Latest / Tectonic Takes / Episode 172: First Win In Portland!

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Episode 172: First Win In Portland! · Tectonic Takes

• speaker-0: What's up Quakes fans? I am here with the very enigmatic Saz. ⁓ Saz, how are you doing today? speaker-1: I was special, but now I'm a word I probably can't even spell or pronounce. ⁓ speaker-0: Yeah, you can I use the word enigmatic because I I've told you this before. ⁓ when I first met you and I followed you on Instagram you said ⁓ the machinations the inner machinations of my mind are are are an ad an enigma. Sorry, just so many ⁓ tongue twisters there, but ⁓ that's my first impression of you. So yeah, yeah. speaker-1: And you know what character is? It's Patrick. That that is about my intelligence intelligence level, so speaker-0: Yeah, we actually I brought it up on the show like last year and then you explained it. No, I remember that. ⁓ but yeah, ⁓ welcome back to another episode. ⁓ we are here after the big win ⁓ in Portland. The first time ever getting a win away at Portland, 3 1. Yeah. You obviously ⁓ the I don't know what the opposite of affinity is, ⁓ but whatever that word is, you have that towards Portland. ⁓ beepred. Yeah. speaker-1: Yeah. Suck it, Portland. I don't like port, I don't like port. speaker-0: w what does this win mean, especially after just so many years of never winning there? That's like the craziest curse that we've you know ⁓ insane streak and we finally broke it. speaker-1: Yeah, no, I mean it feels great. while they aren't as great this year is a d the historic club. ⁓ it it it's a good rebound for the boys to win this in five or six. ⁓ so that's a good way to kinda end ⁓ before going out to the World Cup break. I think everyone's kinda mentally and physically exhausted, so it'll be kind of good for everyone to reset. ⁓ really fun to watch. speaker-0: Yeah, it w it was a fun game. ⁓ we look at all the goals, they all came ⁓ before the twenty-fifth minute. ⁓ you know, it's a good start. ⁓ I feel like the the goal that Anthony ended up getting was kind of a fluke, but also something I noticed throughout this match is that we were exhausted. ⁓ earlier that week I had gone on a Portland show to to preview the match and I was telling them, You guys aren't gonna get past our right side. You cannot beat Benji. I don't care what you do, you just can't beat Benji. And then he's the guy that they beat. And not his fault really, just the one two is hard to, you know, defend that. But he was slow. He he like didn't look up to it. And a a lot of players they didn't look physically, you know, out to par. ⁓ do you have any thoughts on that matter? speaker-1: I thought it was a bad sequence of defend. I think it was a mix of two things. I just it was bad defending. in the in that goal. I also think that ⁓ we got away with one or two from Anthony early on. I I was kind of shocked he didn't score two or three more, but two or three total, sorry. But according to the commentary, that's been kind of the gripe with him, it's just his end product. he I mean he was dangerous. It was it was all really going through him. ⁓ I'm glad that we're still the even though we're good this year or at least doing better, we're still the metric for like, ⁓ you this team beats you, yeah, you're fired. ⁓ Phil Neville finally fired. I I think he's been overrated. I don't think he's done a great job. Now I I do give him credit. He did do some like good things here and there, but I do think he's overrated. speaker-0: Yeah, I mean I I was surprised they didn't get rid of him earlier. ⁓ we had a kind of viral moment that people wouldn't really recognize as a Tectonic Takes viral moment. I had heard on the ⁓ local broadcast that ⁓ they forgot to turn off their mic for halftime and they were saying, ⁓ we ready to fire this guy yet? or whatever it was, I don't really remember and I made Devin go and record that and post it and he did and that got like hundreds of likes and and It was like a a really big thing. ⁓ so I'm I was surprised that like he is still working, you know, and they they had the worst start in their history, but I guess breaking this streak of of being ⁓ undefeated at home against San Jose was finally what did it. And obviously is he's a a legendary player, I guess, but mostly because of like the people he was around rather than I think his own ability, to be honest. but ⁓ Yeah, I mean, like I said, ⁓ surprised he's he's still around to to face us ⁓ on on that Saturday. speaker-1: Yeah, no, he's solid. ⁓ he was solid. ⁓ I d honestly I didn't even think Portland looked that bad. Like that game could have really ended up different ways. I mean, Mooney gets one off a ⁓ a corner, just kinda like taps his way in. Jack Skein and Preston Judd turn into Kunaguero and Kevin De Bruiner for f 30 seconds. I ⁓ my god. Can we talk about that pass? That was I ⁓ the I d I don't think people realize how insane the pass was. Like I know they just saw it was open. He hits that with his right foot but puts like Curl on it so it like curls out, but also like a l I don't want to say you put backspin on it, but it perfectly is weighted to go into his step, weaves the way around so he can keep the speed, and then the finish perfectly laced to the bottom corner opposite side, and then Judd obviously had a banger on the second goal too. But the both Judd goals and then the pass from Skein were unreal. Like it it and again, they look threatening. They had some good opportunities. Danielle had some pretty good saves per usual. Anthony ended up getting a goal. So I mean it could it could have definitely been a different ⁓ result maybe they just need a new manager bounce as they're it's kinda popularized right now, but who knows. speaker-0: I a hundred percent agree. ⁓ you know, I I was ⁓ dogging on ⁓ what's his name? Phil Neville. Mostly because of just his general like history here. But ⁓ you are right, this could have been a much different game. I don't remember who it was. Was it Anthony also who like missed from less than a yard out, like literally on the line but switch up his feet and just didn't, you know, end up scoring. I I was looking for that here on the X G map. that doesn't count as XG because he never shot it. So there's no XG to be, you know, calculated. But I wonder how much it would have been if he actually got a touch on it. ⁓ but no, you you were saying about that that goal that Preston Judd scored. ⁓ it was an incredible pass by Jack Kane because the easy pass to do would be to the closest man. ⁓ but he he went for the more risky option to to put it further to Judd. ⁓ and it kind of found him like in between the defender and and and Jud was like right where you want to put it. I thought it was like a a s kind of slow pass, but because of the weight that Jack ended up putting on it, it it gave Preston so many options. And I think that he surprised definitely me, but also