SoccerWise - STL Fire Olof Mellberg, Lucho Returns To Cincy, MLS 4 Vancouver (And LAFC?!)

Episode Date: May 29, 2025

After just 15 MLS matches in charge STL City SC are moving on to their 2nd interim manager and fourth leader in three years of play. Tom & David dig into what this means for the club and if it is enough to salvage the season. Then they celebrate all the off the rails midweek soccer (what is going on in Cincy?!) and preview the huge matches coming this week in league and regional play.5:45 STL Move On From Olof Melberg26:10 Lucho Acosta Returns To Cincy41:00 ATL-ORL Track Meet47:10 RSL Suspend DP Attacker Diogo Goncalves52:40 SEA-SD Clash59:30 Whitecaps Prepare For Cruz Azul In CCC Final1:12:00 LAFC v Club America For Spot In CWC Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

What's up everybody? Welcome back to Soccer Wise. David Goss with you here for what is going to be a fun show. We've got a lot to talk about across MLS, across CONCACAF Champions stuff. We've got a gigantic bag on the line for LAFC and Club America. And I am lucky enough because it is summertime, which means you have exchange programs, you have internships that luckily the family over in Sicily has decided to send over one of their own to work with our family here in New Jersey to learn a little bit more about the way we run things in our organization. And he's with me right now as my co-host.

What's the name again? What is going on here? I thought that was a lazy name. You look exactly like the guy that Carmella falls in love with who like comes over to be with the Sopranos right now. You've got like the mustache, the hair, the butt, but I couldn't remember the character's name. Oh my God. I'm going to let you drown on that one because that hurts.

Uh, now I'm like typing as fast as I can. How's it going? It's going good. I appreciate that. I think that that's very flattering because he's a handsome fella. Yeah, of course he is. His name is Furio Guinta. Yeah. Furio. To be fair, I wouldn't have gotten the last name. Which is what you look like. It's just fear. Oh, you look like a furio right now Do it. Yeah, I don't have quite as long of a no you don't just a man and But you're a better soccer player. So there's that you've got going for you Do we know that I don't know but you could say it cuz we don't know for sure not. I appreciate that I appreciate that. I don't love you throwing a little accent on top. Yeah, we don't yeah, who knows fun?

Wooly Who knows? Fanguli. Who knows? We have a big show, as I said, for real. St. Louis has let go of an... We've got a lot of Furios coming through in the chat now, so I appreciate everyone stepping in for a shout out to Vezano, New Jersey legend as well. Of course Vezano's in that. I love that. All caps, too. He's got me. We've got a huge show. St. Louis, let go their manager for the second time in like a year. So they will have their fourth person in

charge of a game as the head coach. Second interim in just three years of existing. We will talk all about that as we have over the last few weeks. Vancouver is headed to Mexico City for their final, which is happening on Sunday. So that's going to be massive. We will talk about that. And as I said, LAFC get this like special one off game with a chance to go to the Club World Cup. We have seen the millions of dollars that are potentially on the edge for them there. And then we will dig into what we saw last night.

It was as MLS midweek tends to be chaos. It was, as MLS Midweek tends to be, chaos. It was wild. There were red cards, high scoring games, a ton of comebacks, a bunch of stoppage time goals. The 730 games, they all ended in a flash with a bunch of stoppage time goals. We have some off field stuff to talk about as well. Lucho Acosta returning to Cincinnati for the first time since leaving and maybe not reading the tea leaves so well on what that experience would be like, but maybe more successful in the field than he would have expected. RSL are missing a designated player because of off-field stuff. So we've got a lot to discuss in all of that. Reminder that on this Saturday, you can join us

live to talk about all of it. So I will be hosting our first call in show on Saturday. We're starting around seven 15. We've got a bunch of great guests already lined up to join us to bring some expertise broadcasters from around MLS, former players, journalists, podcasters, all that type of stuff. But the key to the show and what I want it to be is a place for everyone to come and chat and complain or celebrate or ask questions whatever it is. So we're going to put out the link to everyone on Saturday and

you can sign up there. There's a limit of 100 people that can sign up so that's why we're sort of waiting a little bit but you can sign up there. It's free. You get a quote-unquote ticket and then that ticket gives you a link that will come once the show goes live and you can jump in and you could do audio only or you could do video and chat with me and whoever else is on. So I think I'm going to sort of use everyone as random co-hosts and they can answer your questions or you can ask them there as well. Chase, the beer will not be provided. You have to bring it yourself, but it is encouraged if you want to hang out and watch us. It's gonna be a ton of fun. I'm

really excited about it. It's something I've always wanted to do. It's something I've talked about since I came out of college. I'm like why doesn't this exist? It should exist. And then I guess if you what you want something you do it yourself. I don't know some language around that. So it's gonna start at 7 15 Eastern Time. There's not a hard end date or end time. Date is probably a good thing to have so it doesn't go metaphor for life. Two to three days. The idea was to start to wrap up around 10 30 but we'll see how the games go. And we see how people are enjoying it and people coming on and maybe we can get a couple more hours out of it if that is what people want. Tom you will be away on Saturday and then you're going to Argentina.

So everyone, follow Tom on socials if you don't because I know you are hosting some stuff. You've put out some videos when you are at these events in the past. So I'm looking forward to that. As I said on the last show, I'll be at TST. So if you're going to be in the area, hit me up. If not, you will see us updating a little bit as well from our socials as we are doing stuff.

So a way to follow everything. If the shows are a little bit less regular next week and then we'll be back for our regular programming. We'll get our fiber in and we'll be ready to go after that one. Let's dig into the news though for the day. Tom, let's start with St. Louis. We've been asked this a million times. You had to go and report on it last week, right? When the

rumors started coming out, some from Sweden, some from the United States, that Olaf Melberg's time would be done. And I think for me, the reason I wasn't sure the whole time was the reality, which is he only managed now 15 games in Major League Soccer. He came over from overseas, moved here, took over a project that couldn't have been considered a short-term project of like, the goal is to win MLS Cup now and we have to win Open Cup this year. That couldn't have been what the project was set up as but in the end he goes 2-5-8 only scoring 11 goals across the 15 MLS games he coached and of course the 3-2 loss to Minnesota in US Open Cup after they led 2-1 and even more devastating is the two goals scored in a three minute span by a former St. Louis player in Minnesota, losing to them

for the second time that week. And now off the back of the loss this weekend, Olaf Melberg has been relieved of his duties in St. Louis, Tom, and the club has to move on once again. What's your read on like what you're hearing and sort of how this all went down? This is the right decision, I think, to let Olaf Melber go. It's a poor reflection on the club for making this decision in the winter, the fall to hire him. But the sunk cost fallacy would be just,

oh, well, we thought it was the right thing at that time. So the more damning thing is why they hired him. So this team has had the identity of high pressing, gagging pressing, transition, all that. I just assumed that's what Olaf Melbert was going to play and then he never met a center back that he didn't like and didn't want to play. I asked somebody at the club just, hey how's in preseason? I was in Coachella. Hey how are things going? it was endless not great. No, it's like that's Really interesting. Yeah that I wonder how bad things actually are for you to feel comfortable like instead of lying to me

I think you're fine. It's like when somebody asks you. Hey, how are you doing? I'm good Are you really good? Probably not but you just say you're good. It was an easy It wasn't like I was probing for information. I was just like hey, how's it going? Not great. So that wasn't easy. It wasn't like I was probing for information. I was just like, hey, how's it going? Not great. So that wasn't a good sign. And early in the season, they had good defensive results. Berkey gets hurt and then that wasn't sustainable. And they've just been straight up bad. They've been aimless and they've been just uninteresting to watch, unadventurous. And the biggest damnation is this team under John Hackworth last season, the same players, were fun.

They were productive, they weren't playing at, you know, a supporter shield level pace, but they were a good team and a fun team. And all of that momentum is gone right now. They so here's an absurd thing. They are averaging a lower or a higher XG per game this season than they did in 2023 when they finished first in the Western Conference. The defense is not as good, which is funny in the light of that seems to be the space Olaf Melberg has leaned. You mentioned all the centerbacks. A lot of that goes on Roman Burki. His performances two years ago were probably unsustainable

and he's been out a lot this year. So I think that goes into like, okay, all the issues they have have been magnified because the results have now dropped off with it. And a big part of that is the injuries to Burki as well as some other players. I went on and did a local podcast with one of our, some of our good friends out in St.

