00:00:00
Speaker 1: All right, we have found Taylor Twellman.
00:00:02
Speaker 2: Somebody gave him a wrong number with the 514 area code. Apple TV. Who answered the phone when you called 514 on our number?
00:00:12
Speaker 3: No, that's the best part. So I'm dialing 514. I text the number, and I'm like, well, that's weird. It's going through blue. So it's Apple iMessage, the whole nine yards. And then the message comes up, this number can't go through. And I Googled it, and I'm like, 514 is Montreal, Canada. I was like, listen, I get Cincinnati fans may be upset with me, but it's like, hang on a minute. So I've been trying to call Montreal.
00:00:39
Speaker 1: No, well, I'm glad we figured it out. I don't hate you.
00:00:43
Speaker 2: I'm on your side, by the way, when it comes to Chris Albright and Pat Noonan.
00:00:48
Speaker 1: And I think anybody who's reasonable should be.
00:00:52
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's an interesting conversation. First off, I love the energy from the Cincinnati fan. I love the accountability, all of that. However, and listen, full disclosure, I've known Pat Noonan since he was five. I've known Chris Albright since he was 16. But I'd be the first person to say if they should be in trouble. I watched Cincinnati the first three years of their existence. They were terrible. They were the worst team in MLS for three straight years. So Chris Albright, Pat Noonan show up. Now all of a sudden you're in these unbelievable conversations of trophies and big games and all of this. I just think, personal opinion, they should be allowed the opportunity to rectify the roster and to figure out tactically what works with the team. I just wanted to remind Cincinnati fans, It wasn't that long ago you won three wooden spoons. Not me.
00:01:55
Speaker 1: You did.
00:01:56
Speaker 2: No, I remember those days well. I remember those days well. So, like, I don't know who else is mad at you.
00:02:02
Speaker 3: But it also doesn't mean there should be criticism, Mo. You know what I mean?
00:02:04
Speaker 2: Sure.
00:02:05
Speaker 3: There's got to be criticism for this team. Absolutely there should be.
00:02:08
Speaker 2: All right, so let's start at the top with Chris Albright. In terms of the way the roster has been built, the way it has evolved, what would be the most fair criticism?
00:02:18
Speaker 3: Well, the one thing that really is perplexing to me is when he signed Miles Robinson, everyone and their mother applauded the coup of getting Miles Robinson as a free agent. Part of getting Miles Robinson as a free agent was making him a designated player for the final year of that deal or whatever it is, whatever the terms are. Now, Miles Robinson has had a very, very disappointing season. But you can't... You can't downplay the signing of Miles Robinson now when you applauded it at the beginning. This is part of what that signing is. Now they've got to figure out the back line. Matt Miosga, since the knee injury, wasn't good enough. And so they've got to shore up the back line because, make no mistake about it, that is a real issue. This is a team that never gave up goals, that won games. 1-0, 2-1, and we're very confident defending. This team really struggles with that defensive identity, and they're relying on players they probably shouldn't be relying on. So that's my defense of Chris Albright is, listen, we applauded Miles Robinson in that signing. Now, yeah, it doesn't look like a great one because he's had a very disappointing year. He should be allowed to fix that. Now, the bigger question will be, buddy, is the Denke-Avander relationship. When you look at the percentage, going into the D.C. United doubleheader, so to speak, that week, there were 88 goal contributions with Evander and Denke. Only 10 of those 88 combined either one of them. That's one out of nine goal contributions between Denke and Evander have included both of them. That is as perplexing... as any nugget I've ever seen.
00:04:17
Speaker 1: What is the most fair criticism of Pat Noonan?
00:04:21
Speaker 3: Pat would be the first person to tell you tactically that they haven't really been able to change. I think Pat would be the first person this offseason that would look at it and say, well, we've got to have the flexibility of playing four in the back or playing just two center backs. But when you've built the roster, built on the formation system, that it is, that's where this gets stuck. And the other thing is, too, and Pat knows this, Chris knows this as a player, if you wait too late to change it, then you don't want to change it without having real repetition and all of that. I think any manager will tell you at the beginning part of your career you want stability, you want to believe in what you're doing, and that's what Pat Noonan did in his first five years. I think now the evolution of Pat Noonan has to be there's got to be different formations of different systems that you can implement with still the same principles of play within the roster. But I really upset the apple cart in Cincinnati. You're very limited, very, very limited in changing any formation. If a Vander and dead gay are your front to a Vander will not press, he will not defend. And so you can't then say, well, let's play four in the back. And I go to Inter-Miami. They've got Suarez and Messi. It's a very similar situation with your defensive pressure, and they leak goals all the time in transition because of playing four in the back. So the conventional wisdom is play an extra center back, but Cincinnati does have injuries. That's a long-winded way of saying Pat Newman's got to find different systems to fit the players. But I just don't think it's a quick fix the way Cincinnati fans believe it because if you're going to say a Vander and Decker in my front two, that limits your defensive capabilities within your systems. It's just that's a fact. That's not really that big of an opinion.
