SoccerWise - USMNT Roll Through Uruguay, MLS Playoff Preview + The Guardian's Expose On Ernst Tanner

Episode Date: November 19, 2025

The USMNT made history this week IN A GOOD WAY! Did you see that coming? Yea you're not alone. Tom & David get together to revel in the US big win over Uruguay & Paraguay. Then they refocus on the MLS playoffs digging into all the matchups coming up. The crew cannot talk only on the field though as they run through the groundbreaking article on the Guardian written by Pablo Maurer investigating a number of reported indiscretions by Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner.4:55 Guardian Article On Ernst Tanner11:58 USMNT Thrash Uruguay33:30 Details on USMNT Pre-World Cup Plans38:20 WCQ Global Wrap Up42:20 Van-LAFC Preview50:33 FCC-MIA Preview56:50 PHI-NYCFC Preview1:01:44 SD-MIN Preview1:07:30 Mateus Bogusz MLS Return?1:11:03 RBNY Plans Under Julian De Guzman1:18:30 Orlando’s End Of Season Roster Moves

What is up everybody? Welcome back to Soccer-Wise, David, Goss, and Tommy Scoops with you for a big-time episode here. A little bit of a different recording schedule as we are into our championship season. NWSL championship preview on Monday with Jordan Angelly. So we had to get that one out quickly. We have our kickback committee show around that game as well. We've got the USL championship on the horizon. Shout out to won Knoxville in the USL League One championship, Tom.

The power of the mustache from you to Ian. It's just such a strong community. What a sick story. What a sick team. What a special guy. What a special coach. special Susanna, all of this stuff. Just incredible.

We couldn't have written this out in the way that it played. It just makes my heart so happy. Two good people doing, again, starting with Ian, like with that team. Just good people doing good things. And as Frank says in the chat, the Stash prevails, that is the true facts.

So big time news for them. Congratulations, as you said, to the Fuller family overall and to the Stash community. So we've got a lot to talk about in this show. In the show, the MLS playoffs are back, which I don't know if anyone's ever heard of that. And this is why the schedule is changing and flipping because it's been 20 days since some teams have been on the field. So we will get your preview.

We will get you ready for the games coming up. They're spread out across the weekend. Friday, Saturday, and Monday. It is a chaos schedule as it always should be. So we'll. There's not a Friday night. Vancouver plays L.A.F.C. Oh, Saturday, Sunday, Monday.

Sunday, Monday. Okay, I knew there was a standalone game on a night. We're resting. We're coming back from the, you know, you know the first, like the wild card games, I guess they don't totally count. That was Wednesday, October 22nd. The first round one game was October 24th. And the next we, whatever Friday.

Yeah, Major League Soccer, obviously originally MLS, it was a real estate platform. and so the key is you'd be able to build a full home between the start and end of the playoffs. That is the focus, a little bit of a pop-up home, but still, you have to be able to build a full structure from the start to the end of the playoffs, or it doesn't officially count in canon as an MLS championship. So we'll talk about that. We will talk about the huge article that just came out in The Guardian written by Pablo Maurer about the current sporting director of the Philadelphia Union Ernst Tanner and that of course and it's heavily connected to the playoffs and everything else going on. And we're going to talk about the U.S. national team who I thought

I would be coming in on a high beating Paraguay and Uruguay and the heights that this team is capable of. But there was a brawl at a game in Philadelphia between the U.S. and Paraguay. And I'm not going to lie, Tom, I couldn't see you. Where were you? You don't defend your brothers. you're not there you're not first to the scrum i was i was sitting next to rojas in the in the in the press box and we were just put each other in a headlock so we so we both like you got involved cool no no no i just listen i was worried that you had lost you had lost your your your verve or your engagement so i i was really worried about that but that's good to see the u.s making A brawl is

Me to a brawl is like I'm like I'm like Are do they have Do they have bulletproof glass coming through That Tom couldn't physically break through And by the way I know it's Subaru Park There are no windows

No It's like a garage thing Let the record show Because I we were there pretty early A couple capitol Js Sit in the press box room And all those things were down All right yep

And guess who? I bet. A little bit of elbow grease, a little bit of arm strength, a little bit of obliques, getting in there, putting, taking the garage door open or whatever, whatever it'd be called. And the galaxy also have the garage doors. So it's of that generation. And I've opened a couple in my life. I think FC Dallas has them too.

I've opened a couple in my life. But I'm glad to see Tom, you're finally growing up and joining the rest of us in the workforce okay before we get back to talking about the stuff we like and the fun stuff uh let's talk about the huge news uh as i said article coming out late yesterday in the guardian uh written by pablo mauer who is as good a writer as we have in the u.s soccer circles and um the article is a giant expose which first and foremost go read it we cannot get through all of it in this show and we shouldn't you should go read that article where it was written support the guardian for helping get that done. Support Pablo for the work. He did and go understand the story for yourself

because we're not going to be capable of synthesizing all of it for you and putting it all together. But Tom, this was earth-shattering for this club, for the league, for people around the sport, for people around Philadelphia. And then we've had some statements that have come out since then. Yeah, first of all, it was an exhaustive piece of journalism by Pablo Maurer. So again, support journalism, support Pablo, read it, echo what Goss said, even if we were here trying to give details, which again, I think that that sells short the work of what Pablo's done, what The Guardian has done, and for those who don't quite know, something like this, it goes through a lot of layers of people and lawyers, right?

Like, The Guardian's name is on this. The Guardian is not no stranger to posting, it's a publishing expose or investigative reportings, I should say, across all domains, including, like, politically, this goes through a ton of layers. So they've invested in this, and again, just incredible work by Pablo, and, you know, we'll see what comes of it. But Ernst Tanner was placed on administrative leave by the Philadelphia Union today as Major League Soccer reopened an investigation that initially was closed because they were not able to corroborate some of the allegations. Pablo had more info on that, plus new allegations, and that's why MLS has said that they reopened that investigation. and the first statement comes from the Philadelphia Union. Quote, Philadelphia Union takes all allegations of misconduct extremely seriously

and is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone associated with our club. Discrimination, harassment, or abusive conduct of any kind has no place here, and all staff are required to complete annual sensitivity training. While the recent MLS investigation was unable to corroborate allegations involving Sporting Director Ernst Tanner, MLS has advised the union that it will be reopening that investment and the union continues to cooperate fully.

The union has placed Mr. Tanner on administrative leave during the investigation. Throughout the process, our top priority remains at the well-being of our players. MLS also put out a statement saying MLS recently concluded an investigation to allegations raised by the MLS Players Association, which the MLSPA noted had been independently verified following publication of a Guardian article that included new allegations and potentially new information. MLS will reopen the investigation. MLS maintains an anonymous reporting hotline,

and encourages anyone with relevant information to come forward. The allegations across this article span years. They span inappropriate workplace behavior, racism, sexism, homophobic language, inappropriate touching, inappropriate hiring and firing processes. There is a lot in this article. And so we're going to continue to cover it here, but it just happened and is still developing. So there is not a lot that we can add.

Ernst Tanner firmly denies the allegations. And that was put out, I believe, by his legal team, who is supporting him through this. And so there is still a lot to happen. And as this reads, this investigation now into the new allegations, and I would assume looking back at the previous allegations, will tell us a lot going forward of what will happen. um we hate these stories but of course they're so important um and there is a lot of unknown but

everyone i think it goes without saying deserves a safe and comfortable workspace in their life and that has to be the most important job at any time for an organization and you would hope the philadelphia union are making steps to make sure that that's the case going forward and you'd hope major league soccer will as well obviously the comment in the mLS statement about um the anonymous reporting hotline stated in the article that people did not feel that they could comfortably use that. So MLS needs to also look at the process here and make sure that they are doing what they can to support everyone. And it sucks when it's timing like this, but these are the moments where you have to force

organizations to move and change when things are fluid. But Tom, it sucks overall. And I think we feel for anyone who's experienced any of this or who's been a part of it, and we're still waiting to just see more. Exactly. And to your point, first and foremost, it's about the humans, it's about the workplace, it's about everything. And again, like you said, Tanner has firmly denied the belief that the quote was like firmly denies the allegations. We'll see what kind of comes of it. Again, everybody involved deserves a positive, safe, healthy workplace and stuff. So again, all of these allegations, there was an investigation. But hopefully the league, the club, everybody can get to the bottom of this. And again, that is the most important. It is difficult to talk about.

