Coming to you live from our Elliot Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly with your host Jackson Felts.
Good evening, everybody, Welcome into Sounders Weekly. Jackson Feltz here good be with you on this Wednesday evening here ninety three point three KJRFM. Here talking Sounders for the next hour on Sounders Weekly. We'll be back on next week as long as the Sounders move on here to the knockout round in League's Cup, as they are one match into this group stage. They played in Minnesota last Friday night, a little Friday night football at Lumen Field and came
away with a two to zero win over Minnesota. We'll talk about that here in a little bit. Walls of chat with Ari Lillian Wall coming up later on. We're gonna hear from Andrew Thomas after the win. Was great to chat with the Sounders goalkeeper in the locker room who came away with another clean sheet. And Andrew Thomas
is sort of a coming. We talked to him about this, but he's sort of becoming the guy for Seattle in these alternate tournaments, and I think I don't know if it's any secret, but I think it's pretty clear that Andrew Thomas is the guy to take over when Stephen Fry is eventually done. Fry, of course, I believe he has a contract that runs through next year. But Andrew Thomas the day before that Louisville game where he was the hero with the penalty save and then the kick
to win it in the Open Cup. But the day before he had that game, he signed his big extension that keeps him here for a bunch of years. So watching how much the Sounders use Andrew Thomas and how much you know they used him, especially they're in the leaguest Cup game, I think it's clear he's kind of the guy in waiting. And you know, having a quote guy in waiting doesn't always work in sports. We've seen it so many times where like a head coach will be in waiting at a certain program and it won't
work out very well. I like it for this circumstance
because goalkeepers are just they're a different breed. And watching the way Andrew and Steph work together, and Andrew will talk in the interview here coming up in about ten minutes about their relationship, it does feel like you know we are going to be, you know, getting no loll in goalkeeping quality when Steph retires and Andrew steps in, because we've seen the quality from Andrew Thomas and he was good again on Friday, So a great shout with him.
You're gonna hear that here in a few minutes and we'll have ari later on tonight here in Sounders Weekly. But yeah, while we're on the subject talking about that too, nothing win. You know, it didn't feel like they had too much work to do now. Obviously, in the second half, Takoma Native Federalay Native excuse me, Hassani Dotson took a red card, really really bad tackle on Rollery Diaz, and
you know, Hassani Tawson just terrible. I'm not sure what he was thinking there, but it was a little unfortunate there because you for a moment we thought, oh God for roll he did have to come out of the game due to a precaution, you know, but it's good to hear he's feeling fine and hopefully there's no lingering
issue after that really terrible tackle. But from Dotson, So in that second half, after that red card, clearly the Sounders didn't really have to do all that much defensively because Minnesota was just you know, they started the game with a back five. It was good to talk with Minnesota's thirteen year old head coach, a joke, he's, you know,
exactly my age, thirty two years old, Eric Ramsey. We talked with Eric Ramsey after the game, and you know, one of the questions I had for him was, all, right, after you take a man down, what was the strategic planning of you know, trying to come away from Seattle with results? And he admitted, like, we just kind of
stayed what we were as a back five. We have you know, three center backs, two outside backs, and we just stayed defensive with you know, clearly the idea of try to eke it out to penalties because we know we don't have to play an added thirty minutes. You should know, by the way that these games, if you haven't caught other MLS action, if a game ends after nine minutes tied, it goes straight to penalty kicks, No added thirty minutes, It's just straight to pks. I don't
love that personally, but that's a whole different story. So what what happened would be Eric Ramsey's saying to himself, if we can just lock down, defensively, play ninety, finish this match zero zero. As it works out, the Sounders weren't able to let Minnesota get away with that, and
they punished them with two goals. But for Ramsey was the idea of let's just stay with a five to three one, I suppose was exactly what he was looking at and just play defensive, defensive, defensive, And that didn't make it work too hard for Andrew Thomas there for the final thirty minutes or so of that game, and then even in the first sixty or so minutes before the red card. I mean, Andrew didn't have a lot
of work to do. Minnesota had possession, but you look at that Sounders back line and Jamar Gomez Onjode had to serve a red card suspension because he had a red card in the last League's Cup game last year. Weirdly, and I also hate this, the red card carried over to this year. I don't think red card should carry over year to year, but apparently.
They do, so.
Yamar was out, Jonathan Bell filled in, and I mean, I don't know what more I can say about Jonathan Bell that I haven't said. Over the last eight months, I mean, Jonathan Bell has been a brilliant acquisition by Craig Wible and company to bring in a veteran center back who clearly is kind of having a little bit of a career resurgence here. He's a solid player that I think you can, you know, just absolutely rely on
in any circumstance. We all thought that player coming into the season was going to be Nathan the Brazilian center back who had so many years with San Jose. Nathan's been the one to kind of fall out of the squad. Jonathan Bell's been the one to grab that third center back spot. And he started again and once again, I mean he had the goal against Saint Louis and he was good, really good again I thought there against Minnesota.
