It might have been one game, maybe they just had like a moment.
It happens like that. For me, I'm like, that's no reason to fire a coach that has gotten you to a wild card game and arguably has looked better than you guys have looked in the last couple of years. I've said it before. I love the way that he develops talent. I mean, you look at what he did with Columbus Crew in MLS Next Pro and you look what he did there, you know, took him to a championship and then took them to the championship unless than they lost to Austin too, but went to back to
back championships in MLS Next Pro. That's that's hard, like like for me, it's like and then coming into MLS and the first like year he's an MLS he takes them to a wild card game.
That's unheard of like for me. For me, I think it's a stupid decision.
I think it's really really dumb on Montreal's part, and I think it's really going to hurt them throughout the rest of the season, you know what, And you know they're playing Chicago. Maybe it's the new Hope coach head bump, like they'll go in Chicago, it's not.
Fighting Halters.
So I I think it's a stupid decision. I don't like it. It makes me mad because I really like Laurent Courtois and wherever he goes. I hope that he does so well and he just you know, shoves it in everyone's face because I really love him as a head coach.
I really do.
Laurent, Please don't go to the insanity, even more insanity that is a legua uh or the second division in France, Like stay away, because that's even more ridiculous than what you just dealt with. Wait and get a good opportunity, because he will get it and he will do well if he's backed by ownership with I don't know, some actual functioning rosters to work.
With well and to build on that. I mean, the question is now, like, what does Montreal do next? Well, they put an interim in place, I'm like, good luck getting somebody, because Jos Aputo is operating on such a knee jerk level at this.
Point, I think you've already went through pretty much every Montreal impact legend that you had that you could give it to. You've already burned Yellow, You've already burned DeSantis. I mean, everybody that was a star for that team, going back to the days when they're playing the Atlanta Ruckus at Adams Stadium, North drud Hills Drive here, you know, like there's nobody else, So you're gonna get somebody who is desperate, and it's going to be bad.
Yeah, anybody who has like an idea and who has like plans, they're not going to be interested in this. They're not going to want to put up with Joey Saputo's bs. That's no problem. It's it's a it's a crappy situation for the fans that have to deal with. And Joey Sputo has kind of made his bed at this point, and there's so many needles in that bed. You're just kind of wondering why he doesn't sleep standing up.
Well, you mentioned it, Maddie. They go to Chicago next, and I believe we have a little bit of intel on the Chicago fire.
We do, in fact have a little bit of intel.
It was really really fun yesterday I had the opportunity to catch up with Joe.
Chats, he is of on Tap sports Net there in Chicago.
We talked a little bit just about Chicago. We talked about them beating Vancouver, the top of the Western Conference, beating them three to one, and then now getting to go back home and face a very very depleted and kind of in a rut. CF Montreal. It was a really really fun conversation and you'll get to hear it, and then a couple of.
Minutes, Faces drops on a new week of soccer down here.
It would be amazing. I'm just saying, ninety minutes compelling content. It's it's non stop entertainment.
Could I to Knakna?
Want to say? Could I to Knaka?
Cleans it up? Hey? Cold I to knock up? Says good night? Keep back to the left, keep back to the right, back to the left, cleanse it off, god able to slip it?
Thrill is gonna.
Driving a.
Godar with the left, puts in the cross over the head of Carlson. It fall to him anyway, right but it shot, Go.
Go go Atlanta United too and they take the four three lead.
Alrighty everyone, I am joined with Joe chats of on Tap Sports Net.
They're in Chicago. Joe, thank you so much for joining us here on MLS six pack.
Oh, thank you so much for having me. I just need a six pack at this point.
Listen, don't we all? Don't we all?
Yeah? Maybe not from a car, but like other than that, yeah, yes.
No, that'll be later when you get home then.
Yes, of course, of course responsibly, everybody be responsible. Of course, this is how we should start everything. Yeah, just don't be an idiot.
Guys, don't be an idiot. Don't be an idiot, go home, have a six pack, then watch MLS. That's what you.
Yeah, exactly, great way to introduce myself to your audience.
Hey, the beauty of it. It's the beauty of it, beauty of a whole.
But one thing is for cool actually is you actually just got done chatting with Greg Burholter at Chicago in media today.
What were the conversations like there today?
Couple things.
So, the big headliner of the day is that Brian Gudierrez is going to be out for their match against the CF Montreal.
