Union Soccer Podcast Ep. 15: Just Flachin' Around -- 6/2/23

Jon Jansen and Joe Tansey return from a two-week hiatus to go over the Philadelphia Union's winning run through May. A detailed look at the three-man back line and what it means for the immediate future and the rest of the season plus some Leon Flach appreciation talk.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
They're back, or maybe they neverleft. It's the Union Soccer Podcast.
You can follow us at the UnionSoccer Blog, Union Soccer Blog, dot
subseat dot com. Check us outeverywhere you can find your podcasts, Apple
Podcasts, Spotify. Wherever you getyour podcast, you can find the Union
Soccer Podcast. My name is JohnJansen, host of the show. You

(00:24):
can follow me at Jason thirty four. But the star of the program,
the one who runs everything over atthe Union Soccer Blog, it is Joe
Tanzy at Jay Tanzi ninety and Joe. It's been a couple of weeks since
we've done a show, so ithas been a little while, but it's
pretty remarkable. In that time frame, the Union just have won a bleep
ton of soccer games. So Unionback, I guess is that is that?

(00:49):
Is that even the right thing tosay Union or backer? But it's
just like, yeah, they're justdoing Union things again. So it's weird,
right because we think that just becausethey had that spell from before before
May, any normal team is goingto go through. I guess right,
I guess we don't look at theUnion as a normal team that we expect.

(01:10):
Okay, you gotta win all thetime, like these streaks of uh,
you know, not losing you knowhow many games and how many you
know, weeks whatever it is.We're used to the Union being abnormal,
and for once they weren't abnormal.We were like, Hey, what the
hell is going on here? Whatis it? Right? I just it?
I think I said this last timewe podcast it is we just needed

(01:32):
to have patients, and we don'thave that in the Philadelphia fan base.
Yeah, like there, especially witha team with expectations like I think we
could look at as well. There'sthere's like an expectation that they're just gonna
win every game and look like themselvesfor all thirty four games and be this
this dominant power and like things justtook a little longer to click and and

(01:59):
now we're here like it. Thisis why it was so hard for me
to kind of get wrapped up inthe criticism while they were playing in Champions
League, because it's still such asmall sample size of the season. I
get it, you want to seeyour same team win weekend week out.

(02:21):
Totally get that guys aren't performing andmaking mistakes. You should you should be
frustrating. But I think there's afine line that we not a lot of
us walked between frustration and kind ofan understanding of what the reality is like.
It was just a matter of likelike in the moment, the frustration

(02:43):
with with certain games. Yes,I get that because there were Ununion like
mistakes looked right up ugly at times. It did right, But when you
try to bring it out to abroad perspective of what this this team is
and what their future is, andone game, one game doesn't decide that,

(03:07):
five games don't decide that, tengames don't decide that, and all
of a sudden, this team finallygets a singular focus. And yes,
they got knocked out the Champions League, knock out of Open Cup, but
I think it would have been morefrustrating had they not gotten up to speed

(03:28):
in league play in the way inwhich they have. And now we're reaching
this point. It's the start ofJune, start of a new month,
of a much less busier month,which I think the Union will welcome.
Yes, um, it's I thinkit's time to take stock in what this
team actually is. Because if youtalk to us a month ago, I

(03:53):
still would have given them probably inthe incomplete gradeum because there's just there's so
many evolving factors with this group,and now that we've we've seen this in
kind of an inflection point with withJim Curtin as a manager, Like he

(04:15):
realized after Champions League in Open Cupthat yes, I actually have to use
my depth, I actually have togo on this tactical flexibility promise. And
part of it was because the rightpieces weren't available to do those things.
But now he's shown that now thepromises that were delivered, he's delivered preseason

(04:41):
with that now, I really thinkhis flexibility and some of the formations and
substitutions he used have been awesome.I think it's been very a great thing
to see from Jim, to behonest, right, And that's what you
want to see. You want tosee a team get better and evolve over
the course of the year. Youdon't want to see um. You don't
want to see them be stagnant.You don't want to see any negative regression.

(05:03):
And here we are. So that'sit's kind of what I look at
this this run now that they're onthey've worn six or seven in league play,
is they've got a singular focus,they've got some some flexibility. Third
in the East, and I thinkthe only team you could you can stay

(05:23):
without a shadow of doubt here thatis real competition in the East is Cincinnati
because they've been phenomenal at home.Road form not so much, but you
don't have to be perfect on theroad. Mos. So it'd be naive
of me to call it a twohorse race, but it feels like it.

(05:46):
Yeah, it feels it feels likeit's heading in that direction. It
feels like a two horse race comeJuly August. It really feels like we'll
be talking about the Union and thecarbon copy of the Union and out in
Ohio, like that's what it feelslike. It feels like we're headed to
that point. I think Nashville willdoes. But it also in my mind,

(06:08):
you know, and this could justbe me, you know, not
paying attention too closely to Cincinnati,but it just has a feeling the Union
are now that the momentum is gained, that they're gonna start like this these
summer months, they're gonna start steamrolling. It's the established power versus the
Yeah, it's they're not the newkid on the block, but you know
what, you know what I mean, it's absolutely absolutely and Cincinnati is really

(06:30):
good. Not to say that they'reyou know, they're not gonna, you
know, keep up this pace andkeep up a fight in this It's just
that I think the Union are gonnaapply so much pressure at the top and
like it's gonna feel like any smallmisstep from Cincinnati is gonna feel monumental.
That's that's how That's how much Ithink the Union, how great the Union
are looking right now, and whatthey're kind of poised to do um in

(06:51):
the next couple of months, right, I think that's a it's a fair
point. I think some people inthe in the fan base they have that
as well, where it's like,okay, well we're getting rolling. It's
unstoppable. Oh, by the way, the offense hasn't clicked to its its
best capabilities yet. I mean attimes it has. It's been at times

(07:11):
I've been I mean the Charlotte game, for sure, you know, I
guess we can get in the boat. But the Charlotte game, the one
that really impressed me was New England. I mean that, right, that
was great. So I think ifyou're kind of taking stock of the Eastern
Conference right now, before we getinto the nuts and bolts to these these
recent games. Look, it's anine point deficit to FC Cincinnati, so

(07:34):
it's not like it's a massive oneor something like. It's a small one.
Um. And Cincinnati's got three morewins, which is the tiebreaker the
Gold differentials basically, even Cincinnati's atten the Union or at nine, UM,
basically. But to me, whatit comes down to is the Union

