SoccerWise - The Gangs Back Together! Tom, Doyle, Wiebe & Gass Talk Through The Biggest Storylines In MLS

Episode Date: April 20, 2026

It is a loaded week in Major League Soccer with 11 midweek games coming off the back a goal packed weekend. So what better time to bring Tom back into the fold with Doyle, Wiebe & Gass to talk about the biggest storylines. They look at the emotional, entertaining and frustrating of the MLS weekend. And get you ready for some crucial Wednesday night matches in the Western Conference. 3:55 Tom's Heartfelt Moments Of The Weekend with Eduard Lowen & 4:45 Hany's Gift To Shak Mohammed And Nashville Second Cycle Stars11:12 RSL ARE 4 Real Behind Sergi Solans & Value Of The Superdraft22:48 DC United's Leadership Inspires The Fans31:35 Quakes Own Cali41:55 Report From The Ground What Ails FC Cincy & Chicago Fire55:35 Carles Gil Welcome To The 50/50 Club56:40 Rapids Break Attendance Record In High Octane Loss To Miami1:06:41 Midweek MLS Preview Highlights RSL v Miami, LAFC v Colorado & FC Dallas v Minnesota1:20:40 Top US Soccer Stories w/Pellegrino Matarazzo Winning Copa Del Rey1:22:25 Haji Wright's Career Development To The EPL1:24:00 Daryl Dike's World Cup Window Still Open?

Welcome back, everybody to Soccer Wise, the biggest episode of the year coming at you. We have the full slate, the full roster all together. We've got Doyle. We've got Weevy and we've got Tommy Scoops in the building all together for the first time. Tom, do you have another top 10 list that you'd like to go through of things we reset or 10? Not, no, we'll reset that for another time. We'll just keep it in the bag. Just keep you guys on your toes.

Listen, I had a great excuse this morning. You got the kids ready for school. Take young Y. Bam, we're running late. I'm lecturing Cameron on me, 815 deadline. Otherwise, we're leaving you at home. We pull into the grade school. Nobody's there.

I realize I did not look at the schedule. Cameron does not have school today. I could have walked into my house and texted you and said, hey, listen, dad duty calls. But where am I? I am right here in this chair. I'm ready to get in, two-footed. Here we go.

Maybe like 15% capacity mentally. Why doesn't he have school? Patriots Day. Great question. Boston has gone global, man. It's the start of the NBA playoffs. Everybody is recognizing Celtics. Today is a holiday.

Some celebrate it. I let those who do, you know, rack their brains to figure out why they may also have some memory issues. But no, it's an in-service day. There are a lot of in-service days. I got to tell you, a lot. Kids gone soft today, you know? I agree.

I agree. I should have made him walk to school and walk back just to build up some mental toughness. Because the other thing I will tell you, We had an interesting weekend. When young Theo grows big, strong, and, you know, medium size like his dad, don't ever before a game of any kind, let that kid have a milkshake. I went and had a milkshake and hamburger with camera before a huge soccer game this weekend.

Number one versus number two, we stomach cramped the entire game, Tom. You stomach the entire game. You needed to be taught that lesson? Yeah. Yeah, it's a real, it's a self-reflection moment. There were three hours between lunch in the game. I thought we had some wiggle room. We did not.

I really put my son at a disadvantage. Credit to him for gutton, literally his way through it. So we're flying. You know, this is fatherhood, boys. This is fatherhood. Just operating at our highest level. No, not at all.

This is an elite start to the show. So I'm glad we can all be here for this one. What up to everyone in the chat? Anyone listening on Sirius Radio? Thanks for joining us. We come here every Monday. we talk about the weekend that was in MLS. This week's a special one.

We've got midweek action coming up a full slate. So make sure to subscribe to Tactics Free Zone. The newsletter under Matt Doyle, it would have gotten you a lot of information yesterday while I was still trying to figure out what was going on in MLS. I just read Doyle's article and make it the rundown. Then we come on here and we just talk through Doyle's article and we do the show.

So make sure that you do that. And then, of course, we will be back later in the week with your recap episode coming off this midweek of games. I think there are 11 of them on Wednesday night. We're going to go through the best things we saw. We're going to talk the big headlines, but a big part of that will be these midweek games previewing, and we'll talk a little bit of U.S. national team and stuff like that.

And, of course, we will talk about everywhere that Andrew Weeby gets to go, because it's the highlight of the week when we turn on the TV and we get to hear Weeby's, you know, dulcet tones talking about Pat Noonan and his life struggles and whatever else on a broadcast. Listen, I know at least one of your significant other, enjoys my presence on the on the television so wow i don't know who that's just it's friendly it's just friendly yeah this is a nice guy with friends out there that's all it is all right we've so you want to be friendly you want to go first i don't i'm going to be even more friendly tom you take it away my

what's the best thing you saw um i went with two things because they were two very very heartfelt moments this weekend first of all at the end of st louis's loss of seattle edward lovin subbed in for his first game this season it's unfortunately the first game since his wife passed away. Due to brain cancer, he hasn't. He's been kind of bedside with her. She passed away last month. He's been building up fitness to play again.

And wouldn't you know it? He scored at the end of the game. Just what a really, really cool moment. I can't imagine what that family's been going through the last couple of years. He's been pretty open about it and pretty strong with it in the media. And St. Louis has supported him really well from what I've heard and what he said. And it's just a tragic, tragic moment. But it was nice to see him back on the field and scoring a great.

and the other one was Jack Mohammed. The former, I believe, number two overall super draft selection, playing now for Nashville SC, scored his first goal. And in that goal was a transition moment, Hani Mukhtar drove at the defense and unselfishly laid it off to Muhammad, who it wasn't a tapping. It was a halfway decent finish. Like, he didn't get handed it to him by Hani.

But after he scores, he pretty much turns around immediately with like the biggest, most genuine, like, emotions on his face. And you hear, you see him mouth. Thank you, bro. He gives him a little hard hands. And like, it looks like he was going to get. get emotional. They have this like big hug, this big exchange. It was really, really cool. And then Ben Wright was talking, uh, there was quotes from

Shaq Mamad after the game that Ben Wright put out that was like, you know, hey, Hanis, like my big brother, like this stuff you guys don't see off the field. Like it was just so nice that it was him that assisted me on my first goal and it was just incredible. So those are two really, really nice moments this weekend. Nashville has done a really good job of finding guys almost like second draft type of guys. Like Shaq. Yes. Who second draft. Is this new?

I haven't heard this before. This is a Zach Loism, right? Or is it. It is, yeah. No, like Shaq Muhammad clearly has talent, and he showed it in Next Pro, and for whatever reason, Orlando never cleared a pathway to,

into the first team for playing time for him. And, like, Nashville has been good at identifying guys like that. Reed Baker Whiting was never going to displace Newhoo. Alex Moodle is probably an extreme of this one too. Yeah, but still it kind of fits the mold. Matthew Corcoran was a really high-level prospect a few years ago, kind of fell under the radar. It's all sort of of a piece.

And this is how you build depth, right? If you have a coach and a cult, well, first of all, a culture in the front office that identifies guys like that and is willing to bring them in. And then a coach who's good at, first of all, coaching them up, right? Getting them to be better than they are when they first walks through the door,

but then it's kind of agnostic about who's performing. And if Shaq Muhammad keeps getting on the field and keeps performing, he's going to keep getting on the field more. And that's how you build depth and that's how you build flexibility and that's how you become a team that not only makes it into the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals,

registers a historic win over Club America, but then turns around on the week, and goes on the road and walks away with a pretty easy 2-0. It was a nice moment, even though Shaq Muhammad's a Duke guy, it was a nice moment to see that. One other point I want to make, and this is something. Kalen, you know, the fifth beetle here was on the mic for that one, and he was just raving about Hani Mukhtar. And the difference between what Honey Mukdar represents as a DP and what Sopheedah represents as a DP and what

someone like Alexei Moranczuk represents. And Alexi Maranchuk was a very good player for a very good team in Europe because he didn't have to be the focal point. And in MLS, he has to be the focal point, the one who sets the tone, the one who's the primary chance creator, and he can't do it. He has not been able to do it for multiple years under multiple coaches. Honey Mukhtar goes and scores a historic goal midweek and then turns around on the weekend and gives guys to one-touch finishes in the box.

Like there are levels to what these players can be. And Honey is at like, honey's inner circle, top level of the Pantheon, MLS Hall of Fame, and games like this show why? No, Tom, I'm going to let you celebrate Honey in a second.

I just want to make sure. This was the show where one weekend I said Pepi L or Lexi Morancheck and Tom laughed me off the show, right? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's tough. Welcome back, Tom.

Welcome back. Um, honey mooks are like Doyle, you just kind of hit what I was, where I was going to go. Legitimately one of the best signings in league history. I think it was like 2.8 million. Oh, yeah. Um, just both in value and then now what he's given this team, um, in production and all of those things that you said and the leadership stuff. Listen, man, he got married on the field at Jonas Park.