I just echo, like you saying, this sucks. I think we're here behind people and supportive of this process and supportive of, again, the journalism, the reporting that Pablo has done. Our area of expertise is on the sporting and technical side. So it's awkward a transition as it is, just to point out, Philly are in the playoffs. They host conference semifinal this weekend against N. my CFC and the timing is this is this was a team that was on a high they won the

supporter shield and they they get through to the next round that they easily get past Chicago in that second game after the first one was a little dicey and now it feels like the game that they recently played and their next one just is second and I think I think we both as you said in our expertise of what we understand the way we know this is an earthquake to this organization because of how central Ernst Tanner is to the way this club operates. It is his club where there might be somewhere you'd say, okay, this happens and like the overall structure continues on.

I don't know what this club looks like going forward. And it is going, I think that's why it feels so big on top of the span of seven years of allegations that this is covering and the just massive level of this. And once again, go read the article. I had to sit down and read it and then reread it just to sort of intake everything. that's in there and we'll continue to cover this story as more news comes out going forward. Let's turn to a little bit of soccer, though, and what we thought we would be starting this show with, which is the U.S. men's national team.

We have said over and over on this show, just compete, just be good, and it feels like a treat this morning to me with the way, with the performance that they've given over the last week and the result that they've given and like sports are stupid they're finicky we fixate on small things we sort of sit around waiting for confirmation that doesn't actually exist whatever it is beating uruguay 5-1 is massive and to do it on the final game before the draw and then the final game before basically a four-month layoff is so big for the culture of this and the experience and environment around this team for this is what you've left people with.

Now this is what you're going to the World Cup. Yes, they've got four more games which your co-workers, Henry Bushnell and Paul Tenoria, I've helped break out the story that we're going to talk about here at the end moments ago about what that schedule will look like. But like you go to the draw, you've got five hours of broadcast,

and by the way, one of those broadcasts is going to be done by kickback. We are going to have a live World Cup draw show. We're going to be doing it live from New York City at Legends Bar. So if you're in the air, you can come on by. If not, you could stream it with us and you could watch on our YouTube page. But, like, this is going to be the first topic now for people. And we had Brian Dunceft on the Kickback Committee show a few weeks ago. And he linked all the way back to the second half for South Korea,

the performance versus Japan, across the game versus Australia and Ecuador. Like, these are a string of good performances. But this is your keynote that you can hold up. and say this is what this team's capable of. And sometimes ball go in and sometimes it doesn't, right? They're not five, they're not four goals better than Uruguay, totally. They're not four goals better than the 15th best team in the world.

But they're in the sphere, which is on their good day, this happens. And on their bad day, it probably doesn't. And that's what we've been asking for from this team was that base level to be high. Yeah, going back to the last six games, start with South Korea. they played off the pitch they didn't seem like they were anywhere near that team's class

that was the absolute rock bottom that was the nadir of the Poch era to the point where there were serious questions about should there be a change yeah and the last 30 minutes

against South Korea is when they switched to the 3421 at first you could have worried about not worried about just kind of dismiss it as game states yeah South Korea

because Pochino came to the press conference after the game was like you know actually we played really well and all this stuff and he was giving stats and you and I on the show really.

Yeah, miss me, bro. Yeah, man, game states. Like, South Korea was up 2-0. They subbed out Sun Hung-Men and, like, three other players, and then the United States changed system and got back into the game. They played really well against Japan. And that was still like, well, you know, Japan didn't have all of their starters. But South Korea, Japan, Australia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.

In those six games, five in a row and beaten, with the six being that South Korea game. These are the teams that the US are in generally the same class. And maybe they're ahead of Australia and maybe Paraguay. But I think Paraguay belongs in this group as well. All that is to say, these are the games that you hope to win. These are the games that are big, big tests. And I give credit to U.S. soccer for finding ways to schedule these opponents because these were really important, particularly this window.

Yeah, but like don't do too much. They're playing Canada. They're all playing in the U.S. Like, I'm just saying, you can, fall out of a boat right now and play a World Cup opponent in the U.S. Well, Argentina is playing Angola. Dude, like there's...

Argentina. Argentina plays every game in the U.S. The World Cup's on the verge of happening in the U.S. And they're like, we're going to go to Angola. Yeah, like, so why, that's fair. Yeah, yeah, I'm fair. So I'm trying to give a little credit here. And this is...

We'll talk about the post-game press conference where it's just a fact. Tyler Adams, Christian Pusa, Chris Richards are probably the three most important players in this team and none of them were there and then varying degrees of likely starters, maybe starters of no Timwaya, no Anthony Robinson, no Wesse McKinney, no Malik Tillman.

Beyond that, nine players were changed between the Paraguay win and the Uruguay win. We had no idea what to expect and it was extremely impressive in baseline performances in both games. Like you said, no, they weren't four goals better at Uruguay. I'm not taking anything away from the win. It's just you're never quite as,

it's never as perfect as you think it is, but it's usually never as bad as you think it is either. Though against the 60-minute mark against South Korea, boy, did it feel as bad. Coming into the game, the average cap appearance for the starting 11 was 14.1 caps, which is the least experience starting 11

in USM&T has named in an official FIFA window, so not including January camps, within a year of appearing in a World Cup since October 2005 versus Panama, which I assume if I went back and looked, European players had started their season and they're like, we'll probably call up

a domestic team and sort of a rotated team because we're playing Panama. And that was at a time when they did like Euro-based camps and domestic-based camps. So that's where the question came from with Mauricio Pochitino after the game, which was like, this isn't your A-team. I love the reaction.

First of all, the initial reaction I probably don't understand you because that's a garbage question which it's not by the way and not only is it a fair question and this is sort of something and this doesn't go back exactly to what we talked about

with the Rapids and Chris Armist and all of that but like part of reporters jobs is to lay a platform for people to talk on you got the answer from Mariso Pochitino you wanted like he expressed his emotion on how he feels but we we talked about coming out of the Gold Cup how emotional he was about that group

he highly values the people around him and the experience he has with those people around him. He's not as connected to the team when they're back with their clubs where I think Greg was very connected or not at all. Not at all. But if you do something with him and for him

and around him, it elevates you over other people. I say all this in saying, I think a large part of what we saw over the last two windows is guys feeling this, which is he's in my camp, I'm in his camp. If I go and perform for him, he will pick me. And his point, which he has said since the beginning,

I don't care where you play. As long as you're playing and you're healthy and then you come in and affect the game for me, that's all that matters. And like, John Tolkien sort of had a comment that I think Melissa Ortiz relayed on the broadcast about, like I kind of have a belief that if I put my head down and work hard, I'll get there.

I don't know that that's always been true with the U.S. national team. And this is not a Greg Burrhalter comment. This is a Bush Arena comment. This is a Bob Bradley, right? Like, guys, they formed their team. And I think that's what you saw this week. It Sebastian Burrhalter genuine believes, if I go out there and ball, I've got a shot at this.

And Diego Luna believes that. And Austin trustee believes that. And Max Arfston believes that. And that, I think, is what has gotten you this other vibe. And I'm texting with someone this morning being like, I don't know the best 11. I think there are maybe three locks for starters. And the point is, that's the good thing. The positive is if everyone's bought in, he can tweak and change for opponents or skill sets or form or whatever,

but you're going to get that base level, grit, fight, whatever connection, which is what they've been missing. That is extremely important. Could not agree more. And that has been the point more than anything else. I think that has been the driver of his decisions, of his responses to questions, of his team talks, of everything has been to fuel that and my only worry is perhaps it's gone a little a little far which again if the end goal is just this for now i hope when by the time we get to march we have a bit better idea of you know i can poach give me a break about saying the preferred starters or the first choice or whatever right that there's more continuity built between the guys that we have a pretty strong idea either will be in most lineups or could be, right? Like, the U.S. called up 71 players in this calendar year.

71. I don't know what that is, that number is for Argentina. I don't know what that number is for Germany or for Paraguay or for, or like, I doubt it's anywhere near that. So that's a bit overkill to me while understanding that it's clear that that was the goal to imbue that feeling and that competitiveness and that nobody's spot is for granted. Tim Ream was talking to us before the game, before the Paraguay game about that. And he was kind of straight up, like, I'm not saying one is right or wrong, but the last, like, he didn't say Burrhalter's name, but under Burrhalter, he's like, yeah, guys kind of knew pretty, you know, that was, that was part of his man management style.

