SoccerWise - 2025 MLS Season Previews: ATL, RBNY, COL & LAG

Episode Date: February 7, 2025

David and Tom are ready to dig into the 2025 season. This is the first of their team by team previews that are going to come out before MLS Is Back. Soccerwise is teaming up with the best local hosts for every club to bring you all your preview coverage. Each team will have its own separate segment (you can find via timestamps below). In the first episode we are lucky enough to be joined by good friend of the show Sam Jones of Five Stripe Final in Atlanta, Mark Fishkin of the legendary Seeing Red Podcast, Mark Goodman of the elite Holding The Highline & of course the champions are represented by Josh Guesman of Corner Of The Galaxy Podcast. 2:20: ATL w/Sam Five Stripe Final30:17 RBNY w/Mark Seeing Red1:03:58 COL w/Mark Holding The Highline1:39:53 LAG  w/Josh Corner Of The Galaxy Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

David Goss and Tommy Spook with you here at SoccerWise as we have embarked on an ambitious uphill trip to start the Major League Soccer season. We are attempting to do 30 unique previews for all 30 clubs now in MLS and we want to do it with a couple special guests. So we are trying to connect to as many local markets as we can to talk to people who have the pulse of these teams and as well as a chance to cross promote because I think we both believe very strongly in having strong local coverage of MLS teams and NWSL teams. It makes the league stronger. It makes the leagues better. It makes the fan experience better as well.

And that's what we're trying to do here at Soccerwise. We are going to combine the podcast episodes so that we don't flood everyone's feed with 30 episodes. On top of all the episodes, we are already doing Tom. We didn't think everyone needed the alert 41 times a day We just pump out content here And again when you're with if you subscribe to our patreon you get into our discord content is going all of the time So I think it was nice of us to consolidate these instead of putting out, you know

30 different 30 minute episodes however many that we're gonna fit into a podcast. We'll have your timestamps We'll have everything set up for you So if you're an Atlanta fan that just really wants to hear the Atlanta preview But doesn't doesn't really care about San Jose or insert another team then that's fine Or I think a lot of you sickos are gonna want to hear all 30 so you can do whatever you want We'll give you the options and we'll give you the content. Yeah, we'll put all the names in the titles We will put timestamps for when each team starts in the podcast and then on YouTube We're gonna put them up as videos and those will be unique to each team

So that way if you want to share it with friends or other fans or people in your supporter section or your tailgate Partners or whatever it is you can share it there Maybe a little bit simpler for you. You mentioned the discord if you don't already subscribe You can do so via patreon that gets you our depth charts and our salary cap tables which we will lean on heavily as we go into the season and we are revamping. It will also allow you into our discord so that you can yell at us for all the things we're wrong about as we preview your teams and everything that we talk about. All right Tommy Scoops we've. We've got Sam Jones of five stripe final coming up in just a moment to help us break down all things Atlanta United. There is excitement. It is a historic

offseason for this team. There is excitement for me because I spent a lot of time in Atlanta covering this team and Roomie's Kitchen in Sandy Springs is one of my favorite restaurants in all of the United States. So if Atlanta can be good and now I I'm based in Florida so it's not that hard to get there, if Atlanta can be good it's an excuse for me to go. We can go and eat chicken barg and all the good things together. And I think I'm ready for a sold out Mercedes-Benz once again. I can't wait. First of all, I feel like we've talked about Atlanta so much this off season because they

have been the story of Major League Soccer off season across the league with everything they've done with Chris Henderson coming in Ronnie Dylas head coach Miguel Morrone, Emmanuel Latay-Latham, new league record, transfer fee, any one of those stories I think we would have devoted a lot of time to this club because every one of them on their own is big But man like having all four in the same offseason It was crazy It lives up to the billing of how busy we thought they were gonna be and I must confess the same way I was telling you that I hadn't been to LA Galaxy Stadium

because by the time I broke through, the galaxy weren't very good and how incredible it was for me to make that trip, I was just starting those Atlanta United years. I haven't been to Mercedes Benz and I'm dying. I remember being like, the last MLS Cup I didn't get like, you're going to go for work, was that Atlanta one. And I remember sitting there, I was like, well, this sucks because this looks incredible. But look at this team. They have Miguel Moron, they have Tata Martino, they have Joseph Martinez.

Bro, they're going to be back. They're going to be a fixture in my life in the future. Who cares? I'm going to have plenty of Atlanta United trips. Fast forward. None of that happened. They've fallen off. So I do hope in 2025, I find myself in Atlanta eating some good food with you David guys. It is it is an awesome city

I love being in Atlanta both from an MLS point of view. We've said it on this show a couple times It's one of the markets you fly into you go to and you're like, I'm here for a game and it's not like oh I didn't realize Mizzou was playing this week. I didn't realize that UCLA had a game It's like oh you're here for the Atlanta United game? Like, yeah, I might go. That part's really exciting. The city in general is awesome. Like, you come up the escalator, there's always a picture of Ludacris at the top and you're like, oh, nice. I'm in Atlanta. My God. There's a lot of good stuff. I need this in my life. But I will say, one of my favorite MLS experiences, and I said for a while, and it might still be,

best regular season MLS game I've ever been to was 2017 Decision Day, Atlanta United against TFC, Josie and Javinko. Javinko bangs a free kick. Josie, I think, went into the crowd yelling at people because him and Michael were still getting flack for the 2018 World Cup issues. And then you had an Atlanta team under Tata

that was like fully revamped or had been fully built out. And it was like, this is it. Like this is the future of Major League Soccer. And Atlanta's had a lot of those moments, but that to me is like, that was my Genesis moment. And I left that Stadium One, I was like, wow, because it felt like Atlanta was shooing to win MLS Cup and Toronto actually ended up having a good game plan there and you're like they figured

it out which didn't end up mattering and to like this is the future of this league. That was incredible and that brings me that reminds me of just the gif of Josie and GeoVinco celebrating and somebody threw a beer and GeoVinco tried to hit it and he missed and then Josie picked it up and took a sip just Iconic lore in MLS and just you know, just all these memories are just making me happy Atlanta United they're an interesting one I think a lot of MLS fans get annoyed because they feel like they're the big market that everyone wants to talk about But I don't think they're one of the clubs that foreign soccer people talk about it's still

LA it's still New York Miami now is sprinkled into that and it's funny because for us nerds like This is the chance for Chris Henderson to build a super team that we've always wanted to see Even though he just left the points record roster like that's messy and friends And so this I think is what's really exciting latte loth of course setting the record Al Marrone coming back There's a lot to talk about so let's dig into it now with Sam Jones. We continue on with our season previews and we have a big one. We have one in which we are going to be talking about historic levels of investment and transfers.

We're talking about Atlanta United and we are talking about with the host of Five Stripe Final podcast, the biggest transfer in soccer wise history, Sam Jones is here to talk about it with us. Go dogs. How about them dogs? Listen, it's an honor to be on here with folks who are so good at this. Has the league ever considered doing a show like this?

It'd be a great idea. I agree, but I think it's one of those things where you probably start with a daily newsletter that informs fans and then you sort of move up to something like this. That makes sense. It's a traditional path, I think. Yeah, it is a traditional path and it's one we are all excited to follow globally. Tommy scoops here as well.

Of course, we're going to dig into all things Atlanta United, as I said, some historic transfers, some big time moves, not as many outs as you would have expected, and some big name changes on the top of the club. You can listen to Five Stripe Final anywhere you get your podcasts. If you are listening to SoccerWise, you should go do that. If you're listening anywhere else on a different feed, come join us at SoccerWise. We go live twice a week talking MLS, we cover all things NWSL as well, four to five shows a week, as much soccer as you can possibly handle directly into your face and hopefully we will be going to Atlanta for some big games this year. It was a large part of my time covering Major League Soccer, was about three years where I spent every other month in Atlanta and love it. I'm huge fan Sam it's been a little while and it

feels like we all might be coming back. Yeah I would expect so it feels like there might be a lot of folks in Atlanta coming back as well. I'm not sure what the numbers were on season ticket renewals but my guess is that with the price increase and everything like that, things probably dropped off maybe a little bit. They probably picked up in the last couple of weeks. Look, we were out of the airport the other night, me and Joe Patrick from 5stripefinal.com were out of the airport the other night with 150 other folks just to see Miguel Almiron walk through a terminal. Like they had to turn folks away. There were so many folks who were wanting to come just be at the airport for Miguel Almeyra.

Like that's the level of connection they have with this guy. And now they get to build that level of connection with Latte Loth as well. It's one of those things where it feels like there's a buzz about the team for the first time since 2019. Yeah, or 21 when Joseph went down with the torn a Seattle in 20 I'd still think that there was hope after that and you try to talk yourself into it But to go back I have a quick airport follow-up for these arrivals for these moments

It's a big Hartfield Jackson content. I'm thinking logistically So do you park in like short-term parking and then it was like well What if the flight was delayed and then you just get stuck with like a $27 bill for 45 minutes of parking? Yeah, the flight was delayed. It was $14. So thanks for asking. I'm here for you. And Tom's account is open for transfers.

So you can just hit it for those $1,000. I'm getting paid for this appearance. So I figured that would cover it. I have a Venmo request coming. It's directly out of Tom's account as well. That's where we sort of operate all our money out of. Tom, let's hit some transfers. For the most part, normally I write at the top of the rundown, like, what's the big story? This time I wrote, is there even anything to talk about?

Basically bringing in 3DPs for a total of $33 plus million. Tom, hit us with the info. This was the most opulent transfer window in MLS history. They bring in Emmanuel Latelot for a new league record fee of 22 million upfront plus add-ons. They bring home club legend Miguel Morrone for $10 million plus add-ons. They acquired Mateus Klick in a trade with DC United for next to nothing. And that's when you talk to people at Atlanta United, they say we've signed three DPs this winter and they're talking about Mateus Klick as the other one. On the outgoing front, Santi Sosa, who they got like $4 million from, from Rossin Club, which is an incredible piece of business.

Though I still do believe in that player, I won't take the on that one. And Franco Abara are both gone. Those are two U-22 initiative slots open. This club could spend more money because they can add two more U-22 initiative slots. Of course, Dax McCarty retired, Tyler Wolf to Rialto Salt Lake, and Daniel Rios. His option was declined. Are you taking the L on Franco Ibarra? Are you standing strong on both, Tom?

I was more of a Santi Sosa guy. Tom Bogard is standing strong on Santi Sosa, officially, and maybe on Franco Ibarra as well. Still, still the fourth sub-node? I think that ship sailed. I think that ship sailed. Okay. Santi actually played more minutes than I realized when I went back to look at it to make up a mocking thing to put down. I think it starts with most MLS games are played at nighttime. Will Mercedes Benz have a special latte drink of sorts to celebrate the new signing from Middlesbrough?

I've been told it will be a latte with a giant stick of butter in it. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, I can elaborate further on like some other tier of your Patreon. Yeah, that sounds like really important content that people are going to clamor for. We came into the offseason, Sam, and we talked about all the money that had been made last year. The allocation money, Caleb Wiley, Tiia Romada, all these huge moves. And we sort of said this was possible, but you don't know how it's going to play out. What do you make of what this off season has been so far for this club? And we have to add in here. The other big notes to know is Ronnie Dila has been hired as the new manager, former MLS Cup winner in 2022.

And Chris Henderson has taken over as the new chief soccer officer under Garth Oggway, basically replacing Carlos Bocanegra after he stepped away last year. So it's a new front office that has been able to open up this checkbook. Yeah, on paper. I mean, I was talking through some other folks the other day, it's hard to think of an on paper offseason More effective than this one, especially the higher end, especially in the front office You bring back Henderson reunited with Garth Lagerway dial. Of course is one of them less cup We can talk more about him in a little bit and maybe some concerns I have with that higher in particular But as far as the players they brought in

in particular, but as far as the players they brought in, the kind of central principle of what Garth wanted to do this off season was increased team speed. Atlanta has been a slow ass team for a really long time. We talked about our dear friends, San Diego Sosa and Franco Ibarra. There were games where Franco Ibarra would play 70, 80 minutes and barely cover 5K. It was bad.

Say he took a sow to the flat footed all the time. There's a reason he got moved back to center back now at Rossing. It was a team that didn't have high in talent and high in speed. You bring in Miguel Almiron, who's still even at 30, 31, about turn 31, still has pace. You bring in Latte Lath, who is one of the fastest strikers in the world at least According to what people tell me about the FIFA ratings That's a really stark change and a really stark profile player that they've gravitated towards and I think what is maybe Concerning about it is that a lot of it has been predicated around

Getting the Lexiantchuk runners, allowing Alexi Morantchuk to have space and allowing Alexi Morantchuk to operate with people making runs in behind. If Alexi Morantchuk isn't actually that dude and we find that out midway through the season, then something has gone terribly wrong and this could be kind of a struggle. If Miguel Almiron doesn't really have the same kind of giddy up at this age. Maybe has some injury issues then you know It's really basically It's kind of the same team that finished ninth for the most part except that these couple of top-in spots and except where they added

Mateus click who's also in his mid-30s. You know It's basically the same team except a new sporting director, new head coach and $33 million spent. I think I'd push back on this one. Plus, I get your concerns on, I could see through each path of, okay, Morantchuk, maybe he isn't quite the player that they thought he was. Or Almorad, like you try to go through the negative side of things. I think it is extraordinarily unlikely that multiple of those outcomes happen in the same

season. Maybe not any of them at all. But I think that if Morantchuk isn't great, I think that they're fine. If Miguel Moron needs to play less games or maybe lost half a step or a fraction of a step, I think that they're fine. I think that they have contingencies now. Last year the issue was when it was, oh, if John Day Silva and Sabalobos Nite are a little cold, the game's over.

This team is really bad. So I think that they didn't have enough backup plans or other ways to beat you. Right now I think that they have enough talent in the attack that if one or two of the players aren't hitting exactly how you thought they were going to, I still think that they'll be fine. You talk about needing a laundry list of things to go wrong. That's been kind of the theme for Atlanta the last few years. So I am stepping out cautiously is how I'd put it. Extremely optimistic, I think, as far as the

high-end ceiling for this team. But recognizing that the floor can still be a little lower than maybe some folks probably think. Frank DeBore ain't walking through that door. We have the sage words of Matt Doyle that we're going to go to in a moment. We've also got our final lines that Andrew Wiebe has sent us that will help us sort of create some predictions and close this out. Let's start with Matt Doyle right now. Beat kills, right? That's clearly the theory behind this winter's roster construction from Garth Lagerway and

Chris Henderson in going out and filling those two DP slots with old friend Miguel Almiron and Emanuel Latelot. Both those guys get in the open field and leave guys in the dust. I think it gives flexibility to this team to play either a 3-5-2 with those two kind of up top though Almiron is sort of almost like a false forward or a 4-3-3 where Almiron would probably be an inverted right winger and Latte Last would be up top. And of course, the key, the centerpiece in all of this is the number 10, Alexei Morantsev, the other DP

who they brought in in the middle of last summer. And he honestly wasn't very good. I know he had a couple of bangers and he, you know, was part of that remarkable win over in center Miami, but he did not settle in well with this team. Um, so that's a little bit of a concern, but given the track record of this front office and given the talent surrounding them, I should mention Matthias click as well, getting him in, um in basically $300,000. In some ways that's a fourth DP.

