The Tri-Phasic Horizon: Deciphering MLS Contention Timelines and Roster Paradigms

Hello everybody and welcome to the Total Soccer Show. My name is Taylor Rockwell and I'm excited to be with you today for what could be incredibly long episode we'll see how it goes because we're talking MLS teams are they a competitor for this season for the sprint season for next season all of the above none of the above we'll soon find out to break it all down and do the majority of the heavy lifting I've got to find friends my usual fine friends on a Tuesday Joe Lowry how are you my friend till I'm great you know it's it's a special episode when we have to be threatened Jeff and I with you bringing out the timer and I think this is very much in that category I'm stoked man I think this is the perfect time to do something like this when we're evaluating credit to Jeff for the idea evaluating when these teams could realistically have their trophy window open right is it now is it later is it much later because we just got out of the transfer window and so like it or not basically the team that you see before you maybe outside of a couple of cases when it comes to free agent is basically the team you're going to get for the rest of the season then we'll be a window before the sprint etc etc but still this is the time when we have the most information about the most number of teams all at once and they get make sense to go big picture and Jeff Reuter a man who moved house this weekend and it's claimed that he watched some soccer and is ready to talk about all of the soccer how are you doing Jeff good same rules thankfully it's always been to check it on a game and realize they're still doing mostly the same rules so yeah they were begging to change it Jeff all you were gone but Taylor nine particular we stood up right Taylor and we said no not while Jeff is moving you can do it later when Jeff's around to protest with us but you can't do it right now this is it that's the rule you're welcome and it wasn't a threat to start a timer just to be clear it was more so diverse myself because I will end up asking like nine follow ups and will be in like segment three and still on Chicago if I don't rain myself in so we're going to try to move through a little bit faster I will set a timer in case we need to utilize it but as I said we're going to go through we're going to talk about each team to varying lengths and discuss if they are as I said a competitor for right now for the cup for the shield this season for the sprint season or for the first year of the new schedule Joe Lowry get us started with Atlanta United if you would I think this team is still a little bit away I don't think they're realistically a contender for anything this season the sprint season might even be a little bit too soon for them I have gone with the first season of the new schedule so basically in one year from now when that new calendar starts basically 10 months or so from now I think Atlanta United could be in position to challenge I think this is pretty good news for length to be honest they drew into Miami 2-2 over the weekend we saw two important debuts from them we saw Brio and Bolo debut up top as the nine draws a yellow card in the first half draws a penalty that he scores in the second half to equalize laid on in Miami and we also saw the debut of you 22 initiative midfield and Mauricio Amaro came in from Uruguay earlier in the window he looked very good as their single pivot deepest lying number six his comfort on the ball caught me off guard a little bit he looked very poised in tight spots and then super ranger which is already what I expected his ability to cover ground and win the ball looked there then if those two guys are what they look like they might be over the weekend and they're able to do a little bit of chopping and changing across the midfield I think in particular the other DP spots over the next two transfer windows I think this Atlanta United team could could finally once again be something serious Jeff agree disagree you've got a whopping 30 seconds or so yeah no I've got them done for the sprint season um and and I think that it's because I think there's going to be some urgency to want to go into the new format assuming more eyes go on the league with Atlanta being restored and they've kind of run out of time to be able to do that this season or in much of a like see this was the long-term plan sort of way but I think that in Bolo does look like a player who can maximize guys around him like I'll maybe mirror and choke as well on his day um midfield starting to come along a little bit with Gill as well uh so I think I wouldn't be surprised if they have a lot of urgency compared to alternatives and I'm a less to actually do very well during that sprint season and we're off to our first sidetrack tangent how seriously do you think you like each team is going to take the sprint season like what is your expectation for what team to actually treat that as a regular competition or sort of like fun preseason it's very funny I actually that's like 90 percent of the lens I thought about these answers so I I will kind of go about this like you know just the teams I do expect to because of this and the other thing but I do think that there will be this sort of like lagila this is going to be more better remembered than MLS is back the tournament was how dare you probably just because it's a longer tenure there's an MLS cup there's all of these other things that feel a little more normal where I think that teams will take it more seriously than that but maybe not necessarily view it as like we lost MLS cup 26 and heart breaking fashion but at least we won the sprint season or something like that yeah I tend to think that the teams that are bad and kind of embarrassing now will take it more seriously than everybody else the teams that are good will just take everything seriously because that's what good teams do but I think that the opportunity for an easy PR win where you don't have to be good for as long will be uh alluring to some other clubs all right there we have it Jeff I come to you for Austin FC and made some moves to give them some flexibility going forward not in a position to challenge right now so we looking at the sprint season or next full season probably next full season because I think that a lot of these moves are very much what a new CSO should be doing as they like are establishing what they want to do moving forward and so when you hire a CSO late in the window it's a bit quick to say that by the end of the subsequent winter window you will be in the clear I think that the $7 million package roughly you know if everything hits that they'll get for o and wolf I think is a really good starting point if he doesn't fit the game model if you're not quite a hundred percent certain as we talked about last week uh what kind of midfielder he's going to be and how confidently you can build around a player of his profile to say nothing of the familiar ties uh no longer being there so you know they they still have to figure out how to maximize for control as they have to figure out you know a lot throughout their squad frankly about you know like how this is all supposed to come together so I I feel better about Austin coming out of this window than going into it but I still think that they've got a way to go even if they look less willing to qualify this year as a result of the window for sure I think at earliest it's the first season of the new schedule and at earliest doing some heavy lifting I mean this this roster's horrible like it's just dreadful and it's it's gotten worse in this window on purpose because they need flexibility Taylor as you said I think it's apps with the right call interesting that like those moves again were being made before Khaled Alamand was was even around right so like they I don't know there's just there's a lot I think it's fascinating about Austin right now they got to move on from a zoonie they got to get a new dp because their dp's just aren't very good I mean they have they have mismanaged those top roster spots horribly and there just isn't talent in in the rest of the squad beyond maybe Irvin Torres and a couple of other pieces here and there they are in really rough shapes so I'm going to say 20 27 20 at the absolute sinest slightly sooner for Charlotte Joe 11 points in last five games Alan Sunraxman looks like a great fit for Dean Smith yeah I think so I mean I think Charlotte are going to be exactly where Charlotte are now for as far in the future as I can see so I don't know what answer that is it's like they're kind of competing now but but kind of not really and they're going to kind of compete for the sprint and for the new schedule that I think they're seeming set to be fourth in the east for the foreseeable future I really do and that's what Zoran Kronetta when I sat down with him earlier this year talked about it's like we want to be the Seattle Sanders of the Eastern Conference we're not probably going to be first every season