Coming to you live from our Elliot Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly with your host Jackson Felts. Good evening, everybody, welcome into Sounders Weekly. Jackson Feltz here, good to be with you here on this special Tuesday night edition. Here with Sounders Weekly. We have the Seattle Crack and Plan Tomorrow night here on the station, so we moved Sounders Weekly to Tuesday this week. As we are looking ahead Sounders
LAFC coming up at Lominfield this Sunday. You'll actually be able to listen to that match over on nine fifty k AM, our sister station quickly broadcast details on that should have about a six to thirty provident Swedish premat show kickoff shortly after coming up this Sunday. You can watch the match via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. I will also say you can get your tickets today by visiting soundersfc dot com slash tickets. Listen there Sports Radio at nine
to fifty kjr AM. If you're driving around for Sounders LAFC this Sunday, I will also tell you that this Sunday's match is presented by Regent's Blue shield where connection is at the heart of a healthy life. Regents Blue Shields Together we Health. Coming up here in tonight's show, we're going to be heavily looking ahead to Sounders LAFC and also a little bit looking back at the series
win over Dallas. Coming up in a few minutes. You're going to hear from both Jordan Morris and Freddie Warrez, who I was able to catch up with last week out at training. Have good conversations with both of them about not only the series win over Dallas, but exactly how to defend and play against LAFC and what could be the MLSMVP. What is the MLS Golden Boot winner Denny Bowonga. He is a tremendous, tremendous attacking player for LAFC.
I believe thirty six goals across all competitions this season for LAFC. He is an exceptional player that the Sounders will have to worry about. They've done well against Denny Bowonga I think overall this season, but it will have to take another step up here the conference semifinals. So we'll hear from Jordan Morrison Freddie Warris in a few minutes. Then I mentioned you how you can watch this
match via MLS Season Pass. Well, the lead broadcast analyst for MLS Season Pass on APPLEATV, Taylor Twelman will join us for like the fourth time this year. He's gonna be coming on again as we'll talk Sounders LAFC. He's on the call this Sunday, we'll talk MLS playoffs, and I gotta get a thought from him on Sirgenio Desk. What happened with the United States Men's
national team. If you haven't seen that USMNT lost to Trinidad and Tobago, it's fitting that we're having Taylor Twelman on because of what happened last time. What are we doing? You may remember. I'll try not to joke that with Taylor when he's on, but listen, you lost to Trinidad and Tobago and Sergino Desk got two yellow cards and something like twenty seconds. Really embarrassing situation there for the United States men's national team. So got to get a
thought from Taylor on that. And then of course we'll wrap up the with Ari lillianwallofmlssucker dot com. He will give us around the league as we talk Sounders LAFC and give a take on what's going on the rest of the playoffs where Houston's facing Sporting Kansas City, and then out east, you have the potential teams that the Sounders would have to travel to for an MLS Cup. All of these teams Sounders would play on the road in MLS Cup. There's
no situation left where the Sounders would host MLS Cup. They would either be going on the road to Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Orlando or Columbus one of those four teams. So we'll talk to Ari about his thoughts out east later on tonight as well. We know Andrew Harvey. He is unfortunately under the weather tonight, but I'll give you a quick around the sound as well. Some mixed news, but we'll get to that later on tonight regarding ol Rain,
Ballard, FC, etc. So busy tonight listen. In terms of the Dallas series, it's been like a week and a half since that series ended. I thought it was a professional performance, one nothing win. Jenny rated so many chances in that game three against Dallas. I only get one to go in the back of the net. That great ball from Joel Paulo, The great goal from Albert Russnek just that assist from JP was unreal, one of the best passes of the season by a Sounder. But you generated so
many chances that I just play the law of averages. If you generate that many chances in a game against LAFC coming up this Sunday, more than one is going to go into the back of the net. So I was happy with the offensive production, and typically we'll see more than one go in the back of the net. But in terms of let's get right to it, in terms of talking to these people about the game that they have to play
here coming up this Sunday, let's start with Jordan Morris. We'll get to Freddie Warres in a couple minutes, but Jordan Morris was able to catch up with him at training. We started the conversation by talking about the element of being selfish and the fact that Jordan Morris has sometimes chosen to pass the ball instead of going right at goal and taking a shot himself. So we started the conversation by talking about that selfish but we morphed the conversation to talk about
Dallas win LAFC ahead a lot here from the Sounders forward Jordan Morris. You know, I know that that's been something that people wanted me to improve on, and obviously, as the number nine, you have to pick and choose your moments to be selfish because it's your responsibility to score goals for the for the group. I don't know if I've ever necessarily felt like I've been a
selfish player. I feel like I always try to kind of find the best option, and sometimes people maybe take that as being, you know, not selfish, which is which is fair. But yeah, it's definitely an area of my game that I've been working on to improve and I think a lot of that, again stems from the consistency of playing up there, having those reps in training, and trying to kind of take it on my shoulders to be the one to try to put the ball in the back of the neck
because as the number nine, obviously that's that's your your job. So yeah, it's something I've taken to heart. It's something that I've been trying to work on over there this year. I feel like I've been been improving at it, but I don't think I'm ever going to be, you know, a selfish player. I want to involve my teammates as well. And I think that my goal is always just to find the best option. As long as the team scores, that's what I'm happy about. So in that game,
three created a lot of chances. But you know, what do you guys need to do to make sure those chances, you know, turn into the goals in the back of the net. Yeah, I mean, you know, some some games they go in some games they don't. I think we created some some good chances and and you know, weren't able to finish
