← Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard
Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard
Miami Rock Cincinnati, Freese Ices Philly, and Slot in the Hot Seat
01:09:53
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- [00:00]
Tim Howard
Did you play in the Meadowlands? Old Giant Stadium? When we played Argentina, I think it was like 2000.
- [00:05]
Landon Donovan
My 100th cap.
- [00:05]
Tim Howard
Okay. Amazing. It was all week. Bob Bradley, our head coach, he was brilliant. He designed this game plan. He said, look, we're going to get so and so is going to be tight. You're going to get cover to the left, you're going to get covered to the right. You get right up against him. We had that on lock, didn't we, Landon? We trained all week.
- [00:21]
Landon Donovan
Oh, training was so good.
- [00:22]
Tim Howard
The whistle blew. And I tell this to all soccer fans. A phenomenon. The whistle blew. Messi gets the ball probably 10 times. I'm looking around like, what happened to what we worked on? Nobody wanted to go tight. Nobody could get near him. I was like, this is amazing. It's incredible.
- [00:40]
Landon Donovan
Cause you knew he's gonna do it. Unfiltered Soccer with Landon and Tim, presented by Volkswagen. Volkswagen has long been a supporter of soccer in America and has proudly been a partner of U.S. soccer for over five years.
- [00:53]
Tim Howard
Oh, my gosh. Welcome to Unfiltered Soccer. I'm Tim Howard. He's Landon Donovan. We are presented by Volkswagen. You're on a heater.
- [01:04]
Landon Donovan
Caffeine's hitting today. Let's go. I want to get into it. I don't drink coffee often, so when I do, it hits.
- [01:10]
Tim Howard
Why are you wearing a hat? You want to tell everybody why you're wearing a hat?
- [01:13]
Landon Donovan
Stop, stop, stop. So today is actually exciting day. Today is. Well, I'm going to start calling it hair day, okay? Because every three months, I get a whole new piece. And I was in Cabo last week, and it was really hot. And when it gets super, super hot and it's the end of the cycle, the thing was starting to get a little dodgy, so I. It's. I had to take it off.
- [01:35]
Tim Howard
Just hang on. Just for.
- [01:36]
Landon Donovan
No, I'm not taking off.
- [01:37]
Tim Howard
Okay, that's fine. But just for our audience. Visual. As we're setting up our podcast, which we do, we're sitting here like this, talking to our producers in Steam's land and minus a hat. And I fell off the couch. I thought, this is amazing. Scenes how I didn't see.
- [01:53]
Landon Donovan
What did you ask me?
- [01:54]
Tim Howard
I don't know. What did I ask?
- [01:55]
Landon Donovan
I said, I can't believe you're still married.
- [01:59]
Tim Howard
How did I not get a screenshot of that? I'm such an idiot.
- [02:02]
Landon Donovan
Thank God. Okay, anyway, moving on. All right, we're going to get into. There's a lot to get into. Mls Playoffs Premier League. Welcome. As always, follow our social media at Unfiltered Soccer. Subscribe Apple, Spotify, YouTube, anywhere you get your podcasts, leave a rating or review. It helps and then feedback@unfiltered soccer.com is the email address to email Jordan. Okay, MLS semi conference semifinals to me. So let's start Vancouver LAFC. I was, I mean, I feel bad for you guys on the east coast for these games because it's so late and it got late for me and I was watching all the way into the first part of overtime and I was like, I so tired and I fell asleep. So I thought when I, I went to bed, it was 2. 2. LAFC were up. A man son had scored this fantastic free kick.
- [02:50]
Tim Howard
Right.
- [02:51]
Landon Donovan
Yeah. Right at the death to tie it. It was like those moments where it's just like in a movie. You'd be like, nah, that's not real. He's not going to. And he scored it. And I was, I, I woke up thinking, of course LAFC won this game because they were just, they had a man up, they were peppering Vancouver. And then I saw in a shootout that Vancouver advanced. What a phenomenal game.
- [03:11]
Tim Howard
Great game, Great game. And last game for our boy, Stevie Trendo. So obviously that's going to be a huge miss for the MLS because he's fantastic. Great guy, great coach. But yeah, I mean, I, look, I, I, I also think, you know, I love and I'm critical of a lot of DPS in, in this, in this league for various reasons and I think sometimes at a detriment, we bring certain dps in. But like, sun is, is like this is what the, you know, when the rule was designed, this is what it was designed for. Totally. Right? Bring a guy in who can sell tickets, who can put butts in seats, who can compete, who wants to be there, who's motivated, who, who enjoys the league.
- [03:54]
Landon Donovan
So, yeah, I, I mean, I don't know what it is in him, but he just, and by the way, Tomas Mueller on the other side, these guys really care. Yeah, really care. I'm like, God, I love this. So Vancouver going to advance to play either San or Minnesota. That game is tonight, Monday, as we tape this. You guys will be watching this on Tuesday, so that game will be over. Curious what you guys think in the next round, does Vancouver get over the hump either at San Diego or hosting Minnesota? I think a lot of people are telling me they think Minnesota goes in and beats San Diego. They're like two very contrasting styles. So we'll see how that plays out.
- [04:33]
Tim Howard
Are you. Are you. Are you glossing over Argyle, Hugo?
- [04:38]
Landon Donovan
No, I'm not classing. Okay, go ahead, read it.
- [04:40]
Tim Howard
No, no, no.
- [04:41]
Landon Donovan
You.
- [04:41]
Tim Howard
You. You. You have a. You have a big problem. You're fired.
- [04:43]
Landon Donovan
No. Okay, so you, Hugo, L says after the match. I get it. I've been in these moments, Tim, where you're frustrated. You're the. You know, you're upset you lost. You're a sore loser. Dude, I'm such a bad loser sometimes. Like in golf, when I lose, I'm like, oh, is that really your handicap?
- [04:58]
Tim Howard
Or you.
- [04:58]
Landon Donovan
You know, guys are like, shut up, you idiot. You're like. I'm like, all right. I'm just mad I lost. So he said after the game about the turf in Vancouver, in lower divisions in France, they have even better artificial pitch than here in Vancouver. Tim, what's your favorite phrase?
- [05:17]
Tim Howard
Do me a favor.
- [05:21]
Landon Donovan
Do me a. Dude. If you want good pitches, then go back to France.
- [05:26]
Tim Howard
Go play lower division.
- [05:28]
Landon Donovan
Bitching, dude. Yeah, go play lower division in France. Shut up, dude. I hate this stuff. And I get it. Someone asks you the question, what do you think of the turf?
- [05:35]
Tim Howard
Sure.
- [05:35]
Landon Donovan
Just say, look, it's not ideal. Both teams had to play on it. Whatever. Just get over it, dude. I hate that. I really hate it.
- [05:42]
Tim Howard
The interesting. I really like Hugo Larisse.
- [05:45]
Landon Donovan
He seems like a great guy.
- [05:46]
Tim Howard
Always have, dude.
- [05:47]
Landon Donovan
Just not. This is not the moment. No.
- [05:48]
Tim Howard
But, you know, but what I would say is the interesting part about it, right, Is just. Just in general. Just in general. It's amazing how you're. How, like, a singular experience can, like, taint your idea of. Of what something looks and feel. I'll give you an example. My. My second game back in MLS, when I came to Colorado, one, first game was 4th of July at home. Second game was away at Vancouver. Right. I hadn't. I hadn't played on turf in 15 years, right? Played on turf, had a. Like, had a worldy. Like, I made this unbelievable save, and I remember thinking, like, great place to play. I like this BC play. Yeah. You know what I mean? So, like, it's experiences. They lost, right?
- [06:26]
Landon Donovan
If they had won that game. And, like, by the way, on the Mueller header, that he. He. He should do better. He should push it wide of the post. He kind of leaves it there for. If he pushes that wide and then win the game, he'd say, oh, it was fine. Both teams have to deal with it. Just like, do me a favor, dude. Just enough.
- [06:40]
Tim Howard
All right?
- [06:41]
Landon Donovan
At the end of the game, Tristan Blackman got sent off. That is going to hurt for sure. So he will not be there either in San Diego or home to Minnesota. So that it's going to be interesting. So we'll. We'll see what the matchup is. Again, curious what you guys think. Does Vancouver have enough to be either of them? Could they beat one of them but not the other? And we'll know that tonight our time and you'll have already known that by tomorrow. FC Cincinnati, Inner Miami this wasn't so I was even a match, man, I was in the midst of watching football all day. I was chilling home, my wife took the kids out somewhere. So I was just sitting at home watching this and it was kg for like 15 minutes since you were okay. And then this kid Silvetti gets the ball on the left side and hits a really good cross. I we're going to get into this, Tim deep. Like I don't know how you leave that guy, Lionel Messi unmarked anywhere on the field, much less in the 18. And they kind of get dragged in as he kind of drifts towards the near post and then floats away. And then a really good header, like down into the grass. The grass is wet. It just skips past Celentano and then one, nothing. And from there, dude, it looked like this game could not have been painted better for Miami. It's like here you have the ball. You have the ball. Messi's just going to kind of sit and float around the middle of the field and the minute it turns over, bang, we're going. And if we get seven of those chances, we're going to score three of them. They scored three of them and it was 4, 0.