but we're going to be hopefully somewhere between there in the in seventh like in that in that region we want to be consistent and I think Charlotte have built a pretty consistent spot I do think Sam Axeman looks really good he's he's just a bundle of fun if nothing else like he has been delightful I think if they've been able to move on from Abada and really upgrade and go out and get like a slam dunk other DP which is difficult to do right there on a lot of those guys that would have elevated them into real contender status but I wouldn't be shocked like if this Charlotte team makes an MLS Cup run this season I surprised yeah a little bit shocked in the next few windows I I don't think so so I think they could contend lightly from now to the foreseeable future for me I don't know Jeff am I in my way off there nope that's that's about it and I would say well maybe talk about this more with Seattle but being the founders of a conference you know that the ceiling on that shortens by the year as MLS continues to grow right so not necessarily one that's going to result in winning trophies two point show unless the stars align and it's you know either it's leaks cup style competitions open cup whatever the case may be but if we're talking about the idea of like a shield challenge or an MLS Cup like I'm with each other just other teams that are utilizing the roster slots better there are other teams that are pulling in better calibers of player are building their squad younger so that they can be more athletic latent games but Charlotte right now is a team that likes to control a game that likes to keep affordified shape it's effective at it and so you know Sam Axeman I think is a better fit to be able to maximize some of those sequences when the ball does change hands and be able to be more of that direct downhill threat than alternatives they've had in the role in the past one other thing though is a you know total money really fell off this year and I think that you know that hurt because I think that they had assumed his development would continue to progress and make a starting forward that they could really build around so food for thought welcome thanks speaking of food for thought I'm going to call Charlotte the chocolate chip ice cream of Major League soccer like you're getting ice cream it's good but is it exciting are you thrilled to get chocolate chip probably not phenomenal man I've a I've a texture problem sometimes ice cream like butter but calm like an exception for because it's just delightful I mean butter ice cream is maybe the best invention in the history of mankind but Charlotte chip it's like are those really worth it like why am I picking those things out of my teeth as I eat it I 100 percent agree it's good but is it great no not really so it was wolf it's a hot for you good to know yeah over to you for Chicago fire can you sign Robert Levodowski and not be competing right now is my question uh well so two truths one that's the aim is to win now right you don't sign a player of his profile which is to say both how good he is but also how old he is unless you're assuming to do really good things with that as soon as possible especially again this is the window where they sold Hugo Kipers and so they accelerated the project on the Greg Berholtz are tremendously with that move like very much shortened what the ideal window was and the idea is that within the next 18 months this thing probably has to manifest and come together and after that you're you're really gambling on the longevity is Levodowski so I think it is a win now sort of move I don't think that they're necessarily still built to do that so I think that they're a team that could be really really dangerous in a sprint season four man especially as you've had you know half a year for Levodowski to embed within the team um but I still really like the direction of this thing and um the question is pretty much just going to come down to will they eventually have a midfield that can boss games like the best teams and MLS as midfielders can and if they do then Levodowski will reward them every single sequence I've really thought the fire we're going to make a splash in their midfield to end the transfer window it was sort of like an anti-climactic deadline day and at least in some ways where yes there were some big cashers in the Navarro to St. Louis move I think is a bundle of fun and well man two bundles of fun I got to break that streak uh I think there were some fun things that happened but really both L.A.F.C. and Chicago and those are the teams that I think we all felt like could do something special in the window didn't really the Chicago though did some classic great brother air Chicago fire stuff of adding some really good pieces like some really solid pieces no Alan being one of them some some a trio of pieces from Europe as well and they're still waiting on Alan Franco to come back into this team and he is really really good and his first name is also Andre not Alan that's a different player still you know even as I'm having an absolute nightmare of a segment here I do think the fire are contenders now I think they are probably just outside the Miami natural Vancouver trio that seem to be the favorites right now for everything but it's it's them and then maybe a couple of other teams in that next year and I think the fire are absolutely good enough as they get players back to end of the season to to go and win MLS Cup no doubt about it well speaking of nightmares Joe should we talk FC Cincinnati's defensive record uh not particularly great and they already spend a lot of money on defenders where are they this season or be out yeah that me ask a uh according to reports out of Cincinnati and elsewhere exiting the club that's it that's a juicy one I'm I'm really interested to see where he lands maybe I don't know I think there's lots of fun landing spots for him and majorly soccer I've got Cincinnati down for this spring season their defense needs help I don't really think they have a clear idea right now of what their best personnel grouping is and well the top and talent is there I think for them to get hot at the right time and go and make a run to the cup I don't think it's super likely the consistency just hasn't been there and they need to get a lot of things right personnel wise and tactically the only defensive end between now and the end of the season to actually put themselves in position to make that run so I think we're going to see Cincinnati potentially make quite a big number of moves this offseason where they seriously reevaluate some of the defensive players that they have who they want to keep who can they offload are we nearing a point of transition in the midfield as well what is the outside back personnel look like I just I don't really understand exactly if Cincinnati have gone about their business or the very least it seems like what was once a logical plan now has reached the end like where they've just fallen off a cliff on the defensive end and I what they have is not enough unless they've hit majorly in the summer window but even still that's that's a sprint season at the earliest sort of thing so for me I think that's when the the trophy window really opens for this team yeah Joe I mean it's been a fascinating like process to watch Avengers first 18 months there because it's easy to forget how like short-term that still has been his his time there but the reality is I think at first they brought him in to try to be the final piece for a specific type of team and you were saying this really well Joe this segment is going much better than the last one it should be said thanks and I think that yeah of course I got you man and this season it's become clear that maybe they should be building a different kind of team to maximize what they can do with a vander because this is a rare MVP caliber team or a player at the heart of your team rather than a player who can kind of take a really fortified structural side and turn it into something occasionally really dynamic so I think I would want to turn that over I'd want to see if there's a striker who's a better complement than Kevin Denke has been who's still doing pretty well I think he's got 11 goals this year but at the same point is there someone who could be even more effective or someone who could be setting a vander up to be even more dangerous already and double digit goals misses so we'll see I mean they have a lot of opportunity to do that with some defenders coming and going a lot of veterans who maybe are getting phased out in contract they've been committed to I haven't checked their cap status sheet to see if they have the flexibility this winter versus you know next summer but spring season seems just about right all right what about for the Colorado rapids Jeff rapids lost the two best players in rough on the varo Lucas Harrington they did pocket around 35 million for those sales so not a bad bit of business smacked by Columbus this weekend still in the playoff spots where are they on