Battery & Loudoun Split the Points: Flags on Cones, Ref Madness, and Who the Hell Is JD Torres?

Welcome to Cannon Crew, a weekly podcast discussing the Charleston Battery. Your host, Granite, will be joined by other defenders of the fleet from the black and yellow supporters section. And together they will help fortify and conquer. They are the Cannon Crew.

Welcome to the can of crew. I am Granite. I am joined by Patrick. How you, Patrick?

Sitting in limbo over here. Feel like Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception. Waiting for a baby.

Do they deliver these babies? They can buy storks, trucks.

It was very windy today. Supposed to be stork, so they might have switched to shipping.

Yeah, maybe. Hopefully they didn't go to some, you.

Know, crappy wrong address again.

Yeah, they sent a picture of somebody else's house. Ryan, how are you?

Doing great.

Doing great.

How are you?

I'm all right. But I'm trying to figure out what that says on that scarf that you might have won on Saturday night.

Oh, this lovely Battery scarf right here. It says Charleston Battery.

Very, very nice. I don't think I've seen one like that.

Super nice.

Is it a lightweight one?

No, it's the knitted one. Like the heavy ones. Coming up.

So what's been going on in the soccer world that we do not know about that you want to educate us on?

There's some new works going on on the side for goalkeepers that I'm currently working on. So if you're a goalkeeper in the Charleston area, stay tuned. There will be some stuff being sent out regarding summer camps, sessions, all that stuff. So super exciting and just looking to get back after it now. I'm excited for this whole season to start.

Cool. Patrick, what about you?

Just waiting for a baby. That's it? That's all there is right now?

Well, the transfer market is open, so it is time.

Yeah, you transfer one baby in.

And what?

And what?

That's it.

Just one baby and maybe one player from Loudon, United States to the Battery would be nice.

I tell you what, the baby, over time, will bust out your financial fairplate safeguards you're supposed to have. So good luck with that.

We will not be filing our FFP paperwork any longer.

Maybe you need an oil country to sponsor you. Like it front of the.

I will sell the baby toys to myself.

Well, fantastic. The weather here has been a little warm last couple days and it keeps getting warmer and warmer. I spent Saturday night hanging out with a great group of people, the Cepas and their family. And congratulations to Waldo Jr. And his wife. They were married Saturday and we had a great time in Walterboro. Great music, great drinks, great food. It was a Fantastic time. And if you don't know the spade is. They are very kind of well known in the world of soccer, especially Charleston United, that area. And Carlos, their youngest son, played in Europe a little bit. He was there. I didn't recognize him. Now he's getting like. He looked like a young man before he was 16, 17 years old. And now he's. He's growing up, but it was a blast. We had a good time. Kids went out there. I'll. I'll send you all the picture. Not all you out there, but Ryan and Patrick. So there was about, like 7. The boys. There was probably about 10 of the boys that played for junior and senior a while back. And they were all there and they're all like six foot tall. And a great picture of all them standing next to each other all sweaty because they were out there kicking the ball around while the rest of us were drinking. So that was fun. Great place in Walterboro. Had some snakes in it up front, but out back, fantastic, Fantastic venue. Now let's talk about the venue that was up in Virginia. One. One draw. And I think, Patrick, you mentioned that right before we left last time, right? Was that on air?

Yeah, I said, yeah, I mentioned we would be idiots for none of us picking a draw between two teams that did not.

Idiot.

Have a draw yet. So. Yeah, Idiot over here. Yeah.

I was trying to watch it. Mike Sherman was. Was there also. And so as things were happening, festivities, people giving toast. He had his phone out on his. On his thigh, so it looked like I was looking down his crotch the whole time, but I was actually looking at his phone, watching. Watching the game. So it was kind of interesting. I was trying to be quiet and not start cussing too much out loud when. Especially during speeches, because it doesn't quite go well.

Yeah, that's a good idea. It was a very exciting game. For once, we didn't have too much in this game that you look at and you go, well, damn it, that was a dumb mistake. Or that was a dumb mistake. I thought it was very back and forth for most of the game and very attack forward. I mean, it was. It was a joy to watch. Although it ended in a draw, it was one of my more favorable matches I've seen this year so far, you know, and both.

Both the goals on both sides, they were. It was kind of bouncing around, right. And just people's legs got in the way and they got through.

Yeah. Their goal. I mean, we could. We. We'll talk about it, but it came from a little bit Of a. This say, interesting scenario where I think we lucked out in the end run, but the result was a goal either way. So at least it wasn't a goal and a red card.

So now let's.

