WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:01.040 We welcome. 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:04.960 We welcome for the first time someone who now gets 3 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:06.919 to hang out and have the He's got the keys 4 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:09.000 to the kingdom, he's got the garage door opener. He 5 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:12.480 now knows how to enter into the hour of chaos 6 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:16.320 on Friday if he so chooses. Max Anderson Radio play 7 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:18.519 by play, Voice of the Chicago Fire, dropping in for our. 8 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.440 OPO intel and our OPO research. 9 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:23.359 What up, dude, John, Thanks for having me on. I 10 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:25.120 appreciate and I want to make sure you can hear 11 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:25.679 me all right. 12 00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:31.199 For you are okay, everything is fine, hey, and it 13 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:33.880 is up and running and all right. 14 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:35.000 So it's a chat. 15 00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:35.359 I see. 16 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:37.000 I'm trying to get rid of the lower third because 17 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:38.479 it's like I was trying to promote something. 18 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.439 Now people can see who we are, all right. 19 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:41.719 Uh. 20 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:43.840 The reason that we do we started. 21 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:46.920 Doing this this year on the network is we wanted 22 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.600 to have OPPO research and we want to kind of 23 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:54.200 introduce everyone who follows at Land United since that's where 24 00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:56.960 we're based. We wanted to bring in folks from each 25 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:00.439 individual market there and break it and sit there and 26 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.960 find out what to expect when it comes to the 27 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:05.760 twenty twenty five MLS season. 28 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.280 So I reached out. This is breaking the fourth wall. 29 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:13.079 I reach out to Max and it's like literally, you know, 30 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:13.879 I reach out. 31 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:16.359 To Max and I'm like, okay, how about here? And 32 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:18.159 I'm literally trying to figure out, Okay, how can I 33 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:20.879 reach out to him? And it was through Instagram messaging 34 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:23.319 that I got a hold of you. And you're probably 35 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:26.319 sitting there going, uh oh, well now wondering. 36 00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:28.200 Where else you're trying to contact me, John, I feel bad. 37 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:30.680 I was trying to do it on the twitters but 38 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:34.400 like dming and it was like, yeah, I don't I 39 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:35.359 didn't get the dming. 40 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:38.799 I don't tweet much anymore. I've pretty much punted on 41 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:41.239 Twitter in terms of tweeting. I think my last tweet 42 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:45.560 was three years ago when I got this job. So yeah, 43 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:47.480 Instagram is is definitely more where you. 44 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:48.280 Can find me for sure. 45 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:52.239 Right on and so as the play by play voice 46 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:55.040 of the Fire, So first off, let me ask you 47 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:58.280 what's it like to go from uh from you know, 48 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.120 what you were doing with hockey and I know and 49 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:02.439 being a hockey guy, I'm big into that too, So 50 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:04.560 what's it like to be the voice of the Fire. 51 00:02:05.799 --> 00:02:09.479 You know, it surprised me. I'd spent a lot of 52 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.240 years doing a lot of high school hockey in the area. 53 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:17.000 I've done some college soccer, college baseball, college softball, and 54 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:18.319 did all through college. 55 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:21.080 You know, I worked professionally, but this I also do. 56 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:24.599 And got the opportunity interview for the Chicago Fire job 57 00:02:24.840 --> 00:02:27.280 a friend of a friend in the broadcasting world. So, hey, 58 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:29.680 we're looking for a new radio play by play, and 59 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.199 I said I'd love to do it. It had been 60 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:34.919 close ten years since I'd call it a soccer game. 61 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:38.080 I didn't tell them that at the time, but I 62 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:40.120 did the tryout. 63 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:41.280 And I guess it went well enough. 64 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:45.879 And the original hiring manager, Jamie Chen, who recently left 65 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:48.840 the Fire is now with FIFA as part of their 66 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:50.879 preparations leading up to the World Cup. Is an a 67 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:52.800 one human being took a chance on a guy that 68 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.080 you know, I have a lot of play by play experience, 69 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:57.360 but not necessarily a lot in soccer. 70 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:00.479 So it's been a great season three, it's been It's 71 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:00.960 been awesome. 