May 7, 2025 • 45 mins
Tonight on Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts discusses the officiating issues in recent Sounders games and in Tuesday's Tacoma-Portland match, then chats with Cristian Roldan about the 4-1 win over St. Louis before going around the league with Ari Liljenwall from MLS soccer and previews Houston this week with Jesus Acevedo Jr.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming to you live from Marellion Avenue Studios of Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly
with your host Jackson.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Felt, Good Ignorant everybody Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts here for
the next hour. Thanks for joining us, talking all things
Seattle Sounders FC soccer for the next hour here on
ninety three point three KJR FM. Jackson Felt's here to
talk about and react to a couple different results. On
the good side, Sounders had maybe their best game of
(00:31):
the year in a four to one win over Saint
Louis last Saturday. On the bad side, Tacoma Defiance fell
three to two in the US Open Cup Round of
thirty two to the Portland Timbers last night down at Starfire.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Plus.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Of course, we'll take a trip around to MLS with
Ari Lillionwall and we'll look ahead of the sounders next
match against the Houston Dynamo with Jesus Oscevedo Junior. He
writes about the Houston Dynamo for the Bayou City and
down there in Texas, because the Sounders will be facing
Houston Dynamo coming up this Saturday five o'clock premat Show
five point thirty kickoff right here on ninety three point
(01:07):
three KJR FM. We'll talk about that later on tonight,
but we are going to take here the first twenty
minutes of the show before Aria comes on and really
dive into these couple recent games. We'll also gonna hear
from Christian roll Don, hopefully we have time for that.
I want to start with the vegetables, as I always do,
(01:27):
and then we'll get into the dessert. The dessert being
the great four to one win for the Sounders, and
you know, I do want to spend the first couple
minutes talking about what I think is one of the
primary things on the mind is Sounder fans at this
moment here on Wednesday, May seventh, And that is what
happened last night in the Open Cup down at Starfire
Stadium between Defiant and the Timbers. So obviously what we
(01:50):
saw was Defiant Scott loaded up with a couple first
team players Georgia Manongu, Redbaker, Whiting, Kalani Cozer Rienzi and
Portland started a mixed squad, some guys a lot of
T two on the bench, and then mostly and a
large part of main first team players in their starting
lineup on Miller Crappo among many others. So what we
(02:11):
saw was Defiance hold their own and honestly, I'm gonna
there's gonna be a lot that I'm gonna say here,
and Defiance were the better team, point blank, end a story.
They were the better team yesterday. They were leading two
to one going into the eightieth minute. They got screwed
by referees. We'll get into that, but listen, they were
the better team. Outstanding performances. Georgia Manongu was tremendous getting
(02:33):
around that corner and being able to put crosses in.
Osase scores you comes on in the second half and
scores as well. That's a really impressive player down playing
with the coma. I imagine at some point we may
see him with the first team. But Osase who gets
his debut again Saint Louis. He scores and starts for Tacoma.
Brunell Steiner Brunell had a good game for Tacoma as well,
(02:56):
but overall, just I think a very good performance. Hawkins
was good in the back. The fullbacks wing backs I
should say read Baker, White and Kilani, both of them
were good. Tacoma was the better team. We got the
two second half goals. Portland got their first goal on
a horrendous officiating decision, which we'll get into that whole
(03:17):
subject in a minute. And you know, honestly, they got
their last couple, probably maybe warranted penalty there at the end,
and a very good goal I should say, to equalize
the match as well. But we're looking at a Tacoma
team that should have absolutely been leading probably three to one.
They probably should have been maybe even argued up three
nothing considering the legitimacy of the first penalty in the
(03:40):
first half to the Portland Timbers. So it's very, very
frustrating because Tacoma, I think we're the better team. Now
let's talk about officiating shally, because it's funny you go
back the last few weeks and you look at the
overall officiating jobs. I mean, a couple of weeks ago
on this show, I was, you know, just absolutely ranting
(04:01):
about the job done in the Colorado Rapids game by
Alexis da Silva. And that wasn't a game that I
think the Sounders necessarily deserved to win. It finished one
point one, but that was a game that was so
heavily influenced by the fact that Alexis da Silva was
he wasn't doing a very good job I think officiating
that game, ultimately, I think it's for both sides. It's
(04:25):
really you know, Sounders should have been a man up,
but overall, Colorado, overall, I think deserved their goal. It
was a good goal by Mihailovich, and at the end
of the day, I think they were a very good team.
They outplayed the Sounders in a lot of areas. So
did you deserve the point? I think for Colorado, But again,
Seattle should have been playing a man up. Then you
look over the weekend Saint Louis and the job done
(04:48):
by Lorenzo Hernandez first half, I thought, listen, it's a
soft penalty on Jemargomez on Jade there that gets the
penalty kick for Saint Louis. But I think the credit
to Lorenzo Hernandez. He understands that was a soft penalty
on Yamar the foul in the box. So I'm gonna
watch things a little bit more closely there and see
(05:08):
if a makeup call might be warranted. And very very
shortly after it was where Paul Rothrock is lightly taken
down in the box, he goes down a bit easily.
But you know what soft penalty for soft penalty evens
out won one game, it's the second half where Lorenzo
Hernandez just decided to, I don't know, call a different
(05:28):
game or you just be a different ref There was
obviously in the seventy second minute, Seattle was leading two
to one, and there was a massive goal that happened
where I believe Obed Vargas has a shot on target
and it's gonna go in the back of the net
and the outstretched arm of a defender. It hits directly
to the outstretched arm, and I want a key on
(05:50):
that word outstretched. Clearly. You can go back and see
the replay. It's been posted a bunch of places after
the game. Referee Hernandez says that is it was in
a natural position and it hit the thigh or hip first.
It didn't hit the hip or thigh, and also the
arm was not in a natural position. So I would
just say to Lorenzo Hernandez, do you think that you
(06:13):
can just make something up or just say anything and
get away with it now? Do you think that that's
just something that referees can do without any penalty or
any thing coming back to you, because Lorenzo Hernandez, you
can't just make something up. We're gonna catch it and
we're going to call you on it. And I'm calling
you on it right here that that's almost said something
(06:33):
that's crap. It's crap because it didn't happen. The arm
was not in a natural position. It should have been
a penalty and Seattle should have had that goal there
in the seventy what second minute, So ultimately that turns
into a bad refereeing performance, and then we had to
coma defiance against the Timbers last night. The referee for
that game was Servando Rico, and Servando Rico decided to
(06:58):
give the game to the Portland Timbers point blank. I'm
saying it. He gave the game to the Portland Timbers. First,
he doesn't award the Coma de fiance a penalty kick
late in the second half they're leading two to one,
and it's one of the most blatant penalties I've ever seen,
where I forget who is the attacker coming down and
(07:18):
it might have been No Saze coming down the middle,
uh and just taken out by a defender in the
box and what Servando Rico says is, oh, he got
all ball. He got all ball very clearly he did not,
and that should have been a penalty. So you do that,
and that's setting up precedent. And we talk about, you know,
consistency with officiating. Andrew Thomas, the goalkeeper, talked about it
(07:41):
last night. All we want is consistency. So if you're
gonna be calling things, you know, loose in the box,
and you're gonna be calling things not so tight, the
opposite of the Saint Louis game, then you wouldn't then
call the penalty for the Portland Timbers in the ninety
second minute. But he does. He calls ondly, is calling
things extremely tightly. On the other side, gives the penalty
(08:03):
to Portland. They score, they lead three to two, they
win three two. You gave the game to the Portland Timbers,
Servando Rico. Shame on you. Shame on you, Servando Rico,
for having such a horrible influence. I wrote it on
social media and I'll say it here again. It is
the worst officiating performance I've ever seen, and not only
for those two We're talking about other decisions throughout the game.
(08:27):
The penalty in the first half where Andrew Thomas is
clearly knocked down by a Portland I believe it's Zuparich
was knocked him down there in the box on the corner,
no call, and as Andrew Thomas is on the ground,
Portland kicks it in and it's just it's an abysmal
no call any way you slice or dice or look
(08:47):
at it. Andrew Thomas was knocked down by a Portland
player and they didn't call that. So that that's three.
And there's so many more decisions regarding who possesses the ball,
fouls yellow car late in the game on Peter Kingston
which made absolutely no sense. The referee performance by Servando
Rico was abysmal and it was embarrassing to the sport.
(09:10):
It was embarrassing to all referees who officiate the sport
I think around the world, and Servondo Rico should be
ashamed of himself for having such a horrific effect on
that game.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I don't want to talk too much more about that
other than the fact that the Coma Defiance got absolutely
screwed last night by the referee Servando Rico, and it's
a just disappointing fact that over the last few weeks,
we as fans of the Sounders and Defiance, have seen
continued performances, poor performances by referees, getting in the way
(09:44):
of what could have been a win in Colorado, getting
in the way of what could have been an even
bigger blow win over Saint Louis, and getting in the
way of what could have been an incredible upset for
Tacoma Defiance over Portland. So I'm disgusted by the refereeing
performances that we've seen over the last few weeks, but
none more so than Servando Rico last night. And all
Sounder fans and all Defiance fans should be just up
(10:05):
in arms, and I'm just I'm so fed up with it.
And last night Tacoma should have had the upset, should
have been a magical night at Starfire, and he took
that away from us. So all right, I really I
don't want to spend the rest of the time lamenting
the referee revenge, lamenting that whole situation. I want to
move forward and put a smile on our faces, because
(10:28):
for the most part, for Sounder fans, it was a
very good week. The Saint Louis win, We talked about it.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
It was so good.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
It could have been and should have been an even
bigger win, but it was such an awesome victory over
Saint Louis. Obviously knew who's scoring is fantastic, Stephen Fry
making his four hundredth all competition appearance. You also had,
of course Albert Rusnack scoring, You had Obed Vargas and
it was just this absolute, you know, cavalcade of great plays.
(10:57):
Danny Mazowski scoring his fourth goal in four games, joining
Freddie Montero, Obavima Martins and Jordan Morris as the only
players in club history to score in four straight matches.
Ryan Kent when he came on the field, Holy smokes.
I can't wait to talk to Ari about Ryan Kent
because he was electric coming on.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
He might have been the man in the match, and
he only came onto the field in the fifty seventh minutes.
And then on top of all that, after the win,
we can celebrate Brian Schmitzer. He's now tied for tenth
all time in Major League Soccer history among head coaches
with one hundred and thirty wins. That's great for Brian,
it's great for all those players, Alex Droldon returns to
(11:39):
the starting lineup in the four two three one formation.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
He was great.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
That was such an amazing game, probably best game of
the season for the Sounders against Saint Louis. It just
could have been five nothing if you want to say,
the soft penalties in five to one.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
But you know, it's just.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
You have to celebrate it and be happy about the win.
