WILL ALEXEY MIRANCHUK FIT INTO ATLANTA UNITED AND MLS? | FIVE STRIPE WEEKLY #328

Intro welcome to five sh weekly Alexi miru has arrived what can we expect getting all that more coming up before we get into it become part of the notification Squad by hitting the Bell next to the Subscribe button on YouTube Welcome to the show 5fm I'm AJ and this is Michael and Atlant United again are in an off week we have the LA Galaxy match coming up over the weekend but yes plenty of news to go over but before we do we must give some major shouts out to our loyal patreon fam uh and specifically Gavin Jordan Nile Andrew and Chris you guys are legends but uh yes so let's get into U22 Model the news and uh first bit of news is that El United selected the u22 model for the rest of the MLS season uh so uh teams around MLS had the choice of either three senior DPS or uh four u22 DPS uh and basically that would make it to where you only have two DPS and so uh we chose the four DDP U or the four u22 slots still DP that's the Miami syst system that you're talking I know right exactly 4 DPS uh or the lafc version but uh yeah if you're talking about uh anine Griezmann showing up there but uh yeah so essentially we chose the 2 DP 4 u22 slots and 1 million in gam and a whole lot of overthinking probably for uh a lot of the the front office probably but uh yeah I mean the gam probably is super useful and that's probably why we chose it that way especially when we seemingly couldn't really find that third DP to really uh you know kind of solidify the window we of course covered it last week where uh you know the uh the strikers that we wanted just it didn't seem like it was the move so uh sharov uh was not the guy and uh you know whether we actually use two you or for U2 two uh spots is going to be interesting uh I mean do you anticipate maybe if you know one of maybe Franco abara or Santiago Sosa if they ball out you know maybe it's uh we keep one of them and then uh you know figure that out like what what do you think uh is the thinking behind all of this um let see if I can assemble my thoughts correctly about this this but there is a there is a method to this madness um obviously everyone wanted to see 3dps cuz that's the direction that was indicated that we'd be going in um however I think that that with the way things played out I don't think that that was the smarter move at this time um I think next year because you have to restate this at the beginning of your season so when they have when they do it for next year um they will be probably picking the 3dp model cuz that's that's in line for you know where they want to go um ultimately with that they're going to want to have the three full DPS um ultimately right now they know that they're not going to be able to get that they weren't able to slash it didn't line up they couldn't get the right guys that they were targeting um and they don't want to rush it uh so they are holding off and if you're going to hold off you might as well make a little money on the side by getting that million dollars of gam and then you know playing with your four um u22 slots so you know will iaro or Sosa come back I have no idea um if they ball out then why not sell them but you know if they are good enough and if it meshes with with kind of what the next coach is planning on doing um then I wouldn't feel you know it would not begrudge me at all if we gave them a shot um there's a lot of you know bad blood with a bar so I would be surprised with him but with Sosa it's a possibility um I believe I've been hearing he's been doing all right uh where he's at um I mean it's kind of a trend for it seems like a lot of L United players are doing pretty good uh after they they uh leave the club so well not they're loaned out but you know what I mean um but in the brao as well in Brazil uh yeah you see alen Franco you see there a lot of guys brail yeah I mean obviously Thiago so so yeah I mean there is that um yeah I mean and so it's like maybe there is some rock roster mechanism that you can take advantage of uh right before the season ends fully in uh I guess the calendar year rather in 2024 where yeah if you have 4 DPS well then you don't necessarily have to get rid of some players immediately you can have a little bit of flexibility before you do make that uh you know DP uh that third DP spot uh official Maybe in January so uh you know some uh accounting things probably that you know we could possibly take advantage of also Doubts there there are doubts uh that that I have about the actual uh the cleverness of them actually choosing this so we'll see you know uh because you know we've uh we've seen that the front office hasn't been so clever and we have been hamstrung by pretty poor decisions where yeah we uh we give way too much money to players that are not deserving of those wages nor that those transfer fees but so uh you know we will see but uh yeah next bit of news is that Alexi Alexi Miranchuk miranchuk he has received his visa and uh he has arrived in training he will wear number 59 and yes uh the uh supporters groups were at the training grounds this week and uh yeah he on his first day got to you know pretty much warm up train and uh say hi to the fans uh and yeah it seemed like that's a pretty good uh kind of I think welcoming parade uh you know for a new player probably one of the more unique uh you know first days for a a player uh you know for the the very first day on the training ground so uh definitely good to see that um and he was able to speak with the media we will get to that but uh there was the end of the transfer window um by Boer Negra where he kind of gave a little bit of um you know the I guess reasoning for why he did or didn't do some of the stuff and uh yeah I realized now I probably should have kept the Mir and truck uh news for just a little bit later after these things but you know what we're doing this live so it's all good live as you can be on a podcast but uh yes anyway so bocanegra he spoke with the the press and he said that uh yeah uh as far as you know being asked okay if not having a manager was the reason for the club not moving forward with the sign he said that wasn't the case uh boegger was also asked uh if uh you know what he meant by finding a player that wasn't the right fit uh he said I want to be 100% clear this had zero to do with a financial impact or financial situation ultimately we want to be stewards of the club and do what's right for our team when a player's not the right fit we have to pause or not make that decision to move forward and then on adding a striker he said uh yeah he felt like there wasn't a right fit didn't want to force anything that would lock the club in for a long time and uh quote when you don't get a right feeling you don't want to force it through uh quote unquote nothing to do with a player being too expensive though and I mean yes you know we we we'll get to to maybe dissecting this but you know that just right off the bat I'm like I have some thoughts there but uh anyway uh but Atlant United did uh they did acquire an international slot and uh that was post haste of the actual transfer window ending and so uh yeah there is a possibility that a free agent could be uh be brought in but uh apparently according to fipe cardus uh yeah I mean he he pontificated that it would appear that they weren't pursuing any bigname free agents Anthony martial Memphis depay uh so you know uh it is just definitely uh as far as a kind of a a thing here where okay yeah as well bocanegra he mentioned about uh Miguel mirron and the interest that Miguel mrrone had uh with Charlotte apparently Al Myron's agent had a conversation with bocanegra and uh yeah they spoke about him definitely interesting very very interesting that uh that was the case and they said no essentially uh but uh yeah and also uh Tom Boger did mention about the uh aliron transfer fee