the keeper by deciding to take a shot from there. Like that's not really the most optimal place to shoot. I mean it's not a bad place to shoot. Obviously it went in But I that wasn't what I thought was gonna happen. I thought it was gonna be like, Okay, well the keeper should save this, but just because of how early he took it, ⁓ you know, I think he caught him off guard. speaker-1: Honestly, yeah, I mean the that and the juggle, the second one was unreal. I w I'm seriously just so ⁓ to like just now, even like I want to say daydreaming, like shot like the pass was so unbelievably beautiful. Like I like anyone who like doesn't think it's that good, I urge you don't even run go get a ball and thirty yards away put a cone, like a f like a ⁓ five by five, ten by ten. No defenders, you don't even have to be running while you do it. Get a hundred Hundred balls, and I guarantee you are not doing that bad that pass right there. It was so unbelievably good. And I'm seeing that Jack actually got a second assist. I forgot about that. I mean the squad the squad stepped up. I think that's one thing that was really Important to note with ⁓ all the injuries. I thought Ricketts had one of his better games so far this season. ⁓ Benji obviously with everything that he's kinda dealing with injury wise, ⁓ with the early sub ⁓ but I didn't think he was playing awful. I thought he was totally fine. good rotation ⁓ from Bruce. ⁓ I think Nick Fernandez has been really, really good. I think his first half in Seattle was outstanding. ⁓ And while there's definitely been a drop off and like a different style play since Nico's gone, I think giving him a little more confidence and time could be really, really beneficial for us. yeah, I don't I I don't really have too many complaints, honestly. I think the break came at a good time and we ended on a really good note. speaker-0: Yeah, that was something that we talked about in the press conference with Bruce and I was really scared because you know, somebody talked to like Bruce before me or or maybe it was after and they said, ⁓ so how much of this ⁓ is coaching? Like how much of this win is coaching? And he's like, Coaching? What do you mean coaching? And it's like, dude, you're the coach. You coach the team. Wha why are you giving him a hard time for that? Like of all things. ⁓ but I I asked a question like how important is it to get a win before the break? And he was like, Yeah, very important, it's good. And I was like, ⁓ my god, I am like I have been saved. ⁓ he happened to like that question. Nick Fernandez. in my opinion, he he he's obviously a little bit green. I I I don't know if like he's ready to take the job full time, but I do think that he has been a lot more naturally suited to that position. than Buddha or Bo LaRue. And it's not just because, you know, Bo looks kinda lost in that spot, but you lose so much by not having him as one of your double pivots ⁓ to progress the ball and also win the ball back the way he does. ⁓ you know, you get the best of both worlds, in my opinion, when you have ⁓ Fernandez who is just just flat out is just a ten, you know, just he is naturally that's the way he plays. And Bo, as good as he is, as as much as he has a lot of good attributes, he's just not a ten. ⁓ what are your thoughts on on the the you know, trying to replace Nico? speaker-1: Yeah, well first for anyone that's like looking forward to Nico being back, I wouldn't really hold your breath. I I'm not saying he's out for the rest of the year. But again, I wouldn't really hold your breath. I would love to be wrong on this, but a groin injury is not a fun i in my opinion, it's one of the hardest injuries to come back from. things like your heel's Yeah, well exactly. So like things like your and I'll kinda explain 'cause I know like the anatomy of it all and this is kind of my line of work. ⁓ ⁓ people like Achilles, it's a long time, right? And that muscle you have to either take from your hamstring or something, that that's a pain in the ass, but like there is a route to recovery on that, especially if you do it right, but it takes a long time. ACL is bad because there's so many stabilizers there that your other muscles and then ensuring your other leg ends up being bad. ⁓ but with the right program and right progression, ⁓ you can definitely like fix that. The reason I'm saying the groin is like an awful injury is because that is And I'm sure there's other injuries that I'm just not thinking of off the top of my head, but at least like the common one and the one he's dealing with. The reason it's one of the worst is that's the only injury, at are the ones I listed and like most injuries, where you have to change your day-to-day life. Because what happens, especially for most people, if we hurt our going or adductors or anything like that, it's because we sit so much. Now obviously he's on his feet a little bit more. But because that muscle's gained tighter, everything else in there is gonna get tight. And anytime he's sitting, I don't wanna say he has to be standing all day and stretching all day, but he will have to change like his day to day life and the the rehab on it is awful. And if you're just rolling your eyes at me listening to this, he's tw is he even twenty one yet? Twenty two, tw somewhere between twenty one, twenty th yeah, twenty and he's on what is like second or third surgery for it. You know what I mean? And he I mean if you've seen the kid he's in pretty good shape. He's also a professional athlete. ⁓ it's ⁓ it's it is a vile, vile injury. So even if he does come back, I I'm scared he's gonna come back a little too soon and then it it can just lead onto a top-long effect. So I I anyways to finally answer your question after three minutes of rambling about not the question. ⁓ Nick Nick Fernandez, yes, I'm really excited to have him there. Little Green, like you said, ⁓ would be curious to kind of see ⁓ this off season and what Bruce is allowed to do and how we're gonna go about it as much as the recoveries too, but ⁓ if we're if you don't have any more on that, just kinda segueing onto depth, we did see the appearance of Darius Johnson for the first time today. If you wanna kinda bring your thoughts onto that. speaker-0: Yeah, he he is definitely on on the list. ⁓ but first, ⁓ I I do want to talk about the one of the most exciting things for me. But ⁓ you you had gone into depth about the the physical, you know stuff that it takes for for Nico to recover. S people don't know, they don't know you in your personal life. Can you kind of talk about your qualifications in that matter? speaker-1: little more qualified than a Google search. Yeah. ⁓ yeah, I do I've I've played sports a long time. I ⁓ been around PTs my whole life, both at a low and o semi okay level. ⁓ I am certified PT. as well. So I did have to even though I tried avoiding anatomy and science my entire academic career had to end up doing