You know I love Portland. It's beautiful waters, fine art galleries, hip donut shops, amazing organic farmers markets. I love Portland, and you should too, Seattle, because Portland is an amazing place to live and play soccer. I should know. I lived here and played soccer here too. Portland is the best. Portland made the best.
Hey what's up everyone, welcome to the Soundless FC podcast and we are going to look ahead to meet what is still the premier game on the MLS calendar, the history it has in this country. And there's been some great moments in MLS as well. I do think El Trafico has given it around for its money in recent years, but on the whole,
With some bias involved, I still think Sounders against Portland Simbers is still the cream of the crop. It's still at the top. And we have that coming tomorrow. A big one down in Portland. To be honest with this game, I don't think it matters too much home or away. You can get a result anywhere we've seen over the years. Quickly, briefly.
very expeditionally touch on I'm trying to get by skate by this LAFC but we do have to look at it and I think you know i'm not someone that makes excuses you know i call a spade a spade if a team plays poorly they play poorly but i do think there were factors into this result that I can see why it went the way it went. For example, 4-0, two of the goals came in the last part of the game, so that inflates the scoring a little bit.
It's similar to when LAFC came down to Seattle earlier this season where they had a heavy rotation. I think they were focused on the CONCACAF Champions Cup at the time and the Sounders not took the game to them. And one that had a stronger team on the pitch that day, at least. And it was the same down in L.A. in midweek. Obert didn't see the pitch. I know he was on the bench and he didn't see the pitch. Christian didn't see the pitch. two of the most important players, and Stefan Fry as well.
And then, of course, the rotation that Brian Schmetzer went for in this game. You know, Albert Rusnak, who you expect to be back in the lineup tomorrow, was on the bench, came on quite late. Ryan Kent, who's a man in form, maybe the man in form right now, really exciting. We'll talk about him a little bit later. Um,
He came into the game as well. And then, you know, Schmetz pretty much realized it, gave the game off 45 minutes. He went off. You saw Nuhu get summed off as well. He gave the start to De Rosario. So it was a rotated lineup. Again, not an excuse. The Sounders are built to try to win and compete in every single game. As it was LAFC. won 4-0 quite handsomely. And so one big win for the Sounders in the season against LFC and one for LFC against the Sounders.
It's not the end of the world because the team's been in great form and we have to remember we're going into the LAFC game off the back of a fantastic victory in Houston, a very difficult place to play. And the team went down and I felt the Houston game. was a very, very professional performance. Really good. Listen, I thought Ryan Kent was outstanding. I really thought he was. I think the last two times I've seen him before the LFC game.
When he came on, who do we play at home when he came on? I can't remember. Oh my gosh. That was so long. It feels like it was a long time ago. Happens of age. My memory's going. But he came on. We're in our late 30s now, man. I think it was San Luis. Yeah, the last home game against San Luis, he came on and had two assists. and played really, really well. And then he continued that, getting the start against Houston, where Dorsey's not a bad defender for Houston. He's not a bad player.
But he gave him a run for his money. I mean, he really, really, and more than that, he really showed him a clean pair of heels a few times. And I can tell you from experience. when you're a winger, when you beat your right back or left back the first couple of times in a game, you've won that psychological edge. It really is a game of cat and mouse.
I always think the attacking player has the advantage. At least I always felt that way. Where, listen, you can tackle me and stop me nine times. I just have to beat you once. If I get you that one time and put in a good cross or get myself in a position to shoot, That's what I need to do Just one time So it's much harder On the defender Because they've got to be Clean and perfect The whole game Pretty much So
I felt that Ryan Kent didn't were supposed to do drive, drive, drive. And poor Dorsey, you know, Ryan Kent gets taken off and then you have Georgie Manico coming. I'm probably the worst guy you want to be facing when you're already tired and exhausted. And then he's coming onto the pitch. And then from there, I just felt the Sounders did really well. I thought Pedro was good again. Rough Rock as well. Don't forget he got the assist early on. There was a massive helping hand.
