Angela: I've been up since 4 45 and I
was like, or you could just leave bye.
Oh man.
Okay.
Mario: Look, don't make it the
same color as the record button,
Angela: They're in very places.
Mario: Welcome to Casual FC,
an Angel City match preview and
footy therapy pod featuring two
certified giggly footy therapists.
I'm your host Mario Salazar, with
my soon to be a anointed speaker.
Angela: Oh
Mario: Angela Morales.
Angela: about it yet.
We
Mario: We're not talking about it yet.
No, we're not talking about it yet, but
it's exciting news and it's coming soon.
Angela: It's becoming very soon.
what are we, what are we
talking about today, Mario?
Mario: We are talking about our
match preview on Friday, March
27th against the Houston Dash.
We are playing at home at BMO Stadium 7:00
PM It's gonna be streaming on Prime video.
This is gonna be the Prime
video Friday night match.
you can always listen to Isaac and Tracy.
on iHeartRadio streaming,
wherever you can on your phone.
Believe there might be a TV app,
I don't know, but it's on your
phone and it's on the internet.
You can do it.
you can sync it up.
It's awesome.
And then, and So this is a Friday night
match, which in my preview, I kind of put
Friday night matches as weekend matches.
I mean, they kind of are, it's the
end of the work week and whatnot.
Angela: work.
If you don't work the
weekends, it's time to party.
Mario: Yeah.
Although you still have to
contend with everybody else
trying to get home from work
Angela: It's true.
Mario: a Friday.
So there, there's that.
It is a special ticketed giveaway.
There's a lunch bag, giveaway.
It's the night of.
Heroes.
No, that's, is it the Night of Heroes?
Yeah, it is.
that is a special ticket giveaway as
you've been around since last year.
you know, they do these, giveaways
where unless you have bought a
specific ticket in a specific zone,
it's not a stadium wine giveaway.
So, if you do want that,
check out the website.
You might have to buy a ticket.
If you're a season ticket
holder, you should be.
You should have had a link at some
point, before the season even started.
So go look through your emails or
just email your rep and you can get
a link where you can buy the item
itself because you have season tickets.
So.
Go take a look at, the website.
There's a bunch of cool giveaways,
ticketed giveaways throughout the season.
and if one of 'em you like,
then, you know, pre-buy it and
make sure that you can get it.
one of the ones last year
was the Hello Kitty blanket.
Was a special ticketed giveaway.
this year.
I remember scrolling through it, there
was like a ball, like a, a mini soccer
ball that was, going to be a giveaway.
So again, those are special ticketed ones.
So go check out the website.
'cause by the time you hear
it on our preview, it means
it's like probably too late.
So there's that.
And
Angela: SveindÃs
Mario: yeah, go down.
Angela: so you don't have
to SveindÃs it later.
Mario: Exactly.
there is also a gate giveaway.
It's going to be a collectible pin.
They release at, angel City released
that there's going to be five collectible
pins throughout the season, and
this is going to be pin number one.
Now.
I got a bone to pick
Angela: We, I think everybody
Mario: everybody.
Everybody has a bone to pick.
Angela: mad about this.
Mario: There will only
be 5,000 available pins.
Angela: Per collective,
per collective pin night,
Mario: Yes.
Per pin night
Angela: one.
only be 5,000 given away.
Mario: in a stadium
that holds up to 22,000.
And we have sold out the stadium before.
We are averaging about 16,000 right now.
Right.
We've been over the last couple
years, we've been averaging somewhere
between 16 to 18,000, right?
Angela: At least do 10.
You know what
Mario: Yeah.
But e even at that, it's look, there
are five general entry points, and then
there's two VVIP, three VIP entry points.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: you gonna split 5,000?
You, you never split those.
Giveaways evenly between
all those gates, right?
There's always a gate that has extras.
There's always a,
Angela: of
Mario: yeah, there's always a gate that's
going to be completely empty, right?
the gate that the supporters go
in, right as first priority, gone.
so half the supporters aren't
gonna be able to get some, but then
they're already in the stadium.
it, it, you're just
creating chaos for what?
Angela: and you do not get
the Chaos Award for this.
It's preventable.
Mario: It is preventable.
Yes.
Angela: most of the things we, we
talk about in the Chaos Award are
preventable, but what do we know?
Mario: Yeah.
So, You know, angel City, if you
want to do, you know you have time
to reorder and re-up the future pins,
maybe do a, maybe do a reissue of pin
one on another night or something.
'cause five thousand's not gonna cut it.
You're gonna get a lot of upset emails so.
Angela: just, just give season
ticket holders a pack for each seat.
just make it easier on us.
Please.
Mario: When they didn't they do that
last year with the bubble head pins?
like at one point there was like
an event and then they gave, oh
no, they were doing a trading,
Angela: yeah.
Mario: did a trading event
at the end of the season
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: because there was plenty
of people that ended up getting
like three of the same kind.
Angela: We were in stadium that day.
Everybody was walking around with
their phone with looking for,
looking for Jun, looking for Riley.
We'll trade for Christen.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: you know, we'll trade for Riley.
