Coming to you live from Orelliot 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 on this beautiful Wednesday night, ninety three point three KJRFM. Sounders Weekly for the next hour talking Rave Green soccer and there is a lot to get to. We don't have a lot of time to dilly dally tonight. There's a lot coming up as we react to a three to one Sounders loss in the group stage in LEAs Cup. The good news that not only are they still moving on in LEAs Cup, but they are hosting the La
Galaxy tomorrow night. We're gonna be by the way having a broadcast all for Sports Radio nine fifty kjr AM tomorrow Providence, Swedish premat show of seven o'clock with Miss Keeley Dunning. I will have the play by play call starting at seven thirty over on nine fifty KJR AM. You know also nine fifty kjr dot com slash listen to pick up that match tomorrow. As we are in the round of thirty two, the knockout round of League's Cup facing a very dangerous LA Galaxy team. We're gonna
be talking about that game all through the night. In just about two minutes, I think that's him calling right now, Brian Dunseeth MLS Season Pass on Apple TV Broadcaster, where you can also watch the match tomorrow there at seven point thirty, he will be joining us. I'll quickly mention too, you can get your tickets at soundersfc dot com slash tickets for tomorrow's match at Lowmanfield against the Galaxy. So Brian Dunseeth will be joining us here in a matter
of moments. We're also gonna chat with Ari Lillienwall of MLS Soccer dot Com in the podcast Lobbing Scorchers about the Sounders Galaxy game and also Route Leagus Cup in general, and then we're gonna be joined. I believe we're gona beel to fit in two interviews. O beet Vargas, who I talked to after the three to one loss against Nakasa Obed scored in that game, talked to him in the locker room afterwards, and also was able to catch
up with tom Me Dutre out at training yesterday. Really good conversation that we're gonna hear as well later on tonight, So all of that coming up really quickly before Brian dun Seth joins, we don't have time to really kind of dissect the Brian Schmitzer interview with myself and Dave Softi Maler on Kjar yesterday. Check out the Softy indict Interviews page if you want to get that. He did say Pedro de Lavega is going to be out for
two weeks, so that is unfortunate. He said today that he maybe we can get him back for the restart of the MLS season on August twenty fourth, but no Pedro de la Vega. It's a maybe on ral Ruy Diaz, but doesn't sound like Raoul on the bench for tomorrow. He's out as well. JP is back. So those are your injury updates. Check out the interview for more. But joining us right now here on Sounders Weekly is the man who's going to be calling the match tomorrow alongside
Max Brettis for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Brian dun Seth joins, us, right now, Donny, great to have you back on the show man.
How are you?
I apologize I'm not sure how much you had to pay Max Spraitos for his appearance fee, but I assure you I'm much cheaper.
Okay, good, That'll be better out of my bank account this week than last week because that was a hefty dollar. No, but you guys will be there on the MLS Season Pass Apple TV call Ford to Morrow, Knights match seven to thirty kickoff, Sounders and Galaxy and Donnie. I just look at this Galaxy team and honestly, I see the three p's of Paintsil Pouge and Gabrielle Peck and honestly, the Galaxy scare me. This is a tremendous offensive team
fifty goals scored in MLS this year. I look at the Sounders defensively, yes, you know how good they are, but this is a Galaxy team that scares me. And I think it could be a very interesting match tomorrow.
You know, it's been one of those well, first off, credit to everyone involved because of the La Galaxy. It's been a tough go these last couple of years because you know, you go back from you know, the Robbie Keane Landon, Donovan Josse Zardees year into kind of those lots on days and Bruce Arena, and then you know kind of where where they've been the last couple of years, and you know that that's just not that's that's not
the brand of the LA Galaxy. I was able to spend some time over in Europe a couple of winters ago, and I went and played some pickup soccer, pick up football, and literally every game there's a Galaxy jersey on and and you know they they had kind of catapulted into this different stratosphere when David Beckham had come to Major League Soccer. And by the way side, note the credit that David Beckham still should be getting on a daily basis.
To see this nuclear arms growth of spending that we're seeing in Major League Soccer, it really did fast forward the trajectory of what MLS was trying to do at the time. But I think this started with Will Coons.
And when Will Coons left and he of Will Coon's of New York Yankees MLS headquarters, l a f C launch and now heading across town to work with the Galaxy a couple of years ago, all of a sudden things started to change and it alleviated some of the pressure on Greg Vanny to just focus more on the coaching side as opposed to the coaching side and the
roster build with Jovon Karovski at the time. And I think what we've seen is obviously you know a Shoots and as an owner, phil An Shoots has been one of the biggest investors in soccer in the United States. Doesn't really like the spotlight, but has always made funds available if there's proof that the player is the right player for the group, and to see Ricky Pooch come
over for whatever the circumstances worth. It's time at Barcelona to be one of the best number tens outside of the name Lionel Messi, and then to have Will Konz be a part of this and convince him to stay for a long term contract at his age categories incredible and phenomenal. But then to go out and add two guys in painful impact that aren't household names but are
nominal players. And at the end of the day, I think the fear that you're talking about is the reality that the La Galaxy at any moment can score two to three four goals a game. Now. Defensively, at times they haven't been fantastic. They've led in one to three goals a game. Well, they're scoring two, three, four goals a game. But yeah, when when they're clicking, and it's usually from the first tenth in the opening whistle, they are a tough challenge for any team, whether at home or on the road.
Yeah, that's the attack that I just fear. And you know, listen, I think we here in Seattle, I mean, the most least goals conceded in the Western Conference, So Goad defensively, Andrew Thomas and goal not exactly a drop down at all from step and Fry. I think we're good in that department. But this is just a monster attack that we're facing tomorrow night. So it should be an interesting
bout and we'll see where it goes. Bron, I want to ask you about least couple overall, because I asked this to Max last week and got kind of his two cents. But when we kind of step back, I can look at this entire tournament. Through the group stage of League's Cup, it's been very heavily dominated by MLS. I mean to the point of Austin FC going through that group, the Galaxy taking down Chievs in penalties. What have your impressions been of just how much MLS has
kind of owned this tournament this year. Do you put it more in the stock of just the fact that Mexican teams have to all play in America or is it is it legitimately showing the quality of this league? Now taking another step.