So Jonathan Bell just continues to be good. Jackson Reagan obviously he's a little up and down this year, but I thought he's been a lot more consistent over the last few games. And then of course knew who so defensively they were killer I thought against Minnesota, who clearly came in here with the back five and said we're gonna try to, you know, get you in some possession what we can in the first half, but then had
nothing in the second half. So credit to that, to Sounders defense and everybody involved, JP and Obed obviously in there, Christian doing defensive work there on the right wing. But at the end of the day, it was the guys who you expect to get the goals, you know, late in that game, Jordan Morris scoring and then the late goal, late late goal from Paul Rothrock, and Paul Rothrock once again came off the bench, you know, had the assist
to Morris and then scored one for himself. Actually both goals, because the first goal was Rothrock to Jordan Morris, the second goal was Morris to Rothrock, which is just awesome. So once again it's Paul coming onto the field and causing pandemonium for the other team's defense and just constantly running around, constantly making things happen.
I'm ready to say it.
I know Ari Leonol has been kind of saying it jokingly for a while now, not probably jokingly anymore, but I'm ready to say it. Paul Rothrock should be starting right now for the Seattle Sounders.
I mean, I.
Realize this kid, he started the season not as a lockdown starter and he's you know, kind of what probably your fourth winger option off the bench, that kind of thing.
But every time the kid is on the field.
And by the way, we're gonna talk about his nickname here in a moment because that came up on social media and on the MLS Season Pass broadcast. Every time Paul Rothrock is on the field, he just makes things happen. He keeps running, He constantly made moves around the field and causes frustration for the defense of just you know, not being able to cover. I mean he he nutmegged a guy in the woes at the southeast corner of the stadium of emeral Queen Casino Pitch at Lewin Field.
It was a beautiful run. I don't think anything came of it. But the dude is just making things happen. And obviously goal plus assist I would say he's the man of the match because when he comes on the field, everything changes and the Sounders offensively are just firing on all cylinders. And yes, Pedro de la Vega also starting. I thought he's looking a little bit better, a little bit,
little bit, little bit. I mean, that's the good news is that as he gets more time and the Sounders just continue to build with Pedro de la Vega and continue to get his legs back up to one hundred percent. I think you have to roll at least when the regular season starts again about this time next month, when we get started again, which will by the way, be against Minnesota.
Should be mentioned.
When this thing starts back up, I think you have to roll with Paul Rothrock and Pedro de la Vega as you're starting wingers with Pedro probably on the left and Paul probably on the right, and then the the you know, ability to flip them on a moment's notice, with Albert in the middle and Jordan Morris up top.
I think that should be very much your front four because you gotta just find a way to keep Paul Rothrock on the field and get as many minutes as you can out of him because he just makes things happen, and he did again in that game and the two nothing win over Minnesota. Now will Paul get the start against Club Nacoxa coming up this Sunday, and by the way, that is the second group stage match. It will be a seven to thirty kickoff. Emerald Queen Casino pitch at Lumenfield.
You can also watch the match MLS Season pass on the Apple TV app. We will not have a radio broadcast for this Sunday's group stage match, or hopefully the Sounders will get a result and move forward here in the into the knockout round of League's Cup after that win over Minnesota. So you know, and also say Sounds dot soundersfc dot com, slash tickets to get your tickets to Sunday's match. There Sounders Club Nakosa of course the
Lega MX club. The Sounders will look to get a result against to move ahead here in Leak's Cup, this tournament between Major League Soccer and the Mexican League as well. That's what this whole deal is right now. But going back to it, Paul Rothrock, you find a way to keep him on the field, and if you build out that starting lineup right now, we'll get to Andrew Thomas here in a moment. You have Jordan up top, you have Pedro on the left who can swing to the right.
You have Paul on the right who can swing to the left. You have Albert between them, you have Juel Paulo and then now here is the great question do you have Christian rolled On next to Juel Paulo or do you have Obed Vargas next to Joel Paulo? And if you say it's Obed, then you're basically bumping Alex rolled On out of the starting lineup because Christian rolled
On will then be your right back. So basically, as it works out, because you want to get Paul Rothrock on the field, you're essentially taking out either Alex Rolldon or Obed Vargas both options. It's I mean, it's a ridiculously hard call to make. I don't envy Brian Schmitzer and his coaching staff because either way you are, you know, keeping somebody off the field, either Paul, Obed or Alex who deserve to be a starter on this team.
They've all had great moments.
