8/29/26 -- Mo Egger with Apple TV's Ross Smith, on FC Cincinnati v. Nashville

Ross Smith is on the call for FC Cincinnati's tilt against Nashville. 

He joined us on ESPN1530.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Saturday night at TQL Stadium, a bitter, bitter one-point result
for FC Cincinnati as they blow a 1-0 lead against Seattle.
They salvage a point, but it certainly didn't feel like
they salvaged anything. Now they hit the road to take
on Nashville on Saturday evening. Ross Smith, Apple TV, joins
us to talk about the orange and blue. Ben, this team,

(00:23):
it feels like two steps forward, two steps backward. I
know they didn't lose, but Saturday night felt like two
steps backward. Deflating.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
It was deflating, Mo. And given how this team, the
talent within it, the game changers, of course, right? And
especially Cincinnati. I mean, I've been there plenty of times
on the broadcast side. When that crowd gets going and
it really does feel on top of its team, you just...
It's at the stage under Pat Newton. It needs to
be three points all the time. It's always going to

(00:52):
be disappointing. But I thought Seattle's Andrew Thomas, he had
a couple of spectacular saves. So credit to him as well.
But still, yeah, with Cincinnati, I mean, when they're in
the groove, it is one of the best teams in
the league. But there are the points of frustration defensively.
The goals conceding must be must be pull out your
hair time for fans.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah. And I think it's it's one thing if we're
having this conversation in April or May, it's something else
entirely having it. And I obviously the World Cup break
changed the calendar, but it's something else entirely when we're
having this conversation so late in the season.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
Absolutely. You know, this time as well, but the World
Cup break, the difficult thing, the World Cup break, you
come out of it, and I think everybody thought you'd
be looking at teams that are rejuvenated, that had time
on the training ground and able to really nail things down.
It actually wasn't the case. It was more having to
restart for a lot of teams and managers.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
And so.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
When you say at this stage in the season, I
agree with you, but I actually think the World Cup
break hurt a lot more teams than what you thought
would benefit from really nailing down an identity. And it's
almost as though a lot of teams have had to
start again.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
All right. So if you're Pat Noonan, understanding that this
is basically what your team is, and they're healthier now
than they have been, where do you start? What do
you do to achieve better results?

Speaker 2 (02:13):
It's tough to say. for this because Matt Miazga has
been a brilliant servant to the club. But I do
think at one point, at some point, Pat Noonan will
need to go with Myles Robinson in the middle at
the back. And I know he was playing there the
other night, but I just think he needs time to
grow into being the leader. If he had Matt Miazga's voice,
then for me, it would be a no-brainer because Myles

(02:35):
Robinson in the middle of the back. And I still
do think you need another piece either side of him
as well. That back three just Hasn't given me confidence.
But I really do think that's been an issue. And
that Miaska, look, I was there as well. And he's
already starting to back off a couple yards. And he's, what,
31 now? And when you start to hit your 30s

(02:55):
as a center back, and if you've had a couple
of injuries, then you start dropping a little deeper and
you can see that space in front. That, for me,
is the most obvious one. I think the wingbacks, the
consistency when it's happening, Echenique I think is brilliant at times,
and then other times he needs to show more. But
those two areas, I just think if at the back

(03:18):
it's clicking and you get the wingbacks clicking, then it's
really good. But it's not consistent enough for me because
everything else sort of through the middle and how they
play to Evander, is top notch. I think Kevin Denke,
the rumors swirling around with him and transfers as well.
It'll be interesting to see what Cincinnati do because for me,
Kevin Denke individually is fantastic. Evander individually is fantastic. I

(03:42):
just don't know if there is that match made in
heaven between the two of them.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
It doesn't get any easier. Ross Smith, Apple TV, FC
Cincinnati taking on Nashville on Saturday night. It gets no
easier through 21 regular season games. No MLS team has
ever totaled as many points as Nashville's 39. And there
are three points, the three most recent points they picked
up came on the heels of two stoppage time goals
to come back and beat Columbus. Now the Cincinnati enemy says, cool,

(04:10):
that's right. Beat Columbus at the same time. Nashville is
having a special season. How tough of a hurdle is
this going to be for FC Cincinnati to clear on
Saturday evening?

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah, best team in the league in Nashville. And I
don't think it's even close with them and other teams
right now on the level they're playing and how... I
could go around, Mo, each position of Nashville, all 11 positions,
and make a case for why that player is the
best in the league at that position. That's how good
they're playing right now. They've got a top manager.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
I think B.J.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
Callahan should be the clear runner for manager of the season.
The identity he's got, the form the guys are in,
And then if I gave you this stat, which really
stands out how it's a fortress at Giotis Park, they've
only dropped two points all season long.

Speaker 1 (04:56):
They haven't lost.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
And they've only drawn once at home. They've only dropped
two points all season. I was in the stadium against
Columbus and I thought there's no way they're going to
score a goal. I can't see how it's coming. So
even on their off day, they found two goals in
two minutes. and took all three points. It was a
snatch and grab. I couldn't believe it. Look, they still
played well, but with that much time left, it was just...

(05:21):
it you couldn't see it coming and so that for
me was the characteristic of a champion that even though
a goal down they still come back within two minutes
and win the game and take all three points.

Speaker 1 (05:29):
All right i've got a stat for you i i
was at the match on saturday fc cincinnati won one
draw the last seven fc cincinnati games i've been to
have been draws one point result how impressive of a
streak is that I feel for you.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
I feel for you.

Speaker 1 (05:47):
It's not entirely bad. You know, there, there are a
lot of teams in Cincinnati. I go to games and
they don't even, you know, I would take a tie.
So that's not entirely bad, but yeah, it's, it goes
back to 2024 seven straight where they haven't even gotten a,
they haven't won, but they also haven't lost.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
No, I hate to give you this stat, but in 2018,
when these two clubs played in USL, all four games
they played that year were draws.

Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
So, You know, that's the way it's shaping up. And
there's great history to this as well. I don't know
how far back fans would remember, but the legend of
Big Bird, the goal scorer for Nashville then, who scored in,
what was it, stoppage time? And he flapped his wings
because everybody made fun of him. Six-foot-five, Tucker Hume. Anyways,
the legend of Big Bird, it just... It's phenomenal. But anyways,

(06:32):
when you talk about draws, you know, given the history
between these clubs, we could be looking.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
At a draw. No. Well, I mean, right now, the
way the way Nashville is playing, I guess I would
take that. And I'm not going to be there. You will.
So there's a better chance we actually get three points
one way or the other. Nonetheless, have a great call
on Saturday, Ross. Thanks so much. Thanks for having me on.
I appreciate it. You got it. FC Cincinnati and Nashville
on Saturday night, 830. The matches also heard on ESPN 1530.