July 11, 2023 • 50 mins
Jon Jansen and Joe Tansey are BACK to discuss the Philadelphia Union’s recent losing streak and what the actual ceiling/floor is for the team in 2023.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Some breaking news, some goalkeeping issuesand losses, lots of losses coming in
and we're talking all about that rightnow on the Philadelphia Union Soccer Podcast.
My name is John Jansen. Youcan follow me at j Jansen thirty four.
My co hosts the star of theshow, Joe Tanzy at Jay Tanzy
ninety Union Soccer blog dot substack dotcom. Also, you can find this
(00:22):
podcast anywhere you find your podcast,whether that's the Apple pod Store, whether
that's Spotify, wherever you get yourpodcasts, you could find here the Union
Soccer Podcast and Joe, there's plentyto talk about. I know you just
got done with a press conference withJim Curtin. It was announced that he
was extended two years, so wecould probably start there, work our way
(00:43):
into goalkeeping issues and also a Nashvillepreview, which looks like another loss on
the horizon for the Philadelphia Union.But Joe two years and union and curtain
and Union keeping this marriage together.I think that's the most important. Yeah,
and this has kind of been thebig issue at least as some people,
(01:07):
not me. I don't think anybody, unlike the media side, was
concerned necessarily. This was not gonnahappen. I know there were some of
the fan base. I know youand I have gotten it a decent amount
of it during post game and stuffthat we did. Just by the way,
another piece of breaking news. Tomorrownight, Wednesday night, we are
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doing a pregame show. Are wedoing a postgame show too? John Jansen?
Yeah, why not? Let's doa postgame show. Let's do it
on the fly right now. Well, you you you sprung, you sprung
the postgame showing me I did around, So it's only fair so pre end
postgame shows. Uh. For theNashville SC game seven five, pre game,
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I know it's going against the USmen's national team, I want to
I've I need to vent about thata little bit later. But seven forty
five pregame show on Twitter spaces andthe postgame show directly after the final whistle,
I will go the press conference andwe will go right into postgame.
So roughly I guess ten twenty five, ten thirty where I think we're gonna
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hard cap it at a half anhour because the two of us can talk,
and I know we have a lotof we very appreciative the input,
but we're gonna cap it at ahalf an hour and postgame at eleven o'clock,
please tune in. I will seteverything up and sweet everything out this
afternoon. But yes, pre andpost game on Wednesday, we're gonna try
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and do this more for road games. Home game is a little more difficult
because I know everybody's in the stadiumor you know, outside the stadium bringer
come in. It's it's better suitedfor us to do it for road games
with everybody at home. Yeah,and we've gotten more listeners, let's be
frank with road games and home gameswhen we've experiment when everybody's on Twitter instead
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of at super Park, when everybody'son Twitter hanging out with us. Yeah.
Yeah, but it's it's it's it'sa lot more. It's a lot
more better of an experience than justthe two of us talking to talking to
ourselves with five people listening while everybody'sinside two reports. Yeah, two of
us have done this so long.We're like, we're used to talking.
We could just be talking to fivepeople now on the podcast, very very
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who all could be I'm not I'mnot counting. I'm not counting like my
my in law's cat or something likethat. But look, it's just kind
of it makes more sense for usfor road games. And that's basically yeah,
so pre and post game Wednesday nightfor the Nashvilles, he gain a
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big, big road game. Let'snot make it that big of a deal
because I want to brace myself forthe result, So let's not get too
big of a deal. Yes,it is, it is a big game.
I mean, you don't want togo down you know three and I
guess you know, I know thecurtain contract. We'll talk about one.
I guess we'll get all into thisstuff as we talk about, you know,
some of the Union's problems. Butlook, that's two straight losses,
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two straight losses on the road.You've gotten outscored five to one in your
last two league games. You knowthat's It's certainly not something we're used to
seeing from the Union. This timelast year, this was not happening.
This was the complete opposite. Obviously, goalkeeper issues are going to be number
one, and I think that's goingto be pointed to because they're giving up
way more goals than they're used to. And we thought just with this great
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back line and great defensive structure thatthey had that it was going to be
fine with Bendick and it's not soyou know, how much of these issues
do you attribute just a goalkeeper,and how many of these things are concerning
to you overall? And and maybethinking that this Union team has taken a
to see a giant step back,but they were, you know, unbelievable
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last year. So I mean,it does seem like they're going to be
taking a pretty significant step back becausethey were breaking all sorts of records historical
season and now it just looks like, yeah, they're a top three to
four team at least at the momentin MLS. There's so many angles of
which you can dissect this right becauseit it kind of starts and ends with
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Bendick right now, because I mean, the only goal I can genuinely say
he probably wouldn't get was the firstalmodicle in Atlanta. I think I can
genuinely make a case that that's justa worldy it happens. And look,
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the it goes back to Kivagula beingout in that situation where Nathan Harriel,
don't put yourself in that situation inthe first place. You know, why
is it a center back not trackingYakamachus? Then Nathan Harriel I think that's
that that blame does lie on Harriofor creating the opportunity, and yes it
(06:08):
is. I think it was areally good cell by Acamachus. But that's
the position you put yourself in.The second Atlanta goal, Bendick casted you
better the first two Galaxy goals.Bendick has to do far better. The
goal the Ricky Pooch scores that wedidn't see on Apple TV because the feed
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was out and nobody saw. Thatwas brutal. I know that, and
I don't want to go too muchon because that was the first time it
happened. But yeah, it's nota it's not a great look. Yeah,
broadcast isn't working again. Happen youcannot have your live broadcast no,
uh cut out now. To befair, it's the it's the first time
really, and I've watched obviously morestuff than Union games that have been watching
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all these the first time. Really, that's I've seen anything like that.
But yeah, it was bad inthe moment, and it is You're right,
it's it's something that can't happen.Yeah, but I think it looked
at that's got to be it's unacceptable, Like there's there's no, like we
missed a goal and miss there's justabsolutely nothing and that's the end. It's
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that was the only feed. Likethe radio broadcast didn't even see it either,
which is that that's frustrating too.So yeah, I mean it flatly
just goes on Bendick. And Ithink you and I more than anybody,
were willing to give him a smallbenefit of the doubt going into this stretch
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of games because the mistakes were justso brutal by the center backs in the
Montreal and Orlando games. But it'svery clear that the Union dropped the ball,
whether it on not being more aggressiveand convincing Matt Freeze to stay,
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or whether it be not going aftera more capable number two goalkeeper, or
maybe it's internally and just failing tograps grasp just how drastic they drop off
for Bendicks, just overall quality wasLike I think there's a little bit of
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all of that in there. Andnow I'm not saying the Union get points
in Atlanta or LA, but ifyou take out the errors in LA,
you're up one nothing. It's adifferent game. Now, Look, it's
a lot more, it's a lotbetter if you come away with a one
one draw. But again, thisis we genuinely don't know, like going
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back into the future into the past, and yeah, trying to rewrite history,
and I even do that. SoI always try and make sure because
when you know some of the goalsthat Bendick let up and surrendered, you
know, I think it's easy tosay, well, Andre Blake would have
saved those, But obviously if AndreBlake's there, it's a totally different approach,
maybe different game. So you justnever know how things are going to
play out. But I think itis fair to say that Bendick was in
(09:05):
an opportunity or spot where Andre Blakewould have probably saved some of those goals,
and there were errors in front ofBendick, and I'm not sure if
they would have been the same ifBlake is there, So you just you
never know. So the what ifisn't always well, if Blake was there,
they would have won that game,or they wouldn't have surrendered all of
these goals. I don't know.They probably could have and they have before
with Blake, but I think justif you want to talk circumstantial those particular
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goals, yeah, Blake probably savesthose, and the errors that were made
in front of him, don't lookas bad and the Union maybe come away
with a draw. And I thinkthis has been pointed out by not just
in the two games earlier in theseason, but by everybody. I've had
people DM me about this during theweek. Is they just look like a
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different team. The defensive structure looksgone with Bendick there, it's a chemistry
thing. I think there's a lotmore trust from the center backs in Andre
Blake. But it's it's stunning,like I don't I haven't seen and this
is this is not like this isthe first time we've Andre Blake has ever
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been away, Like we've seen thishappen before. But I can't remember a
time since Andre Blake has been thenumber one goalkeeper that there was this significant
of a drop off and the levelof quality and defense dropped off so significantly
too. With it. There wasalways that and again this to the McCarthy's,
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the Freezes of the world, thatthey were able to come up with
a few saves and they make thosestops that Bendick does, so I think
it also plays into it. Butyeah, it's bizarre. I have not
seen a team there's just this lostwithout their leader in the back, and
you would think that wasn't the case. You would think Leslis and Elliott would
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be able to shoulder that load.It. Yeah, I just it's it's
something you can obviously see what you'reown two eyes. But Jim Curtin being
the coach he is, and thisis part of the reason why he's been
around so long, is he's notgoing to throw any of these individuals under
the bus, whether it be JoeBendick, whether it be Jacob Gleasnis,
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Jack Elliott, Nathan Harriell, whoeverit may, Matt Real, whoever it
may be. It's when as ateam loses a team and look agreed to
put that to a certain extent,they haven't been good enough as a team
in these two road games and theperformance has been unacceptable and that's something that
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they realize in the locker room.But I don't know if that if Kay
Wagner being back for tomorrow's Matchkins Nashvilleautomatically changes how the back line looks.
Yeah, that's the thing, youknow, I just what what changes can
be made. Obviously, the onething is you get Andre blaken Nett,
and you know, maybe everything's fine. But is that the case? What
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I'm trying to figure out here isthe Union just taken a step back?
