Thursdays with Niko 9/26/24: The MLS Review/Preview - podcast episode cover

Thursdays with Niko 9/26/24: The MLS Review/Preview

Sep 26, 202435 min
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Episode description

It's time for Thursdays with Niko Moreno

We go over the cup action from Wednesday night, LAFC and Crew, plus checking out the games of the weekend...

Transcript

Speaker 1

And now Nino's gonna go into the green room. What Nino does when we sign off after the handoff, he listens in the green room. He doesn't just hang up. I mean what he'll do. He'll sit there and he'll listen to us talk about Major League Soccer. Ah, he's got the rave greenout. Which Cup two or three?

Speaker 2

This is two baby two absolutely.

Speaker 1

So he'll he'll kind of hang out in the green room and he'll react to what you and I are talking about. Literally, there'll be times where he'll fall out of his chair and I can see it in the green room. So we we have our South American live audience falling out of their chairs as we go through things. We started to show off this morning talking about the three championship games that happened last night, with what happened in Campeona's Cup, with what happened in the can champ

and with what happened in Open Cup. Where do you want to start when it comes to those three?

Speaker 3

Well, I watched two of the three, so I would love to start with Open Cup and theybe we can put into move into Compelling His Cup after that.

Speaker 1

All right, So it was three to one. Kai Kamara obviously with the quote of the day. After the match was over, he said Don was here, meaning Don Garber. I saw him, he was on the podium. He gave me a medal. So just get him in here and make sure they don't take MLS away from this. This is amazing. You know, this is American soccer right here. Don't take away from our history. End quote. So Kai

Kamara scores. Kai who is I think seventy two years old and still is incredibly productive from cal State University. He knows what the American soccer footprint is. He knows what it means to be in all these different competitions and all these different locations. He gets a an oh, he gets an Open Cup medal. It's something that LAFC, despite their negative nature of playing these days, they fight

through it and still end up winning titles. Olivier Jerroux was all happy and everything, most handsome and major league soccer scored last night. I don't see I see this as adding hardware. But I don't see this for LAFC

as something where they will open up things offensively. I still think that they're going to be defensive first and frustrate everybody except for Steve Charundelo, who I will maintain Ever since they got bumped out of Concky Cap Champions League when they were all offensive and they had Carlos Vela and all the stars. Ever since then, Steve Charundelo has pulled back offensively. He's wanted to make sure that the that the golf team is in the golf cart and he's got the governor on it, and I think

that he's restricting the talent that's there. It's almost like pounce and create instead of create and pounce. Does that make sense?

Speaker 2

It does? It does?

Speaker 3

However, I feel like if he's built a team that can't benefit from that sort of play, then I think it's all good and well right.

Speaker 2

I mean, I've always been like you, right, kind of this.

Speaker 3

Purist of beautiful soccer, and I want to see you hold the ball, and I want to see you use the width of the field, and I want to see a little bit of flair in some connection, some link up play.

Speaker 2

But Steve, yeah, I think he saw himself in some situations.

Speaker 3

I mean, you don't lose four finals and don't try to change things up. And throughout that time he has been a coach that would rather play counter soccer and rather give you the ball and like you said, not create, but maybe just leive off your mistakes. We're gonna press the ball, We're gonna go and transition, and I think he's built a team for it, right, I mean, the wing play is elite is uh, it doesn't matter.

Speaker 2

Which way you go, you go bwanga, you go both with you go kick.

Speaker 3

You got guys that can run perfage when he comes to a transition moment. You have a holding mid field that is quick distributing the ball, that is going to try as much as they can at delivering that switch of player or switching the point of attack whenever it's necessary, whenever you see the space on the other side.

Speaker 2

So because of that, I don't hate it.

Speaker 3

And I thought that in this particular final they struggled a little bit because Peter Vermis, in a very Peter Vermes type of situation. He gave LAFC the ball and he was very cautious. And yes, a lot of people were criticizing Peter for looking a freight in the first half, and I think that's outrageous, man.

Speaker 2

I mean, you're playing la f C.

Speaker 3

If I'm going to go play you open, and I'm going to try to just beat you out what you're good at.

Speaker 2

I'm not gonna go anywhere. And I thought that that's why.

