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From causal and seasoned fans to fresh new fans to the game, Casual FC is your Angel City FC podcast previewing all upcoming matches, highlighting what to look for as the casual football fan.
Mario: If Washingtom,
if Washingtom came, Washingtom?
Angela: George Washingtom.
hey, everyone, and welcome to Casual
FC, an Angel City preview pod.
I'm your host, Angela Morales, Locked
and loaded with a restock of my emotional
support Capri Suns, Capri Suns, the king
of yapplandia, my co host, Mario Salazar.
Mario: Where did that?
Angela: You said you're
going to be yapping
Mario: Oh,
Angela: So
Mario: oh yeah.
Everyone get ready for, for this one.
Angela: we're in the land of permutations.
We are in the land of, oh God, here we go.
Mario: and we're in the
land of now there's a plan.
A whole bunch of things that
can happen all at once, and
I tried to bring them to you.
I'll have as many as I could figure
out before my brain completely
fried and I couldn't do it anymore.
we'll see.
Angela: You do what you can.
All right.
This is the match preview for
the Angel City game coming up on
Friday, October 4th, against Seattle
Reign, and also the footy therapy
episode of the matchup against the
Washington Spirit that occurred last
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: I feel like this podcast
started out this season as a
preview, like, preview pod,
and this is what we were doing.
It was so fun, so cool.
And now we have to air our grievances.
And it's transitioned into
a therapy show for most
Mario: yeah, yeah.
And you know, you're all along the ride.
Angela: everyone.
Mario: all along the ride with us
with this therapy, footy therapy.
And it's, at times it's much needed.
I mean, I wish there was, I wish
we had the bandwidth to maybe do
it live to be able to like, air out
the grievances at the same time.
But
Angela: But also, I think it's a good
thing that we have the ability to let
folks cool off, ourselves included.
Because, I've said this before, but
it's really important to me that we
aren't the podcast that just shits
on the players, shits on the team.
Like, I don't want to be those
people because there's plenty of
them out there and it's not helpful.
Mario: we're, as we've
said before, we're lifers.
we are here, good and bad.
to the detriment of our mental
health, and our hope being crushed,
we're here, no matter what.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: you know what?
It's perfectly okay To not be okay.
It's perfectly fine to
criticize and to judge.
I'm, you know, I'm definitely judging.
I'm giving judgy looks.
but we always want to take everything
from the view of a fan with passion
and a critical eye to what we want
to see and what we hope to see.
And we,
Angela: And a lot of that comes
from how good these players are.
And being like,
Mario: and this,
Angela: wish this was
happening all the time.
Mario: and this is never a shit session.
Like there's never.
There's no need to shit on a player,
like, and, you know, if that's you
out in internet worlds of, like,
Shitting on a player, tsk tsk on you.
That's not, that's not what we do.
Angela: It's not helpful.
And it's, it's hard when you're
not having a good season as a team
to then know that your fans are
just like, all over the place.
And it's like,
Mario: you know what?
Even when you,
Angela: Weird shit's
Mario: even when there's a shitty
game, they're still running like
six to seven miles out there.
So
Angela: honestly.
like, can you do that?
No, I can't.
I sure as hell can't.
But, back to the topic at hand.
Angel City is going to be
matching up against the Seattle
Reign at Lumen Field in Seattle.
on Friday, October 4th, so a couple
days from now, at Lumen Field.
will be streaming on Amazon
Prime, and on iHeartRadio with
our homies Isaac and Tracey.
Oh no, and 1330, to Liga Radio, because
I can't say it any other way now.
To Liga Radio.
I have to sound as like, Country bumpkin
as possible, and then roll that R.
Heavy.
Anyway, if 1330 AM, like, if I do the
first half in Spanish, I can't roll my R.
What
Mario: it's the tongue
Angela: To my brain.
Yeah.
Two league of radio, y'all.
there's also a party at the Doghouse
Burbank location on Olive Avenue.
That's starting at 6 p.
m.
So I'll be there an hour before
kickoff, out, eating good
Mario: And that's the official
Angel City watch party.
So
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: their street team and
their stuff going on for that one.
Angela: Yeah.
say hi to folks.
Hoot and holler.
Have a good time.
Mario: if,
Angela: It's been, it's been a big, big
Mario: yeah,
Angela: in four days.
Mario: it's been a lot.
And if you're joining us, if you're
joining us on video in Spotify or
on YouTube, you'll see that Angela
has brand new digs around her.
I still have a bunch of shit all
over my walls right here because,
broken computer, but still.
You don't need to know that's
broken, but I'm telling you.
and she's, you know,
she's in a nice pristine,
Angela: lighting
Mario: a nice white
walls, little green couch.
Like, it's all nice.
Come, come over, come over to YouTube
if you're not on here and give her,
Angela: or on
Mario: or on Spotify.
Angela: got video
Mario: Check, check it out.
but yeah, she, her and
Eva, moved in this and
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Straight down to my KS Award.
