Away at Toronto
Kara
0:08
Welcome to this week's episode of The Queen's Pitch. I'm Kara and I'm Bridget,
Bridget
0:24
and we're covering today the disappointing loss in Toronto zero one with a worldie goal for an senior from Toronto. So, Bridget, what are your thoughts about this
Kara
0:37
game? I'm sad this game makes me sad. I mean, I guess I was I'm one of those fans that's optimistic and thinks we can win everything. Even though I know realistically we can't. So I really wanted to win today and it was kind of a boring game for me for the most part, because there was just a lot of slowness. But then when they scored, it just it just broke my little heart. And now I know what it feels like to lose again. I guess I had a little break from that last year and now we're back there. Some sad. I'm not mad, but I'm sad.
Bridget
1:12
Yeah, the goal comes at around the 80th minute. And you know, for the most part during this entire match, it's been pretty evenly distributed between Toronto and Charlotte with attempts with how they were matched up and especially in defense. But that goal is, you know, it only takes one. And then it's extremely hard for the crown to get another one. You know, in those final minutes, especially with where we're working with in our depth chart. But, you know, it's only the third game of the season. It is a loss. But Toronto does seem like a different team than we saw last year. Last year they're bottom of the table. Even though they got wins off of us, still like their quality this match and the last two matches that they've played because I've been watching them. To me. I've seen a lot more defense. I've seen a lot more attacking mentality and just grittiness that they've had. So I knew coming into this that to me it was going to be a fight, especially with, you know, their obvious talent and their to DPS and with just how much grief they were going to give the crown with how they played.
Kara
2:20
I thought that coming into this game, they had the most yellow cards in the league or something crazy, I don't know, maybe I made that up. So I thought they had a lot of yellow cards, and then somehow we ended up with a ton more today than they did. I don't understand that because I thought they played mean and they were rough and they were just nasty, and I don't like that.
Bridget
2:39
I think that's fair. I think there is a discussion to be had here about the amount of yellows. But before we go into that, do you want to give your wrath for this game? Since we've we've had a loss, there's going to be some negatives. And that way we can come out with a positive going into the next one.
Kara
2:58
Okay, I'm just going to Rath Enzo Petty cup of tea. I really thought like in the first half he was doing okay. I was I like his grit. I like how he goes out there and he defends and he's not scared to attack the goalie that's got the ball. And considering Sean Johnson wasn't in there and they had their second string, I thought that was really good because he could throw him off a little bit. I was excited about that. But then he had another shot where he could like he was open. He could have literally kicked that ball in, but he just he whiffs it. He didn't whiff it. He hit it, but he didn't put enough power to it. I just feel like if you're a DP, their DP insignia, I can't say it right. He or whatever his name is. Yeah, yeah. That guy. Instantly he can kick a ball. He kicked it really hard. And then what? Nothing Kalena could do. Yeah, maybe Spider George could have, but clean did not, you know, for all he could. Most goalies can't help that. And why can't our guy when he gets down there do it. He didn't last week we were like oh. And then he did that again this week. Like if we can't trust that Enzo is going to make those shots, then why are we paying him the big bucks? So I'm going to rest clean. I'm not clean, clean and did well today. I'm gonna rathke petty
Bridget
4:11
foreign. So I said, do you think he's going to get a lot of flack for his performance so far this season? But I will say that, you know, he has had kind of a tough start and that he's had penalty attempts, possibilities, shall we say, in every match so far that we've played and awarded none. Of course, that doesn't sound abnormal to us. And there's, I think, an argument to be made there, whether they're deserved or not. But he has won today and it isn't anything. It goes to VAR. No penalty is awarded. And even Enzo doesn't argue for that one. So I do think there wasn't much in it. If it had already been called the need to have the same argument as last week's game against Vancouver, where if it gets called, gets a penalty, is it clear and obvious? Should it be overturned? So I think today's match was the right call. But he's trying and he's working for that. I also think he didn't have he didn't have some helpers sometimes in his hold up play, like you have to have people crashing the box after him if he's going to hold up the ball and otherwise he's going to have to just. Hold possession until someone can get up to him. I also think that he. I think his style of play is not the same style that we're used to seeing. Like he is not going to typically take on three defenders to get into the box with creative attempts, but you know, he does try. He has consistently threatened the goalkeeper in the back line to force them to turn over the ball into bad areas or out. We saw that today with Luke Gavron being challenged by him, and he was the second string goalkeeper for Toronto after Shaun Johnson got scratched right before the match. And so hopefully, you know, the hope was that he could have made more of an effort, especially with that shot against goal. And you're right, he didn't have enough power on that one. He should have. But it's just a tough it's a tough call. I do think he is overall improved from before. And he doesn't get into some hairy fouls here. Unlike you know, previously. And especially with the foul play that Toronto had today that could have easily happened. He did
Kara
6:27
have a pout moment. He pouted for a second where he slammed the ground. Slammed the ground. He was a little pouty Patterson
Bridget
6:33
because he missed that goal and one of them got saved.
