Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard
Episode: “Miami Rock Cincinnati, Freese Ices Philly, and Slot in the Hot Seat”
Date: November 25, 2025
Episode Overview
In this lively episode, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard tackle the wildest stories and matchups from the MLS Playoffs and the Premier League, with a focus on Miami’s dominant run, Matt Freese’s heroics for NYCFC, and the growing pressure on Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot. The two USMNT legends share tactical insights, locker room stories, hot takes, and answer fan questions about the future of MLS, World Cup tickets, and the USMNT player pool. Their signature humor and deep soccer knowledge make for an unfiltered—and highly entertaining—discussion.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. MLS Conference Semifinals Recap
Vancouver vs LAFC
- Landon describes being exhausted watching the late match, assuming LAFC would win after a dramatic free kick from Son, only to wake up to Vancouver's shootout victory.
- Tim laments the league losing coach Stevie Trendo, praises Son's impact as a Designated Player (DP), and touts the importance of motivated, marquee signings:
- “This is what [the DP rule] was designed for. Totally. Bring a guy in who can sell tickets, put butts in seats, who competes, enjoys the league.”—Tim Howard [03:11]
- They debate the “turf excuse” by Hugo Lloris, ultimately dismissing complaints and advocating professionalism post-defeat:
- “If you want good pitches, then go back to France... Go play lower division... Shut up, dude.”—Landon Donovan [05:21]
- Blackman’s red card discussed as a key loss for Vancouver’s next round.
FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami
- Landon analyzes Miami’s 4–0 rout, noting the mystery of leaving Messi unmarked and Miami’s devastating transition play:
- “If we get seven of those chances, we’re gonna score three of them. They scored three of them and it was 4–0.”—Landon Donovan [07:54]
- Tim questions the lack of tactical adaptation versus Messi:
- “Somebody, man-mark Messi. That’s primitive. We don’t do that anymore, but actually, your tactics against Messi suck. He’s the oldest guy in the league and he’s running the show.”—Tim Howard [09:02]
- Both advocate shadow-marking Messi on turnovers, likening it to other sports’ approaches to stars:
- “In the NBA, they double the best player. In baseball... they walk him.”—Tim Howard [11:25]
- Tim recounts their USMNT game vs Argentina and Messi:
- “Bro, 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. It’s incredible.”—Tim Howard [12:58]
NYCFC vs Philadelphia
- Landon surprised by Philly’s home loss, highlights Matt Freese’s coming-of-age game:
- "His confidence… he knows he’s the number one at the national team… he’s got that presence. Well done, New York City."—Tim Howard [16:57, 17:19]
- Both heap praise on Andre Blake’s wild save and discuss the physical demands of modern goalkeeping.
2. Unfiltered Refresh: Player/Coach Decision-Making ([20:30])
Mascherano Benches Suarez
- Landon praises Miami manager Javier Mascherano for "choosing chill" and sticking with the in-form Silvetti over veteran Suarez despite their friendship:
- “Mascherano chose chill big time by making a big decision. Could not have been easy.”—Landon Donovan [21:39]
- Tim notes the importance of keeping veteran stars like Suarez engaged for the playoffs and shootouts.
3. USMNT: Squad Roles, “A Team/B Team,” and Player Bubble
- Extended debate on Pochettino’s assertion “we don’t have regular players.” Both agree every team has clear stars and clarity of roles matters for morale:
- “Every team… has eight players that they’re like: these are our best players. They play at the best clubs… highest paid.”—Tim Howard [25:11]
- Landon notes: “Competition is good, but when there’s ambiguity… it becomes challenging as a coach.” [25:52]
- Mini-segment: “On the Team, On the Bubble, On the Outs”
- Brendan Aaronson & Sebastian Berhalter: Both “bubble.”
- Matt Turner & Weston McKennie: “On the team,” but even McKennie’s spot debated due to unpredictable attendance.
- “The data says he’s on the bubble or on the outs. My heart tells me he’s in.”—Tim Howard on McKennie [32:09]
- They emphasize the need for clarity but also note earning a place matters, especially with long gaps between USMNT camps.
