MLS Playoff Review: Inter Miami crash out, Atlanta United's historic upset, LAFC's question marks, penalty kick chaos & more

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Hello everybody and welcome to the Total Soccer Show. My name is Taylor Rockwell and today we continue our journey down the strangest for Don Garber darkest timeline by taking a look back at this weekend's MLS playoff results up is down, cats and dogs are living together and at Lani United shoved inter Miami into an unexpected vacation shortly after Leonardo Campagne showed Brad Guzon into his own netting.

NYCFC outlasted FC Cincinnati in the Battle of Teams not wanting to score a penalty and in Orlando Focundutores missed a last minute penalty scored the rebound and then converted his take in the ensuing shootout to book Orlando's place in the next round. Oh and LFC also won. Joe Lowry lots to be discussed including the next round of playoffs. How you feeling my friend?

I'm feeling great man the playoffs this year have been wilder than I ever remember and I guess that's what happens when you lose the two top favorites for I'm a less cut between into Miami and the Columbus crew in the first round in lancin at its run spectacular really really excited to dig into them. This playoff so far has been absolute bonkers and I am very very here for it.

I'm here to also talk us roster we're going to be doing that tomorrow as we've got nations league games coming up but we figured better to split that up spent some time talking the US with Graham Ruffin he'll be back with us tomorrow to do so today.

We're going to be focusing on the majorly soccer playoffs Joe and we're going to start with that Atlanta versus Miami game because it was a shocker as you've already outlined I said prior to kickoff I was talking to my wife and I said that basically I thought Atlanta thank you.

Had poked the bear and they were likely Miami going to put like five or six past Atlanta I really thought they would put Atlanta to the sword and then Miami looked a bit like a bear that had been poked and decided to complain to the park ranger about it basically instead of actually doing anything. How surprised were you by this performance from major Miami.

I was super surprised in some ways and not at all surprised in other ways I think this performance Taylor was back back when you thought about Miami to start the season if you thought about the things that could go wrong for into Miami. Almost all of them happened in this game and some of them were in their control and some of them weren't right one thing is wow there are team that is built on a lot of fantastic legends.

But guys who are in the twilight of their careers they're very much winding down Sergio Busquets getting sick and being unavailable to start in this game becomes off the bench later on really really hurts this team and Tatum Arteno made some tactical changes in this match to go back to the back for because frankly they didn't have the depth in the middle of the back line to do much otherwise.

Losing Busquets hurt and I don't think that that Miami were at their best with that and by any stretch of the imagination playing pretend defense and defensive transition and having one of your starting center backs and total obvious the young Argentine just straight up lay down in your box and hope that Atlanta United are going to play the ball out which into Miami have not done very often the season.

Like that that is just comical both roster building unfortunateness because that's what I'm always makes you build the rosters is you can't spread talent evenly across the whole thing but also just so predictable in some ways because of how poor Miami have been in some of those defensive phases. It was unpredictable and how it unfolded I didn't have I've a list lays down in the box and Atlanta United score immediately afterwards on my bingo card for this game.

But in a macro sense it was sort of predictable at the same time I'm not going to sit here and think that in pretend that I had in Atlanta United winning this series absolutely did not even after they won game to.

I had into Miami pretty much easily breezing through this game not so man credit to Brad Guzan credit to Atlanta United who played out of their minds in this game they were absolutely fantastic and they were still flawed because into Miami had chances they scored two goals they very much were in this game Miami and they had the better chances overall the run

of play but that's so good into Miami are is even when they're still not at their best they're going to create they're going to give you problems but man credit to Atlanta United for what they did in this series this is the largest upset that we've ever seen in the

season in Major League soccer Atlanta United has 34 fewer points in the regular season in Miami 34 fewer points they won this series that is the largest difference in points in the regular season that's made up for in a play of upset in league history we've never seen anything like this.

If you are a portioning credit for Lenny United how much goes to Rob Valentino they're in or manager how much goes to Brad Guzan who made 18 saves over the three games that's not a small number saved a good number of goals over expected some strong performances from him a good manager your performance from Rob Valentino I think so I don't know how much credit to give Valentino here because it doesn't seem like to me he really did a ton of super mind blowing stuff I think putting so below Genit say right wing back has had benefits it also has had real problems.

Into Miami score a goal in the 70s minute right after Diego Gomez just knives right into the space that love Genit say is completely vacated and Miami go up one nail in that moment if they weren't so catastrophic defensively they they probably would have seen the game out from there so some points every

time in some things as well either the structure made sense overall that five three to defensively that morphed into more of a three to five or three for three in possession but Guzan was the X factor in the series there's no way around he was fantastic in the first game he was an X factor in a bad way in the second game a little bit with that

and he has for the goal that Devon Martinez scores but he was unbelievable on balance across these three games Ben Wright I think had this stat in the in the back you'll calm that he saved two and change goals over expected in this series Taylor saving two plus goals over three games is massive that is a huge season

altering kind of performance a set of performances from anyone that brago's and pulled this out after he was extremely poor last season they bring on Josh Cohen from Israel to replace him and then brago's and never reads that storyline and continues to start games and continues to perform he has been unbelievably good for lancet United in the moments that they needed him to be good.

Yeah it's him sort of flailing in the net after Leo Kampana shoves him which you already alluded to which is a fantastic comic moment that's the thing that people are going to remember in this game that's what about as kind of being a viral moment over over in the UK man Guzan was everything that a lancet United needed him to be and so much more in this series still confused by that moment because for those who haven't seen it Miami score the goal

to the back of the net Guzan sort of goes to collect it is trying to get it as little messy runs in to try to get it as well and I guess Guzan sort of bumps him kind of I think is what maybe the Miami players were arguing but then as Guzan is sort of standing there trying to get the ball messy getting it combined you comes in shoves him in the back into the netting then

twars runs over and acts like Guzan was the aggressive party I still don't really get it and I've seen some people make the argument that that is further evidence of kind of an entitled attitude from Miami that like how dare you not let little messy get the ball you must let him do whatever he wants and if you try to stop him we will all shove you and yell at you I'm not sure I'm going fully down that street

but it was a very strange moment when I felt most players would have just tried to get out of there without maybe picking up a card Yeah, I don't understand how they will combine it didn't pick up a yellow card. Yeah, it makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. Yeah, it's it's a one in a long string of moments

or Brad Guzan is at the center of this whole series right he makes some huge saves. He has this unbelievable save on Jordi Abba a little bit earlier on in the second half before into Miami equalize.