Ryan.

Oh, I'm gonna say something.

Any general thought?

No. Yeah, it. The game was really good and it was really good game to watch, but it was also very frustrating and I want people like, they're watching the game and stuff like that to understand where we're coming from. When we say, like, it's still a very exciting game. Even though it was one to one, you had a lot of shots. You had these teams going back and forth continuously trying to counter each other. Loudon was constantly trying to counter the battery. Then the battery would try to quickly, quickly get down the field, counter back a little bit as well. Loads of shots. And unfortunately for the battery, it was just a lot of mishaps in the first half when it came to shooting, putting the ball, you know, just trying to get the ball in the back of the net until MD found it, which we'll get to in a little bit. But all in all, it's just, it was a great game. Wish we got the result. But I feel stupid on our end because I just looked at the other results. There was three teams going into Saturday without a tie on the whole season. It was Charleston, Loudon and New Mexico and all three teams tied, so. Should have picked that one.

Can't hear you, Brad. Are you alive?

Is he okay? He's trying to talk over there.

There's this strange button that has like a microphone thing and it has a cross through it. And apparently if you push that thing, it doesn't allow my voice to go out to the world server. Wouldn't hear.

We'll get the engineers on that right away.

I. I sacked the engineer like once a week. He still shows up and I'm not paying them crap either. Okay, back to. What's that? He's still hungover from Saturday night, drinking all that tequila. But anyways, Loose Cities popped up to first and we dropped down to second for some reason, we always. I mean, we all have 11 games played and we're eight, two and one and they're seven and four. I hate that we always. When you have more wins and you're still on the top position and Loudon's right behind us.

How, how are they above us right now when we're tied on points and our goal differentials better that I don't know.

It must be. So we have two. We have two losses. I don't know. I don't. I don't know. I. I thought I knew what the. What the.

I thought it went points, then goal differential. Like, that's weird.

I would think that goal different. Maybe not. I don't know. Well, I'll let you talk for a little bit. It says head to head points, goal differential and head to head matches and points per game versus in conference pounds at regular season.

Head to heads before goal differential.

Yep.

Okay, so, yeah, we lost the Loud or Louisville right at the beginning of the season.

We allowed them to win. I like to say it that way. That way when we smack them down later, it's a big fall from the top.

Now, granite did you get. I assume you didn't get to watch much of the game besides some highlights and maybe a little. Little snippet here and there.

Correct?

Yeah.

I mean, this is good for you because I think you would have went ballistic at a wedding the way the announcer kept saying JD For Torres the entire time. Instead of saying Juan David or just Torres, he would say, and J.D. torres. J.D. torres.

Like, just totally ruined his name. Like, he. He tried. I felt like that announcer tried his hardest just to ruin his name.

Like, he didn't give up on it. In fairness. No, he kept going with it because.

He knew I wasn't listening. I would have found this guy. J.D. torres. Hi, it's J.D. torres. It's because he can't pronounce. He went, J.D. torres. Those announcers, I wanted to. They just pissed me off. I know we're.

I mean, and while.

I know we're like amateurs here, but for sake, we could do much better job than 90% of them. We'd listen to this season.

I mean, you would definitely call down to the cameraman and say, just wipe the lens with a cloth, please. It's fuzzy. There's a streak of dirt on the one half of the screen. Please just do a quick wipe and we'll be good. I mean, there's very few things that bother me, but the OCD was kicking in on that one. Just being like someone's. Someone's gotta tell this guy.

I don't know why you'd pay attention to that. I mean, not important. It's not like it's a video broadcast, right?

Yeah.

So that distracted me enough from the corner flags just being set on cones.

Is that. Did I get the streak thing? The corner flags were what? That's a damn good thing I didn't watch this match. Maybe I have to go back.

Yeah, it was A turf field. So they were. They were sitting on cones in the corner. I don't know why you can't just put a hole in the ground and stick a flag in.

Was like the black holder. Right. Like, there's like a. It's like a black.

Yeah.

Disc that the corner flag sits on top of.

If they put that in Charleston on a summer evening where we get a wild wind gust at 20 miles an hour, there's no more corner flags in the ocean.

100%.

This is a professional team. Invest in a hammer drill, drill a hole, put the flag in it, you're fine.

They don't want to mess up their pretty little turf. This stuff is expensive.

I mean, you can put a hole. You can put a hole into it. Put a hole in the turf, and then you just plug it with a pocket, and then you can take the pocket out, put the flag stick back in. When it's game time, just put a little. A little bitty.

Little bitty hole. Right. Just a little bitty one.