that uh It ultimately wasn't 27 million it was closer to 20 million and it was initially a 19 million uh initial uh fee with add-ons and a sellon clause so uh lots to unpack there which part do you want to tackle first for me I feel like it's the striker but uh for me it's recency bias so I'll just go with almeron at his jersey right there um he's uh you know like we talked about how you know I'm just happy he's not coming to MLS for like a a regional rival and just Scorch us that would be the darkest of timelines of course uh so that's a great bullet that we dodged there um and you know I don't know what their conversation was like with between the agent and bocanegra but I mean obviously if you have another team you know uh talking to this this type of player that came from us you You' have to expect that we would also be on the phone to at least figure out what's going on here um it's just like almost as like they're coming in and stepping on our toes um so you know at least we had a little bit of a hand in things um we weren't just like blindsided all of a sudden migy shows up in a Charlotte Jersey and just whoops our butts like that would be it's like and then a lot of people I saw on social media it's like Charlotte is engaging Miggy pick up the phone front office like a lot of people were saying that and I you know I can see why that they're like you know you have to at least be talking and so at least it seems like they were so either way it didn't materialize you know so that's good for us um skin of the teeth I feel like with that I mean cuz I mean okay if if Bokus said no I mean I have to know why because yeah if if it is someone that yeah it's like okay yeah you wonder where maybe he plays or whatnot but man you have a pretty fluid front uh four at that point and you know essentially Saba playing on the left possibly and then you know Miggy on the right uh maybe it's you know not utilizing everybody in their best spaces but I feel like there are some there's like I mentioned fluidity that we could make that happen and especially negotiating with Darren eels you know I think it should be fairly easy uh or easier I mean I would hope that banega has eels on speed dial but you know and uh you know the agents obviously they've spoken before so it's like it it really is perplexing and yeah it it really took basically it seemed like uh you know something in the last hour uh you know kind of saying okay no it's not going to happen to uh to Charlotte for for Miggy so yeah definitely concerning but uh yeah you you're going to touch on another money part the money part too like I don't really care that much I mean we submitted it as being the you know the lead League leading transfer record and as long as MLS is cool with that and they just hold it as that I don't care if yeah like that's kind of on them to do their due diligence we are a franchise of the league they should know whether or not like what the transfer you know number was and if they want to represent it as 27 or whatever the heck it was and and it was more like 19 plus you know to 20 with you know add-ons and things like that like I I don't really care if we're just if we cuz like we have like the top like we have like three in the top five in terms of transfers in MLS so like it it's not going to hurt me if like we move down a notch or something like that we're we're clearly a top team when it comes to that so you know I I don't really care that that's kind of not a big deal for me right no I agree fully um yeah let's let's get to the striker talk where Striker Talk basically uh he said when you get it you know when you don't get a right feeling you don't want to force it you know force it through I think you were definitely pontificating that maybe we should bring it alone for a player and you know that didn't materialize and you know just to to have somebody that can at least uh you know kind of fill the gap you know this team needs goals like we need some some really good ball striking in front of goal we need to be clinical and we haven't been that all season and I'm not sure that we' like yes we found a Creator so we have more chances but again who's going to finish these chances I mean Rios uh you know has been uh pretty decent uh in a pretty good run of form but how long can you keep it up we have no idea like he you know he's kind of hopped around team team from Team for a reason and so you know you do have those issues and then uh TR as well you know kind of an unknown uh quantity fully so yeah I feel like you know at the very least yes a shortterm type of player to bring in even if I think is still something that can be done and you don't have to be tied down for entire uh entire you can do an option you know if they perform great you know bring in another attacker essentially but you know uh what What's your thought about uh you know saying you know not not the right fit not the right time maybe revisit it yeah if the Credence Talk usbekistan guy wasn't the right fit I I heard that I don't know how much you know Credence I give this but it's you know I've heard that he wanted did like in a permanent move he didn't want to do alone and obviously we're not that kind of would be in align with what bokeh said we don't want someone like that uh to be you know our number nine for a long period of time um we were looking for shortterm um because eventually we'd want to get a number nine that's going to be here for a long time and he was right in his prime and everything like that um so I'm I think that that was the right decision I wouldn't want to get you know bogged down by someone who doesn't fit perfectly um over a long period of time so that's that's ultimately I think was the right decision there what bothers me was a bit of a heads scratcher why we couldn't find someone who'd be willing to do the loan for you know either like a half a season or something like that I just that's strange to me I don't really and like if we were just going after the usbekistan guy um and we put all of our eggs in the basket we we're trying to get deal over the over the Finish Line then he just kind of backed out or he kind of was like listen you need to have this needs to be a permanent transfer and we were like not um like how did that take so long and that it took up so much of your bandwidth that you weren't able to engage any other potential candidates for a loan um this is like you know like I said you put all your eggs in this one basket and then all of a sudden he says no to close to the deadline and then all of a sudden you're [ __ ] out of luck cuz you can't you don't have enough time to go and inquire for someone else so it just that seems weird to me maybe the front office their scouting their contract negotiation team is just spread too thin um because I guess they can only work on one guy at a time um but yeah it it just seems uh unfortunate that that if that's what happened you know we should be able to be talking to multiple candidates and trying to get multiple deals kind of close to the finish line and then kind of be able to pick where like you know which guy we want to go with um instead of being at the mercy of this you know random Striker uh you know it just we might be you know kind of shut out of any kind of playoff either contention or doing well in the playoffs because of it and that would be a pretty glaring error to me on the front office but I again if it's that they're short-handed like they literally just they can they can't really uh spread their forces out like that and they have to kind of just pick with one and hope it works like if that's the case then okay but I mean we talk about being a big club with a lot of money and it's like well we tried with this one guy it took us this long to do it and then at the very end he said no and now we're [ __ ] out of luck I'm like that doesn't seem like good business but then again I'm