October 24, 2025 • 15 mins
104.5 The Zone's Lucas Panzica drops by SDH AM to break down the Nashville SC season, Decision Day, and the opening round matchup in the Eastern Conference
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
So that means since it's his time, we announced him
first time to catch up with our buddy, Lucas Pansey
could find out what in the wide world of sports
is going on in Nashville. Subcomma, what is going on
in the wide world of sports in Nashville, sir?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, the Breads are still struggling, the Titans are bottoming
out in Nashville US. He's pushing for another trophy. So
the boys in Gold are this shining beacon of light
right now in Music City, John, right now, at the moment,
the only good thing that's uplifting Nashville sports fans, big
time of year.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Let it be soccer.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Oh, by the way, how would you proclaim yourself as
a cook, sir?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I'd say it's my only hobby outside of sports.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Okay, sure, you were teasing pasta dishes on your socials
and those of us who are pasta freaks sat there
and looked at it and went, damn, that's not fair.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So what is your best pasta dish that you make
when you're sitting there and you're just messing around at
home and you're just like, yeah, I got some stuff
here in the cover. What's your go to when you're
at home and you want to just make a big
old play to pasta for just you and nobody else.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I mean, that's the thing, man, It's so much easier
than people wanted. People want to give me credit for it,
and I just want to give it back because it's
just a simple tomato sauce. Man, it's all you need.
All you need a little bit of pisada or maybe
some tomato paste with pasta, water, garlic, basil, maybe some
chili flakes and salt, and that's it. That's all you need.
My favorite pasta to make of all time is in
(01:27):
a matri China. But hard to find good guan chali
around here.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
All right, dial that back? That's what what are we
talking about here?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
What is that a mantra chana? So it's just a guanchali,
which is the cheek, right, it's the cheek of the pork.
It's got that great fat that you just let it
sweat a little bit. You cook the tomato sauce in
the fat of the pork that you've just cooked. And
that's literally it. That's all there is to it, I
promise you. It's People tell me like I need to
start doing those reels right where you like, you know,
(01:53):
you just cut after cut of here's how you do it.
Here's this step and this step and this step, and
now I almost want to to show that like, hey man,
it's not that hard. You just need two to three
ingredients and boom, you're good to go.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Wow, that's a that's a bit mind blowing.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Yeah, we're gonna have to either go to a place
in Nashville next time. I see that's got good pasta.
You're just gonna have to make it and I'll pay
you like nine gazillion dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
That works. Okay, that works, I'm down. Just check it.
I'm a posta. I'm a pasta dude. So that's why
I was asking.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
I saw it and I was instantly sitting there going,
oh man, I gotta have some pasta.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I actually did bring you on here to talk about soccer.
I know that might shock some folks, but if this
series coming up for Nashville goes to its end and
it's a best of three, you will have played meaning
Nashville in the collective, you will have played Messi and
Friends four straight matches.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
How weird is that prospect?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And a lot of folks that we've been talking to
are kind of like, well, if anybody's gonna ding Messy
and friends, it might be Nashville in a three game set.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah right it at this point, this will be if
I'm not mistaken out the top of my head, the
eighteenth meeting, which I mean, Nashville and Miami obviously both
came into the league at the exact same time. So
Nashville has officially played Miami as many times as anybody
any other opponent they've ever played, and it will be
the most amount of times after this first game going
into the second game. It's unusual, right to a potential
(03:15):
essentially four game series. It doesn't really happen in this sport.
Nashville has had some knockdown, drag out battles with Miami,
like it's developed into this pretty organic rivalry. Just with
the amount of competitions, John, Like, we're talking at this
point about MLS regular season, MLS Cup Playoffs, League's Cup,
concor CAF Champions Cup, US Open Cup. There's no other
competitions that they can play each other in, and somehow,
(03:37):
in the span of like two years, they've managed to
face off in all of those. So you gotta think
Nashville's do at some point. They have yet to beat Miami.
It was very heavily leaned towards Nashville in the early
years when Miami was a disaster and Nashville, to its credit,
established a pretty high floor out of the gates in
its MLS existence. But since Messi came into the picture,
(03:58):
Nashville has not been on the winning side against inter Miami.
