Episode 231

There's a lot to talk about and I'm sure a lot of you here are Sounders fans, you follow the team. So myself, Steve Zakawani here with my co-pilot slash former teammate Brad Evans. We're just hanging out tonight, and we're going to talk about the Sounders. If any of you have any questions, feel free to come and ask us. We're pretty approachable. Depends on what the question is. That's true. Make the questions nice. That's true.

I do want to say, first of all, just thank you to Arena Sports. This has been fantastic. Great hosts. Really unbelievable. I will definitely be coming back. Yeah, we'll get through some of the things that are offered here because we have to highlight them because I think it's really fantastic. I mean, most importantly, what's going on right behind us. These guys are playing, little kickers. The best. Doing a little fitness test right now.

So the indoor fields are broken up into six sections, and everyone gets their little spot to train, which is awesome. They're all doing different levels. These guys are going to goal, doing some fitness. I'd love to see this race. So the Sounders.

get back to MLS action this weekend. But before we go forward, let's go back. We just had one of the most historic tournaments and games ever seen here in Seattle. We played Botafogo from Brazil. Atletico Madrid and then the Champions League winner PSG which just doesn't happen so Brad give us kind of the context of just how big of a deal that actually was

before we discuss the games? Yeah, I think going into it, my mindset was this is going to be a great competition. But I had this feeling when I didn't make the World Cup team and how big of a loss that was for me, I felt like this was another sort of moment.

where I really did get jealous that these guys got to play in this tournament. And we've mentioned this multiple times before. We played against Man United, Chelsea, whoever it is at home, but those are always friendly games. And now these games meant something. And for these guys to have an opportunity to do that and for our fans.

to be able to see that in person. And I think walk away from the tournament feeling like we did pretty good. We did okay, right? I think that Botafogo game, there was something there for us, especially that second half. We completely... outplayed them outplayed them off the field this was a big deal you know since i stopped playing i don't think my family and friends have watched many sounders games they all watch these games

The PSG game had people texting me. It was good. On to the result. So Botafogo, we lost 2-1. Should have won, in my opinion. Atletico Madrid and PSG were both losses. but i thought the boys were fantastic yeah like fantastic i can highlight a few guys but in general the team played very well they can hold their heads up high um is this something that we can now take forward into MLS play well yeah, let's let's kind of break it down because Botafogo game you go you go down 1-0 yeah, which was

I don't think it was really fair, but the start of that game was so fast. Botafogo sends the ball long, Steph has to clean up a play, and then the Sounders go back to the other side and almost get one on a little half chance.

And then in the second half, the Sounders just completely piled it on and really put on the pressure. Athletico was a different level, but still the Sounders showed that they could compete in most areas of the field. And then you play PSG, and it was, I mean, watching them play was...

I haven't seen that in real life. I mean, I've played against some good teams, but I haven't seen anything like that watching from the stands where it was like, this looks like a different game in most respects to me. Just the thinking, the physicality, it looks easy. Looks really, really easy. And for the Sounders to have to compete, it took everything from these guys to be able to compete in that game. Yeah, and not quite the same, but I think in our time, the only game...

I can compare it to was in 2009 and we played Barcelona. And it was... That Barcelona, Javi, Iniesta, Piquet, Puyol. Deco. Yeah, Messi. How can I not say Messi? And that felt different as well. Are there any players that stood out for you? I'm going to say one. I fought the Athletic Hall game and especially the PSG game. It's the best.

And these are big words. It's the best I've seen Christian Rodon play. Easily. He was unbelievable. My thoughts, he should be on a tournament team just based on his three games. It won't happen. No. But if someone really watches the games and breaks it down, I think that... Any team in this tournament would be happy with a Christian Roldan on their roster. That's how well he played in this tournament. Yeah.

I think Obed was fantastic in the first two games. Second game, you could tell the legs were a little bit tired. He put so much effort into covering so much ground. He got an opportunity against PSG in the box, and he's looking to pass instead of shoot. You know, the angle isn't right. But for the most part, I thought all the guys put their best foot forward. And now that's without a Yaimar.