But also right now, I'm just conflicted with all of
these emotions after what happened last night down there at Starfire. Okay,
let's stick with the Sounders. After the game in the
locker room, had the chance to catch up with Christian
roll do on. We had a really fun conversation where
we keyed on all of the big performances I just mentioned,
(12:19):
from knew Who to Mazowski to Ryan Kent to everything
else that's going so great Obed Vargas as well, who
walked by during our conversation. Such a fun conversation here,
lots of happy faces here in the locker room after
the Sounders four to one win over Saint Louis.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Here was my conversation with Christian rolled on what's the.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Reaction of the teammates and including yourself on the field
after Knew who puts his second career goal in the
back of the net.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
Well, we are stop for him. Clearly he was over
the moon with his celebration, and you know, he thought
he scored the goal to win, to seal the World Cup.
So it's hilarious. I knew who works so hard to
to defend for us, and so for him to see
the back of the net, we're so happy for him.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
So we do the post him show with Kellen Rowe
up in the booth, and Kellen was kind of hard
on his celebration. You feel like, I want more dancing,
I want more smiles, I want more so so he
was he was a little more critical of the celebration.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
Oh yeah, I mean it wasn't the greatest celebration, but
his emotion was there, right, and so that that's what
I was what I was referring to. You know, he
can always improve uh in in dancing and celebrating and
but he's he theatrical and and that goal was definitely theatrical.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
We got oh bed walking by right here and and
and he was voted man of the match for the game.
And from the goal to the work that next to
you in the defense of midfield. How have you seen
this kid grow?
Speaker 5 (13:48):
Yeah, well, he covers so much ground for us. He
gets into the attack and and also helps me defend
as well, And so he provides so much for our team,
both physically and on the ball. His composure and his
ability to get in the box and get shots off
it has been crucial. Last couple of games. We're asking
him to play a little bit higher up the field,
(14:08):
and I think he's thrived in that role. And I
think it's a result of us scoring more goals.
Speaker 6 (14:13):
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
I hope he continues to grow, and I think because
the good head on his shoulders, he definitely will.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
All right, So for you guys now, as a team,
we're looking at a four game on beaten streak, three wins.
You got that drawn Colorado. I imagine in the locker
room right here, things are you guys must be going
pretty good right now.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Yeah, I think our confidence is high. You know, every
game is different, but I think when we shine a
little bit more, is when when we're able to have
a little bit of a lead, right when we score
the first goal or we finally break through, I think
it creates a whole lot more space for us, we
see a lot more. We play through the middle a
(14:53):
whole lot more, and I think that's when we're at
our best, and so can we be the aggressor from
the get go, And I think that's been a the
reason why we've been a little bit more and more
successful these last couple of games.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Here with Christian roll Don and you talk about kind of,
you know, the ability to go up and then the
way you play. I mean, watching Ryan Ken that last
thirty three plus minutes, I mean, he seems like he's
quite the difference for maker roality. What does he do
on the field that you see that you can play
off of that that looks at least from our angle,
so attractive and so good.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah, well, he's both really athletic and quick and can
find a pass as well. I think his his passing
is a bit underrated. I think people respect to speed
a whole lot, and so passing lanes open up and now.
But I think already found a good partner. He looks
like he and and Ryan are you know, connecting really well.
(15:44):
And so you know, when you combine speed and and
and the ability to pass the ball, it becomes a
different maker in the Finals in the final thirty.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Day Mazoski four goals in four games. Like, what can
you say about what he's doing up front? Just he's
finding a way to put a ball in the back
of the net.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
Yeah, he's opportunistic. You know, he's a player that I
think doesn't get enough credit for his abilities. I think
he's sneaky fast, sneaky athletics, sneaky good touch, dribbles pretty well,
and then he has a knack for goal, you know,
(16:24):
and and I think that's something you can't teach. And so,
you know, Denny I think has always shown well, but
now I think he's kind of filling into the role
that that we're asking him to do. And he's been
exceptional and and and has a good mentality going into games.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
He saw Houston just about a month and a half ago,
going down there, team that you guys on the playoffs
a couple of times. Obviously, you know, normally I wouldn't
ask that, you know, what do you see from a
team coming up? But you guys have seen him so
much recently. What are your thoughts on Houston coming up?
Speaker 5 (16:56):
I think it's gonna be a tough game. You know,
Houston's a team that play used to the middle. They're
very composed on the ball. They they you know, defend
well as well. I think they struggle in the attack
a little bit. But when you're at home, you know,
you you benefit from that. It seems like the ball
bounces your way a little bit more. And so we
(17:18):
need to go over there with a good attitude and
make sure our mentality is right on the road and
then being able to be composed and keep the ball,
but then have that that right mentality, like I mentioned
the intensity part, because on the road, that's what it's
all about.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
By the way, first time we've caught up, I think
first time we caught up this year. How's how's dad life?
Speaker 5 (17:38):
By the way, me is doing great, She's she's now
in almost ten months and she's standing up already, and
it's it's a real treat.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
At what point do you put the soccer ball in
front of them?
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Oh, I've been doing that. Yeah. I want her to
to be able to play any sport, but you know,
if it's soccer, you know, I would love that coach.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Christian there, okay, the unity if to start teaching the
tactics at I don't know what what won two years old,
the years old.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Yeah, the wideboard will be coming out soon.
Speaker 6 (18:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Hey, Budy, thanks so much.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
Yeah, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
That's Christian Rolldon in the locker room after the Sounders
four to one win over Saint Louis. We'll get a
break here in Sounders Weekly and we'll continue talking about
that win. Arilillionwall, Major League Soccer dot Com and the
podcast Lobbing Scorches. He'll join us next to continue celebrating
Seattle's win and take a trip around Major League Soccer.
That's next on Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders FC,
Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, everybody. Jackson feltz here. Good
to have you with us here on this Wednesday night
to cover Sounders and Defiance there and that first segment.
He was good seeing our next guest out there at
Starfires Stadium yesterday for the Defiance Portland game. Ari Lillionwall
from Major League Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers.
(19:02):
Are good to talk to you after talking to you yesterday.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
How you doing, Buddy, I'm doing great, Jackson, looking forward
to talking about this Sounders game with you.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
This was a good one, oh baby, Yeah, we get
to really enjoy this. What I said on Fox thirteen,
I was on their Washington Sports Wrap TV show a
couple of nights ago. What I said on there was
it might be the best game of the season. I know,
we've had a three to nothing shutout, and you know,
you could debate that this should have been a shutout.
You could could debate that this could have been easily
(19:32):
a five to nothing game. Buy or sell best game
of the season for the Sounders that at four to
one win over Saint Louis.
Speaker 7 (19:40):
Oh, I think I'm easily buying that as best game
of the season. And frankly, I thought this was the
best attacking performance that the team has put up in
the last couple of years. I mean, I know the
underlying numbers, their performance numbers were just off the charts.
I mean, they put up over four expected goals in
this game, which I think was comfortably out by the
eyes tests. So yeah, no, it was. It was electric.
(20:03):
I think it was the best game of the season.
And there's just a lot of encouraging things that you
can take away from this game even beyond Ryan Kent,
which I think is the most obvious.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Well, yeah, I think that is the most obvious, and
we can just jump right into that topic because he
comes on in the fifty seventh minute, and four minutes
after coming on the field, we score a goal and
he assists it. He is pretty special, dude, And I
think the only question left is it do you have to.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Put him on?
Speaker 2 (20:32):
You know, I know you want to reward Paul Rothrock,
and Rothrock's doing fine, But at this point do you
have to start Ryan Kens at left wing?
Speaker 7 (20:41):
I mean, I do think there's still in a situation
as it stands right now where they're ramping his fitness
totally up, So I think at least for the next
couple weeks, you don't really have to make that decision yet.
You know, whether they start him weekend week out, I'm
not as concerned about. But I mean, the guy clearly
has to be getting a lot of minutes because I
(21:02):
think the most intriguing thing about that performance for me
Jackson was just how much he seemed to be a
force multiplier, how much better he made every single other
player on the field.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
He knew who we're.
Speaker 7 (21:13):
Combining really well. I mean, when was the last time
you seen knew who play that well in attack? And
the way he was combining with Obed was excellent. They
have really good chemistry. I thought Rusnak looked more effective
as well with Ryan Kent playing out wide beside him.
So yeah, really nothing but rave reviews for how he played,
(21:34):
and it's going to be exciting to see what impact
he can make going forward as he gets more minutes.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Yeah, absolutely, and I'm when he becomes ninety minutes fit,
that'll be the question. But if he's still ramping up
right now and you know he's getting thirty three plus stoppage,
you know, does that turn into forty five? And is
that forty five the first forty five or the second
forty five? That's give me interesting for Brian Schmitzer. This week,
Ario Lilliene was our guest mlis soccer dot com. He
(21:59):
also post hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorches. They go live
on Monday mornings and Thursday night. Check out Lobbing Scorches
wherever you get your podcasts, including the iHeart Radio app.
Before we move on from Sounder Saint Louis, I know
I talked to you about the officiating disaster down in
Colorado last week the previous week. Excuse me, but last
week we had another one. I get the you know,
(22:22):
it's a soft penalty on Yamar, and you know we're
gonna call it, and then we kind of call the
soft one on Rothrock on the other end. But then
the handball no call in the second half. He explained
it away and Sounderhart had this on their blue Sky page.
How the referee said that it hit the thigh and
came up and hit the arm in a natural position,
(22:43):
which just screams to me, Ari that referees now have
the authority to say whatever they want and not get
checked for anything that's real or not real. I mean,
I don't know, man, I don't know what the guy
was doing in the second half, And it's just another
week where I'm asking you and I'm talking about a
referee who just doesn't look like he knows what he's
doing out there.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I think that was the worst call I've ever seen.
Speaker 7 (23:05):
Yessin, Like, at the risk of exaggerating or being hyperbolic,
I think that was actually the worst call I've ever seen.
There were so many things wrong with how that sequence
was handled. It was It was incredible. It was unbelievable
how every single facet of the process was wrong, starting
with how long it took for them to stop play
(23:27):
on the.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Field, and then he goes.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Over and looks at it for forty five minutes, when
you really could have that needs to take less than
thirty seconds, thirty seconds at the absolute maximum to look
at that call. It couldn't be more clear and obvious.
But then with how long he took to look at it,
he still missed the call. So really it was just
he was oh for everything on how that sequence went.
(23:52):
And you know, we can laugh about it now. It
didn't matter to Sader scored four goals, they won the game,
But in the moment it was pretty hard not to
be frustrated because that is as stone cold a penalty
kick as it gets. I even think that you could
argue that that was.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
A dog so red.
Speaker 7 (24:07):
Well, yeah, you having your hand in an unnatural position
and you block a shot that's going on target from
inside the box. I don't know if there's a clear
cut rule on it anymore if someone was telling me
there wasn't, but it would have been a justifiable dog
so red if he had given that. So that's how
badly that call was missed. I'm still mystified by it.