(07:54):
winning on the road, because sinceif Cincinnati is going to try and go
this clean sweep at home, whichthey could, um. And I'll be
interested to see how they deal withBrenner's departure. So far, so good.
UM, but we'll see how,you know, teams adjust to that
and everything like that. And UM, I would I would assume they lose

(08:15):
baskets for the Gold Cup. Maybe, UM, we'll see what which shakes
out there. UM. Nashville's kindof Nashville. They're just gonna do their
thing. They're gonna plug a plugalong, they're not gonna overwhelm you with
goals, and they're not going toconcede a lot. And then the standing
show that that's been their identity fromthe start. Um, that will be
their identity for the end of time. It's just right. It's a good

(08:35):
identity. I mean, look,Jim, Jim Curtin would love to have
that identity. Yeah, you knowhe would. It's just like Nashville.
It's just every single year you canget all r Yeah, they're gonna do
the same thing like every offseason.L I think, yeah, okay,
so Nashville is gonna be really gooddefensively, I could see a lot of
goals. They won't score a lot, though, and they'll be really good.
Here here's Nashville's blueprint to winning.One, Honey, Muktar does a

(09:01):
lot of awesome stuff. Two,their defense plays really well. And three
Nashville fans to date on end howyour first almost the first is the best.
That's my favorite thing about Nashville.Just Muvedar, go ahead, do
your thing, and then the thirdone will do the rest. The third
one is Nashville fans just um,they ask can they get an actual strike

(09:22):
because Muktar's attend? Um? Canthey get an actual striker to pair with
Muktar? And if they ever getthat right, I mean they got it
completely wrong, but let's say,yeah, that's hop Yeah, they keep
whipping on seven figure striker signings umand then look at the rest of the
East kind of just a like NewEngland, I'm going to include them,

(09:43):
and I guess this this one Btier with twenty six points. But the
Union beat them handily. And that'swhat I mean, Like that's yeah,
that was a see that's a statementwent by the way. I just want
to bring this up. Remember thatstatement win from Miami in like week two
against the Union. How good's thatlooking right now? What a statement that
was to the rest of the EasternConference. But like that, I don't

(10:05):
know what Messi didn't want film Nobleto be as manager? Is that?
Is that where we're going? Isthat what we're doing here? I actually
was this close to making a jokethat Inter Miami is just gonna too enticely
know Messi over, he's just gonnabe player manager. They're just gonna they're
just gonna give him everything, uhthat the Saudi League can't, which I

(10:26):
assume uh isn't a lot, becausethey're just gonna throw a ton of money
at him, an absurd amount ofmoney at Messy. Yeah, and god,
god knows what Barcelona. Barcelona probablyhas to still sell their stadium now
to to afford Messi. Like they'rethey're in such fine they're in such financial
hell that like they can't even likekeep a title winning squad together. Um,

(10:52):
but they just your stadium from MESSI, I actually want to see how
that would work. But well theysold their stadium, um spawn ships Spotify
because they needed money. Um there'sSpotify. Look at Spotify. But Barcelona
is like the they're like number oneteam in financial hell. Yeah and and

(11:15):
and somehow they always end up theyalways end up okay, not saying it's
fixed. Somehow they always end upbeing okay. Um yeah, but I
know is that Miami better hope toGod and pray to whatever gods that they
they pray to. That MESSI goesthere because they stink and uh yeah,
but here here's but the thing is, I say that because what that was

(11:37):
a statement win in like March,I can say that in May as the
Union just get out of this,you know, really tough April and beginning
of May schedule and Open Cup andChampions League. That this was like the
first after that, This was thefirst real Okay, this is now our
sites set firmly on the Eastern Conferencein the Union. I know is at

(12:00):
home too, So I always getthat like I always hit that part of
it. But New England, asyou just said, as a team that's
up there and you would consider maybelike a one B and all this like
they blitzed New England, absolutely blitzedit. That was the first moment of
Okay, the Union are still likethis is this is the like great Union
team that's probably going to end upwinning the East. Right. I'm to
make the point about Miami. They'reonly five points out of the playoffs spot

(12:22):
because you and I could feel theteaming and the MLS playoffs this year.
So I mean, look ny seasonin fourteenth place, that's not a real
spot for them. Um, Imean Toronto they're bad. When the Union
played, they look I mean,I gain credit to like Kranza for having

(12:43):
as great of a game as hedid, a Korans who was awesome in
that game, and I'm glad you'reCurtain and everybody pointed out like that might
have been his best game and Ilooked bad though terribly they did. But
here here's the here's the problem yourun into and this is uber uber foreshadowing
going into god knows when a playoffsstart October November, who knows what we're
doing here. I haven't even thoughtof that. And to that point,

(13:05):
real quick, I asked the Unionplayers, a few of them in the
locker room on Wednesday night, ifthey're even looking at the standings yet,
and Ki Waging there and Daniel gazdagwill both like, now, we're not
not doing that yet, which iswhich is farets. It's still June,
and they kind of just have tofocus on their business. But I guarantee
you, like, I'm gonna justmake Major League Soccer Soccer dot COM's headlines

(13:28):
for them four months in advance intoMiami. New York City end up sneaking
their way into the eight or nineseed, and somebody is gonna and somebody's
gonna say, oh, watch out, they're the most dangerous team. They're
the dangerous underdog. All that.Yeah, the same thing, same thing
I thought they were gonna do withAtlanta United last year. So yeah,

(13:50):
it's just it. It's there's sucha wide open gap between and the after
New England and maybe Atlanta in fifthplace twenty four points tend just like haging
there, but like six or fifteenthis separated by six points. I mean,
that's that's a week of play inMLS that could drastically change your outlook

(14:13):
on the season, which I whichis why I think the patients to bring
it all back to the Union.Patience was key here because look what they've
done in the month. They've solidifiedthemselves as again as half a month,
really, I mean, because thebeginning of the month was still it was
that second leg and all that.I mean from basically May thirteenth to the

(14:37):
end of the month, I mean, they made up so much ground.
M right, Like that's remarkable andto do it though, and how how
would you say they are looking aswell? Because not only they're getting results
and one of them I think theRevolution three zero and getting three one win
of the road like really good.But how are you viewing their form?

(15:01):
Is this? You know, they'replaying up the par up the standard and
they're still like room to grow oryou know this there's still there's some hiccups
here and there, but you know, there's such a good team that they're
going to get wins. How areyou viewing this? This recent run whore
no difference than the standard. We'vesaid at the start of the season.