Speaker 3

This game was as even as it was through with the first ninety. I thought that, uh, Peter did some some some great things, right, I mean he really limited situations even with Denis Banga did look like Denis Blanca votes I'll tell you that.

Speaker 2

He mean, he was all over. He was a handful uh speed.

Speaker 3

I'm gonna come right at you, clearly taking advantage of Shelton, a non defensive minded player.

Speaker 2

Has a right back.

Speaker 3

And you saw Kai later on do the same. Uh, but uh, Dennis Banga was on point. I thought, Jeru has this was the best game I've seen him play, uh since he started with l A f C. Obviously with l A f C and MLS. Please don't come at me. The best game I've ever seen him play, I mean with this particular team. And I thought that the speed that Peter wanted to see out of that that midfield, out of their senate defensive midfielders, I thought

created some problems at times for LAFC. So it was a great game, and Kai Kamara, you gotta just applaud the man.

Speaker 2

It's so effortless for him that that that third goal.

Speaker 3

Is the final punch that completely knocked out Sporting together City. It was two to one. He could have still been tied up, it could have been equaled at some point.

Speaker 2

But Kai Kamara, the.

Speaker 3

Way he literally jogs to the eighteen, He's looking at Denny's Wangat the entire time Denny Wang is doing his thing on the side, he continues to just lightly jog.

Speaker 2

He sees that Shelton has no idea he is right behind him, and when then he.

Speaker 3

Puts that ball inside with good pace at the right spot, he just runs right in front of Shelton and puts the ball away effortless.

Speaker 2

And that's what he's been doing for this team.

Speaker 3

And that's credit to Charondolo for being able to use a guy like him with his experience with his IQ, and they deservingly won that Open Cup.

Speaker 2

But I do want to credit.

Speaker 3

Sporting Kansas City for making it hard, for taking it to ot for not allowing themselves to just get beat down by l AFC. Tommy is a guy that he's always been productive. He's done it all for Sporting Kindness City. He's been in the back line, he's been on a plane out wide, he's played middle. In this one he played as a cam and I thought he did it well. It was nice to see him in shallowy uh put that goal for Sporting Kansas City. But LAOC was just too much. At the end of the day, LFC wanted it.

They you said in their faces. You saw it in the celebration. They wanted to get that rusted off being or that stigma of being the best, second best after and say you give lost finals.

Speaker 1

That's never the best, never to win until two more questions about LAFC, and to your point about Sporting. If I'm Peter Vermes in that matchup, you're on the road, You're going up against the team that is better than you. Why not let him have the ball? Why not let them It's almost like Vermes wants to rope adope you and literally it's like, all right, you can have the ball. You you expand, you expend, you spend all of your energy.

I'm gonna sit here and I'm gonna wait. I saw I mean, for a philosophy on a road game against a team that is better than you, I could definitely see look, I'm gonna rop adope your ball. You go ahead, and you tire yourself out and I'll take advantage of it. Late. I can understand why Peter would do something like this for the first hour many minutes. I get that completely.

Speaker 2

Yeah, And he said it.

Speaker 3

I don't know if it was after the game, but he said, I knew they were gonna come at us with everything they have within the first twenty minutes, so he had to hold on. He had to do certain things and did that. Holding on, Polito gets a great chance in front of goal. And now Polito is a guy that he needs to put those type of goals away. And we're talking about a whole different ballgame, right, And that's been Sporting.

Speaker 2

Kansas City's season in a nutshell, right.

Speaker 3

It's just the fact that their top players are not a top form right now, and guys like shallow Wie and and Pledo, even even Russell, who obviously is at the end of his career already, or at least not in his prime, they're starting to see a little bit of problems.

Speaker 2

But I thought that the strategy was put on right.

Speaker 3

I thought that they played the game that they that was going to give him the best chance to win. And again, anytime that you take LAOC to overtime with the limitations and problems you've had all season, I mean that's created to Peter.

Speaker 1

How did Carlos? How does Carlos Vela fit under the salary? Capt Did they just give him like an Albertson's gift card or something for I mean literally, is it like Marko and Albertson's gift cards and you know, maybe a lifetime a lifetime gift card to in and out Burger? How did this come down? How did this fit?