What more can you want for a player 2.8 million? One of the best players in the league consistently for all these years. And also somebody who, I don't know, maybe he'll start a country music band too. I'd like to also just extend this to Nashville overall. And I know for many years with Gary Smith, the aesthetics weren't to a level where maybe we were raving about them to an equal degree. And maybe the results at the top end

weren't quite there as well where they are now. But like from the very start, Nashville has been sort of an epitome of how to be just a competitive, competent, upwardly mobile MLS team this entire time. And reminder, they went to Charlotte and won where very few people do, yes, no, no, it's true. I mean, competitive and competent.

I would not say upwardly. They were never going to be upwardly mobile as long as Gary Smith. Agreed. But they made the switch and they were competitive, consistent playoff team throughout. And then these last three games, at Charlotte, at Amitika, and then this match, you don't have Sam Surge. Like, how many teams survive without their best goal score in this manner? Very few, let alone thrive. So credit to Mike Jacobs, credit to that club, like what they built, the foundation, and now what they're putting on top of it, really, really impressive stuff.

Last piece here, Brian Schwacki, he has a 0.5 goals against average in his first eight career MLS games, which is tied for the second best mark in MLS history behind Casey Keller. So another piece that they've brought in and they've been able to make a central part of what they've done and the success that they've had. Okay, let's stick with the maybe surprising, super entertaining teams that we have. Weeby, I cannot believe that you went into my rundown and you changed it on the fly in the middle of the show. to start. If I did this, you throw me off a building. Yeah, I warned you. I warned you 15% mental capacity right now. I'll just come out hand up, you know, big, big error. I was supposed to take the ball off the jump. But that's the type of selflessness that I bring to soccer wise, Dave. You know, the rest of you, it's like, you know, it's a little bit of a, it's kind of a vacuum.

Ball hits your hands. Iso, ISO, nobody's going to give it up. Everybody just sits in the corners. They know they're going to touch it with me, ball movement, crisp passes, etc. There's only one way you can save this. So what you're saying is you're the the Carl Anthony Towns of the show distributed from a high post. That's exactly what I'm saying. Bing, Bing, bong, go Nix. Here we go.

Listen, week two in RSL, Seattle and town, there was just something about them that was different, and that was without Diego Luna. Sergei Solanz now has five goals. He had two goals and an assist, a really nice one to Gila Vogi in this game, a big four-two win for RSL. They had just played San Diego a couple weeks ago in San Diego,

and drawn 2-2, come back and had a chance to win that game as well. They are now five wins, one draw, one loss. The only loss, if my memory serves correct, is match day one to the Vancouver White Caps. There is got, we were sitting around this weekend in Cincinnati. I'm like, okay, well, there's no Kevin Dankay, what are they going to do? And I'm looking around the league, I'm like, why are 17 to $20 million you can throw a Mani Latte-Loth into this mix as well

being spent on strikers? when you've got guys like Sergei Salon's just rolling out of the super draft. Like, I get why you spend the money. I get why you spend the money. Do it on the 10. Go get Gila Voguey. Go get Luna Doyle. But like, I don't know, man.

Like, this kid's got something different. And it might not be fully formed throughout the season. But if you're looking, okay, let's take it down to depth if you want to do that, Doyle. Like Tom Barlow is the best striker on Cincinnati right now. He is. He is now. Okay, I get why you want to spend the money on these big-time players, but at least build the depth behind him and get guys like Sergei Salon's because it's really special.

And the flip side is Diego Luna, he might have benefited from missing that U.S. camp and then balling like this. There's a real like, hey, here's what you're missing sort of situation, both in terms of attitude and performance and production and just overall quality that's seeping out of him right now. And we all know that make a World Cup roster and impact the tournament like this is form. and he's hitting form. This team is special, and I think you're going to see them at least competing top four throughout this year, which is something I didn't think was going to happen to start the season.

Weeby, let me ask you this. Two things. One, do they have the best attack in the league right now? And two, how much do you believe in their defense? How much do you believe in their ability when they play Seattle, Vancouver, L-AFC, San Jose? No, not deeply. Not particularly deeply. Listen, I was ready for this point because it's sitting there right in front of you and the results.

Like, yeah, there's five wins. San Diego and Seattle are good wins. The other wins are supporting Kansas City, Austin, and Atlanta United. Yeah. So, like, you know, there's sort of a middle ground here. Best attack? No, not right now. Most exciting, promising attack, the one that jumps off the page.

Yeah. But I would still take Vancouver. I would still take a couple other. I would still take Nashville. Like, I just think overall all things, yeah, all things considered, I would, I would shift those directions. But it's still early days. Like, Gula Vogi's basically an entirely new piece. Luna's just coming back from injury salons.

We didn't know that. I mean, listen, I saw his name on the super draft board, but I didn't know who he was. Credit to Pablo Mastorini. Like, they've shifted personnel a lot in his time there. And he's always sort of found a way to, I don't know, to get a little dog in these dudes. And it's fun to watch. It's really fun to watch. And he's got the dog and the young players.

He's also now, like, brought in more experience pieces, push some of those young guys out. And it seems like has kept buy-in from everyone, which I think is the hard part. And I think it's something we've seen some clubs struggle with of the like, okay, we're all scrapping. So now it's like Dylan Nealus is our starting centerback. And then how do you like remain that culture when, let's be real,

Dylan Neal shouldn't be your starting centerback? And then you finally actually replace them with the piece that you expected to. And I think for RSL, they have not dropped at all. Is there a worry for anyone in here about San Diego's depth? obviously Chris McVeigh can't stay on a field but like the way they crater defensively when one of the two centerbacks is out feels really worrying for now a second season

where it's like you're playing the same what 11 to 13 guys every game yeah and the there's also a novelty thing that's gone but last year I think they caught teams by surprise well everybody's got a year's worth of of data on them and look chigley Lazzano wasn't

credible last year, but he was something you had to account for in a way that you don't have to account for Pellegrino or whoever's been playing, you know, left winger on a week to week basis and it kind of changes. Louis Morgan this week, by the way. Louis Morgan, yeah, yeah. And he had a nice assist. You know, he's a good player. He's not Chuky Lozano.

So I think there's a combination, a confluence of factors happening here. and I think every team goes through this. And the surprise is that San Diego didn't go through it last year, that they had almost a perfect expansion season. But then, look, this isn't really a knock on Tyler Heaps, who's done an A-plus job from the start. I thought they got a little too comfortable this off-season. And I thought they missed the chance to improve the team in obvious ways.

And then they also put, I think, a lot in, to the development of Pedro Soma, and he's been a zero this year. He has not been able to do, like, he's, he's been less than what Luca DeLotori was last year, and Luca Deletori was pretty disappointing. So they have fewer options than they did, I think, a year ago. And the margins in this league are narrow. And right now, it's too narrow for San Diego to deal with. Tom, I want to bring it back to the Solons thing.

I talk to a lot of CSOs. I know you do as well. Maybe go to retreats in Sedona with some of them, whatever. Why? I'll put a lower third up. Cannot confirm reporting. Why do these guys ignore the super draft? I don't even think that you care about this question.

You were just saying up. This question is a Trojan horse. This question's a Trojan horse. But a quick answer. answer is you'll talk to so like you look at what philly's done and philly just sells all the draft picks every year when teams are good go on guys this is an conversation that i think is worth having but i think it's one that gets lost in the like absolutism actually don't mind what philly does because they fully invest in something else yeah they have a plan it's a very it's a clear plan and i think it's fair for

some c sos to say we don't have the resources just like fully scout college soccer at a high level So you have to pick your pie and your percent and like put some here and put some there. I think it's okay for some clubs to be quote unquote super Jeff clubs and some not to be. It's the ones that don't do anything. Those are the ones that are offensive where it's like, okay, so you're not invested in the academy. You're not bringing high level U-22 initiative players in. Like what are you doing? You're just trying to skim off the back end of who LAAFC has to dump this year and who Miami has like overpaid.

Who are we talking about here? I have no idea. I'm like making up clubs in my head, but yes, pretty much. Well, I mean, it's not just RASL and like Sergio Salon's is the easy, obvious score to brace got an assist example. Like, we all watch Sunday Night Soccer. Like San Jose is trotting out of a super draft special team. You know, like, and dominating L.A.fc with it at L.A. Like, there's just, I don't know, you talk about the investment.

It's like marginal gain stuff to me. Right. Yes, I understand why you're going to invest a ton of money in recruiting the $17 million striker. Like, isn't there so much more upside, like, with a way lower floor of investment? Just, like, every three years to get two guys right that turn into assets? I mean, like, turn into a 700K in GAM, like, whatever. Like, think about it in terms of the long game of how you build your roster as well. Like, a competent MLS player is worth what now in terms of GAM return?

And, like, so it's going back to my answer of the question that Doyle asked me. So when teams are like Philly, I get it. And like there was like, hey, it's not that we don't necessarily care about the draft. It's like we put a lot of money into the academy. And there's there are roster limits on how many players you can sign. Personally, I hope that that changes in the future where you could sign more homegrown players. So it's not this kind of limit thing. And even with Philly, like they've lost a lot of guys that were had to make tough decisions on a lot of guys from the like Cabin Sovin team.

Like you look at Jemir Johnson's at Orange County. They've traded a number of guys. Diego, Oseo. Saidi, Roseville, right? So they're not going to, like, what's the point in bringing three kids from the Super draft into training camp? And, like, even in, like, a positive way, that's not a good spot for those kids. They're up against it.

