Coming to you live from Marellion Avenue Studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly with your host Jackson.
Felt, Good Ignorant everybody Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts here for the next hour. Thanks for joining us, talking all things Seattle Sounders FC soccer for the next hour here on ninety three point three KJR FM. Jackson Felt's here to talk about and react to a couple different results. On the good side, Sounders had maybe their best game of the year in a four to one win over Saint
Louis last Saturday. On the bad side, Tacoma Defiance fell three to two in the US Open Cup Round of thirty two to the Portland Timbers last night down at Starfire.
Plus.
Of course, we'll take a trip around to MLS with Ari Lillionwall and we'll look ahead of the sounders next match against the Houston Dynamo with Jesus Oscevedo Junior. He writes about the Houston Dynamo for the Bayou City and down there in Texas, because the Sounders will be facing Houston Dynamo coming up this Saturday five o'clock premat Show five point thirty kickoff right here on ninety three point
three KJR FM. We'll talk about that later on tonight, but we are going to take here the first twenty minutes of the show before Aria comes on and really dive into these couple recent games. We'll also gonna hear from Christian roll Don, hopefully we have time for that. I want to start with the vegetables, as I always do,
and then we'll get into the dessert. The dessert being the great four to one win for the Sounders, and you know, I do want to spend the first couple minutes talking about what I think is one of the primary things on the mind is Sounder fans at this moment here on Wednesday, May seventh, And that is what happened last night in the Open Cup down at Starfire
Stadium between Defiant and the Timbers. So obviously what we saw was Defiant Scott loaded up with a couple first team players Georgia Manongu, Redbaker, Whiting, Kalani Cozer Rienzi and Portland started a mixed squad, some guys a lot of T two on the bench, and then mostly and a large part of main first team players in their starting
lineup on Miller Crappo among many others. So what we saw was Defiance hold their own and honestly, I'm gonna there's gonna be a lot that I'm gonna say here, and Defiance were the better team, point blank, end a story. They were the better team yesterday. They were leading two to one going into the eightieth minute. They got screwed by referees. We'll get into that, but listen, they were
the better team. Outstanding performances. Georgia Manongu was tremendous getting around that corner and being able to put crosses in. Osase scores you comes on in the second half and scores as well. That's a really impressive player down playing with the coma. I imagine at some point we may see him with the first team. But Osase who gets his debut again Saint Louis. He scores and starts for Tacoma. Brunell Steiner Brunell had a good game for Tacoma as well,
but overall, just I think a very good performance. Hawkins was good in the back. The fullbacks wing backs I should say read Baker, White and Kilani, both of them were good. Tacoma was the better team. We got the two second half goals. Portland got their first goal on a horrendous officiating decision, which we'll get into that whole
subject in a minute. And you know, honestly, they got their last couple, probably maybe warranted penalty there at the end, and a very good goal I should say, to equalize the match as well. But we're looking at a Tacoma team that should have absolutely been leading probably three to one. They probably should have been maybe even argued up three nothing considering the legitimacy of the first penalty in the first half to the Portland Timbers. So it's very, very
frustrating because Tacoma, I think we're the better team. Now let's talk about officiating shally, because it's funny you go back the last few weeks and you look at the overall officiating jobs. I mean, a couple of weeks ago on this show, I was, you know, just absolutely ranting about the job done in the Colorado Rapids game by Alexis da Silva. And that wasn't a game that I
think the Sounders necessarily deserved to win. It finished one point one, but that was a game that was so heavily influenced by the fact that Alexis da Silva was he wasn't doing a very good job I think officiating that game, ultimately, I think it's for both sides. It's really you know, Sounders should have been a man up, but overall, Colorado, overall, I think deserved their goal. It was a good goal by Mihailovich, and at the end of the day, I think they were a very good team.
They outplayed the Sounders in a lot of areas. So did you deserve the point? I think for Colorado, But again, Seattle should have been playing a man up. Then you look over the weekend Saint Louis and the job done by Lorenzo Hernandez first half, I thought, listen, it's a soft penalty on Jemargomez on Jade there that gets the penalty kick for Saint Louis. But I think the credit to Lorenzo Hernandez. He understands that was a soft penalty
on Yamar the foul in the box. So I'm gonna watch things a little bit more closely there and see if a makeup call might be warranted. And very very shortly after it was where Paul Rothrock is lightly taken down in the box, he goes down a bit easily.