them. I think the positive is creating creating them and and but in these moments, in these big games, I know it's been said before, but you might only get one opportunity and you got to put in them back in the dead and those small margins that make the difference. You know, So against a really good team like if Se, we might only get one chance to to to score, and then we got to all be prepared and be sharp and in front of the in front of the net, because that falls
to us. That's massively and important. So you know, it's just something to keep working on over the next next you know, week or so, and and continue to be sharp in front of goal. But I think that stems from training, just really putting in the effort and the reps to to know that when the opportunity falls, are you're going to bury And in terms of LAFC obviously for the club, but raw up here lost down there this year. You know what, what do you take from those games as a
team that you can take into next Sunday. Yeah, both, you know, both good games. You know, it wasn't there for the game in in La, so I don't know as much about that. We obviously is watching from Afar, but they're they're a really good team obviously have a ton of attacking talent, you know, a lot of good defenders as well. But Wonga's obviously had the season he's had, He's he's you know, been
incredible. So for us, I think it's gonna all be stemming on something that we've been really good at this year, which is our our team defending and we've been you know, a tough team to break down, and I think that obviously all eleven guys on the field are gonna need to do their part on the defense side of the ball to shut down a team like this because they're they're really really good going forward, and then again it's just taking
your opportunities when when they when they present themselves in front of goal, potentially you know, who knows how they're gonna play. But if they leave some space in the counter, we'll try to exploit that. And yeah, I mean, but it's gonna be a battle. It's it's two good teams met in the playoffs before we know what the rivalry means. So it's going to be a really fun one As an attacker. When you look at Bolonga, what does he do so well? What is problems is he going to give
to your defense? You know, just on the field. I mean, he's so direct everything that he does. You talk about maybe being selfish, I wouldn't, you know. He he his whole thought is about scoring goals. And yeah, someone to look at him and try to learn from because his first thought, his first action when he gets the balls, I'm going to take it towards goal, beat someone and try to score. So he's
so explosive. He has an incredible shot, incredible finish. You know, I was with him at the All Star Game and he did the skills challenge and it was just like different level. You know, He's he really is just an incredible finisher. So obviously we respect him, we respect what he brings. But you know, I think we know that we can we can take you know, do do our best to shut him down, hopefully, and that's going to be a big focus of our team defending is trying to
to prevent him from having success. But obviously they have players elsewhere as well, so it's gonna be a tough game. He brings a lot to the table. I think we have our obviously own attacking threats that we bring to the table. So again, it's gonna be a it's gonna be a fun one. You mentioned pressing though, team Mike Allo l a FC that's also known for pressing some bit. So in terms of this game, you know,
you imagine it will be that kind of a plan. Do you kind of you have to change up the way you guys played because it's el EFC at all. No, I don't think so. You know, we respect them, we respect what they bring. We know they're a really good team, but we're not gonna change what we do to for you know, for them. I think that we're at home. We need to come out on the front foot. We need to come out with intensity like we did in
that you know, third game against Dallas. I thought we came out really well, out a couple of corner kicks in the first couple of minutes and just put the pressure on them. And we need to get the crowd involved in the game and and let them know that it's gonna be a battle. So no, we're not gonna change how we play for for them. It's it's about us and what we you know, what we bring, and I think that all starts with our intensity and a lot of that comes from our
pressing. So it's good stuff there. From Jordan Morris out at training last week switching from the player to the coach, also had the chance to catch it with Freddie Warres out of training. We started our conversation by just looking back a little bit to the takeaways from not only the one nothing win over Dallas in Game three, but the entire Dallas series that put the Sounders in
the Conference semifinals. Here was my conversation with assistant coach Freddie Warrez. Biggest takeaway this mentality just a very good, energetic, collective group, you know, knowing that it was a game that was a must win, so that was the biggest takeaway. It's just the energy the guy's put in to press
the ball, to go on the attack. You know other things you know that we grew, we keep you know, it's a game that against a very good team that likes to have the ball and create, and I thought we pressed as a collective very well against a team that's a team that likes to build and most has some identity to that. And then you know, we we we've continue to be really good and when we win the ball,
trying to create some opportunities on the first pass. I think you see the first goal come from that, and we're trying to find that right balance of winner is that you go vote, which at the right time was that goal. And there's other times that we've maybe had to put a foot on it, which you kind of saw that in the second half a little bit maybe too anxious because it's like wide open. But the game starts opening up, so we can get better in those moments and grow on how to control the
last minutes a little bit better. But again, I think the collective desire was it allowed us to ristles because we were so energetic to work back to fix our mistakes and moments created a lot of chances, only got one goal sort of you play and mentally play the law of averages. If we get those kind of chances against AFC, more than one will go in or do you need to do something extra to make sure those chances go in? Now, we got to continue to be us. We've been very stingy defensively as
a collective. Everyone's sacrificing to work hard against the ball. It's a playoffs defenses. You always hear that cliche. You know, defenses win championship, So you got to be tough against the ball. That's the dirty work and moments suffer and other moments like this last game, we were up the park a lot of the time, regaining the ball in higher areas and then we