not a front office manager so right well it it didn't seem like that was the case uh in Transfer Talk the sense that there was of course the uh at least according to to LCA bendoni uh that yeah El United had been in negotiations with Rangers over a $6 million deal for their Striker serial ders uh and apparently the agreement between the clubs was close but the move wasn't agreed on the player side and who knows if they ran out of time or they just uh you know the player just said flat out no but uh definitely a good player I mean in the Scottish Premiership had 16 goals four assists in the 2023 season or the 2022 or yeah 2022 2023 season or yeah wait 2023 2024 season but uh yeah either way you know seems like a good player uh you know really strong finisher uh you know definitely a uh a player that's uh also I think has good passing strengths as well uh you know and can involve his teammates um you know maybe not the best presser maybe not the best uh type of uh kind of off the- ball player but uh it seems like yes you know of the the 15 players that apparently they were speaking with you know none of them materialized but this is the Crux of it like okay if you were speaking with 15 players I think Michael's Point still stands that you couldn't get one player over the line and especially when your Club ethos that you set out before the transfer window even started was that yes we were still trying to go for winning and getting into the playoffs and you know kind of making a mark in not only the leagues cup but uh you know trying to to make our Mark uh for the rest of the season and you guys only made one move and you know didn't I mean it addressed one bit like one out incomplete yeah but it didn't address the main Crux of this season which was we have not put the ball in the back of the net as much as we should and you know it's uh with a lot of the the season ticket uh holders you know there's been a good bit of falloff it seems like and you know I think for me the reasons why that they should at least have made uh both of the moves to on the kind of healthy uh I guess healthy bookwise uh for their you know profits and all that like yeah you probably want to keep as many season ticket holders as much as possible uh and not have you know as well uh maybe the people that are a little bit more casual and you know not your most fervent fans inside the stadium inside the uh the supporter section I think this is very important to have done and you didn't do it I mean what Contingency Plans Fail what it seems to me is like you know getting back to my point it's just that it seems that they you know plan a didn't work out plan B didn't work out plan C didn't work out like all of your contingency plans didn't really work out for Striker during this window um and that's just that worries me when even the contingency plans fail like again my point is it just doesn't seem like good business now obviously sometimes things happen outside of your control but that's hopefully why you have contingency plans but it just never nothing ever really came of it I mean I guess the plan is Rios and Jamal so there I guess there's that right but I think it's it's this it's like maybe it The Optics Dont Look Good does scream out that the Optics don't look that good because yes uh boka can say oh yeah it's not because you know we don't have a coach it's not because of money or any of that it's like yeah let's look at the facts here everybody knows how much are in our coffers we have nearly about uh you know we we spent you know almost maybe 15 for miranchuk and yeah we still have essentially 35 to play with for you know another player so they know we have the money uh and then you have the other bit is that yeah we don't have a coach so yes any player coming in I mean mancha keep maybe saw the the money who knows we'll get to that but uh you know maybe the other players they want to see a promising project and you know we'll speak with maybe something else that uh is in the news too that maybe people see a sinking ship a little bit like where's the excitement like they they can see the temperature of what the uh the fans are saying what the you know you it doesn't take much for a you know prospective player to just look at the comment section for the social media for the the club that they might join and just see what's going on and you know or an agent or whichever and it's like okay what's that like right now oh oh oh no like that's probably part of it and yes that's born out of their decision making in the front office and the club decision making so absolutely you know it's the bed that they've made and if you can't attract a player in a transfer window in the Summer where you have the plethora of choice then I don't I don't know what what else to tell you I mean I think I've pretty much said everything above We Are Looking Everywhere so I mean we're looking it everywhere it seems I mean you know we get we got people in the Turkish League like you know he's getting looking at Players Bean second division Georgia Scottish League yeah yeah like and and we're having trouble there like that's that seems strange that's that seems unfortunate for us seems hella sus but Dax McCarty Retires uh yeah so uh yeah one of the the major things uh and we'll get to uh miranchuk uh very soon but uh one of the things that came out this week Dax mccardy announced his retirement and he said quote it's been a hell of a ride but it will be over soon thank you doesn't even begin to do justice to all the people in my life who have helped me live my dream my cup is full but yes he will retire at the end of the 2024 season very very just storied MLS career and unfortunately yeah we couldn't get him his MLS Cup that uh he probably trying to come here for and yeah you know it's like kind of technically maybe two-thirds of the way in the season but yeah you know he saw the writing of the wall of okay yeah his wife was saying oh you know maybe it's just an anecdote and maybe it's just like you know kind of uh you know fun to tell possibly in a way but uh he mentioned that his wife called him out maybe he's getting a little bit of love handles but uh you know it's like broh like I don't I don't blame you if you know it's like you're feeling okay you know do I want to be part of another rebuild like yeah it's probably not that so he's probably like okay well this is probably the last ride the Last Dance yeah and this is his his his train stopped to get off and that's an Atlanta train joke right there yeah exactly so it's it's one of these things it's like yeah I mean wish him the very best seems like uh from a talking standpoint in his podcast uh you know it seems like he's he's got a future you know in a lot of different aspects in the sport anyway uh whether it's a coach or uh maybe as a broadcaster so yeah I hope he gets picked up as a broadcaster yeah and uh because yeah he seems to be able to talk about it very intelligibly and you know tell some anecdotes and really just uh be engaging and so you know I applaud it I I like it but uh definitely yeah hopefully he can you know just uh go out with uh kind of a an upswing at the very least with us because he has been is seeming like you know a model veteran and a player that's really trying to help La United but uh but yeah uh let's get into Miran truck and his press conference uh the first press conference of his NL United career and uh he started off with uh you know he was asked why he came here and he said because I love hip-hop and just gave that pause and he's he said I'm kidding I'm joking but to be honest the league is growing a lot of players quality players great players playing here many more coming uh so I played for four years in Europe I achieved everything that I want and when this opportunity comes to me when I get in I get to touch Carlos in Atlanta uh it's being translated so yeah you know and also uh