Yeah, I think there's a couple of different margins to identify. I think the gap is getting closer and closer. I think the ownership that we're continuing to see evolved in Major League Soccer means it equates to heavy investment in the leagues. I mean, and I was using this as not a negative towards Seattle, but more of a positive towards the league. You know, the transitionary years from Alba
Semi Martins and Clint Dempsey to Rawul Luidiaz Nikoladero. I mean that they were the guiding light of spending, right, and that feels like that's forever ago, because we've seen all of these multi ownership clubs coming in and spending significant dollars, so effectively you go from millionaires to billionaires and sometimes multi billionaires and sometimes multi billionaire owners underneath
the same umbrella of an ownership canopy. So I think the difference makers in Major League Soccer are that much better. I would say the roster depth is that much stronger. And when you're comparing and contrasting a thirty year old league to some of these teams that have over one hundred years of existence and history and infrastructure and academies and all of those things, you know, it's pretty daunting.
But I think what we're continuing to see and listen, there's a distinct home for the advantage of playing in the United States, although there's been significant concession made towards legua Amecki's club to have more of a of a housing base and having a home field advantage based on you know, the success over the last couple of years in regional tournaments and regional competitions. But at the end of the day, you know you're the unfamiliarity between the two.
I would say tactical approaches, right, and you guys saw that against Matasa, where at times you know they're releasing four or five players in the offensive base of play, and then they've got this counterpress which is man on man and something that we just don't regularly see. So the familiarity or the lack thereof is usually in that first fifteen to forty five minutes where you're like, oh my god, what is this? We don't see this in MLS. And then how do we adapt? How do we deal
with it? What adjustments do we need to be made? How do they deal with our style and structure and identity. But listen, at the end of the day, Matt Max and I just got back from Houston. We did Monterey Pumas. Monterrey had lost to nil to Austin. Then they get dumped out in the group stage losing penalties against Plumas, and Tunnel or Tease was fired today. Yeah, I mean the head coach of Monterey was fired because he didn't win two games and get out of the group stage
in League's Cup. So when people say like, oh, it's a tournament that doesn't matter, go as Tunnel or Tease if it matters or not, because in the first four games he won three lost one in the Appartuda and then this is the perennial regional heavyweight with tig this and they're not allowed to lose. So yeah, I there's a lot of very there's a lot of varying factors in what's happening when you compare and contrast League Mecki's in Major League Soccer. But I just think that we've
done it down to its simplest point. The gap is closing, and the gap is closing, I think quicker than maybe the common soccer fan is willing to acknowledge.
Yeah, it's it's closing a lot faster than I think a lot of fans are seen. I mean, we saw it with the Sounders winning CONCACAFT and that kind of closed the gap in a lot of our minds up here. But I think around the country this tournament and we'll see what you know, the final you know, eight in the final four look like if you have a cruise, a zool in there and whatnot. But I think we're clearly seeing MLS taking another step, at least in this tournament.
It's wild.
Hey, Brian Dunsa's our guest. He's gonna be on the call tomorrow for Sounders and La Galaxy MLS Season Pass on Apple TV kickoff right around seven forty before.
I let you go Donny really quick.
I didn't ask you about this last time, and I wanted to get your two cents on the situation with the United States men's national team. We know the Olympic team went out to Morocco in a in a big, big loss, but in terms of the senior team, you have a situation where Greg Burholder's out. Klopp said, no,
we got the report yesterday that was at Pellegrino. Mazzazo also said, no, where do you sit with the with the United States program right now in the federation in terms of who they could or should go after and just how you try to you know, come back from you know, just what has happened over the last few months with having to let go of a Greg Berholder Again.
Yeah, I mean I think I'd take a more macro level than a micro level in this conversation, because if Tim Weya doesn't get caught reacting to the dark arts in a match against Panama where you know, West McKenny goal is chopped off to be in an offside position, Matt Turner isn't just lined up by an attacking player
and there's no yellow cards shown whatsoever. The goalkeeper is not protected in the challenge, had significant malicious intent and then we joke about it, Max and I we call it the dun Sethary, the dark arts, the manipulation of the opponent and or the referee, and one of the guys that is so uncharacteristically shown Red and Tim Waya all of a sudden, it completely changes the trajectory of
what the group stage looks like. Now, if we're being forgiving, say, well, Greg Berhalter isn't any better or worse of a manager than he was before, you know, the start of that game against Kanama. Now you could talk about tactics and maybe keeping the same team and not bring in, you know, a player here or there, you know, But the reality is when you when when we're being told in the build up that the Copa Medica is a dry run for the World Cup. You got to get out of
the group stage. And you certainly don't necessarily have to egotistically be in front of Utigla in the group stage, but you certainly can't be behind, you know, anybody else. You have to come in second place and you have to environ minimum make a knockout round. So the accountability was present. But here's the thing, Jackson, the reality is
there's only one guy. This matters. This matters for Matt Crocker, because Matt Crocker when given this role in this hierarchy and being identified as the guy that needs to be the one to lead you at soccer, and he whatever this this theoretical you know, plan is or or you know soft the workout of who should be the manager. The moment that he lands back on Greg Burhalter, you know, this is egg in his face because this was his
first hire. This is his failure. You know, you could have your own conversations about Marko Mitrovich was did he have the the background and the coaching acumen to be the right guy to lead the US at the Olympics. That could be debatable depending on what angle you you try to attack that conversation. So my concern is for
the US men's national team. If you are going to verbalize that money isn't an issue, I think the moment that you say that, you're basically saying that Jurgen klop Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, et cetera, et cetera, you can afford twelve to fifteen million nets per year to pay those type of managers. If you land on anyone else,
it's going to be somewhat of a disappointment. Peligrino Matarazzo has been an incredible manager that has taken the half less traveled and has obvious US ties, But I don't know what would suggest that he's the right guy for the US men's national team chop going forward, So bare minimum, I'm basically telling you I don't know. I don't know who the right candidate is. I don't know who the number one one a guy is. That Matt Crocker has to go out and convince to the US Soccer Board
that we need to get his Herbie Hancock. He needs to be the guy because this isn't a full cycle, this is half a cycle, so much like Emma Hayes that he absolutely got it right and knocked it out of the park. Who's the Emma Hayes version of a manager that is available right now? Because Emma Hayes as Chelsea Football Club manager was extraordinarily successful in domestic football and now has guided our US women's national team into
the gold medal match at the Olympics. So ten games in and she's gotten us to an Olympic final, a gold medal match. Who's the equivalent to that right now?