This is as good an opportunity as any and you
come off that five to two loss on decision Day,
but there's a lot of context to that game where
there were opportunities to be had in the first half
that Nashville did not take advantage of. Game could have
been totally different it wasn't, and then you allowed Messi
and company to take over in the second half. So
a lot of lessons to be taken from that decision
(04:20):
day fixture and applied to potential three game series.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I was going to ask about it, so obviously you're
reading my notes. It was five to two final on
decision Day. For those that were focused on other games.
Messi scores in the thirty fifth, surge scores on the
forty third to bring the things even Schaffelberg scores at
forty five plus six, and then in the second half
it was just pedaled down by the folks in pink.
What you mentioned all this of the context and everything
(04:45):
and miss chances. What was it in the second forty
five that was the big difference there in this one
where it's two to one and then it finishes five too.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, it's just Miami taking control. It's Nashville losing possession
in its own half far too often in Miami constantly
making them pay. I have to say, personally, in terms
of what I've seen with my own eyes, it's the
best forty five minutes I've ever seen from an MLS side,
with Lionel Messi working in conjunction with Rodrigo de Paul
and Serge of Busquetz in Telasco, Segovia coming off the bench,
(05:15):
all these names that Atlanta fans are well versed with
by now as well. But it really you couldn't help
but think about that first half one on one opportunities
that Honey Muktar was unable to take advantage of, that
Sam Surge was unable to take advantage of. Nashville had
twelve shots to Miami's four in that first forty five,
six shots on target in the first half. They had
one shot on target in the entire second half, so
(05:37):
unable to capitalize. They weren't clinical enough in that first
forty five, and they paid for it in the second half.
It's the kind of game where Miami's gonna hurt you
right like, you're not gonna win the game too nil.
It's going to be, especially with these two teams that
like to go forward, it's going to be a high
scoring affair. So you have to be able to take
advantage of those chances in front of goal. Nashville didn't
do that last Saturday, and they're going to try to
(05:59):
do that. They're gonna They've been good all season John
about compartmentalizing and not letting one result turn into another,
turn into another and another, And now they got to
go into this weekend with a pretty fresh slate but
also a pretty good familiarity with Miami.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Yeah, you look at the starting eleven you had last
time out. It was America's favorite nineteen eighties villain, Joe
Willis in that. I figure that with that handlebar mustache,
the only thing this sings like the top hat and
maybe twirling on the edges, Lovett Zimmerman Mayor and Andy n'har,
Mauil Yazbek and Eddie todgseet. Then it was Shaffelberg Surge
and mook Tar. No changes that you're thinking about, any
(06:36):
knocks or anything anybody needs to know about.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
No, Shaffelberg came off a lot earlier than anticipated in
that game. But bj Callahan said yesterday he's full go,
which is a good matchup for Nashville on that right side.
I think any winger that will bomb forward with the
pace and energy of a Jacob Shaffelberg, you feel good
about that situation opposite Jeordi Aba right who's so often
getting forward and maybe not doing as much tracking back.
(06:58):
Although I will say the recoverdefending from Miami was really
good last Saturday. This is a Miami team, I will
add that is engaged man. They want to win a title,
they want the Cup. They are not lack a days,
a goal whatsoever. And Nashville knows that. And so they
got to go on the road this Friday with a
different mentality than they carried for ninety minutes at home
(07:19):
last weekend. And they've talked about that Eddie Taxith talked
about that yesterday at the media availability, But yes, I
would expect the lineup. I don't have any information on this,
don't know for sure, but i'd expect it to look
pretty similar. I think Nashville wants to go out with
that eleven that has brought them a lot of success
this weekend and just play their game, because they did
that against Miami on the road back in July and
(07:42):
it was a two to one loss, two very preventable goals.
You can see a free kick at the top of
the box that Messi scores and Joe Willis makes a
rare mistake passing out of the back that Messi pounces
on and you leave losing two to one, but also
taking some confidence from that. It didn't really carry over
last Saturday, not taking advantage of those chances that were presented,
and we'll see if it'll carry over a little bit
(08:02):
this weekend.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Another couple of minutes there with Lucas Panzica, who's given
us the intel on Nashville as they get ready for
Messi and Friends in a best of three series here
in at the Eastern Conference, who has in the relationship
with Surge and Honey Mooktar. Has Surage made mout Tar better?