- [08:06]
Tim Howard
Yeah, it's. Look, this me, this whole messy thing is. Is wild. Like to say it's a phenomenon. Like, we know that he's been great for how many years? Sorry, how many decades? But you know, I have a lot of. I Let me preface this by saying there's going to be a lot of comments this week that say, tim Howard, you're full of shit. Possibly, possibly.
- [08:33]
Landon Donovan
That's most weeks.
- [08:34]
Tim Howard
Most weeks about most topics. But I have a lot of coaching friends ld that I respect and I know you do too, right? And they will talk to me, bro. Sometimes I just want to record it and play it at like 10 o' clock at night so I can just fall asleep to it. They'll talk to me about tactics and what they think and they're my friends, so I respectfully, like, listen. And I love having soccer conversations, but I Literally, like, good for your tactics. It's amazing. Can't win a game or. Or it ain't working. And again, I just think. And I've said this to you before, you and I have had this conversation. Somebody, man, Mark Messi. Now, that's primitive. We don't do that anymore in soccer. It's open and fluid and it's awesome. Right? And actually, your tactics against Messi suck. They all do, because this guy is the oldest guy in the league and he's running the show.
- [09:27]
Landon Donovan
And, you know he's the man, right?
- [09:29]
Tim Howard
Correct.
- [09:30]
Landon Donovan
He's. I mean, I don't know what was the stat they told us, or, like 23 out of the last 26 goals he's had a contribution.
- [09:35]
Tim Howard
Of course he's the guy. So here. So here's the concept. Here's a concept. And you brought this up, and I'll let you touch on it. It's not the old. Remember when we were, like, in high school, you man mark him and the coach would say if he goes to the bathroom, you go with him. Right? Like, you just. You grab a shir. So, no, this is. This is when. When your team. Ha. When. When Miami have the ball, you're in a shape, whatever that shape looks like, fine. You keep two banks of four. Whatever you slide, you cover. That's normal. You put this. You put this the right way. When the ball turns over and now your team is in possession of the ball, just eliminate one of your players, go lock on the Messi and go right. We're now going to possess the ball with 10 players. Because when is Messi most dangerous transition? When the ball turns over. When you have the ball. Messi's at his most dangerous. When you have the ball. So anyway, yeah.
- [10:26]
Landon Donovan
And if you think, yeah, I mean, just go watch the goals. They.
- [10:29]
Tim Howard
It's. They.
- [10:30]
Landon Donovan
Yes, they do score goals. When they are. They have the ball, they're in position. But not as many and not. Not even close to as many. I don't know the exact data, but the minute the ball turns over, they are so dangerous. They find him immediately. They don't care who's on the ball, whatever. It's like, fine. We used to do this with, With Beckham, with Keane. You do it at big clubs with big players. You're just like. You find the guy, you give it to him, and you let him be the quarterback, basically.
- [10:55]
Tim Howard
But that's the. God, no.
- [10:57]
Landon Donovan
I mean, this is in. In other sports. This is if. If you have two great wide receivers and one of them's out injured.
- [11:02]
Tim Howard
Sure.
- [11:03]
Landon Donovan
The number one receiver, you double team safety, the cornerback, that's it. And if someone else beats you. Totally. Like you could. And I actually watched the Chiefs Colts yesterday. The chief said, look, if you're going to throw the ball around us and whatever, that's fine. But Jonathan Taylor, your MVP can candidate running back, he's not going on us, right? That's it. Period. We're taking him away. They did. And they end up winning the game.
- [11:23]
Tim Howard
In the NBA, they double the best player.
- [11:26]
Landon Donovan
Someone else shoot it.
- [11:26]
Tim Howard
In baseball, when there's runners on and the big boy comes up, they walk him. They walk him. So. But, but to your point, right, we were having a soccer conversation. To your point, if, if you're in possession of the ball, if my team's in possession of the ball and I lock on to Messi when the ball turns over. To your point, every single player is conditioned give it. To give it to Messi. Give it to me. So now as soon as they look up and your man is. I'm draped over your man like a blanket, you're like, all right, well, I got to play to someone else, like every single.
- [11:54]
Landon Donovan
Or if you do, he's there. And, and by the way, so if you're New York City, who beat Philly, and we're going to get into that right now, all week in training, I don't know who it is. Whoever they're, they're going to designate whoever, defensive midfielder, whoever center back, whatever, who they're going to designate. In training, you work on having the ball, having the ball, having the ball. And where is Messi? Where is Messi? Where is Messi? And he gets the ball. Bang, foul. And the play. Bang, foul in the play. There will be a few moments where he whistles free and does what he does, but instead of 15 moments like that, make it two or three.
- [12:25]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [12:26]
Landon Donovan
And you got a good chance to win the game.
- [12:28]
Tim Howard
I want to interject here. Did you play, did you play in the Meadowlands, the old Giant Stadium? When we played Argentina? I think it was like 2000, my 100th cap. Okay, amazing. So. And we've told the story. I have to say it again because the whole messy thing creeps up. So all week, Landon just said, this is how you train all week. Bob Bradley, our head coach, he was brilliant. He designed this game plan. He said, look, we're gonna get so and so is gonna be tight. You're gonna get cover to the left, you're gonna get cover to the right. You get right up against Him. We had that on lock, didn't we, Landon? We trained all week.
- [12:58]
Landon Donovan
Oh, training was so good all week.
- [12:59]
Tim Howard
It was good. We got up against. I don't know who was playing Messi in our team, but he wasn't nearly as good as Messi. So we're up against. Bro, the whistle blew. And I tell this to all soccer fans, a phenomenon. The whistle blew. Messi gets the ball probably 10 times. I'm looking around like, where. What happened to what we worked on? No, nobody wanted to go tight. Nobody could get near him. I was like, this is amazing. It's incredible.
- [13:23]
Landon Donovan
Cuz you knew he's going to do it. And I get that. I'm not. Again, I'm not saying you can lock. You can completely lock him down, but just play the percentages. The less times he touches the ball, the better your chances.
- [13:35]
Tim Howard
Okay, here's where people think I'm stupid. Could you not get like the most athletic college kid, first year on your team, the most athletic guy you've ever seen, and have to play soccer and go, look, I'll give you a contract extension next year? If all you do, they're going to boo you, they're going to curse at you, they're going to spit at you. Just follow him around and don't get sent up.
- [13:56]
Landon Donovan
It's like in the NBA when you have a guy who just goes in and fouls guys over and over until they said like, you foul them, foul them, foul. And once you get a yellow, a couple more fouls and then we're going to sub you on. Sure you don't get sent off.
- [14:05]
Tim Howard
I think, I think we're on to something.
- [14:07]
Landon Donovan
Okay. All right. The other side of the, of the eastern semifinals, Philly lost at home to nycfc. This, this actually shocked me a bit. I thought Philly were, I thought Philly were, were going to win the game. Matt Freeze was fantastic. His confidence, you see it soaring, Tim. And, and he's starting to look the part. He is. Now, this isn't a World Cup, I get it. But he, he is starting to look the part. And as I've said all along, I think Philly made a mistake by hiring Bradley Carnell. I'm just kidding. They won the Porter Shield. So, yeah, credit to them, but.
- [14:44]
Tim Howard
Massive credit.
- [14:44]
Landon Donovan
But this is a big, this is a big loss. And congrats to nyc. I mean, nobody had them, Nobody had them picked to go to the conference final, that's for sure.
- [14:55]
Tim Howard
No, I don't. I mean, obviously they're backing themselves, but I don't even know if they, they would have thought they'd get this far. You know, I think they're, they're kind of accepting the underdog role, which by the way, isn't. Kind of isn't how NYCFC or City football group views themselves. Right. But this particular team is certainly punching above their weight. Yeah, I thought it was, I thought it was a good game, you know, particularly with, with some of the injuries that they've been dealing with, sort of figuring out how they were going to, how they were going to get a win. Look, Philadelphia was phenomenal, by the way. Phenomenal. I give them so much credit. Won the supporters shield. I thought they were brilliant on the season. You know, the thing about Matt Fries and for me we have to talk about it because I have said, I've said all along, as much as I like him, probably on list of things that are good about Matt Freeze. It's really long for me. And then the couple question marks again, as I mentioned last, I think it was last episode, you know, the question marks are he doesn't have those, those like signature moments, right? Like he hasn't played long enough internationally to have like those signature moments. But last night for me, yeah, not that, not that that translates necessarily to a World cup, but like that for me was you, you mentioned it. He's confident. He knows he's the number one at the national team, right. So he's making saves and I remember like, you don't have to be like me to be good, but I remember like making big saves and getting up from that save and like just like pumping my chest and celebrating and it was kind of like, yeah, like Donna Ruma does that at Man City. Like he, he's, he's all. Not, not every savers is like, oh, yeah, I'm supposed to make the saves. Like, hey, I made that save. That was a big save. And he did it a bunch. He had the one that came across the goal and he slides to the near, gets all the way across the near post and he makes like a double save off of his legs. Then there was a top hand save that I thought was going in. It was really tight and he just flicks it. There was a bunch of saves where, where it really felt like, you know, it was kind of like a coming of age for him. Like, like he's made those saves before but he's not had, he's not had that game whilst he was the US number one. And so there's. All these things are trending in a really good way.
