Bright: Alright, where do we start? I guess we'll s we'll start with the weekend matchup against Minnesota and a another big win for City, four two over the loons. My first question to you is did you get any opportunity to watch it? I know you were at the Cardinals game and it was a big Cardinals game, a lot of people were there.

Kev: Yeah, it was it was packed. It was probably the only Cardinals game that has been packed like that in the last couple months.

Bright: Yeah.

Kev: with the Hall of You know, Cardinals Hall of Fame induction for Melina and and pools. It was really awesome to be there. we

Bright: Pretty cool.

Kev: did have the the soccer game up on our phones, so we were watching it when we could. We were we were sitting, you know, sky high right field, so there was no chance of getting drilled by a line ball. so we were pretty safe watching the game a little bit. splitting attentions.

Bright: I thought for sure you guys were gonna be in a suite or something.

Kev: No, we we're not that fancy. We you know,

Bright: Ha ha.

Kev: I'll I'll yell at somebody for that, but not that lucky.

Bright: How many people did you have with ya?

Kev: Ugh fifty?

Bright: Okay. Yeah, I th I was gonna say I thought it was a pretty pretty big group, so and most of the

Kev: Yeah, it was fifty people. It was I think, you know, it was kinda random in terms of when people said they could go and couldn't go. so I I don't think that the the leader of, you know, getting it together really wanted to commit to getting a a suite or anything like that and then

Bright: Yeah, gotcha.

Kev: finding out that X number of people, you know, twenty people were only gonna be going. So it was good.

Bright: Yeah. Well a lot of soccer guys in the group though, right?

Kev: yeah, we had probably f six or seven, you know,

Bright: Right.

Kev: people that were following. I only knew so many of the people, you know.

Bright: Okay.

Kev: it was kind of subsections of of friend groups from this individual. So yeah,

Bright: Well one of the

Kev: we had about about some people that were really following the game and kind of were in tune with

Bright: Good.

Kev: what was going on.

Bright: Good. Yeah, I know a lot of people were were impressed with how many people were still at the soccer game, of course, and again, just the overall vibe downtown. City City Park, Energizer Park was was loud, it was fun, it was Saturday

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: night again, right? 'Cause I think the last game was on a Sunday night. so Saturday night, big matchup, and then we knew that yeah, the big Cardinals game was going on. And what was pretty cool is Adam Wainwright came out to to deliver the match ball, bang on the drum, do all that, which was nice and he seemed pumped up and and I even

Kev: That's awesome.

Bright: said to Caroline, I was like, well clearly he's he's here for for pools and Melina and all that. I was like, he must have came straight down Right, right. Yeah. Yeah, must have been quick.

Kev: And then immediately immediately left. Yeah, like must have sprinted over there. Where there's you know, an underground tunnel that we're not aware of connecting the the stadiums.

Bright: Yeah.

Kev: which would be really cool. yeah, like that's surprising he was able to make it over there so quickly, but I guess it was, you know, a six thirty ish start of the six forty. So it makes it does make sense, yeah. That's awesome he was

Bright: Yeah, it was a little bit early for f yeah, for the Cardinals. Yeah, yeah. Well, it was

Kev: able to do it though.

Bright: It was fun. We went to Schlafley for a drink and then we ate inside, which we had to do a little bit of a wait, and so I wasn't sure if there was gonna be enough time. There was enough time. We got our food. It was excellent. Got over to the stadium, you know, got situated, got our drinks in in our seats for Wainwright coming out and everything. And then the St. Louis Symphony did the the national anthem, which was really cool. And then from the get go, we were on fire. We had

Kev: I mean

Bright: Just boom,

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: boom, boom. And and unfortunately for us, their their goalie stopped all three. But Betcher, Betcher had a nice one right towards the near post. Goalie was paying attention, made the big save. Wallem had a rocket of a volley. And I've always been a big volley person. Like w sometimes it amazes me how bad some of these volleys are. People just can't get their their positioning right, their their footing right, their leaning over the ball. Ball, they try and overpower it, but he came in perfect ball across and crushed it just. right at the goalie, which sometimes a a volley,

Kev: Aside.

Bright: you're going for power, and

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: goalie made the save. It is what it is. And then Santos came in. And I yeah, Santos wasn't necessarily great. I don't think in the game I'm surprised that he got the the start again. And we talked about it, a little bit of a rotation and whatnot. Wallem was back obviously, but Santos had a rocket of a shot off of his left, which is his preferred, and again just

Kev: Mm-hmm. Actually, yeah.

