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Welcome to the postmatch show.
Sounders falling tonight to the Portland Timbers by a score of one nothing at Providence Park and a frustrating result for the Sounders is they're shutout in a one nothing lost to Arrival for the second time this week, Portland obviously getting their goal there in the second half. And we have a lot to break down here in the post match show. But Kellen's start with opening foughts.
This one always hurts more, right, It's just a bigger game. It's a Benson opponent that we just want to beat every single time. It's that rival. And so that I know these guys are getting on the bus or get on the plane where they're going, it hurts a little bit more. And it's going to sting for a little bit longer. And they have a full week out to prepare for the next game and they're gonna I know that they're gonna be kicking themselves.
This one just was too little too late for me. I just I wish so they put such a good effort in.
I feel like in the second forty five minutes of play, I loved the substitutions that were made, I loved the effort the chances created. There was a spark that I felt that had been missing in the first forty five that I almost just wish. I wish we could have seen that sooner, because I really feel like Seattle had this match for the taking.
Well yeah, and specifically on those subs, because listen, we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't kind of break down every element of this. So what we saw was in the fifty seventh minute roll Ruy Diaz and Georgie Menoungu came on for Pedro and Paul Rothrock. Seventy fifth minute, we saw Obed Vargas come on for Atensio, and then finally later on in eighty second minute, we saw Danny Lava and Read Baker Whiting come on as well,
and Kellen we didn't see Jout Paul come on. I'm not sure if the game didn't dictate it, but but what were your thoughts on on how Brian Schmenzer used his subs Toime.
I mean the game always dictates Joe Paula. Yeah, he just controls so much of the tempo, so much of it. There's respect that goes in for guys. If you're not running and if you hear Joe Paulo yell at you, you're running another ten minutes. Yeah, it doesn't matter. It just there's the game always calls for a job Polo. In my opinion, there could be some lingering things that we don't understand. We don't know on his injuries or knocks or whatever it may be. But you know, when
he's not on the field, things are different. And I didn't agree with some of the subs, and I was wrong. You know, a Georgie, a young kid just signed big moment. I thought he was very dangerous. But something that Michelle said, it was great effort and there was a lot of spark, but there wasn't a final product.
And that's the thing.
He's so raw. You can see the raw talent there. He just needs to turn that raw talent and get that final probit. But he needs to turn that raw talent at full pace. Yeah, a lot of times when he's just slowing down and he just has his feet underneath them and his brain as well.
He's great. He can make the simple pass, he can do those things. But when he's at full pace, running at payers because that's where he's good. Right, he got behind Pravo four or five times in a row. Bravo was just on the ground. It just wasn't his game when Georgie went in. But when he had those moments, the ball never found someone's feet, The ball never actually
got to where it needed to go. And he the one for me that he got by Bravo and had plenty of space and chipped it right into Crapo's hand and like that, That for me is I want us toe Heeze a young kid, right, he's got a lot of talent. They're I'm hoping that we're going to work with them and again work with him at full pace because he is going to be an exciting player and that's what we need coming off the bench especially. But the other subs, there was a lot of effort and
there was a lot of spark. I agree with him. I just want to have more quality.
And Joel Paulo, who's one of your highest paid players, he's one of your highest respected players. He's a veteran in that locker room. Not having him in one of the matches of the season a Darby on the road, it's it's I mean again, Brian Will speaking this post match press commerce, You're right there, maybe there's something that we don't know, but not having one of those you know, core players like JP on the field for this game, you felt it.
You felt it at the end of this one. Nothing lost Michelle absolutely.
I mean, you want your big name players to play in the big matches and this is arguably the biggest match of the season. Every time we play Portland, it is the biggest match of the season, and it just
to me. I was just disappointed, and I think Brian Schmetz will be disappointed as well, because you know, I feel like this conversation comes up every year too, and I don't mean to be stirring the pot, but you know, we play in these extra tournaments, League's Cup, Opens Cup, you know, there's all these other things that kind of start happening, and then you think, okay, well, have there been too many matches? Have there been too many minutes
on these players' legs? Is that why we're seeing rotation? Is that why we're seeing then now coming into Portland this weekend, the players are maybe a little tired, maybe they're not as well rested, you know, you know what
I'm saying, And it makes you question. And again, I'm all for getting as many trophies as possible, but I feel like it's a point of conversation every single season when we don't go all the way in these tournaments, we don't bring home the trophy, then it's okay, Well, what's the other.