Yeah. That's without Kim Kihee in the back. Obviously, Jackson's been back there, but those three have been the heavy rotation. And then, of course, Jordan. Yes. Right. You miss a number nine. You see in this tournament, it's a glaring thing. If you don't have a number nine, it's really, really hard to win games at that level. And he came on.

And within five minutes. Had a chance. Gave us something we hadn't had all tournament, right? He got in behind. His shot got blocked. But he adds things that other players just don't add. You're now going back to MLS. We're playing Austin FC.

There's nothing Austin can do that we haven't seen now. Well, that's the thing. But now it's mental. Yes. The biggest thing is going to be mentally how this team... The biggest thing I took away from this tournament is... Can the Sounders play like every game is a championship or a tournament like they were just in? Yeah. You have to think that your opponent is way better than they are.

And you have to play beyond that level to win a supporter shield or challenge for first or second place in the West. Because teams are starting to take off. San Diego's now in first place. And if you look back, the Sounders had a tough result against Minnesota, a tough result against Vancouver. If they had those two results in the bag, they're in second place heading into this game. Instead, they're just above the qualification spot for that playoff in MLS playoff qualification spot.

Can they do it? We just saw it in the tournament. Can they compete? Absolutely. With the best, can they compete? Yes. It's the mental part. Now it's that seven, eight inches between your ears that changes everything for the Sounders. And it makes you wonder. Why did a team have to step up and play like they did against teams like Botafogo Atletico and PSG and not at home against Minnesota and not away against...

depleted Vancouver side that was missing nine players. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, I'm hoping that level of intensity of desire you have to reach to play in the games you just played. that they find a way to carry that over. Because I think, after what I just saw in these last three games, we can win trophies this year. Absolutely. This is a team that can actually win trophies. And my only concern is that injury bug.

We've been unlucky. So we sometimes try and predict the lineup. Sometimes, you know, I'll try and pick coach's brain. I have no idea this weekend, zero, what you can do. Just so you guys are up to speed. As far as I know, we have currently one healthy center back. So has your phone rang yet? No, thank God. They haven't called you yet? Okay. We need help. So if your branch mess up.

What do you do? I come to Arena Sports and have open tryouts. Find someone. Just find someone out here that can step in and play for the Sounders. I honestly don't know. I mean, you saw it at the end of the last game. Alex has to slide in next to Jackson. At this level, if a team comes in and sees Alex Roldan sitting as a center back, they're licking their chops and they're going to go at Brandon Vasquez is a big target for Austin. And if he's healthy and starting.

All he's going to do is post up against Alex, and Austin's going to play off of him all night long. So the Sounders are going to have to get creative. I don't know. I mean, could it be a Reed Baker? Reed Baker, that's going to be as a center back who's a bigger body and who could maybe hold position and win some headers. Yeah. I honestly don't know. I mean.

Right now, the vote could be for Christian. I mean, the guy can play in any single position. But then you lose him higher up the field. It's not going to happen. Yeah. But that's where the Sounders are at. And maybe they switch to three in the back. I think it's three in the back.

And then maybe you can, you know, Jackson anchors it. You can put Reid. You can put Alex. And then you just put bodies in front of them. Jow's there. Danny Laver's there. Obe's there. Christian's there. You'll figure that part out. I think so.

We came into the season super excited about our attacking options. Then, unfortunately, one of our reinforcements, Paul Arriola, goes down for the year. That was tough to see. Jesus Ferrer hasn't quite got going yet. They still hope he can. Jordan's been in and out. We haven't seen the full potential of this attacking group yet, have we? Yeah, no, not even close. And the jury is still out, I think, for all of us.

Last year we asked questions of Pedro de la Vega. What is he going to provide? And this year he's had opportunities. The one thing I will say is there's been a lot of rotation. And I understand the schedule, but if you're a player... I would rather have three or four games in a row and then sit for a game and come back in than have every other game on playing and starting. The Sounders, and we thought at this point Schmetz would have the front three figured out by now.

It was always going to be Mussofsky coming in as a striker. When he went down, then it was Ferreira had to bump up top. So there's had to be a lot of movement because of injuries and things like that. But the Sounders have to figure out. who the front three is going to be, and get them 10-12 games together. Because...

