Coming to you live from our Relliot Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly with your host Jackson felt Good.
Even everybody, welcome into Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felts here for the next hour on the show, covering all things Seattle, Sounders FC Soccer special Tuesday edition of the show this week, we're back to Wednesdays. Next week, Kraken season nearly over, and then we'll shift back to our normal seven pm on Wednesday timeslot. I know we've been shifting the days and shifting the times, but we're close to returning to
our normal seven pm Wednesday slot. So we're rocking and rolling, and we're talking about a Sounders draw down in San Jose. We'll start off the show by talking about that and the big news from yesterday, because he's here, he's there, he's every freaking where down in Long Acres. Ryan Kent, not Roy Kent. Ryan Kent is a Seattle sound Or we'll get into that here in a moment. You're going to hear from Ryan Kent, who spoke alongside Brian Schpenzer
earlier this morning at a press conference. So that is coming up here in a moment. Of course, we'll chat with Ari Lillenwall from Major League Soccer dot Com in the podcast Lobbing Scorchers Get.
His two cents on Ryan Kent.
Also want to talk to him about a major, major firing in Major League Soccer. Surprise the heck out of me when I saw it yesterday morning. I'd also will make Brian Schpenzer the longest tenured head coach in all of MLS. We'll tell you who that is and talk about that with Ari coming up in a little bit. We'll also get the scoop on San Diego FC, the newest club in Major League Soccer. They're doing pretty darn well and the Sounders will be facing them this week.
We are going to talk to Ari about them, and to wrap up the show, we're gonna talk to Jamie Watson. Jamie Watson will be on the call on Apple TV for sound San Diego this coming weekend. Let's get you those broadcast details for the last two games. You've been hearing Sounders matches on the Sounders FC radio stream channel on iHeartRadio, whether you listen on your computer on iHeartRadio or bring up the iHeartRadio app on your phone. You've
done a good job. I've seen it searching Sounders FC radio stream channel and that pops up and what you get is you get the full broadcast, which this weekend will have a Providence, Swedish premat show starting at seven o'clock kickoff right around seven point thirty there on the stream channel on iHeartRadio. You can also watch at MLS Season Pass on Apple DV where Jamie Watson will be on the call. He'll talk about that later on. You can also listen in Spanish leguage on l Ray thirteen sixty.
Those are the ways to take in Sounders San Diego FC this coming weekend. We'll also mention that Saturday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers.
So busy, busy show ahead.
We are going to get to the Ryan Kent News Before we do that, Let's just start by as we always do. And I know last week we spent probably a good twenty minutes talking about the game down there in Saint Louis. This though a little bit more of a positive result. Obviously, we get a draw, we get a point, we get a late goal from Albert Rusnak to make it one to one. Let's start by talking about that, John san Jose, shall we, because I think we can all agree that the Sounders had a tough
first half. They obviously got a deflection goal in the back of the net where it's a poor giveaway from Alex Roldn, a shot from Bowlaru that hits off the foot of Jackson Reagan and Stephen Fry clearly not ready for a wild deflection that just hits the right angle and goes into the back of the net to make it one nothing san Jose in the thirty second minute,
and obviously that was it just never got going. I didn't feel like the offense was in sync again, and it just once again felt like we're watching a team that just couldn't get its legs under him and just couldn't get the wheels turning. But then in the second half we started to see those wheels turning in a very big way. Lots of positives I think to take
from that second half. I mean, we can just toss out I think the first half we all understand what we saw wasn't the top level of Sounder soccer.
It's not the level of Sounder soccer that we need to.
See but the second half, I think we saw it, and I was on the play by play call with Brad Evans and we both sort of noticed it in the first ten minutes of that second half. What happened was Danny Mazowski came on to start the second half. That allowed a couple things to happen. First off, it allowed Christian rolled on to drop back line next to Obed Vargas and that double pivot of Obed and Christian. With all due respect to Jule Paulo, the JP Obed
connection is nothing like the Christian Obed connection. That duo we saw it last year emerge and boy, we saw it again. When they play together, they work really well in terms of who stays, who goes, working toge other. Passing wise it is seamless. So I think that was
a big benefit. But maybe the bigger benefit is that Mazosky going up top to forward allows Haesus Ferira to push out to the wing, and we just clearly I think saw that Haesu's Ferreira is still having chemistry issues at the number nine forward spot, but when he's pushed out to the wing, things are much better.
I think he works better out there. He is better.
I think in isolation he can work better, he can tuck in, and I think Hayesus Ferrera is establishing he's just right now for now better off onto the side. So what does that mean right now with the Sounders still being with injuries for Pedro de Levega and Jordan Morris.