Ali Riley.
It was just, yeah.
Mario: I, I ended up trading
the guy in front of me for a
pin, so I did get a full set.
Angela: Oh, we're, I
think we're missing one.
But whatever.
'cause we had three.
We each, we made sure
we got a different one,
Mario: Hmm.
Okay.
Angela: whatever.
Mario: Okay.
Well,
well that's, that's what this
episode's gonna be about.
We have a couple of other
things to talk about, but.
Get more pins.
Angela: Yes.
More pins please.
really quick before we get into
our stuff, these puffy eyes.
Are from watching one of the
latest episodes of the Recap,
Christen and Tobin's podcast.
They had our, one of our favorite
angels, Prisca Chilufya on, and it was
a beautiful conversation on grassroots
soccer organization on Prisca's
early days in soccer and how she got
involved with grassroots in in Zambia.
Christen and Tobin's, love of the country.
A beautiful conversation
about just the love of, of the
game and how beautiful it is.
And they went very in depth and very,
truthfully into the conversation about
what happened at the end of the season
when I was dubbed preacher Angela.
When I, when I got up on 18
different soapboxes and then
kicked 'em all at everybody.
it is a wonderful conversation.
I am.
I cried through the majority
of the episode and I wasn't
expecting it, so I'm sorry.
I love these players.
I love this team and this community
because matter what Prisca felt,
she said it, my feelings felt so
like over, or outweighed by the
love I was getting and the, the
support we were getting and, yeah.
So if you're gonna write a
letter like that, get wrecked.
As far as I'm concerned,
as most people know.
Mario: yeah.
Yeah.
That's a very, a very, poignant
stance from us is a big F you.
Yeah.
to those of you who know who you are.
and that's it.
That's all we really have to say.
So,
Angela: That's all.
Go watch the episode though.
It's beautiful.
It's fun.
It's, it's so informative of the copper
queens, like the Zambian national team,
the, the country's love of the team.
It's just, it's a wonderful episode.
Just go watch it and have a nice
time and feel good about the
people that we're cheering for.
Mario: Yep.
Angela: That's all.
Mario: all.
Angela: in bad, the heck is going on?
Is this real life?
Are we all dreaming?
Are we ever gonna wake up from this?
highlights.
We won again
Mario: Yes.
Two in a row, baby.
Woo.
Top of the table.
Top of the table,
Angela: Seven goals in two games.
Aspen just had a brace.
We've scored in two games off two corners.
They were games we were taking
like 20 million corner kicks and
not doing anything with them, but.
SveindÃs
is scored Giselle, we've
had, in seven goals.
We've had six different score per,
Mario: People,
Angela: God,
Mario: players,
Angela: thank you.
Mario: angels.
Angela: Six different angels have scored
in the seven goals we have acquired.
Very exciting, very
Mario: So we, in our first
match, we saw the little we we.
It wasn't even glimpses.
It was like we saw the, the knocking
on the door that CEEs had, where
we were already saying yes, it's,
Angela: the
Mario: it, she's right there.
The, the, the every, the system, the,
the, the ideas, the, the gel is gelling.
Right.
we knew that it was coming.
Of course, we had to, you know, we, we.
Praise the, the four scorers.
'cause we had four different
scoring, players in that first match.
But all the assists were
integral to those scores.
It wasn't like they were just one solo.
what they called moment of
brilliance, the, the, the
individual moment of brilliance.
Angela: brilliance.
Yeah.
Mario: Yeah, it, it wasn't that,
it was team effort and it was very
much, a, a a give and go a pass, a
a, I wouldn't necessarily call it
tiki to type ball, but like fluid.
It was fluid.
and it, and it gave us a
lot of what we want to see.
also we got, you know, hope.
Yeah.
but in this one.
The absolute speed, the absolute like
just foresight that SveindÃs has had like
just the, she saw the play or they've
practiced these plays in such a way where
like it was seamless, like you kind of.
She automatically broke into a different
direction, and all of a sudden then you
caught up and you saw what was happening.
Even though you had the bird eye
view, you were like, holy crap.
There she goes.
There she goes.
Angela: and the thing I didn't
realize, like I knew she was tall.
She's my height essentially.
So we have her and Evelyn Shores that
are like tall for soccer players.
and.
Venus knows how to run with her legs.
She knows how to her stride and
push off into that, and it is so
wonderful to watch her on a break
where she can just a tear up the wing.
Up the middle of the pitch at
this point doesn't seem to matter,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: but it's also nice to know that
she's a target for fellow five nine.
player Evelyn Shores, who
takes some of our corners.
So it's nice to have a, a tall
girl to tall girl connection to,
to knock it in with her head.
Mario: Yeah.
it's, the game was really exciting.
it was really fun to watch, and I, I
just told Angela this story, but it, in
watching this amazing match, I definitely
decided to put the match on screen.
On the TV was watching
the Angel City match.
My Brosso team also played at the
exact same time, had a 5 45 kickoff.
I watched that on my phone.
I had both screens going
on at the same time.
Angela: But the big one, the
important one, the one where
you can see all the details.