Something.

I've seen something.

The dress. Grasses a. A viable option for most people to.

Play on grass is amazing. It grows very well in Virginia. See, look. Virginia went the wrong way. And they just, like almost every single high school and club team now plays on turf up there in Virginia because of, like, the snow and weather, all that stuff, and kind of ruined it.

Is there another line that we should be looking at? The reason why they went their own damn way? No. Okay. What. What other irregularities on. On the camera. Okay, so we picked out J.D. torres. J.D. torres. And please forgive me, Juan David, because we know who you are.

We see you.

We see you. The weird cone of silence in the corners and turf field. Anything else? The lack of.

I mean, place for atmosphere. No, I think that was it. You can just go directly to another USL championship ref trying to make a game about himself, which was evident six minutes in with. Yeah, yeah. Landry getting a card for touching a guy's arm and the guy just falling down hard so early for them again, Ryan, I think this is a ref trying to say I'm in charge. But all that did in this instance was kind of lose control of it. Now we're expecting any touch file, anything to be a yellow card, yet alone six minutes into the game, the guy hasn't even, like, I get it. If you're pulling a guy down from behind. Sure. But he, like, touched his arm. The guy flailed over, and he gives him a yellow at half field. There's no excuse for that. No.

I wonder why there's so much inconsistency. I mean, we complain about inconsistency and like the epl and it really, there is, but it's not the small things. But what we witness is huge inconsistency between referees and even throughout the match.

Ryan, I just.

My opinion. I feel like you have so many of these referees now, once they get to that higher threshold, they have, you know, their opinion. Everyone has their opinions. They have that right to. But they allow that to dictate their decisions in the game along with their not meaning in the terrible way, but sort of arrogance and a ego of I'm in charge, kind of like what Pat was saying. And these referees just want everyone to be aware of, you know, who's calling the shots and everything. But in this case, this. This referee did not go about it the right way in my opinion, too. Patrick, I don't know if you saw the way he was talking to players. I viewed this referee as an instigator. He was an absolutely 100. An instigator. Yeah.

There was. There were some instances where one that sticks out in my mind was J.D. torres getting called back by the ref on their free kick. And the ref made Juan David walk like 20 yards to him because the ref was not going to move from his spot. You come all the way here just to talk to him for two seconds, and then he had to run 20 yards back to his position because they took their free kick when they wanted. He didn't say, wait for my whistle so the guy can go back into his position. Like, it's. It's examples like this where it's. It just muddies the water on the broader view of, like, really good refereeing or even decent refereeing. And now we just want to nitpick it because you have incident instances like this. I mean, Landry should never. He should never had a yellow card six minutes into the game. Like, and that's what I was referencing for the foul that led to their goal. Could have easily been a second yellow and send off what it shouldn't have been. It should have just been his first yellow card.

I, I understand sometimes you feel like you need to take control, but you've got to do it evenly. Right. If both teams are. Are being aggressive, then maybe. I mean, I've always taken. If both teams are being aggressive, then you've got to draw the line on both sides.

Do you talk to the captains? Do you talk to the coaches before the game starts? As a referee?

Yeah.

And like, let them know what type of Referee, you're going to be calling this game. And you know, just let them know, like, I'm not dealing with any BS Tonight. Or, hey, I'm gonna let y' all play tonight.

Not. Not the coaches, because who cares? I've had coaches that. You've got to explain everything. There is nothing in the laws of the game says you have to explain to a coach.

No.

Yeah. Playing anything, really. But if we only had a spot right before the game where the referee and the captains were all together with no one else around, that would probably be an opportune time to go, hey, I'm gonna be calling this type. Or, hey, this is. I'm not going to tolerate anybody's mouth. Hey, this is the way I want to see you guys play. If there's only that thing. Well, I would call it the. The coin toss maybe. I don't know. Maybe that's a good time.

I mean, you would hope it's more.

Seen out of the tunnel.

Say again?

This. This should all be an unwritten rule, right? You don't need a ref bringing someone directly in front of him to talk to him. You could say, hey, let's just knock that off. Calm down with the talking, or I'm going to give you a card. And that nips it in the butt. You don't need to have anything else besides that.

Right?

We don't need a. I'm in charge here. You need to listen to me. We get it. You are in charge. You're wearing the referee's uniform. Everyone understands that.