But you know what soft penalty for soft penalty evens out won one game, it's the second half where Lorenzo Hernandez just decided to, I don't know, call a different game or you just be a different ref There was obviously in the seventy second minute, Seattle was leading two to one, and there was a massive goal that happened where I believe Obed Vargas has a shot on target and it's gonna go in the back of the net
and the outstretched arm of a defender. It hits directly to the outstretched arm, and I want a key on that word outstretched. Clearly. You can go back and see the replay. It's been posted a bunch of places after the game. Referee Hernandez says that is it was in a natural position and it hit the thigh or hip first. It didn't hit the hip or thigh, and also the
arm was not in a natural position. So I would just say to Lorenzo Hernandez, do you think that you can just make something up or just say anything and get away with it now? Do you think that that's just something that referees can do without any penalty or any thing coming back to you, because Lorenzo Hernandez, you can't just make something up. We're gonna catch it and we're going to call you on it. And I'm calling you on it right here that that's almost said something
that's crap. It's crap because it didn't happen. The arm was not in a natural position. It should have been a penalty and Seattle should have had that goal there in the seventy what second minute, So ultimately that turns into a bad refereeing performance, and then we had to coma defiance against the Timbers last night. The referee for that game was Servando Rico, and Servando Rico decided to give the game to the Portland Timbers point blank. I'm
saying it. He gave the game to the Portland Timbers. First, he doesn't award the Coma de fiance a penalty kick late in the second half they're leading two to one, and it's one of the most blatant penalties I've ever seen, where I forget who is the attacker coming down and it might have been No Saze coming down the middle, uh and just taken out by a defender in the box and what Servando Rico says is, oh, he got all ball. He got all ball very clearly he did not,
and that should have been a penalty. So you do that, and that's setting up precedent. And we talk about, you know, consistency with officiating. Andrew Thomas, the goalkeeper, talked about it last night. All we want is consistency. So if you're gonna be calling things, you know, loose in the box, and you're gonna be calling things not so tight, the opposite of the Saint Louis game, then you wouldn't then call the penalty for the Portland Timbers in the ninety
second minute. But he does. He calls ondly, is calling things extremely tightly. On the other side, gives the penalty to Portland. They score, they lead three to two, they win three two. You gave the game to the Portland Timbers, Servando Rico. Shame on you. Shame on you, Servando Rico, for having such a horrible influence. I wrote it on
social media and I'll say it here again. It is the worst officiating performance I've ever seen, and not only for those two We're talking about other decisions throughout the game. The penalty in the first half where Andrew Thomas is clearly knocked down by a Portland I believe it's Zuparich was knocked him down there in the box on the corner, no call, and as Andrew Thomas is on the ground, Portland kicks it in and it's just it's an abysmal no call any way you slice or dice or look
at it. Andrew Thomas was knocked down by a Portland player and they didn't call that. So that that's three. And there's so many more decisions regarding who possesses the ball, fouls yellow car late in the game on Peter Kingston which made absolutely no sense. The referee performance by Servando Rico was abysmal and it was embarrassing to the sport.
It was embarrassing to all referees who officiate the sport I think around the world, and Servondo Rico should be ashamed of himself for having such a horrific effect on that game.
That's it.
I don't want to talk too much more about that other than the fact that the Coma Defiance got absolutely screwed last night by the referee Servando Rico, and it's a just disappointing fact that over the last few weeks, we as fans of the Sounders and Defiance, have seen continued performances, poor performances by referees, getting in the way of what could have been a win in Colorado, getting in the way of what could have been an even bigger blow win over Saint Louis, and getting in the
way of what could have been an incredible upset for Tacoma Defiance over Portland. So I'm disgusted by the refereeing performances that we've seen over the last few weeks, but none more so than Servando Rico last night. And all Sounder fans and all Defiance fans should be just up in arms, and I'm just I'm so fed up with it. And last night Tacoma should have had the upset, should have been a magical night at Starfire, and he took
that away from us. So all right, I really I don't want to spend the rest of the time lamenting the referee revenge, lamenting that whole situation. I want to move forward and put a smile on our faces, because for the most part, for Sounder fans, it was a very good week. The Saint Louis win, We talked about it.
It was so good.
It could have been and should have been an even bigger win, but it was such an awesome victory over Saint Louis. Obviously knew who's scoring is fantastic, Stephen Fry making his four hundredth all competition appearance. You also had, of course Albert Rusnack scoring, You had Obed Vargas and it was just this absolute, you know, cavalcade of great plays.
Danny Mazowski scoring his fourth goal in four games, joining Freddie Montero, Obavima Martins and Jordan Morris as the only players in club history to score in four straight matches. Ryan Kent when he came on the field, Holy smokes. I can't wait to talk to Ari about Ryan Kent because he was electric coming on.
He might have been the man in the match, and he only came onto the field in the fifty seventh minutes. And then on top of all that, after the win, we can celebrate Brian Schmitzer. He's now tied for tenth all time in Major League Soccer history among head coaches with one hundred and thirty wins. That's great for Brian, it's great for all those players, Alex Droldon returns to the starting lineup in the four two three one formation.
He was great.
That was such an amazing game, probably best game of the season for the Sounders against Saint Louis. It just could have been five nothing if you want to say, the soft penalties in five to one.
