The Messi Paradox and the Sullivan Ceiling: Deconstructing MLS's Analytical Watershed

Hello everybody and welcome to the Total Soccer Show live on YouTube. My name is Taylor Rockwell, I'm excited to be here with you with two fine fellows who you can see but you haven't heard from. Let's see how long I can make this go before I actually do the introduction. I bet it can go for a while. As I said, I'm Taylor Rockwell, and I'm excited to be here today to talk about some MLS awards we're going to be giving out MVP newcomer of the year, young player, goalkeeper, defender, coach of the year, all of those and much, much more still to come for now, enough for me over to Joe Lowry. Hello Joe. Hey Taylor, how are you? I'm doing very well. You're throwing it right back to me to ask how I'm doing. Hi potato, baby. Hi potato. I mean, if you hold the hot potato for too long, you will burn yourself, that is just effective life. This is very true. That's why you should keep it moving. That's why it's called a hot potato Joe. We have awards. It's never talked about. We have the land in Donovan MVP award. What of these awards would you say needs a like a player attached to it? Like my thought was it should be the Andre Blake goalkeeper of the year. Who else deserves some mentions when it comes to handing out silverware? That's a great question. I mean, I think we all agree that we should unfortunately rip the MVP award away from landed Donovan. All time great American soccer player. No doubt about it. It just feels like to me when Messi wins the landed Donovan MVP award, you have some reconsideration that needs to happen about the state of your league and what's changed maybe since before. I will say, I think we should rename the U22 player of the year, the Alfonso Davies U22 player of the year. Maybe it's a little soon, but surely the best young player that's ever coming to MLS in LAS, in LAS, maybe, maybe not anymore, but we'll talk about that later. I think for the young player, they should really honor the young player aspect of it by just having it be named after the player who went up the preceding year and then just cross that out every single year, Jeff McLeven Brown's quarterback Jersey, let's, you know, McCoy Scratch. Go through the list. It's so long that Jersey is so long at this point of starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. I think we're up to like 57 quarterbacks and they have not been around in their modern incarnation in quite some time. Let's not talk about them and dysfunctional organizations. Let's talk about a functional Jeff Reuter. Hello, Jeff. Hi. Yeah, that Brownster is he's like a maxi scared at this point. It's great. That works with half our audience, right? And it just gets booed the whole world over. Jeff, what about you? Are there any individuals you think deserve to have their names attached to awards? I know you've got strong thoughts about defenders of the year. I think newcomer of the year should be Didier Drago, because like when I just think of like someone comes in and immediately the whole club just changes over. It's happened like one time. And I think that we should remember that well. I think that the Montreal impact, the best part of it is you have to call them the impact because he was an impact player. And so then as they're continuing with this Montreal flip club charade that they've been on for a few years, we at least have to honor our history flip, flip charade. Well said. Um, I do think we should like honor the weirdness of this league. Like maybe we need like a discovery rights claim of the year. We need like usage of game of the year, but that maybe is for allocation disorder. Whenever it returns for now, we're going to go through some of these categories. First, a little bit of housekeeping. We do have TSS plus over on the Patreon, where we are doing extra editions of a weekend review. We're talking about news as it breaks. We're doing some quizzing. There's some videos from Graham as he bemoans the state of Scottish football, specifically his Scottish football club and much, much more over on the Patreon. And if you're the kind of sports fan that wants to dig into the story behind the stats, you can join the athletic live on YouTube to cover all the sports stories. You can't stop talking about on game days. They'll watch the biggest matchups alongside the athletics most tapped in reporters. You can become a part of the show in the interactive chat. The athletic live is presented by Google Gemini. Check it out starting September 8th and subscribe now on YouTube. And with that said, Jeff, why don't you get us started with your leading contender for the Landon Dott of Inllieno Messi MVP award and why is it Lieno Messi? Yeah, it's one of the two names, so I'll let you guess which. I feel like we've had this like three-act story where the first time he wins MVP, most of us are like, why did he win that? Like he played half of a season in 2024. It was enough to beat Kutcher Hernandez and Ricky Pooge in a couple of other players where it was much more of that like when he's on the field, there's no one better than him. And we've always known this about him. But there are a lot of questions of how often is he on the field? Okay, well last year he's on the field both of the season. He challenges Carlos Vales record. He's unplayable. And now we're at this point where it's like people are really dumb trying to debate this thing. As far as I can see, like I'm looking, I looked around as I was researching this. I was also looking at if other shows or websites have been doing short lists like this. And it feels like everyone is at a point where it's like, yeah, it's messy. And I don't know like it's it's touching to see this arc happen in its full sense. But yeah, it's him. I've got two other people on the podium because podiums look very empty without people on the left right of the champion. So I've got Evander who I think is having a fantastic season since he may be able to talk about him after Joe nominates him for MVP. And then I've got Keel Arme from Houston is my third and final MVP finalist right now. I like that. I like that a lot, Jeff. I think you can absolutely defend all of those messy is the only one you can really defend. And that was always going to be true coming into this season. He is the goal contribution leader currently in MLS to 29 non penalty goal contributions. The next closest is a 20. So I mean, messy has just been so clearly and obviously better than any other player in the league. That's not a surprise. He will be that until he decides that he doesn't care to play soccer anymore. So when a messy will win the MVP should win the MVP. There's not going to be any controversy there. I do think the honorable mention discussion. The left and right podium spots are maybe more interesting. I did not have a gear may on my list, but I think it's a good pick Jeff for how important he's been to the Houston Dynamo who have been a very good team in the Western conference. And without him in the strictest sense of value, I think they would be a mid table at best sort of team in the West and that best is maybe doing a lot of heavy lifting there. So I think it's a great shout. I have petra mousa as a name that you didn't mention. The guy is FC Dallas and I think is just so unbelievably good and would even get talked about more if Dallas had done anything more than they've done to go and actually surround him with talent. With that said, Dallas just had a nine point week for the first time in the years. I think they are surging up the Western conference as well and look like they might lock up a home playoff spot. So things could be worse for Dallas, but still there could be a lot better as well. It could be even better for petra mousa and he could actually maybe win a trophy, which he probably won't do because of what Dallas haven't done. The other name that I want to mention and this won't happen and I don't think it really should happen. But man, it's tempting. Antoine Griesman, his overwhelming attacking presence has just totally transformed Orlando City outside of little messy. No play with at least 10 starts this year can match his 1.13 non penalty goal contributions for 90 minutes. It is messy. It's Griesman and then there's a gap and then there's everybody else. He has been that good and he was unbelievably good for Orlando and their 3-0-1 over Toronto over the weekend. His goal is just a microcosm of the Griesman experience and really his entire career, whether it's for Athlety, whether it's for France, now whether it's in MLS or the Orlando City. His whole that play is there and he can sort of masquerade as a striker. He's got his back to goal. He's got a center back right on his hip. He goes and takes down a somewhat difficult ball, extends the play not just by dropping it back by