Coming to you live from our Rellion Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly with your host Jackson Felts.
Good even everybody, Welcome into Sounders Weekly. Jackson felt here backhead our normal slot here for the rest of the Sounder season seven pm on Wednesdays Here on ninety three point three kjr FM, covering all things Seattle Sounders Soccer for the next hour every Wednesday here at seven o'clock. Welcome in, Welcome in, and it's a celebratory Sounders Weekly again for the second straight week. Three nothing win last
week in the Luminfield over Nashville so much fun. I obviously probably could have been as much as five nothing or six nothing. Overall, a complete victory that really we've been wanting to see from this team for a while. Even in the LAFC win, the big five to two win about a month and a half back, even that had its moments where you were saying, ah, could you just done that? I mean, you end up giving up
a second goal that wasn't pretty. But this was a complete dominant win, three to nothing, a great first fifteen minutes. I shouldn't say first fifteen first thirty five minutes. Specifically, the fifteen I'm talking about is from the nineteenth minute through the thirty fourth minute, when you get three goals and three good goals. First up, it's Danny Mazowski, who we had on Sounders Weekly last week. He got engaged.
He scored the game winner against Dallas, and he scores the opener here against Nashville.
And it's a.
Really kind of cheeky play where you have a good cross come in from Rothrock Jesus Frera clearly trying to shoot the ball and then redirected from Mazowski into the back of the net. It went to var he stays on side and it's a Sounder goal. And by the way, Haesus Ferrera, you're gonna be hearing from him in just a few minutes. So Haesus Ferrera coming up here tonight on Sounders Weekly, was able to have a good conversation
with him in the locker room after the game. Then thirtieth minute, this is where things got real fun because what we see leading up to this play is about forty five seconds about a minute from Obed Vargas.
That's just tremendous.
I mean, this is the kind of soccer you watch from the kid and say, it's hard to see him sticking around Seattle for a long time if he's gonna be playing at this level, because this is the type of soccer that you see at higher leagues around the world.
So he starts an initial attack where he turns, moves forward, great dribble pushes in the attack and then eventually the ball is given away, but then he starts is a big part of the second attack where he gets an assist to Pedro de la Vega who puts the ball in the back of the net with just a rocket of a goal. A great job getting into the prime assist zone from obed Vargas finding Pedro that made it
to nothing. And then a few minutes later, thirty fourth minutes, this is another Heesu's Ferrera assist to a Paul Rothrock goal. Great switching sides of the field from right to left for Hasus Ferreira and then an awesome finish from Paul Rothrock. I mean, overall, you look at this game, Mazowski gets a goal, Paul Rothrock gets a goal and assist, Dela Vega gets a goal and assist. Ferrera gets two assists, Christian Rodn gets an assist, oh, but Vargas gets an assist.
The time we spent determining the man at the match, which ended up being Hasus Ferrera, by the way, was a long time because so many sounders had plus performances. And in case you missed the postgame show, Michelle Ludka on the field caught up with Paul Rothrock and he said, is much the same that you Really there was nobody with a negative performance. I mean kim Ky he started in place of the injured Jackson Reagan now out three
to five weeks with the right hamstring injury. And you know, kim Ky, he was a player who came in who I kind of said, all right, he's been playing in the KLE, he's been doing well. I had done really well for Hyundai over there, and he'd you know, I believe one couple of league titles. So all right, what's his fistness level? How is he going to reintegrate with the squad? And he's fit like a glove. It's just
been like he never left. It almost has felt like he and Yamar and knew who obviously knew who he did, but he and Yamar have played together before a lot, and they just haven't. I mean, he just got here, you know, early part of the spring, late winter, and he's already just looking so cohesive in the squad, very solid,
veteran presence right there in the middle. Obviously not as athletic as Jackson Reagan, but he has a job to do, he knows it, and he's executing that job the second half against Dowas this game here, kim Ki has done very well, almost a little bit surprising how easily he's fit into this defense. So you know, I think we said it on the show last week, or maybe we said it on the pregame show that I don't see that much of a drop off considering the start, stop,
up down season so far for Jackson Reagan. But and then Kimki, he's been great. So that was awesome, you know, for the defense. Another clean sheet. That's big for Stephen Fry and for Knew Who and everybody else. Better game I thought from Knew Who this last week against Nashville Midfield was great.
It's just it's hard.
To put anybody down, and everybody had a plus performance. And then on top of the performances, you got guys back from injury. You were able to get Jordan Morris on the field in the sixty third minute, Albert Rusneck on the field in the sixty third minute. What else did you have? Alex Droldon on the field in the seventy seventh minutes. You even saw the debut of He's here, He's there, He's coming off the bench, Ryan Kent in the eighty fourth minute, so we got to see a
little taste of Ryan Kent. This game had a little bit of everything, and there were a couple moments, a couple of big moments in the second half where you had Jordan Morris breakaways and you thought, okay, can he make it for nothing? Can he just hammer this thing home and wasn't able to put in the back of the net or in the case of the I think it was at eighty fifth minute, Jordan's streaking down the right side. He has a running Ryan Kent on the
left side. If Jordan plays Kent, then probably Ryan Kent's first career touch in Rave Green is going to be a goal, which would have been incredible. Jordan doesn't play him. Jordan is selfish and he takes the shot and you know, I'm not too mad about it because I want my forward. I want my you know, number nine, number thirteen here, but number nine to be selfish and to take that shot when he's one on one with the keeper.