Like, this is different. Like, and that's, he was just laying that out. Like, that is just a very clear fact, whether you're on the inside or not. You can see that. You can know that decision. Yeah, and Tim Thompson in the chats is Emma Hayes has done something similar. Obviously, she gets to do that with the luxury of a gold medal. in her back pocket, which makes things a little easier.

And I think we don't have to rehash all the Brawalter stuff, but I think Burrhalter's job when he came in was to build a national team out of nothing. And once he built it, it was hard to step away from it. And the guys were so young that it was hard to make an obvious decision of like, it's your time out. But we'd heard how comfortable players had gotten. And now we see the way things stand. There is so much in this game to talk about.

We're not going to hit everything. like I have for you in the rundown as you see every goal like what I loved about it. I want to talk about the first one while you continue where after Puccstein was already very upset and not very upset, but you know what I mean?

He was clearly on edge and not happy with the line of questioning. And then the next question was pretty much that that first goal by Burrhalter there was rolled short, touchback and he puts it in the top corner. Was the, do the players have the freedom of individuality or do you work on that in the training ground?

And he goes, throws his hands up and goes, no, it happened by coincidence. Like, clearly thinks it was, it was a strong performance. But what's interesting about the moment is, okay, so on the first goal, it's John Tolkien who steps. He reads the play. He steps out of left back, which formation changed back for this team, Sergenio Des, playing as a right wing, which I have talked about for a while now. do you have and i don't mind it and also they did it in a setup but they also did it in a setup

where alex freeman could play right centerback right so there is flexibility and that's one of the things i loved about this team on tuesday was you look at this group and there's these moments where sebastian burhalter goes out wide Diego luna comes underneath tim tilman goes out wide haji right drops in or goes wide john tolkien comes inside almost every one of the players on the field is comfortable in more than one position And that's not about, like, formation where to set them. It's that they can go and find the game. And then other players can react to that.

And that fluidity helped open up a lot of space against this Uruguay team. You also had a lot of players who have a similar soccer mind. Tillman's trying to break lines every time he touches the ball. Which, by the way, I owe Timothy Tillman. A huge apology on this one. The tackle on the third goal is one of the great hockey plays. I have ever seen. He comes flying in on that tackle, squeezes the ball between his legs,

pops up, and immediately recycles play. And he had the assist as well on Diego Luna's goal. It all fit to what his game bottle is, quick play, transition, being aggressive going forward. But Luna likes to take the game and go and attack. John Tolkien comes out of the Red Bull system. Like a lot of the guys in this game are super aggressive and can be, and the technique level is really high.

you have an Aidan Morris, Sebastian Burrhalter, crew, slightly other crew, but still Greg Burrhalter's crews were pretty soccer. That's the academy they came through. Morris obviously played more time with non-say, like they want to be on the ball. They want to connect. They want to keep the game moving. So you saw all of that come to fruition. But Tolkien steps up on the first one. So Haji Wright draws the foul. They play the free kick in and there's a foul call. Like the free kick goes direct. There's a foul called Austin Trussie gets leveled in the box. So then they have to retake it. And that's where the goal comes from. And it's everything.

It's soccer IQ, it's technique, it's confidence. It's what we've seen from Burrhalter for a year and a half. But it is also then the environment there that POTCH has created. And it was awesome. So, yeah, you talk about Seth Burrhalter of the Vancouver White God. It's talking about Alex Freeman over Orlando City. Talk about Diego Luna. Abrielaide Lake.

You talk about Timothy Tillman of L.A.F.C. If I do recall correctly, Marcel Bielsa told, K.K. Oliverer, he needed to leave L.A.F.C. because M.L.S. makes players lazy and stuff like that. Tom got a bone to pick. Gator-rater-rate cooler to sit on, pal. Maybe you need another Gatorade cooler. Maybe you get a better vantage point of what happened during this game. Yeah, you know, yeah, because L.A.F.C. were the problem. It wasn't Kiki Olivera. It wasn't. It wasn't that.

It was, you know, actually L.F.C. made him lazy, and he really not actually that lazy. Like, we are about to go off the rails. yeah we're that that that's two foms from from us combined so i think now we're normally we're normally a lot lower than that but i should i should what a goal from burhalter what a moment for him and he has clearly broken through and become a clear option for this team his flexibility is massive if it is tyler he can play alongside him if it's not he can help like him adam morris tanner testament they've inserted themselves into this group i think that might be the biggest development positionally for me even though we're getting great performances from center forwards the way trusty

and mark mackenzie played has vastly improved my belief in the centerback pool and what they have there i still think now feeling like there are options in the middle of the field that the rest of the team can rely on i think is really really important The second goal, Tolkien wins a corner kick for the team. It's good service is always from Burr-Alter. But come on, man. That's a man-goal from Alex Freeman. Okay, you and me, one-v-one.

Whoever gets up and wins it and wants it more is the one who gets up and wins it and wants it more. And this again, Alex Freeman is one of the best fullbacks in Major League Soccer. And let me get on my soapbox for a second. Ten years ago, Alex Freeman's one of the best young center forwards or center-man in youth soccer and he's either converting positions at 18 for Holston Kiel or Club Bruges or he's winning a Mac Herman trophy and then coming in and playing minutes as he converts positions at a professional level. But because there is a professional system now built for youth development, it was ID that he could be a game changer and world class at that position

and they trained him to be an expert at that position. But with his size, he can play right centerback. When he comes inside, he doesn't get bullied off the ball against Uruguay. Like we're talking about a kid in his first year, really, as a pro, who's banging with the Uruguayan central midfield and doesn't care. And then he has game-changing moments because he's a great athlete. He's a great player. He's a special player.

But you've got to get those guys on the field. And there's a lot of guys, by the way. John Tolkien came up as a center mid. and got converted to the left back position because he's so good on the ball that the game went through him. And they said, I don't know, maybe your athleticism, the way it works is not as comfortable side-to-side quick reactions. If you can anticipate and make hard runs, that's a little bit more comfortable for you. Austin, trustee, and Mark McKenzie coming through in the Philadelphia system and then trustee going on to Colorado, playing high-level professional minutes, having the game at their feet,

requirement to pass out of the back from a young age, which many players didn't have. All of this stuff, by the way. is part of what we saw out there. It was an epic goal. It's an awesome moment. The Tillman tackle on the third goal is great. And you get the history. First time that the U.S. has scored five against the former World Cup winner,

first time the U.S. has scored five against the top 15, top 15 rated national team in the world. So the result on its own is a treat, but the performances across the two games were a treat as well. It was fun to watch. and let me leave you with this not leave you because we're going to keep talking so I was playing soccer last night

and I so I missed the first half live so then I come back to watch it and for starters I played with someone who was wearing a Uruguay jersey I was like by the way you're down 2-0 right now and they're like against two what I get home and I said

the US is winning 4-1 right now and my wife goes the US women are playing like immediately but it's not wrong it hasn't been wrong and my hope is now it feels a little different going forward

and like that's what we got from this week that's what we got from the last two windows is just like true belief that it's worth tuning in for that it's worth investing in that's worth being connected to Pochitino deserves his flowers because we complained we complained about the amount of players

that came in we complained about his insistence that he's the only one who could judge a player that his group is the only one who can sense it and smell it and see it and read his book. You know, and I understand his history and his past, but he had a plan and it worked so far. And this is the best you could hope for at a moment like this. Is there any specific player takeaway, anything else besides the 900 things I just said that you want to get in before we move to the schedule news? Just a very, very quick one. You talked about out-streaming can play that right center back role.

I would have pushed back heavily against this, I don't know, a week and a half ago because everything that we've seen in Orlando is that Oscar Perea changed his game model so he could play that wingback role. Him, like, what we thought and what I still think is his best quality, is his verticality ability to get forward and be creative and dangerous, going for more dangerous than a fullback typically is in terms of scoring goals, and hopefully the creativity will continue to grow as he continues to develop. All of that said, I thought that he would have been a liability at right centerback

And that's why I was like, oh, this is definitely not a three, four, two, one. And then, like, it was really fluid. I think that this was more four two, three one than three, four, two. All of that being said, there were a lot. Like, I thought that there was going to be no moments of Alex Freeman and tucking in as the right setter back. And I think that that is another point in the bucket of his development, his IQ and the coach is seeing it too and believing in a minute. Again, just, just what an excellent development story that, like, we already, you and I were already over the moon about this kid. And we don't put many ceilings on him.