When we played, it was all about relationships that you have with that player, tendencies. And the only way to do that, yes, you can do it in practice. The only real way to do that is game-like scenarios and playing in games. So for us, it has to be a situation where... Guys are consistently playing together to be successful. But they have to be healthy. I mean, if everyone's fit, you've got to assume Jordan plays, Albert plays. You have to start Paul.

He has to play rough rock. I forgot about him. Unbelievable. And I'll say this about him. And obviously we've talked to him, you know, and... He doesn't strike you right away as the most talented, whatever the case may be, but he always, always makes something happen. He wins a penalty, a free kick, he scores, he assists.

He's going to run and run on real. He really annoys the other team. You need that sometimes. He's one of my favorite players to watch. And it's not, you know, he's a good player, but he's not like Olbert. You watch Olbert and you go, wow. Yeah.

Paul May should say wow for different things, just how hard he works. I know he's one of your favorite players. Yeah. Look, it's work rate at the end of the day. It's work rate and getting things done on the field. And when he comes on the field, like you said, he causes chaos. which is a good thing, but he also plays the way the Sounders need him to play on that left-hand side. And so now it's really...

two or three players to play on the right because Ryan Kent started off hot and now has still yet to find his feet with this group of players and this team and the way that the Sounders play. And this league, I think, has kind of... Bitten by surprise when teams figured out what he was going to do in his tendencies. So he's got a lot of work to do. Georgie, I still think Georgie should play.

Agreed. I just really think he needs to be on the field. There's no one more exciting. Agreed. Do you have to be the most exciting player to play? No. But sometimes you do. And to give a player like that... He makes things happen. I think... The opposing team hates to see Georgie coming at them. That's what I'm thinking. So if you're the left back or the right back of Austin and you're playing against someone like Georgie who's so good, loves to dribble, gets the crowd out of their seats.

That's the worst case. Of course, I see a lot of myself in Georgie, so I'm a bit biased. I mean, that's what I see, but you would have never been benched. I was not on the bench. You were given the keys to the car to go do it for 60 minutes and then come off or whatever it is, 60, 70 minutes.

And then go and come off. But that's how you developed in year two, three, four to be the player that you were. Because if you were just sitting on the bench watching, you would have gotten frustrated. You just said, get me out of here. Why am I here? And he needs to be.

I think he needs to be let loose. Let him play. Let him make mistakes. I agree. That's the only way he's going to figure it out. Yeah, I agree. It's not going to come 10 minutes at the end of every game. I agree. We've already mentioned him once.

Soundest fans might not want to hear this, but we have to address it. Obed, I've seen a lot of good young players come through this club. I think back to Deandre Yedlin, we've seen Jordan. good but at the age Obed's been at I think he has way over 100 games he's like 18 19 years old like have you seen anyone better at that age that quick and honestly speaking

I'm of the opinion he can play anywhere in the world. I think so too. He proved it this tournament. When I watch him and Christian play together, both of those guys, I would say... could have subbed in for any of those teams, and the level would not have dropped. And for Obed to be 19 years old and to be doing at that age, I don't know why any team around the world wouldn't take a chance on him.

It's not like he's a player that can only do well in Major League Soccer. There's certain players that are prototypical for certain leagues, right? You go to the championship, you're going to have to be big, bruising. He could do it. You want to go to...

The Netherlands, you want to go to Holland and play and be super technical, tactical, he can do it. You want to go to France, he can do it. He can go anywhere and play the game, right? Mexico, Spain, whatever it is. I hope he gets the opportunity because I'll be the first one to wish him the best.

best of luck because he deserves it and I there's nothing I don't think there's anything the Sounders could throw at him to make him stay to be honest no and he strikes me as someone that is ambitious yeah I think if the chance comes and it will come soon

If it's the right situation, right timing, I think he goes. Okay, so to this weekend, back in MLS action, we've kind of laid it out. Players are injured. You're coming to the Club World Cup. I'm still thinking now is a good time to go on a run. Yeah, you have to. We kind of did it, but it hasn't been convincing. So at some point in the season, if you're going to win stuff, you have to go on a run. Well, it's got to be now. Four out of the next five are at home. Yeah.