But you know, it's just.
You have to celebrate it and be happy about the win. But also right now, I'm just conflicted with all of these emotions after what happened last night down there at Starfire. Okay, let's stick with the Sounders. After the game in the locker room, had the chance to catch up with Christian
roll do on. We had a really fun conversation where we keyed on all of the big performances I just mentioned, from knew Who to Mazowski to Ryan Kent to everything else that's going so great Obed Vargas as well, who walked by during our conversation. Such a fun conversation here, lots of happy faces here in the locker room after the Sounders four to one win over Saint Louis.
Here was my conversation with Christian rolled on what's the.
Reaction of the teammates and including yourself on the field after Knew who puts his second career goal in the back of the net.
Well, we are stop for him. Clearly he was over the moon with his celebration, and you know, he thought he scored the goal to win, to seal the World Cup. So it's hilarious. I knew who works so hard to to defend for us, and so for him to see the back of the net, we're so happy for him.
So we do the post him show with Kellen Rowe up in the booth, and Kellen was kind of hard on his celebration. You feel like, I want more dancing, I want more smiles, I want more so so he was he was a little more critical of the celebration.
Oh yeah, I mean it wasn't the greatest celebration, but his emotion was there, right, and so that that's what I was what I was referring to. You know, he can always improve uh in in dancing and celebrating and but he's he theatrical and and that goal was definitely theatrical.
We got oh bed walking by right here and and and he was voted man of the match for the game. And from the goal to the work that next to you in the defense of midfield. How have you seen this kid grow?
Yeah, well, he covers so much ground for us. He gets into the attack and and also helps me defend as well, And so he provides so much for our team, both physically and on the ball. His composure and his ability to get in the box and get shots off it has been crucial. Last couple of games. We're asking him to play a little bit higher up the field, and I think he's thrived in that role. And I think it's a result of us scoring more goals.
You know.
I hope he continues to grow, and I think because the good head on his shoulders, he definitely will.
All right, So for you guys now, as a team, we're looking at a four game on beaten streak, three wins. You got that drawn Colorado. I imagine in the locker room right here, things are you guys must be going pretty good right now.
Yeah, I think our confidence is high. You know, every game is different, but I think when we shine a little bit more, is when when we're able to have a little bit of a lead, right when we score the first goal or we finally break through, I think it creates a whole lot more space for us, we
see a lot more. We play through the middle a whole lot more, and I think that's when we're at our best, and so can we be the aggressor from the get go, And I think that's been a the reason why we've been a little bit more and more successful these last couple of games.
Here with Christian roll Don and you talk about kind of, you know, the ability to go up and then the way you play. I mean, watching Ryan Ken that last thirty three plus minutes, I mean, he seems like he's quite the difference for maker roality. What does he do on the field that you see that you can play off of that that looks at least from our angle, so attractive and so good.
Yeah, well, he's both really athletic and quick and can find a pass as well. I think his his passing is a bit underrated. I think people respect to speed a whole lot, and so passing lanes open up and now. But I think already found a good partner. He looks like he and and Ryan are you know, connecting really well. And so you know, when you combine speed and and and the ability to pass the ball, it becomes a different maker in the Finals in the final thirty.
Day Mazoski four goals in four games. Like, what can you say about what he's doing up front? Just he's finding a way to put a ball in the back of the net.
Yeah, he's opportunistic. You know, he's a player that I think doesn't get enough credit for his abilities. I think he's sneaky fast, sneaky athletics, sneaky good touch, dribbles pretty well, and then he has a knack for goal, you know, and and I think that's something you can't teach. And so, you know, Denny I think has always shown well, but now I think he's kind of filling into the role
that that we're asking him to do. And he's been exceptional and and and has a good mentality going into games.
He saw Houston just about a month and a half ago, going down there, team that you guys on the playoffs a couple of times. Obviously, you know, normally I wouldn't ask that, you know, what do you see from a team coming up? But you guys have seen him so much recently. What are your thoughts on Houston coming up?
I think it's gonna be a tough game. You know, Houston's a team that play used to the middle. They're very composed on the ball. They they you know, defend well as well. I think they struggle in the attack a little bit. But when you're at home, you know, you you benefit from that. It seems like the ball
bounces your way a little bit more. And so we need to go over there with a good attitude and make sure our mentality is right on the road and then being able to be composed and keep the ball, but then have that that right mentality, like I mentioned the intensity part, because on the road, that's what it's all about.
By the way, first time we've caught up, I think first time we caught up this year. How's how's dad life?
By the way, me is doing great, She's she's now in almost ten months and she's standing up already, and it's it's a real treat.
At what point do you put the soccer ball in front of them?
Oh, I've been doing that. Yeah. I want her to to be able to play any sport, but you know, if it's soccer, you know, I would love that coach.