Louis. And I had said like, you rely on Antonio Akim Nielsen, right? How much money can you pay a guy and how many years can you see him be injured to say, oh, well, if we weren't injured, then we'd be better. It's like, well, you don't get to do that. And as someone who's a fan of teams that have done stuff like that all the time, I can understand the frustration and the pain. So there's a lot going on here. And I think that's what's tough for me is a manager three months in, it can't all be on him. There are clear problems

with the build of the club and the resources of the club. And if it is purely on him, then there's a problem with the hiring process. Because you've gotten to this point and clearly you didn't get enough of the background that you thought you'd have to say, oh, this is the right person. Here's the quote from Lutz Fanin-Steel in the off season. He said, Olaf has an incredible work ethic and reputation for being disciplined and detail oriented. His leadership qualities as a captain, both at the highest club level and with his national team will be key to

managing our group." We're talking four months ago, right? That's the comment that comes out. Then you have now yesterday, quote, the decision to part ways with Olaf goes beyond just results. We've analyzed the team's performances across a number of factors, including the need to execute against a style of play that led to the team's initial success and has been part of our DNA for four years. Spoilers, you fired the guy who did that the first time and now he's doing it for a different team and they're doing it well.

As a club, we have certain standards we need to meet and believe a coaching change is necessary to improve our overall performance and return to a winning culture. Our fans deserve a better performing team and we intend to give them one. So to have someone that you've said three months ago has leadership qualities and will set that culture and then now be turning around, it just shows I think a larger amount of chaos

in the club than purely just Olaf Melberg is not the right person for this role. Yes. So yeah, I think that's fair, right? To have that larger conversation. I just kind of want to pause before getting that because again, like in the here and now we're talking about mistakes from the past or, or things that, that did not work out. Yes, Bradley Cornell.

I thought that that was way too quick of a trigger. And then I would have hired John Hackworth. They ended up not going with him. But from the winter on, again, you don't keep this manager just because of the sunk cost fallacy. Like, while like, again, there's plenty of blame to go around. But to like absolve Olaf Melberg from any blame, how many games can we watch him play, you know, Joshua Oro Hebert, Nielsen and Johnis Horne and insert any center back and put a wing back at center mid and just play boring and scared and cautious.

I'm sure he did not say that in his job interviews. Again, I'm not necessarily defending the club. I guarantee he's not saying that as, you know what I'm gonna play? I'm gonna play with seven center backs and I'm gonna hope to God that we have a nil-nil game because Roman Burk is really good. But like that's on you to figure that out.

I think part of that is you hired a manager who doesn't have a ton of work experience here that you can dig into. So yes, he's a great interview. He knows what to say. He's handsome. Jose Nunez was in the chat saying we've lost the handsome one in MLS, like pour one out. Good timing. Yeah, he's charming.

He's engaging. He has this great resume. But the risk you took in hiring someone with not a ton of work experience in this role is you can't dig into that and say, Ah, this is what we're gonna get. This is what we need. I think it's something we remember with Hernán Losada of like had managed as a first team like a year and a half and Not everyone well Montreal knew what they were getting and just didn't care. DC wasn't didn't know what they were getting. That's the risk you take in that spot, which I think is tough. And it's, you know, what you're weighing in all of this is, okay, are we going to go with experience or less experience? The less experience maybe has a higher ceiling

and maybe that's what we lean into. But you'd hope then that it would be, there would be that cohesion and probably control some level of influence from the front office, which is now at the time filled with John Hackworth, who had just managed the team successfully, and Lutz Van Inseel, who had put it all together to be engaged with the coach and figuring that out. This is the like, can we shock the system and get some results and turn this season around move at this point, which is the, which would be my reaction to the sunk cost fallacy of like, don't stay with it. Yeah. But also are you pivoting too quickly because,

and what you're pivoting for, is it worth it? Like, is it worth sneaking into the eight, nine spot this year? Well, I was pivoting away from this. I don't care what direction it is, any other direction. I think, I think that's my central feeling. If you had some belief in this though, then you have to have that belief

over some segment of time, even if it's tough. And that's where it feels very lost to me. There's not a North Star if you are saying three months in that, okay, we have to get out of this. Yeah, no, but again, like I just don't, I wouldn't understand the logic of not making this decision or waiting and waiting and waiting because you think it looks bad on you. Um, as, or the front office or the club or whatever, right? Like I, I don't think this was going to get any better under the current

situation. It reminds me of Charlotte FC Firing Miguel Angel Ramirez like 14 games into the inaugural season. So it was even quicker because of The runtime from you were starting from scratch and he's helping build that roster and then the difference is obviously he's coming out publicly Just saying the dumbest things possible including on top of the we're screwed, saying that Ori Lasseter is one of the best players in the league, we need to be really careful. I think anytime he opened his mouth, he's like, wait a minute, he just said- So, spoilers. Charlotte were bad for two years and a mess.

That moment was an indication of that. And I think that's what I'm saying, which is this to me is now a symptom of a larger issue and not just this is an isolated issue and this is the isolated problem. It's also fascinating to me now on the back of that, which is you said in this, John Hackworth's ability to get results at a playoff pace last year was why there was high hopes. He now does not become interim manager. David Critchley gets elevated from the two team to be interim manager and now John Hackworth is in charge of the two-team. Um, I don't know this for certain

Um of if he was offered to be interim or not, but I do know he was not happy to not get the full-time job last year Um, I don't think that he want would want to be interim without any guarantees of the full-time job again That that's more speculation, but that is a pretty decent educated guess of, like, screw you, I'm not doing this again. Like, give me the job or not. Which, again, does not signify a strong culture and club where people are on the same page, enjoying what they're doing, going in the right direction.

Dude, it's sliding doors moments. You can do the what-ifs and stuff, but it was Hackworth and Danny Cruz is gonna be the assistant I think that would have been a much better outcome and again and like even at that take it all the way back I don't think Cornell should have been fired and then I think you should have hired Hackworth and Cruz and then you know, here we are Badger who sit it's just being elevated alongside David Critchley from the two teams to the first team.

MLS legend, love Badger Hucidich, love to see him back involved, getting an opportunity. Critchley, if you don't know, has been an Academy coach since 2021. So for a really short, you know, for a club with a very recent founding, has actually a ton of experience, him and Hackworth, around this group and around the club

and what they're trying to build. Brought in as a U16, U17 coach, became the two coach last November and now elevated to the interim manager. I think his background is from England, came over to play college soccer over a decade ago and then hung around coaching college soccer and youth levels. So has never coached a first team, has never coached fully professional until starting in November with their two team and now being pushed into this. It's a big role. And I think the expectation will be that there will be some reaction. It's hard to think how it happens. They they're not just going to get healthier because you have a new manager. So you're still going to have to manage a bunch of the issues. There are problems with the roster build. Like you have pieces that make a lot of money like Ostrack or Nielsen who are either not useful or not healthy. You have Klaus who you have

to figure out how he fits in and how he gets comfortable. Obviously last year under Hackworth Betcher played really well and then Klaus sort of found his way alongside him. Maybe you're able to put something together similar. John De Silva has been the one ad that they've made and you haven't seen his impact. That's another guy on a TAM contract where you're looking to see. I don't, just stop it.

You think that they're holding all of that money? No, I don't. Then he's not a TAM contract. Okay, fine, that's fair. I don't know where you're getting production. You tapped into HARDL last year, you're hoping for that again. Lovin being available changes a ton for them as well and Berkey being available would change a ton.

That's not something the coach, whoever the name is, controls. No, that's fair. But I think if the best 11 is all available and it hasn't been so to be fair to Olaf, like Berkey missed some time Toyturt missed some time, Lovin has been mostly out but a lineup of the 3-4-2-1 or 1-2 however it actually configures of Berkey, Janishorn, Baumgartler, Kessler and then Válam and Totlund, you know Lovin and, you know, Durkin probably. Hardell, Teutcher, Klaus or Becher. I think that's a playoff team and not a top four team by any stretch.

But this was one of the teams I felt pretty decent. Again, I made the assumption that they must be hiring somebody who wants to play transition, high pressing, whatever, right? I was wrong. Again, I think that was the biggest mistake of maybe he said that's how he wanted to play and then change it in preseason, who knows. But with that, it's not a high ceiling, but it's a pretty high floor. And I think that's a disappointment is that they've been just so uncompetitive or like just very clearly not

good enough because this team is all set up to play in one style and they're not playing that style. Like Marcel Harto like defending deep Like, Jauklaus in transition? It's not really the idea. This is supposed to be a high-pressing team. This is supposed to be an all-action team. This is supposed to be a, we're going to create chances via the press because they don't have a chance to create.