continue to work on our story. We want the ball, you know, I think most games in this season we've had the ball more than our opponent will on those moments. With that comes a risk because loss of possession, there's transitions on the other side. So our teams has grown tremendously throughout the year. When there's a loss of possession that we respond as a collective, and you need that if you want to risk going towards goal. You also got to be willing to as soon as you lose it to try to prevent
the opponent from attacking your goal. That's a fantastic turn to an LAFC, a team that can get you in transition for sure. So you know, over these next you know, ten twelve days preparing for LAFC, how much is watching what they're able to do in transition and make sure that you are technically savvy against that. Yeah, I mean a lot of the teams that
we've played this year are I know it's LAFC. I know that you know Bolonga and Vela and olive Ed. I'm just talented players, so I'm not I'm not saying that, but styles of play a lot we've you know, RSL is a transition team and at some point when we played them, they were I think the best in the league and creating opportunities after a regaate Vancouver. So we've had more than enough games to understand even our first game against LAFC, how do we get punished older Sorry, the second game on the
road, lost of possession of they transition. So we've seen more than enough throughout the year of what it's gonna come, and it's going to have to be us just tuned in and dealing with those moments. Right. They're a good team. We're a good team and you know, but for us, I think the most important thing is continue to be us. The team's got to know who we are as an identity and try to make plays, more
plays than the opponent. Last thing here for you, Freddy here with Freddy Warris and better and better and better being able to put your you know, strong eleven out there together for these you know, consecutive games. I would say we always went with the best, the strongest eleven that we could and that we had available to us throughout the year. And credit to this team, actually, I think it's been one of the strengths that when Schmittz needed
a player to step up, we got players to step up. And that's what's gotten us to this point. Yes, as you get later into the year, you want to see if you can have a collective that there's consistency, and I think Schmitz is finally found that in a way, and that's
a good thing. That's a good thing. Guys know that that we understand each other, but also we also understand that if if someone gives smax effort for sixty minutes or maybe it's not their day, that gay or whatever it is, that there's other guys because throughout the year there's been consistency of a lot of players playing that we can put someone in and yeah, absolutely hell of a bench and that's something that most teams don't have. All Right,
thanks so much? Ready, yeh, it's great stuff there from Freddie Warrez, Sounders FC assistant coach. Well, before we move forward and get joined by Taylor Tweman, lead broadcast analyst for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, I will quickly tell you that Sounder fans, bud Light was brewed to be a delicious and easy to drink beer. Bud Light, easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Pick up bud Light at your local retailor today. Please enjoy responsibly, all right, Taylor Twelman. Gonna talk Sounders, LAFC and
MLS playoffs and so Genio Desk as well. A lot coming up here on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly, your home for sunders FC, Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM. Welcome back Sounders Weekly. Good to have you with us on this Tuesday evening special Tuesday Night show because we have kracking. They're on ninety three point three KJRFM tomorrow night here, so thank you for tuning us in and
thanks to good to hear from Jordan Morris and Freddie Warres. They're in that first segment, both looking back at the first round series win against Dallas and this big game ahead this Sunday against LAFC. Taylor Twelman, lead broadcast analyst for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, will join us in just a moment. Before we get them on hold, I'll tell you that Sounders FC and Boeing are teaming up to support the Washington Youth Soccer Community Corner on matchdays this
season. Join us in stadium as a welcome Washington Youth soccer players and coaches to cheer on the Rave Green courtesy of Boeing. There he is. Let's bring him on back on the show for I want to say the fourth or fifth time this year he's been so gracious to us. Taylor Twelman, good to have you back on the show, my friend. How is everything? How are you man? Good? How are you Bud, I'm really good man. It's a big exciting game your conference semi final week. You're on
the call with Jake Zivin coming up this Sunday for Sounders LAFC. Let's quickly start by looking back. Sounders get the series win over Dallas in those three games. What were your impressions of what Seattle was able to do to get past Dallas professional performance? You know, you look at the MLS experience they have within that roster. I expected nothing less. Now, the game at Dallas was a little disappointing. I think even Brian Schmetzer admitted that they got
punched in the face a little bit. But the way this team has collectively defended best defense in all of Major League Soccer during the regular season, only giving up thirty two goals or whatnot, They're just going to be very difficult to break down. They're not going to give up a ton of chances,
and when they do, Stephen Fry is going to make a save. I didn't think FC Dallas would give them much of a hassle, And when you really looked at it, about six seven weeks ago, I said this a couple of times on Apple TV. I just felt like this was going to be Seattle Lafc's conference to lose. I knew Saint Louis City was at some point going to come back down to reality a little bit. They're inexperienced as
a group. Seattle LAFC are not. And I don't find it any coincidence that these two teams are in the Western Conference semifinal to quickly continue off of that and leap frog that, because before we move forward and talk more Seattle in LAFC, you're talking about how Seattle and lafc's conference and I was under that impression as well. But I listen, sounders would have hated if they
heard this, or hate you with any player even said this. But I'm also keeping an eye forward and saying, all right, if Seattle gets through, I am extremely scared about sporting Kansas City. They have looked really good in that upset over Saint Louis Mo s wins in MLS since Mayo. What are your impressions of how dangerous Kansas City could be here in these playoffs?