I think that we kind of got a roll with Danny Mazovski starting up front and Hasu's off to his side, because I just think that's where we're gonna get the best out of Haesus Ferira and continuing to put Hasus at the nine when we're clearly seeing issues with you know, whether you know he makes a run and somebody doesn't feed him the ball or somebody tries to feed a ball in towards the box. We saw it a good two three times in the first half where Haesu's Ferrera
just doesn't make a run. It's just continuing to happen. So let's change things up and let's put Danny Mazovski on there. And not to say that Danny Mazovski is a better overall striker than Hasus Ferreira, I don't think he is, but I think overall you're looking at a situation where Danny Mazowski being upfront allows Hasus Ferrera to play in his preferred better position out on the wing. And it's only better right now again because the chemistry
isn't there. It still needs time to build. We aren't seeing, you know, guys reading what his movements well enough. And Brian Schmitzer said it last week, and I agree with him. Hasus Frere is putting himself in good spots. The guys just aren't finding him. And I think you have a mixture of that and the opposite of it, so ultimately I'm with it. I think that just to get the most out of what we have, throw Mazovsky in there.
And yes, Danny Mazoski need to improve. He had a couple of really good chances, especially one rite at the near post on across from Georgie Manonging. We'll get into him in a moment, and he just doesn't put it in the back of the ned. Danny Mozoski needs to get better. You just look at what the Sounders have invested in him and what he is supposed to be. That's a guy sort of like a bear a couple of years ago. But a bear was more snake bit.
Danny Mazoski just isn't finishing these chances, so he's got to do that. But ultimately I want to get the most out of Heyesus Frera, and I think that's how it needs to happen. So in the second half, that's what did happen. Heyesus was better. Mazaski had some decent hold up play, albeit you know, the miss chances, but he had some good hold up play. And then on in the second half later on Georgie Manoingo and Georgie
was fantastic. And I mean from seeing him run at defenders a good five or six times and he's winning every single time. I remember, you know, this was right before Albert's goal. He runs in another defender and I think on the call I was saying something like Georgie running in another defender again, and he wins again because he's just beating everybody in front of him off of that left wing.
So he was excellent.
And whether he's going towards the end line and cutting back or he cuts in on his right foot, he's making stuff. And nearly said something there, he's making stuff happen, and it's really good to see, and Georgie continues to be a bright spot, and him and Albert Rusnak, obviously with just a tremendous goal there in the eightieth minute.
I mean, not much needs to be said about Albert Rusnak, you know, his job and ability to get an inch of space, not even and she earned himself a good five yards of space with the cut in and then the back out and then whipping the ball there to the far corner of the net. I mean, just a sensational goal from Albert Rusnak in the eightieth minute, and he puts the Sounders in a one to one tie with san Jo that earns Seattle a point.
They nearly got the winner a.
Couple times I mentioned Mazowski's but ultimately at a point on the road, I from my view, look at it as a good point. And now we look forward and try to build more chemistry and try to stay above water. But until Jordan and Pedro get back, and until the next guy joins the squad, and that next guy is Ryan Kent, because the Sounders will be turning to Ryan Kent at some point when he is fully ready to rock and roll, and he's you know, in rave Green.
Now he's the newest signing for the Seattle Sounders. We're gonna hear from Ryan Kent in just a moment, but he was a signing announced yesterday. It will be for the remainder of the twenty twenty five season. Also there is a club option for next year if all goes well. He's twenty eight years old. He's played ten seasons over three hundred appearances across England, Germany, Scotland, Turkey. He was part of the Liverpool youth system, most recently playing in Turkey.
But you look at what he's done overall. I mean he spent a long time with Rangers in Scotland and very much excelled there. We look at his stats here as I pull it up. Scored thirty four goals in two hundred and sixteen appearances twice, earning the Scottish Premiership Team of the Year, both in twenty eighteen, nineteen and twenty twenty one. Now, yes, he has dealt with a lot of injuries in the last few years. He actually is without a team right now. He hasn't been playing
for a while because of these injuries. So that's just one concern that this is a guy who hasn't played since last summer and he clearly needs to build up those legs and build up his fitness. On top of which, you know, other teams could have, you know, slid in and taken him. I saw some tweets from I believe Tom Bogert said that, you know, other teams should have been in on him, and I do wonder why why weren't other teams on him? Why was it the Sounders?