it. ⁓ anyways. And in my day to day I work with constantly rehabbing people ⁓ and strengthening people and doing this. So ⁓ obviously not to this extent. like if if if they have a phenomenal medical staff, ⁓ compared to that I'm like Sunday leak. But ⁓ that's the only reason I know a little bit about it. And it's honestly something that I've personally dealt with and seen other people dealt ⁓ deal with. So I I can speak from a little experience from that as well. speaker-0: Right, and I think that's important because, you know, we're just two guys with mics, right, a at the end of the day. But there there is like things that make us qualified to talk about this. Like I'm I've never been a professional soccer player, but I did play at at a high level. I watched the game like crazy. I love the game. And so that's why, you know, it's better for to listen to me talk about it than your average Joe who just watched like, you know, his first World Cup game and he's coming on to to talk to you about it. ⁓ so I did wanna like ⁓ you know shed some light on speaker-1: nothing. Anything I say is stupid. Yeah, no. You you are right saying I have no opinion. I I am dumb. I have not played anywhere. I have not done anything. on the other hand, i that's true for him, but no, I've done nothing. speaker-0: No. No, ⁓ I I am I'm glad that we have somebody with with some knowledge in that aspect 'cause I genuinely I don't have any ⁓ like ⁓ that's an injury. In FIFA, you give them three months and they come back from injuries and they're done. That's it. Right? And it's a lot more in ⁓ that goes into it than that. speaker-1: No, the rehab on that one's awful and the fact it tore off the bone is exc first off, it's excruciating pain. ⁓ well mm it di it depends. But ⁓ the yeah, I'm imagining he got a steroid shot just to even be able to kind of walk for a bit. I know he's on crutches right now. ⁓ It again, that one is just awful and for those of you that are like again kinda picture it you're probably sitting down watching this right now. Your your muscles are already kinda like putting that groin in a a bad position. So he's either laying down it's it is an awful injury to come back from that I feel I feel really bad from him. speaker-0: Yeah, no I've I've not had any like significant groin injuries, but like the minor ones that you get just from being an athlete, ⁓ it's like well I can't do anything about this. It was just stuck hurting and and to to have to go through surgery, can't even imagine. ⁓ and it's really unfortunate. speaker-1: Yeah, also you're and I mean I guess we're making this a science podcast at this point. your soccer is like a hip flexor sport. You sprint, you you kick and you change direction, your hip flexors are on fire after. ⁓ and d blah blah blah the psoas is the actual name of the muscle. That muscle isn't kind of like if you stare at your legs right now, like your quad, that's just kinda on top, your hamstring's just kinda the bottom. The psoas kind of runs from the top of the quad and then it goes out to the side of your hip, but then it's like if it's like speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: Like 3D, it will be like in the middle of your body, goes through your body and then goes to your low back. So a a lot of time when people are like, ⁓ I have low back pain, I'm like, you probably have some really tight hip flexors and a really weak butt. ⁓ so with that being said, that pulls in on it, especially then you're sitting, and then again his adductors, the inside of his thighs are pulling, and then the groin region, then everything, and then his core and then it's like it is I cannot stress about how awful of an injury this is, just for like convenience sake. speaker-0: Yeah. ⁓ says I think that if somebody told me that I have a weak butt, I don't think it'd ever go outside again. speaker-1: Yeah. No, I I I have I have to have that conversation daily. They're like, ⁓ I can't do this because I have back pain. Why don't we try this out? And they're like, ⁓ wow. Anyways, ⁓ back onto earthquakes. speaker-0: No, I mean i I genuinely I I I appreciate this because this puts us apart from other podcasts where we have, you know, knowledge to some extent about this and we're not just random dudes. Though we are stop saying that. speaker-1: No, I'm an idiot. Don't try don't take any professional advice from me. I I got chat GBT up on the screen right now. speaker-0: Nope. Don't believe me. You you sign up for a Patreon, you get a a seminar from from Saz talking about all types of body injuries. ⁓ speaker-1: That's like cocoa melon for adults. Just watch them just watch the brain melt. speaker-0: Okay. ⁓ so you mentioned ⁓ Darius Johnson who came on in the second half. ⁓ obviously not the best game for him to really showcase what he's made of is mostly like, hey, go press, go run. ⁓ especially 'cause Buddha got really hurt. ⁓ Buddha had a really hard time and Darius had to ⁓ pick up on a lot of the pressing for Ruben, even though Buddha did have a few sprints while on one leg. Very impressive from him. ⁓ he he had a moment or two. I think about two moments where he like beat defender then looked nice. But obviously he could have had a goal but that was kind of something where I was like you should probably do better there. He shot it right at the keeper's leg and I I ⁓ obviously I I'm picking at straws but like he he doesn't have any goal contributions this season and so if I'm like looking at him and what he can provide in the future, ⁓ that's something I'm worried about as end end product and Saz you talked about it ⁓ Two weeks ago I believe, ⁓ about ⁓ doubt over Darius's end product. ⁓ what what did you see from him in this game and what are you looking forward to to seeing him improve on? speaker-1: Yeah, I I don't feel like I saw enough. I th I think you put it right. This wasn't like the best game to kinda see. I saw a couple moments where it just looked disconnected from the team and fair play, he's been here for two days at that point. So I I I don't expect him to just click right away. ⁓ Some good ideas. ⁓ you can see some of the flair, you can see the athleticism for sure, but there is a big jump from the USL to MLS. ⁓ so it it will be interesting to see how he goes from there and if it's gonna be like a okay, well this was a good idea, and it's kinda like one of those like Will Richmond situations where it's like, all right, on Quakes two, this was like you're a little too good to be here, but then on Quakes one, it's like you're not good enough to be here. Actually I didn't see him too much on Quakes two. ⁓ y you'd you would know better, but just for conversation's sake. But yeah, I think it it'll be interesting to see at the very least with a healthy lineup, I think and honestly, I think Jack was making a phenomen over and obviously in a little bit of Nick too had been making a serious case for starting, but it's not