KS Award, even though there
were shenanigans happening in
the NWSL, does not go to that.
It goes to Angela and Eva moving
apartments into their new place, into
their new house, without a moving company.
How?
Why?
Angela: company was the
Morales moving company.
So like my aunts, my mom, me, why?
Because.
companies cost a lot of money,
Mario: But they're worth it.
Angela: and no, I literally told
evil, we're never doing this again.
Either we're never moving
or never moving ourselves.
Somebody else is moving us.
no, a lot of it was just like logistics
and time and things were supposed
to happen a few weeks ago because of
construction delays and other heaps
of bullshit that was not available.
So we basically were like, and
go, and then everything that
could go wrong did go wrong.
In the spirit of living up to a
stereotype, it only took us three years,
but we officially U Hauled because we
got to drive a U Haul back and forth a
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Valley to Inglewood.
So yeah, but we're, in our new digs
and we're just figuring out where
everything's going to go and who's keeping
Mario: I remember helping
Angela: good
Mario: my brother in law move,
and he decided to rent the U
Haul, like a big long one, and
Angela: Oof.
Mario: but it wasn't,
Angela: Had either of you
driven anything like that?
Mario: I now have,
Angela: Because
Mario: because of that move,
but we, we packed up his house,
and moved him all in one day,
and, like, at the end of it, like,
Angela: That's dedication.
Mario: sweat, like, we had, we,
we made sure we got the dollies,
we got the straps, we got
everything, we were moving stuff,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Like I like I suggested
to you get a moving company
for at least the big shit.
So you don't have to move that.
But that's exactly what we did.
Angela: and also my coworkers were
supposed to help us, but I just
spelled Capri Sun, but, ended up
getting scheduled for a weekend
job, which is like super rare.
So our, my free moving company
Mario: Good.
Yeah.
And then by the end of it, I
was like, drenched in sweat.
I was like, Damn, this feels good.
Like, like, I'm tired, but like my back
hurts and everything, but we moved it.
And then we drove.
And then I think the next morning
when I woke up, I literally
couldn't hold my arms up.
Like it was like,
Angela: Yeah.
Oh, today, today was rough at work
and then I didn't get much sleep.
And I, at like 3pm, 2.
30, 3 o'clock, I just realized
I was kind of staring off into
the abyss, just like, nothing,
Mario: productive.
Yeah.
Angela: between my, these ears.
No.
Done.
But, we did it.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: We're just now, like,
trying to unpack and go through
Mario: You know what?
That's the easy part.
Angela: that good
Mario: That's the easy part.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: okay.
Let's get into all this.
may become a long episode.
May not.
What?
Angela: really quick, a
slight actual NWSL chaos
Mario: Oh, okay.
Angela: It was announced this morning.
So it's Tuesday.
We normally record Mondays, but not
after this weekend slash yesterday.
but on, or this morning it was announced
that the Houston Dash and Fran Alonso
Mario: Oh, yeah, that's right.
Angela: So they have
an interim head coach.
Houston's front office needs
to get some shit together.
There's a few teams in this
league that need to get its shit
Mario: They did say that.
Angela: Angel City being one.
Mario: Yeah, they did say that.
Angela: like health
Mario: Well,
Angela: it's
Mario: well, okay,
Angela: nobody knows.
Mario: I'm not adding to any other
speculation, but the fact that it
was announced once that it was health
issues, it was never talked about again,
and he's been gone the entire time.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Houston did put out a statement
saying that they were going, the first
priority was to hire a GM and then
the GM is going to hire the coach.
Which is, you know, good on you,
that's the proper way of doing it,
you know, don't hire a coach then
hire a GM that don't match and then
you're just screwed all over again.
So good on you, hopefully,
like, think about it,
Angela: The players deserve a head coach.
They deserve a front office that
actually is there to support them.
Mario: I'm talking directly to Paige,
Paige, think about it this way.
Orlando was Bartima the Barrel last year,
look what they at now, they're about
to become the Invincibles on the NWSL,
like, you know, it can happen, it can,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: alright, well,
Angela: what happened?
What happened this week
around the league, Mario?
Mario: alright,
Angela: Because a
Mario: there's a lot, okay,
not to bury the lead, to bury the lead,
I really don't know how that phrase is
supposed to go, but we lost, we'll get
to it, it's we're not happy about it,
Angela: happened.
Mario: but other scores around the league,
we have Kansas City and New York tying.
We have Utah giving us a huge gift, right?
We fucked ourselves by losing,
but Utah gave us a huge gift by
winning against Racing Louisville.
So Utah won 1 0, Orlando,
of course, 3 1 over Houston.
Really, against anyone.
Orlando's going to be winning.
And then
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: second gift we got during
this NWSL weekend was the San
Diego Wave beating Portland 2 0.
And that has kept all, I'm about to get
into it, but that has kept everybody
still in the running, theoretically.
Some way harder than others.
