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October 9, 2025 20 mins
Catch “The Drive with Spence Checketts” from 2 pm to 6 pm weekdays on ESPN 700 & 92.1 FM. Produced by Porter Larsen. The latest on the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Utes, BYU + more sports storylines.
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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joined beer Bar for every University of Utah football game.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Park at beer Bar and take tracks to the games.

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Beer Bar Downtown, SLC won sixty one East two hundred
South's time to hit the pitch on the drive. The
RSL Insider Today and Day is brought to you by
beer Bar head Downtown for watch parties and game day
shuttles to the stadium. More at beer BARSLC dot com.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Gutschet time for RSL coming up this weekend luman Field, Seattle,
Washington and breaking news that it will be cold and
rainy in Seattle in October. Our next guest knows that
he coaches rsally played for a long long time. Pablo
Mash Join now on a Thursday. Pop's happy Thursday, man,

(00:42):
How are we doing?

Speaker 4 (00:43):
Happy Thursdays? Fans doing great? Bud? Yeah? Packing the bags
ready for the cold.

Speaker 3 (00:47):
At a guy, And you know, I always say this
fall soccer is fun, dramatic scenes and so rainy and
cold in Seattle. As a guy who's played up there
when it's rainy and cold and coached up there when
it's rany and cold, how did the conditions change the
game plan?

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Pablo, Well, I think obviously with the artificial turf, Playing
in behind defenses is going to be difficult, right, I think,
especially when the balls in the air, because it's going
to skip quite a bit. So then you just have
to find more find ways to get behind the defense
with balls on the ground in between the lines, and
I think that's probably the biggest difference. And then obviously

(01:27):
in and round goal deflections and reboundser will be critical, right,
so we want to put the ball in dangerous areas
and play for seconds because again the turf will add
to the craziness of balls bouncing around the gold box.

Speaker 3 (01:40):
So you know you're going to be without some pieces.
They are going to be without some pieces. When you
look at Diego with the US men's national team, the
U twenty twos advanced, which means Gozo will also not
be with you Ojeda with his country in addition to that,
So how does that alter your plans when it comes
to the eleven and the players available?

Speaker 5 (01:59):
Get give me some thoughts on that.

Speaker 4 (02:02):
Yeah, I think it's yeah, it's a great question. You know.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
I think we're we're at the money part of the
business part of the season, and I think the most
important thing is putting your the players that are in
the best run of form, that have probably the most
experience in these moments on the field. You know, at
the expense of maybe the game model and really you know,
tweaking it to put again, you'll you'll have a really

(02:25):
good understanding of the way we want to play. That
doesn't change. But as far as the specifics of of
what each position is meant to be doing, it's really
about putting guys on the field that have been there
and done that and are in a good run of
form and and that can and that can give us
the best chance to win. So, you know, we've looked
at a couple of different things this week. It's looked

(02:47):
really bright. The guys have been electric, full of confidence.
And I think that's a big part too. You know,
I think these games are there's high pressure, and so
when when I'm watching training and assessing the training session,
it's like, are they still playing with joy?

Speaker 4 (03:02):
You know?

Speaker 2 (03:02):
And today was a great reflection of that. The guy
the guys were buzzing and smiling, and the combinations and
the goals were really really bright, and it looked like
they were enjoying themselves. And I think that's really important
to go to have when you're going to high pressure
situations in a difficult place to play, like Womenfield.

Speaker 3 (03:19):
Well, when you're coming off the win against your rival,
the food probably tastes a little better.

Speaker 5 (03:23):
The sleep is probably a little bit easier to find.

Speaker 3 (03:26):
Right, So would you like most about a gutty performance
last week against Colorado?

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, you know, I think again, I think it says
a lot about our group where there's been times this
year we've given up leads and and that's something that
we've worked really hard on the last few months is
being stingy defensively. And you know, although they had they
had quite a few opportunities there at the end. You know,
I think the guys held on and defended set piece

(03:53):
as well, defended in and around our box.