Side of it.
Well, as a player, you obviously want to play in big games, you want to go for a trophy. But there are so many games now and they've just kind of added this on, and there's going to be rotation, whether it's just the mL season because you have multiple games in a week in a row in the summer, there's travel, there's gonna be rotations. But this is more to your point, this is a league issue in the sense that there's just not enough players to fill the
amount of games that they're playing. And yes, like we said, we're hoping John Paul is fine and they're going to be able to play the next game. Where there might be lingering issues. You know, there's many, many injuries that come through the summertime because there's so many games. There's you know, three games in a week, you go one more week and then you have another three games in a week and all the travel. And I know we talked about the travel and all Americans will say MLS
travels the most, and it's true, we really do. We have so many different travels, time zones, and it's it's hard on your body. I still feel my body and get out of this chair in a second. I'm gonna feel my body. So it's tough. But with all that, I don't care how tired you are. I don't care how many things hurt. You're playing against Portland and the quality needs to be sad. Quality has to be there.
And before we take a break from the first segment of the post match show, I want to go back to something Michelle said, which is that you know, every game against Portland is the biggest game of the season. A buddy, Steven Eggan of mine told me this years ago, and I think it's one of the most factual statements about Major League Soccer that I've ever heard. Every game for the Portland Timbers against the Seattle Sounders is their super Bowl. It's their absolute peak of the season. We
must win this or the seasons of failure. For us, it's a big game. We have big games all with Semi final versus LFC was a big, big, big game. This was a big game. That was a massive game. Semi final. Right, We're just in a quarterfinal Leaset Cup against LAFC. That's a big game, right. But the reality that I think for for Portland, I mean for us, it's always big. You see our fans. We got the two to one win. It's a massive win for them.
This is their super Bowl every single year. And and not to say that it doesn't mean a lot to the Sounders. I think it does, but just and talking to fans down there and just I mean Kellen four years with the Sounders, right, three years with Sounders. So I don't know if if you felt that from from Portland players where where they got it just seems like you look at the record over the last four years, it seems like Portland players themselves treat this like their super Bowl.
Well that's why they've won most of the games. Yeah, that's that's not okay they I know the players didn't feel that. For me, that's that's for darn sure, because I think I had a yellow card every time I play an every second of it. But you're two, five to three. You know that you know this rivalry. But that's that's not a thing. It shouldn't be a thing. One, you're a professional, do your job. Two you know this game is important, and you know it is. And and
I'm looking at the standings right now. We were sitting in fifth place and now we're in eight. Guess where Portland is. Guess where Vancouver is. Yeah, they're five and six. So we're we talk about, oh, it's just a it's just another game for us. Well, that other game just pushed U out of playoff contention. That's not okay. I don't care if it's a normal game or not. You just got pushed three spots down and it was against your rival. That's six point twing that we talked about
in the beginning of the game that happened the wrong way. Well, we have a decision day match in Seattle to right this wrong. But seanders are going to have to treat it like their super Bowl and decision Day no matter what's up for grabs, because it will be a big one when we face the Portland Timbers again in October.
A couple of things here quickly.
Delta Airlines is prout to donate one soccer ball for every mile ran by Sounders FC players this season. Three foundations, one Mile, one Ball program. Also that Sounder's e FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC is. Sounders falling tonight to the Portland Timbers by a final score of one to nothing down at Providence Park will continue on the postmatch show next on sports Radio nine to fifty KR.
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You're listening to the home of Sounders FC, Seles Sports Radio nine fifty KJR.
Welcome back to the postmatch show Sounders falling tonight in the Rose City to Portland Timbers by a final score of one to nothing. Maskira had the winner there in the fifty fifth minute. Should be noted that, you know, if that ball does not get deflected off new Who, that is a say from Andrew Thomas, and probably an easy one. It takes the weird deflection the glance off of new Who, and because it does, it catches Andrew Thomas in a tough position. And that's why it goes
in the back of the net. So, you know, kind of like Wednesday, the one nothing lost. We're frustrated because it's a questionable penalty call.