like you're gonna drop Timo. ⁓ in a perfectly healthy lineup, ⁓ Jack does get dropped, most likely, even though again I think he's been phenomenal in these last couple games. Having to deal with Timo Werner and Buddha running at you for sixty, seventy minutes, and then having the pace and strength of Jack and then the pace of Darius coming at you for the last thirty, and then maybe even Paul Marie, that's that's a really good asset to have. And then Bruce said I might play you up top, I might play you on wide, I might do this or that. I I think they probably want to keep him winger ⁓ for now. I think it's just more of like a hey, if Preston goes down And we don't wanna play Buddha up top, you're gonna have to go up top is more of the like realism from that. But it's gonna be interesting to see. speaker-0: Yeah, that's exactly what I got from that. And you you referenced his answer to my question, which ⁓ which I thought was really cool when I saw ⁓ KC Kazline recording that from from ⁓ the media availability that we had with Darius. ⁓ I I really liked ⁓ what he had to say in that and he seems like someone who's down to earth and realizes that, you know, he's here to work and and show what he's got. He's not like coming in here as like, Well you better play me. It's like no, I'm coming from USL. I gotta you know know, show people what I what I can do. And you know, more on that, I think that already with what I've seen, I know that he is like looking to impress ⁓ in his first game out, but I definitely think that he is a few levels past where Will Richmond was. you know, solid player for for Quakes two. ⁓ I he had a really good moment ⁓ in the first team a few years ago like on his rookie season where he like did a step over and crossed with his left foot. There's nothing wrong with O Richmond, but there's a lot more bite in my opinion to ⁓ Darius Johnson's game. ⁓ when he, you know, first beat that defender, ⁓ where he knocked it past him, I thought that was really good. And then in the ⁓ the chance where he did a step over with his left foot and then shot with his right. that was ⁓ you know really it was it was really good that he was able to de beat the defender there. Because, you know, there's a lot of players will try step overs, but that's just like kind of a stall. It's not always a feint. ⁓ and to have the skill to do a step over in a way where you're actively beating defenders, sending them the wrong way, that is, you know, not something everyone can do. ⁓ so seeing that he has the explosive knife to to do the step over and then give himself the space to shoot, I I'd love to see more o of that. ⁓ and like you said, Saz, with ⁓ the lack of chemistry with the team, I think that's the biggest thing that I'm hoping to see more of and that will come. He he literally had like one, maybe two training sessions with the team ⁓ prior to that game in Portland. And yeah, it was just a little bit disjointed, but it if if they just like get on the same page then they can make, you know, plays happen and I'd be really excited to see what he can bring. Though with Timo Werner ⁓ supposedly coming back after the break You know, fingers crossed. ⁓ you know, we might have to wait and that's okay because we are, you know, stronger with with Werner playing, but ⁓ that doesn't mean that we won't see Darius, especially because the season's not over. ⁓ we've gotten past the the harder schedules parts in my opinion. ⁓ but you know, there there are still stretches in the season that are gonna be really congested and I'm sure that we can see ⁓ you know, meaningful contributions from Darius Johnson in that time. ⁓ anything you wanted to add says? speaker-1: Yeah, a couple of things. ⁓ kinda to your last point, ⁓ I think squad rotation, one or two injuries, ⁓ opponents, health, ⁓ team of winners still getting back up to full fitness. ⁓ a lot of different things will play in a hand and having more hands on deck will help. ⁓ this is gonna be an awful analysis that maybe like one or two people will get, but I'm gonna say it anyways. The way I I I kinda saw Darius was like if we're talking like FIFA fourteen, and I hate when people are like, ⁓ when you FIFA speaker-0: Excited. speaker-1: But anyways, ⁓ it's just like that silver card that's got like five star, five star, and it's like rapid and it's like, alright, like versus like when you play Neymar who also has five star, five star, but just feels like better. Yeah. ⁓ but he still feels like incredible and he's like broken in that sense. That that's how I kind of see it, where it's like he's got a lot of skill, he's got a little pace. The disconnectedness is he had some really good ideas, but ⁓ I actually watch a okay amount of USL. ⁓ ⁓ used to actually I haven't really watched much in the last couple of years, but I used to because ⁓ there's a YouTuber called Become Elite who I used to watch. he was a USL player. He just retired like a year or two ago. But anyways, ⁓ he he was very USL coded and had a lot of like good ideas. ⁓ But the way MLS plays is just a little different and I think it'll just take him a little time to adapt, like, ⁓ we do a this here instead of this, or we do a little bit more of this and this. But I think he has some quality and things and again, just time will tell. Time will tell. It it wa it was not enough of a chance to form an opinion either way. speaker-0: Right, and you know, this game especially, we're all defending. Like we we br took off Nick Fernandez who was having a a pretty good game for Harks, which I thought was a really good move because it's game management. ⁓ you know, Harks doesn't necessarily have the same amount of load on him as as the rest of the guys. So having him there to help defend that lead and and really, you know, solidify that midfield I thought was my favorite substitution of the match. But ⁓ you know, Darius was brought on not to Not necessarily to further the lead, but have fresh legs up there. Save Jack's gain, save you know, who whoever else started. ⁓ I know that Buddha had to ⁓ keep playing even though he was hurt. I I had an idea when I was looking at ⁓ the stats and I was I forgot. speaker-1: Well, while you think about that, I mean yeah, similar point to Benji with both the the card and then his Achilles that he's been kinda dealing on and off with. ⁓ really good game management for Bruce. ⁓ and ⁓ earlier I said Phil had a good thing when that one center back got the yellow, ⁓ Kevin Miller, I his name is. ⁓ I don't know if that's his first name, but Miller. I think that was a good substitution because he was just kept getting into it. He was he was on for a red at that point. ⁓ so I'll give ⁓ that was the one thing I was willing to give Phil. But other than that, I think Bruce handled that really well. We were up, it was like, let's bring some experience, let's bring ⁓ a little bit more defensive and holding play in that sense. ⁓ and ⁓ you know, obviously