Speaker 2

That's a great question. I know that they have room.

Speaker 1

It wasn't much, okay, and that and that was my biggest thing. It's like, you know, how creative are they? Did they actually have room? Was it a gift cards kind of a thing? What is what was working with here? All?

Speaker 3

I know that they they did have room both in roster and in salary. And that number, I'm unaware of what that is because I've read a couple of different reports and I don't want to give you a wrong number.

Speaker 2

But there was room for it.

Speaker 3

Whether whether that number is the same number that you know they.

Speaker 2

Told us they gave Gary Bale at one.

Speaker 3

Point, and what they're saying that they're giving Louise, I'm not sure what's behind the scenes. Did they do get that in and out lifetime warranty, you know, if they get a free pass for the entire family to hit up Disneyland, I don't know. But at the end of the day, there's gotta be something else in line. But you know, look the cumins Bille.

Speaker 2

I think it is interesting. Man, it's more.

Speaker 3

Of a celebration to him. I think it's just like a farewell tour. I love the way Carlos kind of tamed all expectations. Man, I'm not ready to play in any team.

Speaker 2

I'm just here.

Speaker 3

Just to help the squad right probably later down the road, and I think that's what it's gonna be. He's gonna be training, he's gonna be with the guys. He's gonna enjoy of whatever run LAFC makes this season, and whenever his number is called, he'll be ready to play fifteen twenty minutes. Maybe I don't know if he'll get a star, but if he does, he's gonna have to get used

to all the changes that happened with his offense. He's gonna have to get his body right, and he lets you know already that he his buty's not right start or to play any minutes at this point in time. So I think it's more of a celebration to a player that was great. Look, I kind of envy them. I would love to see a Nicoletodero final tour in the Club World Cup next year, but she's not gonna happen. But I thought that it was a cool, interesting thing.

I love that Torrenton ended up even answering some questions in Spanish about the decision to bring back a player as important as Carlos Bella. But in terms of the salary cap, I'm sure they did some some magic tricks because I don't know how he fits.

Speaker 1

Yeah, Kilany bail Reese jeru Vela, there's some creative financing going on here with.

Speaker 2

But it was weird. If this was going to be the end game, why didn't Carlos just accept whatever it is that was negotiated before.

Speaker 3

I mean, it's it's a little bit odd. I'm not gonna lie to you that part. I like to see the best of the novel of the series of the Gesture, but it is a bit of a headscratcher of why you would you decide to sit for six months and then come back and take pennies underd dollar.

Speaker 1

At the end of the day, YEP can Champ. Vancouver won in PKS and they win the can Champs, so they get their way into the CONCA CAF Hemispheric Extravaganza. Columbus and Cluba Medica go to PKS tied after ninety go to PKS cluobe America wins at five to four.

We were talking about it with Nino to begin this hour, and he thinks that it might be one more year after this one before Wilfrid Nanci and Columbus crew and Jimmy Haslam are given the offer that they count refuse to have Wilfrid Nanci go overseas and manage someplace and have the chance to go home. Do you get the sense that Wilfred is happy with the resources he's getting with the Haslums in Columbus and would stay longer than that, or is he looking for larger frontiers.

Speaker 3

I think he's happy there, and I don't know will Fred like this, but if I was to paint a picture of what I think goes on in that big brain of his.

Speaker 2

I think that he likes what he has right now. He has the.

Speaker 3

Ability to mold young players, he has old the resources that he can. He has a team of brilliant players and you saw it in the play. We'll get into that in a little bit that he can work with. So it's all good right now. But in soccer things tend to change day to day. So I'm looking at Kucho, I'm looking at how much he's making.

Speaker 2

I know he's looking around the league.

Speaker 3

I know he has still time on his contract, but there's going to be a point where he's going to be like, hey man, I'm over here dominating in MLS and I'm not getting dominated money. I look around the league and even and you know, this current contract over all redeas is still above mine. And I think Evander makes more than I do. And I think, you know, all these players that are not Coocho or making more than I do.

Speaker 2

I need to get a race. So how does.

