CFC Presents: Mid-Season Check-in
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Hey everyone, welcome to Casual
FC, an Angel City Preview Pod.
I'm your host, Angel Morales,
with my favorite co host in the
whole wide world, Mario Salazar.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Boom.
Hey.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
He might be my only co host
right now, but Whatever.
He's still my favorite.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Hey,
everybody, you heard that right now.
Keep your eyes open.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
for real.
All right.
So this is our midseason recap.
What the heck's going on?
Where are we at?
What are we looking at?
How are you feeling?
All that good stuff.
So we're officially at the halfway point.
Our game against Racing Louisville
was like the 13th match of the season.
We are now caught rest of the league.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: I'm half
glad that we, Had to record this
later than we, when we originally
planned, because we originally planned
to record this before the match,
just because of timing and stuff.
We had to postpone recording
this part, or this episode.
And, the notes have changed
from what we had previously.
They,
here at Casual FC, we'd like to keep
our optimistic view of what's The
team and our outlook, we have rose
colored glasses, but to say that we
were trying, it was an understatement,
but last night, racing, that match
against racing, is, it gives you all
the hope, it like, it's giving us the
energy that we need, and Yes, they help.
a lot of these notes turned, in tone.
And, let's go.
Yes.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
we have four wins, three draws and
six losses with 15 points total.
We're in ninth place tied with racing,
but below them due to goal differential.
We have scored 15 goals and
had 20 goals scored against us.
So we're still minus five in
goal differential and we need
to actively make that up.
So that we can jump in the
standings along with winning.
So we need both of those
things to go in our favor.
So ideally we start winning
by more than one goal and we
would just start winning a lot.
as of right now, we have six people
who have scored on the season.
Claire has five goals.
Syd has four.
Including the banger from last
night, Clarice, Maddie Curry, Kennedy
Fuller, and Rocky all have one.
I expect this number to keep growing.
Based
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yes.
we need this number to keep going.
if you look at the goal scorers
on the top teams, like KC and
Orlando, they're actually, they're
getting goals from, everywhere.
They're getting goals from, the
entire supporting staff, right?
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: The trainer is
getting out there and scoring some goals.
that's what we need.
yeah, like that, that, that's the
thing is that like we, for the
whole, really for the first half
of the season, we were really
relying on Emsley being that scorer.
Syd was getting those, but like we
just mentioned in our recap episode.
Which, surprise, you're getting
double episode this, double
surprise episode this week.
Um, Syd scored the first
three goals as headers.
they were all delivered to her, right?
so there's like a difference
between the five that,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
to mention this on the other episode.
She actually almost had a header last
night too, off a corner from Merritt.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: which is
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
in.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
yeah, she's tuned in.
She's that's her bread
and butter right now.
And yes, right?
But.
The thing is that, there's a difference
between the five goals that Emsley
scored and the three at the moment
that Syd scored that were all headers.
It's like they were all being delivered
to her and I know there's been some
really great chances that Syd has
made and that just couldn't finish.
And, that was like, that's the story
of the first half is finishing in the
final third, finishing those chances.
So hopefully this list can help.
Tick on every single one of these people.
Tick on a couple more goals and
then also grow and I want to
see the, I want to see the M.
A.
goal.
I want,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
going to say, I'm putting it
in the universe right now.
I want an M.
A.
Vignola goal.
I want a Sarah Gordon goal.
I want a Jasmyne Spencer goal.
Those are my top three right now.
that's it.
And an Alyssa goal, actually.
Top four.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: yeah, we
need the Thompson time connection.
We need the Thompson to Thompson goal
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Ooh,
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: this season.
Yeah.
All right.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
And with that said, the assists for
Angel City is Alyssa Thompson with five.
Claire is second with two.
Which is still a lot.
Everybody else is peppered in with assists
a little bit here and there, but Alyssa
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
the hockey assists.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
bonkers.
Yeah.
Yeah, so as, like I said,
everyone has played 13 matches.
The entire field is level.
Everyone's caught up.
And so basically, from
here on out, we start over.
We just, we're on the cusp
of the playoff cutoff.
we lace up, we go again on Saturday,
and we'll see what happens.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah, as a preview or a look
at what's coming up, right?