On the men's side. I'm not sure, but I would suggest that this could be the most important appointment, not for Matt Crocker, but for US soccer because we're hosting the World Cup, and by God, we better put that best team out there that can get us in the furthest run possible because we saw what the power of Toni Niola, Marcello Balboa, Alexei Lawis, John Harks, tab Bramos, Claudio Arena, Ernie Stewart, Eric ronalda type of momentum can look like, and what it did for our generation of soccer,
what it meant for MLS, what it meant for the future of playing the game here in the United States, and that is that is a that is a speck of sand compared to what twenty twenty six could be for the United States and the potential of what this US men's national team group is, because right now they're US men's national team players, but what they could be is I tonic heroes for the rest of their lives. Should they have a run that comes anywhere close to what we saw in ninety four.
They just need the right guy in charge, I think, to get them to that level. There's there's so much talent on that team, they can all become heroes. Yeah, I think it's just about finding the person who can turn in the me. I mean, my guy, my one a has always been Recio Pachettino. I'm I'm a Tottenham fan, so you know I love him in general.
And I.
Yeah, that's the typical response. No, but listen, I think I think that his style and just the way he coaches would work so well with this group. And because he's out of a job right now, I just I have I have no idea if he would even be remotely interested in a job like this, or if he still has eyes for the Premier League. So you know it, you know, sort of goes to the idea of clop right, like this isn't an attractive enough job for him, clearly.
So I too don't know the answer about about who is because it comes down to Crocker, and it comes down to the state of the federation, and you know, in a half a cycle, you know, getting the perfect guy to turn these kids into heroes. I don't know's it's something that I think that you You've called a lot of sounder games. You'll continue to call sounder games, and we'll probably continue to have this conversation in a future shows you're ahead, but yeah, I'm just sitting here
shaking my head wondering where the United States goes from here. Brian, we got a run, but that was awesome, man, Glad we got to kind of expand on that, but have a great call tomorrow night against the Galaxy. I'll see out there at Lumenfield.
Yeah, I'll see them arow night. Man. I appreciate its.
Good steph there from Brian Dunn, seth voice for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Once again, you can watch the match via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. You also listen over on our sister station, Sports Radio nine fifty am or we'll have the call Providence, Swedish premat show of seven o'clock. I'll be on that play by play call kickoff right around seven point thirty. Will be
an exciting game there for Sounders and Galaxy. Good thoughts there from Dunny and we'll continue to talk about that with Ari Lillianwall coming up next here as we look ahead to Sounders and Galaxy. Also mention that you get your tickets SOUNDERSFC dot com slash tickets for tomorrow night's match you know, also listen in Spanish language on l Ray thirteen sixty for Sounders and Galaxy tomorrow night before we take a break and joined by Ari really quick.
I was out at the Sounders Long.
Anchrist facility for practice yesterday and one quick thing I wanted to mention was I got to get a little bit of a sneak peak eye on something that happens every single year. You've heard me always and you know
my connection to this. I always talk about Scarves Fighting Cancer, the efforts to Kick Childhood cancer, and Scars Fighting Cancer is an awesome website where you can go on and you can buy various things that help kick childhood cancer and the funds go to kicking childhood cancer with Seattle Children's And there's a lot of cool different things, but one of them is these Glassy Babies that are coming out that are partnered with Stephen Fry that he works
on with designs and whatnot. And I got to kind of get a sneak peek of those, and those are looking very cool this year. There's also going to be some whiskey glasses this year that have the same kind of designs that the Glassybabies have, so I'll make sure to send everybody again to Scarsfighting Cancer dot com. There's a lot more that you can shop and help donate and you know, help kick childhood cancer on that website.
But Scarsfightingcancer dot com is worth the plug again and head down there if you need some new Sounders gear, if you want some unique Sounders gear, stuff that the players have had hands in Scarsfighting Cancer dot com and check out that good stuff, including those new glassybabies that look sick from Stephan Fry. We'll take a break here in Sounders Weekly. We'll come back and we will chat
with Ari Lillionwall. We are going to look ahead more to the Galaxy game here on Sports Radio ninety three point three kJ.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc CL's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Welcome back Sounders Weekly.
Jackson Feltz good be with you here on ninety three point three kjr FM. Should be mentioned that tomorrow's Sounders match seven to thirty kickoff against the LA Galaxy at Luminfield in the league's Cup knockout round. That will be over on our sister station of sports Radio at nine fifty KR am so nine to fifty am tomorrow for Sounders and Galaxy. Thanks to our first guest of the evening,
Brian Dunseeth, for joining us. Glad we got to talk to some Sounders, Galaxy, League's Cup, and the United States men's national team. Good stuff there from Dunny. Check out the podcast in case you missed that. But a man who has a podcast of his own, a writer and editor for MLS Soccer dot com and host of the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Our good friend Ari Lillionwalla joins us right now here in Sounders Weekly. Ari, good to have you back on the show, my friend.
How are you.
I'm doing well, Jackson, how are you good?
I'm good.
Lee.
Gotta start by just talking about the three to one loss Tunic. Obviously, this team moves on. We're hosting the Galaxy tomorrow. All that's fine and good, But it was a three to one loss. Let's just start with your opening two cents on what you took from that game.