Speaker 4 (03:54):
Well.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Rafa again came up huge, Jake Ladd was excellent in
the waiting moments, and so you know, one of the
things that those were the positive things is the mentality
and the ability to stay in games and get the result.
I think one of the things that we want to
definitely take away from that game and improve upon was
the decisions that we made when we're when when teams
are throwing a lot of numbers forward and they're chasing

(04:16):
the goal. Is when we win the ball, there's always
going to be a lot of space to really attack
our opponent's goal. But I think there's there's got to
be more a bit more experience in the way we
manage these moments, because even though there could be another
opportunity to get that second goal, it comes with the
opportunity to let our teams back into the game by
not getting that goal and having a transmission transition moment

(04:38):
that keeps us pinned in close to our goals. So
that's an area that we focus on this week, and
I think it's an area that would be critical heading
to Seattle as well.

Speaker 3 (04:46):
Before I asked the question, I feel the need to
put this context on the question.

Speaker 5 (04:52):
I think it's safe to.

Speaker 3 (04:53):
Say that MLS Cup is probably more of a priority
than the Rocky Mountain Cup. Okay, So I just wanted
to get that out there before I ask you if
there was any thought about being a little bit more
aggressive in the attack down the stretch to get that
second goal to win the Rocky Mountain Cup.

Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yes, again, I think the game, if we can call
timeout Spence, we'd flipped this thing around and we'd so
we'd set it up, and unfortunately in soccer it doesn't
work like the other sports. We want to be aggressive
at all times, but we also want to manage games
and we want to be again, I don't want to
try to go to this for the second goal at
the expensive conceding. Yes, right, And I think that's where

(05:32):
we found ourselves because you know, we had I think
three really good opportunities in that second half to put
the game on ice, right. I think Victor had two,
one up the post, one where he cut inside from
like twelve yards out and hited over. I think him
and Willie had a couple combinations. So we had opportunities
for the second goal. But what happened was when we

(05:53):
didn't capitalize on those opportunities, they came back the other
way and now we're threatening, and so it's it's the
game of and I'd love to I'd love to just
punish teams and and do that. But the problem is
the reason for that, why it's not so easy, is
because the players get caught in this emotional this emotional game,
which is we have the goal, right, and when we

(06:15):
were attacking those transitional moments to get that second goal,
if you watch, we had three or four guys attacking,
and then we had the rest of the group kind
of lagging behind, not lagging behind, because that's the part
of our tactic, lagging behind just in case those guys
upfront lost it. And when they did lose it, then
we had forty yards between our lines with then for
six guys all the way back, and it forced four

(06:36):
guys to chase the game from behind. And so one
of the things that I keep talking about is when
we're in these moments where we're getting we have the lead,
the best way to score another goal, well not the
best way, but the most I guess the best way
to not lose control of the game is to move
together with the ball right and have eleven guys attacking
versus four. So yeah, so to answer your question, like

(07:00):
course we want to go for the second We want
to go for the second goal, and we put ourselves
in position to score the second goal. We didn't score it,
so and that's football. But okay, so now we because
we didn't score it, we must defend. So I don't
want to absolve defending at the expense of trying to
go get a second goal when we already have the
ones ear league.

Speaker 5 (07:16):
Oh for sure.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
And you know, when I saw that there was a
little bit of criticism going around, my first thought was, okay,
you push forward the counter and then boom, like your
playoff hopes might be shot. So I've been Ultimately, three
is what you wanted in three is what you got.
I think this is the third straight game that you've
had the same eleven, Is that right, Pablo, third straight game,
same eleven has started?

Speaker 4 (07:39):
I believe, so there might have been Yeah, I think
that was right.

Speaker 3 (07:43):
Okay, So is it fair to say that this is
as close to a first choice eleven that we've seen?