your rankings yeah I mean that'll be a in the future but like again that's just kind of how the rapids operate like it is very much a like let's see if we can get all of these very short term you know developmental successes to align at the right times that we can be really good in the west for a year and then they all gets old move apart the rough of the varo sale I think does establish them really well moving forward though with a major league soccer were players who succeeded the rapids will be coveted by MLS rivals which I think opens a market that could be very lucrative for them in a different way than maybe the international you have to sign another Lucas Harrington for example and or another cold bass at you know when they first try to move him over to Europe the idea that now actually there could be teams who look and say this guy is really popping off of the rapids in the west and we want to bring him into my guardian better in the western conference like St. Louis is doing so all of this to say like yeah they they still don't look like they're really coming up against it right now the season under Matt Wells I don't think it's going to come together for the sprint season either but you know I think that the cash for market opens up a new way for the Colorado rapids to be very relevant and in down the road very good image of the soccer that they didn't have available to them in the past I think sprint season is at least a possibility for the rapids I don't think it's super likely but there there is a big TBD on Colorado right now because of how many moves they made late in the window right they're they're going to come out once they get all their new signings integrated that's Morgan Whittaker the new DP Winger coming from Middlesboro they signed another Winger at Tam Deal from the Ardivisi they brought on the U22 initiative striker who they expect to compete for minutes with with the appy up top they did a lot of stuff and we haven't seen any of those new pieces yet in a real way and so they could be phenomenal like there could be superstars in this league the safe bet of course is that they won't be because there are only so many superstars but I do think that if things hit for the rapids we could be looking at them in sort of a team that does see the sprint season as something that they can really go after and win I don't know again probably the safe bet is against that but I think their window was seriously open for the sprint season and the clock probably will be ticking on how long that wells is actually around if they have some success there speaking of a clock ticking that was the closest to 90 seconds we've gotten not a team so nicely done by you all that's if we can keep it going with Columbus Joe I think sprint season for Columbus is at least a possibility if if they get with some of our league back healthy and then they've got their new front three where you have sent you our regas who scored a weird header goal to open this going against their rapids and in the Columbus crews three now went over them on Saturday you're sent you on the left half space you have a bully up top and you have Bryce Mendez as the right half space attacker I mean those three players are very good MLS players like we know that now about each one of them some of them could be great sent you probably is not quite in that category but he's still going to be a very good MLS player very reasonable DP signing and then you have some emergent players in midfield maybe you still need one more body there you added air by its center back I think you're probably still going to need one more body there and then the crew also made some moves in the wide areas towards the end of the window as well so I think again sort of similar to the rapids if everything hits and there's a little bit more data that we have on Columbus and we do on Colorado because we've seen their DPs in this league before if those things hit and come together I think they could reasonably be a team that you have to take seriously in the sprint that's still a big if because we don't know if I bully is going to be healthy and we don't know if they're going to make the right moves in the spine but I think that the possibility is there for them to be a dangerous team in the sprint season. A good attacking-minded wingback can go a long way and it's really soccer I think that you you have a group of like leftbacks in particular that have had a lot of success with that Max Arfson's maybe the best example of this in recent years of a player who is truly like relish in a specific sort of wingback approach that didn't exist maybe five-ten years ago and so selling him off to Middlesbrough replacing him with Brooks Latton and another player who has you know kind of lived as being that very attacking-minded wingback in his career I still think that's down great and I think that that does change how dynamic they can be so Joe to your point like sprint season possibly we'll see how quickly and how well that front three gels but I would imagine it's actually more of the new format because I think that there's some more of those like you said like build off of some late moves that they made in wide areas but really find ways to use with and you know continue to evolve as a team and that that will all be well and good and useful but at the end of the day that front three is going to have such an outsized impact just with how they built this squad and whether or not they'll be able to contend and they need time to get that thing activated for sure all right DC United should we skip them fourth option expect nothing what do we think Jeff yeah yeah I mean expect nothing I don't know they'll we'll see in the new format uh yeah I got not we'll see in the new format there it is so maybe possibly you'll do something my note on DC is new schedule parentheses never question mark I mean I I I pity you DC United fans for the state of your club that's just the reality I'm actually realizing I did put every single team in three categories on the no pad and I forgot to type out DC United they've the only team I left off so there we go category four it's well-earned they come by it honestly let's see if we have better thoughts Joe for FC Dallas they held on to Petter Musa fourth in the west not exactly an energetic close to the window however so where do you put them yeah sprint maybe I guess Petter Musa cracks the window open uh but they just decided not to go for it this year like I don't know maybe maybe it seems like Musa's going to be around as a pillar of the club which is would be incredibly exciting because if there was a window for him to move surely it would have been this one right coming off of a a World Cup start for Croatia against England he's tied with Leon Messi for the Golden Boot lead right now with 18 I mean he's he's a superstar and this like he's absolutely phenomenal top he's probably the best number nine that MLS has to offer if he was going to go I think it maybe would have happened by now I could come back to eat my words there but I think his presence will continue to crack that window open and it's it's just a solid but unspectacular squad around him so I don't really have a lot of trust that Dallas are going to go out and get the right pieces whether that's from an ownership level or a sporting department level to finance or find the right options to put around Musa but if they're going to do a day loose have a window in the winter to try and do it and if not then they'll have another crack out in the summer it seems like the moves are still around so I think it's cracked open now but I think maybe more seriously it could be open a little wider in the sprint I just don't have a lot of belief to be honest yeah they were one of those teams where I thought that specifically using summer windows to try to really fortify for the back half of this year because they're top four in the West right now like yeah like there is a viable path forward to them to get to the conference finals again for the first seven a long time right and I just don't really think that they're taking it you know they're making a lot of you 22 moves and they've had it should be said I think a lot of people assume that they would be a club that would use you 22 really well because they've had some success with bulk in their academy and quality alike and they've just really struggled with that you 22 mechanism and then they've signed another one day in the Jove year and profile looks you know not necessarily a sure thing they hit an MLS by any stretch of the imagination so just really baffling for me there's such an opportunity to build around a rare sort of number nine that MLS teams don't usually get to build around and I just don't think that they're really taking the opportunity seriously yeah it's it's a gigantic with like a truly gigantic maybe generational level with from Dallas not to like actually go out and give him a equal quality running mate like Bawanga has son messie has all those pieces Mueller has galled in the incredible