Have they regressed from last year?You know last year again historical like historical
year. Last year it was thebest Union team ever in terms of numbers.
Last year it was amazing and theywere putting up incredible goal differentials.
It was an incredible year for theUnion. But you know, have they
taken a step back? And howfar have they taken a step back?
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And you know, can all theseissues be fixed in time to be an
MLS Cup team? You know,one of the favorites as they were last
year. I know, obviously LAFCwas the favorite, but the Union were
right up at the top as well. You know, it's just a are
they Union that team or maybe arethey? Have they taken that step back?
I guess Really, I'm trying tofigure out after these two losses how
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much I should look into and reallyhow the whole season's played out, to
be honest, what this Union teamreally is this season? That's a tricky
one, yeah, because there's alot there's a lot of variables that have
played into this season more than previousones. There's been a lot of absolutely
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absolutely, and they will there willcontinue to be those as well, which
is why it's like, it's whythis season has been a little bit more
baffling than than others, right,because last year was unexpectedly that good,
right, and we had this hot, super super high standard going into twenty
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twenty three and it hasn't been metyet in sixth place in the East.
Now that could that could change radically, you know that it's concerning, but
almost not yet, because only Cincinnatihas proven that they're the elite of the
elite and MLS and if the twentytwenty two version of the Union shows up,
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heck, even once this week,there's still in decent shape. You
would love for it to be twiceand to get four points out of this
this run here. But it's itreally is confounding because obviously you think that
some regression is going to happen,which, by the way, this is
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a small rant. Regression is onlya negative term. I know you and
I are in the gambling business.Positive regression is not a thing. Positive
regression thing. Positive regression is nota real term. I always use positive
aggression. Positive regression to me isone of the most annoying terms that people
use in the gambling industry. AndI think people use it because I'm not
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sure everybody is aware that regression cango both ways. But to me,
regression it always has that negative tone, right, exactly, that's why you
say it positively exactly, That's exactlywhat I mean. But like if I'm
if I'm writing a story, I'mnot saying positive regression. I don't think
it's technically correct. Yeah, Ithink you're right, right, I think
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that's just the time. You're right. I know you're right. Yes,
I think that's a term in likean art, you know, lexicon.
And I know this kind of doesn'toverlap with soccer as much, but like
I see that like at least fivetimes a day. It's like the but
the biggest buzzword in in gambling,where like if somebody says positive regression,
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I do it all the time.I mean that means that you're specifically calling
me out. Right now, you'recalling me specifically out, you are,
and you're not just saying the gamblingworld. You're saying John Jansen keeps saying
positive regression and it doesn't mean anything, which yes, I probably I would
expect I would appreciate some positive regressionin your text messaging, but that's that
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still hasn't gotten any better. Whatdo I think it's gotten No, it's
probably got worth. I'm not goingnot. I mean, it's been bad.
I feel like you gotta bring thisup once a show Joe, like
the Union Talker podcast, Like there'sa bingo sheet and Joe saying John doesn't
text back him. We just checkthat one off. I look, I
(16:02):
would this is just me bullying youin just to try and to respond to
me within like twelve hours. AndI'm I'm gonna I'm gonna beat that into
your brain until you do, becausefor college football season, I'm gonna need
you to respond to twelve hours.But that's that's besides the point now.
But like, yes, the teamwas always going to regress like that.
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The pace that they played at thesecond half of last season was just absurd.
That everything clicked perfectly. Yeah,there was going to be a drop
off, but I think it becauseall the time in sports, by the
way, yeah, and and here'sand here's kind of the like the Chiefs
aren't always I know they're they're numberone, but you know it's not always
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Patrick Mahomes best year. You know, it's not it's not every year he's
going to have a career here orhe's amazing, right, all right,
he's amazing, But usually you couldyou could make that comparison a little bit
too to Andre Blake, where likeAndre Blake is not going to have his
like a career year every year,but there's always still the way makes it,
there's always still a certain sustainable levelof play that's always really good and
(17:06):
high end. But yeah, you'reright that it's not always Andre plays had
his had his peak best. Itnever happens in sports that way. The
best of the best, you know, like Johyotani had years where he wasn't
I think even I think last yearis a good example where he had a
great year, but this is obviouslythe peak what he's doing in twenty twenty
three. It's it's always an examplein sports that the guys there are obviously
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a certain sustainable level of play.And I think the Union or even like
we're talking about the Union as Imean, at least for me, I
always like I feel like I'm doominggloom right now. Fob you know,
they're going to be like an eightseat or something. I don't know,
but in reality, there's still areally good MLS team. They're just not
at that peak of what they werelast year. And every team goes through
that, I mean teams. Thecomparison LAFC isn't either, Yeah, absolutely,
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I mean, look who's on topof the West right now, it's
Saint Louis. It's not that weird, that's weird. Well yeah, it's
just like sitting here right now,since we're based, we're just past the
halfway point. How many Philadelphia Unionplayers can you say with a straight base
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have either maintained or increased their levelfrom twenty twenty two. I think you
can say Blake has stayed that atleast, Like Ian Blake's floor is the
highest of this entire team individually,so like Blake is going to be on
that list, I can. Ican argue Lesness. I don't think Martinez
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has has dropped considerably. I thinkCoronza has improved, like I'm just going
to I think maybe a bit ofa step because DA was unreal last year,
maybe a little. I think God'sLike Andua have both taken a small
step back. Still very good,but not to the level we apply them
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to if you ask any form ofsocial media, Badoya has taken fifteen steps
back. He really though, hashe played enough to even to even make
a good a good case for thator to have it. I don't know
how you guys do it. Ireally don't, because without fail every every
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match, like I like, thiskind of goes back to my my Leon
Flock defense a few weeks ago,whereas like every match regardless of what he
does, and by the way,last two like this when he was on
the field against Atlanta and LA,a lot more productive things than some of
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the other guys that you know,don't get it, a ton of heat,
like he is just the the targetof everything. I'm not saying he's
he's been perfect this season, butlike I look at that, and I
think it's I think it's stable,Like what's the what's the relative expectation for
the right side of midfielder? Anda form for two diamonds, like what
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what what is that? And Ithink that is an open ended question for
whoever is out there, but Ithink it applied apply the same thing to
Flock, like what's the what's yourreal general expectation for the left side of
defensive midfielder or defensive minded midfielder,uh in this formation? Like what is?
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I think it's all relative to personalexpectations, right and and I guess
eye test, But I don't know, man, I don't think he's taken
a a significant drop off where heneeds to be out of the lineup forever
like everyone suggests. I mean,I think that's kind of just the I
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think that's just the baseline criticism isif a guy doesn't perform well like a
flock and the doia, I guessare the two biggest instances of this,
where like they should sit immediately.What the hell is Jim doing? He
doesn't know what the hell is goingon and stuff like that, where it's
like, well, maybe you guysare posting on Facebook and Twitter and he's
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the head coach of a MLS teamgoing on a decade for a reason,
not saying Jim's perfect, because youknow, we've criticized him many times here,
But I don't know, like Iwould trust him more than a Monday
morning center back in the in theFacebook discussion group, that's for damn sure,
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Monday morning center back. Like that'sfunny. It's it's one thing to
like it's one thing to like categoricallycriticize a god's egg and for lack of
production in matches because they haven't shownup. But because we can quantify what
we expected of a ten, wecan quantify what we expected of a striking,
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but we can't like what are yougonna quantify the two sided midfields?
Like the offensive lineman? Like howare you how can you really quantify a
good offensive lineman? I guess otherthan like right and like actually the Union,
it's just don't give up goals,right, And the whole thing to
me is like everybody and this isthis is a trend that has played out
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in soccer Twitter for a long timewhere because we have so many stats at
our at our disposal now and look, I use them, you use them.
There's pro football focuses tried to getinto it, although I think their
metrics are flawed and based off ofwhat they're doing. You know, FB
ref I use a lot, whoscore to use a lot? But how
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can you quantify like for for forforwards and will include gostag in this one
nation. You can look at shots, shots and target extra per ninety shots
on target per ninety he passes ifyou're if you're God's dagg like movement inside
the final thir there's actual like thingsI can quantify with them saying, yes,
they may not be scoring, butthey're doing something good. And of
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note, in defense, it's veryclear, like what the objectives are of
of Wagner and Baizo and of Bleasnisand Elliott and Low when he's in there.
And the same thing with with JoseMartinez because you can you can quantify
it to what he's doing specifically andthen what his opponents are doing. And
there's heat maps and passing networks andall you name it. You can you
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can find a spin for it,and we've all done that. But those
two positions, specifically in the formation, where's your what's your spin other than
eye test, your personal opinion andmaybe like one or two stats that you
think you know sways Jim's curt JimCurtain's decision, makinse. That's why it's
(24:06):
so hard for me to be likethose two positions. Most importantly, I
think when you evaluate year over yearis kind of feel and also what they
kind of intangibles, what they bringto the table and look for you.
And you're lucky to have have twoof those guys. I think it's to
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me My answer always would be tothe people who criticize these guys and who
are on Jim's case a lot whensaying, by the way, he was
not a lame duck. He waslike going through contract negotiations and they just
took a little longer than expected.He was not it turns out, was
(24:48):
not was not contacted by the nationalteam at all, So that wasn't even
a thing. It's just they hadbad games and they didn't last year.
But I don't know, like,would you rather have I don't know,
Fabian Herbers running around as a wingerfor five extra years. Would you rather
(25:12):
pay your a central midfielder however manymillion dollars like the Chicago Fire are.