Kara
6:37
We'll do better than end zone. Stop pouting. Do better. I don't know. I do know that, Dean said afterwards. Someone asked him about it, and Dane doesn't think that Enzo did anything really wrong. So it doesn't really matter what we have to say about it, because he's doing what Dean wants him to do. I guess that's different. Yeah,
Bridget
6:55
but hopefully we have more attempts for him. Like so far this season he has had. You know, some expected goals in that he's achieved enough forward momentum offensively to be expected to get a goal. Just not happened yet. And just because you have that statistic doesn't mean it happens in results. So here we are. However, I do think you brought up a great point about the goal that goes against us, because that's kind of where my wrath lies with. 1s And senior gets that worldie and you're
Kara
7:29
giving your wrath to Kaleena. Let me get. No. I'm kidding.
Bridget
7:33
No, I do think that was an absolutely tough one for Carolina. So no, I don't think that goes against him.
Kara
7:38
But I mean, poor dude. I mean, I don't really think many goalies could stop that. I like to say that I think Spider George could because he's he's a little bit more mobile and clean. And we know clean is not our most, most like flexible mobile wing. But Georgia doesn't have the height either. So I don't really think he he might I don't know but clean it for all. I mean he tried. There just was nothing he could do on that one. There was nothing. So and he did stop a couple. I thought one of the cutest moments, like you said, was when he kissed the ball, when he saved it that one time and then kissed it. I thought that was super cute.
Bridget
8:07
So yeah, I thought the most challenging saves this this match came from Carolina. To be honest, I don't think our attempts on Toronto's goal really resulted in actual good saves, even though statistics say that come from that. A better game than Galena? No. To meet Carolina pulled off the most difficult save of the entire match. That's not who my wrath goes to, unfortunately. It's a soft breath to me. Mind goes to Scotty Arfield, he comes on for Tavares. And so he's kind of playing kind of a more midfield but also winger role, which is a little bit different than when he's come in for. And I just think that maybe it was to add more defensive power on that side of the pitch, because Toronto at that point had had a lot of momentum continuously attacking us, and the second half they were the more dangerous team is pretty obvious. But in the world that in senior commits, our field is just one step. He lets him get on that better right foot and he gives him just a tad too much room. So he's able to get that kick off and he needed to be faster. Again, it's soft. We know that our field is not going to be the fastest on the pitch, but I think that's where, you know, he's got a lot of knowledge, he's got a lot of skill and he's communicating and trying to make sure everyone is covering the right people. But in this one, I think him just being a tad half second too slow meant that it meant that he could get that shot off. And that's also his talent too. So I mean, in seniors
Kara
9:49
and seniors going to insignia, I don't
Bridget
9:52
think anyone can deny that,
Kara
9:53
Scott. I don't know, Scotty's going to if Scott is going to be the super sub that we say he's going to be, I'm going to need him to come out and be the super sub that we say is going to be. I don't think you did anything too too bad today. I just don't think he contributed that. Great. And we have a lot of people that are going to come in in that spot in the midfield. So you need to rise and shine to your position because once we get that Donny. Right. I don't know how to say Donnie like the water. Donnie. And we get him in here and then Bender comes back and then Broncos back. I mean, they're going to be a lot of a lot of depth there, and you're going to have to either super sub it up or you're going to not make the bench. So I just feel like like you said, it's not that he did something terrible, but it's kind of soft. But if you're going to come in as a sub, you need to pull your own weight.
