Join the Cannon Crue in their discussion of the limp battle between the Charleston Battery and Rhode Island, resulting in a less than motivating one one draw.
[00:00:15] Welcome to Cannon Crue, 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 Crue.
[00:00:35] Welcome to the Cannon Crue podcast. I am Granite. I am joined by Patrick. What's going on, everyone?
[00:00:42] And of course, by our desolate demon of goalie death, Ryan. How are you, Ryan?
[00:00:52] I'm too of Pentazzi, Granite. How are you?
[00:00:53] I've been fine. I've been cultured this evening. I've attended the Chamber Music of Charleston, the Autumn Piano Trio at the West Ashley Theater Center.
[00:01:03] Heard some Beethoven. Heard some Gaspar Casado and some Camilla Saint-Sens. And I am cultured gentlemen, so be careful what you said.
[00:01:15] Beethoven's my favorite dog.
[00:01:18] Woof.
[00:01:20] So how about that match last week?
[00:01:24] It was a match.
[00:01:25] It was funny. The silence. It was dead silence because that's about summed up the match.
[00:01:29] B came on. I told you I wanted to score. I knew it. But yeah, everything else other than that was sad.
[00:01:38] Did you say Beak or MD?
[00:01:40] I said MD.
[00:01:42] He said Beak.
[00:01:43] I thought he said Beak.
[00:01:45] I was excited when Beak came on too.
[00:01:46] Yeah.
[00:01:47] No, we're here to talk about a little bit about the battery, about what happened last week during this match against Rhode Island at home.
[00:01:54] We're also going to talk probably a little bit about this coming match on Saturday and how much it means to us and everything else.
[00:02:02] So let's talk quickly about how much this match meant to how we ended up locking in for the playoffs.
[00:02:11] Really didn't matter.
[00:02:13] No.
[00:02:13] It did matter.
[00:02:14] It did matter to Rhode Island now.
[00:02:18] Yeah.
[00:02:19] I mean, granted, it could matter a little bit just our form over the past five games as a battery fan.
[00:02:26] What? One win, two draws, two losses.
[00:02:29] I mean, it's not very good heading into the playoffs.
[00:02:33] So.
[00:02:34] It's something to be a little worried about, I would think.
[00:02:38] I think it's a lot to be worried about.
[00:02:39] Yeah.
[00:02:40] The team that ended up winning the league last season was what they were in eighth in West.
[00:02:47] And then all of a sudden they just had good form all the way through leading up to and all the way through.
[00:02:52] So it means a lot.
[00:02:53] And we just can't seem to get in the stride.
[00:02:56] Well, we got one more.
[00:02:57] Right?
[00:02:58] So.
[00:03:00] I don't, I don't know what this team right now.
[00:03:02] It seems more Jackal than Dr. Hyde at the moment, but.
[00:03:08] They got to find some consistency on the field.
[00:03:10] I know we're switching around.
[00:03:11] We're not gung ho.
[00:03:13] I don't know if this is a.
[00:03:16] Play dead scenario from pyramid and like not overdo it with the boys, but.
[00:03:22] I would think you'd want the theme, want your team in a little bit of form going into the final match and then right into the playoffs.
[00:03:28] So who knows?
[00:03:29] Maybe we come out the score five or six Saturday.
[00:03:32] Maybe so.
[00:03:33] We're kind of a skeleton of what we were when earlier in the season.
[00:03:38] Well, the thing is though, with this weekend's game, it's.
[00:03:42] If pyramid was playing the roll over and we're just going to kind of be here to be here type of method the past couple of games.
[00:03:48] Why wouldn't he carry it out for this weekend's game where loud and is playing for playoffs like they are in a must win scenario and still need help.
[00:03:57] But they, you know, they still have a legitimate chance to get in.
[00:04:02] And, you know, that's an opportunity to where pyramid can see, you know, I don't want my players getting injured right before our first home playoff game of the season.
[00:04:12] That kind of leads me to being concerned though, because as you said, Pat, you know, one, two and two in the last five games.
[00:04:19] That's that's not good.
[00:04:20] And that's the balance, right?
[00:04:22] Like you don't want to have players injured, but you want them in form.
[00:04:25] So going into the playoffs, they're firing and they're like actually playing at their best at their peak instead of just kind of knocking the rust off first game.
[00:04:36] Because seen it before, like you mentioned, Granite with the eight seed last year, teams can be knocked out at single elimination.
[00:04:43] It's just a playoff bracket.
[00:04:44] There are no bye weeks.
[00:04:46] So you have to bring it week one of the playoffs.
[00:04:50] Let's talk about Rhode Island real quick, because we are not playing like we were early in the season.
[00:04:57] The goal they scored against us was, I don't know what it was.
[00:05:00] I don't know if it was, it was just bad defense.
[00:05:04] It wasn't like it was a counterattack.
[00:05:07] You know, somebody breaking away.