Christian there, okay, the unity if to start teaching the tactics at I don't know what what won two years old, the years old.
Yeah, the wideboard will be coming out soon.
Yeah.
Hey, Budy, thanks so much.
Yeah, appreciate it.
That's Christian Rolldon in the locker room after the Sounders four to one win over Saint Louis. We'll get a break here in Sounders Weekly and we'll continue talking about that win. Arilillionwall, Major League Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorches. He'll join us next to continue celebrating Seattle's win and take a trip around Major League Soccer. That's next on Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders FC, Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, everybody. Jackson feltz here. Good to have you with us here on this Wednesday night to cover Sounders and Defiance there and that first segment. He was good seeing our next guest out there at Starfires Stadium yesterday for the Defiance Portland game. Ari Lillionwall from Major League Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Are good to talk to you after talking to you yesterday.
How you doing, Buddy, I'm doing great, Jackson, looking forward to talking about this Sounders game with you.
This was a good one, oh baby, Yeah, we get to really enjoy this. What I said on Fox thirteen, I was on their Washington Sports Wrap TV show a couple of nights ago. What I said on there was it might be the best game of the season. I know, we've had a three to nothing shutout, and you know, you could debate that this should have been a shutout. You could could debate that this could have been easily
a five to nothing game. Buy or sell best game of the season for the Sounders that at four to one win over Saint Louis.
Oh, I think I'm easily buying that as best game of the season. And frankly, I thought this was the best attacking performance that the team has put up in the last couple of years. I mean, I know the underlying numbers, their performance numbers were just off the charts. I mean, they put up over four expected goals in this game, which I think was comfortably out by the eyes tests. So yeah, no, it was. It was electric. I think it was the best game of the season.
And there's just a lot of encouraging things that you can take away from this game even beyond Ryan Kent, which I think is the most obvious.
Well, yeah, I think that is the most obvious, and we can just jump right into that topic because he comes on in the fifty seventh minute, and four minutes after coming on the field, we score a goal and he assists it. He is pretty special, dude, And I think the only question left is it do you have to.
Put him on?
You know, I know you want to reward Paul Rothrock, and Rothrock's doing fine, But at this point do you have to start Ryan Kens at left wing?
I mean, I do think there's still in a situation as it stands right now where they're ramping his fitness totally up, So I think at least for the next couple weeks, you don't really have to make that decision yet. You know, whether they start him weekend week out, I'm
not as concerned about. But I mean, the guy clearly has to be getting a lot of minutes because I think the most intriguing thing about that performance for me Jackson was just how much he seemed to be a force multiplier, how much better he made every single other player on the field.
He knew who we're.
Combining really well. I mean, when was the last time you seen knew who play that well in attack? And the way he was combining with Obed was excellent. They have really good chemistry. I thought Rusnak looked more effective as well with Ryan Kent playing out wide beside him. So yeah, really nothing but rave reviews for how he played, and it's going to be exciting to see what impact he can make going forward as he gets more minutes.
Yeah, absolutely, and I'm when he becomes ninety minutes fit, that'll be the question. But if he's still ramping up right now and you know he's getting thirty three plus stoppage, you know, does that turn into forty five? And is that forty five the first forty five or the second forty five? That's give me interesting for Brian Schmitzer. This week, Ario Lilliene was our guest mlis soccer dot com. He also post hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorches. They go live
on Monday mornings and Thursday night. Check out Lobbing Scorches wherever you get your podcasts, including the iHeart Radio app. Before we move on from Sounder Saint Louis, I know I talked to you about the officiating disaster down in Colorado last week the previous week. Excuse me, but last week we had another one. I get the you know, it's a soft penalty on Yamar, and you know we're gonna call it, and then we kind of call the soft one on Rothrock on the other end. But then
the handball no call in the second half. He explained it away and Sounderhart had this on their blue Sky page. How the referee said that it hit the thigh and came up and hit the arm in a natural position, which just screams to me, Ari that referees now have the authority to say whatever they want and not get
checked for anything that's real or not real. I mean, I don't know, man, I don't know what the guy was doing in the second half, And it's just another week where I'm asking you and I'm talking about a referee who just doesn't look like he knows what he's doing out there.
I think that was the worst call I've ever seen.
Yessin, Like, at the risk of exaggerating or being hyperbolic, I think that was actually the worst call I've ever seen. There were so many things wrong with how that sequence was handled. It was It was incredible. It was unbelievable how every single facet of the process was wrong, starting with how long it took for them to stop play on the.
Field, and then he goes.
Over and looks at it for forty five minutes, when you really could have that needs to take less than thirty seconds, thirty seconds at the absolute maximum to look at that call. It couldn't be more clear and obvious. But then with how long he took to look at it, he still missed the call. So really it was just he was oh for everything on how that sequence went.