I mean Alex rolled On, he hasn't put up the flashy numbers, but I think he's been a good contributor. Christian rolled On that right side, plays that right back spot very differently, adds a whole different perspective to what that right back can do in this formation. Meanwhile, Obed, he's had a huge year, He's been outstanding. And then Paul obviously, So I mean, I don't know. If it were up to me, I guess I would say, put Christian at right back and Alex comes out, and Alex
is your sub. But honestly, it's just so difficult. I would just say, you gotta find a way, you know, come this time next month when MLS season starts back up, to figure out a way to get Paul Rothrock in the starting lineup and keep him into the starting lineup because he just makes things happen. I'll say it, and I'll say it a thousand times he does, and he's so much fun to watch. And I mean the nickname thing right, So on the MLS Season Pass on Apple
TV broadcast, Lloyd Sam the broadcaster, called him rocky. I do not like that. I'm not going to push that forward. Nobody should be calling Paul Rothrock rocky. That's not a good nickname. I've used Capitol Hill Kid. I also love Polly Primetime Paulino. I've seen on social media. If Noah is listening, Ari's a correspondent, and I think I don't have Ari on hold yet, but I'll maybe I'll bug
Ari about this here in a few minutes. Noah his partner there on the Lobbing Scorches podcast wants to say rothrock Lobster.
That's a big no from me. I don't know what his nickname should be or will be.
I just know I don't want Rocky, So for those who heard it on the broadcast, I'm gonna shut that down real quick.
No.
With that said, listen a guy who does not have a nickname yet who may once in the future, Andrew Thomas. He's your goalkeeper here apparently for Leagues Cut matches as well as US Open Cup matches. We saw him have a clean sheet against Minnesota on Sunday. Was able to chat with Andrew Thomas in the locker room about not only the Minnesota win, but facing a team that the Sounders rarely see in Club Nacosa and how to prepare
for that team. But we did start in the locker room with Andrew Thomas by talking about the two nothing win over Minnesota.
Here was Andrew Thomas.
First off, congrats on the win there. Gotta love the clean sheet, I imagine.
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean that's my second one for the club I won in the MLS on the air, and I know we've had a lot of one goal games that I've been in the Open Cup, and.
So it was nice get out of clean sheet.
I mean, he felt like it was maybe going to penalties there late getting the late goals. But you know, for you back in goal seeing that all take place, obviously you're a man up, a little bit less work for you to do, you know what, what's kind of the preparation there in the final few minutes as you kind of mentally, I imagine, have to kind of get ready for penalties if they may happen.
Yeah, slightly.
I mean there's always you know, time between the final wists when the penalties to start. I think in the ninety the most important thing is not getting caught in transition when you're up and man, so it's all just about organization and trying to make sure JB. Jackson won't get into aggressive four backs won't get into aggressive because you know that that was probably gonna be the way they were trying to hit us the whole game, and then even more stain, more reprimand so that back.
Five minutes sort of employed they're coming in. Obviously, it did get up the field there in that first half. That first half was kind of back and forth a lot of chances that How did you evaluate the first forty five minutes.
Yeah, I mean, you know, they had a decent bit of the ball. I don't think we were too threatened.
Honestly.
They hit the ball on the header that was, you know, probably the one really good chance. I think the one I saved towards the end of the first half was more of the cross that just ended up.
Going to the wrong spot.
So I didn't I didn't feel too too much in danger in the first period. We were pretty aggressive, trying to play out from the back, and I think honestly, through most of the game it was shooting ourselves in the foot.
That was great in most of their chances, but you know, got throat.
And then the one thing that's kind of stood out to at least us up there was the fact that Minnesota didn't come out and start like your robin blood. You know some some of their key players. Did that surprise you at all when you guys saw their lineup?
Yeah, trying not to think about that too much.
You know, it's a dangerous game if you start, you know, getting too confident to or too negative, and depending on who starts another team, it's about doing what we do, focusing on ourselves and you.
Know, going about and doing the business we did.
So obviously you're getting the starts in the Open Cup and we'll see about l e FC coming up next month, but then this tournament as well. Do you do you like being able to kind of be the guy for these you know, side tournaments here.
I mean, of course, like any game is a game that I want to play. It's it's you know, STEP's been fantastic this year, and and I just you know, want to take the games that I.
Do get and making my own and.
You know, going out and just enjoying the moment too, because you know, I'm not playing week in, week out in the MLS, and so you know, when I do get the chance to walk cut out loomen, it feels pretty special.
And hopefully get a few more of them this year.
What is your relationship with stuff like both on the field, you in training, off the field, what do.
You guys like?
It's fantastic. I mean, I hope he says the same, but I think it's fantastic. He's He's an extension of Tommy to me, honestly, and I think Jacob would say the same.
Is that he gives a little bits of feedback, a little.
Bits of technical you know, know how in training sessions. He's got so many years of experience, so many more games than than the two of us, that I think he's he's, you know, everyone's biggest supporter when when he's not involved and tries to can I give as much of his experience as he can, and especially in you know, like the warm up.
Today for instance, it's I haven't played at.
Lumen since March.