72 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:03.560 Yeah, and Jamie is a friend of ours here at 73 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.840 the network as well, So anytime we want to knock 74 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:08.400 on a FIFA FIFA Ish door, Jamie is the guy 75 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:11.639 that we talked to on a national scale coming into 76 00:03:11.719 --> 00:03:15.560 this season. Everybody was sitting there and looking at Greg 77 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:19.000 Burhalter being the the Bill Parcells of Major League Soccer, 78 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:22.360 getting both job titles. You know, you having the business 79 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.360 card full on the front end the back. What was 80 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:29.039 the buzz like when three GB wandered in the door 81 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:31.960 and the expectations when the season started. 82 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:35.680 So, you know, personally, I found it really interesting. You know, 83 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:38.400 obviously as a soccer fan, you follow the US men's 84 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:42.039 national team. I follow a little bit of Europe. I 85 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:44.479 say a broad in Barcelona, so so I've see Barcelona's 86 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:49.759 my side. But you really got to know Greg through 87 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:53.080 what felt like a pretty negative last year and a 88 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:57.280 half of media attention, right you know, the net bo 89 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:00.759 scandals that people claim that we're going on. I bring 90 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:03.400 all that up to say I am convinced at this 91 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:06.400 point that it was a media machine gone a buck 92 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.000 because I've gotten the chance to watch Greg Burolter up 93 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:11.759 close for you know, close to three months now, and 94 00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:15.039 I think he's a phenomenal coach, and I think the 95 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:18.360 pulse that he has on his team is great. He's 96 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:22.600 phenomenal with the media. He absolutely answers your questions. He 97 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:25.680 you know, after the seventeen loss to Nashville, which was 98 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.360 I don't even know how to analyze that one. He 99 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:33.000 said what everybody saw, and I think that's what got 100 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:36.720 firefans really frustrated the last few years, is you would 101 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:39.680 get people talking about the club as if, well, we're 102 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:42.759 making progress here in a four to one loss, and no, 103 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:45.800 Greg Buralter made it clear that was unacceptable. We apologize 104 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:48.319 to our fans. It's we're gonna be better. We're gonna 105 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:51.240 answer to it. They're gonna be repercussions, and I think 106 00:04:51.240 --> 00:04:54.759 that's all fans really want. It's been a rough decade 107 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:58.600 for Fire fans and there's been a lot of expectations. 108 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:00.560 There's big, big names that have been brought in that 109 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:05.360 haven't quite lived up, and so coming into the season 110 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:07.480 there's a little bit of trepidation just because of I 111 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:10.040 think the mental schema that at least I know I 112 00:05:10.199 --> 00:05:13.199 built up about Greg Burholter and his national team experience. 113 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:15.319 It's done a point eighty for me. And even though 114 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:17.480 the last few games have been have been kind of rough, 115 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:20.160 and I'm sure we'll talk more about that, you still 116 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:23.879 see a huge difference from what it looked like the 117 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:26.240 last few seasons. 118 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:30.480 And so how would you characterize what Chicago is going 119 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:33.160 through in twenty twenty five. Everybody's saying, Okay, well it's 120 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:36.319 a rebuild, it's this, it's that. How would you characterize 121 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:36.920 what's going on? 122 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:39.399 I wouldn't call it a rebuild. 123 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:41.680 I'd call it a transitioneer And I know that can 124 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:43.720 be a cop out a little bit in terms of, 125 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:48.959 you know, not wanting to call it as bad, because 126 00:05:49.079 --> 00:05:50.879 I do think they reloaded in some really nice way. 127 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:53.839 Filed Zychernogles come in and been a revelation. He's been 128 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:58.120 phenomenal up the right wing. He's shown both great play 129 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:00.639 on the ball, but great play in terms of finishing. 130 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:04.920 You know, Jonathan Bamba hasn't quite tally the goals. I 131 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:08.000 think the Fire fans and even Greg Burholter, who frankly 132 00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:10.439 has been pretty tough on Bomba expecting a lot out 133 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:12.040 of him. He had two assistant his first match in 134 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:13.639 the MLS and he said, where is the scoring? 135 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:14.560 Again? 