Like they do have a lot of guys who could go out and win you a game. Ronnie Dyla is a manager with a track record of success in MOS on paper. It all seems really good. I feel like I've said that five times in the past five years for Atlanta United, and it usually hasn't been as good on grass or on turf as it was on paper. So we'll see.

But I think there's, there's a reason behind the confidence that's emanating out of out of Atlanta these days. To Matt Doyle, script written by Sam Jones there towards the end. Let me ask you about this one though, Sam, because you mentioned question marks around Ronnie Dylah and Doyle said, trust in the front office and trust in Ronnie Dylah's track record.

Where does your concern come from? Yeah, the track record is such an interesting thing because there's the obvious success at NYCFC and there's also places he's been where there has not been sustained success to say the least. Club Bruges fans are still celebrating his departure. Now for some extra context, that was entirely unfair. They were first in the league and expected goal differential. And then once he left, they went on to win the weird Belgium playoff system that they

have set up. It's fascinating. Go look it up. No such thing as playoffs outside the United. Sure. Right. But Club Bruges fans didn't like him. The team who's at the Circle Bruges didn't like him. Celtic fans still say, eh. You know, he only won the league twice at Celtic and that somehow made them really mad about everything for some reason. He didn't do it in the right way, I guess.

There are a couple of stops along the way that have not gone entirely well for Ronnie Dila teams. And I think that's fine. It just kind of increases the potential level of volatility and everything with Ronnie Dila. And that is not necessarily Garth's ML. That's not this front office's ML. Their whole thing is risk mitigation. So honestly, I think, you know, if you could have picked up someone like Jim Curtin, who,

you know, is so stable, I guess, and has that kind of similar stable track record of success, they might have gravitated towards that if he was available. But they tried. But now they're with Daila and then less success is great. But you do kind of wonder what if these other things pop up? I really sound like I'm I might pick this team to finish first in the East. I want to be clear here. I just I did that last year and we saw how that worked out. He hasn't been anywhere for more than two years. Right. Basically in 10 years. Since his first club. I think for two and a half seasons or whatever it was before he came over or it went over to Celtic. So I think sustainability is a question mark. It

did not feel unsustainable when he left NYCFC. Like it felt like an obvious jump he had to make but it wasn't like he was getting out because he had burned out his players and the locker room had turned on him and any of that. But I think that that question is reasonable. In three years, I think I probably would have less concerns this year of like, he showed an ability to turn things around quickly. He showed an ability to adapt but still have game principles, which I think is what a club like Atlanta should have. And it's what Tata Martino had, right? When he was able to lead them to their highest point.

So it feels like a lot of that fits together for this team. Tom, Doyle and Sam both talked about the speed. They talked about the threats and the quality in this attack. Like how excited are you to watch this Atlanta team? Extremely excited and like it's obvious what they were trying to do and putting runners around Alexei Morantchuk.

I'm very curious to see the first time that like they're just shredding teams in transition and then teams go, okay, like we can't come out of our shell. Then how do they break it down? And again, I think that there's where Miguel Moron is different where he's not just a straight line runner. Like, yes, he's one of the all-time greats in the open field in Major League Soccer,

but he can also beat a packed defense. He also has that quality. I think that's the key difference between him and Saba Lobo-Ginitse, where Lobo-Ginitse does that less frequently than Miguel Moron, which is a difference between a tan player and one of the probably going to be one of the most expensive contracts in a league If I had to guess so I'm really really excited to see this team and I think that these games are gonna be a bunch Of fun. I think that they're gonna try to attack it like the Benz is gonna look like Hopefully gonna look like 2019 again, and I think that's what I'm most looking forward to

We have our lines from Andrew Weeby. Let's just go to these to sort of talk about this team as we finish Let's start on points. Sam, we talked about the standings. Weeby set the line at 59 and a half points. So 59 points was what Cincinnati and RSL both put up in the two conferences last year to finish in third place. So the question here is, are they a top three team in the East where we sit right now? I'm going to take the under and again I might pick this team to finish first in the East. What's your chance to take that? But man I don't know there's so much has it to I think I'm wounded from the last few years but there is a chance that the ceiling doesn't get reached and I think that's what's kind of got me

calling 60 points is a lot. I don't think that 2019 team got a 60. I know they didn't. I don't think 2017 got a 60 2018 did, but 60 points is a heck of a thing. It could absolutely happen. But I'm being, I'm going to be cautious here. I think 2017 was 55 points. 2019 was 58 finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference. I understand like 59 and a half is a lot of points. I think that this is a fair line. Like these should be the expectations for this team. And when you talk about it as are this is this team a top three team?

Yeah, absolutely. It is. But you could kind of still finish third and be a few points below. I'm going to be optimistic. I'm going to take the over just because I think that there are so many different contingencies for this team. And by the way, like we haven't mentioned Stian Gregerson yet. I think Stian Gregerson has the ability to be a one a center back in this league, like somewhere in that like top 10 top 15. I know that his injury concerns all of that. I believe in the talent there. I am curious to see what they're going

to do in their own defensive transition when Amador and Brooks Lennon are both going forward The same time there are plenty of reasons for concern plus how great the Eastern Conference is gonna be I just think that this team has too much down. I think I'm probably leaning with you Tom even though it feels like such a huge jump because Most of the back six is the same as last year So the question is is the attack so much better so quickly that it carries them that it changes the game state so much that it doesn't affect them? I do think you look at this team and the two names you just mentioned, Pedro Amador and Brooks Lenin,

you're now building a team where their skill sets are amplified and maybe their deficiencies are hidden even more because you're in possession more often because you're playing higher up the field. Those are two pieces I want if I want to break down a low block is like probably maybe the best server of the ball and maybe one of the cleanest possession player at left back in the league in Pedro Almodore. And I think that's where Maddie clicks sort of becomes a difference maker as well in moments like that. So I have that confidence. I also have some level of belief that this is a sporting group in Garth Agarway and Chris Henderson that built teams around Chad Marshall and Kim Ki-hee and, you know, and Yai Mar.

Like, I'd be surprised if they don't think they need to continue to upgrade at that position. And if there's money to spend, whether it's U22 initiative, whether it's being able to use some of the allocation money they've generated, you for a tam player i'd be shocked if there wasn't at least one more move in the defensive side of things For this club going forward. So i'm going to take the over on this one as well We've had a second one for us on this one because he's so excited bonus about atlanta united uh, and it was miguel almi rung and the question was who he would be the Line is 24 and a half goals plus assists in MLS only. In 2017, Almiron put up 23.

In 2018, he put up 26. So Weeby's asking, coming back where he sits in his career, where this team sits, is he as good or better than he was in his initial in his initial trip? Tom, you start. I'm almost like I think like the lore of Miguel Marrone that has come year by year. Like if you told me he had 35 goal contributions, I would have been like, yeah, that sounds right. Like, because you just think of the highlights playing and the more time that has gone.

Like I was just relooking at the stats. I was like, oh, wow, 12 goals and 14 assists. And he played he started 32 matches that season. I think I have to kind of go under just because I think that there's going to be other outlets. Like again, there was, there was on those 2017, 2018 teams with the Gal Maron, obviously with Joseph Martinez and, and Julian Gressel was budding and Tito Villaba and everybody else, Yomile Asad, of course we have to mention that for Rob Bustri. With all of those players, like I think that it's different now with Morantu can be the player that the team could be playing through that maybe they're not going to demand

Miguel Moron. Your usage rate is going to be through the roof. So I'm going to go with slightly under though. I still think that this is going to be an excellent signing. Tim? Uh, I think I'm going to go over it, but it's so interesting, Tom, you bring up a good point that Miguel is playing such a different position this time around. We're so used to seeing him being a 10,

progressive ball carrier so many times that's just not going to be his game for the most part in this tenure. So I don't know it's gonna look a little different there may not be as many assist involved in this but maybe a few more goal scoring opportunities. I'm really curious to see how it pans out. But 24, 25 goal contributions, that seems about right. Yeah, the really good line by Weeby. I will also say like, I think, I think if they if we knew for sure that Ronnie Diallo was playing out of like a three, four, a three, five, two, where Miguel Morrone is central and is like the second forward, I think that makes

it an easy over for me, because he is going to be more central in that role. And like the secondary assist, the high likelihood is that he's going to be involved in the past or the past before the past in that kind of system. But if it's more of the 4231, like there are opportunities for him to just kind of not get lost, but just have a lower usage rate. I think the goal scoring number is the interesting one to me 9 and 2017 plus playoffs 13 and 2018 His best year at Newcastle was 12 or 13, but like you both talked about he's not gonna be the creator But I think he's gonna be one of the main finishers

And so if he can boost that number to 15 or 16 he probably still gets into this ballpark with the way it gets set up and he probably still gets into this ballpark with the way it gets set up. And the way I envision it is Moran Chuck drops deep to sort of launch Elmeron into space. And it's him and Latte Loth in transition with Saba sort of following up. And we saw the early run, like Elmeron happy to pass in those moments, right? Pull a defender, pull the goalkeeper, slide it across for a lot of finish, but also will be a goal scorer in a lot of those

moments. So I think he hits this number but like you said Sam I think the ratio is way different than it was when he was originally in Major League Soccer and that's kind of what you want right like he's developed as a player he's in a different role there's different talent the league has changed. It is seven years on which is kind of ridiculous to talk about in its own right And yet he is still a player in his peak and still a player where if you took the Atlanta part away And we're like this player Paraguayan International Starter borderline starter Newcastle all those things Would be a huge sign for an MLS team And so you have to use the fact that he has knowledge of the league to hope that he hits really quickly and is able

To push on from there. Anything big we miss before we get out of here? Again, the click stining is a steal. I know the number has been 300,000. I've heard a little less than that, to be totally honest, as far as what they'll actually be paying. It could be, I don't exactly know, but it's an entire coup. Do they pay him in bottles that he then returns from Nichols just to get paid?

It must be something like that, some kind of coupon system. But he's going to help a lot with not only Elena's ability to break down a low block, but Elena's ability to press. Atlanta's been a terrible pressing team. And while Gonzalo Pineda's ideas were probably about the same as Ronnie Diala in a lot of cases, the execution of those ideas wasn't great, especially in pressing moments. So having someone like Klick who can be innate, who pushes out and helps in that press and having clear ideas in the press

from Dila, I think that's what makes this team a lot more dangerous this year if they do become a lot more dangerous. We've had a lot of fun here. We are excited for the season to come for Atlanta United. We will be covering this team and the entire league here at Soccer Wise. If you are listening via Five Stripe, come join us. Live twice a week covering MLS as well. If not, go the other direction.

This is gonna be one of the stories of the year. Sam covers Major League Soccer as well as anyone out there. We appreciate all the work that you do. We're gonna have you on a ton as the year goes along and go feed the minds of the next generation of capital J's. It is time to talk about the New York Red Bulls. They are returning as Eastern Conference champions. They made their second ever appearance in MLS Cup.

They are still yet to win a cup. Tom, it's a club you're closely familiar with. Being a New Jersey native, I am a Long Island native. I skipped my junior prom to go watch Juan Pablo on Hell play against Guillermo Barros Coloto in what was at the time coined El Classic, or Super Classico in New Jersey because it was Boca verse River and by skipped it wasn't like people were

clamoring for me to go so that's just you know I'm using the vocabulary I choose to use don't push me on it don't don't get big J on that one and it was a surprise run last year but I think we talked about MLS Cup on this show it was exciting it was a big deal and I think to me it wasLS Cup on this show. It was exciting. It was a big deal. And I think to me, it was sort of both a reemergence but a reminder of how important this region is to the sport in this country. Yeah, it was really fun to see this team

go on a run in the playoffs. Again, a lot of it was on the road, so I'm still craving a bouncing Red Bull Arena because again, in those, like the TRE honoree years of course but also the 2015 shield team the 2018 shield team like it's easy to joke about like from outside about you know either empty seats or the atmosphere of Red Bull Arena just because of it's not one of the premier fan experiences at the moment just by way of noise and home field advantage everything when this team is very good and the fans are

behind them, it is one of those places. So we'll see if they can capture that back in 2025. The run in the playoffs, again, like it was on the road for all of it. So it was, we wouldn't have seen it then. I think that this team has a lot of good will defense. They would have the most good will

if they went and signed another designated player. I understand the fans concerns. I still think that this roster is really good as it is. And I'm very excited to see this Red Bull team in 2025. I'm not a Northeast native player. I understand the fans' concerns. I still think that this roster is really good as it is, and I'm very excited to see this Red Bull team in 2025. I'm not a Northeast native anymore. Have they moved the press box officially? They did. RIP to the best press box in professional sports.

It is something I'm sure every fan likes to hear about, is press complaining about the free seat that they get. Well, not free, but the seat that they get and how good it was and how good it wasn't. But it will be mentioned, I guarantee you, a bunch of times as the season starts and people start coming back and having to sit there. It is, as you said, one of the jewels of venues in North America. And so hopefully it's bouncing once again. And I have to say here, it is the 10-year anniversary of New York Red Bulls 2, the greatest team ever created and I was lucky enough to broadcast them in the early parts of my career. I've never had more fun than like watching these young

players just run down the throats of full-fledged professionals who are like yeah they'll press us but we'll figure it out and it's like you are not gonna figure this out and those are always a blast and those are always a highlight of my career and a chance for me to get connected to the youth game and the and youth development, which is something I'm super passionate about. So I know Red Bulls fans are excited for this season. So let's get into our preview and we're going to talk with who else but the godfather himself, Mark Fishkin of Seeing Red. Let's continue on in our MLS season previews. And we've got a big one to talk about here. 2024 MLS Cup finalists, the New York Red Bulls.