[00:05:10] They dribbled the ball right through two of our best defenders, right past it.
[00:05:15] And then slotted it.
[00:05:17] It was fine.
[00:05:18] It was a decent shot.
[00:05:20] But we, you know, when everybody's grabbing for me, he just dribbled right through all of them.
[00:05:25] And I don't know what to do about that.
[00:05:27] I don't know what Fierman does about that.
[00:05:31] But we've got to do something.
[00:05:33] Well, that kind of goes into the mentality of, am I wanting to get injured before the playoffs?
[00:05:39] Am I wanting to last?
[00:05:40] Am I, does this game matter?
[00:05:41] And the way the battery have played so well in the beginning of the season, they put themselves in this position to where they had second place locked up.
[00:05:51] You know, we're a couple games behind Louisville in first.
[00:05:53] We can't catch them.
[00:05:55] We're a couple games ahead of Detroit.
[00:05:57] They can't really catch us either.
[00:05:59] So in this meantime, the couple games that we have before the end of the season, what do we do with these games?
[00:06:07] So I think it's a total gray area for coaches because not a lot of coaches have ever been in this situation.
[00:06:13] Well, Fierman has.
[00:06:15] He has.
[00:06:16] He's been very successful.
[00:06:17] And it's kind of strange because if you look at Pittsburgh and North Carolina, their form, Pittsburgh's three wins in the last three matches.
[00:06:25] North Carolina, win-win-loss-win.
[00:06:27] And we're looking at loss-win-draw-loss-draw.
[00:06:32] Yeah.
[00:06:33] And I, you know, I understand about the injuries, but man, how do you turn it on?
[00:06:38] If you can't turn it on to win at home against Rhode Island, then how are you going to turn it on when you get in the playoffs?
[00:06:46] Yeah, I was the one, the one bright side though, was MD coming on for the pitch.
[00:06:51] And having that, you know, no matter who you start, he came onto the field 10 minutes in impacted and was able to get a goal in the back of the net, even though it wasn't from his direct shot, but he does what he does best.
[00:07:03] I mean, this is the talk we've had plenty this season.
[00:07:06] I'll start with the first part, the Rhode Island goal.
[00:07:09] It's just the team stands down.
[00:07:13] Are we waiting for the whistle?
[00:07:14] Cause it's so close to extra time being over in the first half.
[00:07:17] Drain all the energy out.
[00:07:19] No one wants to make the challenge.
[00:07:21] You let a guy, it wasn't just the guy dribbling through.
[00:07:23] They won two 50, 50 balls headers.
[00:07:27] We over-committed to one side and then we kind of just backed off, not trying to make a challenge, which.
[00:07:32] We've talked about week in and week out.
[00:07:34] We just don't challenge the ball on our final third, which doesn't make any sense to me.
[00:07:40] I mean, we have guys around the ball is like 4v1.
[00:07:43] We need to challenge the ball and not just give them an easy dribbling look.
[00:07:49] Uh, and as far as MD coming on, I mean, this is where he shines the most.
[00:07:55] I believe like we saw this very early in the season.
[00:07:58] Then he started some games and he took a break.
[00:08:01] And then he did it again coming on.
[00:08:04] I mean, one that Juan David Torres shining star again.
[00:08:08] Granted, I know you'll talk about him here in a second, but.
[00:08:12] Without his movement, MD really flourishes.
[00:08:14] I think with energy late in the game and it's tough to have that from him if he's starting every time.
[00:08:20] So, I don't know.
[00:08:22] Maybe, maybe we start considering that option of having them on the bench and coming on for the final 30 minutes for playoff games instead of just the start.
[00:08:31] How you go into the super sub kind of theory.
[00:08:34] We've seen that somewhere else in another team.
[00:08:36] A little bit.
[00:08:39] MD's goal was pure just graft.
[00:08:42] It was just working.
[00:08:43] It's what you, what coaches and parents start telling kids when they're youth players.
[00:08:49] Follow the shot, right?
[00:08:51] And it come off that keeper's chest.
[00:08:53] And then guess what?
[00:08:53] MD's right there.
[00:08:54] And the shot come from the foot of Juan David.
[00:08:58] And he's taking shots and his confidence level is, is incredible compared to what, what it was starting the season.
[00:09:06] And you shoot on goal.
[00:09:07] You get on target and sometimes good things happen.
[00:09:11] Yeah, I'm sure we'll do a season review.
[00:09:15] And I, I, he's gotta be the one of the front runners for not most improved, but definitely most improved from the first like five games of the season to finally.
[00:09:24] Find his form and bring so much to a team that had eight or nine attacking choices that eventually we traded away.
[00:09:31] But just coming into form, he, he is definitely in form.
[00:09:35] I think Nick's a little out of form, but I think he'll hopefully this home game, get back into it.
[00:09:42] Um, but Ryan, who do you think is our most dangerous threat attacking going into the next game?
[00:09:49] I think it's MD.