I think Houston beats them, to be honest with you, I really do, and I just think Houston's playing at a different level before the playoffs started, I said, in the Western Conference, Houston Dynamo may be the team that nobody wants to play now, Supporting Kansas City, Saint Louis City don't want to play. I'd argue, if in Denbay doesn't tear his ACL and is not out of this, then you've got an argument. But they don't
have the same kind of option that left back without in Denbay. He was arguably their most important best player against Saint Louis City, along with Polito and kinda. But I just look at Houston Dynamo. They're confident, they're at home, they've already won a trophy, so the pressure is kind of off of them a little bit. And so listen, Peter. For me, it is just going to tell you that they've got nothing to lose going there. I just look at Houston Dynamo as being that team that's going to be
very, very interesting. I think they're favored and if Sporting Kansas City pulls off another upset, be based on the seating. Listen, I'm with you, Sporting kidsas City is not your typical eight seed kinda Polito. They come back on May first, the best team in the Western Conference since May first has been Sporting Kansas City, but Houston went on the road beat Inner Miami and Lionel Messi in the Open Cup final. That trophy, that game gives
them the upper hand in this one because they're at home. Wow, well that will be another exciting one to watch. I think it will be an exciting game. But yeah, we'll see Houston certainly being at home has that edge. Great stuff there. Taylor Twelman is our guest. He is the Elite analyst for ms Sason Pass on Apple TV. Once again, you can watch all these playoff matches. They'll be televised live on MLS Season Pass via the Apple TV app or online at TV dot Apple dot com. Taylor going
back to Seattle in the LAFC match here coming up this Sunday. LAFC meanwhile sweeping the Vancouver Whitecaps a dominant effort in game won at home. I got the win with a little bit weird wild game there up in Vancouver in game two. What are your impressions of what you've seen from LAFC so far in the playoffs. I just always felt like LAFC was at some point gonna say, hang on a minute, where the defending champions We won the supporter ship.
Last year, we got to Kaka CAF Champions League Final. We're gonna find our footing again. They've been chasing the schedule, they've been chasing depth. They've been complaining about it all year until the playoffs. And the reason why the international break gives them a little bit of a break. Some of their players traveled, some of them didn't. The interesting part to this,
and I think the X factor is the game's on turf. And when you look at LAFC on turf on the road, it's almost a full point less than when they're on grass. So the turf becomes an X factor. That's why the final regular season win for Seattle Sounders at Saint Louis City gave them the upper hand. You're gonna have fifty thousand plus in the building going to be on turf. Lafc's hates it. They're uncomfortable. So LAFC is going to have to exercise some demons a little bit in playing on the surface.
But in saying that, Denise Belonga, in my opinions, the MVP thirty six goals in all competitions. That's second most in a calendar year in MLS history. I just look at their team. They've got something, they've got to chip on their shoulder a little bit. But I still think Seattle is going to be favored because of the turf to go on the conversation of MVP.
I mean, a bunch of people I've spoken with, you know, have said, you know, I think it's probaby a Cost and the rest that you would also go with Blonger because you know he has been really kind of the the guy for LAFC throughout the year, But you'd go with him.
Well, I just think, listen, you won the Golden Boot, you scored thirty six goals in all competitions, and at some point, if we're going to say, well the MVP and the Coach of the Year and all that is just for MLS competition, I don't know about that, right, Because the Ball on d'Or was won by Messi, not because of what he did with Paris, but but what he did in the World Cup.