Yeah, I feel like it went about as disastrously as possible for a game where you still ended up advancing in the tournament. I mean, it was a really good start. It was great to see Obed get on this core sheet again, but it felt like as soon as the Pego de la Vega's galazo got waved off, everything just sort of went downhill from there. That was a deflating moment, and then of course you lose him to injury again.
I believe this time it was his groin.
Which that sort of I think encapsulates what this season has been like for him. And it's just really unfortunate because that was the signing that we were all hoping we could see elevate this team, elevate this offense. A lot of this team's steiling I think hinged on that. Most people agree on that. And then so it for it to be for him to go out injured again, I mean you just you feel bad for him mostly, and I think it also really it's not going to have a good effect on this team going forward in
the tournament. So, uh, it was good that they moved on, good to see Obed score, but it really felt like they wimped out of that one, both in terms of the result and then with the additional injury they've no sustained as well.
Yeah, frustrating, just the situation that comes with the loss as well, it's a it's injury on top of insult. As it works out, you know, the Galaxy coming up as we kind of you know, look into our sharp vision of pond Alick a little bit, I think you're right because it is going to hurt the Sounders moving forward in game tomorrow, you know at lumen Field, where you know, yeah, you are going to be able to have a slightly rested Jordan. He only played forty five minutes.
You're gonna have a slightly arrested jib Poulo if he's ready to go. Obviously, you know the testing for the concussion, so you know there's that situation. So maybe not, but you know you have a little bit of advantages here and there. Jovilich injured for the Galaxy, So I don't know.
As I kind of look at this situation, ari for me, it seems like a team right now that's kind of just you know, yeah, they're through, but it's a frustrated team and they're up against the top team in the Western Conference who went through convincingly to win their group.
Yeah.
Absolutely, I mean I've been banging the drum all year that I think the Galaxy are right up there with the best in the West and the best in the league. I think if you take enter Miami out of the discussion, the Galaxy have the most turbo charged offense in the league.
And even without they were struggling a little bit without Jobalish who was injured like you mentioned, but they still have in their front for Ricky Poosh, who I think is the best passer in MLS, and then this winger duo of Joseph Painstill and Gabriel Peck, who if you look at their statute production this year, it's got to be the most productive winger duo in the league. And when that team gets rolling on offense, it's really tough
to stop. Frankly, it looks a lot like LAFC or Columbus or these other buzzsaw type teams that you have in the league. So even without Yogoleich, I think the Galaxy are forced to be reckoned with this year, I will say you can still get at them on defense a little bit. They still have a tendency of a lot of their games turn into these back and forth up and down shootouts where you can get at them and transition. So I don't think it's an unwinnable game or a result is not attainable by any means.
But you are.
I mean, you're going up against arguably the top offense in the league right now, when they're performing at their peak even without Yogoleich.
Yeah, thirty six goals conceded this year. I mean, it's not like they're you know, near fifty like they've been in recent years past. At this point in the season, there are such a much improved defensive team who've made acquisitions on both sides of the ball, and obviously Greg Vanny leading them.
I mean in the mall, you know. I mean, I've doubted LA.
I've doubted the LA Galaxy at a lot of turns because I've just waited for their defense to turn back into the defense that we've seen past, and it just hasn't happened. I mean, I don't know, maybe this is the time it finally does. But in your experience from watching the Galaxy this year, what is the way to
get at them? If they have such a lethal attack with the three p's of paint, sol, peck, and pooge, and then you have a much improved midfield and defense, how could the Sounders pull off you know what would be even as a home and upset win on tomorrow.
So their defense is improved. You're right about that. It's been a lot better, and that's partially why they're so much further up the table than they usually are. But I'm telling you it does surface sometimes. They can't quite they can't quite change who they are in that respect. They have some of these games where the ill timed concessions and games where they give up three or four goals. That still happens every once in a while. They've just
managed to minimize it quite a bit. I think, you know, I don't think you want to necessarily get into track meet with this team, because that plays through their strengths very much. I think they're most lethal in transition, so I think if you can take your transition opportunities and try and execute with them, that might be a good chance. But I don't think you want to be running back
and forth against these guys. I think you want to honestly muck up this game as much as you can and try and take them out of their element and then just see what you can generate on the offensive end. But I definitely don't like the idea of a back and forth shootout against this team, because that's absolutely what they do best, and even if you seek a couple past them, that's where they can get you for like three to five goals.
Yeah, I think that you nailed it right there. And I remember the game in May that was zero zero that the Sounders mucked up and had a few chances could have potentially gotten a win, but it really was a muddy game for them, and I believe they were missing Ricky Poos in that game, but obviously he is such a difference maker there in the middle for the La Galaxy. So listen, that will be a fun one
there tomorrow night to times upon it. Alex was presented by Sharp Vision Modern las can Lens, the official Lasik provider of Sounders FC. All right, let's go a little bit around the league here, and before we jump to some specific results and teams, I want to just kind of step back and look at the group stage of Leaks Cup and specifically, you know, for me on Sunday night, where we had you know, La Galaxy playing Chieves and
the Sounders were of course playing the COCSA. It kind of fell a little bit decision day where you're watching another score and you're looking at the table and you're looking at the situations of who could play who, and you're kind of getting this every single night in different groups. I think, listen, I've had my criticisms of leaks cup here and there, and you know, especially you know, seeing is how La won their group and Seattle came second.
But the Sounders are hosting them a lot. Doesn't make sense, but I gotta give it to them. In these individual nights, it really does capture a lot of energy of wondering who's gonna match up with who, who's gonna go where.
It was pretty exciting at least on Sunday.
Yeah, I think that this Vision Day comparison is a good one and it definitely does add an element of excitement and intrigue to it while you're scoreboard watching. Like you said on the flip side of that, it is quite confusing and it's very hard to keep track of like who's playing who and what needed to happen for
what matchup to take place. And frankly, I kind of gave up trying to keep track of that while it was all going on, and I just decided I'm gonna wait for these scores to wrap and then whatever the bracket looks like, That's what I'm going with. But you know, even with that said, there is there is still the excitement of you know, not knowing who you're gonna play, trying to keep track of what the matchups are gonna be like, and then you know how the scores will
affect that. It is a lot like decision Day, even if it was more complicated. And you know, maybe I'll learn the system eventually, but for now, I just, you know, let the matchmakers do their thing and take it from.