Guzan was everywhere man he's involved in a little bit of a not a scrap it's a Louis War as dive in the first half where he's looking for a penalty kick and Guzan says oh no no no that's not going to happen like Guzan was everywhere he was involved in every which way and he wasn't the only Atlanta United player that you could say that about you think about Dax McCarty who is going to retire as soon as the

United Lutz he's already announced his retirement he was just waiting for the moment to happen you couldn't tell by watching him play I mean you could tell because he keeps getting subbed out before the game actually ends because he's old but you couldn't tell by actually watching him conduct things of the base of midfield for Atlanta United he is instrumental in both of the first two Atlanta United goals especially the second one playing that quick ball in behind for

T. R. A. Who's also fantastic Jamal C. R. A. He was everywhere defensively in this game giving Atlanta United every bit of defensive production in a brace that into Miami weren't getting from their attacking players I think about Pedro Amador who I'm going to keep bringing up because he is really really really good he gets another

assist in this game granted it's on the moment where into Miami just stop playing soccer for whatever reason he was excellent in this match Guzan and McCarty and C. R. A. Amador all of those guys in Loja needs as well doing what he does especially in the attack less on the defensive and where he is a huge liability at the moment.

Unbelievable performance performances across those four players those are the four in my mind that really have fueled this Atlanta United run they are sort of like how we talked about the red balls it feels like Atlanta have peaked at the right time like they found some sort of level that I didn't think they had because they weren't a good team the regular season they were the ninth team in the Eastern

that's not good they were straight up bad to end the season in majorly soccer they sneak into playoffs on decision day against a lot of the odds they end up beating C. I've Montreal though they didn't play great in that game either frankly and then they come in they get battered in game one but

Greg was in makes it look like they didn't incredible for that game to his a little sketchy they end up getting the win and they come in and claw the way back from behind in this game I have so much love and respect for what Atlanta United have done they are still long shots of course for MLS Cup man to be the team that slaves the Giants and that is into Miami in a way that no other MLS team has ever been a giant to do that is just incredible

like I hope five straight fans are feeling amazing today and continue to feel amazing for the next you know basically two weeks because that's when they're going to play next but I hope they continue to ride this high because nobody believed in them truly nobody believed in them I didn't you didn't nobody else did and that they have done it is

fantastic congratulations to them it's kind of fantastic to see Arthur blank down the sidelines high five in everybody and being very into it always nice to see an owner there celebrating their support in the locker mouth to the game to Braggos and kind of brings a minute's yeah there's the scenes that are real man I also have

sympathy for a Dak's McCarty's family because like you and I have had situations where we're like planning scheduling and I'm sure you've been like yeah like recording should be done by 12 30 by one and then I should have some free time I could do that like I picture McCarty being like we're going to lose to Miami and then after the international

break like you know I'll have a lot of free time yeah and now they're having to reschedule a lot of birthday parties and children's play dates and there are there are can-cune trips being postponed it's not just for not just for Atlanta United I know for a fact that that's something that

happens like players will book vacations yep and then have to chop and change I'm playing the world's tiny smiling for them of course but yeah you know there's there's a little bit of sympathy there all your your luxurious like tens of thousands of vacation has to be put on hold for another week all you pull them Miami's vacation plans don't have to be put on hold I'm not sure any of them had plans but they certainly can make them now Joe what next for Miami I was reading your back

heel piece and you were saying basically that like at a time when things like felt like they were clicking the project is also sort of halfway to being over and and it is an odd time for inter Miami yeah that is so first out that was Ben Wright who wrote that excellent piece like you're like you're writing better so I'm gonna use as far as Miami I kind of want to do one more look at this game I guess before we zoom out to go big picture just

because this is the like we've never seen this before I'm still sort of floored that this happened watching this game even at two to even at three to to Atlanta United I kept thinking like oh message is going to have a free kick goal like he did against Cruz as a one leaks cup in his debut or or Luis as is going to find something and it just never happened it just never happened in this game for into Miami and I know he talked

already about the reasons why they lost this game Bragg who's and was incredible Atlanta United exposed into Miami in transition which was always the obvious way to get at them when you do those two things when you have a when you have an 11 out of 10 performance in your goalkeeper and when you are really really sharp in attacking you're gonna have a lot of chances to beat this Miami team I do think that the one thing that really threw

Miami off in this game was the performance of their back line I think about how poorest this team is when they turn the ball over it was always a problem Atlanta United in some ways a really bad match up for them because of how willing they were to go out there and play direct in transition when you're gonna Maki's get sold to Cruz as well in the summer transfer window tiara eventually inherits that starting strike a

goal and you know how he's would have been a bad match up for a lant you refer for into Miami as well excuse me because he is direct and I think I called him the like the all the early Holland or something

like that a few times right he likes just slash him behind the back line kind of like Holland does tiara is like that to man he is a vertical threat he is strong his physical he savvy with his movement off the ball and when you have Marancha trying to feed him in behind in McCarty trying to do the

same thing and I'm a door release in those balls in behind into Miami for all of their attacking talent I couldn't deal with it like they couldn't quite snag enough in the attacking half to make it matter to

make all their attacking play matter and their defending was just poor enough to really get punished this was the nightmare scenario for into Miami that all of these things good goalkeeping performance against you not quite enough in the attack when it mattered and not nearly enough in the defense

like all of those stars aligned to shine just the most brutal light on all of into Miami's flaws like all those things needed to happen from me to get bounced that they did is a credit to Atlanta of course but still somewhat floors me about this into Miami team so I know I know you watch this game

too and then we can talk to a picture like is there anything else in your mind that went wrong from I am here besides some of those things that I've said the defensive stuff goes and going off and maybe just not quite getting enough or not having the right finishing boots on in front of goal

like was there another broad strokes issue for them in this game I mean I can't tell if this is just me sort of wanting the goliath to fall but watching this game I was just struck by a level of I guess complacency maybe that's too critical of a word but just the way they defended the way even when when Atlanta scored the reaction was just this sort of like put that's not what was supposed to happen there is a like the amusement about some of the

Miami players that there wasn't that immediate fight the only person that I felt like really had the like we've got to get going here was little messy you can see it after he scores the equalizer how he is just reminding everybody like hey we've got to think we've got to play smart we've got to do our thing and to then spotlight that I've a days moment that you already talked about that was just such a stark moment of like

what is happening like I assumed he had had a concussion I assumed he had like lost consciousness the way he just kind of falls to the ground and then the goal was scored and he's kind of back on his feet and it's a strange moment of like oh you just kind of thought play would stop and that was really my any for large stretches of this game there wasn't that next level belief that wasn't that next level fight that I think

you need to stay alive in the playoffs and now we of course get the complaints about the structure of the playoffs and how they should be functioning and I don't really buy into that I be buying the idea that if you have the better talent you've got to find a way to win

and I think your point Joe is a really interesting one that it's another example in these playoffs of a moment in which like okay here we go now it's happening messy scores that equalizer and it's sort of is like okay like you know parodies restored now he's going to get one more he's going to hit a free kick or swires is going to get on the end of a ball in and they're going to win three to and and this is kind of going to play out the way we thought

and I would say that's almost the exact thing we thought with Christian Ramirez when he scores for the crew against the Red Bulls and then that's not to be it's what I thought happened in the Cincinnati and my CFC shootout felt it kept feeling like oh there we go New York cough this up and now Cincinnati have their way through as we all expected and then it ends up not going that way so the narrative is kind of thrown for a loop three different