There's a low likelihood that they make the team ahead of all the academy kids, the academy kids are going to get all the chances, right? That's one team. But you talk about, like, San Diego are building out what they hope to be a very, very special academy. Manu-dua, right? Like, you're not going to hit that every time. You're not going to be Dallas where you get Logan Farrington or insert whoever that that's

coming positively through the draft, but these, on a monetary side of things, these contracts are almost all one-year guarantee below the league minimum plus three one-one-one option years. If it doesn't work out, there is no opportunity cost missed, just a supplemental roster spot. So if you're Philly, I get it. If you're other teams that have a ton of homegrown, I get it. I think it's just silly to disregard any talent pool, but also, like, there are cases what makes sense. I think your point on overall roster construction and

structure and limitations is a good one. Like they've sort of relaxed your ability to sign more homegrown. Like they've said, hey, here's an incentive. Go do this. Like I don't know why there couldn't be a similar incentive around the SuperDraft. It doesn't need to be a big one.

Like what if it's, you know, one or two? And these are just like stash and see guys. You know what I mean? Just stash and see. To their credit, like to the least credit, like they have allowed like you sash and sees they stay in college. You can draft a player and he stays in college. That's fair. I think that's what happened was Solons, right?

He was a 25 draft pick and he played one extra year at UCLA. And then now here he is banging in goals. And like I put his radar in my column. And good Lord, if this was a $30 million striker, you'd be like, yeah, worth every penny. It's so good. Maybe it doesn't last. It probably won't. It certainly at this pace.

Not that level. Yeah, not at this pace. but like five goals in a season, what is the overall monetary value to put on five goals in a season in your roster? If you were just to take, it was faceless dudes. If you were Atlanta,

that value would be. Yeah. It's like, they take Tam slots for Jamal Tari for however many years and then Columbus did too. And like his track record is five goals. Yeah. Just saying.

Yeah. And I would say, and then the last piece of this is the spending at the two team level to like get players. Because most of these guys are not going to step into MLS. Like that's where that's where you find out whether or not they're actual players and what what where what position they end up in is this a jason shookleuk conversation no it's more like a hundred and a lave conversation but it's like you know we're also

like it's like built a stadium for this two team and and invested in like genuine coaches who are professional soccer coaches who like have level of requirements for these players that they have to hit and all of that okay uh we went positive there so now we can move on a little and talk DC United uh Doyle what is the best thing you saw this weekend I'm going positive as well I'm going positive as well. I'm going to read Dr. Urka So Good, LLM, the managing director of DC United's LinkedIn post after this

past week in which D.C. lost to a U.S.L League one team up one knocks, and then drew scoreless draw against Philly on

the weekend. And this is what he posted on his LinkedIn. Soccer ball emoji. This is what a real club looks like. like tonight was not about the result it was about this fans who traveled fans who showed up fans who stood behind the team despite everything now there's something i want you guys understand here this is how a i writes this is how l l lm writes l lm likes a couple of they like a couple different it's so obvious one one formation that all these chatbots like is tonight or x was not about why it was about this.

That is literally how he starts this LinkedIn post. And then LLMs like symmetry. They like threes, the rule of threes. So fans who traveled, fans who showed up, fans who stood behind the team despite everything. In moments like these, you understand what DC United truly is. Rule of threes, a club built on history, a club built on community,

a club built on people who care no matter what. this is a funny part he writes three stars on the badge don't come by accident he should know that DC have four stars on the badge well that other one one was to be fair maybe that one was an accident

well that's why you should always proofread your chat GPT LinkedIn post weavey no it's making mistakes so you know it's human Claude would never once again

rule of threes. They were built on pride. They were built on honor. They were built by people like you. And step by step, we will bring this club back to where it belongs together. This is who we are. United every day. He then went back and edited four stars on the badge. Stop waterboarding me right now. I feel like I'm in Guantanamo Bay. How about the look, man, like here's some free advice. Stop posting. Just stop posting. Just stop posting. Don't post. Somebody takeaways LinkedIn logging. Who is this for?

No, I feel you. I understand what you're saying, Tom. But the fact is, this guy is getting to run in MLS team. He doesn't even have to live in the town. He still lives in L.A. He was in Baku last week at some sort of function.

Wow. Either by John? Yeah. The land of fire. It doesn't, like, he's just doing this. remotely and emo posting via Gemini or ChatGPT or Clod or whatever on his LinkedIn page. And like that's the job.

That is all he's doing right now. And he posts these emo LinkedIn screens once a week. And it's become like one of my favorite parts of the week is seeing what ChatGPT like generates for him. I have a counterpoint from Bradley Carnell. a quote, tough when only one team comes to play, end quote. That's also a tough line from a guy who's won one game all season. Yeah, there's a little, yeah, a little pot and kettle situation going on there.

Both these teams are terrible. I think René Weiler is doing an awful job for DC United, and he's throwing the players under the bus every single game. And those players, by the way, I don't know if I'm stepping on anybody's toes here, but he had a big hand. He signed them. Yeah, okay, go ahead. Like, sources tell me, like,

he's got a really, really big say in recruitment. Like, from the summer, when, with Kate and Clark, from this winter, they've signed two DPs, one of which he doesn't trust to start unless it's against one Knoxville, and then they lose. You got to get him out, though,

because he can't handle flip McGee at centerback against him. Like, Sean Johnson, like, they were, of the 11, signings at least six, if not seven are starters, should be starters, viewed to be as starters. He's coming out before the game, by the way, which is even funnier than the emotions of after the game. This is his pre-match press conference. Some players, they don't have the quality mentally how they should have it on this level,

Viler said. It's not fun. I have to perform. I have to achieve. The targets are simple. We have to win games. He drove these signings. He drove these signings and then he drove the bus.

He drove the bus over them and then drove the bus backwards. René Weiler stops for No Man. Also, hasn't he normally burned out 18 months in? Isn't that normally his timeline? He's coached more than 100 games for a club once. That was 15 years ago. They have not scored a goal in MLS in their last four games. And those games are against noted MLS Cup contenders.

Philadelphia Union, New England Revolution, FC Dallas, Atlanta United. I appreciate that. So, Doctor, of course. So it's LinkedIn post starts with a thing that he has nothing to do with. Fan intensity about a club with history when you have had the job for two and a half months. So like the thing you do is a mess. The thing that preceded you is okay. And you're going to take credit for that one.

Also, I'd like to apologize. The Scottish center back for Noah Knoxville, his name is Finn McRob. So not flip McGee. That's a made up name. That's a fan of made. That is his actual name. That almost sounds like a slur. you've given you three games for that david tart army's gonna come run me down uh for the fin microb references

there okay i i just i just i just i just want to say that um dc's really really bad and um it it shouldn't be this way because they've had um it's not like they haven't tried to sign players right like they have gone out of their way. They have spent money and they have one of the richest areas in the country to pull talent from. And they are doing nothing with it. And according to folks that I've talked to in that locker room, they hate Reddy Violet. They hate this man. It's also interesting coming off our last condo.

They're one of two MLS teams without a two team. They're literally one of two MLS teams that just won't invest the money to help those players get to the next level. Can I just, I mean, I don't want to be like a Debbie Downey here, but I just feel like the proper respect hasn't been given to playoff qualifying DC United. This is a ninth place team in the Eastern Conference. They would make the playoffs right now if the playoffs started today. So I just, I'd like us to, you know, to play off D.Mella Ball. Lamella Ball against D.C. United in the biggest game.

They have played Miami and like literally nobody else. Okay. Didn't they get a result against Chicago? Yeah, sorry, Chicago, who I think we'll talk about later, but we've been a little disappointed by so far. But Charlotte, but like it's, it's Atlanta and it's Philly twice, it's New England. It's, I don't know, wouldn't like the football. What other quick note I want to make from this game? Kevin Sullivan came on for the final 25 minutes.

He looks good. And it's embarrassing that Philly, who have zero creativity, anywhere else on the right? are not getting him more minutes because it's he like he's got it he has leveled up last year he looked like a child playing against men this year he's not like one of the best players in the league or anything like that but he is the only guy on that philly team who can make something happen with the ball and that includes their two very expensive forwards who are both disasters at this point like they like ernst tanner had a good long run of making a lot of good signings And that, he's had two really rough windows in a row.

Of course, it wasn't him making the signing this past window. I'm sure that someone else was doing that. He had no input. Okay. Let's finish off our top things we saw this weekend with something a little bit more positive, similar to RSL, San Jose continue to look awesome. They jumped down LAFC's throat to close out the weekend on Sunday. it was a game that I was like probably too excited for coming off the weekend.