Speaker 3

Management make sure that a guy that is important as Coucher stays and that keeps Wilfrid happy? There We'll see. But I feel like the infrastructure of Columbus and what they've been able to do even moving on from certain front of his personalities, and they've been able to keep that theory and that soccer module. I think Wilfrid is fine, and I don't think he's dying to get to Europe. I'm not sure that's what I see when he when he talks, So I think he's happy there as long

as things continue to be the same. I feel like Wilfrid is smart enough that he's not in any type of rush to put himself in a situation that might not just be advantageous to him but to his career. I mean, at this point, continue to win, continue to get the benefit of being the top team in MLS, and continue to be that guy that everybody looks up to when he comes to the way you play, uh, the way they've managed the locker room, all of these things.

Speaker 2

And then later on under road, then you could go ahead and make that pussure.

Speaker 3

So if I have to say whether he wants to stay or not, I think for right now and at least for a couple of years, he'd want to stay in MLS.

Speaker 1

Kucho to your point, and I found the salary figures courtesy of our friends at the MLSPA. Kucho's base is two point six guaranteed comp just under two point nine. Some of the other heavy hitters in Columbus Nagby one point four base one point five four guaranteed, Rossi two point six seven five base guaranteed three point three. He's million, three hundred and seventy six twenty seven dollars. That's Rossi guaranteed. And those are the only ones that are into seventh

those seven figure players on Columbus. It's just those three that are making more than a million dollars a season, those three guys, and Kuco right now is second at two point six and two point eight eighty six behind Diego Rossi on that roster.

Speaker 3

Yeah, no, absolutely, And compared to what Wilfrid was coming from, I mean that that's gonna feel pretty good. And I do expect this team to go and get more people. And when I saw guys like Juwan Jones come in for whatever money they did, that looked like a move. Dad Wilfrid said, I need that guy. I want that guy, and they got him that guy, So I'm not really of the thought that he needs a big wallet in

just ones undeniable money like Atlanta or Miami. I just think that he wants the guys he wants, and as long as you provide him those players, he's going to be fine. And again, as long as you give him the guys that have made a difference on the field and off the field, Rossi all those big, those big name players na be and keep them with those sort of resources, I think he's gonna be fine.

Speaker 1

Right now, Patrick Shelty, who's probably going to be getting a big, big raise. His comp right now full is one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, so that is going to be going that direction with a Shelty at the very least.

Speaker 2

How much is Farsi making Mo.

Speaker 1

Farsi According to the MLS players salary grouping, he's three point fifty base three eighty guaranteed.

Speaker 2

They've just done such a good job with that.

Speaker 3

I mean, when you look at those players and you look at the talent level at some point and maybe this is one of those situations where it's the perfect moment for the team because you got all of these upcoming players that haven't reach top salaries. But when you look at Farsi morera, when you look at Christian Ramirez and what he's making. Again, even Kucho Kutcha could be asking for double what he's making, but he came in at this specific price in time. Would you look at

duwe Jones, would you look at Matan? I mean, these are quality players that have been consistent for this team, and yet they're at a very low salary. So just credit to that front office and what they've been able to do the way they've been able to do it.

Speaker 1

They're all making mid six figures to answer the names that you mentioned. Christian Ramirez full compensation just under five hundred thousand. We mentioned Chelte right now he's at one sixty six oh three. He's going to get a big raise and then a big ass raise is what he's

going to be getting. Let's see Morera's at eight hundred thousand base eight eighty two guaranteed, Maton coming in from his time with CFC in other places, four to fifty base for eighty three and a quarter is guaranteed, and we mentioned Farsi Shaberco is at five point fifty three and a quarter guaranteed, Rudy Camacho five point fifty one total guaranteed, and Multi Aminsen just under four hundred thousand guaranteed. So there's a lot of six figure dudes there, but

they're all mid six figure dudes. And so there's a good massaging that's been going on with salaries. In the salary cap, you know what time it.

Speaker 2

Is, Oh, it is Cliffhanger time.

Speaker 1

It is Cliffhanger time. So we're gonna run through the games and if there's a game you want to talk about total number, we'll do it. Uh, seven thirty starts seven forty actually, so seven thirty in the book seven forty on Apple TV CF Montreal San Jose CF Montreal favored at Stott Suputo to minus one nineteen DC and Crewe Crue is a road favorite. Even after last night, there are still a road favorite at a plus one thirty three. DC United a plus one seventy five. The

draw is a plus two to seventy seven. Interesting there, coming off a midweek game with Crew having to go to DC. I thought that was intriguing. What's the draw to seventy seven?