He suffered from muscular discomfort.
Is how the usmn T described it, and so he missed out on that third place game against Canada.
I guess that's kind of for the better, whatever you want to say.
But so he's going to be out. So that was a big talking point. Kellen Acosta's availability. He suffered an injury in Dallas. We'll see. He seems like more of a bench option at this point. And then general talking points. You know, the team's been playing well, three straight wins on the road, but you're playing a CF Montreal side that just fired their coach because they're CF Montreal, not
because they do things logically. Laurent Courtois is a great coach. Honestly, he's been of a yeller for me, but it's clear that they were a good team. So Greg definitely said some interesting things about that, and he told me personally the day before, like, I was surprised by this because the big fear for Chicago Fire fans this weekend is this just feels like such a trap game, and for a team that's trying to re establish an identity, is a real team in MLS, so not the team it's
been recently. A result against Montreal at home would be massive for this size confidence, even though they have the expectation for three points.
Yeah, listen, I'm echoing your sentiment as well. I was very upset when I saw that Laurentourtois was fired because they were my dark horse the entire season. When I just he is such a phenomenal coach and I was really excited to see what they could do. I feel like it's a little bit of like too early to even think about it, like you had six games on the road.
It's like, exactly, you sound like Greg, That's exactly what he said. It's just like, how are you going to judge this?
A little a little scary, and just you've got a guy who won with Crew two and then made Montreal relevant, which is all they can really be at this point until they actually develop an academy.
So like I thought, he did a great job.
Yeah, Which, speaking of Greg, what did he say about Montreal, especially going into this match on Saturday. What were some of the things he's highlighted, especially with how they play and how Chicago can come out with the result.
So basically, it was the idea of ignoring their goal total.
If you go more to their goal chances, they've had a lot, it's just they've not been able to score. They've had to deal with the post, and they've been playing good teams and they've not really been at home, so there's a lot of reasons why they haven't scored yet. So that was a big talking point, is really understanding that defensive cohesion and this is going to be one of the first matches or first times where it's consecutive matches.
It appears with the same back four. It looks like it'll be Leo Barrosso at right back, Jack Elliott and Sam Rodgers at center back, unless maybe Carlo Thron slides back in there and then Andrew Gutman at left back. So that's a massive thing for the Fire because they still don't have a clean sheet this year, so just
to have that kind of cohesion was big. But also understanding that this is one of those games in MLS where you can't take your foot off the gas pedal at all or else you will end up losing three nothing at home and then you're embarrassed and understand you know everyone's going to say it the same old Chicago Fire. So this is kind of a litmus test this week for the entire club. That's what Greg said, and it's really they understand the quality in Montreal squad. They've got
it all. I mean, the Fire beat them through, you know, the sheer help of God. Last year just still the funniest goal I've ever seen, Like it's I was watching the replays this week because they put it out in socials.
And it remains the funniest thing.
And Ariel last got traded to the team last year after being on the wrong side of that, and I talked to him, I think it was September and he was still.
Mad about it.
Just he's like, I don't think I'll ever get over that because it's so ridiculous. So there's going to be a lot of people in that Montreal side that are really going to want to get a result. And Fabby and herber is making his return to the Chicago Fire playing against Chicago Fire, Like, there's a lot of reasons why that team is going to want to get a result on the road. So the Fire, if they take their foot off the gas pedal, they'll be down three nothing and fifteen minutes agains.
The Montreal side, you can't do that.
The Montreal's dangerous and how they can just come out the way it happened to Atlanta.
It happened in the first game of the season.
You know, we had all the momentum going into halftime and then they came back in they were able to score. It's Montreal's a scary side, especially when you when you face them. But with all those storylines like intermidst it, what's like the vibe? What was the vibe of training, Like, what was the vibe seeing everyone there? Everyone excited, hyped up for this game, especially after beating the number one Western Conference in Vancouver white Caps.
Yes last week.