One of the ceilings that personally I was putting on him was like, dude, that's a waste, put him a race on him back. It was a huge week. We haven't done a show since for Raina, obviously, the goal he scores against Paraguay, the performance he puts in, which... Four minutes in. By the way...

Incredible. And an assist against Uruguay. Although... He's back. He does not close down on the Paraguay goal at all. Like, that's the goal. The goal comes from someone has a chance at midfield to pick their head up and pass through to Alamiron.

So there's the good and the bat And I think some of that comes with sharpness And playing and minutes and all of that Yeah But where they stand now Nothing will be reliant on him Because the only world in which you're like Yes, Raina has to be on the roster

Is if you have a spot for a wild card And where we sat two months ago It felt like there was no empty positions Because I don't know what I'm going to get From a lot of players And like is there And then it becomes Well he's not a wild card

Now you're reliance on him Can you rely on him? But now you're in a spot where, okay, he could be 26th or 30th on the roster. We don't know what it will look like. Officially, we're still working on the assumption of 26. And what you get from him, you get from him, and what you don't, you don't. As long as you feel like he fits in the group. But there are a lot of different options for this squad.

By the way, Max Arbston is starting for this team. Like, get out of my face, dude. Wait, now you agree? I didn't. How many different times can I say left wing back? He's playing both. It doesn't even matter. He's playing either for this team.

This was awesome to see. Let's go to that news that was put out from The Athletic, a couple moments ago, which is, so the U.S., the reporting in this, some of it's official, some of it's not. I'm just going to say it like it's all official. If it's Paul and Henry, it's in March. And some that can change on this is there's some FIFA rules that they have to work with it. In March, the friendlies are going to be Portugal and Belgium. They're both going to be in Atlanta.

I am guessing, because I don't think this was written up specifically in this way, the National Training Center will open at some time in the spring. Arthur Blank funded it. It is in the Atlanta suburbs. So my guess is that is a way to build a little bit of energy around that. And all of this work is being done on the East Coast because the U.S. will be camped on the West Coast for the World Cup. And so my assumption is this is a way to sort of spread the interest in the connection to the team. So it will be two games in Atlanta, both against high level World

Cup teams. And then the send off tour, quote unquote, I get it. West Coast sucks. So it's like you're sending them away, but it's not exactly a send off tour. We'll be two games. One will be Germany in Chicago as the second game. And the belief is the first game will be in Charlotte. And that will be dependent on who comes in the draw. My guess is you're going to look for someone who's a similar opponent, which is what teams have done in the past. If you're playing a South Korea, maybe you play another team from Asia, a Japan, someone else. If you're playing Ecuador in the group stage, maybe you try and schedule Columbia, something like that. And I love when people do that to the U.S.

We're like, we're playing Mexico. Do you want to play us in a friendly? It's like, you're getting nothing the same. You didn't even look. You're just looking at a map, but it's fine because we want to play a high-level opponent. And that's fine as well. The reasoning on Chicago, Charlotte, is you can't host at a FIFA venue. so they have to be non-fifa cities and then the only thing holding that up is if they

draw Germany which there's very little chance that happens because they'll both be pot one most likely then they would they would cancel again but the pots haven't come out officially yet oh my bet I think it's what people assume which is for the most part makes a lot of sense there is one thing to throw in here as well at that's come out over the course of the week which is the belief is that Maricio Pocitino will bring of the 26 players that are on the roster to this camp and to these games. We're in the past, coaches have brought an extended group they're still looking at and then cut players, the famous Landon Donovan cut in 2014.

He was in the camp. He was in the first friendly. I have heard stories about the 2010 team when Bob Bradley did his final cut and sort of the emotional toll that it held for a lot of people who felt like they were right on the edge. So Poach said, quote, I think it's difficult when you bring more than 26 players, and then you need to tell the player on the last day you are out. I prefer to bring the 26 that you believe are going to be in the squad. And then if something happens, you can call someone else.

After all of this for the World Cup, so they will come to Atlanta, they will train in Atlanta, they will play on the East Coast, they will go to Chicago, they will play. They will then go to UC Irvine, which will be their hub for at least the early stages of the World Cup. They've got two games at SoFi and a game in Seattle that's already locked in for the group stage. yeah and i assume that it'll just yeah seattle right back to uce irvine like that like that that's where the camp um i hadn't considered kind of this rationale or or hadn't even thought about the the last camp pre-world cup again not the march camp the one directly leading to the world cup

pojitino's answer that was a really good quote it was a longer really thoughtful and considered answer and he he was like i don't he's like i think it's cruel honestly like i think it's cruel to like cut somebody that close um and he goes i don't i don't want to do that to people he goes that you know listen we we get to um submit uh larger like provisional type squad and listen if we have an injury in that week then we'll we'll bring somebody else but he's like i don't i don't want for us all to be getting ready to go go to the world cup and then four guys who were in training with us just now they have to go home he's like i think that's cruel and i i really i really like that as a concept we're about to get in so sometimes

territory where there's going to be some really sad stories if you talk to people who have gotten injured in World Cup windows like it's a one off lifetime opportunity this one even more so for especially U.S. Canada and Mexico players there's going to be some sad stories in this I have talked I think on air with Greg Vanny who got injured going into the 2002 World Cup and yeah no he just he couldn't make the roster and it's just this one off opportunity that players build their lives around that could happen or can't happen. So it's nice to hear that. Rishi-Panchino has at least some grace in that for some people.

Okay, by the way, we had a lot of World Cup qualifying go down in Conca Calf, Panama, Kurosau, and Haiti, baby. It was a party on Tuesday night in this region. This Panama team has changed the perception of the sport in their country. Thomas Christensen, we've brought up over and over. again. We mentioned him when the U.S. job opened up. I think we've mentioned him with some MLS jobs that have opened up. The soccer they play, the belief they have, the way they play. It has been unmatched, I think, in the region, maybe only by Canada over the last five to ten years to get a World Cup qualification. I mean, Romel Fernandez, bouncing. That was arguably

the best soccer atmosphere on the planet this week, and it's a baseball country. Like, this is not normal people can't just look at this and say like no of course this is patima like this wasn't and it was awesome to see a lot of the guys that we have covered for years or have interviewed for years around the mLS sphere are a big part of this team annabel godoy being the biggest um and it's just awesome to see for them and we're really really excited kurosau and Haiti as well so kurosau are the smallest nation to ever qualify for a world's cup they sort of had this rebuild of a lot of dutch-born players of kurosau nationality over the last 10 years and they go to jamaica and get the results on the road in again a huge atmosphere for them to qualify and then Haiti coming in not knowing that they would

have the chance on the final day the results go their way they take care of business epic celebrations again a bunch of players that i have covered for a long time that you're just so happy for and countries that you're just so happy for i was at i've been to some Haiti gold cup games it red bull arena. There's one where they won and Derek Etienne Jr. did a lap around the stadium, just high-fiving people. And you go out of the stadium and everyone's just playing music and dancing and partying. This is this is going to be sick. This is really, really cool. It is the one nice part about the Expanded World Cup is countries like this got real legitimate shots to get in. Jamaica and Suriname are heading to the playoffs. So they both have chances still to get to the World

Cup. Jamaica, I believe, fired Steve McLaren off the back of this. Steve McLaren resigned in which he's something he called was an emotional decision and all that he was reading from a script super emotional immediately after the post game did he have that prepared did he have that prepared listen if you're Steve McLaren you've always got a resignation speech in the back pocket you never know if you're going to have to whip out the the rain the umbrella and hide a little bit and maybe fake an accent and do something like that so all of those stories were huge as I said we will have a live

World Cup draw show. It will be streamed on our YouTube pages. It will also be in person at Legends Bar in Midtown Manhattan. So if you're in the area, come by and hang out, and I think we're going to be hanging out talking soccer the entire day. So it's going to be really, really cool. Shout out to Petar Musa. He scored for Croatia as they solidified. Awesome. I'm feeling less and less confident that he's going to be in major league soccer next year. But he has been awesome. And then the scenes from Scotland and Ireland, so cool. and Iraq as well, which, if you haven't seen it, one of our contributors, Valer Chabilla,

who covers Nashville SC, who is Iraqi, put together a video for us that we put out on our first touch page, talking about what it would mean to Iraq to get to a World Cup. They scored a penalty kick in the 90th plus 16 minutes, the final kick to beat UAE and go to the World Cup playoff, so they are one of the teams that will get through automatically to the second round. Let's take into our Major League.

soccer though and let's go to the playoffs as we can all remember yes we said it at the top the schedule sucks san diego's hosting on a monday night because they don't own their stadium and there's a college football game a lot of this stuff sucks but the soccer on the field with these four series should be really really good tom and let's start i think with the best series whoa there you go getting emotional about it we've talked about it over and over lafc have been the bogey team for vanc Vancouver, I've had the ceiling on the quality that they've had in a team, but mainly their ability to progress in competitions. They're having this unbelievable year. And what a better way to do it then.