times in this round of the playoffs but in this one it is just so glaring and so confounding as is the decision not to play a Julian Gristle which I still don't really get I don't know if he offended the or burned his toast or what it maybe that's a machine was just thought he was injured I don't really know what happened but that one's continues to the blow my mind because I know if I can get the gets unassisted in this game but I still have to believe Julian Gristle Julian Gristle brings

just a bit more distribution a bit more passing ability a bit more attacking thrust yeah that the steam desperately needed especially when you're trailing right and you need that goal last minute you've got Leo Kampana on the field you're essentially playing with two strikers

you are playing with two strikers and you don't have Dressel service like best of MLS kind of service on the right side doesn't really make sense to me I don't think that's necessarily the reason why Miami fell into this giant hole in this series but it is maybe one of the reasons why that happened

to into Miami some some strange decisions from Tatumartina as it relates to his personnel bad timing with injuries and availability concerns from Miami and all the other issues that we mentioned already Taylor as far as where into Miami go from here maybe I'm in the minority on this I don't imagine

that a ton is going to change for this team now think things will change Diego Gomez has had that interest in writing for a long time that deal has has I think been agreed to according to all the reporting that's been done out there but it's maybe not been announced yet or maybe there are still

some eyes to dot and teased across but he is a crucial player for this team he's developed into the best of those young players that into Miami brought over right along when when messy and and boost gets an alba signed last summer he is the star of that crop of the now adding redondo

into that team of elis and it was for kundal for yes those three were the original ones redondo came later but Gomez is the star of that group I don't imagine he's going to be around next season into Miami in addition to that all of that have a bit of a U22 initiative log jam so

they chose the model that allows them to have two designated players and four U22 initiative players that's what they chose for the second half of the season they can flip to three designated players in three you 22s for next season but regardless they currently have five

you 22 initiative players on the books they just had one on on season ending injury list and another one who was loaned out so they were able to move through all this legally as best I can tell but that's going to change for next season for yes I would imagine it's going to be back he won't

be on that season ending injury list they've got a VLS on that list I've got Kramaski on that list and some sort of clearing of the decks there some sort of creative loan situation there that's going to change some things the only one of the the real stars of the Barcelona boys who

status I think is in any real question for next year is Luis Suarez and his contract is up at the end of this season the other three are are back until next season although Jordi Alba's got an option but all options in a molester club option so I would imagine the Jordi Alba's going to be back next

season Suarez is the only one who's out of contract officially at the end of this year he's already it's already been reported I think he's come out and said that his group is in contract talks with inter Miami this was last month that all that happened I think Suarez and all these

guys are just going to run it back in a small of a matter of who are these supporting pieces did they get enough out of way gone to right back do they like their center back situation they should not do they like their central midfield situation outside of some of these players that played in this

game those are questions I think they're all ancillary questions and frankly I think we're going to be in a very similar position next year or Miami are favorites for everything and they are winning a lot of soccer games there we go well when that happens we will certainly be talking about it for now we are done talking about inter Miami for the season presumably we'll see if we end up coming back to them at some point for now Joe let's take a break we'll come back and talk about a few more

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Welcome back to the total soccer show we continue to talk about the major league soccer playoffs As they were this weekend including L.A.F.C.'s 1-0 win over vancouver Joe I want to talk tactics and adjustments here because Steve Toronto Lo changes things up in game shift the formation shift the approach gets the winner in the end and gets some credit there And then vanny tardini comes out afterwards the vancouver coach and I feel like through some shade

Because you basically like yeah we thought those changes would happen a lot sooner based on what happened in the second game We were surprised that it like it was a weird way for a losing manager to basically like you should have beaten us easier and sooner So you're not good even though you won yeah vanny tardini was in a salty mood after this game I want he pointed out how vancouver won this three games series on aggregate which doesn't matter in this current format

He made that exact comment telling him so glad you highlighted it and Ben had this in his column as well He said the quote was quote we were killing them referring to L.A.F.C. so they had to do it and then he goes on to say later

Quote I've got to be honest I expected the adjustment to be at the beginning of the game I expect them to be 4-3-3 at the beginning of the game Because we exploited the areas in Vancouver I thought that was an incredible quote and then he goes on to do some more tactical analysis

That I thought was a bit more revealing and actually helpful unless our grape see but man vanny tardini was on one across this whole series across the Portland game as well The wild card game that vinkouver one those tactical changes though that he highlights and I'll do so in more detail now

I thought really were a huge part of this game so Steve show on the low and L.A.F.C. have ended up defaulting to a 3-4-3 shape to end the season That's what they've used all the way through the playoffs so far So you have that double pivot in midfield you've got the three center backs behind them the two wing backs outside the double pivot and the front three that tend to stay pretty narrow Then cooler for that part really emphasize stacking numbers in midfield both defensively and in possession

Defensively Sartini uses this 4-3-3 sort of shape he's got three center midfielders Lock it locking down the middle of the field and in possession he uses a diamond he uses a three diamond three shape With Ryan gold as the number 10 underneath Brian white kubla set the base of midfield and then two shutters in this game It was Pedro VT on one side and stored Armstrong on the other he's he wants to overload the field in possession

And he wants to control the midfield in defense and in the first half of this game Then kubla were the better team they were in that diamond in possession They were in that that midfield three in defense and L.A.F.C. just couldn't hang They couldn't figure out exactly how to shut Vancouver down when the caps had the ball Ryan gold kept finding the possession right in front of L.A.F.C. is back three but behind their midfield two

Consistently L.A.F.C. were getting overloaded in central midfield and some of that happened in the second game as well The game that L.A.F.C. lost up at BC placed Sartini that's why he said like I thought they were gonna change it because we were controlling the midfield in that game

We caused real problems for L.A.F.C. in that game and we kind of did the same thing in the first half I agree I thought chrundalo was slow to make real changes here The change that chrundalo did make from game two to game three is one that I talked about on this show Was kiki olivera the the winger turned wing back turned back into a winger for this game And surji palencia was put back at the the right wing back spot for chrundalo because that was the spot where L.A.F.C.

Just got blitzed in the in the first game in the second game excuse me and Vancouver They could not hang with the direct attacker saffa picot and alliam ed that Vancouver had down that side Chrundalo put an actual defender in that defensive position and that did help L.A.F.C. a little bit but they couldn't control the midfield They changed the shape they bring on at to west toe to play midfield in the second half they bring on jiru

Who doesn't start in this game? I think that's interesting They put bogus wide from from striker to right winger They take olivera off the field and all of a sudden they're in that 4-3-3 Bogus gets to go about 15 minutes into the second half and a lot of stuff changes At that point for L.A.F.C. I think chrundalo eventually got the changes right man

Spicy vanny sartini. I'm a fan of spicy vanny. So let's talk about the eventually aspect of that then Is this a result that gives you more faith in chrundalo to make those adjustments in game to be able to get the results Or less faith because like basically he should have seen it coming should have made those adjustments pre-game Are you are you stock up stock down on chrundalo as a manager base? I'm probably a little stock down.