And we are joined for this one by the legend himself, Mark Fishkin, host of the Seeing Red podcast. Mark, did I hear it's the 600th episode of Seeing Red? Yeah, we were just starting our 16th season covering the New York Red Bulls and we just had episode 600 so you'll catch us up you'll catch us in a few weeks I'm sure. Well luckily if we keep putting out 37 episodes a week we've got a shot otherwise I don't know if we have the sustainability to get there it's always been an honor to be on your show I'm

excited to have you here with us. For anyone listening via SoccerWise, Seeing Red, it's not just a great New York Red Bulls podcast, it's a great soccer podcast. That's how you get to 600 episodes. So if you love the game and you like what we do here, go listen. If you're listening on Seeing Red and you don't know us already, congrats for avoiding myself and Tom for all these years through New York Red Bulls too and Keen University and everything else that's gone on. And so come join us at Soccer Wise. We go live twice a week on YouTube to talk MLS. We cover NWSL extensively if you're a Gotham fan

or anyone else and we're putting out, as we said, as many shows as we can per week. This is a big year obviously for New York Red Bulls. We're gonna dig into a lot of it. We have some words of sage wisdom or philosophy from the great Matt Doyle. I've been calling them our Doylisms. We will sit at the foot of the legend. We will go through all the transfers. We'll talk about what we expect this year. But this is a teamwork that has to start with last year. MLS Cup it was unexpected. Being a seven seed

is historic for a team that has not been there very often. Just give us your thoughts now over a month out of of what it was what it meant and sort of what the experience was. Yeah, I mean, first of all, the day of MLS Cup was absolutely phenomenal, right? It was a beautiful, sparkling, clear Southern California day, and Andres Reyes' medical condition notwithstanding. New York was right there with the MLS Cup champs in their house,

hit the post late, had a penalty kick shout that continues to baffle me that was not called as Manuel got mugged in the box and injury time but listen. For Red Bulls fans the playoff run in 2024 was absolutely I think that a shot in the arm to the entire organization. This team obviously missed Emil Forsberg for 3 months in the arm to the entire organization. This team obviously missed Emil Forsberg for three months in the middle of the season when it happened to coincide with a run of not great results and wouldn't you know it when you bring back the six

million dollar man into your lineup who raises the level of everyone else the team was able to return to their early season form where they were at one point they were at tops in the East. And so I know a lot of folks were like, wow, what what could be the secret for how New York is doing it? Well, they're doing it because their best player came back to the line of healthy and ready to go. Amazing. But but obviously, the win at Columbus, I think, showed everyone, oh, we this could happen like New York could actually go on a run obviously winning at City Field was a absolute top result

for this team in their history not only on the field but off the field as well because the city support got very quiet going down 2-0 and there were lots of Red Bull fans in the house that day and I thought that was great. The game, the win in Orlando was fantastic and icing on the cake and just the way that New York was able to win with suffocating defense, with big goals and it almost got them, I mean it got them as close as they've ever been and and Dave you you mentioned Not frequent trips to MLS Cup. They're they're second in 29 years. So

the fact that the front office Basically paid for 2,500 Red Bull fans to attend the game in one way or another I thought lifted it was a moment where the Red Bulls to attend the game in one way or another I thought lifted it was a moment where the Red Bulls front office got it and Huge credit to those guys who I mean It's a pretty big price price tag that they paid to make sure that their longtime fans Were able to take part and and watch something that had happened just once before in three decades So I think there's a there's a ton of optimism, a ton of change for sure, but I don't know, we'll

get into it. I think it's a lot of change for the better. And you felt it, I think. Like obviously I've been around since they were the Metro Stars going to games and at Giant Stadium, Tom as well. And I was at Red Bull Arena opening game. I was at New York Red Bulls 2 opening game. Like I've been around. I walked in that stadium and it was like Red Bull Arena opening game. I was at New York Red Bulls 2 opening game. I've been around.

I walked in that stadium and it was like, oh wow. You felt that whole upper deck of New York Red Bulls fans. You felt what it meant for a fan base that has waited for a really long time. And I made a comment to Tom, I think, the day before in the press room of, forgot how much New Jersey energy there'd be in the room. Because there is, it is,

and now I'm being a pure Northeast person, like it is an area where a lot of people in the soccer world have come from and moved out and aren't just purely working or covering or around the teams in the Northeast but they have gone on to work for other teams. A lot of players that have come out retired and become sporting directors and agents and all those types of things and you sort of felt a lot of that coalesce I think in LA on that weekend and it was a good reminder of what the Red Bulls I think should be and what the what the area should be to the sport You see it more on the women's side because of the success of the players But it felt like you saw it in the MLS side for that weekend

And as you said felt like a shot in the arm for this fan base and franchise to say like okay, let's Restart after what's been a couple down years. Yeah, and and it shocked me how many old-school fans Were there? They were fans of this team that had long as you said David long left the New York, New Jersey area Spread out around the country and it was like like, Oh, my god, wow, you made it. And absolutely like a lot of people were just like, I could not I could not miss this. I had to be here today. And, you

know, scoring in that stadium, right? Sean Neal's his goal, cut the lead to two one was such a magical release for that fan base because, I mean, listen, any team that goes down 2-0 after 15 minutes, it's like, okay, well, I guess I'll head to the airport now. But the fact is- Against that team, against in that building, in the form that they're in, particularly the way that the Red Bulls were built, that entire playoff run, save for, I think, the Columbus series.

There might have been, they at least equalized or whatever it was, but it was built on, we get the lead and guess what? If we score first, it's over. The game's over. That's right. Two-nil down with Gabriel Peck and Joseph Pena on the wings when you have to kind of come out and be a little bit more adventurous. Not to suggest that they were just bunkering the whole time, but their strength was predicated

on defending and particularly getting the first goal set piece or whatever it was. It was like, oh, me and Goss are sitting in the press box like two nil. There's going to be a whole lot of space for Payne's, so pack and the rest of them. So we were, we were fearing closer to four nil, five nil than it becoming a game. So full credits at a Red Bulls on that end. Yeah. And, and the coaching and the players and again, feel for Noah Ayla. He was not 100% when he was thrust in literally seconds before the game was about to start.

And if you're LA, you go right for the weak point and it's a 20 year old playing in his first professional final. And it happened and that's it. But they fought and again, they were within a shout of making it, of evening the game. And I think that's it but they fought and again they were within a shout of of making it of evening the game and I think that's what you want considering the team finished seventh in the East.

Let me throw out here and then we'll move into the you know stuff that's going on this offseason. Yeah I had the chance to interview no I twice right in the playoff run and at MLS Cup one of the most fascinating 20 year olds I've ever met, like just like great head on his shoulders, super curious. Like when I interviewed him at MLS Cup, he's like, so is this one of the oldest buildings in MLS? And we had like a 10 minute conversation about the stadium.

Obviously he wants to talk about slot on like all these things. So I did really feel for him. And I think he is going to be a special player both for this team and in the future. It was a tough tough situation and I would like to throw out, Massapico is still a trash town as a Port Washington native so shout out to Sean Nealis and Dylan Nealis who had an incredible year and will be a big part of this group as well. But I just, it always has to be said. Let's get into our transfer update Tom.

Mark talked about Em Emil Forsberg. He arguably the biggest signing in the team's history. That was a year ago. Now one year on, they're not going to find someone who can fill in when he is out. What do you make of what's happened so far and sort of run us through the big moves? Yeah, just a quick one. It is not arguable. Emil Forsberg is not the biggest signing in the club's history. It's Thierry Henry, obviously. Or if you want to go frank roast or or raphael marquez maybe they hold a candle skid carry anyway could let that one slide this offseason was uh... a surprisingly busy one i think for the rebels and

mark you can correct me if i'm wrong after i go through the whole spiel they brought in eric maxim trouble moten is a dvd center forward thirty one year old german center back alexander hack he was with mines with sundro schwarz for a long time but he came from the Middle East. Really highly rated homegrown and Audrey Mamedi. I haven't said the homegrown for all of these teams but I'm making an exception for Audrey even though he won't probably play a huge role because he's 15 years old next year. This is the biggest talent to come out of the club. Sockwise's Mamedi hive.

Exactly. He's the biggest talent to come out of the club I think since, at least in the midfield since Tyler Adams. Then you have Victor Bogos as a U-22 center forward. Raheem Edwards comes in as a left back. So does Marcelo Morales, a Chilean international, 21 years old with two caps. And then going out, Andres Reyes, his last act as a Red Bull player was not playing in the MLS Cup. John Tolkien got a long deserved move to Germany. Dante Van Zier is back in Belgium. Elias Manuel is traded and the coffee shops are weeping. Corey Burke left, that's not surprising. And the legend that is Ryan Marra retired. So Mark, take us through sort of your experience this offseason of coming out of MLS Cup. What

did you think this club would do and how does it match up with what it's looked like? Yeah, well, I think we saw in the run to MLS Cup, I think a true understanding from Red Bull Global, as well as Jochen Schneider, what this team can be. And in the season ending presser, Schneider, who's the Red Bull's head of sport, was very clear about an understanding that this team can't be Emil Forsberg and a bunch of kids.

They have to bring in experienced players. And that was such a sea change from everything that we've known in this interregnum since the Red Bulls walked off the field losing to Atlanta in 2018 at the time Right, they were that they'd set the record for the most points in a single season MLS history since then that's been bested a number of times but once but once that Era the DAC the DAC Sasha Felipe era ended BWP era ended now and those guys off course, I graduated to season pass, but yeah, how do I annoy city fans every single weekend, but but the idea

that in between from 2019 to 2023 ish, it was just bad kids were just a we're just a football factory. Bringing in a player like Chupo Moding and Hack, I think really is a shot in the arm. Right. These guys, I spoke to Alexander Hack during this during the week at press, he said, look, Forsberg and Chupo Moding and I are all Bundesliga vets. We all speak German. We're all super close already. And we really can be the leaders that this team needs to get to the next level. And so I think I think New York was doing it on both ends, right, bringing in experienced leadership and listen, whether Chupo Moding's 35 year old legs can go. I don't know. I think that's a good question for one of the big questions for 2025. But also bringing in Bogos, as we said, and bringing in Morales, who I think is due to arrive or has arrived or imminently arriving,

promoting Audrey Mameti, who I will agree, Tom, this kid is special. And When I asked Andrew Schwartz about him this week, his eyes just got all big and he said, oh wow, no, this kid is phenomenal and he's 15. And he said, I know what I was doing when I was 15 and it wasn't what this kid was doing. So yeah, I think it's an evolved understanding of what this team could and should be. You can do both.

You can build from within, you can promote youth and you can build, bring in experienced heads that understand what it takes to get to that next level. Now, if they don't, if they go out in two games to Columbus, do they make these changes? Maybe they do. Maybe they don't. But I think all of the positive vibe around the team's playoff run Has has kind of led to an evolution in thinking and the last thing I'll say is

All these moves the majority vast majority moves were done Immediately after the end of the season red bull fans are accustomed to signings being made now Red Bull fans are accustomed to signings being made now, where players miss all of training camp with visa issues, and then it takes them 10 games to even integrate into the team. In the case of Chupo, Moating, and Hack, at the very least, they were there the day that training camp opened, and Red Bulls will be better for it. Yeah, and to your point, like,

I think what we saw with Emil Forsberg is, you put a top- quality player on the pitch, that raises everybody, that makes your young players better, that makes them develop better. So it's not just like, it should be enough to say this is going to help us win games and that's enough, it's money well spent, we're going to be better. But even if you needed that other layer of, well actually this is going to increase the investments in your young players, whether they're from the academy and all of the money you're putting into the academy or if you're signing young players from abroad.

I think that you do these players a disservice if you're running it as a U23 team. And I am very glad that they weren't like, oh, we have Emil Forsberg? Good, we did it. That's it. And then guess what? If he misses 17 games, we'll be really average or bad without him. And again, we can have our opinions or critiques or thoughts on the Chapa Muteng signing, should this be a DP? Whatever it is, right?

We've been rambling for so long about that, about just signing young players or unproven players or whatever it is that like I can't fault them for this whether it works out perfectly or not And I think that between him and Forsberg you hope that both can start 25 games I don't know if that's likely or not But as long as they're available and fit for the biggest games and you have enough of these young players around to rotate in and out, I'm very glad that they didn't say, oh look, no, but we did it with Forsberg

and that's it, we don't need to do it anymore. Yeah, you'd have to think, I mean the quality that Forsberg brought, I think helped Daniel Elliman have a good year. It helped Peter Stroud have a good year. I think John Tolkien gets sold anyway, but maybe it's at a bigger number than what it would have been

because of the success they had. And maybe the Andres Reyes trade was at a bigger number than it should have been. And so that's what you talk about where there's like four different buckets you're trying to hit. Team success, youth development, selling, and then making the team sustainable.

And it feels like they got the proof that bringing that veteran player in. Alex Hackett feels like they got the proof that bringing that a veteran player in Alex hack It feels like clear upgrade at center back of his ability to probably pass the ball and control things at that position and then Chupa Moteng is going to be one of the big difference makers We've got a line at the end of this that we're gonna have to pick our over under our that Andrew Weebie set that is of Course Chupa Moteng related. So let's dig into things. Let's start with our Doyle-ism from Mr. Matt Doyle and then we can go from there. If still yet another kind of disappointing off season

from the Red Bulls so far, especially coming off of that MLS Cup appearance in December, there is a real opening here for this team. I think to compete for a cup of some sort, which would be the first in club history, whether it's MLS cup or leagues cup or whatever you want to throw your name on. Like this team has a lot of pieces and can do it. Now they didn't go out and add a couple of Buddhist League of Veterans in Alexander Hack and Eric Maxim Chupo Motengeng who is on a DP deal,

which is a little weird because he hasn't played 2,000 minutes in a season since about 2016, but still he should be better than Corey Burke was. So they do have a little bit more talent and then they have opened up another DP slot by sending Dante Vans here back to Belgium. The hope is that it's a Timo Werner or a Paptindaka, that type of player, like the Red Bull Global has the money to do that. Do they have the ambition? That's what we've been asking about this club for 10 years.

Even the players on the team have been asking about this club for 10 years. Do they have the will to go out and add that extra piece? We know that the Red Bulls are going to be good at everything else. We know they're going to make the playoffs. They're probably going to be around 50 points. They'll develop a couple young players.

Do they have that one more special player who can get them over the top in the biggest games? If they don't have the will to add that guy, I don't think they're going to win anything. Tom, let's start with you. Do you think they add that guy, I don't think they're gonna win anything. Tom, let's start with you. Do you think they add that piece? I think that they'll be in the market for a big addition.

Again, whether that is a DP or if it's a U22 initiative, I think it remains to be seen. Again, the Timo Werner interest, that's been real for a year. There was nothing new there. Like, I like that. If that's the kind of player that comes in, we talk about Trouble Motek and Forsberg about hey how many minutes are they

gonna play you get a team overner and one like the finishing ability and everything else like it's overblown like yeah maybe he's not good enough for the German national team or maybe not good enough to make Tottenham you know in the top six right like how many goals like how many goals that he scored Leipzig for however many years I think that he'll be he would be fine in MLS I also think that he's a pretty good bet to play 28 games to start 28 games I should say so whether it is Timo Werner whether it is somebody that you have to spend 10 or 10 million on Obviously, that'd be the preference

But I think most importantly it's a player in that profile and again, even if it is you 22 initiative It has to it should be a 21 year old player With several years in a top fight league or like that You know that's gonna come in an 18 year old to play in two years and Most importantly be able to carry the load of 25 to 30 starts this year mark Do you feel similar to Doyle that this team has stayed steady or taking a step back or do you think this offseason? So far as a step forward, I don't think how you can see the signing of Chupo, Moating and Hack as a step backward. I'm sorry I don't their upgrades. I mean the new the last two

I don't think I don't think Vanzier had one goal Red Bull forwards scored one goal in their five game playoff run Right, right, right Carvajo got a couple and he's coming back from injury we haven't talked about him and how the importance you know frankly he wasn't fit to go in an MLS cup in that hurt New York as well he scored probably two of the biggest goals playoff goals the team has ever has ever seen right and so we haven't touched on him but he is working his way back to fitness yes he's only here till till the middle of the season for now, but he's another experienced cog. I digress.

