Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard
Messi & Miami Out, Bruce Arena In, MLS Playoff Recap, USMNT vs Jamaica Preview
Tue, 12 Nov 2024
Welcome to the very first episode of Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, presented by Volkswagen! The guys talk MLS playoffs: Atlanta United show Inter Miami the door with goalkeeper Brad Guzan their shining star. Strong feelings abound when they discuss Philadelphia Union firing head coach Jim Curtin and the San Jose Earthquakes are welcoming new sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena after his controversial departure from the New England Revolution last year. With the USMNT facing off against Jamaica in the Nations League starting this week, Landon and Tim ponder Mauricio Pochettino’s recently released line-up and where US fans should be setting their expectations. Across the pond, our hosts focus on the fallibility of Manchester City and the hole left behind by an injured Rodri as well as whether or not Liverpool can keep their lead knowing that City will eventually rally. Speaking of Liverpool, Tim highlights referee David Coote’s decision to allow his personal opinions to be recorded, while Landon insists that one of new Manchester United manager’s first tasks will have to be getting players like Alejandro Garnacho to fall back in love with the club. The guys also answer your mailbag questions and discuss their favorite non-soccer sports stories in Anything But Soccer! New episodes of Unfiltered Soccer with Landon and Tim drop every Tuesday. Subscribe to the show on YouTube and follow on all your favorite podcast platforms. For bonus content and to send your mailbag questions in to the show, follow on all social media platforms @UnfilteredSoccer. (www.flowcode.com/page/unfilteredsoccer). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What happened to Inter Miami in the MLS playoffs?
Hey guys and welcome to today's show. We're talking inner Miami's stunning elimination from the MLS Cup playoffs, the insane fact that Manchester City has four losses in a row, and what staffing change I absolutely hate. It's all coming up on Unfiltered Soccer.
welcome in everybody to unfiltered soccer with landon and tim presented by volkswagen ld we got the dream team back together after all these years how about that timmy what's up man good to be with you excited for this first of all love the picture behind you well done there right on brand showing you some love and you're showing me some love celebrate is that algeria of course it is okay okay all right you're on brand look we uh we got together a few weeks back and said
There's a lot of podcasts, soccer podcasts. We have a lot to say, and we're both at a point in our lives where we can be unfiltered. We can talk about the game honestly, openly, with insight that I don't think anyone else in our country can do or is willing to do. And so we're going to have fun with this.
We want to be, it's in the title, we want to be unfiltered, but we want this to be about you guys too. So we want you to send comments, questions, Let's make this conversational, and we want to hear what you guys want to hear from.
Yeah, listen, this is going to be the hard-hitting podcast, we hope. And from our standpoint, there's nothing we haven't seen in this game, both here and abroad. So love the interaction that we have, trying to create that community with you all, the listeners.
with each other but most importantly it's about it's about the listeners it's about being unfiltered too many people today I think LD dance around issues that's not something that you or I have really ever done so make sure you follow us on social media unfiltered soccer subscribe to the show on YouTube make sure you follow us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you like what we're doing which we're pretty sure you will
Even if you hate it, send us your question. They might hate it. Which is okay, by the way. At least send us your comments, questions, concerns. You can email us at feedback at unfilteredsoccer.com. And we're going to jump right into this episode with MLS. The playoffs are heating up. There's been some incredible results, some great series. LAFC beat Vancouver. NYCFC upset Cincinnati.
I was surprised at that one. Orlando City just advanced past Charlotte. But the one everyone's talking about, LD, the one everyone's talking about is the one with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami going down in three games to Atlanta United. Wow.
Yeah, what, I mean, first of all, From MLS's standpoint, they have to be ecstatic about the way the playoff format has gone. But I'm guessing there were a lot of tissues and tears cried at the league offices after Messi went out the other night. I think the only person who was more upset than Messi was Don Garber probably. I can imagine.
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Chapter 2: Why was Bruce Arena hired by San Jose Earthquakes?