- [17:00]
Landon Donovan
And if he has another one in Miami this weekend, then you know what he does. What he looks like. To me, Tim, when I went against goalkeepers who were in that type of form or whatever, you, you just look bigger to us. Like physically, you just look bigger. The goal looks smaller and you're like, oh man, this can be hard to score today.
- [17:19]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [17:19]
Landon Donovan
You know, he's got that about him.
- [17:20]
Tim Howard
He has. And, and not many MLS goalkeepers do. You know who I feel that way about is. It's like Stephan Fry. Like when you go in on like on a one on one, I'm like, ain't scoring right. Because he just, he has small. Go look small. He has that presence. So yeah. Well done, New York City.
- [17:33]
Landon Donovan
Did you see this? Andre Blake sprint back. It was wild.
- [17:38]
Tim Howard
Crying.
- [17:38]
Landon Donovan
The ball turns over at like midfield. NYCFC hits a long shot that I think is bending into the goal and Andre Blake turns and goes on a third full sprint. And right before it goes in like lunges and knocks it wide for a corner and then rolls over and grabs his hamstring right away. And I shouldn't be laughing, but like, it, it. You know, this is an interesting. And I'm. I want to talk about this seriously for a minute. So depending on how you play as a team, I believe strongly in this. You might tell me I'm full of it. Your goalkeeper needs to train accordingly. So I'll give you an example with Loyal. We used our goalkeeper really, really high. Like really like almost as an extra center back and build up. And as part of training on Thursday every week we had him at sort of the back of the circle and turn and sprint like three or four times on a Thursday. So his body got used to. He's a goalkeeper. How often do you really, really sprint? Almost never. Right in your time? No, almost never. And so if you're not accustomed to that and, and look, they couldn't have prepared for this. He was high because they were trying to tie the game or whatever. But you're not used to that. And this poor guy, man, is hamstring.
- [18:47]
Tim Howard
You could just see it go. So. So it was cold as well. So like, I mean, he was legging it. It's a great save. And then earlier I was on the desk with NBC and a couple hours earlier we saw it with David Rya. So he was really high. The Arsenal goalkeeper. And Richarlson for, for spurs gets it on a turnover from Zendaya, turns and just clips it over his head and it happens. But the problem with being like this is the issue with being a really high advanced goalkeeper, it's a little bit of a piss take. And here's why. No, here's why. Because you can be available. Turnovers happen. We just discussed that with Messi. You can be available for your team, right? You don't have to be stationary, you don't have to be deep, you don't have to be high. You're like every other footballer. So if your team's in possession, you, you can be like advanced, but like they don't need me. Now if you reading the game and going, oh, my left fullback's about to turn out here, I can advance and make an angle, right? You don't just go up there and stand for the sake of it because there's too many turnovers, right? And so, and so if you're that high, it's a bit of a piss take.
- [19:54]
Landon Donovan
But, well, it's, it's also. Then you got to be really engaged every second. I'm sure there are moments where we're just berating a team corner kick and you're kind of like, okay, I'm just tuned out for a second. But if you're going to play that way, you got to be really dialed. Yeah. All right. Curious to know your guys thoughts. NYCFC traveling to Miami. Miami, by the way. Now stay at home the rest of the playoffs if they keep winning. So they host the, the semifinal, the conference final and they would host MLS cup should they get there. What do you guys think? NYC fc? Can Matt Fries and company go into Miami and beat Lionel Messi? Let us know.
- [20:30]
Tim Howard
RLD it's time for the unfiltered refresh. Sponsored Sponsored by Coors Light. Choose Chill. Get Coors Light delivered. Go to coors light.com USLNT okay, who chose chill from this past week in MLS? I have a feeling I know who you're gonna pick and I like it.
- [20:47]
Landon Donovan
Well, I think every week we could say Lionel Messi because he just does all the things every week and it just gets kind of boring. His manager Tim made a really, really difficult decision. So they've got a young Argentine named Silvetti. And two weeks ago Luis Suarez gets sent off or he gets, I think retroactively sent off for an incident. So he doesn't start. Last week, Silvetti comes in, plays well. And so Mashrano has this decision to make. Do I bring in the World cup veteran, this big player who's played at big clubs at Liverpool, all over the world, or do I stick with this 19 year old who played really well and helped us win. And conventional wisdom said, of course Mascherano is going to play Luis Suarez.
- [21:27]
Tim Howard
And guess what?
- [21:27]
Landon Donovan
He did. He didn't. He played so bad. He had a goal, assisted on the first goal to Messi. He was fantastic. And Javier Mascherano chose chill big time by making a big decision. Could not have been easy.
- [21:40]
Tim Howard
Yeah. And here's the interesting part for me, L.D. they're friends.
- [21:44]
Landon Donovan
Yeah.
- [21:45]
Tim Howard
They're former teammates. Right now he's his player. Of course, get, you know, the way that, that the dynamic is, but it's a really difficult conversation. And more importantly, this is where, this is where my mind goes, because it's all about winning if you have to try. And if you're, if you're Mascarano, you have to try and keep Suarez onside. Here's why. If Miami gets to a point anytime in this playoffs and they go to a penalty shootout as an example, guess who I'm putting on? Because that guy's got ice water in his veins. Right. But you only can put, you only can put him on in situations if he, if he hasn't downed tools, if he's still bought in.
- [22:21]
Landon Donovan
Yeah.
- [22:21]
Tim Howard
So that's a, that's a big moment well done to have.
- [22:23]
Landon Donovan
I mean, look, I watched Suarez came onto the field and he was into it, right? So, like, credit to him for doing that. Credit to MASH Toronto for doing that. Before we cheers you, Mashano, I just want to remind you, I did nutmeg you in a Merseyside derby. You will remember it. We will find the video, but congrats to you for cheating. Chill, Mr. Mascherano. Okay, let's move on. USMNT on us. LNT. Just what are your final thoughts on the window? And then I, I in in particular, Pochino had some interesting. He was, he was pretty feisty in his press conference. We, we did the, the live show right after, so we didn't get to see it until after, but he, he kind of went after some reporters. He said we don't have, quote, regular players. We've. We've sort of disagreed with that.
- [23:07]
Tim Howard
Yeah. Yeah.
- [23:09]
Landon Donovan
How do you feel about, about that?
- [23:11]
Coach or Analyst (Guest)
I hate that. No regular players. What means is USA playing. Is the national team. Stop with that mindset. Every time that our decision is about to pick and start in 11 is the US main national team playing? And after one year, I think you need to really know me that I hate to talk in this way. It's so disrespectful. It's so disrespectful. Because I think we need to give credit to all the guys that today were involved and again, Paraguay too.
- [23:49]
Tim Howard
Yeah, I'm probably going to talk out of both sides of my mouth here for a second, which I don't like to do, but we needed that. We needed to have some of our fringe players play big roles and for the manager to be able to threaten and say, I am going to play these players, I'm going to reward these players for good performances no matter who they are. Right. We needed that. That needed to be part of the squad building and the competition within the group. I do believe that every team. This isn't specific and I can't say enough of how much I respect Pochettino and who he is as a person, as a manager. But in every team, there's an A team and a B team. Maybe not a full A and B team, but there's a. I don't know if you're a good enough team if you don't have eight players. If I go to every manager in the world, like if I went to Liverpool, right, Because you talked about disrespect. If I talked about Liverpool right now, you know what I could say? I know who their best eight players are. And Slot knows that he ain't playing Endo every week because he had a good week in training, like Ravenberk is playing. So it isn't disrespectful. And I think every team across the world, international or club, has eight players that they're like, these are. These are our best players. They play at the best clubs. They're the best. They're the most talented at club ball. They're the highest paid. You know, they're the biggest transfer. So that's normal. That's normal. I appreciate what Pochettino is saying, and I could be wrong come June or July, but at the first game of the World cup, if everyone's fit and healthy, I know who's playing. So no matter how great certain players have played over the last 12 months, I know who's playing. I think.
- [25:40]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, I get. I'm torn on this because. When you coach, there is super high value in people knowing their roles.
- [25:52]
Tim Howard
Yeah, yeah.