[00:09:53] And the thing that leads me into MD is, you know, this, how he played the last game.
[00:09:59] And as granted said, that's what I love about MD the most is his work ethic is just willingness to put down on the grid, continue to drive, go for every, every single ball.
[00:10:11] Um, but as you just said, Patrick, the Markanic, I honestly believe that since he signed with that Spanish team, you know, his eyes are already elsewhere.
[00:10:22] And as you want to risk injury.
[00:10:24] And I think the, you know, this whole thing of, do you want to risk injury comes from the simple fact of how the seasons are, you know, you have USL that plays, um, through, through the summertime.
[00:10:36] So right when January comes around, he's now going into mid season in Spain, trying to, trying to catch up with them over there.
[00:10:45] So he's already trying to play catch up and does he want to risk his injury?
[00:10:50] So he can not catch that second half of their season.
[00:10:53] Cause he's trying to already break through through their starting lineup.
[00:10:55] You know, um, that's just a possibility.
[00:10:58] You know, that's just my opinion, my, my stance on it.
[00:11:01] And I wouldn't put it past it if he's already thinking that way.
[00:11:04] But how do we get a player like that back focused on the battery and finishing strong at home?
[00:11:12] You know, you already finished wrong and got the goal record for the league, but can he, can he bring home a trophy for us?
[00:11:18] Like as last year, we fell just short.
[00:11:24] That's a, I mean, that's a great point.
[00:11:26] And people may forget he's not 19 or 20, he's 24.
[00:11:30] So he's not like Fidel.
[00:11:33] I mean, he's a little more seasoned and going to try and make a name for himself overseas.
[00:11:38] So you may be right.
[00:11:40] You may be holding off a little bit in these final games and just trying to play for his future, which is okay.
[00:11:46] I respect every player that wants to play for their future, but it's a little disheartening when it's your team and you're trying to win that championship.
[00:11:55] Especially when we're in the stands wanting to get some goals in and move forward and be successful in winning matches.
[00:12:02] I still go back to that.
[00:12:03] He, with, with a couple exceptions, he scores easy goals.
[00:12:07] And if it's, if it's a hard goal to get, then he's not the one to get it.
[00:12:12] And MD showed that, Hey, sometimes you just gotta be in the box and you've got to just put yourself in front of that keeper and put it in the back of the net.
[00:12:20] Whereas, sometimes Nick has a habit of just passing it off, laying off.
[00:12:26] If it's not on the foot he wants it on, then he's not going to take the shot.
[00:12:30] All right. Well, let's move into a positive note.
[00:12:32] Something, uh, that's probably Ryan's favorite thing to talk about, but what a penalty save.
[00:12:42] Oh my goodness. I immediately grabbed Granite's arm and just, I was, I screamed. It was an amazing pen save. I loved every bit of it. Read the, read the striker like a charm.
[00:12:57] Uh, Granite.
[00:12:58] You did or Granite did?
[00:13:00] Granite did.
[00:13:09] Granite did.
[00:13:10] You know, and honestly, that's what he had to do. You know, he had to step up in that big play because you can't forget what happened the play before.
[00:13:18] And the play before was he just came out so careless. And honestly, I don't know how he didn't get a card.
[00:13:25] My opinion, it that's a, that's a card. You know, if the keeper comes out of his box and you're going to give a pen, the card has to be given to the keeper.
[00:13:33] In my opinion, that's how typically goes, but he wasn't shown a card and he put, he put his body out in the line, full extension, low dive to the left.
[00:13:44] And he, he waited for the, for the striker to take it.
[00:13:50] I think you guys, you guys were there. Did he touch him sitting behind?
[00:13:55] Yeah, he touched it, but the difference was, it was just a foul. It was not, you know, rose to the level of a caution.
[00:14:01] That's the reason why he didn't get a card. He was going for the ball. He just laid out and, you know, got a little foot or something.
[00:14:08] It wasn't anything major, but it was enough to, to force foul and, and for, for PK.
[00:14:15] See, it's a good thing. I wasn't in goal because if I was in goal and I didn't get carded, I would have ran my mouth to where I got carded.
[00:14:23] Because if you're going to give a penalty kick and not card the keeper, I'm going to get carded.
[00:14:29] I think we all know that's true. I've seen you not in goal and get a card. So yes, that's a guaranteed note.
[00:14:37] It's what color of the card is. I think is the question. If you were there.
[00:14:40] I've heard you not on the field playing and getting a card. So I don't doubt it.
[00:14:47] Well, one of the fun notes is we were down at the opposite end. We're in the sports section.
[00:14:53] We were the opposite end, the smaller section and a friend of mine. And he was in front of us and Justin, and he was,
[00:15:02] he had the habit of talking to the opposing keepers, not yelling at them, but starting up conversations.
[00:15:07] And so Coke Vegas was the keeper for, for the other team. And right before the PK was taken, he said, Hey, Hey keeper, which way is he going?
