Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Paul Dolan a big part of thatas an MLS season pass match analyst and
nice enough as he did last yearto give us a few minutes this afternoon.
It's good to have you, Paul. What's going on all our things?
Things are well, things are reallywell. Need this team to kind
of get back on track. Itfelt like for a while, once they
(00:20):
kind of got out of the TalkingCAF Champions Cup, they were where we
needed them to be an MLS play. The last two matches maybe not so
much. Yeah, you know,it was still start to the season against
Toronto, a team now that we'restarting to see maybe has some cracks.
You thought maybe they'd get off toa flyer there against a Toronto SC team
(00:40):
that was just starting their season underJohn Herdman in full earnest. And it
hasn't been since that day really anythingto write home about in terms of what
they did last year and the excitementaround the team. But obviously the squad
that they've got, the quality they'vegot and oftentimes we were just doing a
last week where we're speaking to PhilNeville and he said, you get the
(01:03):
basics right and then you ask yourdpiece to shine, and that's what Cincinnati
has obviously in a cost, andso that's a player that can all of
a sudden change. Games didn't happenlast week against New York. Course,
but you're talking about a really strongside now in New York Red Bulls as
well. So the game tomorrow inMontreal against a team that's just coming back
(01:23):
from a long road trip, Ithink that sets up an opportunity for Cincinnati
to maybe start to get on arole here. Yeah, you mentioned somebody
in Acosta, and he's part ofthis answer. But the goals have kind
of dried up certainly relative to whatwe saw for much of last season.
How do you squeeze a little bitmore out of this team offensively? Yeah,
(01:44):
I mean it doesn't hurt. Obviously, losing a Brandon Basquez is depends
of the answer. We've seen upsand downs. I think from him,
Kubo scores a goal and gets himselfinvolved, but all the chance creation is
going to come through a cost,and so that's really the player needs to
get into full flight again. Ithink once that happens that the chances will
(02:04):
come and then the finishing will come. You know, the club that I
look at very closely is Vancouver,who obviously leads in the West right now,
and we speak to Vadnie Sartini aboutwhy his team's doing so well last
year or this year versus last year. Last year there was so much chance
creation but no finish. This year, they're absolutely clinical on the chances they
get. I think that's the casefor Cincinnati as well, just finishing the
(02:27):
chances that they're creating. You mentionedthe western side of the table. How
do you handicap the East? Well, the East to me is a lot
stronger than the West, although thewildless it's fun to watch this year because
on any day anybody can beat eachother, whereas the East it's a bit
more of a juggernaut right now.Obviously, Philadelphia to a very strong start,
(02:53):
still on the feed, but Ithink that they may tend to taper
off a little bit. I stilldo ce Cincinnati is one of the teams
that's going to come to the forefrontonce they get clicking on all cylinders.
But New York Red Bulls that's thebig question for me. Are they as
good as what they've shown in theearly going or are they going to start
to see some cracks as well asteams start to figure them out. I
(03:15):
like the fact that they've changed uptheir style a little bit in New York
and that they're reliant left I guesson relentless pressure, and you can see
through their bill that they're able tocreate Emil Forestburg's then fantastic Benziers come to
the forefront. Of course, youget Lewis Morgan back and he's potting goals
left, right and center. Iguess you have to start considering at about
this point of the season, whenteams are near the top of the table,
(03:38):
it's for a reason, no question. Paul Dolan, with us MLS
Match analysts for MLS Season Pass,f C Cincinnati and Montreal tomorrow, is
a former goalkeeper. There's nobody betterqualified to talk about Roman Celentano, and
I guess from two different standpoints.One would be just what you watch,
what you see when you watch himplay, and the other would be,
now that they're without him, atleast for a little while, how do
(04:00):
they adjust? Good question. Ithought Laura had a good game. Actually,
you know, the big penalty save, and it looked like he was
up for it. I'm not certainthat on the goal that was allowed,
whether it could have done a bitbetter. I feel like he may have,
but overall it wasn't a huge dropoff. But you have to say,
Roman Celentano is in the conversation fortop five goalkeepers, maybe higher,
(04:24):
depends you're in Cincinnati, You're probablyhearing higher. But I like what I've
seen from him. So young stillbut real calm head on his shoulders.
Oftentimes you see young goalkeepers get calledup to the big team and you know
their first few starts and there's alot of nerves in there. But right
from day one, he seems tobe a keeper to me that has a
(04:44):
real calm head on his shoulders andcritical times, that's the most important thing
for a keeper. You make thesaves that you're supposed to and then you
check in one here and there,where, oh where did that come from?
And you win your team some games. A good goalkeeper can win your
team I'd say twelve points over thecourse of the year, and we saw
that he chipped in with a goodportion of points last year and there in
(05:06):
the championship season last year. Interms of the supporter shield, yeah,
no, no question about that.Should be a great match tomorrow night,
FC Cincinnati on the road. Montreal'shome opener after sixth straight on the road.
MLS season pass on Apple TV.Paul Dolan a huge part of that
coverage. Always great to have you, Paul, thanks so much any time
(05:28):
for speaking again, take care ofyou.