Just us included, but theoretically
we are not eliminated.
We are not mathematically eliminated.
There are scenarios where we can win,
but we, last week I said we controlled
our own destiny because we did.
If we won out all those matches,
we were pretty barring anything
I could, I couldn't see.
We were guaranteed a spot.
now we're not.
and then just round everything out,
we have the red stars beating, losing
to the courage one to three, and then
Seattle lost to bay, zero to one.
And like I said, huge gift
from Utah and from San Diego.
With all of that.
Our top 8 so far in the playoff
run, we've got Pride Spirit Gotham,
Current, Courage, Red Stars, Thorns,
and Bay FC in that last 8th spot.
We're in 11th, we have 22 points.
We are currently tied with the wave.
Kind of like, feels like
we've been here before.
Angela: Just a little bit.
Feels very, reminiscent two weeks ago, but
Mario: Jesus.
Okay, again, the good, the good,
Angela: we
Mario: the good.
Angela: and gentlemen.
Permutation.
Place.
Mario: All right,
Angela: like, what's a
place that starts with a P?
Place.
Mario: Okay.
like I said, we got huge gifts,
everybody because of all those
things, nobody really moved around.
so here are all the possibilities.
That I could figure out
before my brain fried.
last, last week, Utah with a
loss were going to be eliminated.
They won.
So they're alive yet again, if
they lose, they're eliminated.
The Dash, if they lose,
they're eliminated.
Gotham with a win, secure
home field advantage.
Right now.
it is only Orlando and the.
Angela: Washington?
Mario: Yeah, Orlando and Washington,
I believe, are the only ones
that have secured home field
advantage, so Gotham with a win
will secure home field advantage.
Gotham with a draw and Courage draw,
Gotham gets home field advantage.
If Gotham loses, but Courage also
loses, Gotham gets home field advantage,
Angela: That's wild.
Mario: but it In those other scenarios of
not a win, a draw or a loss for Gotham,
Courage has to also match them, basically.
if the Courage win and Bay FC has a loss
or a draw, the Courage secure playoffs.
if the Current win and the
Courage draw, the Current also
gain home field advantage.
And then here's where we get really funky.
Here's where we're starting to
get like the really long ones.
Actually, no, not this one.
then,
Angela: and that
Mario: yeah,
Angela: that.
Mario: see, if Seattle loses and Bay
FC win or draw, Seattle's eliminated.
So Seattle could be, and then that means.
We beat Seattle.
okay.
Angela: Fingers crossed.
Mario: So now, now we're at Angel City.
I'm playing with my little piece of
paper here because I don't really
want to get into it just yet.
We, we here, I'm using the royal we of
the casuals of, of Angela and Mario.
We are the forever the optimists or
will always try to be the optimists.
on the outlooks of what's going on.
With that being said, the optimist outlook
is we are currently not yet eliminated.
Not mathematically, not at all.
We're no longer in control of our destiny,
but we still can make it if
other results go our way.
And it's not that far fetched.
We have a total potential of 34
points if we win all out from
here on out to the to the end.
From 6th place to 11th place to us.
There's only a seven point spread.
Now, that's a huge spread
when there's only like, four
games left, five games left.
it's a huge mountain to
climb, but it's doable.
lots of the teams above us face
each other, which means there's
bound to be dropped points.
There's bound to be losses
that only help us, right?
So there's lots of scenarios where
Our competition gets eliminated.
there was one that I had to cross
out because I had, I re verified it
and it didn't quite eliminate them.
But if we won and Bay FC won
and the Wave lost, there were.
They're borderline eliminated.
They basically would only win out if
they won the rest of their matches
and made up their goal differential.
But then technically they're not
eliminated, Alright, let's go to
the pessimist view of Angel City.
Our angels will be eliminated,
but what, by what I'm dubbing.
The Devil's Trifecta.
Angela: I just want everyone listening
to know how proud Mario was when he
texted me that he came up with this name.
He's like, and I'm like, in the process
of moving, I'm hot, it's 100 degrees in
North Hollywood, I'm like, so stressed.
And he's like, guess what?
And I'm just like, Cool.
Like, I think I just, like, thumbs up
Mario: Also,
Angela: dipped.
I was like, great.
I'll talk about this
Mario: also schedule wise,
you were supposed to be done.
That's why I was like, guess what?
Here, I'm gonna tell you all
about these permutations.
Angela: I know.
And I was like, I don't
have time for this.
Mario: Okay, so the thing that I'm
calling the Devil's Trifecta is that
there is a possibility for Angel City to
be mathematically eliminated this week.
If we lose and the trifecta, the
three things that need to happen.
The Red Stars win, which they
are facing number 14, Houston
Dash, if that's a likely outcome.
Angela: likely.
Mario: Portland needs to win.
They're currently in 7th, and
they're also facing number 13,
Utah Royals, which is likely.
Angela: hey, anything
Mario: Utah just won, you
know, so there's that.