Yeah, this is I mean I've been covering the team. This is going to be my third full season. Last two were not pleasant. So like, they've never been this confidence since I've been doing it. And it's only five games in, right, so there is a real shift in the building. But the expectation is, you know, another win. They want to win, they want to consistently win, and they understand that. It's like you look at the attacking room, right,
You've got Hugo Kuiper's starting off wonderfully. He has been what the Fire needed him to be when he's their club record signing, understanding that he needs to get those chances in front of goal, right, Like if you look at his numbers, I think he's five goals and it's four point eight or four point nine expected goals this year. So the understanding is that, Okay, he's lifted off. So
Jonathan Bombo is the other guy. Joe Bamba, I guess is the other guy who did press today and he was also saying, you know, I want to get to that level. We're seeing that success on the field, but now I want to get to that personal level of successes. Well, Philip Zinkernagel got a goal in this last week. He really that was a big thing for him. Get on the score sheet. You can see the confidence level rising.
So it's another reason why everyone is kind of saying you cannot let your foot off the gas pedal against this Montreal side because there's been so much positive momentum built that they don't want to lose it.
But there is still that understanding that this is not a joke of a game.
And I feel like a lot of people on the outside just don't unders understand how good this Montreal team is.
And it seems like the Fire due as you look.
At it too, especially with them firing their head coach. Now people are like, ah, you know, like, well here it is. The foundations still there, especially the room coming in like it's all still there.
So they're still very, very dangerous in what they want to do.
But I want to talk about Halter, especially with him coming in new head coach for the Fire, how have you seen the players buy in to what Gregor Halter wants to do with this squad.
And with this team, there wasn't really a choice, right you had to buy in or you're going to get shipped out.
It's as simple as that.
There was going to be a shift when you get the head coach also as the director of football, it's going to go to a different level. Frank Lopas, one of my favorite people, was not.
Fit for the role by the end of it. It just didn't work with him as fire coach.
He's got a new role in the organization where I think he'll thrive and he had success in his own right in Montreal, but just at this time with the fire didn't work out. So it is a very serious building when you're in there. People are there to work at the training center, people are there to be there to be serious. We are there to work, enjoy and get better every day. There is a level of heightened pressure, yes, but it's also your professional athletes, right, you kind of
have to do these things. And there's a couple guys who are in contract years. Theres are a couple of guys who have been rumored to be moved for multiple windows. So it's a matter of can you prove yourselves that One of the biggest stories in the early part of the season has been the emergence of Sergio Orhell Junior. He was a homegrown guy who made his debut and I believe twenty twenty two doesn't make an appearance in MLS the last two years, and he had a slow
start in the season opener against Columbus. On the road against Columbus, it's a pretty hard place to start your MLS career or revamp your MLS career. But he's been an emerging prospect in just I think that's part of the pressure that's been put in is take those risks.
We're okay with taking those risks.
Just it needs to be from an informed soccer view, and it seems like everyone is just taking it maybe a bit more seriously. I don't know if that's a fair way of describing it right, Not that people were obviously taking it seriously in the past, but there is just an expectation of a floor that this franchise hasn't had for a few years.
I have to ask, did someone ask Greg about the Burr Halter Bowl last weekend?
Going on?
Who didn't ask about the Burrhlter Bowl. I mean they pre game. They made him ask. They asked him on serious XM yesterday. I asked him in the post match because I told.
Him that's the only time I was going to ask.
So what I got from that was so pre match Greg was really worried, like how do I handle this?
Like this is my son.
I want to see him have success, but also want to see us have success, right, Like, come on, it's a pretty good narrative too. You're going against an unbeaten team depleted because of the international break, like there were a lot of reasons to be comptent going into that, and the result goes. I think we all saw the picture where Greg's smiling and Sebastian's not is they're hugging, and that is the appropriate way to describe how that game went. And so it was a great event for
them and their family. He had fun, but I think it would have been a different tone if they hadn't won. So it was a very fun thing. You're not going to get that that often, especially that first time. It was really cool to see. And I know the joy my parents have from just being you know, at dinner randomly, so like just to see those types of things, it's not really about soccer, so it was fun to watch, and apparently their whole.
Family was there, and Creig mentioned the restaurant they went to and boy was it a a nice place to go to. If you want to find it.
I'm sure you can go digging, but I'll just leave it at that, and he joked about some ash tang, which.
I hope not.
Well, especially in Chicago. Some very nice places up there.
This was in Vancouver, which is even nicer in a lot of ways.
Yes, oh yeah, oh my god.
Yeah, that's a global city in a lot of ways. I mean, Chicago, I love my city, I love this place, but Vancouver is another level.