So I like that Jordan was selfish.
But yeah, you have a wide open Ryan Kent where if you switch sides, I mean, it's no genius. Anybody who's played FIFA before knows you know your keeper is gonna drift one way. You just play this ball the other side and it's a wide open goal. Ryan Kent could have had a very easy goal right there. Alas Jordan is selfish, I do like it. It took a good save and ultimately he doesn't get on the score sheet and the game stays three nothing. But these are
small things. I'm not going to lose any sleep over US not winning four nothing instead of winning three nothing.
This was a complete great win.
And really, you know, you look at the last two games for nothing of total over one hundred and eighty minutes on the road against Dallas and then this against Nashville. Nashville, who was also you know, in the square spot for to be a playoff team, had a couple of good results so far this year. Their only losses had come against good teams out East. So this is a very good win for the Seattle Sounders. And now the question
is can you build on it? Can you take this momentum that we've gotten over the last one hundred and eighty minutes and can you sling shot it forward? Because for the Sounders, I mean, there was this great note that the Sounders put out in their postgame recap that said, how this is the first time we've scored three goals in a first half since the Philadelphia match on the
road last season. Now, if you are a frequent listener here to Sounders Weekly, you'll remember that I just got done last week talking about that Philadelphia match and how that Philadelphia game was the springboard that team needed to go have a great run through spring and summer and ultimately, you know, get us a high seed and get us, you know, into the playoffs and ultimately take us to
the Western Conference Final. But that Philadelphia match, that three goals, the three to win, that was the spring And here it is again, three first half goals.
Can this be the spring board?
You know?
Obviously Dallas will be probably looked at as it being the first win of this run but Colorado coming up this week and will preview that match. You're coming up in a little bit with Ari Lillianwall from Major League Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Quickly, I'll give you broadcast details before we continue to talk about the momentum aspect that match is going to be right here. Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM Provident Swedish pre
match show. We'll start at six o'clock, kickoff six thirty as the Sounders are down in Commerce City, Colorado to face the Rapids. You can also to watch the match via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV up and listen in Spanish language on LRA thirteen sixty and Saturday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers. So that's Saturday's match in Colorado. And you just now asked the question of can they build on this momentum? And I think a lot of that will come down to
the question of who starts in this game. We saw Brian Schmitzer his starting lineup for this Nashville game. He rewarded the guys from the Dallas game, apart from the Jackson Reagan, kim Ky he move, which was of course just due to injury. That was the same squad who started in the Dallas game. Bryan rewarded him, and boy, they took that reward and they turned it into three goals in the first half. So now, considering Danny Mazowski has two goals in two games, the Mooses most definitely loose.
Considering the fact that you're getting these performances dal la Vegas continue to look great. You wonder what his minutes limit might turn into. This week he played forty five, then he played sixty three. What does that turn into? Can he make it a eighty to ninety minute performance now against Colorado on the road? Also important to note Commerce City, you're playing a little altitude, So what factor does that have?
Who knows.
But all of this to say that I think Brian Schmitzer's got a very very difficult job ahead of him this week trying to figure out what you do. Do you continue to reward Danny Mazoski for these performances, or do you get Jordan Morris back in the starting lineup, Because let's all face it, Jordan Morris is the better player. He's the career leading goal scorer in Sounders history. So Jordan came off the bench and came out of the field in the sixty third minutes, so he got about
thirty minutes a play. Is that thirty minutes going to turn into forty five? And then do you play the first forty five or the last forty five? What do you do with Jordan Morris coming up in Colorado is an interesting question? Or do you just you know, continue to give him another thirty and work him back in, continue to reward Danny Mazzas. Then you look into the midfield, Albert Rusnak comes back, he gets thirty minutes. Well, right now, you have Pedro de la Vega in that left pocket
underneath Mazoski. You have Hazus Frera in the right pocket underneath Mazoski. Who do you take out to put Albert Rusnak back in? Because Albert was your team MVP last year. He had the record for most assists across all competitions in a single year in Sounders FC history. You'd think you'd want to get Albert Rusnak back into be a regular starter.
But who do you take out of Ferrera and.
Dea la Vega, Because dayla Vega's looking incredible.
You don't want to take him off the field. But then you have.
Hasus Ferrera, who were finally seeing that chemistry and cohesion with My gosh, it's taken so long to finally see Hasus Ferreira in all of his Dallas glory.