There, Mario, let's get to you kind of winners and losers. And by the way, Ari Luen was our guest Mlist soccer dot Com writer and editor, and of course check out his podcast, A Lot Scorchers Get Lobbing Scorches wherever you get your podcasts, including the iHeartRadio app Love Ari and Noah each week on that. You know, I imagine Ari that Austin's Are they the number one winner of the entire league? Of both leagues? Is there anybody else
that touches what Austin has done? And here in the group stage, no, I.
Don't think so. What they did was definitely the surprise of the tournament so far. I mean, this is an Austin team that's having a pretty middling year, and we'd play. I think they're in tenth place right now. I think their fan base is more passionate about firing their coach Josh Wolf right now than they are about like whether
or not they're winning their games. And then they come out in League's Cup and they beat two really Leaga MX giants frankly in CF money in their second game, and Pumas I believe in their first game, you know, both at Q two stadium with the MLS teams having the hosting rights for this tournament. But I mean that's still a pair of monstrous results for them from a team that you wouldn't necessarily expect.
And look the other groups as well, I mean, achieve Us obviously, you know, one of those other giants in Mexico and they come and last in their group, where La and San Jose moved through. Of course we also saw Portland go through. They captured two wins against Leon in Colorado. What else is looking at standing out to you in terms of the winners circle from the group stage, Well.
I think the main thing that stands out, at least in the earlier phases of the group stage is just how much success the MLS clubs were having against Lega MX. It was a very one sided start, and then I think as you got deeper into the group stage, the League MX team started to take a few more results, but I think overall the MLS clubs were it was very one sided in favor of them. Now, I think there's a few factors that you should you need to point out to when you're talking about why that is.
I think the main one being that the League MXUS teams are they're all traveling for these games, they have to play them on the road. That adds an element of adversity for them to overcome. But at the same time, feel like that's been affecting them more this year than
it has in the past iterations of this tournament. So I don't really know what the what the reasoning behind that is, but I think it's definitely a trend that I've noticed, and I'll be curious to see if that holds true through the rest of the tournament, because you know, a big raw of this tournament is kind of comparing the leagues and seeing how much the gap between MLS and League m X has closed over the years, which it has quite a lot, But I think the widespread perception,
correctly is that League m X is still at a slightly higher level than MLS. So it's hard to say how much of that is because the gap has closed, how much of that is because the League m X teams are at a disadvantage. But it's still definitely an interesting trend to keep an eye on.
Well.
I was talking to Max Brettus last week and he kind of was alluding to listen, I mean, there's the early stage of this tournament, but once we get into the knockout round and you know, these Mexican teams are more comfortable here, and you know the time is a little longer, You're gonna see team like t Grace, who you know, won their group with two wins and then you know, I believe they even beat Miami.
You're gonna see teams.
Like Cruise Azul, who I believe are at the top of the Mexican table in their league right now, who went through in Group four. You're gonna see those those teams sort of rise to the top in the knockout round. Do you think those giants find their way into like
a semi final. Because it does. It does kind of feel like his reasoning made sense of kind of the more time that goes by, the more experience, the more acclamation to the United States and travel, et cetera, those teams are gonna kind of start flexing their muscles.
You're already seeing it with t Grace.
Yeah, I agree with Max. That's how I expect it to play out. But I'm interested to see if that's how it's actually going to play out. I mean, you know, cruz Azul, like you said, top of the table, but they were a penalty kick shootout away from bowing out of this thing to Charlotte FC. You know, so like you never know what can happen. But that exact storyline, that's what I'm going to be paying the most attention
to because I just think it's interesting. You know, Max is probably right that that is how it's gonna play out, but I don't know if it's guaranteed.
Well, tonight we have Vancouver Pumas and LAFC Austin. I'll let you go watch those. I'm gonna check out the scores for myself here in a few minutes. So we'll enjoy that. I'm not sure if we'll have a show next week. If the Sounders lose tomorrow, we won't, so we'll see if we're talking next week, Ari, but go enjoy the games tonight, enjoy Sounders Galaxy tomorrow, and we'll talk soon, my friend.
That's good, Thanks Jackson.
It's good stuff there.
From ARILILLIANWALLMLS soccer dot com and again he hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorchers.
Good stuff there well.
Twenty twenty five season membership deposits for the Sounders are on sale now. Place a one hundred dollars deposit and gain access to benefits you can use this season, including Luminfield concert pre sales, mlsstore dot com discounts. Learn more at soundersfc dot com. Backslash membership.
We'll get a break here in Sounders Weekly.
We'll come back and look a little bit more back to the three to one lost to Nakasa, as well as looking ahead to the La Galaxy game tomorrow. I was able to chat with Obed Vargas in the locker room after the game of the lone goal scorer. We had a really good conversation. So we'll hear from Obed Vargas and if we can fit it in, we might have some time. I also was out at training yesterday and had a great conversation with goalkeeping coach Tommy Jutra,
so we might be able to fit that in. Might be a special podcast edition of Sounders Weekly that we'll add on later, but we'll try to fit in both Obed Vargas and Tommy Dutra. That's next here on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc cel's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Welcome back Sounders Weekly, Jackson Feldts, good to be with you here ninety three point three KJRFM. Been a fun show so far tonight with Brian Dunseeth and Ari Lillianwall.
Good to chat with both with them.