by turning and playing Marco Pazilich forward. So lovely progressive pass, Griesman ends up with his mouth in the turf basically, has to peel himself up, then go charges into the box, finds a gap in the most Antoine Griesman way possible, and makes no mistake with the finish from close range. He's a playmaker, he's a spatial awareness magician in that way, and he's unbelievable on the ball to finish plays off. He's creator, he's goal scorer, he's all of those things. He's this year's Sunhung Min, where if he had arrived at the beginning of the year we might have actually had a race. The same was true for Sun and L.A.F.C last year, if you'd arrived in the winter instead of the summer, maybe we would have had a conversation, but it just so happens that we don't have a conversation. I'm trying to figure out a good way to ask this about Messi, because I think you all have made good points about honorable mentions. I want to go back to Messi for a moment since he seems to be the consensus pick, he's who I had as well. Like how prominent do you think him being a three time MLS MVP will be in the understanding of his MLS career, Joe? Because it should be a very prominent thing. It should be the leading thing when you're talking about his time at MLS. It should be like three time like MLS MVP, he won the league, he did so many things, but it feels like it will get lost in the shuffle a little bit in my mind with everything else. Miami have done. And with just how big of a star he is, it's sort of like you don't really need qualifications. It's just is Messi and League. Then he's probably your MVP. I think that's right on the money, Taylor, like I'm not going to think about it at all to be honest. And I do think about it with other players. It just so happens that Messi is so much greater than the MLS MVP award. Like when Carlos Vella wins MVP, yeah, I'm going to think about that. You know, like that. I'm going to think about how great he was for LAFC, I'm going to think about his seat. I mean, I'm going to think about those things with Messi. I just am going to think greatness. Like I feel like Messi makes my brain simple or mushy because I just feel like it gets all smoothed out and I just stop thinking about all the nuance of it. And I just think about Messi as being transcendently great, which he absolutely is. So yeah, I think it's a great question, Taylor. I don't think I'm going to think about it at all. I don't think many people really are going to think about it. I also didn't realize that Donovan only won it once. I guess that I had a mind of he won it multiple times that it was preckys the only other person who won it twice. So maybe it's the little Messi landed on of an MLS MVP award presented by precky and continental tire. We go with that. There you go. All right. Perfect. Then let's move to newcomer of the year. I feel like Jeff, some of the candidates for this one have already been mentioned, but maybe there are some other ones that could be included as well. You want to go shortlist or do you want to go winner? Yeah. I mean, let's go winner and I've got killer and this is where we're going to the volume versus like impact duration. But I think what's different about Guillermo is that he is really carrying a team as you alluded to Joe to like second place in the West as it currently stands. And I think that when you look at compared to Petr Mouson Dallas, for example, who is not a newcomer, he's an old government, right? But Logan Farrington would be scoring a fair number of chances with some of the chances that he's created, right? He would be scoring a decent number of looks. I think when you look at Guillermo, it's a lot of, I'm just going to take the ingredients and hand it to go back to an old metaphor that we've used a few times on the show. And I'm going to make the best thing I possibly can. And I think when you look at the excitement level that comes from him playing versus some other versions of the Houston Dynamo, we've seen both under Benelson and beforehand. I think that it just, it is a sort of, there is that little extra component about him where there is kind of a mystique of him being a player who wasn't really known to any MLS fans before he came here because he had been playing in leagues that are very hard to watch in the United States for the most part in his career, a style of play that is very unique. It does kind of take a player with his specific blend of kind of like guile, but also you technical acumen to actually pull off the idea. And overall, I think he's just made them immensely watchable. He's top 10 in chances created in MLS. He's top five, I think, in goals with 13 at this point. Just all around player has made the dynamo. Someone who maybe is overperforming what a lot of people expected or certainly is overperforming what a lot of people expected, maybe you're overperforming what people will think that they'll ultimately finish at if a couple of teams in the West kind of get their acts together. But at this point, I think that he's been just such a tremendous injection of life into that Houston Dynamo attack that it's impossible to look elsewhere for me. Yeah. I may, I may be tempted to vote Antoine Griesman for this award just because of how good he's been. But at the moment, I also went with gear. May. So I'm just leaving my options open for when we do maybe a briefer version of this later on in the year when it comes time for real to put pen to paper or or mouse to digital button. Yeah. Yeah. Park always is those right. Leads all newcomers and goal contributions. Jeff, you talked about how important he's been for the dynamo. It strikes me that he is he is so crucial for them in a way that most players really aren't for their teams because of how defensive this Ben Olsen team has been and that's that's been the line of Ben Olsen forever, right? Is that he's a pragmatist. So in DC, when he doesn't have a lot of talent for a team that doesn't really run coherently, he mostly plays against the ball and there's a lot of suffering and DC and I did try to reach above that at times. But that was really it. Then he gets to Houston. And he has Hector Rera and Coco Carasquia and all of a sudden, this is a ball playing team and they're one of the most entertaining teams to watch in MLS and that's reflective of the talent that he had because he had those two great, like really it's two of the best central midfielder's MLS has ever seen in that team and maybe one of the three or four best Hector Rera and then those guys go and all of a sudden, yeah, you have even older version of Hector Rera who's not really the same player that he was before. Carasquia is gone. Now Jack McGlin's gone. This is not a progressive team anymore. This is a regressive team that is very content in their identity to be the antagonists. Guillermo is the one that makes that work. Well, I mean, he's one of the ones anyway. The centerbacks are a big part of that. Maybe we'll talk about that later for defender of the year because I have thoughts on that as well. But really, this is this is the team that is defensive and they need an outlet and Mateusz Bogus is not that guy and Anali is now a fullback and don't come a choir is not that guy and Lyle Foster is probably not going to be that guy for an extended period of time. Guillermo is that guy. He is that he is the player that lets them breathe a little bit and he actually pushed their lines forward because he's so good in transition. He's been a phenomenal fit for what they've done this year and the dynamite I think to sort of credit for realizing what they have, what they have to be as a result of what they have. And Guillermo has been just so essential at the heart of all that. Joe, two quick follow ups. One, if he doesn't win, maybe praise here, does Lyle Foster win the MLS Award for Best Lyle in the League? I think so. I think his status as the only Lyle if I'm 100% on that, I think he should win it. At least he's the favorite. It'd be a bummer if he didn't. The only guy who's there won out of the world in the league this year. That's what I was wondering. Like, and there might be one out there. I just don't know. There's not. And secondly, Joe, to go back to it, like, so you have the potential carve out for Griezmann, what would have to change between now and when you do put 10 to paper and then scan that paper and then upload it to the website because they don't allow paper anymore? It's, it's a great question Taylor. So Orlando are in sixth right now. They've had an absolutely delightful record that's really only been overshadowed by the union since, since the World Cup. I think Griezmann would, would pretty much have to continue on the pace he's at right now, which is more than a goal contribution every single game for Orlando. He's sitting at 11 goal contributions right now. And they