Would you rather have zero strikers likeNashville STC does and just rely solely on
one player? Like in terms ofsituations and look, I'm the Union's depth
is still an issue, But interms of starting eleven, I mean a
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majority of these teams across MLS wouldkill to have a Leon Flock and then
Alahan Jabadoa or at least one ofthem, or Jack McGlenn in these spots
like, it really is kind ofincredible sometimes where like, and I think
this year more so than any year, because we don't have a we don't
(25:56):
have a good sense of the leagueas a whole. You'd be lying to
yourself if you do, and eventhe national even if you're a national writer.
So I'm want to get and gointo this. So so I like
that because there isn't I feel likea firm grasp on what the hell's going
on in the league right now andhow to how to kind of tiar these
teams, meaning like where we putthem in the tears of MLS. I'm
(26:18):
sure we could do it somewhat,but I think it's a little bit more
muddied. Where where are you placingthe union right now? He's like,
how do you feel about the unioncompared to the rest of the league and
what you've seen, which obviously youjust mentioned is we kind of don't really
know. Nobody knows. Look,the only people that could genuinely tell you
(26:41):
how all twenty nine teams and MLSare are playing at this point, or
if you're somebody who works for theleague website or a dedicated national beat reporter,
and those guys don't even you know, they're not watching all twenty nine
teams. They're watching them in snippetslike we are. So they're probably count
on my hand how many and probablyjust one hand, how many people each
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week are digging into all twenty nineteams and giving them like a legitimate fair
shake. That's just the way thisleague is set up and the way the
TV rights are set up. Andyou don't really learn anything from watching Kaylen
Kyle just dominate MLS three sixty bytalking over everyone. So I think,
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yes, I think there's just avery broad swipe of a second tier in
MLS right now. Like Cincinnati hasobviously put themselves in that upper echelon,
and the points suggest that they're theonly team right now, you know,
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with an over two points per gameclip and LAFC would be the eight seed
in the Eastern Conference right now.So I don't know, I no one's
great. I think Cincinnati's very good. But you take a you take Brandon
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Basquez and Matt Niozga out of thatteam and h and and Brenner, and
yeah they can they can turn toaverage real quick. And if you you
take Connie buck Tar and Walker Zimmermanout of Nashville, SC What happens there,
same thing with I'm going down thelist. Take Carlos Hill out of
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New England, you take Kucho andzellroyand of Columbus, Take Tiaga, Almada
and Yakomacus out of Atlanta, takeAndre Blake and name your second player from
the Union, and these teams becomevery average really quick. Like that's just
the reality of the league. Youneed your best players to be on the
field consistently, and no one hasthe elite of the elite eleven nobody,
(28:56):
nobody does. But if you can, if the floor on your I guess
six to eleventh best players is higher, is higher than others, you have
a chance of going really far inthis league. That's it's just kind of
the best way to describe it rightnow. Like, look, get into
Miami. I can't use them asan example. Everything's going to change everything,
(29:18):
everything, Everything goes back to theinner Miami comparison at this point because
they're dead last in the East.There are eight points back of this log
jam for ninth place. Leon OnMessi obviously very very elite. Sergio just
gets in if he gives a damncan be very effective in this league,
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But who's going to defend around themlike pieces? Like I think with Miami
if excuse me if pieces one throughfour or five are very very good,
but there's no balance from pieces sixto eleven on the field. Team teams
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and managers are so intelligent in thisleague. Well, they will pick apart
all of your weaknesses and they willdo it very fast. And I think
that's maybe what Miami is going tohave to prevent against. Like, yes,
Messi's gonna win you one a fewgames. I think having Tata Martino
(30:33):
come in as head coach with MLSexperience is a massive bonus. But the
injuries have piled up immensely for them, so and and injuries are piled up
across the league too, So Ithink where you have to look at,
and this goes across the league too, is your six through eleven, six
(30:55):
through eleventh best players in Major LeagueSoccer on your starting oven or your depth
whatever are they can they carry youon a bad night, And we're not
getting that from the Union right now. Like the two games Atlanta in La
Andre Blakes and there Kai Wagner's inthere not saying they win, but like,
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what's I guess what's the baseball statwar or f war or X floor
whatever, whatever your wins above replacementwould be. I mean, Andre Blake's
might be the number one in theleague. I don't know how you quantify
that in soccer, but I meanyou can make a strong case he's the
most valuable player in MLS year overyear just because of the drop off we've
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seen. And look, Matt Freezewas better than Bendick. But Matt Freeze
wasn't winning every single but he wasn'twinning every single game that he was he
was playing. He wasn't, butI think you can say it was still
he was still better. Okay,yeah, it's still better. Yeah,
yeah, we're still better. Likethat's I think that's obvious to die.
(32:02):
But in terms of like getting points, like, oh yeah, I get
what you mean there. It's notlike they would get an abundance of points
of Freeze, but look, maybethey do take a result, you know,
even if it's just to draw onthe road. So I think to
this kind of this long ramble hereis it goes back to Jim Curtain's overriding
(32:23):
point of when as a team loses, a team like if if they're eleventh
best player on the field isn't puttingin the required effort or and you can
make an argument who that eleventh bestplayer is. But if your eleventh best
player isn't putting in the effort anddoing everything that's required of him within the
(32:45):
system, and then the tenth bestplayers and the ninth best player and the
eighth best player, like, ifthose players the back end of you're starting
eleven aren't performing the way they should, you're gonna experience this drop off and
results. And this this isn't acrossthe board thing, and it's it's it
speaks to the roster rules that MLShasn't has in place, like, so
(33:12):
let's use the Arstar Game is asan example. Here. Arsenal's coming into
the All Star Games. So thisis a good team to point out with
that this this little hypothetic what we'regoing through. If Arsenal plays MLS or
any MLS team in a best ofseven series over two weeks in another sport,
and Arsenal is required, they can'tuse the same starting eleven for any
(33:36):
of the matches. They can youknow, say Martinelli or Gabrielle Jayson's can
can start. However, many games, but you can't go with the con
same eleven every game and you applythat special rule, Arsenal is still going
to win those games because they're thedepth of a premier league team, a
(33:58):
Champions League level team, maybe evena League I next team. Maybe this
applies to League's Cup. Excuse me. The depth is is deeper. And
the Union tried to do that thisyear. They tried to get Andres Perea,
Joaquin Toures, Damian Lowe and bringthem in as as depth pieces and
(34:21):
make sure that that floor was significantlyhigher than any other team, because if
you saw what laf SE did lastyear, lafc's floor was the highest of
any team because of what they didin the summer and how they kind of
just added layers throughout I guess twoor three transfer windows. The Union tried
(34:43):
and it hasn't worked yet, withPereia barely getting on the field, Torres
barely getting on the field, andthat's when when Jim Curtin says the margins
are thin. Those are the marginslike if if Atlanta is playing better as
a whole, if LA is playingbetter as a whole, and the Union
(35:05):
their floor drops from game to gameand the overall floor is dropped a decent
amount from last year. This iswhat you get and this is where where
you stand. So yeah, it'sit's frustrating, but that's kind of just
where the Union are at within withan MLS, within their their structure of
(35:28):
transfers. And no, it's notas easy as saying go out in the
market and get somebody. I wishit was, but I mean that's I
don't know, like what what what? Asking a fan what do you do?
Is very easy, right because thename three positions they got to go
(35:50):
get depth at. But if youask Kern's Tanner and Jim Curtin and you
know, they're not going to giveyou anything. They're gonna give you the
company in line up. Yeah,we're always looking and it has to be
the right well yeah, that's whatthey mean by the right fit, Like
this guy has to come in andnot only be good and challenge the guy
in front of him, he's gotto buy into all the team concepts and
(36:12):
be the right fit for the formation. Because how many times have we seen
in world soccer where a manager changeor a system change just completely rexa a
player's career. So I wish itwas easy. I wish it was that
easy, but unfortunately it's not.And this is I wouldn't be surprised if
this is the squad, barring amove outward, that this is the squad
(36:39):
the Union one with until the endof the season. I just want to
ask a pretty simple, I guessquestion here, but just to gauge this
and just to make sure. Arethe Union still a MLS Cup contender?