I'm not the same. Mostly stock the same but I've never been all that impressed frankly by Steve chrundalo with this L.A.F.C. team He's had one of the best rosters in majorly soccer I think to be fair he's done really well that 2022 season for L.A.F.C.

His first in charge of this team they win the shield they win MLS Cup It's one of the it's one of my favorite single seasons in MLS history I think it's one of the better single seasons in MLS history You got garruth bail scoring that incredible goal in the final and there's so many great moments in that season

At least he have one trophies under chrundalo. They've done a lot well. They've been a model MLS team I think that as of it more to do with the front office in John Thornton getting chrundalo top talents Then it does with chrundalo being an elite coach He's dialed back to possession under his 10 year compared to what it was under Bob Bradley

They become a more pragmatic team. I don't think they're especially good at being a pragmatic team Or at least not a big game so they've a lot a lot of chances But as it relates to those in game changes I do want to give chrundalo credit because I think getting all the Vera out of the wing back spot was a obvious But still a plus decision to make and I do think there's a world and maybe we'll talk about this with Cincinnati later

We're having a back three does let you combat the numerical disadvantage You may or may not be at in central midfield Errolong tried to step in to deal with Ryan Gal the few times in the first half It just didn't quite work out. Gold's too good if you're not immediately on him If you're not discouraging that pass in the first place You're gonna have a really hard time shutting him down. So I do think it's probably stock down a little bit just because L.A.

Of C the couple living things happen in the first half if one or two things don't go their way We won't be talking about Vancouver winning this series and another major upset in the first round of the playoffs So I'll say stock down a little bit

But I'm not sure I've ever been all that high on chrundalo as a coach to begin with So it's not exactly altering my my macro perception of him as a coach One more on this one you believe I believe you said Olivier Jarrou starting this game of the bench was interesting What type of interesting wasn't you?

I guess it's interesting in that it makes sense because Jarrou hasn't scored a goal for LFC in MLS play Like that's a huge problem You bring him in as a DP in the summer trend so window you expect to get DP like production from Olivier Jarrou Like one of the better strikers of his generation not not one of the best but but a very very good player over in Europe Who is at a very high level with AC Milan last year it just hasn't worked and I don't know if it's because Jarrou needs

More of a number 10 type underneath him to involve him in the game I really don't know what it is because I think he's an incredibly talented player LFC's chance creation I think has has failed him frankly it's a problem So chrundalo finally said all right man like you're gonna head to the bench at least for the first half of this game Vogue who starts up top that doesn't really work either LFC's attack has been sputtering And so Jarrou comes off the bench in the second half

I just think it's spicy frankly. I think it's a big call from chrundalo I think it's fastening that Jarrou hasn't produced since he's arrived in Los Angeles and Taylor I got to be honest I don't know what LFC's first choice lineup looks like anymore We talked about the galaxy and how it really did seem like in this series against the rapids kind of they were playing the dinged up rapid So it not not to make shots of Colorado But it's just a very different situation than taking on Vancouver

It seems like Greg Vendi's found his lineup with you with that midfield of Delgado and Sarrio and Pooge and the front three that obviously are going to be the guys And he's found the back four LFC I don't think there's a lot of clarity on on number one what shape they're going to use from game to game anymore after changing for this one in the second half And and number two who's gonna actually be playing you know there's some guys who are etched in stone

Bologna's etched in stone I think Bogus is pretty much etched in stone Holling said he has polensia probably is maybe Chenot and Long and and laryse obviously But there's a handful of guys the midfielders I don't think are quite etched in stone I don't think Marlon's etched in stone by any means it comes off to make way for out to west in this game Olivavera no and then there's the whole Juru question so I don't feel great about LFC in Miami and Columbus already gone

Like where are the contenders where are all the good teams? It's a it's a fascinating situation that probably just ends up pointing me to Carson if I'm being honest I had a feeling it might that was our one Western conference fixture still to be settled and now it has been so let's go back to the East Joe to talk about

FC Cincinnati's nil nil draw with NYCFC that led to New York advancing on penalties as I said earlier we are talking about the US roster on tomorrow show There are full four goalkeepers in that squad should maybe one of them have been dropped in favor of Matt frees

Yes 100% yes I have no clue who's act Stefan had to pay or or like if Mauricio Pachitino was watching soccer games Or I don't know what's going on Stefan is again one of the four goalkeepers along with Diego Coken who's coming over from Arsenal

He's been involved in their youth team there. That's an exciting thing Matt frees is better than both of those guys by like a wild wildly large margin is maybe the best goalkeeper in the US pool right now period Makes no sense to me that he has not gotten a look for the US men's national team since Pachit has come in or even before Paches come in he makes a massive massive saves in this game

He saves a really nice chance that Cincinnati have in the first half gets down pushes the ball wide left and then he saves three penalties in the shootout which was wild You know so many makes I think that the penalty shootout started with six straight makes and then there's some cracks that start to show Frees makes that save to break that streak that NYCFC have a chance to win in Roman San Antonio steps up and makes a big save to deny

Thiago Martins and eventually free saves a couple of extras and you've really got NYCFC pushing and it won it wins this whole thing for them it's a wild shootout Man Matt frees was the X factor in this game like I thought on balance Taylor since Nadi were the better team in this match I thought they created better chances thought they had the better run of play I thought they notified some of the issues that

Plague them in game two the NYCFC won with relative ease back in New York but when you've got a goalkeeper changing games as we've already talked about as we talked about in the First segment that changes everything if you felt like Cincinnati were the better team if they had made some smart adjustments and then it is the goalkeeping issue that

Maybe confound them were there other issues you felt like you like that since then he weren't able to adjust fix right to the occasion whatever it might be or is it Basically just the same stuff we've been talking about how their transfer strategy kind of let them down and didn't leave them at a position to have the goal scores they needed in a moment they desperately needed them I think when you look at the

Challenges that face Cincinnati in this game a huge issue is that they don't have as much talent as they could right and that's the thing that we've talked about already They didn't land a DP that they were happy about in the summer to help their striker position we talked about all this before right that that's an issue and the good news

Or Cincinnati even as they watch their season crumble basically over the weekend is that Tom Bogers reporting that they're already nearing a deal to sign another striker they're going to spend $15 million According to Tom for Kevin Denke who's playing for for circle brews probably but you're that but they are in the in the top flight over in Belgium

Excuse me he's 23 years old is a a to go international and just lit up the Belgian pro league last season he looks like a really really sharp edition ambition is not a question for Cincinnati they really even hitting on Transures is not a huge question who pens it was a hit from a soccer perspective just didn't work out in everything else and then they just don't get the timing right in the

Summer window but the striker situation hurts them and I thought like I mentioned already defensively they adapted really well from game two to game three I talked about in game two the midfield overload that NYCFC found where Maxie Morales was back in the team Nickishing a drop to address Paraya from game one to game two