So I just think it's got to be all encompassing, and for Major League Soccer voters and for players and coaches and staff and everyone else, it's got to be. In the calendar year of twenty twenty three. Listen, lucre Costa. Yeah, absolutely, I get it. I understand it. In quite honestly, he's probably got forty percent of my vote. But the fact
that we're downplaying a player that's got thirty six goals in all competitions. If his name was not Deny Bologa and it was Joseph Martinez or it was Carlos vel as he did in twenty nineteen, I think we're talking about an MVP year. I think, yeah, that's a great way of putting it too, because you know, Denny wwoga, the you know, the name recognition, isn't there of a veila or you know that that makes a lot of sense when you put it that way. Well, we'll see who eventually wins
that award. Pat Noon and won Coach of the Year earlier today, I mean, quick before moving forward, gets on the Eastern Conference there and a the job the Cincinnati's done to win the Shield and how they're setting up. But who do you think comes out of that Eastern Conference there? And what is I think some really really good games ahead? Yeah, good games, but interesting ones, right Philadelphia, do they have enough players healthy enough to
give it a run? Cincinnati missing Miaska because of the ridiculous second yellow that he got because he was kissing, you know, blowing kisses to the fans, who leaving Pat Newton without his defender for the fifth time this year due to suspension. So I don't that's an interesting one. Those are two coaches one that know each other very well. Pat Newton was under Jim Curtin for years in Philadelphia, but Pat Noonan's done a really good job of pushing the
right buttons in the right moments. I just don't know if he has a back line. Haglan's out for the year, Miaska is out. How do they deal with that. Columbus Orlando is an interesting one. Columbus is so good at home. When they're on the road, they play the exact same way and they struggle winning a game one nil. And the last time these two teams played, Orlando City scored four goals, two of those after the eighty fifth minute to win and get three points. I think there's gonna be
a ton of fireworks in that one. And as I said, with their Houston Dynamo on the West, I think Orlando City is that team in the East. I don't think anybody wants to play Orlando City right now because since League's Cup they've got more points than any other team in Major League Soccer. I'm with you on that. I have been looking at Orlando the same way
and the team that you don't want to face. I kind of had this sneaking suspicion going into the playoffs we might see a Seattle Orlando MLS Cup, which would make some of us up here very happy who travel down to Orlando for MLS Cup because it means a trip to Disney World. But no, I mean, I think that's that's a team out east that is very scary. I'm with you right there. Taylor Tweman once again our guest. He's on the call for Sounders LAFC coming up this Sunday, lead analyst for MS
Season Pass on Apple TV. You can check out the game on MLS Season Pass via the Apple tvp or online at TV dot Apple dot. Uh, Taylor, let's bring back around to l a f C Seattle with our last couple of minutes here, and I think reading between the lines, you talk about how the game that being this is on turf is an X factor. Here, you talk about how LAFC is a different team. We've then transformed that into how good Blong is. So how do you think this game plays
out? We've seen a Seattle team that can create chances, only got one in there and gave against Game three East Dallas. If you're kind of rud the crystal ball and look inside, how do you think that that this? You know, one off game winner, go home functions here coming up this Sunday. Well, based on any kind of prediction you have going into the game. MLS Cup last year remind you that anything can happen. Philadelphia LAFC
three to three, one of the best MLS Cup ever. Now why do I say that because the previous two games this year from l a FC and Seattle one goal scored, ten yellows, both pragmatic, both a little sloppy, not as efficient in the final third early goal from bo Goosh in LAFC beat Seattle one to nilo off a little bit of a deflection. Now, I think if LAFC gets the first goal in this game, I think you get some fireworks. I think the game opens up and it plays into the
hands a little bit of LAFC being so good. In transition, if Seattle gets the early goal. Now, all of a sudden, you're gonna get the best MLS defense, really peppered. The game's gonna open up and also work for the Leo Chows and the Jordan Morrises. I just think there's got to be for the neutral fan. And I know I'm on Sounders Radio. If there's an early goal, you're gonna get one of the best games ever
in MLS history. Every mind, everyone listening, and I don't care what you think, but this guy from Boston will tell you twenty nineteen playoff game at LAFC it is still the best performance in Sounder's history because the way they went after it, the way they got after it after giving up an early goal. People forget LAFC was up one nil, but then Ruy Diaz and Ladero said, hang on a minute. Those two coming off the bench.
You just get a feeling that everyone's looking at it, including myself, saying it's gonna be a one goal game. If anything, it probably will go to a shootout, and I know it's gonna end up being three two two one, that kind of game. Because of what happened in twenty nineteen, Well, hopefully we see that exciting game and you have an exciting broadcast. There was even coming up on Sunday. If it plays out that way,
that would make for a very very fun time. Quickly, Taylor, while we have just one minute here last with you, I gotta get your thoughts if you can on Sergenia Desk, what happened with the US men's national team where you sent off two yellow cards in like what was it twenty seconds? What just your opinion on on that wild situation and the loss of Trinidad Tobago.