amount of talent around I mean it's just it's just a huge facelot for Dallas all right well let's stay in Texas shall we mr. Larry and talk the Houston Dynamo Defensible Sales of Jack McGlin might not help them right now but they did make improvements in the window they're second in the West and I think it's actually just turned to talk first Joe I apologize yeah already yeah I think it was a good time to move McGlin I think that there was growing evidence that he was coming along pretty well as an individual player but not necessarily fitting better in the dynamo and so you know I think that they've got an opportunity now now again they are another team that was in the top four of the West so I kind of wonder about seeding territory and and dropping down but I think that they could be very good in the sprint season the question will be is a Guilherme able to continue and sustain this sort of rare form that he has hit this year and be that dangerous option in a shorter season he seems like a player who could be like borderline MVP level in a format like this sprint season he could also be a player who's kind of a one-year wonder so you know we'll see what what Houston's able to do over time still but I think that this was a really good opportunity for them to continue to build more of a reputation of a team that can move on talented players because for all of the success that they had had with turning Albert at least into a really high caliber player and this is I know yes or error Houston dynamo at this point but they really failed to maximize what happened next for him in his career to say the absolute least and so I think if they're able to build that better rapport it'll it'll help as they develop players to continue to sell them to have a success like Jack McLean as long as he continues to do well at stake. Yeah I mean I guess it's now for Houston because of where they're sitting in the west I'll admit to still being a doubter of the dynamo I think they have had a lot of wins this year in that they finally found good high quality centerbacks that they've been looking for since Mikhail left for Brazil. Resh the the rookie Argentine who's a giant he's absolutely phenomenal and Lucas Halter as well who they got I believe from Brazil this past off season looks really good and so I think those are two centerbacks you can build around which does maybe crack open your trophy window. I just don't think the attack has enough beyond gear me I don't think Bogus is like a great MLS player I'm not necessarily sure I should buy it for you yeah I was just about to get their foster ormaguire yeah so I guess this is the time like this is the moment for Houston to go out there and and really make that push to MLS cup because I think they have some momentum right now to do it I'm just not sure that they will be back in this same spot become the sprint or come the new schedule all right well there we have it 10 teams down 20 to go we're going to take a break we'll come back we'll keep talking MLS welcome back everybody we continue to play our game of competitor now competitor in the sprint season competitor question mark at some point of the future let's go to the sporting Kansas City shall we Mr. Lowry lots of moves this window lots of new pieces lots of muddy spend but where does it leave them this season and beyond yeah new schedule for me is when the windows say when you go to Kansas City say when I'm not bold enough I'm not a fool I think there's a world in which Kansas City had gotten another DPR 2 in this window because they have two open DPS spots now that they didn't fill in this window I've been moving on from Yovalich and Milano Garcia I think there's a world in which they could have been a contender for the sprint season they could have used the rest of the season to get some chemistry and rapport with a really turned over roster with new starters in every line of the field they could have come into the sprint season as as like an outside outsiders chance to maybe end up in a home playoffs spot in the West but then they just didn't add which is still kind of baffling to me why you would do the Yovalich deal and the Garcia deal and only have one DP like you you could have kept I don't know I don't I don't understand the timeline I really don't so new schedule the earliest for Kansas City frankly I do think Louise looks like an absolute star in this league I think he has such a promising profile but the talent's just not around him and by the time it shows up they're going to be working through kings in the sprint season if it shows up and if it's great I should say and then you're in the new schedule by then so I think of the absolute earliest it's the new calendar Jeff you good with that yeah good with that what about for our next team the LA Galaxy who are a bit of a strange one of my mind they seem to be trying to compete now but doing so without their star player for this season so where are they Jeff yeah who where are they that's a great question and I think because I had actually I had LAFC up in my notes next time I'm also struggling to my god no look I think that selling Gabrielle Peck does really change my view of that because I thought that he was being I thought the reason they hadn't sold Gabrielle Peck yet is because of the assumption that his dynamic with Vicky Pooch was so good that whatever Vicky Pooch came back Gabrielle Peck had to be there and so the idea that they were able to move him and you know get a very different profile of player someone who's maybe a little bit more ball dependent in all phases but you can Luzano but add a much better price I think that he's a still a very natural fit for it but I think that maybe that I that might have accelerated the chances of winning without Ricky Pooch the question now is that we don't really know how well to give Luzano will meld with Ricky Pooch so more of a question about the long term so I actually can say probably better in the spring season yeah I think when Ricky's back if he's back they're a contender it's that simple for me for the galaxy Pooch theoretically will be back for the spring season so if he is even 80% of what he's been before the the galaxy will have a chance at every trophy on offer I will say just add Sergio Roberto looks good good I mean I don't know that I was really in question it's more of a question is he going to be able to be on the field because he's also been incredibly injury prone but he started as the deepest midfielder and the galaxy two and one went over the revs on Saturday do was the best play on the field like pulling out spin moves at the base of his own defensive third he's he's dropping like incredible deeks to go and build to the second goal for the guy I mean he was just everywhere for them in possession and he's not even really trained with the team that much so if they can get Pooch and Roberto in the same midfield I will be watching every single one of their games unlike 0.5 speed to enjoy it all well Jeff since you had LAFC next up in your notes I'll let you go first when discussing team with no plan B in a bad run of form despite their draw this weekend hard to say they aren't contenders but maybe also hard to say that they are yeah winless and five in the league now and it's starting to show that a lot of our concerns early in the season on the show about their lack of rotation on all competitions has shown how a lot of guys are born into the ground and they aren't all playing as consistently as usual and and that makes it very difficult I was very surprised that they didn't find a good way to either bring back Stephanie Zachio or Stephen Zachio or replace him outright he's playing QPR so it's not like one of those things where he went back to Porto and he stayed at you know a higher level and he's going to be playing in the Europa League or something like that right like I don't really understand not retaining that sort of player I think that he was made a lot of their sequences a lot more stable and I think that the Marcos Santos team needs that stability um we'll see how much longer they they cook I mean like I've still got them this print season because of the top end talent that they have but I do think that they are worse for the close of the season for the window that they have had yeah feels like a miss from LFC not not to do a little bit more I mean it sounds like they did right by David Martinez to move him on to Midgolan because of some immigration issues his family was having which you can understand why that would be for a guy from Venezuela uh so I think that there's some sympathy I have for them there but they just and they did a lot of classic LFC things like the fire did a lot of classic fire things of good moves but maybe not like incredibly flashy and maybe I'll all eat my words on this and they'll be great I still think their windows open now to win a trophy I mean they have son in Boanga who are match winners and their squads really solid they just need to get out at the right time in the postseason but the fact that