Bright: just happened to be within the the goalie's wheelhouse Made the save, and then wouldn't you know it, just a minute or two later, against the run of play, they get the breakaway and score.

Kev: Yep. So I saw I saw Wallem's volley and you're right, it was a rocket of a volley.

Bright: Yeah.

Kev: I was pretty impressed with it and you know, he he got over it and kept it down, which was really good. and then, you know, I looked up for the baseball game, look back down and it's one nothing, you know, within that first four minutes of the game. I'm like, What what just happened?

Bright: Yeah. And you're like, wait a minute, what just happened?

Kev: So, but I wasn't concerned. I think I I don't know if I texted you at that point in time, but I was telling the other guys in the group, I'm like, if you want to bet a city win, now is the time.

Bright: Yes, yeah.

Kev: Cause, you know, four minutes in, I I still think we roll through this game. I don't think it was going to be an issue. And it was at a a plus two ten or something like that payout

Bright: Right.

Kev: for your city win bet. I was like, this is the time to do it. We're not losing this game. So I went in and I I backed up the the wheelbarrow or whatever that phrase is, right? and yeah, great change.

Bright: Nice. Nice. Yeah, I put money down originally on the win. So I think it was plus one hundred, maybe plus one ten

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: for the city win. so I I put the money down. I put money down. This is all right at kickoff. for Navarro to score first. So I lost that bet pretty c pretty quickly. I'm like, you gotta be kidding me. And then I put decision on that. Yes, yes. But I d I also

Kev: Yep. Another quick win a quick decision on that, huh? You're finding it out right away. Yeah.

Bright: put him down to score two.

Kev: Yep, there you go. Yep.

Bright: So I w won that bet and of course won the won the city winning bet. And then I did I bet one other one? I may have bet one other one. I think after he scored his second bet, I took a small dollar amount and put him down as the seventh goal scorer, which which didn't happen. Yeah. But I still

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: I st seventh. So a lot of goals obviously in this game. and I I came out

Kev: Yeah, yeah.

Bright: ahead, so this is now three games in a row where I think I've won give or take roughly sixty dollars. So that's that's a hundred and eighty bucks in in the last three games that that I'm up. So I will take that feeling feeling good. And yeah.

Kev: Feels good for a a non professional gambler, right? Like that's just kinda doing it casually, so

Bright: Yeah, for sure. And I was telling my father in law about that too, because I was like, I only bet five bucks, ten bucks, and I'm only betting on City. I think we talked about it a couple of episodes ago. Maybe like maybe if I went to the Cardinals game, I might bet on

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: it. But I'm not betting on any college football. I'm not I didn't even watch a lick of NFL this weekend. And people

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: always ask me when I'm out traveling, what do I do? 'Cause they're like, Saint Louis, you lost your team. What do you do? And I'm like, I don't watch it. I don't support the NFL anymore. I used to.

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: I don't anymore. I mean you support the Titans for Christ's sake. Why? I don't know. Just give up on football. Now a lot.

Kev: It was a lot of you know, the Titans make me wanna give up on football.

Bright: A lotto? But what fun is that? everybody puts their name in and like you get the Bears, you get the Titans, you get the Chiefs. Whoever picked the Chiefs, they they got the the win on that lotto.

Kev: Well we we picked a team in the same division to try to build some kind of rivalry right and nobody else has carried their fandom but me.

Bright: Yeah. Well, 'cause it doesn't make any sense. You can't just make up fan fandom. So

Kev: Surprise you. It's good.

Bright: then I I get on my high horse and I tell him about city. Right? I I tell them about the MLS and how the city of St. Louis has embraced our MLS team and everything. So so yeah, so I'm only

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: betting I'm only betting on City, but it was Win. And I even after even after that one nil down, I, to your point, still had full confidence, which is which is clearly a mindset change, I think, for this fan base, and probably also for the team. The team just at the beginning of the season, the last two seasons, you go down one nothing early at home and it was kind of the like, here we go again. Can we come back from this? Yeah, we couldn't score. Right. Exact that's exact that's exactly it. Yeah. Yeah. You were hoping that

Kev: we knew it. It was we couldn't score. We we couldn't buy a goal. So you knew if we were going down one, it we were we were done. Especially that early on.