[00:15:19] And Coke Vegas and he's Spanish. I thought he was Italian, but he's Spanish. And he turned around and says, I have no idea.
[00:15:24] And then all of a sudden what a kick was taken in and, and Grinney went the right way.
[00:15:31] And then it was kind of some mayhem afterwards. Cause there's a lot of kicking the ball and Grinney grabbing his back.
[00:15:37] And then at one point he just hunted the ball away when the whistle already blown, make sure that nothing else was going to happen.
[00:15:43] And then fell on the ground.
[00:15:47] Yeah. He grabbed his back, but then he had like four players push him on his back to say, congratulations.
[00:15:53] Congratulations. Which is like, come on, come on guys. Maybe lay off for one second. Let him just take a minute.
[00:16:01] So back to the Coke Vegas, he was entertaining. He was engaging on that end.
[00:16:06] So it was kind of fun listening to him, talk to Justin and back and forth.
[00:16:10] And then when he, when the match was over, he turned around and waved and said something in Spanish and, and it was a positive thing.
[00:16:17] It seemed like it. And so it was kind of fun to have that engagement there.
[00:16:20] Most keepers just keep their mouth shut and just don't even turn around. But this time it was kind of, he was the, he was a very positive keeper.
[00:16:27] He said, uh, good luck guys on the rest of your season, all the best, you know, that's, you know, in, and what I've really appreciated about Justin and, you know, those fans that sit in that front line right next to the keeper, you know, you as a fan could literally in that moment, say almost anything to that keeper.
[00:16:44] Or yeah, they trade, they choose to say something like to try to get underneath the skin a bit, but it's all out of fair game.
[00:16:53] You know, it's nothing in, in insane or anything.
[00:16:56] And the keepers either respond super well, like Coke Vegas did.
[00:17:00] And he had a great conversation, which was all the best afterwards, had a great conversation afterwards, or they react to like how Orange County's keeper did.
[00:17:08] And we went up six, zero and that keeper absolutely lost his mind.
[00:17:11] And they sure did.
[00:17:12] If you have not been to the stadium, the Patriots point you, that other side, the supporter section, you are the, there is the back of the net.
[00:17:20] There's the net to keep the shots from going over the bar and hit you in the face.
[00:17:24] And that's where the first row standing section is.
[00:17:27] And so you, you can talk and you don't have to yell at the other opposing keeper.
[00:17:31] They can hear you just by talking to them.
[00:17:33] You know what, Grant, while we're talking about that, honestly, as supporters, that's.
[00:17:38] That section needs to be sealed.
[00:17:41] Like the band needs to be down there.
[00:17:43] That's the section where last year, when we made this playoff run, that was the section that was always filled first.
[00:17:49] Now it's the north end probably because of all the food and stuff, but we need to get the band.
[00:17:55] We need to get more supporters all down on the other end, because that's the most intimidating thing right there is when you have the, the, you know, your home team, the visiting team walking onto the pitch.
[00:18:08] They look across the pitch and they see a giant yellow wall.
[00:18:11] Well, I'm going right back to it.
[00:18:12] Granite.
[00:18:12] I knew you were going there.
[00:18:15] Back.
[00:18:16] And we haven't, we hadn't seen it since the first half of the season.
[00:18:19] Where did it go?
[00:18:20] It was there during Louisville.
[00:18:22] The first time we played Louisville and we beat them at home.
[00:18:24] I hadn't seen it since.
[00:18:25] Well, it sounds like we've just been challenged by Ryan.
[00:18:30] We'll make our yellow wall, but yeah, you're right.
[00:18:32] So it looks bare bones down there until we went down there and then there was probably 20 of us, but still.
[00:18:38] Yeah.
[00:18:38] You were low.
[00:18:39] Yeah.
[00:18:39] That side needs to be packed.
[00:18:40] I don't, I don't know if people just don't realize you can go down that end.
[00:18:44] I think it's because the band's not over there.
[00:18:46] More people don't.
[00:18:47] I'm not entirely sure, but.
[00:18:50] It's the sun a little bit too, for the first half.
[00:18:53] Oh, but you said.
[00:18:54] We live in such a beautiful area.
[00:18:56] The sun is just always out.
[00:18:58] So.
[00:18:59] Always.
[00:19:00] Just remember to bring your sunglasses and wear a hat, shield it and be able to see the ball.
[00:19:06] Oh, that's right.
[00:19:07] You'll have the sun in your eyes for about 15 minutes on Saturday and 6 PM kickoff.
[00:19:11] So let's talk about Saturday.
[00:19:13] So who are we playing?
[00:19:15] Loudoun County, my hometown.
[00:19:17] We beat them one zero on a Wednesday morning in July.
[00:19:25] And so now they're in our house.
[00:19:27] Now they're in our house.
[00:19:29] Fun sacked.
[00:19:31] Their head coach has my same name.
[00:19:35] Well, it's a little fun fact.