No. I mean, where have we gotten where people are worried slash worried talking a lot about a quarterfinal against Jamaica. I mean, this should not be a contest, right? So I understand all of the challenges with travel and are the players fully, fully up for it, whatever. But it's Jamaica, man. We beat Panama a few weeks ago and everyone was going crazy and then we go to Mexico and look terrible.
So this is a two-leg series that we need to win and we need to win convincingly and move on. It's simple as that.
I mean, listen, without being disrespectful, it should be a lap, right? In terms of a talent standpoint, the U.S. should take care of business. Hopefully, you know, I think the ideal situation would be take care of business in the first leg, right? And then be able to kind of chop and change a little bit for Pochettino to see some players. We'll see what happens.
I'm not, you know, I tend to think like you. The U.S. should take care of business and it shouldn't be that big of a deal. I think the bigger question is the roster and the audit of the roster and how we feel about it. Of course, Pochettino is looking at new faces. Do you have any concerns in any particular areas with this roster?
Well, yeah, I do. And I'm just going to go through positionally and I want to hear your thoughts too. My bigger thing is we expect now...
probably unrealistically what this roster should look like and how this team should play when I just objectively and obviously I'm a huge as you are national team fan men's and women's right if you just objectively look at the roster where our guys play and what kind of impact they're having you have to then be realistic about where this team is right and and I've said this before but
When you look at France's roster or Brazil's roster or Spain's roster, I mean, they have world-class players all over the field. That doesn't mean we can't compete with these teams. It doesn't mean we can't compete with them. But let's not go into these games saying... we should be, you know, we should be on par with these. No, we shouldn't.
I mean, we went to Mexico and got our kicked three weeks ago, right? Like that's, that's the reality of where the roster is. Now the best players make us way better. And I spoke to someone inside us soccer a couple of days ago, who's very, very close to that team. And, and he said, look, when our best players are on the field, we can compete. And when they're not, we're just not that good.
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Chapter 3: What led to Jim Curtin's firing from Philadelphia Union?
We're not. And so, you know, I'll just run through it. So, you know, I'm going to hear your thoughts on this for sure. Goalkeeping to me is a massive concern. I mean, we don't have anybody playing at a high level consistently right now that I would say has absolutely just said, this is my spot. Wide with Sergino and Jedi, solid, but centrally, there are a lot of question marks.
There are, they're just question marks. Our midfield is, I think, strongest part of our team. Outside of Christian in the attack, Tim Weah now playing well. Hopefully that continues. As always, number nine is going to be a problem, depending on where Flo's at at any given time. And then our depth is just a huge problem. huge problem. I mean, the depth is a huge problem.
Yeah. I mean, I echo some of those thoughts. The fact of the matter is one of my biggest gripes going into the 2022 World Cup was I just don't see our best players in the lead up and the lead up can be a year. We didn't get our best players on the field consistently enough together. So then at the World Cup, they were together, but they hadn't been in the trenches.
They hadn't been through the difficult moments together. That's where you build trust. That's where you build team camaraderie. That's where you build this ability to get through big moments. And so we go back a few weeks to Mexico and Christian Pulisic, the captain, left to go home. That's fine. That's fine. People have an opinion on it. But going down to Mexico...
with your full squad in a game that's going to be tough, away from home, and nasty, builds character. You can lean on that in two years' time. And every time you miss an opportunity like that, it's tough.
Well, don't forget, we don't have qualifying, right? Correct. So these other tournaments are great, and Gold Cup's great, and... But qualifying is when you're really up against the wall. And you know it. And I'm getting goosebumps talking about it. There's games where you go in and you're like, if we lose, we're not going to the World Cup. And those guys lived it in 2018, right?
We're not going to the World Cup. And you have to feel that. So when you go to Mexico, it's like, okay, it's a friendly whatever. But you're in that stadium. You're like, shit. This is real.