I mean, sure, everyone wants a Cucho, right? Like everyone wants, you know, a young, as you said, young 20s experienced goal scorer. Every team in the world wants that. It's too soon to know what Bogacz is. The biggest signing in Polish second division history. Is he going to be the second coming of Jornson or is he actually a player that can contribute? Bringing in more experienced depth to fill Tolkien's role, we touch briefly on Raheem Edwards,

could be a big boost to the Red Bulls defense. So I take issue with the idea that here's another disappointing offseason. This is a very different transfer window for New York that we haven't seen in half a decade, right? Bringing in more experienced players early, as I said earlier, they're with the team now, they're already integrated with the squad. Would I love to see a team where Wernher come to Red Bulls? Sure, absolutely. But already they've made some upgrades and with another year for players like Cam Harper and another year for players like Peter harper and another year for players like peter shroud and another year uh... for players like uh... wiki carmona like who has been in new york for five

years and he's twenty two years old like uh... i'd i'm not disappointed i'd and maybe it's just you know recency bias of you know they've done almost nothing for the last five years. And so this by comparison is so much better. I think this is a good off season for New York and and the Red Bulls will be taking every competition they play

in incredibly seriously. Schwartz the other day was very clear about saying we're going for four trophies in the shield like we, you and and hack no is Carlos Cornell who said who he wasn't sure whether or not the Red Bulls are playing an open cup We're like no no they're playing it up a cup. He's like the first team yes. Yes, but you get to play an open cup this year great Thanks, he's like that's the quickest way to conquer half. It's a five game tournament, and so I think they they understand obviously in in season 30 and no Chinese You know traditional knockout tournament wins. They've got a number of different ways to do it Yeah, so leaks cup and US Open Cup for Red Bulls this year every club can play in at max two North American championships cups and so not qualifying for CONCACAF Champions Cup means

you get put in Leagues Cup as a playoff team and then US Open Cup, which will be really fun. And I think it sucks that players don't know that they're in it because it's so complicated. Hopefully we're moving- He's really focused on preparing for the season. Yeah. Hopefully we're moving away from that

and every team will play in it. And I think it will be a fun one for Red Bulls. Now, I will say this in terms of the offseason when when Chobu Moteng first got signed I'm not saying you want to keep Dante Vanzier, but it was a plus to everything from last year Yeah if it's instead of then you start to get into the question of I think he probably gives you more production but how much and so it becomes a situation in which can you replace Vanzier and have added Chobu Motang to take you to the next level and I think hack is an upgrade

in the back line and so I think that one is a clear like like for like upgrade in what he can give you. You mentioned the midfield I don't have any questions about that part of the field I think Stroud struggled in MLS Cup because it's a tough thing to do. I thought he had a really good year and so you're looking at one of the deeper central midfields in Major League Soccer and one that clearly fits very cleanly with what Sandro Swartz wants to do. And so for the most part, the strength of this team is back, right?

It's the spine, it's the defensive ability. Cornell in the playoffs was the Cornell that he was when he first came. Yes. My expectation would be that he levels out somewhere closer to there than where he dropped all the way down to. And now you're looking at a team that even if Forsberg's in and out and we're talking about 24 starts or something that you're probably still talking about a team fighting for a home playoff game in the Eastern Conference, which is the step you want to take just to make a potential second run to MLS Cup even easier. And so I agree with you.

I think there's a lot of good work that's been done, but yet we are still in February, wondering what the next move will be. And I think Mark wasn't going to paradise on vacation. Maybe we'd have to record this one late because we don't know what that final piece will be. And so the Red Bulls in one way have have done their business early and another way are still one of those clubs,

which right against the back of the season starting, you're not a hundred percent sure who they are. Well, what I would say is that I think this is a good spot to be in because I don't see an obvious hole. And like, again, yeah, like you could say a third DP that is, that should be a hole or, however else you want to phrase it of go just, just be all in before the season starts. But like, I think this team has depth everywhere. I think they have options.

Mark, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on if Sandra Swores will primarily play out of the 3-4-2-1 or if it will be the 4-triple-2 or some variation there within because like they have flexibility to go either way. And I think if you make a signing signing you kind of commit to that and don't make a signing just for the sake of it because I think this team is well covered and For the like we don't have to worry about them slipping away from the playoff race Even though the Eastern Conference is completely stacked this year before you go mark just real quick I want everyone to know as of now Lewis Morgan has resigned on that Tam deal another reason why as you said you don't worry

About taking the step back, but I don't know when we're running this, so I just wanted to make sure everyone knew that. Mark, go. Yeah, Schwartz was asked about what he was going to play. The team switched to a three, four, two, one, or even a three, he called it a three, four, three. It's a three, four, one, two, I guess.

But nevertheless, he's very comfortable playing that the team has gone out Tommy I don't know if this is you know come across your transom if you've shared this if not My apologies the notion that Tim Parker's returning To New York and so signing more Centerbacks certainly lead me to believe that he's going to be comfortable playing with three in the back Then you've got hack and you've got Neal's and you've got Ayla and you've got Tim Parker and you know Dylan Neal is can do the job in a pinch. Although he we haven't really talked about him. He had a phenomenal season last year Really leveled up down the stretch so important for New York

So yeah, I I think I don't think we're going to see a lot of the four triple two I think we're until until he is proven wrong. I think the three four three is definitely where New York is going to be and I think I think New York is definitely going to feel good about you know the pieces that they have there. Let's let's go to Weeby's line here, which is, Chopu Moteng, 17 and a half starts in Major League Soccer over or under.

So the question being both, will he be healthy and will he be the locked in starter with all these rumors that we're talking about? Tom, you wanna go first here? A good New Jersey line for you? I think that this would have been more difficult if there was a couple more games like I do think that we're looking at like the 18 to 22 range and again

Maybe that's being too like given letting them off easy I would go up over 17 and a half because again that is above half of the games and If you signed a player that you're worried about him starting that many games, they shouldn't have signed him some DP deals So I'm just gonna kind of trust that, barring something bad happening, which could obviously happen given his injury history, but I think it had more to do with, he was at Bayern Munich as mid-30s players

who maybe wasn't quite that level. I think that had more to do with him not playing all of those games, but I could be wrong if he's made of glass. But for me, I'm going over. Mark? Yeah, are we, is this just league game? Yes regular season. Yeah

So that's where if you're taking open cup seriously and he's 35 years old and he's getting starts midweek, right? That is part of the question. Yeah, if it's if he's starting the first couple rounds Well, I knew York's starting on the road as well in the open cup so we don't know Where that's gonna be? If you know, I don't I'm not assuming that this is a honry turf issue with him. Maybe it will be maybe it won't right? I mean just to be different. Unfortunately, I guess I'll say under maybe it's 1617 I mean, I don't know if he's gonna be able to go three times in eight days as New York will probably do, as every team will do probably four or five times

during the regular season. So I think he will be saved and maybe, you know, we're talking starts, right? We're not talking seven, 70th minute. Yeah, yeah, I'll I'll come in slightly Lee under that. I could see a world in which he's still a good signing and yet he's not starting because he is an impact sub and you know Lewis Morgan is going to start and so then you're in a situation where if Serge Gomes healthy and Julian Hall are healthy and they're playing well that you know Chupamote can give you the performance he can give you for the final

30 minutes. The line's probably a little low. Probably should have been 19 and a half or 20 and a half. That probably would have pressed us a little bit more. So I'm still going to go over, but I do understand where the question marks can come. Plus we still haven't talked about if they do sign a Timo Werner. That's right. Where's Lewis Morgan starting and then therefore where's triple motang

starting there is a little trickle down there that could happen which by the way great problem to have for a fan base that has had stress about getting the 11th starter on the field having 12 or 13 probably not a bad place to be in unfortunately the Galaxy right now felt like they have taken a step back because I know Red Bulls are only allowed to play MLS Cups in Carson. And so you, with it now being a host site,

you need the Galaxy to be a top four team in the Western Conference. So we'll keep an eye on that one in our LA Galaxy preview we're actually working on right now. So Red Bulls fans can all tune into that one to make sure that everything settles in well. Once again, if you do not listen to Seeing Red, you should go do that,

because it is a great show, and Mark, we appreciate spending some time with you. Gentlemen, it's always a pleasure to talk to you. We are Talking Pits in this episode. We have one of the legends, Mark, from holding the Highline who cover the Colorado Rapids better than anyone on to talk with us about this whole team. Now, we are attempting something ambitious. We want to do 30 unique episodes covering all 30 teams in Major

League Soccer. We're going to mix them together in the podcast. They will stand alone on the YouTube page. That does mean that we have to at some point record stuff Which means from that moment on when things change we can't control it one. I blame the the transfer window to I blame Whoever is out there in the world cursing me in every moment that they can three. I blame you and Four I blame Bobby Warshaw because you always have to get Bobby Warshaw in there at some point. We are going to talk a lot about the Colorado Rapids. I think most of what we talked about still stands. But since

we recorded this show, they have purchased in a Cade, in a cash for Teddy Cudi Pietro from DC United to bring them into this team. Tom, what do you make of the move and how does this affect them? I really love this edition by the Colorado Rapids. I think this is an excellent price to pay. It's like one point one to five million. I think that's fair. I think that this player has more upside than he's shown. And he fits the system really well at the baseline.

If he does not get any better than what he's shown at DC United, it's a good signing. If he improves his end product, which the Colorado Rapids are betting he will, then it's an excellent signing. So it comes down to that. He has the pressing chops. His motor is unquestioned. He's going to fit really, really well in that regard. But in DC, they also played pressing and he fit there well. Their MO, their game model had to do with getting the ball towards Christian Menteke's forehead. As it should, he's a one-of-one player with his era of dominance. While Hoffa Navahu can do some of that, Teddy Gudibietro in this team will have more opportunities to combine with George Mihailovich, with Hoffa Navahu, with Kevin Gabral, whatever the other

attackers are. So I really, really like this move. The other knock-on effect is in reporting on this move, you're going to hear me talking in the preview that I think the team are going to go to a back three That had been the plan that they were also they were gonna play both a back three and a back four But I think with this Teddy Gouda Pietro move I think they'll primarily be a four two three one team so that they can get all four of George Mahalovich Ted to Cudi Pietro

Hoffa Navajo and Kevin Cabral in at the same time and again if it's not Kevin Cabral, it's Omer Fernandez It's Darren Yabby, Kamani Stewart-Bains, Calvin Harris, whoever it is I think that they're gonna want to have those four attackers on the field rather than three at the back now with this new addition. I like the move as well in the aspect of it's a known quantity at that number and it's not a bad salary cap hit because he's a U22 initiative player there's a lot of quality there for that with the potential that if he does improve and get better or gains confidence knowing parts of this

are built around him, it becomes like pennies against what he's able to do and what he's worth. He also fits in the timeline with a Georgie Mihailovich, with a Hafu Navarro, with a Cole Bassett. Now they're kind of all in the same place in their careers. And it also continues to establish Colorado,

I think who they want to be, which is, we talked about last year, returning players from Europe who are looking to reestablish themselves, but want to be more the face of a team than just fitting in in a team that has three DPs from overseas and will give them a role, but won't really be built around them.

I think they've planted that flag. There's a reason Reggie Cannon then coming back to the United States made that move and that's the place he chose to go. I think this now fits into another role that they've tried to put themselves in which is like re-establishing or refurbishing home-growns from other teams and giving them advanced roles. Kudi Piocho doesn't fit in all of that because he's never really had that dip. Like he's been good, but I think the idea is to give him even more of an opportunity.

There's a little more worry for me about the back line now. If you talk about a pairing instead of three centerbacks in Maxu and Awusium's skill sets and how it fits, but we're going to talk about that as we get into this one. So let's go to our full preview conversation with holding the Highline. Let's continue our season previews and let's talk about another team that's in CONCACAF Champions Cup. Yes, when you think international competition, when you think of the big time and the big boys, you think of the PIDs, the Colorado Rapids.

And to do so, we're going to talk with Rabbi Mark, who is a member of Holding the High Line podcast, the only soccer rabbi in North America. And we're really excited to have you on. This is a great honor. I've always wanted to hang out with Goss and Tommy Scoop. So thanks for having me on you guys. And you are wearing a classic kit. So we have to start there. You are wearing a Pittsburgh River Hounds jersey because you are based in Pittsburgh, but it has a Colorado Rapids flair to it. That's right. It's Lalas Abubakar's kit from when he was loaned out by Columbus Crew to the River Hounds I think in 2017, which makes

him one of two Colorado Rapids that I have interviewed who were also former Pittsburgh River Hounds in that direction, not the other way around. And the other one of course is Zach Steffen, who is like the most famous River Hounds player of all time. Like, you know, people are like so proud of that. But in the other direction, the Hounds have had in the last couple years, they had Josh Gatt. I don't know if you guys remember Josh Gatt.

Yes, obviously, yeah. Nice. Did you see me and Goss, like Zach Steffen, US International High School. Josh Gatt. I don't know if you guys remember Josh Gatt. Yes, obviously, yeah. Nice. Hell, did you see me and Goss? It was like Zach 7, US International High School. Josh Gatt? Hell yeah. You met Josh Gatt? Yeah. Let me just say, and Matt knows this when we did the pot, when our pack,

Matt, Josh Gatt was not happy to be in USL. He was really like, he, like I think the first time I introduced myself, he just looked at me and he had this kind of overall attitude of like, I really wish I were somewhere other than Pittsburgh, other than USL, and talking to this jackass rabbi who thinks that the fact that we have a connection over the Colorado Rapids is a special bond. The two of us share.

We did not share a special bond. And then the other one was Mikkel Williams. And Mikkel Williams is the nicest guy in the world. One of my favorite things about Mikkel was he was a fullback who was playing for the Riverhounds as a center back. one was Michael Williams and Michael Williams. Yeah, the nicest guy in the world. One of the things about Michael was he was a fullback who was playing for the Riverhounds as a center back. And if you ask Michael Williams what his best position was, he was always like, oh, I'm a natural born

striker. I should have been a striker. It was like, except for the fact that you never score Michael. That's a great great point. Playing center back for Bob Lilly is a really good career decision that works out very well for a lot of people. He was good. He was good here. He never had it. He had nothing but good years here That's in such an over 30 soccer adult league player. Everybody's a center phone Waiting to be unleashed I thought we were gonna talk Robbie Mertz for a while so I got excited but clearly that's not gonna be the class kid

He's a really good guy and and the the frustrating thing about Robbie Mertz is he's like only the third best Mertz in his family because his little brother plays for University of Delaware Fightin Blue Hens and his sister was playing for Pitt and then for NWSL for a couple years. So And and by the way, Robbie, I hope you're listening to this and you can kick me in the knee next time you see me. I hope you're listening to it too. And that's our Colorado Rapids preview. Yeah, exactly, right there. So for anyone listening on Soccer Wise right now,

you can go search Holding the Highline for written content as well as the podcast, right? Yeah, I do like a sub stack. And then Matt, who's the managing editor of Burgundy Wave, which is the number one website and the oldest website covering Colorado Rapids. He's the other half of the podcast duo. He does all the hard work. He's like the editor. I just try and keep it clean and not mess anything up so he doesn't have too much work to do. But he does the rundowns. He's a hard worker.

So I highly recommend it. And if you're listening're listening on Holding the High Line and you don't listen to Soccer Wise, come join us. We talk about MLS live twice a week on YouTube and as a podcast anywhere you get your pods. We have a bunch of other shows we do and we cover NWSL which has just become extremely relevant to Denver thanks to one of our co-hosts Jordan Angeley. I know you all did an episode about it already. We had Jordan on on Friday to talk about the experience and what she's been through and what makes a Colorado soccer player and why they'll have a spine of US gold medalist slash World Cup winners day one

when it all gets put together. So I cannot wait for that. And maybe we'll do another crossover episode when we get there, when the NWSL team launches. But let's dig into our MLS conversation. We are going to sort of reset the market on where we sit for transfers. We will then have our Doyalisms coming in. He is the Maimonides of Major League Soccer, the Rombaum.