We believe in a sold out BC place, 52,000 fans to watch you slay the big bad giant would be pretty cool. We should get Vanity Sartini solo cam if I'm watching this game after his performance on the field after the last time. that these two teams have played um listen sun hung min versus thomas mller i think whoever wins this game is representing the west in an mls cup i think think these two these two teams are just so very good they still match up really well against each other in terms of just the stylistic differences vancouver are going to dominate with the ball and they're getting healthy uh ryan gold i mean he he was speaking to media if we if we want to do the thing where we read into uh like maybe he's got it is he ready to start? I really hope he is. Or is he ready to come in at half time and potentially

play extra time if they get there? Point is, this should be the most minutes he's played all season and what a time to get him back. Brian White, I don't know if we have an update or not, but like Tristan Blackman, the last we spoke was by the conference semifinals, they could have all three of those guys back and ready to start. And that's a DP into a Best 11 center, or sorry, defender of the year and Best 11 centerback. And your leading score, just a goal machine really, good center forward. That's significant to go along with what they already have. Then of course, LFC

with Son and Blanga. They'll feel they have the two best players on the field every single time they step out. They have a robust spine. I'm so curious how they're going to play this. We know how they're probably just going to give Vancouver the ball and try to in transition, but they can do more.

There are different combinations to play. I just, man, I just can't wait for this game. um they Vancouver are going to go and play right that's the part that's always been so exciting about this team and the what we could get in the playoffs is they're not going to be scared of the moment they're not going to say oh actually it'd be a bit more pragmatic because as you said we know LAFC are going to sit in and encounter and like the way you get hurt by that

is by exposing yourself but Vancouver are going to say we believe we can do what we do even better than what they do and we're going to go and win that whether that's three two whether that's four two whether that's four three like we don't care and there are tweaks inside of that and having black men is a huge part of that someone that can run in space with sun and buonga um but vancouver are not going to be scared of that moment they have the ability hopefully to either break lines with their passing or one v one dribbling and if they can do that the runners that follow up are dangerous whether it's burrhalter whether it's kubas whether it's one of the wingers coming off the wing right emmanuel sobby jaden nelson like those guys cleaning up and i do think there's a

little bit of a gap in that lafc central midfield you can either overpower them with numbers and play around them or they have to start chasing runners someone will come free and there's opportunity there it's what happened for austin right danny perera and wolf were the two most impactful players you want that model of player look at this Vancouver team there's 14 of them like there are 14 guys who can do that stuff and i think Vancouver should feel super confident about that and all the guys you just mentioned like for the most part because of how well they've played they're cherry on top which is the ideal situation which is like the responsibility is not going to be on brian white shoulders if he does come back whatever minutes you get from him it is not hey man we need you to save us we need 90 minutes we need 85 minutes like it's going to be be okay let's put you in late where can we use you we'll play you for the first half and sub you out like there's a lot of different options with that stuff um for lafc i will be interested to see dennis buonga the gabon playoff game was heartbreaking stuff against nigeria chance for them to go to their first ever world cup they equalize in the 87th minute and i felt like

when you watch that game especially the extra time like he was the one driving the team i think there's a lot of emotional baggage that comes with that. And I'm just, you know, he's been a machine since he has joined MLS. We've never seen a drop. He's the one that doesn't. Can he maintain that level coming back and into this? Yeah, and just on top of the heartbreak, just the physical toll of going to play where they played and how difficult it is to get back.

And this is a guy who was what on a 22-hour travel through connecting flights, lands in L.A. and then just drives to the stadium, gets put on the bench, and then subs in later in that game, like in the past, if there's literally anybody in this league, is Danny Bwanga that I'm going to assume it's still going to be 100%. But like you said, it is, it's just the mental effect, a heartbreak effect, and the physical toll. But we haven't seen a cyborg like this man. So until that he shows anything less than he can sprint a thousand times a game at his top, top speed, I'm just going to assume he's going to, which is not a fair assumption. I want to be clear. We should not be

overlooking or just taking this for granted. He is unbelievable and I just always back that guy to be like, okay, he'll be fresh, he'll be ready. You know the story of, you know, Russell Wilson being a dork and doing his up and down the plane because he wanted to show people on rehabbing

22 hours a day? What do you think? He probably turns around and he goes L.A.F.C. Nation Let's ride. That's your boy, dude. Russell's your God that's your that's your squad I've felt something again James Winston was playing hire dayball to fire him again

forever putting us through Russell Wilson I had already texted four days before saying can't wait for James Winston to keep the team in it and then throw a pick while trying to do something heroic to win the game and for everyone to be like maybe he'll be good and then blow up in the next game and that's exactly what we are on base for I just felt this game's gonna make us feel something

the atmosphere is going to be nuts like we saw the the ccl semifinal against miami we've even seen in the past in playoff games like when when bc place turns up it is wild it's raucous the noise stays in there the fans love this team no one really shows up to big games there as like neutrals or messy fans and that won't be any different for this one and this is what vancouver played for the entire year chance here to go to a conference finals for the first time and potentially if the other result goes the way host the conference finals like this is massive and this is really really big at the same time i'm not going to be surprised of lafc wins like it fits their game model they have the game changers they have the talent they'll be comfortable in these moments right they are setting into play

the way they play so they won't be shocked or awed or thrown off by the noise and the energy coming out them Vancouver needs to score early like they need they're going to come out of the gates flying the first 20 minutes that got to see something hit the back of the net for that and it not just be all right it's zero zero at halftime but we were the better team i just think you're going to be exposed by this lafc team and you need to take advantage when you're on the front foot agreed and just on the injury front um har har out in vancouver put out an update a few days ago no yesterday sorry um danio rios working in the gym but ryan gault brian white uh tris and blackman all fully training.

Blackman has been back in full training for a couple weeks. So that sounds good on all those fronts. And that's, again, we want to see both of these teams have as many of their best players as possible. Yeah, absolutely. So Vancouver, trying to overcome. They were eliminated last year in the playoffs two years ago in CCL and I think Leagues Cup and then three years ago in playoffs as well.

Like it has been a long stretch for them. Let's go to FC Cincinnati first Miami. That one on Sunday, 5 p.m. Eastern Time. The first of them, this is an interesting. game, it feels like Miami coming through that Nashville series is peaking. I don't know that we say the same about Cincinnati as we haven't, but they are the home team. They have been fairly comfortable in this matchup in the past. Sorry, they've been dominated in this matchup in the past. I was reading off the wrong line. They lost 3-0 back in July. They lost 2-0 last year,

and they lost, yeah, before that. So it feels reductive to say this. one's on Messi and Evander. Do you have a different read than that? No, man, go back to the Bruce Arena quote. Your best players have to be your best players in the playoffs. It does sound reductive. It does sound simplistic. But sometimes that really is the biggest factor in some of these games. I think the winner of this represents the Eastern Conference in MLS Cup. That's how I feel going into this weekend with no disrespect to Philly, NYCFC or San Diego, Minnesota. I just think that this quartet of teams, are just so very, very good.

And if the seating worked out differently, these would feel like representative conference finals. And I think de facto, they just might be with these two teams. And yeah, so in that game, like Miami had all of their guys. So it wasn't one of those times where they were missing messy or a couple other international, whatever. But they didn't have Barracos. This was before they made some changes to the team.