And you know, we can laugh about it now. It didn't matter to Sader scored four goals, they won the game, But in the moment it was pretty hard not to be frustrated because that is as stone cold a penalty kick as it gets. I even think that you could argue that that was.
A dog so red.
Well, yeah, you having your hand in an unnatural position and you block a shot that's going on target from inside the box. I don't know if there's a clear cut rule on it anymore if someone was telling me there wasn't, but it would have been a justifiable dog so red if he had given that. So that's how badly that call was missed. I'm still mystified by it. I don't care.
They ended up winning the game, but good Lord, sure would be nice if one of these days we got a good refereeing performance. But we haven't gotten that in a while for Sounder fans, So hopefully this week against Houston and ari As we kind of look for it a little bit. Coming up here in Sounders Weekly, we're gonna be talking to Haesus Oscevedo Junior. He writes for the Bayou Citi in down there in Houston. We're gonna talk some Sounders Dynamo. But before he comes on, he
shares his insight. We have Houston fresh off of a loss, I believe, a fresh off a red card as well, and a Houston team that's still kind of finding their way. And I imagine Seattle after that thirty plus shot performance is looking their chops.
Yeah, this Dynamo team, I would say they're having a middling start to the year. They did get a new DP recently, inger I think his name is. I know, he looks pretty good. The first couple games he was with them, he scored a couple of goals, but it's not like they are looking like especially good or dominant team this year. But the thing when the same when Seattle's traveling away at Houston, it's.
Just always a tough game, you know.
The Texas heat always becomes a factor. I don't know, maybe we're at the time of year where that mot might not be as much a factor as it is.
And more like Midsummer.
But it's not an easy place to go and take points no matter what quality aside the Dynamo are. So it's definitely not a game that I would expect Seattle to go in and run over them, although with how they looked against Saint Louis, if they play like that again, three points is very attainable against this team.
Ariy Lillian Wall is our guest. He's a writer and editor for mlssccer dot com. He also hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. You're listening to Sounders Weekly here on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM and how are here tonight talking all things Sounders Soccer All ri Let's jump around here and talk about what's going on around the rest of the league. The conca CAFT Champions Cup final
is set Vancouver Cruz a Zool. We've talked at length about Vancouver being the best team in Major League Soccer right now. They're getting the results in league, they're getting the results in Conca CAFF. They're in the final. Who you got between the Mexican side Cruise a Zool and Vancouver.
I think the white Caps are gonna do it, I honestly do. I know that they're not hosting, and I know that any matchup against the LEGA and Mechi side is going to be a tough one in this tournament, but they've already beat two LEGA and Mechi sides that I don't think there's that much of a difference in quality between the sides. They've already beaten the one that they're about to play, and they just seem like they have this team of destiny vibe about him. Right now.
They're playing the best soccer in the league by a country mile. But they're also they're coming through in big moments. They're rotating and still taking not just results but victories. They are on one of the most impressive runs I've ever seen by an MLS club. To be honest with you, and if they see this out and they win Champions Cup this year. I think you could call it the single most impressive run that we've ever seen from a.
Club in MLS.
I think what they're doing has the potential to be that historic, if it's not already.
The Vancouver white Caps, the team putting it together just absolutely so.
Yeah, like I predicted, I definitely thought that exactly.
It's it's so massively impressive and what they're doing and then playing the best soccer you know, I don't I don't have it in front of me, and you can just quickly confirm this is no longer the two leg final. It's one game and it's at Cruise as correct.
Yeah, so one offen for the Doule's hosting.
Yeah, okay, all right, well that's coming up and we'll obviously talk more as the game that's closer, but I might be with you that Vancouver is gonna pull it off and we'll see how that functioned.
Now.
Meanwhile, the team that Vancouver beat Miami feels like after their big win this last week, we may start to see a Miami revenge tour, saying we may not have gotten CCC, but we're gonna go get everybody else.
You know, you might take that from looking at the result, and that might well be true. But I will say after that game, there was a footage of Lionel Messi walking off the field right after the game, and he did not look happy.
He did not look like a.
Guy whose team just won. For to one. I think it's pretty clear that by the way that that series against Vancouver went is eating at him real bad. He didn't stay and talk to anyone on the field after the game, went straight to the locker room, stonefaced. So I'll be keeping it in the tabs on that one, because essentially the entire function of the inner in Miami organization at this point is designed to specifically keep that one guy happy.
And if he's not.
Happy, I feel like things could go south in a hurry. So I think the final out is probably going to be closer to what you're saying. They're going to use this as motivation and still be top of the table side in the league for the rest of the year. There's too much talent on their roster. It's just so loaded, even beyond Messi and the Barca boys. But if Messi himself isn't happy, that's definitely not good for them.