But this is it. Two assists.
He's looking good, he's clearly developing that relationship with the teammates that produces goals and help produce two there in the first half. So who do you take off Ferrera or dale Vega to get rusnack on right now? It's such a hard question for Brian Schmitzer, such a hard question.
And of course you don't take off any of the combination of I think Rothrock on the left side of wing back to Kolani slash Alex Roldan if he's okay on the right side, not too worried about that, and then Obed Christian in the middle.
You don't move any of that.
So then you really just do look at the high three of this three four three and say what moves do you make if you're Schmenzer. Honestly, if it's me and you know not that the coaching staff gives a damn what I say, I continue to reward these guys, And what I do is I play Mazovsky the first forty five minutes, play Jordan the second forty five minutes, I play probably Ferrera the first forty five minutes, and then Rusnak the last forty five minutes, and just continue
to work those guys back in. But this goes back to the conversation that we had at the start of the year, is the depth on this team is insane.
And really there are such good.
Problems right now for Schmitzer and his staff in figuring out how he keeps everybody happy and healthy, because right now, really everybody is nearly one hundred percent healthy except for Jackson Reagan. So how do you fit all these guys in considering Also, there's not that much fixture congestion. I mean, the first Wednesday match coming up is on May fourteenth. That's still, you know, nearly a month away. After that, you have May twenty eighth, and then you start to
have a little bit more from there. But for the most part of this season, if you kind of look through the calendar, there's not a lot of midweek matches where you're talking about, oh, we have to rotate the lineup from fixture congestion.
There's not a lot of that for a while. Yeah, and May, but.
At least for these next weeks. Colorado on the road this week, Saint Louis at home, the following week on May third, Houston the following Saturday on the road, May tenth.
All of these games once a week. So what do you do?
How do you fit all these talented players in there and get the most out of them? I mean, one of the things that you're gonna hear from from Haesus Frere in a few minutes is that element of competition. And we see it with Pete Carroll with the Seahawks for so many years now in the Las Vegas. Competition breeds quality, and I'm very interested to see if that competition can make these guys better, if the competition between Albert Hayesus Pedro and Frankly Ryan Kent. Because listen, folks,
Ryan Kent is a pretty dark good player. We saw just that skill on the field, his job on the ball, his movement, his drilling ability. We talked about it when he first arrived. We've been talking about seeing it in practice. Now you all see it at luminfield. Ryan Kent's the real deal. How that transitions into on field performances and minutes and you know, hopefully goals and assists we'll see, but you can clearly see the skill as there. So you have all these guys fighting for those two spots
underneath the forward. Do you have to make a formation change to fit another guy in there? Because if you change formation back to the four two three one, suddenly you can fit o Bett and Christian in the holing midfield, you have Morris slash Mazowski, but usually Morris up top. And then instead of the two spots on the forward, you have three spots where you can fit instead of you know, two guys, three guys in there. So that's Albert, you'd think Pedro and Heyeseus may be on the right.
So Bron Schmitzer and his coaching staff I gonna have a challenge ahead of him. And this is what we talked about again at the start of the year. The flexibility and the versatility to play different formations, to play different ways, to keep teams off balance, keep teams guessing what the heck you're gonna do.
And no doubt the Colorado.
Rapids are trying to figure out right now what the heck the Sounders are gonna do for a starting lineup. This week, we will see what Spencer decides. One of those players who's fighting to stay in the starting lineup, Heysus Ferra, great game, player of the match, two assists. We'd have caught up in the locker room afterwards to talk about his emotions following the three nothing win.
It's a good collective win. We know that from the moment that we started the week. We know that the only way to back up our win in Dallas was to get another win at home against a good team, a good individual team, a collective team who has done work in the first few games of the season, and so we know that we have to come out strong and we showed it.
We talked middle of the week about how you're kind of get more comfortable in that role, and it seems like again today you just kind of the more chemistry.
It's clear on the field. Are you feeling that with the guys out there?
Yeah, no, obviously it feels really good when it pays off. You know a lot of people maybe from the outside, doesn't to how much work it was into the insider they don't kind of understand maybe the process of getting a player and adapting them, making them adapt to the system.
The coaches have done a really good job and making sure that I kind of understand my role of what I need to do, how I can help, And I'm glad of that my teammate understand that I also bring more than assisting in goals and is the you know, the pressing, the defending the end today Thank God that it was some assistance. So I'm glad that the whole team has my back end and each day, day by day, will getting better.
Yeah, it definitely feels like you're pressing is on that defensive end. It's something like you take a lot of pride in you and receive now for a few games straight where you're pushing them.
How how much of an importance do you put on that part of your game.
No, I think it's it's another part of my game. I think that sometimes players are not going to have perfect games every game, and so I know that that's something that I can control, is my pressing, my defending, and so that has nothing to do with anybody else by myself, and so I know that if I can get a tent understand on that part of the game. Then I know that other things will will come my
way and we'll end up being good things. And so I kind of just take the things that I know that I can control, which one of them is my energy, my my pressing, my defending, and and that's the set.