Again, Hardeau was that, but he's more of a combo forward of a goal scorer or a presser rather than like the... He creates chances in those transitions and pressing moments not against a set defense when the game is settled. If you want to play defending a low block or try to possess sideways, this would be one of the five worst teams in the league. If you play pressing as intended by the the strengths of all the players on this team, this should be a team that finishes between, I don't know, fifth and tenth in the west again.

We're not raising any banners for that, but like this team should be much better. And that's on the coach. Looking past this year and at the role, because we have someone in the chat saying how desirable is this? They've now asked two coaches quickly. Like if you're a coach looking at a job, it doesn't look like a settled place to go. You mentioned the John De Silva contract. I'll just throw in here looking at our salary cap tables. For the most part, most of their money frees up and their spots

open up. Hurtles on a long-term deal. I think you're fine with that. Nielsen still has one more guaranteed year as like a max tam guy. Loven has another guaranteed year as well. For the most part, has another guaranteed year as well. For the most part, most of the other money is options and up this year. So if you are a coach, there is flexibility to change the group into what you want it to be. And I would hope that if Chris is not going to be the guy that they make this hire during this season.

Like coming out of the summer, you should make the hire whether they coach or not, have them around to make decisions so that what steps on the field on the first game of the 2026 season which will probably be in December after the World Cup because who the hell knows what's going on that that coach has had a decent chunk of influence on the way it all fits together in the way it works. I would agree with that and again that's just another reason why I think Hackworth earned the job last year but but I digress I I'm not sure you keep bringing it to the same point. You should try again.

But this is a team that has been very public and very open about the best deals happen in the summer. That's when we want to use our primary window and know that it doesn't always align and not hurt them last year, which is I guess what's so disappointing about how bad they've been this year is that, okay, well, the summer transfer went like one, they don't have a lot of flexibility. But even if they did, the summer transfer window doesn't open until there's eight games left. Like the season's going to be over if you don't get better within the next couple of weeks. So on that thread, if that's their thinking for coaches, too, they should be making a permanent hire during the season. Or could it be Geo Savarese is somebody I'd call again, people, Jim Curtin, I don't know why he would take this.

He's turning down Atlanta interviews and whatever else he's turning in this stuff. Exactly. And again, you could look at assistants at clubs or you could look at like Adrian Heath. Could he be somebody who makes sense? I don't know. I don't, I don't, it would depend on how he sees. He's not like a pressing coach right but if you get somebody like that in somebody who's either free open right now or somebody who's at a European club who's in the offseason. You should be making you should be

making a permanent hire now and to go back like yeah no this job isn't as desirable as Atlanta was in the winter or as LAFC is going to be in in following winter or insert any other very cool big teams. There's only 30 of these jobs. So at the end of the day, all of them are super interesting. Again, you look like, again, not to take a pot shot of Montreal, but like that's people still were trying to get that job. And that's not a team that spends highly,

that that's not a team that has a lot of stability or a ton of success, all like in recent years outside of the world for Nancy time. And that's still a job that people are reaching out about. So when we talk about attractiveness, no, this isn't Atlanta in the winter or LAFC next winter, but it's pretty attractive to be a head coach of one of the 30 MLS teams. I know that for a fact. We had this question from a couple of people across the Discord and in our comments and all this other stuff. I mentioned a lot of the money coming off the books. This is a

2-4-2 team the way we think it's set up right now. Do you think there's any world in which I mean and Klaus is like barely a DP. You think there's any world that they switched to a 3-3? Is this a team that starts spending off the back of this and changes that style? I mean maybe in the future, but all we can do right now is go off of what they said and what I've heard. I'd be doubtful. And again, this is like Lutz Manenseel. Hey, we want to be a designated team.

We don't want where we have one guy making $5 million and then the rest of the team making $700,000 or whatever. So unless there's been a drastic change or if there's feeling some pressure about the interim future, and again, or if ownership is saying, here's the money, spend it. I'd be doubtful. That doesn't mean I know for certain,

and that doesn't mean that it can't happen. We'll see. Diego Gigliani, who is the president and general manager of this club, said yesterday, we understood it would take time for Olaf to become acclimated to Major League Soccer and certainly acknowledge injuries made his job difficult, but we simply could not continue down this path.

We were disappointed we were not able to find success under Olaf, we wish him nothing but the best. Success in his future endeavors. We move on with St. Louis. Oh no, no, no, hold on, sorry guys. I wanna hear, on a scale of zero to 10 games gone, a extensive thank you for quote press release for a coach that last at 15 games games gone zero to 10.

I think it too. On that one. Really? I thought that would I thought that would have triggered. Why? That. Yeah, I know. The whole thing is a vibe, but you could argue the game's back. Pressure's on, man. Everyone in butcher shops across St. Louis are demanding results. Mate, if this was England, it would have been a club logo official communication. One sentence.

Here's the news. One sentence. It wasn't good enough. He has left the club. Yeah, maybe. One sentence. Here's the news. One sentence. It wasn't good enough. He has left the club. Yeah, maybe you might be right. For St. Louis, they will hope that it turns around some of the results for them. Let's jump into the midweek action before we talk CCC, Conca Champions. Yes, that is what we are going to call it.

There it is. And talk about the, what do we call it? Club World Cup bad game? Like that's just what we're going to call it I think at this point between LAFC and Club America. Let's start off with the big story from the midweek. Lucho Acosta's return to Cincinnati with FC Dallas. He of course signed a new contract a year or so ago, out took out a newspaper ad saying I am this is my home Cincinnati's who I am this is where I want to be then a few months later They lost in the postseason and he came out of the locker room and said I don't know that I could play here anymore

I think I have to leave and then there was The whole experience back and forth. Is he going Argentina? Is he staying? Is he going to preseason? Is he not? We covered all of it for you here at Soccerwise. Thank you so much to Tommy Scoops. And then he eventually goes to FC Dallas. Evander goes to Cincy. David de Costa goes to Portland. The, well, I guess Alan Velasco going to River is a part of this as well. River or Boca? Boca. Eventually now we get all the way back around to Lucho coming back to Cincinnati for the first time and the fans booed him. Don't know that that was unexpected for most people outside of the Acosta family. Clearly and maybe other people at FC Dallas. Lucho Acosta returned. They end up tying 3-3. We'll talk about the game. Acosta on being booed after said quote, I think they should be grateful.

Game's back. Game is back. This full quote was quote, I thought they were going to receive me a little better. But the truth is, I know very well what I did here. I know what I gave to this club. And the truth is people should be grateful. We gave them a supporter shield I gave them an MVP campaign and a goal of the year I think they should be grateful, but I hold my head high with what I did for the club Rough that I that Nabisco didn't get a mention in the goal of the year whoever sponsors it clearly that one sticks With Lucho Acosta. I gave them a goal of the year also. I think that's fan voting

They actually gave that to you I thought it was a Luca or the oh, oh, yeah. I don't even know. I could not tell you a single goal of the year Wow bad brand recognition. Awesome disappointed. We're gonna need a PowerPoint deck on that AT&T Sponsor us. Let me know whoever does it. No free ads. We gotta bleep that out for the podcast. Um, only Miller like Whoever does it. No free ads, we gotta bleep that out for the podcast. Only Millerlite. So I love Lucho Cosa. I think he's an absolute magician. I think he's a genius.

And sometimes a genius, you get this. Talking to people at the club during this whole saga as it was unfolding. First of all, they had no idea after the playoff game he was going to publicly ask for a transfer. They had no idea. They were hoping Lucho being Lucho, he'll take a week off and he'll be fine and everything will be normal so you know that there's gonna be some nature of a Mercurial talent like this all comes with it with this special number 10 I say all the say I

Does he not have people in his life that prepared him for this In what in what world was he not gonna get in this? Again, it's not that he just left in a normal way. The timeline of events is They lose a playoff game in which he was bad down the last third of the seat just straight up He was not himself, right? And I'm not blaming him for the playoff loss But just like all, if you're going to take shots and want to leave, what's fair is fair.