And maybe it's just that we saw the diamond in the rough where nobody else did. But yeah, I think that's a fair concern his injury history of late and the fact that he hasn't played since last summer. But you look and it's very easy to google Ryan Kent highlights and see what he can do on the field. This is a fast player, he's a very good dribbler. He's somebody on the wing, and I guess I haven't
mentioned yet he's a winger. He's an attacking winger. So this is somebody who can I think, really stretch defenses really well on the wings, and that will help Seattle, especially when it comes to Haysus Ferrera. Wherever Farira plays and whoever's playing at the top. I mean Jordan Morris, I think could be a really really nice piece that Ryan Kent can work off of. Those two could do some very very special things. All Lah, you know Brad Smith, and he's not like a Brad Smith. Brad Smith was
more of a left wing back. Ryan Kent's more of a winger. But I think all law of that, you're looking at fast players, quick players, good dribblers that could stretch defenses, and I think that's gonna help Seattle offensively. But the question is when will we see Ryan Kent. Well, we had a chance out at Long Acre's earlier today to talk to both Ryan Kent and head coach Brian Schmitzer.
They had a press conference.
Why don't we hear a little bit from the two of them before we go any further. This is the newest Seattle Sounder, Ryan Kent. Earlier today at Long Acres.
Ryan, welcome to Seattle.
Just start us off with with what appealed for this view to the Sounders and then coming here, I think.
With the trajectory that the MLS is going right now, you.
Know, it's it's a league that's definitely becoming a lot more exciting, a lot more opportunities and I'd definitely say a lot more about players are taking the opportunity to join the MLS.
So you know, it's a new chapter for me. And when I'm looking at forward.
To Craig Wible, the general manager, talked about you resurrecting your love of football, I think it's through kind of what that means and maybe expand on kind of what that part of it is coming here.
Yeah, I mean I've had a you know, probably a couple of difficult years in my career in recent years, you know, probably more than anything in trying to find the enjoyment in the game. You know, with with with
what went on at the previous club. You know, after speaking to the guys, you know, it was it was like a breath refresher with with the people I was dealing with, you know, like across the board, the passionate people, passionate about what they do, and you know, and and and coming here and allowing me to express myself as the players, you know, it was a big factor in coming there, and you know, with the with the opportunities that here this year at this football club, you know,
it's it's something that can you know, maintain the platform that I'm wanting to play on as well.
So it's unusual that a player with your profile your career remains without a team as far as you have. It seems like you had some possibilities to go to other leagues. Why did you feel like maybe those things didn't come about.
Yeah, you know, I've turned down you know, a lot of teams, you know, so I hadn't considered. Some I did consider, and you know, ultimately seettle with the team for me. You know, there's a host of factors, without really getting into it, that why I wanted to come here and why I turned down over other teams. You know, I think, I think more than anything, just the sort
of the honesty from from the people I was. I was speaking to her, and like I said, like the you know, they're really passionate about what they do.
You know, they have a.
Good relationship with the players, you know, just from spending a short short time here, you know, in the dressing room.
Like it's a great bunch of guys.
And so yeah, what is it about the Seattle style on the field that you like?
Because I'm sure you probably looked at a couple of their games. What do you what did you like about it?
Yeah, you know, like you know, having having spoken to the guys here before coming, you know this like defensively, it's you know, it's a it's a great team. And then you know they're really looking forward to against somebody, and who's looking forward to you know, dribbling an exciting player and you know, to hear you know, to hear the coaches and stuff say that, you know they're looking looking for an exciting player.
You know, it kind of made me excited in a way.
You know, you go to some places and managers want to prevent you from doing what you want to do as a player.
I'm an exciting player.
I like to lift bombs off seats, you know, I like to dribble, you know, create loads of loads of chances and stuff.
And you know, having watched.
The game the other day, but you know, you know the way the guys played is especially out on the on the wide wide positions. You know, they looks like there's going to be loads of opportunities to go and run at people.
So why number seventy seven?
Random? No real reason to a couple of numbers that I've won't even taken. So seventy seven Uh yeah, that's it.
That's good stuff there from Ryan Kent. Will switch gears here in Sounders Weekly and we'll get the two cents of what his addition can mean with Ari Lillianwall from Major League Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Will also get his two cents on the Sounders next opponent, San Diego FC that's coming up next year in Sounders Weekly on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders FC Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FL.
Welcome back, Jackson Felis here, Welcome back to Sounders Weekly special Tuesday night edition here of the show. Thanks for spending it here with us, Ryan Kent. You eard from him there in the first segment, and we got to get the two cents from the man on hold right now about what he thinks Ryan Kent can add to the Seattle Sounders joining us as he always does, oh before he does all shit quickly mentioned. Sounder's e FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare.
Partner is Sounders FC.
Okay, Arilillianwall, Major League Soccer Dot com and the podcast Lobbings scorcheres Ari welcome back, man.
How you do it? And I'm good Jackson, how are you good? Good?
Very good? Are we get a new signing to talk about? It's a draw on the road, which I'll always take a point on the road, And then we had a lot to discuss around the rest of Major League Soccer. Let's start, though, with your quick thoughts on San Jose the draw, the one to one game there last weekend.