It felt like there was a lot of goals. Obviously, LAFC dealing with Concaf, but never going to rotate, never going to step down, you know, got to play the same guys and go out there and get the result. And L.A.F.C. have been the best team in the league, especially defensively. And to watch San Jose step in that building with full confidence in who they were, Timo Verner gets the start, which is just an exciting add to this team. But the way Nico Securis is playing is the part that popped out to me. me in this game. He has been phenomenal against the ball. He's quick in transition when they get it,

but he also is taking risks. And like he is playing as a true 10. He is trying to break the game on the dribble. He's trying to break the game on the past. And he's doing that against the best team in the conference. And he's doing that against one of the best teams in the league where any mistake could be a transition back the other way. That shows that Bruce believes in him and is giving him the shot to do it. It shows that the rest of the team does as well. And then you get a situation where Daniel Mooney is shutting down sun in transition moments. And you get Useni Buddha, another college draft pick who I had given up on at this point. And I think San Jose kind of had too. He gets you a finish, not an easy finish in that ball coming across from Timau Werner inside the post. And San Jose

just jumping on every mistake LAFC made and jumping down their throats was awesome to see. And they, similar to RSL, they're like first on the list of what's the schedule and what game am I watching? By the way, we were talking about, you know, domestic strikers. Preston Judd continues to be awesome. A handful. Up top number nine. And, you know, I don't know if you guys have talked about this on the show, you know, the first time, long time. Is it a best 11 season at right back for Benji Kikhanovich? Is the long thread coming back in my favor? Call it back, baby. But no, I mean, Bruce is, Bruce is playing the Bruce game, which is he is maximizing basically every, every, every player on the on the entire roster right now except for maybe team of verner and if that happens

watch out and don't they have a deep spot open they was great yesterday they do at least one i don't know the um ins and outs of the chichol rongolone if that would be too i don't know even if they would have the the money to do to this they won't group is trying to sell um i've got at least i've i've i've I've heard from some folks over there that the purse is closed. The reason they didn't go with a 242 build is because ownership didn't want to spend the $2 million extra game. So they just have they have one DP. If they get a second DP, it'll be something like Atlanta pays 90% of Moran Chuk's salary and gives them to, to San Jose and like that's the only way it could happen and you can't rule it out and they do need depth right they do like they they do need a couple of more pieces I think to grind through the entire season they've already lost DeWan Jones but Bruce keeps saying it after every single game we're winning because everybody's defending and I pulled the numbers and they're like top three or four in high turnover is four

But then unlike Philly, they don't just go straight, right? Like they will actually put their foot on the ball. Shakir is in particular is really good at this. So is Bo LaRue. So is Ronaldo Vieira. Put their foot on the ball and actually drag the defense toward them a little bit, a little bit of La Posa, and then hit in behind. And all of the entire front line can run, right?

And most of the guys on the team, other than Benji Kekinovich, can pass. Right? So they have the ability to play like energy drink soccer, but they also put a little bit of flair and a little bit of creativity into that. It's not just bumper cars time after time after time like Philly. So I think that this team is for real. They have beaten L.AFC, San Diego, Vancouver. Those were the three top seats in the West last year. Two of those on the road, by the way, four road wins to start in four road games. This is a team that's given up. three goals and eight games. And they're second and expected goals against. So it's aligned. Like obviously they're performing it.

It's eight games in. But they're generally aligned. It's not like they're getting lucky. Eighth in possession one in the final third. Seventh in total shots against third and expected goals against per shot. Like Doyle said, there's a team that's defending from the front. You see that they're all running like maniacs. Timo Verner has even the DP, right, in his whole career, what he's been great at is a pressing forward in transition, pace, a lot of the stuff.

He's added more creativity and, and like, text. to this group, which has been a pleasant surprise, because I think that the goals are going to come for him. He's going to scare teams in transition. He's going to press really well. I'm not worried about that in any way. But Doyle, while I'm saying, I think this seems real. I don't know about a shield race. I guess we'll see. I don't want to get over our skis. But using a Doyleism or a line of thinking that I've heard you say for a number of teams, it's easier to get these points at the beginning of the season if you have really good structure to Bruce mean a team does. You just run harder than other teams, which this team does, and you're pressing. And then maybe in the summer when it's hot or it's difficult to press or teams like San Diego

are in a groove and you can't get the ball off of them. Are you worried at all about the quakes having that kind of regression? Or do you think that this is closer to where they are? I think they are going to have that kind of regression. I don't think this is a... Sorry, let me just refer it. There will be some sort of regression, right? Like they won't play at this pace. But like, are you worried about them dropping out of, I don't know, maybe the top six, even if I'm being super lenient. Not the top six. I think this is probably like a 58 point team, right?

Right now they're playing like a 70 point team. That's an incredible season. That's such an incredible, wow. Yeah, it's right? 58. That would be a 17 point jump from last year, 58 per context would put you in fourth or fifth most seasons in your conference. Right.

And that's actually, you know, a smaller jump than what they did from 24 to 25. Remember, it was a 20 point jump from 24 to 25. So like this, this is Bruce being Bruce, right? He gets teams to play to their talent and they have really good. Like, Shakira's is a DP level talent, you know, and he's out there playing like a DP every single week. And obviously, Timo Verner rounding into shape, he was awesome yesterday. Like, oh, those are two match winners.

and then a lot of runners around them. Bolaroo is clearly one of the best number eights in the league here. It's a really good. So it's like, oh, they're not at the talent deficit. They're a depth deficit. Yeah. Right? They do not.

I think a couple of guys miss five games. Those are going to be five pretty bad results. Not Werner. We've already seen them survive without Werner, but like I don't know what they do without Shakiris. Or like if two of those guys, right? Like if it gets to that kind of point. The other point I want to make here,

All these players are like archetypes. There's nobody on this team is a tweener. Shakira's where's a 10? He's a 10. Like you're not like he's not like an octagonal peg in a round hole. He's like a round peg in a round hole. Werner is playing his best position. Preston Judd is obviously the exact type of center forward that they're asking him to be.

Buddha is the exact type of winger. Laruz and eight. Vera is a sick. You know, Mooney and. and Reed Roberts fit together perfectly. So it's just like when the balance is that good and the pieces are that complementary, it's suddenly easy to become a hole that's greater

than the sum of the individual parts. That said, the individual parts, I think, are better than people gave them credit for. And this team is not going to go away. They're not. They're going to be, my guess, if I put them over under at 58 and a half, I think I would take the over.

Let me ask you this one. R.S. R.S.L or San Jose, who finishes higher this season. San Jose, better defense. I think so, too. See, I think R.S.L. has better depth, and they have the whole field advantage. So. Yeah, when you're playing at America first field, you always have the home.

So that's the part that I see there. I would love to see San Jose bring in whether it's a fake D.P. Tam player. I mean, quite honestly, the move, which I'm not saying that name, but like, they needed a mall bellegro move of like, this guy's a real true veteran can soak up minutes. We'll do sort of the thing you're missing and add just another potential 85 minutes a game to your team that you don't already have. If San Diego was like, look, we'll pay six million dollars a Chuky's thing. Would you take it if you were. Ironically, he would fit really well in this team. I mean, in terms of in terms of in terms of on field, yes, but in terms of culture, would he?

Is there, is it, if you're talking about culture, you're talking about that situation, Bruce feels like one of the managers that you would say like, okay, I think, I think he might be able to make it work for, for the next six months. Also because Bruce, because also Bruce would say to ownership, like this is how much I'm willing to pay. and I'm also willing to just send him home after two weeks if that's what I just thought. Listen, Chucky, you're gonna fit into what we want to do here. And Tom got that one out before we were done, which I appreciate.

Okay, let's get to a couple more things before we lose Mr. Andrew Weeby. Webes, let's start with your trip. You can say, you stub him off, losing his legs. He's not a nice guy. I had a milkshake before. My stomach's hurting a little bit. I just got to get out of here.

Let's talk a little Cincinnati, Chicago, because you were on the sideline for that game. Three, three, three, for two teams that could argue are underwhelming at this point. I think Chicago more argument, Cincinnati, very clear. I don't know. I think that maybe that I feel like the Chicago overwhelming thing is, I think it's unfair. I do think this result is underwhelming for both groups. Like, to me, since he came into this match, it's a sense of desperation here. And like, desperation, not just in terms of results and not hitting the framing.

that the entire season was built around, which is like, you're going to be one of the best teams in the league, you're going to compete for at the very least the top four spot in the east, like go win a trophy. Like they're so far off of that right now. Like they needed to win a home game. And to me, Chicago had very little pressure on them. It's set up perfectly for the fire. Like you're going to, listen, sit back.

They can't break you down, hit on the counter. I thought they did everything right. And then the thing that's been their strength just fell away. Like the defensive side of things, the reactions in the box, the ability to like cue pressure and keep teams from getting in the places that they wanted to go, just kind of fell away late on. To me, for the fire, I still have question marks about that midfield tandem. Not in terms of talent or ability, because Jay Davao is, I mean, like,

eye test stuff, he's incredible to watch. Like, he is a handful as a 1V1 matchup, has great vision, good technical ability, just kind of turns off in key moments. And then I think Salatros is still trying to sort of figure out how he can be the most impactful that he can in this team, but like, I don't know, you're missing still Andre Franco, who should be back after the break. That ought to change what their ceiling is for an attacking sense. And Jonathan Bamba wasn't there. And I think Bamba's got some unfair stick over the past year and a half. He's a really, really good player, especially in this sort

of system. So I don't think it was unfair last year. I think it's unfair this year. Yeah, he's a letter-up this year. Okay, he's a got-st-the-room guy. Yeah, yeah, I'll take that. I'll take that. But, like, I did a hit on the show in the middle of the game, like, they're up 3-1, and it's like, this defense is flying and then bang bang like individual mistakes Cincinnati came down and brute forced away through I don't know the flip side Cincinnati can't defend and their details are terrible like they have they have fight in them still but there's something there's something missing broken off in the way all these pieces are fitting together we so I have a couple of thoughts and like you were pitched I want to hear kind of your take on on where I'm going with this first of all

I think Cincinnati outplayed Chicago, but you tell me, I'll really quickly, do you agree with that? Yeah, I agree with that. I agree. I think the difference was that, like, and I think a lot of games earlier this year are going to start to look like that sometimes for the fire, especially if they get an early lead, because they're just going to sit back. And like, then the difference is, okay, well, we have Hugo Kuyper's and you don't. So like, if we create a chance or two, cash money, like, and we'll sit back in game states. But I agree with you. I think, I think, yeah, on the eye, Cincinnati played better. That one's on me for trusting that when I said, really quickly. It was going to be really quickly.