it ended up going well. Life of a manager though, you may you make a risk and if it works you're a genius and if not you're crazy and you're stupid. speaker-0: Yeah. No, I mean i you're you're right. If we are if we end up losing this game and which was possible, Daniel stood on his head, had a great game, ⁓ Muni as well, I thought played really well. ⁓ but regardless, like I was saying, if we end up losing this game, then Bruce is criticized heavily for parking the bus. ⁓ you know, ⁓ taking off ⁓ Fernandez, bringing on the Harks is objectively a defensive substitution to like really hunker down. But also we're we're up by two goals. It's a good cushion. I don't know, like lot logically I want to be like, well that's what I would have done too. ⁓ but like you said, hindsight is is twenty twenty and and a lot of people like to hate on Bruce ⁓ no matter what he does. ⁓ I just want to talk real quick, ⁓ unless you have something ⁓ else you want to say. ⁓ Bo LaRue, we we had mentioned that he wasn't really the right fit. at the ten, but he had three nutmegs ⁓ in in the midfield after being put back into his position as the eight. ⁓ one of the best players for us this season. what what do you what did you see from him being back in his his right position instead of ⁓ kind of being you know shoehorned into the ten. speaker-1: Yeah, well I mean it was i it was it was the game where he was in the ten, it was more of in my opinion, like a like just a flat three that was kinda rotating. I It's a mixture of things 'cause I do want to talk about the Colorado game a bit before just talking to MLS. ⁓ I thought it was a really good bounce back game from him 'cause ⁓ obviously, I mean it's the same thing as ⁓ we talked about last time I was on here, ⁓ about Ronaldo and any time he messes up. Unfortunately, it's a far view and far between, but it does lead to a goal. LaRue ⁓ immediately made a pass and they counter and they score. That was one minute to Vancouver, Vancouver game, right? and then we get a penalty later and they bring him up or actually Sorry, he scores unbelievable rocket of a goal. ⁓ Bose Bangers. And then they kind of give him a penalty. I which I'm assuming with ⁓ everyone that was kind of injured and out, they're like one a bit of a confidence boost too, which I'm total I was totally fine with. I get it. Like kind of get him back on track. ⁓ ends up missing. ⁓ slash it was a good save. ⁓ they end up going to take another one later. But ⁓ Anyways, good bounce back game, good in that position. Ronaldo also had a decent job being able to cover that, and then ⁓ Nick Fernandez did a really good job. ⁓ and I think this is something when Noel Buck and Jonathan Gonzalez are on the field that we miss a little bit is the unity of pressing. sometimes they just kinda float around at something you kinda saw during the open cup game, I believe it was. ⁓ Actually I don't remember if that was the game. I don't remember the last time Buck and Jonathan Gonzales are playing. I don't remember if it was open cup. I can't remember off the top of my head but they were in midfield together. There's a difference of pressing and the way they're kinda there where Noel and Jonathan are kind of standing there a little bit, or they'll kinda grab someone near them, or they chase the wrong guy, versus ⁓ when Nico and now I guess Nick, ⁓ Bo, Ian, and Ronaldo are there, there really is a positional sense of like we're gonna close this gap and we're gonna take this guy so that we're only leaving one or two passing passing options or forcing the switch that we didn't quite get ⁓ with some of the other guys. So in that sense, yes, I think it was a good bounce back game, and then ⁓ the others arounding were playing their parts as well. It was good. And that again, that's why I said the Daniel Mooney, Benji Kikanovich ⁓ play where they were defending was kind of a bad goal to concede. Unfortunate, just maybe a little bit of communication. R ⁓ again, hindsight's 20-20 win in the moment, and that guy has that much pace, it's really hard just because it came off of ⁓ I believe a rebound into a counter. I could be wrong in that part of it. ⁓ but that's where you'd maybe want Reed to drop a little bit or Benji to keep the run going just to cover in case or Mooney just to cut off the pass. But again, hindsight's 2020 mistakes are gonna happen. ⁓ it's about capitalizing on ours and then just trying to minimize the others, which I again I think we did well. And that that that brings me to my bigger point that unless you had something on this, ⁓ you're not gonna win every game. Quakes fans, it's it is okay that we went I'm not saying it's okay that we went less than five and some of them were rough, but like two, three years ago we had like four wins. And then we made a couple steps up, and then we made a couple steps up, right. ⁓ we're still looking good in the games and we're still having good ideas, and you're gonna have tired, you're gonna drop off a little bit. It's about bouncing back and coming back, and I understand demanding more. ⁓ I think that open cup loss was a huge loss. That th in my opinion, ⁓ also, ⁓ more credit to me, when I said Josh Atentiel was the one to watch out, he got men on the match that game. had a phenomenal offside assist as well. Anyways, ⁓ that's a game we should have won. I I'm totally fine with the lineup he put out for it. ⁓ that's our best chance at a trophy every year. Because in my opinion, supporter shield doesn't really matter. It's a it's a cool stat, but I'm gonna equate it to kind of the Warrior season where they went seventy-three and nine. While you did etch yourself into history, you did not win the championship because you overextended yourself that year. It's not like the Premier League or any other league were getting the most points wins. Rarely do first seeds in like any of these American sports win end up winning. It just is a a a a statement speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: ⁓ I'm sure someone's gonna pull it but I'm gonna be awfully wrong. But just because you get it doesn't mean you're gonna win, even though you've been the best team all year. So ⁓ Open Cup is our best at an actual trophy, and I I think it's a great competition. ⁓ so I have no problem with Bruce doing that. And again, that that one was kind of a bad loss, I'm not gonna lie. But the other one's a little unfortunate. I thought we played well for most of the part, and we're dealing with some injuries and tired legs and a ridiculous schedule. We're playing every three to four days, which you should not do as a soccer player. Yeah, that'd be that'd be kind of my take on it. speaker-0: Yeah, I I definitely agree. I thought ⁓ I I had kind of er earlier in the season been against, you know, going full force in the open cup just because we're doing so well in the league, so I didn't want to ⁓ you know, disrupt that momentum in the league. And for