Four out of the next five. Exactly. Win your home game. So with that said, and I did say they can win trophies, you've seen enough of them, you're around the guys. Realistically, what's kind of like the ceiling? for this team, this 2025 Sounders. Because for me, we've had better teams in the past. I think we have. But after seeing them against that competition in the last week or two,

There's so much more we can do we haven't tapped into yet. But we've always talked about potential. Yeah. Where can this team be at potentially? Last year at this point, I think we only had four wins maybe. Yeah. And ended up making. the conference final game. And had a good run, yeah. And had a good run. And so it's such a crapshoot in this league. And I think that this tournament really started to shift my mind towards promotion relegation as I'm driving home.

Where if every game is played as a final and you are literally fighting for your lives. The Sounders would benefit from that the most, I think, than they ever have before in any season that they've competed in. Because I think it'll bring out the best in the players. And I get it. It's probably impossible, but... It really highlighted to me what it means to be in that tournament specifically and watching Atletico, who had to fight for their lives, to get into that tournament.

and battle, you know, the top teams in their league and so on and so forth, right? You run down the list of all the teams. Yeah. And I don't know. It was something that was just highlighted to me throughout the tournament. The ceiling is there. Now it's if you're healthy, yes, you can go for it. If we're not.

It's going to be a battle to put the ball in the back of the net. That's the bottom line. And at the end of the day, it's about scoring and winning. And no more evident than in this tournament did that show. For that to come good, who, maybe it's more than one person. But who really has to sort of like step up?

in the second half of the year. Well, if Jordan's healthy, he's going to have to get off to a hot start. And I think he's hungry. I hope he's angry also. But I hope he plays with that chip on his shoulder. And you saw it when he came into the game. I'm glad he got in. He was doing fitness afterwards as well.

And I think it'll have to be Jesus when he's on the field. Albert's going to do the job he's always going to do. The middle three, I'm not concerned about at all. They can compete with anyone in this league and above and beyond. It's going to be the front three that really... put pressure on opposing defenses, and put the ball in the back of the net. Because then if the Sounders do that,

I don't think our defense is under as much pressure. That's right. Because teams are going to have to stretch at that point and chase games against the Sounders. That's good for us, right? That's good for us at the end of the day. But if we're not putting the ball in the back of the net or creating chances, then it's all defensive work for the Sounders, and it becomes really difficult to defend for half your season. I still think we haven't seen the very best...

At least not consistently of Pedro de la Vega. No. I'm still waiting for moments. Yeah, but he'll be the first one to tell you. Yeah. I saw him in the locker room last week and it's not. It's not lost on him. You know, it's not lost on him. He's carrying around a lot of weight, right? He's a big-time player who was set up in a system and other teams to be attacking, successful, put the ball in the back of the net, provide assist.

Beep, beep, flare, and the sounders a little bit different. Yeah. And so he's had to adjust. And I don't think he's playing as free as he once probably did. Is that good for a player? That's the question. No, and Jesus is the same, where you start getting a bit too tense. And I thought when Jesus scored, I think it was against Minnesota, I can't remember, he scored a goal.

That maybe the flood gets open. You saw what happened with Masovsky, who scored one and couldn't stop scoring. So I'm hoping, in MLS at least, that carries on for Jesus. But he has to be good. Pedro has to be good. Jordan, if you get any version of Jordan's best, you're going to be fine. And you get those two guys, especially to supplement him, we have a chance to do something. I think Support Shield or Window West is up there. Make a deep run, definitely.

everything is going to shape up in the next five games. With four out of the next five, if they don't pick up, you know, nine to 12 points. Yeah. It's going to be out of the Supporter Shield race, I think. Because LAFC still has two games in hand, and they're sitting where they sit. They're doing well. And then you have San Diego, who's off and running and kind of sprinting now, off into the distance.