And, Bay FC in 8th place needs a win.
Now this one's where we
might have a little light.
At the end of the tunnel, they play
Gotham, who are currently in third place.
And like I said, Gotham wins.
They secure a home field advantage,
but that loss does not help us at all.
And we'll pretty much doom
our fate by that point.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: like, like heaven and earth
will need to move in order for us
to still stay in this if we lose
and the trifecta doesn't happen.
So with all that being said,
I am going the optimist route.
Of however unlikely it may seem
at the moment, we are still
in this, we can still make it.
There's, I don't know what the hell we
have to do in order to get these things to
gel again, but we need them to gel again.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: my brain hurts.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: If there's any other permutations,
any other, the NWSL will tell us about it,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: follow the NWSL and they'll
give you what can happen based
on whatever matches going on.
And if you blink twice and spin
around three times and jump up and
down, something else might happen.
Let's talk about Angel City
versus the Washington Spirit.
As we said, we lost.
We dropped this one 2 1, so we added
a goal to the goal differential,
which is not my favorite.
Ashley Hatch, who we talked about,
scored in the 39th minute, and then,
Morris scored in the 78th minute.
Messiah had The best banger of a goal.
Her first,
Mario: regular play goal.
Angela: yeah, for Angel City
was scored on the 51st minute.
And it was one of those where
it gave life to the team.
It was one of those after Ashley Hatch's
goal, the breath went out of the stadium.
It was so
Mario: Oh yeah, the
Angela: was so sad.
Mario: breath went out and then halftime
happened and they were up one to nothing.
Then we come back and then we,
Angela: And
Mario: we, we look different.
Yeah.
Angela: looked different.
Good.
Mario: And we tied it up.
Angela: And then,
Mario: What is that six
minutes into the second half?
And
Angela: yeah,
Mario: then you're like, look, we've
got a whole second half still to play.
Angela: yeah, we're good.
We're good.
And we had so many chances.
I'm, granted, part of this is
because I'm genuinely exhausted.
Very tired.
I'm, have so many thoughts and feelings
and tots and pairs and like, so much
I want to say but I don't know what
to say anymore because none of it's
gonna, like, I've said all I can say.
I just want this team to like, find
it again because I don't want them
to lose hope in themselves because
that's the worst feeling that you
can have as a player when you're
lining up knowing full well, guys
don't have it because they have it.
They just can't find it.
like the team has the yips,
but it's not the yips.
It's like they're lost
in the sauce somewhere.
I will say that free kicks when they're
awarded on the rare occasion that they
are, we need to use them to move the
ball forward and not kick it back or
like a little dinky kick to the side.
And granted, sometimes it has to be
like direct indirect and like somebody
else has to touch the ball, but it
doesn't have to be just like a boop.
Mario: You know what?
Angela: it aggressively.
Mario: We need to get all of them onto
TikTok because there's a bunch of soccer
TikToks of like trick plays and stuff.
Angela: Honestly, like annexation
of Puerto Rico needs to
happen, but NWSL, ACFC version.
Mario: Just,
Angela: That's, I feel like
that's not too much to ask.
It's one of the greatest plays
ever in the history of sports.
Mario: just,
Angela: And for those who don't know
what I'm talking about, it's from the
Little Giants and it's the best thing.
Mario: I'm glad you said
it because I was just like,
Angela: Wait, have you never
Mario: I mean, I've
seen The Little Giants.
I don't remember The Little Giants.
Angela: You need to rewatch it.
Mario: I mean, if you
quoted me The Sound Law, I'd
Angela: it.
Mario: it, but it
Angela: Well, like the Sandlot
doesn't have trick plays.
It's
Mario: doesn't have Ed O'Neill.
Angela: Rarely have a trick play.
Yeah.
You need to rewatch Little Giants and
then Me telling you that Eva and I have
gone as Icebox and Junior for Halloween.
I'll send you a picture so you can put
that in the, the, the video for this.
Because it was fantastic,
we might do it again.
But, I, I'm like, I'm just bummed
because, like, this team, like, when they
put it together, they put it together.
But when it's not, it's not.
We go from being like a
really well put together
Mario: We go from,
Angela: team situation to like
a jello mold from the 60s of
like what's happening here.
Mario: we go,
Angela: is there meat in my jello?
Mario: this is the like, it's like
the, the yo yo diet of like support.
Angela: Yes.
Mario: like
Angela: Yes.
Mario: can come onto the
pod one game and be like,
Tweed's a fucking genius!
Like, she put it all together!
Messiah Bright, boom!
M.
A., boom!
Syd, boom!
And then, next game it's like,
What the fuck just went on?
Messiah, what?
Syd, what?
Like, M.
A.,
what?
Angela: Chris Impress didn't play.
Like what?
Mario: Or, or Which has
happened a lot more.
Kristen Press played, but what
the hell did we do with that?
Like, nobody passed her on the wall.
Like, nothing.