Has Moottar made Surriage better? Or are they both sitting
there and just you know, hands over the shoulders and
(08:24):
it's just like, yeah, you know, we're going forward as
a group. Who has one made the other better and
drawn more out of the other player?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You think, oh, man, it's a great question. I don't
want to cop out, but I really think it's that
third option that you said. Sam Surage managed to score
fifteen goals in all competitions last year having next to
no service, right, and then bj Callahan coming in didn't
have any preconceived notions this year of no, I want
to play with this shape, this is what we're going
(08:51):
to do. He looked first from top to bottom, starting
with Sam Surge. How do we maximize his strengths? And
he looked back at what Sam did his most successful
season with Bournemouth, and that was a two striker system
at the top that brought brought out the best in
Sam Surridge. And so that kind of was the beginnings
of the four two to two two shape with Honey
(09:13):
Mooktar and Sam Surry's leading the line. And it's just
been this balance of one taking pressure off the other.
Honey Mooktar team up Sam, Sam being there for those
back post crosses and when there is that space for Honey,
you know he'll take advantage of it and score. And
he's got double digit goals, double digit assists, while Sam
has been an MVP finalist. So yeah, I don't want
(09:34):
to cop out and take the easy answer, but I
really think it's a pretty even share there, John, that
they have been so mutually beneficial this year as the
second most productive goal scoring duo in MLS.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
What's it like having Walker back on the back line.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Oh, it's big for sure. I mean, just from a
leadership standpoint, there has been some you know, interchangeability there
with Walkers, Zimmerman, Jason Palasios and Jack Mayer. It was
Walker and Jack last time out. That's been a pretty
consistent competition. Walker obviously is one of the best aerial
defenders in Major League Soccer. He's a threat on set pieces,
but you also have to balance the athleticism of Jason
(10:09):
Palacios and recovery defending in Miami being the best transitional
team in Major League Soccer, there are some strengths and
weaknesses there to balance out so I'll be curious to
see what bj Callahan does this Friday. But there's no
questioning Walker's, you know, importance to this team wearing the
captain's band and what he's meant as a foundational piece
of this club.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I will admit that Walker and Jack sounds like something
that you get on the front on the weekends. I
would also imagine that when you're going up against Messi
and friends, the idea that coming into it, say something
happens offensively with Miami, they lose it. They're instantly having
to defend with eight. It's ten D eight going back
the other way. I'm thinking that there are going to
(10:51):
be some opportunities, especially on the wings. You mentioned how
Jordi albelecs to come forward. There's that space that's created
in behind when he does come forward chasing after things
on the wings. This one, to me, this series could
be one of the more high scoring series in this
opening round, just because of the opportunities presented to Nashville,
where you know you have to be clinical.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I don't have to tell
you guys that you know the series can be there
for the taking. And we talked to BJA yesterday about
Atlanta's went over Miami last year, about the context of
how they lost that first game in Miami came back
in one games two and three. Nashville has studied that.
They studied Vancouver's victory over Miami and Conker CAF Champions
(11:32):
Cup over two legs, so they know that there are
opportunities to be had there. Miami is going to conceive chances.
It's just part of what they do. Can Nashville capitalize,
Can they be clinical, Sam Surage, Honei, Mooktar, whoever else
gets that opportunity in front of goal, because that was
the key last Saturday. And it's not that complicated, right.
(11:52):
Miami is not going to change the way that they play.
They are who they are and they're gonna do the
same things, and in a lot of ways, Nashville it's
the same. So it's going to be a pretty similar blueprint,
John For Nashville, I think it's about finding that balance
of when to kind of spell possession a little longer
and get organized and when to bomb forward, understanding the
vulnerabilities that could come with that against this side. But
(12:15):
to your point, yes, I don't expect this to be
a lot of two to one one zero matchups here
in games one and two. I think it's going to
be high flying stuff, exciting soccer, and two teams that
are desperately pushing for a trophy because there's a legitimate
belief in both buildings that they can hoist MLS Cup.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, MESSI and friends. Right now, heading into this first matchup,
there a minus one eighty nine in the juice boxes.
Looking at totals three and a half, it is a
minus one oh nine in the composite. Four is where
it flips basically three and three quarters plus one fifty
four for four and then plus four and a half
tonight is a plus two ten.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
All right. For folks that.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Wants to pay attention to everything going on that you
guys do to make sure that we are all educated,
on the hashtag every one and hit the promo for me, sir.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
So I'm actually not on the call tonight. I've got
a high school football broadcast, I know you know that life,
and I've got a Friday Night Rivals going on this Friday.