I just think it's inexcusable, it's unprofessional. Any other buzzword you guys want to couple with that works with me, I just say find it interesting. I was texting with a bunch of former teammates of mine and current players that are in Major League Soccer and within the national team pool. I can't remember a more ridiculous red card in the history of the US men's program,
and there have been some interesting ones. And so now all of a sudden, the questions on Greg Burholter and that leadership of whether or not you can change that because you saw Matt Turner, you saw after the game Anthony Robinson, that was inexplicable. I think the bigger concern is not Desk two yellows.
It's the fact that you lost to Trinidad on the road. I think that's a huge concern, and I think the US men's national team still has a bunch of question marks on whether or not they can collectively put it together well as usual. Taylor, I agree with you completely, and a lot of questions to be answered after the loss to Trend and Tobago and what happened
with dest and everything af forward, So we will see what happens. We'll probably talk to you next year and get you know your thoughts on whatever happens over a wild wild MS offseason ahead should be especially here in Seattle. I have a great call with Jake coming up this Sunday there on MLS Season Pass. Let's hope for an exciting one out there at Lumen. Thanks man Man, great hearing your voice. Great stuff there, Taylor Twelm and lead broadcast
analyst for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Always great to have him on the show again on the call for Sounders LAFC coming up this weekend. Well. Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. We'll take a break and coming up next year on Sunders Weekly,
as we always do. We talked a little bit about there with Taylor, but we'll talk more around the league with ri Eleen Wall of MLS Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorches. Ari E Lilenwall joins us next on Sounders Weekly. Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders FC, Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FL. Welcome back, Sounders Weekly. Good to have you with us,
Jackson Feltz here. Thanks to our guests so far this evening. Jordan Morris, Freddie Warrez, and Taylor Tweman now joining us on the show from the podcast Lobbing Scorchers, the great writer for MLS Soccer dot Com. Our good friend Ari Lillionol joins us right now. Ari, thanks so much for the time, my friend, how are you. I'm good, Jackson. Looking forward to this last stretch of the playoffs here. I think we got some great matchups going on. I think we do. I'm excited to talk to
you about all of them. Let's start by Sounders LAFC and jump right into our sharp vision opponent outlook. You know, this is a game that features a very very good offensive team in LAFC Denny Bwanga, a Golden Boot winner, very good defensive team in the Sounders least goals giving up this season. How do you handicap this one? What do you think from Sounders LAFC this Sunday? Yeah, I mean it's a really tough one to try and try
agnosticid I think you hit on it right there. You very much got a strength on strength matchup going on between in LAFC at tack that when they're on and in form. There's not many more explosive teams that can hang four or five goals on you in a given game than LAFC, and they've been in form lately. But you've got a Seattle team that, like you said as I had one of the best defenses in MLS all year and have been playing really well in the playoffs. So it's just going to be it's gonna be
a great matchup to see which strength gets the best of that. And I don't really think you can look at it and say either team has a clear advantage. I look at this one as a clean fifty to fifty toss. That should make for a fun, fun match. Let's spend a moment talking about Denny Wowoga, and we heard from Jordan Morris earlier, but Bologa is
such a player who can just take over a game. Reference back to the Sounders and what they did on a guy like Hanni Mooktar back in Nashville, and what they did against Hasey's Frere for most of the game Game one here in Seattle, and Seattle just has this knack sometimes of being able to shut
down a team's singular best player. So I'm wondering your two cents on that situation, if Seattle would find a way to be able to isolate and shut down a guy like Bolwoga, or if he's the type of guy that's just going to be able to break through any you know, outstanding defense as Seattle has. Yeah, I might even harken back to one of the one of the last playoff matchups between these two teams in twenty nineteen, when Seattle traveled
to LSV and famously got the win in the Western Conference Final. That was the year that Carlos Vela had the best statistical season any MLS players ever had yet thirty four goals fifteen assists that year, and they managed to neutralize him in that game in a way that I frankly didn't expect and still can't believe. So there is a precedent for Seattle coming through in a scenario like this
against this same team. Now, both teams are very different. This is a very different LAFC squad that's less built around Carlos Delah and built more around Dennis Bolonga. And I think Bolonga almost has a more unstoppable force vibe when he's going. I think he's probably the most intimidating player attacking player in MLS. When he's running at you, it's like a freight train, and he's a lethal finisher. So it's going to be a phenomenal challenge for Jianpallo in
midfield and Jamar and Jackson Reagan in central defense. And I'm just really looking forward to UH to seeing how it plays out, because I think if you look at this LAFC team, if you're able to slow down Dennis Bolonga, you can get at this team. They're they're vulnerable in defense at times. It's just the challenge is making sure they don't get rolling and score three, four or five goals on you, which they can do at any given time.