It's sometimes. It's kind of this. I don't want to say escalation of force, but maybe it's sometimes. Sometimes I've done this too, is you start calling things a little tighter, then you go then. And you realize who the attitudes are coming. So you start talking to them just very briefly, not 20 minutes, calling them all the way back 20 yards, that kind of crap. You just talk to them briefly, look them straight in their eyes and say, hey, that's enough. And then you start pulling out a car. But to call somebody back 20 yards and like you said, like you said, and then allow them take the free kick before you get back in position. That's. That's. That's too far. If you can call somebody back, do that, blow the whistle, stop everyone and let them get set back up.

Well, what'd you guys think as far as the. Kind of like the first half? Because I thought it was definitely a battery forward.

Yes.

As long as. As far as big opportunities. I Think we had one from Cal. You had one from.

I had a big one post.

Oh, that should have been a goal from goal with an assist from one db. It was absolutely beautiful. And I just. I mean it was an amazing save by the keeper. It was pure reaction. Got his body in the air and got that ball over the net. I mean this class.

Which one? The MD header or the.

Was that Mike post that headed it back, trying to head into back across and keeper flipped it up.

So Cal had the first one like eight minutes in where he was 1v1 and then the keeper did make a amazing save with his leg. Just getting it out in time.

Oh, so those MDs, I'm talking about them.

Yeah, well, I mean that was what a great ball by Dos Santos by the way. Like. Yeah, curled it right over top of both center backs, heads, MDs of the back post. I don't know how he gets fingertips to this thing but that should have been, that should have been 2 nil or at least 1 n. Was that.

The Santos that hit the.

Yeah, it was fantastic.

Do Santos. That wasn't ball.

Well, look at that.

Except for I had, I had to jump. Did you see it? Until I jumped.

Right.

I had to stand on my tippy toes. So let's talk about the cowgirl. Cuz he was, he was out in front, everything was beautiful and he just. And he's. He did one of those a couple weeks ago and we talked about did he take too many touches? Do you think he took too many touches this time or he just, he had to because I think it was.

Just a great save. Yeah, because he turned, he turned with it and like he did what he was supposed to. He went for that. He did side netting on the backside of the keeper and the keeper's reactions were just incredible. He got his leg out nick of time for that save.

So that's one thing I will compliment on Loudon is that their keeper, Hugo, he was the by far the most dominant keeper we have faced against this season. When it comes to pure reaction time.

Do you think he's better for. Than he was for us like him, huh? Do you think he was better for them than he was for us.

In that game? I mean he had a lot more riding on it. Right. Because he didn't want to lose to his former team.

Same was Zamudia, right?

Yeah.

So they're going to play out of their minds and I mean Hugo did. I mean he, he really stepped up big in that way.

Yeah, well, he didn't save. He didn't save the one before halftime where we finally got one in.

I mean, I don't understand what he did. I thought it turned the wrong way.

Yeah, I thought it was chaos. I thought it was like a shot, ricochet shot. But when they showed the replay, you could actually see it slow down. And Cal played it to MD who then played it back across to JD Torres. I don't know how he misses this thing. And then luck. Luckily, the cleanest doctor of South Carolina cleans it up.

He was within six yards. He can't hit the face.

They move him back like 40 more yards, he would have had it.

Exactly. That's the referee was trying to do earlier. You got to shoot from 20 yards out.

But that was. I mean, that was it. I mean, it was. It was a goal. It wasn't pretty, but I think for our chances in the first half, we deserved it for sure.

Yeah. And that's. That's what it comes down to, like, our chances, hard work, everything done in the first half, it's just. You wish it would be more beautiful. But that's also the game of soccer, too. You can't choose how the goals are scored and how the games are won or lost or tied even. But to have those opportunities and to continue to figure out our team's identity in a way, you know, 11 games into the season, I think it was a great and great result. Just, we know we got to clean up our finishing a little bit.

That's all you're gonna say about M.D.

I mean, yeah, right now he's still.

Mulling over that headed. Headed chance that didn't go in.

That was just. That was just bad luck. I almost. I hate saying luck, good luck or bad luck in football, but that was just. He did everything he could do. It's a great ball. He put it back to opposite direction and.

Well, I'm still hoping, still hoping to have MD on the show. So until then, I'm trying to hold my excitement for then.

Now I will say granite. There was a moment, if you're watching the game back around the. I think the 50th minute, the referee makes a yellow card offense. Tackle on the Louden player in the middle of the field. He. He's laying on his ass, has to blow the whistle dead to give them a free kick because he. Yeah, he just flat out.

So Var didn't have to come over. Varty didn't have to come over and blow the whistle off his wrist.

No. But it. It was one of these moments where it's funny now but like their free kick from this led to a great chance from Abu Kora who was on 1v1 with the Keeper. But Zudia made an amazing save on it. So yeah, we can laugh now but that could have been way worse.