136 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:18.480 Going back to Greg Burholter just being the goods. So, 137 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:22.240 you know, I think those pieces up front. Kuiper's has 138 00:06:22.279 --> 00:06:25.160 been more dynamic than he was last season, even leading 139 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:27.000 the team and goals last year. He's been much more 140 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:31.279 creative this season, up to seven goals now, and he 141 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:35.000 that top three have been really, really good. 142 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:37.079 They're scoring a lot of goals. That has not been 143 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:39.240 the problem. Problem has been on the other side. 144 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:41.199 Problem has been on the back end, giving up a 145 00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:43.839 league leading MLS goals. The back line has been a mess. 146 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:49.000 Jack Elliott stabilized it. I'd say, to start, you've started 147 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:53.079 to see the inklings of a solid defensive core if 148 00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:55.959 Carlos Tehran could stay healthy. Of course, right as he 149 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:58.319 found a rhythm, he got hurt again. And it sounds like, 150 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:01.199 based on Greg Burholter's mens, he's gonna be out a while. 151 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:05.519 He said, called it his pretty serious injury. So it 152 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:06.639 sounds like he's gonna be out for. 153 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:07.079 A little bit. 154 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:09.160 And if you were watching, you saw it was not 155 00:07:09.160 --> 00:07:13.560 not good to watch. And then you had the seven 156 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:16.639 two debacle in Nashville. Now, part of the context you 157 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:20.279 have to understand is the Fire earlier this season did 158 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:21.399 something they haven't done in twenty years. 159 00:07:21.399 --> 00:07:24.439 They won three straight road games. They were the talk 160 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:27.079 of the MLS. Frankly after about match Day six. 161 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:33.839 And injuries and national team duty, really ruined this team's rhythm. 162 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:37.879 I know everyone has injuries, but it's been a revolving 163 00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:41.720 door of injuries to key players to the point where 164 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:46.680 you know, they had four homegrown players starting a. 165 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:48.920 Game that weren't on the roster a year and a. 166 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:52.680 Half ago, so that it's it's been tough at times 167 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.240 to really stabilize things on the back and en in 168 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:58.240 the midfield. Caldacosta has been in and out of injury. 169 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:01.839 Brian Gutierrez had a goal as first game, just like 170 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:03.720 he did last year. Everybody's like, this is the year 171 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.399 that Brian goodears. Then he goes national team duty, gets hurt, 172 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:10.519 not playing with national team, miss is a couple more games, 173 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:11.600 then gets a red card. 174 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:15.360 That was a red card. 175 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:20.160 I'll leave it at that, And so his season's kind 176 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:22.759 of been, you know, not trying to find his footing too. 177 00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:25.759 So it's just been disjointed all together. In the middle 178 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:27.399 of it, I think Gregorolter has done a great job 179 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:31.439 trying to piece this thing together. But you know, now 180 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:33.679 there's talk about, you know, Alex de Bruyna, is that 181 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:35.919 as kept sorry Vin de Bruyna, is that is that 182 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:39.000 a thing that might might come down the Pike. That 183 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.360 would obviously be the summer, so this team still got 184 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:45.000 a month or two of games before any meaningful reinforcements 185 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:45.519 come their way. 186 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:51.039 Yeah, last time out, you're starting eleven, started with with Brady. 187 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:53.120 In that and then it didn't. Then we'll get into 188 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:53.840 that in a second. 189 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:56.960 Andrew Gutman, who is familiar to a lot of folks 190 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:59.000 here in the Atlanta area with his time with it 191 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:02.159 Landey United, Elliott Cups, and who we refer to as 192 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:05.200 a little ball of hate. Johnny Dean from his time 193 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:09.440 in Birmingham. We knew him from USL Championship underrated player 194 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:13.080 Johnny Dean. Good to see him there, pineda goody eras 195 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:16.559 or a hell Bamba Kuipers and Zincer Noaugle in a 196 00:09:16.600 --> 00:09:20.679 four to three three as it's listed. So now that 197 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:24.360 Brady is not in that for the thirty sixth minute 198 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:27.240 red card, who is it going to be in that 199 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:30.440 this weekend? Up there going up against it Landy United. 200 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:33.240 We haven't heard officially, it's not gonna be Jeff gall 201 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:35.240 From what we understand, it sounds like it's gonna be 202 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:39.039 Brian Dowd called back on an emergency hardship waiver, now 203 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:42.120 I know MLS rules. This is one that kind of 204 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:44.080 caught me that I had to read up on exactly 205 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:45.639 how this emergency rule worked. 