Angela: There was visible, visible
frustration from many of the forwards
this last game, who were wide open.
And that's, I think, what the
frustrating part is, is like, you
can see the frustration on the pitch.
And I'm just like, like, we just
got to push the ball forward.
We push the ball forward.
We are fine.
We get it to folks who can actually
score and we're fine, but I, I,
I'm, I'm just going to stop there
because like, I don't want to harp
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: than I need to, but like,
I just hope we like get up to
Seattle and show out and just
surprise the hell out of everybody.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: us as fans, the team, like
just to the wall, do something crazy.
Why
Mario: Look, at this, look, at
this point, I said we're not
mathematically eliminated, but
we're pretty damn fucking close.
put in, put in Angelina.
Start all the young'uns.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: subs earlier than the 80th minute.
Bring in Fresh Leg Syd, bring
in Fresh Leg Press, bring in,
you know, like, use the assets,
Angela: minded
Mario: use the assets that we have.
Angela: Mhm.
Mario: Let M.
A.
go.
The times that she has,
Angela: her
Mario: the times that M.
A.
has been able to go up the
wings, Magic has happened.
Angela: Yeah.
Like, get her and Maddie
Curry on the flanks.
Pushing the shit out of the ball.
We could like, skip the midfield.
where's the 5 3 2?
Give it back.
Or like, 7 3 1.
I don't, I don't, I don't know.
Like something.
Just how much offensive power
can we just throw on the pitch
at one time and see what happens?
And then park the bus for
like the last 45 minutes.
For the second half.
Light em up.
900 to
Mario: look, if,
Angela: and then just
Mario: if the, if the refs are screwing
us every game and, and the, the game is
going to be boring and, and shit anyways,
score the one goal and then park the bus.
Like, ain't no shame in,
in, we're American sports.
We have playoffs.
Ain't no shame in making those playoffs.
Angela: exactly.
And that's the crazy thing is
there were five yellow cards.
Given to Washington.
Five.
One of them should have been a red.
Like, there were some questionable
situations where you're just
like, what is happening out there?
And granted, I think part of it,
some of it was that wasn't playing
with their regular starting lineup.
Like Casey Kruger was out, Trinh
was out, like, big names were out,
Mario: That's the sad part.
Angela: But no, that's, that, the,
it's not sad because that team's,
like, subs is a starting roster.
Like, they're not.
That's not a team you snub, and that's not
a team you underestimate, because every
single person off that bench is a Insane.
And I think the thing that got weird
for them was the fact that this wasn't
a lineup they'd played with before.
So nobody was really like reading
things well and then all of a sudden
they were and then that was the end of
Mario: Yeah, I say it's sad because it's
like you look at the teams that have the
big star players and like a lot of their
star play quote unquote star players like
yes, they're, they're built correctly.
They're built
Angela: Different.
Mario: different.
They got the dog and like
whatever you want to use.
They were built with the mindset
of like having depth, right?
And that's what happens when you lose
all your quote unquote superstars.
You still have that depth there.
And yes, it was a little choppy for
them, especially when we came back
in that second and we thought we were
like gelling and then that lasted for
a total of like maybe 10, 15 minutes
and then shit went out the door again.
so I say it's sad because
it's like, look, we had,
I mean, honestly, throughout the year so
far, we haven't been able to say, here is
our starting lineup, our, A squad, right?
Whatever reason,
Angela: because of injury, partially
because some of it doesn't make sense,
partially because nobody knows why.
Mario: injury,
Angela: There's a lot of variables.
Mario: tinkering, like whatever it may
be, I have no fucking clue at this point.
but, if we went with whatever
our A squad was at the moment,
and we're playing their backups,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: and we're,
Angela: Logically.
Mario: right, and, and we
got, we got outplayed, like,
correct me if I'm wrong, I could
be thinking of a different game.
Right?
My brain is mush at times.
I just went through a whole
thing of permutations and I
don't half remember what I said.
But this is one of the few
games where there's a few refs.
Ms.
Hapsut, we can, but not enough to say
Angela: crazy.
Mario: got screwed, we got outplayed.
Right.
Angela: There's a difference
between playing well and
conceding a game and getting beat.
Washington beat us.
And that's, that's where I
say, like, it's such a bummer
because I'm like, we have it.
We're just lost.
And I just want them to find, I think
part of it, it's like a team identity
thing is they have it, they don't
have similar philosophies of play.
Ooh, I might've just unlocked, I think,
yeah, okay, sorry, I went into like deep,
Mario: All right.
Angela: like sports theory.
Mario: bring out, bring out the masters.
What does the master say?
Angela: The measures in
sports psychology says, like,
oh no.
No, but like, basically, you have
different, Like, theories of,
like, what your goal is on the
pitch, you don't ever really gel.
Because you're all playing
towards the same goal, but you do,
you're all doing it differently.
And you kind of all have to mesh
and, and bring your styles together
and bring your theories together.
if not, then you're constantly passing
back to your keeper, but means that
nobody's getting the ball offensively.