Is the most confidence that you guys have had in this locker room so far this year.
No, thenk that the players always believed in each other. I always believe that we're capable of doing big things. And and honestly, we had a lot of games in the beginning of the season, a lot of injuries, and and now we're getting the whole group back together, a lot of guys, a lot of guys stepping up, a lot of guys getting opportunities. And I think that's the important thing of the group is that you know, once we make subs, the level doesn't drop. We still have
players that can contain the level. And then that's that's gonna make us win games. And so today we showed it on on the on the on the field, and and I'm glad that the team could.
Get the difference.
On that note, the competition aspect, when you know you got guys on the bench, like Albert comes off the bench, Jordan comes off the bench right like like that that that element of competition, do you do you feel that kind of like I gotta keep performing well because I got guys right behind me who want my spot.
Yeah, for sure.
But it's a it's a good competitive competitive aspect. We know that in the team, we respect each other and we know that while we're here, we're gonna fight for each other's spots, but at the end of the day, we all want to win the championship. And so I think it's a good competitive locker room where we're all fighting for a spot, but we're always fighting at the
end of the goal, which is win championship. So I think that's what that's sus special is that we know that and we're going to support anybody that's gonna start and if we if bar goal is to be on the bench of this game and come off and make a difference like Albert and Jordan did today, because we had many chances with Jordan, and so that's that's good.
And if that's gonna be me next week, then I take that role and that responsibility to support my teammates and if it's not, then I'm gonna gonna start and do my thing and try my best. But I think that this locker room knows that we can. We're capable of doing big things and and and winning games, and so that's what makes U special.
I think.
I think we'll always take two assists from you at any day that'll work. You know, a few months now that you've been in here to cl just off the field, how how are you to adopting the area you know, in terms of just moving here and and getting to know the area.
Has that all going for you?
Yeah, it's it's good, it's excite and it's.
A new chapter in my life.
Or you know, outside of talker, you know a lot of things go good, and soccer.
A lot of things go bad.
But obviously making sure that outside aspect obviously they's positive. Having a good group of friends will be being around to show me places play video games and so having knew who around. So having a good group of guys that can I can come come to text if I need anything, it's great.
What should go to video game right now?
Call of dude right now? But put me and know but been grinding rank So we've been. We've been locked in.
Who's better me?
For sure?
By far by far by far hands out?
If he's telling you otherwise, he's lying.
Well, now I'm gonna have to talk to Obed and you will ask him and let me know what he says.
If Obed says that he's better than you, what should tell you that he's lying?
Then that I got proof?
Okay, all right, we'll see what happens. Is great game man, Thank you, thank you, thank you.
That's good stuff there from Heesus Ferira. I'm gonna have to ask Obed Vargas about those call of duty skills and who's better. That's for another interview. We'll turn our attention to Ari Lillian Wall. He will talk about the Sounders win. You'll talk about Colorado ahead and quite an interesting situation happening between Portland and LAFC this last weekend. We'll get to all of that with Ari next on Sounders Weekly, Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc CL's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly.
Jackson Feltz here, good be with you here on sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. We will have the next Sounder game on radio right here for you this coming Saturday, as the Sounders are down in Colorado to face the Rapids. The man who's joining us right now, we're gonna be previewing that match here for the Sounders match down in Colorado. Before we get there, I'll quickly let you know that Sounders FC Soccer is presented by
Providence Swedish, the official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. Ari, lillianol from Major League Soccer dot com and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Ari, how did your show out at Watershed at starfire Work last week week before the Defiance Open Cup game.
It was actually a great show, Jackson. We got it all set up down there, the internet came through for us and we had a really a good interview with the Sounders technical director Henry Bronner was nice enough to give us about fifteen twenty minutes or so of his time and talk to coma Defiance the next pro and then the Defiance ended up upsetting Oakland Roots, so it
was it was a good night. We're trying to head back out there for this matchup that they have against the Portland Timby's up next, which is a fun opportunity for them. So if you didn't make it to the last one, come out and say hi and hang out with us.
I will definitely be out there for the Portland one May sixth or May seventh, we don't have the date on that yet, but Tacoma hosting Portland any Open Cup in the next round. God, I mean, if you can just make any wish, it would just be to see the Porland Timbers get upset in the Open Cup against Tacoma at Starfire. That would just that would make my twenty twenty five. I'll tell you what. We'll talk about the Pearl and Timbers Ari in a few minutes, but
we will start off by talking. And by the way, Henry Bonner, that conversation you had that is I saw it on the good stream there you have for the Lobbing Scorches podcast page, so everybody can just subscribe for Lobbing Scorches and see that up there as well. That's on my to listen to list later in this week, so check out that for Lobbing Scorches. There with Ari. He was with Henry Bronner last week out at Starfire.