00:06:15
Speaker 2: If there's no quick fix in the offing, does that mean it's too late to believe that this team, and they've got to play their way in first, and tomorrow could go a long way toward that happening. Is it too late? to believe that this team could make a run in the postseason?
00:06:30
Speaker 3: No, I'm the worst. I still bring Cincinnati up to a lot of people. I just do. Listen, Cincinnati has lost some massive games at home in the playoffs and in these tournaments when they were the better team and the favorite team. Now, all of a sudden, there's not a single person that is in this league and in the Eastern Conference that's really sweating Cincinnati, and I think that's where they could be their most dangerous. In saying that... They've got to have some kind of continuity on the back line. And who knows? You know, listen, it's D.C. as two opponents, but maybe Nick Hagelin as the middle of the three. Maybe that's your answer. I like the new Argentine center back until he got hurt. He looks the part. They're just getting killed with injuries. But I'm kind of with you. Listen, you've got two absolute game changers that can score goals. Evander can create and do all that. But I can't sit here and put my hat on top of Cincinnati and bet on them when Evander and what is it, six playoff games, one goal? That's the hard one for me. But again, he's a special talent, and in the flip of a switch, he can turn it on. I'm with you. I think there's a part of me that thinks they can surprise people. I just don't know if I can go all in and almost guarantee they'll surprise people.
00:07:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, that's fair. 7.30 tomorrow, FC Cincinnati and Miami, Apple TV. By the way, when are you guests hosting on the Today Show again?
00:08:01
Speaker 3: Don't know. I know for a fact it will be December 23rd, 24th, that Christmas Eve stuff, which is perfect for me. So, yeah.
00:08:09
Speaker 1: All right. I enjoy that. Last week you were on. That was terrific.
00:08:14
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:08:15
Speaker 1: That was a nice surprise in the morning. I enjoyed that.
00:08:17
Speaker 3: So do I Venmo you $ 100 publicly on the radio, or do I just make a donation during your charitable hours for that comment?
00:08:24
Speaker 1: Just the next time we have you on, remember, 513.
00:08:26
Speaker 3: Hang on, I just did DoorDash in Montreal, Canada. I've got to figure that out.
00:08:37
Speaker 2: The great Taylor Twellman. Awesome stuff, man. I appreciate it very much.
00:08:40
Speaker 1: Thank you.
00:08:41
Speaker 3: Yeah, see you, buddy.
Speaker 1: All right, we have found Taylor Twellman.
00:00:02
Speaker 2: Somebody gave him a wrong number with the 514 area code. Apple TV. Who answered the phone when you called 514 on our number?
00:00:12
Speaker 3: No, that's the best part. So I'm dialing 514. I text the number, and I'm like, well, that's weird. It's going through blue. So it's Apple iMessage, the whole nine yards. And then the message comes up, this number can't go through. And I Googled it, and I'm like, 514 is Montreal, Canada. I was like, listen, I get Cincinnati fans may be upset with me, but it's like, hang on a minute. So I've been trying to call Montreal.
00:00:39
Speaker 1: No, well, I'm glad we figured it out. I don't hate you.
00:00:43
Speaker 2: I'm on your side, by the way, when it comes to Chris Albright and Pat Noonan.
00:00:48
Speaker 1: And I think anybody who's reasonable should be.
00:00:52
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's an interesting conversation. First off, I love the energy from the Cincinnati fan. I love the accountability, all of that. However, and listen, full disclosure, I've known Pat Noonan since he was five. I've known Chris Albright since he was 16. But I'd be the first person to say if they should be in trouble. I watched Cincinnati the first three years of their existence. They were terrible. They were the worst team in MLS for three straight years. So Chris Albright, Pat Noonan show up. Now all of a sudden you're in these unbelievable conversations of trophies and big games and all of this. I just think, personal opinion, they should be allowed the opportunity to rectify the roster and to figure out tactically what works with the team. I just wanted to remind Cincinnati fans, It wasn't that long ago you won three wooden spoons. Not me.
00:01:55
Speaker 1: You did.
00:01:56
Speaker 2: No, I remember those days well. I remember those days well. So, like, I don't know who else is mad at you.
00:02:02
Speaker 3: But it also doesn't mean there should be criticism, Mo. You know what I mean?
00:02:04
Speaker 2: Sure.
00:02:05
Speaker 3: There's got to be criticism for this team. Absolutely there should be.
00:02:08
Speaker 2: All right, so let's start at the top with Chris Albright. In terms of the way the roster has been built, the way it has evolved, what would be the most fair criticism?