206 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:47.480 But it does sound like. 207 00:09:47.399 --> 00:09:49.679 They can recall him from loan for one game. 208 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:51.759 Again, I didn't know that was possible, but. 209 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:54.360 I guess there is some hardship exception within the MLS. 210 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:59.360 You know MLS rules. Cecos out there can can certainly 211 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:02.120 chat me here and quote me on it. That is 212 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:08.480 not nless I was familiar with. But you capable goalkeeper, 213 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:11.720 He's not Chris Brady. Frankly, Chris Brady the last three 214 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:15.600 seasons has had I think some national team cloud taken 215 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:17.519 away from him just because of the performance of the team. 216 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:21.279 I truly believe a solid run of team performance and 217 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:22.799 he's in the running to be the US ben's. 218 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:24.799 National team keeper within a year he has. 219 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:27.840 He makes some saves that I don't see anybody else 220 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:31.360 in this league making. He is dynamic, he's young, he's 221 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:36.919 an incredible athlete and goal and he's really come along 222 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:39.679 in the final tier of his game. First two years 223 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:42.879 getting to call Chris Brady, the saves weren't the question. 224 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:45.600 He was not very good playing the ball out of 225 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:47.440 the back, and if you want to make that next 226 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:50.320 step as a keeper in Europe, which I think eventually 227 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:52.279 he will, you've got to be able to handle the 228 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:54.399 ball out of the back. You've got to be able 229 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.399 to place it where you need to within the thirty 230 00:10:57.480 --> 00:10:59.840 yards of the box. And he was not good at 231 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:02.320 it the first couple of years. He's been much better 232 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:04.000 at it this year. A lot of that having to 233 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:07.200 do with Greg Parrohlters system and the importance of control 234 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:10.759 out of the back, and so that's been I think 235 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:13.120 the last frontier of his game. And like I said, 236 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:15.519 I think he's in Europe and then not to just 237 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.879 in future and potentially leading the ESPN's national team in 238 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:19.320 the next. 239 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:19.600 Year or so. 240 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:22.039 Max Anderson played by play voices Chicago Fire. 241 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:24.720 Dropping by for our oppo research segment that we have 242 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:26.519 every week is at Lanty Night. It's getting ready for 243 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:28.559 the Chicago Fire. I guess this is the match game 244 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:32.799 portion of the program. For things to go well offensively 245 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:36.840 for Chicago. Blank is happening on the field, and it 246 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:41.159 can be people and interactions and formations and attack minded ideas. 247 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:44.440 How if things are going well, what are folks seeing 248 00:11:44.440 --> 00:11:45.639 in the attack for Chicago. 249 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:49.679 So for most of the season it's been because Andrew 250 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:53.799 Gutman and Jonathan Bomba have been creating up the left side. Now, 251 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:55.639 that wouldn't have been my answer to enter the season. 252 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:57.960 It would have been because Brian Goodiers was dynamic in 253 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:00.720 the midfield, but he just hasn't found his footing. 254 00:12:00.440 --> 00:12:01.360 So far this season. 255 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:05.360 If he gets his footing in the midfield to set 256 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.679 up guys like Bomba, guys like Zinkernagol, and guys like Kuipers, 257 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:10.200 it can be a long game. 258 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:11.639 They've scored a lot of goals this year. 259 00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:16.480 That has not been the problem scoring wise. You're going 260 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:18.720 to see again the dynamic play on the left side 261 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:21.519 between Bomba and Gutman. I don't have to educate your 262 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:24.799 audience on what Gutman can bring and his attacking nature 263 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:28.080 up that left side, but that seems to me when 264 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:31.200 this team's going best, it's those two creating on the 265 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:35.679 left side, and then Kuiper's really pushing the middle to 266 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:38.440 create the space kind of at the edge of the eighteen. 267 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:40.559 They've scored a lot of goals kind of in that 268 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:43.399 six to eighteen range because they are able to push 269 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:47.159 up into the box, get that kind of clear space, 270 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:51.399 a little more in behind, and guys like Kuipers are 271 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:54.240 finding the ball and finishing. Guys like you know, Bomba 272 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:57.080 and Gutierres at times are also finishing. 