August 23, 2025 • 5 mins
Former MLS star Sacha Kljestan is a studio analyst for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.He joined us to talk about FC Cincinnati's tilt with New York City and a busy transfer window for Chris Albright's club.
Sacha joined us on ESPN1530.
Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Sacha joined us on ESPN1530.
Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sinnati is going to be at home a lot down
the stretch five of their next seven, including tomorrow night's
battle against New York City, which you could watch on
MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Part of that coverage
of the game and the league is a Sasha Christian
who was kind enough. The great Sasha Clision joins us
(00:21):
right now. It's awesome to have you, Sasha.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I'm doing great.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
How are you guys doing? I'm well.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
You went on record on Sunday saying that FC Cincinnati
will win the Supporters Shield after what they've done during
the transfer period.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Do you feel the same.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Now more than ever? I feel very confident in my pick,
and let's be honest. I made them a Supporter Shield
pick about three months ago, and I'm staying on the bandwagon.
I think FC Cincinnati did a great job in the
transfer window, especially yesterday right before the end of the
transfer window, to upgrade their squad already the favorites. I
think now more than ever, they should win the Supporter
(00:56):
Shield this season.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I did not have early in the week getting Brenner
back on my Bengo card.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Neither did I.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Man, that was a crazy one out of left field.
But I think it was an awesome signing. It's a
player who already knows the league, who already knows the city,
the team knows that he knows how to get goals
in Major League Soccer, to play alongside Dank and Evander.
I think it's a home run.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I think what's good about it? You know?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And they went to Portland picked up three points there
of vanders homecoming emotional scene, very business like performance. They
have played unevenly and I don't want to say stale,
but it has kind of felt like Dyki use a jolt.
I cannot imagine that what they've done these last couple
of days doesn't provide that for this team.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I agree with you, I think and both of the
things that you've said that I do think the new
players will provide a jolt. And I do think that
Cincinnati hasn't been at their best really almost at any
point in the season. I still think there's another gear
for them to hit. I really believe in this team.
I don't think they've as good defensively as they were
the last couple of years, but they still have some
(02:04):
of the best defenders in the league. So they've got
to pull it all together. And I don't think we've
ever seen the best of Evander and Dank together, but
now you throw Brenner into that mix. I do think
that this team is poised for a run in the
regular season and the postseason.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Is does this year.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
And you know, I've talked about this with a lot
of your hosts and analysts at Apple TV. You know,
if you go back to before the season started, which
feels like forever ago, and you know, they trade away
an MVP, there's a lot of uncertainty regarding players not
coming to training and just felt like a lot of
moving parts and this team relative to I think what
(02:44):
a lot of us thought that they were going to do.
They hit the ground running. They've been in the supporter
shield race most of the season. When they've hit a
rough patch, they've rebounded nicely. Pat Noonan's done an awesome
job here. Does this season represent his best coaching job?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Before you mentioned his and you said all the things
that have happened this year, I was thinking Pat noon
has done an incredible job of managing the group. And
now we know that he is different than some coaches
in Major League Soccer that he knows how to manage
a group more than to be some crazy tactical genius,
you know. So like even when we talk about Hell
(03:19):
is Real, we talk about the manager that Pat Noonon is,
and then we talk about the tactical coach that Wilfred
Nanci is in Columbus. I don't think that Pat is
by any means tactical genius. But I also think that
he's been very malleable. He's been able to adjust, He's
(03:39):
been able to switch some players around into different positions
and get the best out of some young guys and
get them some experience. I think he's doing a phenomenal job.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
We don't get many guests who use the word malleable.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
So congratulations on that.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
That was my word of the day.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Done, Yeah, well done.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
So they're in the supporter shield hunt, obviously behind I'm
in San Diego on gold total. They lead Philadelphia by
a point in the East. Massive game between those two.
Next week New York City is scratching and clawing for
a playoff spot, So we should see a desperate team
tomorrow night. What's dangerous about them.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Dangerous about them is Alonso Martinez, their striker, who's starting
to round into form. I think he hasn't been as
good this season as he was last season, But in
the last month or so after the Gold Cup with
Costa Rica, he's starting to round into form again. You know,
he got the game winner last week. He scored a
few goals the week before that. So he's dangerous. He
(04:37):
never stops running, he never stopped buzzing around. And the
team is pretty solid. They've just been inconsistent. And if
we think back to the playoffs and last season they
had that shock that knocks Cincinnati out of the playoffs.
And so when I look at this game specifically with
the way the table looks, the standings, with Cincinnati having
five of their last seven at home, this is really
(04:59):
a must win game to take care of business, get
a little bit of revenge, and stay atop the leader
board of the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Should be a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
FC Cincinnati home for five of their last seven, not
looking ahead in all likelihood, given how well Pat Noonon
keeps his team focused hosting New York City FC tomorrow.