English isn't his first language so you know phrasing but uh it's the right time and the right place to be we we'll go through each each one uh while we uh you know kind of like uh kind of react to each thing I think but uh love the hip-hop stuff that uh he's saying here and he does uh say like uh who his favorite rappers are future little baby Gunna uh Young Thug offset so definitely he knows Atlanta hip-hop so love that uh hopefully he knows a little bit of outcast as well because yeah you know that's the uh that's the history that's the you know that's the pedigree that's the uh that's where the South Stadium too exactly and that's where the South's got something to say but you know uh however you feel about those hi pop artist I think uh the the interesting bit is that you know he said he played four years in Europe and he achieved everything that he wanted to I mean yeah he won the Europa League but uh yeah I mean it's I wouldn't say he necessarily is like you know did he did he W did he really win everything that he wanted to did he do everything that he really wanted to in Europe like I mean is he coming here for a bag what do you think yeah I think he's coming here for a bag I he probably found that that's his level you know is being basically a super sub for a Europa team champion um which is not bad is very good but to say that that's like the crowning achievement that you can achieve in in Europe is obviously not true there's far better things you can do in Europe um so you know whether like you know he he didn't want to transfer to another team like let's say in the Prem or La Liga or something like that and then compete in the Champions League he clearly that wasn't in the cards for him I guess in his mind so he went you know um either I stay at this level in Europe or I can get the bag in America and um that's you know cuz in his mind I guess he's not getting any higher there so might as well get paid so I mean that I don't you know fault him for that that kind of calculus makes a lot of sense to me um and I just hope you know he can that level that he played out uh in Europe he can that translates to dominating here in MLS and I certainly hope so and I'm looking forward to see him hopefully maybe do a little bit of that on Saturday yeah cuz it was said that yeah you know he's one of the uh you know definitely in the top 10 of players that created the most chances uh in Europe you know obviously you know he was doing it in the Italian League it's a top five league for sure in the world uh and in Europa League where okay yeah maybe not as uh great of the competition uh it's not the the greatest competition in the land or anything but uh still a very high level uh but yeah you know it it seems like yeah okay you know he he realizes uh there's only so many chances that he can you know kind of utilize his talents to provide for his family and you know he found reasons why he could he could come here and you know hopefully have a good time and so you know hip hop being part of it and uh you know there is a pretty decent standard of living in uh Georgia I would say so there is you know some attracting factors that maybe you know Boko was able to do and uh you know with uh logger Way's uh help as well so we'll see but uh next bit was that he said uh as uh his strength as a player and uh his uh plan to impact this team he said uh I used to play or I'm used to playing in the offensive like number 10 or rightwing so obviously my position is to create the moments to create the moments key passes so I'm about to show everything on the field so yeah you know that I think we know about uh you know he plays a little bit more on the right side uh number 10 as well so saba and him will probably be a little bit more fluid in interchange uh and hopefully not take up too many of the same spaces and zones that uh we have seen to be a problem in the past with other players that we've had in the team so hopefully that is not going to be the case but uh yeah he also talked about uh winning the Europa League and um maybe the experience to impact this team and the club in general he said it was the best experience uh it will stay in my memory for all of my career my life the mentality and the mindset because we are the players we at the end of the day all that counts is the trophy or what you leave on the field so just to chase the trophy playing playoffs cup fighting for everything that's what I wanted to represent and uh you know kind of boiler plate of what you would expect someone to say there but um yeah it is his first time in the US apparently and uh so he did always want to learn this culture uh and to you know see other places he thinks it's the right place so he's saying the good things there so far um I think that let's come to the the interesting bit which is if he's watched some La United games and uh you know what did you think of them and he mentioned I watched a few games since I got in touch with Carlos and with Atlanta I started to discover a little it's completely different what I can see about possession and everything I'm looking forward to know more about the league in the championship and uh yeah he also said uh what I can see it's uh is straight from the TV it's a lot of running back and forth It's like straight football not really about possession and everything so you know definitely very interesting cuz he's noticing that we're playing a lot of Counterattack football being very direct uh not really trying to possess the ball right now which is kind of what Valentino ball is at the moment where you know we're not really prioritizing The Possession because we realize yes when we try to play out from the back or yeah we are trying to uh just kind of you know bury teams in their their final third it really hasn't been that effective we essentially get countered and yeah pretty much smashed and grabbed to death so you know I think he'll learn also maybe why we haven't been playing that way but uh yeah very very interesting that he's noticed that about us you know straight from the off but uh what are your thoughts on you know what he said here I think that um people and players What makes a dominant team uh you know anyone in general watches soccer can kind of tell what a dominant team in a league is by the way that they play when you have a team that is comfortable possessing and attack ATT in and what they're looking for in a player and in a squad is players that can break down Low Blocks um and then you know also players that can um you know fluidly get the ball through the different sections of the field um through possession and um linking up with their attack to finish it off like I think that they'll they they see that um in you know the higher level teams in leagues and when they when they when Mir sha looked at Atlanta he probably went oh this is not a this is not a top team in this league they are kind of more counterattacking which is usually a team that's um not on the front foot you know they're more they want to absorb they don't have the technicians they don't want the ball you know they're more wanting to hope you guys make a mistake uh versus them trying to build you know a big you know um beautiful you know soccer plan that uh you know ends up with them scoring a goal so I think uh Mar shuck just went okay I I clocked you guys as probably not being the bullies of this league so that's I'm going to have to try and because I come from a team that can potentially do that um you know versus you know obviously they're not the top team necessarily in Italy but they are a top team in Italy and um so he's like I might have to be doing some running um kind of like when we talked to like Euros when we got him here um and keep in mind joros and also Marin chuk were not kind of regular starters so these guys they're used to running at tired legs when they come to Atlanta when you're playing Counter