Yeah, just in isolation. You know, a one to one draw against the Quakes isn't the greatest results of all time, but I thought there were some positives to wait to take away from that game. I think I liked that Schmitz made the adjustment at halftime to bring Mussan and move Ferreira from the nine. I thought everything looked just way better after they made that change, and then it was nice to see them get a goal, obviously, after
getting shut out the previous two games. I think they just needed that for psychological boost and morale, and it feels like it gives them something to build on going into this San Diego game instead of going into it havn't gotten shut.
Out three straight Games.
Yeah, I couldn't agree more And I think you nailed it right there moving Haesus out to the wing and you move Christian back line. It all worked and you would have loved to see Moose finish a couple of chances. But you know, well Mazowski is so it's a work in progress with his skills there at the forward spot. But listen, Aari, we have a lot to discuss regarding what's ahead and what's happening right now. Ryan Kent, we just heard from him, who had a press conference earlier
today at Long Acres. He's the newest Seattle sounder. Obviously, this is a fast, very quick, good dribbler winger. What can adding that type of player a you know, like a quick dribbler with that kind of skill set if he's healthy, of course, what can that type of guy add to this attack right now?
Yeah, I'm interested to see what he can do for sure. I mean, I think that skill set can ideally replace some of what you lose with the Paul Ariola injury. And I think the thing that I like about him when I look at his highlights on YouTube, but it's not just the skill set, but he plays the game extremely hard. It seems like he is running full speed
at all times. He brings a lot of energy and a little bit of swagger, So I think those are all things that could give this team a boost if he's able to if it's able to come to fruition. So I'm definitely intrigued by this edition and interested to see what he can do.
That's a great point about playing hard, and you know, Brian Schweitzer loves that because Brian loves guys who just work their ass off over and over for all ninety minutes, and he definitely embodies that. So hopefully we see Ryan Kent suiting up in Rave Green on the field at Lumanfield very very soon. Ari Luen was our guest major League Soccer dot Com and his podcast Lobbing Scorches, which, in case you missed it, they have live shows on
Monday mornings and Thursday nights. Look up Lobbing Scorches on YouTube to get those live shows. And ariy, I assume if you hit the subscribe button then you can be notified when you guys go live and all that good stuff.
That's exactly right. Just go to the channel, sub turn notifications on and you'll always know when we.
Go live perfect.
All right, we'll have a good show in a couple of nights, Ari, but let's continue. I mentioned Brian Schmitzer a minute ago. He is now the longest tenured head coach in Major League Soccer. Because Peter Vermese fired at Kansas City, Ari, I never thought i'd see the day because he runs the whole shebang down there in Kansas City. I never thought i'd see the day where Peter Vermese actually got fired.
It happened yesterday morning.
Yeah, no I was surprised that they actually did it. It was funny. I was recording my show with Noah before it happened, and we were predicting if we thought it was gonna happen because their supporters group released an absolutely scathing statement like demanding his firing, So we were kind of pondering, are they actually gonna do it? Is the
pressure gonna be too much? And I actually predicted that they wouldn't do it because their track record had never before, and there's been situations where a lot of people thought that it should happen and it didn't, So I don't know, I didn't think this situation would be any different but now that it's happened, I think it makes sense that this was the breaking point. I mean, they're on a run right now where I think they have lost thirteen out of fourteen and there was the other one was
a draw. I don't know if that's exactly, but it's something like that, which that's hard to do in a league with as much parody as MLS, who have that many win lists in a row. So I think it kind of it was the straw that broke the Campbell's back. Just how long the streak has gone for them, and it is it's kind of crazy to think about that team without him as the coach and the sporting director.
He has been an institution down there since two thousand and nine, so it is it's big news that it actually.
Happened sixteen years just wild. Tell me more about this supporters letter. I had no idea about what happened here, so there was so like their e version of ECS or Gorilla FC Penda very tell me about it.
Oh yeah, I mean you got to read this thing, Jackson. It was about four point two k words and it was you know, it was a lot of making the same point over and over again. But they are not happy with this windless streak that they're on, to say the least, very upset they wrote about it. It's it was. It was a pretty good work of writing, even if I thought it was repetitive. You know, they really laid down some some hard truths, some hard points. But I think it was about as point as a statement as
I've ever seen from a supporters group. Uh. And there was a lot of talk about you know, reputation and legacy and all this stuff. So it was definitely uh yeah, it was.
It was an eyebrow raiser for sure.
You'll have to send that to me and there'll be some late night reading before I go to bed. It'll definitely put It'll just maybe if nothing else, just give me.
A little crack up a little bit.
Uh.