That game starts at seven thirty. You can watch it
on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Sash, I appreciate
the time, man, thanks so much.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah, we'll be watching.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
It'll be good. Thanks for having me
Sinnati is going to be at home a lot down
the stretch five of their next seven, including tomorrow night's
battle against New York City, which you could watch on
MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Part of that coverage
of the game and the league is a Sasha Christian
who was kind enough. The great Sasha Clision joins us
(00:21):
right now. It's awesome to have you, Sasha.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I'm doing great.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
How are you guys doing? I'm well.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
You went on record on Sunday saying that FC Cincinnati
will win the Supporters Shield after what they've done during
the transfer period.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Do you feel the same.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Now more than ever? I feel very confident in my pick,
and let's be honest. I made them a Supporter Shield
pick about three months ago, and I'm staying on the bandwagon.
I think FC Cincinnati did a great job in the
transfer window, especially yesterday right before the end of the
transfer window, to upgrade their squad already the favorites. I
think now more than ever, they should win the Supporter
(00:56):
Shield this season.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I did not have early in the week getting Brenner
back on my Bengo card.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Neither did I.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Man, that was a crazy one out of left field.
But I think it was an awesome signing. It's a
player who already knows the league, who already knows the city,
the team knows that he knows how to get goals
in Major League Soccer, to play alongside Dank and Evander.
I think it's a home run.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I think what's good about it? You know?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And they went to Portland picked up three points there
of vanders homecoming emotional scene, very business like performance. They
have played unevenly and I don't want to say stale,
but it has kind of felt like Dyki use a jolt.
I cannot imagine that what they've done these last couple
of days doesn't provide that for this team.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
I agree with you, I think and both of the
things that you've said that I do think the new
players will provide a jolt. And I do think that
Cincinnati hasn't been at their best really almost at any
point in the season. I still think there's another gear
for them to hit. I really believe in this team.
I don't think they've as good defensively as they were
the last couple of years, but they still have some
(02:04):
of the best defenders in the league. So they've got
to pull it all together. And I don't think we've
ever seen the best of Evander and Dank together, but
now you throw Brenner into that mix. I do think
that this team is poised for a run in the
regular season and the postseason.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Is does this year.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
And you know, I've talked about this with a lot
of your hosts and analysts at Apple TV. You know,
if you go back to before the season started, which
feels like forever ago, and you know, they trade away
an MVP, there's a lot of uncertainty regarding players not
coming to training and just felt like a lot of
moving parts and this team relative to I think what
(02:44):
a lot of us thought that they were going to do.
They hit the ground running. They've been in the supporter
shield race most of the season. When they've hit a
rough patch, they've rebounded nicely. Pat Noonan's done an awesome
job here. Does this season represent his best coaching job?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Before you mentioned his and you said all the things
that have happened this year, I was thinking Pat noon
has done an incredible job of managing the group. And
now we know that he is different than some coaches
in Major League Soccer that he knows how to manage
a group more than to be some crazy tactical genius,
you know. So like even when we talk about Hell
(03:19):
is Real, we talk about the manager that Pat Noonon is,
and then we talk about the tactical coach that Wilfred
Nanci is in Columbus. I don't think that Pat is
by any means tactical genius. But I also think that
he's been very malleable. He's been able to adjust, He's
(03:39):
been able to switch some players around into different positions
and get the best out of some young guys and
get them some experience. I think he's doing a phenomenal job.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
We don't get many guests who use the word malleable.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
So congratulations on that.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
That was my word of the day.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Done, Yeah, well done.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
So they're in the supporter shield hunt, obviously behind I'm
in San Diego on gold total. They lead Philadelphia by
a point in the East. Massive game between those two.
Next week New York City is scratching and clawing for
a playoff spot, So we should see a desperate team
tomorrow night. What's dangerous about them.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Dangerous about them is Alonso Martinez, their striker, who's starting
to round into form. I think he hasn't been as
good this season as he was last season, But in
the last month or so after the Gold Cup with
Costa Rica, he's starting to round into form again. You know,
he got the game winner last week. He scored a
few goals the week before that. So he's dangerous. He
(04:37):
never stops running, he never stopped buzzing around. And the
team is pretty solid. They've just been inconsistent. And if
we think back to the playoffs and last season they
had that shock that knocks Cincinnati out of the playoffs.
And so when I look at this game specifically with
the way the table looks, the standings, with Cincinnati having
five of their last seven at home, this is really
(04:59):
a must win game to take care of business, get
a little bit of revenge, and stay atop the leader
board of the Eastern Conference.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Should be a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
FC Cincinnati home for five of their last seven, not
looking ahead in all likelihood, given how well Pat Noonon
keeps his team focused hosting New York City FC tomorrow.
That game starts at seven thirty. You can watch it
on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Sash, I appreciate
the time, man, thanks so much.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah, we'll be watching.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
It'll be good. Thanks for having me
Mo Egger News
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