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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hi, Justin Mahoney here, president of First Business Bank's Kansas City region. With all the bank mergers lately, banking can feel uncertain. But rest assured, First Business Bank remains Kansas City's premier commercial bank. First Business Bank, member FDIC.
program here on Sports Radio 810 WHB. Fourth quarter of the program begins right now as we finish strong here on a Friday. Hour number 20 of the program. That's right, 20 hours. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That's kind. We got one other person in the whole place that raised the four fingers. So thank you. We got a faithful listener. Buy her a beer. Find out. Tell her I'm getting her beer.
Very nice. Very nice. We're live at Nick and Jake's. Great spot for you to come check out the World Cup. Scotland and Morocco. They're rocking in Morocco. As in the second minute, they've already put one in. 1-0 Morocco over Scotland. So very impressive for them. But the big news was the U.S. men's national team winning 2-0 over Australia. They're off to a perfect 2-0 start.
Like I said, Nick and Jake's is a great place to come down and watch it. They're going to be giving away a cooler. They're going to be giving away an LED. Come down and sign up for that. You can do it online as well at nickandjakes.com. Don't forget about your Father's Day reservations as well and their big New England menu. So come check it out.
Always doing some great things with the menu here at Nick and Jake's. Let's talk soccer. Matt Beisler is with us. sporting Kansas City legend, of course, former member of the U.S. men's national team, joins us here in the program. Matt, how are you, buddy?
What's up, Saran? Happy Friday.
Happy Friday to you. And how about this U.S. team? They look pretty damn impressive through two games. Is it ā listen, it's always more ā I'm always like, you know, it's at least 51-49 about the team that won. But is it all about the team that won? Or should fans maybe temper their enthusiasm a little bit and maybe the opponent play down? What did you see in these first two matches?
I mean, I'm just as impressed as most everyone else. There's a lot of credit that has to be given out to these players and the staff, and they came in with a lot of questions to be answered, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of pressure, too, being the host nation. And they, through two games, they've looked just about as good as I think you could possibly look.
So, again, it's a perfect start for the U.S. It puts them in great position to ā to do some damage in the tournament. I thought the game against Paraguay was, I mean, it was almost a perfect game. It was about the best I've ever seen them look. The game today was good. First half was excellent. Again, I thought second half was fine, you know, average.
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Chapter 2: What insights does Matt Besler share about the USMNT's victory over Australia?
Yeah, you called it. I mean, you absolutely nailed it. We were sitting there at my house watching. Curtis was over and a couple other friends who had heard the segment. And they're like, Jesus, Beazler just nailed this one. You said if they get out and score first, like, that's the way to handle business in that first match. And they did. And the match went exactly the way you laid it out.
I didn't get a chance to talk to you before today's. Did they play it the way you think they should have? Is that the style that they should have had? Some people were worried about the Australian counterattack. We didn't really see any sign of that. Is this, you know, did they have the right tactics in your mind in how they played this one?
Yeah, no, I think so. You know, it was a little different game in terms of just a kickoff. It was an afternoon kickoff. I mean, it was in Seattle, so a little bit milder climate, but it was still, it looked like it was warm. The sun was out. Sometimes when the sun's out, it slows down the field a little bit. I thought they were in control, especially in the first half.
I don't think they were as adventurous in terms of like they're pressing and really going after it. But again, I don't know if that was by design. They certainly looked like they were in control. And I think they were a little more worried about the Australian counterattack. And so I think that's probably why they slowed it down just a touch.
They were maybe a little more careful with their passing. But again, overall, you have to give them credit. They put in a professional performance. Not conceding was huge, too, because that was another huge question mark and will continue to be a question mark about this back line.
How much of these matches, as impressive as they've looked, how much of it is because they've been able to score early and play from in front?
Well, I mean, against the... The first two opponents, it was really important because those two opponents sit back and they like to absorb pressure and try and catch teams on the break. So, again, we talked about it last week going into that Paraguay game. That's why it was so important for us to be on the front foot and to try and get the early goal.
And, I mean, you saw what happened when they did that. The game just opened up and it looked like they could have scored 10. So, again, it really depends on the opponent. You know, if you're playing a Germany or a Brazil or a Spain, like, yeah, scoring the first goal isn't as important. It's going to look like a much different game. That's kind of what I'm curious about this group.
