We wanted a test and we got one. Unfortunately, it’s hard to escape the reality that hte Sounders failed it pretty badly, falling 3-0 to LAFC on Saturday.

I think the scoreline was probably a little unfair as the Sounders generated several good scoring chances, had a legit penalty shout waved off and gave up two goals they shouldn’t have, but they were very obviously second best either way.

The Sounders are now 0-5-5 against the six teams ahead of them in the West, which certainly suggests they have a ways to go before they measure up to those teams.

Mark Kastner joins Jeremiah to discuss how the Sounders move on from the loss and head into Leagues Cup.

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Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions", "Observed without knowing" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/

The Seattle Sounders have been on a really nice run but they have mostly been beating pretty bad teams. They’ll get their biggest test of the season when they face LAFC on Saturday. To help preview the game, Niko Moreno joins Jeremiah. They also discuss some of the drama going on behind-the-scenes and look ahead to Leagues Cup.

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Full Pull Wines

Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/

The suddenly surging Seattle Sounders will host St. Louis City on Wednesday, an opponent very much going in the opposite direction. St. Louis have gone just 1-8-3 in their past 12 games, which includes a 2-1 loss at home to the Sounders in their previous meeting. Since then, St. Louis has fired their head coach and doesn’t appear to be much closer to getting out of their injury woes that have dogged them for much of this season.

To help us get a better understanding of the opponent, we welcome back Matt Baker of the podcast Flyover Footy. Jeremiah also appeared on their podcast if you’re interested in listening to that.

Sponsors

Full Pull Wines

Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/

Recently, someone asked if the Sounders were a good bad team or a bad good team and after another successful week I’m leaning toward maybe just a good team.

On Saturday, the Sounders scored a pretty comprehensive 2-0 win over the New England Revolution and followed that up two days later with a road win over the Sacramento Republic in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.

In a vacuum, neither win is particularly impressive. Heck, if you look at any of their recent wins, none of them are particularly impressive. But we’re now at a point where the form is almost undeniable.

The Sounders have now won four straight across all competitions and are now unbeaten in six. Go a little farther back and they’re 7-1-3 in their last 11. They’ve done this while scoring multiple goals in six straight in and 8 of their last 11, too.

This is actually … fun?

Jeremiah and Aaron break it down while also sharing some of their experiences after watching some recent games from the stands and how the concourse experience has gotten appreciably worse.

Sponsors

Full Pull Wines

Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/

Adam Moffat only spent part of a season with the Seattle Sounders, but the MLS veterans still remembers that 2013 season fondly even if it didn’t end quite as everyone had hoped. Now a color commentator for the Sacramento Republic, we caught up with Moffat to get some insight into Tuesday’s opponent in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal.

Sponsors

Full Pull Wines

Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/

The New England Revolution got off to one of the worst starts in MLS history, but have since improved dramatically with five wins in their past six matches. To help us understand what is going on with Caleb Porter’s new team, we enlisted the help of Sam Minton, who runs The Blazing Musket.

Sponsors

Full Pull Wines

Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/

In our constant effort to right-size our offerings, we’ve decided to start doing monthly mailbag episodes. This is the first of those episodes. Among the topics we tackle are expectations for the summer transfer window, explore the usefulness of G+ and try to explain why there were so few MLS-era players at the 50th Anniversary celebration.

Sponsors

Full Pull Wines

Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/

We finally having a bonafide winning streak to talk about.

Fresh off their seven-point week, the Sounders followed that up with another come-from-behind win, this time beating the Chicago Fire 2-1.

Like their previous two results, the Sounders needed to come from behind in this one. But after playing some of their least inspiring soccer of the season during the first 30 minutes, they recovered to have one of their best halves of the season.

Both goals came from the penalty spot, but they were the product of continuous pressure with Albert Rusnák converting the game-winner in the 92nd minute. It marked the first time in Sounders history that they won consecutive games in stoppage time.

They’re still barely in the playoffs in the No. 9 spot, but after going 6-2-4 in league play over the last two months, they’re just three points out of the No. 4 spot.

In this week’s episode, Jeremiah and Aaron discuss the Sounders’ improved fortunes and try to determine how sustainable it is.

Sponsors

Full Pull Wines

Nos Audietis is the flagship podcast for Sounder at Heart, which became a reader-supported website on Aug. 21. You can support us by becoming a paid subscriber, learn more: https://www.sounderatheart.com/about/

You can also support the show by checking out our line of merch including every past YachtCon design and our latest skull-and-crossbones logo.

"Diversions" audio provided by Sounder at Heart subscriber Lars; find more of their music: https://despatchesfromseattle.com/