We're right at the middle,
we're at the midpoint.
Bay FC being our next match is
going to be the beginning of
the second half of the season.
Surprisingly, in this first half
though, we've actually played
Kansas City and Houston twice.
You NWSL is that it is an even season.
Everybody gets to play a home and away.
It's very balanced in that way.
And that's where the balance stops.
The schedule's wacko.
And we've played Kansas and Houston.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
it nicely.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Kansas
and Houston are behind us now.
We no longer play them for
the rest of the season until,
we're putting this out there.
We are getting into the playoffs
until we get into the playoffs.
We are getting into the playoffs.
Our next match with Bay
also puts them behind us.
That's going to be the last time we
play them and we are done with Bay FC.
They have one win over us at the moment,
so hopefully we can equal that out.
And then on to the rest of the
field, for the rest of the season.
And one of the big ones that I'm
keeping an eye on, which is going
to be our Pride match, is Orlando.
They did not have Barbara Bonda
the first time we played them.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
They sure did
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
She is now here.
She is now here.
So that's
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Different.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
to me, that's gonna be a game.
That's for sure.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Are
there any other Another Yeah,
another zombie in the air.
Brizal Brizalzombia
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
but she's another,
zombie an, I want to say.
I feel like her last name is Copper.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: or something?
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
No, Brazil Lombia.
Yeah.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Where's Alambia?
There we go.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Orlando is the team that right now, I
would not be surprised if they can, if
they keep playing like the way they're
playing, they will win the shield.
They will win.
no, they may not win the shield just
because Kansas City is so prolific in goal
scoring, but I would not surprise me if
they ended up winning the championship.
Because this is a team that's been a
championship caliber team for years
and have just never been able to
put it together when it mattered.
Syd, Alex Morgan, Krieger,
they've had names.
Marta, duh.
four alone could carry a championship
team, and yet some, what, all these
different things have happened
where it just hasn't worked out.
They had great keepers.
had, just, it's weird.
I'm blaming Florida in general, but, yeah,
Orlando, Kansas City, those are the two
that are just and, And real hot right now.
So let me see who else is in this league.
Chicago's on the come up right
now though, because people are
starting to get healthy again.
They've had some wild games.
Spirit, like I said, Croix
Bethune is the Rookie of the Year.
You cannot tell me otherwise at
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: yeah, no.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
and Gotham.
Gotham is preparing for the Olympics just
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: I was, that
was gonna, that was gonna be my next
point though, is that the, so the next
three matches that we have, starting
this second half of the season is going
to be Bay, Pride, and then Gotham,
before this Olympic break, right?
With Gotham being Women's National Team 2.
0.
I, part of me thinks maybe
they don't play their U.
S.
team members, in that match,
right before the Olympic break.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
because
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: maybe,
yeah, it is a sendoff, but
it's do you want to risk,
to risk the last game right before
they actually leave to the Olympics?
I don't know.
And go into this like month
tournament, and possibly injure them.
So we don't have that problem because we
don't have anybody on the national team.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
internationals.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah.
but then the only other international
player that we have that's going to
be in the Olympics is, Ali Riley.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah, because Costa Rica, Scotland
aren't in it, and Japan is, but
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Japan, but June, sorry.
Yeah.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
getting the call up yet.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: yeah.
we might get another kind of point from
that, but yeah, those are the three kind
of matches before this Olympic break.
So it'll be interesting to see, how
teams start to hedge their minutes,
hedge their players, things like that.
But they are, even though we won
this last one, we're at a point where
every game is going to be crucial.
where there's, we can't, at the
very least, we need to draw.
We need to get that point.
And then that Olympic break, it's
The NWSL is not going
to stop because, money.
And so there's going to
be the Challenge Cup 2.
tournament.
Or Liga MX tournament.
So yeah, that's going to be a thing.
We'll be doing some Olympic coverage.
I don't I think we'll do a quick League
of Americas tournament check in, but
we're gonna be focusing on, yeah, but
yeah, that's what we've got coming
up and then, we've got all the other
teams, and another 13 matches, so
let's find that Becky Sparkles energy.