Bright: that you could score one and maybe get the tie. But yeah, scoring two was a pipe dream. Right. And now you've got a guy like

Kev: Yeah. Yeah. You couldn't take it. Yeah. So so now it was just a big deal. Big deal. We're coming back.

Bright: Yeah, you got a guy like Navajo that just scores two goals every game and

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: and he's yeah, no big deal. Now I I there's no way

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: he could keep up that pace and and we'll get to the US Open Cup

Kev: Well, we'll see.

Bright: matchup. He he can't even play against Colorado so so he's out there. But man, what a game looking at the plot the player

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: rankings and I'm still looking on Google and we did do some research. I think after our last episode I went and I pulled how they and and so Google actually pulls all kinds of different sources to come up with their overall player rankings. So they're pulling Fot Mob, they're pulling some other sources and then they come up with this combined number. So I know these

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: numbers can vary a little bit, but Navajo comes out at the 9.0 ranking highest on the team which is which is saying something with of course two goals

Kev: Rules will do that. Yep.

Bright: yeah goals will do that Edelman gets the 7.8 with a goal holsa gets the 7.7 with a goal and an assist fall gets a 7 7 so big big

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: number for a start for him Wallum big improvement 6 6 with an assist. So even if you're looking at his past Google rankings, they haven't been all that great, right? Four five, four nine. It's been tough for him to break the five point barrier. But the last couple of games, I will give him credit. He's been playing better. his assist against Hulsa was I thought pretty obvious. He he gets the ball in space at the top of the box, but he could have taken a shot there. And it would have been

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: the the lesser Of

Kev: Decision.

Bright: yeah, the lesser opportunity. The better the better decision

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: was certainly to play the ball across to Holsa who was wide open and that was a butte. I don't know if you I'm assuming you got to see that at

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: least on a replay or something. ta side netting, upper ninety, side of the left foot, just stepped into it.

Kev: I'm trying to remember. yeah. my god, what am I talking about? Yeah, that was a a strike. That was beautiful.

Bright: Yeah, and that's what you bring Hulsa in to do. And then Hulsa w his assist, of course, playing

Kev: Gorgeous.

Bright: playing the ball over the top to right into the stride of Navajo. And they made the comment

Kev: We saw that one live.

Bright: on when I watched the replay, he was already in the box. By the time the ball got there. So there was no foul

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: to be had. So you had to try and beat him on on positioning or strength and and you're just not gonna be able to do that very often. And something that that he brings to the team that n we haven't really had, whether it was Sangbin, Betcher sometimes, at least prior to this run that he's been on, is just easy finish. Pop the ball right over the goalie. Easy. Done.

Kev: of that yeah was phenomenal. Yep.

Bright: Yeah.

Kev: I thought the touch was phenomenal, but I think the the play in to Rafa was fantastic too and seeing it, seeing that opportunity was really impressive too.

Bright: Yeah. Yeah, that's that that's what I mean. Yeah. Yeah. And and when you're in the stadium you couldn't quite tell Like 'cause it it went so high. You're like, is it going over? What's gonna happen? And and then when you watch the

Kev: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Bright: replay, I'm like, it bounced right on the goal line. There like there was no question about it, that ball was going in. So that was pretty cool. And sticking on the Hulsa front, I don't know if he got a a technical assist on the first goal or not, but it was all because of him. He takes that nice hard, low shot from outside the box. Goalie has to go down, make the save, can't hold it. And again, credit to Edelman. He scored a couple

Kev: Right. I just want to point out that on the last pod, we were talking about the goal scoring bet, and I said, You've got to pick somebody like Edelman on that. And

Bright: You did say that.

Kev: then he puts one in the back of the net, which was awesome. No, I didn't

Bright: Well, did you do it?

Kev: I didn't really get any bets in until I think I put one on a city win early, and then you know, I I kind of got caught up in the festivities. So I didn't get to put any other bets in until we were already down one nothing. And then I just did one and kinda came back to baseball. So

Bright: Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, a couple of other things that I'll say about the match and we can look at the stats at here in a second too. But the overall lineup and and we talked about it a little bit, right? We had the big game coming up here against Colorado US Open Cup semifinal. You have to take that seriously, obviously. We have this stretch of two weeks, four games and two weeks, a a lot of a lot of soccer to be played. So you were gonna have to rotate the lineup a little bit. And yes, Wallum sat out the prior game, so you knew He was back in and he should be rested and

Kev: I mean.