Like, it's like a push pull,
like, we're playing tug of war.
Where some people are doing this thing,
some people are doing that thing, all
believing they're doing the same thing.
So something, there's like a
circuit that's messed up, or like
a, something isn't connecting fully.
But with that said, footy therapy.
Mario: Put it in every time.
Angela: after the game, on
Friday, Mario threw out the hello
from the outside with Adele.
Because why not?
Mario: Because,
Angela: Because that's exactly what it
Mario: on the outside.
Angela: the outside looking in.
Ethan, the haiku king, said, Need
halls, D coughing, Which lose,
starting to steal our faith.
Line up, weird season, which, yeah,
and then he then clarified, for the
record, I really like the starting
lineup, mid was mid, but play
the mutes, which, yeah, exactly.
And then Katie in the Discord threw
out A little comment that triggered
our haiku bot, which I don't
know if it was on purpose or not,
Mario: Nope.
Haiku, HaikuBot has spoken.
Angela: Yeah, so she said the ref
was with us, five yellow cards were
given, should have been more red.
Which, yeah, there was a couple
questionables where you were
like, I feel like that was
very egregious and unnecessary.
Uh, this the same
Mario: It's the same, Katie.
Yeah.
There was, there was multiple responses.
Some people had multiple responses.
Angela: after the last game.
said, I wish that, wish that I could
say that we tried, like a, yeah,
oh, that's, there's so many Adele
references in here, guys, sorry.
Not, not really, though.
But she said, in all honesty,
we had some great passes, some
great scoring opportunities.
totally convinced that one goal
was I didn't have a great view
and the Jumbotron didn't either.
I was excited to watch this team play.
This is the team I was hoping
we would build towards and
build upon early to midseason.
Especially the beginning
of the second half.
seeing some one touch passes
and more trusting themselves.
Fun game, sad ending.
We're not just like putt
putting the ball around.
We're actually like, it's like boom,
boom, just transition, transition.
And when you do that, it's harder
for the defense to catch up to sing.
Angelica said,
I must've yelled a thousand
times, which same girl, same.
Mario: very much appreciate
anybody who, took me up on my Adele
bait and kind of came with it.
Jeff came in with the classic,
check the DMs, but this time
Angela: emoji.
Mario: emoji.
No, that's what I was going to say is
that this time he put a crying emoji
that's never actually been there.
so this is his message.
No tiptoeing around.
I'll be blunt.
Top down the organization.
GM, head coach, and players need
to be evaluated and overhauled.
The top teams in the playoff picture
have shown to have good slash
solid positions at all levels.
Washington is beat up with many elite
stars sidelined, but have amazing
depth built to withstand the loss of
their star players, a world renowned
coach, And an owner with a vision.
Tweed's system is tired, and
opposing teams have had a game
plan since week three against us.
High press and wait for us
to make mistakes up top to
capitalize and quickscore.
Angela: Mm hmm.
Mario: And in the back, just wait
for bad passes to recover and hold.
If Washington came in with their full,
lineup healthy it could have been a lot
more lopsided i'm sure you'll have an
episode later about roster construction
for next season but almost every player
should have the mindset that to finish
out they They're auditioning for a spot.
If changes don't come, I feel some great
talent like Emsley and others might look
outside the club for better opportunities.
Angela: I don't disagree
with that last part,
Mario: I was, I was thinking about that.
I was thinking about that actually
today as I was driving home.
and I remembered back to, our
discord chat talking about like how.
Sad Claire was at the end of that
match, like, she put in so much, she
was devastated, like, like, the emotions
were hitting her, and then, as I was
driving home today, I started thinking
about the fact that, like, I don't have
the list in front of me, but we have
so many players that are free agents,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: we did not make,
Angela: And we have not
been getting signing
Mario: yeah, that we, the only one
out of that entire list, Kristen
Press included, Is June Endo?
While I am ecstatic that
June Endo is still here,
everybody else is up for grabs.
Is that a
Angela: And part of that is that we've
been Like, the hard part is that like,
they're in, like, they're playing, they're
in the season, they're, like, sometimes
contract negotiations take longer because
of that, because it's not just like,
oh yeah, that's fine, and I also wonder
with June if it has to do with like her
visa and things like that, to, if there's
like a work visa or paperwork, they
have to get it done really early, but
Mario: I mean, either,
Angela: I just want to know!
Mario: either way, June
was solid for the team.
unfortunately, very early on, she
was used in some asinine way of being
a defender when she's a striker.
Like, but, so it, it makes
sense that she was re signed.
but yeah, like there's a whole list of
players that we can still possibly lose.
who knows, maybe things were signed
and they're just holding for,
Angela: there's a lot of things that
might be waiting for the league because
that's what happened last season.
Mario: maybe, maybe Emsley's
emotions on the field were like,
God damn it, I just re signed.
Angela: oh
Mario: She's like, oh, I'm stuck.