I've called him Confucius other places, but now that I have Mark on here, I can really talk about some true philosophers and Tom can look dead in the eyes and pretend that he's paying attention. And then we're going to go through a couple of different things about the team. And we're going to finish on Andrew Weeby's line of the year that we were going to pick for our over under. Let's start on the transfer update, Tom. For these, I try and find the biggest story to start on. Sometimes they're in, sometimes

they're out. And I think positive for the Colorado Rapids that my thought was the biggest storyline of the offseason for transfers was an incoming move. Yeah, the double acquisition of Chidozie Ayahuasca and Ian Murphy from FC Cincinnati truth be told this was a slow offseason which is a good thing because the Colorado Rapids had a crazy winter last year Resetting as much as they possibly could and it worked very well I would say particularly in year one on a new head coach Chris Armis So this year it was more about continuity and trying to improve the defense

That's what they did very early in the offseason with Chinozio Waziam Ian Murphy I would say the only other the key addition is a homegrown signing and Sam Bassett and we all know his older brother Cole play for the Colorado Rapids Sam was a finalist Mac Herman Trophy Award winner. He was excellent at the University of Denver So that's a cool signing. I think he's gonna play a role in again mark You're gonna be better suited to tell me yes or no on kind of his minutes count this year But moving out again, it wasn't anything to major it was you know, allow usisa Bubacar, which the reading was on the wall when the writing was on the wall when Murphy and Chinozia Waziam arrived.

His contract was being declined and they were in talks, but he ends up leaving and same thing with Jonathan Lewis. He's been, it was a bit of a bit part player last year, more rotational than key starters. So for the most part, they're bringing back their core players and just adding a couple centerbacks Mark is this the offseason you expected? I Think it's like two players less than I would have expected and I think if you ask everybody In our fan base and all the people who write to us and and comment to us They would say the same thing a lot of people feel that this Colorado Rapids team is like a winger and maybe a second striker or a backup striker away from being a real threat in the playoffs or like definitely,

you know, making the playoffs. But they didn't do that. And I think a lot of people were a little confused. You know, the acquisition for a couple years ago that everybody's been kind of like trying to figure out whether this was a dud or a good one or what was Kevin Cabral from LA Galaxy. They made- I refuse to take the L. I refuse to give up on this. I'm still there. I'm still being optimistic.

I mean, the move- As I cover my eyes and can't even look at you guys while I'm saying it. For fans who don't know that the move was an interesting one because Galaxy agreed to pay half the salary So you get a 1.8 million dollar player for nine hundred thousand dollars a year for the Rapids which is kind of a good deal Except you know if a guy's gonna start in your lineup every week, and he's not any good It doesn't matter whether you're paying him sixty five thousand or sixty five million like he's just taking up a spot. And that first year he kind of did

I mean he was kind of like he was just wasted space. And then last year he came good and he had a whole bunch of goals and he was really talented and honestly the stretch when the Rapids struggled the most was in the like middle to final to like the third quarter of the season when he was out when he was injured they really they didn't have another outlet there so I think that's that's a big challenge the other incoming move that I think Rapids fans have their fingers crossed about is Alex Harris who's their first round pick he's a generation Adidas player and I think the

hope is that there's like a I think I was gonna say if you guys remember the Simpsons episode from like many many years ago where they referenced a buddy cop show of Gumbel to Gumbel and it was Bryant Gumbel and the other Gumbel I forget. Greg Gumbel. May his memory be a blessing, right? He just passed. And That's kind of the idea here is it's gonna be Harris to Harris. That Calvin Harris and Alex Harris, no relation whatsoever, are gonna set up a combo and then on the other side or further back in the lineup you have Bassett to Bassett. You know, you've got Sam Bassett and Cole Bassett. This is a

psychotic fever dream. This will never happen, of course. These four guys are not going to get on the field at the same time. But there actually aren't that many, there's not a huge amount of options for the Rapids since they didn't bring that many players in. So the question of the wingers is like, who is going to play at wing? Or are they even going to play at the wing? Because Matt Dois suggested early on in January that possibly Chris Armis was going to a 5-3-2. So, you know, Bob's your uncle. I'm not really sure what exactly they're doing, but there are a lot of options and the options are there because they didn't bring in all the players they probably needed. I feel pretty strongly that that's going to be the idea is the

five at the back and I think that's going help their defensive issues because again brain by bringing in The center backs that they have but a back three of a waziam maxu and Reggie can and I think is solid and then Again up top half a on a Vahu with Georgie underneath and then Kevin Cabral kind of in that second forward half space Whatever it is. So whoever kind of wins that spot I think that gives them more options and to your point mark Like maybe that's why they didn't bring in or focus more resources on attacker Though I do still believe that they're in the market for say using a u22 slot on the attacker Let's let's pull Doyle in here because I think he had some some comments on this

I'll admit that I'm a fan of the rapid approach to roster building by relying on their own academy And then going out and trying to accumulate super draft picks. We've seen that pay off for them in a very real way with Mois Bombito's performance and then the eventual sale last summer. Now adjusting for that, compensating for that loss is what they've been trying to do ever since because he was kind of one of one as a center back back there. They went out and they added some more pieces from within the league and in Shadozia Waziam and Ian Murphy.

And they went out and they got more super draft picks. But the real thing, I think, is going to be a shift to the three, four, two, one. Get another center back out there. Figure out a little bit how they want to adjust their line of confrontation and where they want to take risks with the ball in central midfield. I think that kind of lost that in the middle of last year and it made them very easy to play against for teams like the galaxy, like LAFC teams at or near the top of the West. So they need to tighten that up, whether it's a three, four, two, one, or four, two, three, one, or whatever else is in there. Whether it's guys from the super draft, whether it's a 3-4-2-1 or a 4-2-3-1 or whatever else is in there, whether it's guys from the Superdraft, whether it's the big name players they bought

ahead of 2024. It just needs to be a little bit more structured, a little bit more sound with the ball, and this team could be looking at 50 points again. Now, if they do add or they have uncovered another goal scorer in the mix and maybe they'll even go over 50 points but I'm not really banking on that. So pretty positive from Doyle and a lot of what you guys have already said and already touched on. Mark, what do you make of that 50 point sort of line about if that's where this club could

get back to because as you said there was a high last year, the Leagues Cup, massive and the way they were in the standings early and then there was the dip towards the second half of the year. It's interesting, I think the things about this team that say, oh they're a contender, they're really exciting are the fact that Hafen Navajo scored a ton of gold goals last year he looked like he could do more. I believe I did a whole bunch of stuff at the end of last season on the math and the metrics if he hit higher on his expected goals he would have been closer to 19 instead of

what I think he had which was 15 which was one off of the rapids all-time record of Connor Casey of 16. So that's pretty amazing. He also, he really got service, which is a problem that rapper strikers have never really had. Georgie Mihailovic was really, really phenomenal in stretches. And I think one of the things that happens with midfielders is you kind of see, especially historically with Rapids attacking midfielders, it's like see especially in historically with like rapids attacking midfielders It's like one game on two games off like they're they're good like 10 12 games a season

And then they're just absolutely invisible for 24 Georgie was kind of like very involved or extremely effective like at least 50 to 65 percent of the time And that was very good. That's better than I think, I've been covering the Colorado Rapids for 11 years. I don't remember a midfielder who kind of hit that often, who was that effective. One of the things that made him so effective was Cole Bassett running around like a madman.

You guys both know, I'm sure you've covered it and talked about it a million times, that Cole Bassett covers more ground than any other player in Major League Soccer. I would assume that Feynord, after watching him cover so much ground, looked up at this guy and went, how do we ever let this guy go? What were we thinking?

Because that's where he came from. He was loaned out to Fortuna's sitard, where they didn't use him at all. So those are the pieces that make them exciting and above 50. And then you look at the problems with the team and you go, oh my God, are they even going to have 30 points? Which is Zach Steffen's advanced metrics in goals minus expected goals as a goaltender were awful. They were just terrible. except for his stunning play in Leakes Cup. He just looked, he looked like stuff went through his fingers and positioning wasn't so great and that's a big question. And then the entire back line and whether they're going to step up without a Moisbon

Beetle speed merchant, you know, tackler clearance machine is a great question. The center back group is interesting Tom because we on this show from minute one were huge Awosian fans. The moment Cincinnati got him on the field. Most of what I love is in possession with him. I think he's one of the best passing centerbacks in the league. I think maybe this year as we see him for a full year he might be the best passing center back in the league. I think maybe this year as we see him for a full year he might be the best passing center back in the league. I think he quarterbacks really well. I think he moves pieces around really well. I think he sets people up. But he doesn't dominate physically and the things you've lost in Bombito I don't know that he fully replaces. I don't

know that Maxu can do them as well and Reggie Cannon makes sense as a wide center back If that's where you're setting him up He really struggled in the playoffs like really struggled But I part of that was also a tough matchup and I think away in a way Colorado It felt like the wind came out of the sails really quickly and kind of everyone dropped their shoulders But I think there's a lot to love about the back line there's also as Mark said a little bit to worry about yeah that's what it comes down to and again that's why you saw the investment in that area like I still think Chidozay Waziam is really

good I understand your kind of concerns gossip like hey what you really needed from the back line is I, more aggression and more ground covering. Again, I don't, I think that he fits it. Like, I'm just a believer in this player. Ian Murphy for what he wasn't with Cincinnati, like one thing that we know he is, is aggressive and has an ability to cover ground. And as a back three, I think that some of the shortcomings for every player, it is much easier to paper over that or kind of be the combination above. Right. Reggie Cannon isn't playing center back in a two pairing. Right. I would have more questions, I think, about Maxu and Owazium, their fit if it was just them two. But I think with the three at the back, that this makes a lot of sense. And I just think that the upside is there, particularly with the Waziam that lifts this group to where it wouldn't have been without Moise Bombito and again like there is no like for like replacement for that player even if you just want to say

him as a player, Canadian International, a really really good player, there is no way to get that value at the number that he was at on the Superdraft contract and everything else so they had to try to figure out a way to do that and that's why I like the move to 3 at the back because again there is no like for like four that player we mentioned Sam Bassett you mentioned sort of pieces coming in Doyle mentioned the academy and super draft and trying to hit on those two and Bambito is one of those super draft picks that has hit is this the year for Darren Yappie? Is there expectations there or am I going to ask that in 12 months again?

I'm just starting with you said that they might need another backup forward. I don't think so because I think it's Yappie. Between Hafenu Vahu and Yappie, they can eat up whatever 30, 60 minutes that there are. He'll take a step forward. I mean, he'll go from two goals to five. But I think the Darren Yappie is the wave of future is probably, I think most of us have decided that ship has sailed. I don't think there's anybody. But then again, there were people around Rapids Land

who were like, ugh, Diego Rubio's trash. He's never gonna come good. And then he had one really great season and everyone went, Diego Rubio is the next coming. And he was not. Yeah. Yeah, the stuff with Yappie, the steps you want to see him take from you know his ability on in possession, it doesn't feel like all of that's come and yet as you talked about with the way chance creation happens for Colorado now

if he can just get his final runs right, and he can aggressively make near post runs, and he can attack center backs with his runs when the ball is coming from dangerous areas, there should be five to 10 goals in there for a player like that. And the other conversation, oh sorry. Oh, and the staff loves his pressing. They love how aggressive he is on the front foot. And that was something that Chris Armis talked about at the beginning of last year when he started that he really wanted a team that could press in spots well and effectively.

And you know, you don't he didn't he didn't really want a striker who saw his job is to kind of roam around and scoop up loose balls and bat him into the back of the net. He wanted a guy who was going to be aggressive, you know, 90 minutes in all phases of the game. And he really liked that about Yoppy, and I think that's true. Yoppy had a couple of, a lot of opportunities at the beginning of this season. They didn't either, they either turned into assists or MLS assists from back in the day when we had MLS assists, where he stole the ball in the final third and then dished it

around and turned into a threat. So that's something that they've really liked about him for the last two years. A Tom Barlow built at altitude. That's just a dream situation. All the way top to bottom. Tom, on the attacking piece, you mentioned U-22. Is that what you think any upgrade at this point would be? I'm trying to ask you if this is a Johnny Russell club without knowing when we put this out and if Johnny Russell has signed at that point then I will try and edit it. I like that shout. I do like that shout.

Obviously he doesn't fit under the U22 initiative if my math is correct. Don't quote me on that. So in that regard, that's the high upside, high talent, like low salary cap cost. It's not acquisition cost, it could be expensive. But I think that's the biggest way that they can impact this team. And like, obviously, I don't know their exact salary cap situation. I think that they're really excellent at maximizing every dollar and again, spreading things out and doing what they can with SuperDraft picks and everything that they've done.

But I think that the biggest way they can impact this roster is via the U-22 initiative. And I do know that they've been in the market for that, that that's where kind of things have been looking earlier in the off season. I don't know if things have changed. Gosh, again, like I do think that if you get Johnny Russell in this team, that would be big. But I have no idea what salary expectations or anything else. But now I can't stop thinking about that possibility Well, it feels like there's a clear like the pitches. Here's your role We were this good without you like you can help elevate us and it's almost a Vicente Sanchez signing once again for

Colorado Rapids that you know They've historically tried to find a player on the back end where can you get great? 30 minutes every once in a while and that can sort of help fill in for what else you have. Let's go to Weeby's line here because I think it's relevant for the rest of this conversation which is he asks Rafa Navahu and Georgi Mihailovic will they combine for over or under 33 and a half goals plus assists. This is for MLS only. He put in the note that last year they did 37.

Who wants to start here? It's just a lot of math to try to do it in our heads as we're figuring out what the combinations have to be. So I'll start by not answering your questions so I can give Mark some time to work things out in a set. I know that George Mohave is one of his goals is I want to set the Rapids assist record. Like that was when he was coming in. He loves the idea of he's the guy that this team is building around. That was the Rapids pitch, of course. He wants to rewrite records books in Colorado. He was not far off. I think he gets it last year without an injury and so he's gonna try to run that back.

I am a little bit worried about Hafenu Vahu Like I just I thought he had next one year and if he scores a couple goals less that doesn't make it a bad year so with between these two players like 34 I mean, I think I have to go over because If the Rapids are scoring goals these these two are going to be involved in almost all of them. And the secondary assists, I think, give you a boost. So I think I'll take that if that comes down to what? 16 goals, goal contributions each?

17 each would do it. So I think that's very doable. I mean, Tom responds with the rational, dispassionate disconnection of someone who observes all things in Major League Soc soccer and believes all things to be potentially reasonable and relevant. I as a hard-bitten Colorado Rapids observer since 2013 Think to myself how is it possible for Hafa Navajo to score more goals than he did last year since I've literally never seen any human being do that. Like I remember when D'Shaun Brown scored 10 goals. D'Shaun scored 10 goals while taking 138 shots, which was like 35 shots more than anyone else in Major League Soccer that

year, some insane number. And so he just shot and shot and shot and missed and missed and missed. And then every once in a while it went in. So and I thought that was good. You know, I thought he was having a great season. So my metric for the best possible season was last year. Anyways, my long-winded way of saying like I think Hoffa is probably gonna go for like 13 goals this year in the league and then leagues cup and postseason maybe he'll bag a few more so for going all cops. But I think you're right about Georgie being capable of more than 10 assists, more than

12 assists, more than 15 assists potentially. Where those other goals come from is a good question. I think the Rapids should be able to get three or four goals from their wingers in a variety of different positions. And I think Cole Bassett has more goals in them. Cole has Cole has never had a season when he connected at the rate that he should. Although he's always dangerous. The other piece I think for this team when you ask where the goals could come from, it is a club that has always done well on set pieces. They got back to that last year.