So that came. The next couple of days, he's scheduled to speak to the media and in like an exit interview, he does his exit interview with the club and everything. He's scheduled to speak with the media. He comes out of like Albright's office and PR is like, okay, cool. This will be 10 minutes, nice and quick. Don't worry. And he goes, I got to go right now. I have a family thing. And they were like, you don't have 10 minutes. He's like, okay cool. This would be ten minutes nice and quick. Don't worry. And he goes I gotta go right now

I have a family thing and they were like you don't have ten minutes. He's like no and they were like fair enough We'll respect that whatever Two hours later, he's on an ESPN Argentina. They can't win without me Saying I want to go back to Boca. I want to go back to Boca and then so the way it was being talked about is Okay, I could see some simp. I could see sympathy of I want to go to book juniors. I love that club. I want to go back to Argentina Well, then Bunker juniors buys Alan Velasco and now it's like I just want to leave Cincy I was like well so was that was that where you're at the whole time because this whole you know This is my home thing all that all right now now

It's getting read to a really bad spot And then he doesn't show up on time for preseason just refuses to come he comes what was it 10 days late and then is getting angrier and angrier that he's not immediately put in full team training sessions or preseason games um there's a lot of stuff that hasn't been reported about the between him and the front office and the code and everything like things were not great while he was around. And then he does an interview, complaining about I'm not allowed in training

and also just shreds Chris Albright to the point where the club has to come out and say we stand by Albright, rightfully so. And then he's still asking Albright, why aren't I allowed in training? And from what I was told, there's some way that it was sent back to him, his quotes

The interview and everything um and so at the end of all of this To be like yeah, why aren't you guys grateful for me? I mean dude and again he can make these decisions do it up at the end of the day He left he got to doubt he he wanted to leave and he left and if you need to make it messy to get out Whatever man fair enough oil power to you you you left. And if you need to make it messy to get out, whatever, man. Fair enough. Oil power too. You can do that if you choose to. Except the drawbacks of what's going to come with this. They're not exactly going to be holding up your jersey asking for autographs when you come back to Cincinnati.

Do you feel like you lived through this a lot? Because it feels like you kind of remember a bit of it. And there's a bit of emotion for you as well Well, I like I remember being here for every step of the way. So that's I like Uh again, even even 60 percent. Yeah, i'd be like I understand getting booed and to 40 percent of that I understand getting booed. I just I I just don't know how he went to the stadium. It was just like can't wait for the tribute video 100 and I think to me the kicker on on top of all of this is still that he signed the new contract and Chris Alvord said on this show when I interviewed him at

GA Cup of like we're in win now mode I don't know that we're always going to spend like this. I can guarantee you the conversation with Lucho was like this is what you want we want to do it because we believe we can win now." So to take the deal and then try and not try and but like in essence what he ended up doing could have blown up the whole project of what they were building if the new rule doesn't come into place and they can't flip and get a Vander because he's also pushing his way out. Like that's all kind of fortunate. There's no history that says oh this team will be fine they'll just bring in the next one. So what Lucho did was selfish and you're allowed to do that. You're an adult.

You're allowed to do whatever you want, but there are repercussions for actions and like that's what we saw. And I would throw in the like, I did this for them. He did not have the track record to be a pure DP before this happened. He was not the best player at DC United. He did not perform in Mexico. So Cincinnati also gave him an opportunity. There is a two-way road with this. There is no doubt in my mind. The way he played his MVP season, he carried them through a ton of results and got them to trophies that they don't get without him. But it is not purely, I gifted my abilities to this team.

If it's not for me, they don't exist. And like, I'm the lone entity that did this. It's a two way road on some of that. On top of all of that, as you said, you got to have people in your life who are like, Hey, this is what's going to happen, by the way, because this is the way this went down. And clearly that's not the case for him. We do have Sean Pace in the chat who said it was a mix of booze and many folks like me who just kept quiet. I appreciate Lucho, but the way it ended stings with him forcing his way out. I think you could kind of tell like it was not from TV. It was not overwhelming. I think for most people, it was the videos that were taken of the supporter

section inside, which is a bit more specific and like zoomed in on people who are locked in knowledgeable and maybe have a little 13 year old who gave the double parents and I was just maybe happy. Not not not that it's just that it was a child that's been raised that way. And I'm like, you, you maybe you that that is a New Jersey. That's a big New York City. One person who turns around is pointing to the Evander 10 jersey that they're wearing, which used to be Lucho's 10 jersey.

I thought that one was pretty funny as well. So that was funny. That was all of That was clever. All of that goes into the context of all of this. Now in the game, fascinating stuff going on. Cincinnati have now conceded seven goals in five days. We're talking about one of the best defenses in the league. Injury is clearly a problem. I don't think it's 100% of this. This is like out of character over the week and super frustrating in the context of Lucho's back. Let's finish the job. You're up 2-0 at halftime. You then

take a 3-2 lead after conceding two goals somewhat against the run of play, although Dallas was much better in the second half. After the substitutions, the first half Dallas was lifeless. They didn't know when to press or where to press They sat in they weren't good enough Urogide goes down with an injury that makes things even harder for them They make a couple they made what one big change at halftime. Pedrinho comes in Moussa I thought as I have said many times. I think he's Most useful to them dropping in and helping creating more often because there's not enough possession dropping in and helping creating more often because there's not enough possession for this team.

And Lucho is on an island and has not really linked up with Musa the way he did with a Brenner and a Vasquez where it was like, okay, we don't have numbers but we all know where we're going and we can all attack on our own. And then you get the two, two, Anderson Julio with a goal which was well taken. Poorly done.

Good finish. Poorly done. Really good play. Padrino, that was an excellent throw ball. On that play though, Origiano doesn't drop. Flores doesn't recognize. Celentano is tied to his line. It was a comedy of errors. That's kind of where Cincinnati sits and then Cincinnati ends up scoring the goal through

Dado Valenzuela to take the 3-2 lead late and they give up a goal to Sebastian Ibiaga in stoppage time to tie 3-3 and now they've dropped, you know, over the course of the five days they've dropped what four points, five points which maybe not everyone expects to get but if you want to win a supporter shield those are points that you were you were anticipating on two teams that aren't in the playoffs. Exactly an Atlanta team that came into that game just rock bottom, and a Dallas team that I think was below the playoff line, hovering around, and hasn't been very impressive this season, as they're still finding their own feet.

Eric Quill was suspended for this one, the Dallas coach. Again, first of all, since he's at home, they are expecting to beat everybody every single time they play at home. And whether it's Dallas, or whether it's Columbus, or whether it's Miami, or insert any other team, but particularly so with Dallas coming midweek, the added, um, juice of the Lucho Coast of return. Um, what I thought was interesting in the post game press conference for noon, and, um, he was direct and honest.

I mean, he took accountability. He, he's talking about the game quote, we were embarrassing in the second half that falls on me because there were guys who that had no idea how to manage a two goal lead and manage momentum we had coming out of the break then he was asked hey like what what on the defense like an open-ended question about the defense all he goes is there's a lot to work on we're not good enough defensively like when like he's fuming after the game like as he should be I know the team is disappointed Like you said in the shield race that's got to be three points and even if so

When when did they when when that of Alas well of scored the go-ahead goal was like the 80th minute or something I have it on it was very late. It was the 80 to 6 You assumed oh my god like like that was a scare. You stole three points back. Exactly, exactly. Like hey, even if they won 3-2, we'd be coming out of this being like, okay, like what the hell is going on right now? And so even when you felt, okay, whatever, we got the three points, we'll deal with this later. And to not close that out is just really, really disappointing. And again, this is a team that I think since we've talked probably a couple weeks ago of like, yeah, like what's scary is that they picked up so many points and they clearly have like a couple other levels to hit, assuming they were going to be building through the sun. They've gone the other way. And again, I think that this is more of a blip over a long season. Still very frustrating.

Still things to need to work on. But I still hold them in the highest regard but it's been just a really disappointing part of the one of the things that would convince me it's a blip is Matt Miyazaki didn't play in this game he's still working his way back he can't go on short rest there are not midweeks all season and he will become he will get closer to full fitness if you have Myles Robinson and Matt Miyazaki on the field most games it's gonna look a lot better obviously the Nick Haglin injury now makes this feel even worse because you're missing another center back that you thought you could rely on. I think in this game, Dallas defended very narrow and it sucked Origano and Yedlin higher

up the field, which, okay, you're home. You want to create chances and score, but I think that's part of the up to one, maybe my team wasn't ready to manage that of like is does Origiano need to be that high up the field when the ball's on the other side and then he's not even close enough to communicate with Flores let alone get back to Mark Anderson Julio I put this in my notes and I'll say this and then we can move on because we don't have to keep digging in um I won't be surprised when Kai Kamara is starting for this team Sergio Santos has given

them very little. Corey Baird has been extremely underwhelming. Kai looked fine coming off the bench. He looked like Kai. He almost scored one of his own. He creates the chaos that leads to Valenzuela's goal. He's making runs down the line and he's, you know, stride for stride with players. Like, he looks like the guy he looked like he should have probably started more at LAFC last year I think this is an even easier fit for him This is back to the Montreal style of like he can drop in and help denkay. They're gonna serve a ton of crosses in The way this roster is built right now. I think he ends up being a start at one of the two forward positions

I agree with that, but you still have to, like, again, as much of, like, his biological age has to be younger than what he actually is, because this dude is unbelievable fitness, right? But you still have to be careful and managed and not overload him. What I'm... I'm expecting them to invest in the attack this summer. U2N2 initiative is the most likely, but we'll see if they're able to do an outgoing for an incoming to get more of a You know not quote-unquote veteran but like somebody who's not a U-22 like they could do both I think I don't know exactly what they're gonna do But I do know that they want to address the well They flip one of those centerbacks to San Jose and bring in one of the like 37 strikers that San Jose

You keep saying that except they need they definitely Back on the road. So last year and then now Hagman's out and Miyazaki like you said they're trying to make the portals. Yeah that's a good tip. They played three of them so they need a decent chunk of it. Don't touch any of the center backs. I think Noboto and Buka though have looked better over the last few weeks even with the

lack of results and I think that's promising for them. Let's just go through some of the other wild games from yesterday. Let's start with Atlanta Orlando there. Orlando came out. Jesus. They come out flying early goal from Cesar Araujo and you got the full experience in this one. Maybe a soft red card in the end, but a red card for him so he gets the first goal.