No, it's definitely not. But if he turns that into you know, sort of what I was saying, the revenge tour, then Miami could just go on a roll. So I'll be also watching for that and we'll kind of follow them. After losing to Vancouver and CCC moving on, are back to the West Coast. I said last week, does San Diego suddenly suck?
Now?
And I asked you that question, and then right as I say that, they go out and beat Dallas five nothing. So let me just slip it around, Wow, why is San Diego suddenly the best team on Earth?
You know, maybe part of that was playing FC Dallas, who I think they're realistically, they're kind of in a developmental stage in a first year coach and all that, so maybe maybe they benefited from that. But you know, even that with that taken into account, dropping five goals on anybody that's an accomplishment, and it really it looked a lot more like the San Diego team that was
taken the league by storm early in the year. And I think I guess my takeaway is just that they're probably gonna have some ebbs and flows as an expansion team they might. They're probably not on the level of like Atlanta United or LAFC, who really came in and tore up the league, but they are a team who on their day can score goals with anybody, and I think they definitely showed that.
In this game.
Hey, Ari, really quick before you go. I wanted to fit this in because I don't think we've even talked about them this year, and the Sounders are still more than a month away from even playing them. I think Minnesota second place in the Western Conference. Another win this last weekend, I guess I've been sleeping on Minnesota. Has the general public been sleeping on Minnesota? And how good are the Loons?
I think the Loons are pretty good. I don't know if I would dub them an elite side yet. I think you saw that they might have a little way to go before they can be dubbed in a least side when they played Vancouver at home and got destroyed by Vancouver's second team in that game at only on s field. So I look at a result like that and I'm like, all right, I don't know if you're fully upper tier in the league right now, but they're definitely a playoff team without a doubt. And I do
like their coach, Eric Ramsey. They hired him last year and I believe from Manchester United where he was an assistant, and he's a super young outrage.
He's like, he's like, he's like thirty two years of our age.
Yeah, yeah, he's our age coming from Manchester United to head coach Minnesota United, and he really he seems like he knows what he's doing. So I think they got a good thing going there, but I do think there is a little more ground they need to cover to be like a truly upper tier league contender in the league.
Let me look up Eric Ramsey here if my internet's working, and see if how old he is, because that was kind of the joke when he was first hired. And Eric Ramsey he is now officially thirty three years old, So I turned thirty three today, so we're now officially the same age. Crazy that he's the head coach of Minnesota United in years with of course Manchester you're right to United over there in England. Here he is running Minnesota pretty darn well. Right now, all right, Ari, that's
all we have time for. I will see if well I saw you yesterday. I won't see you this weekend. Sounders are in Houston, so I'll see you in a couple weeks and we'll talk to you next Wednesday for another edition of Sounders Weekly. Oh actually, shoot, no, we won't. Actually this is actually news. Sounders play LAFC midweek next week. We're not going to have a Sounders Weekly show. We're gonna have an extended post game after the LAFC match on Wednesday, So I.
Won't talk to you for a couple weeks, buddy. So until then, sounds good, Happy early birthday.
Good stuff there from Ari Lillianwall and thank you to him as well. We'll get a break here in Sounders Weekly. Here we'll come back and wrap up the show here before we do a couple quick notes. First, Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence Swedish, the official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. Also, I want to tell you folk Smickel of ultra ninety five calories and two point six grams of carbs.
It's only worth it if you enjoy it.
All right, let's dive deep into the Houston Dynamo, who the Sounders are facing on the road this Saturday night. Heesus ossiveto Junior from the Bayou City, and he covers them like nobody else. He will join us next here on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc cll's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM. Welcome back, everybody, Sounders Weekly.
Jackson feltz good to have you with us on this Wednesday night thanks to Ari.
Lillianwall and Christian Roldan so far.
This evening is now time to take a look ahead at what's next for the Sounders and preview in depth the match coming up that will be at the Houston Dynamo Shell Energy Stadium. We're gonna have the match for you right here, Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM, Providence, Swedish premat show of five o'clock kickoff of five thirty Pacific time for Sounders and Dynamo down in Houston. You can also watch at MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV up and listen in the Spanish language on l
RA thirteen sixty. Saturday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers. There's only one person. We go to when we talk Houston Dynamo. He writes for the Bayou City and who covers the Houston Dynamo like nobody else. It's our good friend, heyesus osceveto Junior, Hey, Sus, good to have you back on the show, my friend.
How are you, hey, Jackson, I'm doing well. Thank you for having me on.
I don't like talking Shadow Founders still with anybody, but.