me I'm like, yeah, open cup would be great, but I don't know if we can win it. ⁓ but then, you know, when we get to as far as we did, I'm like, Okay, well I guess once you get to this point, you might as well go for it. and That was a terrible loss i in Colorado. Like we didn't look good. ⁓ in the games against Dallas and ⁓ Seattle, we had that i if you only count, you know, the ninety minutes, we drew those games and then they scored in top stoppage time for both of them. ⁓ and Bruce had made that point of like, you guys you got a point in both of those games but then you you screwed in stoppage time. ⁓ which, you know, really sucks and there was, you know, defensive things that that led to that but I don't see them as like complete failures. ⁓ but you were saying that like it's okay to lose games and kind of something that I've not been wanting to say all season but have been thinking is like guys we don't this team's good but nobody like expects this team to win the supporters shield. Like we're we're we're having a really good, you know kind of ⁓ moment of form. This isn't like what this team should be doing. We are overperforming and that's not always sustainable. So, you know, to to play like we're we're, you know, a hundred percent ⁓ or to expect like we're gonna win the supporters show. That's not that should not be the expectation at this point. ⁓ we have already exceeded expectations. ⁓ unless we like lose the rest of the games, which w shouldn't happen, but like what I expect is to You know, get a a home playoff game. That's that's where my expectation is. ⁓ speaker-1: That's a great honestly even we're just short of that. We make playoffs. speaker-0: Yeah. Well I I think that, you know, if we can, you know, keep even sixty percent of this form we should make playoffs. Like just mathematically it's speaker-1: Well no, at this point if we don't make playoffs it'd be a historic for all speaker-0: But yeah. That would be crazy if we didn't make playoffs, but like I don't my appetition is not ⁓ supporter shield. Like it would be really great. I would love to see that happen. ⁓ but I just it's not realistic. ⁓ and you know, if I have to be realistic, I'm thinking like fourth place would be really good. ⁓ for this squad, ⁓ with with this budget, nineteen college players, you know, we have team of Werner but Other players have really good players too. Or other teams have really good players too, sorry. ⁓ so, you know, there there's this talk about like, ⁓ well he's bottling it. Bruce is bottling it at that at this stage of the of the season. And it's not not too many pla ⁓ not too many fans are saying that, but I do hear it ⁓ being in the Discord as often as I am. I it's just don't I don't think he can bottle it 'cause he's already got us past where we were supposed to be. ⁓ I don't know. That's just what what I'm th seeing at this stage. Like what what we should achieve is, you know, a poly a home playoff game. speaker-1: Yeah, I'm gonna be honest. ⁓ on top of that, like I've been saying it since the beginning, we're like two or three injuries away from being like a in a team. ⁓ I still think the boys are good and the rotation I I've said this multiple times now, so I'll just get the short version. But it's like we're a couple injuries away from like being in trouble and like that's something that we've seen over the last couple of weeks. ⁓ I know I'm trying to be like a I've said this like five times now at this one podcast. We're like, ⁓ I said this, so I'm right. But try not to be too too annoying in that regard. But I I think that also it's just we're doing good, we're we're playing well. Even in our first loss for Seattle, I was like, Alright, that was just a bad like unlucky one. I I can I can walk away with that. Yeah. We gotta be realistic about like who we are. Also, if we're wanting to be a bigger club, bigger clubs play multiple times a week nowadays. ⁓ and if your complaints about the depth and the roster, that's more of a indication on MLS's really bad salary cap rules than us in particular. I can't name a single team in MLS mostly 'cause I don't know ⁓ but that you're like, Whoof, that roster depth. Like I don't go into any squat like every time I feel like we play a team, other podcasts or other people are saying like, ⁓ he and he's injured, so we're kinda bad right now. I also am gonna I I got a tectonic take right here, kinda a hot take that I'm I I'm there's gonna be a pinch of salt on it, so I'm I'm kinda half walking it back already, but I'm kinda tired of people being like, ⁓ we're missing out on Timo Werner Werner Like it I I think he's provided some good assists, like and he's gotten some goals, and I think the the gravity he brings when he's on the ball, and I I do think he is at a higher level that you can see, ⁓ has been phenomenal. ⁓ With that being said, I don't feel like the style of change the style changed too much prior or after he left versus like Nico. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: Where it's like, ⁓ we don't really have that ball carrier, even though Nick Fernandez is starting to get a little more comfortable there. If Judd were to leave, that while Buda and others have been scoring goals and the whole team's been scoring goals as a whole, like that actual number nine is kind of missing. Viera LaRue, that'd be awful. We God forbid I even say if Danielle were to go, 'cause we don't have nom flashbacks like of of previous years. so I I I don't know. I don't I like I'm not like I'm I want Werner to come back but let's take our time with it. Mm-hmm. ⁓ Yeah, I dunno I I think those are most more important. speaker-0: Yeah, I I I agree. I think that's what I was gonna say. the the drop off between ⁓ Werner being here and not being here isn't as significant as ⁓ the one the you know the gap that happens when ⁓ Nico is no longer on the field. Like the the skill gap is is is is very noticeable. ⁓ we're we're able to keep a a similar rate of production with the wingers that we have. I do think that Ricketts, while he's very fast, while he does have a really surprisingly good left footed cross, like, you know, obviously left footed, but he's accurate with those crosses, in my opinion. ⁓ I don't know what what you think, but he he's a little bit more limited than Werner, where he can't like carry it inside, cut inside, and then, you know, take a a a shot. ⁓ he he can shoot, but like that's not what he's good at. ⁓ Skein producing as well, Buddha I I I was a little bit worried about him. I think that he'll be okay, but like I haven't heard anything on his injury. him also is is producing. So on the wings that's not really the issue. ⁓ you look like you want to say something, says? speaker-1: ⁓ I was I was just gonna say I think Ricketts ⁓ offers us a quite a good like one two play and his like his his picking out is good. I think where Werner succeeds better than anyone on the team is ⁓ the exact