I don't care.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
They ended up winning the game, but good Lord, sure
would be nice if one of these days we got
a good refereeing performance. But we haven't gotten that in
a while for Sounder fans, So hopefully this week against
Houston and ari As we kind of look for it
a little bit. Coming up here in Sounders Weekly, we're
gonna be talking to Haesus Oscevedo Junior. He writes for
the Bayou Citi in down there in Houston. We're gonna
(24:45):
talk some Sounders Dynamo. But before he comes on, he
shares his insight. We have Houston fresh off of a loss,
I believe, a fresh off a red card as well,
and a Houston team that's still kind of finding their way.
And I imagine Seattle after that thirty plus shot performance
is looking their chops.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
Yeah, this Dynamo team, I would say they're having a
middling start to the year. They did get a new
DP recently, inger I think his name is. I know,
he looks pretty good. The first couple games he was
with them, he scored a couple of goals, but it's
not like they are looking like especially good or dominant
team this year. But the thing when the same when
(25:27):
Seattle's traveling away at Houston, it's.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Just always a tough game, you know.
Speaker 7 (25:31):
The Texas heat always becomes a factor. I don't know,
maybe we're at the time of year where that mot
might not be as much a factor as it is.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
And more like Midsummer.
Speaker 7 (25:39):
But it's not an easy place to go and take
points no matter what quality aside the Dynamo are. So
it's definitely not a game that I would expect Seattle
to go in and run over them, although with how
they looked against Saint Louis, if they play like that again,
three points is very attainable against this team.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Ariy Lillian Wall is our guest. He's a writer and
editor for mlssccer dot com. He also hosts the podcast
Lobbing Scorchers. You're listening to Sounders Weekly here on Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJRFM and how are here
tonight talking all things Sounders Soccer All ri Let's jump
around here and talk about what's going on around the
rest of the league. The conca CAFT Champions Cup final
(26:16):
is set Vancouver Cruz a Zool. We've talked at length
about Vancouver being the best team in Major League Soccer
right now. They're getting the results in league, they're getting
the results in Conca CAFF. They're in the final. Who
you got between the Mexican side Cruise a Zool and Vancouver.
Speaker 7 (26:34):
I think the white Caps are gonna do it, I
honestly do. I know that they're not hosting, and I
know that any matchup against the LEGA and Mechi side
is going to be a tough one in this tournament,
but they've already beat two LEGA and Mechi sides that
I don't think there's that much of a difference in
quality between the sides. They've already beaten the one that
they're about to play, and they just seem like they
(26:55):
have this team of destiny vibe about him. Right now.
They're playing the best soccer in the league by a
country mile. But they're also they're coming through in big moments.
They're rotating and still taking not just results but victories.
They are on one of the most impressive runs I've
ever seen by an MLS club. To be honest with you,
(27:15):
and if they see this out and they win Champions
Cup this year. I think you could call it the
single most impressive run that we've ever seen from a.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Club in MLS.
Speaker 7 (27:24):
I think what they're doing has the potential to be
that historic, if it's not already.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
The Vancouver white Caps, the team putting it together just
absolutely so.
Speaker 7 (27:31):
Yeah, like I predicted, I definitely thought that exactly.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
It's it's so massively impressive and what they're doing and
then playing the best soccer you know, I don't I
don't have it in front of me, and you can
just quickly confirm this is no longer the two leg final.
It's one game and it's at Cruise as correct.
Speaker 7 (27:51):
Yeah, so one offen for the Doule's hosting.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Yeah, okay, all right, well that's coming up and we'll
obviously talk more as the game that's closer, but I
might be with you that Vancouver is gonna pull it
off and we'll see how that functioned.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
Now.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Meanwhile, the team that Vancouver beat Miami feels like after
their big win this last week, we may start to
see a Miami revenge tour, saying we may not have
gotten CCC, but we're gonna go get everybody else.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
You know, you might take that from looking at the result,
and that might well be true. But I will say
after that game, there was a footage of Lionel Messi
walking off the field right after the game, and he
did not look happy.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
He did not look like a.
Speaker 7 (28:30):
Guy whose team just won. For to one. I think
it's pretty clear that by the way that that series
against Vancouver went is eating at him real bad. He
didn't stay and talk to anyone on the field after
the game, went straight to the locker room, stonefaced. So
I'll be keeping it in the tabs on that one,
because essentially the entire function of the inner in Miami
organization at this point is designed to specifically keep that
(28:53):
one guy happy.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
And if he's not.
Speaker 7 (28:54):
Happy, I feel like things could go south in a hurry.
So I think the final out is probably going to
be closer to what you're saying. They're going to use
this as motivation and still be top of the table
side in the league for the rest of the year.
There's too much talent on their roster. It's just so loaded,
even beyond Messi and the Barca boys. But if Messi
(29:15):
himself isn't happy, that's definitely not good for them.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
No, it's definitely not. But if he turns that into
you know, sort of what I was saying, the revenge tour,
then Miami could just go on a roll. So I'll
be also watching for that and we'll kind of follow them.
After losing to Vancouver and CCC moving on, are back
to the West Coast. I said last week, does San
Diego suddenly suck?
Speaker 6 (29:38):
Now?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
And I asked you that question, and then right as
I say that, they go out and beat Dallas five nothing.
So let me just slip it around, Wow, why is
San Diego suddenly the best team on Earth?
Speaker 7 (29:49):
You know, maybe part of that was playing FC Dallas,
who I think they're realistically, they're kind of in a
developmental stage in a first year coach and all that,
so maybe maybe they benefited from that. But you know,
even that with that taken into account, dropping five goals
on anybody that's an accomplishment, and it really it looked
a lot more like the San Diego team that was
(30:10):
taken the league by storm early in the year. And
I think I guess my takeaway is just that they're
probably gonna have some ebbs and flows as an expansion
team they might. They're probably not on the level of
like Atlanta United or LAFC, who really came in and
tore up the league, but they are a team who
on their day can score goals with anybody, and I
think they definitely showed that.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
In this game.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Hey, Ari, really quick before you go. I wanted to
fit this in because I don't think we've even talked
about them this year, and the Sounders are still more
than a month away from even playing them. I think
Minnesota second place in the Western Conference. Another win this
last weekend, I guess I've been sleeping on Minnesota. Has
the general public been sleeping on Minnesota? And how good
are the Loons?
Speaker 7 (30:51):
I think the Loons are pretty good. I don't know
if I would dub them an elite side yet. I
think you saw that they might have a little way
to go before they can be dubbed in a least
side when they played Vancouver at home and got destroyed
by Vancouver's second team in that game at only on
s field. So I look at a result like that
and I'm like, all right, I don't know if you're
fully upper tier in the league right now, but they're
(31:13):
definitely a playoff team without a doubt. And I do
like their coach, Eric Ramsey. They hired him last year
and I believe from Manchester United where he was an assistant,
and he's a super young outrage.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
He's like, he's like, he's like thirty two years of
our age.
Speaker 7 (31:27):
Yeah, yeah, he's our age coming from Manchester United to
head coach Minnesota United, and he really he seems like
he knows what he's doing. So I think they got
a good thing going there, but I do think there
is a little more ground they need to cover to
be like a truly upper tier league contender in the league.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Let me look up Eric Ramsey here if my internet's working,
and see if how old he is, because that was
kind of the joke when he was first hired. And
Eric Ramsey he is now officially thirty three years old,
So I turned thirty three today, so we're now officially
the same age. Crazy that he's the head coach of
Minnesota United in years with of course Manchester you're right
(32:06):
to United over there in England. Here he is running
Minnesota pretty darn well. Right now, all right, Ari, that's
all we have time for. I will see if well
I saw you yesterday. I won't see you this weekend.
Sounders are in Houston, so I'll see you in a
couple weeks and we'll talk to you next Wednesday for
another edition of Sounders Weekly. Oh actually, shoot, no, we won't.
Actually this is actually news. Sounders play LAFC midweek next week.
(32:29):
We're not going to have a Sounders Weekly show. We're
gonna have an extended post game after the LAFC match
on Wednesday, So I.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Won't talk to you for a couple weeks, buddy. So
until then, sounds good, Happy early birthday.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Good stuff there from Ari Lillianwall and thank you to
him as well. We'll get a break here in Sounders Weekly.
Here we'll come back and wrap up the show here
before we do a couple quick notes. First, Sounders FC
Soccer is presented by Providence Swedish, the official healthcare partner
of Sounders FC. Also, I want to tell you folk
Smickel of ultra ninety five calories and two point six
(33:02):
grams of carbs.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
It's only worth it if you enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
All right, let's dive deep into the Houston Dynamo, who
the Sounders are facing on the road this Saturday night.
Heesus ossiveto Junior from the Bayou City, and he covers
them like nobody else. He will join us next here
on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders
fc cll's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Welcome back, everybody, Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Jackson feltz good to have you with us on this
Wednesday night thanks to Ari.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Lillianwall and Christian Roldan so far.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
This evening is now time to take a look ahead
at what's next for the Sounders and preview in depth
the match coming up that will be at the Houston
Dynamo Shell Energy Stadium. We're gonna have the match for
you right here, Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM, Providence,
Swedish premat show of five o'clock kickoff of five thirty
Pacific time for Sounders and Dynamo down in Houston. You
(34:02):
can also watch at MLS Season Pass on the Apple
TV up and listen in the Spanish language on l
RA thirteen sixty. Saturday's match is presented by the Western
Washington Toyota Dealers. There's only one person. We go to
when we talk Houston Dynamo. He writes for the Bayou
City and who covers the Houston Dynamo like nobody else.
It's our good friend, heyesus osceveto Junior, Hey, Sus, good
(34:25):
to have you back on the show, my friend.
Speaker 8 (34:26):
How are you, hey, Jackson, I'm doing well. Thank you
for having me on.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
I don't like talking Shadow Founders still with anybody, but.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
I don't like talk to anybody about the Dynamo. But
I also, you know, it's funny, hayesus because every single
time we have you on, we I don't know if
we start or end the conversations, but we do spend
a couple of minutes on Houston Cougar's basketball. And the
joke started for those outside of kind of the inside joke,
This started in twenty eighteen. I want to say when
(34:58):
we first had Yon for Sounders Week, and you know,
it was a March game, or maybe it was the
end of March. NCAA tournament was coming out, and I
asked you, well, okay, you're in Houston. Should I pick
the Cougars to the final four or to the championship?
And this was years back, and you said, yeah, yeah,
I'd go for it, and I ended up picking them
to win the title and they promptly lost early. So
(35:19):
since then, it's kind of just been this inside joke
of picking the Cougars to go far and then I
cursed them. Hey, sus this time I correctly, crazy enough
predicted that Florida would be Houston. I picked them to
the title game to lose in the title game. They
did lose in the title game. But it's how they lost,
my friend, It's how they lost that final possession.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
What in the living hell was that?