I don't like talk to anybody about the Dynamo. But I also, you know, it's funny, hayesus because every single time we have you on, we I don't know if we start or end the conversations, but we do spend a couple of minutes on Houston Cougar's basketball. And the joke started for those outside of kind of the inside joke, This started in twenty eighteen. I want to say when we first had Yon for Sounders Week, and you know, it was a March game, or maybe it was the
end of March. NCAA tournament was coming out, and I asked you, well, okay, you're in Houston. Should I pick the Cougars to the final four or to the championship? And this was years back, and you said, yeah, yeah, I'd go for it, and I ended up picking them to win the title and they promptly lost early. So since then, it's kind of just been this inside joke of picking the Cougars to go far and then I cursed them. Hey, sus this time I correctly, crazy enough
predicted that Florida would be Houston. I picked them to the title game to lose in the title game. They did lose in the title game. But it's how they lost, my friend, It's how they lost that final possession.
What in the living hell was that?
It was a mistake, But if you have to try.
It's okay. I understand the tears that are needed in this moment.
The tears up dry there and enough time has passed, and I think it was just the brain fark gains for lack a better order.
I don't know if I can say that, but just you know.
A clutch player that you know, without him, you know, Shark, without Sharp, we don't even make it to the final.
He had a tremendous game with Duke.
You know, he just just one of those moments and he just the brain turned off for half a second, and you know, and after we all know if he pump picks. Yeah, the White up in three possibly wins it, you know, so you know, but I'm.
Glad that he's coming back. And I know we you know, you were not texted throughout the game.
We're kind of getting back into it if you're going now they shut up Jackson, you know. But but it's all in good. I'm super happy with this team. I mean, look, they have a lot of players are jumping ship and coming to the Hoaston Cougars. Now that just tells me that this team is gonna be loaded. They're probably gonna be ranked number one entering the basketball season. So let's just hope that they we have another deep playoffs playoff March.
Man well, hopefully hopefully in twenty twenty six, we get a Sounders Houston game once again in March, so you can take you can tell me and tell all of our listeners to pick them to the title game of our brackets, and promptly I will do that, and promptly they will.
Lose in the first round again.
Uh.
Savado Junior's our guest. He covers all things Houston sports, including the Houston Dynamo, down for the Bayouciti and all right, moving on, to some soccer heyesus, uh.
This is a Dynamo team.
We obviously had the zero zero draw up here in Seattle. International duty was a big part of that match as we were missing Obed Vargas and knew who McGlenn was gone for you guys since then, just from Afar and you tell me if I'm right or wrong on this, seems like it's kind of been a middling couple of months.
For you guys.
What has life been like for the Houston Dynamo since we last saw you.
Inconsistency is the word that comes to mind, you know, you you they finally got some of the reinforcements that that a lot of the fans and I'm sure a lot of the coaches were asking for due to some of the interests.
You know. They got you know, uh Linger. They got him in.
He made an immediate impact two goals and three at that that he's played in, which I think is pretty good. And you know, uhuh some Donald fans have started singing the you know Cranberry song Linger after he scored, so there's that.
But it's been a little inconsistent.
I mean, they just lost uh this past weekend, but entering that game, they were on a four game uh, four game unbeaten streak, you know, which is included two draws and two wins. So they're starting to write the ship, but just ever so slightly, you know.
They still have a lot more to go.
I think this game with Seattle is actually a good opportunity to see where they where they rank in this you know, righting the ship kind of that I'm that I'm talking about, you know, good Toadle team.
He's at home.
They just had their first one second multi goal game up now, two two weeks.
Ago, you know.
So so it's been inconsistent, you know, and I think that's where that Ben Olsen has used. You know, we've been inconsistent, but still uh they have grown their defense, and now the offense needs to catch up with right, the attack needs to catch up to now where.
The defense is because this is still a good defensive team.
Started off slow on the defensive end, but they have slowly, you know, ratcheted up. They just signed a bond keeper who had them in this experience. He played with LAC a couple of years ago. So he's been now starting on up I want to say, three four matches in so He's brought a little bit more stability to the backside to the defense. So so now it's all about
getting the other side the attack clicking. But as I said, with some of these new reinforcements, putting them into the into the lineup, and now playing with the lineup, who stays, who goes out?
And you know, so I think these.
New reinforcements would just make this thing better because now you know people that are starting. Now you got to look and be like, wow, I'm not starting anymore. Now I have to compete even extra harder in practice to see if I can get playing time as a starter or off the bench. But inconsistency is the word that I will say. Uh million is another good one, you know.
So yeah, yeah, it's interesting because if you're looking at these recent results and just these last few hazos Osivator Junior is our guest is the Houston Dynamo for the Bayou City and down there in Houston, Texas. And you brought up an interesting point of this being kind of a good measuring stick to see kind of where the Dynamo are at along the rest of the Western Conference. Because right now, the Sounders we've established ourselves back in the playoff picture.
We're getting going.
