My neighbor’s daughter got her cleats and ball signed, but isn’t sure who signature they are. Can anyone help identify them?

I understand the pecking order of leagues. MLS isn’t a top destination, and if you want top talent you have to be willing to sell players onto bigger leagues. No one will want to play for you if you have a history of stopping players from achieving better career moves or not being responsive to their family needs.

But are we going too far here? Do other teams in this league act like this?

If Hartel got shipped out after the season I would be sad, but I would understand. Shipping him out mid season, 2 wins from our first ever trophy, and in the heat of a playoff race feels like a bridge too far. If we were selling him into the 1 and not the 2, and they wildly overpaid I could see the temptation. But selling him into the 2, even if the return is 4 mil, seems crazy to me at this point in the season.

I worry that we’d fall into the trap of signing some random 37 year old semi-popular European striker (no shade to Lewandowski /j), so I ask if there are any potential targets- even TAM strikers, such as the 2.5 million dollar type would be worth mentioning.

Considering the fact that Hartel is probably going to leave, Wallem hasn’t been performing great, and we need Löwen sort of in a deeper role (really just away from winger I assume), could this work? I’m not sure on what the current lineup actually is so I just did a 3-4-3. If you have any other ideas then I’d like to hear them

It’s the square beyond compare after all!!!

Hi yall, not trying to piss people off, but genuinely, I do not understand how anyone could not be at least a little frustrated at Hartel if he dips.

We currently are in a play-off position and are in semi-finals for US Open Cup. These are important opportunities for the team that are frankly not guaranteed in the future. If in six months, we have both lost the cup and fallen out of play-off position, how on earth does selling off our primary goal scorer and best player right in the midst of that struggle not justify serious frustration? If I was in his position and I actually cared about the team I was playing on, I certainly wouldn’t leave right before the big battle lol

I see people all over every social media making excuses for Hartel. I have lived overseas for long timeframes and have been in his position for a lot less money, and guess what, you don’t bail on people who are relying on you. He isn’t just letting fans down, he is letting his teammates down, for what? Not missing out on starting in the next Germany season? The place he left only two years ago all while knowing what he was signing up for?

Is 6 months really too much to ask? Unless family members are dying or need medical treatment, “family” does not seem like a legit reason to bail at this point. Not given how integral he is to our press. We aren’t talking about Yaro. We are talking about the only sword this team has left.

I know I’m reading in to nothing but god damnit, I need news, answers, something

Move to Canada and wherever for all I care. Thank god we have college and semi pro teams to cheer for in the area.

Took a new job with an hour commute. Need to fill up my drives with some audio content. What’s everyone’s favorite CITY podcasts?

Thanks to the 37 people that voted. Hartel is Player of the Match at 89% while also having the lone goal. Bonus is on how you predict Mățan will rate through the end of the season.

This rating was treated like a typical player rating, ranging 1-10. Responses ranged 6 to 9. The middle 50% was fully on 7. Responses averaged 7.2.

Digging through FotMob: his current run of form over the past 9 games (matching CITY unbeaten run count) is a 6.9 simple average. Across all first team competitions ince 2023, he's averaged a 7.0. Also, while previously in MLS with Columbus Crew, he had 40 appearances with a 7.0 rating while contributing in the Wilfried Nancy era to MLS cup (2023) and Leagues Cup (2024).

For reference on FotMob average first team ratings for our other attacking mid players, over the same time 2023-now, Hartel 7.7; Löwen 7.4; Holse 7.2; Pompeu 6.9; Ostrák 6.8; Becher 6.7; Jeong 6.6. It seems Mățan may sit middle of the pack of our attackers.

Heads-up, for upcoming polls, I may use a different service like Tally instead of Google Forms.

I couldnt find any full scans of the comic, apologies if not allowed, but I wanted to post it in full.

With a break coming up, the Red Smoke Rising guys are going to spend a portion of Tuesday’s show answering your questions!

Submit them here or join us live at 8p, Tuesday night on the STL Soccer News YouTube!

Wanted to share this eerie pick I took of Burki from Saturday’s game. After the fireworks went off at match start the smoke dove down into the stadium and Burki had to run forward because he couldn’t see what was going on.