Speaker 6 (35:46):
It was a mistake, But if you have to try.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
It's okay. I understand the tears that are needed in
this moment.
Speaker 8 (35:54):
The tears up dry there and enough time has passed,
and I think it was just the brain fark gains
for lack a better order.
Speaker 6 (36:01):
I don't know if I can say that, but just
you know.
Speaker 8 (36:03):
A clutch player that you know, without him, you know, Shark,
without Sharp, we don't even make it to the final.
Speaker 6 (36:08):
He had a tremendous game with Duke.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
You know, he just just one of those moments and
he just the brain turned off for half a second,
and you know, and after we all know if he
pump picks. Yeah, the White up in three possibly wins it,
you know, so you know, but I'm.
Speaker 6 (36:21):
Glad that he's coming back. And I know we you know,
you were not texted throughout the game.
Speaker 8 (36:24):
We're kind of getting back into it if you're going
now they shut up Jackson, you know. But but it's
all in good. I'm super happy with this team. I mean, look,
they have a lot of players are jumping ship and
coming to the Hoaston Cougars. Now that just tells me
that this team is gonna be loaded. They're probably gonna
be ranked number one entering the basketball season. So let's
just hope that they we have another deep playoffs playoff March.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Man well, hopefully hopefully in twenty twenty six, we get
a Sounders Houston game once again in March, so you
can take you can tell me and tell all of
our listeners to pick them to the title game of
our brackets, and promptly I will do that, and promptly
they will.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Lose in the first round again.
Speaker 6 (37:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Savado Junior's our guest. He covers all things Houston sports,
including the Houston Dynamo, down for the Bayouciti and all right,
moving on, to some soccer heyesus, uh.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
This is a Dynamo team.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
We obviously had the zero zero draw up here in Seattle.
International duty was a big part of that match as
we were missing Obed Vargas and knew who McGlenn was
gone for you guys since then, just from Afar and
you tell me if I'm right or wrong on this,
seems like it's kind of been a middling couple of months.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
For you guys.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
What has life been like for the Houston Dynamo since
we last saw you.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
Inconsistency is the word that comes to mind, you know,
you you they finally got some of the reinforcements that
that a lot of the fans and I'm sure a
lot of the coaches were asking for due to some
of the interests.
Speaker 6 (37:52):
You know. They got you know, uh Linger. They got
him in.
Speaker 8 (37:57):
He made an immediate impact two goals and three at
that that he's played in, which I think is pretty good.
And you know, uhuh some Donald fans have started singing
the you know Cranberry song Linger after he scored, so
there's that.
Speaker 6 (38:09):
But it's been a little inconsistent.
Speaker 8 (38:11):
I mean, they just lost uh this past weekend, but
entering that game, they were on a four game uh,
four game unbeaten streak, you know, which is included two
draws and two wins. So they're starting to write the ship,
but just ever so slightly, you know.
Speaker 6 (38:28):
They still have a lot more to go.
Speaker 8 (38:30):
I think this game with Seattle is actually a good
opportunity to see where they where they rank in this
you know, righting the ship kind of that I'm that
I'm talking about, you know, good Toadle team.
Speaker 6 (38:40):
He's at home.
Speaker 8 (38:41):
They just had their first one second multi goal game
up now, two two weeks.
Speaker 6 (38:46):
Ago, you know.
Speaker 8 (38:47):
So so it's been inconsistent, you know, and I think
that's where that Ben Olsen has used. You know, we've
been inconsistent, but still uh they have grown their defense,
and now the offense needs to catch up with right,
the attack needs to catch up to now where.
Speaker 6 (39:02):
The defense is because this is still a good defensive team.
Speaker 8 (39:04):
Started off slow on the defensive end, but they have slowly,
you know, ratcheted up. They just signed a bond keeper
who had them in this experience. He played with LAC
a couple of years ago. So he's been now starting
on up I want to say, three four matches in
so He's brought a little bit more stability to the
backside to the defense. So so now it's all about
getting the other side the attack clicking. But as I said,
(39:26):
with some of these new reinforcements, putting them into the
into the lineup, and now playing with the lineup, who stays,
who goes out?
Speaker 6 (39:32):
And you know, so I think these.
Speaker 8 (39:34):
New reinforcements would just make this thing better because now
you know people that are starting. Now you got to
look and be like, wow, I'm not starting anymore. Now
I have to compete even extra harder in practice to
see if I can get playing time as a starter
or off the bench. But inconsistency is the word that
I will say. Uh million is another good one, you know.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
So yeah, yeah, it's interesting because if you're looking at
these recent results and just these last few hazos Osivator
Junior is our guest is the Houston Dynamo for the
Bayou City and down there in Houston, Texas. And you
brought up an interesting point of this being kind of
a good measuring stick to see kind of where the
Dynamo are at along the rest of the Western Conference.
Because right now, the Sounders we've established ourselves back in
(40:14):
the playoff picture.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
We're getting going.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
We had our probably best game of the season according
to you know, kind of just what I took from
it this last weekend against Saint Louis. This will be
a good measuring stick. So as we kind of look
ahead and preview this specific match at home, know that
Houston has a good defense, your offense trying to get going.
You imagine you'll try to get out on the front
foot at home. How do you believe that that the
(40:39):
measuring stick will end up? Where do you think that
we're going to be coming at the end of ninety
minutes on Saturday night saying that Houston measures up to
Seattle and the rest of the West.
Speaker 6 (40:49):
You know, I think back to the Austin game. You know,
when Austin came into town.
Speaker 8 (40:52):
I think they were second or third on the West
at that time, and Houston came in and just essentially
new to them. You know, they pretty much stopped any
of their attack and they you know, broke out on
the offensive, and like I said, that was their second
multi go game of the season. And you know, having
say that this laid into Maine or you know, late
into April and learning.
Speaker 6 (41:10):
To the season. I actually say too it it doesn't
bote well, but I.
Speaker 8 (41:13):
Think, uh, they they've started to play a little better
at home, you know. So I know Ben also likes
to play a little bit more on the front foot
at home, right you You also mentioned that, So I
do think that they're gonna come out stronger. But I
think in this magic be asking me for a prediction,
I think it's gonna be a two zero Dynamo win.
I think I wouldn't be surprised to be still through
(41:33):
I have time, and then in.
Speaker 6 (41:34):
The second half Dynamo kind of let it, let it
lose a bit more. So, so that's kind of prediction.
I'll say. I don't know if you're asking me one, but.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
You always give your predictions, and I think that's what
I love is that you're willing to go out on
a limit and make those predictions. So if you kind
of spelled out there how Houston would get that to
nothing win, let's throw out there that it's a Sounders
to nothing win. How will Seattle have gotten Houston?
Speaker 3 (41:59):
How?
Speaker 5 (42:00):
Now?
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Where where are the places that the Dynamo can be got?
Speaker 6 (42:04):
Well?
Speaker 8 (42:04):
What I was in the season, you know, and and
and not so many teams have done this.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
I think the Legacy did a good job of it.
Speaker 9 (42:09):
Is you know, they they they drawed the Dynamo out
up front, almost like baiting them, you know, like, hey,
you can stow the ball from us, and then you
know they come out on the on the counter attack.
Speaker 8 (42:19):
That's one place where Dynamo have been a bid unconsistent
in the counter attacking defense at times, you.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
Know, especially in the early seasons.
Speaker 8 (42:28):
That have gotten better, but I think that's still a
part where they still have to kind of jail and
kind of uh uh tied in that area.
Speaker 9 (42:36):
It's on the counter attack. So if that's happened, that's
how I'll say Shattle scored. I mean, we know Seattle
has some fast wingers, so that's definitely a possibility.
Speaker 8 (42:45):
And if Seattle scores first, that we could we we
could see a high scoring game. I think if Shadle
score first, because obviously, you know, Houston's gonna have to
come out and try and get the draw, and you
know definitely don't want to lose at home.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
So so yeah, well it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
You know, we obviously are missing Jordan Morris, so that
takes off a big piece of the counter attack, I
think from seattles, and that's some interesting x's and o's
on on if if Houston wants to kind of get forward,
play on the front foot, you know, and put numbers
forward for Ben Olsen, how do the Sounders react to that?
And can they get out on the break with a
Danny Mazoski up top as opposed to Jordan Morris on
(43:22):
the counter. Really good x's and o's asus We'll see
how this thing breaks down Saturday night. I hope for
our sake that I'm as happy at the end of
Saturday as I was at the end of Florida beating
the Cougars. And again I will I feel your pain,
my friend, I feel your pain. We had the Seahawks
in twenty fourteen, so I understand about stupid decisions and
(43:43):
stupid mistakes at the end of championship games. All right, buddy,
have a very very good time. I enjoy the game
there on Saturday night down at Shell Energy Stadium.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
We will talk to you soon, my friend.
Speaker 6 (43:54):
Thank you somebody Jackson And one last bit, just a
little shade you guys.
Speaker 8 (43:58):
Jeez, they released this graphic about all the you know
once the last time and and Mbo team made the world.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
You know what, screw you man.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
Come on, look at the Look at the standings of
the West right now, where the Mariners are atop the
West right now.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
So just scoreboard my friend's scoreboard.
Speaker 6 (44:20):
Now it's even better because he had and Houston are
in the same side, you know. So so I like
I like the Seattle Marinas. I I I always feel mad,
not mad with that. That the great Seattle Maners team
where you know Johnson like that.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
Yeah, yeah, we didn't win a championship, we know. Thanks
appreciate that. Hey, how are how are the trash cans
coming out there? You still banging trash cans? U?
Speaker 3 (44:43):
Yeah? Uh huh uh huh. All right, buddy, good to
have you on. We gotta run. Thanks so much for
the visit tonight.
Speaker 6 (44:50):
Likewise, thanks n take it eat man.
Speaker 5 (44:52):
Hey.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Suss Oscivato Junior.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
He writes for the Bayou City in down there in Houston, Texas,
covers the Houston Dynamo, covers all Houston sports, including the
trash Stros where they have garbage cans, and of course
the losing Houston Cougar's basketball team. All right, that'll do
it for our show tonight. Thanks to all of our guests,
Christian rodn Ari, Lilienwall and Haesu's Osseveto Junior. There one
(45:13):
more time broadcast details for Saturday. It's gonna be right here.
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM, Providence, Swedish pre
met show of five o'clock kickoff of five point thirty.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
You listen to it right here.
Speaker 2 (45:27):
Also iHeartRadio app just look up ninety three point three KJRFM.