00:02:18
Speaker 3: Well, the one thing that really is perplexing to me is when he signed Miles Robinson, everyone and their mother applauded the coup of getting Miles Robinson as a free agent. Part of getting Miles Robinson as a free agent was making him a designated player for the final year of that deal or whatever it is, whatever the terms are. Now, Miles Robinson has had a very, very disappointing season. But you can't... You can't downplay the signing of Miles Robinson now when you applauded it at the beginning. This is part of what that signing is. Now they've got to figure out the back line. Matt Miosga, since the knee injury, wasn't good enough. And so they've got to shore up the back line because, make no mistake about it, that is a real issue. This is a team that never gave up goals, that won games. 1-0, 2-1, and we're very confident defending. This team really struggles with that defensive identity, and they're relying on players they probably shouldn't be relying on. So that's my defense of Chris Albright is, listen, we applauded Miles Robinson in that signing. Now, yeah, it doesn't look like a great one because he's had a very disappointing year. He should be allowed to fix that. Now, the bigger question will be, buddy, is the Denke-Avander relationship. When you look at the percentage, going into the D.C. United doubleheader, so to speak, that week, there were 88 goal contributions with Evander and Denke. Only 10 of those 88 combined either one of them. That's one out of nine goal contributions between Denke and Evander have included both of them. That is as perplexing... as any nugget I've ever seen.
00:04:17
Speaker 1: What is the most fair criticism of Pat Noonan?
00:04:21
Speaker 3: Pat would be the first person to tell you tactically that they haven't really been able to change. I think Pat would be the first person this offseason that would look at it and say, well, we've got to have the flexibility of playing four in the back or playing just two center backs. But when you've built the roster, built on the formation system, that it is, that's where this gets stuck. And the other thing is, too, and Pat knows this, Chris knows this as a player, if you wait too late to change it, then you don't want to change it without having real repetition and all of that. I think any manager will tell you at the beginning part of your career you want stability, you want to believe in what you're doing, and that's what Pat Noonan did in his first five years. I think now the evolution of Pat Noonan has to be there's got to be different formations of different systems that you can implement with still the same principles of play within the roster. But I really upset the apple cart in Cincinnati. You're very limited, very, very limited in changing any formation. If a Vander and dead gay are your front to a Vander will not press, he will not defend. And so you can't then say, well, let's play four in the back. And I go to Inter-Miami. They've got Suarez and Messi. It's a very similar situation with your defensive pressure, and they leak goals all the time in transition because of playing four in the back. So the conventional wisdom is play an extra center back, but Cincinnati does have injuries. That's a long-winded way of saying Pat Newman's got to find different systems to fit the players. But I just don't think it's a quick fix the way Cincinnati fans believe it because if you're going to say a Vander and Decker in my front two, that limits your defensive capabilities within your systems. It's just that's a fact. That's not really that big of an opinion.
00:06:15
Speaker 2: If there's no quick fix in the offing, does that mean it's too late to believe that this team, and they've got to play their way in first, and tomorrow could go a long way toward that happening. Is it too late? to believe that this team could make a run in the postseason?
00:06:30
Speaker 3: No, I'm the worst. I still bring Cincinnati up to a lot of people. I just do. Listen, Cincinnati has lost some massive games at home in the playoffs and in these tournaments when they were the better team and the favorite team. Now, all of a sudden, there's not a single person that is in this league and in the Eastern Conference that's really sweating Cincinnati, and I think that's where they could be their most dangerous. In saying that... They've got to have some kind of continuity on the back line. And who knows? You know, listen, it's D.C. as two opponents, but maybe Nick Hagelin as the middle of the three. Maybe that's your answer. I like the new Argentine center back until he got hurt. He looks the part. They're just getting killed with injuries. But I'm kind of with you. Listen, you've got two absolute game changers that can score goals. Evander can create and do all that. But I can't sit here and put my hat on top of Cincinnati and bet on them when Evander and what is it, six playoff games, one goal? That's the hard one for me. But again, he's a special talent, and in the flip of a switch, he can turn it on. I'm with you. I think there's a part of me that thinks they can surprise people. I just don't know if I can go all in and almost guarantee they'll surprise people.
00:07:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, that's fair. 7.30 tomorrow, FC Cincinnati and Miami, Apple TV. By the way, when are you guests hosting on the Today Show again?
00:08:01
Speaker 3: Don't know. I know for a fact it will be December 23rd, 24th, that Christmas Eve stuff, which is perfect for me. So, yeah.
00:08:09
Speaker 1: All right. I enjoy that. Last week you were on. That was terrific.
00:08:14
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:08:15
Speaker 1: That was a nice surprise in the morning. I enjoyed that.
00:08:17
Speaker 3: So do I Venmo you $ 100 publicly on the radio, or do I just make a donation during your charitable hours for that comment?
00:08:24
Speaker 1: Just the next time we have you on, remember, 513.
00:08:26
Speaker 3: Hang on, I just did DoorDash in Montreal, Canada. I've got to figure that out.
00:08:37
Speaker 2: The great Taylor Twellman. Awesome stuff, man. I appreciate it very much.
00:08:40
Speaker 1: Thank you.
00:08:41
Speaker 3: Yeah, see you, buddy.