My colleague Will Bowling will be on the call on
one four five the Zone. I'll be back at it
next Saturday for the home fixture at Jiodas Park, so
as always can watch on Apple TV, and you know
you've got the option to listen to the home radio broadcast.
I know Atlanta fans utilize that option routinely with Mike
(13:22):
Conti and the guys. So yeah, looking forward to it, man,
you know, it's like we're used to it at this point.
It's been two years, so the the like shine of
oh my god, Messi is here. I would we're not
like showing up to every game just everybody looking around
in wonderment, right, but you still take a moment to
appreciate what you're watching and the opportunity in front of
(13:43):
Nashville here to do something that not many expect them
to do globally, while at the same time appreciating the
greatness of Leonel Messi and a couple of guys that
we'll be seeing for really the last stretch of their
career here in Boosquets and Alba. So I think we
can do both, right. We can value the opportunity for
Nashville and this belief that they have to go and
beat Miami, but also appreciate what we're witnessing that it
(14:05):
seems like we're gonna be witnessing for another few more
years in MLS.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Yeah, I signed the contract yesterday in front of that
banner at Freedom Park. You know we'll be knocking on
your door before game two as always, my friend. Great
to grab a hold of you and find out what's
going on. Get the vibe before game one of this
big series. Thanks for dropping buy on a.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Friday anytime, John appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
There goes Lucas Panzica.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
He's gonna go make some really large see now, if
he Lucas made a big pasta dish before for breakfast,
that would be epic pasta for breakfast. That would be
absolutely amazing. And so our resident chef outside of our footprints.
See now, if we got Nick and Lucas in one
place and we had like a cookoff, that would be
(14:42):
pretty sweet. If we had Nick and Lucas, we had two.
We had two guys diving into pasta dishes in a
kitchen that would feed like thousands of people and it
would be maybe like twelve dollars and four cents to
make the whole thing, and it would be absolutely amazing.
But yeah, if you follow Lucas on socials, he'll drive.
He had this big, this big old, you know, cooker
(15:06):
going on his surface unit, and I'm like, man, I'm
instantly hungry. That's why I had to go down that road.
So that means since it's his time, we announced him
first time to catch up with our buddy, Lucas Pansey
could find out what in the wide world of sports
is going on in Nashville. Subcomma, what is going on
in the wide world of sports in Nashville, sir?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, the Breads are still struggling, the Titans are bottoming
out in Nashville US. He's pushing for another trophy. So
the boys in Gold are this shining beacon of light
right now in Music City, John, right now, at the moment,
the only good thing that's uplifting Nashville sports fans, big
time of year.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Let it be soccer.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Oh, by the way, how would you proclaim yourself as
a cook, sir?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I'd say it's my only hobby outside of sports.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Okay, sure, you were teasing pasta dishes on your socials
and those of us who are pasta freaks sat there
and looked at it and went, damn, that's not fair.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So what is your best pasta dish that you make
when you're sitting there and you're just messing around at
home and you're just like, yeah, I got some stuff
here in the cover. What's your go to when you're
at home and you want to just make a big
old play to pasta for just you and nobody else.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I mean, that's the thing, man, It's so much easier
than people wanted. People want to give me credit for it,
and I just want to give it back because it's
just a simple tomato sauce. Man, it's all you need.
All you need a little bit of pisada or maybe
some tomato paste with pasta, water, garlic, basil, maybe some
chili flakes and salt, and that's it. That's all you need.
My favorite pasta to make of all time is in
(01:27):
a matri China. But hard to find good guan chali
around here.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
All right, dial that back? That's what what are we
talking about here?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
What is that a mantra chana? So it's just a guanchali,
which is the cheek, right, it's the cheek of the pork.
It's got that great fat that you just let it
sweat a little bit. You cook the tomato sauce in
the fat of the pork that you've just cooked. And
that's literally it. That's all there is to it, I
promise you. It's People tell me like I need to
start doing those reels right where you like, you know,
(01:53):
you just cut after cut of here's how you do it.
Here's this step and this step and this step, and
now I almost want to to show that like, hey man,
it's not that hard. You just need two to three
ingredients and boom, you're good to go.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Wow, that's a that's a bit mind blowing.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Yeah, we're gonna have to either go to a place
in Nashville next time. I see that's got good pasta.