If you do start a quote unquote three center back setup, you have more threats on those. Reggie Cannon is an elite set piece player. Reggie Cannon. Also, if he's playing that right center back role, getting into the attack, I think can be really fun and a little bit dangerous. And I also think back on this number to Georgie last year, it took him six or seven games, but it really took him like two months to feel comfortable again. And I remember talking to someone with the rap and they were like, a lot of these guys haven't played soccer in a while like they were coming off being in

Europe they weren't getting minutes and so it took a while for it to come together maybe a peak too fast in Leagues Cup in that it was too many minutes to all of a sudden at high levels on their legs and this year I believe Colorado and I have this written down so I don't know why I wouldn't have said it so they're in CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup so the challenge is there across those two competitions if they're able to get wins but I do think it'll be more settled across the year for players like Cole Bassett and Georgie and I'm hoping Sam Vines yeah yeah yeah I was

gonna mention Sam Vines team in Belgium I was going to mention. Yeah. Yeah, I was going to mention, Sam Vines' team in Belgium just basically sat him on the bench for a year and a half, and he didn't do a thing. I mean, he was injured for some of it. But then when he came back, he was just out of favor, and they didn't touch him. And they forgot to register him in the Champions League. Oh, it was, I mean, we.

And the coach immediately was like, shit, that was my bad. What happened? It was, we were so sad for Sam, because he was, he moved his whole life over there. He moved his girlfriend over there. He was so committed to that team, and it just did not pan out the way he wanted to. Although, to be fair, I mean,

he got to be on the bench in a famous moment in European soccer history when Reja Nijngolen got suspended by his manager mid-game for smoking a cigarette in the dugout. I mean, so, good times. So, I was just get charged with drug smuggling or something. Not surprised. He absolutely did. Like I was going to say, I was in the headline was the player you thought would be in trouble for this trouble for this. I have yet to ask Sam Vines about what it was like to play with ragejah Nangolan and I will be there in February.

I will be there in 16 days to talk to him. So I will ask that question even if he shoots me daggers and does not want me to. The season kicks off early with CCC competition against LAFC. The winner of that series will play against Columbus, a Columbus team we believe without Kucha Hernandez as of at this moment and Listen, it's not an easy competition It's not one the Rapids have historically had success in but you're not gonna get a more comfortable run to start it I'm sorry Tom an LAFC team that flipped their entire Central midfield in the last month and a half and a Columbus team missing The best player in their club's history. Isn't somebody playing a team called Real Hope from Haiti?

Wow. Yeah, I'm sorry, the Rapids are not Cruz Azul. They didn't win Ligue MX to set themselves up. I'm saying from where you sit, it is a reasonable setup. The faces that I'm making is this sucks. For the, like the Rapids, if you play another MLS the like the rapids if you play another MLS team And then if you win you play another MLS team Yeah, you don't go to the Champions League to play teams from your like that

That's that was the faces I was making like that. No, even if we beat LFC It's another MLS team and we had a proper Champions League opportunity the last time around when we drew Communicaciones and wound up, you know, that team, the home game against Comunicaciones was the frozen tundra of Commerce City. It was just absolutely, it was freezing cold and there weren't a lot of people there. And then, you know, a week later they were literally in like a tropical jungle environment with like monkeys swinging through the trees in Guatemala City. And it was like, this is the weirdest thing in the world.

And then before that, um... Anthony Hudson called it a preseason. It was nuts. That was not fun. The other, um, the other CONCACAF Champions League game in my history was the coldest game in North American soccer history. At kickoff, it was minus seven against Toronto of all teams, which is not fair that you're playing a cold weather team in the coldest game of the history. And all the beer taps in Dick's Sporting Goods Park froze because the beer froze going from the keg through the line to the spout. Like

in a space of three feet, it all froze. So yeah, they should have canceled it, but we lost. That was it. You can't play. You can't play through those circumstances, but if you're gonna play Lafc In weather, you know cold weather at altitude is a pretty good opportunity So I think with the intangibles and with how well this team kind of like came out of the out of the gate last year I think there's a lot of potential there's an upset here, but you're right, Tom. This is not the matchup we really dreamed of. No, this is not the fun part of it.

But I will say this, I do think. I think the Colorado Rapids are a Gauss theorem team at this point. So many pieces came in last year. The whole roster, including Chris Armis, might be Gauss theorem, which means it wasn't bad last year, but it could, I think the West is middle heavy.

I think the Rapids are part of that middle. I think that's a really good place to be right now, depending, and then you get in a situation where if the chemistry hits right, Georgie's fully healthy, if Colbass is fully back and in form, I think there's a lot to like about this team, which by the way, I don't even know if I said I'll take the over on this saying Georgie has a better year, even if Hoffa takes a half step back and you end up at least over 33 and a half which I think puts all three of us at over. It does.

No, I don't know what Mark said. I think I'm under. I think I'm at like 28. Okay. Oh, that's a big gap from 37. I thought you were just under on Haffu and oh, I thought Georgie made up the difference. Oh yeah, maybe I'm like 17, so maybe I'm like 30 on them to combine. Still under. I don't know, but I'm under. I'm still under.

We will be back to talk about all of this. Once again, if you are listening to this on soccer wise, you should go to the Burgundy Wave. You should go to holding the high line for all your Colorado Rapids coverage and just good soccer coverage in general. The other way around, if you are listening and you're a Rapids fan or a soccer fan in the Colorado area, come join us on soccer wise. That is what we do. We just talk about soccer all the time as much as humanly possible. MLS, NWSL national teams and all the things in between. Mark just talk about soccer all the time, as much as humanly possible, MLS, and WSL national teams, and all the things in between. Mark, thank you for taking the time,

we appreciate it. Ta-da, Rabah. We'll do this. Oh, wow. We have to do this again very soon. My mom's gonna be so proud. Dropping the e-vreech, that's so great. Yeah, no, and I really appreciate being on, guys, and we look forward to getting all our listeners

to listening to you guys for the rest of the year for all their other MLS needs because you know we only cover one out of 20 oh no we have 30 teams now one out of 30 teams in the league so I look forward to listening to your previews of the other 14 teams in the Western Conference at the very least. Yeah Tom's ears are already bleeding at this point and we're just getting started. So we are looking forward to it as well. When you talk about Major League Soccer, you often, in the past, were talking about the LA Galaxy.

They were the dynasty, they were the biggest name in the world game out of MLS. It hadn't been the case for a long time But you and me were on the ground for the completion of race to say At the end of last year It was the culmination of what was a really special year and an emotional week with Ricky Puget injury and and so much going on It's one of the best MLS Cups I've ever seen it was one of the most fun experiences I've ever had an MLS Cup inside and around the stadium on the day of the game. And now a few weeks passed. Like it hasn't been very long.

We are already looking towards the next season. Tom, I talked with Josh Guestman of Corner of the Galaxy who covers this team as well as anyone, but you were busy. So you were not a part of that. So we talked a lot about the moves they've made. We talked about the expectations for this team. What do you sort of think about as you think about the LA galaxy in 2025? I think about how difficult it is when you have a very talented, expensive roster to keep everybody together, particularly with the new mechanisms like again, the day on Yulvuc trade that I'm certain that you guys are gonna cover incredibly well That was born out of they he aged out of you 22 initiative. He quite clearly earned a new contract He had one year left on his current deal So the club had pretty much had no choice but to move him if they wanted to do right by the player Have him have a chance to get a new deal Which he did get in sporting Kansas City and this is just what happens when the salary cap monster come gets you

Same thing with Mark Delgado same thing with Jalen Neal These are things that the club didn't necessarily want to do if they didn't have a salary cap monster come get you. Same thing with Mark Delgado, same thing with Jaywin Neal. These are things that the club didn't necessarily want to do if they didn't have a salary cap. I'm sure they would have kept all three players or maybe. So I think that this team is not in flux. I think that they reloaded. I still really love what they have, even with Ricky Pooch likely to miss a good portion of the season because Gabriel Peck and Joseph Payne's all awesome. Since you guys recorded this preview. I broke the news that they the yellow galaxy have agreed to deal to acquire Christian Ramirez I love that fit. I think that this player What he showed with Columbus crew in how he could he was a 9 and a 10 kind of he was a half-spaced merchant

But if you needed him to be go up top and be more of a center forward he could do that, too He already showed you how he can blend accentuate, and be great around other star players. I think Christian Ramirez is a really great fit for this team. I'm sure that they'll sign another U-22 initiative attacker as well, but for right now with Christian Ramirez as a starting center forward, like I think that this team is ready to go again and attack. It is exciting. He's a local, so that's cool. He's an MLS vet. He has been in big moments now with Columbus as well So he has played in high leverage situations. He's a smart soccer player. Like we've we've talked to him from his coaching point of view

He's already started working in youth development and working with young players And he has talked about how much he's learned from non say those are the types of things Greg Vanny wants in this team That's how you put together a team in which Okay, Fagundas can play four roles Payne still can play two roles Royce can play two roles Christian Ramirez another one of those that gives you flexibility and helps you just stay above water I think until you get to the midseason point and say alright, what's Ricky's status? Where do we stand? Where are we? It also takes pressure off whatever you 2222 signing that is. Those have been hit or miss. It is really hard to get a ready-made U-22 initiative signing at what Dejan Jovovich wasn't one, right? It took a couple of years for him to be prepared for that starting role. Greg Vanni talked about it a lot. So Christian Ramirez now sort

of gives you the ability to not get stuck too far down the road. Tom, I think all this goes to in our preview show in Venice Beach before MLS Cup, we said no matter the result tomorrow, the LA Galaxy are back. That was what we sort of felt for the first time in a long time. Do you still see that with all these moves? Capital B back. This is a team that again, whether or not they finish top of the West, whether or not they win a trophy this season, this is a team that will play a big part in telling the story of the 2025 major league soccer season. Again, like I think that Gabriel Packard, Joseph Pensa will show more dimensions to their game than they had to because Ricky Pooch is such a high usage

player. And again, I keep saying it good. That is a good thing that Ricky Pooch is a high usage player because he should be using the ball as much as possible. But without him, I think that we're going to see from these players and again Christian Ramirez fits with that very very well I will say on Andrew we be over under I'm not gonna spoil what the question is I'm just telling you keep it in your mind. I would have said over I Was gonna ask you your over under or betting odds on Luca Donchich juggling a soccer ball Galaxy or LA of sea jersey, which one do you think it'll be between the two?

He seems like a galaxy guy. I don't know how to explain it. I don't know. That's just where my brain went. I think galaxy are known, right? You're talking about Real Madrid grad. Galaxy are known internationally. They have that name brand.

I think they've had the better connection for the most part with most of the celebrities who are out there looking for guidance, looking to connect to a club. No one does it better than the LA Galaxy to sneak in there. Shout out to Kevin Acevedo, one of the legends, Jamie as well, doing an awesome job there and let's get into it. So Tom, not with us, but we were lucky enough to be joined by the host of Corner of the Galaxy, Josh Guestman.

Well, we continue on in our 2025 MLS season previews and I'd say this one's a pretty big one. We are talking about the reigning MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy and you know there's no one else to do it with besides Josh Guestman. He is the host of Corner of the Galaxy, one of the best and longest running podcasts in Major League Soccer covering one of the biggest teams in MLS. For anyone listening there, welcome to Soccer covering one of the biggest teams in MLS. For anyone listening there, welcome to Soccer Wise. For anyone listening to Soccer Wise, you should know Corner of the Galaxy. If you don't, go find them. Josh, thanks for joining us.

David, thanks for having me on. I appreciate it. It feels like we were just playing an MLS Cup not too long ago. I can't believe the season's got to get ready to start this month, right? Let's talk about what went down,. Like I was in LA for it. And the question I wrote down on the rundown is race to SACE is done. Yeah, I, you know, it's difficult to predict what the next acronym, what the next rhyme will be. I will say it happens organically.

Eventually it will be settled on. I have, you know, you know, seven is heaven is one of those that is sort of there. I not saying that's the one, please, I don't wanna get yelled at. You know, people will, seven is heaven is is one of those that is sort of there. I'm not saying that's the one, please. I don't want to yell that, you know, people people will decide what it is. But we'll eventually, you know, as a group, as a community, figure on something just like El Trafico got its name.

You know, the race to seven here will certainly get something. It is nice to be able to get off the safe part, though. It was a decade. Like, what does the what did it mean? What is the last few weeks been like? What was the the fallout of the final? Yeah, it was it's a little surreal to see the galaxy in that MLS cup and you talked to galaxy fans about it Even reporters we watched that team and we had questions the entire year, you know, how's the defense gonna handle up? You know what really what is the offense going to be like you didn't know

I mean I was just talking to a co-host Kevin Baxter from the L.A. Times, and we were talking about last night and we were saying we were here exactly at this point last year. And we had all these questions about day on your village. Could he be the guy? Come on. He can't be the guy. The galaxy are going to need another striker. You're like, well, you know, is Joseph Paints, any good?

Is Gabriel Peck any good? We had all these questions going into the offseason or into that into that first game. And then you start to see these guys put together and, you know, things slowly built there. But the galaxy from day one sort of had a pretty good time. But because of the PTSD over the 10 years and I'm sorry for Red Bull's fans whenever I talk 10 years and all the stuff that's going on. But because of that, I think there was always question marks throughout it. And maybe in the last 10 games, we got some more answers and that sort of led to that run but a little surreal to see it happen and it's sort of surreal just in the way that the galaxy traveled through

those those players galaxy fans love it but I would be lying if I didn't say they're already panicking because there's you know people moving players going different places the the team has been pulled apart if you talk to some of them so you know that's that's part of the fun of them all this right absolutely and Tom not with us right now but me and Tom were in LA for that game team has been pulled apart if you talk to some of them. So, you know, that's that's part of the fun of them all this, right? Absolutely. And Tom, not with us right now, but me and Tom were in L.A. for that game. And we did a pregame show and we did a post game show. And we both said at both times pregame as well

that the galaxy were back and they were back for a lot of reasons, one being that it felt felt well built and sustainable for the first time in 10 years, even in the high moments of Zlatan's success and good years with Chicharito and all those things, it felt like it was built on one player or a flash in the pan. And so it felt like it was for real no matter what and then you get the win and I think that's gonna affect the way I see this team I know as we talk about the moves that have happened and have not. I'm curious though with we saw the celebrations, Mickey

Mane becoming a superstar and all of the things. Did it feel different than 10 years ago? Does it feel different in maybe a different era of MLS or post LAFC? Did any of that sort of affect the way a championship for the LA Galaxy went down? I think I have maybe a unique view on it just because I started covering the team in 2009 whenever I was so I I started covering the team in 2009 whenever I was so I was at MLS Cup in 2009 in Seattle when the L.A. Galaxy lost to Real Salt Lake in some ways. And I don't know if this is just me or maybe other people feel

this way in some ways. This feels like what it would have felt like if the 2009 team would have won the MLS Cup that year. Right. Because you had the turnaround. You have this you have this sustainability. You know, there was hope there was there was fun soccer to watch. I'm always a fan of watching good soccer after watching horrible soccer for, you know, some six, seven years there in terms of some of the stuff we've seen. But I almost feel like. They weren't supposed to win it so soon, or as somebody put,

maybe they won it a year too late because 2023 really should have been one of those years that built up. And we didn't see that, right? We didn't see 2023 had all sorts of issues with why it didn't work out. But then they won in 2024. So maybe there's some redemption there. I feel like it's early. I feel like the team is sort of young. I don't know that they have, quote unquote, earned it in terms of all the stuff they did. Having said that, you watch that season and you go back and watch some of those games,

especially if you go back with a sort of rear view look now. That was a really good team. They were so much fun to watch. The offensive side of things for the L.A. Galaxy in 2024 is probably one of the top offensive teams I have ever witnessed with the L.A. Galaxy. And that goes through all 2011, 2012, 2014 MLS Cup championships I watched. I don't know that they've ever had that potent of an offense. So interesting. It is interesting when you say it in looking at it now with our with what we know, which

is there are moments last year where you're like, yeah, but this is Harlem Globetrotters. Like this is regular season. It's fine. Win by five goals. But like it won't happen in the real game. So therefore it is just this. and then when it did happen in the playoffs, right? Now you look back and you're like no, no, no, no That's one of the great attacks in the history of this league but it was hard to say it in the moment for some of us and I by the way as we start this will take full credit of like I Questioned this group two years ago. I questioned them last year. Joe Larry has so many

Brownie points over me for me being like really you're gonna pick the galaxy to win the whole thing again last year and he was right and I was wrong and I just didn't know how sustainable all of it was and I didn't have belief that it was built with a proper base. I didn't believe in the foundation and the foundation was definitely there at the end. Yeah you will Kuntz I mean you know you can say which one but also Greg Vanny. I consider Greg Vanny one of the smartest best coaches in Major League Soccer and there were people who were certainly questioning that over his his initial tenure with the galaxy and Having spoken to all of the coaches that have come through the LA Galaxy since 2009

I can tell you I don't know about this includes Bruce arena Bruce arena is great Bruce Bruce arena is one of the best man managers in the history of soccer. As far as I'm concerned, amazing. And that was my education for soccer was was grown up with Bruce and watching him do that stuff. Greg Vanny is a different coach and is, in my opinion, a better coach in terms of tactics and other things that he does. He has the man motivation part as well. But I really enjoy what Vanny puts together.