have back the napkin mat 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 games left. I mean, if the dude hits like 16 goals and another handful of assists and leads Orlando maybe to home playoffs about in the Eastern Conference, I think it's going to be tough to look past that. And they still, because gear mate has been brilliant this year and he has been so crucial to a team that has also punched above their weight based on expectations in the other conference. But I mean, Griezmann's just a better player and there will come a point for me where he will have had a bigger impact. I just don't know exactly when that point's going to be. Griezmann has kind of liel energy. So worst case maybe he wins the liel award for this year. He could be a liel with it with the hair. Especially if all of the towels wrapped around his head to himself off, that's liel mode. That's what that is. The other thing that's worth mentioning about Griezmann's case is that compared to Messi two years ago again, that is a normal cadence for the secondary window. So MLS teams pretty much had like 14, 16 left, right? And I know that Lino Messi came into the summer of 2023, right? But I think that for so long, we have looked at that secondary window as newcomer of the year doesn't arrive here unless it is truly like drawable levels like you've flipped the entire thing. This is a case where it is both he has had that impact with Antoine Griezmann, but he's had more time like you said, Joe, if he plays the next 10 games, like he has played over half a season at that point or has had that over half a season available for him to play, he will have made 20 appearances possibly at that point. So I think it is more credible this year because of the cadence of the calendar. So like Taylor, I think I think you're right to ask like it is very much in play. Voters love a narrative. Jeremy does have a little bit of that with Houston, but I think Griezmann would carry a bit more of that juice overall. All right. One more and then we'll head to break the Kevin Sullivan, you 22 young player of the year award presented by Kevin Sullivan. Joe, is it Kevin Sullivan this year? It is Kevin Sullivan. I will say there's an incredible crop of players too. Are we going to do the Calvin Sullivan deep dive now or later probably later, right? I suppose. I will name some other guys first, then we'll do the Kevin section later. Okay. Yeah, that sounds great. Kevin Sullivan is my pick for this and I do expect him to win it. I think it will be deserved. My honorable mentions list, Audrey Mimetti for the Red Bulls, a player that we've talked about a lot and we'll talk about more later this week, I would imagine on another show. So I don't even feel the need to run super long on him, but he's been absolutely brilliant. Julian Hall for his early season impact. So I think that's that's faded a little bit. And Justin Ellis is the other one that I really have down on my list for Orlando. He's been just a delightful playmaker and a player that's moved through multiple different spots and he's also been a really big part of Orlando's rise at the Eastern Conference. So those are some guys that I have down. I think you could defend some other nominations as well, absolutely. Like we could go deeper on this because this has been just that good of a year for young talent and majorly soccer. I think at the end of the day, I'm curious to hear who your honorable mentions are, Jeff, or if you've gone a different way for your actual winner, what what Kevin Sullivan is doing is different right now. Yeah, it's different. And I have Kevin Sullivan winning this one too. So we'll pocket that for union talk later. Sure. You know, and I have to always remind myself, this is a different criteria than under 22, under 22, which is another page and that gets voted on around this time. And that's where Niko Sikaris kind of sneaks in, right? So so if you're not hearing him, like he's probably as knowledgeable for the under 21, right? Like birth years, I haven't looked at this closely, Joe. Maybe I should have, but I'm pretty sure he's aged out of that one. But I think, you know, Xavier Gozo would have had a really good chance. I think at this point, missing the back half of the season will kind of eliminate him from the running same thing with David Martinez. If you're inclined to do that, one that I want to talk about, having watched fire revs over the weekend, I think Peyton Miller is really building those sorts of instincts in the final third, playing as that right winger under Mark and Richard Vitch, that I think that you could see him crop up more in our minds over time. I think that he is more on front of mind when he is in the final third than when he is playing left back and doing kind of like Caleb Wiley interpretation of left backs when he was with Atlanta United, right? And so I think that he is someone who can factor into this neopier is another one who I don't think will be able to come in soon enough. And I think a center back winning under 22 with half a season would be like something that happens in a year where there aren't many young players who are really impressing, right? But I think that we have enough alternatives where probably not this year, but definitely a player who's caught my eye throughout the season. I love the Shakira shout. I think I was an update my list. I actually not 100% sure I'm a list of this, but best I can find I think you should be eligible for this award. He's just been injured for so much of this year, which really does hurt, but when he's been on the field, I mean, he's got 10 goal contributions to the season. The midweek performance against San Diego man was unbelievable. It was like one of the best individual performances of any player messy included across the entire MLS season. Like Shakira has been that good when he's on the field. I mean, assuming he's healthy and he is right now because he's starting games and playing games, there's no excuse for patching out to call him into this camp upcoming. I mean, he's just been at the light on the field. And he should be in this conversation and he would probably be my number two pick after Kevin Sullivan. So congratulations to Kevin Sullivan, young Kevin Sullivan, still very young. We'll talk about him in the third segment, probably when we do a little bit of union chat. I was surprised Joe that you didn't have a new Pierre on your list on your short list as well. I thought you were legally obligated to include him at all times. Is it just because he's a defender and you hate defenders? Yeah, it's right. Defending sporing, Neil Pierre makes defending fun, which I mean to his credit, the ability that he has to track down runners in the open field, he did that to San Diego this past weekend. It's just ridiculous how much space you need to have on Neil Pierre to actually be able to beat him to his own goal. I think you still got a lot of refining to do Neil Pierre, but yeah, he absolutely belongs on this list. One more quick one for you both about Kevin Sullivan, since you know, oh, we got his time. Is Kevin Sullivan a player that you would like to see stay in Major League Soccer until he's 18? That's the like kind of reported agreement is that turns 18 moves to man city, but could move earlier would just have to move to a city like a Jason club. So we could go to like Jorona, let's say, because there are more lax laws when it comes to 16 year old moving to play there. Would you rather something like that or would you rather he just state where he is and continue to develop along those lines? Joe. So Jeff, who? Never mind. I'll speak in you, listen, so he turns 17 in a couple of weeks. So that also does help a little bit with sensing how close to ready he might be. I think it really does depend how the rest of the season goes. On the one hand, there is a version of this where Kevin Sullivan continues this trajectory gets the union into the playoffs through the first round, maybe into a conference final. And at a certain point, looks and says like, I need to test myself against another standard of defending. If I have any chance of like playing a minute for Manchester City as an 18 year, which I still think is a really like lofty, like shouldn't be an expectation sort of target. At this point, I think my assumption is that once he goes at 18, there's still a lone spell in there somewhere, right? And it might be a first division at this point. It might not be the championship and it might not be, you know, like a lower level first division. It might be one of the perceived ones in the Europa League and higher qualification places sort of thing. The other version of this though is that, you know, I think that the spring season could be a really good opportunity for him to spend an entire truncated season as the focal point of an attack and go