I think the Rapids game idea this year we'll open Cup once have been a staff fire, and so him just having a while here and there, like calming me down, take my mind off of the big things. I think was important. And I hope you would say that I'm as big of a support for as this years of me. I'd like to think that that's true. I'm, you know, definitely celebrating his big saves and big moments because he's kept us in or.
Won us a lot of game to see.
So obviously, Claude Newcocks are coming up. We'll see if you're in goal for that one. But you know, if you are in goal, you know, Minnesota you've seen many many times right, you just sawm a month ago with the with the win here. They're a much different team in Necarks that you haven't seen them this The club hasn't seen them a long time. How do you go about preparing for a club New Corks, a team that you haven't faced as much?
Yeah, I mean the coach as well obviously do do some homework or do some homework and you know, try and find the tendencies to expect. But more than anything, I mean, it's about establishing our ability on the game.
We're at home. We've got three points from the first one.
Like, you know, if we go and control the game, the tempo, dictate possession, then it doesn't matter all that much. You know, how they come out and it's going to be them reacting to us as opposed to be aware and.
The fact that you guys have it at home, right, I mean, like and you higher season, you have potentially be a lot of home games in this tournament. I imagine that's a big motivating key to get through the group stage and get results so you guys can keep being here.
Yeah, Sobstinely, I mean, it's it's obviously always fun playing in front of our fans rather that than than you know, let's getting heck going to Mexico exactly something like that. But you know, taking it a game at a time, that's it's what we can do. We you know, didn't do too well in the Least Cup last year and so just it was important to get off on the right foot and hopefully, yeah, a bunch more to go.
We'll cheers to a clean sheet of getting into Coosa in a week and a half.
Thank you, Yeah, I hope.
So that's good stuff there from Andrew Thomas, your Sounders goalkeeper. As preparation continues today and will continue through this week for Sounders and Club Necoxa coming up on Sunday, one more time with that Sounders Clubncoxa. Here's the second match of the group stage of League's Cup. A result will move the Sounders forward. You can watch the match via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. We will
not have a radio broadcast. You can listen in Spanish language on l Ray thirteen sixty and of course get your tickets SOUNDERSFC dot com slash tickets for Sunday's match seven thirty kickoff Sounders and Club Nacoxa. Before we break, I'll let you know that twenty twenty five season membership
deposits are on sale. Now place a one hundred dollars deposit and gain access to benefits you can use this season, including Louenfield concert pre sales and mlsstore dot Com discounts, lordmore at soundersfc dot com, backslash membership.
Speaking of mlssucker dot.
Com, a writer and editor for that website, as well as host of the podcast Lobbing Scorchers, Ari Lillian Wall will join us next here on Sounders Weekly on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR Now back.
To Soundersweekly on your home for Sounders FC cle's Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM.
Welcome back Sounders Weekly. Good to have you with us here on this Wednesday night here Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Good to chat with Andrew Thomas.
You that in the last segment in the locker Room after Seattle's two nothing win over Minnesota. Coming up later tonight, We're gonna also talk with Max Brettis. He's gonna be calling Sounders Versus Club Nacosa on Sunday at seven thirty on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. But right now it's time to take a trip a round League and a Round League's Cup with our good friend from MLS Soccer dot com and the podcast Lobbing Scorcheres Ari Lillian
wall Ari. Good to have you back on the show, my friend, how are you?
I'm good, Jackson, thanks for having me.
Yeah, good to have you back.
Ari.
I imagine the podcast Lobbing Scorches with with you and Noah. The Paul Rothrock agenda is soaring pretty high right now. I would like you to talk to Noah about the whole nickname thing with Paul. I know we kind of have pushed Lloyd Sam and that, you know, to the rocky nickname. But Rothrock Lobster that's not gonna fly either, my friend, you.
Don't think so. I thought that one was pretty good, but we actually we kicked around a few options, so you know, I'm open to suggestions. I'm not like super rigid about it. Whatever people think is.
The best, let's bring that to the air. What are you rolling with right now?
Well, I mean we were talking about Rothrock Lobster. We've had Rothrock and Roll, We've had I mean, man, I can't remember him off the top of my head. But we've had a whole score of Rothrock related puns and content this season, much more than I thought we would going into the season.
There certainly are a lot.
When Max Brettis is on, I'm gonna talk to him about nicknames as well. So but that seems to be kind of a fun understory of all of the good that's happening right now and the good that's happening for Paul. I mean, he's just once again making stuff happen when
he's on the field. And I want to continue the conversation that I was just having in the previous segment, which is listen if you need to start Paul Rothrock and you think you and I agree, and we've talked about it before on the air and off the air, that Paul Rothrock needs to have a story arting spot on the team because of what he's just doing to
this team. And if you have a top four of Jordan at the top, Pedro on one side, Paul on the other, Albert in the middle, then the question becomes, do you have Jual Paulo next to Obed Vargas with Christian roll don it right back or do you have dual Paulo next to Christian role don with Alex rol Don it right back.