Oscar Astari was in goal. Tommy Savilease was on the field, which I shouldn't be. seeing the field in this game um so there are obviously different and and rodrigo de paul chief among them was not yet signed by miami or was not yet playing at least um so those are three three key differences but cincinnati will go into this game super confident i haven't seen an update um yet but i think under etchenique came off injured um again for venezuela yesterday and we'll see yeah because he's been really like really important to this team in the playoffs and he's been one of the like consistent outlets

It's for the steam. I think for Cincinnati, the thing that I think can be a real advantage for them is they have two center forwards who will play on the back line in the channels, which will either pin Noah Allen in or Force Boost Gets deep. And I think all of those are matchups they can win. And then Evander can create for them. For Nashville, Hani and Sam Serge were dropping in to find the game. And so they couldn't stay up all. alongside those guys as much as you'd like where you don't need to do that for Cincinnati.

Brenner's going to keep making runs. He's going to keep trying to stretch the backline. Denk can win one V1 battles. And then Avander can be the one with a little bit of space to provide for them or you get that with. And like this is the matchup where you're like, well, no, Alan's not really a centerback. But Inner Miami's gotten through it

by managing games and creating game states. And I think this Cincinnati team puts them in a really tough spot in that setting. and then the other question is just how do they get numbers around messy how do they close the attack there are options for this intermiami team i don't know if swares plays automatically like from a coaching point of view i don't really know who coaches this team and who makes those decisions so i'm not going to try and put a lot of logic to it um but this isn't miami team that's going to threaten you and the disadvantage of now being in single elimination is like

Cincinnati can't experience it and then figure it out you got to come out the gate ready and i think Nashville was all over the map in that first game trying to be overly physical and try and win battles and like win the small spaces that they got thrown off and they had four games to play them across two weeks uh and this insanity team gets one shot at this one which i think is going to be really really hard to to sort of prepare for and recover for team in a one-off game, I'll be going to my grave saying, no, it's 20, 25 since you team, they have another level. They do, I promise. So again, I could just be being stubborn or being wrong. But I do still genuinely believe you look at that front three and you look at defensive

structure. I have not seen an update on Matt Miazga since a week ago, Laurel Phala said he was still off to the side. He was outside training, but wasn't participant in full training. him being available and I don't know 85% of Matt Miazga would be a big part even it obviously Matt Miazga in and of itself can be is a difference making defender at 100% even if he's just again some sort of

lesser version of himself that keeps other options on the bench that don't have to play in his absence and I think that in and of itself could be a win and particularly now Vetch Nike's down like they're going to have to do some shuffling and if you've got to play Luke Orzano and then Yu-Yakubo is the wing backs, right? Like, you'd really, really like to have Miyazga,

Robinson, and Hagman has that back three to give yourself the best chance as possible against into Miami. But another, another selfish note on this, I'll be in town for this game. I can't wait. I've never been to TQL. I've not been to TQL.

Come in to you, get a point. I will be at the end of your cell championship. I was just making conversation. Just so you didn't feel like. you were left out um as as somebody who now reports on end of yeah yeah no obviously you're you're the big breaking news voice uh but yeah a few things that i'm going to watch out for it for that starting lineup if e kineke can play and origano can start does angle play as a centerback because i actually like that option again again where you say i like that better too anything that's not

teenager debby anything that's not alvis powell at a center back position like any of that makes is better and the other is it's been a long time since the last game i'm curious how many minutes nobado has and the decision that they make there it would be a lot to put him in a first start here and as we've said we both kind of like giddy and what he's brought but it's an option and there hasn't been options in a lot of these areas for cincinnati a lot this year uh philadelphia nycc obviously we talked about the earnstanner um news on the top of the show that will have a black cloud around this team, around the stadium, around this game, and everything that happens in this season for Philadelphia on the field. This has been like the inverse of Vancouver,

L-AFC on the East Coast. Anytime one of these teams has done something special, it's been against the other team. They've met in the conference finals. Both times, these two teams have been to MLS Cup in their histories, and they do so once again. It was a roaring victory friend by CFC over Charlotte to close out. That series. and so there should be a lot of confidence from them and it feels like they are comfortable in their own skin and possession in a way that they normally handle Philly's pressure

and they can match their physicality. This is a much younger, different NYCFC team than what we've seen in the past in these moments. So it's going to be a huge moment for them. And I think if you're NYCFC based off everything that's going on, you've got to come out and go for it in this game. Like you have to try and just quiet the crowd in the opening 20 minutes.

and sort of established like, yeah, this is our game. And we know Maxi Morales has done that in the playoffs in the past and has led his teams to do that. The issue is, Keaton Parks has obviously been out for a long time. Aiden O'Neill suspended and Andres Preya broke his leg. You're down to your fourth and fifth string central midfielers. I don't think that you should move the back line with Justin Hatt being back there. He's been so, so good.

let me tell breaks you don't need too much since a lot of MLS teams are tracking him for this winter when he's out of contract as our teams abroad so this is a player who's really come good on his potential he's been awesome while he came up as a center central midfielder and i have no doubt that he would be fine in that role i would be really reluctant to break up that back three and how important he's been particularly with the deep line playmaking stuff but that it's it's going to be really difficult for Pascal yanson without again, it's not three central midfield choices. For a team that plays the ball. Because we're coming out in an international break, so I'm rusty. Alonza Martinez, Torres, ACL. Yeah. So that's the whole story here. He's arguably the cleanest finisher at center forward.

He is their outlet. He is their half-chance guy. And he is also missing in this game on top of all the players you just named. So NYCFC coming in heavily depleted. The center forward, I mean, I'm just trying to look. now and figure out what they're going to do at the center forward position um i guess it's augustino hayda maybe you push hanness wolf up there man this is a depleted group going into this game sadan yane yanez play the kids man that is the kickback way that's what we believe in um yeah but but but again

at center forward and then in central midford like do you do you have to try to drop maxi morales a little bit deeper and just tell Johnny Shore, hey, man, kind of on an island here. It's like, you've got to cover a lot of ground. Like, I don't think that's a winning. Like, Honest Wolf, so maybe you could drop Hanas Wolf back and say, Johnny Shore, you're the six, and Maxie and Wolf. Yeah. Wolf has a work rate.

I'd rather him be further forward, but it's probably the best of bad options for me. And then, yeah, O'Heda, then that would make O'Heda or Julian Fernandez as a wing. Well, the comment we got in the chat, which I agree, it's probably Seymour Reed as the center forward who again has played what 500 professional soccer minutes but he's a natural center forward so would make the most sense none of what we are saying is a good scenario and there are if they were one more piece right undress perera we've seen him play out wide this year we've seen him play more attacking if he was healthy and available that gives you flexibility wherever you feel most confident to use other pieces but there's not a lot of flexibility here because there's

not a lot of options and it would be a master class for pascal yansson to win this but both these teams come in in weird sorts in a weird way and we'll see what this leads to. So this is a double header on Sunday, 5 p.m. Eastern Time, 745 Eastern Time for these two teams. And then we finish up on Monday night, San Diego hosting Minnesota at 10 p.m. Eastern time. We will be back with you next Tuesday so that we can react to all these games. We will give you the long preview for the conference finals. And of course, it'll be Thanksgiving. So that'll be our one major show. of the week and then we will have that for you and then we'll be back of course after that with MLS Cup and all of that stuff going forward this similar to poor Minnesota fans let me just

start there how many Monday playoff games at 10 p.m. are they going to get this year at least they don't have to at least they don't have to go to a Monday night November game at home you're just at home in your cozy spot or at Blackheart of course watching the game on TV this is similar to Vancouver, LFC, a clash of styles. Both teams will play the exact soccer they play because that's how they are set up and it will be about execution between the two of them.

And coming out of the last series, it's just, it's hard to read. What I would say right now is I think Minnesota did things they're not normally capable of against Seattle but gave up things that they shouldn't more so than what I would expect

San Diego. Like I think if you looked at that series and you swapped San Diego in for Seattle, right now I would say, I have more belief that San Diego doesn't make the mistakes that Seattle made and I think the opening Seattle created are still there for

this San Diego group. The two games between these two teams this season for all of the correct, I think, praise we give Minnesota for the defensive structure and defensive ability. San Diego won four two in June in Minnesota and Minnesota in September with San Diego and won. Which was a crazy game.