through the reps of a preseason and go through the reps of a season. And yeah, this postseason is kind of a set off sort of thing. And then that gets him much closer to when he turns 18 next September. And that maybe is a good time for him to go to Europe. So I think his form, the rest of the season will depend a lot on it. And not so much in terms of his, he's going goals and assists, but is he just showing the consistency and the sort of evolution that shows that he's grasped what he can from playing in this league? I think, I think just the timing of the calendar next year and his birthday makes it a little unlikely that he would move somewhere before Man City. I don't know anything. I'm just just thinking about this logically. If he turns 18 in September, he's going to be in Manchester on his 18th birthday. Why wouldn't he just go after the spring season and start training or whatever it is that you're legally allowed to do? I think adding another move basically for six months, like you'll be for the first half of next season, which is the end of the European season. I mean, Kevin's home is a really good player. This Kevin Sullivan going to be immediately tossed into the Gerona lineup as they're trying to do whatever it is that they're trying to do to end their season, probably not, right? So I think Philly is the spot for him that makes the most sense. He needs minutes more than anything else. Yeah, exactly right. All right, minutes managed. That is your first three categories down. We're going to take a break. We'll come back and do our next three categories back very soon. Welcome back everybody to the Total Soccer Show. Three categories down three to go. Let's talk you 22, a young player of the year. What we already did that, let's talk goalkeeper of the year. There we are. He's following the notes. He's on track of things. He's not at all complaining about websites during the break. Jeff, tell me who you've got for goalkeeper of the year. I'm really glad I mentioned fire revs already because that was a really good case study in the Matt Turner experience this season. And he's leading the league in goals prevented, which I think that some people, you know, depending on the understanding of like XG, which I think all of you do, right? XG is a chance creation metric. It shows you like how good the opportunity the shooter had was. And then post shot XG is how they placed it on goal, how they hit it, what body part they had it with. And historically, how likely that is. So like shooting goals added is something that is can be over a broad enough sample size and take it as a good shooter, right? Well, shots prevented goals prevented can also be instructive in that sense. And so Matt Turner leading does tell me something. It does tell me that he is facing a high enough standard of shot and doing very well to protect his net, right? I think that there is the narrative component of him continuing to play in spite of a difficult, you know, not being able to start more than the dead rubber match at a World Cup after he was the starter in Qatar. I think there's also the return to MLS that's going in his favor. But I think that the way that he goal keeps is very interesting to me, especially seeing him opposite Chris Brady, who is, I guess you would maybe say like the anointed successor in goal as being the young understudy at this World Cup. And maybe I'll get into this a little bit later, Joe, I want to hear your thoughts first. But I know it's not the, the, the most like silky, smooth, GG pool fall in sort of style with Matt Turner, but it is effective and it has been very effective for the rest of the year. Yep. Matt Turner would be a worthy winner. He came in as my one B, my one A is Brian Schwachy. I won't fight anybody who says Matt Turner. I think he's a brilliant goalkeeper, majorly soccer and absolutely deserves this award. Schwachy, I gave the slight edge because national are a little bit more complex in how they build and he's also been a great shop stopper and national or a better team this year. I don't, I don't know if those are good reasons to do it or not, but I think Schwachy's been a great goalkeeper. I, I think we're going to see him in US camp coming up later on this month. And I think he's really the only one that has a great argument to be neck and neck with with Turner because of how good both of those teams have been this season, maybe even a little bit better than expected in, in New England's case, certainly maybe even slightly better than expected in Nashville's case. And you have Schwachy coming on to the scene as someone who's never been in this conversation before for how good he's been this season. Now, important he's been to Nashville. I mean, he comes with a really big save light in the, the two to draw that Nashville live with Miami over the weekend. He's done that all season long. He has been so important to a team that has, has been pretty out over the skis when it comes to their underlying numbers. Nashville this season, still a great team, but they will perform some and part of that is because Brian Schwachy has just been that good for them. So he's my pick, but I, I love the Turner shop. No problem with that at all. Jay, you said they're a little more complex in their build Nashville. What is Schwachy's role in that complexity? Yeah, he, he just ends up with more touches of the ball because Nashville are a slightly more progressive team in that way than, than the Rebs. Not that Matt Turner's never passing the ball. He is, right? He is being asked to do some of those things, but we know his limitations in possession. He's never going to be a guy that you really involve heavily in your buildup. At least not if you're up against any sort of pressure from the opposition. Schwachy can do more of that and does end up being tasked with a little bit more of that for Nashville who will build out from the back with more detail and patience than New England. So just as a byproduct of that. And also because he's, he's just better at it than Turner. I don't think Schwachy's amazing on the ball, like in an in a global sense by any means. He's not going to transform how the US can play in that part of the field at all. If he does, in fact, become the guy for the cycle and who knows if you will or not, but he's going to have a chance to do it, I think. But he, he is just a bigger piece of that puzzle because the puzzle is also bigger as well. So one more later this week, we're doing a USMT roster prediction show. Then we're doing a USMT roster review show once we do have that roster. How do they think of these ideas, man? How do they come up with this stuff? Great. It's clever. You got to talk about the US whenever you can. How many times do you think on how many shows will we mention Schwachy this week? Is it zero, one, two? How many more times will he be included on episodes? I think his name will come up in both of the episodes that we were going to talk about the US this week. That's, that's my prediction. Matt Turner as well. Uh, probably. Yeah, I think, I mean, both guys are on my roster and I think both guys will be on Pocchus roster, but honestly, Perdidino Pocchusino is going to do even when he tells you what he's going to do, still feels like kind of a fool there. So who does? And you all both managed to not mention the greatest goalkeeper on earth, Yohi Takaoka. Does he, does he deserve an honorable mention? Yes. Yeah, I mean, like he, his case is maybe hit by the, the same sort of reason we're not talking about Hugo Erie's in this, Hugo Erie's leads MLS and clean sheets right now with a dozen, but I think we largely look at that as like how Mark dos Santos's LAFC is set up and the team in front of him doing well to mitigate. And I think Takaoka does have some of that benefit. He does have the best team, the major league soccer playing in front of him. And I would like to watch it from his vantage point, the Vancouver Red Caps play soccer every game, but it does kind of limit his involvement compared to some others, especially when we're looking at Shwaki and Turner, um, who are just so. Shwaki more, especially in I would say like the last since the World Cup, I think has been more involved. I think Nashville is shown to be a little bit easy, not easier, but I think opponents are studying the tape and are trying to find their avenues a little bit easier than they were in the first third of the season, right? So, um, you know, for Takaoka, I think, yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if he is, you know, third of three, for example, because I do agree with you. It's really is a, a two candidate race at this stage. I had Shwaki in mind, but I will happily have it be Turner. Either way, congratulations to one of the both of them. Let's talk defenders then. Defender of the year is a little bit tricky for