Oh yeah, that's the one trip I want to make at some point in my I want to go up there and I want to cover it.
I just feel like it'd be so pretty going up to Vancouver.
Everything's pretty except BC place in the crap turf they play on.
But yeah, hey, you win some you exactly.
I want to ask you looking at MLS as a whole for this weekend, besides the Chicago game, are any other games that you're going to be tuning into this weekend?
Oh that's a great question. So me personally, so I'm just like going through my schedule. I have to cover NWSL on Sunday and Fire two on Sunday, So I'm just excuse me for being this guy. I have to pull up the schedule to make sure I am not forgetting anything.
You have to and it's all good.
Okay, thank you if you're filibustering for me for a slight moment so I can make sure. Okay, here was my one game that isn't Philadelphia in or Miami that I'm actually very curious about. Sorry, it's not going to be Atlanta, but DC United against Columbus early season game, but it's at DC United. I feel like the old Crew teams would win this three nothing Like it's not right. And I think this DC United team, it's another one of these DC United teams to be super annoying to
play against all year. And when you have a Crew team that's still evolving, still dealing with a lot of players who are on international duty, I feel like this is kind of a trap game that they could end up losing badly. And you know how the Benech thing is, it could be he can go from zero to one hundred and five seconds. He's a pain to deal with or to any center back about going against him, they will shake their heads even if they had a good
game because they're exhausted. So that is my fun game, because yeah, Atlanta's fun. Sorry, but I wasn't going to fit that. I actually do think Philadelphia enter Miami is a great game, but.
I don't work for MLS, so I'm not going to use that one.
I well, the one for me that sticks out, which you did not have to say Atlanta, that one. That one is one that definitely I'm watching because we'll obviously be there covering the match, but definitely one I'm interested to see how Nashville and Cincinnati plays out because Cincinnati is kind of coming off of the two two draw against US, and then you know, Nashville is coming.
Off of a pretty decent stretch right now. They're kind of finding their rhythm. We'll see, we'll see. I think a lot of fun action this weekend.
So I don't know if you can still hear me, but I totally missed that entire soliloquy from you because I just got a phone call and I'm sorry, So I'm just going to leave and come right back quickly for that because I don't know how.
To fix this.
Absolutely, You're good, no worries, all.
Right, we're just doing audio.
I'm sorry. I'm gonna yell at Alex later. If anybody would like to blame someone that it was Alex Calibrese calling me.
I think he's at am Calibrase twelve on Twitter and Blue Sky. Feel free to just harass him for interrupting this interview as Madison was making a fabulous point that I completely missed because of him in my audio.
I appreciate it. I'll recap just real quickly.
I would thank you.
The one for me that I'm watching for is definitely Nashville and Cincy because that one, that one's the one that I feel I could go either way because Nashal's found more momental. But Cincinnati is coming off this too to draw against us.
We'll see. I'm interested in that one. I'm circling it.
Yeah, And Nashville is going to be an interesting team because they have all the pieces. Can they put it all together? And is bj Callahan the right coach. That's gonna be a big thing throughout the year. He's got a lot to prove as a first year coach in MLS. But I'm enjoying the Cincinnati team, at least watching them. They are a lot of fun. Evanders kind of slid in there pretty well. It's gonna take him time to
really be the best version of himself. But they're another team that's just so hard to break down and break down a lot that they're just there's such a pain to deal with. So, like when you say Nashville going against them, it's another one of those games where I'm expecting some MLS to happen.
I'm expecting some MLS to happen.
It's going to be bonkers, and it's a great pick because there's just going to be high quality soccer, but there's so much mind games that go and.
Do it as well with them.
When those two teams face off.
It's gonna be a fun weekend of MLS, that is for sure.
It is.
Before I let you go, let's go ahead and let you cut the promo. Where can people find you? What can they find you on?
And what can they expect for Saturday's match against Chicago?
Well, you can find me at on tap sportsnet here in Chicago. Just google Joe Chats. There's only so many things that'll come up that aren't me at Joe Chats on the Socials at Joe chats Sports on Instagram.
I don't really post things with my face other than recaps. So enjoyed that.