273 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.759 What's it been like to see Kuipers evolve over the 274 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:00.879 last stand full of season. 275 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:03.919 Well, last year he looked like a box poacher. 276 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:07.159 I mean that's really all he looked like. And you 277 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:10.679 didn't really see him create. You didn't see him work 278 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:14.360 open spaces. You didn't see him create for others. You 279 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:16.120 really just saw him kind of camp out in the 280 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:17.600 box and wait for a cross to come in that 281 00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:20.360 he can either head in or after it bounces around 282 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.320 he can kick it in. That's been different this year especially, 283 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:27.080 you know, not as much last month slowed down as 284 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:31.240 the entire team has, But on the whole he's playing 285 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:34.200 more to space. He's again he's really doing a nice 286 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:37.879 job of pressing defensive lines to create space between lines, 287 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:40.759 which is where the Fire have had some success. So 288 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.200 sometimes he's just using himself as a dummy in terms 289 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:46.639 of clearing space and allowing guys to come in behind 290 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:50.320 him with much better looks at goals. So he's obviously 291 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:53.080 still doing the poaching. He's still doing the box poaching, 292 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:55.600 but that's not his entire game. Maybe only half his goals. 293 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:57.600 Three or four of his goals have been right place, 294 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:01.320 right time. They've also been creating space. He's a key 295 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:02.480 goal against. 296 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:04.720 Cincinnati. 297 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:06.480 They ended up losing the game, but it was a 298 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:07.919 key goal in the game to get him back in. 299 00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:08.679 It was a force over. 300 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:11.759 He turned, got it to bom Bomba, threaded it through 301 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:14.559 to Gootman, and Gootman finished it. So even in the 302 00:14:14.600 --> 00:14:17.519 transition play, he's been able to create some chances and 303 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:20.320 be more dynamic than just a box poacher. 304 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:23.759 So is there And I don't know if this is 305 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:26.960 a conventional wisdom or a fear from those who are 306 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:31.120 watching outside of the field of play, but is the 307 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:35.799 idea currently Okay, we know we have defensive defensive deficiencies 308 00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:40.919 from the department of redundancy department, But is the idea 309 00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:43.919 almost to outscore the opponent knowing that we're going to 310 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.159 give some up, that we're putting that much more pressure 311 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:48.960 on our offense because of the frailties at the back. 312 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:52.200 You'd see Greg Burhlter's head explode if you asked him 313 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:55.360 that question. Yeah, the answer is absolutely non. He's not 314 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:57.960 here to play you know, West Coast football. He's not 315 00:14:58.039 --> 00:15:00.919 here to play Golden State Warriors three point. He knows 316 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:03.960 that things need to be cleaned up. And that's been 317 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:07.519 the key, really is the mistakes. I mean it has been. 318 00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:10.279 You know, if I think of all the goals this season, 319 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:15.480 less than half, maybe a quarter or off of just brilliant, 320 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:18.639 really good solid soccer play right and build up, they're 321 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.639 the mistakes in the back have been killing them. And 322 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:27.879 they've been avoidable mistakes that frankly, that's what FC Cincinnati did. 323 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:31.679 Fire worked so hard for their two goals. Cincinnati pounced 324 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.279 on three mistakes and scored bing bang boom, one of 325 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:36.759 those being really unfortunate. I'm not sure if anybody saw 326 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:39.360 the clip, but Maricio Pineda just outside his own boxes 327 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:41.679 tripped by the ref creates a four on three the 328 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:45.240 other way, and since Ta gets to score again looked 329 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:47.279 up that role. Would have thought there'd been a little 330 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:49.600 bit more clear in the rule. That's a judgment call. 331 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:54.600 I think that should probably operate like when the ball 332 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:57.720 hits the referee, and if somebody in possession of the 333 00:15:57.720 --> 00:16:01.399 ball makes contact with the referee, I think that place 334 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:04.480 should probably stop or be an advantage play at least 335 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:05.080 for that player. 