This one.
We're frustrated because it is something so small as a deflection that costs the Sounders a point there. And as Kellen said in that previous segment, Sounders now eighth place in the Western Conference, Vancouver fifth, Portland sixth, and heughme Houston seventh. So Sounders right now still with forty points, there's still above the playoff line by a comfortable six
points over Austin. But listen, we're looking at that, you know, last game, the wild card game to get in facing Minnesota United, who thankfully we have a great record against, but it would be the eight to nine game to get the Sounders into that next round. So not a great spot right now for Seattle. But here we are. Usually we have an Emerald Queen Casino play of the match. I you know, I'm kind of going over the sheet.
I'm not sure we have a full one. I would say Andrew Thomas, you know, for the most part, coming in for you know, Stephen Frye, who suffered an injury a laceration in his head in the fifth minute. Thomas came in in the eighth minutes and and looked good, and you know, I think for a lot of moments he stepped in. But I'll mention that the play of the match each week is presented by Emerald quin Casino,
the betting capital of the Northwest. And as we kind of, you know, sort of try to turn the page from this, I think, you know, Kellen, the idea that back to back one to nothing losses. We obviously have a huge game next week, which we'll get into. But the mentality of this team right now. Flying home from Portland, Ryan Schmetzer said and told us yesterday that it's a determined group. Uh do you still think that the determined mentality is there? Do you think it shifts into kind of an anger
of frustration? You know, those guys, how are they feeling on this flight back?
This is a down flight. This is not a flight that anyone likes it. Anyone who's been on that flight is just knows it's it's it's dark, it's quiet. You kind of do your own thing, don't the card No, you're you're not playing cards on this one. You're you're either reading a book or you're falling asleep, or you're you're watching the game back because you just had to get it out of your mind and to move forward from these kinds of games because it's back to back now.
One thing for me is I always told in the locker room was, hey, losing is also a habit. Let's not make it ours. You know, when it continues, it becomes a habit, and you don't want that. Winning. Winning is a good habit to have. But these guys have been going and going and going between July and August.
They need to relax. They need a day. It should just get away from all the crap and come back and like you said, use that anger, use the determination, come back fully fresh and get after the rest of the season because now they just have to worry about the MLS Cup. That's all they got to worry about. The MLS season. That's it. Get through it.
I mean, Michelle, we talked in the pregame show about angry Jordan. Now would be a great moment for angry Jordan and whoever else can get angry to have that anger turn into good results.
You know, it's they're still in it at the end of the day, we have to admit they are still in this They have been in worse positions before. Yes, that's not an easy easy thing to say after losing to Portland, but when we look at the overall season of where this team has come from to where they are now, there's been a lot of progress, there's been a lot of positives, and there's still a lot of soccer to be played.
Seven matches remain.
Obviously, they go up against the defending MLS champs next week.
That will not be an easy match, and then.
After that they close out the season with six straight matches against Western Conference opponents. So every single point matters. You know, we talk about how many matches there are in a season and how many games there are, and sometimes it's easy to be like, Okay, we'll just pick up one point here, or we got you know, we missed any points here. But now we're in crunch time
and they're playing. To Kellen's point of that, the only thing that matters now is Major League Soccer is getting to the postseason, and every single match, every single minute moving forward, is determining their position to get them in the best possible.
Spot to do that, and just like you saw today. It's not going to be the eleven guys in the field. There's gonna be moments where guys are gonna have to step up. There's gonna be injuries that will happen, There'll be There'll still be rotations. You know, there's only seven eight games left. There still will be rotations because of the conditions, because of the fight, or because of the.
Moyo Sunday game against Kansas City, and three days later you have San.
Jose, Right, so there's gonna be some kind of rotation. Be ready, I don't care who you are. Be ready, like there's gonna be different positions being played different times. These guys gotta and we talked about it and be professional.
Yeah. Absolutely so.
The Seattle Sounders FC Ravegreen Run, presented by Providence Swedish is back. Join Brad Evans and the Sounder Squad on September eighth for a family friendly five k or a shorter kids race at the Providence Swedish Performance Center and Clubhouse in Renton. Everyone who registers gets a free race T shirt and a Rave Green Run scarf. Enjoy giveaways, food, trucks, music, and fun activities for all register or learn more at
SFC Ravegreenrun dot org. Well, we'll take a break here in the postmatch show following a one nothing Sounder loss in Portland and will look ahead to the big match coming up next weekend. That's next on sports Radio nine to fifty KJR AM.