You're just gonna have to make it and I'll pay
you like nine gazillion dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
That works. Okay, that works, I'm down. Just check it.
I'm a posta. I'm a pasta dude. So that's why
I was asking.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
I saw it and I was instantly sitting there going,
oh man, I gotta have some pasta.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
I actually did bring you on here to talk about soccer.
I know that might shock some folks, but if this
series coming up for Nashville goes to its end and
it's a best of three, you will have played meaning
Nashville in the collective, you will have played Messi and
Friends four straight matches.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
How weird is that prospect?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
And a lot of folks that we've been talking to
are kind of like, well, if anybody's gonna ding Messy
and friends, it might be Nashville in a three game set.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yeah right it at this point, this will be if
I'm not mistaken out the top of my head, the
eighteenth meeting, which I mean, Nashville and Miami obviously both
came into the league at the exact same time. So
Nashville has officially played Miami as many times as anybody
any other opponent they've ever played, and it will be
the most amount of times after this first game going
into the second game. It's unusual, right to a potential
(03:15):
essentially four game series. It doesn't really happen in this sport.
Nashville has had some knockdown, drag out battles with Miami,
like it's developed into this pretty organic rivalry. Just with
the amount of competitions, John, Like, we're talking at this
point about MLS regular season, MLS Cup Playoffs, League's Cup,
concor CAF Champions Cup, US Open Cup. There's no other
competitions that they can play each other in, and somehow,
(03:37):
in the span of like two years, they've managed to
face off in all of those. So you gotta think
Nashville's do at some point. They have yet to beat Miami.
It was very heavily leaned towards Nashville in the early
years when Miami was a disaster and Nashville, to its credit,
established a pretty high floor out of the gates in
its MLS existence. But since Messi came into the picture,
(03:58):
Nashville has not been on the winning side against inter Miami.
This is as good an opportunity as any and you
come off that five to two loss on decision Day,
but there's a lot of context to that game where
there were opportunities to be had in the first half
that Nashville did not take advantage of. Game could have
been totally different it wasn't, and then you allowed Messi
and company to take over in the second half. So
a lot of lessons to be taken from that decision
(04:20):
day fixture and applied to potential three game series.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I was going to ask about it, so obviously you're
reading my notes. It was five to two final on
decision Day. For those that were focused on other games.
Messi scores in the thirty fifth, surge scores on the
forty third to bring the things even Schaffelberg scores at
forty five plus six, and then in the second half
it was just pedaled down by the folks in pink.
What you mentioned all this of the context and everything
(04:45):
and miss chances. What was it in the second forty
five that was the big difference there in this one
where it's two to one and then it finishes five too.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, it's just Miami taking control. It's Nashville losing possession
in its own half far too often in Miami constantly
making them pay. I have to say, personally, in terms
of what I've seen with my own eyes, it's the
best forty five minutes I've ever seen from an MLS side,
with Lionel Messi working in conjunction with Rodrigo de Paul
and Serge of Busquetz in Telasco, Segovia coming off the bench,
(05:15):
all these names that Atlanta fans are well versed with
by now as well. But it really you couldn't help
but think about that first half one on one opportunities
that Honey Muktar was unable to take advantage of, that
Sam Surge was unable to take advantage of. Nashville had
twelve shots to Miami's four in that first forty five,
six shots on target in the first half. They had
one shot on target in the entire second half, so
(05:37):
unable to capitalize. They weren't clinical enough in that first
forty five, and they paid for it in the second half.
It's the kind of game where Miami's gonna hurt you
right like, you're not gonna win the game too nil.
It's going to be, especially with these two teams that
like to go forward, it's going to be a high
scoring affair. So you have to be able to take
advantage of those chances in front of goal. Nashville didn't
do that last Saturday, and they're going to try to
(05:59):
do that. They're gonna They've been good all season John
about compartmentalizing and not letting one result turn into another,
turn into another and another, And now they got to
go into this weekend with a pretty fresh slate but
also a pretty good familiarity with Miami.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Yeah, you look at the starting eleven you had last
time out. It was America's favorite nineteen eighties villain, Joe
Willis in that. I figure that with that handlebar mustache,
the only thing this sings like the top hat and
maybe twirling on the edges, Lovett Zimmerman Mayor and Andy n'har,
Mauil Yazbek and Eddie todgseet. Then it was Shaffelberg Surge
and mook Tar. No changes that you're thinking about, any
(06:36):
knocks or anything anybody needs to know about.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
No, Shaffelberg came off a lot earlier than anticipated in
that game. But bj Callahan said yesterday he's full go,
which is a good matchup for Nashville on that right side.
