How we doing folks,

Like you, we’re still waiting on Berhalter news to drop. Once it does we’ll have our analysis just like everyone else. Until then, we’ve got more content for ya.

• ⏯️ Match Day 24 & 25 Recap

• 🇺🇸 US Olympic Squad

• 🏆️ Supporter’s Shield Race

• ⚽️ Goal of the Week

• 😂 Meme of the Week

Match Day 24 & 25 Recap

There’s Life in Seattle

Seattle have won 4 of their last 5. Pedro de la Vega is back and getting minutes. Jordan Morris is in great form. They won’t compete with the top 3 in the West but they sure do look like a playoff team. What a turnaround.

Orlando Trouncing

A week full of blowouts. Orlando City beat D.C. 5-0 at home (goal highlights). They’ve won 3 of their last 4 albeit against Chicago, Toronto, and D.C. but they won’t care. This team is starting to get over their early season woes and are firmly in the playoff race in the East.

Meanwhile, D.C. are winless in their last 11 and are dead last in the East. They’ve been in a complete nosedive. Don’t rule out the Wooden Spoon.

Freefall in Minnesota

Minnesota United have lost 6 straight. Yuck. There are deeper issues than just the absence of Tani Oluwaseyi and Dayne St. Clair on international duty with Canada. They’ve yet to find a real identity under new coach Eric Ramsey and are now outside looking in on the playoffs.

FC Dallas vs SKC Double Header

Dallas can’t find any consistent form. They beat Portland then lose to SKC. Make it make sense. I know most of the squad was resting with the mid-week rematch with SKC today but the playoffs look unlikely. At least Petar Musa looks like a great signing.

Olympic Dreams

The US Olympic roster was released on Monday. The Olympics is a U-23 tournament, except for 3 players who can be exceptions to the age rule. This year, Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, and Djordje Mihailovic are our exceptions.

This young team should be super exciting to watch, and a good break from the poor form we’ve seen from the senior USMNT lately. Luckily, Gregg doesn’t coach our U-23s, so that gives us a chance to see an entirely different style, coached by ex-Chicago Fire Coach Marko Mitrovic. If you haven’t seen his team announcement, it’s worth a watch.

Notable Players Missing: Diego Luna, Cole Bassett

Breakout Player To Watch: Jack McGlynn

It’s our first Olympic appearance since 2008. A podium finish would be massive, something no other US team has accomplished in the Olympics. We’re grouped with France (favored to win Gold), New Zealand, and Guinea. We should have no issue getting out of the group, but we’ve said that before.

Other Team Facts

• Of the 18 players chosen, 17 of them have spent time in the MLS or MLS academies.

• 10 players currently play in the MLS

• At 19 Benjamin Cremaschi is the youngest on the squad and will be eligible for the 2028 Olympics in LA

• USA has the 5th best odds to win Gold, at +1600.

Supporter’s Shield Race

This Shield Race is shaping up to be one of the best ever. Yeah, I said it.

We believe it’s a 6 man race. FCC, LAFC, Inter Miami, Real Salt Lake, Columbus, and LA Galaxy.

FC Cincinnati - After dismantling Miami, they’re the clear favorites to repeat for the first time since the Galaxy in 2010/11. Lucho Acosta had a goal and two assists to remind everyone that he’s firmly in the race to win his second straight MVP. Their 2.18 point-per-game is better than last year’s 2.03 PPG pace. Right now, they’re the creme de la creme of MLS.

LAFC - Kei Kamara is skying for headers like he’s 23 again and has 3 goals in his last 4 games. They just beat the Galaxy in El Trafico and are unbeaten in 10 straight. Oh, and this guy named Olivier Giroud joins them in a few weeks. They could absolutely win their 3rd Shield in 6 years.

Inter Miami - If you would’ve told us they’d win 4 out of 5 without Messi and Suarez we would’ve said you’re nuts. Two more games without them they till defend their League’s Cup title. It always seemed this team was built more for tournament play but we’ll see.

Columbus Crew - They have at least one game in hand on everyone ahead of them and have won 4 straight. It’s been the typical free-flowing, attacking-minded Nancy ball we’ve seen over the past two years. Don’t you dare count them out.

Real Salt Lake - They have 17 goals in the last 6 games and Chicho Arango has only scored 4 of them. Diego Luna has a chip on his shoulder after not getting the Olympic call-up so he put up a goal and three assists this weekend. Look at this 10-pass sequence that leads to a goal in the first minute of Saturday’s route of Atlanta.

LA Galaxy - Does the Galaxy have the two best signings of the year? Probably. Gabriel Pec has 5g/4a in his last 6 games and finally looks comfortable after his early season struggles. They’ll need to be close to perfect over the second half but regardless no one will want to play them in the playoffs.

Goal of the Week

How did he not get the Olympic call-up??

Meme of the Week

I see no lies.

Quick Hits

• Indy Eleven upset Atlanta United in the Open Cup quarterfinals (Link)

• Cavan Sullivan scores his first professional goal (Link)

• Atlanta United sells Caleb Wiley to Chelsea for $11 million (Link)

• A 4th tier NPSL team drew a crowd of 8,616 (Link)

• Houston Dynamo finalizing deal for winger Lawrence Ennali (Link)

See you fools next week!