But Ari Leuine was our guest MLS Soccer dot Com the podcast Lobbing Scorches here on Sounders Weekly tonight. All right, all right, it's time to turn our attention to what's next for Seattle and with their longest tenured head coach now Brian Schmitzer, they're going to be heading down to San Diego to face the newest club in MLS, San
Diego FC. I do want to talk to you about their win over LAFC, which is impressive in its own right because LAFC is pretty good, but also want to just talk to you about San Diego overall, how they've kind of built this with Chucky Lozano and other are very very good pieces. But before we maybe maybe you can kind of tie it into the LAFC win, but just tell us about San Diego FC and how they're off to such a very successful start in their first season.
Yeah.
No, they're off to a great start. There's no question about it. They're playing at one point eight points per game right now, which if they could actually maintain anything close to that, there will easily be a playoff team and they'll probably be a pretty high seed. I don't know if they're one point eight points per game good, but they definitely It definitely steals legit so far. You know, sometimes with these expansion clubs, they can be riding, They
can be riding vibes more than actually being good. I think we saw that with Saint Louis was the best example of that, where they were on a run that was kind of like this to start their season and they actually maintained it all season, but then it turned out to not be sustainable. To me, this San Diego team has the look of more sustainable operation than that. They play really good attacking soccer, They play really good
team soccer. They defend pretty well. Like when I look at it, they seem like an all around pretty complete, solid team that I don't know if they'll sustain it, but it seems like they have they have a chance to sustain it. So yeah, I'm really looking forward to this game, Jackson. I think this will be a great
test for Seattle, and I think it could. It has a chance to be an entertaining game between two you know, San Diego is still trying to prove themselves against all the best teams in the West and prove themselves in general, and you know, Seattle, for however many positive you can take out of the second half of that San Jose game, they got one win in six to start the year, so they need to turn that around too. So I think this is gonna be a good game.
Ye It's gonna be a good game and a big test for Seattle. And when we kind of you know, sounder fans will be watching and they'll kind of be able to pick out a couple names. I mean, I think all you know Sounder, well maybe not all, but many US and Sounder fans have heard the name Luca de la Torre, who is had been with the United States men's national team now for what the last you know, six seven years or so. Chucky Lazan know with the
Mexican national team is obviously a star. But but I think that what I'm kind of wondering is these obviously they can't just lead a team to the success they've had so San Diego building blocks wise, you know, I see Annabal Goadoy, that's the name I know. But but where are the names that that we're going to be you know, hearing you know from at least kJ R side, Danny Jackson and the guests coming up after you, Jamie Watson.
What are those names that Sounder fans are going to need to pay paying attention to from San Diego this weekend.
To be honest, it's a lot of guys that I hadn't really heard of before they got to the league. Like you said, Chucky is the big name, but he's actually been injured for most of this season. I think this LAF that you were talking about was his first game back in a few weeks, so they've kind of been doing this without him, but I can't tell you that, Anders Dryer, I think that's how you pronounce it. Is
one guy that's been playing really well for them. He's scored a couple of goals and he looks like he's kind of their Albert Rusnak equivalent, I would say, So he's been playing really well, and they have I think one more Danish guy in midfield who's been playing pretty well. And then Goodoy is just an MLS institution, like he's been around forever and you pretty much know exactly what you're gonna get from him at any age. So it's kind of the combination of these guys that they brought
in who are playing really well. It looks like they've hit on a couple of these signings with a couple of kind of savvier MLS debt type guys that have been around, and it seems to be working so far. They're not they're not Nashville as seeing it, where they're one zeroing and grinding out the sensive results every week. They're playing good ball, they're scoring goals, and they look like they look like they've been in the league for years.
Honestly, Yeah, they seem exciting to watch this dryer guy here. He's kind of been playing over in Denmark and Belgium. A good player and kind of just looking up his stats. Definitely somebody Seattle's going to have to watch for.
Ari.
Let's continue moving here and once again, Ari Luine was our guest MLS Soccer dot Com. Check out his podcast, Lobbying Scorches as well. Let's bump around the league here for just a few minutes. Let's start over in Atlanta, where Garth Loggerway is now the president and running everything there with Atlanta United. Lots of changes in the offseason, and they got a big comeback win over the weekend.
Yeah, I kind of don't know what to make of them right now. They did get a comeback, a good comeback win over NYC, and they scored four goals, but they were also down three to one at home at one point in that game, And there was a point in that game watching them kind of get run on by NYC where I was kind of feeling like this might be the same old Atlanta After all the offseason
talk about how they were going to be back. With all the moves they made and bringing in Latte Loss for twenty two million, I will say lots loss does look like a good signing. So far, he's been producing for them, But I'm gonna I'm gonna wait and see before I declare Atlanta fully back back, because I know that was a good win for them, but it was not.
It was exciting, but that's not necessarily. You don't want to go three one down in any game at home, and they did that, So I definitely, I'm I still think they're gonna be a lot better than they were last year, but I'm gonna wait to.
Proclaim that that's fair.