All right, Ario, let's start by talking about Seattle Sounders three nothing win over Nashville as we kind of just ease into the conversation. Your opening thoughts on that win.
I thought it was excellent. I thought that was the team that we've been wanting to see. I thought the most encouraging signs were what we saw from Heyesus Ferrera. I thought that's the best he's looked in a Sounders kit so far. It was good to see Ryan Kent get out there. I liked what I saw from him. He had a couple of nice moments. It was good to see Jordan Morris back out there, good to see Albert Rusnak back out there. And those fifteen minutes Jackson
where they were just dominating Nashville Eski. They scored all three of those goals in fifteen minutes. All three of them were just great, well worked team goals, playing the exact style that we know the Seattle Sounders like to play that right there, That's their identity, So it was just great to see them put it all together. For Rara look more acclimated. There was a lot of encouraging stuff from this game outside of just.
The results, And now the question ari is who the hell do you start because do you continue to reward the guys who put three goals in the back of the net in the first half, which was from most part the same team that be Dallas one zero? But now you have Rusnak coming back in healthier, you have Jordan Morris coming back in healthier, So do you reward the guys again? And then ultimately, when Morris and Rusnak are one hundred percent healthy, how do you fit all
of this midfield talent in there? If you're Brian Spencer in this three four to three system, do you have to change formations to be able to fit in Albert Hayesuss and Pedro at the same time?
And then Ran Kent also there.
Yeah, exactly, no, it's a good question I think for this Colorado game coming up. You know, I don't think Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnack are fully fit, so I think you could justify running it back with the same lineup that had so much success against Nashville and then bring them on in the second.
Half again as you ramp them up.
But the real interesting question will be, like you said, moving forward, when everyone is fit and healthy. I think the biggest question for me is can Albert Rusnak and Hayes SU's Ferira play together. I feel like so far this season when they have it hasn't looked that good.
But that doesn't mean it can't get there. Heyzus Ferrera is still new to this team and he's learning everyone's tendencies, and it has looked disjointed and they're like they're taking up the same space at times when they've played together. But if they can figure that out, then I think you have a very dynamic potential lineup there. But exactly like how you work in guys like a guy like Ryan Kent who looks like he's going to be pushing
for minutes right away. I can't say mv the coaching staff for having to make those decisions, But at the same time, I would qualify all of this as good problems to have that a lot of MLS clubs would love to have.
Definitely a good problem for Brian Schmetzer and his staff.
But yeah, how you do all this?
I mean I said in the previous segment that you know, I don't think going back to the four two three one is out of the question because really if you can get Hayesus Ferarra out there on the right, which is he's in a better position, and maybe he plays a little bit, you know, of a hybrid with Alex Roldan getting up onto the wing, that could work. But ultimately, like I don't like the idea of taking off any of Ferrara, Dale Vegan Rusnak if they're all healthy. So
we'll see what it looks like. But I agree with you too that I don't think we see it completely At Colorado this week, Ari Lilliana was our guest MLS Soccer dot com and also hosts the podcast Lobbying Scorchers. So Colorado Rapids on the road in Commerce City this coming Saturday evening, Ari, they just got done getting a two draw at Houston. Before that they beat San Diego, who, of course, are having a good season. What do we make of this call on our Rapids team.
Yeah, they've been a little up and down so far this season, I would say, but they're fifth in the West right now, so Chris Arbois has been able to steer them to a few good results. They've also dropped a couple poor results, so they have not been a consistent team so far this year. But they have a number ten in Georgie Mihailovich, who on his day used one of the better attackers in the league, very productive player.
Ralpha Navarro is always dangerous as their number nine, and it seems like all over the field you're gonna see quality players that maybe haven't found the cohesion yet. But you know, I think it's a good test for Seattle because going on the road to Colorado where you're playing at altitude, and Seattle's had some success on the road at Colorado in the past. It's not like real Salt Lake where they can't win. They've taken results in this stadium.
So I think coming off the such a big win like that, it's a great opportunity to kind of show that that wasn't a one off and keep the momentum rolling.
Definitely, And that's what we talked about too a segment ago, is the momentum. You gotta just keep it rolling, and if you can, you know, lean on you know, the Moose and who's doing so well, and lean on the team that just scored three in the first thirty five minutes and get another result on the road. Then you know, at that point we're talking about three straight wins, and the narrative around Sounders soccer is, you know, quite the opposite of what it was one month ago. Ari, let's
head down to Portland. We just talked about the Timbers facing Tacoma Defiance in the Open Cup in a couple of weeks before they do that, and but what we saw this last weekend. So I want you to talk about the three to three game they had against LAFC and you can talk about the game, but also I want you to explain this because head coach Phil Neville the Pearland Timbers said this about officials after the game on Saturday. He said, quote, they just want to be
the kings of the cow. It's all about them. They just want to show that they are the main people in this league. And unfortunately it's just not good. What did the referees do to cause Phil Nevill to pop off and likely face a big fine talking about the officials in such poor taste.