Also you can watch the match via MLS Season Pass
on the Apple TVP and listen in Spanish language on
l Ray thirteen sixty and Saturday's match is presented by
the Western Washington Toyota Dealers.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
Have a very good rest of your week, everybody.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
We'll talk to you on Saturday at five pm and
for right here, right now. Fox Sports Radio is coming
up next
Coming to you live from Marellion Avenue Studios of Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly
with your host Jackson.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Felt, Good Ignorant everybody Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts here for
the next hour. Thanks for joining us, talking all things
Seattle Sounders FC soccer for the next hour here on
ninety three point three KJR FM. Jackson Felt's here to
talk about and react to a couple different results. On
the good side, Sounders had maybe their best game of
(00:31):
the year in a four to one win over Saint
Louis last Saturday. On the bad side, Tacoma Defiance fell
three to two in the US Open Cup Round of
thirty two to the Portland Timbers last night down at Starfire.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Plus.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Of course, we'll take a trip around to MLS with
Ari Lillionwall and we'll look ahead of the sounders next
match against the Houston Dynamo with Jesus Oscevedo Junior. He
writes about the Houston Dynamo for the Bayou City and
down there in Texas, because the Sounders will be facing
Houston Dynamo coming up this Saturday five o'clock premat Show
five point thirty kickoff right here on ninety three point
(01:07):
three KJR FM. We'll talk about that later on tonight,
but we are going to take here the first twenty
minutes of the show before Aria comes on and really
dive into these couple recent games. We'll also gonna hear
from Christian roll Don, hopefully we have time for that.
I want to start with the vegetables, as I always do,
(01:27):
and then we'll get into the dessert. The dessert being
the great four to one win for the Sounders, and
you know, I do want to spend the first couple
minutes talking about what I think is one of the
primary things on the mind is Sounder fans at this
moment here on Wednesday, May seventh, And that is what
happened last night in the Open Cup down at Starfire
Stadium between Defiant and the Timbers. So obviously what we
(01:50):
saw was Defiant Scott loaded up with a couple first
team players Georgia Manongu, Redbaker, Whiting, Kalani Cozer Rienzi and
Portland started a mixed squad, some guys a lot of
T two on the bench, and then mostly and a
large part of main first team players in their starting
lineup on Miller Crappo among many others. So what we
(02:11):
saw was Defiance hold their own and honestly, I'm gonna
there's gonna be a lot that I'm gonna say here,
and Defiance were the better team, point blank, end a story.
They were the better team yesterday. They were leading two
to one going into the eightieth minute. They got screwed
by referees. We'll get into that, but listen, they were
the better team. Outstanding performances. Georgia Manongu was tremendous getting
(02:33):
around that corner and being able to put crosses in.
Osase scores you comes on in the second half and
scores as well. That's a really impressive player down playing
with the coma. I imagine at some point we may
see him with the first team. But Osase who gets
his debut again Saint Louis. He scores and starts for Tacoma.
Brunell Steiner Brunell had a good game for Tacoma as well,
(02:56):
but overall, just I think a very good performance. Hawkins
was good in the back. The fullbacks wing backs I
should say read Baker, White and Kilani, both of them
were good. Tacoma was the better team. We got the
two second half goals. Portland got their first goal on
a horrendous officiating decision, which we'll get into that whole
(03:17):
subject in a minute. And you know, honestly, they got
their last couple, probably maybe warranted penalty there at the end,
and a very good goal I should say, to equalize
the match as well. But we're looking at a Tacoma
team that should have absolutely been leading probably three to one.
They probably should have been maybe even argued up three
nothing considering the legitimacy of the first penalty in the
(03:40):
first half to the Portland Timbers. So it's very, very
frustrating because Tacoma, I think we're the better team. Now
let's talk about officiating shally, because it's funny you go
back the last few weeks and you look at the
overall officiating jobs. I mean, a couple of weeks ago
on this show, I was, you know, just absolutely ranting
(04:01):
about the job done in the Colorado Rapids game by
Alexis da Silva. And that wasn't a game that I
think the Sounders necessarily deserved to win. It finished one
point one, but that was a game that was so
heavily influenced by the fact that Alexis da Silva was
he wasn't doing a very good job I think officiating
that game, ultimately, I think it's for both sides. It's
(04:25):
really you know, Sounders should have been a man up,
but overall, Colorado, overall, I think deserved their goal. It
was a good goal by Mihailovich, and at the end
of the day, I think they were a very good team.
They outplayed the Sounders in a lot of areas. So
did you deserve the point? I think for Colorado, But again,
Seattle should have been playing a man up. Then you
look over the weekend Saint Louis and the job done
(04:48):
by Lorenzo Hernandez first half, I thought, listen, it's a
soft penalty on Jemargomez on Jade there that gets the
penalty kick for Saint Louis. But I think the credit
to Lorenzo Hernandez. He understands that was a soft penalty
on Yamar the foul in the box. So I'm gonna
watch things a little bit more closely there and see
(05:08):
if a makeup call might be warranted. And very very
shortly after it was where Paul Rothrock is lightly taken
down in the box, he goes down a bit easily.
But you know what soft penalty for soft penalty evens
out won one game, it's the second half where Lorenzo
Hernandez just decided to, I don't know, call a different
(05:28):
game or you just be a different ref There was
obviously in the seventy second minute, Seattle was leading two
to one, and there was a massive goal that happened
where I believe Obed Vargas has a shot on target
and it's gonna go in the back of the net
and the outstretched arm of a defender. It hits directly
to the outstretched arm, and I want a key on
(05:50):
that word outstretched. Clearly. You can go back and see
the replay. It's been posted a bunch of places after
the game. Referee Hernandez says that is it was in
a natural position and it hit the thigh or hip first.
It didn't hit the hip or thigh, and also the
arm was not in a natural position. So I would
just say to Lorenzo Hernandez, do you think that you
(06:13):
can just make something up or just say anything and
get away with it now? Do you think that that's
just something that referees can do without any penalty or
any thing coming back to you, because Lorenzo Hernandez, you
can't just make something up. We're gonna catch it and
we're going to call you on it. And I'm calling
you on it right here that that's almost said something
(06:33):
that's crap. It's crap because it didn't happen. The arm
was not in a natural position. It should have been
a penalty and Seattle should have had that goal there
in the seventy what second minute, So ultimately that turns
into a bad refereeing performance, and then we had to
coma defiance against the Timbers last night. The referee for
that game was Servando Rico, and Servando Rico decided to
(06:58):
give the game to the Portland Timbers point blank. I'm
saying it. He gave the game to the Portland Timbers. First,
he doesn't award the Coma de fiance a penalty kick
late in the second half they're leading two to one,
and it's one of the most blatant penalties I've ever seen,
where I forget who is the attacker coming down and
(07:18):
it might have been No Saze coming down the middle,
uh and just taken out by a defender in the
box and what Servando Rico says is, oh, he got
all ball. He got all ball very clearly he did not,
and that should have been a penalty. So you do that,
and that's setting up precedent. And we talk about, you know,
consistency with officiating. Andrew Thomas, the goalkeeper, talked about it
(07:41):
last night. All we want is consistency. So if you're
gonna be calling things, you know, loose in the box,
and you're gonna be calling things not so tight, the
opposite of the Saint Louis game, then you wouldn't then
call the penalty for the Portland Timbers in the ninety
second minute. But he does. He calls ondly, is calling
things extremely tightly. On the other side, gives the penalty
(08:03):
to Portland. They score, they lead three to two, they
win three two. You gave the game to the Portland Timbers,
Servando Rico. Shame on you. Shame on you, Servando Rico,
for having such a horrible influence. I wrote it on
social media and I'll say it here again. It is
the worst officiating performance I've ever seen, and not only
for those two We're talking about other decisions throughout the game.
(08:27):
The penalty in the first half where Andrew Thomas is
clearly knocked down by a Portland I believe it's Zuparich
was knocked him down there in the box on the corner,
no call, and as Andrew Thomas is on the ground,
Portland kicks it in and it's just it's an abysmal
no call any way you slice or dice or look
(08:47):
at it. Andrew Thomas was knocked down by a Portland
player and they didn't call that. So that that's three.
And there's so many more decisions regarding who possesses the ball,
fouls yellow car late in the game on Peter Kingston
which made absolutely no sense. The referee performance by Servando
Rico was abysmal and it was embarrassing to the sport.
(09:10):
It was embarrassing to all referees who officiate the sport
I think around the world, and Servondo Rico should be
ashamed of himself for having such a horrific effect on
that game.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I don't want to talk too much more about that
other than the fact that the Coma Defiance got absolutely
screwed last night by the referee Servando Rico, and it's
a just disappointing fact that over the last few weeks,
we as fans of the Sounders and Defiance, have seen
continued performances, poor performances by referees, getting in the way
(09:44):
of what could have been a win in Colorado, getting
in the way of what could have been an even
bigger blow win over Saint Louis, and getting in the
way of what could have been an incredible upset for
Tacoma Defiance over Portland. So I'm disgusted by the refereeing
performances that we've seen over the last few weeks, but
none more so than Servando Rico last night. And all
Sounder fans and all Defiance fans should be just up
(10:05):
in arms, and I'm just I'm so fed up with it.
And last night Tacoma should have had the upset, should
have been a magical night at Starfire, and he took
that away from us. So all right, I really I
don't want to spend the rest of the time lamenting
the referee revenge, lamenting that whole situation. I want to
move forward and put a smile on our faces, because
(10:28):
for the most part, for Sounder fans, it was a
very good week. The Saint Louis win, We talked about it.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
It was so good.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
It could have been and should have been an even
bigger win, but it was such an awesome victory over
Saint Louis. Obviously knew who's scoring is fantastic, Stephen Fry
making his four hundredth all competition appearance. You also had,
of course Albert Rusnack scoring, You had Obed Vargas and
it was just this absolute, you know, cavalcade of great plays.
(10:57):
Danny Mazowski scoring his fourth goal in four games, joining
Freddie Montero, Obavima Martins and Jordan Morris as the only
players in club history to score in four straight matches.
Ryan Kent when he came on the field, Holy smokes.
I can't wait to talk to Ari about Ryan Kent
because he was electric coming on.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
He might have been the man in the match, and
he only came onto the field in the fifty seventh minutes.
And then on top of all that, after the win,
we can celebrate Brian Schmitzer. He's now tied for tenth
all time in Major League Soccer history among head coaches
with one hundred and thirty wins. That's great for Brian,
it's great for all those players, Alex Droldon returns to
(11:39):
the starting lineup in the four two three one formation.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
He was great.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
That was such an amazing game, probably best game of
the season for the Sounders against Saint Louis. It just
could have been five nothing if you want to say,
the soft penalties in five to one.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
But you know, it's just.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
You have to celebrate it and be happy about the win.