Angela: No, no, I think there's
some frustration showing.
Mario: there's a lot of talent on that
roster that we have the potential to lose.
And that's
scary, but it might be the silver
lining of like, we have, we
have the new sporting director.
they, they just announced a
while ago that there's a new
assistant GM, with, with Angela,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Angela, eh,
Angela: sorry guys, not the GM.
Please don't get mad.
Mario: don't get mad at, at our Angela,
Angela: Yeah, don't get mad at me.
Mario: and we've, we've said it
from the beginning, like, Tweed
has GM Done what she can with the
players and the staff from the
previous administration, right?
Maybe this is,
Angela: I
Mario: maybe this is the opportunity
where she can clean house and
start with a proper vision,
Angela: does the house get cleaned first?
Mario: or is she,
Angela: And then we,
Mario: is she part of it?
Yeah.
Angela: it's one of those where I'm
like, everybody everything is in, like,
everyone and everything is in the hot
Mario: Oh yeah.
Angela: because, and I, I don't know
so much if it's the players, but I
think coaching, GM, front office stuff,
I think there's a lot of hot seats
happening or questions about things,
we have the talent, but I don't know
if the talent is being used in a
way that actually provides Support.
it's, you know, it's one of those things
where it's like, I don't know if this
is actually what you think you're doing.
Mario: Okay.
Well, okay.
And just to close this all up, Zach came
with, well, Bright prevented a shutout.
my defensive brain is Then, angry,
like, red angry emoji, a meh emoji,
an indifferent emoji, explet expletive
emoji, and then rolling eyes.
And then, bruh, look, I okay, this part
I couldn't figure out, so you help me.
Bruh.
Look.
Rolling eyes.
Up arrow.
Finger pointing up.
Or commit.
Angela: I read it as like, look
up, like, look up the pitch.
Mario: Okay.
Zach, let us know.
Angela: sure.
Yeah, please.
Mario: I know you're in the Discord
and we could have asked you directly,
but I think us trying to figure it out.
Yeah.
More fun.
Angela: the last time we had to do
something that strenuous, it was like,
We had a whole discussion of, this
is your brain, this is your brain on
drugs, eggs in a pan, and it was great.
Mario: all right.
Well, let's do a quick preview
of us traveling to New Seattle.
Angela: yeah, like we said, Friday
we're playing Seattle, in Seattle,
we've said it just, just a couple times,
no big deal, but, we have to win, and
that's it, I'm not even, like, there's,
okay, we could draw, but then, no, we,
Mario: That's, that's
for a previous segment.
Angela: Yeah, that's, no, we're winning.
Seattle is a very different team than
we saw, what, two, three weeks ago
when we matched up against them at BMO?
Mario: This schedule is so stupid.
yeah.
Angela: know anymore, Sofia Huerta,
who scored against us in that last
game, is now on loan to Leo, I believe.
went overseas.
I'm like, this couldn't have
happened two days earlier
Mario: Oh yeah.
That happened like right after the game.
It was like on that Monday or something.
Angela: Yeah.
And we're, I was just like,
you, you couldn't finalize
this deal a week earlier?
Jeez.
So Sophia Horthe is no longer there,
but now they have Jalen Howell.
Who they've gotten from racing, I
believe, who was suspended due to
card accumulation when we matched up
with them, so we didn't see her play.
And for those who listened last season,
when we talked about Jalen, know she's
like a sleeper agent a little bit.
I think she's still underestimated
amongst a lot of people in the league.
Not players, obviously, but like.
Fans.
she's been up and down in the team system.
she's very good.
It's one of those where
it's like, she's just
Mario: Keep an eye out for her.
Angela: underestimate her as a player.
Yeah, so I'm curious how she's going
to fit into the Reigns offense, given
that they're also having a weird season.
and then Sierra King,
who, love to watch play.
I did not love to watch her
play the last game because
she's the reason we did not win.
Well, one of the reasons.
Seattle, again, like
I said, the last game.
Their They're kind of in a
similar situation to us right now.
They're a very good team.
They have very good players.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: It's kind of a flip of a coin.
But, we'll see.
Yeah, they've made some shifts.
Bethany Balser isn't with the
team anymore, like I said,
last episode against them.
And then immediately was
racing, and guess who scored?
Because of course she did.
There's just, there's been a lot
of weird movement in the league.
In the later weeks, which was kind
of surprising, the good news is for
Angel City, should be back or at
least available to play now that she's
had some time to rest and recover
from the U 20 World Cup or U 17?
Mario: 20, you 20s.
Angela: U 20.
U 20 where the U.
S.
Mario: Bronze, bronze battle list.
Angela: Yeah, super, super cool.
It was announced yesterday, today,
something like that, that Kennedy Fuller
just got the U 17 World Cup call up.
we get one back, we lose another one.
Mario: And I like, why
hasn't she been playing?
Did she come in?
She, I think she came in that last match.