But then you pair him with Wilcoons and the ability to sort of look into the future and be able to pull guys. They had all basically every person they brought in made a difference last year. I don't know that you can keep that up this year. Right. It's one of those things is like, you know, you pull pull a slot machine, you get, you know, three cherries all the way across. I don't know. You're getting three cherries again if that all comes out in the same thing. Luck is part of this in the galaxy.

We're extremely unlucky in 2023 and extremely lucky in 2024 as well. It is a definitely a different unit. And you do wonder, you know, Greg Vanni, we talked about as a national team coach in his time in Toronto, and then there was dips with the LA galaxy. And if those dips hadn't happened when they did obviously Pochettino the top pick, but like Vanni probably would have been re into that conversation it didn't happen and now he gets the the MLS Cup win he is one of the rare coaches who have won it with

multiple teams he's one of the rare coaches to have been there as many times as he has and he's got the chance to build a legacy and he's talked about that with this club let's talk about transfers because a big part of what has gone down now since that MLS Cup it is always the most brutal part of MLS Cup is the players who are told you're not coming back like 30 seconds after the game ends because the league schedule is chaos but that hasn't been the big names that have left the big names that have left have for the most part moved in trades and transfers and now cash trades which we are currently workshopping nicknames for

at SoccerWise. We are in the market right now for Cades, which are cash trades. Or I think they're cashfers as cash transfers. So we're working on that one here at SoccerWise. But Dejan Jovalic, the first player now ever used, sold in that mechanism $4 million and a new contract with Sporting Kansas City. which the first player now ever used, sold in that mechanism, $4 million,

and a new contract with Sporting Kansas City. Jalen Neal sent to Montreal on a huge gam trade. Mark Delgado traded Crosstown, the LAFC, for a little bit of gam himself. And Gaston Brugman, the MLS Cup MVP, sent to Nashville in place for Sean Davis, as well as for some allocation money himself. Those are some big names. We are not talking about on the fringes here. Josh,

this has been a hectic off season for the championship club. Yeah, coming out of MLS Cup, there were warning signs pretty quickly from front office that there was going to be moves. And because of the tight cap space that they had, they knew they were going to be able to keep everybody. Now, interesting enough, Delgado absolutely a cat space move and mostly it was to get his salary off of off the roster than anything else. The fact that he went to a rival is always the interesting twist in there. But I have to imagine had anybody else really, you know, required Mark Delgado services, which sounds crazy because I am super high on mark delgado I don't know why perhaps the market was soft on him

But I think if they could have gone anywhere else that they would have moved him anywhere else But that's where that's where it was and the last piece is I think his contracts gonna be up So he has they had to send him somewhere that he said he would sign and right probably not having to move and be Home was a positive not too bad for him is we are expecting that he signs a long term deal with with L.A. FC whenever that all comes down. So that's one. So that was definitely a cap space move. Gaston Brugman is a cap space move just in terms of what his salary was

getting that salary off there. And then, you know, most people don't know he came back off an injury. He wasn't he wasn't a starter for the L.A. Galaxy for the year. Really. He started on a couple of occasions and came in really awesome. I mean, you know, Galaxy fans and everybody else bragging, oh, we can bring Gaston Brugman off the bench and he's you know, he's that guy. And then you look in the final, right?

He starts the final and does everything that he needs to do. So him going to national again, it cap space. And it's all about cap space, especially as I was told by somebody within the L.A. Galaxy organization that whenever you want MLS Cup bonuses are to the maximum right that's so that's where it all so that all hits cap Space and you have to worry about that the Yolich one though is a different one Yes, some cap space considerations certainly he was a u22 timed out of the u22 So now all of a sudden he's going from like a $200,000 cap hit up to you know Basically a six seven hundred thousand dollar cap hit so again, you know, basically a six, seven hundred thousand dollar cap hit. So again, five hundred thousand dollars in addition.

And that means, you know, as a, as it was explained to me, dude wants a raise. He absolutely wants to raise. He, he, he did what he said he was going to do. He wants that next contract. He wants to do all the things, his contracts up, but the galaxy are like, we had, we have to pay him, quote unquote, pay him five hundred thousand dollars more

without us even negotiating a contract. Right. So it's like, do we have the space? I don't think they had the space one. They didn't have a designated player spot We knew that and whether or not they could have kept him for maxed him is certainly up in the up in the question mark But I don't know that they had that or whether they wanted to sort of invest that in him if that was the case, right? Amazing guy super lucky sporting kids. He's gonna love him but You know that one's a little less cap space and a little more long term. What are you going to do with the contract?

But now you're looking at significant impacts to the starting lineup and just with Ricky Pooj and the season ending or Ricky Pooj and the injury, not season ending, Ricky Pooj and the injury that happened right before the final. And then you have, you know, Mark Delgado, who was, you know, the the stalwart there in the in the center and Greg Van, you know, the incarnation of Greg Vanney on the field, those two think alike, act like talk alike. They are they are basically twins and they've known each other for a very long time. So not having that, that's an impact on the starting line up and how that goes.

There's a lot of galaxy fans who are panicking. I certainly, I get it, 100% get it, David, but you know, it's also a little bit like high school, you know, you fall in love with the first girl you see, and then, you know, then she breaks your heart, then the next week you fall in love again. Give it time, let it go. Tyler Boyd was sort of on the same thing last year. You know, it was sort of like, oh, how could they get rid of Tyler Boyd? And it's like, you know, a little bit while longer. Everybody, how could they get rid of Tyler Boyd? And it's like, you know a little bit while longer everybody's like they're like Tyler Boyd who right so and that's unfair to all those players Because they all had dramatic impacts on the LA Galaxy

But the bottom line is new season new players somebody has to win a cup again And there's 30 teams going after it these moves Very much as you said The league is not built for winners The league is not built to be good and great and then be the best. The league is built for you to be great and then pulled back down to the rest of the pack

so that everyone else can build back up and have a good year and then get pulled back down to the pack and it's really one of the unfortunate things about the way MLS is structured and we've heard Garth Lagerway complain about it. We've heard the Seattle Sounders complain about it. They went to a club world cup. They got zero mechanisms to make their roster any better,

to go and play in a competition teams that never played in before. And so as you said, when you win, it becomes really difficult. We talked about Will Coons, we talked about Greg Vanni, the trust there. The way these moves have come about, have very much put me in the mindset of, okay, this is a

three to five year span that they want to be competitive. It is not a team, maybe that will go back to back. But to get Jovalich, to get something for him before his deal is up, to get something for Delgado before his deal is up, to get a younger player for Brugman who can at least be around the margins and be useful. All of those are moves that help put you in a spot to make the next move and be competitive next year or in two years. And that doesn't mean that this team can't win this year, as you said. Everyone's got a shot at it and there's obviously now pedigree with this group. But that's where the trust, I think, with Will Kuntz comes into place and Greg Vanni

of like, they have a vision, they have an idea, there is a roadmap to this. It's not just, uh-oh, we got hit with salary cap, let's start throwing players out the boat, and then we'll figure it out on the fly. I mentioned Sean Davis, the other big addition, Zanka or Matthias Jorgensen brought in sort of the replacement for Jalen Neal, but at the other end of the age spectrum, Elijah Widener bought from Louisville, which is a very rare move we see to pay money for a USL player. Many know his brother Josh, who is over at Benfica, but Widener, one of the best center mids in USL over the last two years.

JT Marsinkowski brought in, I mentioned him because I'm a big fan of his game. He had season ending injuries and so he hasn't been on the field but he was an MLS level starter at the goalkeeper position and then you put down Lucas Sanbria who just got a haircut from the Galaxy Barber so as you say it is LA Galaxy official. Yeah I mean you know that whenever you go visit Manny the Barber and you get the cut and there's a picture you know the you know the announcements coming. So Sonabria comes in a 21 year old Uruguayan. He's listed as a defensive midfielder and everybody keeps saying he's a defensive midfielder. The galaxy don't see him as a defensive midfielder. They see him as a box to box type.

And if you watch some of his stuff, I before I even knew he was a DM, I watched some highlights, awesome stuff. I'm like, cool box to box guy. Seems like sort of fun to look at Galaxy for once. Tend to agree with me. That's good. So there's looking at him as like a Brogman replacement, as maybe a Delgado replacement, that type of thing. Then he also talking about Edwin Cerio, who had a really good year last year

about possibly pushing him further higher. Right. And letting Sean Davis sort of play more of the six because Vanny was pretty, pretty set, at least early on on first press conference that Davis was going to play a six role and that maybe surreal would play more of an eight or something like that. So big question marks around that. But Winder is like my favorite. That is I don't this is like a diamond in the rough. And you can't even say that the young player of the year in USL championship. I mean, you're not you're not surprising anybody, but the galaxy paid $400,000 for. Yeah, this is like that's an extreme amount of money to go from USL championship to, you know, MLS. And it just felt like every we have a we have a sort of a jingle that we play on our podcast called Cooking with Coons. Right. And it's like and it's like cooking with Coons.

Right. Like that type of thing. This is that this is a cooking with Coons moment. This is hey We saw this guy and if you go and you start like doing some analytics and you start seeing the charts like Winder keeps showing up on these like on these little outliers. You're like, oh they saw something. That's what they saw, you know And they're bringing them in Central midfielder was I think playing there in the preseason so far. There's a game on on Wednesday So we'll we'll find out sort of where he's been playing

We haven't been able to see anybody but at least initial things I'm high on that could be one of those moves where it's like we talked about them pulling the handle and all the cherries going up that could be that could be a cherry move and so we'll see whether or not Winder sort of you know can can prove that young you know at USL championship now you come up and play at the big level this is it got to prove it but seems like he might have the the mind in the game for that. And it's not like for like because, you know, things change as time goes along, but Diego

Luna was bought from USL for $250,000. So $400,000 is one of the biggest moves we've ever seen from USL to MLS, and it is for, as you said, a young player with a ton of promise who started for a Louisville team who plays meaningful games week in and week out. Yeah, he is a physically dominant force in central midfield. He is different than Cereo and Sean Davis and I think having that change of pace could be really interesting for this team and for this club because of winning MLS Cup LA Galaxy qualified for a conff Champions Cup. They have a bye in the first round.

They will face off against the winner of RSL or Harry Deano in the second round and being a good team in the playoffs, it means the Galaxy will play in Leagues Cup. So no open cup for the LA Galaxy this year. Let's take an opportunity now to get some words of wisdom from our wise sage who is Matt Doyle. I've been calling them our Doylisms. So now we get a chance to sit at the foot of the legend and then we'll react off that. Even without Ricky Pooch I just think the galaxy are gonna be really good. The midfield works even

replacing Mark Delgado with an inferior version of Mark Delgado and Sean Davis. I still think the midfield works because they must be defensively sound, they won't turn it over in bad spots. And then they have Marco Royce or Diego Fagundes to play as kind of a true 10 in that 4-2-3-1. And then even after selling Dejan Jovovich, the number nine is going to be fine, man. You put any human being with two working legs, you know, up top with Gabriel Peck on one side

and Joseph Payne's on the other, they're going to get you 12 goals. So I just, I think the pooch thing hurts in maybe the biggest games, but I think over the course of the season, they're equipped to handle that, especially because of how they change their defense down the stretch and into the playoffs

with Amir Al-Gharsiz getting the starting job alongside Maya Yoshida. And Gharsiz was what this team needed, his ability to put out fires in behind, to run step-for-step with a player like Jordan Morris in the open field, which we saw in the Western Conference final, that was irreplaceable.

And you saw it in the numbers, just not in terms of Conference final, it was irreplaceable. And you saw it in the numbers, just not in terms of just goals, but expected goals that the Galaxy allowed. I think this team, they're not gonna win CONCAC champions cup. They probably not gonna be over two points per game or anything mid season, but they're gonna be in good shape

and they're gonna get Pooch back and then they're gonna be able to push down the stretch into the playoffs. And I think they're going to be dangerous again. So no worries really for the L.A. Galaxy heading into 2025. Let's start with the big name. Let's start with Ricky. Yeah, he's saying no worries.

We don't know the timeline exactly. What are the expectations? I've brought up the season ending injury list multiple times on soccer wise. Tom's kind of batted me down. Is that still outside of the question? It seems to be certainly there would have to be a setback. There was videos today of him training and doing all those things.