Bridget
10:40
Right? So I think that small soft graph, I think the other half of a soft rap we could say, is those last final minutes where The Crown has an opportunity to try and create some forward momentum to get it something offensive off. So that we can potentially answer back for Toronto's goal. Like for some reason they can't get anything out of the back line, possibly because of the change from Erso to Petkovic. So Petkovic gets his debut, which is great, but I think also that changed up what style that they were playing and moving the ball up the pitch. Maybe because Toronto is really digging in and creating that wall, trying to break those lines so that we can't pass it forward or we're forced to pass it along. But either way just we couldn't move it forward. We were kind of stuck. And I think that can't happen because that's what we saw.
Kara
11:35
And not the fault of the midfield though, in that in the midfield vault. Right.
Bridget
11:39
Because of that's what I'm saying because Urso came out for Petkovic, came in. I don't think the midfield had issues with the entire game, but I think in those final minutes we were not able to progress the ball from the backline into the midfield, up to the forwards and I think either we needed to make that long ball to pass and continuously have him press Rorsted, who was already on a yellow, or we needed to have more people in the midfield or more people move to the ball, instead of just being stuck so far back that they couldn't get a ball through Toronto. Hmm.
Kara
12:14
I think I'm gonna have to give a small breath to Charoen. I just think that he doesn't track his guy. Like he said last week, I noticed a couple of times he wasn't tracking what he's syncing or whatever the heck this dude's name is. He wasn't tracking him. And it's just something I noticed about Kerr when his defense isn't on par. So it leaves burn, burn, burn out there to dry. And so I have to give a small one to Vardy because I'm gonna need him to step up there.
Bridget
12:43
Right. And at least this match he does stay up with the defensive line so that they are able to catch. I think you're right. It is in senior who is caught offside. So he is able to at least stay up with the defense. Catch him offside in that call. But you're right he even in that moment he should also be tracking the runner at least behind him, trying to come after the play so that he can challenge him should the offside call not get caught. It's a vulnerability for sure. Yeah,
Kara
13:12
it's not that he can't do it. It just seems like he for some reason slows down and he loses it. And once he's off, like once he's off pace with the guy, he just he doesn't try to fix it. You know, he just
Bridget
13:23
he doesn't circle back to to to play defense. Right,
Kara
13:27
right. And it ends up even burn out there having to like or whoever to have to like hail Marriott or kick the ball out of bounds or do something to try to counteract it. And it's like, dude, you gotta help them out some. They can't do it all. The last thing we want him to do is get in the box and they try. They're really good at that. So let's
Bridget
13:47
go into some positives. Yeah,
Kara
13:49
let's do some positives. Do you want to do your favorite first or do you want me to you
Bridget
13:52
go okay well I'm going to favor my favorite from last year. The guy that's won me over my eternal flame. Um, but in a good way. Burny burn. I think he. Last week, I told you I didn't see him very much. He just wasn't noticeable. He doesn't wear a bright colored shoes, which is a problem for me, but whatever. And but he's out there, and he was doing what he had to do. But this week I saw him. But maybe it's because they were being trailed in the their defensive line. But he was out there making saves, doing
Kara
14:25
heroes stuff. He's not done doing what he had to do last year that that that other coach made him do, um, by running up the field as much. But he's playing defense this year and I'm seeing his defensive skills more and he's controlling them and not getting those crazy fouls like he did last year. So this week I'm going to give it to him. Um, my burn burn, Nathan burn.
Bridget
14:48
Yeah I think that is a big thing that we have seen from last year. This year the big comparison was like first few matches of the year. Burn was not his normal self from the fall where we're like, you know, top notch. And he had some questionable. 1s Matches and whether that's the coach's fold and the the lineup that we were playing, how we were, how he was directing the entire team to play, that could be part of it. However, I haven't seen any of that this season, which is fantastic and it hasn't negatively impacted Byrne. He is able to consistently keep that quality and bail out the backline. I thought today he particularly had great opportunities to try and cross things into the box. They don't come off, but he does create some chances, but he also takes a lot of fouls on him where we are able to get opportunities and I think 1 or 2 of them for a set piece by Byrne. So I mean that skill is not to be miss valued because I think sometimes, you know, depending on where he's at, that's a great set piece opportunity that we're able to take from him. Just knowing and having those that education and that smartness to be able to take those fouls. And turn them into something that we can make, try and make happen. So
Kara
16:14
a foul equals a set piece.