- [25:53]
Landon Donovan
And when there's ambiguity, you see ego. Competition is good. But when there's ambiguity as to, like, every week you don't know this player's going to play or that player's going to play. The players sense it, they feel it, the anxiety. And then the managing of it as a coach is very challenging because then you got to talk to that player every week. Sorry, this is. You're not in. Well, I was in last week. Why am I not in this week? And it becomes very challenging as a coach now with a national team. You're not with them all the time. So there are all sorts of circumstances that have changed. Think about this. Their last game was November, their next game is March. So all sorts of things will change. So if, if Burhalter's not starting or Roldan or Testman, there, there could be a lot of factors, but this, it does become challenging. And, and I think the more people understand the role, they're more comfortable. We had a few players at Loyal who at first I was way too sort of. There's too much ambiguity. It was like, well, you, you may be starting, you may not, you know, and after a while it was like, look, you're going to come off the bench for us and five to 10 games a year, you're going to start. But the rest of the. I need you to be the best 30 minute player in the league. And once they kind of make peace with that, then it's easier. So I think it's going to be a little bit challenging as they get close to the World cup if there's, if there's not clarity in that way. But also to his credit, the reason why that will say, quote, B team perform that way was because they feel like they have a chance to be the starter still fair. And they do. In his eyes they probably do. Yeah.
- [27:22]
Tim Howard
You don't believe that though, right? Do you?
- [27:24]
Landon Donovan
No, I don't. No, I don't. I believe in his head he knows who his 8, 9, 10 starters are. Maybe there's one or two that are on the, on the bubble, but yeah, I believe that.
- [27:35]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [27:35]
Landon Donovan
Yeah. Speaking of on the bubble. Okay, let's do a little thing. We're gonna call on the team, on the bubble, on the outs. Okay. You go first and then I'm going to.
- [27:45]
Tim Howard
I can make him a pen and pad.
- [27:46]
Landon Donovan
Okay. On the team.
- [27:48]
Tim Howard
Yeah. And then we have on.
- [27:50]
Landon Donovan
On the bubble.
- [27:52]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [27:53]
Landon Donovan
Or on the outs.
- [27:54]
Tim Howard
Ouch.
- [27:56]
Landon Donovan
And this is as of today, of course. Let's start with our man started again this weekend for leads, Brendan Aronson.
- [28:03]
Tim Howard
Huh? I think he's. I want to say bubble, but I think he's in. I got him in.
- [28:09]
Landon Donovan
You got him on the team?
- [28:11]
Tim Howard
No, I'm going to put him on a bubble right now. You just talked me out of it with one. With one random question. Taught me how to. I think he's in, but go. Yeah. Okay, You.
- [28:20]
Landon Donovan
I got him on the bubble.
- [28:21]
Tim Howard
Okay.
- [28:22]
Landon Donovan
For sure.
- [28:22]
Tim Howard
Okay.
- [28:23]
Landon Donovan
Matt Turner, team. Yeah, he's on the team. This is a good one. Sebastian Burhalter.
- [28:35]
Tim Howard
I think Sebastian, for me, has to be on the team. But he's really. But he's on the bubble. Yeah, yeah, I do. I'm putting him on the bubble, but I think he's on a team.
- [28:50]
Landon Donovan
Okay, I'm putting him on the bubble, too. Okay, I think he's on the bubble. Leaning in, but he's on the bubble. Okay, last one. And at first when we talked through this, I was like, no, of course. And. But the more I think about it, this guy's played in one window over the last year and got left back again. Now you can talk about why and the excuse or whatever.
- [29:11]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [29:11]
Landon Donovan
Weston McKinney on the team, on the bubble, on the outs.
- [29:17]
Tim Howard
Yeah, this is a good list. Got some good producers. Shout out to them. West McKin, for me, is on the team. But can I give you a caveat? Because I've given you a caveat on everyone except Matt Turner.
- [29:28]
Landon Donovan
Sure.
- [29:30]
Tim Howard
West McKinney's on the team, but there are. In almost every squad. That's a lie. In a lot of squads, there's always. There's always one that you're like, huh? You know, that get. That gets left off for like.
- [29:44]
Landon Donovan
Oh, I'm well aware.
- [29:45]
Tim Howard
Yeah, I know, exactly. Converted. But like, I think of like a Jack. Could that be Jack Greish? This year for England, it was Zack Stefan. Last World cup, you know, it was yourself. So there's always one where you're like, duh. Of course that person has to be going to the World cup. That's West McKin, of course. What? What, what? In terms of talent and experience, he's one of. He's our top three best players. But there's some things that have trended and have happened which. Like the last camp, which I. I could be wrong, but if you put a bag full of money next to me right now, I'd take it to Vegas and I'd say that that. That story. That's full of shit. I'm taking the other side of that story of why he didn't come.
- [30:29]
Landon Donovan
So you got him on the bubble, on the team?
- [30:30]
Tim Howard
No, I got him on the team.
- [30:31]
Landon Donovan
I have him on the team, too. And I think I would have changed that to on the bubble or maybe even on the outs at different points this year. I think Pochettino has made him very uncomfortable in a good way. So that there's no entitlement, no expectation that he's going to be there. And when he's there, no expectation, no entitlement that he's going to play. And I think because of that, Wes will continue to perform well at Uve. And I think when it's time, like next camp, I, I expect him to be there in March and the, the attitude will be right.
- [31:05]
Tim Howard
So we, we, we think he'll be there in March. You would, you would expect. But like, I mean, March, March also marks a year that he'd head out. Will have only been in camp one time, right? One time.
- [31:18]
Landon Donovan
Yeah. No, I know.
- [31:19]
Tim Howard
So we're talking about a guy who's always, it's like we're on the team, who has learned lessons, who understands roles, who come March, the next time the team is selected, will have only been in camp one time. I said this to you, Landon. I said this to you. Name me another Nash team around the world where a guy was fit for selection and only came in. Maybe he wasn't fit all the time, but, but a team's top, a top three player for a top 25 team in the world, a FIFA ranked top 25 team in the world, their. One of their best three players came into the team one time in a year. And the answer to that is don't do, don't even worry about the research. There's not. So. Yeah, right, right.
- [32:02]
Landon Donovan
No, I know. It's like the data tells you he's on the bubble or on the outs. That's what the, that's what the data. That's the reality of it. But then you think about it, you're.
- [32:09]
Tim Howard
Like, my heart tells me he's in. He has to be in. He's, you know, what he does for, for our country and this team is fantastic when he's there. I'm curious to see what, what our listeners think. I, I'm definitely. Give us your thoughts on that.
- [32:21]
Landon Donovan
Leave comments. If we're right, we're wrong, let us know. But it, it is, it's getting to the point now where it's going to be interesting.
- [32:28]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [32:29]
Landon Donovan
Last thing here. So, Christian, yesterday, Milan Darby. This is it. I think we take this for granted. And I'm not, I'm not saying he's messy, but I'm saying in the same way we take what Messi does for granted, we're taking Christian for granted. In the prime of his career, Milan Darby scores the winner. He has never lost. Now, Milan Darby. Listen to this stat. This is wild. In the last three years in the Syria, 48 goal contributions, that's 16 a year average. And by the way, we're not even halfway through this year tied with Lataro Martinez for the most in Syria in that time. You can argue he has been the best player in Syria consistently over the last three years. And, and we take that for granted.
- [33:16]
Tim Howard
I just think, well, he was phenomenal yesterday. I, I also look at his record in the derby and you mentioned it. Six wins, two draws and eight Darbies, three goals. Darbies are big moments. And, and by the way, if you've never been to a Milan derby, do yourself a favor and just get a ticket to Milan and go see a game. It's amazing. One of my favorite derbies, but those are big moments. And he, and he stands up and is counted in big moments and I feel like he always has been. You know, I, yeah, I often reference the times where he played at Chelsea and I thought he got the, he got the run of the deal because as we know with Chelsea, that they were buying young players and going through managers and rotating and doing all the things. So that wasn't a, that wasn't a mark on Christian, that it didn't work out there. He had some really good performances. And so look, I think he's a big, he's a big time player. I think he's a big club player. I, I randomly heard, and I can't even quote my source because I don't remember it, that United are interested in him or, or that they were interested in him. Amazing. Because again, that if that's the case, and again, that could be hearsay, but if that's the case, I mean, that's someone who would fit right in there, who would do a brilliant job. So. Yeah. Yeah.
- [34:22]
Landon Donovan
All right, we're gonna take a break. Someone's gotta pay Tim all that money, so we're gonna go pay the bills. When we come back, we're talking the English Premier League right here on Unfiltered Soccer with Landon and Tim, presented by Volkswagen. Stick around.
- [34:43]
Tim Howard
The Unfiltered Soccer podcast is brought to you by Volkswagen, the presenting partner of U.S. soccer.
- [34:48]
Landon Donovan
As the U.S. gets ready to host the world for soccer's biggest moment, Volkswagen is helping people discover new turfs and new ways to play the beautiful game right here in the US from deaf.
- [34:58]
Tim Howard
And power wheelchair soccer to beach and futsal, VW is actively supporting all the communities and teams within the U.S. soccer ecosystem. They're working with talent from across the U.S. soccer Extended national teams and are focused on helping to give these less widely known forms of soccer a platform moving forward.
- [35:14]
Landon Donovan
As a longtime friend of Volkswagen, I can tell you they're really making a difference, opening up new turfs and new possibilities here in the us.
- [35:21]
Tim Howard
Thank you to Volkswagen and the Tiguan for being the presenting partner and for bringing nice things to everyone. Find out more about how VW is supporting U.S. soccer@VW.com whether it's club or.