See, there's actually something about Rothrock that I did not notice. He's the only guy to have started every game this year. He's started every game? i swear that in our game notes i did not know i did not realize that just under the radar he's been a consistent starter that is news to me yeah i feel like because he gets he gets subbed out quite earlier sometimes he's the first sub maybe i don't know i guess yeah listen he is someone and i love paul um You know what you're gonna get?
It can be a home game. It can be an away game. It can be sunny. It can be snow. It doesn't matter. I think you're going to get the same work ethic. He's an engine. He makes things happen. He draws fouls. He wins penalties. He wins free kicks. And some way, somehow... by skill or by luck which he creates himself for his hard work
he'll end up on the score sheet or an assist or winning what foul that leads to the goal. He always makes something happen, it seems like. He's always involved in the action a lot, Ruffrock, and I think that's why he's seeing the pitch.
With that, it's going to be a very quick... podcast we're just sort of recapping what we just did and then we're going to talk about Portland which is obviously what we want to focus on and of course we'll be back next week to really dive into what's happened in this Portland game hopefully it can be another good result down there but here's the thing about portland i think first for the sounders um
The guys on the pitch there, so you're looking at Christian, Steph, Aubin at this point, Albert. You've got Inouhu, Myanmar, I mean, all over the pitch. They know what this game means. This game does mean something different. It always was the one you prepared for a bit differently. There was a little extra bounce in your step that week of training.
the fans are more engaged it just means something to be those guys it means something and it's the same for them because you know as you know i played on that side too and it's the same the feeling is very mutual you know these two there's a lot of respect
between the organizations there is and i would say probably sometimes probably between the fan bases too i think there is over the years maybe a mutual respect even though there's definitely some strong competition and we want to one-up you we want to beat you and You know, I think the Sounders have led the way in many areas and the Portland Timbers have been trying to catch up for a long time. Of course, the trophy cabinet since both came into MLS is not comparable.
Just slid that one in there, Steve. Just slid that one in there. It's not, though. I do think you have to be honest. The Sounders are the bigger club. I think they are the bigger club. Portland is no joke and It's always a tough game, but there's enough guys on the soundness team that know what this game means So I'm not worried from that perspective Here's what I'd like to see the lineup that played against Houston as close to that
I think that is the team you want to take down. Musoski has to play, just in the absence of job. but then he's been scoring. I think Jesus Ferreira is a better player than myself in my opinion, a better footballer. more technically sound and things of that nature sees the game but Danny is doing what strikers are supposed to do and that's putting a ball in the back of the net and for that reason I'm not taking him out at this point at all he has to play like and I mean has to I mean has to play
He has to play. Alba has to play. He said, it's tough for me now because Rothrock has been playing tremendous and playing every game. But so has Pedro Delevega. And I thought in midweek he was very good. But I think he's been very good all season. I think, you know, he missed some time because of injury.
I don't know what his ceiling is. I don't think it's Nico de Dero. I don't think it's in that echelon, but he's a very good young DP I think so I think he's a DP by transfer fear one of those it gets complicated but um This is a good player. And if this is the best version of him we're going to get, I think you still have an above average MLS player, a young player too, who makes things happen. And he came on against Houston and made things happen. Looks lively against LAFC.
This may be the first game of the season where I'm saying maybe I'll bring Rothrock on. Because the reason I'm going to say that is I'm playing Ryan Kent. Without question. If it's me... My left wing is Ryan Kent. My right wing is Persia Zanevega in this game. I have Albert Rusnak in behind Masovsky and I'm going in a 4-2-3-1. I'm playing Obed. I'm playing Christian. um underneath and then the back the back four um picks itself at this point so that's what i would play now he does like rough
He does. So I'm wondering if you keep Pedro on the bench and bring him on. But I think the best chance you're going to have to beat this Timbers team is to go with that lineup I just mentioned. Of course, we don't know. I've not talked to Schmitz. I have no idea. I'll find out when everybody else finds out. That's the lineup I would go for. That's it. So they played in midweek. I kept on that on that game as well just to see. They rotated a bit too, they did. They got a 0-0 draw.
in Utah against Salt Lake. Not the easiest place to go, of course, we know that from experience as well. Before that, sort of their run, they've been in decent form, decent-ish form in the last couple of games. Obviously, we saw them recently. a heavily rotated team at Starfire against the Defiance. I am heartbroken about that. I'm so heartbroken. I won't get into any of the other stuff because I don't want to get myself in trouble. Heartbroken.