I think any winger that will bomb forward with the
pace and energy of a Jacob Shaffelberg, you feel good
about that situation opposite Jeordi Aba right who's so often
getting forward and maybe not doing as much tracking back.
(06:58):
Although I will say the recoverdefending from Miami was really
good last Saturday. This is a Miami team, I will
add that is engaged man. They want to win a title,
they want the Cup. They are not lack a days,
a goal whatsoever. And Nashville knows that. And so they
got to go on the road this Friday with a
different mentality than they carried for ninety minutes at home
(07:19):
last weekend. And they've talked about that Eddie Taxith talked
about that yesterday at the media availability, But yes, I
would expect the lineup. I don't have any information on this,
don't know for sure, but i'd expect it to look
pretty similar. I think Nashville wants to go out with
that eleven that has brought them a lot of success
this weekend and just play their game, because they did
that against Miami on the road back in July and
(07:42):
it was a two to one loss, two very preventable goals.
You can see a free kick at the top of
the box that Messi scores and Joe Willis makes a
rare mistake passing out of the back that Messi pounces
on and you leave losing two to one, but also
taking some confidence from that. It didn't really carry over
last Saturday, not taking advantage of those chances that were presented,
and we'll see if it'll carry over a little bit
(08:02):
this weekend.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Another couple of minutes there with Lucas Panzica, who's given
us the intel on Nashville as they get ready for
Messi and Friends in a best of three series here
in at the Eastern Conference, who has in the relationship
with Surge and Honey Mooktar. Has Surage made mout Tar better?
Has Moottar made Surriage better? Or are they both sitting
there and just you know, hands over the shoulders and
(08:24):
it's just like, yeah, you know, we're going forward as
a group. Who has one made the other better and
drawn more out of the other player?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You think, oh, man, it's a great question. I don't
want to cop out, but I really think it's that
third option that you said. Sam Surage managed to score
fifteen goals in all competitions last year having next to
no service, right, and then bj Callahan coming in didn't
have any preconceived notions this year of no, I want
to play with this shape, this is what we're going
(08:51):
to do. He looked first from top to bottom, starting
with Sam Surge. How do we maximize his strengths? And
he looked back at what Sam did his most successful
season with Bournemouth, and that was a two striker system
at the top that brought brought out the best in
Sam Surridge. And so that kind of was the beginnings
of the four two to two two shape with Honey
(09:13):
Mooktar and Sam Surry's leading the line. And it's just
been this balance of one taking pressure off the other.
Honey Mooktar team up Sam, Sam being there for those
back post crosses and when there is that space for Honey,
you know he'll take advantage of it and score. And
he's got double digit goals, double digit assists, while Sam
has been an MVP finalist. So yeah, I don't want
(09:34):
to cop out and take the easy answer, but I
really think it's a pretty even share there, John, that
they have been so mutually beneficial this year as the
second most productive goal scoring duo in MLS.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
What's it like having Walker back on the back line.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Oh, it's big for sure. I mean, just from a
leadership standpoint, there has been some you know, interchangeability there
with Walkers, Zimmerman, Jason Palasios and Jack Mayer. It was
Walker and Jack last time out. That's been a pretty
consistent competition. Walker obviously is one of the best aerial
defenders in Major League Soccer. He's a threat on set pieces,
but you also have to balance the athleticism of Jason
(10:09):
Palacios and recovery defending in Miami being the best transitional
team in Major League Soccer, there are some strengths and
weaknesses there to balance out so I'll be curious to
see what bj Callahan does this Friday. But there's no
questioning Walker's, you know, importance to this team wearing the
captain's band and what he's meant as a foundational piece
of this club.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I will admit that Walker and Jack sounds like something
that you get on the front on the weekends. I
would also imagine that when you're going up against Messi
and friends, the idea that coming into it, say something
happens offensively with Miami, they lose it. They're instantly having
to defend with eight. It's ten D eight going back
the other way. I'm thinking that there are going to
(10:51):
be some opportunities, especially on the wings. You mentioned how
Jordi albelecs to come forward. There's that space that's created
in behind when he does come forward chasing after things
on the wings. This one, to me, this series could
be one of the more high scoring series in this
opening round, just because of the opportunities presented to Nashville,
where you know you have to be clinical.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I don't have to tell
you guys that you know the series can be there
for the taking. And we talked to BJA yesterday about
Atlanta's went over Miami last year, about the context of
how they lost that first game in Miami came back
in one games two and three. Nashville has studied that.