(15:24):
I mean that's really what it is. This is the team we expected to
see out on the pitch. Soif you know, the expectations haven't changed,
just the performance from the team hats. So the high bar that we've
set for them is now being reached. And I still think and Jim Curtain

(15:45):
has said this, and I'm sureif you ask some of the players,
it's the same thing as the attackhasn't completely clicked yet and once that does,
watch out. Now when this happened, I don't know, but Jim
Curtain did say, you know,he's back in March April, where were
many five press conferences a week wehad that the defense was going to turn

(16:10):
around first, and it did andthen the offense will come. It's almost
like he knows his team. Yeah, that's really good. So and it's
true so and it was referenced doneon Wednesday night too, that you know,
it's the defense has turned around threestraight home clean sheets. This back
three has looked really well. We'llget I think we'll see some variation of

(16:33):
it or a different variation of aformation tomorrow because it's so hard to play
those three guys three games in sevenor eight days. But yeah, I
just I keep going back to thepatients. I mean if I told you
on April fifteenth, hey, yougotta have patience with this team, everybody

(16:53):
listening would sit at least nine.Everyone listening would say, hey, that's
not acceptable. Need be better.Now, we'll look at we are,
look at where we are. Sixweeks later, it's a completely different outlook
on the team, and look,it was definitely not time to panic.

(17:14):
Then. I think the individual mistakesis where the frustrating part was, because
they weren't looking like themselves. Youcan excuse like a the tacks going or
one bad game. I think that'swhere the source of the frustration was.
And then it bad start after badstart after bad start, right, and
then then it escalated into you know, is this team okay? Is Jim

(17:37):
Curtain distracted by the national Like Iwould love to go back and read all
the responses from like the April fifteenthabout where this team is and how they're
dead and they're not going to looklike twenty twenty two, which, by
the way, those people that havetweeted those things are still finding negative things
to say. It fascinates me tolike go in my mentions and saying,

(18:00):
like five people every game where likethey could win six nothing and they'll be
like, well, Julian Kranza missedhis his fifth chance in the first half
and he needs to be better.Like it really is remarkable how people are
just like, yeah, I'm gonnanitpick the smallest thing and and not be

(18:21):
happy for like a few days.Those people probably think like they probably hate
puppies or something like that, orjust like whatever it may be, because
like, I really am astonished sometimes, like and you know, a lot
of a lot of the mentions aregood when they're winning and they're excited to
see the turn around, but like, and it's it's so funny to see

(18:42):
people like they have won six ofseven. There really isn't much, if
at all to complain about right now, and it really is astonishing. Like
maybe maybe wait until they lose,just unleash your your curtain outtakes or whatever
you want to are out here,but man, it it really is astonishing

(19:02):
that like the five or six peoplewho are just like all the time like,
well, the union are good enough, um, and they're not gonna
they're perpetual losers and they're gonna failit at MLS Cup time anyway, Like
it is it is something, man, what a weird way to think.
I mean, the thing is like, what, how have they been failing?

(19:26):
I know they haven't won MLS Cup, man, they have They've climbed
the ladder every single time. Imean, they're at least they're in position.
Yeah, right, at least they'rein position. And they only lost
because LAFC brought out f and GarethBale. I can't curse because we aren't
going to play this on Fox SportsA gambling we don't say, We don't

(19:47):
say that word around here, friend, but I mean, come on,
were that I mean like minutes secondsaway from a victory? And this team
I think is starting to look likethat again. Now. One of the
things you mentioned is tactical flexibility.The one thing is obviously the U twenties
are are away and I've actually watchedsomething on FS two. I was able
to watch like a match or two, and uh, it was it was

(20:10):
nice to see our guys out there. You're like one of five people who
have FS two. Yeah, somehowin the iHeart studio, so you have
FS two. It's kind of crazy, which is even wilder to think of
it that way, that the iHeartStudios. Yeah, yeah, have working
television Yeah. So the Union becauseof you know, some some guys leaving,

(20:30):
they've opted for this five back line, and man, it's it's really
gotten low a lot of great play, of great playing time, and not
just great play that he's played verywell. Uh. This that's always a
great thing. You're right, Joe, when you have and you're kind of
forced into changing your formation and notlike completely changing it, but you're changing

(20:52):
it in a way and seeing itwork out so well. This five back
line I have been extremely impressed with, and I think that that has a
lot to do with Lowe being avery good player that you're breaking. It
has There's there's three factors that gointo this. One is Damian Lowe forcing
his way on the field, becauselook, you're Jim Curtin's putting his best

(21:12):
eleven players in the field. Soif his twelfth guy, if his number
twelve guy here or whever you powerrank Damian Lowe and in the Union hierarchy,
he's better than your extra midfield options, your extra forward options. So
what do you do You put themon the field. That that's pretty simple.

(21:33):
Now, Jack McGlenn being gone,you can deal with that because you
have flock Hasu's Bueno is getting moretime. There's been an idea of floating
around of Josie Martinez potentially playing aseight in the fourth two diamond because of
his technic capabilities. But I thinkthe one thing that the facilitates or that

(21:55):
has facilitated this move is Bedoya beinghurt because instead of going to So there's
there's a few variations of the threeman back line. The first is the
straight out three five two five threetwo whenever you want to call it,
but Curtain's playing a defensive midfielder andtwo guys on the side of him that

(22:18):
literally function the same way that thefour four two diamond functions. So you're
not there's no identity change, there'sno real evolution there because you're following the
same principles. Your six maybe justhas a little extra wiggle room. Now

(22:41):
the three four one two that they'vebeen pushing out with Bedoya out, that's
that's the actual different change, whereLeon Flock holds back, Jose Martinez is
able to get further forward again,still kind of the same principle going forward
because they're they're right sided heavy already, and if you saw in the New

(23:04):
England game, that's that's where Josewas attacking a lot um. But that's
where the play of the three centerbacks really shines through. Because m Martinez
is further up the pitch, Flockcan move up, you know, ten
or fifteen yards further than he usuallyis. UM and Jim Curtin has been

(23:29):
praising the ball winning skills of ofFlock and Martinez to spring some some of
those transition moves and make things alot easier UM for the Union on both
sides the ball. And then thatall comes back to the ball, the
one v one that the marking theball, winning everything at the front three

(23:51):
or the back three. Do Ithink Jack Elliot's form has improved greatly?
Um, I'm not saying there wasa a really I'm saying he played terrible
in the opening games, but youcould tell there were like little mistakes he
was making. Absolutely, and he'sback to Jack Elliott of twenty twenty two.
Glass has been steady all season andLowe has been phenomenal in the back.