[00:19:37] Fun, interesting, fun.
[00:19:41] Quirky.
[00:19:42] His name's Martin.
[00:19:48] Well, coach Martin will do a great job.
[00:19:50] Now he won't.
[00:19:51] We're trying to lend it to you.
[00:19:52] No, he won't.
[00:19:53] He's going to bottle their playoff chances.
[00:19:55] Well, good.
[00:19:56] I hope so.
[00:19:57] I hope.
[00:19:57] And we do a thrashing and we start off the playoff season in a very good form.
[00:20:06] Yeah.
[00:20:06] And if you can't make it out, I know this one's going to be on ESPN plus same with all the playoffs too.
[00:20:15] So definitely start watching, get into the groove and get ourselves ready for playoff push because we're locked in.
[00:20:23] We're just waiting to see who we're going to face.
[00:20:26] What are the options?
[00:20:27] The important part right now is, you know, depending on how these bottom, bottom two seeds finish out, we're scheduled to play against Pittsburgh.
[00:20:39] Pittsburgh.
[00:20:39] At home and both games, we hadn't fared too well against Pittsburgh.
[00:20:44] And then you look at our last five games.
[00:20:46] We hadn't fared too well either.
[00:20:48] You know, that's a, that's definitely a concern.
[00:20:50] And, um, Pittsburgh is playing against El Paso, who is currently sitting last place in the West.
[00:20:56] Um, and Pittsburgh just needs a, uh, a win or a tie and they stay in that position.
[00:21:04] El Paso just beat Sacramento and they're in third place in the West.
[00:21:09] So maybe they can pull another one.
[00:21:13] So realistically we're rooting for Hartford.
[00:21:17] Well, I was going to root for Miami cause that's where beat come from.
[00:21:21] I'm rooting for, I'm rooting for Hartford.
[00:21:22] I'd like to see them back in there.
[00:21:25] We've already beaten them a few times this year, North Carolina, which we drew one.
[00:21:31] I'm also root.
[00:21:33] I'm also rooting for, uh, Rhode Island to beat Miami, which looks, you know, is an obvious possibility.
[00:21:39] But with that game comes Indy versus Tampa at the four versus six.
[00:21:45] And if it ends in a tie or Tampa wins, then Rhode Island would move up to the four seed and would host.
[00:21:55] Uh, Tampa if they won or would host Indy.
[00:21:59] If it was a tie.
[00:22:01] So there's a lot of, a lot of good to playoff implications here.
[00:22:05] Uh, it's going to be a, it's going to be a good weekend.
[00:22:08] So let's do what beat Miami negative 56 goal differential 11 points on the season.
[00:22:14] They were on and can do it.
[00:22:16] That will.
[00:22:17] I think, I think your youth team can do it, Ryan.
[00:22:21] I don't know.
[00:22:22] Miami's pretty tough.
[00:22:24] You know, they've been on a losing streak ever since Beak left.
[00:22:28] I don't know if that's a coincidence or whatever it was, but ever since Beak left, they've lost, lost, lost.
[00:22:34] That was it.
[00:22:35] That was their centerpiece.
[00:22:36] The whole team's gone.
[00:22:38] It's gone.
[00:22:41] So this weekend, what's the, what's the best scenario?
[00:22:44] No injuries.
[00:22:45] We get a win.
[00:22:47] No injuries.
[00:22:48] And we also get players off the bench that step up, you know, whether it's Nicholas Jackson with a goal, Arturo Rodriguez.
[00:22:56] I mean, I, I, I need to see, I need to see more from him.
[00:23:02] Honestly, just he, he's playing so sporadic and just needs to honestly just needs to kind of calm down a bit.
[00:23:09] Um, and you should play his game and trust in his own ability because he's definitely there and, um, and can definitely do it.
[00:23:16] And he's been in that spot at the beginning of this year.
[00:23:18] He just hasn't regained his confidence.
[00:23:21] I feel since, uh, since returning from injury.
[00:23:24] Um, but definitely in the midfield getting a goal.
[00:23:27] And, um, of course MD is going to get one.
[00:23:29] Uh, he's going to be involved somehow.
[00:23:31] So I think, I think, uh, Charles, three to one.
[00:23:34] We're not predicting yet.
[00:23:35] Cause you'll change your mind by the time we get there.
[00:23:37] But one with MD with a goal.
[00:23:40] No, but I'm going to go back to your discussion about Arturo because we, we, we were up in the stands.
[00:23:46] You were very heated and very pointed about how we need to do something.
[00:23:51] Cause he is not working out right now.
[00:23:53] He's, he's not, he's not a cam.
[00:23:55] He's, he's definitely a winger.
[00:23:57] Um, in my opinion and, and how we're playing right now, unless a cause or somebody else is providing that support either directly next to Arturo or playing directly below him, you know, under five yards.
[00:24:11] I don't think Arturo is our, is our cam.