Yes? At their best they are. Yeah, Well is it fair to
(36:59):
ask that question right now? Butthe way that they played absolutely it's try
to ask that question. Man.Look again, it goes back to which
of these teams do you believe isgoing to create separation? And look,
we complete. We could be fastforward a little over twenty four hours,
(37:22):
you can I could be talking abouta completely different situation where say they somehow
get a draw in Nashville and thenbeat NYC at home. Well, that's
a four point week and it makesthe it makes the standings look a lot
better than it did. I don'tknow what going into today, Going into
(37:45):
League's Cup, I think perception isgoing to be everything. Now. You
can't just completely blow the week youlose to Nashville. You absolutely must beat
NYCFC. Is like the bare minimumrequirement of these two games is is three
points and we're banking on that againstNYCFC. So if you can go out
there and all the pressure is gonnabe on Nashville and you do find a
(38:07):
way to shut down Muktar Wagner playsout his best and you limit the opportunities
where Joe Bendick is vulnerable, thenit makes it. It makes it a
much better watch. But the problem, the problem the Union have had in
these two games is their game planhas gonna ride very fast and it's Tiaka
(38:31):
Almada and Ricky Pouch who by theway, MLS I don't care what the
roster rules are, like, yes, having Leonel Messi come into the league
as massive, but imagine if yousurrounded Lionel Messi with two or three twenty
two year old South American playmakers orguys that are midfielders that could do the
(38:52):
dirty I mean, my god,that would be an unstoppable force and major
or even any team, like let'sbe honest, like if if you get
the right combination, like like atJulian Coranza. He's a purpose example of
that as well. So the planalways in these types of matchups are to
(39:14):
isolate the playmaker. And let's behonest, I guess Atlanta, they did
a half decent job containing Onbada.Outside of the two goals, there have
been a lot of shots either directlyat dra Benedick or ones that are are
lower percentage right, I mean theXG on lower percentage right, The XG
(39:39):
is is super low on the goalsthat he's given up. So there is
a path. As as bad asJoe Bendick has played, there is a
path to a point, hell evenmaybe a win in Nashville, because there
is there is. I feeling verydown right now with Ben Dick, and
(40:01):
I feel like you should. Imean, I'm not. I'm not trying
to purposely be I know exactly.And with Wagner back, maybe that that
helps that defensive structure because you haveyou'll have a backup, and you don't
have a guy playing out a positionlike Jim's gonna go to Diamond. He's
(40:23):
gonna put his his worker bees inthere for lack of a better term,
and he's gonna say, go getme a point play and he's gonna he's
gonna challenge him. Look, Ithink you know the cliche we make where
like, uh, coach, Weasked coaches all the time, Hey,
what were the adjustments? Would yousay at halftime? We've gotten to the
(40:44):
point with the Philadelphia Union where JimCurtain doesn't even have to say anything at
halftime, and he's admitted this,like the players run the halftime conversation for
the most part. Like I mean, take the four one win over Miami,
for example, nobody was happy andthey were they were up multiple goals
a half time, and the playerstook ownership with that. So maybe that
(41:06):
was a sign of things to comefor Atlanta LA. But the players have
taken ownership with this. They knowit's not good enough. And if they
hold these guys to low percentage opportunitiesand you apply the the you actually apply
(41:30):
the same strategy you use in frontof Andre Blake that you've tried to apply
and failed horribly with in front ofJoe Bendick, then it does become functional.
You know, it's not all doomand gloom. You can come away
with the point. But it speaksto like all of the cliches that we
(41:52):
get tired of, Jim Curtin saying, if you actually take them for what
they are and apply them to theselast two games. They're ten thousand percent
true. So that that's kind ofwhere the Union are at right now.
And Jim's telling the truth. He'snot going to throw these guys in the
(42:14):
bus. We all know that.Yes, we're asking him every week that
Joe Bendick, is he good enough? What mistakes was making? I know
I had. This is my favoritetype of tweet where fans hold the media
accountable to be like, you aren'tasking Jim what we are? This is
Jim. I always love that criticism. Like, Jim's got the same He's
(42:37):
giving us anything. He's going togive you the same cookie fetter answers exactly.
He's been around ten years. Idon't care if you're a fan that
has been around since, you know, since there was another manager in charge
or just showed up last week,Like, Jim's going to give you the
same thing. And that's what youyou respect the hell out of him for,
(42:57):
is he's going to give you thesame thing each every week and he'll
give you a lot of honest answerslike he did today. So Nashville,
you're saying, what what is yourpreview prediction for Nashville. They gotta they
gotta make it a low scoring game. They basically have to shove Nashville's way
(43:21):
of playing just right back in theirface. Well, that's to do.
And if they can do that,they can get a point. Hell,
they can even get a win likethat. Look the most optimistic Lesness,
Elliott Wagner and Baizo or harry'll whoeverdoes it right back plays phenomenal. Muktar
(43:43):
does very little, and you don'thave to worry about Joe Bendick. And
on the flip side, the attackingthree looks much more cohesive. Now It's
going to be a struggle against theNashville team that has historically played its prided
itself on on deef and Joe Willishas some of the best numbers of any
(44:07):
goalkeeper on the league. And Iknow we've talked so much about Andre Blake,
about Matt Turner when he was here. I know the Revs push out
Jordi Petrovic highlights on on a dailybasis. But Joe Willis has been quietly
one of the best goalkeepers in theleague since he's joined Nashville, and part
of that is because of the systemhe plays it behind but the numbers speak
(44:30):
to that as well, which Ithink is something we don't appreciate out of
Nashville because all we do talk aboutis is Honey Luke Tarrant and they don't
have a striker and that's and that'spretty much it. It'll be tough to
handle, but I mean, there'sa game plan there, but the game
plan hasn't hasn't gotten them anywhere inthe last two games. And that's the
(44:53):
frustrating aspect. And that's why Iunderstand people today saying, yeah, we're
not gonna watch tomorrow's game because Bendick'sand Gold look rightfully. So yeah,
rightfully. So I'm gonna be honest. I'm not. I'm not I'm not
tell I'm not feeling great about thisgame and it's gonna be three losses in
(45:15):
a row and it's gonna feel likethe world is ending and it probably is.
Yeah, That's where I'm at,That's where my headspace is at the
year. I'm not saying anybody isis wrong in that assessment. You're not
like, there's plenty of reason tofeel that way. But I'm saying,
(45:36):
like, this is what Jim Curtinis preaching within the locker room. I
know people may hate to hear allthe potential positivity that's coming out of this
podcast right now. There's a lotof it. I don't know if it's
I don't know if I would callit positivity because I don't know if Like
I don't want Joe Bendick make mistakesthree times, they're like, what good
(46:00):
does that do for me? Writing? Like I'm just gonna write mistakes.
It's just he's not athletic enough.He's just yeah, his body just isn't
athletics, is just not good enoughright now. Yes, I would say
that's the case. That's what hisgame is caught up. That's fine.
Like I don't think he's doing anythingparticularly wrong or in that position. I
(46:22):
just I don't think he's good enoughto block even some of these low percentage
shots anymore exactly. And it exposesthe flaw in the unions, in their
whole system to make that that floorraise it where it's kind of been dropped
(46:42):
a little bit. It's kind ofcan we can we do with some union
soccer pod appearance from Sean Brace?Right now? I only think one of
these question to work. If SeanBrace wants to at least scream something to
the Union Soccer Pod folks. Jimforever, Jim Curtin forever, that's Sean
Brace. That's right, that's righton brand. Does he have a that's
(47:02):
right on brand? Alright? Thisis the most most words Sewan Brace has
said on the podcast. Yeah,it's been a while to see Sean Brace's
voice has been heard on this podcast. So that's good to hear. All
right, So let's let's wrap itup there. I think we gave all
of our thoughts. We did ourben Nick thoughts. Ben Nick thoughts,
I always gosh, I'm always strugglingwith his name. So we got the
(47:24):
goalkeeping thoughts. You screw that upas easily as Jim. I know,
I know, I don't get it, Jim Curtin thoughts. We got all
of it. So, Joe,what do you have coming up on the
sub stack that everybody can or theblog? Should I just say blog?
What do you have coming up onthe blog that people can look forward to?
Oh? Look, I know Isay this every podcast. Subscribe,
subscribe, subscribe, but subscribe,subscribe, subscribe. I'm actually in the
(47:49):
middle of typing up everything from that. Jim Curtin said, uh, this
afternoon. And on top of that, I know he's the most popular guy
to the fan base right now.But I actually had a very extended talk
with Alejandra Badoya last week and whatmaybe on field, maybe maybe I'm maybe
(48:09):
I read the Facebook comments too much. Yo, you're reading the Facebook comments.
Yeah, yeah, you're getting there, buddy. So anyway, I'm
going on vacation next week, verymuch needed vacation, actually leaving right after
the NYC game and not coming backuntil League's Cups. So uh, the
Union Soccer blog dot subsect dot comwill have a feature on Alejandraada and maybe
(48:36):
one or two other players, uhnext week while I am enjoying the beach
and not talking to any of you. Soccer nice. So that's that was
very so there will be very nice. Be No podcast next week. There
will be no podcast next week unlessI do something yeah yeah, or we
or we do one pre NYC,depending on how dire straits were were in.
(49:01):
But yeah, please subscribe five dollarsa month to forty a year.
Lots of features coming up ahead ofLeague's Cup All Star Game, which you
know, don't watch the MLS AllStar Game. It's a bogus exposition,
don't any game. Yeah, I'mprobably not gonna watch the MLB Allstar Game
(49:24):
tonet anyway. No, I willbe go. I will I will go
see Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part one. Skills skills competent skills skills competitions are
infinitely better than All Star games.Yes, that's a great. Yeah,
that's that's that's good. All right, but let's way Jose Jose Martin real
quick, Jose Martine should have beenin that shooting competition. I don't care
(49:46):
who is better, who's a biggername. I just want to see bruho
just try and like forty yards?Yeah, who wouldn't want to see that?
That is it for the Union SoccerPod. You could follow Joe at
j tan Z ninety, follow meJohn Jansen at j Janson thirty four.
Union Soccer Pod can be found anywherewhere you get your podcast. We'll be
(50:06):
back, not next week unless Ido some surprise thing. Probably not,
we'll see. But also pregame aswell for the Nashville game and also postgame
on Twitter spaces, so be sureto check that out again at j Tanzy
ninety. I'm sure Joe will postall the Twitter, spaces stuff there.
That is it for the Union SoccerPod. We'll be back in a couple
of weeks here on the Union SoccerPod.
Some breaking news, some goalkeeping issuesand losses, lots of losses coming in
and we're talking all about that rightnow on the Philadelphia Union Soccer Podcast.
My name is John Jansen. Youcan follow me at j Jansen thirty four.
