WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Here we go, Here we go. Dave Johnson along with

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<v Speaker 1>US Soccer Hall of Fame with Bruce Murray. It's another

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<v Speaker 1>episode of First eleven. A lot to get to as

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<v Speaker 1>DC and I are returning to play, and we have

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<v Speaker 1>some time. We've got a big Gold Cup quarterfinal weekend

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<v Speaker 1>coming up as well, and a Club World Cup continues.

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<v Speaker 1>Who would have thunk? Who would have thunk? We've been

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<v Speaker 1>talking about this much soccer in one summer, and of

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<v Speaker 1>course Major League soccer, everything's going on. I remember, and

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<v Speaker 1>I know you do too, Bruce. In nineteen ninety two,

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<v Speaker 1>we were thrilled to have one game US game at

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<v Speaker 1>RFK Stadium against Ireland on that rainy night. Did you

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<v Speaker 1>play in that game? Do you remember that?

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<v Speaker 2>I did? I played in that game and it was

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<v Speaker 2>a magical game. Roy Wigerley scored a goal three to

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<v Speaker 2>one win against Jackie Charlton's Republic of Ireland.

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<v Speaker 1>Who had a great Euro eighty eight, as I remember,

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<v Speaker 1>if I got the dates correct. But the point being,

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<v Speaker 1>and I know this is a history lesson for so

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<v Speaker 1>many of you, so many of you you probably not

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<v Speaker 1>alive back then, but it just it's just how you

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<v Speaker 1>should appreciate all this soccer, because once upon a time

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<v Speaker 1>it was it was not that way. And I thought

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<v Speaker 1>about it today as we've got Major League soccer at

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<v Speaker 1>DC United returning and all this great competitions, all these

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<v Speaker 1>great competitions going on, and you know, once we lived

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<v Speaker 1>for one game that would show up at RFK and

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<v Speaker 1>then we wouldn't see another game for another six months.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, let's quickly hear from head coach Troy la

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<v Speaker 1>saying on the injury situation, Christian Beneke at training this week.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, Christian has been back in training this week, so

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<v Speaker 3>that's been fantastic, and so is Peglow and so is

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<v Speaker 3>Jackson Hopkins. So you know, I talk about all those

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<v Speaker 3>three guys at the same time because we've been this

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<v Speaker 3>in those three guys for different periods of time. But

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<v Speaker 3>it's it's fantastic. I have Christian fantastic, have Peglo fantastic.

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<v Speaker 3>I have Jackson back in full training. The expectation for

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<v Speaker 3>this weekend is hopefully they can be a part of

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<v Speaker 3>the roster. There's still a little bit of a question

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<v Speaker 3>mark there, so I don't want to fully commit to

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<v Speaker 3>saying that they will be, but they've made really good

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<v Speaker 3>progress this week, and I'm really optimistic about the weekend

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<v Speaker 3>for them.

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<v Speaker 1>So again, no guarantees about tomorrow against Nashville. Gain will

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<v Speaker 1>have the broadcast for you at the seven fifteen. Our

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<v Speaker 1>coverage starts on the iHeartRadio app and you can sync

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<v Speaker 1>with Apple TV now. Bruce Murray, you were doing some math.

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<v Speaker 1>You think DC and it needs twenty three out of

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<v Speaker 1>forty five points to make the postseason? Is that correct,

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<v Speaker 1>math professor?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, based on last year and throwing an extra point in,

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<v Speaker 2>I believe that there's forty five. Well, I know there's

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<v Speaker 2>forty five points to play for, but I believe twenty

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<v Speaker 2>three added up to their eighteen would get them over

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<v Speaker 2>the finish line. And to me, if you look at

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<v Speaker 2>that as a as a goal, it's doable. If you know,

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<v Speaker 2>if you look at it like as oh, man, look

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<v Speaker 2>what we've already not accomplished this year and being negative

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<v Speaker 2>about it, then it's gonna it's gonna spread through the squad.

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<v Speaker 2>I like the way I'm looking at it. I think

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<v Speaker 2>Troy la saying feels the same way.

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<v Speaker 3>Bruce. I appreciate that, man. I like optimism. I think

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<v Speaker 3>it's much better than cynicism, which I think is far

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<v Speaker 3>too prevalent. This and many things in our life right

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<v Speaker 3>look at it with positivity because the opportunities there, and

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<v Speaker 3>that's that's the approach that we're taking one hundred percent.

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<v Speaker 3>So when I speak to individuals, when I speak to

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<v Speaker 3>the team, we look at the reality of where we

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<v Speaker 3>are right now, which of course we want to be better.