Um, we asked everyone to send
in, What are your thoughts and
feelings about the season so far?
What are your thoughts
about the season coming up?
if you had any questions for us,
unfortunately we didn't get any questions.
Everybody was worried about
the team, rightfully so.
but we did get two, at
least two audio messages.
and Zach is going to be up first.
And Zach, thank you so much for
sending an audio message in.
I did figure out how to download
it from Instagram cause that
Instagram does not make it easy.
but here we go.
Zack-ZRF IG: oh.
Not sure if my message went through.
Casual FC, super excited,
that you're doing this.
I'm so appreciative of the podcast,
what both of you do in addition to
your normal, fully packed lives.
in general, I'm hopeful.
a little concerned about some
of the injuries that's been
happening this last month.
And hoping some of that will
get resolved in Maybe this
international break or summer break
that we have and, I'm hopeful.
I'm staying hopeful.
Understanding like how we had
that fire going into the second
half of the season last year.
I know circumstances were very different,
but hopeful on potential rush, roster
adjustments and next couple of home games.
Yeah.
general thoughts.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: so
much, Zach, for sending that in.
And I think we at Casual FC share that
very optimistic view of Things can change.
Just as we saw in this last
match, things can change.
We've, you we've heard the, we've
heard the nicknames for Angel City,
Marketing FC, Triage FC, cause, we'll,
give us your injured players and
we'll figure out what to do with them.
End.
or like,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
we're getting there.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
we're getting there.
And the thing is that, we figure it out.
And, you know what, I,
I still believe in what Becky can do.
I think she has a, I think she has a
grit that will show up, and, I know
she's got the full year this year, and
she was trying to establish a system.
everybody's like, when is this system
gonna be a thing, or what's going on?
And I think, you know what, she's
starting to, we're starting to see the
glimpses of how she's learning to adjust
and adapt her system that she wants
to play with the players that we have.
And I think she might have
unlocked the key this last match.
So hopefully, that is something
that is gonna be moving forward.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah, for
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
And then our second audio
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
before we start the second audio,
I will 100 percent cry, at least
at some point in this episode.
I'm already emotional because of
the last recording we just did,
and it means a lot to do this.
So please play that.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Oh god,
this is gonna make you cry even more.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
gonna
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: now
we've got, now we've got audio
from, our relentless Tamariki.
We've got Leila coming in with, you
just gotta, you gotta give the kids the
optimistic view for everything, right?
they're just gonna look at everything
as kids, and that's, a big part of
the fan base and they're the ones
that are looking up to these women,
especially for what can be achieved.
And so yeah, let's listen to Leila.
Layla: Hi guys, my name is Layla, and I'm
seven years old, and I'm from Relentless
Tamariki, and so far I think we're
doing okay, but each game I think we're
getting better, and I'm most looking
forward to is hopefully the playoffs.
GO ACFC!
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Oh, that just released the
waterworks for for Angela here.
You know what?
It's you,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
It's just man, it's so cool.
That's
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: not me.
I'm cutting onions back here
for uh, in my shed office.
I said shed office.
Yeah, so it's great to hear the kind of
optimistic view that the kids have and
we might be getting some more audio and
if we did then I would have spliced them
right before this but we'll keep on going.
We got a lot of responses via Twitter.
Instagram and so let's start off with
Ethan who reached out first midseason
feels I feel like there's a system that
is even different from the undetweeted
part of last season Players look
uncomfortable and almost like they're
thinking too much about the ball moving
up the side than finding the openings
and letting the player's talent shine.
Some of that might be coming from the
loss of What's Her Face from San Diego.
Thumbs down emoji.
I do really think Rocky can
do a lot of it, but Rocky is
hesitant to travel with the ball.
That being said, players
are starting to shine.
And we have the talent on the pitch.
You can see the intent from the Thompsons,
Spencer, Clarice, Claire, Leroux,
Bright, Fuller, Curry, even all pushing
the attack and the talent is there
and impressive on an individual level.
We just need to give them the wings
to fly and focus on the attack.
The future is bright.
That may be pun intended,
but let them rip.
Love the pod.
love you pod.
Happy Pride, and Go Angel City!
With a wing emoji and a city emoji.