Speaker 2 (07:50):
Yes, and I'd say the one I guess the one
guy is probably Gozo who was who was away? But
but yeah, so it's been it's yeah, so it's it's
close to it. And then I think again, one or
two players. You know, you can flip flop a couple guys,
but I think the consistency has been a really important thing.
And having you know, Diego and Jogo underneath, two strikers

(08:12):
up front, with DeAndre barreling down the right side and
Alex on the left. Two pivots, you know, Jay glad
Vera and Hafa. You know, I think it's been our
most cohesive groups, So it'll be really important to get
again most of these guys that we can on the field,
and then adding like I said earlier, some experienced players
and guys that are in good run and form, and
guys that can make plays and have proven over the

(08:33):
years to be able to make plays for our team.

Speaker 3 (08:35):
If Gozo's present, just out of curiosity, where does he
fit in and who might go from eleven to the eighteen.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah, I think it's you know, and currently in the
way we're doing it, and I think that's the difference
of Gozo. Right if we keep it the same, then
I think he'd be buying for one of the one
of the forward positions gotch So maybe you know, some
Cruse might know him, and Cruse might rotate just because again,
I think what he's done and when he's done really
well is he just threatened the back line and do

(09:05):
a good job. And obviously the last time he played
nine per really cameo spot role was against LAC when
he scored probably one of the best goals of the
season for us in that bicycle. So he's just he's
a poacher. He's an opportunist, but he does a great
job of getting in behind defenses with especially when you
have two tens behind them feeding them balls.

Speaker 3 (09:25):
It's pretty safe to say that central defensive midfield spot
has tremendous depth, with a lot of really good players
that you could rotate in and out. We talked last
week about a Mecca who started the season off with
the captain's armband, but you also have Paulo Ruiz as
an option.

Speaker 5 (09:43):
Of course, so Hayden and Kallascan.

Speaker 3 (09:45):
He's certainly a lot more versatile than I ever knew
that he would he was. So instead of asking you
about your thoughts on the rotation, I wonder if you
could shed light on whether or not you have been
satisfied with the response of the players aren't starting, Like
did they Like a Mecca last year was one of
your best players and now you know he's not starting.

(10:06):
So have you been pleased with the acceptance of the
role or do you think there's some hurt feelings?

Speaker 5 (10:12):
I guess.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
No, I think there's always these guys are these guys
are professionals, events like they're so they're you know, they're
so this is their career, you know, so It's not
like you know college sports or you know high school
sports where they're like okay with it, you know, but
but there is this level of character and team that
you expect to see with with a certain level, there's

(10:35):
got to be a certain level of disappointment. If there's not,
then you're just thinking, well, is this really what you're
meant to be doing?

Speaker 4 (10:40):
You know.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
So I think both Pablo and a Mecca and and Mecha,
particularly because pabl has been injured for for a little
bit and he's not joining us and getting up a speed.
But you know, I think he's been He's been a
fantastic pro, you know, and I think coming into games
and and and you can see that by the way
he comes into games right and effect, you know, comes
in the last couple of games and does a really
good job, really focused, understands what the role is, does

(11:03):
a great job, and you.

Speaker 4 (11:06):
Know, we have dialogue.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
And the truth is, you know, when you when you
look at you know what Noel and Brian have been
able to do in these last few games, and even
in the LAFC games where they played extremely well, the
other players see that, you know, it's not like they're there.
They go yeah, no, this is there's no way that
these guys are playing well and they're getting results as well.
So it's not only about their form, but are we

(11:28):
winning as a team when when the other guys are
playing well? And then what's the response for the guys
that aren't playing, you know, how are they training, what's
their attitude life? And and then Thatch and of Pablo
have been top, you know, and I think this weekend
is a great opportunity for both of them to see
some time and to contribute the meaningful way. And then
you know, we get a good result here and now
it just changes everything for everyone else. And now we
got to go back to, you know, which players are

(11:51):
in a great run of form, which players are and
then maybe in the months that we see a different
tweet to our system that that we haven't seen all year.
So there's a lot of positives that can come out
out of this situation. And the most important thing is
that the players that are getting the opportunity to take
take it the right way and express themselves the right
way and play some great football and we get the result.