But expectations for Saturday it really comes down to really the first fifteen minutes. If the Fire can get through that without conceding something stupid and get into halftime with you know, a good amount of possession, with minimal mistakes, I expect them to at least get a point. But it's kind of one of those games where I would predict to nothing Fire simply because you know you're going one way, one team's going one way, one team's going
the other way. But just new manager bump, the chaos of not really knowing who the manager or the manager's tactics because he's only really coached in Series C, which is so fun in a lot of ways. What a ridiculous league if anybody ever follows. Seriously, there's just some bonker stuff that goes on. Go Tristina, But this game really should be one of those two nothing to one
Fire wins. But if it comes back to one Montreal, there will be a mistake in there that you're like Oh yeah, that's that's more of a classic Chicago fire mistake.
Absolutely well, Joe, thank you so much again for taking the.
Time for coming on to MLS six pack and hey, good luck again on Saturday.
Oh well, thank you. I gonna be a fun time.
You know, I don't care about the results really other than I like chaos and I like fun. So it's gonna be interesting. And I'll be inside so I won't be getting rained on, so I'll be smiling.
Faces dropped on a new week of soccer down here.
It would be amazing.
I'm just saying compelling content.
It's it's non stop entertainment.
Cold I tanaka want to say?
Can I tanaka cleans it up? Hey, hold on to.
KNOCKA says good night, Get back to the left, keep back to the right, back to the lap, claise.
It up, able to slip it, thrills good at driving Itarda.
With the laft puts in the cross over the head of Carlton.
It ball to him anyway, right, but it shot.
Go go go. Hey Lanta United too and they take the four three lead.
Welcome back once again.
Want to thank Joe Chats for taking the time to chat with me talking about Chicago fire. And as we lead into this weekend of MLS six pack, let's get ready for the matches that we have this weekend. Up next, We've got two games at two thirty, kind of ones where you might want to be doing something else, maybe yardwork at the pool, may be doing something else because it's New England Revolution hosting the New York Red Bulls and then Toronto hosting the Vancouver white Caps.
I like the road teams.
Road teams are great.
I am intrigued by the road potential for wins here and what that could look like. But New England, look, you're starting to see people who have known things in the past tweet things that are alluding to things that might mean that there's a lot of pressure on this game. It's all talk at the moment. But the Revs have not had a good start, and the Red Bulls are coming to town, and I don't necessarily see the Revs having a get right game here.
No, ter, It just shakes his head and there's.
Nothing else to add to it. Caleb Porter might Caleb Porter might be on like you know, sign in the yard watch yeah, and and Toronto is just I still don't I'm gonna go through all twenty five not knowing if Robin Fraser is a great manager or not, or even a good manager, because what he's been handed in Toronto is just this spoiled, left out in the sun all day jarapoutine and it's a tough situation for any manager to have to deal with, while Toronto tries to
kind of right the ship, and at this point riding the ship might mean sinking it and firing and filing the insurance fraud.
Well, they brought Lorenzo and Signe back. He played and did all right, So I don't know, maybe, but Vancouver, I think for me, the story in these two is I want to see how the White Cap bounce back after a loss after a great start. They've got Conca Calf to look ahead to, So is that going to be a distraction this week in Toronto? Find out?
Moving on, we only have one game at four point thirty that is going to be the Colorado Rapids hosting Charlotte FC.
Rapids got to bounce back after a bad loss to Portland Charlotte on the road in Colorado, where it can be a difficult place to play because of the altitude, Charlotte's way of playing will help them, although the long balls might end up in Wyoming if they're not careful.
You can't.
You can't. You can't accurately wait those long balls early in the game. You just can't. And it's not it's not like a it's not like a they suck thing. It's a the air is so thin when you hit that long ball, it's not going to do what you expect.
Yeah, you might hit a few prairie dogs infected with the plague. To be careful with that hole coming back in the play, got to watch out for that. But uh yeah, I think, honestly, I think Charlotte's style of playing will help them in this one. It really feels like a draw.
To me. It feels like a draw, and it's a weird one. I think if it was any other than Colorado, I think it'd be a very interesting Like this is a watermark to see what Charlotte can be. Because everyone has talked them up. They made a hell of a statement last week with a four to one dismantling of San Jose. Of San Jose where the early part of that game, like if you go look at the only part of that game San Jose pepper the hell out
of them, but didn't break through. Charlotte got one and kind of has that old school Nashville vibe of if they get one, it just starts rolling.
Yeah, yeah, that one.
That one for me.