[00:24:14] Um, so do you not, do you not think from this past game that Ikaza is the starter because he came on and he is the energy immediately.
[00:24:23] Oh yeah.
[00:24:24] Three minutes later we get a goal and he, he is one of those workhorses we continuously talk about.
[00:24:29] But do you think he was just on the bench to start for, for mentioned reasons, like save some energy, save some legs, hopefully no injuries.
[00:24:40] Yeah.
[00:24:40] But if Arturo, but Arturo, I'm wanting, you know, someone to come off the bench and to provide that, you know, extra support goal going into the post season saying guys, look, our bench is here and our bench is here to provide support for us when we need it.
[00:24:54] But Arturo is definitely one of those guys because like you just said, yeah, it causes definitely the starter over him.
[00:25:00] If Arturo is looking to play that kingdom role.
[00:25:02] But from what Grant and I saw at the game last, last week is that Arturo needs to, needs to tighten up a bit and just, just relax, play his, play his game.
[00:25:14] Um, and not get so worked up.
[00:25:18] I mean, it could be a spot for Chapman, right?
[00:25:21] Where Chapman is more of that control guy and you leave, leave it up to Rodriguez and Ikaza to split time and create that chaos.
[00:25:28] Well, I feel like that's why I'm, I felt so ingrained.
[00:25:32] This is when you come in cause you said I was, I got very heated and I did, and I was very heated more towards Arturo because we gave up so much to keep Arturo.
[00:25:45] I don't think battery fans realize that is that we did give up quite a bit to keep Arturo.
[00:25:50] Um, selling a few players early on in the season.
[00:25:53] I felt like we shouldn't have gotten rid of what we did and we kept him instead.
[00:25:58] And from what I saw in the game, he's not that piece to provide us right now.
[00:26:03] He can be, but he just needs to get there.
[00:26:05] So when Aaron went out, right, his knee injury, Arturo, man, he started getting starts.
[00:26:11] So he was kind of in more on that defensive midfielder role.
[00:26:16] This last two matches with Aaron coming in, they pushed him up forward, kind of that, you know, number eight, that attacking, uh, midfielder role.
[00:26:25] And do you think maybe that has something to do with it?
[00:26:31] I mean, I think he's a creative player.
[00:26:34] I just, I don't know if that, that formation slash pyramid system suits him to be the lone eight.
[00:26:42] I think he works best with a partner next to him where they can run off the ball and kind of cover a little bit of space.
[00:26:49] But we forget that, like, the cam role, you're everywhere.
[00:26:53] You're doing the entire field.
[00:26:55] You're gassed after 60 minutes, which you should be.
[00:26:58] But, like, it's not a fun role to be in.
[00:27:00] You are the first workhorse to attack, first workhorse to defend.
[00:27:04] You're getting out to the right wing, left wing, sliding back to cover, center back.
[00:27:08] Like, it's exhausting.
[00:27:10] And I just don't think he's adapted to that yet.
[00:27:13] I think he fits way better as that CDM kind of pushing up a little bit to support and play the ball off of.
[00:27:20] But, I mean, this is a great time to try it.
[00:27:24] Some games that we've already locked in, we're good to go.
[00:27:27] See if he can get his feet under him heading into playoffs.
[00:27:29] And you may get this extra guy who has a threat that other teams didn't really see coming.
[00:27:36] So, let's talk about who should be our eight, right?
[00:27:39] Because it comes out.
[00:27:40] And I want to say, Amilio had some great chances Saturday night in the instant workout form.
[00:27:46] And I don't know if, Ryan, if you saw it when the final whistle blew.
[00:27:51] He come down to our end where he missed those two shots and went to his knees.
[00:27:57] And Graham Smith come down and gave him a hug and picked him up and they went down there.
[00:28:01] But that hurt him.
[00:28:03] And hopefully that's a spark.
[00:28:05] And we see the fire starting to come out.
[00:28:07] Because when he came on the field, the energy was there.
[00:28:10] And he found himself one-on-one with keepers, with somebody on his back.
[00:28:13] And it just didn't work out for him.
[00:28:15] But I'm glad he went back down there and showed that emotion that hurt his soul because he didn't finish like he wanted to finish.
[00:28:24] And just like you said, Grant, how he brings the energy and everything.
[00:28:30] As fans, you want to also provide that as well because that's what we're there for.
[00:28:35] We're there to provide that extra intensity and support for the team.
[00:28:40] And from the game, it wasn't there until Icaze stepped onto the field.
[00:28:45] When Icaze stepped onto the field, he brought the intensity onto the field.
[00:28:49] Then the fans got engaged, right?
[00:28:53] I do not want to go into the playoffs and that South End supporter section is empty.
[00:29:00] And we're down 1-0 at halftime saying what the heck is going on.
[00:29:05] But, you know, as fans, if we miss this opportunity right here and we're knocked out first or second round and miss out on the beautiful chance for a championship and the chance to potentially host it again, you know, that's an absolutely wasted year.