I'm going to continue now because I want to get your thoughts on a few things that I think when Sincere had their best. Tell me you don't need to tell him you need his thoughts. Just ask him his thoughts. Well, because I had to try to walk him into answer quickly. I thought it was going to be five words. So this play off Jalen Brunson right now, okay? Like games on the line. Like ball hits my hands. Stop yelling in the corner for it.

When since he read the best over the last few seasons, it's the Lucho Kosa teams. and Luccio Cosa and Evander are similar in the way that they are heliocentric. The system is them, particularly in attack. But in defense, they had like a couple hunters, whether it was prime Miyazgo or when Miles first got here. But they also had Obie and Woboto. So that allowed the wingbacks are wingers. And that's what this team has right now. They have two, I like the wingbacks, particularly Echenique.

They are wingers. They are not defenders in literally any way other than saying that they're wingbacks. Woboto, we appreciated him during, like, at his peak. Woboto. I think we appreciate him. I think even particularly now I appreciate what he did more because that allowed both wingbacks to be the secondary chance creators or scores or whatever while still protecting the

back line. Gidey and Buka, I like them very much as players and this team were trying to be better in possession and breaking teams down. That's why they led them to these profiles. But they're not the destroyer types. They're not shielding the back line. So the backline is more exposed while also

Miyazga and Robinson have only played, I think, 15 games together since Miasga got injured in the middle of 2024. That's, that's whatever, two year, two and a half years, whatever the time is. That's not enough for a guy that's a DP and a Max Tam. So between all of that, and they're also just like losing, look, go back and watch the Chicago goals. It was, they lost duels or they lost the ball in a weird spot and then didn't clear it when they had chances to clear. Yeah, not defending throw-ins. Yeah, it was like, these are just so on.

characteristic of this team and I like I don't know what the fix is if if Woboto can't gain the steps back that it is I agree with you on all all those fronts pat nunan clearly is very frustrated and he straight up told me like I spent two weeks looking for answers and didn't feel like I had them for this particular group um it's not just robinson and meows go by the way it's just been like a you know shuffle the deck and pull random cards at centerback for a while now I always thought this team's strength and the margins were super tight, but their strength is always transition moments. Like attacking transition, they found Lucho or Evander quickly and then they had runners around them and they killed you.

It was never a team that was going to tiki-taka like La Posa you to death, really. The flip side was when they lost the ball, they cleaned it up quick and they didn't isolate their centerbacks. Like it was always sort of defending by numbers or it was Wobito doing the Diego Chara thing, which is just like I'm a one-man wrecking ball. And it feels to me like they are a lot of these transition moments. They're no longer winning. and that means instead of two or three moments a game

where you need desperation plays from your centerbacks or a big save from your goalkeeper, it's six or seven. And when you flip and go the other way, you are not, you're not, you know, listen, I also think there's a difference from Evander and Lucho in the sense that, like, I just think Lucho is like, I think this is not a knock on Avander at all.

Lucho is an insane person maybe. Like, he's just crazy. and like that craziness manifests itself and like demand on himself and demand on his teammates and Evander is just as talented if not if not more in a lot of ways but I'm not sure that as a singular personality

I'm not sure people are like oh God I'm scared of of that guy like and I think I think people were scared of Lucho and not giving the ball to Lucho and doing what Lucho needs it's not on Evander it's not on him at all I also just think the structure around him is not as good as it was with Lucho

real quick for anyone listening on serious radio we're going to run a little long here so go search soccer wise on demand yeah on demand or anywhere you get your podcast for the rest of the show we appreciate you joining us for that the only part i will say is it does feel like for all the quote unquote pressure that's been on denk denk has gone under the radar i understand he was suspended for this game part of the issue and it feels like it's a vander's responsibility to be the leader or not and to be lucho or not where denk costs what 20 plus million yeah no i agree 16 16 yeah and it doesn't feel like there's ever a moment where he amplifies the team he scored goals last year but it doesn't feel like and then you look at what brandon vasquez did and the way he adjusted his game to make brenner better

and then even the ways that brenner got better when he was there yes last year even what the change that that happened with brenner and the change that happened with evander and the chemistry that you immediately saw in the, like, the very clear difference where you're like, oh, these guys were on the same page and good things happen because of it. I completely agree with you. And honestly, the red card against Toronto for Kevin Denke, I know for a fact he apologized to the team, that's, I mean, that's like an unforgivable red card at this point in the season with what's happening with them and his place in the team.

I, that's, you just can't do that. You can't. That's a mental mistake and that's a composure mistake. It has nothing to do with like trying to make the best play. You spiked a boot and then you and the play afterwards poke the guy in the face. Like you just have to, you just have to, it just can't happen. So there's a lot of those things happening for this team discipline-wise too. It's tough.

It's tough. Do we think they turn it around this year? What is turn it around? That's the question I was asking myself this year. What is turn it around? I think they will, I think they will for sure be a playoff team. Do you think they win a playoff series? No.

So it's not a conference. depends on the matchup and like, I don't know, man, you could go back to this time of the season last year. I'm sure that there are huge surprises after eight weeks. I still just bet on the collective talent structure and history of this club that obviously depending matchup, but I would say yes in this moment they'd win a series. But it does feel like right now, Tom, the run is connected to last year where they had the on paper performance in the standings, but underwhelming style and then were eviscerated in the playoffs in a way in which they did not feel like they were on the same playing field as the top

team. I think the thing I would say that gives me faith that they to go on Tom's side here is just the structure of the season and and their ambitions in the past and willingness to to chop and change and make moves when needed. Like they're going to have 14 games just like everybody else into the break and then you're going to have a window. And I think you might see in this window if Kevin Denke, if they get an offer, a good offer for him, which he's still at a good age, profile like I think I think they would be willing I think they might be to make that move is that right I mean pay think about I mean I don't even wanted to pay tar musa in this team just if you're talking about guess what there are other

forwards in the league other than Pedro Musa yeah but I'm talking about guys in the 10 million range like if you were looking to go more thing that wasn't a Peter Musa thing I mean I'm gonna moussida I don't know I don't know name more that name our stuff I would I would I don't know add Adding Namar to a team that's like struggling with the details doesn't feel like maybe the way to do it. But what do I know? Okay. Oh, I have one more thing, actually.

Meta Chicago Fire. No, yeah, Chicago Fire fans that shouted out soccer-wise. That was dope. And then was drinking a Miller light one tea to the E in the post-game bar. And a Cincinnati fan came up to be unprompted and said, why does David Goss hate the city of Cincinnati? And then proceeded to call you a cultural elite who doesn't have his finger on the pulse of the heartbeat of the nation. And that's actually a quote. I'm not anything.

I wrote that. I literally wrote that down. I wrote that. I said, hold on. Let me write this down on my notebook. Just so you know. I did a Cincinnati podcast last week. I talked for like 35 minutes about Cincinnati.

Wasn't enough. They said it's not about the club. It's the city. They sense a feeling that you don't respect. As a municipality, you don't believe in it. I literally said the fact that Namar is genuinely considering the shows that they can contend with the coastal elite. I said that on a show. I think that was what you know what actually I'll accept this.

And I will for the rest of my life hold this against the city of Cincinnati. The trash heap that sits on the bottom of the state of Ohio like a pimple that I will forever despite. in every single level. Enjoy Dexter Lawrence and whatever else you can get, Cincinnati. Thank you, Weeby, for bringing that to us. I appreciate it. I just had to deliver that message. Where are you next week?

I am doing El Capitan, the Texas Derby. I'm going to be in Austin for Austin, Houston, on the Walmart Saturday Showdown. Houston versus Dallas, and then the other one's Copa deaos. Yeah, this is a good, you know, listen. No, I'm the coastal leader. Yeah, get the flubs out. Get the flubs out, all right?

You just get the flubs out. Texas. Texas is a different, Texas is not really the Midwest, so that's outside of my normal jurisdiction. So I'll have to jog myself on the laws of the land down there. Yeah, exactly. Do you have a barbecue joint you're going to hit up in Austin? I get in Saturday morning. It makes it difficult, makes it difficult, but I am open to all breakfast burrito-slash-tac-to-locations

from our assorted Austonians out there. So if you have a good shout for me on that front, I'm all yours. Hit him in the Discord. Here. I got my scarf from Austin. It's upside down. Yeah, whatever. It's the color that matters.