Okay, I'll be quiet. I was, I was. I'm over here looking up flag post. Says the flag post at least 1.5 meters, 5ft high with a non pointed top and a flag must be placed at each corner. And also flag posts may be placed at each end of the halfway line. Okay. They have to be outside. I don't know. Well, maybe we should start that. It's. It's allowed by ifab so why not?

We should have that more sponsorship flags.

That is a great idea.

Terrible idea. No more corner flags anywhere. We don't need them.

They're not. It just says flag post. So it's the midfield flag post sponsored.

By Cannon crew and Juan David just gets to have a new spot to just constantly hit.

Exactly.

It's going.

It may help our team. I mean we are number one with like 11 set piece goals this season. So just. So adding a couple more flags out there might just make them feel comfortable.

Remember last year though and we had this talk 10 games in. We were on a great run last year at the very beginning and we noticed that all of our goals came from open open play or penalty kicks. We had hardly any set pieces, no corner kick goals. So we have really. You really see where the battery have put more focus on. But not saying that we're not focusing on open play goals which we have scored some, you know like MD Myers goal is open play. But those set pieces have given us such a boost this season and allowing us to be more threatening, more aerial attacking and more explosive going into the box and more exciting honestly. So I love it and love I hope one day keeps shooting from midfield or shoots from his new corner flag pose. The 1 DB corner at midfield.

I'm sorry, who's that? I only know one J.D. torres.

Oh, sorry. I'll introduce you to one even one day.

Okay.

Yeah. You won't forget his face, his goatee.

One day. One day I'll have me a goatee also. So what else you want to talk about the match?

I mean we'll have to mention their goal because it did come off of a very clumsy challenge by Landry pretty much on our goal line outside the box. But still it was kind of a moment where everyone looks at it, holds your breath like is that a second yellow? They show a replay and you're just like, oh, that's he's gonna get sent off for that.

I was watching, I was watching that and I was like, oh. And didn't.

So, I mean, fortunately, he didn't. But Pierman right away, like, Icaza on for Landry. And then I think Klein came on first. Yeah, I, I didn't know Rodriguez was even on the pitch. But the way he was playing, I mean, it, it might be one of those games where you have to specifically watch him and he's working the whole time, but he's doing the, the no man's work is, is, yeah. You call it kind of getting everyone else involved. And I, I, I, he seemed absent. But yeah, I don't know if that sub was, was worth it right then and there because they got a goal from that free kick. Just straight across.

Was the sub before the free kick?

Yeah.

Do you think he, they were. I kind of felt like they were going to sub anyways and they, they just took that opportunity.

Sub versus I may stop.

Get up.

Yeah. It's not two guys I would want in.

Yeah.

On my own box. Like subbing on for. Especially Landry. I'd rather have Landry in for that set piece next outball. Sub him off.

Yeah. And you be you at that moment. You just gotta yell at your guy to. He can't do litter. He literally cannot do anything, anything wrong in that one play because, you know, that's what Pyramid was afraid of. He could have gotten the easy double yellow for the red card. And then on the set piece, if he leaves Landry in, all the guy has to do is go over there and tug the back of Landry's jersey to get Landry to touch him and then just falls out of the box. Try to get another yellow for instigating or swearing language. Trying to get something out of him too. Players saying stuff. So I understand Pyramid's point in that on that side. But at the same time, too, we have to remember that these guys need to stay as disciplined as possible when it comes to situations like this. Because Langer should have been able to stay in, you know, help with free kick. And then he subbed out right away afterwards.

Yeah. If that was, I think I agree with him. Just, just why take the chance and then. Yeah, like I wish you taking the chance.

No, I mean, it's a, it's a muted point though, Right. Because it wasn't a cross into the box. It was a ball driven on the ground. So the basket, the height. Yeah, the height argument makes no difference. Because you had 10 other guys on the field not go for a ball, but you.

Exactly right. But when you're subbing in, you're not as tuned into what's moving yet as if you've been out there playing.

True. It's not a typical substitution to come in on a defensive set piece, especially.

That close to goal. I mean, that was just. And it was an odd spot from that set piece tape. So, yeah, let's go back to Arturo. So you weren't too far off passes. He had 16 to this Torres guys. 53 long passes, one to three short passes, 15 to Torres is 50. It just keeps going on and on. Then he did have two chances, but that was it.

Question going back to Landry real quick. He gets taken out of this game. Possible red. Could have been possible red with how he played and what he could have given up in his discipline. Do you guys see him playing in the next game, like starting next game still? Or would you give him the rest and just tap someone else in?