Mario: Yeah, yeah.
for context, angel City season
stakeholder with the family.
LAFC season, season ticket
holder with my brother.
My wife comes up to me as
I'm watching these things.
Have you told your brother yet?
I'm like, what?
That you chose the A, the Angel
City game over the LAFC game.
I was like, no, I have it right here.
She's Uhhuh, I'm gonna tell 'em.
I was like, oh geez.
Okay.
Watching the game, what did help is that
both teams were away, which meant both
were wearing white kits or what looks
like white kits on screen, easy to follow.
The part that sucks is that they both
went opposite directions on the screen.
So anytime I looked at one screen
for too long, when I would look
the other way and if they were like
retreating, I'm like, oh, go, go, go.
Wait.
No, no, don't go.
You're going the other way.
And then.
the, the men's game was a little
bit behind, maybe close to 10
minutes behind, the Angel City game.
So when it hit halftime, I
swapped over to the men's game.
And then when my wife realizes it,
she goes, I'm gonna tell Angela.
I'm like, what now?
She's like That.
You switch the game.
Angela: If she had texted me,
I would've laughed so hard.
I.
I was telling Mario before the show,
I don't think you guys collectively
understand how much I love his wife.
She is so funny.
She is so wonderful.
They have a porch goose that I
randomly get pictures of her new
wardrobe, which I need to text Jen
'cause I have not gotten one recently.
I need to know what she's wearing.
Mario: She has a, she has a Easter outfit.
Yeah.
Angela: yeah, I need to know.
But, no, Jen is hysterical.
So if you're ever lucky
enough to meet Mario's wife.
Get ready to get like slightly roasted.
It's amazing.
She is a fantastic human,
Mario: So yeah, that
was, that was exciting.
Exciting.
And then of course finished out the
game on the screen, actually ended
up finishing out the game on the
projector screen 'cause we were setting
up for movie night for the kids.
and, but it, yeah, good times all around.
Had to fix my brain every single time I
switched screens, but was so excited to.
Watch the Angel City match, like
through and through the, the way
we were showing up was, amazing.
I ended up making our, designing
our, our San Andreas sticker.
So those will be coming soon
'cause I will buy them out of
my own pocket if I need to.
Angela: Also, sorry if I freak out.
There's apparently a little moth
that is trying to attack me.
That's fun.
Mario: so yeah, I think, I think the, the
match was great and the, the banter and
the, the, the match game commentary and
everything on discord was again amazing.
It was off it, it was just going off
the rails, but in such a good way,
Angela: I do wanna say one of my
favorite things about the game
was actually watching Jun Endo's,
Mario: her reaction.
Angela: because it was her and Hina.
It looks like they lived
together, which I love even more.
But, was the, oh my God.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Ah, like every goal, because
Eva and I were in our house
doing the exact same thing.
It was like, oh, oh my God.
we weren't even getting full words out.
And then just woo.
There was a lot of screaming,
both in all caps, in the discord
and out loud in our house.
But Ethan sent in the all important
haiku said, long pass back to front
Iceland's fire and ice intensity check.
Yeah.
So here for it.
I'm, I'm excited.
But we did, it was nice to have
a, like we gave up a goal, but
it wasn't the end of the world.
It was like, oh.
We had a lot.
We need to clean that up.
before we get into footy therapy, there
was a really interesting conversation
in the Discord about Sarah Gorden not
starting, I fully believe that one.
This was part of the, let's set the
youngest lineup, average age record,
but two, this is tactical because what
this did was expose us to ourselves.
In a game we knew we could win.
So that way you can find those weak points
or like where we get a little frantic
or where we, you know, the game plan
when we're stressed and fix, find those
to fix them before they're exploited
by a team like Kansas City or another
you know, highfalutin big gun team.
And that is, so that's plain chess.
You know
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: Like it's saying, okay,
make this, mix this up a little bit.
Plus, as the season gets longer, we're
not going to see as many iron players
because you're, you want to rest so
that you have longevity, you're gonna
have to switch people in and out,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: the depth in our back
line right now is super important.
plus it was just really cool to see
like the future on the pitch all
at the same time and Have a game.
Like it was just, it was
so fun and it's so joyful.
fully need to know what
like fins up means.
what is this?
What is this little like
shark in the, are we sharks?
Are we whales?
What's happening?
I need to know.
So if any of the players would like to
fill me in, I will keep it a secret.
I will not tell in the I I Pinky swear.
Pinky swear.
I will not say in the Discord.
I will only probably tell Eva.
Because we both had a 20
minute conversation about it,
about how we need to know.
So please free to DM us.
Mario: I, The first thing that came
to me just because of the youngins
was baby shark, but that's not it.
Angela: Hell, it might be, we don't know.
Mario: I don't know.
God, I swear if we start talking
about some of the cellies,
we're gonna sound so old.
Okay, we'll, we'll move on.
We will move on.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: As I mentioned, I was setting
up out towards the end of the game
for a movie night with the kids, which
meant I completely forgot to post
footy therapy at the end of the game.