P.
S.
Sorry for the dissertation, and
thanks for the football therapy.
Or football therapy.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Football.
All right.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Ethan, thank you for supporting.
that's just, hence, yeah, thank you
so much for even responding, and yes.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
So we had A response from
somebody whose name we don't know.
We just know their Instagram
handle, but their comments, I
don't know how I feel about them.
I have mixed feelings because we do
try to spin things a little bit more
positively and look for the bright
spots, even when it's really difficult,
because I don't like in any sport, I
don't believe in throwing away a season
because there's always something to do.
You can always get
better in different ways.
I think that's where
this person was going.
They started it off with saying, maybe
just wait for the new majority investor.
dang, but I get it.
It's been a really rough
start to the season.
So they said, meanwhile, have
this year be a developmental year
and best minutes into the youth.
It's not unheard of in pro sports,
which is not, no need to run around like
headless chickens, changing coaches,
benching the young, the youngs to try
to win a championship in year three,
just because you've said it publicly.
yeah, but I don't think any of the
kids are being benched too much.
I don't think they have been There's
a difference between somebody and load
management, and benching somebody.
I think for the younger players,
there's been a lot more load management.
I still don't know what's
happening with Messiah Bright.
I hope she's doing okay.
I hope everything's okay
internally with the just me.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: or Casey Fair.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Casey Fair, I think, is just focused
on international play right now.
I don't know what's going on, but she's
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: I
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
youngest,
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: But,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
I know, I don't understand,
because she's not making game
day rosters, so I don't know.
I don't know.
Everything is hard.
Anyway,
it says they were wrong about
year three and it takes, what
it takes to win a championship.
obviously, it takes a lot, but you
can have a goal and miss it, but that
doesn't necessarily mean you failed
because you're still building something.
There's uncharted territory in
expansion teams in any sport.
so they basically just said, take the
L and play the kids and then let Becky
ride it out and learn from this year.
And once we get the new investor, go
from there, which I mean, yeah, we need
the investor to come in and help the
team on the back end, but doesn't mean
we need to just throw the season away.
And I hope that's not what they meant.
And if they're mad,
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: No.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
send us a message.
I will
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
No, yeah, I don't.
I yeah, I don't think he's talking
about throwing the season away.
I think it's more about I think it's
more the view, or the way I was reading
it and taking it, was more the view
of Keep trying what you're gonna try.
Mix it up as we were saying like we're
at the bottom like, we were saying we're
at the bottom throw it against the wall
see what sticks let's Break it break the
system and then rebuild it and see where
it goes and I do appreciate the Let Becky
write it out and learn from this year.
I think
I don't want to, I don't want
to be part of that crowd.
And I've started to hear or looking
or hearing little inklings of
the Becky out crowd and I'm like,
no, that's not the right answer.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah.
I
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: you,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
like she's only halfway
recruited this team.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: yeah.
There's
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
yet.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: There's a lot
of other things, both front office and
player and, there's so many factors that
you can't just all blame it on one person.
And usually, unfortunately, the head
coach is the person that you blame it on.
But, yeah, I, I appreciate the fact
that, he came out with, let Becky
write it out and learn from this too.
And just say, if it turns out that.
At the end of this, we don't get
what we wanted, but as long as we
learn from it and can grow from
it, then that's a positive, right?
So,
I think we'll go from there, yeah.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah, I think that's a
good jumping off point.
so Gabe then said, Hey, responding to your
mailbag slash midseason check in question.
So look, here's where I'm at.
And granted, I'm just putting
it in here as a caveat.
all of these were sent
prior to last night.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yes.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
one more
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yes.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
He said, something has to change.
Every backfield via Deedee and is
able to read and close us down.
We're far too predictable.
9 million percent.
Yes, I agree with that.
The passing
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yep.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
is stressful.
The backward passing off
a free kick is stressful.
advance the ball.
That's all anybody is
asking for right now.
He said, add to that I'm not sure
where Syd is for half the game.
And with Paige, crying emoji, gone,
and Sarah out, I don't know that we can
run this kind of scheme successfully.
Syd's actually putting in work.
She's just not getting the ball.
aside from last night.