Ari let's quickly hit on Miami Philly, because I don't think any week review would be anything without talking about two of the top teams in any conference. Miami won right now Philadelphia to out East, and it was a win for Miami two to one over Philadelphia, and that was believe in Miami. But tell us a little bit about the big game out East this week.
I mean, when you have Lionel Messi on your team, sometimes the game is pretty easy. Yeah, he's been playing. He has been playing the last well, he was out of the international break with Argentina because he had a little injury, so they're kind of working him back in the fold. He subs on in the fifty fifth minute, and he scores to the game winning goal in the fifty seventh.
So there you go.
You know, when you're coaching that team, like I said, there's not a lot of advanced tactics to it. You just put number ten in the game and say run around and just do what you do, and he's usually going to get you between one and four goals. And that's basically the story with Inter Miami right now.
And they're back to the top of the Eastern Conference. Surprise, surprise. Let's go from them to the downside. LA Galaxy just continuing to fall apart two to one loss to Orlando at home, who goes cross country and gets a win in Carson, California. I mean, the La Galaxy ari right now are sitting below the Sounders. They only have two
points in six games. I mean, I know we can't continue to joke how down bad they are, but I guess my question about the Galaxy is do they have hope that eventually they'll be able to turn things around.
I don't know, it really doesn't seem like it. It just seems like the writing is on the wall that they lost way too much firepower over the offseason.
I mean, you had Ricky.
Pooge out with the injury, had they had to move off Jolic, they had to move off a couple other guys shedding salary, and then they had to trade Marquis Delgado to La Flee. But that really hurts to not only not only lose one of your best players and one of the players that helped lead you to MLS Cup, but then have to give him to a rival. That that's kind of insult to injury right there. So I don't know. I mean, I don't think they're going to
be this bad offseason. I think Greg Vanny's a really good coach, Ricky Pooge is supposedly coming back eventually, and he he's might be the best non messy player in the league for my money, So I have to imagine they'll get some sort of boost at some point. But they certainly did not look at all at all like the dominant team that they were last year, which that opens that opens things up in the West a little bit. If they're actually not a factor.
Well, it certainly does. Like the comments there, non messy player is Ricky Pooge.
That is.
That's an interesting comment that it might have to dive into another week. But for now, Ari, we'll let you go have a very good show on Thursday for Lobbing Scorches. They're live on YouTube. Everybody else subscribe and enjoy that, and we will talk to you next week.
My friend, Thanks, Jackson, appreciate it.
That's Ari Lillianwall from MLS Soccer dot Com in the podcast Lobbing Scorches. All right, we'll take a break here on Sounders Weekly. Before we do want to quickly mention michelob Ultra ninety five calories and two point six grams of carbs. It's only worth it if you enjoy it. All right, we will preview Sounders San Diego with a man who's calling the match, Jamie Watson from MLS Season
Pass on Apple TV. We'll talk Sounders San Diego a lot more that comes up next here on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc cel's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM. Welcome back, Sounders weekly, Jackson Felts, good to have you with us here on this Tuesday evening here on ninety three point three KJRFM. Good to hearing that first segment from Ryan Kent, the newest Sounder attacker, also Ari Lillian Wall that previous segment, but to continue talking not only what's coming up for the Sounders, but also lots of
what he's seen from around Major League Soccer. Is our good friend Jamie Watson, who's calling Sounders their game coming up here at this Saturday evening against San Diego, the newest club in Major League Soccer. Jamie Watson joins us right now, Jamie. Good to have you back on the show man.
How are you, Jackson.
There's two things I love in Seattle. It's you and I love ninety three three KJRFM. So putting those two things together, having me on, I feel honored to be joining you, and I'm excited to talk shop because you are one of the top one percent of the one percent soccer minds, especially when he comes to talking about Seattle, a team that I have a ton of versus back
to us. So let's dive in, let's get into the week, and let's make this another good segment in your show that you constantly churn out week after week.
Jamie's same addresses last year to send the check good okay, device is still very very cheap.
Well, dude, let's start with just overall Seattle. You know, San Jose this last week, and I know you've called San Jose earthquakes match so far this year, and it's a Seattle team that you know, I've kind of said it, you know, offline online that it feels like we're kind of just waiting until Jordan and Pedro get back. And obviously in the first half it was tough, second half
was much better. What was your two cents from Sandy from excuse me from Seattle's draw there in San Jose over the weekend.
We got a lot of them. We got Seattle, San Jose, San Diego, We had a lot of a lot of West Coast teams to talk about here.
No, it was.