I think they've answered a lot of questions, and I think they've answered that, like, hey, we can handle these teams in this, you know, Tier 2, 3, 4. We still don't know how they're going to handle the Tier 1 teams, you know, and that's what I'm really interested in. I don't know when we're going to play one of those top teams in the world. Hopefully it's not until later on in the tournament.
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Chapter 3: How did the USMNT's performance compare to expectations in the tournament?
Danny was saying the same kind of thing. And how much did we see? Listen, I was watching the match here, but doing the show and everything that goes on, it's not like just sitting in front of the TV and watching the game and really zeroed in. And Danny was talking about it. He said, you know, at halftime, he said, I'm going to see. Let's see what they do now. Can they shift gears?
Can they play a more conservative style? What did you think of their second half? and the defense that they played against Australia, and do they have that ability to shift gears if they do come up against a Spain or maybe somebody that they're going to be having to punch above their weight class and they've got to shift gears and play a different style?
What did you think of them playing a little bit more maybe defensive in that second half against Australia?
Yeah, I mean, that's kind of what I saw. Again, I don't know if that was intended or maybe Australia just came out a little bit better, but I definitely noticed it.
Hang on, Matt. I'm sorry to interrupt you because I want to interject this as well. Or did they, because they got the three points already in their last match, did we maybe see a team that didn't go for it because they didn't want it to get out of hand because goal differential could end up being something that they need to advance as well? Did we not get a full effort?
No, it's a good point. You know, I think I don't mind ā I don't mind the way they approached the second half. I really don't. It was kind of an ugly half. But again, they did what they needed to do. And look, when you're playing in a tournament like this, hopefully you're playing five, six, maybe even seven games. You're not going to have a Paraguay game every single game.
that's just not going to happen. So like there will be a tournament game at some point where they come out flat or they have a bad second half. It's those moments that really determine whether or not you can advance and win this thing. Because again, to play seven games and expect a team to come out and play perfect, it just doesn't happen.
And so it's like in the games that they're a little bit off or in a half that they're a little bit off, can they figure out a way to, to limit the damage or somehow squeak out a win or whatever the case is, protect the lead. So I think that's maybe what we saw a little bit in that Australia second half of like, okay, we have a 2-0 lead. We're in a great spot.
It's still pretty early in the tournament. We don't need to go out and win 4-0 or 5-0. A 2-0 win's great. So let's just protect that lead. I think that was the focus in the second half.
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Chapter 4: What tactical adjustments did the USMNT make during the game against Australia?
Did you ever do it? Did you ever knock him around? Was there a set piece or something where you got to give him a shove or something?
Here's the thing. It's so hard to get close to that guy because you have to play very conservative against him because he'll penalize you for getting too close because he has that ability. And so a lot of people just back off. which also isn't great either because when you back off and allow a guy time and space, he can pick out the pass, he can touch and shoot from distance.
There's not a great way to defend him, obviously, because he's been doing this for his entire career. The one thing I'd say about him who is really different than anybody else is his conversion rate when he has a chance is probably 10x any other player that I've ever seen. And what I mean by that is, you all know soccer is hard to score goals, right?
Wait a minute. Can I ā sorry, I'm interrupting you a second time, Matt. Let me see if I can describe this because I just want to do this first. So, like, if Messi's on the conversion rate out all the way to the far right, Dom Dwyer's all the way on the far left. Can I do that? You can do that.
You can do that. If you give a guy ā If you give somebody a similar chance, so maybe he's got three yards ahead of him, he's got four feet open on the far post, and blah, blah, blah, the average person is probably making two out of ten in the game. Messi makes six or seven out of ten.
And Dom's making what, none?
my my words my words i'm taking a shot i like dob dwyer my words he was a teammate yeah people don't know he was teammates with matt and he was a striker he was played up front but it just seemed like and he was a good player and he scored many goals in the mls i'm doing it tongue in cheek he's not he's not a horrible player by any means it just it felt like a lot of times watching that dom got a lot more chances than he it didn't convert near as often as he should have so i'll lay off that's
Dom is a Dom is a I guess a regular regular player and that's why Messi's different yeah you watch that game and he's kind of in and out of the game obviously at his age he's kind of roaming around kind of just walking but you know he had he had three three or four pretty good chances three goals or you know two goals in an assist he just He converts these chances better than anybody.