Well, first of all, that game, from a neutral perspective, I think was the best MS game of the season that I watched so far. It was just non stop back and forth action the entire time, just breakneck pace and intensity, two really good teams in the West going at it, LAFC makes the comeback. Steve Tarundlo, LAFC head coach, actually got sent off in this game, so that was
part of what Phil Nevill was talking about too. He was actually defending his counterpart, Steve Tarundelo, and he called it an absolute disgrace that Steve Tarundlo got sent off. But as far as the officiating, I think what he was really mad about was the final PK call where Diego Chara got called on video review for fouling any Boy Woga in the box and that gave LAFC the
penalty that tied the game. On the broadcast, you could see Phil Nevill just going crazy on the sideline, and I think there was a lot of calls in the game that both coaches were upset about, hence why Steve Trondelo got a red card and Phil Nevill was exploding on the sideline during the stoppage time and then at
his postgame press conference. But Phil Nebel also said at his press conference that he thought that the game was a, you know, a great showcase for the league, and I honestly agree with him, like it was a it was a phenomenal game to watch.
We have fourth place Parland and you had seventh place LAFC. So to right now playoff teams Portland, who's obviously had a decent start to their twenty twenty five. So does Phil Neville have a leg to stand on? Was that a was it a poor officiating performance and was it a poor penalty call?
Late? For me, that call in particular is one of those ones where it could go either way, and I never take it too seriously hedging that much on a fifty fifty call like Charlie is going into a challenge in the box there where he knows the risk that if he fouled any wonga right there, it's gonna be a penalty. So whether you consider it a penalty or not, I personally don't think that Portland can be that aggrieved over it. But you know, I could see what Phil Neville is doing in maybe trying.
To galvanize his guys or light of fire.
Whatever the case may be. But I didn't think. I didn't I honestly didn't think that call in particular.
Was as bad a team of saying.
I thought that I thought it was pretty fifty fifty.
Well, Phil Neville getting fired up about something he doesn't need to get fired up about his classics, So we'll move forward. Ari Lean was our guest mlsccer dot com and check out his podcast, Lobbying Scorches. They have live shows on their YouTube channel. Subscribe to Lobbying Scorches and you can get notified when they go live on Monday
mornings and Thursday nights. Ari, let's take a look at Kansas City, San Jose, which I mean, on just the surface, people are playing like, what the hell are you talking about?
Kansas City Jose.
Well, we had the player of the week in a Major League soccer and Daniel Shallowy in what was a five to three game, a win for Kansas City. This just on paper, I didn't I haven't seen any highlights from it. I'll probably go back and try to watch that here before the weekend, But what the hell happened?
Five to three?
I think what you're seeing is that Sporting Case is actually getting a little bit of that new coach bump. I think they won two out of their last three under this interim coach that they got going. Like you said, Shallowe was fantastic in this game. He actually had four goal contributions two goals to assist, So I mean, that's
that'll get you Player of the week every time. You know, I don't know how much of this is Sporting KC showing that they're good now compared to this Quakes team, maybe not being as far along under Bruce Arena as we might have thought after their first few games of the year. So we'll have to wait and see about that. But I think if you're Sporting Kansas City right now,
you just need any sort of positive vibes. They had a horror started this season and ended up having to fire their you know, club legend coach, so they really need any type of positive momentum that they can get. So a five goal effort for them, given the start of the season that they've had, I mean they'll I think they'll take that.
Every single time.
Well, this week they're going up and they're going to Cincinnati. Who I mean, Cincinnati are is a team that you know, they sort of they lost to Costa. I know they made a couple of sales and they have injuries, but once again, I mean Cincinnati's right there with Charlotte at the top of the Eastern Conference.
In Miami nineteen points.
Right now, Cincinnati is one of those teams where, you know, the narrative for so long was wooden spoon, wooden spoon, wooden spoon, and now it's sort of is the narrative of regardless of who's in, who's out, they're able to just keep winning games and keep amassing points.
Yeah, it's impressive.
They have built a very.
Sustainable operation there. Like you said that, this was a team that when they came into MLS, they were basically a joke. We're woodn't spooning every single year, and they were perennially one of the worst teams in the league,
and they have totally turned that on its head. You gotta give Pat Union and Caris Albright a ton of credit for what they've created there, because it not every team can lose a guy like Luciano Acosta and then just go out and get Evander And honestly, that's arguably been an upgrade for them so far when you consider
how Lucio Acosta's season has started at SC Dallas. So really, I think when you're talking about SC Cincinnati, you're talking about a team that is just one of the most sustainably elite teams in the league.
In either conference.
All right, let's quickly wrap it up since we're out east by talking Atlanta. The talent seems to be there, but they're now off to the worst start in franchise history. After another loss this last week, Dar's loggerway in Atlanta. The tenure at least twenty twenty five right now, it's not going too well. Is it surprising you at all how bad they've been?