So there's just a lot of goals. Yeah. That like just a lot of goals. That second game, by the way, the opening goal came to the 74th minute. All four goals came in the final 15 minutes of the game. Two of them in stoppage time. It was a bizarre game to watch play out. And as you'd expect, it was 65% possession for San Diego.

San Diego had 2.1 XG. Minnesota has 0.5. And that's the model, right? That's the model for Minnesota if they can finish their chances. Yeah, yeah. Put it in the mixture, mate. I think this one will be fun because, again, like what you talk about with LACC, I don't think Minnesota will be scared or worried or uncomfortable.

It will be interesting to see how Chuky Losano affects this game. like do you need that extra bit of quality he he wasn't able to play in mexico's second game because of reporting was a muscular overload something to that effect so i am less confident now that you're going to start which um which would be a blow to them but obviously not fatal with the production they're getting right now from amal pelegrino um and just the connection and flow that's in this team this is a tough one too of like they've never been here before not just at the level like an international break break into the biggest game of the year and like can you keep your foot on the gas can you keep the momentum maybe playing monday night isn't the worst thing of like watching the rest of the playoff games and sort of getting a sense of it uh going into it might actually help this san diego group and they just know who they are right now and i think there's a ton of belief in what they're doing and this should feel like a winnable matchup for them oh for sure again they're they're the number one team in the west they're at home like they should be feeling uh for san diego should be feeling

like the confident team, the one that's expected to win. But Minnesota coming in, like what they did to get past Seattle, it wasn't pretty, but they got through. And this is a team that kind of lives off that. And Eric Ramsey's, like, post-game speech after the last game was the craziest game. Like, we're going to be better for this. You guys will never defend like this ever again. It's obvious with MLS that I don't have to sort of lay out the parameters

because everything is the same all the time. It's single game elimination. It's extra time if it goes there and then it's a penalty kick shootout. Jane St. Clair is still a match winner. For this Minnesota team, they've got that in their back pocket. The long throws are going to be a massive factor. Set pieces are going to be a massive factor in this game. And then from Minnesota, there's some question marks in terms of health.

Will Kelvin Yaboa get the start? Does he need to? So there is a lot to figure out for them as well. And then I assume Joseph Rosales is suspended for this game because he picked up a red card in the last game back in 1992. So he is unavailable for this one. And Minnesota, I wouldn't say, has the most depth. So there's a little bit of worry in terms of what they can do. Well, if there's one spot that they have, I know that they both been playing together.

But if they have one spot. That is absolutely true. And Marcanic scored in that previous matchup against this team. I'm going to be lame here. Four games, I'm going to go all four home teams. It's not going to happen. But I don't know which one to pick against. So you've bailed on.

I wouldn't say I was on the Miami train. I was off the Cincinnati. No, that's true. I did come in saying Miami. I think I convinced myself with the Brenner 10K conversation and the way they set up and the way they have spaces. So that, yeah, I'm going to go all for home. Do you have a set of picks?

I think MLS Cup is going to be Cincinnati versus LFC. So that's just starting right there. LFC over Vancouver, Cincinnati over Miami. Philly over NYCFC and I'll stick with San Diego but again I think that this I think again these first two games are de facto Justin Heat on in the chat says anyone keeping a clean sheet if I had to pick one across these games I would probably pick Philadelphia to keep the clean sheet with no lines of Martinez my second option would actually be San Diego in that I could see a world that Minnesota just doesn't create chances less so then the San Diego team locks down all right

We're going to do an ice cream shop real quick here before we get out of here. But Tom's waiting to break some more news. So if the phone rings, we are out. Let's start with the one you put out, I think earlier today, actually, which is a tasty one for MLS sickos, that Maddie Bogush might be back in the league. Yeah, sources tell me that Maddie Boghush is likely to leave Cruz Azul this winter. There is interest in Europe, but I'm told that there's some strong stuff coming from MLS. We'll see how this develops. We'll see what the price points are.

and then if anybody can get deals done. What I'm told is New England has his discovery rights. I don't know anything about active conversations or whatever, but there's only five or six discovery lights, great slots. Don't put a player on if you don't really want them. Obviously, this is a DP level player. He left for like a $9 million fee, something in that region.

I know his contract is vastly above the DP threshold right now. I think either way, just transfer fee or just salary, he'd be a DP. So I think that's a safe assumption. New England don't have a DP spot. We'll see what happens. with Thomas Chonkalai, that is somebody who could be on the move this winter. So I think that is one factor in his future. But I know New England aren't the only team that have some interest in him.

He is a, it feels like a guaranteed performer. And that's where like the money value is with him. I don't know what the sell-on fee is anymore, right? Originally LAFC brought him in knowing they'd sell him and now he moves. And like, you're probably not doing great business here, which is you're, you're probably not having future value. but if you want today production at this age like if he says oh i want to be a part of this and i want to play here he could be on your team through his prime and he could i don't know be the best player but he could be phillips and granagal he could be and just dryer right like

we're talking about guys that fecundo torres like we're talking about guys who were really really good and if there is a second great guy or good guy like louis heel then they are a 15 and 15 Carlis Heels, sorry, I am all over the map. No, no, no, he's a former US youth national team guy. He plays for Spokane Velocity in USL League 1. He was in the championship

game. That's where that came from. And so, like, to me, there are a bunch of teams that this is obvious for. If I'm DC United, is this the move I make, not saying they would? I don't know, because I'm not that close. You're Maddie Bogus. Yeah, for sure. Because I'm not that close to winning, but like, there are a lot of teams in the league. What does that stop them?

FC Dallas would be an interesting one. I love that. I was funny. I was talking to somebody about that today. And I was like, dude, I kind of want to lose out of business. He kind of Pera-Muzza would be great. Alan Velasquez with, yeah. How good would that be?

Is there, I don't know. And then again, we've talked about some, I think the Christian Espinosa list is the same list as this. Like, are you in win now mode? Do you have a need at this position? do you have the opening so again i say a tfc like he's an he's an mLS proven player he can play in a position of need um it will come down to the number like it it will probably feel like a bigger number than you should give to mattie bogus because he's coming off league mx numbers but you're

going to get value or you're going to get production the question is if you're willing to spend it it's not going to be pennies against the dollar like this guy's going to get paid for what he does well and if an MLS seems willing to pony up to that that could be a really good move um let's talk about this next one which is you wrote a piece about the New York Red Bulls if they were willing to spend money by the way yes he would be interesting there too I yeah I um that's that's a really good shout I'm curious as to what'll happen there I went up to the Red Bulls training facility got to spend some time with head of sport Julian de Guzman And he was really honest and open about their plans and what they want to do.

First and foremost, my biggest takeaway was they want to play what seems very clear to me, a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-33. Like, Julian de Guzman mentioned wingers to me several times. He mentioned number eights who can create, who can cover for, like box-to-box guys. They mostly play three at the back under Sandra Schwartz. The Red Bull Global motto is four-triple-2 that the Red Bulls haven't quite had success with, but Leipzig has, Salisberg has. Julianne Guzman says, like, quote, part of a transition we're going through at Red Bulls.

We've always played four to triple two in transition go direct. It's worked out to some degree, but it needs a refresh. It relates to how I enjoyed in my playing career, especially in Laliga. I like to play football. I want to see more of that. So I think that is very interesting. And he kind of noted that it's important, this first window is going to be really important because they need to bring in, again, wingers.