me. I never quite know where to look, because I think there's like an inclination to go with a pure defender. Sometimes as an inclination to go with like the defender who scored a bunch of goals or created a bunch of assists or had a big play, how do you all go about evaluating your defenders? Joe, let's start with you. What do you look for when it comes to defender of the year? I look for the player that I think has been maybe the best overall defender. So really, my method is watching as many games as possible and trying to amalgamate like my thoughts from there. Like can they actually defend that seems important? It may be something that isn't emphasized as much in the lower levels. Yeah, maybe underrated these days. Can they defend? Like how are they one-by-one? How are they in the air? How are they defending their box? Those sort of how are they in duels? Those sorts of things. And then also can they help a team in possession? Can they help progress the ball? Can they drive the ball forward on the dribble? Are they a threat on set pieces? Those sorts of things are all the things that I'm thinking about when I evaluate a defender in any context. And so I try to apply that to this. It just happens that there's 30 teams in this darn league. And evaluating the guys who don't usually have the ball is more difficult than evaluating the guys who do have the ball. And the guys who do have the ball are the ones that win every other award. So this is the most difficult one for me every single year because I think I am the most blind to it. So just to get that out there ahead of time. But that's how I think about this stuff. Jeff, I don't know if there's a, I imagine that's how most people do it, but I don't know if you have a wild secret formula. But I, I would like to copy from you if that's possible. Wish I did, I do not, but I'm with you. I do lean towards the defensive side of defending. But I think that usually my like tiebreaker is like the team couldn't operate the way it does without this defender. Like when I think of like 23 and 24, I voted Stephen Marrera because the Columbus crew just could not do what the crew were doing without him. In 2025, I voted Michael Boxel because he was so crucial to both sides of Minnesota United's commitment to the bid under Graham Z, right? And I think that this year, I don't really have like a clear standout runaway. Like I think that you could point at a couple of defenders who have had really good 1215 game stretches. But I think that by and large, we haven't really had that like Chad Marshall, Icopara, no doubt about it. You see him and that is your best defender. And again, part of that is both of them played in a much smaller league, right? Like, you know, 30 team league, it is incredibly difficult to be able to assess these. So like I have three center backs down that I think I would be very comfortable voting for. But I don't think any of them are really like head and shoulders above the rest, winning the aerial duel to get the award. Yeah, yeah, agree. The award's up there. You just got to jump high enough and do that with enough strength to actually win it. I think if Lucas Harrington is stuck around the whole season, he would have been a really hard one for me to pick against, to be honest, but he's not. So it's not a Matthias LaBorda is my is my pick for this Vancouver White Caps defender. Matthias LaBorda Jeff, you talked about your little X factor on top. And I forgot to mention mine versatility kind of helps at least a little bit. I think that I had to value and Matthias LaBorda has been incredibly valuable. And other MLS teams know that and we're trying to maybe see if they could get a little deal form over the offseason. Vancouver has wisely kept him. He's played every spot across the back four. He's best as a center back, I think, or as a stay at home, stay at home outside back, but he's played on the left. He's played on the right. He's played through the middle for a great Vancouver White Caps team. Like I know they just lost Dawson over the weekend, weird game. They're still the best team in the West for me. And they're right up there with Miami and Nashville, Nashville on top of that right now. Of course, in the shield standings, but they are a great team this season, Vancouver. And LaBorda has been so important. He gives yes for so much in so many options and he gives so much in basically top of the line production at all of those spots. I think LaBorda, if you let me pick a defender in MLS to start a team with, LaBorda would be really tempting. I mean, I might end up picking somebody who I can flip for cash, but really, maybe I wouldn't really because that only has so much impact. I think if this is a guy that you tell me I can keep around for years and years and years. And LaBorda is a guy like that. Do I maybe less so in San Diego, mono, do as on my short list as well for this? Sure. I might end up picking LaBorda because do us just not going to be here in 2028 or something along those lines. So LaBorda is my pick. Jeff, for you, I had LaBorda on my list. And then I remembered as I was making my predictions for the guardian of the US squad. I was like kind of caught by Tristan Blackman in possession metrics again, which I think all of us fall for the sirens call in our lifetime, right? Like he's just, it's very, very good in possession. And so then there's a part of me that's like, well, I'm, I'm loving the work of the entire Vancouver White House defense. Is this the year for Andrews Cuba? Is this the year we just say, you know what, a six is a defender, isn't it? And I don't, I don't think this will be the year. I think that it's maybe like this, this would need to be something. I think it's like a top down. Yes, you should consider them like as they put out the award short list or the, the call to build the short list from the pool of voters who picked that to say, like, yes, you can include defensive midfielders because teams will nominate their own. Right. So we will know whether or not he could be. I think that Lorda Blackman, bolt totally fair, right? And Reed Roberts was another one of those I thought had had a really good stretch for a while, but San Jose has looked a lot more pliable lately. Jason Palazio, so I thought just had a pretty good role for Nashville. And it's kind of stood out now that Walker Zimmerman has gone. It's easier to kind of focus on him in that context. So I still don't know, I still don't know who I will be voting for, but that's why I'm grateful. There's a third of the season left figured out. I want to, I want to give you one more name to watch, Jeff, between now and then the, the other player that is my honorable mention. It might, might win it for me, truly, as I think about this more Lucas Altair and Houston. So he was signed from Brazil over the offseason by the dynamo. I missed a bit of the earliest part of the season with an injury. He has been so important, both, both Altair and Resh, the, the rookie center back, the Argentine is a giant. Those guys have been at the heart of what the dynamo have done for me. It's those two and it's Guillermo that are absolutely at the core of Houston becoming a serious team in the Western conference this year. Altair's amazing in the air. He's a very, very good defender's defender. Like he, he's a guy that feels like if you let the defenders vote for their defender of the year, he might win it because he is just that hard-nosed. And it's so effective at those things. And he's not incapable on the ball either for his importance to his team, which is sort of, you talked about Jeff and enabling a system and a style. The dynamo can suffer because Altair is, is like, literally able to rise above that suffering and pluck the ball out of the air with his head because he can do that. And because he has just been so well-rounded for them this year, I think he, I don't think he'll win it because I'm, I'm not sure enough folks are watching the dynamo. But there's a darn good chance that he's going to end up on my ballot. And likewise for guys in Texas, you're probably not watching a ton. I think Sebastian Ibiage, if we're truly just talking capital D defending, like he has done some exceptional work. He's not doing nearly as much of the stuff on the ball that we're like, maybe talking about. Yeah, he's not doing any capital P passing. Let's put it that way. No, lowercase P at best and he might, it might be a silent P really, but he has been exceptional in the air. He has been imperious on the ground. Like these are just the, no, in, in, in Marriott's on the ground, in Marriott's on the ground. In Marriott's silent P Jeff, silent P silent P silent P silent P with passing is, is a criticism I feel like is what I'm hearing. That's clear to Rose that I think in a way speaking of controversial takes a quick Google search