336 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:06.879 But hey, again, I don't make the rules. 337 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:12.159 So no, it's really been the mistakes out of the 338 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:14.360 back specifically that have really hurt them. 339 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:17.039 So then, is the Nashville game just one of those 340 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:18.679 that you sit there and you take it and you 341 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:20.440 put it in file thirteen, you throw it away, you 342 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:22.480 flush the toilet, and it's just like, Okay, we learn 343 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:24.039 from it, but we don't dwell on it kind of 344 00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:24.279 a thing. 345 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:27.240 So that's the school I come from, and that's my take. 346 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:30.360 And then when we heard Greg on the postgame podium, 347 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:32.279 he said, no, we're not throwing that away. He said, 348 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:34.279 there's going to be accountability. We're going to learn from it. 349 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:36.279 And it would be one thing if they had a 350 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:38.799 performance like that, and that was the first one, and 351 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:43.200 obviously seven goals is way beyond, but it's the mistakes, 352 00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:45.639 and it's some of the same mistakes we've seen over 353 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:49.399 and over this season that I think Greg's point was, well, 354 00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:51.440 we threw this out last time, and we're back here. 355 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:54.000 We can't throw this out. We have to get better 356 00:16:54.039 --> 00:16:56.559 from this and we have to stop making some of 357 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:58.720 these mistakes. I mean, the depth that was able to 358 00:16:58.759 --> 00:17:01.679 be played in behind their back line. Last game was unacceptable. 359 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:04.599 You know, Jack Elliotts had a rough couple of games. 360 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.400 As good as he was for the first postseason, he 361 00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:08.160 was not good the last couple of games. Missed a 362 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:11.400 couple of markings, specifically in the Nashville game. We'll get 363 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:13.839 to the Orlando City game, which which I know has 364 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:17.960 some oddities to it too, and that really needs to 365 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:19.480 be cleaned up. So no that I think we're at 366 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:22.079 the point now in this run of five games without 367 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:25.480 a win where Greg's like, we can't keep throwing away 368 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:27.599 what we're doing. We have to figure out why we're 369 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:30.000 doing it. We have to fix it. So that was 370 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:33.119 more the attitude. And again to my opening comments by 371 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:36.799 Greg Burhalter, his candor and you know, his openness with 372 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:39.200 the media has been so refreshing, just getting up there 373 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:42.960 and saying, fans, we apologize, unacceptable can't happen, and we're 374 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:44.720 gonna fix it, and we're gonna be better next time. 375 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:48.240 And with you know, ten men, and for sixty five minutes. 376 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:51.240 They were so the Orlando match, if I just if 377 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:53.359 I just use the if I go Larry King and 378 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:55.960 go Orlando sticks in your head. 379 00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:59.440 I can't remember the last time I saw a goalie 380 00:17:59.480 --> 00:18:03.720 red card. That'd be the that'd be one thing. You know. 381 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:04.799 I guess it was deserved. 382 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:07.319 You know, you watch it in slow enough times you 383 00:18:07.319 --> 00:18:10.519 could convince yourself otherwise. But you understand why the red 384 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:13.400 card was given. Fortunate that it ended up being an 385 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:15.960 inch three inches whatever outside the box so that they 386 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:17.480 didn't have to have the PK for it. 387 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:18.720 That was a break. 388 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:24.519 I think the really my biggest takeaway from that game 389 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:28.799 was a young man named Chris Cups and a sixteen 390 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:30.759 year old that stepped in after a team that gave 391 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:34.119 up seven goals the game before in Nashville, down ten 392 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:36.559 men for sixty five minutes, played center back and played 393 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:40.759 as you know what off and that really caught Greg 394 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:44.160 Burholter's attention to I think we got to five questions 395 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:47.119 in the postgame media. He goes, how is nobody asked 396 00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:49.960 me about Chris Cups yet? Like a sixteen year old 397 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:52.839 in his MLS debut making a start ends up having 398 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.839 ten You know, he was like, he could not say 399 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:57.200 enough good things. He didn't start in the MLS Cup 400 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:59.960 game yesterday. I would assume that he will on Saturday. 401 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:02.799