Speaker 3

Yeah, yeah, I'd probably go with a draw there. Maybe Columbus goes and just manages this game.

Speaker 2

DC United.

Speaker 3

If anything, they can create some problems for that three man back line, specifically with their crosses.

Speaker 2

I thought that.

Speaker 3

Yesterday they put themselves in some bad situations. I mean that goal by Davila that there is a new signing for Club America from Chile.

Speaker 2

Very good, very fast.

Speaker 3

It happens in a little bit of a breakdown where your lines are just too high, you're pressing. They try to repress, and they failed, not by anything that they didn't do, but credit to Club America. And all of a sudden, you got a guy running in front right your goal and he puts that one away. Uh so yeah, I think that might be a situation in which, uh, maybe Columbus gets a draw.

Speaker 1

All right, other matchups as we roll, here we go it is I'm gonna save Atlanta, Philly and Seattle Houston to the end. It is FC Cincinnati LAFC. FC Cincinnati at TQL a minus one oh four draws a plus two eighty one. LAFC coming out off of last night at home flying to Cincinnati is a plus two fifty Wow.

Speaker 4

Uh huh wow, that's uh, that's uh, what's the goals on this one?

Speaker 1

All right? So let's see what direction we go here. So FC Cincinnati and LAFC we're gonna go over under and once again this is courtesy of our friends in the composite at odds portal. Two and a half a minus one eighty three, three and a half a plus one thirty six. So that's where it changes three and a half at plus one thirty six. Under three and a half is a minus one seventy five.

Speaker 2

Wow.

Speaker 3

Now, uh, if I had to do this game, because I feel like it's gonna be hard to decipher because of all the factors.

Speaker 2

The just mentioned.

Speaker 3

Because Cincinnati within themselves have been not the Cincinnati of old, I could see a two two draw in this one. And let me say that we did pretty good last week on the goals differentials, and if it wasn't because Atlanta messed me up, we put it would have gotten Atlanta as well.

Speaker 2

But we did pretty well. So I'm gonna go three and a half in this one.

Speaker 3

I'm gonna take the draw for a two to two between Cincinnati and LFC.

Speaker 1

All right, so we'll go to two draw. By the way, over at four is a plus two thirty nine. Under four is a minus three thirty five. Since you punched that number, figured we'd go there. Uh, MESSI and friends at the Erector set are gonna be waiting for Charlotte to try to get out of this mess. My guess said, Charlotte's gonna fly out of Helene as soon as they can MESSI and friends of mine one ninety two. Charlotte

has only won twice I think since July fourth. So Charlotte a plus four thirty three, Your draws a plus three seventy three New England flat out even money plus one hundred at home hosting Nashville, Nashville's a plus two fifty and your draw is a plus two sixty three.

Speaker 2

Intregue, give me Nashville, Man, give me Nashville.

Speaker 1

A plus two thie give me Nashville. I mean, that's those those numbers are just odd.

Speaker 3

You know, they are odd, and that I like those numbers look allowed me to use your platform to just stuck Carless Hill that it is not the way that you come at a defender. That's that the thing between him and Haiaga and the way he pushed them, the way he came at him, the whole thing.

Speaker 2

Caleb called it embarrassing.

Speaker 3

It was embarrassing, But Caleb, I mean, but Carlos Hill as the face of the franchise the best player.

Speaker 2

He cannot come out.

Speaker 3

Of have areaga that, regardless of whether he was having a terrible game or not.

Speaker 2

That's not here nor there. That's not leadership. Man.

Speaker 3

You can't come at your player like that and dog them right in front of everybody as you're walking towards the tunnel in the locker room.

Speaker 2

Keep it in the locker room. The I'm doing it in front of everybody. Come on, I.

Speaker 3

Think that New England imploded last game. They allowed Charlotte to put four on you. That's Charlotte baby four on you. So I think that in this one, with all of the bad vibes, all of the problems, Dylan Borrero suspended all the things that happened New England. I think Nashville is a good pick this week.