But also right now, I'm just conflicted with all of
these emotions after what happened last night down there at Starfire. Okay,
let's stick with the Sounders. After the game in the
locker room, had the chance to catch up with Christian
roll do on. We had a really fun conversation where
we keyed on all of the big performances I just mentioned,
(12:19):
from knew Who to Mazowski to Ryan Kent to everything
else that's going so great Obed Vargas as well, who
walked by during our conversation. Such a fun conversation here,
lots of happy faces here in the locker room after
the Sounders four to one win over Saint Louis.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Here was my conversation with Christian rolled on what's the.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Reaction of the teammates and including yourself on the field
after Knew who puts his second career goal in the
back of the net.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
Well, we are stop for him. Clearly he was over
the moon with his celebration, and you know, he thought
he scored the goal to win, to seal the World Cup.
So it's hilarious. I knew who works so hard to
to defend for us, and so for him to see
the back of the net, we're so happy for him.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
So we do the post him show with Kellen Rowe
up in the booth, and Kellen was kind of hard
on his celebration. You feel like, I want more dancing,
I want more smiles, I want more so so he
was he was a little more critical of the celebration.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
Oh yeah, I mean it wasn't the greatest celebration, but
his emotion was there, right, and so that that's what
I was what I was referring to. You know, he
can always improve uh in in dancing and celebrating and
but he's he theatrical and and that goal was definitely theatrical.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
We got oh bed walking by right here and and
and he was voted man of the match for the game.
And from the goal to the work that next to
you in the defense of midfield. How have you seen
this kid grow?
Speaker 5 (13:48):
Yeah, well, he covers so much ground for us. He
gets into the attack and and also helps me defend
as well, And so he provides so much for our team,
both physically and on the ball. His composure and his
ability to get in the box and get shots off
it has been crucial. Last couple of games. We're asking
him to play a little bit higher up the field,
(14:08):
and I think he's thrived in that role. And I
think it's a result of us scoring more goals.
Speaker 6 (14:13):
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
I hope he continues to grow, and I think because
the good head on his shoulders, he definitely will.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
All right, So for you guys now, as a team,
we're looking at a four game on beaten streak, three wins.
You got that drawn Colorado. I imagine in the locker
room right here, things are you guys must be going
pretty good right now.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Yeah, I think our confidence is high. You know, every
game is different, but I think when we shine a
little bit more, is when when we're able to have
a little bit of a lead, right when we score
the first goal or we finally break through, I think
it creates a whole lot more space for us, we
see a lot more. We play through the middle a
(14:53):
whole lot more, and I think that's when we're at
our best, and so can we be the aggressor from
the get go, And I think that's been a the
reason why we've been a little bit more and more
successful these last couple of games.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Here with Christian roll Don and you talk about kind of,
you know, the ability to go up and then the
way you play. I mean, watching Ryan Ken that last
thirty three plus minutes, I mean, he seems like he's
quite the difference for maker roality. What does he do
on the field that you see that you can play
off of that that looks at least from our angle,
so attractive and so good.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah, well, he's both really athletic and quick and can
find a pass as well. I think his his passing
is a bit underrated. I think people respect to speed
a whole lot, and so passing lanes open up and now.
But I think already found a good partner. He looks
like he and and Ryan are you know, connecting really well.
(15:44):
And so you know, when you combine speed and and
and the ability to pass the ball, it becomes a
different maker in the Finals in the final thirty.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Day Mazoski four goals in four games. Like, what can
you say about what he's doing up front? Just he's
finding a way to put a ball in the back
of the net.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
Yeah, he's opportunistic. You know, he's a player that I
think doesn't get enough credit for his abilities. I think
he's sneaky fast, sneaky athletics, sneaky good touch, dribbles pretty well,
and then he has a knack for goal, you know,
(16:24):
and and I think that's something you can't teach. And so,
you know, Denny I think has always shown well, but
now I think he's kind of filling into the role
that that we're asking him to do. And he's been
exceptional and and and has a good mentality going into games.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
He saw Houston just about a month and a half ago,
going down there, team that you guys on the playoffs
a couple of times. Obviously, you know, normally I wouldn't
ask that, you know, what do you see from a
team coming up? But you guys have seen him so
much recently. What are your thoughts on Houston coming up?
Speaker 5 (16:56):
I think it's gonna be a tough game. You know,
Houston's a team that play used to the middle. They're
very composed on the ball. They they you know, defend
well as well. I think they struggle in the attack
a little bit. But when you're at home, you know,
you you benefit from that. It seems like the ball
bounces your way a little bit more. And so we
(17:18):
need to go over there with a good attitude and
make sure our mentality is right on the road and
then being able to be composed and keep the ball,
but then have that that right mentality, like I mentioned
the intensity part, because on the road, that's what it's
all about.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
By the way, first time we've caught up, I think
first time we caught up this year. How's how's dad life?
Speaker 5 (17:38):
By the way, me is doing great, She's she's now
in almost ten months and she's standing up already, and
it's it's a real treat.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
At what point do you put the soccer ball in
front of them?
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Oh, I've been doing that. Yeah. I want her to
to be able to play any sport, but you know,
if it's soccer, you know, I would love that coach.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Christian there, okay, the unity if to start teaching the
tactics at I don't know what what won two years old,
the years old.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Yeah, the wideboard will be coming out soon.
Speaker 6 (18:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Hey, Budy, thanks so much.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
Yeah, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
That's Christian Rolldon in the locker room after the Sounders
four to one win over Saint Louis. We'll get a
break here in Sounders Weekly and we'll continue talking about
that win. Arilillionwall, Major League Soccer dot Com and the
podcast Lobbing Scorches. He'll join us next to continue celebrating
Seattle's win and take a trip around Major League Soccer.
That's next on Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders FC,
Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, everybody. Jackson feltz here. Good
to have you with us here on this Wednesday night
to cover Sounders and Defiance there and that first segment.
He was good seeing our next guest out there at
Starfires Stadium yesterday for the Defiance Portland game. Ari Lillionwall
from Major League Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers.
(19:02):
Are good to talk to you after talking to you yesterday.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
How you doing, Buddy, I'm doing great, Jackson, looking forward
to talking about this Sounders game with you.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
This was a good one, oh baby, Yeah, we get
to really enjoy this. What I said on Fox thirteen,
I was on their Washington Sports Wrap TV show a
couple of nights ago. What I said on there was
it might be the best game of the season. I know,
we've had a three to nothing shutout, and you know,
you could debate that this should have been a shutout.
You could could debate that this could have been easily
(19:32):
a five to nothing game. Buy or sell best game
of the season for the Sounders that at four to
one win over Saint Louis.
Speaker 7 (19:40):
Oh, I think I'm easily buying that as best game
of the season. And frankly, I thought this was the
best attacking performance that the team has put up in
the last couple of years. I mean, I know the
underlying numbers, their performance numbers were just off the charts.
I mean, they put up over four expected goals in
this game, which I think was comfortably out by the
eyes tests. So yeah, no, it was. It was electric.
(20:03):
I think it was the best game of the season.
And there's just a lot of encouraging things that you
can take away from this game even beyond Ryan Kent,
which I think is the most obvious.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Well, yeah, I think that is the most obvious, and
we can just jump right into that topic because he
comes on in the fifty seventh minute, and four minutes
after coming on the field, we score a goal and
he assists it. He is pretty special, dude, And I
think the only question left is it do you have to.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Put him on?
Speaker 2 (20:32):
You know, I know you want to reward Paul Rothrock,
and Rothrock's doing fine, But at this point do you
have to start Ryan Kens at left wing?
Speaker 7 (20:41):
I mean, I do think there's still in a situation
as it stands right now where they're ramping his fitness
totally up, So I think at least for the next
couple weeks, you don't really have to make that decision yet.
You know, whether they start him weekend week out, I'm
not as concerned about. But I mean, the guy clearly
has to be getting a lot of minutes because I
(21:02):
think the most intriguing thing about that performance for me
Jackson was just how much he seemed to be a
force multiplier, how much better he made every single other
player on the field.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
He knew who we're.
Speaker 7 (21:13):
Combining really well. I mean, when was the last time
you seen knew who play that well in attack? And
the way he was combining with Obed was excellent. They
have really good chemistry. I thought Rusnak looked more effective
as well with Ryan Kent playing out wide beside him.
So yeah, really nothing but rave reviews for how he played,
(21:34):
and it's going to be exciting to see what impact
he can make going forward as he gets more minutes.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Yeah, absolutely, and I'm when he becomes ninety minutes fit,
that'll be the question. But if he's still ramping up
right now and you know he's getting thirty three plus stoppage,
you know, does that turn into forty five? And is
that forty five the first forty five or the second
forty five? That's give me interesting for Brian Schmitzer. This week,
Ario Lilliene was our guest mlis soccer dot com. He
(21:59):
also post hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorches. They go live
on Monday mornings and Thursday night. Check out Lobbing Scorches
wherever you get your podcasts, including the iHeart Radio app.
Before we move on from Sounder Saint Louis, I know
I talked to you about the officiating disaster down in
Colorado last week the previous week. Excuse me, but last
week we had another one. I get the you know,
(22:22):
it's a soft penalty on Yamar, and you know we're
gonna call it, and then we kind of call the
soft one on Rothrock on the other end. But then
the handball no call in the second half. He explained
it away and Sounderhart had this on their blue Sky page.
How the referee said that it hit the thigh and
came up and hit the arm in a natural position,
(22:43):
which just screams to me, Ari that referees now have
the authority to say whatever they want and not get
checked for anything that's real or not real. I mean,
I don't know, man, I don't know what the guy
was doing in the second half, And it's just another
week where I'm asking you and I'm talking about a
referee who just doesn't look like he knows what he's
doing out there.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I think that was the worst call I've ever seen.
Speaker 7 (23:05):
Yessin, Like, at the risk of exaggerating or being hyperbolic,
I think that was actually the worst call I've ever seen.
There were so many things wrong with how that sequence
was handled. It was It was incredible. It was unbelievable
how every single facet of the process was wrong, starting
with how long it took for them to stop play
(23:27):
on the.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Field, and then he goes.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Over and looks at it for forty five minutes, when
you really could have that needs to take less than
thirty seconds, thirty seconds at the absolute maximum to look
at that call. It couldn't be more clear and obvious.
But then with how long he took to look at it,
he still missed the call. So really it was just
he was oh for everything on how that sequence went.
(23:52):
And you know, we can laugh about it now. It
didn't matter to Sader scored four goals, they won the game,
But in the moment it was pretty hard not to
be frustrated because that is as stone cold a penalty
kick as it gets. I even think that you could
argue that that was.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
A dog so red.
Speaker 7 (24:07):
Well, yeah, you having your hand in an unnatural position
and you block a shot that's going on target from
inside the box. I don't know if there's a clear
cut rule on it anymore if someone was telling me
there wasn't, but it would have been a justifiable dog
so red if he had given that. So that's how
badly that call was missed. I'm still mystified by it.