[00:29:19] And you can't waste this year.
[00:29:21] You know, we set up so many records this year.
[00:29:23] We have an absolute dynamic front with Eminem.
[00:29:26] And why are we squandering this opportunity?
[00:29:32] I get why we're resting.
[00:29:34] I get why we're not playing certain things.
[00:29:35] But as fans, why do we want to squander this opportunity just because we want to sit at the other end with the food and stuff like that?
[00:29:44] Get engaged.
[00:29:46] Okay.
[00:29:47] Sounds like, like I said, it's a challenge.
[00:29:49] Let's get down to the South End and pack as many people as we can down there.
[00:29:53] Give that support.
[00:29:54] Yeah, you got to remember for like set pieces and corner kicks, having your fans there where the defense can't really communicate brings a lot more to the team and the energy than just tactics.
[00:30:06] So it's another little caveat of the supporters cheering behind our corner kick takers, our guys putting in that extra effort to just get up and get the ball off that corner, maybe headed in the back of the net.
[00:30:21] Okay, let's talk about predictions.
[00:30:24] Coach Ryan.
[00:30:26] Great.
[00:30:27] Like I said earlier, I'm not going to change it.
[00:30:30] 3-1.
[00:30:31] MD scores.
[00:30:34] Yes.
[00:30:35] A goal against Grinny.
[00:30:38] Again, I'm going to say Grinny has been averaging 1.04 goals a game.
[00:30:42] I still think he concedes because you have to look at how Loudon is trying to play.
[00:30:47] They're playing a do or die situation for playoff hopes.
[00:30:50] So I do think that they get one in.
[00:30:52] Yeah, for that exact reason, I'm going to go with a 4-0 shutout.
[00:30:57] Because they're going to play too high and we're going to get these counters.
[00:31:00] And they're just going to forget about everything.
[00:31:02] And we're going to have Nick hit one in.
[00:31:06] Juan David.
[00:31:07] Ready, Granite?
[00:31:07] Juan David.
[00:31:09] Hat trick.
[00:31:11] Oh, I'm with you.
[00:31:12] I'm...
[00:31:13] Hey, who did it for the fourth?
[00:31:14] It's a hat trick.
[00:31:16] Nick gets one in.
[00:31:17] Oh, Nick.
[00:31:18] Okay.
[00:31:19] Yeah.
[00:31:19] Okay.
[00:31:20] Okay.
[00:31:20] I like it.
[00:31:21] I know that's that common core math for you, Ryan.
[00:31:24] But, you know...
[00:31:25] I love you.
[00:31:27] Hey, for all the listeners, the fingers are up.
[00:31:29] He is counting.
[00:31:33] I'm with you on a 4-0.
[00:31:35] Juan David with a hat trick.
[00:31:36] Because I got a hat.
[00:31:37] I got a hat.
[00:31:38] Ryan, you saw the hat, right?
[00:31:40] I did do that.
[00:31:41] We went to Columbia match.
[00:31:42] Guess what I'm going to wear?
[00:31:44] And if he gets a hat trick, I'm throwing it on the pitch at the end of it.
[00:31:48] He can take...
[00:31:48] Throwing it on the pitch where you're just going to throw it two feet and then get caught by the net?
[00:31:53] Or are you going to try and get it signed by him after the game?
[00:31:57] I will be so exuberant that I will climb up the net, toss it over the top, or sneak around the side, and it will end up on the pitch.
[00:32:03] Will someone please get this guy a signature?
[00:32:05] That's all he talks about.
[00:32:10] That's all I got for right now.
[00:32:11] I'm excited about the match.
[00:32:13] We're going to do a pre-match podcast before the playoff game next week.
[00:32:21] Yep.
[00:32:22] Yeah, against TBD.
[00:32:24] And so we'll be talking at you all.
[00:32:28] Thanks for listening.
[00:32:33] Peace.
[00:32:34] Peace.
[00:32:35] Up the battery.
[00:33:26] Camel.
[00:33:27] What the hell is that?
[00:33:29] I don't know.
[00:33:32] It's not like he sat on something.
[00:33:34] He's still counting.
[00:33:35] It was only four.
[00:33:36] It was only four.
[00:33:38] Uno, dos, tres, cuatro.
[00:33:41] Wow.
[00:33:43] Bring your vuvuzelas.
[00:33:45] Oh, yes.
[00:33:45] Do not bring your vuvuzelas.
[00:33:48] I am bringing it.
[00:33:50] Yeah, I'm bringing it.
[00:33:52] So Juan David, he scores his hat trick.
[00:33:55] The hat and the vuvuzelas going on the pitch.
[00:33:57] The vuvuzela will go the opposite way.
[00:34:00] The other net.
[00:34:01] The one to the parking lot.
[00:34:02] The trash bin.
[00:34:03] And then I run over it five times.
[00:34:06] Yeah, I just love crushing kid spirits, don't you?
