Part I of our great conversation with Carol & Dave from Hands Free Football @HandsFreeFooty!

We cover the 4 points Sounders got on the road last week, and start to get to know our new friends! Look forward to Part II in the coming weeks.

Special guest Tashi Langton @fosssoccer joins Cat, Tim, Steve, and Kevin for a raucous walk through the Portland match, some World Cup shenanigans, a minor studio disaster, and TACTICS. come join the summer fun! We also discuss the problems that Ruidiaz solves, some of our roster choices over the season, and where we might finish this year. It's not as bleak as it looks -- the spread between the good teams and the bad teams in the West is very palpable.

The Chicago match at home left a lot to be desired from a performance standpoint, but there were some standouts. Frei and Nouhou had a lot to talk about, and Deuce just looked hungry and tired until the goal came.  Katai was a beast, to our chagrin, and V8R showed his speed and creativity.

In studio, we welcome @ELROLONW Niko Moreno, writer for @sounderatheart and personality on @DEPORTETOTALUSA. He gives us his journalistic insight into the loss at RSL Away (where championships seem oh so far away). We also chat briefly about the Fresno-S2 match, and speculate on whether the FO is OK dropping the US Open Cup this year. (Spoiler, turns out they are.)

Then we move firmly into Niko's wheelhouse with roster construction and scouting. Then *tons* of listener questions and bantzzzz.

Welcome back to Cat Peterson! We're talking about common soccer stuff today -- how is Arsenal like Seattle? Who and where are we, and what is the real deal?

We have speculation, analysis, and try to filter the FO's decisions through a filter of real evidence.

Covering Arsenal, the first RSL match, the roster, callups, Felix Chenkam, Kim Kee-Hee, Neagle, and combinations featuring Clint Dempsey clogging the midfield and breaking up creative play.

How's the relationship between team leadership and support, and we try really hard to get super negative about the team and it doesn't work out. We love you guys, even if that's a Mariners thing.

We're excited to be here to cover three matches. Even if we don't win them all, or even most of them. Fork it, here we go.

Beat Toronto. T2 survives, and the Tinders get to light the bonfire this time. We talk about all of these games, the novelty of the 5-4-1 and what its use in these two matches really shows us about where the Sounders are on personnel. Spoilers: it's really bad.

Tim & Steve take apart the LAFC match -- lots to be thankful for, but are we the team we want to be? We've got some issues, and as of this recording, not much is indicating any rescues soon. (The day we go to print, however, Garth announces a potential 8-figure deal the Sounders have been working on notionally since February.)

@Nate_Bowling joins us after the first segment to talk about the future, Garth Lagerwey's comments to press, comparing the paper team to the actual team, and how we hold LA fans' feet to the fire on homophobic chants.

Serious, but fun.

GUYS, we finally won a game. And we got a treat in Toronto coming so close, and losing a championship (again) in PKs.

We talk S2 roster, selfless acts from aging heroes, beating Minnesota in glorious fashion, and the future of a number of our players. Christian Roldan, Gustav Svensson, Captain Alonso, the young Alex Roldan & Jordy Delem, along with the whole squad performed very well in the first half, and held their own in the second. Tons of opportunities greet these young players, as there is no significant signing suspected in the foreseeable future -- or at least before the closure of the May 5 transfer window. And, of course, the very next day we rematch LAFC as they open their brand new stadium in the heart of Los Angeles just south of USC. So, you know, hopefully we keep the wheels greased up.

...And you don't throw a fit. This is a relaxed episode where three huge white dudes talk about soccer. Joining us today to talk about S2, Mothership and the joys of away travel, @BigDaveTPIR travels all the way down to our new studio. We cut it up about the boys we love.

Off-weeks are great for catching your breath, catching up with old friends, and making new ones.

In studio, we have Head Coach of the Kitsap Pumas, Liviu Bird, and Assistant Coach (and friend of show) Shannon Matthews! Before coaching, Liviu wrote for Sports Illustrated, The Telegraph, and Sounder at Heart. He's made some splashes, and is relishing his current role as a full time youth & professional coach

The boys from Bremerton are looking to make noise this year!  Liviu & Shannon help break down some recent news, and then we get a deep dive into the mind of an analyst-turned-coach -- what drives some of the dynamics on the field, in the locker room, and the challenges & decisions that land on his very complex role.

A huge welcome back to Kevin, who was able to break free for a night and hang with the B-Team! (We're better with you, buddy!)

We hope you have as much fun as we did!