Speaker 3 (12:09):
Most every week, it feels like I ask you a
question about Rafa and I don't know that I have
one this week other than just you know, he just
continues to be as good as anyone that we've had
in that spot since Nicky was there. When when you
have a keeper that is able to keep you in
games with such miraculous saves, then the ability to distribute

(12:30):
from the back, does that allow you as a tactician
and a coach to change your approach and the way
you play? And what does it do for the confidence
of the group in front of him?

Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, no, he's been again. I think it does, you know.
And the other part too, is with his experience, he
understands moments right, and there's moments where you know, we
have to kind of abort the way we we kind
of plan because the emotion of the team requires something different.
Maybe we have to go a long for a goalkicker too,
And I think him having his finger on the pulse

(13:02):
of the emotional state of the team is really really important.
And so, you know, I think a player of his
capabilities that that is so good with his feet essentially,
there's there's no there's no tactical adjustment that he can't
adhere to, that he can't that he can't manipulate to
favor our groups. So there's there's you know that he's

(13:23):
got the short passes, the mid range passes. You know,
he's got the you know, he's got a longer pass
over the top, you know. And then as far as
defending for me, he's been the best goalkeeper in this
league and consistently keeps us. And it's not just he
makes saves. It's it's the timing of the saves. It's
that we're up on zero and Colorado have a shot
in injury time or two shots in injury time, and

(13:45):
he makes he comes up with both of them, right.
And so that is what when I talk about it,
I always talk about making plays.

Speaker 4 (13:52):
Is what does that? That's what it looks like.

Speaker 2 (13:54):
And it's the same thing as a striker finishing one
of our chances in transition. That's making a play right.
That was outside of the tactics. It's outside of you know,
what we drew up. It's about making plays because you're
a great player. And I think Rafa has continuously put
himself in a position to be, uh, you know, is
a top goalkeeper for this year and probably you know

(14:16):
a few other a few more years.

Speaker 4 (14:18):
With with way he's currently playing, so.

Speaker 3 (14:20):
I referenced the players you will be without, and Seattle
is also missing a good chunk of pieces based off
the international window. And also I'm just reading this Albert
rus Knack, who we know here, obviously picked up a
red card so he will not be playing. And I'm
looking at the standings, Pablo, and they really they can't

(14:41):
move up or down.

Speaker 5 (14:43):
I think they're pretty much locked in.

Speaker 3 (14:45):
So I wonder just what's look as you reference, you
guys are all professionals, they're playing at home in front
of their fans.

Speaker 5 (14:52):
You want to win every match, But what sort of.

Speaker 3 (14:54):
Approach are you anticipating from Smetzler based off of who
they're missing and where they land and in the standards?

Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yeah, again, I think you know the most important thing.
The way I perceive the situation playing out is Brian
Smetster is going to put his best group that he
has available to him on the field for the game
on Saturday. And there's really no other way. There's really
no way. And I say that because Smester knows this
better than I do. Is you have to have you know,

(15:25):
there's nothing better than to be in a good runner
form heading into the playoffs, and so to play to
play coy in this particular game because of this that
it just doesn't really make sense. Even if they're locked
in a certain position. You want momentum going into the playoffs,
and so the expectations I have is that they're going
to put the best group that they can field on
Saturday against a team that's, you know, fighting like hell

(15:48):
to getting the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (15:50):
If you win, you are in and that's the bottom line. Now,
if you lose, you're not eliminated. You'll have another chance
against Saint Louis. But does the magnitude of the moment,
does the urgency to lock in a playoff spot, does
it change that?

Speaker 5 (16:04):
I know you want to win every game.

Speaker 3 (16:05):
I know you want to score every you know I
want to you want to win ten zero. I know
all that, But does the magnitude of the moment come
into the way you're preparing for the the you know
this game, and you're preparing your team, and from a
player's standpoint, do those things come in to play at all?