Angela: at a comedy show, I too
forgot that we needed to have this.
Mario: Yeah.
So it hit me in the morning.
I was like, so I posted it.
And we've got some, great feedback.
I think there's a lot more raw
feedback when we do it than the, the
day of, like right after the game.
These were more measured comments,
which I'm like, I appreciate too.
Angela: yeah.
Mario: The prompt was another
three points and a plus two in
our goal differential and a brace.
They're doing the damn thing.
And so Joel came in on our
Discord, excited for the
positive goals differential.
Hopefully they can make it through
the next few weeks and then have
a few more players available
for the April may run of games.
yeah, like things start to get congested
usually right before that kind of
international, Break or the, the week,
mandatory week off that they have in the
middle of summer, this summer even more
with the, you know, world Cup break.
So, yeah, things are gonna
get a lot more compressed.
So the importance of the depth,
right, the importance of being able
to swap out players and rotate them
so they're not getting burnt out on.
Successive games and things like
that, is going to be great and
ideal and, and something that we
need to really kind of strive for.
And then, Joe came in with, I'm hopeful.
I'm hopeful, optimistic, but I do have
in the back of my head that we have
not played, been playing the teams
that are on the top of the table,
making it into playoff round yet.
But I will gladly take the wins and the
time for a new lineup in players gel and.
Well win instead of really
playing hard games and not feel
like things can work together.
I'm sure Straus sees things he wants
to change and knows what kind of
people he needs in the near future.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: I don't disagree, but I also,
Angela: in the
Mario: I.
Angela: of the season last year where I
went Bay FC, Kansas City, Orlando, like
it was just Gotham, just heavy hitter
like, you know, wins the championship,
wins the shield, wins existence like.
It was hard.
It was a very hard run.
Mario: Yeah, I will say, I mean, not,
not for nothing, but I mean, yes, we
did end up beating Houston, but then
Houston came back the next match.
So it was like, that's Don.
Let the idea of we're not
playing the top teams.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Uh uh.
Angela: beat Kansas City this week
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: I.
Mario: they,
we, we always say over and over, the thing
about the NWSL is it's the, any given,
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: Friday or any, any given Sunday.
What's the movie?
What's the thing?
There we go.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Any given Sunday.
It, like with the NWSL, because of
the parody that is, there because of
salary caps and whatnot, you literally.
Don't know what's gonna happen.
And that's the exciting part, right?
In the European leagues, you
have the big money SveindÃsers
and you're just like, bullshit.
They're gonna win all the time.
you know, un unless they've got some
really bad injuries, like you're,
you're expecting them to win.
so it kind of, you know, in one
sense it could be kind of boring.
It's still exciting soccer, but you know.
In the NWSL, you really
kind of don't know.
And as you can tell, usually when you
look at, Allison Gale's, like season
long tracker of stuff, yes, the top are
pretty solid, but then the chaos is like
the bread and butter of the league, of
Angela: can be anybody at any given point.
Like it
Mario: yeah.
Yeah,
Angela: always
Mario: been, it's been kind of
flukes at the last couple years.
There's been like straight lines
at the top, but beyond that
it's, it's chaos everywhere else.
Right.
Like we were saying, I think last year
it was like, it wasn't until close to
the end where like spots three through
eight were decided, like they were just
Angela: it was like the
Mario: up for grabs.
Angela: the season.
It was
Mario: Yeah.
So.
not for nothing.
Right.
And, and someone on the Discord also
mentioned that, you know, year one
through four, angel City would've
let that one goal in and then just
would've fallen apart and we would've,
Angela: three.
Mario: yeah.
Yeah.
So we're doing good things.
Nadia said, love that.
We've now scored off corners this
season, both headers by our tall girls.
Angela: Yep.
Mario: And then the rest of the general
consensus on the Discord W was less about
the game and devolved into a conversation
about Eva wearing a horse head.
Angela: Yeah,
Mario: Much to the dismay of Angela here.
Angela: That was like the next day.
It was Sunday.
It wasn't even, it was even after
the game, but other games happened
that I really need to talk about.
Mario: So if you, if you see, a horse,
a person wearing a horse head in
the stadium, that's most likely Eva.
Angela: No, you didn't.
Mario: All right.
and then we had a few
that came in on Instagram.
Cassandra came in with hopefully,
hopeful, excited, and pragmatic.
One game at a time, Jeff came in
with, oh, they're like that on
business vibes, attitude and player,
all set to a hundred special season.
Angela: Yep.
Mario: Trent came in with, I was
living for Jun's yes, IG story posts.
This match was gritty.
Angela: It was so cute.
They were screaming, so high pitched.
Mario: This match was gritty and last,
and the last minute red was wild.
And then,
Angela: on red cards in a
Mario: yes.
Yeah.
Zach, I'm feeling like Nick Cage
feeling that sun and breeze.
I'm picturing, I'm he's
talking about con air, right?
He's talking about the con air like
Angela: just
Mario: nick cage.
Yeah.
And the hair flowing.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay.