It was brutal. And I watched that game very closely and it was tough to see. I think that, yeah, listen, they took home with a fine. coaching staff all the way down to the players. They did themselves proud. They did really, really well on the bad of a couple decisions, perhaps, and a couple mistakes. And then, yeah, that's all it takes in a cup competition and then maybe the experience of Portland showed.
But that was a tough one. But it does count as a win for the Timbers. And, you know, they beat Kansas recently 4-2. They tied the LFC 3-3. They beat the Galaxy 4-2. It's a team that scores goals. It's a team that scores goals. So if you look on the season...
These two boys seem to be kind of close to each other. So the Timbers on 22 points, the Sounders on 19 points, both having played 13 games. The Timbers have scored 22 goals, the Sounders 20 goals. The Timbers conceded 19, the Sounders 18. They're very, very similar. That means I've won one more game and lost one less. That's the three-point difference.
These are two very similar teams right now, except the Suns are not a full strength. I love what Danny's been doing, but it's the kind of game where I do just wish Jordan was. I do just wish. He just adds a different threat, a different... yeah a different approach you can take in the game um is i think we saw in the playoffs last year i think it was the win in lafc where the sounders didn't play too well
But it took one moment and Jordan was there with a goal. And I think he's moved himself into that type of player who doesn't always have to play well.
to find the back of the net or the team has to play well he's going to find a way to get his and it's in these kinds of games that sometimes get decided by the odd goal and in years past we've had i've always felt going into this game the sounders i've always had more usually more match winners than the timbers and usually so at dempsey uh rui diaz there's always someone there if even if we don't play well this guy can be awesome
um i've always kind of felt good about that and with this weekend it's more of a toss-up for me i think it's more of a toss-up so i wouldn't be um it's gonna be tough it's gonna be tough but i'll say this and this is something brad and i always kind of going if i was to make a combined at their best tim is 11 sound is 11 i always think there's gonna be more soundless players in there right now
than the timbers players that's how i kind of go by the strength of your very best team i think you you all have six seven soundest players maybe more to some of you maybe more um than timbers players and i think that's where i kind of um
I kind of go on that. And I think, although missing Jordan, yeah, I think everyone else, for the most part, on the offensive side of the board, now obviously Paul Arreola's out for the season, we know that. I think in Kent, in Albert, in Pedro, in Danny Musoski, the form he's in. That's a winnable group. That's a group that can go in there and get you. They can score multiple goals down in Portland. And I think Phil Neville.
is going to play a quite open game. I don't think they're going to sit back. I think they're going to go toe to toe. I still think Portland's best work is done in transition. I still think that's their very best work. My friend down there is still going strong. We're going to see him. I'm excited. to see what i'm looking forward to this weekend is all bad against the old man chara because out of diego chara is still i i listen i played with him i know him quite well um
He's fantastic. Like, he is I can't say. First of all, he's a great human being. He really is a good, good person. He's one of those guys, you know, he's unpicked. But to be fair, he's not. His on-pitch persona, he's not a talker, he's not a yeller, he's quiet anyway. That seems by example. But, you know, he gets his yellow cards and commits his fouls. And I can see why certain fans won't like him and the things he's doing. I can understand that.
but he actually is a good guy and between the lines he just competes he just competes but he's I don't know at this point I don't know his exact age he has to be up there I watch him and he's not lost a step. He was so good back then and he's still so good now. I still think in my era
when I played. The best I played with in that position is by far Osvaldo Alonso. But Chara was there. Chara was second. Chara... but you know the char was there and the advantage he has to a beckerman or ozzy alonso or some of these other greats in that position is he's still going at the same level at a very older age for an outfold player these days. So he takes care of his body, does everything right. Tremendous engine. This is a good litmus test for Obedvar.