- [35:33]
Landon Donovan
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- [39:32]
Tim Howard
All right LG, let's chitty chat some Premier League. It was very interesting weekend in the Premier League. Lots going on as there always is. Never a dull moment.
- [39:42]
Landon Donovan
No.
- [39:44]
Tim Howard
Liverpool have to start there. We have to start there.
- [39:46]
Landon Donovan
Liverpool not a dry eye in the house.
- [39:48]
Tim Howard
Liverpool lost at home to Forest. Three nil. Three nil, man.
- [39:54]
Landon Donovan
That's why they didn't just lose, bud. They got pumped. Yeah, they got pumped. My first question is, and this is for you and for our fans, you know when you, you like if you bought a car in the last like three or five years and you're in like the snow somewhere and you get in and it's freezing cold and then you can turn on that little seat warmer thing.
- [40:16]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [40:17]
Landon Donovan
And you know it's like not burning hot yet but it just, you start to feel it and you're like ah, that's nice and warm. Is Arna Slot feeling a little bit of that heat right now? Is it getting a little warm? I know we just want to tight on.
- [40:31]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [40:31]
Landon Donovan
But like at some point if you're going to miss out on Europe and you're, is it starting to, are they having conversations yet?
- [40:37]
Tim Howard
Yeah, I mean I feel like Liverpool fans don't need any more reason to Hate me. But no, I don't think. I'm not a big fan of managers getting sacked. Like, I want to give managers time. I want to give them transfer windows and all that. But you know as well as I do, it is, it is hard. It is hard when you're, when you're at the top thing. Other things play into it. LD here's what I would say. I. No, I don't think his seat. Your seats are.
- [41:04]
Landon Donovan
You think it's warming at all? Yeah, it's always.
- [41:06]
Tim Howard
I think it's always warm. What I would say is. Let me start here. And again, this is going to be a bit blasphemous against the Dutch because I have a lot of. I have a lot of Dutch friends, but Dutch managers haven't had brilliant success in the Premier League.
- [41:20]
Landon Donovan
Okay.
- [41:20]
Tim Howard
If someone wants to write in and tell me I'm wrong and, and state your claim, sure. But I'm thinking of the ones that, that I've, that I can remember haven't had a ton of success. It just doesn't seem to translate that well from the managerial level. That's not to say that Slot isn't a good manager, because he is. Last year he had Jurgen Klopp's team, right? LD that was his team. The only player he added was Chiesa, who barely saw the light of day. And the credit to Slot goes he tweaked the system a little bit. Right. So instead of that heavy metal, Jurgen Klopp. Four, three, three. Everybody's flying. We're only keeping Van Dyke and Panate at the back. Both of my fullbacks are flying forward to help and, and press. He's like, all right, let's, let's pull back just a little bit. Like, we still want to be aggressive, but we, we want to possess the ball and build the game a bit more. And that won them the title. I just think with you, you talk about the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.
- [42:19]
Landon Donovan
Yeah.
- [42:20]
Tim Howard
Trent Alexander, Arnold leaving. L. Diaz leaving. Which, by the way, someone brought this to my attention this week. I think it was Robbie Earl. That doesn't get talked about enough, by the way.
- [42:28]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, you're right.
- [42:28]
Tim Howard
Louis, Louis Diaz leaving, doesn't get talked about and how important that was. And so, okay, normal, you, you, you get rid of certain players, you sell certain players on or, or they leave on a free. And then you add. And by the way, you're slot deserved the right after winning the title to say, hey, now you're going to back me and now I'm going to Bring my own players in.
- [42:48]
Landon Donovan
Right.
- [42:49]
Tim Howard
So we did. He brought Ekatike Virt, Frimpong Kirkez from Bournemouth eac. So he brought a lot of big players. I mean they spent a lot of money LD and it hasn't seemed to work out in for various reasons. And the, the test is going to be for Liverpool and for the board. If you're talking about is this seat hot? If they get deeper into this season, I think they're in 11th place now. If they get deeper into this season and they're. And, and, and they're looking like they're going to miss out on Europe, then I think people are going to start getting uncomfortable. But even then, even then I would say I would definitely not even have the conversation about sacking slop because I think managers need time. I know you don't get it. I know you don't get it, but you know you don't get time. But I think he, he obviously needs the time. He's earned it by the way. He's earned it.
- [43:51]
Landon Donovan
Yeah. It's almost to his detriment that he won last year. Right. Like if these seasons had been flipped, sure now he'd be like, okay, now I had my time. I don't. But you know, the old saying is well, a few. If it's not broke, don't fix it. And the grass isn't always greener. And I think what, what people forgot about Liverpool and this is in my opinion the best teams in the world in every sport. Continuity is so valuable.
- [44:16]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [44:17]
Landon Donovan
And so now Luis Diaz leaves Trent Alexander, Arnold leaves the passing of Jota and then come in these guys Verts Kirkish from Pong and it doesn't mean that it's going to work out right. They don't just fit in naturally and, and especially when you come from different leagues like the Premier League. I can speak to it. It is so hard to adapt to. It is so hard to adapt to. And so I think maybe he had the right to. Yes. And, and far be it for me to, to speak to a manager who's, who's won a Premier League title, but the grass isn't always greener. And I think he got a little out over his skis saying, yeah, now I can spend all this money on these guys I want. And he had a really good team. The other thing Tim and I, I think, I know there's criticism.
- [45:03]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [45:04]
Landon Donovan
Of Mo Salah. Right. And there's criticism of, of Isak and I'll let you talk about Isak in a minute but Mo Salah. People forget last year was so motivated because he wanted that new contract. And so every week he was like, I am gonna show these guys and I'm gonna force them. And they had no choice but to give him a new deal. It is human nature, man, to just take your foot off a little bit.
- [45:28]
Tim Howard
Sure.
- [45:28]
Landon Donovan
And at that level you take off 10% and you're not the same player. You're not the same player. And. And that is a big piece of this too.
- [45:36]
Tim Howard
Yeah, I mean, look, I think the question also gets asked about, you know, would you play? Should he play Ekitike up front or Isak? And look, Ekatike earned the right early on to keep the shirt because he was scoring, he was scoring goals, he was fitting the system. He looked great. I think he scored on international duty for France last week. But Isac, and this is what people don't understand. Sometimes on the outside you pay 120 some odd million for somebody you're playing, you're playing. That's how this works. And so the issue for me with Esek and by the way, I'm on record saying I think that guy's like a top three striker in the world. I do. I think he's brilliant. And, and I like. And I think we've interviewed him a time or two. I can't remember what we've seen, the way he speaks. And I like everything about him. What I didn't like is how he handled the transfer this summer. So we manufactured the move from Newcastle to Liverpool. It's normal, it happens. People do that. But what he did is he down tools LD and, and I've spoken of this, he did it in the wrong way because players think they've got to throw their toys out of the, out of the crib. What he should have done and I believe all players that are manufacturing movie need to do is you're talking to everybody ld. You're talking to the board, you're talking to the manager, you're talking to your agent. Get everybody in a room and say, I'm going to be the best teammate to my Newcastle teammates that you've ever seen this preseason. I'm going to do extra running. I'm going to be available. I'm going to have a smile on my face. I'm going to do everything you've asked. I'm going to be on time for every meeting. I'm going to be me. But don't mistake that for the fact that I want to stay here. I don't. I want to get down the road to Liverpool. Okay? So do everything in your power to make that happen. That way you take the fitness side off the table. Because what has happened. Arna Slot talked about all the since since Isak walked through the door. When's he going to play? Well, we're still getting up to full fitness. When's he going to play? Still about three weeks away. So. So Isac did that to himself, right? Then you couple that with not scoring. Okay, sometimes you score, sometimes you don't. But, but what happened was not only is he not scoring, people are questioning his fitness. The manager. Why are you questioning his fitness? Because he didn't train for half the summer. Because he downed tools to manufacture a move. So that's on him.
- [47:53]
Landon Donovan
And by the way, people don't appreciate how much it's a new team, new system, new manager, new players, new city. You're changing. I mean it's not that far but you're changing. Everything's changing in your life. And so you need time to get up to speed. And at Newcastle it was a well oiled machine. Like they knew where he was running, what he was doing. Understanding your partnerships on the field. That stuff's crucial, man. Yeah, it's crucial. Okay. Newcastle City. We'll just kind of gloss over this. One big win for Newcastle City. They're just not, they're not the same city. They still are in third. But it's, it's a, it's a bad loss for City. It is.
- [48:34]
Tim Howard
Well, listen, I, I, I want to get the fans before we move. I want to get the fans. Thoughts? Let us know if you think Slot is on the hot seat. How he should be handling the, the striker situation. That's a big one. That's what everyone's talking about. So let us know. I think the, I think the Manchester City they were. This was an interesting one for me because like going to Newcastle with that team, the way Eddie Howe coaches them. Like there's no shame in losing there. But Newcastle were trending this way.
- [49:00]
Landon Donovan
Right?