I don't care.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
They ended up winning the game, but good Lord, sure
would be nice if one of these days we got
a good refereeing performance. But we haven't gotten that in
a while for Sounder fans, So hopefully this week against
Houston and ari As we kind of look for it
a little bit. Coming up here in Sounders Weekly, we're
gonna be talking to Haesus Oscevedo Junior. He writes for
the Bayou Citi in down there in Houston. We're gonna
(24:45):
talk some Sounders Dynamo. But before he comes on, he
shares his insight. We have Houston fresh off of a loss,
I believe, a fresh off a red card as well,
and a Houston team that's still kind of finding their way.
And I imagine Seattle after that thirty plus shot performance
is looking their chops.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
Yeah, this Dynamo team, I would say they're having a
middling start to the year. They did get a new
DP recently, inger I think his name is. I know,
he looks pretty good. The first couple games he was
with them, he scored a couple of goals, but it's
not like they are looking like especially good or dominant
team this year. But the thing when the same when
(25:27):
Seattle's traveling away at Houston, it's.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Just always a tough game, you know.
Speaker 7 (25:31):
The Texas heat always becomes a factor. I don't know,
maybe we're at the time of year where that mot
might not be as much a factor as it is.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
And more like Midsummer.
Speaker 7 (25:39):
But it's not an easy place to go and take
points no matter what quality aside the Dynamo are. So
it's definitely not a game that I would expect Seattle
to go in and run over them, although with how
they looked against Saint Louis, if they play like that again,
three points is very attainable against this team.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Ariy Lillian Wall is our guest. He's a writer and
editor for mlssccer dot com. He also hosts the podcast
Lobbing Scorchers. You're listening to Sounders Weekly here on Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJRFM and how are here
tonight talking all things Sounders Soccer All ri Let's jump
around here and talk about what's going on around the
rest of the league. The conca CAFT Champions Cup final
(26:16):
is set Vancouver Cruz a Zool. We've talked at length
about Vancouver being the best team in Major League Soccer
right now. They're getting the results in league, they're getting
the results in Conca CAFF. They're in the final. Who
you got between the Mexican side Cruise a Zool and Vancouver.
Speaker 7 (26:34):
I think the white Caps are gonna do it, I
honestly do. I know that they're not hosting, and I
know that any matchup against the LEGA and Mechi side
is going to be a tough one in this tournament,
but they've already beat two LEGA and Mechi sides that
I don't think there's that much of a difference in
quality between the sides. They've already beaten the one that
they're about to play, and they just seem like they
(26:55):
have this team of destiny vibe about him. Right now.
They're playing the best soccer in the league by a
country mile. But they're also they're coming through in big moments.
They're rotating and still taking not just results but victories.
They are on one of the most impressive runs I've
ever seen by an MLS club. To be honest with you,
(27:15):
and if they see this out and they win Champions
Cup this year. I think you could call it the
single most impressive run that we've ever seen from a.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Club in MLS.
Speaker 7 (27:24):
I think what they're doing has the potential to be
that historic, if it's not already.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
The Vancouver white Caps, the team putting it together just
absolutely so.
Speaker 7 (27:31):
Yeah, like I predicted, I definitely thought that exactly.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
It's it's so massively impressive and what they're doing and
then playing the best soccer you know, I don't I
don't have it in front of me, and you can
just quickly confirm this is no longer the two leg final.
It's one game and it's at Cruise as correct.
Speaker 7 (27:51):
Yeah, so one offen for the Doule's hosting.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Yeah, okay, all right, well that's coming up and we'll
obviously talk more as the game that's closer, but I
might be with you that Vancouver is gonna pull it
off and we'll see how that functioned.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
Now.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Meanwhile, the team that Vancouver beat Miami feels like after
their big win this last week, we may start to
see a Miami revenge tour, saying we may not have
gotten CCC, but we're gonna go get everybody else.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
You know, you might take that from looking at the result,
and that might well be true. But I will say
after that game, there was a footage of Lionel Messi
walking off the field right after the game, and he
did not look happy.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
He did not look like a.
Speaker 7 (28:30):
Guy whose team just won. For to one. I think
it's pretty clear that by the way that that series
against Vancouver went is eating at him real bad. He
didn't stay and talk to anyone on the field after
the game, went straight to the locker room, stonefaced. So
I'll be keeping it in the tabs on that one,
because essentially the entire function of the inner in Miami
organization at this point is designed to specifically keep that
(28:53):
one guy happy.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
And if he's not.
Speaker 7 (28:54):
Happy, I feel like things could go south in a hurry.
So I think the final out is probably going to
be closer to what you're saying. They're going to use
this as motivation and still be top of the table
side in the league for the rest of the year.
There's too much talent on their roster. It's just so loaded,
even beyond Messi and the Barca boys. But if Messi
(29:15):
himself isn't happy, that's definitely not good for them.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
No, it's definitely not. But if he turns that into
you know, sort of what I was saying, the revenge tour,
then Miami could just go on a roll. So I'll
be also watching for that and we'll kind of follow them.
After losing to Vancouver and CCC moving on, are back
to the West Coast. I said last week, does San
Diego suddenly suck?
Speaker 6 (29:38):
Now?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
And I asked you that question, and then right as
I say that, they go out and beat Dallas five nothing.
So let me just slip it around, Wow, why is
San Diego suddenly the best team on Earth?
Speaker 7 (29:49):
You know, maybe part of that was playing FC Dallas,
who I think they're realistically, they're kind of in a
developmental stage in a first year coach and all that,
so maybe maybe they benefited from that. But you know,
even that with that taken into account, dropping five goals
on anybody that's an accomplishment, and it really it looked
a lot more like the San Diego team that was
(30:10):
taken the league by storm early in the year. And
I think I guess my takeaway is just that they're
probably gonna have some ebbs and flows as an expansion
team they might. They're probably not on the level of
like Atlanta United or LAFC, who really came in and
tore up the league, but they are a team who
on their day can score goals with anybody, and I
think they definitely showed that.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
In this game.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Hey, Ari, really quick before you go. I wanted to
fit this in because I don't think we've even talked
about them this year, and the Sounders are still more
than a month away from even playing them. I think
Minnesota second place in the Western Conference. Another win this
last weekend, I guess I've been sleeping on Minnesota. Has
the general public been sleeping on Minnesota? And how good
are the Loons?
Speaker 7 (30:51):
I think the Loons are pretty good. I don't know
if I would dub them an elite side yet. I
think you saw that they might have a little way
to go before they can be dubbed in a least
side when they played Vancouver at home and got destroyed
by Vancouver's second team in that game at only on
s field. So I look at a result like that
and I'm like, all right, I don't know if you're
fully upper tier in the league right now, but they're
(31:13):
definitely a playoff team without a doubt. And I do
like their coach, Eric Ramsey. They hired him last year
and I believe from Manchester United where he was an assistant,
and he's a super young outrage.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
He's like, he's like, he's like thirty two years of
our age.
Speaker 7 (31:27):
Yeah, yeah, he's our age coming from Manchester United to
head coach Minnesota United, and he really he seems like
he knows what he's doing. So I think they got
a good thing going there, but I do think there
is a little more ground they need to cover to
be like a truly upper tier league contender in the league.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Let me look up Eric Ramsey here if my internet's working,
and see if how old he is, because that was
kind of the joke when he was first hired. And
Eric Ramsey he is now officially thirty three years old,
So I turned thirty three today, so we're now officially
the same age. Crazy that he's the head coach of
Minnesota United in years with of course Manchester you're right
(32:06):
to United over there in England. Here he is running
Minnesota pretty darn well. Right now, all right, Ari, that's
all we have time for. I will see if well
I saw you yesterday. I won't see you this weekend.
Sounders are in Houston, so I'll see you in a
couple weeks and we'll talk to you next Wednesday for
another edition of Sounders Weekly. Oh actually, shoot, no, we won't.
Actually this is actually news. Sounders play LAFC midweek next week.
(32:29):
We're not going to have a Sounders Weekly show. We're
gonna have an extended post game after the LAFC match
on Wednesday, So I.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Won't talk to you for a couple weeks, buddy. So
until then, sounds good, Happy early birthday.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Good stuff there from Ari Lillianwall and thank you to
him as well. We'll get a break here in Sounders Weekly.
Here we'll come back and wrap up the show here
before we do a couple quick notes. First, Sounders FC
Soccer is presented by Providence Swedish, the official healthcare partner
of Sounders FC. Also, I want to tell you folk
Smickel of ultra ninety five calories and two point six
(33:02):
grams of carbs.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
It's only worth it if you enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
All right, let's dive deep into the Houston Dynamo, who
the Sounders are facing on the road this Saturday night.
Heesus ossiveto Junior from the Bayou City, and he covers
them like nobody else. He will join us next here
on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders
fc cll's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Welcome back, everybody, Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Jackson feltz good to have you with us on this
Wednesday night thanks to Ari.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Lillianwall and Christian Roldan so far.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
This evening is now time to take a look ahead
at what's next for the Sounders and preview in depth
the match coming up that will be at the Houston
Dynamo Shell Energy Stadium. We're gonna have the match for
you right here, Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM, Providence,
Swedish premat show of five o'clock kickoff of five thirty
Pacific time for Sounders and Dynamo down in Houston. You
(34:02):
can also watch at MLS Season Pass on the Apple
TV up and listen in the Spanish language on l
RA thirteen sixty. Saturday's match is presented by the Western
Washington Toyota Dealers. There's only one person. We go to
when we talk Houston Dynamo. He writes for the Bayou
City and who covers the Houston Dynamo like nobody else.
It's our good friend, heyesus osceveto Junior, Hey, Sus, good
(34:25):
to have you back on the show, my friend.
Speaker 8 (34:26):
How are you, hey, Jackson, I'm doing well. Thank you
for having me on.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
I don't like talking Shadow Founders still with anybody, but.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
I don't like talk to anybody about the Dynamo. But
I also, you know, it's funny, hayesus because every single
time we have you on, we I don't know if
we start or end the conversations, but we do spend
a couple of minutes on Houston Cougar's basketball. And the
joke started for those outside of kind of the inside joke,
This started in twenty eighteen. I want to say when
(34:58):
we first had Yon for Sounders Week, and you know,
it was a March game, or maybe it was the
end of March. NCAA tournament was coming out, and I
asked you, well, okay, you're in Houston. Should I pick
the Cougars to the final four or to the championship?
And this was years back, and you said, yeah, yeah,
I'd go for it, and I ended up picking them
to win the title and they promptly lost early. So
(35:19):
since then, it's kind of just been this inside joke
of picking the Cougars to go far and then I
cursed them. Hey, sus this time I correctly, crazy enough
predicted that Florida would be Houston. I picked them to
the title game to lose in the title game. They
did lose in the title game. But it's how they lost,
my friend, It's how they lost that final possession.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
What in the living hell was that?