(24:14):
So if you think back in thelast few games, Andre Blakes maybe
had to make one or two fantasticsaves. I mean on Wednesday he made
that one where he leaped and hadthe typical crossbar. There are a few
against Ms where he was just ina really good position and they were weak
shots. So yeah, all thefunctionality of this back line in midfield,

(24:38):
because the Fords really don't change much. Gosnig is still going to fasultate in
the middle. You're still gonna haveand Carranza making their runs off the ball,
you know, doing their work defensivelyand getting through in transition. But
where the tweak has come is withFlock and Martinez. So now you know

(24:59):
Doyle, look, I still givehim, you know, rest him as
much as you can, make surehe's one hundred percent because this this set
of is working. I know,that's still isn't that The crazy thing is
like, how do you go back? It's hard to do you can,
yeah, but like this has tobe used and you have to keep finding
ways to get low in the fieldbecause this is this is working out very

(25:21):
well, right And this this iswhere this is where tactical flexibility now comes.
Because what's Jim Curtain's biggest flow.He sticks to he sticks to his
guys to a fall. Well,does this does this mean maybe, like
hey, Bedoya, you can restlike, you don't have to have him
out there all the time. Youknow, he just got injured, like

(25:42):
you know, he's him back inand even when he does come back,
give him some days off, youknow. I think boy is the one
that I mean, look, heis an iron man. Dude could go
out there. I'm sure once he'sback from this injury not miss another minute
and he will be just fine.But man, why why not give him
that rest? You know, he'slike a lot of soccer I just it's
it's nice to know that they havean answer for this now, right.

(26:04):
It's it's different from last year,whereas they when they have the answer,
they do um and there's there's differentways you can can get around it.
You know, Jack mcglen's gonna beback in a few weeks. But I
think the looking forward part here isI don't know if Jack mcglenn's going to

(26:25):
be here the entire year like thatthat's the next big story that's going to
start developing. And that's right,and that's not new. It's not new
like or have I just been likewill you've just been? Yeah? I
didn't want to. I want to. I don't want to hear that you
leave that alone. I haven't okay, I ever remember that, but I

(26:48):
don't want it to happen. You'vejust been overreacting to Aaronola starts way too
much um or or going crazy forDaniel Gazdog goals. You know, um
look, it's kind of the realityof the situation. And we if you
read the tea leaves of the season, this was kind of on the plate.
If Jack McGlenn played well in MLS, got eyes him and eyes on

(27:11):
him more at the U twenty WorldCup. He's a young American player that's
one of the highest commodities on thetransfer market. And you know, Jim
Jim mentioned his last week that hisphone's been blown up since the U twenty
World Cup. So it has tobe known that Brandon Craig has played fantastic
for the U twenties as well.He hasn't gotten a ton of playing time

(27:33):
with the first team because of thethree center backs, but that might be
an important piece too. Later onin the season. Can Brandon Craig break
into the first team and maybe reladGlesness or Elliott or low of some minutes,
because that would be huge if youhave four really solid center backs.
But that's that's a little further forwardin the season that we need to go

(27:53):
right now. I think that.But with this three four one two,
three five two whatever formation, aslong as it's not the Christmas Tree,
because I think everybody's out on thatformation. What this does it also sets
you up for a future without Jackmcclint because it gives you a central midfield

(28:15):
that is flexible, that can getthe ball forward, that can win the
ball. And it doesn't take awayfrom the principles of the diamond. It's
different. And it also it givesyou a little more flexibility with your pieces
with Bueno, with Martinez, withFlock like Buyo is just waiting to get
more playing time. He's he's righton the cusp of it and may start

(28:37):
on Saturday Parreia. Look, thething with Karya is it's going to be
his defensive work. That's the onlything I can dind point to where Jim
Curtin wants the defensive work to bebetter, and that's why he's not getting
minutes. It's not you know,the switch to formation has nothing to do
with him and has everything to dowith Damian Lowe being better and Jim Curtin
saying these are my best eleven guys. And I think even if Karrey was

(29:00):
informed, Damian Lowe carries more weightthan than Andres Parreya in that conversation,
I really like. I think that'sbasically what it comes down to. You'd
like to see him get more minutesoff the bench, but that's that's kind
of where it is with with himand Tours. Nothing's changed in the last
month that um we haven't gotten fromJim Curtin. It was very honest it
it's the defensive work m and JoaquinTours doesn't do much of that. Parreya,

(29:25):
I don't know what it is.I know what's been he's been stuck
on, but that's not the justit just hasn't worked yet. So yeah,
look, I think Jim Curtin maynot admit this publicly and I don't
even know if this is like hishis first motivation because winning games is the
number one thing right now. Butthe three four one two in the broad

(29:48):
picture of the season does help believethe concerns if McGlynn goes and where that
may be, who knows. Obviously, Ernie Stewart is now a PSV in
the Netherlands, so that's going tobe an obvious connection. That doesn't mean,
um, it doesn't mean he's goingto go to PSV. But I

(30:11):
think the one thing that Jim Kurtinand Enterstander trying to do is maybe transfer
him if there's a club that theyknow people at UM that they trust that
can develop Jack mcglin, because they'vethey've done that with Brendan Aronson, Paxson
Arronson and Mark McKenzie. I meanthat there's UM, there's a connection with
with Iron Tract. They've been overhere UM, Mark o'fabion was there or

(30:37):
Entertainder knows the inner workings of theBundesliga and can trust them. Brendon with
Red Salzburg was very easy because theythey trust and know the Red Bull system
UM and McKenzie with Gank was avery nice move up. And I wouldn't
be surprised if Mark McKenzie's on themove UM to a to a Big five
league at some point very suit sowill being said, yes, I think

(31:04):
Jack McGlynn is the most likely toleave this summer because of of who he
is, his age, his nationality. If Julian Corons are probably two on
that list, you know a lotof people don't want to hear that either,
but that's the reality of that situationtoo, don't you dare. Look,

(31:25):
Jim Curtains, I don't want tohear any of this, Joe.
These are These are Jim Curtain's wordsparaphrased, not mine. Like Jim has
has said it a few times aboutJulian in the last I mean, if
they're paying attention, yeah, ifthey're paying attention in the last few games,
I mean, Jesus, it's goingto be I mean, look if

(31:47):
in the direct comparison the gym hasmade since last preseason is is Tati Costianos
and I mean Costiano scored four goalsagainst Real Madrid for Garona this year,
So the talents there, and somebody'sgoing to come after him. He's art
Tintinny and he's a striker, Likethey're gonna they're gonna wanna go after him

(32:09):
in some capacity three four one two. I think alleviates concerns moving forward.
Usually when a player goes, you'relike, well, how do we replace
them? What's going to happen?I think here with McGlynn's potential departure in
the summer, it does open upthe possibility of Josie Martinez can play the

(32:31):
eight, and that's something that JimCurtin mentioned recently after one of the games,
and that that opens up a wholeother spectrum of possibilities because Haysu's Bueno
is ready for more playing time,Leon Flock can still be your ball winner
in the middle of the field.I know people rag on it his offensive

(32:52):
offensive abilities, but the reality ishe does so much to start those moves
and to win the all where he'sso valuable to this team. So it's
again that's that's the funny part withlike the internet commentaries, It's like the
first person that gets criticism is theon Flock, when in reality he might
be one of the five most importantplayers on this team. Like it.