Check out Sounders Weekly wherever you get your podcasts, including the iHeartRadio app in case you missed any of it here tonight. But coming up here this segment, we're gonna
go inside the locker room a little bit. I think we're only gonna have time this segment to hear from Obed Vargas, the Sounders midfielder who scored against Nakaksa, was able to chat with him after the loss there On Sunday was also able to have a long, nice chat with Tommy Jutra, the Sounders goalkeeping coach, out at training yesterday. That conversation is a lot about prepping for Lega mchi's
teams versus prepping for normal MS teams. Prepping for the LA Galaxy, the intense offensive attack that we're gonna see tomorrow night, Gabrielle peck Rich, Ricky Pooge, and of course Joseph Painseil had to prep for them as opposed to prepping for anybody else. Really good thoughts from Tommy Dutra on all that and more. We also spent about six minutes talking Udub Husky football and Washington Husky sports because
he's a big U Dub guy. So if you are a U Dub fan, what I'm gonna do is at the end of the show, I'm gonna post just that interview to the end of the podcast version of this show, so you want gonna hear that live. But I'll urge everybody if you're listening right now and you want to hear Tommy Dutra talk about tomorrow's game and talk some you Dub sports. Listen to the podcast version here a Sounders Weekly, because we're gonna have that in the podcast
version there with Tommy Doutre. It's not you can't miss it. It's really really good. If you're a Sounder fan or if you're a you Dub fan, and if you're both, it's a must listen. So that'll go to the podcast version. But as for the Sounders, the lost course in the Coxa three to one, they're still through to the knockout round. They're still hosting the La Galaxy tomorrow. The man who scored on Sunday his second career goal with the Sounders.
It came very early. It came off the foot of Obed Vargas, and Obed and I were able to catch up in the locker room and we started by simply talking about the atmosphere in the locker room. So here was the entire conversation with midfielder Obed Vargas there after the three one loss on Sunday. First, just describe the mentality and kind of the atmosphere with you guys. Obviously you lose by a couple you go through in the
group you're hosting the next game. What's the mentality and what's the atmosphere in here right now?
I think, you know, just coming into the locker room and at the end of the game, we can all see that we're very, very disappointed and how that game ended. Obviously, we started really well and we felt really good in the first fifteen twenty minutes. We thought we were gonna honestly that we thought we're gonna crush them, you know, the way we started one zero then to zero.
We are, but we're still in a good place.
And just the way that things turned around remind me a lot of the Monterday games last year, when we start off so well to zero and all of a sudden things just take a wild, wild you know, change, and we're down. I think we lost four to two or something like that. But similar, you know, we're very disappointing. We want and top the group, but I guess we just have to move forward. We're still in a good place. We're hosting the next round, and you just gotta prepare
make sure we learn from this. We can't leg against the away like this, and especially at home, so just move on and get prepared mentally for fly because.
It certainly does sound like there's there's no satisfaction. There's no joy in making it through the group and hosting. It doesn't just hearing the tone. There's no joy in in in the situation that you guys sound like you're totally just focused on, you know, improving upon tonight's match.
Yeah, I mean every single time you lose, I mean, I don't expect to be happy, right, even though we're going through.
Just that performance is just so.
Yeah, I don't know how to explain it to I mean, you just see the fans leaving after the third goal. The game hasn't even finished, and you know, you know, the fans aren't happy, We're aren't happy.
So obviously it's gonna be leave bad taste in NMS. So let's go back to that.
You said that it looked like it was two nothing there for a minute, and it looked like it didn't look like domination. There was that goal coming off the board. Was that something that kind of just hate you guys? And did that allow the game to turn for them?
Did you feel like, yeah, I think.
Unconsciously we you know, that affected us a little bit and Betts injury maybe going off you know in the first half affected us. But I mean for a professional team, you know, those things shouldn't shouldn't affect us. We should be strong enough mentally, and we should be strong enough team. We have a lot of experience that those type of things shouldn't you know, shouldn't affect the way, you know, the game goes, especially we're still up one zero.
I think we're in a good spot. So I think so I did, but I shouldn't.
But you can take games like this and games like Monterey last year and apply them to not only the leagues Cup, but I imagine.
You can apply them now in terms of not letting this happen and even in the MLS regular season playoffs, whatever it may be.
Yeah, I think we talked a little bit about you know, you know those Mexican teams, and sometimes they go round one direct and they create a lot of chaos, and maybe sometimes where we try to play two nights of you know, a game, we try to pass and pass around them, pass through them, and maybe sometimes we just need to create some chaos and go over the top and win second balls, you know, and you know, really
put them on their heels. I think that's something we need to need to work on because it's not gonna always work just you know, the way we want it. Our game plan is always gonna work, and we need to be able to to change things up a little bit against against these teams.
When you first what kind of broke onto the scene in the Conker Calf in twenty twenty two and in the Champions League there, did you experience that when playing Mexican teams throughout that tournament too?
Yeah?
I think we I think when I broke into that team, we were playing a little bit differently. Were we kind of sat back a little bit more and we knew our strengths, especially with Jordan's Christian you know, fast players. We knew on the counter and time we're really really fast and deadly. That's kind of honestly how I feel. We got a lot of goals that tournament. You know, we're really solid defensively, we're a really good block and when we won the ball, we're.
You know, we're really good going forward.
Now we play differently, we have more possession, We try to break the teams down, but I think we shouldn't, you know, forget about how we you know, used to beat these teams.
And play direct, putting behind them, use our strengths.
So I'm not doing my job if I, of course, don't talk to you about your goal, because I mean, listen, I know I get the mood is down, but you scored a great goal at the start of this game.
Take us through, you know, getting that pass and getting the shot in the back of the net. Take us through it.
Yeah, I think it's some movement that we that I trained or we've gone used to a lot. You know, when Christian gets the ball out wide and I see the space in front of me center back, there's a big gap between center back and their left back, and I just punched.
That gap getting in between.
Yeah, it's pretty routine play for us trying to get into that premise cyszone. But this time it was different because I felt I was closer to the goal than I was to the end line, and I saw the space that the goalkeeper left and the far side and and I honestly, at first, when I got that ball, I was gonna cross it. But I was so close to the goal and I saw the goal right in front of me that if I shot whatever credited for a long time.