Bridget
16:16
It can. Yes. If it is
Kara
16:19
a I'm trying to learn what that pieces are because I threw I threw in Deano off in the press conference this week. I asked him about Olympiakos and he didn't know what Olympic I was. And then that made me feel ridiculous because, you know, I don't know everything. And I was just reading the question that Cara gave me. But good to know that it wasn't. I didn't say anything wrong. But anyway, he said something about it being a set piece. So everybody's been talking about these set pieces, and I don't know what a set piece is. I thought a set piece was when you had like a strategy, like a plan, like you have a piece of paper and you say, okay, this is the formation we're going to do, and this is how we're going to row. And I thought that was a set piece, but that's not it.
Bridget
16:55
Set piece can come off a either the ball goes out of play or the referee stops the play for a foul or misconduct, or maybe he gets hit 1s by the ball. Either way, it can be an opportunity to score a goal. I think the. The difference here sometimes is when it happens in your opponent's half, that's a set piece. So it can be a corner kick. It can be a free kick, it can be a throw in. It can potentially be a penalty kick. However, the point of it is to advance and for you to be able to make a goal scoring opportunity from that dead ball.
Kara
17:34
Okay, I'm thinking of it. I guess I was thinking of it like 1s like watching football or watching like Ted Lasso when they had like the board up there and they're like, this is the we're the formation we're going to need is and this is the play we're going to use. So I thought that was a set piece. So everybody's talking about the set piece mess. And I was like, I was totally thinking the wrong thing. And it's good to know. Now
Bridget
17:54
you're not quite wrong because on a set piece, you do have plays that you can run to try and confuse your opponent. That's why you'll see oftentimes, I was watching Miranda today, running circles around the goalkeeper on a set piece for a corner. I love it. And so he was just dude just circling around, circling around. So you do have things where they try to set up like a block where they're trying to block, um, the defense out so that someone else then has the space, has the room either for the shot or to come in and dribble and, and then take a shot. So it is an opportunity for something a little different rather than just open play,
Kara
18:34
Dean said. They practice them. They're doing a lot of practicing on those.
Bridget
18:37
Yeah, and I think the important thing too, here to note is this partially runs into some of my favor.
Kara
18:45
So why don't you just tell us your favor so we can go ahead and talk
Bridget
18:48
about? I was going to talk about it too.
Kara
18:50
And I'm like, well, I don't want to bring it up, because if I bring it up, what I want to say, then it's going to ruin her favor. So anyway, Kara, what's her who's your favor?
Bridget
18:57
The man who impressed me today's match is Yara Aronian. I just really enjoyed his play today. It was fantastic. I really do think that the reason that Bernardeschi doesn't get as many opportunities, even though he does have a pretty good game, is because Aronian is trying to shut him down. He is really tracking him on that side and was consistently defending taking fouls, unfortunately forcing corners. But still it better than it be an attempt at a cross into the box. Just his play today was just outstanding for all of his defense, especially for such a quality player as Bernardeschi. So you know we've seen him get goals against us. And you know, both him and and senior are dangerous players and Ronan is just able to really stay up with the most dangerous players, just like we saw last season with Messi. So one of the fantastic things about that is just his defensive quality is top notch. We didn't have that for most of last year and now we're just really seeing that consistency come out of that left back spot. But he also brought some really amazing quality to those corner kicks and that other set piece that he was able to then fire in to attempt to fire into the goal for Toronto.
Kara
20:25
It has so much power behind that kick, man. Oh my gosh, it was such a beauty. It would have just been a little bit oh my gosh.
Bridget
20:33
Like he had a shot attempt before that just it doesn't come off. But
Kara
20:38
normally the back line people do. They normally take the corner kicks.