4. Christian Pulisic’s Milan Derby Heroics ([32:28])
- Celebrate Pulisic’s sustained excellence in Serie A and clutch derby performance:
- “An American is the best player in their league. That’s the reality.”—Landon Donovan [68:01]
- “He stands up and is counted in big moments and I feel like he always has been.”—Tim Howard [33:16]
5. Premier League Weekend: Slot in the Hot Seat?
Liverpool Embarrassed by Forest (0–3 at Anfield)
- Arne Slot’s job discussed:
- Landon: “You know when you turn the seat warmer on? Is Arne Slot feeling a little bit of that heat right now?” [40:16]
- Tim: “Dutch managers haven’t had brilliant success in the Premier League… but Slot deserves 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.’” [41:20]
- They agree his seat is warm, not hot… but missing Europe could change that.
- Discussion of Salah and Isak: Tim critiques Isak’s forced transfer and impact on team dynamics, Landon notes adjusting to a new club is harder than fans realize.
Newcastle v. City/Top Eight Banter
- Newcastle’s big win over City praised, but both agree Newcastle will be a top-eight team by season’s end.
Arsenal Dominate North London Derby (4–1 over Spurs)
- Celebrates E’s historic hat trick after snubbing Spurs for Arsenal:
- “The first North London Derby hat trick in 47 years and they absolutely dismantled Spurs.”—Landon Donovan [50:19]
- Spurs’ tactical crisis under Thomas Frank analyzed, with sympathy for injuries and formation woes.
6. Listener Questions (AT&T Fan Connection) ([59:58])
a) Changing the MLS Calendar/Salary Cap & DPs
- Tim: “I don’t love [the DP rule]... build your team to be successful, then put the cherry on top… [otherwise] you’ve lost a year.” [60:30]
- Landon: Advocates a hard cap with a minimum spend, more flexibility:
- “30, 40, 50 million… but then you spend the money however you want.” [63:22]
b) World Cup Format when Hosting
- Both like the idea of hosts being auto-entered but playing for a higher seed or pot.
- Tim: “Do we want [the World Cup] to be about pageantry or the best competition ever?” [65:29]
c) “Group of Death” Scenario (Morocco, Norway, Italy, US)
- Tim boldly claims the US could “finish top of that group,” Landon disagrees but agrees all are evenly matched; players, they say, don’t dwell on the draw months out.
d) World Cup Ticket Prices – FIFA’s “Supply and Demand”
- After listener Edgar’s story about inflated ticket prices, Landon admits:
- “They are a for-profit business... It sucks. But I think if you’re patient… the market will dictate.” [71:54]
- Tim points out Club World Cup tickets dropped closer to the event—“Stay tuned.”
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “Somebody, man-mark Messi. Now, that’s primitive… but actually, your tactics against Messi suck.”—Tim Howard [09:10]
- “If you want good pitches, then go back to France... Go play lower division... Shut up, dude. I hate this stuff.”—Landon Donovan [05:21]
- “Is Arne Slot feeling a little bit of that heat right now? …Is it getting a little warm?”—Landon Donovan [40:16]
- “The first North London Derby hat trick in 47 years... and they absolutely dismantled Spurs.”—Landon Donovan [50:19]
- “An American is the best player in their league.”—Landon Donovan on Pulisic in Serie A [68:01]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 02:49 — Vancouver-LAFC recap
- 07:54 — Inter Miami vs Cincinnati: Messi analysis
- 14:06 — NYCFC-Philly: Freese’s heroics, Blake’s sprinting save
- 20:30 — “Unfiltered Refresh” Coach decision: Mascherano benches Suarez
- 23:07 — USMNT: “No regular players,” role clarity, squad “bubble”
- 32:28 — Christian Pulisic’s Milan Derby feat
- 39:42 — Premier League: Liverpool’s embarrassing defeat, Slot under scrutiny
- 50:19 — North London Derby: Arsenal’s dominant win, historic hat trick
- 59:58 — Fan questions: MLS rules, World Cup format, ticket prices
Final Thoughts & Call to Action
- The episode offers a masterclass in breaking down soccer’s biggest moments—tactics, psychology, and league structures—while keeping things fun and fan-focused.
- Listeners are repeatedly invited to share their thoughts, especially on “the hot seat” managers, the wisdom of DP rules, and who should make the USMNT squad.
- “Leave comments. If we’re right, we’re wrong, let us know... it’s getting to the point now where it’s going to be interesting.”—Landon Donovan [32:21]
Follow @UnfilteredSoccer for more content and tune in next Tuesday for another episode.