Bright: ready to go. I was a little surprised to see Santos back in there. We talked about maybe fall getting the play, but I didn't think it was gonna be for Polvera's spot. I thought it was gonna be for Orasco's spot or McNaughton spot.

Kev: Thank you.

Bright: That Orozco McNaughton spot's been a little shaky, I feel like. Orasco

Kev: Who has been?

Bright: was a four six. here in this game. McNaughton came in. He was a five five. Now he only came into the seventy-sixth minute. So but that position hasn't necessarily been solidified. So I was like, you know, maybe fall but I was ki I was surprised to see Palvera fall into the the center mid there with Edelman taking Dirkin spot. Yes, I understand the need to rotate those guys. And Dirkin did come in. He came in the fifty-eighth minute. So I thought credit to DeMay, he did a good job with the rotation. Especially after we we scored that fourth goal. He knew that he could

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: he could relax a little bit. I think he did a triple substitution. Totland came in. Durkin came in. Damien Downs eventually came in. Matan came in, and then McNaughton. Those were our our five substitutions. So so he really really was working it, making sure that everybody got some some time to stay fit, but also got some rest. And then again rotating the lineup. Now Polvero though I he did kind of cost us that that first goal. he tried to get his body in the way, went down, tried to grab the ball so the ref had no choice but to make the foul, missed it, and then they get the ball, they send it long on the breakaway. And I said it to my wife before the game even started And I know some people like Paul Vera in this position. I do not. I supposedly I don't

Kev: His natural position, isn't it? What they say? Yeah.

Bright: I don't know that I'm buying it. And and I was a little nervous. I was like, I just don't know if he's gonna be able to to hold on to the ball when he needs to hold on to the ball in the position, and then right off the bat, I think the fifth minute he turns the ball over because he couldn't because he couldn't do it. He did improve

Kev: Let me look the rest of the game though. You know, I didn't get a C obviously, so I can't

Bright: He did improve and and he got a rating of six three and he brings in certainly a defensive aspect to that position, much like Edelman and and Durkin. I don't know that he has the same workhorse mentality as the two of them, but it could just be the simple fact that he he was rusty. He hasn't played that position all season. As as far as I know, I think that's the first time.

Kev: He he he came in once in that position and I think he scored a goal.

Bright: Okay. All right. Well, there you go. So we'll see. We'll see if that if that's something that that DeMay considers moving forward. And and we have said it. If you needed to sub or rotate or you have red cards, yellow cards, whatever it may be for Durkin or or

Kev: Uh-huh.

Bright: Edelman, who are you bringing in in that spot? So I I guess Bolvera

Kev: Yep. Right.

Bright: is is certainly an option. Yeah.

Kev: think it's a good option. especially with you know I think Fall did fantastic from what you know I understand in terms of

Bright: Yeah, I thought so too.

Kev: how he played and finally nice to see him off the couch. I feel like

Bright: Yeah.

Kev: he's never in the freaking game. Like where has he been after such a you know a big signing or at least was put front that way and then not to see him play ever was tough.

Bright: Yeah, I mean w I think we paid we paid like four million dollars for I think. And they were super excited about it. Like that's because I think it's a good

Kev: And they were super excited about it, right? Like that was a big signing at the time. they made it a big deal and then not to see him I don't know if he had something going on, but good to see him come in and and, you know, make some

Bright: Yeah, and like I said, with Orasco McNaughton, Orasco started the season so well,

Kev: Noise.

Bright: even though the team was shit, right? So maybe that's part of the reason why he looks better than the rest of the team, maybe, but now the rest of the team is caught up. He has lagged behind and so has McNaughton. So maybe after a g a big game by fall, we'll we'll see if he can go back in and and and play that that wing wing back position, that third center center D position, whatever.

Kev: Would have I would have no issue if you told me that we were playing fall and pulvera out there on the wings. So that would that would feel pretty good, I think.

Bright: No. No. Absolutely. none at all. None at all. That would feel pretty good, I think. All right. Quick review of the stats before we switch to the preview for tomorrow night against Colorado. So we won every category. Every every single category we we won. Well we did

Kev: I I mean we dominated this game, didn't we? again, I know I didn't see it, but my understanding is like we held like freaking eighty percent of the possessions, so

Bright: Sixty four percent was the final number of the possession. it was sixty

Kev: That can't be possible.