Speaker 1

All right, we'll go from there to Hudson River Red Bulls hosting New York City Red Bulls A plus one twelve draws A plus two sixty seven and NYCFC on the road crossing over the rivers A plus two nineteen.

Speaker 2

That's a draw, baby, that's a drawing.

Speaker 3

That's a safe draw on my regard, and again, thank you Red Bulls for ruining my Atlanta pick that one was tough or or or Atlanta ruined in my my pick on that one because that that looked good that that Atlanta was going to take that game and they didn't.

Speaker 2

But yeah, I think it's gonna be a draw.

Speaker 4

Uh.

Speaker 3

New York City has been interesting, man, because they have a lot of quality players. Uh, they seem to at least have gotten the nine situation situated, but they still seem to have issues managing games in general. They played well or actually Miami didn't play well and they were able to get a drug against Miami. But I think that there are things with New York City have seed that can change in the future. But between these two teams, I think a draw is pretty safe.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I think you're I think you're spot on. We're gonna save Philly and Atlanta. We're going to save Seattle and Houston for the end. Austin hosting RSL. Austin favored at home at Q two at a plus one thirty three, RSL plus one eighty three, Chicago hosting Toronto with a minus one o two, obviously looking at having Toronto traveling to Vancouver then having to come back and play in Chicago on the weekend. Toronto's a plus two to fifty

seven draws a plus two sixty six. If the Purple team can get out of Central Florida, they're supposed to play in Dallas FC. Dallas a plus one thirty three draws a plus two and a half. In Orlando City is a plus one ninety two. LUN's hosting Rapids at a minus one oh one, Colorado a plus two thirty four draws a plus two to ninety one. Battle of the Interstate. I always forget what interstate it is that links Saint Louis and Kansas City all caps of minus

one twenty five and draws a plus three thirteen. Sportings a plus two to eighty three, especially with what happened in the midweek, Sporting having to play one hundred and twenty minutes in Los Angeles, having to come back. You're playing on the road in Saint Louis taking on City SC you're a dog. And then Vancouver and Portland in Cascadia. Vancouver playing at home after the midweek winning in pks minus one o nine against Portland the draws of plus

three twelve. Portland is a plus two thirty eight, and so.

Speaker 3

Wow, really yeah, wow, So let me get two one. I would definitely take Portland over Vancouver in this one, although Portland was another one that could have been real good for me last week and then it ended up being a draw.

Speaker 2

But they were there, they were there.

Speaker 3

We did get the goals on that one, by the way, But I'll take Portland on this one.

Speaker 2

And I want to see the goals on.

Speaker 3

A FC Dallas and Orlando City because that's gonna be an interesting one.

Speaker 2

Look, f SE Dallas is not the FC Dallas of old.

Speaker 3

I think that in the non Nicostaves era, they are not just more dangerous because of the structure of the play. I just feel like they'd be more decisive. And of course the fact that they're getting Ferreira back in Belasco back. I mean, those players are soort ho. You saw that last week. I think that in this one with another team that likes to get forward in Orlando City, there could be a lot of goals.

Speaker 1

Two and a half a minus one forty three and a half a plus one seventy four, so technically it changes it three to a plus one nineteen, so three and a half. If you go two two, that's a plus one seventy four. If you take the over.

Speaker 2

There, what four and a half four alef.

Speaker 1

Four and a half is a plus three ninety four. So if you're looking at three two or four to one plus three ninety four.

Speaker 3

Give me the four and a half. I should have taken more fours and a half last week, and I didn't. We would have hit that Portland game. We would have hit the Columbus game. So this week I was thinking, I'm gonna go more four and a halfs. That's one of them. I'll take the four and a half. Orlando and FC Dallas.

Speaker 1

David is asking if Shelty is the Generation Adidas or a homegrown. Shelty is on his option year that was renewed in his first three year deal, and so I'm efforting to figure out if he's a GA or if he's a homegrown product.

Speaker 2

I thought he was a home grown.

Speaker 3

Yeah, I think he's I'm almost I'm almost certain that he's a homegrown, all.