they're not doing more to be elite and versus how every single week in the regular season to really put themselves in contention for the shield that is an area that I still feel like is lacking from this team uh but but they're they're rather contenders now for me for sure uh assuming the same would extend to inter Miami this feels like a quick hits one uh defensive struggles on going cast a mirror deputizing consider back you can discuss whether or not they are like truly candidates to win the whole thing but anything that is a little messy and everyone else that inter Miami has for sure you got to put them in the win now category no doubt they had a great window as well galanza coming in casting mirror coming in uh adding frigorca saydo and and uh the the young Brazilian attacker from palm air I believe phenomenal transfer window elite team ceilings higher than anybody else in MLS we know right then we'll keep it going Jeff to your favorite and most beloved club Minnesota united take it away uh the future yeah I mean they will have to change their sporting direction again uh another change of CSO those things just take time uh late window not really much business in the short term that I would look at from the summer and say like that's going to really help them down the stretch there's no triatus from last summer or I think it was two summers ago was Pereira and Jabola there was nothing really like that which makes sense when your CSO is busy interviewing for other jobs uh rather than building your current roster up so um yeah one for the future agreed I don't have everything dad all right uh Joe do you have anything for CF Montreal are they in DC united territory we know they aren't going to be better quickly but we also don't know how anything will be different long term yeah I think uh I think DC united is in Montreal territory because Montreal I mean DC united amongst you can switch all went professional in that territory correct yeah DC are still trying I mean Montreal is is the most hopeless club in the league and they're not good now and I don't see a path to them being good with their current ownership sorry I am trying to figure out if the fact that they're able to get Daniel Pereira for 2.1 million of gam says more about how much gam they had around or if it says something that maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention to Daniel Pereira's uh individual trajectory because I thought he was still a pretty good like he could start him in a playoff game sort of midfielder that's so yeah I think uh that says more about Montreal and their spending habits than anything else probably thank you okay cool I see my time uh jeffs it's you see your time they are I'll ask you about Nashville SC instead 10 points player Miami and Vancouver in support of should race none of the wins of late were against strong or elite teams but they improved quite a bit in the window what's the ceiling for them yeah I watch the entirety of their score list draw against New York City FC on a Friday night and um if that's the worst performance they have left and then the season uh then they are gonna do just fine um because it looks like quite an aberration there were a couple of sequences where it just looked like the final ball wasn't quite there for them either you know New York City it said it's defense up to really close those deal lanes down or the wide crosses you know flick the different part of samsarages forehead that rather than the the flesh of your part that would send it into the goal they sent it to the bony your part that sends it beyond the far post that was like the assist of the game sponsored by whoever was this looping cross that was headed way wide of goal um very funny keep getting those checks MLS and um yeah they're they're the favorite to win MLS Cup at this point so win now yeah I don't have them as my favorite I still Miami down as my favorite and probably them Vancouver and then Nashville but I mean semantics they're in the top tier they're a great team right now and they're they're absolutely right there you guys don't want to hop on my bandwagon for Seattle that I had at the beginning of season there's plenty of room to do Seattle to be your supporter showed winners I had some time a less cup man we'll get there give it time are we giving time to the new England revolution Joe really strong window with a lot of strong or at least interesting moves they were already in decent enough league position Josh Flandersigning has been very excited to have excited you for them I think this is a scene with an outside shot to make a run to MLS Cup this year maybe more seriously though in this print season uh I think they still probably need one more attacker to really be that I paint Miller is a very good player and he's a good MLS attacker I don't know that he can be your starting left winger on a team that that seriously he can go out and win a trophy so I think eventually they're going to move on from him in the next window or two and maybe that will help them elevate just a bit I agree Taylor I think they had a brilliant window getting Matt Turner secured longer term is really important for them moving off a DP spot as well adding Josh Winder tons of fun getting Jack Harris and he looks like a really good MLS player they they checked a lot of boxes for me in this window I think because they have been quite good and they have probably the best goalkeeper in the league in Matt Turner and they have solid talent in every line ahead of him I think they have a chance to do it now this print season probably will be a slightly better chance and and maybe they'll keep building from there yeah Matt Turner crucially no no longer designated player which I think also helps them moving forward it was a really good window for Chris Tierney it was one of those words actually when I looked it's like this is maybe the most like normal really good window you know I mean like just one where it looks like they did like the business have come to expect from MLS teams in the summer and they nailed it I think that Harris and somebody can build build around for the long haul there's still flexibility I would hope and imagine to go even further in the winter but I respect when a team decides that they don't want to go like too fast too soon if they still feel like a first year coach needs more time to really build that sort of core identity and it feels like you know Mitch Fitzgerald being given the chance to do that in in this role and I think that that's that's probably going to pay off in the long run so uh speaking of a team that doesn't want to go too fast too soon and has a first year coach who maybe needs a little bit more time oh that's not Red Bull New York Mr. Rooter they will be I'm assuming they'll be competing for something at some point unless they sell all of their players again one win in seven I believe since play resumed after the World Cup next full season yeah yeah next full season because it's wow Red Bull global still is not going to you know like regardless of put it another way we've always been given New York Red Bulls Red Bull New York whatever they want to call themselves this week a lot of stick for not really competing in the same way that every other MLS team seems to try to right and very much looking like more of a talent farm in somewhere that's going to be developmental for salons for the future if not within Red Bull global then somewhere else in the world right and the idea I had always thought was that when they finally had that bumper crop that that group of talent that they have right now frankly that they would suddenly invest and really go in and say okay great now let's try to win something because they'll make these players look better frankly if they're playing with higher end players it was the whole theory behind Emil Forrestburg when they brought him in and there just was like none of that coming in this window and that's so disappointing to see because I think that this window could be pretty short when you look at the Julian Hall and the Andrew Mamedi window that they will have available to them you know Matt Tusson just maybe we'll stick around a bit longer than those two but what a mess so win a new format but I'm really worried that like this was a rare chance for them to get something and they didn't do what Philly kind of has done which is just to sort of supplement what's working and we'll talk about Philly later I guess but really disappointing from New York Red Bulls yeah I'm curious to see what direction they go after the contracts from Mill Forrestburg and Chip I'm voting expired at the end of this year I think they both have options there the club rather will have options there so maybe there is something that happens that keeps those guys around I don't know but there is an opportunity to reset a little bit and just plug players into those spots but I agree with all of Jeff's concern about the direction of this club if they keep one of those two who do you think they're most likely to keep of Mamedi