A as dominant of a performance as Seattle could have given while only walking away with a point and feeling like it was getting a little bit close to the end of the game where you're like, oh, is there gonna be an equalizer in this? I mean, I think I went and look back at the numbers earlier today, twenty six shots something like that, an nextually just shy
of three. You know, I think there'd be a lot of positivity taken from that performance because the real eyebrow raising moments are when you're not creating chances, and I think there's a caveat to and I think Brian Schmester would be the first one to acknowlogist a lot of those chances came from distance, which San Jose in their new look under Bruce Arena playing three center backs and five in the back with wing backs when they're under pressure,
they're gonna naturally collectively just sort of tighten up and sort of suction inside, not give up much behind. So there's gonna be some shots from distance when you know you're playing against San Jose. But I was really pleased with the resolute nature to keep going and then ultimately a moment of brilliance from Rus Knacase he you know, sends chi cho for a hot dog and with fake and then just absolutely pile drives it to the back post.
It was there was a lot to be pleased within the performance from Seattle's point of view, but ultimately you only go back to the Pacific Northwest with one point in tow so it doesn't feel a complete satisfaction. So I expect a lot more of the same this weekend against San Diego, but hopefully with a little bit more emphasis on shortening the distance of those efforts from goal, leading to a little bit higher likely that they find them back of the net.
Yeah, I think the second half Seattle was I think that dominant word fits because that second half was so good and to come away with one goal and all that, and you know, going back three matches, I mean fifty one goals over the last few so you know, I excuse me if you one shots. So you know, obviously needing to convert these shots into goals is where we're
talking about. But yeah, we were offensively wise, much much better in that second half once Dandy Masowski came on the field and Haysus Ferrera was, you know, kind of more out wide. So you know, looking at this San Diego game, you know, and Jamie Watson's our guest colin Sounders San Diego for MLS season passed on Apple TV. Coming up here this Saturday evening seven thirty kickoff. I'll give you our broadcast details here on KGr in a little bit. But Jamie, this is a San Diego team
that's obviously the I'm reading headline. I haven't watched too much San Diego yet, but headlines wise, I mean the great off to a great start. They've done it while also dealing with injuries to Chucky, and I think it's one of the interesting questions of you know, how much of a real contender is San Diego here in their first year.
Wow.
I mean, it's been incredible to see, you know, how quickly the narrative has changed with San Diego because as I look at it today, they're sitting third in the Western Conference. Let's also make sure we're you know, reasonable
about it. We're six games into the season. But Shades is sort of a Saint Louis City type start to life in Major League Soccer, and the predictions and quote unquote experts mad San Diego propping up the Western Conference, not sitting at the top when when things were getting
started in late February. I think the big reason San Diego has really put it together as the seasons has formulated and taken shape with the injuries to Trickylazana, Like you mentioned is you've got a real emphasis on the whole of the group working together and the sum of it all being greater than the individual parts. I look at this team, and you know, when I start to say, say the names Anders Dryer and a Baggador, Christopher mcday, McVeigh, none of those names really jump out to you, Oh
my gosh. Okay, but we're talking about sort of the spine of this group, and that's where they've been at their best because it's constant effort. It's difficult to play against a team that forces you to play faster than you want. They have the quality, They do the simple things right. They put themselves in positions with their willingness to run. So you start to say, when you have a group that buys into this, and everybody collectively is moving together and working off of each other, and the
effort of one is contagious to the effort of the next. Now, all of a sudden, you see this domino effect of everybody working together in a way that truly undoes teams that rely on individuals to be able to break open
a team. And I think Caan Diego has come in and completely smacked everybody in the face with what the expectations worked for this team, and they've done it with eleven players collectively doing the smacking at one time as a group in unison, and I mean it's been it's been great to see and I'm excited to see if they can continue to sustain it.
Well yeah, and that's kind of the question is is will they be able to do you know what Saint Louis did a few years ago, and you know, take their expansion season and run with it to you know, a high spot in the Western Conference. That'll obviously be the thing that we don't see the results of that for for a long long time.
Uh.
But Jamie, this is a San Diego team that they've been super exciting. I mean, they're not winning games one to nothing, you know, in low scoring game. These are this is this is a team that has high scoring and I'm wondering for a team in Seattle that's kind of offensively starved a little bit right now, looking for the damn to break and maybe Albert Rusnak's eightieth minute
goal in San Jose is the dam breaking. But you know, I'm wondering if this could be a game for Seattle to break the dam offensively and exploit San Diego's defense.
Yeah, it'd be good question because as you mentioned, you make a great point, Jackson, like you alway do you You look at San Diego and they're tied in the Western Conference for most schools four, sitting on ten with Vancouver. Neither one of us thought, I think I'm going to speak for you, my friend here. No chance either one of us thought San Diego and.
Vancouver were going to be the two highest.