So it's really going to be fascinating to see if Seattle can pull that off. Yeah, it will be indeed well. Tonight's opponent Alec presented by Sharp Vision Modern les Can Lens, the official Lasik provider of Sounders FC. I know, we you know, chatted off the air about a month ago about the MVP conversation. You said it was a coo stuff from Cincinnati, and I would agree with you on that. We just had Taylor Twelman on
and he seemed to say that he thinks this Denny Bowloga. What is your thought here, you know, just for the you know listeners on air now about the MVP conversation. Is it still a costa or do you think Bolonga with his thirty six goals across all competitions will get the MVP tomorrow. Yeah, it's still a costa for me, I mean not too I voted for I think for me, a lot of it comes down to team success as
well as individual statistical output. Bwanga scored more goals, but a Costa had more goal contributions and he was really the centerpiece in the engine for what was the best team in MLS this year. So I give him the nod based on that, But I mean, Blonga certainly has a great case for it. He won the Golden Boot, and like I said, he's probably the most dynamic goal scoring threat that we have in the league right now. So you know, if Taylor or anyone else wants to make the case for Blonga,
I don't begrudge that. I think he's a good candidate, But I mean, for me, it's been pretty clearly Acosta pretty much from Matchday one to now. I think I don't know about match day one for me, but I would agree with you that I think he does win the MVP. For those who didn't see also Pat noonan former connection with Brian Schmitzer. He won a Coach of the Year with Cincinnati earlier today. Are you let's bounce around really quick the other three games in the MLS playoffs this weekend. Let's
start in the Western Conference Houston versus Kansas City. We all talked about how dangerous Kansas City was. They upset Saint Louis. Houston also very good. You talked about how good Houston Dynamo are. How do you look at that matchup here coming up this weekend. I think that's another really close and competitive
one where it's really hard to tell who's gonna win. I mean, Houston has been in really good form lately, although they didn't look as good in their first series against rs L. They didn't look as good as Kansas City did against Saint Louis. But I just think Sporting Kansas City is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, and they really have been since they won ten games winless to start the season, and since then they've been
one of the hottest teams in the league. So their stats and their record over the full season are a little bit deceiving because of just how bad a start they got off to, but I don't look at them as any We're remotely close to that team that they were at the beginning of the season, and I think in Allen Pulito and Gotti Kinda, who are both healthy now, that's given them such a boost, And those two players there I consider
to be match winners to a greater extent than the star players that Houston have who they build their whole thing around Hector Herrera. But I think the way I see it. I think Sporting Kansas City has a really good chance to pull the upset on the road there, even though it's in Houston, where Houston has a great record. And I take Sporting Kansas City to win the game, which you know, I don't feel amazing about, but I feel decently good about. Yeah, I agree with you there. I mean,
best team in the West since May says it all. They are a tremendous, tremendous club and they're playing at such a high level right now. Allri Let's go out east here and Arillion was our guest MLS Soccer dot Com in the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Ari out East, we have Orlando Columbus and by the way, I should say, Houston Kansas City plays also on Sunday. They play at four o'clock, where Sounders and LFC plays at six point thirty.
But going out east there to Saturday's games, Orlando Columbus is the early game there. What do you think that game plays out as Do you think my Orlando pick has win or do you think Columbus can pull an upset? Yeah, I mean I think Orlando is gonna win that as well. I think Columbus has a good chance to win that game because when Columbus is in
formed, they're probably the most dynamic attacking team in MLS. You know, if Blanca is the most dynamic individual attacking player, Columbus probably has the most cohesive, fluid, esthetically pleasing, and statistically productive attack. The only problem is they're very vulnerable defensively at times, and they're so aggressive in attack that they leave themselves open a lot, and Orlando City is very much the type of team that can capitalize on that. So that's why I got Orlando City
in that game, especially with them playing it at home. But I mean the crew, like I said, I mean they can explode. Is similar to LFC. They can explode and hang three or four goals on you in any given game at any time. And if they do that, they can afford to concede a couple of goals and still win the game. So that's going to be an exciting one and the one that I'm looking forward to watching probably probably the most out of the two Eastern Conference matchups. And Ario,
let's wrap it with the other Eastern Conference games. Cincinnati the supporter shield winners against Philadelphia. How do you handicap that one. Yeah, that wasn't a little easier for me. I think I've got Cincinnati there all day. I mean, we've talked about it. They're the best team in the league right now, and they've got the match at home where they were pretty much unbeatable
this year. I think they lost one or two home games, and they've got the best player and who I think is the MVP in Luciano Acosta, and they've just been rolling all year and the Philly Union for as good as they've been in recent years, and they had a decent year this year, but they just don't really look like the same dominant team that we saw put out a plus forty eight goal differential and nearly beat LFC and MLS Cup last
year. So I think Cincinnati's got a pretty solid advantage there and that's probably the game that I feel most confident about at all of these. Yeah, I completely agree with you there. Good stuff all. Well, next week we'll either be talking about the end of the Sounders season and a wild busy offseason ahead, or the conference finals against Houston or Kansas City. Exciting that week coming up, So we'll talk to you next Wednesday. Have a good
one and enjoy the games this weekend. Sonks good Jackson, you too. It's great stuff from Ari lilienwallomls Soccer dot com in the podcast Lobbing Scorches. Make sure to check that out coming up with Sounders lafc all of his content leading through the MLS playoffs and hopefully that continues much further than this week for the Seattle Sounders. Once again, broadcast details coming up for this Sunday. It's gonna be about a six to thirty provident Swedish prematch show kickoff shortly after.