I picked Colorado. I think Colorado is gonna come away with it. I'm interested to see how Charlotte can bounce on the road. I think this is their first big, big road test and if they can handle it. I just because you know, you you drew against Seattle, you got a own goal that kind of helped you out there.
I think it's their first big road test with expectation. Yes, I would put it. I would agree it was weird. Yeah, like Seattle, you didn't really know and it's easy to go on the road where you're the unknown. But now, I mean you got people really talking Charlotte up as a team that can play with Miami and potentially win the East. Okay, if you're that team, you gotta go to Colorado and win.
Yeah, and we'll be ready for you and.
Inner Miami as well.
You look back at that game that they had inter Miami came away with the one, no victory down ten men.
Yeah, I just that's my thing.
I think it's going to be a true test to see how Charlotte can do deal with the pressure that they're already getting from everyone I think in the league, talking and hyping them up, and going on the road and facing Colorado Rapids, which again I think that they're my they're my white horse.
I want them to do very well. I think they'll be really good.
I hope are they your c are they? Are they your earthquakes? What the earthquakes are to me?
Yes?
I think so.
I really just like them fall into this darkness like I have.
Listen, We're already there. We're already there, dared. Unfortunately.
Anyway, a couple of games.
There's three games. At seven thirty, we'll circle back to Atlanta versus NYC. That game is at seven thirty. We'll circle back. We'll talk about that later. DC United hosting Columbus Crew, and then also at seven thirty we have Inner Miami hosting Philadelphia Union.
Real quick on Columbus. I think what Wilfrid Nanci is doing this year is one of his best coaching jobs, and that's including a season in Montreal where he didn't strangle Joey Suputo, which deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Just for that second. You know, like, this is a group that doesn't have as many weapons as they've had in the past, and they're battling and they're still playing true to their style. It's really impressive. DC. We know what DC brings, it's Christian Venteke winning every
aerial dual known demand. Columbus is gonna have to be ready to deal with that. I don't I don't know if they get the win on the road in this one, but I think they don't lose it. The Miami Philly game's fascinating because Miami's looking ahead to play in LAFC and CONCACAFF middle of next week. Philly is another one in the East who's trying to prove themselves. Can they go on the road to Fort Lauderdale and play their game and be disruptive against Miami and then for Miami.
It's always a question mark when you've got other competitions going on. How much do the super Friends play in this one? And we don't know yet.
No, I agree, it's how how combative can can Philly be with Miami. One of my questions Jason is and we I think I thought we were gonna see it against Atlanta. I think there were moments where it wasn't the entire second half, but they were moments where those legs look tired against Atlanta. Those legs a gonna get real tired for Miami because the super Friends are logging a lot of minutes early in the season. They are,
and they can do that. Part of getting old, though, is that you don't bounce back the elasticity and your rubber band is not as intense as it used to be. There's gonna come a time where they're just gonna have to start resting guys, and even when they're out there, they're just not gonna be able to give everything they can. At this point, I don't know when that is, and I can't predict it because I feel like I'm gonna
look like a fool doing it. I don't necessarily know if it's if it's this game, because I think it will be. It will be interesting to see how Miami deals with it. Because as much flack as your new manager got with Argentine national team fans cheering that their youth national team coach was leaving because they thought he was bad. He'd done a hell of managerial job so far.
I like great, he's been great. I love what he's done with that team. Defensively, I mean they're aggressive defensively, they're doing all the right things. I talked about it throughout the game with Miami. Luis Suarez taken away the six MESSI picking his spots to press. I mean, you're just giving them a couple of cues and you're organizing everything else around it. It's been really impressive from Javea Masrano.
And you know, when we talk about managers, some guys are cut out to be a club manager day to day where they can work and get into the nitty gritty with a team. Some are cut out to be national team managers where it's more about man management, more about setting up one v one's and basic stuff along those lines. And it looks like Mashrano is really taken to the club game and he's getting a ton out of this Miami team. They've looked better than they did
last season in my opinion. Now can they maintain it? That's the part we don't know. We're just gonna have to wait and find out.
It'll be fun, It'll be a fun time. Moving on to the eight thirty games, we have four of them. Starting up. We have Chicago hosting Montreal Chicagos.
Who were great club Speaking of guys who were great club managers but may not have been great national team managers.
Yeah, better national team manager than he got credit for. But yes, I think he is a club club manager.
Yeah.