We had our probably best game of the season according to you know, kind of just what I took from it this last weekend against Saint Louis. This will be a good measuring stick. So as we kind of look ahead and preview this specific match at home, know that Houston has a good defense, your offense trying to get going. You imagine you'll try to get out on the front foot at home. How do you believe that that the
measuring stick will end up? Where do you think that we're going to be coming at the end of ninety minutes on Saturday night saying that Houston measures up to Seattle and the rest of the West.
You know, I think back to the Austin game. You know, when Austin came into town.
I think they were second or third on the West at that time, and Houston came in and just essentially new to them. You know, they pretty much stopped any of their attack and they you know, broke out on the offensive, and like I said, that was their second multi go game of the season. And you know, having say that this laid into Maine or you know, late into April and learning.
To the season. I actually say too it it doesn't bote well, but I.
Think, uh, they they've started to play a little better at home, you know. So I know Ben also likes to play a little bit more on the front foot at home, right you You also mentioned that, So I do think that they're gonna come out stronger. But I think in this magic be asking me for a prediction, I think it's gonna be a two zero Dynamo win. I think I wouldn't be surprised to be still through I have time, and then in.
The second half Dynamo kind of let it, let it lose a bit more. So, so that's kind of prediction. I'll say. I don't know if you're asking me one, but.
You always give your predictions, and I think that's what I love is that you're willing to go out on a limit and make those predictions. So if you kind of spelled out there how Houston would get that to nothing win, let's throw out there that it's a Sounders to nothing win. How will Seattle have gotten Houston?
How?
Now?
Where where are the places that the Dynamo can be got?
Well?
What I was in the season, you know, and and and not so many teams have done this.
I think the Legacy did a good job of it.
Is you know, they they they drawed the Dynamo out up front, almost like baiting them, you know, like, hey, you can stow the ball from us, and then you know they come out on the on the counter attack.
That's one place where Dynamo have been a bid unconsistent in the counter attacking defense at times, you.
Know, especially in the early seasons.
That have gotten better, but I think that's still a part where they still have to kind of jail and kind of uh uh tied in that area.
It's on the counter attack. So if that's happened, that's how I'll say Shattle scored. I mean, we know Seattle has some fast wingers, so that's definitely a possibility.
And if Seattle scores first, that we could we we could see a high scoring game. I think if Shadle score first, because obviously, you know, Houston's gonna have to come out and try and get the draw, and you know definitely don't want to lose at home.
So so yeah, well it's interesting.
You know, we obviously are missing Jordan Morris, so that takes off a big piece of the counter attack, I think from seattles, and that's some interesting x's and o's on on if if Houston wants to kind of get forward, play on the front foot, you know, and put numbers forward for Ben Olsen, how do the Sounders react to that? And can they get out on the break with a Danny Mazoski up top as opposed to Jordan Morris on the counter. Really good x's and o's asus We'll see
how this thing breaks down Saturday night. I hope for our sake that I'm as happy at the end of Saturday as I was at the end of Florida beating the Cougars. And again I will I feel your pain, my friend, I feel your pain. We had the Seahawks in twenty fourteen, so I understand about stupid decisions and stupid mistakes at the end of championship games. All right, buddy, have a very very good time. I enjoy the game there on Saturday night down at Shell Energy Stadium.
We will talk to you soon, my friend.
Thank you somebody Jackson And one last bit, just a little shade you guys.
Jeez, they released this graphic about all the you know once the last time and and Mbo team made the world.
You know what, screw you man.
Come on, look at the Look at the standings of the West right now, where the Mariners are atop the West right now.
So just scoreboard my friend's scoreboard.
Now it's even better because he had and Houston are in the same side, you know. So so I like I like the Seattle Marinas. I I I always feel mad, not mad with that. That the great Seattle Maners team where you know Johnson like that.
Yeah, yeah, we didn't win a championship, we know. Thanks appreciate that. Hey, how are how are the trash cans coming out there? You still banging trash cans? U?
Yeah? Uh huh uh huh. All right, buddy, good to have you on. We gotta run. Thanks so much for the visit tonight.
Likewise, thanks n take it eat man.
Hey.
Suss Oscivato Junior.
He writes for the Bayou City in down there in Houston, Texas, covers the Houston Dynamo, covers all Houston sports, including the trash Stros where they have garbage cans, and of course the losing Houston Cougar's basketball team. All right, that'll do it for our show tonight. Thanks to all of our guests, Christian rodn Ari, Lilienwall and Haesu's Osseveto Junior. There one more time broadcast details for Saturday. It's gonna be right here.
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM, Providence, Swedish pre met show of five o'clock kickoff of five point thirty.
You listen to it right here.
Also iHeartRadio app just look up ninety three point three KJRFM. Also you can watch the match via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TVP and listen in Spanish language on l Ray thirteen sixty and Saturday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers.
Have a very good rest of your week, everybody.
We'll talk to you on Saturday at five pm and for right here, right now. Fox Sports Radio is coming up next