pocket pass, like the exact like switch play pass, I think a b better than anyone I will give him that and again caring and the gravity in which he shifts over the defense ⁓ is quite well, but he doesn't play as much defense. ⁓ again he's injuries trying to get fully back to fitness. ⁓ not playing him would be silly. Yeah I'm not trying to say that, I'm not saying he hasn't been good. I'm just saying like it ⁓ like if Daniel Mooney were to like be out for like two months, I would be like, ⁓ my god, ⁓ my god. Yeah. Like the versus Werner I'm like, ⁓ that sucks. Right. All right, Jack, here you go. Yeah. Like speaker-0: Yeah, Werner has been up to par. He's been good. ⁓ you know, he has a really good amount of ⁓ golden assists for the time he's played. And that's great. But ⁓ I don't we don't feel that loss as much because the the wingers behind him have been decent. They've been, you know, putting in the work. But ⁓ you know, you were saying about Judd. That's someone we can't afford to lose and he, you know, leading up to this ⁓ break, ⁓ has looked really injured. Like He got these two goals in this game, that's great. But, you know, he looked banged up in in like I I can't even remember when he looked completely fit. It's been like four or five matches where he's he's kind of had a limp ⁓ towards the end of it after after a really hard fought battle. And he's producing and that's great. ⁓ and I understand why he's the guy that you're you're kind of pushing to keep playing even though he's a little bit hurt, because we I don't see where the attack goes. if there's no Judd. Like there's no one who is gonna, you know, consistently find the back of the net, ⁓ without Preston, ⁓ who's you know, been able to do that. This is best season so far is ⁓ eleven goals, two assists, ⁓ all star shouts. You know, that's not something that I would have thought when we first signed him. I thought he was like ⁓ another great backup guy. speaker-1: I got a LA Galaxy friend who ⁓ when they were first like coming over, like a bunch of LA Galaxy people were telling me like ⁓ you got a bad one here. Like he's a little quick, little this like can't finish every time he scores a goal. Hey, thanks for Preston, by the way. Love him, Preston, by the way. Like and it's not just that, it's like his pressing and it Again, when it comes to substitution, when he's a sub appearance, like the intensity and like bully bowl he brings in is lovely and then Okay, I I need everyone hold their horses when I say this. completely different players, completely different levels, completely different styles. It reminds me of Holland in the sense of like w in the senses of yeah, he's not gonna drop in, he's not gonna do this, this, this is for you. But when it gets in inside that box, like it's inevitable that it just seems that he's gonna score, he's on a hot streak, so it's hard to ⁓ complain about getting completely different players, not comparing the two in that sense, but just to make a comparison that people might understand and what value he's bringing. speaker-0: No, I mean I think it's a fair like if you scale the the the type of player, like they're they're in the same ⁓ kind of profile where they're just a frickin' bastard that is runs really fast and are huge and they're very hard to defend against. ⁓ Judd, you know, we we have good build up play, but to be honest, a lot of the time when we're progressing, it's because Judd has turned into a tractor and is pushing the center backs all the way back to their own box. And that's how we move forward. ⁓ just 'cause he he's he's really fast for a big guy. He's very strong. ⁓ has I I think has had trouble finishing ⁓ in prior seasons. Like last year he he was good. The year before that it was like, Come on, man, you have to you know, are you aiming when you shoot? But I think he's finally found, you know, ⁓ the balance and and the right technique for that works for him. ⁓ but Like you said, Saz, with with it does it does look thin. ⁓ 'cause I don't think Adima Boa is ready yet. ⁓ I don't think that th he's shown any indication that he is approaching, you know, any anything that can resemble ⁓ what Judd puts out. He he's a big guy and he had a good assist against ⁓ it was Seattle. You know, credit for him to to for doing that and that's you know what he can do. But Judd is like an all star you know, caliber player this season. and we we do have to protect him but it's also like we don't have anyone 'cause w when Buddha plays there, it it's not the same. It it's it's kind of like, okay, well you are a a runner who can be up here who is an attacker. It's not th the the whole, you know, philosophy of the team changes. And I don't think Buddha doesn't look comfortable there. He he scored, you know, a few goals this year, but they've all been From playing wide and he he runs inside and makes inverted runs and that's where he's getting his goals from. It's not from, you know, picking up the ball in the box and then, you know, beating a defender or anything like that. I don't know. Do you do you know what I'm trying to say? speaker-1: Yeah, I definitely get it. Yeah, it's it's like you kinda said earlier, profiles, ⁓ Buddha's more of like a pace, like he's not gonna be the hold up play and he is more creative in the sense that he will drive straight at goal. which is why we kinda put him at the wing. ⁓ versus Judd, which is a little more bowly, poacher, to have in big presence. ⁓ not that he does like too much hold up play really, 'cause he will kind of start to hold it and then just use his pace to run. And y I mean you can say whatever you want about that, whether that's kinda less down some games or I don't want to say less down, but we could build off of that. ⁓ it it it's similar in the sense of we're we're looking to still run and gun, but it it's a different option we're looking for at the very top and just play it a little different. So I do agree with what you're saying. speaker-0: Yeah. ⁓ what are you looking just to close out the show, what are you looking forward to us gaining from this break? Whether it's like, you know, more fitness or a specific player getting back to his best hopefully, ⁓ what are you looking for us to to you know, to get back? speaker-1: ⁓ speaker-0: And it can't be Nico because he's not he's not gonna be ready. speaker-1: Yeah, gonna give I'm gonna give a couple cop out answer. I'm gonna give a couple to cop out the answer. ⁓ just like a rent ⁓ a reset. Just I think let the boys kinda enjoy life for a little bit. ⁓ I know they have to train in a couple weeks here already and they'll be still training. But just give ⁓ a little reset. ⁓ let some of the new guys integrate, bring in some new guys. it it will be Kinda interesting you're gonna have to kinda build it up like a preseason again. ⁓ with this big break. ⁓ I I'm I'm excited I think I think again, I think that was a huge win just for the sake of now we're