It's the color that matters. Austin coming off the 3-3 draw against Toronto FC. If you are not paying attention, 1 p.m. every Saturday, Toronto will play a home game. It will be unhinged. It will be a game you don't think you want to watch. You have to have watched it. And Toronto will be unhappy with the performance at the end,

no matter what. That is a given. in our life. Okay, we have fun with that. All right, guys. Tom, shoot me a text. Let me know how you're running is going. All right, boys.

Sit. Tom just getting a shot right up. It just doesn't listen to the show. Yeah. And I've corrected him via text. Does he not read his text? He might just be making fun of you, Tom. No matter what, even though you've said you've changed.

By the way, I ran yesterday. Have a better bit. I ran yesterday at noon in Miami. That went poorly. Okay. Before we get into the midweek. week stuff. Shout out to Carlos Heel. 50-50 now, fifth active player and 32nd all-time in MLS history. He will go down as one of the greats. You can go to MLFsocker.com to the stats

page to find all the historical stats. Oh, wait. No, you can't. Tom, welcome back. Maybe we missed you. We needed you to bring the energy to us. Okay, let's go into the headlines. Let's start with the one big game we didn't talk about, which is the Colorado Rapids set the attendance record for their, in the state of Colorado, for a soccer game as well as I believe the second largest crowd in MLS history. At 75,000 at Mile High Stadium. I was there two weeks ago for the Denver Summit's first ever game.

I can't go back. You can only go once. You only get to do that experience once. So I know what the stadium feels like, did not get the full 75K, but a big moment for the Rapids. And then you sort of see the vibes from Matt Wells, who was on this show last week, already lost his voice. I walked him through the Doc Rivers, Tom Tibido, history with that. Didn't seem to care that much.

But the thing happened that he said what happened. They play the way they play. It is, you know, borderline suicidal at times. They go down to zero, but they tie two two because they will be committed to it and keep doing it. They end up losing three, two, because Messi's the best player in the league. but Tom overall this team continues to be like a fun exciting experience I think he that Matt Wells and the Rapids walked out of that experience at a minimum by doing what he wanted which is show fans that the Colorado Rapids are worth investing in and coming to and being

around and it was the biggest stage they're going to get. Doyle wrote about this in his weekend wrap up and put in a couple Matt Wells quotes about pretty much how happy he was I just got the New York Times plug right there that's pretty The old lady Great lady Which like so underpins Yeah that that is how he felt For me like

The rapids were the protagonists Protagonists and dictated how this game went Against Lino Messing into Miami And in a first choice 11 Which is very very interesting It was for the good When they controlled the ball, created chances And again dictated the game

But also the bed The architects of their own down downfall on at least two, if not three of the goals, depending on how critical you want to be on Leonel Messi's later winner. The first was trying to play out of the back, correct call VAR for a penalty. And then the second one was, and I think this will just come with time with this team. It's just not, it's a naivete feel of the game. There's 10 seconds before halftime, and they're so committed to when we get the ball, we want to go back to draw you out to create transition opportunities. not realizing if you go back,

there isn't even time to create a transition opportunity because the time it goes end to end, the referee blow the whistle, if he sticks to three minutes. And going backwards like that and playing risky, Miami has a chance to pounds on the ball. They get the ball and score, you know, there was three minutes of stoppage time.

They scored at like 3.10. And even if Miami, if they won the ball and passed backwards, I think the referee blows the whistle, but they kept in the final third. So I thought that was like a little bit of, oh, this team that just won the title and has all these big players and everything.

they understood in that moment. We need to stay forward and go for it. So I thought that was interesting. Another thing, this was the first game for Guillermo Hoyos as interim head coach. And as kind of I've been saying since the change happened, I'm just very much assuming he's going to have a long run at this. I don't think that there's going to be a new head coach coming in soon. But I guess we'll see if that changes. The tactics weren't notably different unless the team purposely seated Colorado possession,

which I'm going to go ahead and say that they didn't because they never do. They didn't appear to be trying to do that. they had 39% possession. That is the lowest average possession that they've had in a regular season game that Lino Messi has played in. So that's not the plan. And Guillermo Hoyos, not exactly thrilled by the tactician in him because after the game, all it was was, you know, God blessed us with the talent he gave our number 10 and we're just happy to have them. That's pretty much all he said over and over again from what I read.

I mean, it might be the best job stability you're going to get down there. Exactly. All of the things good, Ben. and indifferent that we thought with the coaching change from match for Ronald Hoyos were on display. But they won. They got three points because that number 10 is magic and they beat the call rabbits three, two,

in front of the second largest crowd in M.S. history. It's just fun when you play Josh Atensio with a man on his back seven yards from your own goal when you build out. There's just no losing in a situation like that. We're all having fun. To be fair, that was a Ben Bear level touch

from Atensio. Like he should have done a lot better with that one. It was a suicide pass from Zach Steffen, but it was not a great moment from Josh Atensio either. But I admire the commitment to the bit from Colorado. Like they really truly believe, and this comes from the head coach from Matt Wells, that they are at their best when they are starting to build from the back.

And Wells has said, like that is the one, like you get to, arrange the pieces on the chess board when you are in control of the ball from the back and they they're going to keep doing that no matter how many moments they have like the two that they had in this one or when playing it out of the back goes wrong they're going to keep doing that but matt wells is um man is a hell of a quote after well first of all he he's had separate interviews where he's talked about uh making the team quote play in my image which like okay is either English or has a God complex or both. After this one, he said there was one team on the pitch.

I thought we were outstanding from start to finish. It's a travesty. We didn't win this game. Other quotes from this man, we had an incredible group of players in terms of obedience, but I just had a sense that in their heart of hearts, they didn't truly believe. Another one, if I'm just watching the game,

this was from backhield, if I'm just watching the game, crack on as normal, but I'm giving, but if I'm giving a specific signal, from the sideline, that trumps everything, and we commit to that signal. How I've explained it to the guys is,

lads, no offense, but my super strength is the feeling of the game. I can feel it better than you guys. I know the solution better than you guys. I don't know how you play for a guy like that. I do not, like, it's like, okay, if the results are going well, and you're playing good soccer,

you can buy that for a little bit. bit. But as soon as the result stop coming, if they have like two more of these games in a row, I can't imagine that will be anything other than grading on the players in the locker room. I will

say he's gotten a lot of really strong individual performances, starting with their best he's gotten complete by. He's fantastic. I think Paxton Harrison has been better in this system this year than when he first joined under Chris Armist. He's looking at guys like Kosi Thompson. Lucas Harrington again, I think that he's very, very good.

he's going to be sold for a lot of money at some point in the future, probably the near future more than the long-term future. But you just kind of go up and down the roster. It does feel like he does have complete buy-in from the players. And he said it on the show last week, youngest average age for a team in MLS this season. So I think that's the other piece of this is for a lot of these guys. Like not only they bought it, they don't, one,

they don't have a difference to like push him against because they've never played for anyone else. And too, like, he's the guy. He's the guy who gave them their opportunity. If you're Wayne Frederick, you're really going to go against this person who was starting you and giving you carte blanche to open up and play against Lionel Messi and into Miami in front of 75,000 fans. I think if you're Minungu, like, you couldn't get a start.

Now you're going to be one of the guys. So I think there's a level of buy in there, which is like this is the team. He's given us the opportunity. And we all feel like we have a chance. And they're entertaining. they're fun. I mean, I think they're enjoying playing the soccer.

But yeah, as the results, falter could become even bigger. Both these teams have huge games on the midweek. So RSL hosts Miami at 9.30 p.m. Eastern Time. So I assume Miami's not traveling home. And then L.A.

That's very interesting. Yeah. And then L.AFC hosts Colorado at 10.30 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday. Those are the two best games. They are all teams that are obviously riding high. They're all teams that we just hit in this segment. One big note will be. Yonick Bright will be suspended for that game after picking up a red card late in this one against Colorado. We are

heard it's for derogatory language. We will continue to cover it as we learn a little bit more coming out of it. But this is a huge opportunity for RSL, Tom, similar to the way it was for Colorado of like you're hosting the champions. You get to prove that you're for real. Yeah. And this is the thing with Miami where and to a similar extent, LASC, some of these teams like, These are the matches that you're super excited for you get up for. These are the teams of the targets on the back, Miami, as the reigning champions. But of course, with Messi and everybody else in the circus in the good ways that come with that. They have to be up for it.

And they want to prove that they're for real. They want to prove all of these things. Going back, one last point on Miami's win. So Messi moment of magic to score that goal in like a one-v-one opportunity. I want to pause it. And maybe this is just for Doyle. I mean, just for God's not for Doyle. sorry. How many clones of you in that moment would it take to stop Lino Messi from getting a shot on

target? If you, if just David got, how many David Gosses would it take? Does conceding a penalty kick count as stopping? No, no, no, like that means you lost. Like you can't, you can't foul him. You can't bring a, um, a crowbar, right? Like, you have to try to defend him as David Gosses. How many David Gosses? Well, I know my height. My width has grown. So I don't of my exact width, but I guess if you would build an amoeba. Yeah, if you put me across in a diagonal, because I don't have to stop the whole line from

the edge of the 18, all the way through to the other sideline. It's probably about 35 of me. Where he picked up the ball in that moment, where he had Lucas Harrington kind of one-on-one? Yeah. How many of you do you think? Probably about 30, 35 of me. I'm not really a lateral movement

type guy, so that's not really my specialty, reacting to people. Yeah, it's, it's hell. It's, that's like, the whole fear. and I think that's one of the issues when you play this way and you get stuck this way and guess what? He's in playing 90 on Wednesday because it's messy

and this is what they do and some guys on RSL that maybe you wouldn't love to be in that situation. I mean, Justin Glad gave up the most useless penalty in the game against San Diego late on where you're like, it is Justin Glad. This is part of it. Yedlin's back, which is great.