tells me Polly Market has Miguel Topias as the most likely candidate for defender of the year, which would be controversial given that he isn't played in the league in two years. So maybe don't make that bet genuinely. Who is that he played for a minister for Minnesota United for like a year and a half. I want to say tail end of he Thera early, can I, can I short that on Polly market? I don't, I don't think I can short circuit Polly market for me and make it all stop. So I don't have to hear about this nonsense anymore. That works too. I assume that I'm doing something wrong because that doesn't seem like a bet that should be happening, but he's leading candidate. Jeff, who's your leading candidate for coach of the year? There's a few nominations. I feel like there's one in particular. How readily are we giving it to have your Masha Rano for all that he did this season? No, I think they might miss him. You think? No, but maybe just maybe there's a different Eastern comfort coach. Hey, hey, it's all us this year. Now, man, he's, he's ready. He's about to take the reins. It's going to change. He's here now. He's about to take the reins. Great. That's that was his whole game, Finn. I think I've got BJ Calihan on this one because I think that Nashville has just come together in such an excellent way, which is incredibly watchable. And I think that it's still very much as some is greater than the individual parts. Right? Like Honey Muktar hasn't been as dynamic as he has for his first half decade. Majorly soccer, that's okay. Sam Surridge had a little bit of a dip. He had a brace, a crucial brace over the weekend. So like great time for him to be heating up. And I think that that bodes very well for them, but that, you know, that kind of oscillation in the form, you know, one of the best teams in the league, you know, challenging for a points record this year. And we didn't mention a single one of their players as an MVP finalist, right? So like, I think that generally isn't indicative of some really good coaching. You want to may as the other one that I would like really be kind of standing on the table for to make the podium. I think that St. Louis has been exceptional. They are getting better at playing when they're not winning, right? And I think that one of the things was that, you know, yes, protecting Leeds Hat was a little bit tricky for them early in the season. As they were kind of fine tuning the system, but generally they looked like they're built heads of steam off of what was working for them. And I thought that, you know, they had to come from behind win over the weekend. And, and you know, I just think that we're starting to see more evidence that the entire system is going to be stable and successful once we get to the playoffs as well. Yeah, B. J. Calhan is, is my pick for reasons that Jeff has said. I mean, they are so clearly cohesive and how they possess the ball. They're engaged and effective defensively. B. J. Calhan is still reaping the benefits of having sort of shifted Sam Sarge's position last year. And that's that is absolutely paid dividends this year. I mean, every, every piece of this team knows how to function with the pieces around it. There are clever rights added overloads that are now balanced with the addition of sod on the left when he's in the starting 11. It all just comes together. So well, you toss in the appetite to develop some young players. And that genuinely helps all of it a team, right? Read Baker White and becoming the starter for this team on the left. That matters. I mean, that that gives you so much flexibility and a broader sense and makes your CSOs life in the front offices life so much easier. So basically every box that you can, you can check for B. J. Calhan. I think, I think you check it. I would be floored if he doesn't win it this year. I will say, I think the honorable mentions list is compelling. And I have three guys that I think belong in this tier. I think you're on to me. Absolutely. At least deserves a mention in this conversation. Watching St. Louis is one of the more impressive experiences in MLS. Like that you can have as a viewer. They are so detailed in their possession setup. It is not a surprise that someone who was an assistant coach for Wolfer not saying it's been around this league on his own for a really, really long time, the youngest person to ever coach an MLS game on the sidelines way back when first FC Cincinnati. I mean, De May is brilliant. Like as a tactician, he is one of the best that we have an MLS. I think it's possible. He is at least he's doing different things to B. J. Calhan. But St. Louis are so impressive to me with their imposition stuff, with how they built defensively as well. They just check every box. Yes, versus Ornson, I still think is a phenomenal coach. And they do a great team. Not a new story. He deserves a mention here. And then Mark Amitrovich is the other one. I just thought the reps were going to be kind of nothing this year. And they're very much something. And the mix of ability to develop young players and to bat on young players. That's been a big part of this. And giving them the eight not mind-breaking system to go out there and really impressive. Amitrovich is the least interesting tactician of the four of these. Just based off how the teams have set up. And I'm sure he's got constraints that others don't write. So not to say he's any any worse tactically than the other coaches. I'm sure he does a lot of that stuff. That is maybe a little harder to observe. But just for how good New England have been relative to expectations. Amitrovich with his identity in the youth game with his actual on fill identity and his ability to coach his players up. It feels like he he absolutely wants a shout here as well. Do you know how much further would we have have had to have gone down your list to get to Ben Olson? Pretty far, man. Yeah. I think he's done a good job. But I mean, I don't know. Maybe it's just me being biased towards teams that play different ways. But I just don't think there's maybe quite as much skill in it as there is in some of these other things. Yeah, I actually still had Bruce Arena above Ben Olson at this point. And I know that the standings would disagree. But I think that the work that's been done to get San Jose into what was such an entertaining and successful outfit for the first half of the season. Shouldn't be like overshadowed all together for the fact that since injuries came in. They've had much worse because every team there's a lot worse in this league with a good number of injuries to their starters. All right. Well, there we have it. We've done some awarding nicely done gentlemen. Silverware handed out. And then we'll see how things change between now and when you all actually do your voting on these things. For now, we're going to take one more break. We'll come back and look back at the weekend that was and maybe spend some more time with the union. And a few other teams join us then. Welcome back everybody to the Total Soccer Show. We've done the silverware awarding. We don't need to do that anymore instead. It's time to talk about checks notes. Kevin Sullivan again. Joe another impressive performance for him. A very impressive season for him so far. Yeah, the Philadelphia union and Kevin Sullivan top San Diego FC away in San Diego in the final game of the weekend on Sunday night. Five Nill really impressive performance in Philadelphia yet again. They still get to lose since the World Cup break. They are flying in a way that no other MLS team is flying right now and that includes the teams that are closing in. Well, the team really that's closing out of the shield in Nashville and the teams that are closest on their heels. Every time I think Kevin Sullivan must have run out of tricks, he pulls out another one. It is very much a Mary Poppins bag situation where the first goal in this game is unbelievable. I can't imagine you're listening to this and you haven't seen it. But if you haven't, just go look it up. The back heel goal from Kevin Sullivan is just ridiculous. There's no reason to pull that out. It doesn't anyway. And it is just the perfect thing for the moment at the same time. Kevin Sullivan's ability to surprise continues to surprise me. I mean, it's just so much fun to watch this kid play. And we're nearing the territory two goals in this game. Keys the third goal as well. We're nearing the territory of he is the best teenager that MLS has ever seen. And I don't think that's particularly hot take right now. It's offensive Davies or it's Kevin Sullivan. I mean, that's the question. I mean, Audrey Mamedi is a guy that's, I really rate. It's just maybe more difficult to evaluate because he's not going to rack up the goal contributions like an attacker. It's hard to contextualize that. But at least among