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<v Speaker 3>But the reality of where we are right now is

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<v Speaker 3>as we're twelfth in the table, we have fifteen matches left,

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<v Speaker 3>seven out of the fifteen or against teams that are

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<v Speaker 3>around us right now, so those those matches are going

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<v Speaker 3>to be even more important. And we're a part of

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<v Speaker 3>a quarterfinal cup competition that the club hasn't been a

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<v Speaker 3>part of since twenty thirteen. So there's plenty of things

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<v Speaker 3>in front of us right now that we need to

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<v Speaker 3>look at. Last season we finished and we're a point

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<v Speaker 3>shy of making the playoffs, and this is very disappointing.

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<v Speaker 3>This it's still in front of us to accomplish that.

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<v Speaker 3>If we can accomplish that target of making the playoffs,

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<v Speaker 3>if we can accomplish making the from quarterfinals to semi

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<v Speaker 3>finals in the Open Cup as a next step, that

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<v Speaker 3>we're taking the right steps towards having success in twenty

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<v Speaker 3>twenty five.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, you heard Troy was saying appreciating Bruce Murray's optimism,

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<v Speaker 1>and he noted, you can point to certain moments of

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<v Speaker 1>this season the DNA of this club, whether it's comeback

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<v Speaker 1>wins or comeback ties. You know, Chicago jumps out when

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<v Speaker 1>Jacob Rrole scored that wonder goal the win over f

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<v Speaker 1>C Cincinnati. But consistency has eluded this team. And it's

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<v Speaker 1>encouraging to hear that Ben Tech game Peglo Hopkins might

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<v Speaker 1>be returning, but more over, Bruce, in your mind, regardless

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<v Speaker 1>of who's playing, to get those twenty three points, how

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<v Speaker 1>do you achieve that consistency?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, yeah, you have to go out and go for it.

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<v Speaker 2>You have to. There comes a certain time in the

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<v Speaker 2>in the season where you say to yourself or a

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<v Speaker 2>big game national team, look, you know what, I'm a professional.

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<v Speaker 2>I have to go out there. I know what the

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<v Speaker 2>coaches are telling me, and I have to stay within

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<v Speaker 2>the program. But I also have to if I'm a

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<v Speaker 2>guy who can take people on, I gotta take them on,

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<v Speaker 2>even if it's two guys in front of me. I've

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<v Speaker 2>got to do that. You know, i e. Jack McGlenn

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<v Speaker 2>or or Quinn Sullivan type players wingers in this league.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think that's what you have to the mentality

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<v Speaker 2>you have. You stay within the program, but you got

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<v Speaker 2>to go rogue at times during that in a big game,

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<v Speaker 2>you gotta take chances. We have the same problem with

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<v Speaker 2>the national team and everyone's playing it safe. It doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>work right.

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<v Speaker 1>So that that's a when we say sense of urgency,

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<v Speaker 1>that really has to come from the players. It's not

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<v Speaker 1>about raw ross speeches from the coaches. It has if

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<v Speaker 1>I hear what you're saying, it has to come from

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<v Speaker 1>how the players express themselves on the field.

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<v Speaker 2>They do, That's exactly how it is. And the locker room.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, there's if you want to talk about urgency,

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<v Speaker 2>there's no you know, more urgent player on the field

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<v Speaker 2>than Troy Lsay. I don't know if we watch him

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<v Speaker 2>up and down the sideline, you know, he looks like

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<v Speaker 2>a player out there. You know, the coach can't get

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<v Speaker 2>it done. The players have to eventually, you know, come

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<v Speaker 2>together and say, look, we're all pros here, we're good,

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<v Speaker 2>we're talented players. Let's go out and let's start, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>with one win and then let's start to stack him up,

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<v Speaker 2>because all of a sudden, if you can do that,

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<v Speaker 2>you know you get three or four in a row,

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<v Speaker 2>or two or three in a row, that twenty three

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<v Speaker 2>point goal gets closer and closer.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, and that's why it's encouraging to hear a Peglow.

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<v Speaker 1>And we don't know again if he's going to play

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<v Speaker 1>against Nashville that he is coming back. Because when I

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<v Speaker 1>think of players that you're talking about, I think you're

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<v Speaker 1>describing it's a Peglow or are he's healthy a parani?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, we've seen his ability to seize moments and

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<v Speaker 1>sees and change games.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I agree with you, Dave. If you think about

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<v Speaker 2>the game back in New York, Uh we played Red

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<v Speaker 2>Bull the first time. Peglow had two just ridiculous goals

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<v Speaker 2>and you know he made he wasn't a difference. He

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<v Speaker 2>won the game. And and so if Peglo is healthy,

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<v Speaker 2>that's that's when one one part of being a really

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<v Speaker 2>good player is somehow learning how to ride challenges stay healthy.