But, like I don't, I'll stick up
for our forwards not producing
because you can't produce if you're,
don't have a ball to score with, or
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
not getting to you, there's not much
you can do but play defense, and
which is what she's been doing, and
what all of them have been doing,
last night, even, Alyssa was just
tracking back up and back, running
lines, basically, Every, everywhere.
Every end of the pitch.
said, if we can, we
certainly haven't shown it.
Would love to see more from our rookies.
Would love to see Messiah
get starts instead of Syd.
Still waiting to see Kasey
and hype for CP to return.
honestly think the tweet is going to need
to shake things up in major ways instead
of tweaks or we're in trouble as a team
and I'm not sure she's here next year.
Which, a good point.
I don't know.
Like you said, I want her to be able to
ride this out and get another full season
under her belt, there needs to be big
tweaks so that we aren't as predictable.
And last night, I think, was the
biggest movement towards that.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah.
Yeah.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
the stands, everyone's
did you see the lineup?
Did you see the lineup?
Did you see the lineup?
there was like, ooh, everyone was abuzz.
I'm hoping that it all works out
and it, like it, it ends up being
great and the tweaks get made and
everything works the way it should
and the way truly we all want it to.
Alright, so my friend Kay messaged
us because Mario put up a, we're
doing the cutoff, Mario had a
big ol typo, and Kay called him
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
so
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
that our cutoff for submissions is
going to be June 17th, but he put 6 17.
And
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: I put 317.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
my big second half hope is that the dream
and in parentheses, okay, nightmare I
had last night about being in the middle
of Iceland in September when CP makes
her return doesn't come to fruition.
a stressed emoji and then
the ghost screamy emoji.
It says the pre FOMO was real.
And she said, CP, can you come
back before September 23rd?
And she said, I'd like to know from
management what the actual plan is.
this isn't sustainable.
Which, exactly.
Last night, like I said, Kay and I saluted
after that Sid goal, okay, we're back.
So I'm hoping that what happened
last night is the sustainability
and what we've been working towards.
But
Kay missing out on CP's return is going
to be insane, if that's what comes true.
So we have it on record.
We'll see what happens.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah, I
don't, I'm still hard pressed, haha,
to see, seeing press come back in any
kind of significant minutes this year.
if anything, it's gonna be, like,
these kind of, an 80th minute sub
type thing or, the stoppage time sub.
and I don't think she's
gonna get any real minutes.
And then her contract is up this year.
is it, do we extend her for
another year and then get her on
board fully, see what happens?
although the part that, gets me
too is that, we have the room now.
to bring her back.
but also, if she comes
back, so does her salary.
And NWSL being the way it is and
nobody knowing what's going on
with the monopoly money they have,
one of the questions might be, can
we even afford CB to come back?
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah, don't know.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: We don't know.
those things to ruminate about, I
would love to be able to see her on
the pitch again, even if it's for,
a few minutes at a time, but, yeah.
So we also got some
messages from, Alejandra.
how do we finish more?
Please?
K.
Thanks.
Very succinct.
I love it.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
point.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah.
and yes, it's exactly like we
know that we have the talent.
We've seen the talent get.
Up to that final third.
We just can't finish in that final third.
Once we figure that out, as we've
been saying this whole first half,
it's going to be blockbuster, right?
Timothy came in with.
Can we please get an international
star with experience, a true number
nine to help our attacking third?
and I, again, back to
how do we finish more?
How do we get that player?
And for everybody who might need it, a
number nine is usually in reference to a
striker like the player that you just go
like here your job score a goal that's
all you do that's all you do on this
team is you score a goal and getting a
true number nine means that like we're
just getting that person that has that
lethal like on point kick every single
time like every single time it's going
to be on target every single time it's
going to be like top bands it's going
to be it's going to be beautiful to see
But can we get someone
with that experience?
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
yeah,
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: can we?
Maybe?
We're L.
A.
people want to come to L.
A., but also, can we afford it?
I, eh, Mack, yeah.
Mack's coming in with M.
A.
and Sarah returning is big.
Thank you.
But a lot needs to change.
Front office failures
are on top of injuries.