My co hosts the star of theshow, Joe Tanzy at Jay Tanzy
ninety Union Soccer blog dot substack dotcom. Also, you can find this
(00:22):
podcast anywhere you find your podcast,whether that's the Apple pod Store, whether
that's Spotify, wherever you get yourpodcasts, you could find here the Union
Soccer Podcast and Joe, there's plentyto talk about. I know you just
got done with a press conference withJim Curtin. It was announced that he
was extended two years, so wecould probably start there, work our way
(00:43):
into goalkeeping issues and also a Nashvillepreview, which looks like another loss on
the horizon for the Philadelphia Union.But Joe two years and union and curtain
and Union keeping this marriage together.I think that's the most important. Yeah,
and this has kind of been thebig issue at least as some people,
(01:07):
not me. I don't think anybody, unlike the media side, was
concerned necessarily. This was not gonnahappen. I know there were some of
the fan base. I know youand I have gotten it a decent amount
of it during post game and stuffthat we did. Just by the way,
another piece of breaking news. Tomorrownight, Wednesday night, we are
(01:32):
doing a pregame show. Are wedoing a postgame show too? John Jansen?
Yeah, why not? Let's doa postgame show. Let's do it
on the fly right now. Well, you you you sprung, you sprung
the postgame showing me I did around, So it's only fair so pre end
postgame shows. Uh. For theNashville SC game seven five, pre game,
(01:57):
I know it's going against the USmen's national team, I want to
I've I need to vent about thata little bit later. But seven forty
five pregame show on Twitter spaces andthe postgame show directly after the final whistle,
I will go the press conference andwe will go right into postgame.
So roughly I guess ten twenty five, ten thirty where I think we're gonna
(02:21):
hard cap it at a half anhour because the two of us can talk,
and I know we have a lotof we very appreciative the input,
but we're gonna cap it at ahalf an hour and postgame at eleven o'clock,
please tune in. I will seteverything up and sweet everything out this
afternoon. But yes, pre andpost game on Wednesday, we're gonna try
(02:43):
and do this more for road games. Home game is a little more difficult
because I know everybody's in the stadiumor you know, outside the stadium bringer
come in. It's it's better suitedfor us to do it for road games
with everybody at home. Yeah,and we've gotten more listeners, let's be
frank with road games and home gameswhen we've experiment when everybody's on Twitter instead
(03:07):
of at super Park, when everybody'son Twitter hanging out with us. Yeah.
Yeah, but it's it's it's it'sa lot more. It's a lot
more better of an experience than justthe two of us talking to talking to
ourselves with five people listening while everybody'sinside two reports. Yeah, two of
us have done this so long.We're like, we're used to talking.
We could just be talking to fivepeople now on the podcast, very very
(03:31):
who all could be I'm not I'mnot counting. I'm not counting like my
my in law's cat or something likethat. But look, it's just kind
of it makes more sense for usfor road games. And that's basically yeah,
so pre and post game Wednesday nightfor the Nashvilles, he gain a
(03:52):
big, big road game. Let'snot make it that big of a deal
because I want to brace myself forthe result, So let's not get too
big of a deal. Yes,it is, it is a big game.
I mean, you don't want togo down you know three and I
guess you know, I know thecurtain contract. We'll talk about one.
I guess we'll get all into thisstuff as we talk about, you know,
some of the Union's problems. Butlook, that's two straight losses,
(04:14):
two straight losses on the road.You've gotten outscored five to one in your
last two league games. You knowthat's It's certainly not something we're used to
seeing from the Union. This timelast year, this was not happening.
This was the complete opposite. Obviously, goalkeeper issues are going to be number
one, and I think that's goingto be pointed to because they're giving up
way more goals than they're used to. And we thought just with this great
(04:35):
back line and great defensive structure thatthey had that it was going to be
fine with Bendick and it's not soyou know, how much of these issues
do you attribute just a goalkeeper,and how many of these things are concerning
to you overall? And and maybethinking that this Union team has taken a
to see a giant step back,but they were, you know, unbelievable
(04:58):
last year. So I mean,it does seem like they're going to be
taking a pretty significant step back becausethey were breaking all sorts of records historical
season and now it just looks like, yeah, they're a top three to
four team at least at the momentin MLS. There's so many angles of
which you can dissect this right becauseit it kind of starts and ends with
(05:21):
Bendick right now, because I mean, the only goal I can genuinely say
he probably wouldn't get was the firstalmodicle in Atlanta. I think I can
genuinely make a case that that's justa worldy it happens. And look,
(05:47):
the it goes back to Kivagula beingout in that situation where Nathan Harriel,
don't put yourself in that situation inthe first place. You know, why
is it a center back not trackingYakamachus? Then Nathan Harriel I think that's
that that blame does lie on Harriofor creating the opportunity, and yes it
(06:08):
is. I think it was areally good cell by Acamachus. But that's
the position you put yourself in.The second Atlanta goal, Bendick casted you
better the first two Galaxy goals.Bendick has to do far better. The
goal the Ricky Pooch scores that wedidn't see on Apple TV because the feed
(06:29):
was out and nobody saw. Thatwas brutal. I know that, and
I don't want to go too muchon because that was the first time it
happened. But yeah, it's nota it's not a great look. Yeah,
broadcast isn't working again. Happen youcannot have your live broadcast no,
uh cut out now. To befair, it's the it's the first time
really, and I've watched obviously morestuff than Union games that have been watching
(06:50):
all these the first time. Really, that's I've seen anything like that.
But yeah, it was bad inthe moment, and it is You're right,
it's it's something that can't happen.Yeah, but I think it looked
at that's got to be it's unacceptable, Like there's there's no, like we
missed a goal and miss there's justabsolutely nothing and that's the end. It's
(07:13):
that was the only feed. Likethe radio broadcast didn't even see it either,
which is that that's frustrating too.So yeah, I mean it flatly
just goes on Bendick. And Ithink you and I more than anybody,
were willing to give him a smallbenefit of the doubt going into this stretch
(07:34):
of games because the mistakes were justso brutal by the center backs in the
Montreal and Orlando games. But it'svery clear that the Union dropped the ball,
whether it on not being more aggressiveand convincing Matt Freeze to stay,
(07:56):
or whether it be not going aftera more capable number two goalkeeper, or
maybe it's internally and just failing tograps grasp just how drastic they drop off
for Bendicks, just overall quality wasLike I think there's a little bit of
(08:18):
all of that in there. Andnow I'm not saying the Union get points
in Atlanta or LA, but ifyou take out the errors in LA,
you're up one nothing. It's adifferent game. Now, Look, it's
a lot more, it's a lotbetter if you come away with a one
one draw. But again, thisis we genuinely don't know, like going
(08:43):
back into the future into the past, and yeah, trying to rewrite history,
and I even do that. SoI always try and make sure because
when you know some of the goalsthat Bendick let up and surrendered, you
know, I think it's easy tosay, well, Andre Blake would have
saved those, But obviously if AndreBlake's there, it's a totally different approach,
maybe different game. So you justnever know how things are going to
play out. But I think itis fair to say that Bendick was in
(09:05):
an opportunity or spot where Andre Blakewould have probably saved some of those goals,
and there were errors in front ofBendick, and I'm not sure if
they would have been the same ifBlake is there, So you just you
never know. So the what ifisn't always well, if Blake was there,
they would have won that game,or they wouldn't have surrendered all of
these goals. I don't know.They probably could have and they have before
with Blake, but I think justif you want to talk circumstantial those particular
(09:28):
goals, yeah, Blake probably savesthose, and the errors that were made
in front of him, don't lookas bad and the Union maybe come away
with a draw. And I thinkthis has been pointed out by not just
in the two games earlier in theseason, but by everybody. I've had
people DM me about this during theweek. Is they just look like a
(09:52):
different team. The defensive structure looksgone with Bendick there, it's a chemistry
thing. I think there's a lotmore trust from the center backs in Andre
Blake. But it's it's stunning,like I don't I haven't seen and this
is this is not like this isthe first time we've Andre Blake has ever
(10:13):
been away, Like we've seen thishappen before. But I can't remember a
time since Andre Blake has been thenumber one goalkeeper that there was this significant
of a drop off and the levelof quality and defense dropped off so significantly
too. With it. There wasalways that and again this to the McCarthy's,
(10:35):
the Freezes of the world, thatthey were able to come up with
a few saves and they make thosestops that Bendick does, so I think
it also plays into it. Butyeah, it's bizarre. I have not
seen a team there's just this lostwithout their leader in the back, and
you would think that wasn't the case. You would think Leslis and Elliott would
(10:58):
be able to shoulder that load.It. Yeah, I just it's it's
something you can obviously see what you'reown two eyes. But Jim Curtin being
the coach he is, and thisis part of the reason why he's been
around so long, is he's notgoing to throw any of these individuals under
the bus, whether it be JoeBendick, whether it be Jacob Gleasnis,
(11:18):
Jack Elliott, Nathan Harriell, whoeverit may, Matt Real, whoever it
may be. It's when as ateam loses a team and look agreed to
put that to a certain extent,they haven't been good enough as a team
in these two road games and theperformance has been unacceptable and that's something that
(11:39):
they realize in the locker room.But I don't know if that if Kay
Wagner being back for tomorrow's Matchkins Nashvilleautomatically changes how the back line looks.
Yeah, that's the thing, youknow, I just what what changes can
be made. Obviously, the onething is you get Andre blaken Nett,
and you know, maybe everything's fine. But is that the case? What
(12:00):
I'm trying to figure out here isthe Union just taken a step back?
Have they regressed from last year?You know last year again historical like historical
year. Last year it was thebest Union team ever in terms of numbers.