So Morales is back in the number 10 slot sent you out of you guys is kind of floating in the left half space which he always does and then they have the double pivot of sands and parks And they had four players in that space up against Cincinnati three and they really took advantage of that gap over and over and over again in game two

In game three as far as I could tell and I haven't talked with Pat noon about this but it very much looked like Pat noon and his coaching staff had zero did on that being a huge problem Because every time that sent you Rodriguez was near the ball and the opening stages of this game in that left half space Chidose a was him who's that right sided center back so that the obvious natural match up for Rodriguez are kind of staring across from each other

Right a was him was all over and was mushrooming him off the ball and was not giving him a chance to really turn in face forward Since an Eddie controlled NYCFC they allowed very very little on this game the thing is to loop all the way back to the strikers They didn't create such a wild number of chances or take such a wild number of great shots that they had to win this game right they gave Matt freeze they gave NYCFC a chance to stay in this match

They didn't push the envelope fully because I don't think this roster is really capable of doing that it came back to bite them in this game at NYCFC

Even though I don't think they were great in this series. I don't think they were great in this game Matt freeze truly was and that was enough I think with some of the teams that are still alive we haven't spent as much time as we will on them because at the end of this one I do want to have a quick conversation about sort of the match up still to come the teams still left in it with that in mind Joe were there other aspects of New York's game that stood out to you in this one?

Honestly not a ton I think the performances they've gotten from illinate who is now started the last two games in this series For Tevon Gray, Gray gets that red card at the end of the first game and then illinate comes in and has some nice attacking moments in game 2 I thought he had some nice moments in this one as well scores that game winning penalty and just likes icy all the way up to taking it

I really enjoyed that moment. I just don't think NYCFC are a great team. I think they are a okay to good team with a very very good goalkeeper

And sometimes that can be the recipe. I think they have a nice midfiel group even if it was nullified a little bit in this game By how since Nadi defended I really like that Sands Parks Morales and Rodriguez midfield tree a midfield quartet excuse me And I do think they've gotten some good performances from Wolf and Martinez at various points this season But they're really streaky like those attackers are streaky they haven't delivered on a consistent basis Martinez

Wasn't super impactful in this game defensively I think they're okay but since Nadi did they really test them a whole lot? No, not really this to me Taylor feels like what we said about the galaxy and the game Taylor feels like what we said about the galaxy and it feels to me like what we said about Seattle after they swept their series We just didn't really learn a ton about NYCFC over the course of this series

I don't think that we really advanced the narrative on them a ton That's that I am excited to see them play against the Red Bulls and it's gonna be a great series I think NYCFC have the quality especially with how tattered the Eastern Conference is right now To make a run down the last cup that's totally possible We've seen that we've seen that we've seen in the NYCFC do this before making upsets along the way like they did in 2021 Everything's on the table, but I don't think this was a model

Oh, hey look at this performance as this is who we want to be as a club kind of game from New York City In terms of what next for FC Cincinnati Joe I've got a few names for you Please will we see Kevin Kelsey play for them again? If I had to guess I'd say no I believe he's on loan right now from Shaqtar maybe there's a purchase option there

Okay, cool. Thank you for for fact checking that I like some of what we saw from Kevin Kelsey in the early stages as this young number nine I think is a nice I like his profile physically I think you strong think he moves well with his back to goal

Man, it just did not click for him and I don't know where the disconnect is because physically he has the tools and even Showed some of the off ball movement early on that's all crumbled So I would have to guess no to Kevin Kelsey What about Nico Joaquini on loan from Como Not exactly set the world of light in his time in Cincinnati No, I feel even more strongly that we want to see Joaquini back with this team than then I do for Kelsey

That he was the last gasp. Let's get a player in at the deadline kind of move They tried to get Bertorame from Monterey that didn't work out. They tried to get Josh Argent from England That didn't work out they ended up making a desperation called a to Como

Joaquini is a fine MLS player. He overperformed that season with St. Louis And I don't think we'll see him hit that level so no I don't think he'll be back in since he Luca Oriano or a Jano I'm known from Vasco de Gamma will we see him back with Cincinnati

I believe that Merlot had reported that there has already been an and I have not 100% sure on this if folks couldn't tell my by tone I'm pretty sure that Merlot reported that that deal has already had some sort of auto trigger on it that Oriano will be back with FC Cincinnati

Even if that's not true. Yeah, yeah Chris Albright in the front office are gonna do everything they can to get him back for next season I don't know if that's gonna be as a wingback or as a as a like narrow winger as part of the front two I don't know where it is, but he is a must start player for Cincinnati. That's been a massive massive success for this team

Joe as you might have guessed I am asking you about these players. Yeah, but they're not a lucho Costa. Yes, they're captain They're number 10 literally and figuratively who I believe has at least another year on his deal but then said after the game

Maybe I'm done. Yeah, that was a shocking quote From lucho Acosta after this match and this is from Carter Chaplin on Twitter was quote today I played a game I may remember as my last one with the club now the charitable read well there's two charitable reads one is that lucho Acosta

Just has bad memory and he's thinking this is the only one I'm gonna remember because I am getting up there That's that's the most optimistic read Another optimistic read is that he's just angry after losing a series that since he had a real chance to win and is just born off steam

And saying stuff that feels pretty likely to me the third option the third door the one that is least attractive Is that he does mean it and that he has some sort of issue that is is underlying and that we haven't really heard a ton about with Cincinnati

I don't know man. I have a hard time believing that lucho Acosta's gonna walk away from sincere that there's gonna be some exit that was already planned or that will be planned now I imagine everything is gonna get smooth over here very quickly But is it something that if you're a sincere fan that you like to hear? No, not at all because if there is one player that since the netty won't keep us high as I am on noriana was high as I am on some of the center backs

It's since he have in celtanos a good player. They're a good pieces here Lucho Acosta is a player who takes those pieces and turns them into a trophy contender and without him Yeah, there are real real issues for sincere to sort out so I would have to imagine that he'll be back

But um, yeah, you don't you don't love to read that kind of thing All right Joe one more game from the weekend or land oh city with a one to one draw with Charlotte Then the four to one shoot out win or land oh city coming into the playoffs with a fourth team in the east

Which means they are now the highest remaining seed in the eastern conference. I'm assuming you saw that coming yeah Oh, of course I wrote a whole piece of back you about how this year had the least parity of any year in mls history

Four teams above I think one point eight five points per game in the regular season the two from LA and Miami and Columbus Cincinnati were really good team to start the year rsl were as well Yeah, two of those teams are alive of those six that I just mentioned and one of them looked very poor

In the first series across the board for LFC yeah, it's been an interesting time in the playoffs for high seeded teams Credit to Orlando city for getting the job done and for being in a spot where hey if you stay alive in the postseason You never know what can happen truly you never know what can happen in Orlando city capitalized on a whole bunch of chaos Both in the playoffs around them and in this game against Charlotte where And Orion Bailey felt aggrieved by this I know