Um, yeah, there's been some, like we said,
it, a lot of what has been going on can't
fully 100 percent be blamed on Becky.
It's not solely her fault for
things not gelling, right?
part of that is the players.
Becky's not the one on the field,
Like, you gotta figure it out, right?
On the field.
But, part of that is also the decisions
that are being made above her, right?
Decisions being made from the other people
in the front office that, yeah, exactly.
Yeah, we, that, and then, ACFC has just
been the injury prone team since year
one, so injuries are going to be a reality
for us, and, learning how to overcome
those really is the key to our success.
Janthony came in with, is Becky Tweed
using Ted Lasso as an inspiration?
So I thought this was funny, and so I
messaged him, and I said, hey, I love it,
but can you also explain your thinking?
And then he came back.
I'm thinking about the way the
team talks about themselves and
each other at press conferences.
Maybe it's the magic of four teenagers
and two thirty something mothers.
Being the team leaders, everyone
is competitive, but also go out
their way to support each other.
And yeah, you can, you
hear that from the team.
they feel, And they talk like they're a
family, like they all support each other.
when Paige left, like
they were all devastated.
Like it was like a big thing, right?
And there was no animosity there.
It was just like, what just happened?
and this is going to hurt.
And how do we recover?
whenever things happen on the pitch,
like they've got each other's back.
We just saw that with Mathias.
it's.
It's very much, I think
the cohesion is there.
There's just weird things that
we don't know why things haven't
gelled the way they were, and I'm
gonna say it's a lot of, maybe, the
hidden things we can't see as fans.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: And, last
but not least, Katie sent in, Who are
we getting for Anri's international
spot, and why haven't we filled it?
And yeah!
summer transfer window's coming up.
we need the help.
if we're holding the spots for
CP, then make that announcement.
I know that they don't want to
make that announcement because
maybe she's not ready, right?
she's definitely not ready at the
moment, but they don't want to
make the announcement of oh, we're
holding the spot for her for when
she comes back eventually this year.
Cause what if she doesn't?
But it's the, us not knowing
and feeling, it's the reason why
everybody hates freaking VAR.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yep.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Because
of the fact that like, when you don't
get the announcement, when all this
shenanigans happens, and nothing gets
said, and everybody's left just twiddling
their thumbs in the stands being like,
what the hell, it doesn't help that
you're leaving the fans in the dark.
You don't have to tell us everything
that's going on, but you do have to
give us something when people are
starting to reconsider their support or
reconsider their ticket or recon like
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
yep,
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: when those
conversations start popping up in
forums and in on Facebook and Reddit
and Instagram and whatnot it's like
when those voices start getting louder
you're going to have a problem, right?
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
hmm,
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: but yeah, that,
that was, thank you for everybody that
wrote in with our little mid season recap.
What is Casual FC looking forward to?
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
The Olympics.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
you want to go first?
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
I'm pumped.
it's I am very much that
meme of America who?
And then the second, the actual
second that the opening ceremonies
start, I'm just like, USA!
Just, ugh.
I
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: just walk
into bar, you just walk into bars
with an eagle, American Eagle on your
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
just like, rah, just a freedom eagle.
that's me.
I'm, oh, I'm so excited.
Before we even started recording this,
I was telling Mario that Peacock is
going to stream and have available for
replay, everything from the Olympics.
So I finally get to see all
the stuff I never get to watch.
on the broadcast, which is so cool.
Aside from the Olympics and the
coverage we're doing because we have
some stuff that we're working on
right now, I'm just really excited
to see what happens with the team.
Last night I think was rejuvenating
for everyone I have hope.
I never gave up completely.
I was just sad and frustrated and
I didn't know what to do with those
feelings, but yeah, like I love this team.
I love this podcast.
It's just great.
I'm not gonna, I, I
will start crying again.
I can't open my eyes because tears will
fall, but, very genuinely, this show's
been a saving grace a lot this year.
thank you for listening.
for sending us stuff, for
having fun, all that good stuff.