It was funny because in one of the first press conference, Greg Vaney was asking about, so he goes, is somebody one of the reporters assumed, Hey, so let's say you get Ricky back in July, right? And Greg Vaney was like, Whoa, July, that would be, he goes, he goes, listen, within the realm of possibility, but that seems early, right? That type of thing. And so I think, you know, my shooter, whenever he talked, he was sort of like, hey, whenever we get Ricky back in, like,

you know, October, November, like that type of thing. I was like, okay, so this is the box that we're putting in. There is no doubt the LA Galaxy have to play differently without Ricky Pooch. I mean, and I think Matt sort of hints at that. But if you look at MLS Cup when they didn't, what did they do? They became sort of, you know, taking less risk. Greg Vanny said straight up, he goes, you know, we spend a lot of time creating space for Ricky Pooch to do Ricky Pooch things. Dribble through defenders, take guys one on one, create spaces,

take that, make the hero passes, all the stuff he goes. You know, we can we could just not do that stuff. We could just close that down and not have as much open space He goes and then we're better defensively whenever we turn the ball over that type of thing So I think you're gonna see a more measured LA Galaxy to start with which They're sort of the money ball question is, you know, how do you replace Ricky Pujas goal production with assists and goals? How do you replace day on you over leeches assists? You know, it's like, you know, you're starting to add up, you know,

so you got to find 30 goals and, you know, 25 assists or something like that. If you're trying to do that, that's I think that's the wrong way to sort of assume. If you play differently, one defensively looking at how they're playing. I think Ricky Puj whenever he comes back, you will they'll be able to figure out how to play him and you let Ricky be Ricky and you kind of stay out of his way for the most part. That type of thing. It's going to hurt though. And I think Matt said it almost, and he said a little on the side, he goes, you know, in the big games it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt in the big games. You know, the, the big thing

was the undefeated streak at digging the health sports park last year. And I said on one of the podcasts, I go, you think you guys are panicking now, wait till they lose a game at dignity health sports bar. You haven't seen that in a year, right? Like it's one of those things you haven't seen it and it's going to happen this year because they're just not quite set up. It seems like ready to go. So yeah, Ricky's a big loss. But there were also talks that perhaps he was going to get sold this winter or

possibly the summer as well. So, I mean, it's one of those like you start to learn a little bit life without Ricky could be coming here sooner rather than later anyway. It also on that front, it may just it may change the trajectory of his career and like The timeline of he wanted to come here and win he did win then it's time to go But now he can't go and then the maybe the connection he feels working his way back here and and wanting to then reprove himself Or needing to reprove himself like now you've pushed that two years down the line And you know careers are not endless and like there are there's money people will

pay for players but at certain age profiles and so it may shift Ricky's career and me and in the long run turn him into an LA Galaxy legend and we don't know how that will go. I'm still having trouble just comprehending a player of that magnitude missing right and yet. I think you're right, which is do not say How do you replace 28 gold production numbers because you don't need to win 5-1 or 5-3 You can win 3-2 or 2-1 if you're more condensed. Hey, how about one nothing? How about some shutouts for the LA Galaxy? Yeah, two one win and that's what it was now One of the big conversations around MLS Cup was who was gonna start and who was gonna take his place and all of that

In I understand the style might be different Do you think the formation and setup will be the same over the course of the year? I do well, I mean at least initially I do you know one of the things they went out and got Sanka the center back So there is a possibility they go three in the back, but then even sprinkled some of that in last year So I don't think it's something that would change dramatically what they're trying to do. It's in situations they can play three in the back, that type of thing. Four, two, three, one still seems like the sort of the optimal there. Matt talked about Marco Royce playing in the 10, Diego Fugunda is playing in the 10.

You know, the big deal now is sort of who's at the nine. And that's that's a bigger question, I think, than anything. And I would say that when you look at the depth chart, a lot of times like people like to say it's day on Yobolich and then it's Miguel Berry and that's not how that depth chart works that actually go It was day on Yobolich and then it was Joseph Paints or it was Gabriel Peck or was Diego for goodness and then Miguel Berry, you know that type of thing So they still have some options there But one of the reasons they kept Diego for goodness

I think instead of Mark Delgado both on pretty big, similar and play in a similar sort of spot there. One of the reasons they kept Fugundes is his ability to play in all those different spots. And so you could play him at the nine and you probably wouldn't lose too much. You could put Royce in at the 10. I also would caution and just from the experience of last year, how much durability you're going to get out of Marco Royce. And I don't know that you have a whole bunch of that. So then again, you're looking at guys who can come in and sort of play that. And whether that's Sereo stepping up or Sanabria is a box to box and sort of playing maybe in the more of the 10 roll. I don't know how that all shakes out.

That's going to be the interesting thing. We know the guys who are probably going to be on the field, David, but we don't know exactly where they're going to line up. But, you know, with the galaxy, they can sort of get away with that a little bit. Paints will played up at top whenever you overleach was hurt last year. So they moved for goodness over to the wing whenever that happened to cover his to cover paint so spots. So there's just this rotation that can happen.

And I think that fluidity, you know, is sort of one of the things that helps the LA Galaxy and being so tough to defend. Yeah, for goodness is the backup at four positions because even if he's not going to play there, he allows someone else to move in those spots. I would also assume one Tom wanted me to mention probably you 22 initiative center forward brought in, whether it's the timeline of Yovlitch and it takes as long and it hits right now or not. He wasn't totally sure,

but he wanted to make sure that we talked about that. Um, I would guess the galaxy are in a place now as well where a veteran will wanna come. And whether it's a pay cut, whether it's a Kai Kamara of the world, it's LA, it's the galaxy, the galaxy are back. You know the conditions are good. You know the style is good.

You know the coaching, the setup, the club is good. Like there are going to be, I think, a decent amount of people who say, I've made the money. I want to go where I want to go. And the LA galaxy seemed like an attractive spot to be where you can look at someone and say, by the way, you can also get the starting spot for a good number of months or a year at this club. Yeah.

You know, Hey, one of the few clubs Kai Kamara hasn't played at. So you know, that's, that's that concern. And by the way, went to Cal State to make his hills which is on the the profit Dig the L sports as on property of calcium in the stadium as it was getting built and that's where he met Ziggy Schmidt I mean, so there's there's that that's certainly something, you know, I don't know I was talking to you 22 and you know, Tom I was I was talking to somebody else about something that Tom said I go Tom said it so I just assume it's true You know, I don't we don't have to go back and forth and be like is this true

So I'm just assuming it's true But I don't know the timeline on you 22 And I think that's the big thing because certainly galaxy fans want to be like who's replacing you will each I tell me right now Who is you 22 whatever it is, but bring but bring them in we haven't heard any names Certainly, they could wait to the summertime too. That could be something that they could do Maybe they're gonna sort of see how all this plays out But I think you're right. I think there could be a backup out there the galaxy One of the reasons they took the sporting Kansas City deal for day on you have a leech instead of the t-grace deal

Which was the five million? I was told that sporting Kansas City deal came out of nowhere It was sort of like oh, we're going to T-Graves. We're going to get no we're not we're going to sporting Kansas City switched around so it nowhere. It was sort of like, oh, we're going to Tigris. We want to get no, we're not. We're going to sporting Kansas City switched around. So it happened real fast was that with the with the the allocation money and what you're able to do, they were able to convert some of the cash that they get from the sporting Kansas City deal to general allocation money, which then allows them to go out and get maybe some more people who they can put underneath that cap and sort of do that. I'm also told they're not going to convert the full amount

because I think they could convert up to three million. Right. They cap and sort of do that. I'm also told they're not going to convert the full amount because I think they could convert up to three million. Right. They're not going to do that. But what what amount that is somewhere between zero and three million is probably the correct answer on that. So they have money to spend on that to sort of get them maybe a little bit of depth, because if you look at the roster right now, it's there's some questions at the starting lineup, and that's what we focus on.

But certainly the depth has changed in terms of some of these guys coming in, like Elijah Winder and sort of like, you know, Isaiah Parente and you have Ruben Ramos Jr. has been getting some minutes in preseason. So there's these younger guys and you don't know quite how they fit in or where they're likely to play for Greg Vanni. I would be so excited if Vanni tapped into the academy more to fill in some of these spots, especially if it's sort of known that it's like well, we're gonna make some moves in the summer So like here's sort of a chance to give them a run and he's spoken about it

He knows how important it is to build a club Obviously his own kids are in it So he knows how good they are and how connected it is and I think that's one of the things that has me excited Because LA should be a great talent developer in all of this I think it makes sense that you 22 would happen in the summer you get better deals at that time of the year and To Doyle's point. I think he believes if you or me played at center forward we might get goals I believe I think yes, I said that last night to Kevin my co-host I was like hey Kevin we could stick you there and as long as you could just stay upright for long enough

and let the ball bounce off of you, you could probably sort some goals. That's discounting the player that day on Yobelich became. And I don't want to do that because I thought he showed at the beginning of the year, we're saying he's not a guy who creates his own shot. At the end of the year, we're saying he's a big game guy who can create his own shot whenever he needs to. It doesn't happen all the time, but he can do it whenever he needs to do it. So, yeah, the galaxy are going to look for somebody who comes in as a U-22.

I really like that. I think it's good. The cap hit is wonderful. The acquisition costs are unlimited. It's a really cool, fun way to do it. And, you know, the galaxy are always going to be a three DP sort of sort of team. So they get the three U-22s as well. It's the nice compliment between it. You get to see some of these guys, you know, like day on grow up. We got to see him.

The chess master himself, the bishop, was so much fun to see some of these guys you know like day on grow up we got to see him the the chess master himself the bishop was so much fun to watch sort of develop into that so yeah always fun he is he's definitely a good one and as you said I think Casey fans are going to be pretty excited about what he can bring and sort of what he can do for that team I will say I think Joseph Payne still can play in that role. I think I would be sad if he had to for most of the season because I don't think it's his best role. And I do think the personality is the player he is. Like I want to see him peak as a winger in this league.

And I think it's respect to him that he was willing to take the task last year and Peck's probably not really going to do it. And so like Payne still did the job and I thought he carried it fine. But you see him on the wing, you see him at center forward. He is a different player. Yeah, he's he's the first to tell you he's a he basically say, you know, I don't love it up there, but I can play up there

because I played it my whole life. He played with I think a reporter one time during the last season asked me, well, what adjustments do you have to make? He goes, none. He goes, I don't know how to play up there. I played up there before the whole day It's not my favorite, but you know, I can do it the whole deal. No Joseph Haines will such an amazing fun person to cover as well. Just not even from the music side of things You know, we get to talk to him. When's the album dropping? So apparently an album is dropping this year

So everybody's excited about that. I know right offseason. He took some time. He was I think he was in Ghana He was in Belgium for a little bit and then all of a sudden he drops on one of our first press conference. He's got an album coming out. So that's a that's a that's a big plus on that side, too. So which means more songs for the L.A. Galaxy to play after he scores goals. Right. So that's always a good, good thing. But he's such an emotional, like, like focus player whenever he gets out there.

And I was in the locker room after MLS Cup and everybody's singing there and I saw Joseph and he just sort of sitting at his locker and he's just sort of taking it all in and like that he was tired like he was done he was done with the season he gets 40 something games between you know all his time in Belgium they coming all the way around for that MLS season he was done but like there was a sort of pride that he's like I did it I got there he goes I can't wait to do it again but for right now I'm tapped out yeah we I'm gonna go somewhere and listen to music. Well, we talked about it. He was like trying to pull the plastic off the locker

that they use to cover the champagne and be like, like to grab my stuff and go and it's like, sorry, this is what's happening right now. Um, we've talked about a lot of pieces in this team. We finished, we like to finish these with a line that Andrew Weeby gives us and we picked the over under for the season. Uh. We've had a range of them Okay for this one. I think he went with someone we haven't talked specifically as much about because we've said he's important And then we've kind of moved on to other things and that's Marco Royce and whether or not he's the replacement for Ricky Pooj is

Part of the answer to this question, which we be sets his line for goals plus assists in MLS So in regular season competition, at 15 and a half. So I think Ricky last year was 28 for these numbers combined. And I think Royce was one goal, five assists. If you extrapolate it out, it almost hits exactly at 15 over the course of a full season. So what's your take on this line? It's a good one.

I mean, if you're going to pick a number, I was like, you know, if it was at 17, I'd go under, you know, the 15 is there. It's right on the number. I think the big question mark again, I think we said a little bit is what's his durability because he was injured even in the games that he played for the Galaxy down the stretch. And I don't need him. And I don't think Greg Vanny needs him or will down the stretch. And I don't need him. And I don't think Greg Vanny needs him or will Koonst.

The galaxy don't need him to be the superstar. They don't need him to replace Ricky Pooj. They just need him to sort of be that solid veteran that can that still has that bit for creativity. And so I think the assist numbers are going to be there for him. Putting balls back in behind for paint soul or pack is sort of going to be the thing thing. Ricky Pooj did so well. I think Marco Royce can sort of do. So I think the assist numbers are going to be there.

I'll say over only because I think he'll end up getting like, you know, 10 assists and six goals and, you know, he has his 16 and he's a happy camper and all that. And I think that factors in even him not playing all the games, because I don't think you can count on him to play all the games. But I think Greg Vandy is going to be smart with him. I'm interested to see, you know, we have games coming up on Wednesday and Sunday at Coachella Valley invitation. I'm interested to see go out there and just see how everybody is sort of lining up and what he's doing.

And Greg Vanny is one of those guys who sort of like preseason doesn't really matter. And we're just going to make sure that the guys get out there and play and they're, you know, developing some relationships. But, you know, we may not even play them in those positions. It's one of those. So I don't know that we'll know anything until the 23rd when they face San Diego but we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna try to figure some of that out but I think Marco Royce is is such a fun guy to cover as well really interesting sort of look at soccer and how he sees the field and how he sees Major League Soccer and he was I think he was on one of his blogs because he has you know he has a blog everybody has a blog right

I didn't know that yeah Yeah, he has something somebody goes up to him and talks to him all the time I see videos of it all the time and so he was out cruising the boardwalk I think in Newport in Newport Beach, so he's out riding his bike on the boardwalk and they're asking me He's like, you know MLS rules are just they're so confusing right in the whole day I'm like, yeah been there Marco. Tell me about it. Yeah percent So yeah Just interesting to see his take on Major League Soccer and how it goes into travel and all the fun stuff like that

It does he has good takes on all that stuff Tell him if he ever wants soccer wise we we are the only place you can get an NBA and GAM TAM and potentially gashed cash first or Cades or whatever we end up calling it I'm gonna go over with this line as well. One of the things I think is discounted is just when a European player comes to MLS, they've played 18 straight months. Now Marco Reiss, a player who's historically

never been fully healthy, but I just wonder like this is the longest off season he's ever really had. And you said it, he's not gonna be pushed because he doesn't have to be. But I actually think the schedule may roll out in a way in which it's easier for him if he's not playing UEFA Champions League midweek and you know Polka Cup into Bundesliga games like this might actually be a really comfortable spot for him and if he's not starting what we

saw last year is he's more dangerous. Like he kills teams in the final 20 minutes because like you talked about, Marco Royce is sitting there watching a team play. And so he has ideas when he steps on the field of where he can hurt a team, what they've looked like, what the shape has been like, and he's fully fresh when other teams are not.

And so I think even if he's not the full-time starter there or even if it rotates around a bit, I think he's still going to put up numbers. And I'm going to put him over for this one. But like you said, this is the line. Like this is the expectation, which is at a minimum, what he did last year extrapolated out into a full season. And both of us are saying, it's not going to be what Ricky Pooj does. It doesn't have to be Ricky Pooj does. And it can still be really

successful. And it can still be a really special season. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me about this.'t have to be where Ricky Pooj does and it can still be really successful and it can still be a really special season Thank you for taking the time to chat with me about this We have to do this again soon And once again if you're listening to soccer wise and you don't already listen a corner of the galaxy You should do so search for them follow them on all social media channels It's the best place to follow the LA Galaxy and if you're listening there welcome to soccer wise We're live twice a week talking MLS with Tommy scoops We cover NWSL as well so if you're an Angel City fan or an NWSL fan at all, we cover that league as

Consistently and we're excited for a new season our first year covering these leagues full-time and hopefully we'll see you back in Kerson in Ten months eleven months and we'll do it all again Kendrick Lamar blasting in the background and Budweiser planes going overhead. Yeah, as Will Kuhn said, run it back. That's the dim, run it back again. There's the line, we don't need a seven, just run it back. And thank you to all of you for listening. We'll talk to you all again very, very soon. You