- [49:01]
Tim Howard
And City were trending that way. Like you're like, oh, this is. I had it nailed on as a City win. But again I think what it shows us is even though I think Newcastle are like sitting in 15th, like ultimately at the end of the day they're going to be inside that top eight.
- [49:16]
Landon Donovan
Yeah.
- [49:17]
Tim Howard
Probably top six. Right. Like so right now things aren't going well. But like doesn't surprise you that they had a big performance against City? So City, it was, you know, they dropped points and that was a huge One, because I thought they were, they were trying to claw back. They were trying to claw back a few points of momentum from Arsenal and it ended up being Arsenal's literally picture perfect weekend.
- [49:35]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, it was actually the other way. And now they're seven points back because the Gunners North London Darby beat Spurs and man, was this, this is brutal.
- [49:46]
Tim Howard
I thought, I thought it was. I. Well, we, I thought it was a Darby, but it ended up being the training session. I don't think, I don't think the Darby happened.
- [49:53]
Landon Donovan
Maybe it's later in the year. I mean 4:1. So for people who don't know. So e was about to be a Spurs player and the last minute changed his mind and he signed with their rival Arsenal and then on Sunday absolutely crushes them with the first North London Derby hat trick in 47 years. I was shocked.
- [50:15]
Tim Howard
Henri didn't have one. Harry Kane didn't have one. Incredible. Crazy, huh?
- [50:19]
Landon Donovan
So the first North London Darby hat trick in 47 years and they absolutely dismantled Spurs. I think spurs had a 0.07 XG. I mean they looked, they, they, they looked lost. You know, if they're looking for a manager, I hear Ange is available still. No, they look lost. And, and Thomas Frank, that was, that had to be his worst, his worst day as a Spurs manager. What happened? What, how do you, what do you put that down to?
- [50:44]
Tim Howard
Well, well, it was such a. It. Tottenham was so bad that at one point in the first half I said they should get half a point if they get into the, if they get possession in Arsenal's half. They like, they couldn't get out. Well, so, so what happened was this. They ended up playing in a back three, which we know is a back five right out of, out of possession. And so, and so they, they got pinned in and that was a big credit to, to how Arsenal attacked them, the back five. But Thomas Frank at his best at Brentford. There's facets to this. He, he was brilliant because he brought them through. He brought, he brought them out of the championship into the Premier League. And one of the things he hung his hat on was being flexible tactically. So he would happily, week to week playing a back five and a back and then a back four. And he often talked about with Brentford because they were, they were the David versus everybody's Goliath. He would say, when we play a big six team, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United, whoever, we're going to play in a back five, right? Because we have flexibility. Da da da da. When we play against other teams Outside of that, we're playing a back four which you're conceding the fact that you're just, you're the lesser team, it's no problem. But also he had been with his team. They're like, no problem, gaffer back four.
- [52:02]
Landon Donovan
Cool.
- [52:02]
Tim Howard
No problem, gaffer back four. They knew, right? He's implemented. And that's when he's at his best. He's implemented that with a group of players. That muscle memory is a big thing. You know, this ld, they played radically high under Ange and they sprinted back okay. And it wasn't even like anything we've ever seen in the Premier League. So you're trying to unlearn some of these things and then learn two different formations. That's three things you're trying to, you're, you're trying to pick up as a player. And then the other part that is really important and I'm interested. This is the biggest part. This is, this is one or one A is spurs as a club, as a board, as a fan base. They are the big six team that you use to change your, your, your, your, your formation for.
- [52:48]
Landon Donovan
So, so you like an ego there.
- [52:50]
Tim Howard
So you, as a manager of Tottenham, can't say against another big six, against a Man United or against an Arsenal. We're going to play cautious because guess What? You've got 90,000 fans that don't want to hear that. So there's a dilemma there. There's a dilemma there. And, and, and not to mention the, the. One of the most important things is he doesn't have, he doesn't have Kulasevsky, he doesn't have Solanki, he doesn't have Madison. He has so many injuries to big, big players that like, I'm just telling everybody to pump the brakes because Thomas, manager, Thomas Frank is a very good manager.
- [53:23]
Landon Donovan
I always wondered this with, with big clubs bringing in managers, like, do you go get someone who was at Brighton or Brentford or, you know, Watford when. Or do you go get somebody from another country or from the top of the championship or knows how to be a big club who has to go places and dominate? It's a, it's a really interesting. Yeah, it is because it's completely different for him. To your point, coaching Brentford versus managing Spurs. Completely different.
- [53:52]
Tim Howard
Yeah.
- [53:53]
Landon Donovan
All right, it's stoppage time. Sponsored by FanDuel. New customers can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets if you win. Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app to get started. All right, Champions League this week, Arsenal, Bayern Munich. These two last met in a quarterfinal round of the 2023, 2024 Champions League, where FC Bayern won 3:2 on aggregate. But in my opinion, these could be two of if not the two best teams in the world right now. They're first and second in the Champions League table. Arsenal hold a six point league six point lead in the Premier League. Bayern hold a six point lead in the Bundesliga. Harry Kane with 24 goals. It's a really, really intriguing matchup. Arsenal's defense has been so good, but Bayern scored goals for fun, so they have, I believe, 64 goals now in all competitions. David Rye, on the other hand, has 11 clean sheets. It's also worth noting Luis Diaz will be out. That's a big, big miss as he picked up a red card in their last Champions League match versus psg. Unfiltered Soccer's same game parlay this week is for Arsenal versus Bayern Munich. I've got Arsenal to win with Bukaya Saka and Harry Kane to score or assist and Arsenal goalkeeper David raya to make two or more saves plus 1100 on the four leg. Same game parlay for this week. Don't forget to check out the full same game parlay on our socials later this week. Let's take a break. When we come back, we'll dive into your Questions in the AT&T fan Connection right here on Unfiltered Soccer with Landon and Tim, presented by Volkswagen. This episode is brought to you by Airbnb. Tim Nothing like MLS playoff season. My favorite time of year. End of August. September. It's cold. You travel to the Midwest or the eastern cities. The leaves are changing. You get outside, it's freezing for the game. I love this time of year.
- [55:53]
Tim Howard
Yeah, totally. LD Playoffs are what make American sports unique. It's how you end up with an underdog team making some insane run for the championship or David and Goliath duking it out in the final.
- [56:02]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, you don't want to miss a second of the playoffs no matter where your MLS team might be playing in the first round alone. Fans from New York are heading down to Charlotte. Dallas fans making the trip up to the Pacific Northwest to play against Vancouver. Last year in the final, the Red Bulls had to come all the way down to SoCal, where my galaxy beat your Red Bulls.
- [56:19]
Tim Howard
Tim Soccer fans in the US Are dedicated to their teams and making the journey to support those teams as they make a run for the MLS Cup. Whether it's the first time or the sixth is a top priority.
- [56:29]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, MLS fans bring the energy everywhere they go. So why not let that passion pay off? While you're on the road supporting your team, you could open your home to fellow fans on Airbnb. Hosting your home on Airbnb while you travel is an easy way to earn a little extra and keep the spirit of soccer alive. Even when you're away.
- [56:46]
Tim Howard
Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much@airbnb.com host all right.
- [56:52]
Landon Donovan
Tim, it is holiday season and boy, do I need to choose chill sometimes. Thanksgiving's an interesting one for me. I go with the in laws to a hotel. It's nice. Most of them I like. Some of them are a bit challenging. Sometimes I got to walk outside, grab a Coors Light, choose chill. Christmas is fun. I enjoy it. I love it, all the things that come with it. But the kids are home for two weeks and that is brutal sometimes. So sometimes turn on the hot tub, go out in the Jacuzzi, watch a football game, grab a Coors Light and chill.
- [57:23]
Tim Howard
Yeah, you're right. It's all it's always about family around the holidays and of course, big family meals. Every time I finish eating, I'm out back. I get around the fire, I reach in the cooler, grab a cold Coors Light and choose chill. Because as you mentioned, it's hectic and then at some point someone calls me inside to play spoons or card games. And so I'm having a Coors Light.
- [57:44]
Landon Donovan
Choosing Chill when you embrace a chill mindset this holiday, it's a good time to choose chill and crack open a Coors Light.
- [57:50]
Tim Howard
Choose Chill this holiday season and then reach for a Coors Light. Get Coors Light delivered straight to your door. Visit coorslight.com USLNT or you can find it pretty much anywhere that sells beer.
- [58:01]
Landon Donovan
Celebrate Responsibly Coors Brewing Company Golden, Colorado.
- [58:05]
Tim Howard
There'S nothing better than feeling like someone has your back and that things are going to get done even without you having to ask. Like your crisp New Jersey waiting for you in the locker room or a perfectly set up wall for a free kick.
- [58:16]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, as we unfiltered soccer get ready for next summer, we know that very little in the beautiful game is guaranteed. But as we prepare to bring our unfiltered brand of nonstop soccer coverage, it's good to know AT and T has your back. With the AT&T guarantee, staying connected matters.