When you see him, because I remember asking Peter Vermees when he first came over to the MLS, and I said, what percentage are we getting of him? He said, we're getting 100% of him when he goes. He just can't go 100% anymore.
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Chapter 5: What concerns are there about the USMNT's defense moving forward?
You know, the energy in the city, especially on game days. I've spent a lot of time down at Union Station, at Power and Light, and then I've done a lot down at FanFest. They did a great job. I mean, FanFest is 100% worth checking out going down there because it's It's just a unique setup. You know, you have to look around and be like, wait, I'm standing on the lawn of the World War I Museum.
You know, I've been down here X amount of times, and, you know, it just doesn't feel like you're there. So they did a great job. Yeah, and it's just fun to see so many different fan bases come here in Kansas City.
Chapter 6: How important is scoring early for the USMNT's success in matches?
What I love, too, is soccer fans are different, you know. And I know you know this, but, like, international soccer fans, the way they cheer, the passion they have, it's just different from American sports.
And so I love for so many Kansas City and getting to see that, you know, like the Argentina fans, they sing all game long and they have these songs and it's almost like this festival celebration when they go and watch their teams. That's cool to me because it's just different from what we normally experience.
What do you expect the U.S. to do? It'll kind of depend upon the other match as to whether or not they've already sewn things up and whether or not they just are getting some depth pieces in there and getting some experience going. What do you expect to see against Turkey?
I expect to see some heavy rotation. I feel weird saying that because we've never been in a position at a World Cup to do that, to have that luxury. But I think that If results go our way tonight, we could essentially have the group wrapped up and we could win the group. So if that's the case, then, you know, results-wise, this third group game, it doesn't really mean much or anything at all.
So I think it's an opportunity to get some guys some rest, rotate, get some guys off the bench, some real minutes in the World Cup and kind of break their seal and get them ready to go in case they're needed. So... Yeah, I mean, that's what I expect. Did I just get a break the seal out of you, Beazler? Break the seal. I've been doing a lot of breaking the seal through this World Cup.
Thanks to my good friends at Michelob Ultra. See what I did there?
You did. Well done. Well played, my friend. Well played. Matt Beazler is with us here in the program. Final four time for Matt. I'll start you with this. Who is the best player on the U.S. men's national team?
Right now, Flo Baligan, the forward, number 20.
All right. Who right now is the best player in the world? Mbappe. Okay, still Mbappe. Okay, I didn't know that it may be changed. All right. Now, how far does the U.S. team go? Just do a pulse check here each time we talk to you.
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Chapter 7: How does Matt Besler view the team's chances against stronger opponents?
There he goes, Matt Beisler, sporting Kansas City great. He's a legend. They don't call it Hall of Fame. The legends, Sporting Kansas City legends, of which he is one of them. And he's a legend when it comes to quality of guy as well, quality of person.
By the way, just one other point. Messi's bodyguards are fast, too. You talked about the bodyguard thing earlier.
Why? Was there an incident or something?
I didn't know. I've seen three or four clips where Fans have run up to him on the pitch.
I don't know if that's his bodyguards.
I think Matt was talking about like he has like, you know, like. Like outside of the game.
Yeah, outside of the game. He does not just walk around. Oh, yeah.
He has multiple people that are like a president's detail, you know, rolling around with him because of. Looks like a modern pop star with the five guys with black jackets around.
Yeah, he's got Kevin Costner with an earpiece rolling close by. And I'm talking about in shape, short haircut Kevin Costner. Back in the day.
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Chapter 8: What does Matt Besler think about Lionel Messi's impact in the World Cup?
Great spot. I've done a number of Mother's Days here. The Mother's Days have always been a big hit.
Yes.
Always a big hit. They've got a great menu, New England favorites that you can sample right now. Come check that out.
They always meet the moment, whatever the moment is, whatever the occasion is.
And that's old Jen Timmons, by the way.
Oh, yeah.
None of it is Kevin Timmons. I think he'd admit that. Kevin Timmons was heckling the television in his own bar. Yeah. There was one moment I'm like, who's the obnoxious jackass that they need to kick out of here? And I'm like, oh.
Give a yellow card, too.
That's the owner.
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