No, I think that's just the way he plays. Since he's been playing out there, he's kind of loose and just kind of always like on the edge of a car.

But you get what I'm where. You get where I'm coming from too, though, because we're also 11 games in. Landry has not come off the pitch. He's literally started every single game for us, including Angermeister Cup. That dude's been in every single game almost. So do you take this opportunity where he could have gotten himself taken out of this game game to, you know, Cards. Do you allow him to just take the break the next game or if.

You'Re gonna do it, this next game is a good game to do it just against.

That's why. That's why I was pitching it.

I'd say you still give him 45, right? Like, as a coaching staff, you don't look at anything that happened on that field. That first yellow, that's not a yellow. So you can't blame him for that. That second one. Yeah, it's a foul, but maybe it's a makeup call by the ref because he did miss that first one. Giving him a yellow to not send him off. He's one of our stronger players. I don't think you get. Yeah, I agree with you, Granite. This is the game for it. But I. I still think he gets 45 minutes. Just the way Segbers is kind of coming back in isn't as strong as probably what he wants. But I think we need 45 minutes from Segbers and then maybe 60 minutes here and there and the next one. Something like that.

So did you give Seg the first 60? I mean, first 45 and then bring in laundry?

Yeah. And. And I agree. And I absolutely agree with that one too though, because like with Landry, you don't want it because as Granite said it, he plays loose and he plays quick. Love that about him. Love how he plays. Love his style. Don't want to change it. I just want him to stay healthy. I don't want to see anything happen. So it's like that's why I would like for him to take this game off. Just get everything you need to do to get yourself great again, you know, move on. I feel like at some point every 10 or so games, players, you start to see them dwindle and go down. They just need kind of like an off day like Torres having off for the Jagermeister Cup. You kind of see him boost and how he, his demeanor is on the pitch afterwards. He is like an uplifting person. He's more involved and in. Tuned as he was in the beginning. But he started to decline a little bit and now he's got the reborn again, you know, second wind. So I think Landry could be that and, and you know, excel after that break. Possibly.

Yeah, I don't have.

Yeah.

And I. I'm sorry. Go. Go ahead, Patrick.

No, I was just going to say, I just. I want us to stick with our two center backs because we saw in the open cup or not the open cup, the Jagermeister cup with those two guys not playing together, how open and exposed we can be and kind of how no one really takes charge. Mainly Edwards getting back in there and just solidifying that line. I have nothing against Nate playing center back role if Edwards is the guy next to him, but I prefer Edwards just to be that pivotal role. I mean, we may see Archer come back in this game for 20 minutes. 15, 20 minutes to end it.

Do you see Nate possibly stepping up and going from outside back to that six like, like he, like he starts out outside back like Landry and he just over to the six and you play the two center backs, Edwards and Joey.

I. I think you would have Allan. I think you would have Allan back in there or even Aadza get some minutes.

Yeah.

And then just kind of keep your md, Cal Jennings up top because it does work. We like. Yeah, we didn't convert those two chances, but two chances within the first, what, 30 minutes of a game. That are 1v1 with a keeper.

Yeah.

I'd rather see more of those chances. And if we miss them, then we live with that as opposed to just not even getting them.

That's fair.

So are you proposing to put Nate up in not Malloy's, but kind of double pivot like.

Yep, yep.

After seeing after, after.

No.

Realizing now that he was the one who played the ball over to MD his crosses have gotten a lot, a lot better in the last four games. He has stepped up. He's taken more chances going forward himself. He's going in for corner kicks, like trying to get us a corner kick to win, you know, or a penalty.

He got into the box kick too.

Yeah. I mean, he's one of these guys where like his pace may not fully be there to be a six or the stamina, but I think, you know, 40 minutes being that Landry role, I mean, I have to see what Nate could do now.

I will say, Ryan, does Landry playing in that six role in this game, do you think that opened it up more because he technically was playing more of that six where the defense has to worry about this guy. Yep. Getting in behind us where it kind of leaves a little more space for especially that cross. But I mean, yeah, I see what you're saying.

But it allowed us to be more threatening a lot. You saw it a lot in the first half, us being a lot more threatening having the possession. But as the game goes on, I would have liked to have seen, you know, Landry drop back off, or not necessarily drop back off fully, but to have seen the defense solidify more. That makes sense. And just to hold that ground, the midfield, everything. I felt like we just continued to allow for holes to be created in our backline rather than bolstering it once we went up for halftime. Right.