Last year it was amazing and theywere putting up incredible goal differentials.
It was an incredible year for theUnion. But you know, have they
taken a step back? And howfar have they taken a step back?
(12:22):
And you know, can all theseissues be fixed in time to be an
MLS Cup team? You know,one of the favorites as they were last
year. I know, obviously LAFCwas the favorite, but the Union were
right up at the top as well. You know, it's just a are
they Union that team or maybe arethey? Have they taken that step back?
I guess Really, I'm trying tofigure out after these two losses how
(12:43):
much I should look into and reallyhow the whole season's played out, to
be honest, what this Union teamreally is this season? That's a tricky
one, yeah, because there's alot there's a lot of variables that have
played into this season more than previousones. There's been a lot of absolutely
(13:03):
absolutely, and they will there willcontinue to be those as well, which
is why it's like, it's whythis season has been a little bit more
baffling than than others, right,because last year was unexpectedly that good,
right, and we had this hot, super super high standard going into twenty
(13:28):
twenty three and it hasn't been metyet in sixth place in the East.
Now that could that could change radically, you know that it's concerning, but
almost not yet, because only Cincinnatihas proven that they're the elite of the
elite and MLS and if the twentytwenty two version of the Union shows up,
(13:52):
heck, even once this week,there's still in decent shape. You
would love for it to be twiceand to get four points out of this
this run here. But it's itreally is confounding because obviously you think that
some regression is going to happen,which, by the way, this is
(14:13):
a small rant. Regression is onlya negative term. I know you and
I are in the gambling business.Positive regression is not a thing. Positive
regression thing. Positive regression is nota real term. I always use positive
aggression. Positive regression to me isone of the most annoying terms that people
use in the gambling industry. AndI think people use it because I'm not
(14:35):
sure everybody is aware that regression cango both ways. But to me,
regression it always has that negative tone, right, exactly, that's why you
say it positively exactly, That's exactlywhat I mean. But like if I'm
if I'm writing a story, I'mnot saying positive regression. I don't think
it's technically correct. Yeah, Ithink you're right, right, I think
(14:56):
that's just the time. You're right. I know you're right. Yes,
I think that's a term in likean art, you know, lexicon.
And I know this kind of doesn'toverlap with soccer as much, but like
I see that like at least fivetimes a day. It's like the but
the biggest buzzword in in gambling,where like if somebody says positive regression,
(15:18):
I do it all the time.I mean that means that you're specifically calling
me out. Right now, you'recalling me specifically out, you are,
and you're not just saying the gamblingworld. You're saying John Jansen keeps saying
positive regression and it doesn't mean anything, which yes, I probably I would
expect I would appreciate some positive regressionin your text messaging, but that's that
(15:41):
still hasn't gotten any better. Whatdo I think it's gotten No, it's
probably got worth. I'm not goingnot. I mean, it's been bad.
I feel like you gotta bring thisup once a show Joe, like
the Union Talker podcast, Like there'sa bingo sheet and Joe saying John doesn't
text back him. We just checkthat one off. I look, I
(16:02):
would this is just me bullying youin just to try and to respond to
me within like twelve hours. AndI'm I'm gonna I'm gonna beat that into
your brain until you do, becausefor college football season, I'm gonna need
you to respond to twelve hours.But that's that's besides the point now.
But like, yes, the teamwas always going to regress like that.
(16:23):
The pace that they played at thesecond half of last season was just absurd.
That everything clicked perfectly. Yeah,there was going to be a drop
off, but I think it becauseall the time in sports, by the
way, yeah, and and here'sand here's kind of the like the Chiefs
aren't always I know they're they're numberone, but you know it's not always
(16:45):
Patrick Mahomes best year. You know, it's not it's not every year he's
going to have a career here orhe's amazing, right, all right,
he's amazing, But usually you couldyou could make that comparison a little bit
too to Andre Blake, where likeAndre Blake is not going to have his
like a career year every year,but there's always still the way makes it,
there's always still a certain sustainable levelof play that's always really good and
(17:06):
high end. But yeah, you'reright that it's not always Andre plays had
his had his peak best. Itnever happens in sports that way. The
best of the best, you know, like Johyotani had years where he wasn't
I think even I think last yearis a good example where he had a
great year, but this is obviouslythe peak what he's doing in twenty twenty
three. It's it's always an examplein sports that the guys there are obviously
(17:27):
a certain sustainable level of play.And I think the Union or even like
we're talking about the Union as Imean, at least for me, I
always like I feel like I'm doominggloom right now. Fob you know,
they're going to be like an eightseat or something. I don't know,
but in reality, there's still areally good MLS team. They're just not
at that peak of what they werelast year. And every team goes through
that, I mean teams. Thecomparison LAFC isn't either, Yeah, absolutely,
(17:48):
I mean, look who's on topof the West right now, it's
Saint Louis. It's not that weird, that's weird. Well yeah, it's
just like sitting here right now,since we're based, we're just past the
halfway point. How many Philadelphia Unionplayers can you say with a straight base
(18:12):
have either maintained or increased their levelfrom twenty twenty two. I think you
can say Blake has stayed that atleast, Like Ian Blake's floor is the
highest of this entire team individually,so like Blake is going to be on
that list, I can. Ican argue Lesness. I don't think Martinez
(18:38):
has has dropped considerably. I thinkCoronza has improved, like I'm just going
to I think maybe a bit ofa step because DA was unreal last year,
maybe a little. I think God'sLike Andua have both taken a small
step back. Still very good,but not to the level we apply them
(19:02):
to if you ask any form ofsocial media, Badoya has taken fifteen steps
back. He really though, hashe played enough to even to even make
a good a good case for thator to have it. I don't know
how you guys do it. Ireally don't, because without fail every every
(19:23):
match, like I like, thiskind of goes back to my my Leon
Flock defense a few weeks ago,whereas like every match regardless of what he
does, and by the way,last two like this when he was on
the field against Atlanta and LA,a lot more productive things than some of
(19:47):
the other guys that you know,don't get it, a ton of heat,
like he is just the the targetof everything. I'm not saying he's
he's been perfect this season, butlike I look at that, and I
think it's I think it's stable,Like what's the what's the relative expectation for
the right side of midfielder? Anda form for two diamonds, like what
(20:11):
what what is that? And Ithink that is an open ended question for
whoever is out there, but Ithink it applied apply the same thing to
Flock, like what's the what's yourreal general expectation for the left side of
defensive midfielder or defensive minded midfielder,uh in this formation? Like what is?
(20:34):
I think it's all relative to personalexpectations, right and and I guess
eye test, But I don't know, man, I don't think he's taken
a a significant drop off where heneeds to be out of the lineup forever
like everyone suggests. I mean,I think that's kind of just the I
(21:00):
think that's just the baseline criticism isif a guy doesn't perform well like a
flock and the doia, I guessare the two biggest instances of this,
where like they should sit immediately.What the hell is Jim doing? He
doesn't know what the hell is goingon and stuff like that, where it's
like, well, maybe you guysare posting on Facebook and Twitter and he's
(21:23):
the head coach of a MLS teamgoing on a decade for a reason,
not saying Jim's perfect, because youknow, we've criticized him many times here,
But I don't know, like Iwould trust him more than a Monday
morning center back in the in theFacebook discussion group, that's for damn sure,
(21:44):
Monday morning center back. Like that'sfunny. It's it's one thing to
like it's one thing to like categoricallycriticize a god's egg and for lack of
production in matches because they haven't shownup. But because we can quantify what
we expected of a ten, wecan quantify what we expected of a striking,
(22:07):
but we can't like what are yougonna quantify the two sided midfields?
Like the offensive lineman? Like howare you how can you really quantify a
good offensive lineman? I guess otherthan like right and like actually the Union,
it's just don't give up goals,right, And the whole thing to
me is like everybody and this isthis is a trend that has played out
(22:29):
in soccer Twitter for a long timewhere because we have so many stats at
our at our disposal now and look, I use them, you use them.
There's pro football focuses tried to getinto it, although I think their
metrics are flawed and based off ofwhat they're doing. You know, FB
ref I use a lot, whoscore to use a lot? But how
(22:52):
can you quantify like for for forforwards and will include gostag in this one
nation. You can look at shots, shots and target extra per ninety shots
on target per ninety he passes ifyou're if you're God's dagg like movement inside
the final thir there's actual like thingsI can quantify with them saying, yes,
they may not be scoring, butthey're doing something good. And of
(23:18):
note, in defense, it's veryclear, like what the objectives are of
of Wagner and Baizo and of Bleasnisand Elliott and Low when he's in there.
And the same thing with with JoseMartinez because you can you can quantify
it to what he's doing specifically andthen what his opponents are doing. And
there's heat maps and passing networks andall you name it. You can you
(23:45):
can find a spin for it,and we've all done that. But those
two positions, specifically in the formation, where's your what's your spin other than
eye test, your personal opinion andmaybe like one or two stats that you
think you know sways Jim's curt JimCurtain's decision, makinse. That's why it's
(24:06):
so hard for me to be likethose two positions. Most importantly, I
think when you evaluate year over yearis kind of feel and also what they
kind of intangibles, what they bringto the table and look for you.
And you're lucky to have have twoof those guys. I think it's to
(24:27):
me My answer always would be tothe people who criticize these guys and who
are on Jim's case a lot whensaying, by the way, he was
not a lame duck. He waslike going through contract negotiations and they just
took a little longer than expected.He was not it turns out, was
(24:48):
not was not contacted by the nationalteam at all, So that wasn't even
a thing. It's just they hadbad games and they didn't last year.