Speaker 6 (35:46):
It was a mistake, But if you have to try.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
It's okay. I understand the tears that are needed in
this moment.
Speaker 8 (35:54):
The tears up dry there and enough time has passed,
and I think it was just the brain fark gains
for lack a better order.
Speaker 6 (36:01):
I don't know if I can say that, but just
you know.
Speaker 8 (36:03):
A clutch player that you know, without him, you know, Shark,
without Sharp, we don't even make it to the final.
Speaker 6 (36:08):
He had a tremendous game with Duke.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
You know, he just just one of those moments and
he just the brain turned off for half a second,
and you know, and after we all know if he
pump picks. Yeah, the White up in three possibly wins it,
you know, so you know, but I'm.
Speaker 6 (36:21):
Glad that he's coming back. And I know we you know,
you were not texted throughout the game.
Speaker 8 (36:24):
We're kind of getting back into it if you're going
now they shut up Jackson, you know. But but it's
all in good. I'm super happy with this team. I mean, look,
they have a lot of players are jumping ship and
coming to the Hoaston Cougars. Now that just tells me
that this team is gonna be loaded. They're probably gonna
be ranked number one entering the basketball season. So let's
just hope that they we have another deep playoffs playoff March.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Man well, hopefully hopefully in twenty twenty six, we get
a Sounders Houston game once again in March, so you
can take you can tell me and tell all of
our listeners to pick them to the title game of
our brackets, and promptly I will do that, and promptly
they will.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Lose in the first round again.
Speaker 6 (37:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Savado Junior's our guest. He covers all things Houston sports,
including the Houston Dynamo, down for the Bayouciti and all right,
moving on, to some soccer heyesus, uh.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
This is a Dynamo team.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
We obviously had the zero zero draw up here in Seattle.
International duty was a big part of that match as
we were missing Obed Vargas and knew who McGlenn was
gone for you guys since then, just from Afar and
you tell me if I'm right or wrong on this,
seems like it's kind of been a middling couple of months.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
For you guys.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
What has life been like for the Houston Dynamo since
we last saw you.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
Inconsistency is the word that comes to mind, you know,
you you they finally got some of the reinforcements that
that a lot of the fans and I'm sure a
lot of the coaches were asking for due to some
of the interests.
Speaker 6 (37:52):
You know. They got you know, uh Linger. They got
him in.
Speaker 8 (37:57):
He made an immediate impact two goals and three at
that that he's played in, which I think is pretty good.
And you know, uhuh some Donald fans have started singing
the you know Cranberry song Linger after he scored, so
there's that.
Speaker 6 (38:09):
But it's been a little inconsistent.
Speaker 8 (38:11):
I mean, they just lost uh this past weekend, but
entering that game, they were on a four game uh,
four game unbeaten streak, you know, which is included two
draws and two wins. So they're starting to write the ship,
but just ever so slightly, you know.
Speaker 6 (38:28):
They still have a lot more to go.
Speaker 8 (38:30):
I think this game with Seattle is actually a good
opportunity to see where they where they rank in this
you know, righting the ship kind of that I'm that
I'm talking about, you know, good Toadle team.
Speaker 6 (38:40):
He's at home.
Speaker 8 (38:41):
They just had their first one second multi goal game
up now, two two weeks.
Speaker 6 (38:46):
Ago, you know.
Speaker 8 (38:47):
So so it's been inconsistent, you know, and I think
that's where that Ben Olsen has used. You know, we've
been inconsistent, but still uh they have grown their defense,
and now the offense needs to catch up with right,
the attack needs to catch up to now where.
Speaker 6 (39:02):
The defense is because this is still a good defensive team.
Speaker 8 (39:04):
Started off slow on the defensive end, but they have slowly,
you know, ratcheted up. They just signed a bond keeper
who had them in this experience. He played with LAC
a couple of years ago. So he's been now starting
on up I want to say, three four matches in
so He's brought a little bit more stability to the
backside to the defense. So so now it's all about
getting the other side the attack clicking. But as I said,
(39:26):
with some of these new reinforcements, putting them into the
into the lineup, and now playing with the lineup, who stays,
who goes out?
Speaker 6 (39:32):
And you know, so I think these.
Speaker 8 (39:34):
New reinforcements would just make this thing better because now
you know people that are starting. Now you got to
look and be like, wow, I'm not starting anymore. Now
I have to compete even extra harder in practice to
see if I can get playing time as a starter
or off the bench. But inconsistency is the word that
I will say. Uh million is another good one, you know.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
So yeah, yeah, it's interesting because if you're looking at
these recent results and just these last few hazos Osivator
Junior is our guest is the Houston Dynamo for the
Bayou City and down there in Houston, Texas. And you
brought up an interesting point of this being kind of
a good measuring stick to see kind of where the
Dynamo are at along the rest of the Western Conference.
Because right now, the Sounders we've established ourselves back in
(40:14):
the playoff picture.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
We're getting going.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
We had our probably best game of the season according
to you know, kind of just what I took from
it this last weekend against Saint Louis. This will be
a good measuring stick. So as we kind of look
ahead and preview this specific match at home, know that
Houston has a good defense, your offense trying to get going.
You imagine you'll try to get out on the front
foot at home. How do you believe that that the
(40:39):
measuring stick will end up? Where do you think that
we're going to be coming at the end of ninety
minutes on Saturday night saying that Houston measures up to
Seattle and the rest of the West.
Speaker 6 (40:49):
You know, I think back to the Austin game. You know,
when Austin came into town.
Speaker 8 (40:52):
I think they were second or third on the West
at that time, and Houston came in and just essentially
new to them. You know, they pretty much stopped any
of their attack and they you know, broke out on
the offensive, and like I said, that was their second
multi go game of the season. And you know, having
say that this laid into Maine or you know, late
into April and learning.
Speaker 6 (41:10):
To the season. I actually say too it it doesn't
bote well, but I.
Speaker 8 (41:13):
Think, uh, they they've started to play a little better
at home, you know. So I know Ben also likes
to play a little bit more on the front foot
at home, right you You also mentioned that, So I
do think that they're gonna come out stronger. But I
think in this magic be asking me for a prediction,
I think it's gonna be a two zero Dynamo win.
I think I wouldn't be surprised to be still through
(41:33):
I have time, and then in.
Speaker 6 (41:34):
The second half Dynamo kind of let it, let it
lose a bit more. So, so that's kind of prediction.
I'll say. I don't know if you're asking me one, but.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
You always give your predictions, and I think that's what
I love is that you're willing to go out on
a limit and make those predictions. So if you kind
of spelled out there how Houston would get that to
nothing win, let's throw out there that it's a Sounders
to nothing win. How will Seattle have gotten Houston?
Speaker 3 (41:59):
How?
Speaker 5 (42:00):
Now?
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Where where are the places that the Dynamo can be got?
Speaker 6 (42:04):
Well?
Speaker 8 (42:04):
What I was in the season, you know, and and
and not so many teams have done this.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
I think the Legacy did a good job of it.
Speaker 9 (42:09):
Is you know, they they they drawed the Dynamo out
up front, almost like baiting them, you know, like, hey,
you can stow the ball from us, and then you
know they come out on the on the counter attack.
Speaker 8 (42:19):
That's one place where Dynamo have been a bid unconsistent
in the counter attacking defense at times, you.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
Know, especially in the early seasons.
Speaker 8 (42:28):
That have gotten better, but I think that's still a
part where they still have to kind of jail and
kind of uh uh tied in that area.
Speaker 9 (42:36):
It's on the counter attack. So if that's happened, that's
how I'll say Shattle scored. I mean, we know Seattle
has some fast wingers, so that's definitely a possibility.
Speaker 8 (42:45):
And if Seattle scores first, that we could we we
could see a high scoring game. I think if Shadle
score first, because obviously, you know, Houston's gonna have to
come out and try and get the draw, and you
know definitely don't want to lose at home.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
So so yeah, well it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
You know, we obviously are missing Jordan Morris, so that
takes off a big piece of the counter attack, I
think from seattles, and that's some interesting x's and o's
on on if if Houston wants to kind of get forward,
play on the front foot, you know, and put numbers
forward for Ben Olsen, how do the Sounders react to that?
And can they get out on the break with a
Danny Mazoski up top as opposed to Jordan Morris on
(43:22):
the counter. Really good x's and o's asus We'll see
how this thing breaks down Saturday night. I hope for
our sake that I'm as happy at the end of
Saturday as I was at the end of Florida beating
the Cougars. And again I will I feel your pain,
my friend, I feel your pain. We had the Seahawks
in twenty fourteen, so I understand about stupid decisions and
(43:43):
stupid mistakes at the end of championship games. All right, buddy,
have a very very good time. I enjoy the game
there on Saturday night down at Shell Energy Stadium.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
We will talk to you soon, my friend.
Speaker 6 (43:54):
Thank you somebody Jackson And one last bit, just a
little shade you guys.
Speaker 8 (43:58):
Jeez, they released this graphic about all the you know
once the last time and and Mbo team made the world.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
You know what, screw you man.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
Come on, look at the Look at the standings of
the West right now, where the Mariners are atop the
West right now.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
So just scoreboard my friend's scoreboard.
Speaker 6 (44:20):
Now it's even better because he had and Houston are
in the same side, you know. So so I like
I like the Seattle Marinas. I I I always feel mad,
not mad with that. That the great Seattle Maners team
where you know Johnson like that.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
Yeah, yeah, we didn't win a championship, we know. Thanks
appreciate that. Hey, how are how are the trash cans
coming out there? You still banging trash cans? U?
Speaker 3 (44:43):
Yeah? Uh huh uh huh. All right, buddy, good to
have you on. We gotta run. Thanks so much for
the visit tonight.
Speaker 6 (44:50):
Likewise, thanks n take it eat man.
Speaker 5 (44:52):
Hey.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Suss Oscivato Junior.
Speaker 2 (44:53):
He writes for the Bayou City in down there in Houston, Texas,
covers the Houston Dynamo, covers all Houston sports, including the
trash Stros where they have garbage cans, and of course
the losing Houston Cougar's basketball team. All right, that'll do
it for our show tonight. Thanks to all of our guests,
Christian rodn Ari, Lilienwall and Haesu's Osseveto Junior. There one
(45:13):
more time broadcast details for Saturday. It's gonna be right here.
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM, Providence, Swedish pre
met show of five o'clock kickoff of five point thirty.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
You listen to it right here.
Speaker 2 (45:27):
Also iHeartRadio app just look up ninety three point three KJRFM.
Also you can watch the match via MLS Season Pass
on the Apple TVP and listen in Spanish language on
l Ray thirteen sixty and Saturday's match is presented by
the Western Washington Toyota Dealers.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
Have a very good rest of your week, everybody.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
We'll talk to you on Saturday at five pm and
for right here, right now. Fox Sports Radio is coming
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