attackers in MLS history, Sullivan is doing things that only Alfonso Davies has ever done. And of course, there are different kinds of players. But Sullivan's ability in tight spots. His creativity in the final third. He's not a one-dimensional player. And we saw that in this game. We've seen that all season long. Six goals, five assists in regular season play. He has been an absolute tear. He is a goal threat. He is a chance creation threat. That's mirrored by the fact that his goal contributions are basically level in that way. He is a 1v1 dribble threat. He is an off-ball movement threat. And you see that really on the second goal, which is far less cool than the first goal, because it doesn't end with the back heel finish to the far post. But he sees the run. He sees the space makes the run. He basically makes the goal before he even gets to the ball. I mean, his savvy off-ball movement is so underrated. And then on top of that, you add the other part of the off-ball stuff, which is tracking back to defend. And we're seeing more and more of that where the Union are a serious defensive team under Ryan Richter just as they've always been. He's willing to track back and do the dirty work. First half of this game shifts back to basically the right back spot, slide tackles wins the ball and starts a new sequence for the Union. I mean, he is rolling up his sleeves and doing all of the finesse attacking stuff that the teammates have to roll up their sleeves because they can't do that stuff. Can't do. I mean, I'm endlessly impressed. Man, I'm endlessly impressed and he continues to point out that he is the best young prospect that the US has and has had in a really, really, really long time. Jeff is nodding. Jeff can curse. Best prospect in a long, long, really long time. And I think that what's especially impressive is that the scrutiny on him is growing. And it's unmissable. You are to a point now where I think that he does know that everyone is hyping him up. All of us are having to write more about Kevin Sullivan because there's more interest in and demand for information about Kevin Sullivan. And so to be able to have the audacity to try a finish like that and execute it, while you know that you're kind of going mainstream in a certain way, like I think just like that shows a good composure. It shows like a showmanship that I think is really necessary to be able to like live up to that sort of hype. You can't just be like a really good, tidy, like equal tennisist and a league like this sort of player. You do have to do something kind of audacious and I think that he does have that ability to him. And I just want to say like, you know, credit to Ryan Richter first of all for playing him. Like not sure what Bradley Carnell was doing for the first half of the season or whatever. But also for setting him up in a role that caters to his strengths and has good combinations around him to mitigate for any other moments where he might be more naive. He just hasn't shown a lot of the play evidence yet. It's it really is striking to me and I know I kind of underscored this. It's striking to me that there are just not any glaring holes in Sullivan's game. Like I was doing a deep dive into Nico Shakira or something else earlier this week. And Shakira is unbelievable on the ball, like brilliant final third playmaker, great ball progressor. He's not super quick and he doesn't dribble a whole lot. Like he just has some some deficiencies in this game, right? And most most every player on the planet does that. Kevin Sullivan has deficiencies, but they're not technical deficiencies. The physical deficiencies, which are sort of uncontrollable, right? I think he is basically as athletic as you could hope a five foot seven human being can be more or less. I mean, he's an impressive athlete, I think moves pretty quickly. It can accelerate nicely moves well in the open field, all those things. But his his ceiling is not limited by his technical ability. I mean, how many players have we ever been able to say that about coming through Major League Soccer at his age, coming into the US men's national team pool at any age? I mean, it is a list of two or or fewer than that in the entire history of the US men's national team modern history. I don't know what, you know, what those do, what those dudes were back up to in 1930. But really, I mean, it is, it's just different. It's absolutely different. And the only thing that that maybe holds me back from saying, yeah, he is on a Davies like trajectory is the physical stuff. Because Davies was impressive physically way back in the day, relative to older adults and very quickly even as he translated into the Bundesliga. Solvins, not that. I still a little messy in possession. That's fine, man. Like he is an unbelievably good MLS player. Like if he'd had this run, if Bradley Cornell hadn't put his foot in his mouth from the start of the season, we'd be talking about him as a best 11 player, Kevin Solvins. I mean, that is how good he's been. He still might end up that way because of how many games the Union have left. I mean, what we're seeing is, is like pinch me stuff for US soccer fans, for people that watch MLS. The story is so sweet and it's so special and I just can't wait to see what happens next. For the Union Joe, I believe that's 15 goals in the last four games. I think they have 46 on the season. So a third of their goals in the last four games, that's not bad. How much of that is Ryan Richter and the things that he is doing. How much of that is the team rounding into good form? And how much of that is them playing Cincinnati Montreal and the New York Red Bulls? Yeah, maybe a little bit of everything. I think Ryan Richter has done well, certainly to foster buy in. I mean, I don't really envy him taking over when the Union were in the spot that they were in back in May. It doesn't seem like it was a particularly pleasant place to be because they were losing a lot of games and were embarrassing on the field. So he absolutely deserves credit. There have also been a lot of no brainers. I get the point you're making Jeff about Richter deserving credit for playing Kevin. I know what you mean. It's really just a dunk on Bradley Carnell. So he did a lot of the obvious things, Ryan Richter, which is, hey, let's put this 6 foot 7 kit in a center back who's perfect for our system. That's an interesting idea. Let's put one of the best attacking talents in MLS regardless of age in the starting lineup. That's an interesting idea. Really a lot of obvious things. He's also helped by the fact that now Kai Wagner has come back into this team. I mean, he's an elite MLS left back. MLS has ever seen Kai Wagner that he's back in this team is huge, right? So it is some talent stuff, some roster stuff that's above his pay grade, presumably. And it's also the savvy but kind of obvious on field decisions that he's made. And then the fact that man, these young players are getting better every game. Like Pierre's getting better, Sullivan's getting better. Frankie Westfield was really good in this game against San Diego as well. He was crucial at Milano Loski getting a trip back to San Diego playing a little fire under his butt. I enjoy that a lot. It is all of those things combining and then yes, some easily mode downable opponents. But I don't think San Diego are an easily mode to be honest, even though they've had some iffy moments this year. Like Philly took it to a man and that is not the easiest thing to do in MLS anyway. It is not Jeff. What results from this best weekend caught your eye? Yeah, I mean, like we talked a little bit already about Nashville getting a draw off of Miami and Big Race for Sam Surridge. Kind of a reminder of Miami's vulnerability. We talked last week about how like Miami once they get to insert game here, they're the favorite. And I do think that that's data still stands because they have Leonardo Messi and you don't any of us, none of us do. But it's worth noting like last year they weren't swinging results on own goals. This game is the rare occasion they are. That's an aberration. Like that's just like trivia, right? Like last year they they benefited from one on goal all season and it was in like a four or one loss that they had. They're shooting more than they were last year, which I think generally just shows less restraint and more just like trying to want to kind of like force the game onto the opponent, which I think is fine. But because but they have a lower accuracy, which is kind of aiding that sort of interpretation of that data. So there's kind of little fine margin sort of moments where they're just kind of forcing shots and is going off in last year. It was maybe on frame more. I don't think that you can really just chalk this up to the aging of two of their attackers. I think it is much more just how