Moronchuk equalizes. Ramiro Enrique is pretty much gifted a chance by Derek Williams. Up to one at Atlanta. You're in this incredible run, right? Your longest undefeated streak in your club's history. Atlanta are fairly down and out. You end up with a red card from Cesar Araujo for what is it? Hands around the face and throat and all of that stuff?

Like that's the terminology. Yes. Okay. And then they concede to make it 2-2 and they end up conceding to lose 3-2 late on playing down a player, making it much tougher for themselves. And you kind of got like the full range of stuff with this Orlando team and Atlanta trying to keep up with you Tom and saying they are back and you could take it for real coming out of Sunday when

What says a raho scored on I don't know if I want to blame Guzan or be a bounce seemed like a pretty Tea a tame effort from 22 yards out. I was just like oh boy I think it's I feel stupid for saying that they you felt worse there than you did about Derek Williams gifting a goal I don't know I just felt worse all the whole time I don't know if I can compare compare than eight years um but honestly did credits Atlanta for fighting back and even in that moment like Ciari getting the goal at the end, like, that was a really cool scene, getting the equalizer with Shleeves, still no goal contributions in this game from LatteLotte or Al Marone. It continues to be an issue. Are you ready

to declare Alexei Morantsev back after a goal and an assist? So the goal and the assist is nice. Nice. And this is always me, right? I felt he was playing with more force and aggression before the goal. So I'm saying that I was there before the results came with it. In the 18 minutes of the game? Absolutely. After conceding an early goal that he didn't close down on and no one closed down on, I thought he played really well for 12 minutes and then eventually scores the

goal. So I'm there on it. I don't know. The balance is weird and wrong. I thought Saba looked good in this game and I thought part of it was because of Moronchuk and like that's you got to create some connection. Someone has to play well together. And if it's just those two and maybe Almeyron and Latelot have a connection and it's like, ah, the four don't fit together That's still better than what's been going on so far. So I think like you'll take some of that um, I think overall I am still now coming out of this week like I believe a little bit more in Atlanta. There's at least some fight in it and there's

We didn't know what's been going on and it was tough because clearly Ronnie Diala gave a long answer about how Derek Williams is their defensive anchor to the broadcasters and Mark Falwell was sort of repeating it. I think kind of as Derek Williams passed the ball back into Ramiro Enrique's path and conceded the goal. But to come all the way back to get the chance. And I think a lot of it came through the threat of Saba. Just run at people. No one can stay with you. You're really clean in possession at high speeds. Even if the decision making is tough for you when you get to the end of it, it's still going to make the team more dangerous. It's still going to make the team better and so at least you saw some of that for them. And then on the flip side for Orlando, I don't worry about it a ton. I will say I think central midfield, they're not as deep as possible.

And so losing a Raho for whatever amount of games it ends up being. I think that they're sorry. I think that they're going to. Well, maybe I shouldn't be flipping about that. It seems to me that they're going to challenge that. Whatever the correct term is to get that overturned like Oscar. Pray after the game, we will follow our pro. We will follow our protocols to address the referees and I changed the whole game for us

That indicates to me that they're gonna reach out like and then Yeah, and and that's the I was I don't think that we got any other views of Ronnie Dillon Oscar pray It was just and I couldn't tell the the shot we got of it I couldn't tell if it was after Oscar had already been red carded or it's what cause yeah card They didn't show the record on the broadcast, which is sick Probably not important to show or show replay and that we got that one clip of Ronnie got Good. I just I really do wonder if the fight was One was like I'm gonna wear a white t-shirt to the game Don't wear a white t-shirt and then game. Don't wear a white t-shirt.

And then the other person wore the white t-shirt. And it's like, clearly Rodney Dial is probably saying that's my thing. And Oscar wasn't having it. Yeah, I think that's what, all we can do is speculate. SideQuest78 says they were about to throw down. I don't know if SideQuest as an Atlanta fan who was in the building.

I'm sure people saw it go down. So I'll be curious. Yeah, you let us know if you got a better angle if you recorded it and said that I'd be curious to know exactly what happens. But even if they do on a rock, that doesn't mean it's going to get flipped. And obviously it's not long term. Like it's fine. I think Orlando what who do they play this weekend? I probably should have had that written down before I said what I said. All right. While you're doing this, does does this Alexi Morantchuk change your opinion of his performance? Quote, this game, it's all about, I think, if you know that DJ Khaled song, God Did, this was about the game. Does that help? Was that a quote from Alexi Morantchuk?

Direct quote from Alexi Morantchuk, yeah. I might need another one on that if we're going DJ College. But yeah, I think I might be sucked in by that one. Listen, I'm a Miami guy now. If you quote any of the greats, Socrates, Plato, Pitbull, or DJ College, I'm intrigued and I'm listening. So yeah, he's starting to win me over. Orlando has Chicago this weekend, so maybe Araujo and Brian Gutierrez

can watch the game together. That's a fun matchup though. Those are two teams that I like a little bit. Obviously Orlando has been better so far over this last run. Let's talk a little bit. Diogo Gonzalez missing RSL's 1-1 draw with Austin FC. Jason Christ said, quote, because of disciplinary reasons reasons it came down to his behavior in training sessions. It's not been up to RSL standards. That is the last thing you want to hear about a DP who also hasn't played up to the standards for a club that is struggling mightily in the attack. Yeah, I was told that part of the rationale is that he's not attacking his heel rehab with the right attitude.

That was kind of one of the, like, again, I don't know. I didn't get to listen to the full interview by Jason Christ. Maybe he said that on there or not. But he was, I appreciate his honesty on that too. Joggenkne's office has one goal and one system, just under a thousand minutes a season. Like it's unfortunate, particularly with the backdrop of they thought that they had a DP9 come in this winter and then that didn't happen. And so for to get nothing from Consolvas on top of that, and again, he's

in the 50th percentile in expected goals plus expected assets, 40 percent percentile in expected goals plus expected assets. 40 percent percentile in shot creating actions. 54 percent in progressive passes and 6 percent in progressive passes received. It's just not good enough. He's just and like again he was benched for a reason and like I'm you shouldn't be making concessions based on a sliding scale of impact, but we all know that's how the world works. I think Um, if there's a if there's a high paying player to air quote make an example of the culture Not so hard to do that when it's somebody with one goal one assist in a thousand minutes The group then that goes on the field for ourselves. I thought about this in the context of st. Louis, but we didn't talk about it far as I thought about this in the context of St. Louis, but we didn't talk about it. You know, Oklahoma City Thunder are about to go into the NBA finals and it's like, oh,

they did the tanking and then you win. And like, that's not a thing in MLS, right? Because the draft doesn't matter that way. I do think the version of tanking becomes like playing a bunch of kids and helping their value and like finding ways to find diamonds in the rough in that year and having an attacking front of Gozo and Luna and Marchuk and Willy Goddard might be the MLS version of this. Pretty fun. I'm kind of here for it.

I wish Luna had played Gozo in the last like minute of the game in on the break rather than taking himself and he wasn't far off taking it himself because Luna is a baller but that was a little bit tough to watch. You did see an RSL team that just didn't know how to put their foot on the ball to maintain the result. And like Austin threw everything forward. They should have scored the play right before that led to the corner kick that Diego Rubio scored off of.