Which of those two options would you prefer?
Me?
Personally? I like the setup that has keeps the double pivot of JP and Obed and has Christian at right back. I think Obed has to be starting right now. I think he's had that type of season. It's really been a breakout season for him and just everything he brings to the table. I think he has earned a starting role. And you know, the more I thought about it, that the moving Christian to right back thing. At first, I
was not a very big fan of it. I felt like it was putting him at a position that does not it's not his best position. You know, I would say right mid and that double pivot role. I would both have said that those were better positions for him. But the more I thought about it, the more this idea of putting him at right back where he can employ that two way skill set. You know, we know his work rate and everything he brings on both sides of the ball, and his skills as a wide attacker.
It's actually a skill set that suits itself quite well to a modern fullback, and I think that's the best way to get him on the field right now.
I completely agree, and using the cinemologic I came to the same conclusion the last segment where I think, because Obed Vargas has had such a great season, and I mean the reality are is the fact that his value is just increasing more and more and more, the more starts he gets and the more of these performances he continues to accumulate. And one of the interesting things I don't think we even talked about this last week was
the new MLS roster rules that became official. Where you know, before it was the situation where if a club sold a player for say four million, five million dollars, not to say that that's what Obed would bring.
I think Obed could bring even more than.
That, But if a club were to sell player for four million or five million dollars, the club would only get what was about one point two million dollars to their allocation budget. Now MLS makes the rule change where instead of one point two million, it's three million, So if you sold the guy for four million bucks, you
get three of that to your allocation budget. That seems ari to be a big, big point for various clubs like a Seattle Sounders like many others who sell players, you know, and who could sell players to make a lot more with their allocation money based on you know, you know, I should say grooming, but bringing up the young talent in their system.
Yeah. Absolutely, And I mean what I'm hoping to see with these new rules, I think anyone who follows the league and knows kind of the minutia of how this stuff works, it's very complicated and it's very hard to follow. I don't really know the fine points of it myself, but I think on a basic level, the way to think of it is that, you know, some of these restrictions that have kind of tied the RMLs closes down over you know, really since its inception, those are starting
to loosen up a little bit. And you know, the idea is they're they're trying to incentivize teams to sign more and more young talent, to be more of a selling league in that way, which I think is where MLS is at right now. And I think that's an
effective way to up the quality. And you know, just for me, I'm hoping to see teams really use this to improve their rosters, increase the talent level in the league, and you know, ultimately, I think that's what's going to be good for the growth of the league, even if it's a little more incremental than I think a lot of us would like to see.
Ariy Lillian was our guest mwasoccer dot com and check out his podcast Lobbing Scorchers. This latest episode was great as they discussed nicknames for Paul Rothrock. Ari speaking of growth of the league, I think that's a perfect transition to be talking about League's Cup because the league has been on display and the quality of this league has been on display in League's Cup, where MLS is honestly
dominating right now. I mean, I think we start just the overall conversation with MLS, but I love to kind of get your two cents on what Austin's doing as well, where Austin has taking two very good lee MX clubs and just rocking them. I mean MLS as a whole right now doing very well in the group stage of this tournament.
Yeah, they are. It has been definitely more one sided in favor of MLS so far than I would have expected. I do think it's fair to point out, you know, the LEAGA m X teams in this scenario, there are at a bit of a disadvantage having to travel for every game. You know, they're not playing any home games in this tournament, and that does that does admittedly give MLS clubs the upper hand. I think they are capitalizing
on that to an extent. But on the flip side of that, I do think it's fair to point out too, you know, I mean, a lot of legam X fans and their commentators and media they I mean, they like to talk a lot about how much how superior their league is in terms of talent and quality in the level, and they like to they rightfully tout their dominance and Conka CAF Champions Cup over the years as evidence of that.
But you know, if there really is that big of a quality differential between the two leagues, I would think you would be able to handle some road games, you know. I wouldn't think that playing every game on the road would automatically kind of doom you to this defeat of having all these results go very one sided in favor of MLS. So, you know, I think it's fair to
point that out as well. But I would say overall, I definitely have been surprised not necessarily that MLS clubs have the upper hand being that they're hosting every game, but the extent of the dominance. And then like you mentioned those Austin FC results, those raised eyebrows. Those are two of the better teams in League MX handled by Austin FC team that's in tenth place in the Western Conference right now. Not what many people would have expected.
Well, yeah, I think we'll see because obviously we know le MX is more of a top heavy league, so we'll see if the cream eventually arises to the top. And we do see very good clubs like Cruizzol for example, making it a later round in this tournament. But it's interesting results so far as MS does so well, and you know, it's a pro transition to then talk about what we're facing LEGA NX as the Sounders obviously take
care of business Minnesota to nothing. That was nice, and then Rothrock had the goal in the assist, et cetera. But now they prepare for their first LEAGA NX team in Club Nakoxa on Sunday, and it's a team last night that we saw put up what was it like, thirty shots against Minnesota, sixteen saves by Dane Saint Clair.