Bridget
20:42
I mean it really depends. Do you remember what Fuchs did? I mean, Fuchs was a kick taker, okay. He took some really excellent free kicks, but he was also really key in those corner kicks and in throw ins, like his throw ins were just amazingly long. But Ronin, for that same quality of player, does have that ability and skill set in those free kick opportunities. He just
Kara
21:04
seems to be involved in every single play in a good way, not in a way that he's hindering it or trying to showboat or any of that. He's just in it to win it. And so it's amazing where he's all over the place doing everything, and he's doing it with a smile on his face. He doesn't even get frustrated. Like he doesn't even like when he missed that kick. He didn't get mad. Like some people like Enzo with a pout. He just giggles, you know what I mean? And smiles and just runs and you're like, how do you not love that? Like, how do you not just. Want to have that person on your team. So we're lucky we have him. Yeah.
Bridget
21:40
No, that's just one of the things that I pick out too. Yeah. Because
Kara
21:43
the Bernardeschi, he was giving him a hard time. He did not like he did not like it at all. And it was fun because I don't like Bernardeschi. So the way he's able to take some of those tackles and not get a yellow card, I think is also kind of brilliant, as his IQ in that defensive stance is such a quality that I wish, I hope he's able to like pass on to some of our younger players, studying him and watching him and playing with him, because just he's able to read those lines and read what to do, you know, and when an offense is coming against us. But his smile too, it just it makes me so happy. I know when we're doing terrible and he's up there smiling, I'm like, oh, I just want to give him a hug. Sorry that a man wouldn't say that. I do realize that. Yeah, but that's just what I feel in the moment. Oh, you just love. Love is contagious. It's contagious. Like happiness. It's like he is. He's enjoying doing what he wants to do, as opposed to some of our past players that just had that evil look on their face, you know, might it just might have been there. Look, this one, he's always happy. I'm not gonna say who I think I'm talking about, but either way, you know, it's it's good to see that he's smiling all the time. And then you got him. And I can't wait till you get Bender back, because Bender is out there flopping his head around and looking a hundred times. And then you got, you know, Privett over here looking like a little boy school boy over there. So we just had this little young team out there. And then you literally have Sheamus at 16 out there running around.
Bridget
23:11
Going back to the reason I think Yoda is taking some of these set pieces because before it would be Carol, right? It would be Carol taking a corner.
Kara
23:19
Well, Westwood took them before
Bridget
23:21
I'm. Carol would be taking those free kicks too. So I think having Jerry there and Carol gone now is giving a little more opportunity because I think, yes, Westwood is one of the ones who's been taking them as well. But just that corner. I think. I think Gary could get an Olympic help.
Kara
23:40
I do, I was. I was kind of hoping he did today just so I could tell Dina after the thing. That's what it is, you know? But then it's just amazing. Like, I don't know why, but at this Toronto game, it seems like we have more corners than any other game. Like, what is it about playing Toronto that you have that many corners? Like? I don't feel like any other game we played has that many corners and we did it last year, but I thought it was because of the wind. But the wind wasn't that big a deal this year and we still had them. It was insane. I just thought about that because I was just what I want to give it a little, little minor favor to prove it. I think he did good. He almost scored a goal and I was like, dude, if he scores a goal, we were beyond care because, you know, we said Milan. We told Milan he was going to score. He did. And then when it would have done and I'd been like we told, prove it too. So we're just going to keep going down the line telling people who's going to score. And he always did on that set piece. So I was really excited about that. And then towards the end of the game, I guess I found out because I wasn't I was a little hot at the end of the game, but he got in a little tussle. Somebody was tussling him and the team stood up for him and everything and cleaner got that yellow card. So I'm excited. I gotta give Colleen a little fave for the yellow card because I always like it when I go legacy yellow. You know, me and goalies half off to cleaner for that. Ashley just said they was all standing up for Privett at the end. You got to stand up for the little boy. I mean their teammate. I thought that was kind of cool, but I think it's holding it down. He's just one of those guys that's like, not flashy, but he's doing his job this year. He's a midfielder that went back and playing CB. Now I'm hanging in there with the big boys.
Bridget
25:12
Yeah, I thought Privett had a great match. He got off some long balls up front that were some good attempts. Uh, key pass. I think he had a good match defensively as well. It was really nice to see that the team really stuck up for him, both in the time during the match and after the match. It ended and there was still some attitudes happening.