I mean, what you don't... Right. What you don't get, and I worry about the not having to qualify. You and I have been on that bus down that long, desolate road heading to San Pedro Sula in Honduras, and it's two hours before kickoff, and there's people, streams of people walking down a country road, and you pull into the stadium, and it is packed. People are dancing, music. I mean, there is...
there's not a seat to be had. And you're like, Oh, Oh, we're in something right now. And you don't get that when you don't have qualifying simply put. So yeah, look, I worry about the makeup of the team. I, again, a lot of our goalkeepers currently aren't getting, aren't getting top minutes. Um, I think a couple of them are getting overlooked.
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Chapter 4: How are the USMNT preparing for their match against Jamaica?
teams think, hey, if we stick at this long enough, if we stay in the game, City are going to concede because the stats are telling us they've been conceding at a rate that hasn't really happened under Pep Guardiola. What I would say is, am I concerned? A little bit if I'm City, but here's the other thing. I have nothing to back that up with.
Every time under Pep Guardiola there's been a problem, they've bounced back. They've figured out some way to hit some form, win 10, 12, 20 games in a row, and go on a run. So my expectation is while there's cause for concern, do I think City will go on a run that matches something they've done in the past? Yes, I do. I do think that. Which then, for me, puts the onus on Liverpool.
I think City are going to make a run. That much I know. The question now is, with Liverpool being at the top of the table, playing brilliant under the new manager, are on a slot, can they handle the onslaught and the pressure of being on top? That's the question for me.
Well, I know if I was Rodri's agent right now, I'd be on the phone with City saying, hey, guys. There's a coincidence here, but I don't think it's a coincidence, right? When he got injured, this is when this happened. And he is, you always find out how valuable a player is when they're not on the field.
Not when they're on the field.
Because when they're on the field, you get used to it and everyone thinks it's just normal and natural. Goes off the field and you go, oh, damn. And so he's so vital to that team and does so much for that and for Spain, by the way. And it just makes you realize how good that guy is. Yeah.
And by the way, Pep knows, Pep knows that too, right? Like he can kind of play with a false nine of Holland's out there, even though Holland's the best trick in the world. Kevin De Bruyne, people can fill his boots, even though he's brilliant. Pep knows. there ain't nobody filling Roger's boots.
And so he's always like, why is it always that position? That's so bad. Like I remember with early days with the national team, like when Chris Armis was on the field, it was just like, we were just different when Claudia was at his best, Pablo and Michael Bradley was at his best. You just be like, That's the guy who can't come off the field. I don't know what it is, just that position.
I think it's the heartbeat. I think it's their ability to drop into the back four, protect the back four, be good on set pieces, create tempo, be unselfish in terms of like, hey, I'm going to break things up, give you the ball, you go forward. I mean, it happened on our teams, right?
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Chapter 5: What are the concerns regarding the USMNT roster?
He's the Dax McCarty of Man City.
Isn't he? That's big praise for Dax McCarty.
You're welcome, Dax. It's a big shout out. Big praise for Rodri.
I wasn't expecting you to go there. We talked about city struggles and how Liverpool are essentially the beneficiaries of that. Although they're... They're playing really, really well. And yes, City are stumbling, but they're playing fantastic. Probably ahead of schedule from everybody. I don't think anybody could have seen this coming.
I know Klopp left a really solid squad, which is why people were like, well, Klopp, why are you leaving? But the fact of the matter is Slott has come in and done brilliantly for them. He's changed the tune. He's gone away from that heavy metal football pressing, counter-pressing to kind of sitting back a little bit, creating tempo in the right moments. And the team has responded brilliantly.
with unbelievable performances individually and collectively. So yeah, hats off to them.
Yeah, he's now the blueprint in how you come in after a legend. Totally. Most fail, but he hasn't. He's been brilliant. Speaking of Liverpool, this is an interesting story. Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended. This just came up this morning following the release of a video of him making some interesting comments about Jurgen Klopp.