and Hall no Forrestburg and Chip I'm voting yeah there you go that's the right do you Forrestburg for sure Chip I'm voting I don't think Bradley has any I mean Forrestburg's been at every game starter for them this year and Chip I'm very free three striker Steve on the bench so I think Forrestburg for sure I just think that you have an easier time with the conversation of Chip I can you come back for less money and one more year because who wants to move maybe I'm just too close to moving myself but like sure I think he would be willing to take a diminished role than Forrestburg would so fair enough I see reported well a team that will soon be moving to a new stadium would be NYC FC Joe you close out segment two and tell us where they are in their roster build I think new schedule in a really serious way we could see NYCFC competing the first game of the new schedule for the 2027-2028 season will be played at NYCFC's new soccer specific stadium in New York City so they are going to have a chance to create a genuine spectacle in Major League Soccer we've already seen them connect to the Christian Policic we know that this is a team that wants to time a serious rise with maybe the most important stadium project in America's soccer history I don't think that's being hyperbolic so if they don't take a chance for that season then it's going to be a massive missed opportunity I think they will all signs are pointing to the fact that they will and they're probably going to do it with at least one real star if they can manage to get that deal over the line so I think they will be serious contenders for the 2027-2028 MLS season they better be and they better make that sort of signing right like I I thought this window was kind of the perfect time for them to do it so maybe it is actually the winter instead maybe it's next summer but Benny Tariore is not going to be that guy who turns you know their games into primetime television events you know who is Brendan Aronson don't have to they should be going after forget questions get Brenda make it work should be fun all right so next season for both of you yeah I might shed a tear with respect to Brenda I might shed a tear all right well very good I'm lost player Brendan Aronson no problem yes he would be wow Joe gently weeps we will take one more break and finish out with our final 10 MLS teams back soon welcome back everybody we continue to rank our MLS teams and figure out who's a competitor now who's a competitor middle term who's a competitor long term and we're going to go to Orlando City it is Jeff's turn to go first but I'm going to go to Joe because I feel like Joe just needs to be able to talk about Antoine Griezmann as much as he can for as long as he wants 14 of the 28 points have come since the World Cup break that's in eight games compared to the 23 or so before it's something like that maybe 15 before it Griezmann cooking DK returns things looking up but I think he's looking up for now or for the future Jeff or Joe excuse me I'll go just very briefly I think Griezmann is open the window now to be honest I mean not for the shield of course because of our bismill to start the season and even now they're not consistent enough but you can't tell me that if Orlando end up above the playoff line which it looks like they're going to before the season ends let's say they get a three game series against into my army in the first round they've got a real shot yeah no no doubt in my mind if they got a real shot Griezmann is I I think Griezmann is the best non-little messy player in the league he's absolutely brilliant he's transformative to every piece of of how Orlando attack and now they have real attacking flexibility we still haven't seen pasaluch and I hate a really bed back into this team after injuries and some summer transfer speculation as well DK's and Justin Ellis has broken out they have so many options there and if the defense can just hold up enough which is a huge question but just enough like you don't need to be good you just need to not be tragic if that's the case for Orlando between now and the end of the year I think they they very much have a chance to go out there and make a deep run in the playoffs and at that point anything can happen that's the beautiful chaos of this league I think their window is open today Jeff is nodding Jeff agrees yeah I mean I've got the more in the the win the sprint and I think that they're actually like on a really perfect timeline to do that with this current group with that as well right like I think that they could be one of the the front runners to it it's good the terrible decays back among the goals already like that's just really good for the likelihood of him you know kind of resurrecting his career in the way that he wants to and should with all the setbacks he's had you know Christmas been incredible I completely agree with Joe I there's a lot of it that reminds me of like 2024 New York Red Bulls on vibes where it's just the idea that it's like you know one or two really good newcomers can come in and elevate the rest of the group around them you've got a couple of role players who are looking a lot better than they used to but they're more talented than that Red Bulls team roster was the question is still in defense so I've got them in the sprint but they are one of the most entertaining teams to watch an MLS in this home stretch so if you haven't watched Orlando a ton since recently I highly recommend you check back in on them just filly fall into that category as well given their form of late given the the transfer window they had yeah yeah I've got them as like another kind of apex like sprint season team because I think the clock's also ticking as as everyone has known for a couple of years and Gavin Sullivan's timeline here before it goes to Man City and he's looking fantastic John Muller wrote for us at the Guardian just like an excellent treatise on how he's doing stuff that we just don't really see teenagers do not just like teenagers on the Philadelphia Union not just teenagers and major league soccer teenagers in the Americas like just teenage soccer players in a first division league or you know he's he's in such rare form so you know I think that there were some moves that were really wise to be able to sort of fortify that like a much better window than their winter had been in terms of helping the first team immediately but also you know bringing back new Pierre on loan at the time that they did really savvy really smart and he's elevating their floor as well as their ceiling so sprint season I I think that even if they can't quite pull it together in time because of the whole they dug themselves into it started the year under Bradley car now sooner than later and and it ought to be if they want Gavin Sullivan to be involved in it yeah I agree I mean Sullivan Sullivan is 16 now and so I believe at least they should have a little bit of a window to keep him around for the sprint right that that's basically what I'm building to turn 17 at the end of this month they won't get to have him for much of the first full season in 2728 he'll be they'll be gone by then so the sprint season I completely agree Jeff is their window to do it they'll mark a Kenzie back as well but Kenzie will be a good MLS center back I'd have to imagine I mean we've seen that story before for the Philadelphia Union so I think this team could peak in the next I don't know yeah six six months or so eight months that puts them in really good spot for the start of next year Joe do you need to keep a bit of read on the potential future for Philly or for Portland at this point oh man wow I guess Philly because it feels like we kind of know what they're going to be even once Gavin Sullivan moves on we know what they're going to be as a club we kind of know the general range that they'll typically compete in the Eastern Conference Portland feel kind of like a black box for me right now where you have a new manager coming in and Marty Cifuentes you've now just changed some of your attacking personnel with Kevin Kelsey gone and Vincent and Jensen looks really good he was incredible in the timbers for five four one over Minnesota on Saturday that game was nuts and and he was a really really good piece for them I have Portland down as a new schedule team mostly because and this is where some of my lack of clarity comes in I'm still just not really buying the roster build like I don't think Velda and DeCosta are elite DPs in this league Jensen looks like he'll be a quite good MLS player that's great I think Velda and DeCosta are good MLS players I just don't think there's enough talent in here for them to be a serious threat now certainly not now and I don't think that's going to change by the spring season some of the buzz out of Portland is that they're wanting to go even heavier on you 22 players which I don't think probably as high go about trying to build a contender so yeah I'm just not really buying what the timbers are selling these days and I don't know exactly when