Thank goodness that for one last thing for you, Oh bet so La Galaxy coming up this week in the round of thirty two. You know, we talked about prepping for at you know, le MX clubs, but prepping for a Galaxy team that you guys have faced and you guys know pretty well. So they're they're they're a good team in MLS right now.
What do you make of it?
Yeah, I think when we play them earlier this season they were missing a key player, Pooch. I think we honestly we should have won that game. But you know, they're a really strong team to have really fast guys up front, and they have Rik Pooch, who who's really really good. So I think it's gonna be a good challenge for whoever plays in the midfield to you know, deal with him and make sure that he doesn't really
make the game for them. It's gonna be hard, but I think we're gonna prepare and set out set out a plan to beat them.
Hopefully the mood in the locker will be a little bit better than this to night, and hopefully we were talking to you after a win.
Hopefully, Thank you so much.
It's good stuff there from Obed Vargas. There as he prepares for the Sounders facing the La Galaxy tomorrow night. One more note on the broadcast details on that you can watch it via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app. We will have the game over on Sports Radio nine jr AM. That is tomorrow night, Providence Swedish premat show of seven o'clock. I'll be on the play
by played call with kickoff around seven thirty. You can get your tickets at soundersfc dot com slash tickets, and I'll mention that you can also listen to match via Spanish language on l Ray thirteen sixty and one final note tonight, and that's that Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC.
So that will do it for the show tonight.
A reminder that on the podcast version of this show, I'm gonna be posting another interview with Sounders goalkeeping coach Tommy Dutra. So if you're listening to this in the future in the podcast version, keep listening for Tommy Duchra. If you're listening live, check out the podcast, which will be going up within the next hour. So I think we'll have that up yes, yes, we will. It'll be
going up Sounders Weekly wherever you get your podcasts. We'll have that interview with Tommy Dutra there at the end of the show. So have a very good evening everybody. We'll talk to you tomorrow night for Sounders Galaxy over on nine to fifty KM. Have a good rest of your evening. And for right here and right now, Fox Sports Radio is coming up next. All right, hey there everybody, Jackson Feltz here is we now move into the specific
podcast version here with Sounders Weekly. This is recording after the live show just ended here tonight. One thing that I was able to get out at Sounders training yesterday was a conversation with goalkeeping coach Tommy Dutra. And I think I just said this a few minutes ago, but just to reiterate, Tommy Dutro was able to talk about the preparation for the LA Galaxy in short time, the preparation for Lega MX's teams that they had to prep
for in terms of Nacoxa this last Sunday. He talked about what he's seeing from Andrew Thomas in goal right now in the Open Cup, in League's Cup, what he's seen from Andrew, and then we got into a lot of conversation about the ub Huskies, both with the dog's football team and overall the program and the athletics department moving into the Big Ten, the big changes regarding there in terms of travel, in terms of the competition level.
So if you're a Sounders fan, this will be relevant in terms of hearing the preparation for the game coming up against Ali Galaxy tomorrow night. If you're a Sounders and Husky fan, this is essential listening as you Temmy Dutra talking about the Dogs. So I'm just gonna post this whole conversation here, and what we're gonna do is it'll go here after the end of the live show of Sounders Weekly. So let's just bring in and post here the full conversation I had yesterday afternoon with goalkeeping
coach Tommy Dutra. Tommy, let's uh, let's start with just the vegetables first, get those out of the way. Uh, game against Nicoxa, three goals in the back of the net. What do you see from from what happened in that game? Yeah, it was tough because we were in total control of the game, and you know, once we didn't score the once. The second one got disallowed and you know it took the injury. I think that took a little bit of the winner of sales. The first one, I think Andrews got to do better.
He knows he can do better. A second one was textbook you know, counter attacking play, and all the credit to nikox If for making that play, and at the end of the day, we didn't make.
Enough of those. Is preparing for the X teams any different from the goalkeeper aspect and preparing for sam lost teams just because of the way they those those squads from Mexico play a little bit differently.
Yeah, especially for Andrew being his first time playing against a team, uh that's outside of the US and not an MLS team or a USL team. Totally different. So more film you try to convey the fact that these guys are you know, they're gonna be pretty good on the counter tacks, those types of things, but you know, until you play it, you know, and you've never seen it before.
It's tough speaking of good counter attacks. The Only Galaxy I mean, I mean, that's that was unbelievable, right, Yeah, that's a team that I imagine has a lot of prep and very little time for you guys.
Yeah, I mean, let's go. Let's that's a word we're saying too, let's go. So you know, it's a great opportunity for us again on Thursday night and keep advancing. And it's for me to think about the fact that we okay, we have a chance to advance in this and we're still in the Open Cup in the semi final, all that and we got league play. It's a lot
to play for. I mean, that's that's what makes it fun to come into work, is like I had a lot to play for a lot of guys getting opportunities and that's awesome.
We're seeing for previous Leagues Cup games. We'll see who's in the back of the net for Thursday. But Andrew getting the starts here in League's Cup, getting the starts an Open Cup. What do you made of not only these last two games, but of his season getting these opportunities.
Yeah.
Really, the only tough game he's had for us is the Ncoxa game, and you know he wishes he could have us back. But that's the life of a goalkeeper. That's that's just the way it is for a goalkeeper. Sometimes it's just not going to go your way. It's not going to be your night. He prepared so well for the game, and you know, those things happen, But he's done well for us up to this point and in this game.
Going back to the Galaxy here with Tommy Deutro out of training, h Gabrielle Peck, why push you didn't play in that May game? And of course Joey paints. I mean that's a team defending that and obviously for the for the goalkeeper. How much added work is it facing a team like that and then facing you know, any other say basic offensive team.
Yeah, I think you just have to make sure you get it right in the film and remind them what they're good at, remind them of who their.
Good players are.
Some maybe nuances on set pieces. We can't really train too much of what we're going to see because we only have today and tomorrow, and we have you know, we have played them already this year. But yeah, you just got to sit down the film room and say, this is what you're gonna see, this is what you're gonna be up against. How can we help the team in these positions?
Okay, can we talk some Husky footballs?
Go dude, all right, We'll come on frock.