Bright: seven percent after the first half and then sixty four percent after the game, but Minnesota was not without their chances. They hit the post, they hit the crossbar. Berkey did have to make a a couple of saves. So but overall

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: shots was twelve to nine in favor of us. Shots on target was eight to three in favor of us. So that's a big that's a big difference there, right? possession was sixty-four to thirty-six in favor of us. Pass accuracy was drastically better, ninety-one percent to their eighty-three percent. Fouls was pretty much. Much even 14 to 15, but we had no yellow cards, no red cards, no offsides, six corners. They had 15 fouls, two yellow cards, one red card, one offside, five corners. And they picked up their red card. let me see if I can figure out when that was. That was like in the 80th minute or something. Yep, yeah, right in. 80th minute. Picked up their red card. Now, I don't think it was. A second yellow. It was a little bit of a soft second yellow when I watched the replay, especially. So I I

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: did feel bad for the guy. but yeah, then you're up a man and you're just like, All right, can we ride out this game for the last ten minutes? And again, they still had a chance or two. And I was never too nervous, but just like the Dallas game, they score one and then all of a sudden it's like anything could happen. Now you're you're really trying to to hold out for the last whatever i extra time, injury time and and it turns into to craziness. But after after a big win, I've got two things here. We're up to number five in the standings. Which is great. We're at forty one points effectively tied with San Jose. They have one up on goal differential and only two points back of both the dynamo and Dallas. So Dallas has gone a little run since since coming back to tie us, which hurts. But again, you're still only one win out from hopping both of those two teams. Right? I

Kev: Exactly. Yeah.

Bright: if they lose and we win next Saturday night, we're sitting at forty four points. points and in a firm second to s second place position which is which is pretty cool. so so we've had a had a big jump and then the power rankings. Now MLS hasn't come out with their official power rankings yet, but ESPN and a couple of other sources have put us at two.

Kev: There we go. I don't blame I don't blame

Bright: Yeah, yeah. That that's pretty pretty cool, right? So Nashville, they're they're looking to to get the top spot in the league, community shield winners, but we have now hopped over Vancouver, of whom we just beat, of course, at home, ahead of intermiami.

Kev: Think about where we were.

Bright: Sure.

Kev: What the hell is happening? That's incredible. Where we were

Bright: It it is incredible.

Kev: in probably early May, I I can't remember when this run started, but like we w we've we had given up. We had given up. This season

Bright: Even when the rent run started,

Kev: was done.

Bright: you thought it was just us getting lucky. And then we were like, Okay, we're going on a little bit of a a hiatus here because of the World of Cup break when we had won a couple of games and so then

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: you didn't know how we were gonna come out of the World Cup break. You're gonna come out continuing that form, or is it all back to the way it was? And and luckily it was it was the former and and yeah, I mean goat

Kev: And then and then we've lost all of our our top players. So then

Bright: Sure.

Kev: we're all down because we're losing all of our top players and then we you know, are able to bring in the hole that we did. Roller coaster. It's worked out.

Bright: Sure, and it it's work it's worked out because when Hardow left there was certainly panic, right? Louven, leaving, there was a little bit of panic, right? Yeah, sure,

Kev: Yeah. Emotionally hurt, probably. Yeah.

Bright: emotionally hurt. Yeah, Hulsa you thought was gonna come in, but this is really the first game where he's been a difference maker, right?

Kev: Agreed.

Bright: And if you don't make the Navajo signing you're you're in a completely different situation. And sometimes

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: you worry like, are those guys gonna be able to get get themselves situated into the system and be able to perform right away? Or is this gonna take time and now we've screwed up the run that we've been on. This season is now a wash and now we're looking to the sprint season for twenty twenty seven. It has not turned out that way, but if you go back and you listen to some of our early pods, the outlook was not great and yes, to your to your point, how it has changed.

Kev: I think we gave up on the season and we were like, let's just put all of our efforts into the cup because the season's done. Right. And sure enough, here

Bright: Yeah, we did talk about that.

Kev: we are. We we did. Yeah. So it's awesome. Hats off to the team.

Bright: And and I think good transition, whether you meant to do it or not, but of course we've got the big semi final US Open Cup matchup. So now it it does become a l a little tricky because we're doing so well in league play that you can't just you're right, you don't want to screw that up, right? But

Kev: Yeah. You don't wanna burn us out, right? Yeah.