Speaker 4 (16:22):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (16:22):
You know again, I think, uh, as you ready pointed out,
we want to win every game. But I think, you know,
I think when it's when it's a really important game.
It's it's really about speaking of the things that we
can control, right. I think when you get caught this like, uh,
this the the normality of the match, because if we win,
we're in. And you think about how the players will

(16:44):
digest all that stuff, right, So it goes back to
the process, and it goes back to here are the
things that we need to do. Listen to players, they're
they're they're bright, they follow the table, they know the standings,
they have social media, they know all that stuff. And
so for me, it's really about focusing on the on
the things. Like I said from our last game, our
attacking transition, we have got to make better decisions if

(17:07):
we want to win these games, right, So that's an
area that I'll be looking for, and that's an area
that we focused on this week. Defending we're going on
the road. We've got to be a good defensive team.
That's an area that we focused and then today we
finished the week with you know, a combination play in
front of goals. We've got to score goals. So to
answer your question, spense like my approach to all these
things in life and is not allowing the moment to

(17:31):
emotionally hijack you right, it's to get down in the
especially high emotional moments, high pressure moments. It's the dial
it back, get back to the things that are very
controllable and the areas that we need to improve upon
to put ourselves in the best positions and get three points.

Speaker 5 (17:47):
Last thing, I'll set you loose on this.

Speaker 3 (17:48):
And now that we have a pretty healthy sample size
with the summer window acquisitions, you know, I was I
think we're all hoping that the earlier window would breed
better result. Well, due respect to Willie and Johnny, but
I kind of felt bad for you that you were
going to have to try to get this thing done
really quickly, and when you guys were in a bit
of a precarious spot. But Olatunji man, he's an athlete

(18:11):
and he looks dangerous. And Rwan Cruz and then DeAndre Yedlin.
Just give us a little bit of a progress report
on those three, then I'll.

Speaker 5 (18:17):
Set you loose.

Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yeah, you know, I think I'll start in the back
with DeAndre I think he's been a great leader. You know,
he comes with a lot of experience and has been
able to integrate into the group quickly. He's great in
the one d one duels, great defending, has a good
eye to play balls forward into the attacking players. So
really pleased with the way Deandre's coming to the group.

(18:40):
You know, Cruz is a player that I still think
is gaining his form. I think it was great to
see him contribute to the score shoot last game where
he made a great pass to Diego for the goal.
You know, we constantly trying to get him in front
of gold. We know how important that is for his
confidence and for our team.

Speaker 4 (18:57):
But he's making.

Speaker 2 (18:57):
Great movement, great runs off the ball. We got to
feed in the ball a little bit more, but he's
always in positions and I think he's just you know,
he's I think he's one game away from scoring his
first goal. So that's so he's been great. And then Victor,
like you said, I think he's he's the guy that
kind of sets the tone for us defensively and offensively.
You know, I think he's a guy that moves back
lines back, he can make plays on his own, as

(19:19):
he did in the second half where he just you know,
hit that ball over the net. But he's scored a
great goal the game before in transition a ball from
Diego Luna. So like he's he does a little bit
of everything, and he does what the team needs, and
he plays really really hard for the team, and you know,
if we're going to be successful that this victor is
going to have to be a feature of our attack

(19:40):
and our defense. But really pleased with the three guys
that we were able to pick up pick up, and
hopefully we can keep this thing going to where they
can keep integrating in the group and keep playing the
way they're doing so we can make a good run
in these playoffs.

Speaker 3 (19:52):
Well, it will be dramatic, it will be fun, it
will be cold, So pack that poncho and go get three,
will you?

Speaker 4 (20:00):
That was great, Spence.

Speaker 3 (20:00):
Are you going by the way, No, I can't make
it this weekend, but I'll be watching.

Speaker 5 (20:04):
I'll be tuned in for sure, all right, Bud.

Speaker 4 (20:07):
That's great.

Speaker 3 (20:08):
Bablo Mastrondi, head coach of RSL Fall Soccer, it's a
lot of fun.

Speaker 5 (20:12):
That is a tough place to play.

Speaker 3 (20:14):
That is the the stadium where RSL won MLS Cup
back in two thousand and nine. So hopefully some good
karma there. Get three in your in. Bottom line
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