because this is the kind of if you because i think christian and orbit have been dominating a lot of their battles in recent weeks that's why we've been in this good run they've been the midfield pair that's usually been better than the other team's pair and then if you want to go for midfield three whether it's been Albert in front of them or his suit in front of them typically i've been better than the opponent um it's a good test for the two of them because i do think chara is someone who
has always been in this match-up. We've not known Portland without him. He's always been one of the key players. He's someone who takes on the challenge. He covers so much ground, can take out two, three players in one play, same as Ozzy used to do. It's the same impact for his team. that alonzo had here for many many years in his prime um And I am on record saying how Obed is the best young talent in this club. Let's meet some good young friends.
Absolutely. I think I came to the club when I was 20. Montero was 21. Brad must have been 21, 22. We were young, but not 17, not 18, not 19, and not playing 100 games by the age of 19 and playing at the level Obed is playing. It's quite different. And I think... Listen, if he's a sounder for life, I'm happy. But I would like to see him on a bigger stage one day. And I'm talking to you. He can go anywhere he wants. He's that good. But this is a test.
This is going up against a guy who's in conversations for all time, MLS this and that. So this is the bar of where you want to get to. That'll be a good matchup to look out to. And I'm going to put my hat on saying whoever wins that midfield battle, Christian and... And if they can control the middle of the park, then I mean winning boards, more interceptions, winning duels.
being able to get their playmakers involved. So if Christian and Albert are making more passes to Albert, to Ryan Kent, to Rothrock or Delevego, whoever's out there, more than the Portland guys are doing to their guys in the equivalent. the sounders win this game um if the game runs for char in the sense of he's buzzing and he's winning tackles and he's putting his mark on the game probably gets a yellow card in the first five minutes gets the crowd into it all of that
yeah it could be it could be a long afternoon so it's a tough one to call but i'm excited for it i'm really really excited for it um the atmosphere down there is tremendous you know everyone knows that they have a tremendous fan base they really do um it's a really really good atmosphere i think
You don't need a rah-rah speech from Schmitz. They might still get it because of what happened in midweek, but you don't need it. If you're not motivated to play this game, if you're not feeling it already today, you're in the wrong spot and something's wrong. You need to check your pulse because I think as a player, this is the kind of game you look on the calendar and you think, yeah, I'm...
i'm looking forward to this one and even when portland was in the usl and we played them back-to-back years i think 09 and 2010 in the open cup we played them both years and they wanted mls yet it still meant something you just say the name portland you put that name that's the seattle sounders
you're going back you know 70s 80s i mean multiple decades um of this rivalry in different forms different leagues they followed each other across different leagues um different generations different eras but one thing's for sure there is genuine bad blood in a sporting
No, it stays between the lines. But there is bad blood between these two clubs in a supporting sense. You don't want the Timbers to be the cream of the crop in the Pacific Northwest. And they don't want the Sounders to be the same. But it has been the Sounders. That's factual.
This weekend is the first crack we get really in 2025. So I'm feeling good because my money is going to go on Christian and Obed dominating that midfield. And I think that's going to lead into Albert having a good game. And then Ryan Kent, De La Vega, Rothrock when he's on. I think those guys will get chances and the form we've been in Wednesday. Past Wednesday, minus aside, put that aside. It's been four or five games, really good, really good football.
for the performance against st louis at home was the best of the season so far that complete 90-minute dominance just really good um i don't see a reason that should change i think they'll take the loss on wednesday on the chin and you know you don't stay down too long have a great opportunity to make it right and what better opportunity than your sworn enemy, your rival, your eternal rival, in their home pitch, in front of their fans, can you go down there in silence?