But it was, it shows you what this RSL team is. They lack a ton of experience. They lack a ton of composure. They can't really control games. A guy like Diego Gonzalez is someone you would look to in those moments and say, can we play through your feet? Can you slow the game down for us? He's unavailable because of this. And I think it shows sort of some of the problems that they're dealing with. Johnny Russell, second appearance came off the bench. Yeah, I'm like here, it's still drawing to me. I'm here for the whole thing though I think one of his first place he tried to play play it around someone and run it onto it and he like

Yeah, wasn't far off and you're like, okay cool So you've still got that in your bag and wearing the gaudy kinder armband you can see it means something to him a lot of the people coming out of Kansas City still dealing with the Sort of the aftermath of losing one of their good friends at such a young age, which is terrible to see. Let's finish off talking about this midweek games with Jesus Ferreras first goal. We're going to skip skip skip over the galaxy. Oh no no. We could talk about the galaxy.

Did they win? I don't have much to say other than now they god. Did they win? So now they've tied the longest single season winless run. So they've already set the longest winless run to start the season. Now it's 16. Now they are level with the longest winless run within a single season regardless of when it started or finished. And there are two games off the complete record, which spans multiple seasons. TFC across two years?

I have no idea TFC or since he feels right DC United can get thrown in there sometimes when you're not paying attention sure That's true. Um, yeah, I don't have it's also another day, but I feel like we need to talk about it Just not not to mental started for the first. Yeah, he did. He's scrappy. He doesn't look super clean yet I think part of that's like getting comfortable This was another game where at the end I was like, oh, the galaxy lost that game. Like they are not getting blown out. They are not horrendous. Every time they're close, nothing goes in their favor. I was on Blue Sky talking about Peck and Payne still.

And just like these moments where you see them, where it's exactly like last year, but you have more defenders in front of them because no one's worried about Ricky Pooch or the ball comes to them a half second slower and someone can close them and you saw Peck a few times on the right where last year it was like first cut in bang to the far post a bunch of them got blocked a bunch of them had numbers around it's just a little bit different I didn't think San Jose was good in this game either. This was a brutal watch But they got the ones here. I was looking for the chaos and there was none. Um, I don't want to hear You know, they didn't get they didn't do get blown off the fit bro. San Jose kept the clean sheet against you. Yeah

That's not good. That sucks. That's bad. That's awful. That's really bad I don't want to I don't want to hear any more of it The Seattle Sounders kept a clean sheet against San Diego and they did so That was a majority of the game with John Bell and Stuart Hawkins as their centerbacks Yimars out two to four weeks Reagan was back for this game on the bench, which is good news But I think they didn't want to risk him so early and then Kim Ki-hee went down like the 30th minute in this one So Hawkins comes off the bench. I've spoken about him on the show. I'm really high on him.

I think he's part of what is like a really impressive young cohort at center back. I think the strength of the national team for the next 10 years is going to be the center backs, Daniel Piers and Stuart Hawkins of the world. There's a lot of really good players in those spots. It's hard to get the minutes, though, at the pro level. It's a tough position to be a young player in,

especially in a league that spends all the money in the attack, is super physical and super athletic. So they were able to get him on the field in this one. They showed their depth. Jesus Ferreira gets a goal and felt like he got a goal in an area that you'd like to see him. It's not just like put in on the break penalty kick. It was cut back, first touch intelligent to turn his hips. And then the finish is creative and he uses the defender to sort of block the goalkeeper. And it's not just, I'm going to try and hit this as hard as I can. That's what made Jesus Ferreira really good for a really long time. He is

super clean and makes really good decisions in the final third. He is maybe not the elite finisher, but he's creative enough that he can score a ton of goals and like it's got to be a huge weight off his shoulders. Oh, for sure. And like you said, it was a well taken goal. It was the right position. It wasn't, I mean, any goal would have been great. It's a tap. Like I would have been able to talk myself into, Oh, well, it was a tap in because I was good center forward movement or like oh he banged one from 20 yards that that Showed confident right like I would have I'm sure I would have rationalized in any way but to the point It's big that he's getting a goal

They need him to continue to be productive a lot of his assists not taking anything away But a lot of the assists were secondary assist so he is important in the barrel But he hasn't been the final pass either for the most part But so to get the goal and to be in the attack Again, I think this team continues to look better and better. I thought San Diego played really well in this game There was a more than a few moments. I think we're both seems to playing out of the back that seems shaky it's like I had multiple games up and I'd hear like the commentator like oh and that Stefan Fry is

15 yards off the goal line like kicking the ball sliding to kick the ball out of touch. And CJ Dos Santos is scrambling back because they're trying to chip him for 40 yards. I thought that that was fun. San Jose played really well. I thought that they controlled more of the game. And I think Seattle were fine with that, particularly with the goal from Jesus Ferrer. But I still walk away from this one being impressed by San Diego's performance. I guess even more so for Seattle to get the three points. So I don't disagree with you, but I think in the context of the conversation we had on Tuesday's show, where we were like, what are the teams we're intrigued by? We said

for Seattle, like, get three points here, move closer to San Diego, put yourself in the two to four range and prove that that's where you stand. And I come out of that game feeling that way. San Diego, I already felt that. Like I already knew they were there. I think Seattle now has... True. With all the injuries they've had, this is one of those games and it's midweek MLS. So of course in the end it's going to be meaningless and me reading into it is like the craziest

thing you could possibly do. But hi, I'm David. Nice to meet you. And so that's what I take away from this one. I want to hit another attacker yelling or being difficult to their coach. Um, Gabrielle Pirani scored a banger in stoppage time to equalize for DC United won one against the revs Eli Feingold with the opening goal in this one. Like first time left foot. Feingold great good great. My God, what a great signing. 100% but then Pirani here. Pirani has not started, did not start this game, has not

been a starter. Scores the goal, 93rd minute, whatever it is, runs over to the DC bench and celebrates like at Troy Lassane and it feels like it's a play me more type thing. You think that's gonna work? I mean it can't not work. The guy's pouring in goals. He scored one goal the whole season. So like the proof is in the pudding man. When he plays he scores goals one time. So maybe in 10 games you could play him again and he'll score that game. Yeah DC a lot of things are rough. No Ben Teke. They're a tough watch right now. I think it was like a couple hundred minutes they hadn't scored a goal going into that one. It's been a pretty long streak. It is bold and it's why people that wear the number 10

probably me and them wouldn't be best friends off the field to be like I scored so therefore now everyone respect me. Honestly, he could have called up Lucho and been like do they know how much I've done for them? friends off the field to be like I scored so therefore now everyone respect me. Honestly, he could have called up Lucho and been like do they know how much I've done for them? I, this is, take a pot shot to Pirani. I like him as a player. I think particularly in this team he should be getting more minutes given how much that they've been struggling in the attack.

I was just laughing about the I'm gonna go celebrate in front of my coach and show him up maybe then maybe this's a bit more minutes yeah it doesn't it doesn't take a body language doctor to figure out that they don't love each other so it had been one two three four MLS games straight or that they had not scored so it was in the they had an open cup game yeah they scored three in the open cup game and they scored in the open cup game before that one as well against a multiple Battery what? Said multiple game multiple games. Look at that. Yeah, the reports almost like if they only play an open cup

They'd be fine And now we are back to the worst DC United season ever where they won the open cup and maybe that what's that's what we are Heading to as well. Let's talk about Vancouver just to mention Nashville Columbus. Awesome game if you are like going to sit around and watch something. It's one to watch. Surge scores in the second minute. A lot of Columbus fans. I feel like we're having this. Okay, great. Now we're going to like pepper the goal and have 18 chances around goal and not score. Rossi ends up scoring. Then Columbus turns off. I think they were arguing that the throw-in

was incorrectly given to Nashville. Nashville takes it quickly. Schaffelberg gets in behind goal or gets in behind the back line. His chance saved straight into Hany. Hany scores it to make it 2-1. And then Columbus scored like 90 seconds later or two minutes later. This game to me was just another one of like Nashville are to be taken seriously. Not saying saying they're gonna win the Eastern Conference This is a good team with a high floor. They are worth tuning into week in and week out They are a tough competition no matter who's on the field for them. Like they've rotated they've had to sometimes They've chosen two other times and they've been competitive. So I respect this Nashville team

I think this was another good game going in that direction of just Proving to everyone that they are what we should think they are Yeah, they're a good fun team One of the games that should have been a highlight Midweek was the top two teams of the Western Conference Vancouver against Minnesota facing off was not the case because Vancouver You know are playing in the conquer champions final coming up on Sunday down in Mexico City. Single game final. No away goals against Cruz Azul for a chance to be the second MLS team to win it in the

modern era. To be the first Canadian team to do it, which is wild because all three of them have now made a final. Montreal 10 years ago, Toronto seven or eight years ago. It is really cool that now Vancouver can put that feather in their cap. And then they started their best player midweek against Minnesota in a game that I didn't expect to see. Andres Kubas in the starting lineup, Veselninovic in the starting lineup. They started Tate Johnson. I think Sam Atacube is probably the

starter at left back going into the next game. I don't know, man. He's been great, but to me, they then made five subs in the second half. This game ended zero, zero. Minnesota had zero interest in the ball, which is who they have been. And Vancouver defended it fairly well.