Like Emil Foresburg can play off the left. I like him better as a 10, but he can play off the left. Lewis Morgan can play on the right when he's, fit that's about it for like high level wing options so like they need several additions they have an open deep spot it could be a winger it won't be timo verner um i was impressed by how direct because usually people would just say no comment or you know i don't want to talk about other places uh quote uh where to go he goes there's always talks about verner uh going back to the summer we have to make sure here in new york if it makes sense to us it's a great name i think the fans

would have loved them well the opportunity was there but i don't think we're 100% sold that this was the right thing for New York. It was not something we were fully invested in. So this next signing will not be Timo Verner. They haven't decided if they're going to use a sign a third DP or if it's going to be a U-22 model or just a 10-level player. He said like, we're not going to sign another Emil or Troopo Moting, but we need somebody that's a difference maker, whether it's a DP or not. They have to play like a DP, which is, again, why I don't think that would be the money for Bogush. And lastly, on the head coaching search, as we kind of all assumed and from what I've heard really strongly know Michael Bradley is firmly a candidate and Julian de Guzman was speaking really

pleasantly about how well Michael Bradley did after taking over New York Red Bulls 2 in the summer and they won't MLS next pro so Michael Bradley's a name to watch there but um not shocked hear me I am shocked I'm actually curious I never thought about this if they played together I think Julian left Toronto FC before Michael got there yeah yeah he was already no he left in 2012 I don't I think Michael came in 2013 I think the bloody

I can't remember maybe I'm thinking Jivenko I don't remember the bloody big deal you know remember they brought the uh

the boss and the 2014 I think it was Jermaine DeFoe wasn't that bloody big deal I thought it was 2013 but it was 24 maybe Beds got there

in 13 and then they were able to bring them in a 14 yeah maybe you were just wrong I'm just trying to make conversation man they I know I won

listen no one's gonna fall to for bringing Michael Bradley and his head coach. It seems pretty obvious that it's going to happen. I don't know what this team is. Like the comments around Werner, it's like, so he was going to come in and you said no? Because you didn't sign anyone else. So like what was the process of that window?

And you've spent a year trying to sign him and you got, because he's not new, right? Julian's been with this group for a year. Like, well, he's been the number two to be for so. I don't know. again, I'm just saying, I don't know if that was a Yakin Schneider, which I think just also goes to a little bit of the chaos of the club. And I think the comments about wanting to play are great.

This is a big global structure. Does Julian de Guzman have the strength, like political power to do that? Or is the opening there, which is like, whatever, we don't even care. I don't know. So we will find that out. For San Diego, look up on Bino and Oscar Verhoeven, which we always assumed their loans would be made permanent. Their loans were made permanent.

So now they are technically trades. The numbers that they acquired them both at was preset before the loan. And so I'm really excited to see LAFC's young players perform at a high level from the academy breaking through. It's not that L.A. is a talent-rich area. So I think for L.A.F.C., it's tough to find guys that you could break through. And I think for L.A.F.C., it's fair. Are they capable of playing at a high level day one? I don't know.

But Luke Ombino is going to start in a conference semifinals. And if L.A.F.C. losing San Diego wins. He's going to start in a conference finals, and he was in your academy for these past years. I'm not saying Ryan in Howling said it needs to be replaced? I'm just saying it's freaking L.A. How is there no talent coming through and getting opportunities at the first team level? But I'm sure Andrew Weeby will do a hit about this one on Sunday night soccer or something like that. You're going to get a lot of text about this.

I will say to push back, yeah, I get it. And like we all champion youth development. It's really, really hard to criticize LFC's decision making when they're constantly and conference finals, you know, or constantly late in the tournaments and stuff. Like, if this team, if this team, let's go to Oscar Verhova. For sure. San Jose, missed the playoffs again. San Jose decided that we can't sign both Diego Luna and Cruz Medina.

And like, what are we doing there? Like, so that's the team that I think deserves more criticism when L.EFC, yeah, I would like to see them bring more players through, but they're also the team that brought some young man. They're also the team that that keep Danny Belonga and does all these other good things. So, yeah, while I wish that it'd be nice if they did the youth development, And like, it's really, really hard to be like, well, actually, you should move, take away minutes from Ryan Hong said. Or, well, actually, you should, you know, Igor Jesus, really good signing.

You should have made room for Jew Terry or something, right? Yeah, the tough part, though, is with the restrictions that currently exist, they have L.A. They're one of the two teams that has L.A., and it's one of the great soccer playing cities in the world. And you should be tapping into that resource to an extent. and I don't mind a little bit of like, yeah, we've got great players, we help develop them, we loan them out, we sell them, they never really break into our first team, but they do, that's fine, but this feels more like a one-off than a process. Let's close out on Orlando.

By the way, free agent lists coming out, we're going to talk about Orlando's here. A couple teams have come out, a lot more to come. We'll continue to cover it as we go along. Our depth charts are updated so you can get an idea of where teams stand and where guys could fit in. I am keeping my laundry list of free agents that are interesting to me every time I read a team and start to see some names. The big ones right now are goalkeepers. We didn't mention Carlos Cornell. I skipped over that one. He is leaving the New York Red Bulls. Maxime Cray Poe will not return to Portland as James Pantamus won the starting job there. The other two starting level

goalkeepers and Houston was in a panic going into this season. I will be interested to see where they land and sort of who who takes a shot are they stuck on Bond I don't have Jonathan Bond is yes so his contract was not for two years like they are deciding to bring him back I'm told the plan as Jonathan Bonds is

starting it sounds like a good plan I'm going to continue to start Utah next year as well so I don't care what the I don't care what the underlying numbers I don't care what the underlying numbers or the lack of spots in the standings mean as well let's talk or land Yeah, so Orlando released their end-of-season roster update. Cesar Oruho is out of contract.

He's leaving. The club knew that this was a likelihood when they turned down a bid from, I think it was Nassian, now or somebody else, for him this winter, because, or last winter, they thought that, hey, we think we have a really good team. And for most of the year, they did have a really good team. And they wanted to prioritize, like, hey, ownership understands that we might lose a couple million dollars of, like, not getting a transfer fee. but they agreed that it was more valuable and better to be chasing first team success. So they knew that that proposition, they ultimately couldn't convince him to sign a new deal,

so he'll be leaving. Surprising one, Robin Jensen, they declined his option, but are in negotiations over a new deal for him? I think that's really, really important. I'd be surprised. I don't have any info in this, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't come back.

It just seems like a really good symbiotic relationship. And maybe just decline the option is to give a longer-term deal and, you know, it's the leverage of, hey, maybe you'll get a little bit less next year, but you get the long-term security. I don't know. I think he's really good, so I hope that that happens.

And then there are some other players to watch. So Luis Moriel is on our contract. I don't expect him to be here on opening day. I expect, so he had some interest, if not an offer from the Colombian League. I forget which team this summer. Nothing came to be. He spoke about it publicly and was like,

oh, I have to honor my contract, but one day I do want to go back. And, well, he completely dried up in terms of goals from that point on. And it just makes sense that. I know that the team wants, to get better, and that's the biggest chip that they can do if they move on to DP and open that spot for another.

Another player is Alex Freeman that we talked about at the top of the show. So he's got one year left on his contract, Villarreal. Villarreal is a TV to watch. They are firmly in pole position. I think it's almost a pretty much a 0% chance that there's a new contract that can be agreed between Orlando and Freeman. I'd be very, very surprised if there was even conversations ongoing. because if he runs down his contract in here,

like Villa Real will be there. Other teams will be there, but it is Villa Realty from what I'm told. And I think that that opens up more probability that there's just a deal agreed this winter and hopefully a loanback. And maybe he stays in Orlando through at least a summer, if not the whole year.

But I think that that's increasingly likely that there's a deal agreed for him in this winter. Oof. What a contract he is building for himself with the performances he put in for the national. team it will be interesting to see going forward either way I think for Orlando under Oscar they rebuilt their academy structure and Alex Freeman is the tip of the spear on that like they believe they've got you know Colin Grusky coming through there's I think still belief about Tommy

Williams all of those guys and then in the future selling those guys so Alex Freeman is your first one to sort of get the opportunity with Luis Muriel by the way I Google it came through Junior's Academy play with Deportivo Colley to the are one of those two teams. Those are two teams that I have. They're big teams with big money. And so in the context, and you'd expect that's where he ends up. But you never know.

Like, I think you're coming back next year, but you're announcing new podcast. You're going hanging out with World Cup veterans. Tom, you're big time. And I don't know that you all have time for me. I always have time for you, David Gossi. I don't know 400 times yesterday. Yes, you did. And it was delightful every single time.

as it was to have the chat here live with us. Thank you to all of you for listening. Thank you to everyone for listening on podcasts. And as I said, we've got a lot more content coming up for you. We've got a lot more coverage coming up for you. I'll be out at the end of yourself championship. So hit me up on Blue Sky if you will be around. Thank you to all of you for listening.

We'll talk to you again very, very soon. You know,