that's going to change Jeff's silent nod tells me he agrees so now I will ask Jeff instead about RSL Xavier Gozo sold only two points from the last five games they did some business but are they better at this point I don't think so no and that's a shame because they were so electric in the first half of the season but they have been mired in up until this weekend against LAFC just like a really putrid stretch of losing four in a row they still have been you know what win list and six in all comps so they've fallen off incredibly and I think another one of the issues is Diagoluna just doesn't look like the same sort of like game breaking player that he looked like last year and you know he's been solid he looked really good I thought against LAFC in moments but at the same point like I just it looks like a team that looks further from the top end of the Western conference and it looks a little bit more like RSL teams we've seen in the past which is totally fine and respectable but that is a team that's going to finish like six through 10th 11th in the conference depending on how the final eight games go and the season started off looking like it could have been much much more than that so I'm saying new format at this point because they just need to kind of reestablish what's going to work under master any I'm still pretty warm on RSL overall but I haven't a hard time disagreeing with you Jeff like Gozo's loss is just massive for how this team plays and Luna hasn't progressed at the very least from where he was last year and I think that there was a thought that maybe that could happen Gila Vogue he's also cool off a little bit from his really strong start to the season it just seems like in general this team stuck in a quagmire right now I also wonder how long that can keep Sergio Salanz who absolutely is attracting interest from European clubs I guess props to RSL for keeping him around now and that does give them a run at the sprint I wouldn't feel super positive on him being around for the first new season either so it's it's just a difficult road for RSL even liking some of the bit parts they added like they added the Canadian center back from full of mon loan whose first name is Luke in his middle of the first minute is last yeah Luke Doug something that starts with an F and I don't know how to pronounce it and I really apologize I think he's a really good addition I still quite like Taylor Ruth as a player so I'm interested to see where he fits in I'm fascinated to see him back in a month me too I don't think he's going to have a big role right out of the gates and honestly maybe not ever after his career sort of stalled in the Netherlands but I think there's a lot to like here it just seems like everything is crumbling and I don't know that they've got the momentum to fight up against that where are we on San Diego at this point Joe shipped out four players only one of whom was actually playing and that would be Bumbito for whom they got a good amount of money their additions also seem to have made them better but they are closer to like the bottom of the table at least they have been it stretches this season they lost this week in Orlando but they have been in slightly better form of late so we see them maybe sneaking into the playoffs but are they a contender I kind of think so yeah maybe that makes me a crazy person I definitely think San Diego are a team that can play with anybody in the Western conference and I do expect they're going to finish above the playoff line I don't think if you match this San Diego team up against Vancouver that they're going to be overwhelmed I mean I still think Vancouver would prefer to win that game they have more talent they have a real cohesion and how they play and San Diego have cohesion how they play but I just don't think they have quite as much in the squad right now but I still think they're a really good team I still think they're one of the best teams in the West and that puts them in contention for me for them to be actual on the last cup threat so I am buying the post world cup form I am buying the moves that they made in the transfer windows being what they needed to do to get this team back closer to where they were last year even if they're not going to finish that up high up in the table so I am I'm absolutely on board with San Diego as a contender now and I don't really expect that to change frankly for this Brent or for the new season either yeah they I will say bringing in Ellie's jury is better than bringing in the lack of Chucky Lasano who was proceeding him kind of in that DP role so job well done they definitely got better in the short term I still worry that they don't have like that kind of high-end goalkeeper to to make the closest of games like you'll face in the playoffs more comfortable than they were last year let's say not necessarily even better but more comfortable for them some some other good pickups that I do generally like I still think that again because of where their midfield sits right now I've got the more of the sprint season because I think that you need to first go at full strength and then I think that you maybe just need a different player around him to to make the thing sing again but I will say a lot of the highest national on the Western conference fell off in a weird way the summer with some of their moves and so I think that there is space for them to come in and I think that that because of that top and talent like you alluded to Joe I think they're one of the best equipped teams to do that well speaking of top and talent and high-end goalkeepers San Jose doesn't have one of those they have not had the best time with Angus Gunn just talked about that previously Jeff where are they at present given their pretty abysmal run of form yeah one of those teams that fell off and got worse and this one was self sabotage in a unique way it's one thing to just you know the business of soccer happens and you lose a really good player because his career needs to progress that's one thing it's another be like I actually we're going to change the goalkeeper um for for seemingly very little to no gain and they have been much worse for it uh it's for Loovin I think it's still going to be a really good pick up I don't know about a long-term GP deal for him that they resigned him to either back of that but at the same point that was kind of the cost to bring him into the short-term and you pretty do that happen they gave him a deep deal I mean Matt Doyle is writing about how that is going to happen or has happened interesting so so if that is the case I like it a little bit less in the long-term but then again the cash remarket maybe does reopen the potential for him to be continued to be moved in the league even if the contract becomes a little bit more of a archer archer textural lab albatross for your roster build so um yeah overall I think spring season especially because again so much of them is just predicated on them being healthy when you look at like your securises and your Werner so um Joe I think spring season for San Jose I still like a lot of the talent that they have even though they're in this death spiral right now I just don't think Nico Shakiris and team of Werner can say healthier healthy for longer than the spring season so I think a half season is like perfect for them yeah you time their their health timelines up just perfectly and you make your run all the way to the spring the spring season and the last cut I mean like this team their half a year was fantastic so maybe do that in the next half a year season and the only one that's on the horizon I don't know it seems difficult that San Jose's wagon is hitched to those guys as brilliant as they are they just have improvement they can actually play soccer consistently and that's a huge problem Sergio where did you have them I have them as the sprint season okay cool Seattle where would they be uh so much from my associate divers areio hype from the season preview so much for my they could challenge for the supporter shield from my season preview worst form and club history Yovolich is there though so that changes everything right is this this is to me or to Jeff that's the okay to me I think spring season for Seattle I think so much of their failure this year has been down to injuries we've just been absolutely decimated I still like a lot of this team I don't think you guys are wrong to highlight them as a real contender back when we started this year the roster is really good I fear they are too far gone for now I don't I don't think that's really like super hot take but they can chop and change up in the winter I think there's maybe a little bit of shuffling they can do towards the top of the roster and I think they have a good squad basically as is I don't think they have a shield winning squad if they enter with a fairly similar group starting next year but I also didn't think that this year so like my my opinion hasn't really moved the ton on that I just still think they're set to be a good to really