What do you think Nacoxa getting a little more lucky or sorry, Minnesota getting a little more lucky that they were able to keep him out of the back of the net, or is it the failure of Nacoxa not to get a goal.
I mean, I think it's a little bit of both. I mean, first of all, Dame Saint Clair is playing out of his mind right now. I mean, if you remember the Seattle game as well, Seattle probably could have had two or three more goals if he wasn't. He was under siege the higher time, and he was making these crazy saves, and then last night he even he ups to Amy with that. I mean, like you said, sixteen saves, that's a League's Cup record, it's a Minnesota
United record. But Minnesota United also got another red card in that game, second straight League Cup game for them with a red card, and they were up one zero at the time, and they managed to hold that lead and see out the one zero win over Nickcoxa because of Dames Saint Clair. So I do think that that result is a little harsh on Nikoxa based on how they played. They really based on the amount of shots
and chances they had. It's pretty unbelievable that they didn't score a goal that could have changed the result of that game. At the same time, I mean, they're a club that's pretty far down on the LEGA NEX table. Also, you know, with Seattle's result, they I think they could lose three zero and still advance if I have that correctly. So that's not to say that they can afford to like take this game lightly or phone it in at all whatsoever. But they have themselves in very good position
to advance. And this is not a League MX team that is on the upper echelon of their league table or considered one of their higher quality teams right now. This is a team that's there. I think they're in thirteenth place in the League MX table right now.
Yeah, exactly, And it is we kind of by the way, we're doing our sharp version of oponent Alex Tonight's oponent allot presented by Sharp Vision Modern lescn lens, the official Lasik provider of Sounders FC. And this is obviously, Tim, think you nailed it right there. And now they're facing a situation where they have to go for the win. Sounders may even rotate theoretically because they just can't lose
for nothing basically. So I think this is an interesting case where do you think that Nakaxa just go for it and it's you know, just you know, you know what to the wall, you know, running all up and down every day and every play, you know, just going for it. How do you think they play this one? Because this could for my money, because of the situation, because of what these teams have at stake, this could become a very open game very early.
Yeah, absolutely, I mean I think they have to go for it in that way. Their tournament is on the line right here, so they're going to have to be very aggressive and try and come out from the front, on the front foot from the very beginning. And really for them, I think it's all about trying to get
an early goal. And if you get that, instill that confidence, that belief that if you can just keep pouring it on, maybe you have a chance at getting the result that you need, which you know, that means that playing a desperate opponent, you know, there's always kind of two ways to look at it, like, yeah, they're going to be coming at you, but that also leaves them vulnerable as well.
They're going to be throwing numbers forward. They're going to be trying to obviously score as many goals as they can, and that can leave you susceptible on the counter attack or just open you up in general. So, I mean, I do think that it's going to be a high intensity game from the start, given the stakes and given the situation that the Cox is in. But that can
play to Seattle's hands in a way. They just have to be ready to absorb that pressure and weather that intensity and energy that they're going to bring at the start of the game. I think in this situation, if you can get through that first fifteen to twenty minutes without conceding and sort of weather that you put yourself in a pretty good in a pretty good spot.
Ari LEENWALLMLS soccer dot com. Check out his podcast Lobbing Scorchers. I will see the stadium on Sunday. We'll see how this thing breaks down. And have a good rest of your week, my friend.
Thanks Jackson, appreciate it.
Sorry, LELEANWALLMLS soccer dot com and check out his podcast. We'll take a break here in Sounders Weekly and we'll continue talking Sounders Club Nacosa and League's Cup with a man who will be on the call for Sunday's game, Max Brettis, will join us next here in Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRF.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc CL's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FL.
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, Everybody, Jackson feltz here. Good to be with you thanks to our guest so far tonight Andrew Thomas and Ari Lillian Wall. Check out the podcast in case you missed either of them. I know we usually do around the sound not too much to talk about nwsl is on their Olympic break gonegoing currently right now, and then of course the USL two season
over for our local soccer club. So we move on here and we get back to talking Lee's Cup and Sounders facing Club Nakasa and the man who's gonna be calling the match for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV Sunday at seven thirty is Max Brettis. Great to have Max back on the show and he joins us right now. Max, good evening, my friend, How are you Jackson?
I am great, And the fact that I'm talking to you is good news because it means I have a trip to Seattle, a city that I've been visiting with some regularity.
The last year or so.
And I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed the trips recently, so look forward to spending some time in your beautiful neck of thewards.
Well, it'll be good to see you again.
I've been seeing you and Doney a lot over the last you know, a few months or so, a lot of trips to Seattle. But it'll be good to have you back here as the Sounders looks to advance in Lea's Cup. As we've been kind of saying throughout the night, all we need for the Sounders is not a four goal loss and then we're through to the next round.