And then, a little sneak in comment
from our friends at the dash dispatch,
which will be featuring in a little
bit, with our preview ready for our
big battle because we are going to,
it's the number one and number two
spots going into battle this week.
So, quick roundabout
scores, look up the posts.
Tie, Tie, Portland, Houston,
Tie, us, Chicago and San Diego.
Those are the winners.
There you go.
I'll flash up the, I'll
flash up the graphic too.
And then Chaos Award.
Angela: Okay, so we had a general idea
of we're gonna talk, we're gonna take
turns and not do a chaos award every week.
But honestly, we, know if we need to start
taking like over unders or like ideas
of, do we think, because week one had
two red cards, two has four red cards.
Does week three have six red cards,
eight red cards, or no red cards?
Because happening, and like
there's, there's car, there's yellow
accumulation, there's straight red cards.
There's been like, I feel very
much, bill Hader, Stefan from SNL,
where he's this club has everything.
yes, insane.
There were four red cards this weekend in
three games because the Cascadia clash.
Occurred on Friday night.
It was peak perfect, perplexing NWSL after
dark 7:00 PM kickoff on the West coast.
It's the 44th iteration of the
Cascadia Clash between the Portland
thorns and the Seattle rain.
Don't worry, we will go deep into
this rivalry on a back passes episode,
even already talking about it.
ready
everyone knows.
will apparently become a small bit
of a Thorns fan because of M.A.
it's just inevitable.
Mario and I, I don't know if
we've said this, we're going
up there in May for the game.
there is, and there is a deep
love in me for rivalry games.
have been at Fenway Park watch
the Yankees Red Sox rivalry, like
I love rivalry games College.
Ooh, I'm outrageous.
This game was insane.
a red, like a double yellow.
Within two minutes.
A player sent off on
Portland, go up a goal.
Seattle looks crazy lost.
I don't understand what's happening.
Portland scores again and M.A.
Performing a masterclass on defense
that like Portland, after the first
red card, they locked in so hard.
It was the most beautiful display of to
just accept the circumstance and go with
it while everything is falling apart
around you, and you're just like, fine.
We're just gonna defend and we're gonna
do what we can and we'll see what happens.
They frustrated Seattle so much
that Claudia Dickey, one of the most
chill and calm people is standing
at her goal arms up in the air.
excuse me.
Hello?
it was a really weird game.
Reyna Reyes gets a red for what I
think started as an like a push off.
Which could have been a yellow, whatever,
but her hand, it didn't look like
she, like pulled hair the way Kayla
Fisher pulled Madison Hammond's hair.
It wasn't like a,
Mario: It wasn't an intentional yank.
Angela: And then instead of trying to
detangle, I'm just gonna bring my arm
down, then ends up in pulling hair.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: got her hair pulled
res, get sent off in the 62nd
minute or something like that.
And then Portland has to
hold on with nine players.
We watched the post game presser with M.A.
and Pietra Tordin.
Amazing MA's.
Like I did not, I already didn't
like Seattle, so like it was fine.
My favorite, like I good.
There is such importance
with the Cascadia clash.
I like it.
was
Mario: runs deep.
Angela: NWSL after dark.
there is so much lore that
came out of that game alone
to add to this like rivalry.
Oh, it was.
Chef's Kiss.
Amazing.
Perfect.
Thank you.
sorry that you're, that.
I don't remember the first player
who got sent off, but I'm sad
that she and Rayez are suspended.
There's so many suspensions,
but, this week's gonna
be really interesting.
There's five games on Wednesday and
the rest are throughout the weekend.
You know, two, like three
games in a week for some teams.
So it's gonna be bonkers, but absolutely.
The most chaotic weekend of soccer.
Like Mario said, Taylor Huff got
a red card in the 90th plus eight.
It's like a hundred minutes into a game.
Okay, whatever.
And like her and Sarah were
laughing about it, so it's fine.
And then in the, the last game
of the weekend, who was it?
It was, oh, it was, Diego and Utah.
There were yellow cards
flying around like crazy.
in the Discord is like,
red card, red card.
Like at this point let's go give it to me.
And then Tatumn Milazzo gets sent off.
Oh, so it was wild.
It just didn't, same weekend.
So let us know how many reds
you think are gonna happen.
0 2 4, 6 4, D seven, I don't know,
but absolutely weekend of soccer
and I've never been more grateful.
Mario: well.
yes.
I had a very busy weekend this weekend, so
I only got to catch, the, the one match.
Ana caught a fish.
Yes.
went fishing for the very first
time with my son as a Cub Scout.
Not first time as, yes, first time as a
cub scout, but just first time in general.
I've never fished like, I was
like, the fuck do I do with this?
it, it very much,
literally fish outta water.
Like I had no clue what
I was doing there, but.
If we caught a fish, it's three
and a half pound rainbow trout.
If anybody has some recommendations
on how to cook it, let me know.
'cause I have these two big ass
filets in my fridge right now.
but with all of that, it, it
was, the discord was going off.
I love it.
I, I love it because what I will,
Angela: fun.
Mario: what I will do, and it's almost
its own level of fun scrolling back.
Reading the banter with no
context, no context at all.