Kara
25:36
Instead of shaking hands, we was going to fight. It was good times
Bridget
25:39
to the Toronto players at the end, like pick a fight with Privett and it's like I'm not backing down right here. And so I really love that, you know, because
Kara
25:48
so Colina comes in, it's like, what you messing with my boy. Don't play with me. And then Westwood obviously has to jump into because you know he has to be up in that feistiness I like it I like
Bridget
25:58
it. Yeah. You really want to see your your leaders especially sticking up, um, for your younger players, that is key to having a team really feel like a team. And I think we had that more, more than once this
Kara
26:12
match. I think Milan got into it one time with somebody. That was good times.
Bridget
26:16
Yeah. And I think Westwood also stuck up for someone else who got a foul. Was that the one where our field was getting a foul as well?
Kara
26:25
Yeah, I think so. I just know Westwood's always sticking up. I think it's great. I mean he knows like I told you last time, he knows when to calm it down. Like he gets feisty. But he like he borderlines out like red card line like. But he doesn't get it. So it's like okay, yeah, I'm going to do what I got to do, but I'm not going to get kicked out because my team's going to need me.
Bridget
26:43
There's some other small notes that I think were great about this match. One of them was we did not know that Junior Urso also does gymnastics, so congratulations to him. I'd really like to see some sort of like, I don't know, competition between him and Byrne because I think both of them have some skills there and
Kara
27:01
I'm not sure when you gotta add them all. I told you last year that that's one of that's the hobbies that they do in their spare time is I mean, when we when we was at the facility, they didn't show us the gymnastics room, but I think that they have that that's their hidden room. And you can only get in there if you get special codes. And so we know now that Erso has that code.
Bridget
27:20
People are going to believe you. 6s Oh, I think you're right. I think one of my favorite moments was when collina did kiss the ball. I think that I really appreciated Miranda's kick that went up sky high and
Kara
27:37
I was like, we got a
Bridget
27:39
view. Uh, we got a beautiful view of the city of Toronto. How nice was that? So I appreciated that during the match. I think some of the negatives were there were some yellow cards that were absolutely missed by the referee that should have gone to Toronto, that were really unfortunate. That was a yellow miss for Rossi, who comes into the second half for Kevin Long. And if he'd had gotten that one, he'd have been on double yellow because he does another foul that earned him a yellow. And so I think the referee was not consistent on card. That's one of the questions that we asked the coach after the match was, did he think the amount of yellows that Charlotte received versus what Toronto earned was deserved, because it just seemed a little disjointed on what Charlotte was awarded as opposed to what Toronto was awarded, especially when Toronto has had like the most yellow cards this season so far. And what is this guy doing that he's he's not awarding them. And then he turns around and does. And it's all kind of on Charlotte's side. And so that consistency was really disappointing. I think Tavares unfortunately does not have a good match this game. He was better in the second half. He's trying to be a little bit creative. I'm not sure if it's just because the ball doesn't come down that side or who was on him, but he just doesn't have a good match, so hopefully he'll be able to make a difference against Nashville, or will we're able to have our new person come in and we'll cover that in just a second. But I think Diarra has a better game today than any game he's played so far. What do you think about Diarra here? I don't think he did. I don't know, I just didn't think he did enough. I thought the injury was going to be someone lied to me. Danny was all the talk show last year when I said, who's going to be our mercy? And he said, the injury and I'm sorry, but that's not not right. I mean, granted, the injury runs more than grandpa does, but I just don't see him making the plays that the grandpa makes. And I know you can't be him, but I respect I have high expectations for Brecht, and I just don't think he's pulling that. And I don't think he's making the plays happen. I don't know what the what the problem is. I expected him to be all feeding the ball to Enzo and.
Kara
29:54
I just don't see it. So I'm gonna have to. Maybe he's doing better. And he did the last two games, but I didn't see him doing crap the last two games either.