counterattacking um you're going to have to be moving a lot uh so I'm hoping marchuk is going to be able to get that motor under him um cuz like we're used to a number 10 in Thiago that could run for days you know and Energizer Bunny so I have a feeling Marin Shug is not going to be like that um and I just hope he's ready for it cuz you know he just when when a player says o that's a lot of running in this league that worries me a bit so indeed we'll see hopefully he can Is he matchfit uh get ready yeah now he he definitely strikes me as definitely more languid than uh alada and I mean I feel a man like my dude I completely agree I hate running so it's a it's the same like but he is a professional football player so he will need to run and whether he is matchfit that is a concern like I I don't know how matchfit he will be in how many minutes uh matchfit he can actually play uh he will probably need a several amount of games to you know get a good number of just match Fitness within him so yeah I I have my doubt top of that an additional concern is that even if he gets as much match Fitness as he can um you know is he going to be able to even like you know at his 100% is he going to be able to keep cuz he's and as far as I understand he hasn't really played like that um for at least four years or something like that you know so I don't even know if he's capable of being able to play at like a high clip like that so it's a bit of a gamble um when you go with a guy who is not Reliant upon you know speed agil well he's got agility but like not a lot of speed and physicality um in a leag requires yeah you're asking to do a lot of that so I mean he might end up being like for at least a while like a kind of like a a pylon that just kind of sits there and gets the you know can he can flush the ball to where it needs to go um but he's not going to be doing a lot of running right and you know from a a standpoint where you know possibly we you know are trying to you know kind of get more into being a system team that's what we're maybe trying to build well uh is this the player that can actually uh get us to where we need to be and you know where're we're pressing from our forwards and you know doing a lot of running that's what the modern game does require and miranchuk there's obvious questions uh and yeah I I think it's a the matter of how many minutes in each game does he have in his legs and yeah so it's it's very real but um just just to put a bow on I mean we we Thiago alada played 90 minutes of like every game like forever just to to not have that in our quiver is you know that's going be something we're going to have to kind of wrestle with we might have to be I don't you know like potentially having a semi-regular backup 10 sometimes right and so yeah you know obviously firmino uh and maybe you know from a more defensive standpoint uh the other Central midfielders uh you know will be spelling him a good bit in the uh the run in but uh yeah so you know last bit in that uh is uh he was asked what personal go goals while you're here and he said it's too soon to tell and yeah I mean I think that just exemplifies yet I mean he he realizes that uh maybe winning isn't necessarily uh at the Forefront at the moment because of the very real possibilities are not that strong but uh yeah how do you read that yeah I mean it's he notices we don't have a coach we don't have a number nine uh you know we are Will he win missing some key pieces to say he's coming in and like to be like yeah I'm here to win I'm we're going to win I obviously he he sees the writing on the wall regarding that um it would be a little naive for him to say that um or maybe even like overestimating and then people have been like well you said you were here to win and you got blown out the like the the remainder of 2024 season or something like that but um I don't want obviously that to be the case I think words were fine um realistic even and that's perfectly okay for where we are right now I want a player who's able to recognizing clock where we are and what are we doing because it means he has some kind of intelligence and that's good because yeah things are not good um if he was like everything's great and we're going to we're going to go on to win the championship like oh come on obviously this is silly um so but he says it's too early to tell which is like I said he worded it well in that maybe ask him again in a year's time or whatever maybe at the start of next SE season even he might change his mind he might say you know what with this team with the way things are going we absolutely can win and that are that is my expectation now yeah yeah no he definitely struck me as a person that has the social awareness uh obviously Social awareness with being able to joke from the off to and uh you know talk about hip-hop being the reason why he came here and uh you know various uh kind of moments within uh you know his press conference that uh it seemed like yeah you know he seemed like a quiet confident uh type of person and uh you know I think you at least with uh maybe this player anyway um you know I think that's maybe what we need at the moment we don't need that Brash bravado uh when we're not quite at the moment where we're you know winning like yeah being being Brash when you're not winning seems a little silly so you know it just is definitely something that uh I think it's good that he's not uh kind of acting that way from the off but uh I agree but honestly I would just prefer and I've said this before just prefer we just had we brought in a player who is Brash because they know that they're a world beater mhm you know but obviously we're not we don't have that so it is what it is and I this this is something I'll take you know because I've said this I want you know I don't just want you know yoris sakamaki was this Joseph Martinez was this I don't just want one player to be able to come up to the microphone at every press conference when before we're playing the team and go we're going to crush the other team you know like I want like multiple players to be able to come up and speak with confidence with swagger um to you know to instill a culture of winning and confidence in the team and not just have it only be coming out of you know uh your Striker or or what have you which has typically been the case um but you know it's yeah I with what it is right now I'm okay because I know what kind of position we are in what kind of team we're trying to be and this is okay for now um but I mean man in the future I wouldn't it wouldn't let's get a little bit more like Clint Dempsey on our team you know that kind of personality well Will Miranchuk fit in if you looked at the history of our number 10 uh and let's put no like make no B about it miranchuk is a number 10 for us I mean you look at Miguel Miron Ezekiel Barco py Martinez I mean and even Thiago alada quiet confidence but not exactly you know someone that's just uh pulling up trees with their quotes and you know kind of their uh their bravado so you know it is I think part for the course for La United but uh honestly we should get zand on the mic more feel like he would be fun on press conferences more often he would be but I feel like right now uh he needs to back it up and that's always the uh the disc that's the combination that's what I want the highle player the world beater and also the brashness to to instill so like players are afraid to come here and play us you know what I mean yes yeah fully Joseph Martinez uh but yeah we must move on uh so uh alumni watch here Caleb Wy he has started his first match for RC strawberg uh he made his debut and yeah you know uh definitely congrats to Wy on uh you know that uh first start for RC strawberg but uh and as well uh according to Tom bogert uh yeah well CF Montreal uh their head coach laurant ctoa he uh didn't hold back on Joseph Martinez and he said