It gives you, you know, more athleticism than Philip Quentin at at that spot. But there's it's still going to be a massive worry for this R-SL team. And they're going to try and do what they did to San Diego, which is we're going to try and outscore you. If we can put up four, we're going to get a win. And that's clearly true because they only scored three against Colorado.

So, like, that's the game playing for RISL team playing for RISO. I do wonder if they watch the Rapids. Obviously, everybody has their different tactics and the rapids are very, very unique. But are they going to see how much that they can take? Doyle dying inside with the qualifier on unique. I watched it happen to his face. But are, R-SEL, like R-SEL want to play more at the ball

and they have this year, are they going to see like, oh, like the rapids were able to hold, like, hey, maybe we won't hold, you know, 63% or whatever it ends up being, but like, we don't have to concede 60% to them. Do you think that that's a possibility or will it just be more of, like, let's hit it in front of it. I mean, Miami just played at 5,280,

and now they're at 4,400 on short rest. You try to do everything you can to run them into the ground. You make, you make the altitude work for you. But what worked for you against San Diego, which has worked against Miami, is hitting in transition, right? Yeah, but that was after it was already 2-0. What worked against San Diego was high-pressing them into two mistakes. But on the road at San Diego, it was all transition stuff, right?

Like, I'm just saying for RSL, because the flip side is you expose yourself in that possession, and then you get hit in single moments where you have the athleticism to crush in transition moments if you can get isolated, and it feels like that's the advantage for RAS. No, that's fair. and Miami do allow the most chances, the most shots, the highest quality shots, and the most goals in transition of any team in MLS this year. So there are multiple ways to skin this particular cat,

but if I'm RSL at home against Messi, against this wounded Miami team, I just think there's something to coming out on the front foot and showing your fans and this young team and being like we can't, we're not playing afraid at all. We're taking it to them. And then,

you know, maybe after 15 minutes you drop your line. But I, if I was Pablo Maschimania, I'd be like, first 15 minutes is all us, is all we, we are going to put them in hell

for the first 15 minutes of this game. It's like Tom and Men's League. Can't back down. You always have to be the aggressor. I believe that I'm missing here. Yeah, so RSL on the weekend will go to the LA Galaxy. So that will be the end of this seven-day stretch for them, which I don't know that that dictates any part about the way they're going to play.

Miami will host the revs on the weekend going back home after this two game stretch in the mountains. And then L.A.F.C. Colorado Doyle. So Colorado comes off that, like, huge somewhat high, but the loss. And now they go to what was the, what is the best defense in the league. and deal with L-A-F-C, how do you think they handle this? L-A-F-C or Colorado? I mean, you can pick one. I think I know Colorado, because Matt Wells has said,

we're going to keep playing the same way all the time no matter what. Right. So I think that's it. And I think L-A-F-C, like at this point, I know Mark DeSontas has talked about wanting to be more of a possession team, but if somebody's going to come into the game and give them a chance to counter into space, then that's what they're going to do.

And that's probably the best idea for them right now because they really have to get Sun untracked. He had, I know San Jose did a really nice job against him, but he had one particular chance. I think it was middle of the second half where... On the left side of the left channel of the box? Why didn't he take that? Yeah.

It was, I agree, but like I think Ziven or Twelman called it of like, his first touch went a little bit wider than he wanted to. I still think you should have shot at that point, but it was just like a weird moment of him not being shot. Like in those moments, it's like, oh, my God, that's a goal. Yeah. So I think at this point, if a team is going to come into the game and give you a chance to get Sun out on the break,

then you play to that. Because long term, the most important thing for LAFC is to get Sun clicking and putting the ball in the back of the net again. We ask the question if RSL and San Jose are for real, we will know the answer to that about Colorado in exactly one week because it's inter Miami, L.A.F.C. and then Vancouver on the weekend. So arguably three of the four best teams in the league coming into the season and they've all sort of played that way to start. And now Colorado, all of them back to back to back. So we'll see what the results look like for them. The rapids, I think, sitting right now in like eighth or ninth in the west, the two teams right around them, FC Dallas right above them coming off a two, two draw against the LA Galaxy. They face off against Minnesota. So those two teams sort of fighting for that playoff spot. I think more fighting for where you stand in the echelon of the Western Conference, which has been the better conference so far this season.

And so FC Dallas hosting Minnesota midweek 8.30 p.m. Eastern Time. We have our data provider ingradiant. We did the best 11 so far of the season in NWSL last week. We're going to put out our MLS one this week. We're going to be doing them going forward. I believe Logan Farrington is all. on that best 11. So far this season, and it is a judgment on every single action a player takes.

And then a grading process, we have the full language that we'll put out with the posts on social media. But Tom, as much as I love Petzar Musa and the Petzar Musa show and everything he does, it is not a one-man show with that team. No, and there's still kind of figuring some stuff out. And by the way, I don't rarely want to focus on refereeing decisions as I just think it's uninteresting, but I don't, I have not seen good video of why Dallas had that third goal chalked off last, this weekend.

Yeah. If that seemed really clear to me that it was on side and that was very frustrating and unfortunate, but the larger point with this team, yeah, they're still trying to get their feet, like they are trying to use the ball more. I think that there's upside here, but I am cautious because I think I felt that way, it's the last three and a half seasons where you just kind of waiting for them to really open up. Once Sancy Moreno was able to be. playing more. He's not going to be like a high level DP 10, but it's going to help the attack. And when you have Musa and Farrington to a lesser extent, but like when Santee Moreno was at his best for Portland, it was when he was kind of fitting in as like a third guy. Like,

you don't want him to be a high usage of Avander in Portland or Sincere or Acosta in Sinci or insert any of your favorite kind of Carlos Hill in New England, particularly when he's win MVP's. That's not quite his game. And it doesn't have to be. to improve this Dallas attack with Musa because you can play in and through Musa, but as long as you can pop up with a number of different players around them. And again, I think the wing backs are going to continue to have more and more importance for this Dallas team. I'm more interested in looking forward because I think that they're incomplete.

Obviously, without Moreno being able to get minutes under him. There's, I think, a lot more that will learn about this team rather than looking back and saying, okay, this is what they are, this is what they want to do, this is who they'll be, because I think it's going to evolve as these pieces come together. So one of the things that's interesting about this game is... Let me just interrupt. I was just re-watching that clip 100% offside. Absolutely clear that that third goal was offside.

Send me the video. Sure, you all watch it together. Send a video. You're talking about it. You're old, your eyes don't work. One of the things that interests me about this game is for Dallas, they went up to zero. They probably wish they'd won. But the galaxy presents a specific challenge for you, which is they want to play possession, right?

The first goal is a Yoshita mistake, but it's a ball over the top for Musa and a lot of the stuff that Dallas creates is in transition. Minnesota's not the same. So this is a different challenge of like, is Dallas for real? can they be someone, especially at home, who can control the game states and decide the way things are played and then come out with three points that you should probably get midweek?

Yeah, I mean, I feel like I've seen real progress from Dallas. I think that the second half defensive performance was a little bit of an aberration based on the overall body of work this year. Michael Collodi has actually struggled and goal. I think that's part of something that they, I'm not saying they need to address it right now, but it's something that they should certainly keep an eye on.

Like you said, Minnesota present a different kind of challenge. They're not what they were last year in terms of aggressive play, but they are still very much a counter-attacking team. And Dallas has actually kind of done well against that over the past year and a half. But this is a, look, this is a type of game where if you're a contender, you find a way to win. And between Musa and Farrington, they have two guys who can win you a match like this

just on brute force, and they should have the type of defense that can at least keep it to one, right? Like no crooked numbers. But also... Because you're not going to shut down Thomas Chonkalae. You just hope to hang on. He was really good, actually.

The Chonkali, Yaboa, Frontline, has real chemistry, and they've been fun to watch. Chonklai's goal celebration is, so extra. He does like four bows to the crowd. It's like, all right, dude, come on, relax. If you're going to win a golden boot, fine, but like, chill. But the thing I was, what I was about to say, though, is like, this is the time of year when we start getting the Wednesday games where results start getting kind of screwy. Yeah. So don't expect everything to be chalk over these next

couple of weeks. Expect some, you know, like San Jose is what, hosting Austin. Wouldn't be at all surprised if Austin got a result. But it's just how it goes in MLS this time of year. Yeah, we have another midweek on May 13th going into World Cup break and then an open open cup midweek between

that. Yeah. And we've got Concaf still to come with the semi-finals. The last game I put down here was Columbus LA Galaxy Paying still back. His first starting MLS goal and assist against Dallas. I think he came off in like the 75th. Yeah. I don't think it was an injury. I think he was

it's fully done to the extent where he's like, I'm not walking off. Like I am sitting down now coming get me. But a huge, I think, return for this Galaxy team. And Doyle, you even see it in the goal he scores of. Peck comes inside, but Payne still comes across the line.