You're listening to the home of Sounders FC, Seattle's Sports Radio nine fifty KJR wrapping.
Up the postmatch show following a Sounders last final one nothing in Portland and Mascaro with the winner in the fifty to fifth that took a deflection Saturday, but this season when the Sounders win, and they will win again, you'll win a free knick Chicken the next day exclusively in the McDonald's app with any minimum two dollars purchase down on the McDonald's app today and check out the deals waiting for you. And now it's time to take a look ahead at what's next and listen. We're back
to back one nothing loss. As to rivals, Sounders need to improve obviously, especially on the offensive end, and they will have to do it against and on the road, against a team that is absolutely on fire right now, it's the Columbus Crew. It'll take place at lower dot Com Field in Columbus, Ohio. Next Saturday, we'll have a four o'clock provident Swedish prematch show in a four to
thirty kickoff right here. Sports Radio nine fifty jr AM will also be having on Spanish language l A thirteen sixty and you can watch the match y MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. So this is a Columbus Crew team that is defending MLS Cup champions. They are just one leaguest Cup over LAFC. They're riding high right now. They're so talented on so many different aspects. Callen, it's gonna take a big, big effort for this team to get a result on the road.
Well, sound asn't really testing their brass here right, three big games in LAFC, now Portland and then going to Columbus. To me, Columbus is the team to beat in the MLS, I really think. So. The way that Nancy has them playing is is just incredible. I love watching these guys play. And then you have goal scorers to the brim. Really with Rossi, You've got Cuco Hernandez, you have Ramirez who kind of comes in and also plays that like false nine when when kuco comes and try to find the ball.
They've got wing backs that just fly up and down. I mean, they are the most complete team in the MLS.
In my I was gonna say, they don't have a weakness.
Now, look, they're gonna there's gonna be bad nights and stuff. But like when you have a guy like Nagby who is our Jil Paulo kind of running your midfield, it's just it's hard to break down. And so, like I said, the Sounders are gonna test their brass. How do you how do you go up against the three top teams you know, LAFC especially and now Columbus. How are you gonna do?
And Wilford Nancy is an incredible head coach. I always said, you know, if if the United States didn't end up getting Mauricio Pochettino.
Go Tattenham.
By the way, I comment in the break, that's what that's for. Uh, But listen, if if if they didn't get him, if they were gonna look within in this country, Wilford Nancy was gonna be the guy because will for Nancy is probably the best coach in America right now. And he obviously the work that he did to bring up and and make a Montreal team exceed the way it did. Then he transfers to Columbus and promptly go
wins an MLS Cup with them. His tactics obviously, his man management's great, So the the the strategy in this game, I mean, I'll be interested to see kind of what he sees from Seattle and how he tries to essentially, you know, keep Jordan from getting in behind and keep you know, Pedro dalele Vega from from doing what he does the chess match in this will be as interesting as the final score ends up being.
You're gonna find that the front three and the midfield of Columbus are where we're gonna have to kind of dial in if we can win that midfield and make sure that their forwards are not getting free chances on goal if they can, if you can find a way to get them off balance and not making them the easy pass into the into the into the goal, into the box, making sure their shot is contested, every header is contested. That's where we can find some love.
And I would love to see the Sounders and I really feel like they'll do this is step up to the challenge is I think. I think there's a situation like this where you're going up against such a dominant team that is doing so well that that has kind of the background like they have being the reigning champs, and I think it's almost like you got nothing to lose, and so there's almost a little bit of a freedom
in that. And I think right now, especially as we're trying to get de la Vega really in the mix and comfortable with this team, this might be the perfect situation to really try and find that flow, because that's something that's been missing and that's something that we need to figure out before the end of the season and before playoffs of how does he fit into this team and how do we get that flow and that comfort with the players, and maybe this is an opportunity for them to play free.
I have a.
Fun argument we can have here. Let's go Pedro de Laviga. We've got seven games left. Yeah, seven games left. How long do you give him to get into this team? Oh?