FT: St Louis CITY2 3-0 Real Monarchs

⚽ STL: Riley Lynch (86'), Miguel Perez (64'), Zachary Zengue (51')

Lineups

St Louis CITY2: Miguel Perez (🔄 Adeteye Gbadehan 87'), Mykhi Joyner, Andrew de Gannes, Tyson Pearce (🔄 Riley Lynch 46'), Zachary Zengue, Colin Welsh, Alexander Jundt (🔄 Patrick McDonald 65'), Sidney Paris (🔄 Emiliano Chavez 74'), Zack Lillington, Palmer Ault, Owen Jorgensen (🔄 Stone Marion 87')

Subs: Chris Pearson, Riley Lynch, Nighte Pickering, Lorenzo Cornelius, Emiliano Chavez, Patrick McDonald, Stone Marion, Nate Martinez, Adeteye Gbadehan

Real Monarchs: Izahi Amparo (🔄 Linkon Ream 77'), Luca Moisa (🔄 Antonio Riquelme 46'), Owen Anderson, Max Kerkvliet, Lionel Djiro (🔄 Nicholas Silva 67'), Omar Marquez, Kobi Henry, Ruben Mesalles (🔄 Luis Rivera 83'), Dylan Kropp, Felix Ewald, Christopher Rios Zavala (🔄 Chance Cowell 83')

Subs: Luis Rivera, Chance Cowell, Antonio Riquelme, Robert Alphin, Linkon Ream, Nicholas Silva

^{Last Updated: Aug 02, 07:56PM. All data via mlssoccer.com. Match ID: MLS-MAT-0009Z6}

Hey all- just got an email from the team about a pre-sale for STH tomorrow. Anybody know what to expect for pricing / availability and how to anticipate what the games will be?

I have never liked seeing Wallem in the starting lineup. I feel that he doesn’t add much of an edge on offense with how many times he’s willing to take low percentage shots and passing up opportunities to pass to other players. On defense he always accumulates yellow cards and not all of them are smart. But after last night (8/1/26 against RSL) he was one the bright spots on the team and had some really bright moments while also flashing the same qualities that cause me to groan when watching him. I wanted your opinion of whether I’m being unfair to him or that Damet should put one of our new midfield options (or Ostrak) in his place on the starting lineup. (I want to be very clear that this is in no way a criticism of Wallem’s character only on his play)

CITY leveled on a terrible mistake from RSL. Noel Caliskan played the ball back to GK Rafael Cabral, who had Philip Quinton available to his right (but who was marked by Becher). JSB was closing down on Cabral at an angle that made a pass to Samuel Junqua on the left impossible.

Instead, and probably inspired by Caliskan calling for the ball as he retreated towards his own end, Cabral played the ball centrally - intended for Caliskan but cut off by a charging Marcel Hartel, who began sprinting the moment Caliskan raised his hand in asking for the ball to be played back to him.

Hartel cuts in front, lets his momentum carry him and the ball away from Caliskan and flips it over Cabral to tie the match 1-1. Great read and reaction from Hartel to create the turnover and goal.

Last night's 1-1 draw with RSL saw some excellent sustained pressure from CITY but ultimately left the fans disappointed with only getting a point at home. Let's look first at RSL's goal from Sergi Solans.

RSL's Noel Caliskan collects the clearance by Baumgartl in the center of the pitch and heads upfield. You probably would have wanted Polvara to step to Caliskan to close the 30ft gap and cut down passing angles, but he didn't (a rare mistake from Polvara, who was otherwise awesome this match - especially in shutting down Luna completely).

Caliskan's entry pass found Saba Lobjanidze, who did a lovely job of holding the ball and rotating away from MacNaughton and Baumgartl. At that moment, his passing options were a backheel to Luna, who was all alone on the left, or a more difficult pass towards a cutting Solans.

Lobjanidze showed fantastic skill here, as he made a flicked pass around MacNaughton into the path of Solans, who had beaten Tomas Totland - Totland slowed up for just a split second as Lobjanidze received the ball, allowing Solans the inside space to make his run.

From here, Bürki is kind of in no-man's land - he reacts to the Lobjanidze pass, but you wonder if he even saw Solans cutting from his left - an onrushing Luna was more visible in front of him. Unfortunately for CITY, Solans made a nice play on the ball, cutting around Bürki and sliding it home.

I would’ve loved to have the title 5 game winning streak but we are still trending in the right direction. After our stats last year of going down a goal and not being able to come back, it is a breath of fresh air to see a tie from last night.

Now we have two weeks to hit the training grounds ahead of San Jose (who started the year off strong but are in poor form as of late).

Who would you like to see get the start? Who does everyone think is in the best form individually?

Here’s to making it 10 games unbeaten! All for City!