Speaker 1

Right, So we'll go with homegrown until evidence comes otherwise about Patrick Schulte. Okay, last two matchups on the board, Atlanta at Philadelphia, Philadelphia minus one forty one in the playoff Chaos in the East. Your draws a plus three thirty. Atlanta's a plus three seventeen, provided that they can get out of town.

Speaker 2

What do you think that's a tougher man, Atlanta.

Speaker 3

It's been such a headache for me, and Philadelphia has has bounced back.

Speaker 2

I could see why the numbers are what they are.

Speaker 3

I know you guys probably don't want to hear it, but I think another draw in the future of Atlanta is pretty pretty possible. I just think Atlanta has had so many woes defensively and just bad moments in general, not taken care of the right moments. I know it's hard sometimes to play in front of the substitute teacher that you know he's going to be the remaining teacher, but man, it's just it's tough sometimes to watch Atlanta.

Speaker 2

So yeah, man, I'll go with the drawing.

Speaker 1

Down, all right, And so let's wrap up with yours and your matchup is one of the late games on Saturday, hosting Dynamo. Seattle's minus one twenty three draws a plus two sixty eight. Houston is a plus three thirty. What say you, Moneto you laugh to start things out?

Speaker 2

Wow, I don't know why I like that. Three thirty man.

Speaker 3

Look, I think a draw is probably a safer bed. I think Seattle against San Jose went back to a lot of the problems that they've had all season. Houston is not an easy game to be He's Houston is not an easy team to break down. Houston has some quality experience midfielders, and without Joe Pablo and the fact that he's gonna be Josh Atencio and Ovid Bargains in the midfield, which both quality players. I just think that against Orlando, you need a little bit of those dark arts.

You need a little bit of that experience. Play a little shoulder here, a little elbow there. I mean not that I'm trying to, you know, encourage anybody from playing the game that way, but I feel like it's just gonna be a very physical game. I think Ponse can really give Seattle some issues because of the movement that he can have in the final third. So I'm over

here just moving it around. I think Houston wins it, and I think they win it by the minimum, by a one zero score in Seattle, and I hope I'm wrong, and I hope I don't get you know, canceled over here in Seattle, But I feel like Houston is equipped to get give Seattle headaches and give Jordan Morris heads and when there is no plan B by this Sounders team, when Jordan isn't scoring, I think that this one could go to Houston.

Speaker 1

All right. So that is the rundown of everything this week and this week's version of Cliffhanger. So what is going on with you in Pulsar Sports on the soccer bar, I know that you've got probably about a half hour to catch your breath and head toward Cup number three.

Speaker 3

I do, so we got definitely a soccer bar. We are going to be talking about a lot more into depth to compel in this cup. What happened while went right? While went wrong? I thought it was a very exciting game. I thought it was entertaining. Regardless of what both of these teams are in the standings. At the end of the day, it's a battle of two countries. They played it that way. So we're gonna go into that. We're gonna have a conversation with Danny Lava, another player that

has been molded here in Seattle. He came out of the academy. He's very talented, but hasn't really broken out. He hasn't really had the ability to turn himself into this player that you know, we all think he can be at some point. So check that out. That's going to be both in Soccer Bar and Pulso Sports. And then we'll be at the training grounds at Providence and Swedish Clubhouse later on today, so check that out as well at Pullso.

Speaker 1

Sports mister Schmitzer's clubhouse. As always, it's great to have you on on Thursdays, my friend. Enjoy your second cup as your head toward your third. Be safe.

Speaker 2

Thank you, I appreciate it.

Speaker 3

Oh and by the way, we will also have a really good podcast with Jeremiah Shan that we'll be recording today.

Speaker 2

I don't know why he'll drop.

Speaker 3

It, but it should be should be spicy. We're gonna be looking into the Sounder season where they're at Bryan Smetzer right now. The conversation is contract ends at the end of the year, you keep them, do you move on? What do you do? Are you happy where they are? So check that one out. There's going to be a spice see little podcast there by.

Speaker 1

See all right, as always, my friend, great to see you and great to hear from you and have everything. May everything stick to the cards, May all the interviews work out well and we will catch up with you next week. Always great to see you my friend.

Speaker 2

Thank you as I have a good one.

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