You can listen to the match this coming Sunday on our sister station of Sports Radio nine KJR AM. You can also watch the match via MS season Pass on the Apple TV app. If you are watching the game, like I will be, unfortunately not gonna be able to be there, Luman first Sounders home playoff game in a decade that I'm gonna miss, and I won't
get into the details. If you listen to the Brian Schmitzer conversation with Dave Softy mal or both, I think this week and last week, you will be able to hear why it's not something that I really had a big say in, but listen. I'll be watching there on MS Season Pass on Apple TV while tuning in on nine to fifty kr AM on the iHeartRadio app.
This coming Sunday. If you're headed to the match, I'll get your tickets today by visiting SOUNDERSFC dot com slash tickets, and I'll tell you that next Sunday's match is presented by Regent's Blue Shield, where connection is at the heart of a healthy life. Regions Blue Shield together we health. So that will do it for the show tonight. Oh, actually, really quickly, we have just a minute here around the sound something that we won't gonna be able
to hit fully because Andrew Harvey is under the weather this week. But we do got to do a kind of you know, my version of around the sound everything. You know Ballard f C, which, by the way, they are now in the twenty twenty four US Open Cup, which of course sets up the possibility, just the possibility for Sounders Ballard f C in the
Open Cup next year. You extend the further possibility. It is theoretically possible there is a universe where next year in the Open Cup we will have Sounders Ballard f C played at Memorial Stadium, so Sounders could theoretically because Ballade f C is moving to Memorial Stadium for just next year while Inner Bay is getting renovated, So there is a possibility that the Sounders will play at Memorial Stadium next year in the Open Cup against ballad f C. Of course, if
you don't know, Memorial Stadium the former home of the Seattle Sounders before of course the Kingdome and now Loomin Field, so wow, that would just be unreal. And then meanwhile, quickly on the ol Rain side, if you haven't heard about a week and a half ago, ol Rain lost the NWSL
championship. They lost the game to Gotham, which is extremely frustrating because a they had chances at the end, but probably most frustrating was the fact that the legend, Megan Repino, was injured six minutes into the game with I believe what she said was an achilles injury. She said after the game, I think jokingly that my achilles gave Gotham the championship. Ale Krieger on the other side for Gotham, another you know National Women's Soccer League legend, she
gets the title and you know, rides off into the sunset. Meanwhile, Meghan Rapino has a massive injury six minutes into the final. I mean, that game is completely different if Meghan Repino's healthy. And it's just so frustrating because you know, the legend of all legends, you know, one of the greats of this sport, you know, in this country and at the
women's game on an international level. For her to go out with her career like that, because this is her last season, that was her last game, and for her to go out like that, I just it angers me to no end. And it's so frustrating, and you wish that she would be able to come back for one more ride. But in Achilles' injury this late in the season, I mean, twenty twenty four such a question mark now if she was even to think about it. So it's it's just so
frustrating. What could have been is kind of the way I you know, look at that NWSL final, what could have been for Rain? But alas on to twenty twenty four for ol Rain. So there's your version of around the Sound tonight. I hate to end the show on such a frustrating note. Hopefully we won't be frustrated on Sunday night for Sounders LAFC, because you
will wrap it with this. On the good side, Sounders in the conference semifinal against the defending MLS Cup champion LAFC six point thirty two nine am MLS season pass. If you're watching Loomenfield, if you're headed there, let's pack that place, Let's make it loud, Let's have a fantastic environment there at the stadium. This coming weekend should be a very fun one there for Sounders LFC. Thanks to all of our guests tonight, Jordan Morris, Freddie Warrez,
Taylor Twoeman, Ari Luenwall. Check out the podcast in case you missed any of it. That'll do it for Sounders Weekly tonight. We'll talk to you on Sunday. Enjoy the game, everybody, and we'll see you next week for hopefully what is a Western Conference Final preview. Take care, have a good evening and Fox Sports Radio is coming up next