Let's have their fans did and should Patrick Ajaiman gets played in behind in the first half of this game Scores the goal puts it in the back of the net the offside flag goes up VAR doesn't doesn't end up overturning this thing Sure looked like Ajaiman was on side and it does not get flipped back to be a goal for Charlotte FC They should have been up one nil far earlier than they were in this game

It seemed to me. I know we don't have the optimal angle mls has has taken away some camera angles this year as they look to cut costs We don't have a great look at it But from what I know about how to like account for angles in my own brain

It sure feels like Taylor that he was on side in that moment in the Charlotte should have been leading and given themselves a much much bigger chance to progress out of this game and out of this series And what about the Duncan McGuire penalty incident at the end That's the other one that I think has been the source of much consternation for Charlotte supporters Ryan before we started recording arguing that Duncan McGuire felt

He sure it be tugged through himself to the ground and did so so strongly that he separated a shoulder yeah it's incredible moment for Duncan McGuire he wins that penalty in the 97th minute and then has a sprint over the bench to have You shoulder popped back into place. Yeah, yeah, don't big donkers build different because I am terrified of having my shoulder separator dislocated or whatever it sounds horrible

I'm sure it wasn't fun for Duncan McGuire but that moment's incredible. It's such a soft penalty It is such such such a soft penalty from McGuire as he goes down in the box there All I know Taylor is that you don't want to be in a position where you put the game into the referees hands Yep, I know that's kind of like a tired adage at this point I just don't have the juice to really complain about refereeing decisions When Charlotte FC never really found another gear to close out this season

So I would feel to be clear I would feel agree to if I was a Charlotte fan I think they have every right between those two calls The offside one on Ajaman in the first half and that penalty in the second half that was given to McGuire in Orlando

That Torres misses and then scores off the off the save from Kalina It sucks like that it's a horrible way to have your season end But man, I don't know if if you don't really try to distance yourself from your opponent There's only so much bad there's only so bad I can feel for you

Yeah, I mean generally speaking I think an old adage becomes an old adage because it is largely correct for a while And in this case I would very much agree with you that I think don't make the rep have to make the decision if you don't want to have to be in that position Any time it is first of all like in front of the home supporters and it happens to the home team I think there's maybe more inclination for an official whether or not that should be the case

I think a marginal call might end up being called when you know that like it feels like it should be a penalty But also when the official is right there the jersey is clearly being pulled the movement is being limited or at the very least the players freedom of movement is being inhibited I think it's going to err on the side of penalty especially when the player then falls down and gets injured Which you could argue he did do himself you could argue is the impact or whatever

But it's still the case that you've got a jersey being pulled you can see the fabric extended you can see it kind of slowing the run This did happen to me in my amateur 11 aside out of the weekend so maybe I'm just feeling bitter because the penalty was not given there and I was accused of diving and I did don't dive

So in this case I have sympathy for Duncan McGuire what a ruthless tackle it was it should have been a red card that's what I would say No I think that's just correct till I base off of your personal experience Yeah it sucks for Charlotte it really does I guess maybe the way to summarize my feelings on them best from the series Is that they scored one goal across all three games they just didn't play great soccer

Kalina did his best in this game he does save that penalty that towards eventually puts home anyway They had some good pieces and parts but between the red card to pet B.O. the end of the first game of this series How little they're attacking to produce across the next two games or B.O. wasn't in that game too of course because the red And then was back in the line up along with Ajuman and in Kroen Vargas for this game

I thought a bottle looked good off the bench and he and Swadezki combined well for that goal after a big mistake from Robin Janssen They just didn't ever look inspiring in this series Charlotte and that really applied for most of the season for the Charlotte FC team Now you could apply a lot of the same things for Orlando who kind of made their money in the regular season beating up on bad teams

Credit to them for getting the job done. I'm still not really all the way there on this team but but to be fair to them I thought they did a pretty good job of creating some looks in this game Some of the crossing from the right side between between a daggers and and you have torres on that side cutting on the left

Was sharp and dangerous in this moment. I thought they had some good things going from the more lando But Charlotte just never seemed to get out of first gear in a way that really tested anybody And that they still got this game to penalties and Really it was a coin flip away from Charlotte advancing in Orlando going home Sort of says yeah, I'm not sure even though Orlando prevail here that they are this inspiring team that's going to go on and win MLS Cup

At the same time are there any of those teams left in the east? I don't know they've got a real shot I always forget that to all sons first names dagger Dan and for a minute I assume it's it's like a nickname like how he's a daggering runner or something like that now that's just the name Do you point Joe about the lack of goal scored?

It felt very appropriate that the way this one is decided is like Kalina keeps Charlotte in it with the save and then the rebound is scored And then in the shootout when a shootout finishes four to one you know something has gone wrong and that Charlotte missed two of their three

Opportunities I think tells you something about their finishing acumen and maybe where they might be investing some money This offseason we shall see for now though Joe We now have the next round the conference semi finals set let's take one break we'll come back and talk about those games

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Investing involves risk Merrill Lynch Pierce Fender and Smith Incorporated Registered Broker Dealer Registered Investment Advisor member SIPC Welcome back to the total soccer show we continue to talk mls playoffs which means Joe it's time to reset the scene

We've got the conference Emmy finals after the international break Single elimination correct no more inter Miami situations to have to navigate no more serious We are back to single elimination all the way through All right and up first the Hudson River Derby NYCFC hosting the New York Red Bulls That's at 5.30 p.m. on November 23rd Expectations for this one Joe red Bulls to press their way into the next round or NYCFC Kind of gonna like hold home their way to the next round what do we think?

I will go New York Red Bulls this game I believe is being played at city field if I remember correctly So it's not gonna be a real home game for NYCFC kind of ends up being a neutral ground I mean NYCFC have a bit more experience playing there than the Red Bulls do

But basically a neutral game as far as I'm concerned So I think that eliminates a lot of home field advantage from this one So the Red Bulls playing on on the road quote unquote I was just more impressed by the Red Bulls in the first round than I was by New York City It's kind of that simple for me at the moment that there is something to be said for the fact that the matchup will not be as favorable

Stylistically in this conference I might find around as it was in round one for the Red Bulls who could very much lean into pressing and attacking and transition against NYCFC We talked about this a couple weeks ago They won't have as much of the ball as the crew will and so they are gonna force the Red Bulls to do a little bit more with possession And I think that does change some things for Sandra Swars and company

But man the Red Bulls hit a level that I think I said earlier I didn't think they had in them this season NYCFC just didn't really impress me against an inferior team Cincinnati took Columbus I mean by Cincinnati being inferior than Columbus

So I would expect the Red Bulls to again play mostly in transition in this series I would expect them to stick with that back three because I think it worked for them really really well against the crew Even though NYCFC changed their structure I don't think I would swap there if I'm Sandra Swars

And I do think the front three for the Red Bulls is hit there straight at the right time which is Lewis Morgan has the nine Ben 0 after one side in Forgesburg off to the other When those three are playing at their best I think the Red Bulls might just straight up have more talent than NYCFC So I'm leaning Red Bulls but I do think this is a fairly balanced game What will the Red Bulls do if they have more of the ball? Is it basically get it to Forgesburg and let them cook?