Bridget
30:02
If you notice, when Adrian came on like they do have some sort of he does try to get the ball to Pat, but it just doesn't quite go off there because they don't have that chemistry yet. I don't think they've really practiced together too much. I think it is mostly Enzo, and I do think that there is an assist attempt, that he does pass the ball to Enzo, but it's not. Enzo doesn't get a good attempt on it, and honestly, I think DRC should have just taken it himself. And so that might have been just him not wanting to be again, selfish, but with the talent we know he's supposed to have like don't don't look to Enzo for that. Enzo had three men on him. The aura was completely open in the 18. Take that shot. And I think that's part of the problem that we just didn't have this match. I mean,
Kara
30:52
DeAndre is our second highest paid player right now until, well, maybe not now that we got our new guy or two of our new guys. I don't know what Danny gets paid, but he's got it, gets a lot of money and I'm just expecting to have expectations for that and running around on the field, just running around, it's not going to do it for me. So I'm not saying he's the worst. I mean, I don't think there's any bad, bad guys out there to be honest. I just expected more out of him, have higher expectations.
Bridget
31:18
Well, I would say like I didn't get obviously what we watched this match back since this is Saturday night that we're
Kara
31:24
recording, we actually doing this early. I think the way that Breck Price today was a lot more visible than he has been, and I do think he was really trying to be that connection into the offensive attempts. But the things he does don't end up being maybe because of whoever's on the end of it or him not taking those shots, but I think he needs to take more shots. I think if he's got to be that open, he's got to take them. And unfortunately, having Luke Gavron in goal today meant that we should have taken advantage of him being the second string goalkeeper and being so young. I think they said he's like 24, why didn't we take more shots on him? We did. It should have been
Bridget
32:07
something that we should have done a lot. Even though he is what they said, six six in height, I really wanted to see. I think there was an attempt where it ends up going to competitors and challenging competitors, challenging the goalkeeper on a header. If that was Pat, because Pat is so tall and big, I think that would have been, oh, too bad we don't have magic ourselves that, Westwood quoted of insignia. So there's just some there's just some things where it didn't laugh for us. It just didn't work for us today. Well,
Kara
32:39
we have a new guy coming so we can tell the good things we do. We do. And without this new guy, I thought we thought Enzo was going to be our magic last year. So I'm hoping that this guy is definitely going to be our magic. He is, they say, the one of the best signings that the team has ever. Done in our three years. That's what the rumor is. He's our highest one that we went out and paid for. And, Carrie, you want to say his name or you want me to say it?
Bridget
33:05
Let you go first. See if you can remember what we did beforehand. I'm gonna try. And I'm gonna say Lyle Abada. Yeah, our new right winger, uh, blah blah, blah, blah, blah
Kara
33:18
blah, uh, but uh uh, but, uh, I'm gonna love saying that name, but, uh, is that how you say it?
Bridget
33:25
Yeah, I think so. But. Leo.
Kara
33:28
Leo. Not Leo. Like. No. Leo.
Bridget
33:33
Leo. Not. Leo. Leo.
Kara
33:35
Leo I was saying Leo.
Bridget
33:37
Leo. Yeah,
Kara
33:39
that's that's a redneck version of it. Like,
Bridget
33:42
that's your American version. Um.
Kara
33:45
Leo. Abra.
Bridget
33:47
Yeah. So it'll be really interesting to see the entire stadium say his name when that happens. When he has a starting match for the crown, that'd be hilarious.
Kara
33:57
Johnny's first name your bro Gabriel? No, that's going to be a fun one when the announcer has to say it because he can't even say his name. He can't say Brett. Right? So I can't wait till he has to say that. That's gonna be good.
Bridget
34:10
Uh, I don't think we're one to talk.
Kara
34:13
So that's why I don't announce at the Charlotte FC games, because first of all, they would never allow it. And second of all, they don't want me announcing names just like some of these other people that don't. I don't think I could do it anyway because you can't be in you can't cheer. You can't cheer in the press box. So that would suck for me. And I get kicked out the first day. So they try to keep me away. They're like, stay far away anyway,
Bridget
34:39
at least of the other. The podcasts. We try to get the names right, right. We know we've been doing it for a while, and, uh, there's some others who have been going longer than us, and they they don't pronounce things, but we do. 1s We do try. But yeah, it'll be really exciting to see what Leo will bring to the crown, because, you know, he's supposed to be a really talented winger. He's fast. He is a type of player who goes into the box and scores. Essentially. That's exactly what we need. Instead of cross and PRI type of wingers, which we typically had, I think he will lend a certain amount of creativity, maybe even some of the same creativity that we've been noticing from Tavares and from Kerwin that we're used from from the past. But he brings it in a higher caliber of player. So it'd be really exciting if and when he does get to debut, which hopefully both Diani and Abada will come into the Columbus match at home at least. And I do think we should also hope to see Grant Veronica at least come back in the next two games as well. So to kind. To have a little more depth.