quote there's a big gap between the man and whom I had a discussion before his signing and the man now and according to uh bogert sources any issues that have been uh between them are now resolved and Martinez is available for selection but uh it definitely is interesting you know Joseph Martinez budding heads with another head coach man it's seemingly looking like a pattern now uh I count probably probably every one actually because uh you know he definitely he's he had walked out of uh you know trainings with t Martino and definitely did that with uh Gonzalo pan apparently as well so you know it's one of these things where Joseph Martinez you know he is who he is and he is also if anything a man and will uh seemingly he will apologize and you know uh kind of definitely do what needs to be done to for the betterment of the team because it it looks like yeah Joseph Martinez at least from every moment in his career where it's it hasn't been perfect but he absolutely is a competitor and wants to win and that's probably was at the Crux of it if uh if I'm guessing but but uh you know definitely interesting that uh yeah he butted heads with another head coach but uh yeah you have any thoughts on you know Joseph Martinez and I'm just I'm just surprised that the guy is surprised like it's Joseph Martinez he's but ahead Thoughts on Martinez with every coach he's been with like it's even when he's winning he buts at sometimes like he's that's just who he is he's a very it's it's a byproduct of his competitiveness like you said and his high expectations for himself and unfortunately some of this might be displacement of his own anger on himself than that you know he still sees himself as probably as like 2018 19 Joseph and he just is not that anymore and this is you know the point of his life where he's supposed to be you know around like his Prime and he's unfortunately it seems like he's already peaked so it's that can be rough psychologically on a competitor like that so you know it's when things don't go his way and things aren't super pretty on the team he's on he can lash out yeah yeah no I fully agree and yeah hopefully things will get LA2 unbeaten streak better for Joseph Martinez because yeah still lot of love for that guy um yeah last bit of news La 2 they continued their four match unbeaten streak after a 1-1 draw against inter Miami cf2 uh and Atlanta United uh took down Miami and the penalty shoot out 43 to secure the extra point Jaden Hibert posted a club record 13 saves while Captain Javier armas he scored his six goal of the year and uh the twos will play uh at fif thir Bank Stadium against Orlando City B and so yep congrats to the twos uh for their unbeaten run that does it for the news gets us to the mailbag you guys send in these questions through IG story and uh Discord and please continue to do so and we might answer your question in the future uh we'll kind of Breeze through these uh as it's a little shorter this week but uh yeah first question greatest Josh Cohen fan how much time should miranchuk play since he's fully rested or will his debut come in the Benz what do you think if you want to have a chance of getting Will he play any points out of this game on the weekend you're going to want to play him but it's going to be a cameo likely um because yeah um it's not as if he's I yeah he's rested but like he's not probably matchfit um and also you know he's only started recently training with the team um I can't imagine he's match fit that much and you know you have to look out for injuries you have to slow roll him into things and um again it's just like kind of what we talked about earlier in the episode about how we don't even know what this guy's capabilities are regarding being able to play 90 minutes with a high pressing team with a counterattacking team with like team that demands a lot of running he might not even be that kind of guy so yeah I don't know it's uh this is going to be a slow roll from us I think with him so don't don't expect to see a lot of him quickly I would imagine right I mean and I think to kind of like you know add to what you're saying cuz I Pressing fully agree except for well we're not a pressing team we're not as we're not a team that really presses well we're we're pretty poor at it to be fair and so uh but you know we do try to press at times yeah I think that's my point point is we're we try we're not we're bad at it but at least we try yeah and I think you know it's the main bit is the physicality of this league his match Fitness and you know yes he pretty much has had the entire summer off uh so yeah he's got a lot to work back into uh to make sure that he is in plain shape so uh I think his full debut will probably come a little later and uh uh you know we'll see but um you know we'll we'll talk about it we'll talk about it in the the preview but uh next question comes from alen United VIPs uh Ethan says has saying we're back baby kept GTH up at night what do you think um is that Ethan Are we back I oh never mind that's not Ethan is not Ethan yeah that's uh is yeah has saying are we back at kep Garth I mean he's I don't know I'm I I would think I so the question is does Garf think he may been able had could he have been maybe could he have said that maybe a little bit better um perhaps um I'm not I don't know I don't know how he my guess is he's like not really thinking about it that much and doesn't care um but there's a possibility he went like yeah maybe if I could do it over again I wouldn't have said exactly that yeah yeah I think if I were him uh How will he perform in MLS I probably wouldn't have you know even tongue and cheek declared that we're back uh you know when the transfer window hadn't even closed yet it's like yes you got a very talented player but his translation into this league he will need betting time he will need to be able to get you know into match Fitness it is a question mark it's a giant question mark you know how he will actually perform in this league he could be Bey Martinez he could be Ezekiel Barco in his first year he could be Thiago ma he could be Miguel mirron I mean he could be his own player yes as well but it's like I just named a whole like Flur of okay how well do they bet in some of those player players took some time and I mean PT Martinez is the biggest example for me like I mean it's just at least at least we saw Marin Chuck when he came in in the uh in the airport with the pictures he's with his partner um you know so I remember PT didn't have his family with him for like much of the First Time season he was with us and I remember it kind of It kind of was yeah something it was a it was a bit of a um you know a negative aspect on his kind of his mindset that so and it you know affected his gameplay so you know hopefully you know he he can adjust and uh at least he has his wife with him or his partner with him so that's good yeah it's it's something Balance in life that I feel like is uh often overlooked but very important is the uh family and personal life is super important to make sure that gets settled very quickly as well because yes everything everything can go right in training and in games but if you go home and you just you know you seem a little just uh existential despondent and maybe not knowing where your personal life is going well yeah you can do well uh you know percentages of the time in your life but you know I think most people are trying to balance everything and that is super important you know making sure that you feel fulfilled in every aspect as much as possible right so but um yeah next question and maybe last question um yeah I mean it's a big big question coranza 25 uncore what do you think we need in order to be successful again I I don't think there's one answer to that I think there can be multiple answers um so with that in mind I could What would be nice to see just pick one thing that would