Like what is the approach you expect from them if they are gonna have more Possession not the lion chair possession but just more I think that's a lot of it Forgesburg is a playmaker Unlike any that the Red Bulls have had basically sense Sasha Kluschen was pulling the strings for them

They've whiffed hard on a couple of players sense and Kaku was not a bad player for them until he was kicking balls at fans in the stands And all that all that good stuff But I think they will look to Forgesburg I was talking with Lewis Morgan for a piece that's up on back yield right now

And and I asked him sort of how does it change your game as this nine now for the Red Bulls To have a meal forges work behind you and what Lewis Morgan said to me was it gives me more faith that the ball is gonna come when I make that run in behind

Which is how Lewis Morgan wants to play that number nine role He wants to slash more than he wants to come back to the ball He's a direct player that's part of why he's been such a great fit for the Red Bulls in general and more specifically for that nine spot for the New York Red Bulls

I think if the Red Bulls have the ball it's gonna look a lot like hey can we find a meal forgesburg in the pocket Can we find him in the half space and can he thread Lewis Morgan in behind and if that option isn't there can he find Dante Vans

You're checking in the midfield can we find the the wing backs overlapping and then play across into the box or cut back to Forgesburg or whoever it is Forgesburg is the the key piece for this team in possession and that they missed him for a huge chunk of the last half of the year

Really hurt the Red Bulls but now he's back and he looks pretty darn sharp to my eye He is going to be at the center of of everything that the Red Bulls try to do with the ball and he is the one that influences and and really builds confidence for the attacking pieces around him like a Lewis Morgan

And for city who could be the difference makers on either side of the ball I really do think that if NYCFC have a lot of success in this game and in this series it's gonna excuse me Wow man that's a whole that's a hard habit to break

It's going to be because of their midfield maximum or L.S. and sent you out of the guys Keaton Parks three silky smooth players on the ball They have the ability to play through the press Keaton Parks has been a one man press break a lot darlin to nag be for years and I'm a less now

He doesn't do it quite as well as nag be does but he's excellent at that kind of thing if they can break those players the early lines of Red Bulls pressure To then find wolf streaking down the right side or find Martinez in behind or find you know Rodriguez pinching in in the final third

I think that bodes really well for them. So I've always got my eye on that midfield four when they're playing together for NYCFC because I think that's where this team makes their money But the other factor here Taylor he's goalkeeping now call us Cornell was was really good against the crew by and large He has been up and he's been down this year Matt freeze has been more up than down if freeze pulls out another game changing and

Altering performance like he did against Cincinnati across these games like the balance totally tips fact NYCFC so there's a lot of ways that this could go and I don't think there's a lot separating these two teams. Alright, so that's November 23rd 5 30 p.m. We will probably talk about these games a little bit closer to when they actually occur that evening Joe at 10 30 p.m. We've got L.a.f.c. versus the Seattle Sounders. The best way I can think to preview this one is to ask you simply this.

What does an ideal game look like for L.a. and what does an ideal game look like for Seattle as in what sort of if L.a. Come out of this one comfortably to somewhat comfortably what like how does the game play out and similarly for Seattle if they end up winning. I kind of assume it's kind of backs against the wall defending, but maybe I'm incorrect.

I think for both teams the ideal game looks like the other team having the ball and I guess by that I mean interesting when I think about L.a.f.c. being at their best. It's just it's just two teams standing in their own 18. You take it. Feel like you go you go. Yeah, I don't think I'm not quite that extreme, but there are some of those vibes in this because if you think about L.a.f.c.

when they're at their best, it's Denny Wong is streaking down the left wing. He is at his best in transition, which is true of basically every player on the planet, right, because it's easier to attack one that are spaced to attack into right that that's a pretty foundational principle for the sport.

But that's when L.a.f.c. are at their best is when they can set up one got to run downhill and attack on the break and to do that they kind of have to lure the opposition into them a little bit closer. Now if they're really sharp in possession and can disorganize the opposing back line, which they will have to do at times in this game against Seattle odds are if they're really sharp on the ball.

And they can isolate ball and get in possession even better and that works out really really well for them. But at the basic level, I think if L.a.f.c. can attack on the break, they're going to be in a pretty good spot in this game. First Seattle, they're one of the best defensive teams in all of Major League Soccer. This core is excellent defensively Jackson Reagan and the I.m.R. make up to really, really strong center backs in the middle of the back line for Brian Smeetser.

They've got defensive pieces in midfield. They've got Jordan Morris and really the front line buying in defensively. They're at their best in transition because they don't have a top tier playmaker outside of Albert Rousseau. Who's been very good this year, but Pedro de la Vega hasn't hit to really supplement his work in the attack. Jordan Morris is now more nine than he is chance creator.

He's more more like finisher than creator at this point. The left wing doesn't bring the sounders a ton of attacking joy. It is Rousseau first and foremost and I don't believe the sounders team can reliably create chances in possession. They didn't do it against Houston. They didn't do it in the regular season. Which team does the better job of managing the game? Which team does the better job of forcing the opposition to have the ball in spots that are disadvantageous for the opposition.

I think we'll really, really have a good chance in this game. Also the undercurrent of all this is that L.A.F.C. have taken Seattle's lunch money every single time they played in the season. They beat him twice in the regular season. They beat him in Leaks Cup. They beat him in the open cup. L.A.C. have had the sounders number and they are the better team despite some of their struggles.

But it is not such a wide margin as we saw even with the widest of margins with Miami Atlanta that anybody is out of this game. That's absolutely not the case. Sorry, I'm just finishing writing up disadvantageous, which is a lengthy word to write out. I'm going to try to ask you about our next game in a way that isn't just are you looking forward to this one. So I'll ask you this. Let's say you are busy fully on November 23rd and November 24th.

And you end up watching these four games on replay. Are you watching Orlando Atlanta last or are you watching it first? Where are you putting your vegetables in this one? I am more excited for the galaxy Minnesota than I am for Orlando Atlanta United. So all those games on the 24th in particular. All four games. All four games. I might put the Hudson River Darby last in this one. I don't know. Taylor, I'm truly actually excited about all these games.

Really. I don't think that there are any elite teams left in the east as I made clear those teams already gone. But I'm still excited about that. I want to see if Atlanta United can continue this run. Can they beat Orlando City? Absolutely. They can. They have every shot to do that. And I think I've already talked about some of the reasons why the rest of these games are at least LFC Seattle and the New York teams.

Why those are interesting matchups Orlando City are a team that got great goalkeeping goalkeeping from Pedro Gaia say in the penalty shootout he was massive and probably didn't give him his credit. Definitely. We'll talk about that game. He's huge in that game. And they have game changers and Martino Hayda and Faccundo Torres. I think they're lack of a third difference making DP. I remember that's Luis Maria who's come in from Atlanta in Syria and has been a big old flop this season.