We'll have to be careful. Before we go, and we don't always do this, but predictions, if you have to for the weekend. And I haven't seen too much of Austin. I'm banking more on home game, Saturday night crowd, riding the wave of the Club World Cup. and knowing we have to go on a run soon. Yeah, I think it could be 3-0 in this game. I really do. If the Sounders have the same mentality, you know, I said it after the game on TV, on...

After the PSG game, I said, it's up to Schmetzer now to mentally turn this team on to what's ahead of them. And he'll say, oh, it's on my players. But I think as a player, you're looking for your coach to come in the next day and say, hey, we're pushing, we're pushing, we're going to push you guys. Yes, you guys did well, but we have so much potential here.

that it is now our job to push you beyond your limits. And I think if the Sounders show that, it could be a 3-0 win, and it would be a good night at Lumen Field. I hope you're right. We'll be there, of course, covering the game. Are you going to give your prediction or no? We'll win. We're going to win. Oh, okay. Yeah, it'll be a win. And I think 7 p.m. 7.30. 7.30 kickoff. I love the games under the lights. This podcast is going out tomorrow to everyone. So by the time you're listening to this.

We're one day back. We are recording this from Arena Sports in Mill Creek. We had a blast at the Family Entertainment Center. We played a bunch of arcade games. I conquered my fear of heights with the zipline thing. I mean, we both walked in here. And we were like, what is this place?

I'm coming back. I'm used to the Magnuson location. It's got some stuff. And then the Redmond location. I walked in here and it's like Disneyland. We did the VR. That was crazy. The VR game was awesome. You've got to come out and check this out. You have to. Bowling.

And as you mentioned, they have many locations, right? So Issaquah, Mill Creek, Magnuson, Redmond, and obviously Soldo as well. I've been to all of them. So fantastic. You know, if you want to get your soccer camps done, which now powered by the Sounders. So the Sounders are partnering with them on camps. There's all kinds of camps you can have for your kids and families. I was just going to say.

We've been treated so well, I'm coming back just for the food. If that's the food I get after going up that high on the zip line, I'm doing it every time. Moe's Kitchen and Bar. It was fantastic. Yeah, really good. This place has got it all. So summer camps, everything. Yes. A great outing when the kids are out of school. Yeah. And then obviously, indoor.

Yeah. The focus is indoor soccer, right? Playing soccer, of course. That's what we love, at least. Yeah, great way in the summer, keep your kids busy, all of that. And this location where we're at, Mill Creek, has the Family Fun Center, but entertainment center, but so does Issaquah. And I'm telling you, I can talk about it, but you have to go. Because the arcades, so many games, bowling, we did. Not my strongest suit. We tested our punch power.

Again, I said a zip line in. We did all kinds of stuff there. So just go check out those, of course, and something for the whole family. There's food there while you chill out. You'll find something for everyone. I had a great time, and they were great hosts as well. Yeah, amazing spot. You got to come check it out.

If anything, they have drop-in games, too, where you can just drop in and play with random people. So you get bored on a night. Hey, drop in and play some indoor soccer. Get your sweat on. And the summer camps are cool, too. They've got schools out. They've got a summer. Camp here. They've got flag football. Parents night out too. That's what I'm talking about. Leave the kids at home and come in here and play.

It would be a good time to bring in a crew of 15 to 20 of your friends in here and hang out. And I will say, you and I were involved a couple weeks ago here in Seattle. We broke a Guinness World Record. And it was the largest soccer clinic taking place at one time for 30 minutes. We trained, I think, 1,038 people. Five years old up to 70 years old. It was great.

But two of our coaches were from Arena Sports. That's right. And they were fantastic. Yeah, they were awesome. And the energy was great. So I would definitely entrust if you have kids. Your nephews, your friends, you're going to be under very good coaches. They have so much energy. The kids learn so much from them. They're still working behind us. And they work really hard. So these are some of the best coaches we have in Seattle. Fantastic partners. So Sounders fans, always been a pleasure.

Comment, like, subscribe, whoever you got your podcasts. This weekend, Sounders back in MLS action. It's going to feel weird not seeing some of those big European global stars, but... We're back to our bread and butter playing Austin FC. Need your support for this big push for the second half of the year. And hopefully it's three points. Let's go. Let's go, Sounders.