But I don't know, like,would you rather have I don't know,
Fabian Herbers running around as a wingerfor five extra years. Would you rather
(25:12):
pay your a central midfielder however manymillion dollars like the Chicago Fire are.
Would you rather have zero strikers likeNashville STC does and just rely solely on
one player? Like in terms ofsituations and look, I'm the Union's depth
is still an issue, But interms of starting eleven, I mean a
(25:36):
majority of these teams across MLS wouldkill to have a Leon Flock and then
Alahan Jabadoa or at least one ofthem, or Jack McGlenn in these spots
like, it really is kind ofincredible sometimes where like, and I think
this year more so than any year, because we don't have a we don't
(25:56):
have a good sense of the leagueas a whole. You'd be lying to
yourself if you do, and eventhe national even if you're a national writer.
So I'm want to get and gointo this. So so I like
that because there isn't I feel likea firm grasp on what the hell's going
on in the league right now andhow to how to kind of tiar these
teams, meaning like where we putthem in the tears of MLS. I'm
(26:18):
sure we could do it somewhat,but I think it's a little bit more
muddied. Where where are you placingthe union right now? He's like,
how do you feel about the unioncompared to the rest of the league and
what you've seen, which obviously youjust mentioned is we kind of don't really
know. Nobody knows. Look,the only people that could genuinely tell you
(26:41):
how all twenty nine teams and MLSare are playing at this point, or
if you're somebody who works for theleague website or a dedicated national beat reporter,
and those guys don't even you know, they're not watching all twenty nine
teams. They're watching them in snippetslike we are. So they're probably count
on my hand how many and probablyjust one hand, how many people each
(27:04):
week are digging into all twenty nineteams and giving them like a legitimate fair
shake. That's just the way thisleague is set up and the way the
TV rights are set up. Andyou don't really learn anything from watching Kaylen
Kyle just dominate MLS three sixty bytalking over everyone. So I think,
(27:26):
yes, I think there's just avery broad swipe of a second tier in
MLS right now. Like Cincinnati hasobviously put themselves in that upper echelon,
and the points suggest that they're theonly team right now, you know,
(27:47):
with an over two points per gameclip and LAFC would be the eight seed
in the Eastern Conference right now.So I don't know, I no one's
great. I think Cincinnati's very good. But you take a you take Brandon
(28:07):
Basquez and Matt Niozga out of thatteam and h and and Brenner, and
yeah they can they can turn toaverage real quick. And if you you
take Connie buck Tar and Walker Zimmermanout of Nashville, SC What happens there,
same thing with I'm going down thelist. Take Carlos Hill out of
(28:30):
New England, you take Kucho andzellroyand of Columbus, Take Tiaga, Almada
and Yakomacus out of Atlanta, takeAndre Blake and name your second player from
the Union, and these teams becomevery average really quick. Like that's just
the reality of the league. Youneed your best players to be on the
field consistently, and no one hasthe elite of the elite eleven nobody,
(28:56):
nobody does. But if you can, if the floor on your I guess
six to eleventh best players is higher, is higher than others, you have
a chance of going really far inthis league. That's it's just kind of
the best way to describe it rightnow. Like, look, get into
Miami. I can't use them asan example. Everything's going to change everything,
(29:18):
everything, Everything goes back to theinner Miami comparison at this point because
they're dead last in the East.There are eight points back of this log
jam for ninth place. Leon OnMessi obviously very very elite. Sergio just
gets in if he gives a damncan be very effective in this league,
(29:45):
But who's going to defend around themlike pieces? Like I think with Miami
if excuse me if pieces one throughfour or five are very very good,
but there's no balance from pieces sixto eleven on the field. Team teams
(30:11):
and managers are so intelligent in thisleague. Well, they will pick apart
all of your weaknesses and they willdo it very fast. And I think
that's maybe what Miami is going tohave to prevent against. Like, yes,
Messi's gonna win you one a fewgames. I think having Tata Martino
(30:33):
come in as head coach with MLSexperience is a massive bonus. But the
injuries have piled up immensely for them, so and and injuries are piled up
across the league too, So Ithink where you have to look at,
and this goes across the league too, is your six through eleven, six
(30:55):
through eleventh best players in Major LeagueSoccer on your starting oven or your depth
whatever are they can they carry youon a bad night, And we're not
getting that from the Union right now. Like the two games Atlanta in La
Andre Blakes and there Kai Wagner's inthere not saying they win, but like,
(31:18):
what's I guess what's the baseball statwar or f war or X floor
whatever, whatever your wins above replacementwould be. I mean, Andre Blake's
might be the number one in theleague. I don't know how you quantify
that in soccer, but I meanyou can make a strong case he's the
most valuable player in MLS year overyear just because of the drop off we've
(31:41):
seen. And look, Matt Freezewas better than Bendick. But Matt Freeze
wasn't winning every single but he wasn'twinning every single game that he was he
was playing. He wasn't, butI think you can say it was still
he was still better. Okay,yeah, it's still better. Yeah,
yeah, we're still better. Likethat's I think that's obvious to die.
(32:02):
But in terms of like getting points, like, oh yeah, I get
what you mean there. It's notlike they would get an abundance of points
of Freeze, but look, maybethey do take a result, you know,
even if it's just to draw onthe road. So I think to
this kind of this long ramble hereis it goes back to Jim Curtain's overriding
(32:23):
point of when as a team loses, a team like if if they're eleventh
best player on the field isn't puttingin the required effort or and you can
make an argument who that eleventh bestplayer is. But if your eleventh best
player isn't putting in the effort anddoing everything that's required of him within the
(32:45):
system, and then the tenth bestplayers and the ninth best player and the
eighth best player, like, ifthose players the back end of you're starting
eleven aren't performing the way they should, you're gonna experience this drop off and
results. And this this isn't acrossthe board thing, and it's it's it
speaks to the roster rules that MLShasn't has in place, like, so
(33:12):
let's use the Arstar Game is asan example. Here. Arsenal's coming into
the All Star Games. So thisis a good team to point out with
that this this little hypothetic what we'regoing through. If Arsenal plays MLS or
any MLS team in a best ofseven series over two weeks in another sport,
and Arsenal is required, they can'tuse the same starting eleven for any
(33:36):
of the matches. They can youknow, say Martinelli or Gabrielle Jayson's can
can start. However, many games, but you can't go with the con
same eleven every game and you applythat special rule, Arsenal is still going
to win those games because they're thedepth of a premier league team, a
(33:58):
Champions League level team, maybe evena League I next team. Maybe this
applies to League's Cup. Excuse me. The depth is is deeper. And
the Union tried to do that thisyear. They tried to get Andres Perea,
Joaquin Toures, Damian Lowe and bringthem in as as depth pieces and
(34:21):
make sure that that floor was significantlyhigher than any other team, because if
you saw what laf SE did lastyear, lafc's floor was the highest of
any team because of what they didin the summer and how they kind of
just added layers throughout I guess twoor three transfer windows. The Union tried
(34:43):
and it hasn't worked yet, withPereia barely getting on the field, Torres
barely getting on the field, andthat's when when Jim Curtin says the margins
are thin. Those are the marginslike if if Atlanta is playing better as
a whole, if LA is playingbetter as a whole, and the Union
(35:05):
their floor drops from game to gameand the overall floor is dropped a decent
amount from last year. This iswhat you get and this is where where
you stand. So yeah, it'sit's frustrating, but that's kind of just
where the Union are at within withan MLS, within their their structure of
(35:28):
transfers. And no, it's notas easy as saying go out in the
market and get somebody. I wishit was, but I mean that's I
don't know, like what what what? Asking a fan what do you do?
Is very easy, right because thename three positions they got to go
(35:50):
get depth at. But if youask Kern's Tanner and Jim Curtin and you
know, they're not going to giveyou anything. They're gonna give you the
company in line up. Yeah,we're always looking and it has to be
the right well yeah, that's whatthey mean by the right fit, Like
this guy has to come in andnot only be good and challenge the guy
in front of him, he's gotto buy into all the team concepts and
(36:12):
be the right fit for the formation. Because how many times have we seen
in world soccer where a manager changeor a system change just completely rexa a
player's career. So I wish itwas easy. I wish it was that
easy, but unfortunately it's not.And this is I wouldn't be surprised if
this is the squad, barring amove outward, that this is the squad
(36:39):
the Union one with until the endof the season. I just want to
ask a pretty simple, I guessquestion here, but just to gauge this
and just to make sure. Arethe Union still a MLS Cup contender?