Bright: you've got a chance to make it to the final. Of the domestic cup and of course City, we're still a young team, but we haven't won any trophies. So this is an opportunity to win a trophy. And of course, St. Louis has this history with the US Open Cup. We've won teams from Saint Louis, have won it ten times, but most recently not since nineteen eighty eight. So it's it's been a while. been a while since we won. And we may have talked about this in prior episodes, but it there hasn't been a US Open Cup matchup in a while. it was Bush Seniors. The Bush senior team that won it in eighty eight. And then CUDIS, which I think is the team Dad Dad played for.

Kev: Which popular.

Bright: when he was

Kev: Yep.

Bright: younger. Not not these teams, but eighty six they won it. They also won it in fifty seven. So

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: we've we've got a a pretty long tradition with this with this tournament, but we haven't won in thirty eight years. And City would be the first team to reach Well, we are the we are the first team to reach the semifinals from St. Louis since that eighty-eight run. So so that in and of itself is exciting. And there's a lot to play for. So of course there's there's prize money. So the winner the winner gets prize money. I think last year was six hundred thousand dollars. So you have You have some money there for the club. Players get a piece and and the office gets a piece, I'm sure. but also the twenty twenty seven CONCACAF Champions Cup. You get an automatic bid in there. Now, we've been in that that tournament once before and we got bounced in the first round. which which was tough. But

Kev: Go ahead.

Bright: Yeah, but so that would be fun. We'd love to see us in in that next year. And they've already announced that all the MLS clubs are also gonna be in US Open next year. So whereas I think

Kev: Sure. Yeah, that'd be that'd be really cool. Yeah. Everybody's known that. Yeah. I've heard that too.

Bright: it was this year and was it maybe last year, it was split. So they took the top half of the teams and they went to the Leagues Cup. The bottom half of the

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: team went to the US Open Cup. And then you had the qualifiers went to the the CONCACAF Champions Cup. So this is this could this could be an opportunity where you're seeing lots of lots of football over the next couple years with twenty twenty seven sprint season and then rolling into the the new MLS season for twenty seven twenty eight.

Kev: Set up.

Bright: So, a couple of other storylines before we get into debating lineups and score predictions and the like. The big one is Navajo is cup tied. He cannot play

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: in this game.

Kev: Yep. Might be good to get him some rest anyway. I don't know.

Bright: Yeah, I mean he's he from what my understanding is he's pretty fit guy, plays almost every game, plays ninety minutes almost every game, but yeah

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: right, give him he'll g he has to sit, so he'll get a week off and he'll be a hundred percent ready to go against Toronto on Saturday night back at home. So that'll be good. So I'm assuming you kinda go back to the old setup, the old formation,

Kev: Thank you, Deal.

Bright: and you play Betcher up top.

Kev: Yep. No need to change it.

Bright: Now I have been impressed with Downs. Now he's he's been coming in, maybe depending on how the game's going, he could he could be your just primary sub for Betcher, coming

Kev: It's enough.

Bright: in at halftime or the sixtieth minute, again, depending on on the score line. 'cause I have been impressed with with his play so far. but yeah, so you you play Betcher up top and then maybe Saturday you come back and and Betcher can either sit or play half a game or or I don't know.

Kev: So you're going butcher up top, and then you're playing wholeside and Maton or Matin. I I can never remember how to pronounce that guy's name. Maton.

Bright: Go with Matan or Matan.

Kev: Maton. So Mat well, okay. That does sound ridiculous. That's sound bad. Matten.

Bright: Not matin. I would go with matan or matan.

Kev: yeah, so I think that's what you're doing up top, right? Or are you gonna play. Are you gonna get in a little Sangban or something like that eat up some minutes too?

Bright: Yeah, I mean you certainly could you could rest Tulsa again. he he played did he play all of the game or most of the game? I can't remember if he he did come out. He came out

Kev: Think he came out, yeah.

Bright: I think Matan Matan came in for him. So yeah, you could start him and then bring in Sangbin later again, depending on the score line. Or I think you could start Sangbin and let Hulsa come in as a sub later. But again, you do you do have to think about Saturday night. But I think you want to put your best foot forward to start. So yes, I would probably start Hulsa and Maton right behind Betcher and then d. Then if you need to bring in

Kev: Well.

Bright: Sangbin, you bring in Sangbin. Wallum

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: Wallum probably gets the start. I think you have to go back to Totland, at least to start.

Kev: He does. You do.