they play and operate. Now that much Toronto has been gone in particular. What's also worth noting though is they do attack slower. So like according to Opta last year, they generated eight point. Sorry, this is defensive. I missed my toggle on this one. I apologize. So last year in 40 games, they gave up 8.9 XG on fast pricks to their opponents across 40 games, which is pretty big. Like when you think of like a C-strandolo mark does not just seem to give up like two and a half XG on fast pricks season. They will set up to not do this sort of thing. So that's 8.9 in 40 games last year, right? This year in 25 games, they've already given up 8.6 XG. So like they are just begging for teams to just try counterattacks against them or barnstorm them or just attack with directness and quickness. Because the goalkeepers still don't really know what to do with the defensive line. The defensive line is played so far up field that if you can get a ball around or over one of them through the back line, they're just incredibly beatable. They're downright plush on that side. So I think that there still is a lot to be worked out. Whoever coaches them in the playoffs at this point, you know, we'll see it might be by a committee once per game. But yeah, Miami is looking a bit vulnerable at this point. I love their giving it's natural just for the spectacle of it all, right? I mean, Nashville continue to inch closer to the shield. They've got an eight point lead on top of the east. Excuse me, nine point lead to top the east and eight point lead to top the shield race. Vancouver setting one point ahead of Miami. Oh, it's pretty close to a perfect weekend for Nashville overall in that the White Caps lost. And they took a point away to Miami. I mean, that gets them quite close to the shield. And I think they will win it. It's just a great game between two great teams. Nashville with a better team in the first half without Miami with a better team in the second half and Messi sort of started to pile it on a little bit. Despite a Nashville's best efforts to stack the middle of the field, they're really congested area. Messi still finds chances and it was just a great, great battle to watch there. Nashville are dangerous going forward. They're bought in defensively. All the things I said about them earlier very much applied in this game. And you had some big chances late in the match as well that could have indeed in the case of San Sir just finished swing things. I just love this game for the spectacle of it. These are two of the three best teams and I'm a last going up against it. Nashville, I think deservedly ended up with a point in this game. This was the 17th time according to Ben Wright who wrote this for us over at back yield. That these two teams have played each other since 2023. I mean, they've played in the open cup. They've played in Conkey Cav play. They've played in the MLS playoffs last year. We had that series. I mean, I feel like all roads are leading to us getting that again in this year's postseason. Maybe a filly or an Orlando throws a wrench into things. Maybe Andre Franco comes back and changes Chicago. Who knows? I'm because he comes back maybe even more importantly. It helps steady them defensively once again. But I mean, I would be thrilled, absolutely thrilled with another matchup between these teams in the postseason. Joe, you throw it all with any of our new designated players and their performances this week. Yeah. Yeah, I loved one of the things I always love about watching MLS games post transfer window is getting a lot better. Post transfer window is getting to see the new guys. It's like a mini new season all over again. Because that's how transfer windows work. And I really enjoyed watching two of the highest profile DPs that came into MLS in the summer window performed for their teams. The first was Andre Louise who scored a banger of a goal for sporting Kansas City, the Brazilian who they signed for a club record fee from Olympiacos after reported Premier League interest in Louise. Louise came in. This was his second start for Kansas City. And they actually won a game sporting Kansas City. They beat LAFC just their fifth one of the season. It's been pretty bleak and they still got a wooden spoon sized hole to try and dig themselves out of. And they hope that they don't have to finish that digging with an actual wooden spoon. Maybe they can get a medal before the wooden one arrives. Louise was a menace. He was fouled the game high five times in this match. Dangerous on the dribble. Incredibly athletic. I already talked about Louise and gave this guy a report on him a few weeks ago now. But he was everything that he looked like on tape for Kansas City. The same was true against Dallas when he got the start there. But man, he's a hard guy to slow down. And when he and his teammates actually can develop some chemistry and ideally he gets some higher quality teammates as well. Coming up in the winter. Kansas City are going to be fun. Like they were fun to watch in this game. And Louise was very much at the heart of all that LAFC of their own problems to deal with. That's a separate conversation probably for a separate day. The other DP that I enjoyed is Morgan Whitaker for the rapid. So came off the bench. The former middleman who's brought in for a club record fee eight figures as well. For the rapids according to reports. He came off the bench played on the right wing. He looks like a right-sided Denny Boonga is like the the previous way I can give a scouting report. That's not to say he's going to be quite as good as Boonga. Because that's a very high bar that only a handful of players in league history have reached. But stylistically, he plays that way where he is a vertical threat very quick, very direct. But also has finesse. He's not just north-south. You can also go east-west. And typically if he's starting on the right, he's going west every time. Like he's cutting in on that left foot. And his ability then to either play a pass at switches the point of attack to maybe Minungu on the left, which is what we saw in this game against Montreal, but the rapids 1-1-0. Or actually to go and create shots for himself and try to bend the balls to the far post. Like it's almost like if you squinted and just made him a silhouette. I really would think that it was a mirror to Boonga over on that side. So I really look forward to seeing more of what the rapids look like. They've got big games coming up. Trophy's still on offer for them in the US Open Cup. There's some juice there that I'm really, really thinking would a girl can impact them in a big way. Because he was quite impressive off the bench. Nicely done, gentlemen. Well, thank you all for reviewing the weekend, reviewing your nominees for MLS Awards. It's been quite the hour, but I've enjoyed all of it, Jeff Ruder. What have you got on tap this week? Any articles, any stories, any big news? What's this breaking news? Who's getting the next player? What's happening? They're going to name a US squad this week. So I suppose that'll be big news. Yeah. No, I just a fair amount that's in the works right now. Who's your, who's your like outsider pick to make the team? Anybody random? I guess the most random feeling was like saying that Quinn Sullivan should be there, because that'll really help with Kevin Sullivan's first camp to have him back in the fold, even if he is still kind of more of a training player at this point. I, Tristan Blackman, was a little bit of a surprise for me on my squad. Eunice Moose are getting recall. I think it's something I would really love to see. I don't think that's as much of a surprise, though. I had Alejandra's and Dejas, Alex and Dejas on the squad as well. I just, I kind of want to see him get more looks in this team. And I think having a decent number of holdovers from the last squad makes sense. So call him in. And does that mean that you're also assuming Kevin Sullivan will be there? Yes, I am. All right. And Nico Secarius, both end. Don't pick. Just pick a both. Call him both in. Do it. You have four games. Like here's the thing. I leaned very midfield heavy with my projection that I put up. And I, it's like wish casting as much as a projection. That Pablo and I did on the Guardian, but like I called in a lot of midfielders, because I just want to see a lot of combinations. John Lukabucio. There's another one. Let's just keep naming some guys. Dude, name and Jude. I look forward to doing it for the next two days. Joel Aria, I hope you do as well. Hey, thanks, Taylor. Listers, thank you all so much for listening and continuing to support the show. We very much appreciate it. We very much appreciate you. Stream Squadron, you've been excellent as well. And we'll talk to you later. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay. You've got to pay.