I will say it's pretty tough. As in, Loudon did a phenomenal job with their press and they kept their press for about 20, 25 minutes, led off of it for a good 15 minute spell and had these like. Granted, I think you talked about in the last one, but kind of we were talking that discussion of do long balls, the XGO or XGS. They went into that 15 minute span of like going away from their press and just doing more of a long ball approach to release pressure. And it works like they were in. They had a couple chances. Nothing materialized. I think it's a good showing from our defense overall to be able to play against a pressure against a long ball and then back against a pressure in the Same match and especially in the back four.

But you see how that like you're, you're constantly berating them, you're changing it up on them. They're having to adapt to how you're playing now. And you're forcing teams to, to match you or to want to play to your level. Not all teams can always match that. Cause you're not going to be able to replicate what you're doing. I thought loud, like you said, Patrick. I think Loudon executed that very well in their game plan. And it's a very difficult team to hold that too. You know, 25 minute press, 15 minutes off and then go immediately back into the press of the same players that you had during the first 25 minute press.

Well, if you practice, if you practice that, then it's much easier. It also gives your, you a break from your pressing.

You can practice that all day long. It's your heart for that one. Like to do it in the game, to go doing it, not doing it and going back to it like that shows straight pure grit from the players.

I'm not saying it doesn't. I'm just saying that you're better at it if you practice it. If it's just something on the field call, you're like, okay, let's not press for a little bit. That's different, you know, because then everybody just kind of, then kind of slides back and on their haunches. But if that's part of your game plan, hey, we get the balls to the wall, 25 minutes, we're gonna change it up on them for 15 and then, you know, second half, do something else similar to that. Because it also gives you, the other team a different look.

Speaking of balls to the wall, what do you think, Abu Korra? Because this is my first like paying attention to a guy play on an opposite team. And I want him, I want him on our left side. I think this is a guy who is. That would be that final piece to just getting us the championship. The, I mean, he drove the ball, he had a shot from distance, which it, it was a decent save. Like Zabudia couldn't control it. He had to hit it to the side, then go collect it. But he was also creating these one two passes, overlaps and just his one V one ball retention. Two defenders on him to get out of it or create a pass from it. It's Juan David esque, but just in a totally different style. More of a head down, push into you type of player. Where Juan David is kind of a, that One yard pullback almost. Yeah, I don't know. I thought he, I thought he was excellent. And I would love a player like that, especially 20 years old, looking to make his career just go up.

And the way he always hit the goal line too, like he, I felt like he net. He was one of those first players I saw that never gave up on a ball going out of bounds. Because like we see it so many times in games where the ball is going, it's going, it's going, and the player's running to it and then like he's 10 yards away could, could possibly get to it and he just like quits running for it and then the ball goes out. The ball went out on him a few times, but his body was laying on the ground, head first into the ground, trying to save the ball from going out. Like the dude was constantly putting his body on the line just to keep the ball for his team. I, I, I can see what your point. I liked it like to see him over with the Battery, but that would be hard for him to, for us to acquire him and number two, for us to fit him into our lineup, honestly, because of the want and desire to have both Cal and MD trying to play with each other and Torres on the side as well, kind of forcing yourself to take off most likely and be out of those three. And he's scoring too, so you don't really want to take him off either. But have a four just has that different brain mindset a lot different. And you'd like it too, because it's a, it's a chain.

Yeah, he, I don't, I don't think he's going to stick around in the USL for long, but while he's here, I'd like him to get a spell with us. I mean, these are the types of players that see the development we've had, the movement we've had to Europe and bigger and better clubs with more exposure where a player is attracted to that. And I mean, if Loudon doesn't get deep into playoffs this year, I mean, he's going to want to move somewhere where he can make that happen, get a little more exposure in it.

The thing that, the thing that Loudon has, though, that a lot of teams don't have is that they're connected with D.C. united. So like two players from D.C. united now om loud and louden could easily send Albacore back up to D.C. united at any heartbeat, at any second. So that, you know, that puts him up in the mls.

Yeah.

And if you, if you look at.

His numbers, an incentive for him to stay.

If you look at his numbers, he's similar to Cal and MD shots on Target 2, 2 and 2. But when he starts seeing things where he's successful, crosses 2 and Cal and Matt 0 and 0. What was the other numbers that popped out at me that he was. Here's the, here's a negative thing. So duels one. He had three, Cal had two. MD had seven duels, lost, he lost eight. But also Cal lost nine. MD only lost one.