But yeah, thanks
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: to,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
just pumped this.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: to jump off
that sentiment, yes, thank you, I know
we say it a lot, but it really does
mean a lot to us, that you guys support
us and just the crazy footy therapy
that we're going through whenever
we, we do this, we're completely
doing this out of The fun, right?
and our number one thing was to keep
doing this as long as it is fun,
and it has been, and every single
time we get messages and things
like that is just more encouragement
and more, more validation of,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yeah.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: yeah,
of what we're doing, of just the
fact that the community is here.
I, we didn't have it written down, and,
I'm just gonna go to it, right now.
I'm pulling it up on my phone, cause,
we had a really great, conversation
with Dustin, and we didn't put
it in here, but you know what?
he did give permission to share it,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
gave us the authorization
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: um.
Yeah, so I'm just going
to read it from here.
this message isn't necessarily for the
pod, although I'm okay if you share it.
But I really do appreciate being
a part of the ACFC community.
I had to go solo to the game tonight and
the people sitting next to me were so
cool and we had a blast cheering together.
It's a great thing to be a part
of and you two play a big role in
cultivating the sense of belonging.
a sincere thank you to you both.
And that is it.
We share the Instagram account, so if
you ever message us, we try to remember
to put our name before our response
so you know who you're talking to.
and we both saw this and I think Angela
got there first and then we both started
talking with Dustin back and forth and
had to keep writing our names in front.
he thought it was hilarious
that, he knew who we were, who
he was talking to essentially.
But, I think we both had the feels last
night, both from the game, but also from
just genuine interactions like this,
and thank you to everybody who's been
a part of the journey, for every, and
share that you've done on our social
media to, buying something from our shop.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
That's just
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: The fact
that we've seen, people at the stadium
with, a shirt we designed or something,
is insanity, so thank you, and,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
groups of friends because of this in a
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: yeah.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
And it's so cool.
And like Mario and I joke, we went from
knowing each other aside from a supporter
group and just oh, I've seen your name
before, now being like, in my pinned text
messages because I'm not trying to scroll.
We text each other all the time
anyway, so it doesn't matter.
And we're constantly, it's no,
you're one of my best friends, and
we talk to each other all the time.
I'm either texting Eva, my mom, or you.
honestly.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: Yeah,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
And
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: pretty much.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
that's it.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Pretty much same thing here.
yes, thank you.
And then I realized that I didn't even
answer my own question, which was,
what was Casual FC looking towards?
and what I'm looking towards is,
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
sorry.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: what
I'm looking towards is the, just
the, finding the magic that the
team found with Becky last year.
Finding that, that sparkle, that Just
grit that they found last year and
took them to 11 games undefeated.
I'm not asking for 11 games undefeated.
If you do, great, but
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
it.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154: yeah, but
what we saw yesterday was beautiful.
It was gelling.
it was the spark that we saw from
last year's second half of the season.
So.
funny that it showed up
at the halfway point.
but you know what?
If it took this long for everybody
to just figure out those little
pieces and it works the rest
of the season, I'm here for it.
And that's what I'm looking forward to.
among the other notes that everybody has
said about the players, about playing
time, about who we want to see on the
field, but really it just comes down to
we have our community.
Our ACFC community, our podcast community
here, the community that's developed
around all the other podcasts, for Angel
City, and they are their own community
too, and the fact that they're starting
to figure it out and make it click is very
promising and is exactly what we want.
that's really all we can
ask from them, right?
Beyond wins, but
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Yep.
mario_2_06-20-2024_221154:
do it as long as it's fun.
The same reason we're doing this.
As long as it's fun, having
them keep playing on the
field is all we can ask for.
So that's what we're looking for.
you guys know our normal sign off.
If you like what you hear, hit the
subscribe button, share it with someone.
Brings us good luck.
We'll send it to the team.
Support us the way you guys
have been supporting us by doing
stuff on social media, liking,
sharing, commenting on posts.
leave us a review.
All of those things help immensely, more
than and, if you do have the opportunity,
grab some merch, get yourself a nice
coffee mug with, our casual pride, logo.
if you want to support us just by.
Buying us a coffee in quotes, check
out buy me a coffee.com/casual fc pod,
follow all our socials, casual FC pod on
Instagram, Twitter threads and TikTok.
And before I break down, thank you.
ang--chicken-nugget-_2_06-20-2024_221154:
Thanks, everybody.