be nice to see is you know if if when we get a number nine a big signing hopefully this guy like we talked about earlier has you know the Joseph and yorgos swagger like this guy has is going to have pretty big shoes to fill I mean Joseph Martinez was a legend obviously probably no one will fill those shoes ever um and joros did a halfway decent job trying to do so and was able to command quite a presence when in his introductory press conference um and then was able to kind of keep that going for a good amount of time while he was here instilling confidence getting the fans hyped up for matches being like we're going to you know really do a number on this team that we're going up against this week like seeing like hearing about that stuff was exciting so hopefully we can get a guy in the number nine that can really lead the way with that um because I really feel like Atlanta has been typified as that type of team that has that type of player you know Taylor Twan likes to say like we Atlanta wants to be like the villains of MLS right um because we have those types of those players so you know why not go back to it it feels it feels right to have a player like that so to me I feel like that's a key ingredient to as G might say uh claim you know allow us to claim we're back yeah indeed uh yeah I mean you know I Echo a lot of those What can we do sentiments but it is yeah it's very nuanced and obviously way higher pay grade than uh what we can do here yeah just pick your favor like I did right exactly but uh yeah you know I think the aspects of it is okay it comes from the top that you really need to nail I mean just the majority of your signings you know not only as players but you know front office hires uh you know analytics uh you know all sorts of in the video Department uh in uh the medical Department as well uh in the you know training aspects I mean like essentially Arthur Blank he's not afraid to spend money so we should have the ability to bring the best here and so really I think it's been a a massive failure than that we haven't been able to do that and in the fact that we've actually down sized we've actually let a lot of the great minds go from the uh the early years and we haven't replaced them we we've gotten actually like more startup which is bizarre to me when you know we started off uh essentially you know in a in a very just Behemoth type of way where we were robust and you know a lot of different facets of our um of our creation of our marketing of you know just how we were recruiting I mean yeah at the Crux of it you know it's that but you know I think it it really absolutely starts with recruiting well in every aspect and we haven't been doing that that much is super duper clear so uh I mean this the next like with the number nine and the coach hiring if they don't nail those two that's it office yeah exactly like basically it's on them and basically heads will have to roll like if those are not nailed there's no more Grace but uh yep that does it for the mailbag it gets us to the match preview and it is a 10:30 p.m. Saturday night game against LA Galaxy and uh yeah LA Galaxy no slouch whatsoever first in the Western Conference uh they last played in the league to a 3-2 win against Portland uh they unfortunately lost were whatever they lost in the leagues cup uh you know they were not part of the final four but uh in in the semi-finals rather but uh yeah we uh we have been you know in terms of against them not too bad but uh it is kind of uh a very interesting kind of uh team that we're playing against because yes they just added Marco Roy and yes he you know is uh as far as you know bisha Dortmund a legend there uh he's 35 years old you know kind of a central attacking midfielder left Winger uh but yeah decorated career there uh 12 Seasons there 301 goal contributions in 429 career appearances across all competitions and yeah you know just one of the more well-known uh names in the game uh but also well known for being of injured as well and so you know whether he can also you know play from the off or maybe he'll have to do a little bit of a A Mir Chuck a little bit here where he has to be bed in a little bit we shall see but uh yeah I don't expect him to start but I think you know a cameo kind of like uh Mir truck maybe could it uh it is possible but uh obviously they have lost Chicharito Douglas Costa Raheem Edwards Tyler Boyd uh but uh they have gained uh Joseph painel Gabriel Peck Miki yamane uh as well during this time but uh yeah I mean just they they've had a Resurgence and you know Greg vany uh you know former Toronto FC coach uh who I mean won their version of the trouble there he's got them doing a complete turnaround and yeah they they are a team that basically you know even if they get scored on first they can come back they're good comeback team uh they score from long distance pretty well uh so bragan has some uh some danger to contend with uh they are also uh aerially a pretty imposing team uh from set pieces as well pretty dangerous but uh kind of you know they don't really need the ball and uh so it's one of these uh you know there are some moments and some aspects that we can really I think hurt them which is on the Counterattack which is not that great at uh and yeah you know maybe from some set pieces if we can uh get our big guys in there they do foul in some dangerous areas quite a good bit so uh you know definitely interesting definitely interesting seeing what they could do here um but yeah I mean LA Galaxy uh still I mean it's just a top side and yeah I they they're the top they're the third highest go positive goal differential at 14 in the Western Conference so they're you know they score a lot of goals and they don't let a lot in um so they're doing pretty good with that and they're only four points behind Miami in the total you know uh entire league performance so tight supporter Shield yeah like that's that's incredible that they're able to to surpass the likes of Columbus and Cincinnati Philadelphia La so like they're they're all the way up there um yeah it's and I mean just thinking about like payel pek Ricky PUO like they've definitely upgraded uh over like you know what they had before um a Costa chicherit I just think this team is way more Dynamic way more fluid way more uh athletic like it's it's kind of scary and it's so entertaining to watch I've enjoyed some of the games that I've seen from LA Galaxy this year right I mean it's it's just like vany he he's a quality coach and I am upset that he we didn't go for you know a coach like him when you know it seemingly looked like Toronto it was just like they were falling out of love with each other and I think we were in a moment where okay yeah you know P not really quite doing what we needed him to do we have the the opportunity to get a better Coach we didn't and uh I think you see you know there's quality here and you know quality persists in this uh in this league and one last thing about Galaxy is that it's kind of a um kind of an optimistic tale and that we can learn from and you know for to gain some optimism is that they were a dumpster fire for a while and then in the course of like a season they were able to rebuild and tur it around and now they're one of the best teams so if that can happen we can do it too yeah exactly and they didn't have to go and get and Olivia JW a Lionel Messi like so you know yeah exactly I mean yes they did go get Marco Roy but uh yeah yeah but they they they were getting success before he arrived I mean Ricky pu uh Ricky pu is definitely uh you know it's a ex barcel guy like a very very talented uh Prospect and yeah you know they basically utilized him in the best way so that's really where it is but uh let's get into the predict predicted starting 11 and uh yeah you know let's get through the lines together between the sticks it's probably Goo uh do you see it differently