No, she didn't.
She did, but it was,
it was the second half.
Angela: and she came
Mario: Oh, she started, she started at
Angela: She started and came out for MDH.
Yeah, so I think that was like a
little last warm up, up game for her.
But, I'm so glad that these players
are playing, which means they're
going to have a fantastic future.
Yeah.
But I'm also like, I need
all hands on deck, y'all.
All hands.
Like, this is a team win, including fans.
if you are making the trek up to
Seattle, hoot, holler, have a good time.
Make it known that we might
be having a weird season, but
we don't give up on our team.
That's it.
That was kind of like a quick precap
because we just played Seattle.
I just talked about all
the same things two weeks
Mario: cup.
Like, yeah.
Like if you look at the feet,
it's like two down or something.
Angela: Yeah, I, you know what?
I think that's the thing.
The last couple weeks have been
really difficult because I'm like,
I just talked about this team.
I don't know what else.
Nothing has
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: in two weeks.
Like same with Portland.
I'm like, what do you
want me to say about them?
love Becky Sauerbrunn.
Like, that's it.
Just forever.
but yeah.
history between the two teams.
This is another one of those,
Oh, the Challenge Cup existed.
We played each other 900 times.
two wins, three losses.
Mario: No draws.
That's it.
Angela: No draws.
I almost made a very inappropriate joke.
lost my train of thought.
Children, listen.
Mario: At least one that we know of.
Angela: Two.
I know of at least two.
My nephew and
Mario: And Jessie.
Yeah.
Angela: Both of them would be like,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: hee, but no, I'm not.
No.
but let's just hope that we pull
this one out, we even up that
series, and then we'll be okay.
another reminder.
Friday, October 4th in two days.
It's not like you're going to
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Seattle Rain vs.
Angel City at Lumen
Field in Seattle at 7 p.
m.
is kickoff.
It'll be streaming on Amazon
Prime and we'll have the
internet hooked up at the house.
guess who is going to be watching?
Actually, wait, no.
The internet will be here,
but I will not be here.
I completely forgot Yves and I are going
up north this weekend for a wedding.
So we'll be in the car or in Santa Rosa.
Whatever.
Halfway to Seattle, it feels like.
it'll be streaming on Amazon Prime.
You can, we'll probably
have it on honestly.
with Isaac and Tracy.
Whether or not we'll be able
to listen to it, we'll see.
But also, 1330 AM, Tuliga Radio.
I did it!
I did it!
I did it!
I did it!
Yeah, listen, listen, watch,
find the game, have a good time.
And if you want to hang out with other
people, Angel City sponsored watch party
is going to be at the Burbank location
of Dog House, which has amazing food
and I miss being able to eat there.
but gluten free means no,
Mario: Hawaiian Rose.
Angela: no Hawaiian rolls
and what's the point?
Especially growing up really close to
the King's Hawaiian Bakery in Torrance,
like being out there all the time.
I'm like, what?
is the purpose of living
without Kings Hawaiian Girls?
The watch party will at 6 PM.
Kickoff is at 7 PM.
So get there, have a good
time, get good parking,
Mario: Tell everybody
about the pod, you know.
Angela: you're going to the watch party
and you're gluten free and you need to
eat beforehand, go to Ciderworks or Story
Tavern to get some good gluten free food.
That's celiac safe.
In case anybody needs to know, Dustin.
have fun,
Mario: Yes.
Have fun everyone.
And if you've listened so far, it means
you probably like what you're hearing.
So hit that subscribe button
wherever you're listening.
Check out casualfc.
com for all the pod links.
We're also on YouTube
and Spotify in video.
So you can see my messy ass background.
Angela: match.
Mario: match unintentionally, again.
Angela: It's almost like we're friends.
Mario: today was just a beige
y type of day, even though
it was hot as balls out here.
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Angela: the Discord.
Mario: two seconds.
You can
Angela: I just want more people
to hang out in the Discord,
Mario: join the Discord and
have some fun banter with us.
We have a kind of semi live
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Grab some of our merch at shop.
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Angela: Maybe people haven't
been telling podcast.
Maybe that's
Mario: that's what it is,
Angela: We've lost steam.
Mario: lost the team.
We need, we need more people to tell
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And last but not least, remember
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Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Vote.
org.
Check it out, or just type in,
like, California registration check.
Done.
Angela: I mean, we're really lucky
to be in California where voting
registers and voting rolls aren't
being randomly purged and deleted.
But like, if you are, check your
Mario: yeah.
Or if you moved recently, or whatever
may happen, like, you know, just
find out, find out if you're good.
And once you are, then, you
know, exercise your right.
And, bye.
Make sure you vote with
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You can vote for the entire list.
You can vote for one.
It doesn't matter, but you'll be active
about it and you've made a choice.
So cool.
Have fun.
Hopefully we get a win.
If not, I hope the devil's
trifecta does not happen this week.
And, we'll see you next time.
Angela: Bye.