I don't know what was
going on in the game.
I don't, because we have, we have a
match thread for all of the rest of the
NWSL games, and then we have a match
thread for just the Angel City game.
So the other one, depending on
where I'm scrolling, I have no clue
what game people are talking about.
Especially a, you know, after the fact.
So it's just great because
the banter on its own is fun.
so come.
Angela: on Friday to tag Mario and be
like, Hey, this game's a chaos award.
He goes, oh, do I need
to go back and watch it?
And then he got yelled at by everybody
in the Discord, turn it on right now.
Yeah, it was a good time.
Mario: Yeah, it was good.
It was fun.
all right, let's preview our game.
our match against the Houston Dash.
We're playing at BMO,
they're coming to our house.
We wanted to, we've been trying to do
maybe a couple of, you know, fun cross,
collab episodes, with other pods.
Time willing, honestly,
when it comes down to it.
Schedules are gonna get
really crazy this week.
So it just wouldn't, we couldn't align.
So at some point, hopefully for the
next match when we travel to Houston,
we'll be able to do a special pod
with, our friends at the dash dispatch.
Schedules, time zones, all of
that, make things really hard.
But we'll figure it out
and we'll have some fun.
But I welcome a very special
prerecorded message from our
friend, OSG, from the dash dispatch
to our Casual FC listeners on
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: who we should be paying
attention to, on the team.
So here you go.
OSG: Hey, what's up Angel City, OSG here.
Thank you for the invite Mario and Angela.
Uh, man, this is a big game that
we're gonna get to talk about.
So I'll be quick.
I'll give you a minute and a half, two
minutes and I want y'all to know you
should dash ready to bring it to la.
Alright.
Hey, everybody knows about Avery
Patterson, so you know what?
I'm not gonna do that with y'all.
I'm not gonna give y'all the
Avery Patterson talk and say,
Hey, hey, Avery, Avery, Avery.
Y'all should know about Avery.
Should expect Avery, but what I am
gonna give y'all is our secret stars.
Kiki van Zanten scored two goals for us.
Last game against Boston
is on a hot streak.
Give us her first start of the
season outta the two games.
Got got, got the start
because of an injured player.
But she.
Brought a lot of energy, brought, brought
a lot of effort on that left side.
Number 12, Kiki van Zanten,
Jamaican National, a lot of energy.
Again, like I said, she played up
the striker, she played on the left.
She was side of Mackenzie, Robby up there.
So it's, it's, she is that type of forward
who can use her spade, use her ability.
She has good control.
She will take that shot on you.
Take several shots.
As a matter of fact, had a brace
for us, had a, had a hat trick,
but had that one taken away
because of off sides unfortunately.
But so keep an eye out on that left flank.
We also, you know, going back
to our defense, we haven't
given up any goals this season.
I know y'all have given up just
the one, but we're two games in.
Haven't given up any goals.
And of course, as y'all should
know, Paige Nielsen is a big.
Part of that, but Malia
Berkely is her partner.
Those two as a duo have just
been unstoppable and not
letting anything through.
And of course if it does get through,
you got the number one Jane Campbell
right there behind the two sticks,
stopping everything from going in.
But again, I just wanna make sure
y'all remember Paige Nielsen,
Paige, Nielsen, and then new.
New, new.
This season Dash took a different,
aspect than the off season.
We brought in five rookies in a new
forward with a two years experience.
McKenzie Robbie is a new player.
And then 4 rookies.
It's, it's insane.
four of those rookies started
game one, one got hurt.
Three of those rookies are starting,
and we'll start again against y'all.
So you have to keep out for
Klenke ,Ullmark, Check out those.
So Klenke will be a defender, Ullmark will
be in the central midfield pushing up.
Then there is, there is one more.
Kat Rader, who just scored in the last
game too, who will be playing up top in
that forward type role on the right side.
So they're all over the place.
I don't know where else to go,
but Angela, Mario, thank you
for having me on real quick.
And I'm sorry that was three
minutes, that wasn't two, but I
think first one, first team to score
to get two goals wins this game.
One.
One draw.
But you know what?
We're gonna come out on top.
H is up.
Thanks for having me.
Angela: I love Paige Nielsen.
I hate the state of Texas.
I, it's too hot.
The bugs are huge.
It's.
too hot.
The food is good, but I
don't, I don't, I don't
Mario: But it's too hot.
Angela: It's too hot.
I don't, it makes no sense to me.
It's either is it the surface of the sun
or it's frozen And I don't understand.
And I have a lot of questions for the
Mario: I,
Angela: of the state,
for a variety of reasons.
So
Mario: I love watching.
Yeah,
Angela: keep your hs.
Mario: I love watching the videos.
Complete tangent.
But the little like clips and stuff
like that of Europeans figuring
out how Lars the United States is
Angela: I have no idea, dude.
Mario: and,
Angela: big.
Mario: and when they realize
like how long going tip the
tip in Texas is, and it's just
Angela: They're
Mario: yeah.
Angela: we've been here for
three days and it's yeah,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: it's just there.
No, OSG, old, old soccer guy is amazing.