(33:16):
That's allow me to go on thissmall rant. There's go ahead, do
it. I mean I do itall time anyway. So don't know why
this is the platform to do it, Joe. I don't know why you
have to apologize or aspect well,I haven't. I haven't written any takeaways
because I was saving him for this, but I've had this one my chest
for a while. It's like,I don't know what people's expectations are for

(33:38):
Leon Flock. I don't because thefan base treats him like he's like he's
an attacking midfielder who's supposed to createeverything, Like he was brought over to
do a specific role in this teamand he does it very well. Yes,

(34:01):
he does very very well. He'svery good to the point to the
point where he's arguably been one ofthe best players on the field in the
last three games. Getting no argumentfrom me there absolutely Like that's why it's
astonishing to me, is like,why are we ripping Lee on Flock.

(34:27):
Yes, he's his offensive capabilities arelimited, but that's that's not his role.
Like his role is to be aball winner, to play defense very
well, to start transitions, likeeverything he does in whichever formation he's done.
So to me to see every timethat you know, and this is

(34:51):
maybe just a fault of me lookingat social media too much, but to
get a gauge of the fan baseand and say, like I think if
I went up to a lot ofpeople don't know, let's say the sample
size is one hundred, and toldthem Leon Flock is a top five most
important player on this team, whichI can make a very strong case for

(35:17):
I'd say maybe fifty percent agree.Like it feels like if we were doing
like a presidential like approval rating,it feels like Leon Flocks would be very
low. And there's no reason forthat. Like he's not in the squad
to score, he's not in thesquad to provide us this. He's in

(35:37):
the squad to do a very specificjob, and he does it very well,
and they've balanced it very well withJeff McLynn, with Jose and Martinez,
like in that the middle of thefield, Like it's astonishing to me
that a guy who does so muchfor the club, and especially in a
city like Philadelphia where we respect thehell out of these role players, these

(36:00):
these guys who do the dirty work, and Leon Flock checks all of those
boxes, and he, more thana lot of others, gets a lot
of crap from the fan base.So like that kind of perturbs me a
little bit. Where everything we wantin a player, and you can't tell

(36:24):
me you love Jose Martinez but thenhate Lee on Flock because they do the
same thing, Like you can't tellme and sit here, Jose Martinez is
the epitome of Philly. Is myfavorite player all that and then say the
exact opposite about leon Flock. Again, he's he doesn't show the attitude.

(36:46):
He just does his job. AndJose maybe yeh does Leon Flocked like fight
somebody? Does he have to likegive somebody a broken nose in an aerial
channel? Like what what does theunfluck have to due to endear himself to
this fan base because it feels likehe just I can't say the expression I

(37:07):
want to see you should say,Hey, you know what, just just
shore some fuyer man, just fightsomebody gets he gets the bleep and end
of the stick is what he getshere. And it's like it's it's infuriating
to me because I watch him.You watch him and you think, like,
man, that guy's great, Likehe's really good at what he does.
You know what I mean? Yeah, he's he's so important to what

(37:29):
this team does and what this teamis to see that not get appreciate it's
it's right, what's going on here? Why? Like you can you can
say you like other players better?Sure, sure we can. You can
go for the flash you want feellike Harran's or Gaza better or Blake,
Like I get it, But likemy point is if you're gonna sit here
and say I love Josie Martinez,I love KaiA because Kai's been a lot

(37:52):
more than the Scuples than jose hasbeen the season. A lot of people
have taken notice of that. Yeah, what is that all about? Kai
has gotten in Um, he's gotan inner a hole to him. That's
not like that that's good, whichis what a hoole? Why he's scoring
more and everything too. He's likehe's just really like going for it.

(38:14):
But do we have to go upto leons flock and tell him, Hey,
you just gotta be a little moreof a d bag on the on
the field like this? I don'thave that in him. I don't know.
He's very nice. What is hisdemeanor off the bitch because he seems
like a very calm, like kinddude. He's very calm, very kind,
just goes about his job like yeah, I don't know, like do
we have to do Why can't Philadelphiarespect that? I feel like that's a

(38:36):
that's a great attitude. It's acool, calm dude. And when he
gets on the pitch, he's greatat what He's great at his job and
he does it really well. LaserAgain, this maybe me completely reading into
a lot of the the Facebook andTwitter mentions more than I should, but
like I mean, if if it'sout there, it's out There's there's I'm
saying people to feel the same way, even if even for people who don't

(38:58):
feel that way, even just toappreciate that, hey, Flock has been
great, and not only great,he's always been one of the best players
on this team, right, LikeI feel like we just need to like
clap it up for leon Flocking.Yeah, I'm fine with that if that's
what we need to do. I'mabsolutely fine with clapping it up for him.
Yeah. I think he's great.Yeah, So this is this has
been your Leon Flock appreciation segment.I didn't know this episode was going to

(39:22):
turn into a leon Flock appreciation thing, but I'm glad it did. That's
that's now the name of the episode, Leon Flock Appreciation. No it.
And by the way, if ifleon Flock was a Phillies like middle infielder
that bat like eighth and yes isdirty work, Yes, yes, yeah,
it would be a fan group inthe three God that was trying to

(39:45):
figure the perfect analogy, like theperfect comparison for it you nailed it well
done. There would be a fangroup in the three hundred level called the
Flock of Seagulls so fast for LeonFlock if he was like if he was
like ed Mundo Sosa Freddie, can'twe get that? Sons of Sons of
Ben? What are we doing?Let's do that. I'm down. I'm

(40:06):
down the show flocks him love.Have we ever shown flock love like that?
I feel like now is a sincewe're bringing it to uh, to
everyone's attention, I feel like nowit's a good time to do it.
I think I think we've shown Leonmore love than I feel like. I
feel like, yeah, I feellike you got to write something about Leon
Flock now, you know, likeI need to write like like an ode,
like a poem, yeah, anddeliver it to him, have him