yep no uh I think the real question for me is whether we are going to play with four men in the back or FIV men in the back what do you think um I think four in the back I think we're going to see I mean if it depends if Mir Chuck starts which he probably won't um but like I feel like their ideal setup is going to be like how pan ran it um and go back to that with the you know the 10 running things in the middle um like Thiago did I feel like that's what they're going to go back to so maybe eyes towards that they will adjust but um mhm yeah again Mir truck's not going to probably start so yeah I think it's going to be five in in the back uh I think we're going to go with uh Gregerson Williams and Cobb uh Cobb is back and so you know as far as uh you know any unhealthy players or players that can't you know play apart uh we don't have anybody everyone's healthy so at least uh to our knowledge recording this on a Wednesday so uh yeah I mean I think it's going to be that because our best spell so far on the road has been where we play more defensively and especially with LA Galaxy having this many attacking options I mean I think it just behooves us to uh you know really cover as much of the zones as we can to make sure that yeah we uh we don't get caught out in the back but um yeah so if it were four men in the back who are the uh the center backs for you um Stan and I think a Bram probably not Williams no not Williams I don't know why but I was thinking about it and I feel like Abram would be out there I don't know why gotcha okay yeah no very interesting I mean uh he wait didn't Williams play for Galaxy at one point he did yes huh well that might be interesting if they if he gets the start right yeah I mean uh it will definitely be interesting um you know Abram very well could start as well uh you know also uh he has got a new de little blonde frosted completely blonde but uh yeah it's uh I think Cobb has uh has played well in that kind of uh you know left Center back role where he's able to to follow you know the the guys who were trying to cut in a little bit and so uh you know there is that aspect I feel like that uh you know he he for me uh would be starting there but we'll see what Valentino does uh you know the uh the wing backs or the fullbacks here uh I think kind of pick themselves probably herandez is injured soad yeah mhm the Hernandez is pretty close now apparently I would say but yeah probably still a little bit uh you know unsure if uh you know he would you know immediately come in Amador yeah you know he is brought in for this so I would imagine he would be getting the start so um yeah into Midfield who do you got uh Tristan and S which is it s who also has the the the the frosted tips he does he does I know yeah it was I guess they all they all had like a maybe you know like text group and they're all like all right guys a dying party and so uh maybe they all use the same bleach who knows but uh you know hopefully not hopefully they went to I'm I'm sure they went to somebody to get it done but um yeah I think uh SCH mua uh as well um you know I think you probably will need your number 10 in there uh so or maybe another Central midfielder who do you got yeah um I would I like yeah if they want to go with this it would probably be I don't know like maybe firmino and Thena um you see Maron truck come in later um as a cameo just to give him match minutes um but it's possible he could fit in you know in a different formation too but um but yeah I don't know I don't know which what what they're planning on doing yeah I mean we haven't really been seeing that you know like firmino hasn't been getting the start so it's uh it's probably usually been mccy or Fortune uh kind of more defensively so I mean my money is on that but uh if it's forino maybe we're trying to you know score a goal and then maybe set up shop who knows but um you know I think yeah we will definitely need to do that probably but uh yeah onto the wings uh I think it's saba and Silva I mean that's probably the given at this point um and for me it's Rios up top I mean do you have a TR or do you have Rios if if Rios is healthy then yeah cuz they said he he could possibly be ready for Saturday they didn't say definitely would be ready right and so there is that aspect uh you know uh whether he actually fully is or isn't we'll find out but um I feel like kind of stitching the team together a little bit Rios has been more of the connector more of the uh kind of the target forward that brings others into the game so I feel like we really will need that uh we don't want to be yeah he's been scoring like we don't really want to be fully dominated on the road where yeah we just have no possession whatsoever and yeah we will need some sort of Outlet to be able to make that happen so yeah I think it's that uh so to recap uh yeah uh Michael had uh goo Lenin Amador Gregerson and abam and then SCH muamba and firmino was Saba Silva and Rios I had guo lennin Gregerson Williams Cobb Amador sles mua Saba Silva and Rios what do you guys think let us know in the comments below but that gets us to the score prediction what do you think what's what's it going to be uh I I think two z i i i i have a hard time thinking we score and I have a hard time thinking uh we keep them you know keep a clean sheet I I just think we're this is not going to go well yeah I I fully agree I think we do Nick a goal but I think it's a 3-1 win for IL Galaxy I yeah wow three okay it's I know I I hate to to say this score line but it is like this is Grim like we're we're going three time zones West and we're not great on the road and then we're going against first in the west against a team that's highflying and scoring in bunches yeah but have you seen the recent post on Reddit that we have only lost twice yes uh by multi- goals yes so is this the third time who pulled that and who pulled those stats but um you know either way yes yeah I I'm running by the grace of the Reddit gods that that information is accurate and that that guy did his homework right but I mean just from the it test and like you know kind of memory yes we haven't been blown out a ton you know there have been the the least amount in the entire league according to that right and we've been incredibly like I've mentioned unlucky in front of goal uh maybe unlucky is maybe kind uh where yes you know we have been anemic in front of goal when we shouldn't have been and uh so yes I think uh you know that has played a part in it but there's so many factors there's so many factors to why that could be the case and uh either way the Crux of it is yes maybe we aren't getting completely blown out but there are games they are winnable we're not putting the ball in the back of the net and so that's the reality and you know this could play out a lot closer but you know right now I just don't see it I think we're you know we're just going way too far uh you know kind of out of our comfort zone out here to uh to Carson City so against a hot team against a hot team it's just yeah you know yeah they uh bounc out of Le cup but they made a Deep Run and they're going to be motivated they're going to want to put things right and good teams know how to bounce back very quickly mediocre teams don't really know how to do that and unfortunately we are the ladder right now so yep uh that is my Grim score prediction what do you guys think let us know in the comments below but uh yeah that is pretty much the episode there and there except for the question of the day the question of the day is how big of an impact do you think Alexi miranchuk will be able to have for the five Stripes let us know in the comments below love to hear what you have to say guys so that's the episode guys remember to like share comment and subscribe for Michael I'm AJ thank you so much for watching and we will see you in the next video [Applause] the [Applause] [Music]