He is a wonderful friend of the pod,
and thank you for a lovely message.
There's no way on the face of this planet
that we could forget about Paige Nielsen.
She is ours and ours
first, well, not really.
played on other teams,
but she's, she's ours
Mario: But for us, you know,
starting from the beginning, so.
Angela: fans.
Yeah, I mean, for the Spirit fans,
she's probably they're like ours.
Same with Seattle, even though she
was there for four seconds, but.
No, I, I definitely agree.
It, it's funny, I had started drafting
notes before we, we started talking with
OSG, about h him sending a message and
my players to watch were literally Avery
Patterson, Kiki Van Zain, and Kat Rader.
So everything he said,
yes, incredibly important.
Overall, backline, like our, our
defensive mids and our backline has
to be organized, has to be strong,
has to be on their game because.
Even with week one, trade of Yasmine
Ryan and Delaney shehan to the summit,
like did not throw them off the way
I thought it was going to, because
Mario: Okay.
Angela: is an amazing, forward midfield.
She's kind of like a, in-betweener.
Delaney Shehan is also right there
amazing in the midfield, but.
I, they, they're coming locked and loaded.
are kind of, sort of Angel City 2.0
in that way of where player like Angela
Ley, Manano is there, Paige is there.
Messiah Bright is there, and I don't
appreciate how good they're becoming.
But no, I'm, I'm happy for our
former players in the sense that they
have found a home in Houston, but.
I think it's going to be a battle of
who can force the other team to play, to
play out of their, their comfort zone.
Mario: Mm-hmm.
Angela: We are fast and I think
we're faster than Houston, but it's
can we get our, our, our wings open?
Can we move the ball enough
to get through their defense?
We've seen Paige on our
side and against us.
They're, they have such a wonderful
backline, with injury, even
with players moving around, like
they've been able to secure that.
And like you said, Malia, Malia,
Berkeley, and Paige together is crazy.
It's going to be a very physical game.
It's going to be very fast and I think
we're faster than Houston, but I, I
think Houston is a little scrappier.
And, and the way that they crash the
box, like at the second they are in the
attacking third, everybody is there.
They are making sure the goal
goes in and we're getting there.
We've just had a lot more open, looks like
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: tearing off into the
sunset essentially with the ball.
So it's been a little bit different.
But I think overall, if we can stay
organized, complete passes while
deflecting their passes, because it's.
It is something that happens in
practice for both basketball and soccer
I don't think people realize is as
important as it is, is deflections
and fighting for deflections.
Because the more you interrupt another
team's passes, the more chances
there are for you to steal the ball.
There's more chances for you
to disrupt their offensive run.
So deflect, deflect, deflect.
Even if it's just
getting a toe on the ball
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: it's getting, you know,
just getting a hand to knock it.
Just tip it.
Just enough to disrupt it to either help
you set back up or to steal the ball.
So if we can force Houston play
our way, I think we'll be okay.
We have to dictate the game the way we did
with BFC and the way we did with Chicago
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: if we can control the ball,
control the vibe, control the energy,
you can, you can mess with a, a team a
Mario: yeah,
Angela: that way.
Mario: yeah.
We're gonna have the home crowd.
we're, we're starting to see all
of the pieces fall together when it
comes to SveindÃs is, when it comes
to Fuller, Riley is just waiting in
the wings like she's, I mean, golden,
golden boot contender from last year,
and she hasn't really missed a step.
It's just we no longer are relying on
like one, quote unquote superstar one, one
person to try to, to lift or score, right?
We are the talent.
We've always said that talent is there.
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: Each one of these players has
talent and has it in a slightly different,
way, a slightly different tactic, a
slightly different mentality of it, right?
some of them have more
cartilage than others.
They're just, they're just quicker.
Spry.
Angela: is that Jun is coming
back, Claire is coming back.
Sid might come back this season.
We don't know yet.
there's, we're we're deep where we
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: deep.
So like I said earlier, right now
is the time when we're going to
see changes and not in the frantic,
I don't know what I'm doing.
Throw spaghetti at a walway
where it's felt like it before.
This is
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: Our, our three, our
Center back trio of Sarah
Gorden, Emily Sams, and savi king
savi, just came back and
played almost 90 minutes.
You know, like she's almost 90 ready.
Emily Sams is almost 90 ready?
Sarah is 90 ready.
So there's going to be movement,
there's going to be substitutes.
It's not that serious.
People are starting to take this
personal, like she should be upset.
She should ask for a trade one.
It's one game.
this is the long, this is the longest
season this league has ever had.
have to prepare for that
mentally and physically.
I'm
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: so, so curious because now
there are four players out this
season with SEIS knee injuries.
I'm so, so curious, and I brought
this up in the Discord if slash when
slash Maybe we already are seeing
this in some ways because we know
that ligament issues occur or injuries
occur more often when women are at
certain points in our menstrual cycles.
When we start seeing players.
Only sub for 20 minutes or only play
a little bit of a game because the
risk of injury is too big depending
on the team's like support system.