(40:28):
read it. There's the content.You need to stand outside his residence with
just a boom box saying okay,well now, I don't think you need
to do that one. But readingreading your poems, I think it's all
right, that's fun. Yeah,just like I don't know, I just
feel like that's something that doesn't happen. I like it. No, I
like it because he's one that's it'sthe the stuff that doesn't show up in

(40:51):
the statuet kind of thing, likecan we say that for you know,
the thing for basketball? You know, the high motor guy. He's the
if you want to compare it toa player in the finals, he's the
Haywood, Um, what is it? High Smith? Heywoodhi Smith? He
would Is he the Haywood Higsmith?Obviously a better player because I think that's
just but he brings energy, Hedoes all the dirty work, he does

(41:14):
everything, you know, And thenis he is he like a can we
do all the sport comparisons at let'sdo all of them? Is he like
a gritty like third or fourth liner? Yeah? Hockey? Yeah yeah?
Or is he like the is heis he whatever gritty cliche you can come
up with with the gritty guys?You know, he's the guy in the
trenches. You know, he's likean offensive lineman. Uh. I thought

(41:38):
you already had a good one withlike a really solid, not great,
but solid middle infielder that comes upclutch every once in a while. Yeah.
Leon Flock is the Union's PJ.Tucker. Oh god, that's a
that's an that's more of an insultthe fucking high smith Jesus, PJ Tucker
stinks. But that's where you justput like everybody thinks PJ Tucker stinks,

(42:01):
but like, but we're not askinghim to score ten points per game.
We're asking him to play defense anddo all the groups. Okay, So
PJ Tucker like in like a goodportion of his career when he could actually
defend at a high level and youknow, give you that energy. Yes,
absolutely, like they have this.They fill the same requirement absolutely the

(42:23):
team not to get in the NBAtangent. I just don't think PJ.
Tucker can do that anymore. Idon't think you can guard like that and
play at that high level. Butthat that's that's the kind of player you're
absolutely talking about for sure. Butyour reaction is your reaction is exactly what
I'm getting at. Like if Iif I said, like, if I
said that's a union, some unionfan fans, he'd be like Leon Flox

(42:45):
stinks, He's useless. What ishe? What is he doing out there?
When didn't we say that about PJ. Tucker for like the entire season
and he still carried some some decentvalue. Like maybe maybe I'm down plainly
unflocked out. But that that kindof feels like the I think you're overrating
PJ. Tucker right now, butno, that's that's kind But that's the

(43:08):
kind of player like Tucker, righthe feels a role that you know is
not not one that's going to giveyou the flash and everybody's gonna be talking
about, but it's one that isvery necessary and if you can do it
at a high level, then youare invaluable to your team. And I
think Flock does that, like it'sFlock has that kind of of game,

(43:29):
so so that that part's great,you know, defense and Flock and all
that doing well. I want togo to see the attack a little bit
though. I mean they have attimes, and then the Charlotte game comes
and they had some chances, nothingtoo great. The good thing is really
felt like Charlotte didn't have that manygreat chances like that. They didn't know

(43:50):
that always just felt like the Union, we're gonna put one in and look,
they did it often. I wouldhave loved because I'm the godsdag guy.
I'd been like, oh, godsdog, great goal and it was
counted as like an all goal andeverything. But great goal. Gods Doc,
I cannot get over what a hellof across by by Wagner really plays
right right at the the opposite goalpost there and giving a perfect I don't

(44:13):
know why God's do not get thatmuch space, but a perfect ball for
Gods dog to play. So Ithink that. But the one thing the
attack overall, because it's been greatat times, we've seen really good flashes.
I'm still not consistently great. Sowhat do you see It's not happening
there. I think that's the case. They're not consistently great. But I
think what what holds them together isa defense being so great, like you're

(44:38):
able to win these games one nothingand have It's not a flukey goal,
but a small goal of of justhard work and determination to get that job
done. I think that's what itwhat it comes down to. Um.
The one thing I'll notice or Inoticed on Wednesday, and this isn't just

(45:00):
on the goal. It was kindof a theme on a few chances.
If you think back to the firsthalf, Jack Elliott got a header on
goal off a recycled set piece wherethe ball ends up switching play off of
a corner kick that to me ina similar way was how the goal was
brought about where they were able tostretch Charlotte a little bit, because if

(45:21):
you remember the ball, I thinkit was almost like a miss hit from
I think Jose on the right sideand Kay is going to go track that
ball down down on the left sideof the attacking third, and then he
fires the ball in to God's degg. He gets a little bit of space,
Kalina, I think his positioning wasawful. I'll stick to that,
like he gave God's degg just enoughof a window to head the ball.

(45:43):
It goes off the post between it'sgot to recover a lip. Just just
two inches is all he needed interms of space to to have to recover
on that and God's deg heads itends up being an own goal because the
final touch goes off the goalkeeper.But I think that's it's sometimes can be

(46:05):
a game of inches, it's agame of small errors. I think that's
what that one came down to,is that wasn't a great header by God's
Egg. And I think a handfulof MLS goalkeepers are are hugging that post
or have the reflexes to get tothat spot and not allow it to even
be an issue, but Kalina justfar enough off where it allowed the window

(46:30):
and everything unfolded from there. ButI think it all comes from the want
to switch the ball, because that'sthe whether it was on purpose or not.
There was more switching from Wayne toWing in that game that I can
remember in previous ones. They didn'ttry and force the issue down the middle,

(46:57):
which I thought was going to bea joaking tourres game because of that
in previous years. That is inthe senior game, but it's found a
way to win. And look thatthey're not clicking the way they were last
summer obviously, but Kranza is anincredible for him who is doing great work
off the ball and the determination isstill there who who it too? Like

(47:21):
I love what that guy brings,man, And I know he's not like
leading team and goals and we wantedhim to be this like amazing goal scorer,
but I feel like every time hestretches the field, it just breaks
things so wide open for the Unionthat it never like before he got there,
never did like, Man, itis awesome to watch when he stretches
the field like that and all ofa sudden there's open field, he gets
it back to goz Dog and thenit just feels like teams are on their

(47:44):
heels and can't recover Like that isthat is so damn This I think good
to see from the Union because like, that's just it's it's a special skill
that UA has and it works outto where it man it gets them in
great spots, right, I think, Well, part of just how all
of that operates is the transition looksa lot smoother, yes, because of

(48:09):
how the defense plays, Like it'snot just hey, we're going to decide
to play really well in transition today. It's I wish it was the case,
Like obviously everybody wish the case.But what you have here is because
the back line is so organized andbecause Flock and Martinez have that freedom is

(48:31):
you've seen a lot more in thelast let's say four to five games of
those transition moves. And look ifmore of those hit and right decisions are
made or um, you know,it's just they're they're just a tick off
on some of those moves, whetherit be movement into the final third,

(48:53):
decision to play the pass, aweek er shot, whatever it may be,
they're close to it to break itand having a five or six full
game, and I think you canyou can confidently say that, whereas a
month ago you couldn't, like thereis actually a window here where do with
a lot of damage against one ofthese these teams up coming on the schedule.