They were clean in possession. Sebastian Barhalter obviously started. Unfortunately, he's suspended for the final. So he was one you expected to get a ton of minutes. JC Nagando playing with them is interesting to me because I thought Nagando would be the one to start Ember Halter's place on the weekend. And so that's another one I thought they'd protect. They then made five subs. They brought on Brian White, Pedro Vite, Ali Admed, Tristan Blackman, friend of the show, thank you Tristan for joining the show last week, and Sam Adukube.

I don't know what's going on. I'm good with them coming off the bench. I think that's fine. You don't need it. Like. That's fair. I can't, I got no pushback beyond what I said. It's the biggest game in the club's history.

And I know, I got no pushback beyond what I said. It's the biggest game in your club's history, and I know, I know, they are gonna go to Cruises of Ull, dominate possession, win 4-1, Jasper Sorensen is the best manager in the region, I don't care. But like, watching this is painful, just as like someone who wants them to win on the weekend. For people who are just listening to this audio only, you're missing just in all time body language performance. By God's like I can't stop staring at you smiling. You did it earlier in the show with Costa and some other stuff. It's just been a whole I just want to call it out while we're going before.

I appreciate it. I'm glad my anger can bring enough joy to people. I just wanted to check to be 100% sure on the minutes. So all of them came on for the most part in the 60th minute. So Blackman came out at half time for Udvik, not for Veselninovich, so for a sub, not for a guy who's going to be a starter. Ahmed came on in the 60th with Brian White together. Vite came on in the 70th, 75th, and then Atacube came on the 83rd. I'm not just talking about like energy, like you're protecting them in this. This is a competitive sporting event. Like Minnesota, I'm not saying they're dirty in any way, but like you're getting into tackles,

you're getting into collisions. And, and it's stuck in me. And Vancouver looked more likely to win the game. Like it was for value. I think they were on the verge of winning this game. They looked dangerous. They created chances and Pedro Vite was a huge part of that. And Brian White was a huge part of that. And Ali Ahmed were a huge part of that. You are in first place in the Western Conference. You've got a shot

at the supporter shield. That is what actual Schuster said of like, we didn't want to deal with fixture congestion later in the season. I think that's partially an eye on like, we are really good and really dangerous. You're not going to have a better shot at winning the shield than winning the final you're playing on Sunday. Like that's the most likely trophy even how unlikely it is to go to Cruises of Uol and saying all of that. I am Team Vancouver. Are we entirely sure that Daniel Rios and Udvig won't start on Sunday because it feels like they rotate when they go to Mexico and they still win. And the joke I made last show was like get ready to learn Vancouver too Sunday because it feels like they rotate when they go to Mexico and they still win. And the joke I made last show was like, get ready to learn Vancouver too buddy.

And it's like, yeah, the players on the field, I think Jaden Nelson could be a starter. Savvy has been a starter. Like no, they did not rotate in a way where you're like, who are these people? People who are potentially going to have a huge hand in the game were on the start from the start. Kubas playing 90 is wild to me. Like that is he is the one you can't replace. All the other pieces are really really good but they have other players who do things similar or can maybe fill in. Kubas it feels like cannot.

And now they're going to play for a CONCACAF Champions Cup, Champions League, whatever you want to call it, CONCACAF Champions Final against a Cruze Azul team that is really, really dangerous. It's a Cruze Azul team. If you haven't watched that has a ton of experience. So this is not like a young up and coming group like we saw maybe a little bit with the Pachuca group that Columbus played. It is a team that has Maddy Bogush in the attack, someone who's familiar with Vancouver and has terrorized Vancouver actually in really big games.

It's obviously a team playing at home. And it's a team that has some tough history in finals, like over the 30 years or so, over the last 30 years. Cruz Azul was famous for like bottling things at the last second. Nick Smetch-Chetz fan here, I couldn't understand what that would be like. And I'm sure all Metro Stars fans are ready to jump in the chat and be like, what could

that possibly be like as well? It is a tough matchup. It is a winnable matchup though. And I say that in the light of what Vancouver has already done on this run. Yeah. Yeah. Look, they beat Montserrat, advanced past Montserrat, advanced past Pumas, dominated Miami, and then you even go back, like their first round game wasn't, they played Soprisa. This has been an incredibly difficult, there has not been a give me in any of these games. And even when they played their one intra-league game, it was Miami, it was Men's, it was all them, right?

Like, no matter how great, like, the average person was going to that assuming that Miami were going to win like not us thinking men um we were looking at Vancouver but um like this has been just an unbelievable run and like this isn't any disrespect for Cruises Azul they're an awesome team but Vancouver like we've seen them do all this like like you said a good chance and again, that's not downplaying the quality Chris Zule like Cruz's all Because their home probably favorites, but like Vancouver doesn't care. Yeah we We talked for a while I think which I really enjoyed going into the Miami series about like what would winning the whole thing mean for the two?

So we don't have to fully jump back into that and And my hope is that we're going to be celebrating that next week and lamenting, you know, or not lamenting. Man, I've used the word lamenting wrong and pronounced it incorrectly a ton this week. It's been a tough performance for me. I probably should be subbed out and you could bring on Andre Kubas in my place. So play Andre Shannit. Dillon Wright, get him his minutes. Get him his minutes. Get him his minutes.

This is going to age poorly when people listen to it as a podcast later on. They this is, you know, we had actual Schuster on the show. We had Tristan Black on the show. We know the history. We know what's going on. The potential ownership changed the history of teams leaving Vancouver. They are committed to not this breaks through in a year in which soccer is going to be massive in Canada and like the Canadian men's national team is on the road to hosting a World Cup and being hyper competitive in it. They may be on the road to go to a gold cup final like in a month. You want to be front and center of the sport. Vancouver has put themselves in that spot.

You win this thing. Like you're going to be across all the big shows, all the big media networks, everything that's discussing the game. Vancouver is going to be centered in, and then you can start to be the experts in it. And like people are going to continue to point to you and look to you and you're going to be hosting World Cup games as well. So it comes at such a great time. The team has been really, really special to watch. It's repeatable and yet it's not guaranteed. And I think that's like the dream as a fan, right? Is those years of like, Oh, maybe it was a year too early or maybe everyone's hitting on form or everyone develops and it's like, you know, 2000, 1997, 2003 Miami Marlins of like everyone got good.

And then maybe everyone moves on afterwards. Who knows? This is a really special group. They're really fun to watch. They have so much confidence in what they do. Like, it's going to look similar to Columbus. When Columbus went down for the final, their hope is that they feel a little bit better and can perform. But like, Columbus went and played their soccer. Not everyone does that in Mexico. That comes from MLS because it's really hard to do and it's really intimidating Vancouver is gonna go and play their soccer They may sit in for moments and let the game find itself, but like they're gonna get out compo down the wing They're gonna create chances. I think they can control central midfield

They're always a threat on set pieces because of Brian White and the way they have this attack structured And I think one of the questions for them is, is it Sabi or Nelson? I think Nelson's a little bit cleaner possession. Sabi stretches the field more. Ahmed can do both. And I think that's a bit of a flag for to see like where does Sorensen think the game's going to go. I think that's one of the big decisions that they have to make. Left back's a big decision, whether it's Atacube or Tate Johnson.

And that's another one where I think Atacube is on the field if you think you're going to be against it more because of his physicality his ability to win a ton of tackles and his experience but there's a bunch of options for Sorensen I don't think there are any bad answers to it. Yeah and the way that he's managed his team throughout the season it's'm almost, whatever he chooses, I'm completely good with because of what they've done and how he's managed his group. On a personal note, I'm flying to Argentina during the game. Look at me right now, American Airlines. If Fox Sports 1 does not work on this flight, you are going to get a mean tweet at the very

least if I remember when I turn my Wi-Fi on, when I'm gonna turn my phone on the next day after I land. What are you right now? I wonder how it works because I streamed a Mets game on American Airlines and it was like you stream through their service on your phone. Yeah. I've done that. We need battery packs. We need chargers.