And I'm so curious because the science
behind all this is so cool and I can nerd
out about it forever, as some of you know,
this is I, I just wanna read studies about
bodies all day and, and how they interact
with sports and it's my, it's amazing.
how we deal with that I think
is also going to impact.
and lineup transitions and things
like that across the league.
So
Mario: I mean, hope.
Angela: had a completely different lineup.
They switched one player.
You know, we're gonna see
movement need to rest.
It's a 30 game season with
multiple, multiple times where
you have multiple games in a week.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah, we, I definitely would like to see
more thought and, and whether or not we
see it, just knowing that it's a priority
Angela: Mm-hmm.
Mario: amazing is seeing that from
the league, being able to say look,
there, we're investing in the research.
We're investing in the thought, behind it.
We're investing on the
players, you know, and,
Angela: been there
Mario: their physiology.
Angela: but
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: we use it.
Mario: Yeah.
And then, you know, Michelle Kang, like
supporter of all things women, is, you
know, with her institute and everything,
like the stuff coming out of that, like
having it being implemented is going to
be huge for not only just this league, but
just sports, women's sports in general.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: just sport and being
able to, they've, they've
accommodated things in sport.
To the athlete for so long, there's
still that extra step of accommodating
for all the athletes, right?
So accommodate for all your athletes and.
You're gonna keep getting
better and better product.
That's like the grossest word
to call the sport and the team.
But still it's true.
It's it's the product on the field,
it's the production, it's, it's the
entertainment that we all pay to see.
Right.
And that we all pay to
get our hearts broken,
Angela: And
Mario: know?
Angela: want to provide,
that's the other thing.
The other part of that is
the players want to play.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: be injured.
They don't want, you know, nobody,
nobody wants to be hurt, ever.
Mario: Whenever we, whenever we lose, I
always think of the, whenever I've gone,
like running, you know, doing my, my,
runs and stuff like that, there's always
a handful of people holding up the sign
that says remember you paid to do this.
When you're like mile 12 or
something, you're like dying.
You're like, remember you paid.
Yeah, we, we pay for, we pay for
the misery sometimes, but, I,
I really do hope that overall
everything starts stepping up.
But for our team specifically, if we
are one of the first to really, really
like hard implement those strategies
and that kind of mentality, dude.
Above and beyond Maybe.
Maybe we're the ones that going to,
maybe we're the ones that are gonna go
straight line all the way across season.
Angela: That would be wonderful.
But this matchup is gonna be interesting
because our, our history with the dash is.
Also strange.
We have won three times.
We have lost once and
we've had four draws.
So it's, either wildly mismatched
or very even, even keeled.
overall, I'm very excited.
For Friday, I will not
be in the press box.
I will be in my seats.
I will hopefully come say hi.
I'll have I'll stickers on me.
I'll have me.
yeah, come find us.
You know what section I'm in.
Mario is just downstairs, if he makes it.
But thank you so much for listening and
if you made it this far, do us a favor.
If you haven't already
subscribed to the show, do it.
Click it.
Mario: Do it.
Angela: Click the button that we
don't remember what it looks like.
It's a thumbs up.
It's a subscribe.
It's a follow.
It's a
Mario: It is a little plus sign.
Yeah,
Angela: whatever.
Mario: of those.
Angela: do that thing and then
if you wanna know more about us,
the show links to other podcasts.
Whoa.
Earthquake, because I hit the table.
out casual fc.com
for all of those links and
all the places you can go.
We're also on YouTube so you can see us
laugh hysterically and watch me try to.
Keep my cool during the entirety of
our intro that we kept messing up.
Mario: also I'm really digging my
hair, so I will say that, that like
Angela: good.
Mario: I'm getting, I'm, I'm,
Angela: Kapowski hair this
week, but it is really long.
but your hair looks great.
Mario: yeah.
Thank you.
Angela: longer, the
Mario: Yeah.
I'm going with a longer look now, so.
Angela: but most importantly,
come hang out on the Discord.
We have so many new
friends in the Discord.
It has been so much fun getting
to know new people, interacting
with folks like this community is
growing so much freaking fun and I'm
so happy to have everybody there.
Share and and comment and do all
the things on the posts and the
episodes because the engagement
feeds the algorithm monsters.
And then more people find
out about us and come hang.
You can also grab merch@shop.casualfc.com.
We are working on new things.
We had to, back burner a
couple because of injury.
And also Angela having a chronic illness.
But whatever, they'll be coming soon.
And then if you feel so inclined, help
support the pod by buying us a coffee,
you can go to buy me a coffee.com/casual
FC pod to throw some change our way.
Keep these lights on.
Keep.
and all that good stuff.
Help us go to away games
and do crazy things.
Most importantly, first and foremost, all
the things tell a friend about the pod.
are for sure a chain
email, a chain letter,
Mario: Chain Letter podcast.
There we go.
Angela: chain mail.
We can go jousting, so tell
more people about the pod.
It brings us good luck.
We send it to the team
and so far it's working.
So keep it up.
Keep it up, and we'll
see what BMO on Friday.
Mario: All right.
See you later everyone.
Bye.