(49:15):
I don't know if it'll be Saturdaybecause of the rotation that will be
involved here. Touch on that beforewe finished this this long episode, but
yeah, I think that's to me. I see it more that the transition
moments are there, and Jim Gurtonmade it a point before a match,

(49:37):
who goes last week or the weekbefore that? He wanted to do that.
So if you have that now inplace, you would think the higher
quality chances come. It just it'skind of an evolution of the clean sheets
and the defense are there, theyhave absolutely come. Then now you have
the transition work facilitated by the midfieldersthat's coming into work. So now what's

(50:00):
your natural kind of evolution here ofyour final piece. It's the goals.
So everything is there for a breakoutgame to happen. I don't know if
it'll be Saturday, but it feelslike it feel it feels like there's going
to be a five goal game yep. Before the start of July. Absolutely.

(50:22):
Um. And it also feels likeone or one of these from Martinez
going to go in. I thoughtthat one from Charlotte was going in.
Well, he couldn't. He couldn'thave scored on Wednesday because our good friend
Matt to George was not in attendance. And he's been he has, Yeah,
he's been the driver of that movement. Um. My favorite thing is
he's a little press box quark singaleays, tell me, yeah, things

(50:44):
with the boat and then now Martinezcan only score for George is there.
I love it. It's it's alonely life we live. Um, I
will, I'll say this, andI've been thinking this for a few weeks,
and one of these are going togo in for I only say this
because this is how things work withjust Fate and the Union and MLS.

(51:07):
They play San Jose in a tenthirty game in two weeks or next next
Saturday, you calling your shot withthat one. It would just be like
the most Union thing for us tobe shouting for Jose Martinez to score a
banger, and then he does iton the West Coast on a game that
not everybody is watching in the middleof June just like that is like,

(51:30):
I know how these things operate.We I mean, how many times did
we say this about Ray Gaddis beforehe just didn't score. But Jose Jose
is getting closer, He's getting Ohmy god, Charlotte, I legit thought
like that was going and it wasthis foot I'm like, oh my god,
that looks great. He's getting there. I genuinely, I genuinely think

(51:52):
it may happen, and in SanJose or the Galaxy game like pick your
let me just get the exact becausewatch will end up scoring like Saturday.
Yeah, I know, but theSan Jose San Jose games, for whatever
reason, have just been always wonky. I think Jack Elliott scored a really

(52:15):
clunky goal opposite piece a few yearsago to either tire or win it.
Um. Yeah, I think onthe road ten thirty game at either Galaxy
on July eighth, the Earthquakes nextSaturday, I think that's when Jose scores,
just because it would be the thejust the dumbest way for that to

(52:36):
happen. I love the things wehave talked about on this show. We
have talked about appreciating Leon Flock anda specific moment and when Jose Martinez is
going to score, let's get it. This is this is this is this
is what you get when you don'thave I know, we're many dumb thoughts
in our heads. We're still theonly people at radio station to give a

(52:58):
damn about a union. You don'thave to pay for the station to promote
it. But I mean, Iyou know what I do. You want
to get on your soapbox real quick. I don't even know if they're paying
for it, But what are wedoing? I have never ever, in
my entire life, in the historyof my radio existence, never have seen

(53:19):
a station put out a basically promotweet like promo, hey we got the
game, A tweet of a gameyou are broadcasting and putting ad in front
of it. It looks terrible.I'm sorry, Like everyone, it looks
horrible on every front, and honestly, it looks like the worst it looks
for is actually the union. Itlooks like the union are having to pay

(53:42):
for time to be on that station. Then obviously I don't think that's the
case. I don't. I don'twant to say they are, but like,
that's the thought that crosses my mind, like, are they paying on
their own station that is broadcasting theirgames? Who has their rights to pay
for advertising their flag their flagship station, and even right think so little of
promoting them that they need advertisement dollarsto do it. I think that's the

(54:07):
case. But that's what I'm thinking, Like, what is happening? Take
the promoting them out and they probablyjust think so little of them in general.
Where And yes, we sound incrediblypetty right now, and I will
own up to it because we've keptthe petty. I won't even be petty.
I'll be coming at this with somebodythat worked in radio. I've never
seen any station do that before inmy entire life. I would never even

(54:28):
think as a program director, assomebody who is who is promoting a team
that we're broadcasting we have the rightsto. I would never think of doing
that. The optics of that arejust so terrible looks everyone. Could you
imagine if WIP did that for likethe Eagles, or the Fanatic did that
for the Flyers or um the wIP also did that for the Phillies?
Like that everybody like advertisement? Whathashtag ad listen to the Phillies? Yeah,

(54:53):
like what I would question I'd lookat that be like, why why
is that an advertisement? Yeah?You you you texted me that a few
weekends. Again, I was like, wait, so I'm not like right,
so that's me feeling the same wayfor the parting of Like that's bizarre,
Like I've never seen that before inmy life, So I like,
I don't know if that's just likea Beasley incentive or what it is.

(55:14):
But man, that was shocking justbecause I never optic right, the optics
don't look good in that. I'msorry, they just don't like It's it
looks like the team, the teamthat has broadcasting rights, that's your flagship
station, the flagship station is askingyou, hey, could you please advertise
because we don't want to promote you. Maybe that's why they haven't pay for
the parking lots yet. If ifyeah, it's just like by the way,

(55:39):
I need, I need, Andthat's like me feeling bad for the
you because it just looks bad.It does. By the way, I
need to get on my soapbox againreal quick, pave the parking lots.
Union just just pay for like justjust I don't care how much it.
Man, they sound like a Philadelphiateam because living in Philadelphia for two years
getting anything paved was. I mean, it took weeks for that process to

(56:01):
happen, right, you know howbeat up my car got because of unpaved
roads. Here's here's here's the thingI had. Somebody tweeted, and I
don't know if it's true, said, well, you can't have glass bottles
if it goes to paving. Ithink everyone would sign up for that.
Like fine, fine, that's theprice we have to pay. Okay,

(56:22):
And like Lot B was still verybumpy and still a nightmare to navigate.
Now now that we've moved over toLot G. I mean I needed Mars
Rover to get around there. LikeI don't know, I don't know like