good MLS team and that's the Sanders way I think we'd be foolish to think that they they couldn't come back and be a threat in the sprint yeah I mean the Yovolich move is the sort of move you make when you think that your roster is really close to to manifesting in the way that they made it compared to how SKC made it where they just needed a talented player to play soccer for them that year so I think that sprint season seems fair but it is a move that kind of looks very winnow if they can get healthy that's great you look at the rest of their schedule they have some really tricky away days left in the conference when you look at like having to go not necessarily because the stadiums are difficult or whatever but just like you know will they be able to win at San Diego I don't think so will they be able to win at Vancouver historically lately not really so not the league anyway so you know I think that those could be some tricky games for them that are going to keep them from making up ground because they are very much on the outside looking in of the picture but I think if when it's a clean slate and they get back to the sprint season if guys are healthier yeah there'll be another team that I probably get suckered into saying good win at trophy just like I was this year where would you put St. Louis City Jeff Reuter a big one this weekend on the road in Vancouver strong transfer window you want to make in charge looking good teams like things are strong now and strong for the foreseeable future oh yeah they're no joke yeah I I like it a lot in some pain points don't get me wrong you know having to lose Marcel Hartzel and and blue and you know that that hurts but I think that they're in a much better spot than they were 12 months ago when you look at it at the tail end of the lute's fun and steel era or when you look at it even six months ago with where this roster has come along I think that you know where there are some areas of strength when you look at the midfield but I also think that you know you the Rafa Navara move I think speeds that up even further and I think that they are a team that maybe looked at the rest of the west like I was saying some teams falling off you know it's talking you're not coming back smashing burolds are being sold you know San Jose itself sabotaging and goal where they have come in and they have assumed a lot of seeded territory in the conference and become the form team of the conference if not they the the the favorite to be able to win so I think that they could make some noise I think they could make a deeper run in the playoffs they've looked better than they did when they won the conference I think maybe that's actually kind of a success in its own right this team actually does look better than that inaugural team and it looks like they're only going to grow from there whereas that one looked like a lot of stars lining so really it liked the work that they're doing they're under Cory right but why not now they could make it I totally agree I think St. Louis and Nashville are the two stories of the MLS season I mean St. Louis's turn around as quick as it's been and it's sustainable as it looks feels quite special they just went to Vancouver and beat the white caps 3-1 over the weekend teams don't really do that for as good as Vancouver are I think St. Louis are establishing themselves in that tier or darn close to it as well so I don't see why it couldn't be now for St. Louis City as they really have progressed a lot this season and and I think got better in the summer window as well our Toronto FC getting better Joe Josh Sergeant's found form Toronto and beaten in five are they building towards something now in the spring season or beyond sprint maybe beyond more likely it seems to me I mean they can still add a third DP best as I understand it looking at their their roster construction right now I think if they do and we've seen Toronto being quite willing to spend if they do that and get a really really good player and they have Sergeant Emma Hallovich who are pretty high floor players in this league dorscht was looking like a good player before he broke his face I believe it was and I think they have decent players at the in the back line they just need more depth still and they need more top and quality so there's a lot of work for the front office to get done in this winter transit window and maybe the one after that but I think there's their potential is still there in a real way so I would say this is probably a team that is looking for the new schedule where they could really have everything together and gelled and ready to go but it's just a little difficult to forecast exactly what Toronto's future looks like right now yeah I'd but like with the money that they have the the sort of talent that they'll be able to pull in if they choose to I think spend season might not be too soon right I thought that the partnership between Alonso Coelo and dorscht looked really dependable in midfield and I think that they can definitely build off of that that could have some incredibly high upside um Daniel Shallowy at this point you know like that's a that's an interesting one right like some of these are just a little curious to me and look a little stopgap like that's generally the profile they're looking for and he's the one that they could bring in and maybe they have like a target who could be more impactful that they could get in down the road so I'm I'm not sleeping on them under Jason Hernandez I think that they look like they're on a really good trajectory they lead them a lesson draws so they are clearly at least able to stay in games but sometimes that means you're playing it a bit safe so hopefully over time they're able to evolve that thing into something a little bit more dangerous but just not yet all right and that brings us to our final team we did it that is fellas the Vancouver Whitecaps Jeff I'm going to be bold and I'm going to say that the team that is top of the Western conference is a competitor right now good that yeah no there's still very much win now very much win now and uh you know I I I have to trust that just as they have been able to rebuild this plane in flight ever since yes pursuantson sat in the pilot's chair they will be able to continue to do that because he just knows where to put people in the seating chart we're still working in this metaphor but losing Sebastian for a halter is a very big passenger to lose I don't know um it's a tough one for them you know and I think that he's his role with he's like at least a flight attendant come on I'm sure yeah no he was the lead flight attendant the one who was actually able to get the passengers around him to behave right because he was handing dishing out drinks to them all through the aisle and now the the drink service in the aisle is going to be a little bit slower this metaphor is actually never been back even further than this one um so they've got to find another way to get that sort of control game state that they want to destroy and so but I do just have to trust that the the totality of this team is capable of doing that they've got such a rare collection of talent and of players who know what they're supposed to do in their roles and um yeah they're still the favorite out west by a comfortable margin to me Joe any playing analogies you'd like to make I think all the goons have been taken I would prefer pretzels frankly if I'm honest especially over some of the garbage snacks that are being distributed by major airlines now I just want to say go up go up but those those pretzels on southwest flights that are covered in whatever that pattern is the like mayori pretzels I can't remember what those are called I'm not a fan I just don't the monk fruit in there it's just not doing it for me so if if seven could pass out some non monk fruit pretzels that would be great but Vancouver good yes exceedingly good done nailed it well done fellas this part was under an hour we'll see if the episode actually ends up under an hour thank you all for handling this it's a lot to go through it's a lot to discuss it doesn't seem like there was much disagreement though maybe a few on sprint season versus next full season were there any that you all felt like our sprint season versus win right now Chicago I think is just going to be a matter of how maximize it can get under 11 Dowski Seattle like it just they still continue to operate like they're going to win as soon as everyone's healthy so I think you almost want to give them grace but they're just too far to actually be that team all right nice I like it well well summarized well discussed Joe Lowry lovely to speak to you today oh Taylor glad you're back man good to be back and Jeff Rooter the same to you my friend thanks for being here congrats on the move thank you and listeners thank you all as well for sticking with us through our 30 team MLS discussion let's add some more guys let's get it to 64 let's just go the fever round until we do that thanks again for listening folks we'll talk to