DC United lose 1-3 to Chicago Fire and draw 1-1 with St. Louis City. The vibes are undecided. Aaron Herrera wants out. Gabriel Pirani's contract is being terminated. Nikola Markovic at right back did not work. But João Peglow scores a late equalizer, Louis Munteanu and Tai Baribo are starting to show something together, and Jared Stroud is quietly having a moment. Jon and Ted break it all down before the World Cup break.

In this episode:

• DC United 1-3 Chicago Fire: Nikola Markovic at right back, Louis Munteanu's back heel assist, the Zickernagel goal, the soft penalty
• Aaron Herrera officially wants to leave — and Renée Weiler said it out loud
• Gabriel Pirani contract termination: where does he go?
• Jackson Hopkins: he can only be failed, not fail
• Sean Johnson: saves the point against Chicago, rough night on the third goal
• DC United 1-1 St. Louis City: João Peglow's late equalizer, Tai Baribo's missed header, Louis Munteanu bundling one in... offside
• Jared Stroud quietly having a moment
• The Munteanu-Baribo partnership: something is developing
• Renée Weiler's brutal press conference honesty: "It astonishes me that people are surprised we lost"
• Kevin Paredes out of contract at Wolfsburg — could he come home?
• Caden Clark likely on the way out in the summer window
• International slot situation and what it means for the transfer window
• Vangar offside rule debate: Ted is not a fan
• The vibes are undecided heading into the World Cup break

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Vamos.

DC United go up 2-0 at Nashville. Silvan Hefti gets a red card. Nashville score twice in 14 minutes. DC hold on for a 2-2 draw. It's a monkey's paw. Jon and Ted break it all down plus Chicago on Wednesday and a Washington Spirit update.

In this episode:

• DC United 2-2 Nashville SC: the monkey's paw draw
• Louis Munteanu scores again — the DP slot is starting to look better
• Silvan Hefti red card: Ted referees the refs
• Aaron Herrera: poor performance, 90 minutes Wednesday to prove himself
• Jackson Hopkins misses two clear chances — he's not a forward
• Matti Peltola: steady as ever
• Sean Johnson: 3.38 expected goals faced, saved the point late
• Gabriel Pirani: mutual contract termination reportedly agreed
• Andy Najar: DC's greatest academy product, still embarrassing us at 33
• Renée Weiler's sub decisions explained
• Tai Baribo return: how does the Baribo-Munteanu partnership work?
• Caden Clark trade value in the summer window
• Kye Rowles green card update
• Chicago Wednesday: seven points minimum from the next three games
• Washington Spirit lose in Seattle: Claudia Martinez scores, Trinity Rodman ankle scare
• Sandy McIver: a tough night in goal
• Full Patreon listener Q&A

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Vamos.

DC United win 2-0 at NYCFC. Louis Munteanu scores twice. First back-to-back wins since October 2024. Fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Jon and Ted are back together and taking full credit. Hold onto it. Treasure it.

In this episode:

• DC United 2-0 NYCFC: the best road performance of the season
• First back-to-back wins since October 2024
• Louis Munteanu: two goals, the partnership with Tai Baribo to come
• Keisuke Kurokawa and Jared Stroud: the long throw combination
• Renée Weiler buries Pirani again — is he ever playing for DC United again?
• Brandon Servania's best game of the season
• Matti Peltola and Silvan Hefti: the unsung backbone
• Jackson Hopkins or Aaron Herrera on the right when Baribo returns?
• DC's open DP slot: winger or eight?
• Kye Rowles green card situation
• Nikola Markovic vs Lucas Bartlett — not yet
• Caden Clark trade value
• Nashville preview: can DC steal a result on national TV?
• Four games before the World Cup break — how many points?
• Washington Spirit: Claudia Martinez is a star, Andy Sullivan is back
• Adrian Gonzalez wins manager of the month
• Full Patreon listener Q&A

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Vamos.

Ted is here to break down a wild week that saw 7 goals and 4 points. He talks briefly about the 4-4 draw against the New York Red Bulls that saw the team come back 3 times. He also talks about the wild 3-2 win at home against Orlando including goals from the shiny DP from Romania

Ted's on vacation so Jon called in Gregory Roche from Pitch Pass for 90 minutes of group therapy. DC United grind out a 0-0 draw against Philadelphia Union, the CSO posts AI-written LinkedIn content that doesn't know how many championship stars are on the badge, and Louis Munteanu's future becomes a very real conversation.

In this episode:

• DC United 0-0 Philadelphia Union: defensively solid, offensively invisible
• The LinkedIn Chronicles: AI-written post cites wrong number of stars on the badge
• Renée Weiler sounding like a podcast host in press conferences, not a coach
• Open Cup exit vs One Knoxville SC: the beginning of the end for Gabriel Pirani?
• Was this Weiler's transfer window or the doctor's? Gregory makes the case
• The schizophrenic roster build: great defense, no attacking plan
• Louis Munteanu: Gregory raises the uncomfortable question — is he gone before the end of the season?
• Silvan Hefti and Aaron Herrera: the right back situation explained
• Gavin Turner and Caden Clark need more minutes — both hosts agree
• Nikola Markovic in the six role: working for now
• The Pirani Summer/Fall cycle: it's coming, it always comes
• Locker room sources: reportedly not well-liked internally
• Is the season done and dusted? Gregory says absolutely not
• Eastern Conference reality check: DC United are in a playoff spot
• How to actually market this club — Eddie Pope, Clyde Sims, the flag
• The academy, Kevin Flanagan, and the talent rich DC area
• Orlando preview: yin and yang of MLS mediocrity
• Full listener Q&A

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Vamos.