At this point in the season in the Western Conference. But Ivan said that that's the reality that we sit in now. So this will be a test. But you know, you look at Seattle and one thing that that I love about Seattle no matter what, the one thing that you can always count on is this is going to be a team that is difficult, uh to break down, difficult to to be able to get behind him. And San Jose took a deflection that time almost stood still
when Bolaro jumped the past. Great play from from the youngster to be able to do that, then it deflects and it's like the only place that Stephan probably would not have been able.
To get to. And yeah, it.
Was, I mean it was like and even bowler.
If you go back and you watch him shooting it, the guy who scores is sitting there watching it sort of happen. He's not running, he's not moving, he's just watching it.
And it hits the back of the end.
It's almost like, oh, that went in. Oh here we go off to the corner to celebrate, you know it even he didn't expect it to go in, and so it was heartbreaking. But nonetheless, you know, off the back of that, you know, Seattle puts up another good performance at home against Houston like they always do, right, and then there's been some tight matches here and that convincing win against LAFC where LAFC they get one, you know, super late on that sort of paths the score for
making a five to one to five two. So with that being said, you can always count on the defensive structure of a Brian Spencer team as death taxes Brian Schmetzer's team being very good defensively. Now you've got to chip to try to figure out what you're gonna do without Jordan Morris, who has staved off the club going and looking for a number nine seemingly every transfer window over the last three four windows. But now you get Ferrera in there, who's not quite what Jordan Morris is.
He's a different player. Yeah, it's tough right now missing Jordan Morris, and there is sort of a drop off to a goal scoring number nine. No slide on Ferrera. He's a fantastic player, but he's not the same as Jordan Morris, who is the guy who applies the finishing touch. So this is going to have to be a group that steps up. In de Levega being injured, that's obviously something you got to try to. You know, how can we get him right to where he's consistently playing. Obviously, Ariola,
my heart goes out to him. Any player that suffers an ACL I know that feeling. It sucks. It's the worst. And that's that's him for the season after, you know, looking like he was going to be a big piece of the puzzle as well. So now it's an opportunity for others to step up. And I'm interested to see if Paul Rothrock can continue on with where he picked where he left off last season. There's this opportunity for
him to create Manoon Goo. If he gets the opportunity, can he be the one that shows he can add the final product to the electricity he brings in one v one situations, and you're gonna need more from Albert Rusknock like you got in the eightieth minute. So all those things are going to need to add up. But I just wonder, is this going to be an effort where sort of like what we're gonna see from San Diego, where they're, you know, a collective group, you know, from
back to front. It's Seattle going to be more collective group finishing where it's not just one player that you have to focus on. Maybe it's going to be three or four players contributing and stepping up, you know, to provide different ways to score goals for the boundary.
They're going to need that because I think you can't just rely on Albert Rusnak having a moment of brilliance to break through, you know, or just suddenly the chemistry is there for Forjesus Ferrara. There's got to be more, and there's got to be a group of guys who give goal threats. And you know, Paul Rothrock, who's been kind of up and down to start this year, hasn't fully put it together from twenty twenty four and Manongu's electricity.
I think that's a perfect word for it.
You know, he has this great moment late in the match in San Jose where he gets past another defender, he slips the ball in three yards in front of goal and we Missoski can't put it away. So there's these moments where we just need this collective unit to be able to score goals without relying on a moment of brilliance and without relying on Peter dale Vega and
Jordan Morris to get the work done. So certainly that's what we're looking for against a team in San Diego that no doubt they score him, but they can also give him up, so we'll see how it all shakes out. Jamie, have a great call for MLS Season Pass. We appreciate you giving us so much of your time tonight and join the show again.
Hey Jackson, big fan of yours. Thank you so much for having me on and I appreciate it. Always look forward to t having just looking forward to the next time we get a chance to do it.
Jamie Watson MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Love having him on the show. Always great conversations, very complimentary a little bit too complimentary, but he's very nice and good info there all around. All right, that'll do it for tonight's show. We thank Jamie Watson, We thank Ario Lillian Wall, and we also thank Ryan Kent for spending some time with us earlier today out at Long Acres. Hope you
enjoyed all of it. Check out the podcast Sounders Weekly wherever you get your podcasts in case you missed any of the show tonight, but we will tatia on Saturday. Broadcast details once again. You've been listening and it is once again for one more week, but this week again on the Seattle Sounders FC Radio stream channel on iHeartRadio. If you just look up on iHeartRadio, whether it's the iHeartRadio app or iHeart Radio online sounders FC Radio, you'll
find that stream channel. That is how you can listen to Saturday night's game seven o'clock Providence Swedish premat show seven thirty kickoff. You also watch it Jamie Watson right there. MLS Season Pass on Apple TV listen in Spanish language on l Ray thirteen sixty. We'll also mention it that Saturday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota dealers. That'll do it for our Sounders weekly show tonight, will Tatia on Saturday, and Fox Sports Radio is coming up next