In Chicago wins, We don't even have to keep going on that.
Right then we got Dallas hosting Sporting Kansas City.
Dallas wins, Lucho Acosta scores, he gets into the seventy five seventy five club I think one of six or seven guys to do that. Seventy five goals, seventy five assists in MLS, he's got seventy four goals.
Right now, guys for Peter Urmes's head grow louder. And the worst party for Sporting Kansas City is that they're not even angry anymore. They're apathetic, which I swear to God is worse.
Yeah, it's much worse, and I don't think it gets any better this week.
All right, at another eight to thirty game, we have Minnesota hosting Salt Lake.
I still don't know what to think about Minnesota. I don't know if it's yeah same. I have higher hopes for Salt Lake because I think Diego Luna could break down a brick wall with his bare hands, yes, and enjoy it. So at least I have something to lean into. With RSL Minnesota, I just don't quite know yet, and they're at home. I mean it's it's an opportunity for These are two teams that I think coming into the year a lot of people kind of had roughly around
the same level. Do they separate this week or is it a draw?
I don't know.
Moving on, last game of the eight thirty PM hour, This one I'm actually watching for because I'm really intrigued about it.
Nashville hosting Cincinnati.
No I thought what to do with either one of these teams right now.
I give Nashville a ton of credit. Bj Callahan has gotten them after a first couple of weeks where they did not look good. I think that's been washed away with how good they've looked since. But they did not look good in the first couple of weeks. They didn't look good at the end of last season. He's turned it around now. Is that because of the matchups? Is that just a good, nice run of form. We'll find out. Cincinnati's not one hundred percent though. This is a team
that's that's kind of banged up. This is a team that I think is maybe still dealing with a little bit of the disappointment from getting knocked out of Conker Calf. They're not what they've been so far this season. And we had the conversation coming into it, you know, is Evander going to be able to replicate Lucianoacosta? And everybody
pretty much said yes. I've been skeptical of that. I didn't really see anything up close, although they didn't have their normal group, but Landa didn't have their normal group. I didn't see anything really up close to change my opinion of that. Last week. I don't know if they go to Nashville and get anything.
I've always felt like, okay, I felt since day one that this is unfair to Evander because he's not the same players. Luco is such a different Yeah, Lucio is such a unique player in this league's history and can just do things that he just does Luco things. I don't know what else to call it. He's just very unique and asking Evander to be that guy isn't fair to him. It's more of Evander. I need to just come in and be Evander, and then for Cincinnati is
adjusting to Evander being him. They are built to play around for so long what Luco did, but aust what they're doing around Evander, and I think you'll get moments like we saw in those fifteen minutes against Atlanta.
Yeah, but it was only fifteen minutes, I know.
But I think they can expand on it if they can just kind of coalesce around it. But that's a big if.
Understand it's a big if. I think Nashville gets the win here. I think they're in a good spot right now, and they're more expansive than they've ever been. And I'm really curious to see how the fan base takes to that. In Nashville playing a more bold, aggressive style, I think it will help them. I think it will definitely get more attention over time and create more excitement. I think it's the right.
Way to go all right, speed round. We got three games at ten point thirty. We have LA Galaxy hosting Orlando.
Orlando goes on the road and gets the win, and it's because their designated players have delivered so far with Mourtreel and with Passily especially. I didn't expect either to be doing what they've been doing. Orlando goes to win the Galaxy or just not the Galaxy.
At the moment, the calls for Greg Vanny, you're going to be unfair, but they're going to be there.
They shouldn't be and anybody who does that should be smacked in the face.
We have San Diego hosting LAFC draw.
I think LAFC has to look ahead to host in Miami in the midweek in Conca Calf. I think San Diego is good enough at home to frustrate them. LAFC. I know a lot of people still are super impressed. I'm not, and I don't think they have enough at less than one hundred percent to go to San Diego and get a win. They need to put all their eggs in the basket of Conca Calf and really go after that Miami series, which could be a lot of fun because it's a very good class styles.
I also don't know that LAFC is going to expand enough for San Diego to break them down, like lafc's going likedraw. Yeah, they're gonna sit in their shell.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Then the last game of Saturday ten thirty, we have the Quakes hosting Seattle.
Quakes have fallen off a little bit a little bit, and Seattle are trying to bring in Ryan Kent. How do you feel about that one, Jared.