[00:34:08] Yeah, we just practice it.
[00:34:10] Just practice it.
[00:34:13] Ryan seems like he was a little cranky in this last game.
[00:34:15] He didn't get enough snacks in from all the fun trucks.
[00:34:18] Oh, man.
[00:34:19] I got read quite a bit.
[00:34:21] I was the most proud I ever got.
[00:34:23] Yeah.
[00:34:23] Let's talk quickly about that.
[00:34:25] I know we tried to finish, but we keep talking shit.
[00:34:28] So Ryan, tell us what you ate.
[00:34:30] Yeah, Ryan recap.
[00:34:33] All right.
[00:34:33] So recap, what did I get first?
[00:34:34] So first thing I got was the pulled pork mac and cheese.
[00:34:39] Very good from the Mac Daddy truck.
[00:34:41] I got the oversized medium.
[00:34:44] And then I went over to the everything but the bun cake and got two bun cakes.
[00:34:50] I got the pumpkin spice new in season.
[00:34:52] Absolutely amazing.
[00:34:53] And then I got the white raspberry chocolate for the missus.
[00:34:58] Good job.
[00:34:59] How was it?
[00:35:00] That was good.
[00:35:01] I had a bite.
[00:35:02] It was quite good.
[00:35:03] Had the little cracks, of course.
[00:35:06] And then we ended up getting a pizza from Coastal.
[00:35:11] That was really good.
[00:35:12] The sausage and onion pizza.
[00:35:14] Got blessed with that.
[00:35:15] Had a few slices.
[00:35:16] Thing crust.
[00:35:18] So it was quite nice.
[00:35:20] Anything does match?
[00:35:23] Anything for what?
[00:35:24] Yeah, it was post-match.
[00:35:28] When you went home.
[00:35:29] No, I went home.
[00:35:30] I went home.
[00:35:31] It sucks.
[00:35:33] When did you get the pizza?
[00:35:35] At the game.
[00:35:36] That's when we were at the south end.
[00:35:38] Oh, that's right.
[00:35:39] Because I had an adjuster.
[00:35:39] You did.
[00:35:40] You had a bunch of pizza then.
[00:35:41] You passed me out.
[00:35:42] Yeah, that's when you were talking to Justin.
[00:35:44] Yeah, and I guess I didn't have any.
[00:35:47] Ryan telling everyone go to the opposite end.
[00:35:49] And he's still going to be at the other end.
[00:35:50] Because all the food trucks are there.
[00:35:52] Yeah, and I was up in Falchel with the pizza boxes.
[00:35:54] I came down with the pizza boxes.
[00:35:56] He did.
[00:35:56] I forgot about that.
[00:35:57] I was still having PTSD.
[00:35:58] Because we weren't playing well.
[00:36:00] Now, I'd flashback pizza boxes.
[00:36:02] Trying to balance them on the damn beer rail.
[00:36:04] So they don't balance very well.
[00:36:05] You need like how Disney World does the fast pass land.
[00:36:09] Just on the sideline.
[00:36:11] Just for food runners.
[00:36:13] Just to go back and forth.
[00:36:15] We don't need all boys anymore.
[00:36:16] We need kids running us pizzas.
[00:36:18] Stuff like that.
[00:36:20] As long as they don't open the beer.
[00:36:22] Can they run it up and down the field?
[00:36:23] As long as it's not open.
[00:36:25] Or shake it.
[00:36:27] Yeah, little bastards.
[00:36:28] They'll shake it.
[00:36:29] I do like a little beer zip line.
[00:36:33] Brank.
[00:36:34] Or a cannon.
[00:36:35] A beer cannon.
[00:36:36] I guess that would shake it too.
[00:36:38] It'd be cooler.
[00:36:39] How about we just get some beer down at that end?
[00:36:43] Not along the side.
[00:36:45] But right there in the stands.
[00:36:46] We need some beer people.
[00:36:47] It's going to be hard.
[00:36:48] It's going to be hard to see how there's not.
[00:36:52] If there's not a dev person there at the south end next game.
[00:36:56] And especially for the playoffs.
[00:36:59] It's hard to imagine there not being a bunch of coolers
[00:37:02] on the back side of the south end.
[00:37:03] We need to do a practice run.
[00:37:05] Halloween's coming up.
[00:37:06] Have someone dress up as the hot dog guy.
[00:37:09] The beer guy.
[00:37:11] Walking up and down.
[00:37:14] Nice.
[00:37:14] Restract the keepers.
[00:37:16] Hey, do you want a hot dog?
[00:37:17] Sir.
[00:37:18] Sir.
[00:37:19] Throw him a wiener.
[00:37:22] Okay, gentlemen.
[00:37:24] Happy Halloween.
[00:37:26] Happy Halloween.
[00:37:27] Adios.
[00:37:33] Ryan.
[00:37:34] Meow, meow.
[00:37:34] Meow.
[00:37:35] Yeah.