Bright: Yeah. And then then you have Edelman, Durkin back in

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: the middle. I think Polvera falls back into his normal spot. Bumgarnel plays and then and then you have

Kev: Every minute of every game.

Bright: some kind of option with Orasco, McDonald, or fall. I think any of those three could play in in that position. And then yes, I'd be looking to bring in Sangbin. Who else?

Kev: Who else to bring in? Yeah, I mean

Bright: Downs, you could right now, yeah, Ostruck. I think Sangbin, Ostruck hasn't played recently, and then Downs. I think those three all come in and then whoever's not playing in the back, whether it's McNaughton for Orasco, Orasco for McNaughton, or one of those guys for Fall. So there's four s four subs I think you've got.

Kev: Yep. I I mean again it's it feels like an embarrassment of riches when it comes to some of you know the players that we can bring in here for for subs. Downs I feel like is gonna be somebody that gets in off the bench every game.

Bright: But but you agree in the sense that this is a too big of a game

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: to to start with our our quote unquote rotation guys. We have to go out there with

Kev: Yeah, I

Bright: our our best lineup that we can, at least for the first half or the first sixty minutes, see how the game's playing before we we bring in

Kev: Agreed.

Bright: some guys. I mean if we're up two nothing, maybe you bring in a couple of guys at halftime or the fifty-fifth minute I don't know. What I don't wanna see is us park the bus in any situation.

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: 'Cause that's that I feel like has been the downfall a little bit and and certainly against Dallas. We've seen it earlier in the season as well, where you are up a goal or up two goals, and then

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: you're like, Well let's let's go to a four back system and and then we just can't create any offense, any momentum. bet y Betcher's alone up top. He's he's not Navajo. He's not Klaus. He can't he's not this hold up magical hold up guy. If he can't draw a foul to move the play forward

Kev: We're

Bright: And if the if the ref gets wise to that, then right.

Kev: losing it and it's playing back in.

Bright: And then and then we kind of get stuck in this in this park the bus situation. Now Downs, on the other hand, maybe we'll see. He's a bigger guy. So if if we are in that situation, you can play the ball to Downs, maybe he can be a little bit of that hold up play, player and and let the the rest of the crew catch up. So we'll see. I'm getting ahead of myself. I do think that this is a game we should win. we already beat Colorado in Colorado. That was a one-nothing game and that was that was again kind of at the start of this run. It may have been the first game, I think more or less, that started this run or at least the the form that we've been on.

Kev: Yes. It was one of yeah. It was one of the the beginning games of the run.

Bright: And winning an away game, that was our first away game, I think we had we had won on the season, and that we had won in a while, if I remember correctly, going back all the way to the the prior season. So so we've

Kev: Our season, yeah.

Bright: proven we can do it. We we are on this run, we should do it, and and then you continue this streak of I don't well again, I'm losing track. What is it, sixteen now, or is it sixteen MLS, seventeen total? I don't even know.

Kev: Don't think about it. Let it just happen. I heard we're gonna play Lunt on on Wednesday.

Bright: That's right. That's right. and I think we're gonna play yeah. Well, he had to play against the dynamo, remember, and came up

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: big, and that's something else to say. If it's tied, and something else you gotta watch out for. We don't wanna tie. 'Cause then we we have

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: to play Saturday night. Cause then you play extra time, it'd be thirty minutes of extra time and then it goes to PKs. And I think you might want to consider that though, is you might want to leave a sub open

Kev: So

Bright: because if if Lunt has to come in for PKs, you want him doing it.

Kev: You want him doing it. Is that what you're doing? Is he your PK goalkeeper? I

Bright: I think so.

Kev: think so. True true to the regular season as well? And to the MLS stretch?

Bright: Well, if it comes to that situation, I think you have to consider him to be to be a late sub to come in just for PKs. Because we've seen Berkey

Kev: He has been phenomenal.

Bright: just can't do it. And Lunt can. And he's got the size. So I think

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: I think that's a good point. Save one sub for Lunt in case you run into in case you run into a position where PK's are imminent. So Colorado Go ahead.

Kev: I said not a bad take. Not a bad take.

Bright: No, I think it's I think it's a good take. I'm probably gonna I'm probably gonna clip that. That should be that should be a clip that I'm putting on social media.

Kev: Save save the PK or save the spot. Yep.