They studied Vancouver's victory over Miami and Conker CAF Champions
(11:32):
Cup over two legs, so they know that there are
opportunities to be had there. Miami is going to conceive chances.
It's just part of what they do. Can Nashville capitalize,
Can they be clinical, Sam Surage, Honei, Mooktar, whoever else
gets that opportunity in front of goal, because that was
the key last Saturday. And it's not that complicated, right.
(11:52):
Miami is not going to change the way that they play.
They are who they are and they're gonna do the
same things, and in a lot of ways, Nashville it's
the same. So it's going to be a pretty similar blueprint,
John For Nashville, I think it's about finding that balance
of when to kind of spell possession a little longer
and get organized and when to bomb forward, understanding the
vulnerabilities that could come with that against this side. But
(12:15):
to your point, yes, I don't expect this to be
a lot of two to one one zero matchups here
in games one and two. I think it's going to
be high flying stuff, exciting soccer, and two teams that
are desperately pushing for a trophy because there's a legitimate
belief in both buildings that they can hoist MLS Cup.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, MESSI and friends. Right now, heading into this first matchup,
there a minus one eighty nine in the juice boxes.
Looking at totals three and a half, it is a
minus one oh nine in the composite. Four is where
it flips basically three and three quarters plus one fifty
four for four and then plus four and a half
tonight is a plus two ten.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
All right. For folks that.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Wants to pay attention to everything going on that you
guys do to make sure that we are all educated,
on the hashtag every one and hit the promo for me, sir.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
So I'm actually not on the call tonight. I've got
a high school football broadcast, I know you know that life,
and I've got a Friday Night Rivals going on this Friday.
My colleague Will Bowling will be on the call on
one four five the Zone. I'll be back at it
next Saturday for the home fixture at Jiodas Park, so
as always can watch on Apple TV, and you know
you've got the option to listen to the home radio broadcast.
I know Atlanta fans utilize that option routinely with Mike
(13:22):
Conti and the guys. So yeah, looking forward to it, man,
you know, it's like we're used to it at this point.
It's been two years, so the the like shine of
oh my god, Messi is here. I would we're not
like showing up to every game just everybody looking around
in wonderment, right, but you still take a moment to
appreciate what you're watching and the opportunity in front of
(13:43):
Nashville here to do something that not many expect them
to do globally, while at the same time appreciating the
greatness of Leonel Messi and a couple of guys that
we'll be seeing for really the last stretch of their
career here in Boosquets and Alba. So I think we
can do both, right. We can value the opportunity for
Nashville and this belief that they have to go and
beat Miami, but also appreciate what we're witnessing that it
(14:05):
seems like we're gonna be witnessing for another few more
years in MLS.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Yeah, I signed the contract yesterday in front of that
banner at Freedom Park. You know we'll be knocking on
your door before game two as always, my friend. Great
to grab a hold of you and find out what's
going on. Get the vibe before game one of this
big series. Thanks for dropping buy on a.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Friday anytime, John appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
There goes Lucas Panzica.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
He's gonna go make some really large see now, if
he Lucas made a big pasta dish before for breakfast,
that would be epic pasta for breakfast. That would be
absolutely amazing. And so our resident chef outside of our footprints.
See now, if we got Nick and Lucas in one
place and we had like a cookoff, that would be
(14:42):
pretty sweet. If we had Nick and Lucas, we had two.
We had two guys diving into pasta dishes in a
kitchen that would feed like thousands of people and it
would be maybe like twelve dollars and four cents to
make the whole thing, and it would be absolutely amazing.
But yeah, if you follow Lucas on socials, he'll drive.
He had this big, this big old, you know, cooker
(15:06):
going on his surface unit, and I'm like, man, I'm
instantly hungry. That's why I had to go down that road.
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