He had some not-safe-for-internet-or-work comments about Jurgen Klopp, said he is a... C word he said Liverpool are and went on to to disparage him quite a bit I'm guessing he's never reffing again in the Premier League I mean oh I can't see it I can't see it I think it's a big problem
Look, let's dig into this a little bit. What I saw in the video was his eyes were telling a different story than his mouth was. So that's a starting point, right? And I can't make any accusations of what was ingested before that. But I don't have this like massive problem with what he's saying. Hear me out. I abused referees. I said things I should have never said.
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Chapter 6: How is Manchester City performing this season?
Yeah, but we can't keep the ball out of the net, pal. No, no. Tough job. All right. What's next? Next.
How about a fake scenario? In a Freaky Friday situation where you guys swapped, do you think Landon is a better keeper than Tim is a forward or vice versa?
That's a great question, actually.
Give me your opinion.
There's only one answer. No, no, no, there's not, actually. Let me tell you this. So when I came to Loyal, or sorry, when I was at Loyal, we had, I would go to goalkeepers. So I was out coaching. I would walk over to the goalkeepers, okay? And you know, like in warmup where the goalkeeper coach holds the ball, like drops it and volleys it at you and you catch it?
It's like every goalkeeper in the world. Sure, sure. So this is like 10 yards away. Sometimes the goalie would drop the ball, right? When it comes to him. And I said to our goalkeeper coach, Matt Hall, I said, Matt, I played sports my whole life. If you gave me gloves and you kicked a thousand balls at me from 10 yards, I would never drop one ever. I would never drop the ball ever.
And I'm like, how is this? No, it's not a lie. It's a lot. It's just like hand-eye court. And it's easy. You could, I could do it all day. But I'm like, how can these guys not catch a soccer ball every time it comes to them? Now, look, there's other parts of goalkeeping that matter, and I would be terrible because I'm a chicken and scared.
But I just don't understand how you can't catch a ball that's kicked to you from 10 yards.
How is that possible? You bring up a good point. Let me counter that by saying… Wait, can you just answer how is that possible? I'm going to answer it in the form of a question. How is it then that… Your first touch sometimes got away from you and then you get yourself into a tackle.
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Chapter 7: What are the implications of Rodri's injury for City?
Chapter 8: What's the discussion around Liverpool's current form?
OK, one more for you. So whether things are going great or everything has gone wrong, fans are always talking about four groups of people in soccer, the players, the managers, the owners and the referees. What is a role in soccer that you think doesn't get enough credit or doesn't get held accountable enough?
Yeah, in my opinion, your director of sports science is one of the most important people at the club because we know that when you miss game time, you drop points. The more games missed by your best players, it correlates to a lack of points. So keeping players fit and healthy, sports science and being innovative in that field, that deserves more credit.
Yeah, and I would say, actually, I think the recruitment department, so whether it's your director of football or whoever handles that, general manager, whatever, there's a huge problem. You saw it with Chelsea over the last few years. You see it with United. When a new manager comes in, it's like,
Everything thrown out the window, eight players gone, eight new players brought in, and there's no consistency about what the club wants to do and what they want to be. And then oftentimes you have a GM signing players without the coach agreeing to it. And then it's a big disaster because if there's no alignment there, if you're going to play a certain way, let's use Man City as an example.
Man City would struggle mightily to play without Kyle Walker on the field. Without a kanji. Without guys who can run and defend half the field by themselves. Because they're always in the opponent's end. They're always attacking. So on the counter, you can't have a slow center back who's really, really good on the ball. You'll just get destroyed.
So if you don't have alignment there, you're in big trouble.
Yeah, and to answer that even further, what Brighton are doing at the moment in terms of how they create their recruitment model, they've got their next three head coaches lined up. They know exactly where they're going to find their next players. So it used to be just you have to find players and figure out the rest. They know who's going to come in from a scouting point.
If Hertzler leaves, like Deserby left, like Potter left, they know exactly who's coming in. They're never going to be left hamstrung. So I think that's the new model.
Yeah, agreed. All right, Jordan.
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