DC United fall 0-1 to the New England Revolution and Louis Munteanu still hasn't started a game. Jon has a theory. Renée Wilder won't say. Jon and Ted break down the loss, the Munteanu situation, Aaron Herrera's return, and whether this team should go all in on Wednesday's Open Cup match.

In this episode:

• DC United 0-1 New England Revolution: another clean sheet on the wrong side
• The Louis Munteanu situation: $7 million, still no start, Jon has questions
• Why does Renée Wilder keep starting the same lineup?
• Gabriel Pirani: grading on a curve per Jason Anderson, still not good enough per Jon
• Aaron Herrera returns: solid, five of five on crosses, right role in the system
• Kye Rowles back: DC's best defensive pairing in years
• Tai Baribo out injured — Foot Mob says mid-May
• Hakim Karamoko: still listed as illness, still no update
• Matti Peltola hits the post again — the brand is building
• Silvan Hefti and the goal conceded
• Jackson Hopkins as false 9: too close to goal, not his best
• Gavin Turner off the bench: flying around with something to prove
• Louis Munteanu's 30 minutes: what we saw
• Would Renée Wilder get fired or walk away first?
• Open Cup Wednesday vs one Knocks: full rotation? Jon says yes
• Listener Q&A: Atlanta transfers, Wilder's future, lineup questions

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Jon has a chat with Jason Anderson from Green Line Soccer (https://green-line-soccer.ghost.io/green-line-soccer-intro/) about DC United's season so far and touched briefly on the Washington Spirit's season that is much better than the standings would have you think.

Ted is here for a solo show to break down a bad loss to FC Dallas. He talks about what went wrong and what to look for from Rene moving forward. He answers listener questions and relays Cochella recomendations from Jon

DC United grind out a 0-0 draw in Atlanta and are somehow seven points from five games. The defense is excellent. The offense is not bringing anyone to the yard. Renée Wilder knows it, admits it, and is playing the hand he's been dealt. Jon and Ted break it all down — plus a full Washington Spirit recap after a 2-2 draw against Louisville Racing.

In this episode:

• DC United 0-0 Atlanta United: defensively stout, offensively anemic
• Renée Wilder admits the team can't score right now — and this is what he must do
• Silvan Hefti: early season MVP conversation
• Matti Peltola: another big game
• Brandon Servania: quietly his best performance of the season
• Gabriel Pirani: still the problem, still starting
• Peglow and the right wing situation — time for a change?
• Caden Clark and Hosei Kijima off the bench: immediate difference
• Jackson Hopkins as an eight — is Dax McCarty right?
• Gavin Turner's debut
• Aaron Herrera and Louis Munteanu: both back after the international break
• Hakim Karamoko: still listed as illness, still no update
• Is this the good version of Benny Ball?
• Would you rather be DC United or Atlanta right now?
• Listener Q&A: did we learn anything? Bunkering vs Dallas?
• Washington Spirit 2-2 Louisville Racing: so close, yet so far
• Sofia Cantore screamer from 25 yards
• Trinity Rodman concussion sub — will she start against Utah?
• Sandy McIver under the microscope
• Lucia de Guglielmo: the Silvan Hefti of the Spirit
• Hal Hirschfeld, Andy Sullivan's return, and the Croix Bethune discussion
• Claudia Martinez impressing early

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Vamos.

DC United pick up a fortuitous but very welcome 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire. Jon and Ted break down the result, what it means for the season, and the rare good problem of having two right backs competing for a starting spot when Aaron Herrera returns from injury. Note: tonight's show was briefly interrupted by a storm in Fredericksburg — thanks for bearing with us.

In this episode:

• DC United 2-1 Chicago Fire: fortuitous but we'll take it
• Matti Peltola scores his first DC United goal — and was man of the match again
• Silvan Hefti continues to impress — early season MVP conversation
• Gabriel Pirani: nine to twelve listener questions can't be wrong
• Keisuke Kurokawa and set piece delivery looking sharper
• Jackson Hopkins' worst professional game — the handling call
• Louis Munteanu picks up an injury — Romanian media breaks the news
• Nikola Markovic late scratch — two keepers on the bench explained
• Aaron Herrera returning: does he start over Hefti?
• Caden Clark off the bench — still searching for impact
• Brandon Servania: a quietly better performance this week
• The racist/homophobic chant incident involving Tai Baribo — what happened and what should have happened
• Washington Spirit 0-1 Portland: opening day blues, Lucia de [confirm spelling] impresses, Gift Monday disconnected
• Trinity Rodman back healthy for a full 90
• Croix Bethune's absence felt in the attacking third

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Vamos.

70,000 fans in Baltimore. Lionel Messi. Wale at halftime. DC United falls 1-2 to Inter Miami, and the circus is officially over. Jon and Ted break down the spectacle, what it means for the club long-term, and whether the next two road games against Chicago and Atlanta are where this team finally finds its footing.

In this episode:

• DC United 1-2 Inter Miami: business success, soccer disappointment
• Renée Wilder's postgame: he's not rude, he's just Swiss
• Lucas Bartlett and the first goal — this one's on him
• Messi's goal: what can you do
• Gabriel Pirani: borderline invisible, days as a starter may be numbered
• Nikola Markovic comes on and immediately looks like he belongs
• Louis Munteanu: best performance yet — Jon says he starts next week
• Caden Clark off the bench: he's alive
• Jackson Hopkins semi-assist on Tai Baribo's goal — and should DC extend him now?
• Brandon Servania fading — is Markovic overtaking him?
• Supporter section issues in Baltimore
• Listener Q&A: the Baltimore charade, will Messi ever play at Audi Field, and more
• Chicago and Atlanta previews — over/under on points from the next two games

Extended analysis, full Patreon listener Q&A including the Aaron Herrera question, and more at the $5 tier: patreon.com/rfkrefugees

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Vamos.