No, no, no. That's on me. I can do that. Bill Belichick, do your job. not me. I can do that dude again bill Belichick Do your job no no distractions. I'm gonna do my job not 20 25 bill Belichick just no It's a good point I'm gonna do my job American Airlines. No distractions. Do your job make sure this works Um, I'm warning you one other thing. I'm gonna have some I'm gonna have my cousin take care of that thing, you know

this works. I'm warning you. One other thing I'm gonna have some I'm gonna have my cousin take care of that thing you know. One of the other things to note is we've seen Cruises Old for the most part come out of a 532. Vancouver has at times, Laborda would be an option. Atacube would be an option as one of those wide centerbacks. I'd be surprised if they started in that. Like I think they have enough of an identity not to. But Sorensen has managed these games to the opponent and then as the games kind of have gone along refound their identity. Inter Miami game, the Pumas game, like all of these games so I wouldn't be shocked if that ends up being something that he does as well. I'm going to be on the edge of my seat. This is going to be one of those like blood pressure is high games. I think

it's just one of those like big moments of a final where any mistake, any kick could be the moment. And so when you're watching you're kind of like on edge the whole time but that's the point. And so if you are excited about this game and you are not already, subscribe to our Patreon. It gets you access to our Discord. You can be in what we call the live Hootenamy, because we've got owls involved, and Hootski is very creative, one of the people who helps us with our Discord, who, happy birthday to him, by the way. It was his birthday, I believe, two days ago.

I proceeded to attempt to kill him like five times since, because of stressing him out and doing things wrong, which is what I do at my best. But we appreciate everything you do for this show and for our community. But if you are not already, subscribe in there. It's going to be the best place to hang out and talk. Everyone has lived through the CONCACAF pains and experiences in that and all of us enjoy it so much. And I know it's not like MLS for RSL days anymore, but come on, Vancouver's playing Cruises of Zool on the road. Like unless you're a Seattle,

Portland, or maybe a TFC Montreal fan, like you gotta be in for this. Who hates Vancouver? I mean, come on. Yeah. Outside of, wow. Camilo Sanvezzo. I couldn't remember the name. Wow.

Yeah, I had a draw in there, I knew it. Let's go to our last weird MLS First League MX game, and then we'll finish off. LAFC, hosting Club America at BMO on Saturday night. This one's at 10.30. So we're gonna have some preview for you on the live show. We've got guests that are gonna be joining us, experts on these teams, people that are going to the game

or excited about the game. So we're gonna be chatting all about this and you can call in and give us your thoughts. The lineup will drop in the middle of the show. We'll be chatting about it. So I'm really excited about this game. It's silly. It's weird, but it matters.

LAFC got off on Wednesday for this game. They did not play, which I think is their decision. And as I said, Vancouver had the decision to play. So everyone's saying like, how is this a thing? This was Vancouver's choice. And they have said, we think we're actually better on shorter rest which the proof there is it's true based off this they literally called me harder battles they called up their landlord and they said raise the rent because I believe in my grind oh

Kaylin Cajos says as a Timbers fan we don't even Vancouver which is a bit of a dig at Vancouver but also not so. I'm glad everyone's on board. The so this game for LAFC, it could lead to millions of dollars for the club. It also could lead to a ton of exposure, a chance to play some of the biggest teams in the world, a chance to be one of three MLS teams in the Club World Cup played here, you know, broadcast internationally and nationally, a whole opportunity. And I think it's one that is winnable. Club America are giants. They lost in the final.

They were trying to make it three straight against Toluca, which if you haven't watched the highlights, go watch the home game for Toluca where they win it and everyone just loses their minds. It's why we love soccer. That is the La Bombonera. To me, that's the real one. Boca's the fake one. I didn't say that. All the why we love soccer. That is the La Bomba Nera. To me, that's the real one. Boca is the fake one. I didn't say that. All the Miami Boca people don't come find me. I don't

actually live here. And I don't actually know you. Club America though, we know the strength, the strength of tops and Dejas, Henry Martin, the strength in midfield, Jonah Dos Santos. They can control the games, but if they don't they're uber dangerous against the game And I think that's where I'm fascinated to see LAFC have moved. It felt like more possession over the last few weeks It's a final though to Steve Toronto throw it out of the window I'm assuming so one because that's what they've done in most of their big big games and to Club America They're gonna probably dictate how this game is played Yeah And that's probably gonna lead to them having the ball and LAFC trying to defend and kill you in transition with Dave Belonga

David Martinez Nathan Ortaz or Tengen or whoever whichever of the bunch outside of Belonga It was obviously gonna start whichever of the two of the others do so I Think I saw I don't know if it's even gonna be his choice because Clue America are an absolute wagon. This is the they had won three titles in a row They get to the final that they lost like you said to look a really really good to Luca team, of course So I think it's gonna be Lafc playing against the ball most of the game. It's probably gonna be a 442 from

America we have seen lafc swap in and out of three in the back. They have scored. This feels like a three in the back kind of game. I fully agree with you. That probably plays like a five. That actually plays like a five. They've also, they've scored 12 goals in the last five games. So the attack has come on.

In three of those, they have conceded two and tied two-two. So like, as they've opened up they've left gaps on the other side of the field and that's where I agree with you of like I don't think they do that also clearly against Montreal they missed Hollings head he'll be back as a starter I think that was rest for this game for him and rotation and like there feels like there's a pretty big drop-off at that left-back position from a defensive point of view and an attacking point of view without him. Then you obviously have options in central midfield.

A lot of different pieces have played. Frankie Amaya has been a part of things recently. He's looked okay. You expect Delgado to start and you'd, I think, expect Tillman to start in this group as well. And then the question is, what do you do up top? Buonga will be a part of that. Who goes with him? Is it Olivier Giroud? Probably not. Is it David Martinez? Maybe. So, yeah, those are the question marks that still exist for this LAFC team. I think it's a game

that sets up fairly well for them. Like, I think Buonga's looked really good the last few weeks. I think they've been dangerous. Giroud got a goal off the bench last game. So maybe there's a little confidence there where if it's close late, you bring him on. Now you're a danger on set pieces. Now you've got an opportunity. This feels like one you don't wanna like let go.

Like you kinda got lucked into this scenario and all of a sudden you're hosting. And hosting is rough term. Like it's Club America in LA. You are at your home stadium, but what do you get outside of the locker room? But it could have only been worse. Anywhere else you play, you have a worse opportunity. So like this is a big chance and it's a big chance for the club to, I think, do some of the things they've said they wanted to do that feels like they haven't accomplished

over the last few years of like winning internationally finishing championships They've made it to a lot of finals. They haven't been able to get over the line This is like a suitable opportunity here to sort of snap one back and change some of that narrative So I think this game is gonna be really fun like high stakes single elimination Club America has nothing left to play for their seasons over so like they're putting everything into this and Club America has nothing left to play for. Their season's over, so they're putting everything into this, and then they're going on vacation. So this is all they have. Or not going on vacation.

Or they're not going on vacation. Or going to play Club World Cup. Which they would love, because I think it ends up being... We talked about this? Ten million dollars. What's the group that they... Ten million dollars. Chelsea, Tunis, and Flamengo.

Yeah. That's... You don't want to miss an opportunity to get smoked by Chelsea and Flamengo. The UA for Conference League Champions? Yeah, that would be really, really fun to watch though. And I think for Club America, they're a club that would have confidence like, yeah, we can get results in these things. They're the biggest club in the region. Whatever format you want to take for that, it's history trophies amount of money spent

The amount of fans whatever you want they are and so this is something that they think they should be in like they Think this is their right and I think they're gonna play that way Then Dejas is awesome for Club America because like I talked about with the national team. These are the spots He should be in he's not the central force of the attack He finds the gaps in the game, but he is uber efficient for them. That's going to be a huge thing for this LAFC team to watch. It is something we're going to be watching on the live show. So once again, come and join us on that one Saturday 7 15 Eastern Time.

It'll be live on our YouTube page. We will post the link via our socials for you to sign up to get tickets to call in via showus.com or showustv. So you'll see that link. That's what that means. You just throw your email in and then they send you back a link when the show goes live and you tap in and then the producer will push you through and you can come and join and talk about all these games, react to it, make fun of stuff, enjoy stuff, hate stuff, whatever it is you wanna do, it's all open for you

as the great Steve Summers would say, we're gonna get ethnic on a Saturday night and that's my WFAN coming out in this one and hopefully a lot more going forward. So thank you to all of you for listening. Thank you to all of you who were in the chat. Thank you to you, Tom. We'll be back tomorrow with a special episode

previewing the US Women's National Team with Jordan Angeley, but until then we'll talk to you again very very soon