Nothing should get you more motivated than that. So excited. Okay, Keely, what is our broadcast for this one? Yes, broadcast information. And this is a reflection of how awesome and popular this rivalry is. We are on Apple TV+, which means that you don't have to have MLS Season Pass. If you have Apple TV, this match is free for you to watch. It was also on MLS Season Pass. It was also on FS1.
So you don't have Apple TV. You don't have MLS season pass yet. First of all, go check them out. They're awesome. We are on FS1 as well. Fox Deportes in Spanish. And then for radio, 93.3 KJR FM, Danny Jackson. The captain, Brad Evans, will be down there for the call on that one. And 1360 Elroy.
i'm excited i'm excited sounds against timbers that's tomorrow um yeah it will be tomorrow this comes out today so that'll be tomorrow and then we'll be back next week and we'll do a real recap on this one i do think we'll have a really good game i think it'll be the game of the weekend um it's a game that rarely
disappoints. I think it really fails to live up to the excitement and the hype. And I think both teams will go for it. So Phil Neville, I have a lot of respect for him because in 2010, I went back home to England, of course, in the off season, and I went to train with Everton. for 10 days, Everton back then. That was a very good Everton team. David Moyes was the manager of this before he went to Man United.
And obviously I'm an outsider. You walk into that kind of a Premier League locker room and you're just there for 10 days. They're in the middle of season. This is December, Christmas period. Really busy for them. He was the most welcoming.
like he could be and he Walked in the door so nice made me feel at home all of that was a really really proper pro a proper vet who just like hey i know how it is you know come in locker room and he knew i was english anyway so we spoke about that and the reason why because he was watching mls because his friend david beckham was in mls so he knew enough about mls and knew i came from there
So he was nice. And so I say that to say I know the type of coach he'll be. He'll be a players coach. He'll be a guy that he's going to get. He's a very experienced player. Manchester United, Everton, England national team. I mean, he's a very experienced player. I don't know if he's... I think he's...
being so, so important so far. He's not been bad. He's not been great. He's just been kind of there. I think it was probably feels he was hard done by in Miami. But He's gonna get those guys ready. He's one of the guys who he knows how to connect with the players individually and he's a man manager and he'll get that team ready to go.
I'll just say this, the sound from the first place where it can't be a game where you take 10-15 minutes to get into it, you'll get turned in. You have to be ready to go from the off, because Phil Neville, having spent those 10 days around him, playing with him, seeing how he was a leader on the pitch, that translates very well into the dugout as a coach onto the bench and
He's going to get those guys ready to go. And he understands derbies. The Manchester derby, he played multiple of those. And he played Everton, Liverpool, the Merseyside derby. so very few understand zombies like him and of course we have a guy on our side who no one understands this derby like him and that's in Brian Schmidt so we will congrats to him he's been into the top 10 I believe in wins I'm gonna give that guy flowers every chance I get he's so underrated
He never brags about himself. He doesn't brag about himself and he doesn't promote and he doesn't ask for the credit. So that's going to be our job. Yeah, I was talking to a former teammate of mine this week and they were just like, I don't think we understand how good Schmetz is and I said you're right like the job he's done is Phenomenal. And I said on the broadcast recently, he's had like, it's like his third or fourth sound team he's had.
Because he's had to reinvent himself. He's lost big players. You know, Chad Marshall went out on his watch. Brian Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Clint Dempsey, Nicole, Raul. And yet the team keeps ticking. The team keeps ticking. And that is down to good call. That is down to good coaching. Coaching players up, you know, the Obed, you know, the Christian as well is fried under him. Getting the best out of players. Jordan's gone to another level under him as well. He deserves more credit.
He won't like me even saying that, but he deserves more credit. He's not a guy that's got a credit, but congratulations. I think it's 130 or 131 wins, which is a lot. He's top 10 all-time MLS and many more. He's on his two-year contract from the extent after that.
He has room to climb up. And what better way to get the next one than this weekend in Portland? As always, thank you for listening. We will be back next week with a full episode. Brad will be back as well. And looking forward to that one. Hopefully, we'll recap in a victory. This has been the Soundless FC Podcast. We will be back with you next week.