So it's looking pretty good.
I'm I'm not sure how much you caught of Sounders Minnesota, but you know, I thought for the Sounders looked just solid enough to get through with a couple of late goals. What have your impressions been of this League's Cup tournament so far?
Overall? For the league?
I mean, it's it comes in and we all know it comes in a bit of an unknown and people are curious what it is.
There are some diehard MLS supporters that.
Are are leery of it because of how we've seen the league change with how they've received the Open Cup. And then there are some newer fans that, quite frankly, when you talk to them, I was covering the league all over, they don't know what exactly it is because you know, they're used to a thirty four game season, so it requires some massaging with all of that. But it's I love the idea of having a tournament that
you don't see anywhere else. And these are two leagues that kind of help each other out because they are very similar. Right, they don't have promotion relegation, their Cup competition is kind of a little bit off off the radar in these days, but it's they can help each other out and I look forward to seeing it grow. But it needs to have good additions.
And while every game hasn't been great, you.
Know, we saw it the Spiss, the coach of Charlotte who wasn't happy about the performance there, and I think buying large though, there's been good games here that can kind of grab the attention and imagination of some folks. I got to do the Portland game against Leon up in their place was. It was magical, well attended, competitive game. There was a lot of emotions from both sides. There's no love lost between these teams, even though they're playing
in many cases for the first time. So there are some good ingredients. I think you just have to streamline it and hopefully those good games start to.
Outweigh the ones. They're a little bit indifferent, but I love it.
I love it because of those matchups, and I think with the early returns we've seen MLS do so well, we need these. I mean, hey, I can't believe I'm saying, hey, Legah Mecki's we need to get you some we need to get some win.
But hopefully yeah Nick Max against you guys.
Well hopefully not.
I would love to, you know, just see a dominant win and we move forward and it's all, you know, good and gold for the Sounders to the next round. But you know, it's interesting, you know, on that side of you know, seeing le mxy and we see by the way, I've heard that Cleven and Coxon might have like a supporter group of about five thousand people in Seattle.
Not sure how many of that group make it out on Sunday, but I should be a fairly good contingent of fans for the opposing side at lumen Field on Sunday. But that was the question I was going to ask, was was the weirdness at least for me looking at the records and looking at the results. I mean, Austin has had tremendous results against LEGA MX clubs. So have you been surprised by the you know, for a lack of a better word, dominance by MLS over this year's tournament so far?
I have been surprised by, you know, like, for instance, Tuesday night, MLS already had an edge and there was three League m East versus MLS games. Pachuca beat the Red Bulls in the penalty shootout. The other games were Austin beating Manterey, which you know, I didn't expect they need them by two goals, Minnesota and Nakasa, which is a game in your group.
I think Nicoxa been unlucky. They had thirty shops.
That was the case that you had a goalkeeper the proverbial standing on his head. So they're not all apples to apples, but the I mean, I think if you look at the Austin story, that's a great story, a very ordinary club all season and now they've just lifted themselves up where they're going to win this group and they beat two League and Metals teams. I mean, that's the best week that club arguably has ever had.
We we're dealing with very.
New clubs here, so's it's pretty exciting to see that. So there's gonna be nice score stories developing that there's good ones every night, and I think we're seeing that with Austin, with Dane Saint Clair and what happens in the next game. But yeah, I'm surprised by it because look, playing away and being away from home.
For two three weeks is very difficult.
But it's not the It's not the most outlandish road trip when you think of you could have five thousand of your supporters there. You're gonna be in these cities for a few days where you can get familiar again.
It's still difficult.
I am surprised because the data suggests that we shouldn't have MLS.
Winning what is at eighty percent of these games? It really is.
I think one thing I'm not surprised is but we're also seeing the hierarchy of legamechis there's there's top teams and.
Then the middle group and the lower group.
I mean there's big drops and I think the the MLS teams, if you if you had a combined league, kind of slide in behind the two or three best teams in Mexico and then the bottom part of the Mexican teams bring up the rear. I think that that's where MLS is. It's an improved product and on the normal matchup they'll beat most of the Lega E Mechis teams with a couple exceptions.
Yeah, it's interesting, I think, you know, for you look at right now the league at Mexis table and Cruise azolbing at the top. They played Charlotte tonight, so you know, it will just being interested to see kind of just how this develops and if those top teams from the Mexican League do eventually you know, flex their muscles and we see a very interesting you know, quarterfinal, semi final final that sees the leagues going against each other and it not being mL just MLS like it has been
in the early stages. So I mean a lot of this tournament to go so far, but you obviously you know, watch we watched Dane Saint Clair.
You're right, just unbelievable.