(56:42):
what the excuses are or all this, But if you're gonna say it,
it's gonna be a really deep nichereference. But you remember in Doug when
mister Bluff does like the beautiful beautifyBuffer. Yeah, I am making Doug
reference, like he wants to showyes, my god, there's an episode

(57:05):
where he wants. This feels likea dated reference. So whoever joke is
going to be of a certain agefor sure, no one, no one
under the age of thirty five.Probably you get this reference. But mister
mister bluff wanted to beautify, beautify. Bluffing did just beautiful, Like I
might even asking to beautify all ofChester. Like just if you're gonna do

(57:27):
the whole thing where you pump upthe entire area and it's Union in yards
thing, and you're gonna have placesfor people to hang out after the game,
pave your damn parking lots. Itlooks bad on you as a franchise.
The optics are speaking of optics arebad here. You're doing all this
construction. It's your it's a hugeproject to bring the academy down to make

(57:50):
this a hub for soccer in thearea, and you can't afford to pave
parking lots for your fans that showup every week. Like, just do
it, I don't care how muchit costs. Like the optics are are
so much better than what they currentlyare, because right now you just have
a lot of construction land off theright, which, by the way,

(58:14):
they're only going to use one partof the training field and Jim Curtin isn't
happy about that. Um, sothey might have to train the stadium too,
Like, oh, I don't know, really oh yeah, they're only
gonna because of the construction. Seemedlike great timing for all this. No,
so Union two and the unior practiceon the on the same field.

(58:35):
If you notice the training fields theyhave, um they have two full length
fields. I think only one ofthem is going to be used for practice.
Um when the construction gets going.Um, so it becomes a little
bit of an inconvenience where on thefirst team as well. Um, But
they can manage that. They've beenprepared for that. But like if you
you knew you were gonna do allthis construction, like you're boasting up all

(58:59):
this, these flashy new things thatyou're doing in and outside the stadium.
You can't pay parking lots. It'sbad optics. All right, Joe,
we have gone, we have goneoff the road. We have tangent on
everything. We have appreciation Martinez coringa goal against San Jose, now hashtag
adgate and now parking lot gate.Let's get to the damn Saturday game.

(59:22):
This is great. Um. Soyeah, what are you expecting against Montreal
on Saturday? Obviously home game,unique home. Montreal's just whatever. The
okay, fine, shore team,So what are you expecting here? Montreal
her her On Losada is the coach, um, and that's what you expected

(59:42):
of them. They're one seven andone on the road, So oh that's
great. That's the math is Themath is definitely math in The math is
pretty simple here with the Philadelphia ganUm, I think they'll go back to
the four man back line. Um, here's my hypothetical and think I'm gonna
end up writing it as well.You need soccer blog about subsoc dot com.

(01:00:04):
Subscribe, subscribe, subscribe. Ithink they go four men back line.
I don't know which center back they'regoing to rotate out. Bueno has
been the talk of the town andneeds more playing time, so I think
you see him facilitating some capacity inmidfield. This is all going to be
dependent on if Fedoya is ready togo. But if he hasn't been ready

(01:00:28):
to go already, I still thinkhe comes off the bench. So how
do you kind of rotate is Torres? Is Chris Donovan going out there for
sixty minutes? What's the actual answerup top? So I think Jim Corton
likes to rotate no more than fourplayers in this type of situation. I
think Nathan Harril is one of yourguys at right back for Bizo. I

(01:00:51):
think Bueno rotates in for Flock orMartinez, or you could play play Flock
in Martinez on the two side asthe diamond, and you have Bueno come
in for one of the center backs, has change Um Torres for God's Dag
potentially, and the Donovan for Umor Corronza. I think that's where it

(01:01:13):
goes, unless Andres Perea works asway into the eleven. Don't really see
that happening, but that's kind ofwhat I'm looking at, is back to
the diamond, we get Bueno inthere, harry O rotates with Bizo,
and somebody sits from the Ford grouping. I think you can it's all matchup

(01:01:36):
based. I get that, butI think and maybe Torres playing his former
team maybe that helps too. That'sa little incentive incentive there for him.
UM keep that in mind if yeah, UM, so all of those things
kind of factor him. I thinkthat's kind of where they set up.
I think they go back to thefour for two. Um, you've got

(01:01:58):
to be able to show tack theflexibility again by knowing how to go back
to your base. You know you'veyou've shown it in matchups to put your
best level on the field. Butnow to win a third game in eight
days at home against the team that'sbatt on the road, you should be
able to beat them out of yourbase, and if not, you have
reinforcements to come in off the benchin the sixtieth minute, actually make those

(01:02:20):
changes in the sixtieth minute, nothold onto them, and really go after
it and win the game. Somost importantly will be the clean sheet.
I think that's why Bueno's in thereto hold fort I honestly would be fascinated
to see Bueno, Flock, andMartinez in the diamond together from the start,
and I think you might have todo that if you start Torres to

(01:02:42):
compensate for some of the defensive work. I think that's where you go.
You go Wagner, Harryell on theoutside, pick your two center backs Bueno,
Flock, Martinez, Torres, andthen pick your u or Carranza and
Donovan and go from there. Rotatea few guys and then if you can't
get it, go like hell upsixtieth love it. Final score predictions,

(01:03:07):
anything, any predictions for this game. Do we see the sight gates open
here? Because they don't open becauseit's it's a third game in an eight
day situation. Um, so Ido think they'll win too. Who cares?
Yeah, exactly win who cares?Is exactly what you want to Yeah,

(01:03:27):
exactly, yes, exactly. Soyeah, that's kind of what I'm
going with. I think you're right. Um, it's it's probably not going
to be a wide open game.But to nothing. They score a couple
of goals here on Montreal, getat home victory again and start off June
the way they ended. May anythingelse, Joe, we covered, I
mean so many bases here. Anythingelse you want to cover, just in

(01:03:50):
case we left something out. Thisis what happens when you you don't last
podcast for two weeks. Yeah,I just give you an extended episode and
just it's the airing of the isa little bit. Oh, I love
it. You can follow Joe atj Tanzy ninety. You can follow me
at j Janson thirty four. Thisis the Union Soccer podcast. Good wherever

(01:04:12):
you find your podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get it.
You can find the Union Soccer podcastUnionsucer Podcast, part of the Union Soccer
Blog. Go check Joe's blog outUnion Soccer Blog dot substack dot com.
Plenty written over there from Joe andof course everything leading up to match day
and of course match day against Montrealagain. Check out the Union Checker podcast

(01:04:33):
wherever you get your pods. Willbe back next week with more union soccer