Bright: Yeah, so Colorado's currently in seventh in the West. They've got thirty-five points, so they're not too far behind us. they're one game below five hundred on the season, eleven, twelve, and two. but they have this this is the crazy stat. You ready for it? Six straight home clean sheets.

Kev: Wow. Really? Holy

Bright: Yeah. So they haven't given up a goal at home in six games.

Kev: cow. Well, we're gonna change that.

Bright: Yep. Yep. And

Kev: That's incredible.

Bright: th that is incredible. Now again, I've already referenced the May ninth win. That was the one nothing win in Colorado. But then we also beat them in St. Louis. Also one nothing. And that was the game

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: where Ostruck had the the big winner.

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: So you've got you've got two tight games here. And not a lot of scoring.

Kev: Yep. Different team doesn't matter.

Bright: So consider that. I tried to look up the betting odds, and I didn't s I didn't see them. They might be on DraftKings. I don't I don't Cupcams are always tough. Yeah.

Kev: Yeah. The cup games are always tough to find 'cause you you don't go to the same, you know sub menus that you normally would within that application.

Bright: Right.

Kev: they might not even have it up there yet until like Wednesday, so I don't know. Look for it later. I I don't know what it's gonna end up being, but I have to imagine that

Bright: Bene.

Kev: City's favorite in this game.

Bright: Yeah, again with a it could be one of those tight

Kev: Well, maybe not.

Bright: Yeah, because Colorado's at home, I could see them having the slight odds, right? Like it it can't be a it can't be a draw, so you gotta take that out of it. So could it be a like a

Kev: Yeah. I always forget how how wild that comes in. Well, no, that's not true. They they do the the 90 minute bet. So they'll still do that.

Bright: Okay. Well, overall if you if you take the draw out of it though, it you could see a fifty-five, forty-five, slight

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: favor in Colorado because of that stat and because they're playing at home. But and then

Kev: Perfect. Good. I'll take advantage of that.

Bright: and then think about the overunder. I don't again I don't know what it is right now. It probably sitting at around two and a half or something like that, pretty standard. But this might be a game where where you do want to consider the under. Maybe it's maybe it's three and a half because it I guess it could end one one one and then go into PKs.

Kev: Yeah, you know, when I said we should be favored, I was also thinking that Rafa was gonna be in. So that does completely change it.

Bright: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But but again, so they've got the stat of they haven't given up a goal at home in six games, and

Kev: Yeah.

Bright: yes, of course they're playing at home, but we've beat them twice already on the season. Both games won nothing. They haven't scored a goal against us, so I think that also has to be taken into consideration as well. So

Kev: Yep.

Bright: We'll see. The winner of tomorrow night's game will play the winner of the Columbus Orlando City matchup. They play tomorrow at six PM Central Time. We play at 830 PM Central Time, which is perfect because the kids will be in bed. Again, I can watch the game. It's not too late, barring

Kev: That is a good term. That is the determined. Yeah.

Bright: any extra time or shootout scenarios.

Kev: Over time, yeah.

Bright: the final is already set to be played at the winner of the Eastern Conference game. So Columbus or Orlando City will host. We'll know who that'll be. and I think I do have

Kev: What's that?

Bright: I have that match up. I think it's towards the end of October. If I can find it here real quick. it's in my note. October twenty first. Wednesday, October twenty first is is the final. So

Kev: That would be pretty cool, wouldn't it?

Bright: Yep. All right. Well let's wrap it up. What's your score prediction for tomorrow night? I think we both have to go city win. I'm assuming we're both going city win.

Kev: City City win. And I think it is I think Colorado sees another clean sheet there at home, but it's going the other way. It's a two nothing win, City.

Bright: Two nothing win city. Alright, I'm gonna go two one city. Two one

Kev: All right, there we go.

Bright: city, yes. So whether it's an extra time or

Kev: Who's who scored?

Bright: I think Betcher, he hasn't scored in a couple games now that he's back up top by himself. I think he scores, keeps that keeps that run going, keeps that pressure on on DeMay to play him. So I think Betcher scores one and then I could see Maton getting his first.

Kev: Mm-hmm.

Bright: If if he starts, th those those are gonna be my two.

Kev: Right. I was gonna go with Hulsa. and then I am going to say that this game is Downs first. is his first goal, so yeah.

Bright: All right. Would love that too. Would love that too. All right. You you heard it here first. Let's bring home a win

Kev: Let's get it.

Bright: and we'll see you guys at the US Open Cup final.

Kev: Save that substitution.