Sixteen saves, that's a League's Cup record in the game against Nakaxa. So obviously they were dangerous, just unlucky. Then you've obviously calling the games with Dunny here over the last few months, I've seen Seattle a lot. So when you kind of look at this matchup here, knowing that for for Ncaxa they have to win, they must win to go through h so you know that they're gonna go for it, and for the Sounders, you know it's just don't lose by four, right, So how do you
kind of handicap this one? Do you think that we're gonna kind of see a wild and out Nacoxa team just kind of running up and down, trying their damnedest to get balls in the back of the net.
Yeah, it's a tall order for them to get through Seattle's You know, I've told a lot of their games they need the League's Cup. The big issue of them is they were they weren't hell the Pandos, the La Vega situation, and now they're healthy and they're they're deep at two positions.
So again to see you know, one of.
The great stories year in year out, how the homegrowns and the local Seattle players or their academy steps up time and time again, and they're doing it this year.
I mean, I think Paul.
Ross Rock is under undercover top stories in the league. What he has done and the confidence that the coach has had at him, and how he has developed and provided. I think Ovid Vargas is becoming, you know, a best at his position player in the next year or two, the way he has handled the responsibility.
And then this Jordan Marris revival is great too. You can see.
I mean, he's not even thirty. Feels like he should be forty years old. He's still twenty nine. So I think I think it's all there. It's a tough it's a tough spot for Nickoxa. I'd be surprised if they were able to if this was a situation where Lega and that He's switched their fortunes. I think this is a spot where Seattle can flex their muscles a bit.
Well.
Listen, if Paul Rothbrock does and continues to do what he's been doing, which is just getting onto the field and making you know, stuff happen. As I said throughout the show. I mean, he just every time he's on the field, good things happen if he happens to score again. Lloyd Sam, one of your co workers there with MS Season Pass on Apple TV, he called him Rocky. Uh, we're trying to push a couple other nicknames for for Paul Pauli Primetime Capitol Hill Kid.
We're trying to push down Rocky.
So if you happen to call one of his goals, just don't use the nickname Rocky if you could.
You don't want to hear that I threw out there.
You don't want to hear when I threw out there and it was panned very quickly with Paul Ross rock and Roll.
Think it's correct.
Love, There's a lot of things you can do with his name.
Well, Max will be great to see you here on Sunday for the match Sounders Club nacoxa seven thirty kickoff at Luminfield. Everybody can watch MLS Season Pass on Apple TV or mind everybody, we do not have a radio broadcast. Uh, so you'll be able to listen to Max the whole way if you are just sitting at home or whatever else and follow MLS Season Pass Apple TV. For his broadcast there on Sunday. I'll see you at Luminfield in the press box.
Max. Have safe travels up to Seattle and have a great call.
This weekend summertime at doesn't get better than that. I can spend it. My family's coming up. I'm spending an extra day, so I'm looking for some good restaurant recommendations.
Oh, we'll start with. My favorite is Chinooks in the Inner Bay area. Chinooks at Fisherman's Terminal is probably.
From my money. Yeah, that's that's a seafood place, and it's just killing.
I'm going to overdose. I'm going to overdose on seafoods.
So I'll think I'm riding it down Chinook's. Dukes on Green Lake. It's gonna be beautiful this weekend, like nearly ninety degrees. So Duke's on Green Lake is awesome because then you can have a bullet showder and go walk the path, run along sun Green Lake.
Let's see.
There there's a whole I'll tell I'll text you some other ones. We gotta run. But there's a lot, there's a lot of good places.
I can only have three I can only have three meals a days, but you're also a good start.
All right, Max, I'll text you I have a very very good evening and we'll see you on Sunday.
Thanks Jackson, all the best, Good luck to Seattle.
It's great stuff there. Max Brettis MLS season pass on Apple TV. Love talking to Max. I know he's a little bit polarizing for a lot of people in terms of what they like out of a play by play voice. I personally, you know, Max Brettis. We've always seen him on ESPN, and I think he's always just behind the scenes and just hearing from not even Max, from other people about how he's always champion soccer at a higher
level of whether it's sports center or anywhere else. And I love people who love soccer and who show their passion for soccer and who push their passion for soccer in those kinds of places. So so I love Max for that reason that he's champion soccer at the higher levels throughout his career, and that's saying listen regardless of the play by play voice. And I still like him. I think that because of who he is as a person and the work that he's done to push soccer
forward in this country. I love Max, so it's always great to chat with him here on Sounders Weekly.
But that will do it for the show tonight.
You want to thank all of our guests, including Andrew Thomas back there last Friday in the locker room after Minnesota, Ari, Lillianwall and Max Bredus right there. Check out the podcast Sounders Weekly in case you missed anything, Sounders Weekly wherever you get your podcasts, including the iHeartRadio app. That'll do it for us tonight. One more note that Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish, official healthcare partner of Seattle Sounders FC. We will talk to you next week
for another edition of Sounders Weekly. We'll be watching their MLS season pass on Sunday for Max's Call of Sounders and Club Nacasa. Everybody enjoy the game, have a good rest of your week and Fox Sports Deo is coming up.