I mean he, he was their guy going for the ball like he is that workhorse. So he's going to have a lot of those, especially if he's. I mean in a lot of situations they were a little more 2v1 where he's just going up in the air trying to grab a little something on it. Especially because they were down a goal. But yeah, I mean, I just wanted to. It's probably the only time I'll ever touch on another player. He was just one of those guys that stuck out watching him play and it was interesting. You don't get to see a lot of young talent for long and it'd be nice to have another player of his caliber on our team.

Always, always. We always want high caliber players. Unlike that JD Torres guy. Well know who that guy is. So we've talked a lot for 44 minutes it looks like.

Well, all we have left, right? Does anyone. I think all we have left is the. Is Saturday's game.

Yeah. So what do you want to say?

You have the B3 will be traveling to Hartford, Connecticut take on athletic Saturday June 14th at 7pm so take off 7pm 7pm Yep. Going to be a good one like always. Hartford sitting at the bottom of the table. Six points. I believe they're one point above Tampa right now. Who lost everything because we took Kyle from them. Louden could be the same way. And that's another reason why they don't want to get rid of Albacore. Because if we took him, it would be just like Tampa.

Yeah, could be.

So Hartford Athletic this weekend should be a good one. I think Landry. Landry starts. I don't think Landry starts.

You don't think. Okay, let's do some scoring predictions.

All right.

Patrick, start us off.

Yeah, so I'll just touch on Hartford's form first. Obviously they started the season terrible and their last five games in the league have not gone any better winless. So I think that continues. I think the Battery go up. We've already beat them four, two Once and I think we're going to go and get a three zero clean sweep and I'll give them all the MD oh, the doctor.

How many, how many did you say? How many goals?

3.

Calling for a Hattie in Hartford.

I'll call it the. Yeah, the Dr. Otomie.

Yeah, they're not going to have much luck either. It's us. And then they play Loudon so.

Well, I want to go back to your statement about how they. They're not. Oh, they haven't won one in the last five, but they've drawn against Detroit City. They have drawn against Indy for force and they draw against Louisville 1 1. So. So there's some sparks there.

But they like red cards. Here's the crazy thing about the Louisville game. That's what I was about to say. I'm looking at the Hartford. Louisville game and Hartford got a red card in the 65th minute and they were down one to zero to Louisville and then scored the equalizer in 88th minute with a man down.

Nice.

That's. Yeah, it's awesome.

Hartford have six red cards on this year so far. So well they get red carded against a team like the Battery.

Let's. Let's see if we get him a seventh. So five games ago we played Hartford, beat him 42, the Patriots point, if I remember correctly. So Ryan, what's your score prediction?

I'm going with a 4 to 1.

4 to 1 going with a 4 to 1.

I'm respecting Hartford because the last time we played him 4:2 at home. Not thinking anything less though. But I still respect him enough to give him a goal. Most likely probably be either a penalty kick or just an open play goal. I'm going with MD with a brace and a casa getting on the score sheet.

Interesting. I'm going 2 nil with a new player we got. What's his name, Patrick. The new guy. J.J. something, J, J, J, D somebody or other. I don't know.

JD By Rider.

Juan David, of course. Yeah. Two, two nil. He's gonna. He was frustrated this time. He's gonna start shooting some crazy shots from right outside the box and you're gonna see some lasers.

Are you sure? ESPN coming on soon.

He needs to. He's a little thirsty. He had his little break. He come back and he said, okay, I see you guys aren't up to my game. And then he's. I want to really stick it to the next team. Take a fork in them.

And then after Hartford, we have Miami. So it's, you know, it's going to be a good run. And I think that's. That's where we get some players to rest in this game, too, especially not trying to travel all of them up to Hartford.

Yeah. What's the weather supposed to be in Hartford?

It's 50, 60 rain. Oh, is it raining up there?

I don't know. But if it is, they need to take a rag to the hands of the cameraman.

Let's see. Let's see what the weather's supposed to be like.

Should always. We'll just. We'll buy them for every stadium. Yeah, I think they have a 30 pack at Costco. We can get 70.

70 degrees is the high for Saturday with a 70 chance of rain in Hartford.

Sweet. Okay, lads, bring. Bring the. Bring the cold weather here on a.

Warm, warm, rainy night and a warm.

Rainy night in Hartford. Okay, guys, that's all I got right now.

All right. I'm running out of daylights and out of baby time.

There it is.

Yay.

Okay, y' all. Catch you later.

We are the holy City we are the Battle Ray? We are the holy city Home of the Battle Ray? Do you hear my cannons? Can you feel the thunder? Be the fate of Charleston Come to put you under.