They don't have the true top level talent of a team that I think is an obvious trophy favorite. And that's why they were the four seed and why they're still not an obvious trophy favorite. But they have quality and they have real pieces that can give Orlando City that can give Atlanta United.

Excuse me. A lot of trouble, especially with three games of tape of Sabahlob Genese playing as a right wingback into Miami took him to task at times in this game. I talked about that already in the first segment. I talked about it last week when when the United still got that win at the bends against into Miami. Jordi Alba was you know knife and right behind love Genese. It doesn't look very difficult to exploit that weakness.

There are real weaknesses there for Atlanta at the same time. Guzan is red hot harder than he's been in a long, long time. They have all those pieces that are flying that I've already mentioned. Marancha looks like maybe he's starting to figure some things out.

Atlanta they're hot enough to run this thing all the way to the last cup. So I am fascinated by the underdog in this series, which is still Atlanta traveling on the road to Orlando and Orlando have the match winners to get this thing done. So I am really, really curious how this one's going to go. Aside from the goalkeepers, who is a player on each team, one for each team that you find most interesting, most captivating, most enjoyable to watch.

It is for Orlando. It's for Kundo Taurus who is such a weird player. He went from being a 10 to being a narrow winger. He's kind of got back and forth between those roles since he got to Orlando. Now he is firmly that that right winger for Oscar Brea has team. He's got a great left foot. He loves to get on the ball. He's very, very smooth in possession. He is still not the most disciplined attacking player when it comes to his decision making in the final third.

He rushes actions. He'll rush a shot. He'll rush a pass. He'll demand to get on the ball when it messes up Orlando spacing. But when you're looking for a silky smooth player on the final third, it is him and Martino Hayda that change games for Orlando City and Torres draws real attention from the opposing defense on his side, which can then create more space for a Heta in the middle.

Torres is the player that I think is worth watching for Orlando City in a way that nobody else is. And then for Atlanta United, it is it is Pedro Amador who I've had so much fun watching when you want to watch a player whip in across with that just that perfect kind of pleasing texture that happens on some of those wide distributions.

Amador is that guy, but you could really pick of any of the players that I mentioned, Guzanz and X factor, that's my cardies and X factor, Amador's an X factor in T.R.A. and really low Genitsu as well, especially as he gets forward into the attack. If I had to pick a player Taylor, who if you just watch that player and the things right around them might give you the best picture of how the game was unfolding, it would be so low Genitsu because I think if he is tight to his center back, which is probably going to be Hernandez on that right side Ronald Hernandez.

If he's tight to that center back and really discipline defensively Orlando, we're going to have some problems if he's not and if he is inching forward into the attack and maybe not making Orlando City pay even as he gets higher up the field and then their space for the lines to attack into that's going to be a real problem for Atlanta. So I would watch somebody to get a flow of the game if I'm watching a player for fun though for Atlanta is Amador because he's awesome.

So that's the final question then, Joe. Would you take 90 minutes of 11 on 11 or would you take 30 minutes of Gaia Santoria versus Guzana Amador? I want that just for the Nike commercialification of all that I mean, I'm in for that Taylor. Final playout game to discuss the galaxy versus Minnesota United. Talk it out, Joe. What's going to happen? So we talked about this series a little bit after both teams swept so the galaxy swept the rapids and Minnesota and swept our cell.

We talked about men there's a big break Ricky Pooge is happy about that nobody really is happy about that including MLS. And although they did it themselves, so I have a lot of sympathy for that, but nobody's super happy about that break who who is favored more by having the break and it is Minnesota United because how this game is going to unfold is the galaxy playing at home are going to be on the ball a ton.

It's going to be pass after pass. It's going to be Ricky Pooge dropping deep moment after moment. Minnesota United are probably going to be on that five four one low defensive block. And when they do have the ball, they'll be a bit more expensive. They'll find Robin Loden the half spaces. They'll look for Calvin, you bow it in behind.

But it's going to be about how Minnesota United stymied what the galaxy are doing in possession or maybe more than that because the galaxy will find their chances because there's that they're that talented. It's going to be about 10 minutes so United due to the galaxy what Atlanta did to enter Miami, we just not to see that the gap between those two teams is as wide on paper as it is between Atlanta and Miami.

But it is to say that if there's a way to get at the galaxy number one is on set pieces and number two at least an open play. It's on attacking transition because their center backs are are not great. They're not the most steel team defensively through the midfield Ricky Pooge messes up their spacing all the time and it makes it fascinating to watch but it really does hurt the galaxy at times in those rest defense and transition moments.

That's the key phase from Minnesota United. It's can they get at the galaxy in transition. They've got the quality of do so. They've been one of the hottest teams since the summer transfer window closed and they the overall part of their squad. This I think is a fascinating series of two teams Taylor that if you told me that either one of these teams the galaxy or Minnesota were an MLS Cup and that they'd emerged from the Western conference field. I really wouldn't be all that surprised.

Is this the type of game Joe where if the galaxy score early it can we sort of assume it is over like is that the worst case scenario given that Minnesota will want to defend and sit off or with some of the opportunities with poosh maybe being a little reckless maybe with that pieces.

Do you think this can be a more interesting open 90 minutes maybe not open but a more interesting 90 minutes if the galaxy were to score early the galaxy make all of their games interesting they have a draw sense may may Taylor wherein I had to check my counter when November now it's been basically six months since this teams had a draw.

The galaxy are are never never fully comfortable with the result and that's because they don't make themselves fully comfortable because they're not going to defending. So yeah even if they go to hell in this game it's not over because Minnesota United have the horses to get at the mid transition and the galaxy have the longest drawless streak in MLS yet this one's not going to be over until the final whistle or you know until it's like three now and that it's probably done until three

in the 13th minute minutes but I really I really do think Minnesota United are a good team they they have been really sharp to end the season they were the better team against RSL even though it's two penalty shootouts to get them through they're not as good of a team on paper as the galaxy but Eric Ramsey has them playing great ball and I think he's been a really really sharp addition tactically for this team on the sidelines he's found his personnel all those things but yes still I take your point for the for the context your question for the context of this.

And what we're watching for given that I wrote Minnesota off in my season preview for thinking that they work at a higher coach until like June or July and it was going to be very much a slow rebuild not really a lot of substantive change for the change they have made for some of the chaos they have endured to be where they are is incredibly impressive I would definitely not write them off at all especially with the way the playoffs have gone.

Simply wondering at what point in what minute is the game over can we say the galaxy can't possibly give up this lead a three goal three goal lead I think is it's a moment you can say yeah we're feeling pretty good about calling it.

All right all right cool that I think we've we've we've got some good foundation tier as I said we will talk about these games again as they come closer as push is like a walk in from his hibernation from his cryo sleep to begin preparing but for now Joe I look forward to taking a long break from talking to you and then talking to you early tomorrow morning about the US roster.

Yeah less than 24 hours is long enough I think I think that's a sweet spot Taylor thank you as always listeners thank you all for joining us long may the analyst playoffs continue even without answer Miami even if down government might not agree we'll talk to you again tomorrow.