I love this. I love this.
Before you before you say we won eight, nine, ten games in a row without him, without him, how long do you give He's a top player. We saw moments of it today. He had a lot of good touches, he had a lot of good balls, he was finding the feet. How long do you give him?
But to that point, Kellen, because I think that is such a valid question, because there's a preseason and a warm up period before the season starts for a reason for you guys to build that chemistry, to build that camaraderie, to build that flow. And it's got to be really hard to finally get healthy at this point in the season. And good for him for continuing to try, continuing to try and to get into that starting lineup.
And the skill is obviously there.
And Brian Schmester told us this last week how he just said after the Minnesota game he's starting to feel more of a connection with this team, especially with Albert, and like that's really increasing and the only way that you increase it is obviously minutes. But I think that is such a valid question when you look at where we're at, especially in the season.
I think it's a valid question. I think it's there's no debate whatsoever. Pedro de le Vega is starting every single game.
He's healthy.
Now that he is healthy enough to start, he's starting every single game. He's your prized acquisition in the well, it's on the one one of the wings. See, I think Paul Rothrock. I agree with you on Paul Rothrock. I think that he's going to win this team games. He's done it so far. He's going to find ways to win you games. So you get Rothrock in there, you get dala Vega on the other wing, and listen, I know today it didn't produce a goal. I do
think it will in the long run. And I will also say that I think that those two guys, because they are so different, can work together when they flip sides as well. If one thing isn't working, then you flip them and just change an entire dynamic. But the reality of the situation is it's a valid question. I'll let you get in it's a valid question. But the reality of the situation is Pedro de la Vega is your prized acquisition. He's now finally healthy enough to start games.
He's going to be in there every single week. So how you build the of your lineup that's a question for Brian Schenzer. But but Peter dale Vegga is going to be starting.
Listener is really quick before Kellen responds, here, I just need to paint a beautiful picture of what is happening between this this great conversation that is happening between Kellen and Jackson, and Jackson obviously making very passionate points here on his end, and Kellen just ever so slightly just puts his finger up with.
A little smile on and so I just visually, folks for listening. I just just needed you to put that picture in your head. And now I'm just turning it over to Kellen.
We're sure on time, so go ahead.
My biggest thing is we have a lot of quality players that have been playing together. And when Peter Jay Levega is in there, where do you put everyone else? Who's going to be the one to get dropped, who's going to be the one to continue, who's going to change position? My answer to that is Christian Roldan right back. You miss a lot of defense.
I get that, but I also know that Christian roldn is going to run harder than any human being on earth, and he can get back when he gets forward, and and he just plays the position so differently than Alex, and I think he added good things from that spot, and I don't want to take o better JP out of the lineup, so you know, because the other thought is obviously you drop Christian to the middle. I think that's the only answer. I cannot wait to see much
Schmester because he's got he's got a good problem. Yes, the best problem you could have.
One of his big players is now back playing ral Ruy Diaz I thought looked pretty good today as well, finding some ways to get some shots. If he gets a little bit of confidence going, he gets fined, he finds the back of the net. That's going to be dangerous for this team.
We know.
The thing about a good problem is still a problem, and they have coming off back to back one nothing losses Columbus up next. I have lots of things to figure out it with a massive, massive game on the dock at next Saturday again four o'clock pre match four to thirty, kickoff right here nine to fifty KJR AM for sounders at Columbus. I want to thank everybody with tonight's broadcast. Ryan and Keey are broadcast producers. Andrews Hurst
are board operator tonight. Great call tonight from Danny Jackson and Pete Fewing, Michelle Ludka and the pro who I'm always up to debate with Kellen Rowe great to be with you. My name is Jackson Feltz. We thank you all so much for listening here tonight, Thanks for staying with us. The final score tonight from Providence Park and Portland is one nothing to the Timbers. We'll talk to you for Sounders Weekly Wednesday on ninety three point three.
Sounders Columbus Next Saturday, back here on this station. Have a good rest of your weekend, have a very fun Labor day everybody, and we'll talk to you soon. CBS Sports Radio is coming up next. You've been listening to the Sounders FC postmat show. Sounders FC Sucker is brought to you by Provident Swedish official healthcare partner.
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