It is really surprise. I really liked their offseason moves. I even at one point called bringing the gal Almi run back one of the best moves, if not the best move that any club made over the offseason. They spent a ton of money on him and broke the lead record for transfer fees to bring in Emmanuel Latte lost for twenty two million dollars. He scored a few goals, but other than that, they really have nothing to hang their hat on right now, and I really just don't know what to make of it.
Every year, I.
Think it's going to be the year that they turn it around and get back to the Atlanta United of their early MLS days, And not only have they not done that this year, they look like they have regressed. They really do, and that is that is very interesting to me because when Garth Loggerway first got there, you could say it was Bocanegra's team, and he had to make his own imprint. He had to get his own players, move off the guys that they needed to move off of, and really execute all that.
Turnover that's done.
This is their players. This is Garth and Chris roster for the most part. You know, there are some holdovers, but this was supposed to be like the new era and new identity for them, and they seem to have backslid, which is very weird. And I don't know how they're gonna handle that because the fan base there expects the winner and they're not getting it right now.
Yeah, they're certainly not. Two four and three nine points, twelfth place in the Eastern Conference. Not good. Not good times there for Garth Logaway. We'll see if he can figure it out. Probably not the last time you and I are going to be talking about Atlanta this season. Of course, Sounders playing at Atlanta this coming summer. Ari Gray stuff. Glad we could kind of get in all those different topics around the league. We will talk to you next week.
My friend. Have a very very good rest of you week and have a good show on Thursday night.
You got it, thanks Jackson.
Good stuff there from Ari Lillianwall, lobbing Scorcher's host. Check out their podcast and their YouTube page again live on Monday mornings and Thursday night. One quick note before we transition here in Sounders Weekly, and that's michelob Ultra ninety five calories and two point six grams of carbs. It's only worth it if you enjoy it. Sounder's Weekly will continue next here on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
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Welcome back to Sounders Weekly.
Jackson Feltzer, good to have you with us on this Wednesday evening. Thanks to our guests so far tonight Heesus Ferrera, Ari Lillianwall good to visit with both of them. Check out the podcast in case you missed it. But we wrap up the show tonight with the man who is calling this Saturday night's match, Sounders in Commerce City to face the car out of Rapids. Neil Sika and Lloyd Sam will be on the call. And Neil joins us
right now here on Sounders Weekly. Neil, good to have you back on the show Man.
How are you?
I'm great, Jackson, how are you? It's funny how fast five weeks goes and this last Seeds in the Houston game seems like it was just last weekend. But looking forward to this one in Commerce City with two teams that are starting to feel a lot better about how they've been playing in recent weeks.
Ain't that the truth?
I mean, gosh, Neil, I'm sure five weeks ago when we spoke about the national narrative of the Sounders right now was very much of you know, a lot of broadcasters have told me the same thing, Brian Dunzeth last week, Sounders will be fine, We'll be fine, Everything will be fine, and there's no reason to panic. And now, Neil, two straight wins, we got to, you know, three nothing this last week. We're feeling pretty good about ourselves. Is the
national narrative on the Sounders? Has that changed from We'll be fine to Sounders have finally turned the corner?
Hey, I think we can go back and check the tape from when I was last on. I think I said that too and I think that they have turned a little bit of a corner. I think it's important when you look at what is the biggest thing of these last two games, clean sheets, right, the shutouts. Nashville had some good control in the first fifteen minutes or so, and then you had that fifteen minute stretch over the
weekends where they just laid it on them. Felt a comfortable home victory in the end, and then a Dallas game sticky second half, really wasn't aesthetically pleasing, but you gut it out. You find a way to win on the road, and I think when you are humbled, especially with that loss at San Diego where you got played through and you give up the three goals. Getting back to the basics, of course, you have Vargas back in the mix, the midfield steady, the defense playing well, and
from a Stephan Fry. There are chances, of course that you snuff out in those circumstances. But I think overall, when you get back to the simplicity of what Seattle has done well, and I look back to times last year where they gave up multiple goals and then they would come back with a shutout or at least one goal, or fewer, and that was kind of the catalyst for them in the back half for the last ten games of the season, where they shut out five of their
six opponents. So that's where I'm looking.
Then guys get healthy.
Now you're seeing some familiar names return to the lineup, and I think this is a critical five game stretch really in the West and how this may shape out because if you're Seattle, you've got four year next five on the road in some tough places to play, and then you're gonna get all these home games, plus all the patgeantry and excitement around the Club World Cup coming
in the summer. So this is where I think you can really make some Hey, and if you're Seattle, why not start in a place where you've had more success on the road than against any MLS team, and that's Colorado.