Kara
35:55
They said that Donny might play in Nashville. Great. Well, not that he played, but he'd be ready by then. And then they said Abdul might be ready by Cincinnati. I don't know if that's before Columbus or after. I don't know, because it takes a minute. And then also Brandt, he said. Dean said the other day that Brant had to get some minutes before he could come back playing for the first team, and someone said, well, what does that mean, minutes wise? Does that mean playing for the legacy? And he said, it's either playing for the legacy or them scheduling some extra practice games with a team, which I don't see that happening. So I have a feeling that we're going to see Brant Bronco play in the opening match for The Legacy.
Bridget
36:30
Sure could be. Yeah, Columbus comes first. So we have Nashville, then Columbus and then Cincinnati in the next couple Saturdays coming
Kara
36:38
up. Yeah, they said that they should they should probably be ready by Cincinnati,
Bridget
36:43
which is at the end of the month. So we'll be able to see what happens soon. But yet on to Nashville and onto our matchup with our former crown player Mackenzie Gaines. So I'm hoping they let him start that match against us. He's had a so far, great debut and good games as a Nashville player, and it'll be our first matchup with a former Charlotte player on the other side. So I don't know what to make of that. But you know, I'm a McKenzie fan, so but in this case I'm always
Kara
37:21
around. I'm scared of Nashville because I feel like they're a really good team. They they played really well against Inter messy the other night and Miami was really hard team to play. They were very feisty, very evil. They didn't get calls that they should have got called, but Nashville held their own and I think honestly, Nashville would have won it if they wouldn't have called that week for a messy at the end. But I'm kind of scared. Nashville is very aggressive as well. I think that we can do it off because I'm going to have faith in our team. But Nashville is a tough team to play, but definitely tough to play on the road. So they're going to need all the the fans there. I think they're taking a fan conglomerate this week and so they need all the fans there. They need all the cheering, all the positive vibes going out that way.
Bridget
38:07
Yeah, the danger in the Miami game came from Spielberg and that he got two goals right out the gate, one in the first half, the fourth minute and then in the 47th minute in the second half. So I think the answer to Nashville is just be ready for them to, you know, bring it immediately from the start of the match. Like you have got to have your defense on point. You've got to be awake. You've got to be quick and alert in those moments against Nashville. And so that I think, is a big danger. But we've also seen when we play Nashville in the past that we've given away penalties in key moments that have allowed Andy Mukhtar to score. He doesn't miss penalties, so don't be creating penalties against. So because that's where it's really got us and that's where we've lost matches. We did have one really awesome match against Nashville where we did win. Mhm. But other times they've been able to take advantage of our mistakes. And that's really what I'm hoping we can prevent as we go visit there. I think
Kara
39:13
we're doing better in that category. Granted we've had how many games now. Three. But I think so far this year it looks more positive, it looks more positive and that we're learning from our mistakes. And we're not out there making multiple mistakes every game. Like, yeah, we might have one mistake here and there that cost us, but we don't have like last year, I felt like it was like, oh crap. So once I made this, oh man, you know, I was like, we're getting hit all game this time. It's kind of more solid, like, okay, calm it down. So I think we have a chance. Obviously I'm going to root for us really big time. But anything else you got to say?
Bridget
39:46
Look for some more news hopefully this week about some returnees and on to Nashville.
Kara
39:53
Be on the lookout. We have some great interviews coming up with some ladies from the Charlotte FC team and some other places. And so we're excited about that, and we hope to celebrate all the women that have led the way so that we could have this podcast. So thank you and hope everybody has a great week. Bye
Bridget
40:10
bye. Thank you for listening.