- [58:31]
Tim Howard
That's why in the rare event of a network outage, AT&T will proactively credit you for a full day of service. That's the AT&T guarantee learn more at.
- [58:40]
Landon Donovan
Att.Com guarantee AT&T connecting changes everything.
- [58:46]
Tim Howard
Credit for fiber downtime lasting 20 minutes or more or a wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers must be connected to impacted towers at onset of outage. Restrictions and exclusions apply. See att.com guarantee for full details. It's time for the Fan connection presented by AT&T. Every week we invite you, the listener, to connect with us by submitting your questions at. @&t connecting changes everything. And on USLNT, our connections with you will help grow the game. All right, the AT&T fan connection LD everyone's favorite time of the week. Jordan, how are you? Are you wearing a Milan shirt?
- [59:29]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Atimaan yeah, this is the AC Milan 125th anniversary shirt from last season.
- [59:34]
Tim Howard
Are you a Pulisic fan?
- [59:36]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
I, I mean, I want to see the U.S. men's National Team do well no matter where they're playing. So he had a good weekend?
- [59:41]
Tim Howard
He was good yesterday.
- [59:42]
Landon Donovan
Yeah.
- [59:43]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Yeah. He had a very good writing list.
- [59:44]
Tim Howard
Nice, Nice shirt.
- [59:45]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Thanks.
- [59:46]
Tim Howard
Did you also get that from, Where'd you get that? Canal Street.
- [59:50]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Did I get it? I think I did. I think I maybe did.
- [59:53]
Tim Howard
That's where everyone gets their shirts.
- [59:56]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Should we get into some questions? Because I have several.
- [59:58]
Tim Howard
Go.
- [59:58]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Okay, first one, this one is from Xavi via email. Thank you. I just want to say thank you to everybody who puts the pronunciation of their name in their email so that I get it right.
- [60:09]
Landon Donovan
Really appreciate that we don't butcher it.
- [60:12]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Okay, so Xavi's question is now that MLS has announced that it will be changing the calendar to align with the rest of the world. In your guys opinion, what's the next step? I think the salary cap and the idea of DP players limits the potential of the teams and the league overall. But what do you guys think?
- [60:31]
Tim Howard
I don't love, I don't, I don't know how you put the genie back in the bottle. I, I don't love the, the DP structure. I've been open about that. Like, I, I, I think, I think a lot of teams, you know, when you go get soft serve ice cream ld and you get your cup, right? And then you swirl the ice cream and then you put all the top and you put the cherry on top, like that's how you make an ice cream sundae, right? I think a lot of MLS teams get the cup and they go buy the cherry and they put the cherry in and then, and then they and then they put the ice cream in, you know what I'm saying?
- [60:58]
Landon Donovan
Cherry's melted.
- [60:59]
Tim Howard
So lafc, Vancouver. These are great, these are great examples of like, build your team to be a successful team and then put the cherry on top. And so the reason I say that LD is so many teams do it the other way. And don't forget DPs. The percentage of extending a DPs contract or them staying in the league is like 10%. So that means they're playing their contract and they're leaving. So if you bring a DP and put them on a crap team, you've lost a year. Do they understand the language? Does their family get settled? You're losing a year. So now you've spent a ton of money on a player and you consistently spend tons of money on a player and the first year is like a bit of a wash. Don't know if he's going to come in. So anyway, so, so I, I, the DP structure, whether you can put the genie back in the bottle or it needs a revamp, I don't know.
- [61:47]
Landon Donovan
But the structure, Tim, the, the structure wouldn't change that.
- [61:50]
Tim Howard
Sure.
- [61:50]
Landon Donovan
Like if the structure was gone, teams would still go get.
- [61:53]
Tim Howard
Yeah, you're right. You're right.
- [61:53]
Landon Donovan
Right, right. So, yeah, go ahead.
- [61:56]
Tim Howard
Maybe, but maybe then, then for me, the other, the other part of that is creating a salary cap, right? Creating a hard cap and a luxury tax. And that's worked in a lot of places. Sure. There's arguments against it, of course, but we, you and I have talked about this on the show. There has been a handbrake on MLS that they've slowly taking off. But the idea was at the beginning it was like, let's not, let's not F this up. Let's not create another soccer league in North America and have it fold.
- [62:25]
Landon Donovan
Right?
- [62:25]
Tim Howard
So that was the parameters of which they worked on and they've slowly broke that back. They now have people in positions really high, strong decision making positions that are football people that are, that are versed in this game, that have their PhD in football. We need to let them make those decisions. So maybe extending the cap, making it a hard cap and creating luxury tax, there's a, there's a conversation there.
- [62:44]
Landon Donovan
The other thing they have is 30 billionaires, right, who, who are not going broke, they're not going to lose their money. They can make the decision. If they want to spend 30 million to bring in Messi or Cristiano, they can do it. You don't, you don't need to hold their hand and, and show them what to do. So I love. I also, for the record, I don't like the idea of just opening it up. Free market. Spend as much as you want because that can create issues too. But I love the idea of having a hard cap, 30, 40, 50 million, have a minimum spend. So the players association is how call it 15 million, 20 million. But then you spend the money however you want. If you want to spend 10 million on a transfer and pay the guy 100 grand, fine. If you want to spend a million on a transfer and pay them 10 million year, you do what you want. But I think that would be a much safer and much more enjoyable and entertainment forward process for the league to go through.
- [63:40]
Tim Howard
Yeah, agree.
- [63:43]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Okay. I have a question from Nick via email, but it's really two questions and I was trying to decide between the two of them and couldn't, so. Congratulations, Nick. You. You won this week. Both of your questions are going to. So they're both about the World Cup. The first question is the auto bid has undoubtedly changed the type of competition we have leading up to the World Cup. What's a better format for future hosts? Guaranteed Pot 4 and play to earn. I feel this could be a detriment heading into 2026 without true competitive matches, which I think you guys have talked about. But I like that he was giving you a suggestion for like, could we do something else for the hosts?
- [64:22]
Landon Donovan
What's he saying? Guaranteed Pot 4 with what and play to earn.
- [64:26]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
I think he means, like, you're guaranteed for Pot 4, but you could play to end up.
- [64:30]
Landon Donovan
So you're guaranteed to be in the tournament.
- [64:33]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Right.
- [64:33]
Landon Donovan
But then you go through qualifying still.
- [64:36]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Because right now you guarantee for pot one.
- [64:39]
Landon Donovan
Right. That's an interesting idea. So if you. Let's say, let's just use this. Canada, US Mexico are guaranteed to be in the tournament, but at the start of qualifying, they're in pot four. They still have to go through qualifying. So the games mean something to them. They mean something to the other teams, of course. And in the end, if U. S. Mexico, Canada finished 1, 2 and 3, the next three still get in the World cup and the next two still go to the playoff. But then you can earn your way into pot one. That's kind of an interesting.
- [65:06]
Tim Howard
Don't hate.
- [65:06]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, yeah, I don't hate it because. Yeah, I don't hate it. All right, next.
- [65:11]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Do you think it would. That would. That would help some of the issues that you guys have been talking about. Like the game's not being definitely.
- [65:18]
Landon Donovan
I mean, I don't know how much the players really deep down, whether they're in pot, four, three, two, or one. But, like, you just want the game to mean something. Right? And for the coaches, they'd be like, I want to be in pot one, Right?
- [65:29]
Tim Howard
Yeah. But, yeah, and I also think it, it would, it might eliminate my, My big gripe last week that was like, concacaf could get 18, eight teams. Like, if we're, if we're wanting the World cup, do we want it to be about pageantry or do we want it to be the, the best competition ever? And if we wanted to be the best company.
- [65:49]
Landon Donovan
I know you want competition.
- [65:50]
Tim Howard
Yeah, yeah, that's fine.
- [65:51]
Landon Donovan
I want Uzbekistan coming for the first time.
- [65:54]
Tim Howard
Yeah. Fair.
- [65:56]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Okay. The second half of his question says, assume a group of death and we draw Morocco, Norway and Italy via playoff. How do we focus on winning and not on the draw itself as players? Could you separate the two?
- [66:12]
Tim Howard
Hang on, let me just say something. Give me those teams again.
- [66:15]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Morocco, Norway and Italy.
- [66:17]
Tim Howard
We finished top of that group.
- [66:19]
Landon Donovan
No chance.
- [66:20]
Tim Howard
We finished.
- [66:21]
Landon Donovan
You're saying that definitively? No. You can't say there's no. I mean, I think we can.
- [66:28]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
What makes you say that?
- [66:29]
Landon Donovan
Hard group?
- [66:31]
Tim Howard
I don't know. I, I just. I. If, if you're good, by the way.
- [66:34]
Landon Donovan
I know it's not just Holland, by the way. Odegaard, Sorlot, like, they're a good team.
- [66:38]
Tim Howard
I know. If you're telling me that that's the group of death in terms of algorithms and how you kind of flip it up, then I'm telling you, I think we, I think we win that group. Okay. Or at least go through, but I think we win it.
- [66:50]
Landon Donovan
I think we go through. But. Let's just talk.