going into it being like, ⁓ I'm excited to come back and get this like win, blah blah blah, versus like, damn, we kinda lost. All right, let's kinda get back into it. just be it'll be fun. I think it's again just a good little rest and then back into the swing of things. It's gonna be aggressive quickly. speaker-0: No, a hundred percent. ⁓ for me, the thing that I felt was, you know, kinda disappointing was that, you know, Benji was just ⁓ substitute at halftime. ⁓ and he is so good when he is a hundred percent fit. So to see him a hundred percent Preston Judd, ⁓ like I said, has been carrying kind of a knock. ⁓ I would love to see him just be fully a hundred percent ready to go. ⁓ you know, we might not achieve that in in the month off, but That's what I'm hoping for. ⁓ but yeah, Benji and Judd are the two that I think that need ⁓ a break. They need ⁓ to come back and and and, you know, be refreshed, like you said. ⁓ everyone else I feel like has looked okay fitness wise. ⁓ I think it would be great to have Timo Werner. ⁓ and I think a lot of people who don't follow the Quakes would be surprised that he's not the number one thing that I'm saying. ⁓ And yeah, I I think ideally he starts. ⁓ and I think he'll be great when he is back. But ⁓ I think that Judd is more important right now and o obviously ⁓ like I said, ⁓ Kakanovich also, super huge for for our defense when they can't get past our right back and then we just, you know, turn around and go right back down their throat. You know, not a lot of teams can do that 'cause they don't have ⁓ players like like ⁓ Muni and Medji. So ⁓ that's what I'm looking forward to. ⁓ any closing thoughts, ⁓ speaker-1: Yeah, ⁓ Jzinski's been great. ⁓ so I don't I don't mind having him there. ⁓ Benji, I'll I'll give again my little ⁓ not actual degree, ⁓ little certificate ideas on it. But Benji's is gonna be tough just 'cause it's like a flare up type of situation. So like it might be good for a little bit, it might be bad for a little bit. ⁓ they can rehab it. I don't I don't expect too much from that. ⁓ I'm sure there's other people carrying little knocks. We're gonna see. I think Jamar's gonna probably actually have the best time during this break because all of his have been like little knocks. I'm just looking at the roster here. ⁓ Victor Costa's just in penitentiary of ⁓ three more weeks. ⁓ three more weeks. ⁓ three more weeks. ⁓ speaker-0: And God forbid somebody asked Coach Bruce like if he may be back sometime this season. Yeah. ⁓ that was so I asked I asked Coach Bruce, ⁓ is is Costa coming back? He said, He's been gone. Like, yeah, I know. I know that, Bruce. I'm asking when he comes back. He's like, No. speaker-1: Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah, so Ben G's ⁓ just like a flare up is like the like if I had to put someone in social. He's fine. that there that's just gonna be a season long kind of going back and forth. Judd, ⁓ I'm assuming his just tired legs, so I'm assuming if he just really focuses on rehab after this and his body's responding well to it, cool. ⁓ it might not. So trying to think ⁓ Nico, I kinda talked about his there's other people who've got little like knocks here and there. ⁓ I can't really think of any other injuries or people. ⁓ obviously ⁓ Earl Edwards, ⁓ not that we're gonna see too much him, but he'll be I'm assuming that'll be like okay but still a while. speaker-0: Yeah, ⁓ thankfully we do have Daniel ⁓ for backup ⁓ on Earl Edwards, so not too impactful. ⁓ it it was really hard to see ⁓ Edwards go off 'cause you could see how much that impacted him emotionally. ⁓ he you know, backup keepers don't really get too many chances and then he gets injured on one of the best games he's had in a Quakes jersey. ⁓ you know, really difficult to see. I think he had like thirty MLS appearances. overall in his whole career, something like that. ⁓ so yeah, that that really sucks. ⁓ and it's I don't like that we have to talk about injuries so much. But because we can't have that many players on the roster, because of the MLS salary cap, this is what it's gotta be. ⁓ you know, we're we're talking about a sprint season ⁓ next year. I don't know if you've heard anything about that. speaker-1: I have, yeah. I'm excited for it. speaker-0: I think it the idea is cool, but you gotta ⁓ up the salary cap and let them bring in a bunch of guys to to, you know, help pad the teams and and the depth charts just so that we don't have players, you know, losing their careers 'cause they their bodies can't do it. I don't know how they're planning to do it. I don't ⁓ speaker-1: ⁓ from a like a fan point of view, I'm excited just because there's gonna be a bunch of games and I I'd well mostly be local, so I can probably travel to a couple of low way games. From like an actual logistics standpoint, it's really stupid. What they should just do is they should have just had a bigger break or like expanded the games and then just had a slightly larger off season, or just again, slightly more time in between all the games and then just go into the new version of the new season. But no, ⁓ they wanted to jam pack a little more at speaker-0: They should have ⁓ hit you up, Saz, to to figure out their logistics. ⁓ yeah. That they're allergic to that, I forgot. ⁓ yeah, ⁓ we like I said, we will be moving to a ⁓ every other week upload schedule. It'll be very helpful to actually have a break. ⁓ you know, 'cause I I'm still working. I don't know about you, Saz, but ⁓ even though we're not gonna be going to Quick Games, we'll still be speaker-1: No, no, because I because I try and use logic and reason to find ⁓ more ways to make money. speaker-0: You know, we start to make money so it's not like a break for us as much as it is for the ⁓ speaker-1: Yeah. I swear to god every time a paycheck comes in I'm looking for them to say that I owe them money. speaker-0: ⁓ well that's very unfortunate and I hope that ⁓ your situation improves. ⁓ but ⁓ we'll be back ⁓ in two weeks guys. Thank you so much for joining. ⁓ go ahead and check out ⁓ what's shaken ⁓ which is ⁓ No Nisha is dead. Please do it. speaker-1: No need to just subscribe. Just I have I don't post on there anymore. speaker-0: yeah, also subscribe here. ⁓ sad actually we've hit six hundred ⁓ subscribers, which is a Think I think we we do have ⁓ about six and one, but we have finally gotten over that ⁓ benchmark. ⁓ so yeah, thank for everyone who has joined recently. ⁓ I think ⁓ we started this ⁓ season with about five hundred and now we're at six hundred. Huge stuff. ⁓ obviously we've been working very hard. So that's why I'm like so thankful for this break, not just for the players to recover, but also for Abram to recover, ⁓ to not have to get yelled at by Bruce every weekend. and and you know, Wednesday. ⁓ it it's been a rough season for me already. ⁓ but like I said, we'll be back in two weeks. ⁓ but until then, go quicks. speaker-1: Whoops.