Yeah, exactly. I think you put it really well there, Neil. And once again Neil Sick is joining us. He's gonna be on the call for Sounders Colorado Rapids coming up
this weekend on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. And you talked about the simplicity there, and it's funny we were just out of long Acres for Sounders training earlier today, and that's one of the things Stephen Fry talked about specifically with Kim ki Ye, the simplicity of him kind of getting in and just being a defender first and just doing the simple things right and doing the simple things well and it working out really well on the back end, leading to a couple of clean sheets for
the Sounders. So I think you put up really well there. And it's against a Colorado Rapids team this week that I know you just saw them a couple of weeks ago. Oh And I don't know if they're surprising people much. Maybe maybe it does come to a surprise to some people, but they have a good roster. Chris armis good head coach, and they're getting some results this year.
I do like their roster, and I feel that when all of those guys are engaged, because it's still you got to remember a young team. They don't maybe have the pocketbooks of a Seattle or even some of the bigger clubs. But that's all out the window and lip service. At this point of the season. You are what your roster has. The windows come into a close, and I think why I say that is you've got to be up for it each and every game, and I think
Chris Armis really knows the temperature of his team. The game they lost at home to Portland, they could have been up to nothing and then the wheels kind of came off with Portland hitting in transition. But they've won their last two home games. They'd beat a very good Charlotte team. They can make that place now a tough place to play. And I've mentioned the Sounder success, but going in there, I think over the last season and a half, for any opposition, it's a different feel. It's
a different vibe you go in there. Even as a broadcaster, sometimes in the atmosphere wouldn't be that great. The vibe of the game would kind of suck the life out of you. I think this game has the potential to be exciting now. I think for the neutral view are going back and forth what we saw a couple of weeks ago between Colorado and San Diego, because let's face it, Seattle still wants to be a possession based club and they went back.
To a four to two two two.
Chriss Armis did with the Rapids, so they played narrow, they made it tough in the interior, that midfield, and I really think that's where the game is going to be one of There's so many good young players in that midfield that are going to be featured between the two teams on Saturday night, which makes for a very
interesting way of how this game will be decided. Whether it's going to be the press of the Rapids and forcing some turnovers and then getting out in transition, or other Sounders able to hold the ball and then get players into good spots where de la Vega, just Jordan Morris, he's been a Rapids killer get a start now that he's come back to health and fitness. You still roll
with Mssovski started in the two straight games. So there's a lot of good questions to ask about this, and that's why I think it's going to be a really good game, because both teams are feeling confident with the way they've played the last two weeks.
Well, let's just ask you the question, because I think it is probably the number one question in Sounderland right now. Who the heck do you start on Saturday in Colorado? If you are Brian Schmitzer, do you reward Danny Mazowski for two goals in two games, or do you get Jordan Morris back there in the starting spot.
Well, look, this is nothing against Danny Musaski. The Moose has been great. He's been timely in good positions and been able to score these goals. But I think I'd really like to see now the unlocking where hasus had some confidence? Right, he had a great assistant in the game against Nashville. Maybe you're floating him around. Let's see what he can do with Morris. Because Morris has scored at the leave it's eight or nine goals against Colorado.
He's just been a rapid killer. I think he had four to the one game right, going back two three years ago. So this is his chance where I think Ferrera and him and the partnership, you really want to start to put that together. Ten games in. This is around the time of the season when you know what you have with your roster. Those are the belcows. Those that's the guy you traded for in the offseason. Unfortunately,
the injuried Ariola. So they can't all be humming. But Paul Rothrock I don't feel as a baloney sandwich.
So you get your.
Best attacking for out there, and you see and you see how they you see how they rolled together de la Vega. You know there's a Roosna get back into the team and then you really got something cooking. So it's not a bad thing for Brian Schminzter to have decisions to make. But I think the first one on the team sheet is is putting Morris back up top to get going.
Definitely, Neil, thanks so much for the time. We know you got a busy, busy schedule. Really appreciate you taking a few minutes tonight, Jackson.
Always great to be with you. I got the Dallas game and another five weeks, so we'll see you.
Then see you then good stuff there from Neil seeka again. He'll be on the call for sounders and call out of Rapids that's coming up this Saturday once again broadcast details. Of course, you can watch and listen to him MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. You also listen in Spanish leg which on l Ray thirteen sixty. I will encourage all of you though, to listen right here Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM this coming Saturday, our Providence
Swedish premat show. We'll begin at six o'clock kickoff right after six point thirty, Danny Jackson Callen Rowe will be on the call myself, Marcus Hannaman doing pre half post. Look forward to visiting with all of you coming up on Saturday evening. And Saturday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers. If you missed any of tonight's show,
check out Sounders Weekly wherever you get your podcast. Thanks so much to Hesus Ferra, Ari Leinwal and Neil Sika right there, but we will look ahead and talk to you on Saturday once again, six o'clock pregame, six point thirty kickoff Sounders at Colorado Rapids. Have a very very good rest of your week, everybody, and for right here and right now, it's Fox Sports Radio coming up next