Don't know what Ryankan has in the tank at this point. He was really good for Rangers a couple of years ago with and just nothing really happened. He was at his best under Steven Gerard at Rangers, but hasn't really reproduced it. I think the right manager can get a very solid player out of him.
I think Spetzer could be that guy.
I think would not be sure.
Yeah, I think you could really serve them. Well, it's not done yet, so we'll see. I wonder about Seattle on the road in this one, but San Jose has reverted back to form a little bit. I wonder if this is one of those games where Bruce Arena just goes into it and says, you know what, we haven't been playing great, We're not going to lose today. Might not win, but we're not going to lose today. Kind of got that vibe about it. So I will also go draw here.
On Sunday, we have two games at two point fifteen. We have Saint Louis hosting Austin.
That should be a fun one. Austin found their offense last week, although they couldn't convert all the chances that they.
Have had four goals, six, eight, ten, like it could have. He could have set a record. It was crazy and it Brandon Vesquez and was it was.
Saint Louis has been one of the best defensive teams in the league this season, so it sets up for a really entertaining game and I want to see that one. That's one that in the West this weekend. That's one I'm really looking forward to on Sunday.
Then at seven pm for Sunday Night Soccer, we have the Portland Timbers hosting the Houston Dynamo.
So if Jared's got the Quakes and Maddy's got the Rapids, i guess I've got the Dynamo. And I'm just still very disappointed. And I love I love what ben Elson. I love what he is as a coach, I loved what he was as a player, and it's just not quite happening for them at the moment. They have not won the season. You know you lose Hector Herrera here a different locker room. Jack McGlenn, I think will come good for them, but he's like, from a present standpoint,
he's not Hector Herreri can't be. He's like half his age almost, So it hasn't quite hit yet. And does it hit in Portland? Who has some momentum now? Phil nevill getting the win in Colorado last week? Are things turning for them? With Da Costa getting more time and he's trying to be a Vander even though he's not a Vander but he's got to be Evander plus to help the Timbers team. I think they're changing goalkeepers help
them as well. I think Portland probably gets the win here and I'll still be disappointed.
All around, disappointed all around.
Whoever, like if Portland is suffering Houston's first victory of the season, you're also going to start getting those whispers out in Portland.
I think those whispers. They they went back to whispers last week after the win. They will get back to not quite bullhorn level, but conversation, yeah, maybe open conversation, like not trying to hide it.
Yeah, all right, Going back to the game at seven thirty, Atlanta United versus and why see really quick thoughts.
What do y'all think?
I'm waiting to see the lineups? Keaton Parks question mark, mattash click question mark. Guys coming back from international duty in general are always question marks. Peter Amador coming back after the birth of his versus child question mark. So a lot of those with these two teams, two teams that want to play a really similar way. Ronnie Diler versus NYC. That's a storyline right there. I think it should be, and it feels like it typically is between
these two clubs. It should be a really good game, really good game between two teams that want to play. So I'm looking forward to it.
Midfield for me, is gonna be as resting for Atlanta. We know Tristan's out for a couple of weeks now click getting healthy, Slee's coming back, But you have two kids in that midfield, Jay Fortune, who hasn't gotten as many minutes this year and hasn't just grabbed everything by the throat like he did last year, and then Will Riley, who put together an outstanding first ever performance last week. One of those kids is gonna have to factor into the midfield and some way shape or form in this game?
Who is it and do they step up to the moment and can they be that difference maker that maybe New York City doesn't happen in the midfield A keating Parks isn't giving you as much.
It's gonna be a fun one on Saturday at Mercedes Benz Stadium. That's gonna start at seven thirty six point thirty. We're gonna have the pregame show on ninety two nine and the Odyssey app myself and Abe Gordon will take you through everything you.
Need to know about the match seven thirty.
A little bit afterwards, Mike Connie and Jason Longsrour will hop on and they'll give you the beautiful call of the match. And then post game it'll either be Abe Gordon and it'll either be my off Ordered Smith or both of us.
Who knows, you know, we might who knows. We'll keep you guessing.
You'll never just have to wait and see what happens, wait to.
See what happens.
We'll leave it there. But yeah, guys, that was another episode of MLS six pack. You're on the SDH network. Thank you guys so much for listening, and we'll see you Guys next week for more Major League soccer chaos.