Yes? At their best they are. Yeah, Well is it fair to
(36:59):
ask that question right now? Butthe way that they played absolutely it's try
to ask that question. Man.Look again, it goes back to which
of these teams do you believe isgoing to create separation? And look,
we complete. We could be fastforward a little over twenty four hours,
(37:22):
you can I could be talking abouta completely different situation where say they somehow
get a draw in Nashville and thenbeat NYC at home. Well, that's
a four point week and it makesthe it makes the standings look a lot
better than it did. I don'tknow what going into today, Going into
(37:45):
League's Cup, I think perception isgoing to be everything. Now. You
can't just completely blow the week youlose to Nashville. You absolutely must beat
NYCFC. Is like the bare minimumrequirement of these two games is is three
points and we're banking on that againstNYCFC. So if you can go out
there and all the pressure is gonnabe on Nashville and you do find a
(38:07):
way to shut down Muktar Wagner playsout his best and you limit the opportunities
where Joe Bendick is vulnerable, thenit makes it. It makes it a
much better watch. But the problem, the problem the Union have had in
these two games is their game planhas gonna ride very fast and it's Tiaka
(38:31):
Almada and Ricky Pouch who by theway, MLS I don't care what the
roster rules are, like, yes, having Leonel Messi come into the league
as massive, but imagine if yousurrounded Lionel Messi with two or three twenty
two year old South American playmakers orguys that are midfielders that could do the
(38:52):
dirty I mean, my god,that would be an unstoppable force and major
or even any team, like let'sbe honest, like if if you get
the right combination, like like atJulian Coranza. He's a purpose example of
that as well. So the planalways in these types of matchups are to
(39:14):
isolate the playmaker. And let's behonest, I guess Atlanta, they did
a half decent job containing Onbada.Outside of the two goals, there have
been a lot of shots either directlyat dra Benedick or ones that are are
lower percentage right, I mean theXG on lower percentage right, The XG
(39:39):
is is super low on the goalsthat he's given up. So there is
a path. As as bad asJoe Bendick has played, there is a
path to a point, hell evenmaybe a win in Nashville, because there
is there is. I feeling verydown right now with Ben Dick, and
(40:01):
I feel like you should. Imean, I'm not. I'm not trying
to purposely be I know exactly.And with Wagner back, maybe that that
helps that defensive structure because you haveyou'll have a backup, and you don't
have a guy playing out a positionlike Jim's gonna go to Diamond. He's
(40:23):
gonna put his his worker bees inthere for lack of a better term,
and he's gonna say, go getme a point play and he's gonna he's
gonna challenge him. Look, Ithink you know the cliche we make where
like, uh, coach, Weasked coaches all the time, Hey,
what were the adjustments? Would yousay at halftime? We've gotten to the
(40:44):
point with the Philadelphia Union where JimCurtain doesn't even have to say anything at
halftime, and he's admitted this,like the players run the halftime conversation for
the most part. Like I mean, take the four one win over Miami,
for example, nobody was happy andthey were they were up multiple goals
a half time, and the playerstook ownership with that. So maybe that
(41:06):
was a sign of things to comefor Atlanta LA. But the players have
taken ownership with this. They knowit's not good enough. And if they
hold these guys to low percentage opportunitiesand you apply the the you actually apply
(41:30):
the same strategy you use in frontof Andre Blake that you've tried to apply
and failed horribly with in front ofJoe Bendick, then it does become functional.
You know, it's not all doomand gloom. You can come away
with the point. But it speaksto like all of the cliches that we
(41:52):
get tired of, Jim Curtin saying, if you actually take them for what
they are and apply them to theselast two games. They're ten thousand percent
true. So that that's kind ofwhere the Union are at right now.
And Jim's telling the truth. He'snot going to throw these guys in the
(42:14):
bus. We all know that.Yes, we're asking him every week that
Joe Bendick, is he good enough? What mistakes was making? I know
I had. This is my favoritetype of tweet where fans hold the media
accountable to be like, you aren'tasking Jim what we are? This is
Jim. I always love that criticism. Like, Jim's got the same He's
(42:37):
giving us anything. He's going togive you the same cookie fetter answers exactly.
He's been around ten years. Idon't care if you're a fan that
has been around since, you know, since there was another manager in charge
or just showed up last week,Like, Jim's going to give you the
same thing. And that's what youyou respect the hell out of him for,
(42:57):
is he's going to give you thesame thing each every week and he'll
give you a lot of honest answerslike he did today. So Nashville,
you're saying, what what is yourpreview prediction for Nashville. They gotta they
gotta make it a low scoring game. They basically have to shove Nashville's way
(43:21):
of playing just right back in theirface. Well, that's to do.
And if they can do that,they can get a point. Hell,
they can even get a win likethat. Look the most optimistic Lesness,
Elliott Wagner and Baizo or harry'll whoeverdoes it right back plays phenomenal. Muktar
(43:43):
does very little, and you don'thave to worry about Joe Bendick. And
on the flip side, the attackingthree looks much more cohesive. Now It's
going to be a struggle against theNashville team that has historically played its prided
itself on on deef and Joe Willishas some of the best numbers of any
(44:07):
goalkeeper on the league. And Iknow we've talked so much about Andre Blake,
about Matt Turner when he was here. I know the Revs push out
Jordi Petrovic highlights on on a dailybasis. But Joe Willis has been quietly
one of the best goalkeepers in theleague since he's joined Nashville, and part
of that is because of the systemhe plays it behind but the numbers speak
(44:30):
to that as well, which Ithink is something we don't appreciate out of
Nashville because all we do talk aboutis is Honey Luke Tarrant and they don't
have a striker and that's and that'spretty much it. It'll be tough to
handle, but I mean, there'sa game plan there, but the game
plan hasn't hasn't gotten them anywhere inthe last two games. And that's the
(44:53):
frustrating aspect. And that's why Iunderstand people today saying, yeah, we're
not gonna watch tomorrow's game because Bendick'sand Gold look rightfully. So yeah,
rightfully. So I'm gonna be honest. I'm not. I'm not I'm not
tell I'm not feeling great about thisgame and it's gonna be three losses in
(45:15):
a row and it's gonna feel likethe world is ending and it probably is.
Yeah, That's where I'm at,That's where my headspace is at the
year. I'm not saying anybody isis wrong in that assessment. You're not
like, there's plenty of reason tofeel that way. But I'm saying,
(45:36):
like, this is what Jim Curtinis preaching within the locker room. I
know people may hate to hear allthe potential positivity that's coming out of this
podcast right now. There's a lotof it. I don't know if it's
I don't know if I would callit positivity because I don't know if Like
I don't want Joe Bendick make mistakesthree times, they're like, what good
(46:00):
does that do for me? Writing? Like I'm just gonna write mistakes.
It's just he's not athletic enough.He's just yeah, his body just isn't
athletics, is just not good enoughright now. Yes, I would say
that's the case. That's what hisgame is caught up. That's fine.
Like I don't think he's doing anythingparticularly wrong or in that position. I
(46:22):
just I don't think he's good enoughto block even some of these low percentage
shots anymore exactly. And it exposesthe flaw in the unions, in their
whole system to make that that floorraise it where it's kind of been dropped
(46:42):
a little bit. It's kind ofcan we can we do with some union
soccer pod appearance from Sean Brace?Right now? I only think one of
these question to work. If SeanBrace wants to at least scream something to
the Union Soccer Pod folks. Jimforever, Jim Curtin forever, that's Sean
Brace. That's right, that's righton brand. Does he have a that's
(47:02):
right on brand? Alright? Thisis the most most words Sewan Brace has
said on the podcast. Yeah,it's been a while to see Sean Brace's
voice has been heard on this podcast. So that's good to hear. All
right, So let's let's wrap itup there. I think we gave all
of our thoughts. We did ourben Nick thoughts. Ben Nick thoughts,
I always gosh, I'm always strugglingwith his name. So we got the
(47:24):
goalkeeping thoughts. You screw that upas easily as Jim. I know,
I know, I don't get it, Jim Curtin thoughts. We got all
of it. So, Joe,what do you have coming up on the
sub stack that everybody can or theblog? Should I just say blog?
What do you have coming up onthe blog that people can look forward to?
Oh? Look, I know Isay this every podcast. Subscribe,
subscribe, subscribe, but subscribe,subscribe, subscribe. I'm actually in the
(47:49):
middle of typing up everything from that. Jim Curtin said, uh, this
afternoon. And on top of that, I know he's the most popular guy
to the fan base right now.But I actually had a very extended talk
with Alejandra Badoya last week and whatmaybe on field, maybe maybe I'm maybe
(48:09):
I read the Facebook comments too much. Yo, you're reading the Facebook comments.
Yeah, yeah, you're getting there, buddy. So anyway, I'm
going on vacation next week, verymuch needed vacation, actually leaving right after
the NYC game and not coming backuntil League's Cups. So uh, the
Union Soccer blog dot subsect dot comwill have a feature on Alejandraada and maybe
(48:36):
one or two other players, uhnext week while I am enjoying the beach
and not talking to any of you. Soccer nice. So that's that was
very so there will be very nice. Be No podcast next week. There
will be no podcast next week unlessI do something yeah yeah, or we
or we do one pre NYC,depending on how dire straits were were in.
(49:01):
But yeah, please subscribe five dollarsa month to forty a year.
Lots of features coming up ahead ofLeague's Cup All Star Game, which you
know, don't watch the MLS AllStar Game. It's a bogus exposition,
don't any game. Yeah, I'mprobably not gonna watch the MLB Allstar Game
(49:24):
tonet anyway. No, I willbe go. I will I will go
see Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part one. Skills skills competent skills skills competitions are
infinitely better than All Star games.Yes, that's a great. Yeah,
that's that's that's good. All right, but let's way Jose Jose Martin real
quick, Jose Martine should have beenin that shooting competition. I don't care
(49:46):
who is better, who's a biggername. I just want to see bruho
just try and like forty yards?Yeah, who wouldn't want to see that?
That is it for the Union SoccerPod. You could follow Joe at
j tan Z ninety, follow meJohn Jansen at j Janson thirty four.
Union Soccer Pod can be found anywherewhere you get your podcast. We'll be
(50:06):
back, not next week unless Ido some surprise thing. Probably not,
we'll see. But also pregame aswell for the Nashville game and also postgame
on Twitter spaces, so be sureto check that out again at j Tanzy
ninety. I'm sure Joe will postall the Twitter, spaces stuff there.
That is it for the Union SoccerPod. We'll be back in a couple
of weeks here on the Union SoccerPod.
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