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<v Speaker 2>He's a young player. Maybe he doesn't quite understand that yet,

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<v Speaker 2>but I I there's just nothing but upside with Peglo.

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<v Speaker 2>He's been fantastic.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh. Randall Leal, you had a chance to speak to

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<v Speaker 1>him this week. What was your takeaway from what what

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<v Speaker 1>he was talking about from a player perspective, Yeah, I.

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<v Speaker 2>Mean he's saying everything that we're saying right now. I

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<v Speaker 2>just uh with with Leal. I can tell that he's

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<v Speaker 2>on the cusp of being a full time player and

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<v Speaker 2>they're trying to find him more time. In every game

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<v Speaker 2>we play, Leal's in the lineup, He's coming in for

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<v Speaker 2>you know, significant minutes.

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<v Speaker 3>Uh.

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<v Speaker 2>So they're putting uh the onus on Leal. I think

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<v Speaker 2>he's got himself in better shape to be on us

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<v Speaker 2>with you. I think you know, you can see the

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<v Speaker 2>way the fitness, he's got more, He's got more air,

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<v Speaker 2>more oxygen as the game goes on. So I think

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<v Speaker 2>Leal is going to be one of those players that

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to be relying on Dave because he's got

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<v Speaker 2>great feet and he has great ideas. Right now, they're

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<v Speaker 2>not quite coming off, but they will.

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<v Speaker 1>Christian Vinzeki again might return. But again, it cannot be

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<v Speaker 1>about Okay, Ben Tech is back, all the problems are solved.

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<v Speaker 1>How how can this team? We talked about individual expression,

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<v Speaker 1>but how can this team be you know, more dynamic

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<v Speaker 1>and attack. And again the players take on initiative. Is

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<v Speaker 1>is it, you know, overloading one side of the field.

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<v Speaker 1>What what will make this team? Quite frankly, that was

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<v Speaker 1>not very dynamic on the road against Real Salt Lake.

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<v Speaker 1>Dynamic enough to to contend for the postseason.

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<v Speaker 2>Very simple, very simple, executing plays in the final third.

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<v Speaker 2>That's number one. The other thing is playing players open.

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<v Speaker 2>When I watch right now, in the middle, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, Jose, you know, there's not a whole lot

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<v Speaker 2>to pass to, so everyone's playing very very square or

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<v Speaker 2>backwards in order to I watched a game yesterday. I

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<v Speaker 2>know this is insane, but it was a twenty fourteen

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<v Speaker 2>World Cup game Belgium, USA, and I watched that game

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<v Speaker 2>and I thought, how like, how good we were playing

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<v Speaker 2>players open? You know, we had wingers, we had full backs,

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<v Speaker 2>we had guys who are making runs, initiating the ball

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<v Speaker 2>to find them. That's what we have to do. You

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<v Speaker 2>have to have movement, Dave. You've talked about it up top.

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<v Speaker 2>We need players moving to create space so other players

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<v Speaker 2>can fill in on that space.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, you bring up the USA in that Belgium game

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<v Speaker 1>from twenty fourteen again, DC and IED National art coverage

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<v Speaker 1>begins at seven fifteen iHeart Radio app USA. Costa Rica

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<v Speaker 1>is coming up this weekend in the quarterfinals of the

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<v Speaker 1>Gold Cup. Give doctor Murray your prescription for the United

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<v Speaker 1>States from what you've seen so far.

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<v Speaker 2>Go out and go for it, and everyone is you're

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<v Speaker 2>at You're in the US squad for a reason. Go

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<v Speaker 2>out and just play within, within the system. But at

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<v Speaker 2>some at some point, you're gonna have to do what

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<v Speaker 2>you're good at doing and make sure that happens. Because

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<v Speaker 2>this Costa Rica team, this is a good team.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, make no mistake. The game against Mexico the other day,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, stalemate, we're celebrating big wins. Now against Haiti.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh you know it's to me, to me, we need

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<v Speaker 2>a signature win. And and there's only there's only one outcome.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a it's a proper outcome or necessary outcome, and

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<v Speaker 2>that is the United States winning the Gold Cup. Because

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<v Speaker 2>if they don't, all the questions are gonna fly again.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the Hall of Favorite. Bruce Brio. I'm Dave Johnson.

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<v Speaker 1>I hope you'll join us for DC and IED on

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<v Speaker 1>iHeartRadio app and synk with Apple TV. We start seven

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<v Speaker 1>to fifteen on Saturday. We promised eleven minutes or less

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<v Speaker 1>your first eleven. Thanks for listening.