And there's just, it feels like the Galaxy have been in their lanes too often. And there's not connectivity and there's not a ton of movement. In all of that, Klaus limped off and might be out for a stretch now. And injuries always for this team. but yeah a tough performance there for the galaxy but trying to bounce back yeah i mean it good result the the tough part about it is potentially losing klaus but getting painful back gives them

a level of dynamism obviously in the open field where he's one of the best players in the league but we saw on his goal he he's really smart about how and when to apply his speed and acceleration that was just a genius run really well-timed. The galaxy, look, it was a good result, but it was also like their rest defense is still really bad. Yeah. Anytime they turn the ball over in the attacking third. I mean, Yoshita's paying on the mistake, but you're like, it would happen to this team.

Yeah. They just are so uncomfortable facing their own goal. Until they fix that, I just don't think that the. the ceiling is any higher than like seventh in the Western Conference, if that. Okay. That will be a big one. Obviously, a chance to pick up points for Columbus. A big weekend for Diego Rossi.

What was it? His 40th career assist, I think. He went 40-40 or something. I'm clearly grasping at straws here. No one knows. And no one remembers, but that wasn't a two-one loss to the New England Revolution. We have a comment in the chat asking if it's time to dump on the Red Bulls now. we were going to move on to our final segment

Do you want to do that first? My one Red Bulls take is, you know, in the movie Step Brothers where they go, John C. Riley and Will Ferrell go for the job interview and they're wearing tuxes and Seth Rogen's like, I get it. It's ironic. It's funny. You know, you seem like cool dudes that you just want to hang out with all day. And then

one of them has a really long fart. And then he's like, yeah, you know, the tuxedo seem kind of fucked up now. That's the Red Bulls when it's not working. When it's just like, oh, is Prince of Wusu just one pass forward and he's all alone again? Like, yeah, yeah, you know, the the centerback pairing and the all out passing possession type tactics. Yeah, it seems kind of messed up now.

I love that. Montreal has this one solution to their problems, which is playing New York credit. They got to be so pissed that that is done for the season. They might try and make some friendlies up. Oh, World's Cup. Do you guys want to play like four friendlies against each other at Zaputo Stadium just for the fans, just for them to get a look? So 11 games midweek in Major League Soccer. myself and Tom will be back on Thursday morning.

We will talk through all of them as we head into the weekend then after that. Before we get out of here, every Monday, a little look at what's going on with the national team. Shout out to Pellegrino Madarato, first American coach to win a trophy in a top five league. Tom, you missed this moment last week. Doyle said when things go wrong for U.S. soccer, the next thing that has to happen is a man from New Jersey has to save it. And he had BJ Callagrino Madarato. Yeah, he had BJ Callahan listed. but you've got options, Tom.

Reno. Oh, what an awesome story. They beat Athletico Madrid in penalties to win the Copa del Rey. The first trophy an American manager has won at a top five, at a club in the top five league in Europe.

He took them over in mid-December. They were underperforming, but they were in the relegation battle. Now they're closer to Champions League. Like, they're fighting to get Champions League or European qualification at the very least at the end of this season.

And he's done it with high-pressing transition. and I think he's a really thoughtful, interesting guy. I think he's a very good coach. And I'm just always thrilled to see dudes like that succeed. He's had offers or he's had calls, at least they never got to offers from MLS clubs in the past. I think he'll come to MLS one day, but he was very thoughtful with where his next job was going to be. And so he had dad, I just think he's a really, really good fit. I assumed it was just going to be somewhere else in Germany.

But, like, again, this is a really interesting dude with an eclectic kind of taste, palate, and interest. So him thriving in San Sebastian, maybe that's not so surprising. What's the vibes of Farallon, New Jersey? Like, what's the MO there? Is it similar to San Sebastian, you think? Is Farallon considered like one of the two or three best food? Maybe more like the entire world. Yeah.

Listen, best eating slice this side of the, this side of the Hoboken River. So congratulations to Matarazzo. Congratulations to Haji Wright, 28 minutes off the bench, Coventry, clinch promotion, 17 goals to assist on the season. Daryl, we've said it feels fairly safe that he is on the World Cup roster. He's a lock. Yeah, he is probably contending for a starting spot depending on how injuries go now going forward of. He could fill in across a few different positions, but a great career turn for him of a guy who bounced around, found his spot. And now in England has really found his feet as one of the better players.

players in the U.S. pool. Yeah. He's at a, I mean, he, he made that choice 10 years ago to jump overseas. And for a long time, it didn't look like it was going to work out. And over the last four or five years, I think five years now. Literally like, so what were four years removed from the last World Cup? It's like, yeah, right? Four and a half years ago is when it like really worked out.

Yeah, it's awesome. He just started scoring and more power to him. He's kept it going. and he'll be doing it next year, most likely in the Premier League. And I brought up Darrell D.K. last week because we are in, like, striker search mode. And he came off the bench and scored his first goal in 11 months for West Brom in a win. He is probably too far away from this pool to make it. But.

Okay. So my push and like maybe and like maybe that that's how it ended up like Patrick Gajum on on form was deserving of a roster spot. But also he was just different than any other. profile of a forward. So, like, would you rather have, like, somebody who's, let's say, 85% of what, like, Balagan, Reconna Pep, you are? Or would you rather have somebody who is just a completely different profile? And I think that's where Darrell D.K. might have a chance. I don't know if that's how the coaching staff sees it, but that's kind of how I see it. This is why I brought him up last week, and I felt ridiculous for doing it. And then he scored a week

later. So he would probably have to get starts at some point and put enough minutes on the board to show that he's capable of like being an option because the other piece of this is there's probably not enough depth to say well we're never going to start this player so you probably have to be an option to be able to go 65, 75 minutes at a high level if you're going to make that roster.

So I kind of disagree with DK. That's like you bring him on when you're in the 80th minute chasing a goal and you're just hammering teams acrosses and stuff like and again that that doesn't mean that he definitely will or that necessarily he would be the choice. But I think that he's, still alive for that reason more so than the minutes.

Like gosh, everything you're saying is completely rational, but I think it just comes down to more like you're going to make, uh, compromises for different. Yeah, he's, he would,

if he's on the roster, he's there for one reason only. And this to win, you know, get it into the mixer, win the first ball from the 75th minute onwards when you're desperate. It, and it's a different,

um, different argument, but that's kind of why Gio Raina is still on most people's rosters. He's played 23, Bundes League a minute since January 17th. And most people have him on the roster. Like, because he does something different than a lot of other players in those positions. And I think that's, would you take, would you take Gio Raina or Nico Chakiris?

I'm serious. I'm like, this joke aside, it's Giorina because Brandon Aronson does what Nico Chikaris does. I'm not sure I see that. Dave? Could Nico Chikiras have back-to-back assist because Manchester United and another team right? know, like I don't need to be. Maybe if he played for a team in the Premier League, maybe. That's really convenient that it's a maybe.

Like, Doyle, going back to that, you're like, yeah, no, they have a DP 10. I don't want to be the one to reign on the parade of Nico Shakir. He's done this for eight games. Eight. Okay. People have been. How many games? How many games has Brennan Aronson gotten for the U.S. national team and done nothing?

So anytime somebody plays a handful of games and not good. Nope, next somebody's good enough. We're looking at a, who are the only? Who are the alternative? Like, the alternative is, is this? I don't, I don't. Okay. So let me say this one, in this argument, Tom. There's no example where Chikiris has been bad. It's not like he's on an eight game stretch. This is the first chance he's got. Brendan Aronson did more for the Philadelphia unit age 18 than Nico Chikaris has done at age 20 for the San Jose because he's under free games. Like he should be in the first camp post World Cup. But what Nico Chikis is doing right now is more than what Brendan Aronson did in his Philly career. I don't think so. Okay. I think Nico is more central to what? San Jose does than what Brendan Aronson was to Philly. He was really good in the cog and the machine was good, but it wasn't, oh, the game's on your shoulders. You're the main chance creator and you're the one who leads the pressure and all of this.

It was like, if you go out and play like your heads cut off like the other 10 guys, then we'll win. But I didn't have Giorina on my roster, so the question is not as relevant for me because I'm not, you know, a talent, you know the word I'm going to use, like Matt Doyle and the other ones out there who have never had a pretty face smile at them before and all of a sudden they want to change their lives for it. So I'm just throwing it out there. All of these players will be coming off the bench because Florian Bolligan scored in his eighth straight game for Monaco. And Weston McKinney had an assist for Juventus. So good return from him from the suspension.

Anything I miss there in all of this. Anything at all. All right. What a show. What a day to be back. Andrew Reeve be back with us. Tommy Scoot is back. with us as well. It's great to have the crew together. I cannot wait till all of you are out next week at the same time. And I'm calling Caitlin at 9-57 being like, hey, can you just jump on for two hours and talk soccer with me? But when that comes, I will be excited. You know he'd answer the call. Yeah, of course. Thank you to everyone in the chat for hanging out with us. Thank you to all of you for listening via podcast. We have our NWSL show coming up. We've got a special interview. That'll be a part of that one this week. And then, as I said, we'll be back post-MLS games.

to talk on Thursday. So we'll talk to you all again very, very soon.