- [66:52]
Tim Howard
But then. But you, You're. You're scoffing at my idea that we win the group.
- [66:56]
Landon Donovan
No, you said, you said we win the group. And I was like, you can't say it. Just, we're gonna win that.
- [67:00]
Tim Howard
But then, but then we can. But we could easily finish second.
- [67:03]
Landon Donovan
Could finish fourth, too.
- [67:05]
Tim Howard
Okay.
- [67:05]
Landon Donovan
I know those teams, all those teams can beat us.
- [67:08]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Can I ask a follow up question, though? I know we're getting off of poor Nick's question. I said that he won and now we're just kind of trampling all over him. But are you specifically saying that because you believe that the U.S. morocco, Norway and Italy are evenly matched?
- [67:25]
Landon Donovan
Yeah, in a best case.
- [67:27]
Coach or Analyst (Guest)
Yeah.
- [67:28]
Tim Howard
Yeah, I. Listen, I'm saying. I'm saying I believe and I've said this all along, I don't have a ton of proof because of how things have gone. I believe our best team. And if I truly think, if I fast forward to the World cup opening game that I think our best team is on the pitch, then I think we're really effing good.
- [67:48]
Landon Donovan
That's what I agree.
- [67:49]
Tim Howard
Yeah, I agree.
- [67:51]
Landon Donovan
But Norway's going to be a Pot 3 team. They are way better than a pot. They're a pot two team.
- [67:57]
Tim Howard
I know they are.
- [67:58]
Landon Donovan
They're way better. And Italy look.
- [67:59]
Tim Howard
But we're not a pot one team, so this whole thing is flipped.
- [68:01]
Landon Donovan
Exactly. Exactly. And Jordan, by the way, you know, Mrs. Rizzieri, I'm sorry about your Italians, but like when we were talking about Pulisic earlier, think about this. In the last three years, he has the most goal contributions. Italy, we talk about Mexico not being very good. Just. They just don't have great players anymore. Italy are kind of the same. I'm like, oh, Italy should, should, should, should. And then I'm like, an American is the best player in their league. That's the reality. An American is the best player in their league. And so I just, I don't know if that. I don't know if they're getting through the qualifying either. I don't. But to, to, to his Nick, right?
- [68:35]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Yes.
- [68:36]
Landon Donovan
How do you focus on playing?
- [68:37]
Tim Howard
We.
- [68:37]
Landon Donovan
I talked about this. I did a FOX preview show this weekend and we talked about the draw a lot. And for the players, you're not that focused on the draw. You're really not. The federation is the coaches. But I mean, it's December. You have six months. You don't even know if you've made the team. Right now there are probably three or four guys who go, I'm pretty sure I'm making Pochettino's roster after that because of how he's done things. You're not like. And you're just focused on the next game you have on Saturday. It's exciting. It's. But you're not that. You're not thinking about that.
- [69:08]
Tim Howard
That's a good idea. And just to kind of. For two guys who have been through it and it's everyone's lifelong dream, and certainly for people who haven't played in a World cup, you don't. You can't quite grasp this concept. You dream a little dream so you think you can go to a World cup final. Like right now, when you go to. When you, when you, when you land in your host city, you just, you don't know. You're so high on life and adrenaline. You just think you can do, like, you're not going, we're in a group of deaths, so this is going to suck. You're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we can do it. Like, we were in a group of death In, I think, 2014, and like, we thought we could do it and we did. Yeah. You allow yourself to dream. And you're right. It's so funny. As the prop, the people who probably care about the draw the least is probably the players.
- [69:56]
Landon Donovan
Right.
- [69:56]
Tim Howard
Which is wild, but yeah.
- [69:59]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Okay. Another World cup question. This one is from Edgar. I will say this email was extremely long and came with screenshots, so I've had to summarize it.
- [70:08]
Tim Howard
Amazing, Edgar. Amazing. Thank you.
- [70:10]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
Edgar says, how do you feel about a US Men's national team fan like me, a Mexican immigrant to this country who was 12 years old when I fell in love with the USA during World Cup. USA 94, who has followed the team since for almost every friendly cup and World cup match, and living in a World cup city. I believe he lives in Houston only for FIFA to make tickets astronomically expensive and pricing us out of it. Could you please give me your real unfiltered opinion on these ludicrously priced event? I will tell you. In his screenshots, Edgar explained that he went to Qatar for the last World cup and he did have to fly himself to Qatar and pay to stay there and everything. But the game that he went to in the round of 16 against the Netherlands, he spent $96 on his ticket. He tried to buy a ticket for the June 23 group stage game that's happening in Houston. He selected the sixty dollar price band and his total came out to $410 for one ticket with a DOL fee on top of that. So this is not like it's, you know, like $50 to $100. It's like four times what he paid.
- [71:25]
Tim Howard
Edgar, you sandbagging son of a gun. You went to Qatar, did you? Well, you don't have to pay for flights now.
- [71:31]
Landon Donovan
Exactly. All right, Edgar. I'm not an economics professor, but I'm going to walk through economics.
- [71:39]
Tim Howard
So no one there. You go to San.
- [71:44]
Landon Donovan
This is as simple as. What's the word? Demand and supply.
- [71:52]
Tim Howard
Supply. The other way around.
- [71:54]
Landon Donovan
Clearly not.
- [71:55]
Tim Howard
You're not. You're not an economics professor. You're not professor.
- [72:00]
Landon Donovan
Okay. Supply and demand. My brain just went blank. So in Qatar, there were not hundreds and hundreds and hundreds or millions of people coming into Qatar to watch the World Cup. And so I'm sure initially the tickets were probably more expensive, but then you get down to the game. Half the countries have left after the first round, so us, Netherlands, you can probably get a ticket for 100 bucks. Right now FIFA is, they're floating a little trial balloon to see how many people will pay big money for these tickets. Right? And interestingly, the first US Game is not selling well. The second game in Seattle and the third game in LA have done really well. So what's going to happen over time? And this is just, you know, if you go to a new neighborhood and you're looking for a house and someone says this house is on the market for 700 grand and nobody bites, next thing you know it's going to be 650 grand and then 600 grand and the market will dictate it sucks. None of us like it. FIFA have plenty of money. They don't need to do it, but they are a business. They are a for profit business. They're not a charity. They're not, you know, they're not here to give away tickets. I don't like it as a fan. It's just the reality. And, and I think if you're patient and you're willing to maybe not go see us or us, whoever, Morocco, if that's what it ends up being, and you're willing to watch a, a different game or a lower tier game, then you can get it for, for better prices. But it does suck. It's the reality, but it sucks.
- [73:26]
Tim Howard
And I, and I would point to, I would point to what you're talking about. It happened last summer at the club World Cup. It's not the World cup, so it's not, it's not exact science, but those tickets were high. They were high and they didn't sell. You know what happened before the tournament? They plummeted and you could get a decent little ticket. So stay tuned.
- [73:46]
Landon Donovan
It's a little thing we call demand in something.
- [73:49]
Tim Howard
Demand and something like supply.
- [73:50]
Landon Donovan
Demand and supply.
- [73:51]
Tim Howard
But Edgar, hey, we could. Hey. The good news, Edgar, is I'll be in Houston at some point during the World Cup. Houston Dynamo and Dash are putting on watch parties in conjunction with, with the city. The watch parties are going to be outrageous. They're going to be fun. We can drink beers, toss them around, have a good time. So.
- [74:08]
Landon Donovan
And Edgar, I got good news. Tim just told me he's going to buy you tickets to the World cup. So congratulations.
- [74:14]
Tim Howard
Stay tuned. Shoot me an email. What happened with my inbox? Actually, my inbox is full, which we know from today, one of our producers tried to email me and said your cloud is full.
- [74:26]
Landon Donovan
Tim is so popular his cloud is full. Which I thought the cloud was meant not to ever get full, but Tim's cloud is full.
- [74:33]
Tim Howard
Well, it's not that I'm not popular. I haven't checked. I haven't checked that email in like, I don't know, six years. Sorry, Jordan. Go.
- [74:39]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
The good news for everybody who's listening is that my inbox is never, no, too full. I am always moving things around so that there's more room for new questions to come in. So you can email me at unfiltered soccer feedbackunfiltered soccer.com and again, thank you to everyone who's being very polite to try and get their questions onto the show. I appreciate it. You guys are great.
- [75:04]
Tim Howard
Is that it?
- [75:05]
Jordan (Producer or Host Assistant)
That's it. That's all we got this week.
- [75:06]
Landon Donovan
Thanks, JR and thank you all for joining us again. Remember, as always, to subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, anywhere you get your podcasts and follow the show across all of our social media platforms at Unfiltered Soccer for bonus content. Thank you as always to our presenting sponsor, VW, our fan connection sponsor sponsor AT&T, and our stoppage time sponsor, FanDuel.
- [75:31]
Tim Howard
Thanks also to our unfiltered refresh sponsor, Coors Light, and our additional sponsors Cafe Bustelo and Airbnb. Have an amazing week. We'll be back next Tuesday with another edition of Unfiltered Soccer.