Time to rock, Come on all right?
Uh in the Big Ten. I mean this change for the Big tend and I know you have a personal connection with with this whole you know, Husky athletic program as well. But the change to the Big Ten is so interesting because it really does fundamentally change what the University of Washington is about.
I agree, I think it's so exciting. I just think it's I hate it. I hate what has happened to.
The PAC twelve.
I think it's just I mean, I get goosebumps every time I think about it, Like as a kid who you know, was always so proud of this area when I moved away, and you know, and saying, well, the PAC twelve was this or the PAC ten was this, and now there's nothing. But it's so exciting too. At the same time, I'm just so elated to what they can happen to the school in this area and university by going to that conference.
Yeah.
And like with the job that Jedfish has done in the Black Class six he took over this football program, I believe I saw that the transfer rankings were like ninth in the country, it's amazing. I mean, twenty sixth in the country and in the poll that came out yesterday. The work that he's done to just build back up this program instantly. I mean, it's just it's phenomenal.
It's awesome.
That's exciting to see, too, right, I mean, like everybody so, I mean it's just like, God, what a whirlwin last year, you know, and in the last two years, to be honest with you, and then like I mean the sea where now what he's doing, it's just it's just fun. It's a fun time. I mean, it sucks ato how it happened and what happened and how many guys he lost, but gosh, you know, I mean you know this. I mean, the next man up, let's go. I mean that's exciting too.
I can't wait to see who the new star is gonna be and you know, and see what happens.
I mean, we had an interview with Dick Finn yesterday on KJR with the Denzel Boston like the six ' four receiver. I mean, we're gonna learn about stars like him out of nowhere. It's gonna be fun like that. I mean, it's funny as a coach in the pro sports business. How do you look at the situation with Kalin Debor where he leaves after two years, goes to Alabama. You know, no goodbye to the fans that you know irks people the wrong way, you know in a lot of cases.
But but how do you look at the kalend bors To be honest with all, none of that bothered me. None of that bothered me because look, I mean, I love the university. You love the university and everyone else, but it is Alabama. There was probably one or two jobs. You just kind of go, what irks me? It's not about him leaving. It's why the university didn't take care of him earlier. You had the guy, so take care of him and his staff earlier. Do what it takes.
That that's the part. So I don't blame him, you know, I don't blame anybody. But at the same time, it's like, well, you saw what you had in and I think that you guys would know more of me. But I think the change in the eighty probably didn't help that situation either. It's like that's like us with the different you know, if we were like in and out of different people that I have to operate with and everything else, So
that person's always changing. Who do you know, you know, th things get you know, and look, we're you're focused on the next day of training, the next day of practice, next game, the next game, and you know, so I understand how things don't get happen to or get worked out.
But yeah, I mean, obviously the changes and really the entire I think athletic department dealing with the changes weig ten where you gotta worry now. I mean the travel is an interesting one right where you know, all right, well, you got to fly out to Penn State and you gotta you know, the football team. Obviously, it's it's you
got to come back in the new week. For other sports programs, you wonder if it's gonna get folded in where that the travel concerns are a little bit lessened by being able to group these East Coast and you know, Midwest trips together and maybe that maybe that makes it a little bit easier for the other programs.
Yeah, I mean for us as a family, and when my daughter was going through the recruiting process and you know, my son's playing down in Utah and everything else, like we don't even talk about the travel. I mean it's like and then when we saw the actual schedule and when we met with the coaches and everything else, and I had asked, was well what's the travel and be like where They're like, well, we just replaced these with these games. We're gonna play more West Coast non league
games instead of going to tournaments or whatever. I'm like, okay, I mean it's like it wasn't even it was a non starter. And the other thing is too, is everyone's talking about what the travels gonna be like for the non revenue sports, and okay, for enough, but they also have a lot of resources that regular students don't have, you know, so I think they're in a good spot in their lives.
Oh and you now have you know, only futures in the work that they've done, and the the the money involved with college sports right now is just it's beyond anything. But I mean, shoot, I mean I'm younger on the scale, but still even for me, it's just like a culture shock. Imagine for you if it has a long time.
Oh man, it's just like I sit there and go The one thing I will always say about this with the aisle and everything else, why I think this s uff is gonna kind of like it's gonna finally come to a head, and is that you cannot keep paying players and not have a collective bargaining agreement or something. Because all what what's gonna happen is what happens if all of a sudden some group comes and say, well, we want to pay me, you know, and then all of a sudden you beat me out. You're gonna look
at them say well, where's my money. I know what he's getting, where's my money? You know. So that's gonna happen. And until you can figure all that out, it's I think it's it's gonna be a wild, wild West. And it's like, because guess what you start paying. You're in pros now right exactly, I'm gonna want what you want. It's it's no longer college athletics. It's pro athletics with kids who happen to be going to class now. I mean, it's a school with a football problem in a basketball program.
That's what happens with some of these schools. But anyhow, Yeah, I can't wait. I can't wait. It'll be fun, It'll be a.
Lot of fun.
Well, it'll be fun. For the Dogs. It'll be fun for you guys on Thursday. So good luck against the Galaxy. Tommy, thanks. It's great stuff there with Tommy Doucha. If you listened all through the husky stuff, awesome to talk dogs with him. I'm a big University of Washington guy, so is he.
So that was a fun.
Conversation but a good insight there, and how prepping for this Galaxy team is so intense. With only a few days to get ready for the combination of Gabrielle Peck, Rickchi Pooge, and Joseph Paints Olers ari Leenwall calls him Joey Paints, it is going to be a vicious attend
Seattle has to face tomorrow night. So one more time, if you're hearing this in the podcast version broadcast details, we're gonna have that as a seven o'clock Providence, Swedish prematch show and I will be on the play by a play call for a seven thirty kickoff over on nine to fifty k am tomorrow night for Sounders and Galaxy.
So we'll talk to you tomorrow night. Have a good rest of your day or evening whenever you're listening to this and We'll talk to you on nine fifty KGr for sounders and Galaxy tomorrow night.